SEOUL, SK
KOOK & CHAE
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The next morning after their eventful dinner, Park Chaeyoung woke up to three messages.
The first was from her manager. A nice wake up text with her flight itinerary included which was scheduled to board in a few hours.
The second was from none other than Jeon Jungkook, wondering again why she was not responding but wished her a safe trip back.
The third, the most surprising and the one that woke her up the most, was from a certain Park Jimin, or so his opening line said. He was inviting them to some sort of surprise birthday party for their main rapper.
Although their groups had become more acquainted with one another recently compared to earlier years, it still came as quite a shock but she appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Besides, she had grown quite fond over Min Yoongi, who treated her like his younger sister.
As she tried fitting all her belongings, plus little trinkets she bought along the trip, into her suitcase, she wondered how her unnie was feeling.
The dinner became quite a disaster after Jisoo shared the information she knew. Jennie grilled her for an explanation but Jisoo had none. They both ended up being quiet for the rest of the time while Chaeyoung and Lisa tried to communicate through their eyes.
"I think Jennie-unnie will catch a later flight back," Lisa sighed. "She said she wanted some more rest."
The three of them were currently in Chaeyoung's hotel room to help her pack her things, as well as discuss the situation at hand.
"Should one of us stay with her?" Chaeyoung suggested.
"Ani, she also said she'd rather be left alone," Jisoo responded, folding her arms over her chest. "I get it."
Chaeyoung looked down at her open luggage on the floor and pursed her lips.
"Are you sure you don't know anything else unnie?" she asked, glancing at Jisoo.
"No, Jinyoung had only mentioned it briefly," she shrugged. "I didn't ask more because we should always respect another idol's private life."
The two younger girls nodded in agreement.
"Yeah... Wait. Lisa, you don't have a reaction to that?" Chaeyoung asked, immediately turning towards her after realizing Jisoo's slip up. Even she did not notice but then covering her mouth with her hand once Chaeyoung brought it up.
"I kinda knew already," she responded sheepishly. "Bambam told me."
Jisoo was surprised. She did not even know that Bambam knew.
"What did he say—"
"Everything," Lisa replied quickly. She glanced at the floor and took a deep breath. "Um, well, since we're all being honest here. A few nights ago, Bambam made me go to their apartment because Jinyoung-sunbae was a mess... apparently because of you. And that's when I found out."
The two girls were taken aback. Chaeyoung looked at Jisoo to watch for her reaction.
"I'm sorry it came from him and not from me, but... why would he be a mess?" she asked with furrowed brows. "He's the one who ended things with me."
She could still vividly recall that night as if it was yesterday. The way he dropped those words as if they didn't mean anything, the way he left without a second look. There was no chance he would have been left heartbroken by their break up.
"It's really not my place to say," Lisa said. "But I do think you should talk to him unnie."
Silence fell upon the group members as it dawned on them that there was so much about one another that they did not know about.
Chaeyoung cleared her throat.
"This might not be the best moment to ask... but I feel like we all need it," she began. "Are you guys busy tonight?"
☾･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
It took them a bit of convincing, but a few hours after they landed back in Seoul, Park Chaeyoung managed to pull them out of their rooms and into the car to take them to the Bangtan household.
Frankly, even she was exhausted from their trip, but there was this strange force inside of her that wanted them to be there (that and the multiple messages from Park Jimin insisting that they make an appearance).
When the trio stepped into the large apartment complex later that night, they were met by the presence of other Kpop groups who greeted them as they passed.
"Hey, I thought this was a small party?" Lisa whispered while keeping a smile on her face.
Park Chaeyoung shrugged.
She only had one thing on her mind. And she knew it would be difficult to avoid Jeon Jungkook in his own home, but she still had to try.
He would only ask her why she was ignoring him, and she had not fully formed an answer yet, without exposing her truest feelings.
And so, the moment she saw an opening between greeting other idols, she made a b-line to the kitchen where she assumed all the drinks were situated.
