The door closed behind Arang and she exhaled deeply. She rested her head against the wall for a quick second before she pushed herself off and stood up straight. Arang felt like she had just married Taehyung because now she was legally bound to him. "What did I just do?" She mumbled as she dragged her feet all the way toward the elevator. She pressed the button and the shaft arrived shortly after. She climbed aboard and made her way toward the boys' practice room. While she was standing outside, she could hear music coming from the concealed space. 

"Hold your head up high, So Arang. You can't show them you were affected by today's mishap." She forced herself to smile as she twisted the door knob and quietly entered. When the boys noticed her presence, they all stopped what they were doing. Jungkook walked over and paused the music. "You guys could continue. Don't mind me," she prodded. 

"We just want to make sure you were really okay." Yoongi answered. "Things like this could be traumatic for some people." 

"Yeah, even we're still adjusting to everything." Hoseok nodded. 

For a moment, the girl didn't know what to say. How could they be so nice to her? Especially after how rude she had been to them earlier? She wasn't used to this; that was for sure. When she talked to people the way she did to them, they often left her alone. But these boys? They were something else. It was kind of touching actually.  

"Look, your clothes are still dirty." Jimin frowned. She peered down at her own attire and sighed. How could she forget about her ruined clothes? "Do you want something to change into? I always carry extras." He ran over and rummaged through his gym bag. He pulled out a neatly folded long-sleeved shirt and some fitted sweatpants in the same condition. "Here you go." 

Arang was taken aback by his generous offer and didn't know what to do. No one had ever done something like that for her, not even Byunghyun (her only friend). Then again, she's never been in this kind of situation before. Hesitantly, she stretched her hands out but before she could accept his belongings, Taehyung cut in. 

"Take mine instead." He ordered as shoved his clothes into her arms. She stumbled back and pursed her lips out at him. He jerked his head toward the bathroom in the corner and, obediently, Arang did as she was told. She didn't feel like bickering at this point. If she wanted to make their relationship more realistic, she had to pretend that she could actually stand being around Taehyung. She had no choice now. 

When she was done changing, she folded her clothes and exited the restroom. The boys looked at her and smiled warmly, all with the exception of yours truly of course. "Thanks," she told Taehyung who simply nodded. Her body was adorned with his white HBA t-shirt and a pair of black shorts that fell down a little past her knees. Although they were slightly big on her, they weren't too uncomfortable. 

"Do you want to watch us practice?" Seokjin questioned. 

"Uh—sure. Why not?" Arang replied. She felt a little weird since she wasn't really acting like her usual self. 

"You know our debut song, right?" Namjoon jumped in. 

"It's No More Dream, isn't it?" She answered almost immediately. It was one of her favorite tracks. The lyrics really spoke to her. That was until one of them had shamelessly flashed his abs in the music video. It's not that she hated seeing abs or was out to get the boys; it was people's reactions to those kinds of things that peeved her. That's what Arang didn't like about k-pop sometimes. 

Everyone was so damn hypocritical and judgmental. When guys grabbed their crotch, do a body wave or show their skin, it was okay and considered sexy and normal. But God forbid when a girl rubbed her hands against her breasts or showed her legs or stomach, she was labeled as a slut. Now did that seem fair? Double-standards were the worst. They claim equality among every gender but does gender equality really exist?  

Arang didn't think so. 

"Yeah that one. We'll show the choreography to you. Tell us what you think." Hoseok requested. 

"Will do," she promised. Then she dropped to the floor and sat in front of the mirrors. The boys got into formation and the song was replayed from the start. As they danced and lip-synced, Arang was mesmerized by the performance, especially the la la la la part. Then Jimin suddenly lifted up his shirt, exposing his bare skin and Arang's eyes widened. So he was the culprit! But he seemed so innocent! The song came to its conclusion and the boys were all panting. Their eyes were all focused on one person. 

"So what'd you think?" Jungkook inquired as he tried to catch his breath. 

"It was pretty good." She gave them two thumbs up. They asked her for her honest opinion and she was going to give them what they wanted. Her tone came off harsher than she intended but that was the way she spoke. "There was a lot of energy. I could really feel the passion you guys have. The only part I wasn't too fond of was when Jimin flashed me. Don't you guys think that part is unnecessary?" When nobody said anything, Arang stood up and cleared her throat. Well it wouldn't be bad to sugar-coat her criticism either. "I meant to say that it doesn't fit into the whole song that's all." 

"Ah yeah, that part was added in last minute by the video director. You should have seen how shy he was once he got it over with." Yoongi teased, slapping Jimin's back. 

"Other than that, you liked the dance, right? That's good. You should definitely come to Music Bank this weekend. It will be so much cooler when we sing live." Yoongi assured enthusiastically. "Don't you agree, Taehyung?" 

