02/11/21
It's crazy how one day everything just seems like perfection. It's as if nothing could ever go wrong. But, one tiny mishap can just topple that seemingly perfect foundation and everything crumbles.
I wake up, butterflies in my stomach as I see Jungkook laying beside me on my bed. The memory of our magical date last night is in the forefront of my mind.
Last night he picked me up with his driver at my work place. We met in my work building's parking garage and everything seemed discreet.
Jungkook took me out to a really trendy restaurant where we indulged in wine and some delectable food. The night ended at my place, with him bringing out sketch pads for each of us and an assortment of drawing pencils. He told us he had this idea to sketch each other and it was honestly an idea that was up my alley. Of course, this man insisted on taking his shirt off before I started drawing. I couldn't let him have all the fun, so I let him draw me wearing only the black lace lingerie set I had under my black velvet body con dress I wore out to dinner.
After a while, the sexual tension was building and the night ended with sex that started vigorously but ended passionately.
I've fallen for him.
I haven't uttered those three words back to him, when he had first said them to me on Halloween night. He hasn't brought it up to me and he hasn't pushed it. I don't know if it's because he can sense that I feel the same way or he doesn't want me to feel pressured. But, I think I will tell him before he leaves to go back to Seoul.
I have to.
I love him.
I shake my head when I realized I've zoned out. I reach out for my phone, resting on my nightstand, and unplug it from my charger. I had the intention of scrolling through social media since I like to do that while I'm trying to fully wake up. I figured I would give Jungkook some more time to rest.
When I unlock my phone, I see an overwhelming amount of missed calls, text messages and voicemails. I'm initially confused, and since it's 5:45 in the morning, I decide to not check all of the missed calls and texts yet and just go straight onto Twitter.
I check what's trending, and what I'm faced with is one thing I did not expect. Well, I knew something like this was possible, but I thought Jungkook and I have been doing so well about being inconspicuous as a couple.
Apparently not.
I see images of me and Jungkook in my work parking garage. It was from yesterday, late in the afternoon when he came to pick me up to get ready for our romantic evening.
There's an image of Jungkook with his mask pulled down to his chin, which exposes his face clearly for whoever took this photo. My back is to the camera but you can see the side profile of my face. His arms are wrapped around me with his hands resting on my lower back. The image captures Jungkook mid sentence, saying something funny while I'm laughing, with my head thrown back slightly, all while we stand next to the SUV.
The other photo that is being spread all over Twitter is Jungkook and I going in for a kiss right before we entered the SUV. At that angle, you can see my face a little more clearer.
Reading what people had to say about these photos made my blood boil.
"With the way she looks laughing, I can imagine she sounds like a hyena. She doesn't look cute enough for Jungkook! #dumpherJungkook"
"What is he looking at?! She doesn't look like she has a butt to look at!"
"Her body is nothing to rave about! Gross! What is Jungkook thinking?! He's lost his mind!"
"Jungkook could do so much better!"
"Is JK blind? I would be so much better than her!"
As much as the insults hurt, what freaks me out is that people are starting to uncover information about me- my name, my age, where I'm from and where I work.
What the fuck.
"Old hag #jkdeservesbetter"
"She's older than him...she definitely looks like it!"
"Why, Jungkook?! At least go for a cute noona! "
"Oh no, people know where she works. She has to watch her back now."
"This Sarah girl better watch her back!"
"Why is Jungkook with a foreign girl with such a generic name?!"
"Of course JK picks a snooty-looking woman from LA."
My eyes start to well up and I start to freak out at the thought that the people know about me and my life. I can be put into danger from sasaengs and face paparazzi harassing me.
Some of these insults are weak but it's still painful to read any type of negative comment about myself. I've seen some positive comments but of course I let the negative ones affect me more.
I hear banging on the door followed by a worried voice.
"Sarah, are you awake?!" I hear Melina's anxious voice. I assume she saw what's being said to me online.
I'm shaking at this point. But, I force myself to get off my bed and head to my bedroom door.
As soon as I open the door, Melina sees me with tears running down my face.
"Oh, Sarah," Melina says in a hurt tone, "Come here."
I step into her arms that are open for me and she hugs me tight.
"What's going on?" I hear Jungkook's groggy, morning voice from behind me. I think he's still in bed.
"Jungkook, check your phone," Melina simply commands him. "Sarah, let's go downstairs in the living room okay? We'll lay on the couch and you can cry on my shoulders."
