Aspen stayed in the bathroom stall long after she had hung up on Jungkook. She was leaning her back against one wall; the whole environment around her blurred by her tears. It wasn't that she hadn't ever experienced rejection before, it was just...she had been so confident this time. She had practiced and had done all the visualization techniques that one did to chase away the nerves, and yet it all have been for nothing.

'Talentless.'

'You aren't meant for this.'

'Try seeking another career path while you're young enough to.'

'You have not been chosen. Have a good day.'

How was she supposed to have a good day when one of the only goals she had ever had in life was crushed right before her?

She was glad that Jungkook was on the way. She knew that Jimin would still be at dance practice, and didn't want to bother him. Bending her head down, she felt the crying hiccup out of her a bit despite her best intentions to stay quiet.

- - -

Jungkook had never driven with more determination before in his entire life. Seokjin sat in the passenger seat, looking over at Jungkook as he drove. He kept his notebook firmly on his lap as he turned away from Jungkook to look outside the window at all the colorful things they were passing. The interior of the car was absolutely silent, but Seokjin was able to hear snatches of what was going on outside. Not enough to understand where the sounds were coming from or what was being said, but enough to know they were there.

When they pulled up outside the theater hall where the auditions were being held, Jungkook quickly switched off the car and raced inside. Seokjin got out of the car, and tried to follow quickly on his heels. The grand hall they walked through was full of sounds as people from the auditions trailed in and out of the building. Jungkook was looking all about for Aspen. When he didn't see her in the lobby, he made his way down a side hall towards the bathrooms. Seokjin watched when they reached the women's room as Jungkook reached out a hand to knock on it.

"Anyone in there?" Jungkook called out.

When no answer came, he slipped in. Seokjin's eyes widened in surprise, but he followed right after him. It was completely silent within the bathroom except for another sound that Seokjin hadn't heard before. Though he had never heard it before, he knew that it was full of sadness. The sound made his heart ache. He watched as Jungkook moved towards the one closed stall where the noise was at its loudest.

"Aspen," he said softly. "Unlock the door. I'm here."

She didn't have to be asked twice. The door to the bathroom stall was unlocked, and no sooner had Aspen stepped out than Jungkook was wrapping her up in his arms. He hugged her close to him, brushing his fingers through her hair gently in an attempt to calm her down. Aspen clung tightly to him back after having slipped her phone into her pocket.

"Don't listen to anything they said," said Jungkook as he continued to hold her. "They don't know what they are talking about."

"They told me I wasn't meant for singing..." cried out Aspen in a muffled voice into Jungkook's shoulder.

"Then they are tone deaf," said Jungkook as he moved his face to kiss her temple. "If you want, I can go out there and confront those judges."

"No...it's okay..."

Seokjin felt badly that he was just standing off to the side awkwardly. He wished that there was something he could do to make her feel better. He felt so useless just being able to communicate with the notebook. Jungkook held Aspen still as he turned his gaze to look at Seokjin.

"Another person wanted to come," said Jungkook eventually. "Seokjin is here too. I haven't killed him yet."

Aspen chuckled weakly at Jungkook's teasing as she lifted her tear-stained face to turn towards where Seokjin stood. A small trace of a smile appeared on her face. She slipped one arm free, beckoning Seokjin towards her with a hand. Seokjin moved to step closer, soon being pulled into the hug too.

"Thank you both for coming," she said sincerely. "I'm lucky to have you both in my life."

"Perhaps we should continue the comfort celebration somewhere not in the women's restroom," said Jungkook after another moment had passed. "Just in case...you know."

Aspen nodded as she released the both of them from the hug. She wiped at her face with her sleeve before moving to leave the restroom with them in tow. As they left, they wove through the lobby as fast as possible. Jungkook moved to walk beside Aspen, slipping an arm about her. They were just about to go outside when the judges entered the lobby. The judges were made up of two elderly gentleman - one with a thinning head of gray hair and one with a black toupee - and a middle aged woman with her mustard blonde hair fixed up into a bun. They crossed in front of Aspen, Jungkook, and Seokjin as they discussed something about all the auditions. Jungkook pulled up short with his arm still about Aspen. He wanted to tell them off for hurting Aspen. Seokjin on the other hand moved after the judges with his notebook.