"Omo, Chaeyoung-ah!" she was met by a bright cheerful voice.
The life of the party, Jung Hoseok, pulled her into a small embrace. She was happy to see his face.
"We missed you!" he exclaimed.
"Me too," she returned.
"Did you eat yet?" he asked. "Jin-hyung prepared a lot of food."
Hoseok gestured to their dining room table that was filled with small appetizers and finger foods. All of it was still untouched as they awaited for the arrival of the birthday boy.
"I'll eat some later," she responded. "I-I was actually looking for some drinks."
The man laughed at her embarrassed expression before disappearing behind the kitchen counter.
"You should've said that in the first place Chae! I'll mix up something for you," he smiled.
Chaeyoung propped herself on the bar stool and sat patiently as he made an alcoholic concoction inside of a red solo cup.
It was definitely not her intention to get completely drunk that night. But she figured she needed some confidence if she were to find herself confronting her fake boyfriend. And it had been an exhausting weekend, not just with the promotions but as well as all the drama surrounding her group, she needed to let loose a little.
"This tastes good!" she smiled as she took one sip of the drink he made. "What's in it?"
"Secret," he said with a wink.
"Okay... just keep them coming," Chaeyoung laughed, chugging the drink, which tasted like a very specific candy with some alcohol in it.
Not soon after, the man of the night arrived and everyone congregated into the living room to sing him a happy birthday.
Yoongi seemed surprised at first, but kept a bland expression on his face as the crowd around him erupted into cheers. He thanked everyone for coming and told them to enjoy.
"Yah, what the hell is this?" he turned towards Jimin with a slightly annoyed tone, his mood shifting as soon as everyone dispersed.
"Don't get mad! It was supposed to be a small gathering," he explained. "But word got around and..."
Yoongi responded by rolling his eyes.
He was grateful for the gesture, but he was never one to be the centre of attention or hold big parties for himself, especially for his birthday. He was expecting to walk in and have a peaceful night at home, but fate in the name of Park Jimin had other plans.
"But on a lighter note," Jimin perked up with a small glint in his eyes. "Guess who's here?"
"Everyone in the Kpop industry?"
"Well— okay, yeah. But most importantly..." Jimin said as he took hold of his arms and turned him around to face a certain woman in the corner of the room.
"Oh, right," Yoongi said upon the realization.
"Go talk to her!" he urged, pushing him towards her.
He had no choice but to comply. He would've kept teasing him throughout the night if he didn't.
"Hey," he greeted as he came closer to her.
Her eyes widened.
"Hi," Kim Jisoo smiled.
"Jimin forced me to approach of you because of... you know," Yoongi explained awkwardly. "Is he watching?"
She peered over his shoulder to find Jimin smiling and giggling a few feet away.
"Like a fangirl."
"Mianhe."
"It's okay, I don't mind at all," she replied, waving her hands. "And it's your birthday! Why would I turn away the guest of honour?"
Yoongi couldn't help but let out a few chuckles.
"How's everything?"
"Not as good as they can be," she said honestly, taking a sip of her drink.
He was surprised she said the truth, but with this girl, it was always unpredictable.
Yoongi asked, "Have you talked to him since then?"
He didn't know why, but he felt so curious about them. Maybe because it was the first time an idol outside of his group had shared something deeply personal with him.
"No, and thank God he's not here," Jisoo huffed. "I don't know what I would've done."
"Yeah, I told them not to invite him," he replied, nonchalantly.
"Jinjja? Why would you that?" she gasped.
Yoongi smiled widely at her innocence. She did seem a little tipsy now that be really looked at her. "It was a joke. It's a surprise party, silly."
Jisoo narrowed his eyes at him.
"So, how long are you gonna keep up this charade of you liking me to your members?" she questioned.
"I'm not sure," he replied. "I guess it's easier for now."
The only way to convince them that he didn't have something going on with the Blackpink member would be to expose her secret to them, and no way was he going to break her trust like that. Plus, it helped him keep under wraps the person that he actually had feelings for.
