You're looking at the
same place as me
with a pain in your eyes
Zendaya pov-Part 1 ( current time-line 2018)
Due to your hectic schedule this week, you felt a little worn out. Jimmy picked you up for a quick lunch during the workweek because he had to travel to another state for a friendly game.
On Friday, you and your girlfriends met for your weekly friendship luncheon at one of New York's trendiest restaurants. Gigi and Kendell are free, but Kylie has a business meeting, and Bella has a photoshoot with Vogue that will keep her busy for the whole day. You had a rest day because your agent and manager were busy organising your trip to South Korea. Then you're heading to Tokyo to support Kendell during Tokyo Fashion Week.
So only you, Gigi, and Kendell went to the restaurant. As soon as you entered THE MODERN, you were surrounded by paparazzi. You smile politely at the question regarding Jimmy and Tom. You are furious with these hounds for invading your privacy, and you don't like this side of fame. You were irritated by the obnoxious paparazzi.
Kendell treated them with a cold attitude while Gigi smiled. Kendell's bodyguards are with you since she sent her driver to pick you and Gigi up from your respective agencies, where you were busy finalising your travel arrangements for your Allure shoot in South Korea.
It was so exciting for the waitresses that they beam up at the three celebrities visiting their restaurant. You can see many businesspeople and heiresses spending their fathers' money at the Modern during their leisure time. A big grin spreads across your face as you realise how hungry you feel. Kendell will pick up the tab today. You had to pop up last week when Kylie and Bella were with you. Even though Haley and Justin got married, you still have lunch plans with her, and you need to rekindle your friendship with her.
In the back, you snagged a table for three. Kendell and Gigi were eager to check out the wine selection, so you helped them pick the perfect bottle. You snagged a seat with a view of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller sculpture. After ordering, you kicked back, chatted about your modeling gigs, and witnessed Gigi and Kendell gushing about their crushes, basking in the joy radiating from their convo.
You're the younger one in the crew. Kylie got hitched about a year and a half back, and her red-gold string was so serious she ended up preggers with Stormie. You had to grab a toy for Stormie, so Kendell could pass it on to Kylie.
Gigi's all like, "I could devour a cow right now," eagerly awaiting the grub.
Kendell jokes, "Oh yeah... after a few bites, you'll be hitting up your trainer for six weeks to shed all that fat," teasing Gigi's reaction. Staying fit is crucial in the modeling world. When you were in the game, it meant dealing with body shaming, bullying, starving for those perfect photoshoots, and dealing with jealous peers. This biz has a dark side that hits hard. It takes guts and resilience. Looking healthy, toned, and fit is a must. The workouts are intense to keep that shape.
Agents are all about diets, radiant skin, and healthy hair.
You can't contain your excitement, exclaiming, "Thank goodness, here's our food!" The waitress drops off the appetizers, and you're hit with the exotic scents wafting from the plates. You can't wait to dig into Chef Allans' modern cuisine. Kendell asks the waitress to uncork the wine as you all raise your glasses for a cheers to your successful careers. After the toast, it's appetizer time.
You go for the shrimp salad, Kendell opts for lobster, and Gigi gets a flattened fish salad. Portions were surprisingly small, but surprisingly filling.
Kendell grinned after finishing his lobster, saying, "So, Daya, what's going on between you and Jimmy?"
You sighed, dabbing your mouth with a napkin and replied, "I don't understand why my love life is so complicated. You know Jimmy had a child with his soulmate, but he's not interested in marriage. Then there's Tom, who wants to date me without knowing I might be back with Jimmy. It's all so messed up. Maybe I should give up on relationships."
"Perhaps you should consider stepping back from Jimmy and instead wait for your true soulmate," Gigi comforted, patting your shoulder.
"Absolutely. After my photoshoot in South Korea and Kendell's appearance week in Tokyo, I'll have enjoyed my early birthday present - the BTS 'Love Yourself' concert. I'll be ready for my dreaded 21st birthday," you sighed wearily. "It's definitely time for a break."
""I know how particular you are, Daya... We've already discussed your likes and dislikes with your parents, and we're well aware of how challenging it is to satisfy you," Gigi said, grinning at your expression, while Kendall attempted to soothe you.
