"We can't be together but I can't lose you too," his once soothing voice sounded pained.
"You're right, we can't be together." she agreed as her heart broke along with her soul.
"Not right now," he added.
She was in his arms, warm against the win...
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Areum sat alone silently in the passenger's seat of her father's car—anxious and worried about what was happening inside the vacation house her friends and boyfriend were filming.
Her car was taken home and she was forced to drive with her father. She had no idea her father was going to come visit the members at work. He suddenly showed up, which was no surprise because he was their boss—kind of.... still.
The whole members basically became one of the bosses of BH Entertainment at that point. They already own more than half of the shares of the company, but they still let the management control their image in the public, still submit concepts and suggestions for approval like normal signed artists.
It was their decision to let the management protect their privacy and speak for them against prejudice unless it went over the line and they had to step up and clear the air themselves.
It was no surprise though, that they remained humble all these years—they were the only ones who stayed loyal and less of a headache in the management. Perhaps because they've been working with the same agency since day one.
The other groups who debuted after them were good but not as great as BTS, not as down-to-earth like their seniors. Those kids hadn't realized yet that the way to success wasn't angst and ego. It was both passion and a good heart in the midst of negative criticism.
She held her hand in front of her face, almost biting her nails in the process when she realized she stopped doing that years ago.
Now, when she was anxious, she'd breathe in and out slowly, doing the box technique where she imagined a square shaped inside her head and uses each corner to mandate her inhales and exhales within 4-8 seconds intervals. She'd do it until her mind was near at ease—her anxiety never really fully goes away as clear, so she'd close her eyes for better concentration, straightening her back as she even out her breathing.
It was way too early for both of them to meet 'the parents'. If she was to meet Jungkook's family too, she would be shitting her pants no doubt. The last time their son publicized his romantic entanglement to the public, it was with the most loved woman in South Korea.
Everyone liked Iris, threatened at how powerful her talents were—how beautiful she was. And when they broke up, the media were all over their business again. It damn near ruined the group's image but they got through it, somehow.
How could Jungkook let go of the darling angel of the industry? Was everyone's question that remained unanswered. Even Areum didn't want to think too much about it or else she'll go crazy.
She was supposed to be calming herself, not put pressure on her sorry ass to be someone as good as someone else. Areum rarely felt insecure but when she does, the only reason was Iris. Not because Iris was beautiful and lovely and talented—but solely because she was Jungkook's first love. And first loves were like fucking leeches, they stick around until the host was drained out of life. That was what she was thinking at least.
