If Snow Decides to Fall
9. "Just another day."
Author's Note: And here she is! Thank you guys for your patience! I hope it was well worth the wait. Let me know what you think will happen next:)
Chapter Warnings: light smut, pregnancy, explicit language, toxic parental relationship, mental health struggles
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A snowstorm outside as Valentine's Day came to a close.
The couple laid together on the couch, bodies half-naked and strewn lazily and lovingly together. The candles around them flickered and filled the dimmed space with warm glows and a rosy aroma.
Seoyeon lifted her head from his chest and smiled, "I love you."
He was enveloped by her angelic face, "I love you too."
She hummed tracing a finger, decorated by red nail polish, over his collarbone, "Sorry, I think I may have left a bit of a mark."
Jimin chuckled and took her wrist into his gentle grasp, far too blissed out in the afterglow to care, "How dare you."
She giggled and pecked the reddish spot that she'd formed in the throes of their passion, just a little while earlier. Then her eyes seemed to be glued to that area as the warmth faded from her features, "Hey...Jiminie?"
He stroked his thumb across the inside of her wrist, "Hm?"
"What kind of future do you think we have?"
The man pushed a tuft of blondish hair from his forehead as he craned his neck upward to look at her siren eyes. He wore a slight grin, though it was one of confusion. Then he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles, "What's wrong? Why this all of the sudden?"
"Nothing's wrong," she smirked, "Just wondering."
Jimin smirked as she traced an index finger, decorated with a shiny red nail, along his pecs. Her beauty affirmed that he’d chosen the proper nickname for her- ‘angel’.
“Well,” he sighed contently, letting his head rest back once more so he could gaze up at the ceiling, “I’ve learned that one can never truly ascertain the future, but I do see you in it.”
Seoyeon’s smile grew, “I know you, Park Jimin. You can ascertain the future. You of all people can. Anything that you have ever put your mind and will towards, you have achieved.”
He hummed, “Sometimes I question if I can credit my dedication, or if this was all simply fate. I can’t deny the hand that luck has played in my life. Maybe luck is just another word for fate.”
She shifted her weight on him, kissing his collarbone again, “A little bit of both, then.”
Jimin closed his eyes, “Yeah, both.”
The giggle was as serene as wind chimes, “Hey, don’t doze off now. You never really answered my question.”
“I did, angel.” he chuckled.
“Nuh-uh,” she teased, “All you said was that ‘you see me in it’. That’s a non-answer. Come on, don’t you ever want to…you know, settle down?”
This has always been a challenging topic for him.
Jimin grinned, letting out another sleepy sigh, “I would never be able to settle, in the same way others could. Sometimes I fear it’s literally impossible at this point. But yes, you know that I’d want to, somewhere deep down.”
The woman could have asked him if he saw himself settling down with her. They had been dating for about half a year, and he’d expressed how different this relationship was for him. How it was the first time he felt so serious about someone. But for now, she was enjoying the surface-level inquiries.
She smirked, laying both palms flat on his bare chest and placing her chin on her straightened fingers, “Kids?”
“Of course,” he laughed, “I melt when I see kids. One of our stylists, Chaeyoung, has twins. She’s brought them into work a couple times and they totally break my focus.”
“You’re good with kids.” she said.
“How do you know? You’ve never seen me around any.”
“I feel like it’s just a universally-known fact about you.”
Jimin’s lips upturned further as he closed his eyes again, “Out of all the lore there is about me out there, that one is probably the most accurate.”
“What’s the least inaccurate?” she asked.
He released another chuckle. Seoyeon was filled with this ever-curious fire. He loved that about her. She made it a priority to truly know everyone in her life, to know them to the depths of their souls.
“That I’m just this all-benevolent being,” his features contorted into a grimace, “People imagine me to be a saint or something. Park Jimin, the nice one. He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. Only I do. I have plenty.”
Seoyeon caressed his jaw, “Why complain about that? You’re loved. People think you’re a good person, because you are.”
“With no room for mistakes,” Jimin corrected her, and pleasure on his face disappearing, “No room to get angry, or say something unkind. Or just do something stupid. I’m grateful that so many people see me as good, and I want to be a role model in that way, but sometimes it makes me feel like I’m not allowed to do those human things. And it makes me feel that much more guilty when I do.”
“I can understand that.” she shrugged, trying to keep the mood light, “Do you feel guilty about being with me?”
“What? No, angel. Why would you think that?”
Seoyeon giggled again, “Because dating is another ‘human thing’ that’s frowned upon in your world. Do you regret me?”
Her face was mere inches away from his. Jimin’s handsome smirk returned as he brought her forward, closing the gap between their lips. Both of them still tasted like champagne.
“I don’t regret you, Seoyeon. Never.”
When she pulled away, she took notice of the snow fluttering down outside the window. With a groan, she collapsed back onto her boyfriend’s chest.
“Ugh, it’s a blizzard out there.”
He laughed, petting her hair, “You clearly aren’t keen on snow.”
“I don’t,” he grinned lazily, “It’s sort of calming. Like watching a snow globe.”
She replied, “It’s only calming if you’re not out in it, freezing your ass off. And it makes the roads terrible.”