"I'm not picky, just cautious. Please, as long as you don't invite NBA and all those sports stars, not even Tom Holland and Niall Horan... please. They won't leave me alone," you pleaded with them.
"We can't promise that... thankfully, Jimmy will be away on tour for games. I heard he mentioned taking you to Busan in South Korea for two weeks... what's the scoop on that?" Kendell teased, waggling her eyebrows. You scoffed at the innuendo. There's no way you're rushing into anything with Jimmy, and you're neither that desperate nor that intoxicated.
"Okay, let's steer clear of talking about any of them or that dreaded party; let's just enjoy the food that's arriving now," you glanced at them with a plea, and the girls simply smirked.
Both you and Gigi ordered lamb sausage with puntarelle, while Kendell opted for seared scallops and cauliflower. Now that you've savored the appetizer, you're not as hungry.
Red wine and the main course were delightful. It's really pleasant not having to head back to the office. Your entire day will be dedicated to packing for your trip to Seoul. You've never visited Seoul before, and your pals are incredibly excited to hang out with you in Bts-Land. Gigi was constantly sulking when she found out you scored the Allure Korea fashion spread.
It would be wise to grab some BTS merchandise for them since it'll likely be sold out by the time you get to the stadium, including the online stuff. You already mentioned you won't even have a chance to do any sightseeing. You'll be busy with a photoshoot all day and then gearing up for Tokyo Fashion Week.
If you carve out a bit of shopping time with your mother, you can snag the merchandise for them. BTS is kicking off their U.S. tour before their NY Citifield concert. While you're over in Asia, they'll be here.
Even after devouring all that food, you still have room for dessert. You opt for a chocolate bar fridge tart instead. It's luxurious, and you're loving every bite. Next time you're around this area, you might consider bringing your mom here for lunch.
Kendell's bodyguards were waiting patiently for you at the SUV after lunch. Despite the overzealous paparazzi, you jumped into the vehicle quickly. A sigh of relief escapes you.
.......
Your mom (Manager), bodyguard, and a senior PA accompanied you to the airport the next day. They will all accompany you on your trip. While you and your girlfriends text each other the entire way to the airport, your excitement is tangible.
During your time in the VIP lounge, you relaxed with the crew. Your chat is filled with teasing and how you must get yourself a Korean boyfriend, and you just smirk. You will see them pull out their wisdom teeth and hair if they find out who your first relationship was with. Their best wishes are for a safe and successful trip. Kendell always has the final word, telling you about the cool things you will do in Tokyo.
Paparazzi caught wind of your departure, and they took numerous photos of you and your entourage. They have to be constantly kept at bay by your bodyguard.
American Airlines booked you on a first-class flight.
When it was time to board the plane, you signed in relief.
You and your mom sat in the middle row, in the double seat, and your agent and bodyguards occupied the seat next to you and your mom.
As your mom looked at you affectionately, she added, "It's wonderful that your career led you to the city you dreamed of visiting when you were 14."
You grin and look at your mom with a sour expression on your face. "I remember that you didn't want us to come," you say with a scrunched up expression on your face. Your mother was against everything, including the stress of maintaining a dance studio.
Mom laughed softly, "You cried for a week about your friend, Kookie, who left, just as you cried about your red-headed Aussie friend who left the previous year. Unfortunately, her mom didn't want to renew her contract with Disney for a second season."
Then you shook your head and told us, "You could have let us go there as tourists. I hated you for a few days."
Mom looked at you with a teasing smile, " What kind of mom would send or allow her 14-year-old daughter to go to her friend's country. It seemed like you two were too close to each other..." "
Your voice is cutely groaning, "Ugh, mom! But we've lost touch."
"He was such a well-behaved boy. How the two of you communicated always amazed me... isn't he part of a very famous group right now?" Your mom furrows her brows, thinking back to those tabloid pictures.
"Yeah, a boy band called BTS. I learned Korean from him, and I taught him English sometimes. My friends don't know that I took Korean classes at sixteen." You smile a little since you wanted to understand what Kookie was saying in interviews.
You received your complimentary kit of fluffy bedding and sleepwear.