"What is he doing?" asked Aspen, horrified.

"No idea," said Jungkook as he watched.

Seokjin moved himself until he was right in front of the judges, causing them to stop. They all looked at him in surprise as Seokjin wrote something down in the notebook and held it up for them to see.

- Why would you say such mean things to Aspen?

Aspen could read what Seokjin wrote from where she was standing, feeling her face heat up with a blush.

"Excuse me, young man. You must let us through. We gave her honest feedback and nothing else," said the man with black toupee.

- You gave her pain, not feedback.

Their eyes read it before one of them actually had the audacity to scoff.

"It's not our fault she can't handle a critique," said the man with the thinning gray hair.

- It's not a critique if you tell someone they aren't made for this.
That's an attack.

The woman near the front of the posse crossed her arms, looking at Seokjin. She was upset by his words, but also fascinated by him. Something about him radiated the 'it' factor. She just couldn't put her finger on it. Without asking permission, she stepped closer to Seokjin and took his face in her hands. She turned it every which way, examining him closely.

"You have the looks for this industry," she said after a moment, dropping her hand away. "You ought to audition."

- I don't sing.
Or talk.
I can't.

"Shame," she said as she read what he wrote. "Handsome yet dumb. Looks are wasted on you."

Aspen felt her hands clench into fists, but before she could do anything, she was surprised to see that Jungkook leapt into action. He left Aspen where she was standing to walk over to Seokjin, slinging an arm about his shoulder.

"Looks were wasted on you too. Suppose that's why they are fading," said Jungkook as he looked pointedly at the woman.

The woman's face lit up in anger, and both men on either side of her looked enraged.

"I think we might need to call security," said black toupee man.

"No need," said Jungkook. "We were just leaving. Have fun with your talentless audition."

Jungkook kept an arm about Seokjin as he navigated him away from the fuming judges back to where Aspen stood.

"What were you thinking?" asked Jungkook when they were out of earshot of the judges.

- I wanted to tell those judges they were wrong.

"They are idiots. There's no reasoning with idiots," said Jungkook as he nodded at them as all three judges looked over in their direction. Jungkook pasted a fake smile on his face, giving them a wave to let them know they were noticed. The judges quickly turned away and walked off.

Aspen - despite how she was feeling - smiled softly at the two of them.

"You two are the best."

"Well, you know Jimin would do the same if he were here," said Jungkook. "Though he would show them a kick in the backside with one of his dance moves."

Aspen started to chuckle softly when she visualized it which caused Jungkook to do the same as they began to walk outside. Seokjin recognized the sound the two were making - and as they stepped out into the sunshine - he decided to join in with the newfound sound of his own. Hearing Seokjin's laughter pulled Aspen up short as she whipped around to face him.

"You're making a sound!"

Seokjin's laughter stopped, but a smile remained on his face as he nodded.

- Jungkook taught me how to laugh.

Aspen read what he wrote before looking over at Jungkook and hugging him tightly.

"What's the hug for?"

"For not being a turdsicle and helping out Seokjin."

"I did it for you, Aspen," said Jungkook as he hugged her back.

'Everything I do is for you,' thought Jungkook as he released her from the hug.

"Now come on," continued Jungkook. "Let's go distract ourselves. I'm taking you to a karaoke bar, so make sure to text Jiminie. I'm sure that he is gonna wanna join us when he is done his dance practice."

Aspen nodded as she dug out her phone before pausing and looking at Seokjin.

"Are you going to be okay going to a karaoke bar?"

- I'm ready to be a part of this world.
I'm ready for more new sounds.
I also want to be there for you.

She smiled, moving to loop an arm about Seokjin and the other arm about Jungkook as she walked towards the car. The world may be cruel, but at least she could count on the men in her life which now included Seokjin.