“True, but sometimes that works in our favor, hm?” he raised a brow, “Don’t you want to stay a while longer, angel? See what else we can get up to?”
The woman giggled with naughtiness, “I might be interested in that proposition.”
The two entered into a deep kiss, him wrapping his arms around her torso, which was clothed by his old white t-shirt, with some signs of wear scattered throughout it. She was wearing nothing else. With a squeeze of her rear, they were back on their most prized sensual path.
You felt numb. To your own surprise, there was a lack of any gut-punch reaction. You were frozen, unable to let the weight of the situation in. It would be too much for your delicate constitution to handle.
The question rolled off your tongue as your eyes performed a distant stare at the floor. You didn’t mean it - not for one second did you truly suspect this awful insinuation could be authentic. It just came out,
“What?” Jimin was horrified, even hurt, “No, baby. Of course I’m not the father. How could you even ask me that?”
The pain omitted snapped you back into reality. You squeezed your eyes shut and shook the thought out of your head, hands gripping your knees, “Ugh, I’m so sorry. I know you’re not. I-I don’t know why I said that. I just don’t know what else to do or say right now. I think I’m in shock or something.”
He realized that now wasn’t the time for conflict. The two of you needed to be more united than ever.
He scooted closer to you and brought you into his arms, “It’s okay. I’m in shock too. This is big…really big. In a few hours more people will be awake and it’s going to blow up.”
The room went quiet as you both imagined the horror show that was to come.
“Who do you think did this?” you finally uttered.
Jimin lurched forward, elbows on his knees and a disgruntled face in his palms, “Let’s not talk about that right now. It makes me picture a massive lawsuit and my mind just can’t go there.”
You put a hand on his back and rubbed slowly, “We will take it one thing at a time. What’s the next best thing to do?”
“I’m gonna call Namjoon back,” he said, voice trepid and a million miles away, “He will know what to do.”
You didn’t remark on the irony of that - it was a welcome turn of events. It brought you a full relief that Jimin hadn’t forgotten his deeper friendship with him, despite everything that had transpired.
You nodded and he resumed activity with his phone, tapping the glowing screen a couple times before putting the sound on speaker. He figured you might as well be a part of the conversation.
You heard the tone ring only once before Namjoon answered.
“Hey.” Namjoon said, voice sunken and gentle.
“Hey,” your tired and sullen boyfriend answered, “Y/N’s here too.”
“Y/N…” he sighed, “I…I am truly sorry.”
“It’s alright,” you feigned a shred of optimism, “We will figure this out and it will be fine.”
“I share the sentiment, but you both should prepare yourselves. Jimin, you need to expect to hear from management any minute. They will undoubtedly question you, and you need to know how you will respond.”
“What is there to say?” Jimin huffed, “This article is bullshit. That’s my response.”
“I know you’re angry, but if we are being honest, the story isn’t totally false. You are expecting a baby. They just got the woman wrong.”
“He’s right,” you said, staring into your lap, “We need to decide if we’re going to come forward to them now, rather than sticking to our original plan.”
His head lulled back as he gazed up at the ceiling, controlling a deep breath. Then he bit the inside of his cheek as he thought.
He began to shake his head slightly, “No…No, we can’t. It’ll be too much.”
You let your shoulders fall, “It’s going to be a lot regardless of what we do. Maybe it doesn’t matter now. I mean, I’m going to get fired at some point.”
“I’m not putting you through that,” his tone became stern as he took your hand, “Your health, the baby’s. No way.”
Namjoon was silent on the other end. This was between the two of you. Meanwhile, you were giving Jimin a pleading expression.
He squeezed your hand, eyes hardening, “No, sweetheart. Regardless of what happens with your job, you’re in a delicate condition right now. I’m not unleashing undue turmoil on you.”
“But if you don’t come clean now, don’t you think you’ll be punished once they learn the truth? You might as well take the opportunity.”
Namjoon spoke up reluctantly, “She may have a point. The company could seriously reprimand you.”
“Let them reprimand me,” he threw his other hand in the air in exasperation, “Whatever blowback they give me will be better than having your health take another hit.”
“Even if they release you from your contract?” Namjoon posed.
Your stomach did a flip. It seemed impossible. The company would have to be crazy to do away with talent like Jimin. The rest of the boys would never allow it. Still, the notion sowed a horrible feeling within.
“Yes, I suppose so,” He muttered, "Though I find that highly unlikely. But if that's the worst they could do, then I guess I should be prepared for it."
You were thankful it was a Sunday. Though all of the members usually worked at least a little bit on weekends, this granted them the option to come over to yours and Jimin’s place. It felt like a team huddle, all of them gathered in the living room to discuss the potential fallout of this bomb that had been dropped. It was almost noon, and surprisingly, there had been no call from Management thus far. You had both showered since the morning, hoping it would help you feel a sense of calm or normalcy, but to no avail.
Taehyung had the forethought to bring food for everyone, just in case the two of you were too shellshocked to remind yourselves to eat. Jin was sitting on the other side of Jimin, arm around him as he took a second to force himself to eat the noodles in front of him.
The group was silent. No one knew what to say. You felt as though they were waiting for one of you to start the conversation.
