BTS 8th member: Map of the female member

You're a girl.

"We're glad you all came. We wished we could have a small talk earlier but we really need to start right now."  the two hosts stood up from their seats and walked over to the closed curtains where the audience was sitting. This made the members both excited and nervous. They were ready to make their debut in the U.S., and this show marked the beginning of many more dreams coming true.

As the curtains opened with a countdown, the audience erupted into loud applause. Cameras were capturing every corner of the set. "Welcome, everyone!" Celine's voice rang out, opening the show and further exciting the audience. "Welcome to another late-night show with your favorite hosts, 'Celine and Nathan,'" an automatic voiceover announced. A crew member tried to hush the audience using a pre-rehearsed gesture, which signaled Nathan to start speaking.

"This week, we have some special guests from overseas sitting in our studio. Every day, they receive thousands of views on their YouTube channel. Their new hit, 'I Need U,' is climbing our charts. Here, in the midst of these colorful walls, sit eight young singers, all the way from Seoul, South Korea. Give them a warm round of applause—here is BTS!"

°°°

They were about halfway through their interview, and Na-Rae was growing increasingly uncomfortable with how the female host was constantly cutting her off. Namjoon and she had prepared for this type of interview, where their English language skills were equal and they could switch answering questions. However, every time Na-Rae started to speak, she was interrupted by another question, most of which only the other members could answer. Some of the questions sounded like this: "How does it feel to have a girl in your group?" "Do you boys share rooms together?" "How do you manage this, do that?" "boys, boys, boys..." It was frustrating, and she tried to maintain her smile through the first half, but she had the feeling that more challenges were lying ahead for her.

And there it was the first question, sighing, Na-Rae shook her head slightly and answered the question about her being the only girl in the group and if she could handle the pressure. Being professional she answered: "I think the struggle is the same for every single member. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and together, we try to bring out the best in each other. We help each other, no matter what."

However, Celine was clearly not satisfied with this answer and pushed further, trying to provoke Na-Rae. "So, you're not telling us that you never feel like you're just there for show? To add a touch of femininity?" It felt like bullets were hitting Na-Rae, but she was determined to respond with grace.

Despite her best efforts to maintain her composure, Na-Rae's smile faltered. Her mind raced to find a diplomatic response. "Celine, I appreciate your interest in our group, but I need to disappoint you. My role in our group has nothing to do with my gender. I'm here because of my talent and creativity, just like every other member."

Not pleased with Na-Rae's response again, Celine continued to provoke. "Oh, come on, Na-Rae. We all know that K-pop groups often use female members as eye candy." The girl's smile vanished, and the boys, who were trying to stay relaxed, were no longer doing a successful job.

Sighing in frustration, Na-Rae tried to remain calm again. She understood that this host was pushing her buttons, but she needed to respond thoughtfully. "Celine, your assumption is incorrect. My gender does not define my role in this group. I am here because of my talent, just like any other member." It felt like she was only repeating herself, defending her position in the group.

Other members were growing increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation, even though the translation was bad. They exchanged glances and were not pleased with the questions being translated. Yoongi decided to step in, saying, "I think that's enough, Na-Rae is not here just for appearances. She brings immense talent and creativity to our group. As trainees, we grew up together and recognized each other's skills and perspectives. Each of us has a role in our performances and music production. Na-Rae, like any other member, is an artist and a friend, part of our family."

Namjoon supported Yoongi's statement, adding, "Suga is right, Celine. Na-Rae is not here just for appearances; she's very important. Of course, most people think it's a stunt or promoting thing but our manager thought through this. He put 8 persons together, thinking that gender never should be a limit to someone's worth or potential. I'm proud to be a member of BTS and together we try to break barriers and inspire other people to do what they love, to believe in themselves." 

Celine was unsure of what else to say, but suddenly she was met with applause from the audience. She knew this interview could harm her career if she dared to ask one more question like this. However, she was not used to being called out or silenced. She enjoyed provoking and placing people in difficult situations where they had to think and be careful about whatever they said. However, Na-Rae and the rest of the members held their ground.

Nathan felt something was off, so he decided to end the show nicely. "Well, it looks like we will end this show with those beautiful words. Thank you all for being here tonight," Nathan said, trying to maintain the show's signature upbeat tone. He flashed a smile, though the tension in the room could be felt from miles away. "We appreciate your time and energy. Let's give one more round of applause to our guests!"

Shushing the crowd again, Nathan spoke one last time to the group. "Before we let you go, we have one more surprise for you all." Another lady walked from behind the set, carrying a box. "These are the official late-night show with Nathan and Celine T-shirts!" Nevertheless, each member took one with a polite smile, masking any discomfort. It was a bittersweet moment as tension lingered in the air. Nathan attempted to inject some cheerfulness into the situation, but it was clear that the usual light-hearted atmosphere had been replaced by an awkward moment when Celine handed a T-shirt to Na-Rae.

Another round of applause filled the room as the group stood in front of the hosts. As they bid their farewells to the audience, Na-Rae took a moment to say goodbye to the fans. With a warm smile, she offered a small bow, a gesture of gratitude that spoke more than words about her professionalism even in challenging situations. The other members also conveyed their appreciation in their own way. All the boys waved toward the crowd and into the camera, some making their famous signs to say farewell. Na-Rae raised her hand, forming a heart shape with her fingers, a sign that she always did to say goodbye.

Once backstage, Na-Rae shouted "Who likes to give these t-shirts away, just raise your hand," she playfully announced in Korean, aware that they were still being watched.

"Na-Rae, we're still being filmed by our crew!" Manager Sejin reminded her, though he couldn't hide his amusement as she added a touch of aegyo. "Just beep it out or cut this part from the final footage," he sighed, telling one of the crew members who were walking next to the cameraman.

"So, who wants to give these away? Throwing them would be a waste, and some people might appreciate these shirts," she tried to make her question a bit more innocently but Sejin-nim only could slap himself knowing that he needs to be stricter towards her sometimes.

Taehyung stepped forward. "I'm in. Who wants free gifts?" He gave Na-Rae a high-five, and she couldn't help but smile. The rest of the members joined in with their enthusiasm, creating a fun atmosphere ."Me three!", "Me four!"

However, as the interview wrapped up, Taehyung couldn't resist playfully nudging Na-Rae's memory with a sly grin, saying, "Oh, Na-Rae, do you recall what happened just before the interview?" Na-Rae pretended to be unsure, subtly shaking her head, knowing full well that Taehyung had some sweet revenge scheme up his sleeve.

"You sure?"  Taehyung questioned, his grin growing mischievous as he initiated a three-second countdown. "Run!" he declared with a mischievous laugh. Na-Rae needed no further encouragement, and she swiftly spun around, dashing away with joyful squeals echoing through the hallways as she sought out the perfect hiding place.

"Oh, that girl. If it's not Kook, it's someone else she triggers," Jin said making Jimin, Hoseok, and Namjoon laugh.

Jungkook, feeling a bit bewildered, asked, "What did I do?", Why was he suddenly at the center of attention? he thought.

"You never know what we're talking about," Yoongi replied with a playful wink, and gently urged Jungkook to keep moving, which only brought more laughter within the group.

Poor Kookie. 

____________

A/N: Hi Hi, there,🌟! Just a little reminder to not forget to sprinkle a little love on this chapter by hitting that "like" button and... If you've got a little extra time, hop on over to the comments section and share your thoughts on this chapter. Love, Charlie!