"So you're telling me we've got competition." RapMon restated, pulling a small nod from me. He glanced around to see if any of the other members were nearby, then adding, "Are they good good?"
I jokingly exclaimed, "Well how should I know?" RapMon tapped the pen in his hand against his leg as we continued walking.
"I've heard Jackson rap for fun before... he's definitely not bad," RapMon said, analyzing them in his head. I tried interrupting him.
"But don't worry about it. You guys will be prepared for FMF and do great." I said. RapMon glanced over and I made a supportive grin in attempt to reassure him. He decided to laugh at it lightly.
"Hey! You will." I said again, patting him on the shoulder although the height difference made it more like his back. He only laughed again, nodding as we turned a corner.
"After school today, then this weekend," I said, referring to the times I was able to help them with the choreography. Today was Thursday, and the weekend after this was the festival. On top of that, Jimin, Hoseok and I all had to participate in the dance class's FMF rehearsal tomorrow. RapMon had said that would be the day the others go to Suga's house and finish up the recordings. Then he'd (stay up all night, I'd assume, and) edit them to have them done by the weekend rehearsal.
Luckily my parents saw this little "part time job" of being the musical group's choreographer as my dance exercise for the past few weeks. As long as I was keeping my grades up and wasn't dealing anything illegal, it seemed like they simply didn't care - maybe it was a form of individual responsibility - whichever it was, I honestly didn't mind. Having the freedom to help the boys honestly took away a lot of my free time, but at least it was fun. (At least it wasn't forced anti-fun... is that a thing?)
I waved goodbye to RapMon as he arrived at his classroom, then continued a few doors down to Mr. Cona's room. Lily was absent today because she was sick, and Alice only walked partway towards my English class, so that was the reason I had walked with him today. At least, that was the reason I pretended to have, though most of the walk I was contemplating about whether to tell him about Sayeon and the other possible singers at FMF. When I finally did, it felt like some kind of relief - like I wouldn't have to worry about it secretly later, though I had only told one person of the group.
Unlike how RapMon had blown my cover on the whole secret choreographer job, it seemed like Jackson and Mark were more focused on their own music. It definitely wasn't a secret that the two, plus BamBam, who had yet to arrive in the classroom, were planning on performing at the festival. With the performance in less than two weeks, however, I was curious as to whether they had started preparing before now.
After greeting Mr. Cona with a simple "Good afternoon," I entered the somewhat empty classroom. There was only maybe five people total in the room, two of whom being Jackson and Mark who were wandering around the front of the class as they talked. Listening to their conversation (it's not eavesdropping, okay?) was not really any different than they usually were, being slightly touchy and pulling each other away from small frivolous acts like picking up a random paper or marker, however one of them mentioned Sayeon's name.
"If Sayeon can't help that's okay too, we could try doing it ourselves." Mark said, continuing, "Yugyeom's got the dance stuff covered and apparently his teacher at the studio is gonna help him too."
"That's good, but dancing isn't really Youngjae's forte." Jackson replied, the new name suddenly making me interested. My attention towards them was interrupted by the movement at the desk at the front of the row next to my own.
"Hey Rona," Jack said, seeming a bit tired as he set his backpack on the floor next to his seat with a heavy thud.
"Hey..." I replied, trying not to seem confused or startled by his sudden greeting or the conversation I had been previously tuning into.
Jack simply sat in his chair, pulling his notebook out of his backpack, turning backwards. He handed me a small, folded up paper. "Can you give this to Jungkook? This girl in my history class told me to - as if I'd be talking to him causally," he said, adding the latter part with a bit of an annoyed mumble. He continued, "and you seem them after school anyways, right?"
"Yeah," I replied, the response somewhat quiet. I looked at the paper for a second, flipping it over and then back, looking towards Jack again. "Who's it from?"
Jack took a few seconds to contemplate and answer, glancing around the classroom although not many new people had arrived yet, and none of them sat near us. "I mean, she only said not to tell Jungkook," he shrugged, answering, "Julie."
I took a moment to contemplate the name, looking back down at the paper. "So I assume don't open it?" I asked, the first thought going to my head being that it was some sort of love letter. I mean, it seemed like something Julie would do, her innocent and oblivious personality writing love letters seemed plausible, yet my gut felt like that wasn't what it was. Why would she write a love letter to Jungkook anyways? She's not that shy, so why wouldn't she just deliver it herself?
A few more questions and answers flew into my mind - she's friends with Ivy and Cadence, so maybe they wouldn't let her talk to anyone in the band. Maybe it was actually from Ivy and has a bunch of threats and hate against Jungkook?
Jack's voice snapped me out of the thoughts for the time being. "I mean I read it, it's just some sort of good luck thing."
"Oh," I breathed, my responses continuing to stay short and awkward.
"Well, just make sure it gets to him." Jack said quickly, seeming suddenly more harsh with his words like he usually was. "I don't need her crying to me it's my fault that her letter didn't get to him."
"Sure," I said pulling out my notebook for the class and putting the note in my pocket. As soon as I looked up again, it was like everyone suddenly appeared in the classroom.
BamBam had arrived, but he hadn't come near his desk in front of mine yet. He was talking to Jackson and Mark, who were continuing to slowly make their way towards the door of the classroom. The warning bell rang, causing Mark to suddenly make a run for it out the door. I would have anticipated a scolding yell from Mr. Cona as he ran down the hall, but the teacher seemed used to it by now.
Mina sat in her seat next to Jack already, and the two boys that saw Mark out the door arrived at their seats laughing about something. I looked towards Jack again, who faced forwards with any sort of expression hidden from my view. When everyone else in the class arrived and the final bell rang, Mr. Cona coming back into the room and beginning to tell people to take out their notebooks, Jack turned back towards me.