Wanting your love to continue to nourish himself, you spoke up first, “There’s no good place to start, but maybe we should figure out what the immediate next steps are.”
“It should be whatever you two decide,” Yoongi replied instantly and unabashedly, “This affects you guys the most.”
“I hate to say it, but I disagree,” you sighed, “If we tell the company the truth right now, they could punish Jimin. And that in turn punishes each of you.”
Namjoon added in his own opinion, “Even so, we can’t play a role in this choice, Y/N. You’re kind for wanting to consider us, but it’s an intimate decision between you and Jimin.”
Jimin chewed and chuckled. You couldn’t tell if he was feeling slap-happy from the whirlwind or if he was irritated with Namjoon yet again.
Shaking his head, he asked, “Then why are you all here?”
“To support you guys,” Hoseok inserted, “And to help you talk things through.”
Jimin hummed and then handed you the bowl of noodles, practically shoving it into your lap and ignoring Hoseok’s comment entirely, “Sorry. I didn’t realize you hadn’t eaten.”
He gave you a look, “Eat, baby. For me?”
You sighed and picked up the utensils.
The father of your child reclined into the couch, hands gliding up across his face and into his hair, “I still don’t think it’s a good idea to tell the company the full reality of the situation right now. I know this might put me at risk of heavier consequences later on, but it shouldn’t matter. The whole point of waiting until after the birth was for Y/N and the baby’s wellbeing. Those factors still exist here, so I don’t see any reason in changing the plan, even with this.”
You swallowed the first bite of food you’d taken all day, “I know that, but I don’t want the company to do something drastic when they inevitably find out that you lied to them. Other idols have been let go for things far milder.”
Yoongi had to laugh a little, catching the group’s attention. He then pulled it together, “Sorry, I know none of this is funny. But they wouldn’t dream of letting him go.”
“I second that. It’s not exactly the smartest business move, letting go of one of your top talents.” Jungkook affirmed.
Jin nodded, “And I think they know BTS well enough to know that if he left, we’d all go with him.”
Jimin cracked a small smile, telling you that he believed their words. You decided to believe them too. Within a moment, his features settled back into a relaxed state as he looked at the group.
“I love you guys. I can’t tell you what that means to me.”
As his heart swelled with gratitude, yours followed. You had a support system, and it clicked that your child had these six as uncles.
“You would stand by any one of us.” Hoseok planted his words with conviction.
Then his eyes fell upon you, “This choice is half yours to make. What do you think?”
“I don’t know…” you replied, “I’m hesitant to ask you to lie. And perhaps selfishly I’d rather get it all over with now. Maybe I could handle it better than you think.”
The man beside you closed his eyes. Here you went again. It was more of a worry than an annoyance, but a type of irritation nonetheless.
It wasn’t his intention to stir your emotions, but something about his reaction did. You began to crack under this enormous weight, having managed to remain relatively calm throughout the morning.
“We’ve been through this before,” he said, “And you’re brave for considering that, I credit you. But I don’t see it going well.”
You became choked up, a sore tightness in your throat, straining your vocal cords, “It’s already not going well, and that’s precisely why I want to get it over with. It’s already t-too much…A-And now the world will think my boyfriend fathered a different child. I want it over. I want it to be done. I can’t do this anymore…”
To hear and see such defeat coming from you pierced Jimin's tender heart. You'd been acting so strong for too long.
The rest of the group shared a moment of grief for you. You were a woman to be pitied, as they could relate to your desperation. Their lives had been filled with that feeling for the better part of their youths - wishing there could be relief from the madness. The only difference was they sought it out, having desired to have the careers they did. All you did was fall in love with someone in their ranks, and it earned you a similar bitter predicament.
In none was this feeling of pity more prominent than Namjoon.
Jimin saw your hand shaking as you held the utensils. Worried, he scooted closer to you, taking the bowl of noodles from your lap and releasing your grip on the sticks. He placed them on the coffee table, "I know, baby. That's what I want too. But it won't just go away after we come forward. I feel like I intimidate you whenever I say that, but it's true. Telling the company now wouldn't equate to some magic fix. And I want to protect you while you're in this state. You deserve that."
You let out a quiet sob, putting your hand over your mouth. You shook your head, "Think of what you're asking me to do, Jimin.”
He brought you into his arms, your head resting on one of his pecs, “I’m asking you to hang on with me, just a little longer.”
Tears started to roll down your face, as you caved into his comfort, “It’s not just a little longer. I-It’s like four months. Four months of the same old secrets and now add a ton of speculation. I-I don’t know if I can.”
He didn’t care to refute you or continue to push his own opinion. All Jimin cared about was getting you to relax.
He kissed the top of your head as he rubbed your arm, “It’s going to be-”
Then his phone went off, driving an open abyss through his gut. He didn't know who it was, but he knew that it had to do with the situation. It was only just beginning.
Inhaling deeply, he exhaled with a hitched tone, “It’s them.”
“You don’t have to answer right now.” Jin remarked.
Jimin shifted on the couch, “If I let it go, they will only keep calling.”
Yoongi huffed, “You have the right to think about what you want to tell them first. They can wait.”