Yoongi scanned the room, failing to find that specific individual.
Jisoo noticed this and gave him a mischievous grin, "Should we give them something to talk about?"
☾･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
If there was one thing that Park Chaeyoung was not in that moment, it was being sober.
After multiple rounds of Hoseok's mystery drink, a game of beer pong against Hwang Minhyun, and several shots of anything people were handing to her, her current state was getting out of hand.
"Gwenchana?" Lisa asked as she put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe we should go now."
While she also had a few drinks, the blonde girl was definitely on another level.
"Yah, I'm fine!" she replied sluggishly before disappearing into the crowd of people.
The music was blaring and some idols had started a dance party in the middle of the room.
So far, she had been successful in her goal and did not run into a certain fake boyfriend yet.
Though a part of her wondered where he was. There was no way he would miss his hyung's birthday party. Was he off with another girl again?
Just by that one thought, her mood went sour.
"Chaeyoung-ssi! I haven't seen you in so long!" a voice beside her exclaimed.
Due to her dizzy state, she couldn't make out who was speaking to her, but he seemed to be a tall man with a deep voice.
"Oh, neh. Nice to see you," she managed to respond.
She did not feel like continuing that conversation so she started to walk away, but that was before a hand grabbed her wrist to stop her.
Her mind went blank.
"Where are you going?" the same voice asked.
His grip on her was strong and she was too weak to get away. This can't be happening again, she thought.
"What the fuck are you doing?" another deep voice appeared, one that she recognized all too well.
Things happened in a blink of an eye and the next moment, she found herself pinned against the wall with one of his hands on her waist and the other on the space above her head.
A million thoughts raced through her head, none of which seemed to make sense as his close proximity, plus all the alcohol she downed, deeply affected her mind. And while he did not seem intoxicated yet, she definitely was.
A mix of amber and musk filled her senses, and she knew, once she looked into his eyes, it was all over for her.
Jeon Jungkook had come to her rescue again, and she was not ready to confront him.
For a while, there was just silence and his breath. It was hot and heavy, but with a sense of longing or desperation, as if he just regained the ability to breathe.
"How was Japan?" he asked in his low timbre as he loosened their stance.
Chaeyoung cleared her throat, looking to the side and trying to balance herself as the whole moment caused her to regain some of her consciousness, "I-It was good."
She hears him playfully chuckle over the loud noise of the party.
"Look at me," he whispered.
And so, it was all over for her.
His pupils bore into hers. She could not detect any anger or frustration. In fact, his whole expression seemed to soften around her.
"I'm sorry," she said, knowing he would understand what she meant.
"It's okay," Jungkook smiled. "I'm just glad you're safe."
Chaeyoung felt a sense of relief as he did not ask for more. Though it made her slightly guilty, knowing he was worried about her whereabouts. Was he being genuine? She didn't know what to feel.
"I'll see you around," she said, wanting to put an end to their interaction so she could calm down.
Before she could look away, Jungkook placed his hand around her waist. The gesture sent jolts down her spine.
"Nope, you're staying beside me now," Jungkook stated as he laced his fingers through hers. "I can't keep watching my girlfriend from afar anymore. Good win against Minhyun-hyung by the way."
Chaeyoung stopped in her tracks. She was surprised. "You were watching me?"
He had noticed her from the moment she walked in. He would have said something, but she seemed to have been on a mission, jumping from one group to another, socializing and drinking as much as she could. It seemed she was doing everything in her power to still avoid him.
"I figured you wanted some space," Jungkook shrugged. "But I will never stand by if I see you in trouble."
"Thank you, again," she said.
Jungkook responded by squeezing her hand tighter and leading the way through the crowd.
☾･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Lalisa Manoban was surprised to see her male best friend walk into the party by himself. With how hectic everything had been, she forgot to ask him if he was going.
"I thought there's supposed to be seven of you?" she teased as he approached her.
