CHAPTER 66
Song Areum
To Song Areum, dancing was nearly as satisfying and exciting as saving a life. Making a song was once a burden to her at a young age but never dancing—the art of her happiest soul, it was healing. It spoke the language of emotion that her mouth couldn't express. When she danced, her soul rejoiced and eased to safety. She loved how her brain interacts with arts and her body, that itself felt like it healed her own neurological and physiological concerns.
Her therapist claimed another way to cope with change and move forward was to step out of her comfort zone. After the interaction she's had with people of different races who shared the same interest in Medicine from the convention in Canada, she realized people weren't as terrible as she thought they've always were and she only noticed that now because she was finally embracing change. Inch by inch, she was becoming better and more deserving to be loved.
Medicine and Surgery was her current and forever comfort zone—Art, Music and Dancing were safe havens that she'd left and forgotten a long time ago, hence when her father requested that she prepare a performance in the upcoming BH's Anniversary after hearing her song and Jungkook's melody, she was quick to turn the offer down. However after a long contemplation, she knew in the back of her head it didn't matter what she loved doing now or what she turned out to be—Music and Dancing had been a big part of her.
When Jungkook asked her why she didn't told him sooner that she was performing, her answer was, "Because I was afraid I'm not good enough anymore,"
She closed her eyes as she twirled her upper body into a wave down and ending with a pose, finishing the song. That's when she felt it—the artist in her. Artists are healers too, she told herself before collapsing on her bottoms, catching her break after hours of rehearsals in the crack of dawn.
"It's like you've still been dancing every day for years,"
Mr. Son regarded and she opened her eyes and accepted the water bottle he handed her after their rehearsal.
"Did I do a good job?" she asked, seeking approval. She never begged for someone else's opinion of her work but recently, she'd been needing assurance about what she was capable of outside Medicine.
"You did very well. You learn fast," he assured her.
A smile formed her lips, relieved and exhausted at the same time—but the good kind, sort of like the feeling after an intense workout, it was painful and hard but it was rewarding.
Mr. Son's assurance meant more than the stars in the galaxy. He won major awards for all the stage and dance choreography that BTS performed. Even the smaller groups who was just starting out or already started under the BH Label won awards based on the performance that Mr. Son came up with. Maybe he was just being nice by telling her she did well but regardless, she still earned praise from a legend like him. That was enough.
"We'll continue rehearsing in two days." he informed her. "Your father reminded me you can't overwork,"
She felt a little disappointment but she understood their restrictions and she planned to conform. She was not a spoiled kid to oppose and insisted otherwise anymore.
They then got out of the Hotel's gym at 9 in the morning and walked back to their rooms to get ready and start the day officially. She woke up four in the morning to learn the choreography herself by watching it in the room before going down the gym two hours later to rehearse with Mr. Son. Their day schedule starts at 10:30 so she only gets to practice with him late or earliest of the day whenever he was free. Of course, Mr. Son was on tour for his job to lead BTS' performance on stage.
Jungkook was fast asleep when she left and wide awake when she returned, already showered and starving for breakfast.
"How was it?" he asked, dropping his routine to meet her halfway of their shared hotel room.
"Very well," she answered and tiptoed to kiss him on the lips. "I thought you'd still be asleep."
She pushed him a little, not wanting her sweat to mix with his fresh scented t-shirt.
He handed her a pair of clean shower towels, "I woke up early to check up on you but you're here now." Jungkook tried to hug her again but she put a hand up to stop him.
"I'm full of sweat," she warned. "And that's the last thing you should do. I don't want you watching me pracficr,"
A deep frown formed his angelic morning face, fresh from the shower. "Why not?"
She swallowed hard, battling the heat growing in her lower abdomen as she took in his after-shower appearance. It was her favorite look on him, so peaceful, so clean, so handsome and all too perfect without any fancy enhancements on his already perfect physique. Her eyes trailed down to his exposed full sleeve tattoos on his right arm, he had so many arts on his skin that the once pale canvass on his arm were almost nonexistent. Jungkook loved heavy tattoos and those that had a lot of shadings and a few whites, the most painful ones were the prettiest he insisted.
"I just wore my shirt but I don't mind taking it off for you," he smirked and gazed at her with the same amount of heat and arousal.
Something convinced her to snap out of it and get her shit together or they won't make it on time for the team's call time in an hour—she needs to get ready and start the long day of Concert Day.
"I'm taking a shower." she ignored him before turning back around to face him. "Don't even bother sneaking in, I'm locking the doors."
He chuckled and flashed her a bunny smile he doesn't realize is deadly for anyone who sees it. Jungkook never aged, he looked as heavenly as he was at fifteen when she first saw him and at twenty-two when she first met him in person.
As she stripped all her clothing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, she realized how much she missed him. His touch against her skin, his fingers delicately tracing the scar from the two bullets inflicted on different occasions. He touched her as if he was magically healing her scars away and perhaps he did—he healed her emotional scars away ever so carefully until she forgot she had it all in the first place. Jungkook made her feel powerful—he tasted like power itself and she liked power. It was what she lacked all her life until he came.
She hurried down in the shower, washed off her worries, insecurities and pain, letting it trickle down the drain until she was all cleaned and unscarred and then she stepped out of the shower, dried her skin and squeezed all the water out of her hair letting it lay damp on her back.
Her feet carried her off the bathroom, bare skin glistening from the body oil that set well on her skin as she walked back towards where the bed was—where Jungkook was patiently waiting for her, scrolling through his phone.
He glanced up to meet her eyes and he's got that innocent look that she loved before his soul starved and feast on her body. Somehow, she knew she healed him too. She was both reality and paradise, she was all he needed.