You stared at the floor, zoning out as the men deliberated. Their voices didn’t register as words any longer. Your mind tuned out the world, leaving you alone with your thoughts. For a fleeting instance, there was some peace.
A blessing, your conscience filled with thoughts of your baby. How you felt more attached to him or her every day, how you wanted him or her to be well. You thought about every time Jimin put his hand on your belly, speaking the most adoring words to the infant within.
Your own fears didn’t need to matter anymore. They couldn’t, not when you’d been given this precious gift. You were responsible for the wellbeing of this child. You were a mother. And you weren’t going to let anything harm the life you were carrying, even if it meant you had to endure for a while longer. You just had to keep the faith that it would be worth it in the end, to see this pregnancy through without causing further distress to your own body and in turn, your baby’s.
Quietly, you said, “Tell them none of it is true.”
The guys stopped their conversation. Jimin leaned closer to you, “What did you say?”
You looked into his eyes, “Answer it, and tell them none of it is true. We will wait as planned.”
Though curious as to why you’d suddenly flipped positions, he pressed the green button and put the phone on speaker. He held a finger up to his lips, asking everyone to be silent.
“Jimin.” a voice greeted him. By the deeper register, you knew it was the one named Minjun. He sounded stern, but not quite furious.
“Minjun,” he replied, “I can’t say I’m glad to hear from you in this case.”
The man on the other end sighed, “Yes, I understand. I would ask if now is a good time, but I think we both know this conversation needs to happen now.”
You were holding your breath. Taehyung saw your anxiety building and he took the initiative to make his way over to you. He sat on the arm of the sofa quietly, placing a warm, comforting hand on your shoulder. You glanced up at him and he gave you a reassuring nod.
“Yes,” Jimin replied, “I’m glad you called. It’s been a rough morning. I want to answer your first question and say that…”
He looked at you, firming his resolve and taking your hand, “That this article is absolutely false. There is no truth to any of it.”
As soon as he said it, you slowly released your air.
Minjun sort of chuckled, “That’s quite a relief. Candidly, I was the slightest bit nervous that it was true, given your history with this woman. But my better judgement told me there was no way you would have gotten back together with her, let alone be careless enough to…you know.”
You felt a twinge of shame. He squeezed your hand.
“It’s outrageous,” Jimin said, “I want it disputed immediately. We can’t have people believing this lie.”
“Trust me, we’re on it. Now that we’ve heard it from you, we can draft a statement.”
He nodded, half focused on your demeanor, “Thank you.”
Minjun added, “Another thing is they don’t name a source. If it was Dispatch, we would have been contacted for a comment at the very least. They are good about giving us a heads up about rumors and asking for comment. This publication did nothing of the sort. And the article states that this individual is a ‘self-proclaimed close source.’”
“Right…” Jimin ran a frustrated hand through his hair, “Do we think that holds any water?”
“Unfortunately, it makes me fear that Seoyeon herself is behind this.”
You watched others in the group roll their eyes and look at one another in a united loathing. You could only look into your lap, for some reason finding it difficult to partake in the despising of her. After all, you’d met her. She showed you charity when you needed it. And she was a married woman, and a mother-to-be just like you.
Your boyfriend visibly winged, “I didn’t want to believe it, but I feel like you’re right.”
It didn’t make sense. She had a husband. If she truly wanted to throw a false rumor out there, why would she decide on one that could be so easily debunked?
You contemplated every detail of the conversation you’d had with her at that airport. Recalled was a flashback to her curiously staring at your t-shirt.
Jimin’s t-shirt, the one you borrowed. With a distinctive tear on its right sleeve.
Then something she said came back to you, her reply to you saying that the two of you seemed to have a lot in common:
But it wasn’t just that - it was the look on her face when she said it. The cadence she used.
Minju replied to him, “I feel that her refusal to name herself actually adds legitimacy to this story. No one would believe her if she was named as the source. Too many would think she was attention-seeking.”
He was right about that. You were horrified, and it showed. The other members were no longer paying attention to the phone call, but rather to you. Your body was subconsciously rocking as you were locked inside your own head. You could hardly feel it, but Taehyung was gently nudging you, trying to get your eyes to look at him.
Instead, you slowly rose from the couch with a lost gaze, before lumbering away. You crossed your arms, rubbing your upper arms as a way to self-soothe. One hand was brought up to your lips, so you could bite down on your thumb.
Jimin pleaded with his eyes for one of them to go after you, to make sure you were alright. Taehyung and Jin seemed to volunteer themselves, getting up to quietly follow you as you drifted into the kitchen.
You halted at the sink so you could get yourself a glass of water. You gulped it down as the two men waited for you, glancing at each other in confusion.
“What is it?” Jin asked, keeping his volume low, “Do you feel okay?”
“Fine,” your voice was a thousand miles away, “I’m just remembered what she-…I mean, I think she knew who I was…”
You set the glass down on the counter, nodding slowly, “Yes, at the airport. I think she put it together…She knows I’m not just one of your stylists.”
Taehyung wanted to keep your thinking positive, “I doubt that, Y/N. From what you told us, it sounded like she was totally oblivious.”
You looked at him and found it somewhere within yourself to grin, appreciative of his care for you, “Thanks, but no. I remembered some more things. And now that all of this has happened, I believe it was her…because she knows about me.”
