jiah knew the minute she stepped into da3light headquarters this wasn't gonna end well. she knew from the moment they told her it was gonna be a thing that it wasn't gonna end well.
especially with bin aeri of all people.
the moment jiah started dating hwan she was a problem in aeris eyes. it was like there was something in da3lights water because nearly every single one of the models under that company were shady and rude.
there were a few models who used to be under da3light until they quickly realized how terrible their ceo was along with his terrible little minions.
jiah did not walk into this building ready to fight, but she had already told her manger that if aeri tried something she wouldn't just sit there and take it.
plus she had the go ahead to say whatever she wanted to say, to answer the questions however she wanted, and to walk out and end the interview when she saw fit.
technically, this interview was only happening to save aeris face, not hers. and the best part about it all? it was gonna be live streamed. and jiah was not gonna hold back.
"you know, i mean what i say in my songs when i talk about being unbothered. it kinda makes me laugh that she's going through all this, it's one sided." jiah chuckled to her manager as they entered the waiting room the staff had brought her to.
"let's just hope it goes smooth. well that's like praying for pigs to fly, but please just try to be nice in the beginning." hyunji sighed, already stressed enough with the idea of aeri and jiah being in the same room.
but she knew it wasn't jiah who she had to worry about.
"if you need someone to fight her for you, they can't fire me so... just saying." jaehyun, her new stylist, smirked as she pulled out her things to retouch jiahs makeup.
beom jaehyun was notorious in the stylist world for her bitchy personality and inability to put a filter on the words that came out of her mouth. normally, someone would be bothered by the way she talked to them, but for jiah she matched her personality perfectly.
although outwardly she had to be prim and proper like an idol, but jaehyun was everything that jiah was on the inside. and there was a large chance aeri was about to put that on blast today.
"i appreciate it, but if she tries anything im gonna fight my own battles." jiah hummed, pulling out her phone to respond to niki's messages of encouraging a fight to happen.
by the time the staff had come back to fetch her she was fully ready to face this head on. she was walking into this with an open mind because maybe, just maybe, aeri would be sensible not to act the way she does on the internet in real life too.
the minute she sat down on the plush white couch next to aeris chair, facing the girl who currently sported a deathly glare, she knew that wasn't gonna happen.
"don't screw this up." aeri grit as the staff helped jiah put on her mic, telling her where to clip it. she couldn't help but roll her eyes, shaking her head.
not long after figuring out her mic, they were live, and now aeri was sporting a far friendlier smile than she was before as she introduced the interview and herself.
"today we're here with one of klassics newest idols, duzi," she could tell aeri was having a hard time being nice, it almost made her laugh. "is it okay if i call you jiah for this? or would you prefer duzi?" she tilted her head, sporting a sickly sweet smile.
jiah laughed, leaning back in her spot. "i think duzi would be more appropriate seeing we don't really know each other." this was gonna be fun, she could see it in the way aeris eye twitched before she turned back towards the camera and laughed awkwardly.
"okay, so duzi, you just came out with another mini album 'Not Telling', can you tell us a little about your personal view on this album." this was a repetitive question she heard in interviews, so she already had an answer in mind on how to answer aeri specifically.
"well i write most of my lyrics and for this album i really just wanted to speak my truth, you know. after produce and being a trainee for a while i've learned that im really unbothered when it comes to silly hate." she laughed, folding one leg over the other and getting comfortable.
"right, and i wanted to ask about one of the b-sides. guess? im sure its not just me wondering who that was targeted towards." aeri smirked, leaning in. she was really easy to read, and jiah was already one step ahead of her.
"it's exactly who you think it'd be targeted at, my ex," jiah admitted, smiling at the way aeri reeled back in surprise. "i mean, he was a cool guy in the moment but like some people i know he was just so predictable. he texted me like a month ago about how he missed me and i don't know, inspiration sparked." she hummed.
and jiah knew this would bother aeri because the minute she broke up with hwan the girl was doing her best to somehow book every show he was doing and post them together almost 24/7. it was definitely a hard watch, not in the sense that she was jealous but she was embarrassed for aeri.
"wow," clearly aeri had not expected jiah to walk in so prepared. "so you're just all about being unbothered?" she tilted her head, visibly ticked.
"well yeah, i mean i know who i am so when rumors are spread and there's hate coming towards me for no reason i might get a little shady but that's only because i find it funny." jiah smirked.
"cute." aeri hummed, shuffling the conversation cards in her hands. "another big question, what pushed you to leave pledis and join klassic?" she tilted her head.
"that's a good question," jiah smiled. "well after me and my ex ended things, i really wanted to take control of my life and find myself. i loved pledis, but i wanted to debut as soon as possible and when i was there it was hard to tell when i would. and i had already gotten an offer from klassic a couple of years before so i decided to take that on." she explained, running a hand through her hair.