After a split second of eye contact he made some sort of head gesture towards the pocket my hand was still in. The small paper was in there too, and I made a little nod back. After a response he turned back to the board at the front of the class without a reply.
As BamBam got his notebook out it seemed he saw the whole silent conversation (though it was only two small body gestures) and tilted his head in innocent curiosity. (Which I greatly appreciated from some of his normal peverted eyebrow raises.) I made a very subtle shake of my head, accompanied by a very small smile that he responded to by making a shrug and turning back around.
As class moved on, I felt my hand every so often find its way back in my pocket. Jack had read the letter, so why shouldn't I?
Then 5 more thoughts formed one after another.
Well, he's Jack - don't be like him.
He said it was a good luck letter, but what if it's a bad luck letter from Ivy?
Would Jack lie about the contents of the letter?
Well, no... why would he have to?
If he lied about the letter, why didn't he explicitly prevent me from trying to read it?
Or maybe its psychological strategy to make me not read it...
...What if it's not even from Julie?
"Rona," a voice said quietly, repeating my name another time. "Rona."
After the second call of my name I snapped out of it, but it was simply BamBam being curious about why I was continuously staring at the wall next to the board for such a long period of time. I whispered that I was just tired.
About ten minutes later, I had given into the curiosity. Careful to not bother the people around me, who were currently working on writing a paragraph reflection about whatever the topic was, I unfolded the paper.
The handwriting was definitely not anything like Jack's - his was always slanted and connected, which always bothered me on group assignments. I skimmed over the beginning, trying not to look too suspicious.
Jungkook,
I know you don't really know me and might hate me but I just want to wish you good luck on your performance for the Fall Music Festival with the rest of Bangtan. I would've given you all this note in person but I heard Jack had class with you so I just asked him to give this to you. Whatever people say, don't worry about
I suddenly folded the paper back up. The first thought that went through my head was "I'm not supposed to be reading this." followed by "Nothing bad is in this, and it's not for me." I simply checked to make sure it wasn't a hate letter that would make Jungkook upset, so there was no need to read the whole thing. The letter was fine - it's just a good luck letter, like Jack said.
Nodding to myself I put the note back in my pocket, sinking into my seat with a somewhat loud sigh. BamBam turned around, acknowledging realizing my slumped and tired. He let out a small chuckle, patting my desk as if he was patting my back.
---
"Nae pi ttam nunmul..." I whispered, trailing off in thought as I picked up the phone and turned on the music, scrolling to the chorus. There was a little laugh as I finished murmuring, and I looked up to see Jimin making a small smile.
I made a shrug, as if to reply "It's a good song", before clicking the music.
"M'kay," I began, tapping the beat on my leg for a few lines.
One, two three, four;
Change, two three, four;
Chest, two three, four;
Down, two, tug, tug;
Left, and Right, and
One, two, head...
One, two, three, four...
Jungkook moved out of the center position, my hand making a quick motion to cue them to rotate the circle and allow Hoseok to be in the center. I found myself singing along to the newly made song again.
"Manhi manhi manhi... jump!" I said. They seemed to catch onto this part quickly, my hand raising as a gesture for them to jump seeming like some magical lifting power.
"Kick, and back, and- wait." I continued, then stopping myself. I stopped the music for a second as well. "Everyone kicks out except the people in the back. That's because everyone's moving away from the center while you two are moving towards it. Just go with the momentum." I said, talking specifically to RapMon and Jimin.
I pointed towards Hoseok, adding "You kick forward, that's fine, just make sure you end with your right foot forward. Everyone on this side ends up with their right side towards the audience, while you guys are left side." I made a general gesture towards the boys, first on the left side and then on the right. I received a few nods of instruction, as well as a tired cough. The noise made me realize how long they had been following orders from a girl sitting on the bench shouting out numbers over and over.
"Y'all should go get water - take a break." I requested, many of them gladly taking the chance to grab their water bottle and sit down on the benches. Jungkook laughed a bit at some of the older's reactions to my suggestion, sitting down next to me with his bottle. I handed him the folded paper (finally).
"What's this?" he asked, opening the note before I had even started explaining. I wanted to laugh at his eagerness, but kept it in as I explained.
"Julie wrote a note for you and..." I began, trailing off. I decided to cut out the part about Jack in case Julie's name would cause trouble from the beginning. However, some of the members knew what had happened last week at lunch already anyways.
"...wanted someone to deliver it to you since she couldn't." I finished.
"Oh, cool," Jungkook said, happily opening the letter. There was no sign of stress, confusion, or worry as he opened it and began reading; No disturbed thinking that it would be some hateful letter or have some poisonous chemicals on it. RapMon, Taehyung and Jimin walked over behind Jungkook to read over his shoulder, the younger noticing them but not being concerned with them reading. In fact, when he finished he turned around on the bench and lifted the paper higher so they could read it, which invited the other members to gather too.
No one was showing any suspicion, nor was anyone expressing any curiosity about the writer of the letter. After Jungkook passed the letter to the rest of the members, he scooted a little closer towards me.
"So Jack was too lazy to deliver the letter to me himself?" Jungkook asked, almost with a little smirk of satisfaction (or at least that is what I'd call it).
I gave a little smile and shrug. "I guess."
The members finished reading the note, Jin handing it back to Jungkook.
"Alright, let's get started again," Hoseok said, already standing in the area they had previously been practicing. He was stretching his arms a bit, seeming energetic as ever. Surprisingly, most of the other members didn't complain and returned to their positions, ready to start again. I almost wanted to ask what was happening, but I just stood up and took their determination for granted.
Did they all know something about Julie that I didn't? Are they all naive or am I just being too suspicious of her?
Or... did the end of that note say anything important that I never read?