Just then, you heard Jimin bid the manager farewell, “Sounds good, Minjun. I appreciate your help…Yes, we will touch base later today. Thanks…Bye.”
You needed to tell him what you remembered. As you made your way out of the kitchen, Taehyung and Jin followed you. It was obvious that your concerned boyfriend was already coming to check on you.
He searched your face, “Good?”
You nodded with a bit of a shrug, “Mostly, but I think there’s something you should know. Well, all of you should know I guess.”
You walked further into the living room, but refused to take a seat this time. Rather, you ended up standing behind the couch, gripping at the back frame of it. Your distended abdomen rested on top of it.
“Okay,” you sighed, “I know I told all of you that when I met Seoyeon at the airport, that she didn’t know about us. Um, I-I think I might have been wrong about that.”
“Wait, what?” Jungkook’s head snapped in your direction.
Hoseok shot up, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
Jimin stepped closer to you, his eyes consumed with a concoction of trepidation and rage, “How is that possible?”
You closed your eyes as you drew in a calming breath, and then let it out, “I was wearing your old t-shirt. The white one, with a few rips and holes. She looked at it multiple times throughout our conversation.”
The man’s spirits fell. He knew exactly which piece of clothing you were talking about, and he knew that Seoyeon would have been able to recognize it - she’d worn it often when the two were together.
“Shit…” he raised his hands and set them behind his head.
“And then she said we had a lot in common,” you practically winced as you delivered the news, “She knows.”
An unruly side of him desperately yearned to punch a hole in the wall, break something. Throw a chair. Without realizing, his intake of breath evolved into something harsh, eyesight bleary with fury.
Jimin looked at you. You seemed worried for him, nervous for his reaction. Eyes darting to the others, he saw the same in them. Everyone was expecting him to blow up.
“Th-This makes no fucking sense," his voice elevated itself, "If she knows you're carrying my child, why wouldn't she just tell the press the truth? That would be greater revenge than telling them something that could be so easily disproven."
"Maybe not," said Yoongi, "This is the perfect way for her to get what she's always wanted - fame. And she's doing it by tearing you down. She probably figured this would force the two of you to go public. I mean, it's kind of a brilliant plan. It wouldn't surprise me if she makes her own statement soon, telling the world that you and her were, in fact, together at one point. She gets her name out there, tied to you forever. And she gets to satisfy the jealousy she probably feels about you, Y/N."
Jimin sank onto one of the armchairs, gripping his knees, "This woman is my greatest regret."
It was the evening. The guys had gone home. The two of you had heard from his parents, but not from yours. You should have expected as much, but it was ironic. This could have been their big chance to call you and try to tell you that they told you so. At least his mother and father were supportive, assuring you both that it would be alright in the end.
Dinner was fairly quiet between you. Neither of you felt hungry, but were eating anyway out of necessity.
“I really dread going into work tomorrow.” you mumbled.
“Don’t,” Jimin said after swallowing a bite of chicken, “No one knows you have any involvement. It’s me who should dread it, which is why I think it would be best if I stay put for a few days. Lay low.”
“Did Minjun suggest that?” you asked.
“Not yet,” he said, checking the time once again, waiting to be called back, “But I guarantee that will be part of the strategy. And I think we should both stay the hell off social media for a bit.”
You made a pact not to go online. You knew the media storm was currently enormous. Earlier in the day, you’d accidentally caught wind of a news segment on the television. It was officially headline news, and both of you could preserve a piece of your sanity by avoiding it like the plague.
There was about bout of silence in the air as you ate. The small fluttering in your belly were able to provide some comfort.
“What made you change your mind earlier today? You were so adamant about coming clean now that you became emotional. What changed?”
As was uncommon that day, you began to smile a little, “I had a moment of clarity. Honestly, I still don’t know how to navigate this, but I thought about the baby. And I had a similar feeling that I’ve had a couple times over the past few months…that I really have no choice. I’m a mom who needs to keep her child safe. I can’t knowingly put my baby in harm’s way.”
He smiled softly in response, “A protective mother.”
You giggled lightly, “You’re one to talk. Quite the protective father. And boyfriend.”
“I don’t have a choice either. I love you both. Forever.”
You were captivated by the declaration. He said something like it the night before, when he tipsily called you the love of his life. You wondered if he was serious. You dared not to get your hopes up with what that might imply.
The ring of his phone interrupted you. He turned it over, “Ah, it’s Minjun. Can it wait, baby?”
You feigned a smile, “Of course it can wait. That’s much more important anyway. Take it.”
He stood up and began to walk away, putting the phone to his ear, “Hey…Yeah, I can talk.”
You breathed out a sigh and finished your meal as your boyfriend went into the spare bedroom, which would eventually need to be turned into a nursery, but you couldn’t bear another thing in your head at the moment.
Craning your neck forward, you could see that Jimin had finished his dinner. You decided to clean up, taking hold of both of your plates.
Once you loaded up and started the dishwasher, you wanted to slip into your pajamas and get some sleep. Padding toward the master bedroom, you passed the spare. His muffled voice could be heard as you went by.