"ah, so this breakup must've been terrible to push you so hard to leave your original company?" it was funny that she asked this, because her and hwan were as close as can be so she knew good and well how bad the breakup was. it was clear in how she somehow managed to circle back to the topic of jiahs ex.
"well you already know about all of that, don't you?" she replied, her words full of everything and nothing all at once. "actually aeri, i have a question for you. i don't want any bad blood in the game and i hardly know you but i noticed some of your instagram captions were a bit-"
"i think we should leave the question asking to me," aeri interrupted, laughing nervously while sending her manager a look. "so i hear you're about to start a new project with weiko? 'party empire', are you allowed to give us any insight on that?" she questioned quickly, hands shaking as she shuffled her cards.
jiah stopped for a moment to look at her in amusement before nodding her head, getting comfortable once again.
"well since we've only just started, i can't say much. but what i will say is party empire is gonna be great. we've all been working hard to help out weiko on this and the theme is so cool." she said towards the camera, holding two thumbs up.
"i'm sure we will all stay tuned in for it," aeri chuckled, placing down most of her cards. all except for one. "and our last question for this little interview, everyone is dying to know how you feel about all the dating rumors you've been a part of." ah, she wondered when this question was gonna come up.
"oh i'm sure," she cringed at how awkward and tense this whole thing was, but the fact that it was live and she could feel the comments being made about aeri was a little amusing. "i don't know i just think they're silly. for me, i have a lot of friends in this industry and its tough to protect those friendships when fans are assuming something that big, i mean you never know if that person is in a different relationship with someone else or if im in a relationship myself." she shrugged.
"understandable," aeri nodded. "and are you in a relationship right now? i know the klassic idols are very open with that sort of stuff." she questioned with an evil smirk, as if she was about to expose everything jiah had worked hard to keep secret.
"no, i'm not. and if and when i do get in one, im not sure you'd be the last person id reveal it to," jiah smiled passively. "im sure a lot of idols can agree when i say we have lives outside of the industry and it'd be nice if people just... stayed out of those ones." she concluded, sending aeri a look that told her she meant her as well.
"right," aeri said through her teeth. "well unfortunately that is all the time we've got for today. thank you so much, duzi, for being here with us today. and thank you everyone who tuned in, this is bin aeri signing off." she sighed, waving at the phone while waiting for the person in charge of the live to give her the ok.
once he did she snapped her head in jiahs direction, sending her a nasty glare. "this interview was supposed to show the people that we didn't hate each other and you totally blew it!" she hissed, earning a smile from the younger girl.
"i think you were the one who blew it. i mean, you did almost always talk about my ex so you must've been super bothered by it." she shrugged, accepting a water bottle from hyunji.
"i am not bothered!" aeri nearly screamed, stopping herself when she realized there were other people present. "i am not bothered. those were the questions i was given." she grit.
"right.... asking all those questions when you already knew all the answers? there must've been other questions out of the ones you chose but you chose those ones." jiah nodded, leaning back.
"you and hwan broke up three years ago, why would i be bothered?" aeri scoffed, trying her hardest to put on a front and seem unbothered. but anyone with eyes could easily see through it.
"i don't know, aeri, you tell me. i mean, clearly something must be bothering you if you're suddenly shading me and asking all of these questions. are you maybe... mad that he still misses me or something?" jiah tilted her head in amusement, doing her best to hold back a laugh when aeris eye twitched
"i would watch what i say, du jiah. it's a shame the press found out about eunji and beomgyu, i wouldn't want the same to happen with you and h-"
"what do you mean." jiah was sitting up straight now, all ears as she glared hard at the girl.
"i mean, moneys money." aeri shrugged, pulling out her compact mirror to check her appearance. jiah couldn't believe what she was implying, but then again she could. she could believe what the girl was saying because who else would go to such far lengths to piss her off?
"you can be in my business all you want but you stay out of my best friends business or so help me, aeri, i will be in contact with your ceo regarding legal issues." she stood, pointing a stern finger at the model.
"oops, guess i hit a soft spot," aeri laughed, slamming her compact shut. "you can't mess with me, jiah. i'm two steps ahead." she smiled, feigning a sweet attitude.
it was only when her manager moved over to her side and whispered in her ear that that smug smile slid off her face, replaced by a look of horror.
"oops, guess they forgot to actually stop the live." jiah smirked, shrugging her shoulders and sporting the same sickly sweet smile aeri had on just a second ago.
hyunji smiled at her as they began their walk out while aeri screamed at the staffs behind them. "good one, but i wouldnt have made it two seconds in that without wanting to beat the crap out of her." jaehyun snorted, patting her shoulder with a proud smile plastered on her face.
so much for a civil interview to show the fans they didn't hate each other.