I nod, still in her embrace. As we start to head to the stairs, I hear Jungkook.
"Babe, why are you crying?" This time, I know he's out of bed and standing right behind me.
"Jungkook, please just check your phone and meet us in the living room when you're ready, okay?" Melina tries to sound as calm as possible.
"Okay," he simply answers and nods as we walk away and head down the stairs.
~
Jungkook's 1st Person POV
I see red.
It's one thing to come after me online. I can handle this. I've grown thick skin having been in this industry for so long.
But, to come after Sarah like this, I am absolutely livid.
I have some missed calls from the members as well as from Sejin-nim, Mr. Kang, and other managers.
I decide to return Sejin-nim's call first.
Sejin:
"Jungkook, are you at Sarah's right now?"
Jungkook:
"I am. And, I just saw everything online."
Sejin:
"Okay, well, the company is making quick work with trying to keep her identity as concealed as possible but unfortunately people know her work place based on the photos that are leaked. There are already many news outlets camped out of that office building, so I suggest she make arrangements to not go in and to speak to her boss on the phone."
Jungkook:
"I will make sure she doesn't face all of that. What about where she lives?"
Sejin:
"The team has been able to keep as little about her information from leaking out, other than her name and place of work, she's safe. Her residence has been kept confidential. And we've already issued a statement about the members of the group and anyone close to them from being publicly harassed online and in person or measures will be taken for the safety of the group and anyone associated with you all."
Jungkook:
"This is a mess. Fuck. I didn't want her to deal with this. I thought we were being covert when I was picking her up."
Sejin:
"It could be someone from her company but, then again, it could really be anyone. As for now, check on Sarah and inform her about not going to the building today and I'll keep you all informed on everything else."
Jungkook:
"Thank you, Sejin-nim."
Sejin:
"No problem. When you and Yoongi leave their home, please conceal your faces as much as possible and when we send a driver, we'll make sure you aren't noticed. It hasn't been an issue in the past, but we need to take extra precautions now that this all has happened."
Jungkook:
"Understood. I'll talk to you later, Sejin-nim."
Sejin:
"Talk to you later, Jungkook."
After I end the call with Sejin-nim, I throw on sweatpants and run down the stairs to find Melina tightly embracing a sobbing Sarah on their couch. Sarah's back is towards me while Melina is facing me. She makes eye contact with me, and we both exchanged sorrowful expressions. She raises her hand motioning me to come over. I walk over and sit on the other side of Sarah.
Melina gently speaks to her best friend, "Sarah, Jungkook is next to you. I'm going to have you hold onto him so I can get all of us some coffee. Okay, babe?"
"Okay," Sarah sniffles out and turns to me, burying her face in my chest while I hold onto her in a comforting yet tight embrace.
"Baby, I'm so sorry you had to see all of that online and that those pictures were leaked. I never want you to have to deal with that. I'm so sorry," I say to her in a quiet and defeated tone.
"I-It's fine. I-I just wish they didn't find out where I worked. What if I can't go back there? I love that company so-soo much...and I also don't want your fans to tu-turn against you because they found out you're in a relationship." She tries to speak as she cries.
"Sarah, we'll figure this out, okay? And, it's not like my company doesn't allow us to date. My fans just need to accept it."
"But they won't and I don't know if we can figure this all out," she says in a soft, painful voice.
"What do you mean we can't figure this out?" I momentarily get frustrated by what Sarah just said, but then I try not to let it bother me. "You know what...let's just take deep breaths and we will talk about this later when we are a little bit more calm and not so upset." I reassure her while rubbing her back and letting her tears spill on my chest.
Everything will be fine if we work through this.
"Okay," she croaks out as she hiccups from all the crying.
~
A couple hours has passed and Sarah has calmed down a considerable amount, though she's still on edge and upset about what has happened. She was able to call the office and they had given her the rest of the week off for her safety and they would discuss what measures will be taken towards the end of this week via a video conference. She said decisions will be made based on how the media and any crazed fans that loiter outside of the office building will present itself the following weeks.
Sarah and I are now both sitting on the loveseat in her bedroom.
"Jungkook, I think we should take a break."
*********
A/N:
How are you feeling?
Now, I don't know how Hybe/BigHit would actually handle this situation, but given that this is my AU, I'm just going to try my best. 🥰
🎵Song to check out: "Where Are We Now" by Mamamoo
Hope, you're okay after reading this chapter. ✨
-MissD