Just like dancing, making love to him was art and therapy all at once but better—so much better.
💐
"Late. You're late. Again." Jimin rolled his eyes.
Areum walked into the frame and curled her fingers over Jungkook's forearm as they met the team on the ground floor of the parking area.
"Are we even surprised?" Taehyung asked. "Areum's here. Of course, he'd be late everywhere,"
She gave them a distorted expression. "What the hell does that mean?"
Yoongi and Jana arrived last, hand in hand as the others got into their shared cars. Namjoon and Jin, Hoseok and Taehyung then there left the last three members who shared an SUV to the stadium.
"Nevermind, you animals. Why do I get to share a ride with you guys," Jimin whined before getting inside the vehicle on his own.
Jungkook guided her in and she decided to take the seat beside Jimin, letting the others sit at the back. She didn't want to make it worse for Jimin, being the only one who didn't have a partner in the car.
"Jimin, wanna trade seats?" Jungkook asked but both Areum and Jimin glared at him.
"Jimin-hyung." she corrected him. "I swear—how many times do I have to remind you?"
"He'd been calling me just 'Yoongi' these days too," Yoongi shared quietly.
"He calls me Noona though ." Jana stated innocently.
Areum glanced back at them. "He better call you noona. Jeon Jungkook, where are your manners? You better not be calling Jin by his first name too,"
Jungkook scowled impatiently. "Ah that guy, Seokjin? Hey—you never use honorifics with me and Taehyung too,"
She let out a sardonic chuckle. "You don't want me calling you, 'oppa'."
He shrugged. "That's hot."
"I just want to throw myself out of this car. I'd rather just roll face down on the streets than listen to you guys flirt," Jimin sighed forcefully before giving both of them a warning glare.
When they reached the stadium for the morning rehearsals, the members directly went on stage with their breakfast while Jana and Areum stayed in the dressing room with their hot drinks, sharing one blanket on the couch like old times. The staff were on the other part of the room outside the black curtains that divided the makeup area and lounge in the dressing room. The two women sat side by side, facing each other as Jana initiated a toe wrestling under the blanket covering their lower limbs. Areum gave her a warning look, not falling for her games before Jana accidentally kicked her a little harder. Areum yelped a little before forcefully kicking her best friend in return.
"So moody!" Jana rolled her eyes and retrieved her feet from hers.
Areum ignored her as she finished her tea and moved closer towards Jana, moving her laptop screen so her best friend could see. "I've been thinking, how about we perform one of the boys' performances on the Company's Anniversary?"
Her bestfriend frowned and shook her head, disagreeing instantly. "Honey, I'm a year over 30. I should be getting married, not performing on stage."
"Well, you would've been married if you hadn't moved to Seoul." Areum chuckled softly, referring to Jana's 2 year engagement with Dacre.
Her best friend remained quiet beside her. She got the feeling that Jana was no longer joking and being a smartass like usual. Areum glanced up at Jana and she caught her eyes eyeing the jade engagement ring on her finger. Jana stared at it as if she envied Areum.
Areum cleared her throat. "Have you guys talked about settling down?"
"No." Jana instantly answered and Areum frowned because Yoongi was the type to be decisive in everything and everyone.
"You see, I moved because of him. I changed my lifestyle and easily dropped out from Hollywood because I knew I wanted Yoongi. I love him so much I couldn't imagine life without him anymore." Jana confessed quietly, eyes low and sad.
She was at the most stable time of her life. Jana deserved to choose her happiness over the hectic and misogynistic life in Hollywood. She has money, insurance, savings and businesses that get her by. The only thing missing was a family of her own.
"He loves you just as much, if not more." Areum assured her with honesty. "You've met his parents, that means he's already thinking about marrying you."
She never saw Yoongi that happy and content since he met Jana. He was less quiet and reserved now as if Jana gave him life and enough strength to enjoy things he had missed in his early twenties. He fell in love just as hard as Jana did.
"You know, Zara and Hobi are already talking about getting married. I've been dating Yoongi for a year, longer than those two have been and I—"
"Hobi-oppa always thought about marriage even before Zara." Areum stated. "Yoongi-oppa is someone who doesn't rush decision making process. He's a little clueless, maybe you should initiate the topic yourself. I think he wouldn't have asked you out if he didn't see a future with you in the first place. He's always been the one who dates to marry,"
"I'm not going to force him to marry me," Jana murmured self-consciously. "You're lucky Jungkook is so straightforward. He asked you to marry him not only twice but three fucking times! I mean seriously, did you save the universe in your past life to deserve that beautiful man?"
Areum raised an eyebrow. "Yoongi is just as great. You got lucky with him, you know? Oh, I heard he'd been working out lately,"
Jana blushed and attempted to hide her proud smirk. "He's getting all buff and strong these days. I mean I don't mind staring at his six-pack abs all day and night but I told him to tone it down, he's been having shoulder pains again lately."
"Really?" Areum frowned in worry. "Should I get him scheduled for a check-up when we get home?"
"I'll let him know." Jana stated. "Anyway. . . did you know the new stylists are gushing over Jimin and Jungkook's six-packs?"
"Eight. Jungkook has eight," Areum corrected her best friend.
Jana opened her mouth slightly for a smart comeback when the information eventually set into her. Jana gasped while her eyes widened in praise and excitement as she tried to hide a teasing grin.
"No way—there's no way," Jana muttered, failing to hide her admiring reaction.
Areum shrugged, "It's always been eight."
"You nasty bitc—" Jana smacked her hard on the arm and got cut off when one of the staff members walked in with a warm smile.
"Ms. Song and Ms. Jana, lunch is ready."