BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 5: aftermath of doubts

"I don't know!" Jungkook ruffled his hair exasperatedly as he boarded the car, leaning back in his seat and letting out a frustrated groan. "Everything just sucks today, I'm in such an awful mood. How did those fans of mine even find out where I was today?"

"Those sasaengs can really resort to anything, I swear-" Seokjin sighed as he leaned against the car door, watching Jungkook with a look of concern on his face. "I'm sorry for leaving you back there, all alone. I'll make sure we sue all of them here today."

"Forget it, hyung."

"Huh?"

"Forget it," Jungkook repeated with his eyes closed. "Give them a warning and send them off on their ways. I saw that a lot of them look like they're minors... They're probably still in high school or even middle school right now... If we sue them like that, that's the end of their future.

"Look how kind you are-" Seokjin shook his head slowly. "And yet just now, you were being so awful to that young lady. Based on what I heard from her, it really seemed like you were the one in the wrong. Did she skew the story or-"

"Yeah, I was," Jungkook admitted with a shrug. "I probably was in the wrong."

"So you knew, huh?"

"Of course-"

"Then why didn't you apologise?"

Jungkook sighed as he rubbed at his temple, trying to ease the throbbing pain in his head away. "I guess I just really wanted to get myself out of the situation and she was the one holding me back. Was I being an ass back there?"

"To be honest... yeah." Seokjin hesitated as he observed Jungkook silently. "Is your headache back?"

Jungkook was clearly in discomfort. "Mm."

"Bad sleep last night?"

"Mm."

Seokjin frowned. "Have you been taking the pills?"

"They gave me awful nightmares..." Jungkook grumbled as he shook his head. "So I rather not take them and not sleep at all."

"You need to take them, Jungkook-ah..." Seokjin nagged as he retrieved a blanket from the seat in front and draped it over Jungkook. "You're in a pretty bad shape lately, be it your mood... or your energy level."

"I don't want to, hyung."

"You're really not acting yourself these days," Seokjin noted aloud with worry written all over his face. "Shall I help you make an appointment with Choi paksa-nim?"

"Forget it, hyung-" Jungkook waved his hand and shook his head in downright rejection. "It's just the stress from recent events, I'll be fine."

Seokjin sighed as he pulled the blanket over Jungkook once more, took a step back with a deep sigh and slammed the door shut. He headed to the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Hyung, you know that lady earlier? Lee Jiyeon or something, was it?"

Seokjin turned around, only to see Jungkook's eyes barely open. "Mmhmm, Lee Jieun."

"You gave her your name card, right?"

"Yeah."

"When she calls you..." Jungkook paused for a while. "Tell her that we will agree to any of her conditions as long as it is within our ability."

"Including apologising?"

"Other than that," Jungkook said firmly. "Anything other than that, we will try our best to accommodate her requests. If she wants a new phone, we'll get her that. If she wants the same exact jacket, we'll do that too. Cover her medical fees? Sure."