Though it could barely be made out, you thought you heard him say, “Yes, I planned on it.”
Your poor mind was too stretched to care to dig into it. Besides, you trusted Jimin implicitly to do the right thing in this predicament.
It felt odd going to work the next day, while he remained home. It was as if he was on house arrest.
“Okay, I’m heading out,” you said to him, grabbing your keys, “Is the statement still being posted today?”
“As far as I know, that’s still the plan. Probably by noon.” Jimin replied.
You nodded, standing close to him.
“It’s just another day, sweetheart.” he told you as he kissed you goodbye.
You nodded once more, “Just another day.”
His hands found your belly, as they always did, “Remember why we did it this way.”
You smiled a little, not because you were happy, but to assure him that you’d be alright to manage your stress, “I know. And before you ask, yes, I took my meds.”
“Good. Now go be great at your job,” he said, “I love you.”
You walked out the door after a short kiss, opening a chasm in Jimin’s world. Suddenly his chest was heavy, and he finally allowed himself to break. His frame sloped down to the floor as he unleashed a sob.
When you walked into the office that morning, you could sense the gossip floating in the air. The place was abuzz, small talk between colleagues dealing with one topic only - or so it felt.
As you feared, Chaeyoung came right up to you as you were entering your office. You hadn’t even set your bag down.
Having previously wanted to fake your interest, you now discovered that you couldn’t do it. So, all you said to her was, “Good morning.”
You were expecting her to start gabbing about the article. It was coming, and you braced yourself for it.
“Morning,” she sighed, “How are you?”
“I’m, uh, good,” you grinned as you sat down, opening your laptop, “How are you?”
“Fine,” her fingered traced along your desk, “Exhausted. Couldn’t sleep much this weekend.”
You nodded a few times, “I’m tired too. Um…H-Have you seen that story?”
She seemed to perk up a bit, “Yeah, I feel horrible for Jimin. Personally, I don’t believe it. I mean, we saw her a few weeks ago. She’s married and all. I think maybe we should go up to Management today.”
You furrowed your brows, “Why? I don’t want to get involved in any way.”
“I think we need to let them know that she has a husband. And that when we saw her at the airport, she mentioned nothing about Jimin. Maybe it could help them falsify the story.”
You blinked, “You’re the one who told them we met her in the first place. You didn’t mention she was married?”
“Well, no,” she shrugged, “That wasn’t a relevant detail at the time.”
“Could you go alone? I have things I’m behind on.”
“I know, I’m sorry. But I think it would solidify it for them if there were multiple witnesses.”
You sighed, unable to believe that you were really about to do this, “Alright, just give me a while to get settled.”
She left you alone to get your day started, unbeknownst to the fact that you weren't going to be able to focus on anything. You responded to some emails absentmindedly and started to review some updates for the tour.
Closer to ten in the morning, you were at a good stopping point in your work. You picked up Chaeyoung from her desk and the two of you headed up, hoping this wouldn't take long.
In the elevator, you felt slightly unsteady. Leaning against the back wall of the box, you cradled your belly, which contained those fluttery movements regularly now. Chaeyoung operated the elevator, pressing the correct button. No one else caught the carriage at the same time you did, so you were alone with her.
She smiled at you softly, "You're looking really cute these days, by the way."
You glanced at your bump and then back at her, "Oh, thank you."
"You make me miss being pregnant, which I never thought would happen honestly. But ugh, those little kicks. The hiccups. I miss feeling those things...and I had two of them in me."
You laughed, "I gotta say, I have no idea how you managed that."
"Me neither," she smirked, crossing her arms, "By the time I was at the stage you're in, I looked like I was eight months pregnant. Waddling everywhere. People would ask me when I was due, anticipating that it would be extremely soon. And then I'd tell them I was only halfway through, and oh my - the looks on their faces. Priceless."
You giggled as the elevator opened to the right floor. The pair of you exited the box and walked in the wide hallway. Their offices were behind a large double glass door.
Chaeyoung took the lead when you came upon the front desk, saying to the secretary with a low volume, "Hi. We don't have an appointment, but we work in the Styling Department and we think we might have some information that could be useful."
"Useful?" the woman asked.
Your colleague leaned forward some more, "Yes. You know...about what's going on?"
"Oh, this concerns that?"
"I see," she said, picking up her phone, to dial one of the managers, "Give me one moment."
As she notified someone, you looked around this ultra-polished and modern space. The boys' pictures were around, as well as some of their awards. Some of them made you chuckle to yourself, as you saw much younger versions of them all. Adolescent fat still on their faces, their progression through the years, and through a multitude of hair colors.
The secretary smiled at you both, "You're both in luck. Minjun has a few minutes to see you now."
Perfect, you thought. Minjun.
You were escorted back into the manager's beautiful workspace. He was dressed in a nice white button-down with a navy blue jacket, sitting at his huge desk.
"Ladies," he offered you both a very polite expression as he stood, "Please come in. Forgive me, but I don't believe I'm familiar with your names?"
"Thank you, sir. I'm Chaeyoung, and this is my coworker, Y/N. You may recall a couple of stylists met Seoyeon by accident, at the airport. That was us."
