<OST: Start - Gaho>
A few months passed.
And those were the most eventful and fruitful few months any of them had experienced in their whole lives.
BTS Entertainment was established on the 1st of January 2021. After the press conference held on 11th January, the first episode of My Brightest Star was uploaded on the Behind-The-Scenes application on 1st February, and the final episode aired on 12th April. The reception to the drama was astronomical, both locally and internationally... perhaps due to the hype created by many news outlets (by the increasingly popular KNJ News, in particular) over the past few months.
My Brightest Star ended up being one of the top critically-acclaimed dramas of all-time, praised for its stunning visuals, acting and stellar cinematography. Actor Kim Taehyung's acting debut was praised as one of the best acting debuts since Hyun Bin's and actress Jennie Kim's amazing portrayal of her role was compared to that of legends like actress Jun Jihyun and Ha Jiwon. On top of the stellar cast, Min Yoongi PD-nim was complimented for his successful film debut... and gained recognition from directors all over the world for his masterpiece of a drama.
Jungkook released two mixtapes over this short one-year period as well - Euphoria debuted on the Billboard world charts at #3, and stayed in the top #10 spots for a total of 26 weeks. The platform was serving him well, and he used it to upload clips of his dance practices and vlogs of him doing his favourite hobbies over the weekend. People soon forgot about his whole saga with BG Entertainment and were soon starting to accept his change in style - both musically and in terms of his character. He could finally be himself in front of camera - say what he wanted without being controlled, do what he wanted and release all the music he wanted. He was extremely content.
Seokjin and Byulyi were benefiting greatly from the platform as well. They had started writing together again shortly after they got together, and their stories impressed Yoongi so much that he simply had to sign them on under his label. They started a couple channel on the application, where they came up with weekly content for people on how they brainstormed writing ideas and all. It was doing decently well especially amongst the local community, since many were already fans of moonstarsandsun. Their channel was called Jin's Moon - a pretty apt name, if you ask me.
If there was a person who benefited the most from this whole concept... it would have to be none other than Miss Lee Jieun herself. Her channel became the most popular sub-channel on the Behind-The-Scenes application, exceeding over a million subscribers within the past three months, and it was still rising at an alarming rate. Jieun was overwhelmed by the popularity she was gaining because of her makeup videos - it was mind-boggling that a makeup channel like hers would do so well on an entertainment-based application. But she was grateful, and she was happy reading the comments every night about how they adored her videos. Occasionally, she would see a comment or two mentioning her past scandal with the JKJK couple, but she would brush it off easily - it didn't bother her any longer.
Now, back to the present.
"Min Yoongi-ssi! Min Yoongi-ssi! Please say a few words!"
"Min Yoongi PD-nim! What do you have to say about the success of My Brightest Star? Did you expect it at all?"
"Yoongi-ssi! Please look over here!"
"Min daepyo-nim! I'm a huge fan!"
"Min Yoongi PD! I have a question for you - we all just read in the news this morning that you received an offer to go overseas to pursue a Masters in film production... is that true?"
Yoongi stopped in his tracks as he heard the question. He stopped, turned around and looked at the reporter for a few seconds, as if hesitating on whether to reply. However, he evidently decided not to as he turned back around and hopped onto the car waiting for him by the roadside and quickly slammed the door behind him.
"Hey-"
Yoongi turned around and let out a small gasp as a little face poked out from the seat behind him.
"Ya-" Yoongi burst into laughter as he realised who it was. "You scared me."
"Hello-" Jennie crawled out from behind and took a seat next to him as the car zoomed off. "Sorry, I had to hide behind so that the reporters wouldn't spot me."
Yoongi watched Jennie make herself comfortable with a little smile on his face. "Ah, I see."
"Your popularity is booming - isn't it, oppa?" Jennie teased. "I've never seen that many reporters at my own schedules."
"Well..." Yoongi let out a playful chuckle. "I guess we're on different levels now, Jennie Kim-ssi."
Jennie laughed. "Ya!"
"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Yoongi asked with a laugh. "Don't you have an interview with KNJ News?"
"Yeah!" Jennie scrunched her nose as she leaned back in her seat, taking a sip of her iced Americano. "And I'm done now, it was quick. So I came by to see you."
"What was the interview about?"
"Random things that I want the world to know about me," Jennie said with a little grin. "It was fun."
"So... like what?" Yoongi teased. "That you don't hold your alcohol well...?"
"Something like that... but not really-" Jennie flashed him a mysterious smile. "Go watch the interview yourself - it's airing tomorrow morning."
Yoongi shrugged. "Okay, I'll tune in."
"Anyway!" Jennie chirped. "Aren't you gonna ask me why I'm here?"
"I don't know-" Yoongi frowned. "Aren't you here just to see me...?"
Jennie laughed and nodded. "Mm, I am."
Yoongi smiled a little.
"I'm just kidding-" Jennie bit her lower lip as she sat up in her seat and looked at Yoongi with a serious look on her face. "I'm here because of what I read on the news this morning."