As you open your packages, you enjoy the soft pillows while taking a whiff. The moment you step aboard, you know you'll have a great time. You considered sleep a luxury and because your shooting schedules were always early in the morning.
Your mom was playing with her earphones because she was adamant about watching those fantastic Netflix movies that she had missed at home.
After you've enjoyed a delicious first class dinner, you don your eye mask and decide you need a good night's sleep. The shoot in Seoul will be exciting, and the American production team and photographers have already set up with the South Korean production team. There is nothing better than visiting the home of your Kookie. Every time he speaks, he will talk about his hometown, a beach city in Busan. It's a shame we're no longer friends.
You even promised him during dance class that one day you'd visit South Korea, and he'd show you around.
Even though he will not even be in his country today, you will have no way of getting in touch with him. Due to their increasing fame, they are well-guarded.
If you have to obtain his impossible-to-acquire phone number, you'll get a lot of suspicion from your agency. In addition, he is already dating a stunning kpop star named Lalisa, whose group is called Blackpunk or something like that.
When you thought about that adorable bunny in a relationship with her, it felt strange to you. A feeling of almost possessiveness suddenly came over you.
You shake your head to get rid of such ridiculous feelings. If he got a soulmate, then you have no business entertaining certain feelings about him. Since a few weeks ago, you constantly think of him, which left you feeling unsettled in your mind. He is living rent-free in your mind. However, you have no idea how to handle this sudden sense of contentment, and even thinking about him makes you frightened. As a result of your sudden feelings, you are too vulnerable to watch some episodes of BTSRun online.
The new direction your thoughts lead you can't help you to recall your one-week dating relationship, although you've been in love for a few weeks before your official dating relationship.
Flashback 2013
To your surprise, Kookie took you horse-drawn carriage riding through Central Park. This was a time-tested excursion, where you could take in the scenery and feel like Cinderella and her Prince. In addition to the chocolates, and his shyness made it even more romantic. During your ride, he asked you out, and your answer on being his girlfriend was "yes".
After your excursion, you went for Chinese food at a cute private Chinese restaurant. The restaurant was your choice. Your parents were still together, but they weren't at home. To end your date, you and Kookie went to the studio to dance. During this time, you also kissed for the first time.
Both of you were a little shy and awkward, and it was only a small peck for a few seconds. It was so cute to see your puppy love. Your friends never knew you were dating a Kpop dancer in the making because you were hiding dozens of pictures of the two of you in the studio, selfies of him kissing your cheeks and hugging you, your secret dates because you were already getting fame due to that Disney show.
You have so smitten with each other that some of your co-stars found it suspicious during the dance rehearsal at the studio, where he also studied dance. It was impossible to resist checking each other out.
The two of you often snuck off to have a make-out session in some secret corner and came back with lame explanations for why you were both out of action at the same time. You both became addicted to kissing each other. The look you both exchange after he sees you will make your hearts race, and you couldn't wait until class ended so you two could hang out.
Even your mother confronted you when she caught you locking eyes. One day, you heard your parents wonder whether the two of you wouldn't end up being soulmates one day because you and your best friend were very close over this period, while you had already been dating for days.
Your puppy love connection was so strong. You were left at the office alone one day because your mom was at a dance competition judging, and there were still dance instructors who came to your studio on Saturdays.
There was a very talented Korean dance instructor, you don't remember his name, but it was Sung-something, who taught a day workshop at your studio, which Jungkook also attended. You were welcome to participate, and his energy and skills delighted you so much. Jungkook even briefly introduced you to him after the workshop. The man was friendly.
Jungkook decided to stay with you until your mom returned from the dance competition. When there is no parental presence... With teens left to themselves, anything can happen.
It was that moment when you and Jungkook deliberately took advantage of your time alone together. You were feverishly making out on your mom's office coach, and you kissed and caressed each other non-stop for hours. You experienced something strange. Were it not for your mom's office phone ringing at the right time, you and Kookie would've triggered the intimacy bond at 14 and 15 years old.
As soon as you realised what had happened, you both promised never to talk about that embarrassing and awkward moment where you were half-naked in each other's arms.
After a few days of being together, you both decided to hang out at an ice cream parlour. At the studio, everyone but your parents suspects that your relationship goes beyond friendship. When you left the shop, you were holding hands and laughing into each others' eyes, unaware of a sneaky paparazzi who took secret photos of you two...a young kpop idol and Disney star.