"Haha, funny," Bambam said sarcastically as he stole the drink she was holding and took a sip.
"No, but seriously," her expression immediately changed, looking around to find her unnie to make sure she was alright.
"Oh yeah, don't worry," he reassured upon the realization, handing back her cup. "They're all busy."
Lisa nodded slowly, unconvinced but she will let it slide.
"How were your promotions?"
"Tiring, as always."
"But you still found time to go to a party?" Bambam laughed.
The girl rolled her eyes, "Chaeyoung forced us."
"Ah, she probably missed Kook," he joked.
"Maybe," Lisa shrugged.
As much as Chaeyoung would like to think that Jungkook was the confusing one in the relationship, she too had her own irregularities. She would admit that she might still have feelings for him one day, but then ignore him for a whole weekend.
But Lisa knew she couldn't blame her best friend for acting this way, she had already gone through so much.
If she could turn back time so that the two would have never met, she would.
"You know, they really convinced me well," Bambam noted. "I was sure that he was a changed man."
Lisa's eyes widened as he she quickly looked around them to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Yah! You said you would keep your mouth shut," she scolded, hitting the side of his arm.
"No one heard me!" he whined.
She never meant to tell him the truth about Chaeyoung and Jungkook. It just somehow slipped that day she went over to their apartment. She had been overcome with emotions after hearing Jinyoung's confession that she ended up venting to Bambam at the end of the night.
It was a very low point. And she knew she was breaking some sort of contract by telling him, but she trusted him enough to not tell anyone. Besides, Jungkook was one of his best friends, he wouldn't risk ruining his reputation by spreading this information.
Bambam seemed pretty distraught when he found out. He was truly deceived by their love story, that turned out to be fake. At first, he wouldn't believe her, convinced that their eyes don't lie and that there had to be something going on between them. Lisa simply said it was more complicated than that.
"Just don't talk about it at all!" Lisa rolled her eyes before having her attention caught by something else.
She was so shocked that she almost dropped her drink. Bambam must have noticed her abrupt reaction and followed her line of sight.
He gasped, "I didn't know they were close? Don't tell me this is another publicity stunt between BTS and Blackpink?"
From across the room, the birthday celebrant was holding hands with Kim Jisoo. The two look well acquainted with one another as the girl rested her head on his shoulder too.
What the hell! Alarm bells started ringing in Lisa's mind. A few hours ago, her unnie would not stop pestering her about Jinyoung on the plane, and now she found herself in the arms of Min Yoongi.
"I... have no clue what is going on," Lisa stated.
☾･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Jeon Jungkook found that babysitting a drunk Park Chaeyoung was harder than he thought.
He stood beside her as she swallowed one shot after the other, believing he was being some sort of supportive boyfriend. But now, he regretted not stopping her sooner.
At first, she was a cute kind of drunk with her flushed cheeks and droopy smile. She would sometimes stumble over her feet and giggle at the smallest things, but she was still slightly aware of what was happening.
And then she played a drinking game with some idols and lost all consciousness she had left. She would knock down everything in her path and start doing the most randomest things. It became so bad that Jungkook had to take her out to the balcony where it was just the two of them so that she could calm down a bit.
He sat her down on one of the chairs and handed her a glass of water.
For a few moments, there was nothing but silence and the moonlight between them.
Once she seemed rested, he leaned against the railing as he gazed into the distance.
Even though it was almost midnight on a Sunday night, the streets of Seoul were still bustling with people and cars. The sound of traffic and the wind felt therapeutic to his ears.
For what he thought to finally have been a moment of serenity within the chaos of that party, a soft feminine voice had spoken up,
"Why did you have to be such a jerk towards me Jeon Jungkook?"
He quickly turned around to find Chaeyoung with her head laying against the back of the chair and her eyes closed.
"And I hate that after all this time, I still get this weird feeling whenever you're near," she continued in a hushed tone and in the same position.