Yoongi's face fell. "Oh... that."
"Why didn't you tell me, oppa?" Jennie crossed her arms, pouting a little. "I'm pretty sad that I had to hear it first through the news."
"Ah... it's because-" Yoongi glanced nervously at Jennie. "I just- well, it's not important."
"It's not important?" Jennie exclaimed, her jaw falling open as she stared at Yoongi, wide-eyed. "What do you mean it's not important, oppa? Are you not going...?"
Yoongi glanced at Jennie, trying to read her facial expressions. "No, I'm not."
"What?!"
"Why?" Yoongi swallowed. "Did you want me to go?"
"Of course I want you to go!" Jennie laughed as she glanced at the article on her phone once more. "A Masters in film-making, oppa - that's huge! Isn't that what you've been wanting to do for a long, long time? You had to end your studies in film production early because of what happened ten years ago... don't you feel like it's such a pity?"
"No, I don't-" Yoongi paused. "I'm not going."
Jennie frowned. "Why!"
"If I'm gone, who's gonna take care of the company?" Yoongi said after a short pause. "Who's gonna oversee all the processes? Who's gonna manage the finances? Who's gonna upgrade the website? Who's gonna-"
"Me," Jennie put it simply. "Me, I'll do it. I'll manage the company while you're away, oppa. I'll do it."
"I literally just started, Jennie-ya-" Yoongi insisted. "I can't just leave my company like that-"
"Didn't you say you wanted BTS Entertainment to be one that belonged to all artists...?" Jennie challenged. "It's your company, but so is it mine... and Jungkook's, and Jieun-unnie's... and Seokjin-oppa and Byulyi-unnie's. We can manage it while you're gone, oppa - trust me."
"Jennie-"
"Don't you trust us?" Jennie questioned him. "Don't you trust... me?"
"I do, it's just-" Yoongi swallowed hard as he forced himself to look at Jennie once more. "Jennie-ya, if I go, do you know how long I'll take to be back?"
Jennie was speechless for a while. "I don't know, maybe just a couple of-"
"It's five years, Jennie-ya-" Yoongi managed. "Five whole years. In a country away from Korea, away from the company, away from-"
You, he meant to say.
Yoongi stared at Jennie, and she finally understood.
"It's okay, I can wait..." Jennie whispered. "I'm good at waiting."
But I don't want to make you wait any longer... Yoongi looked at Jennie with a look that seemed to plead with her to ask him not to go. "You really want me to go, don't you."
"As the person who likes you, I don't want you to go - like, at all-" Jennie blurted out frankly. "But as the person who knows you best... I know what you want, oppa. And I know what's best for you, as well. That's why I'm willing to let you go."
Yoongi stared at Jennie for a few moments in silence, before turning to look out of the car window, throwing a fit. "I'm not going."
Jennie looked at Yoongi helplessly.
"If you came here today just to persuade me to go to America, I guess your trip is futile today," Yoongi muttered angrily. "Because I have already made the decision not to go - I'm staying, and that's my final decision."
It was silent in the car for the rest of the car ride. Jennie didn't speak until the car came to a complete stop outside their apartment.
"Oppa..." Jennie reached out and grabbed hold of Yoongi's hand. "Yoongi-oppa..."
"If all you're gonna do while you're here is keep on trying to convince me, you can jolly well give up at this point and leave-"
"I'm not, I've given up-" Jennie changed her tone, trying to talk to Yoongi in a different way this time. "Oppa, look at me - just look at me one more time."
Yoongi hesitated, before turning to glance at Jennie, a look of utter displeasure written all over his face. "What?"
"Okay, okay- If you don't like it, I'll stop, alright...?" Jennie poked a finger at Yoongi's cheek. "Stop pouting, you look too cute like that."
Yoongi looked away, a little flustered.
"What I wanted to say was-" Jennie took a deep breath and put on a big smile. "Let's go on a date, oppa."
Yoongi looked up at Jennie with a surprised expression. "Huh?"
"You and me-" Jennie pointed at Yoongi and her respectively when she spoke. "Just the two of us - let's go on a date tonight."
"Suddenly...?"
"What do you mean suddenly?" Jennie laughed. "Mm, there's just a place I really wanted to go with you tonight. Are you free...?"
Yoongi hesitated. "Mm, I'll be free but-"
"Fantastic!" Jennie chirped as she looked down at her phone, typing it into her calendar. "I guess it's on then. Tonight, 6pm, outside your door - how's that?"
"Okay, but why?" Yoongi probed. "Why suddenly, Jennie-ya? We literally were talking about something else before this-"
"Ah! I've got a Skype call with my mom today, I almost forgot!" Jennie hurriedly changed the topic as she slid the car door open. "See you, oppa!"
"Ya!" Yoongi called after her. "Wait a secon-"
But Jennie was gone.
-•-•-
"Psst-" Hoseok nudged Chungha who stood next to him. "Look over there-"
Chungha glanced in the direction Hoseok was nodding towards, and grinned from ear to ear.
"Sunbae-nim, what are you-"
"Shh!"