Both of you were shocked beyond comprehension when the pics appeared in several teen magazines. The two of you on the inside as well as the covers. Your parents were stunned when they learned that you and he were dating. You were only 14 years old, and he was almost 15 years old.
The so-called dating rumours caused him to be called back by his agency, and he left America. Since he and the Korean dance instructor left two days later, you never even officially broke up. Never have you cried so much over a boy.
Despite being sad, Jungkook did not want to cry. It was your heart he took away. You heard he made his debut not as a backup dancer but as the talented vocalist and lead dancer in a BTS group. You haven't dated since Kookie during your teen years.
They were in LA one year later filming a reality show through MNET, a major broadcaster, and learning about rapping and dancing in the USA. The Hustle life.
You never met up again, and he never contacted you. Either he lost your contact information when he debuted, or he just forgot about you. Whenever you thought of him, you only recalled fond memories. As for you, your fame increased.
Then you get cast in another show, and your career as a model took off until you simply decided to do modelling full-time. Almost everyone forgot about your teen dating scandal with BTS member Jungkook when you were 14 years old, and his memory was now a fond one. You carried on with your lives.
Two years later, you continued to follow their career in secret. You love his energy in all their music videos. With every new era, his look got hotter and hotter. Those big bunny eyes, those adorable lips, and his love for food never left him, even during his glow-up.
While they were in America on the "Red Bullet Episode III" tour, you couldn't believe your eyes when you met unexpectedly in an LA hotel.
Your eyes were both wide with astonishment when you saw each other. It was like soulbonding without the soulmark. You were 16 years old, and he was almost 17 years old.
When you talked to each other, old feelings resurfaced. He was very comfortable with you, and his band was shocked to see the shy Kookie talking with the gorgeous mix-raced girl. You bet they all know about your dating scandal by now because a tabloid published it in their newspaper, Dispatch. Thankfully it wasn't front-page news, but it still created ripples.
They came to America numerous times after their fame increased, but you never contacted each other. Despite your mom's desire to get his contacts, you discourage her from doing that. Rumours circulated about him secretly dating a girl at his school, Nancy, and she is also an upcoming idol. In 2017, the rumoured relationship was confirmed as accurate. Later, you read about another secret relationship with Lalisa, another idol.
Later on, you made a conscious decision to move on from your first love...
Finish high school and enrol in an online music production program.
....end of Flashback...
Present.
It was that night that you started dreaming again about Jungkook - especially after you heard that Kylie purchased your tickets to their concert just days before your birthday.
He already got his soul mark a year ago, so it's still possible Lalisa is his soulmate. But deep down, you're hurt a little, and you don't quite understand why these feelings are so strong. He doesn't think about you, and you know you are going to his country without his physical presence.
After the long flight, you finally landed in Seoul. The crew looked refreshed. Fortunately, you had a delicious breakfast already.
While you were flying over Seoul, you felt your breath catch in your throat. The first time you land in a foreign country, you feel butterflies in your stomach. Inhaling deeply, you prayed for a memorable stay.
As the air was supposed to be highly stuffy, you were advised to wear your mask by the flight attendant, so you pulled it out from your bag and placed it over your mouth and nose. Following your mom and crew out of the plane, you gather your technology and carry-on bag.
.......
Your excited crew pushes your luggage as they walk alongside you. The designator driver that Allure magazine arranged for you was on the phone with your mom. Your stay was reserved at an upscale hotel in the heart of Seoul by the magazine's management.
You were surprised to see advertisements from South Korea's most famous kpop bands.
It makes you smile to see how young and boyish they look in the advertisement. As soon as you spotted one of your favourites, "Kookie in a jar", your heartbeat quickened...
You realise that you aren't over him...
A/N: Kookie-stans... I hope you like the chapter. Kindly comment or vote. Thanks for all your support.
A shout out to all the new readers or shadow readers who came to light.
sheyula @halyn_713 @jimingot_jams09
@subhangi101
Question 1: What do you think of your flashback?
Question 2: What do you think was the strange thing that happened to them in the office?
Question 3: Would you say Jungkook is over her?