"Ah, yes. I remember. Pleased to meet you both," he said, "Please sit."
As you sat, you thought you should speak up, "We won't take much of your time, sir, given the gravity of the situation I'm sure you're extremely busy. But we have some information that we'd like you to know."
The man nodded in a friendly manner, sitting back behind his desk and crossing one leg over his knee, "Alright, you have my attention."
Chaeyoung continued where you left off, "I have been assigned to BTS long enough to recall Jimin's, um...history with this woman. Seoyeon is in fact pregnant, but she's a married woman now."
Minjun raised his brows, "Is that so?"
"Yes," you confirmed, "While speaking with her, she mentioned her husband. And I do remember seeing a ring on her finger. He's the CEO of some big firm here in Seoul."
The man leaned forward, intrigued and grateful for this revelation, "Do you know which firm or his name?"
"His name is Li Daejin," Chaeyoung answered, catching you totally off-guard, "The firm's name is-"
"Gravitas," Minjun finished for her, "I'm familiar with his name and his company. He is an affluent man indeed. This will work in our favor. A man like that won't accept a false rumor about his wife running rampant. I will get in touch with him immediately. Thank you ladies. You're free to leave."
You were dumbfounded at your friend, begrudgingly following behind her as you bid the manager a good day and left. Once you were out of the office entirely, you caught up to her and whispered harshly, "You knew this the entire time??"
Chaeyoung kept walking like nothing was wrong, "Sorry, yes I did. My husband works for him."
"It's fine..." you mumbled, rounding a corner to get back to the elevator, "I'm just confused. When you first told me about her, you acted as if you didn't know who this big CEO was. Why?"
She let out a big sigh, eyes filled with remorse, "I'm sorry for the white lie. At the time, I just didn't feel like it was right to divulge any more information. I mean, I was gossiping when I knew I shouldn't, and I don't know..."
You nodded slowly, despite your doubts. It didn't make sense to you.
As you were about to come upon the elevator, you caught a glimpse of Namjoon. Chatting on his phone, he was looking directly at you. Uncomfortable as it was, you gave him a look, causing him to start making his way to you.
He hung up with whoever he was talking to and approached you both, “Hey guys. Y/N, I’m glad I ran into you. We have a couple of pieces that we sort of roughed up during a dress rehearsal last week. Jungkook’s vest, a pair of pants I think. You’re the best at fixing them, so could you follow me so I can pass them off to you?”
You were stupefied, “Um…”
You looked at Chaeyoung to make sure she was alright with it. She nodded at you.
You turned back to Namjoon, “Y-Yeah, sure.”
“Thanks,” he smiled, “I’ll have her back down in Styling in a few minutes, Chae.”
Before you knew what happened, you were walking away with him. The leader of the group mumbled to you, “We’ll make sure no one is looking and pop into my studio.”
You nodded, “Nice cover story, I suppose.”
“I actually do have Jungkook’s vest. He never remembers to tell you guys when he rips something.”
In the midst of the confusion, you found it in yourself to laugh a little.
Namjoon checked the surrounding area casually when you came upon the door that you presumed to be his studio. Then he hurried you inside, pushing you a bit.
Locking the door, he let out a breath, “Please tell me you weren’t just coming from Management.”
Timid, you confirmed it, “I was. Chae thought it would be a good idea to let someone know that Seoyeon is married. Ironically, we ended up speaking with Minjun.”
He put a hand to his chest, tall posture slouching a bit, “Oh thank God. I thought the worst.”
You felt painfully awkward, “She apparently knew Seoyeon’s husband this whole time. Her own husband works for him. Weird, right?”
He chewed the inside of his lip for a moment, arms crossed over his pecs, “That’s a little strange. But it was very smart to hand that tidbit over to them. It will help them dispel this bullshit rumor and get things back to normal sooner.”
A cumbersome silence took hold in the room. It lingered for a long moment, both of you looking at anything except each other.
The man cleared his throat, “I sorry about all of this…”
You tried to muster a grin, but it was pathetic, “I am too, but it will get cleared up and things will resolve themselves in time. That’s what I’m telling myself anyway.”
“No, I mean about everything before that,” he said, “For the things I did and said. I’ve been so wrong about you.”
“You don’t need to do this,” you said, unable to meet his eye, “It’s alright.”
Namjoon shook his head, genuine in his tone,“It’s the furthest thing from alright. I’ve said awful, slanderous things regarding you and your relationship with Jimin. I’m ashamed by my words. And I can’t help but feel like I’ve played a role in your blood pressure issue. The stress I’ve caused you and Jimin…I know it’s not the sole reason, but it contributed.”
He paused for a moment, looking around the room with a tight jaw in discomfort, “I’m in disbelief of myself. For so long I was opposition of the best thing in my brother’s life. And I refused to celebrate something so wonderful. I’m so sorry, Y/N.”
You stepped closer to him, “I always felt that you were adjust trying to protect him. Now I can see exactly what you were trying to protect him from. I’m glad he has a friend like you, Namjoon. Deep down, I know he would agree.”
“How? I’ve been such a dick.”