Hoseok and Chungha hissed at the same time, turning around to shush Chaeyoung, who had just returned from the coffee room with some coffee, only to find Hoseok and Chungha hovering outside Namjoon's office, peeking inside. As Hoseok and Chungha turned around and their facial expressions softened once more, Chaeyoung peeked over their shoulders to finally catch a glimpse of what they had been looking at all this while. The moment her eyes landed on them, the corners of her lips curled upwards as well.
Namjoon and Hyejin sat on opposite sides of the coffee table in Namjoon's office, their heads resting on their arms, facing each other.
"They're so freaking cute, I wanna just-" Hoseok punched the palm of his other hand the moment they had successfully crept back out and Chungha had shut the door fully. "Urgh-"
"They've been working so hard on the recent murder case, they really deserve some rest-" Chungha nodded slowly, as a smile crept back onto her face once more. "But you're right... I wouldn't mind it even if Hyejin-ssi becomes our boss in the future."
"Why would she become our boss...?" Chaeyoung scratched her head with a confused frown on her face. "Am I missing something or...?"
"Obviously, when she gets married to our bujang-nim, duh!" Hoseok sniggered. "Come on, Chaeyoung-ssi - catch up!"
"Catch up with what?" Jisoo joined in, balancing a stack of documents on one arm. "What are you guys talking about? Why are you guys standing outside here, anyway? Weren't we having a debrief about the Itaewon murder case? Aren't you guys going back in-"
"Ya!" Hoseok grabbed hold of Jisoo's hand before she could reach for the knob, shaking his head profusely. "The debrief is over, let's go."
"What do you mean it's over?" Jisoo scoffed. "I literally just came out to photocopy some stuff that bujang-nim wanted... and it has barely been 15 minutes-"
"Hey, no-!" Hoseok darted in front of Jisoo, blocking her way. "Actually... bujang-nim is taking a nap right now."
"Is he...?" Jisoo frowned for a few seconds, before grinning once more. "Don't lie, I know Hyejin-ssi is still inside there as well-"
Jisoo tried to squeeze her way past Hoseok and the two jostled for a bit.
"Ya-" Chungha muttered under her breath, sounding pissed all of a sudden. "Cut it out."
"Jisoo-ssi!" Hoseok held Jisoo back, motioning for Chaeyoung to grab hold of her. "Let's not disturb him right now, he's resting-"
"I just wanna take a look, that's all-" Jisoo managed, as Chaeyoung grabbed her from behind. "Why are y'all so-"
"Ya-" Chungha split the two, standing between them both and folding her arms. "Cut it out, both of you - are you two kindergarten kids or what?"
"Chungha-ssi!" Jisoo frowned. "It was your boyf-"
"Get back to work," Chungha said quietly, her facial expression stern. "Just because we've finished one case does that mean it's the end of our work? We still have so much things to do - let's get back to work."
Jisoo and Chaeyoung exchanged confused glances, before eventually leaving for their desks once more. Chungha shot Hoseok a dirty look before turning to leave.
"Ya-" Hoseok grabbed on to Chungha's wrist, turning her to face him. "Why are you pissed?"
"I'm not-" Chungha tried to pry Hoseok's fingers off her hand. "Let go of me."
"Oh, you really are..." Hoseok concluded from her behaviour. "But... why?"
"I said, I'm not mad-" Chungha tried to wriggle her way out. "So let go - I still have a lot of other things to do, Hoseok-ssi."
"Hoseok-ssi...?" Hoseok gasped. "You're really mad mad, huh... What did I do?"
"You still-" Chungha snapped instinctively, but quickly shut her mouth once more and looked away. "Nothing."
"What did I do wrong this time, huh?" Hoseok tried his aegyo method, swinging Chungha's hand back and forth and looking at her with big puppy eyes. "Hm, Chungha-ssi...? Chungha-ya...?" He hesitated and looked around, before whispering. "Baby...?"
Chungha smiled a little. "Why did you have to do that earlier?"
"What?"
"Hold Jisoo-ssi's hand and be all touchy with her-" Chungha folded her arms as she turned away. "Right in front of me, too."
"Huh?" Hoseok scratched his head. "Well, of course, that's because I had no choice- Didn't you see it too? I didn't want her to wake bujang-nim and Hyejin-ssi up-" Hoseok stopped suddenly, and a instigating smile spread across his face. "Hold on a second... Kim Chungha - are you... jealous?"
"No, I'm not-" Chungha shook Hoseok off and turned to leave. "Let's get to work, Jung Hoseok."
"Hey, come here-" Hoseok grabbed her by the arm once more. "You're jealous, aren't you?"
Chungha hesitated. "And what about it?"
"Nothing-" Though Hoseok's smile made it clear that there was indeed something. "It's just that... I've been jealous over you for the past five years, it's nice to see you getting jealous over me every now and then."
Chungha slowly smiled and she punched Hoseok in the stomach playfully. "Get back to work."
Hoseok saluted with a cheeky smile. "Yes, ma'am!"