He was a bit surprised at her sudden confession. Good weird or bad weird? he pondered. Only, he knew that you could not pay sober Chaeyoung enough money to reveal that kind of information. It felt like an invasion of privacy as she does not seem completely conscious, so he knew it was only right to put a stop to it.
"Okay, it's officially the alcohol talking," Jungkook chuckled.
He came closed to her, positioning himself to lift her up so he could carry her to his bed so she could go to sleep. But before he could place her in his arms, Chaeyoung jumped up from her seat.
"No, you listen to me," she said, sluggishly while pointing at him. She was still very much drunk out of her mind, trying to desperately balance herself. "How did a guy like you make me fall for you! I was just freshly debuted, I could have had anyone! Do you know how many numbers I got in my Inkigayo sandwiches?"
Jungkook did not know whether to feel flattered or curious. Though he knew of her feelings long ago, this was the first time he heard it come from her. And on the other hand, who were these other men who were secretly pining for her then?
"But no— You had to come along with your cheeky smile," she admitted as she messily walked back and forth on that balcony, becoming completely animated about her emotions.
"And so, how do you feel about me now?" Jungkook asked teasingly with a smirk. It was wrong, but there was a part of him that desperately wanted to know.
Chaeyoung stared at him with a deadpanned expression. "I... want to shove that smile up your asshole."
Jungkook's smile faded after she said her stupid joke. He approached her again so he could carry her, but what she said next made him freeze.
"But honestly, I just want to let you go," she whispered.
Up until this point, his mind had gone haywire with thousands of different thoughts and emotions.
But now, his stomach dropped.
This string of words is a sentence Jungkook thought he would never hear come out of her mouth. It was different than simply stating she wants to end their contract. He knew she meant something more. And he didn't feel this way because he was selfish, or that he thought so highly of himself in Chaeyoung's life, but because she never seemed like that kind of person. She was loyal and persevering. What he had done to her must have been so bad to cause her to feel like this.
"I didn't talk to you in Japan because I was scared and confused," Chaeyoung continued, her tone and pronunciation still seeming lethargic, indicating her intoxicated state. "I know you assured me there's no deeper meaning behind your actions, but I can't help— aish."
"I'm sorry," he apologized, a strong sense of sincerity in his voice, even if she was not able to detect it. "Should I stop?"
"No. I know you're actually just trying to be nicer. I'm happy about where we are now," she responded. "Maybe the 19 year old part of me that just wanted you to love me is overthinking."
Jungkook did not know what to say or do. In front of him was a drunken Park Chaeyoung, whose brutal honesty was being fuelled by alcohol. But he assumed what she was saying was the truth as some of these details he already knew.
He was still confused over his own true feelings, which is probably why Chaeyoung felt like this even though he told her it was out of friendship. On any typical occasion, he wouldn't care if she didn't reply back to his messages. But during a whole weekend of ignorance, he couldn't sit still and texted her every hour.
He does not know what he would do if she completely left his life.
"But I think— I can let you go now. You've made it clear how you feel about me, and I basically just told you how I do," she said with a few sobs in between, looking like she was on the edge of tears. "When this ends, you're free."
Jungkook's next sentence was involuntary, as if his soul took over and spoke what he was truly feeling. "What if... I don't want you to let me go?"
The man started walking towards her, ready to put her into an embrace to comfort her rather emotional state.
"Chaey! I've been looking for you!" their moment was interrupted by a voice walking into the balcony.
And just like that, as if nothing happened, Chaeyoung's mood changed into a bright and cheerful.
"Taehyungie!" she exclaimed upon the sight of him.
"Come take a shot with me!" he invited, grabbing her hand without a second thought. "Our song is releasing in a few days."
He completely ignored Jungkook's presence and led her back into the main room.
Jeon Jungkook was left in shock at the scene. He sat back down and ran his hands through his hair, switching between looking at his shoes and then at the view. Wondering... thinking... planning.
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author's note: thank you all for being so patient and please enjoy reading! don't forget to stream jk and tae's new songs 💟