You chuckled lightly, “You know, yesterday morning, when we found out about this whole blunder, the sound of his panic woke me up. He was on the phone with you, and he was asking you what he should do. In a crisis, you showed up for him, and he looked to you for guidance. That’s because in his heart of hearts, he still knows you look out for him.”
“Huh…” he replied, “I never thought about that.”
You maintained a soft smile, “Now hand me Jungkook’s damn vest.”
Namjoon snickered as he turned and retrieved the article of clothing from some shelf, “Here. Thanks, Y/N.”
“You’re welcome,” you said, starting to leave the room, “And maybe try telling Jimin what you just told me. I think he needs to hear that more than I do.”
Jimin was at the dining room table with his laptop open, reviewing the draft. His phone was on the table, set on speaker with Minjun on the other end.
"It will help quell the fray,” the manager assured him, “If we wait much longer, the fire will only spread and rumors keep developing. This will contain it.”
“Yeah,” he chewed on his knuckle, “It will help.”
“Chin up,” Minjun said, “It will be resolved, let me assure you. Especially now that we have an extra piece to the puzzle. A little bit ago, two stylists came into my office. They were the ones who met Seoyeon at the airport while you guys were on your way to shoot the music video. Chaeyoung and Y/N are their names.”
Jimin’s stomach did a flip, “I know them. Nice women.”
“Yes, they told me the Seoyeon is married to a man named Li Daejin. He’s the CEO of Gravitas.”
Being a resident of Seoul, Jimin knew the compact name, “I see.”
“Apparently, Chaeyoung’s own husband works for him. I attempted to contact him before jumping on this call with you, but no answer. Ideally, I’d like to speak with him and Seoyeon together.
“Does his lack of response concern you?” He asked, “Couldn’t that be interpreted as the answer to our big question?”
The other man replied confidently, “Not quite, though I understand your point. I will try again to get in touch with them. If I’m able to speak with them and clear the air, perhaps we can urge them to make a statement of their own refuting this story. If I am filtered through his lawyer, then I’d be incredibly suspicious of involvement on her or their part.”
“Right.” Jimin muttered, his mind in a million different places.
“Don’t worry. This will come to a close, one way or another. The company’s position is to take legal action against whoever sourced this garbage. It’s a concrete case of defamation and libel. When it’s all said and done, no one will believe you’re this child’s father.”
His heart hardened, “Good. Thank you, Minjun.”
“I’ll be back in touch as soon as I have another update for you,” the manager said, “Until then, you know the drill. Lay low and stay the hell off social media.”
The two men said their goodbyes, before Jimin huffed and hung up the phone. He let his head rest on the table for a moment, just breathing.
But he couldn’t catch a break today.
The phone made a dinging sound, the one that went off when there was someone in the foyer downstairs for him. It was something of a doorbell, coming from his home security app allocated for all those who lived in the highly-monitored complex.
Whoever was able to buzz into his phone must have known his unique code. Given the circumstances, the slightly paranoid man opened up the app to check the security camera live footage. He’d be able to see who had come to see him.
When he saw, he felt sick.
Not entirely sure it was the right choice, he granted the visitor access.
He was a nervous wreck until he heard her knock on the door. Scrambling, he checked his appearance in the hallway mirror quickly, finicking to get his hair in the right place.
He opened the door to see her. She was standing before him, eyes tired and baggy. She clutched her black bag tightly, utterly uncomfortable in her surroundings.
She acknowledged him with a single nod, “Jimin.”
She carried pain in her eyes, for you.
He opened the door wider and moved more to the side, giving her access into the apartment. He felt rude for not greeting her back, but he couldn’t yet. He needed to do this right.
As soon as she was inside and turned back to face him, he bowed at the hip, head low.
Already he began to choke up, “I’m truly sorry for not being able to protect your daughter from this. Please trust me when I tell you that the story is false.”
Your mother didn’t appear to care about that, instead pleading, “Where is she? I need to see her.”
Puzzled, Jimin straightened himself back up, “She went into work. She’s almost always back by five.”
There was something of an ironic grin on her face as she shook her head to herself, “All of this and she still went to work. She inherited her resilience from her father. Would you mind if I stayed and waited for her?”
Without hesitation, he gestured, “Of course. Please.”
She offered him a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes before turning around and slowly walking deeper inside. As she went about, she studied the new furnishings and decor.
“Your home has Y/N written all over it,” she remarked, “I recognize a lot of this from her old place.”
He felt as though he was naked, “Yes. I’ve received numerous compliments since she moved in. I’m told it’s an improvement.”
He thought he may have heard her laugh a little.
“So, you’re lockdown until this storm blows over?” she inquired when they entered the living room, plopping down in armchair that faced the man.
Jimin put his hands in his pockets, “That’s the recommendation.”
He felt like a moron, disgraced.
Your mother gave no reply, only sitting and looking around at the living room some more. Her silence was chipping away at him.
“Please don’t think me disrespectful, but don’t you want to at least know what happened?”
“I do, and yet I don’t,” she sighed, “I must admit I’m ashamed that I let this rift form between us for this long. A mother should know her child and I haven’t the slightest idea what she’s been through. And now this…If you are offering, I’m open to an explanation.”
Jimin took a seat in the armchair that was positioned across from hers, “I will explain what I can. There is much to say.”