"Yeah, you should come if you have time." He seconded the idea and Arang flashed an awkward smile. 

"I'll check my schedule and see if I'm busy. Thank you for the invitation." 

"Don't you have a younger sister as well?" Seokjin remembered Saeyoung from the fan-meeting and Arang was surprised he recalled that small detail. 

"I do," she affirmed. She was still mad at the girl but she was still her own flesh and blood after all. 

"You should bring her along too. She seemed like she was a big fan of ours." 

Should she? She'd have to think about it more. If Saeyoung apologized to her when she got home, she would consider it. But for now, she wasn't going to worry about it. "I'll see what happens." She stated. 

A couple of hours had flown by and the boys were still practicing. From dancing to singing, they were doing it all. Since Arang was technically a visitor, she sat down and didn't make too much noise. While she was there, she didn't have much to do and therefore ended up observing all seven boys. After having watched them for so long, she realized that they were definitely hardworking and determined.

They were all shedding buckets of sweat but not once did she hear anyone complain or whine. She was expecting Taehyung to be a slacker but to her astonishment he was just as diligent as the rest of his members were. For once she saw a whole different side of him. Perhaps her perception on the lives of idols weren't as accurate as she had always thought they were. 

Arang's stomach suddenly growled and just as it did, the music had ceased playing. This meant the unattractive gurgling she had accidentally produced had echoed throughout the entire room. Her body immediately stiffened as the boys all turned to look at her. She hadn't eaten since breakfast. Could you blame her? She had been trapped at Big Hit Entertainment for hours without any food. It was bound to happen sooner or later. She opened her mouth to explain herself but the guys broke out into wild laughter. She usually never felt embarrassed about these kinds of things but today, she couldn't help it as her face started to heat up. 

"We should get some food," Namjoon said and everyone nodded their heads. 

"Yeah, why didn't you tell us you were getting hungry? We could have ordered some earlier." Seokjin picked up a towel and wiped his face. 

"Well I didn't feel hungry until now." Arang replied as she scratched the back of her head. It was the truth. 

"I know why. You were full from watching your boyfriend, weren't you?" Yoongi winked at her and she nearly threw up. That was so cheesy. Who said that nowadays? 

"Definitely," she answered with an uneasy smile. She didn't feel like refuting. She'd let him have that one. 

As they were waiting for their food to be delivered, the eight of them were sprawled out on the floor. A few of the boys were on their phones, surfing the web while the others were playing with cards. Arang was doing nothing in particular when Taehyung scooted over next her. His sudden appearance startled her and she eyed him skeptically. "Can I help you?" 

"Why are you so quiet? It's creepy." He muttered, his eyes were focused on his friends instead of her. 

Arang couldn't help but snort at his statement. "I get tired of hearing my own voice sometimes too, you know." She replied sarcastically. 

"Glad to know that you acknowledge the fact that your voice can get irritating to listen to." He snickered quietly. 

"Go away while I'm trying to be nice, Kim Taehyung. I seriously don't feel like quarreling with you right now." She sighed. The girl's energy was rapidly depleting. She needed to get food into her system as soon as possible. Surprisingly enough, she wasn't as grumpy as she usually was when she skipped a meal though.  

"Just so you know you're actually tolerable when you're like this. Maybe I should start starving you more often." He joked as he nudged her with his elbow. Arang bared her teeth at him; she wanted to snap his arm in half. Who said he could touch her? Did he think they were buddies now? Did he forget the fact that she hated his guts? 

"Try and you'll regret it." She warned. There was a knock at the door and Yoongi and Namjoon rushed over to answer it. Their food was finally here! The deliveryman placed the large order down and took the amount owed. He told them to enjoy their meal and to have a good night before he made his leave.

Everyone gathered around with the bags and drinks in the center. The aroma was completely hypnotizing as it wafted in the air and clogged Arang's nostrils. Saliva was beginning to pool in her mouth and she had to swallow it all down to make sure she wouldn't be drooling. That smell could only be one thing. Jungkook pulled the boxes out (seven in total) and opened them. It was fried chicken! One of Arang's favorites! 

"Dig in!" Hoseok crooned happily. The boys all snatched a box for themselves and then the girl noticed that they were short one. It was the same case with the drinks. She frowned and looked around. Everyone had their own share so where was hers? 

"What are you waiting for, Arang? Do you not like fried chicken?" Jimin blinked, his mouth coated in a thin layer of grease. 

"Uh—no, that's not it. Did you guys forget to place an order for me?" This could not be happening! This was torture! How could they do this to her? 

"Of course not!" Yoongi grinned lopsidedly. "You're sharing with Taehyung! Every time we order chicken he only eats half of his share anyways." 

"But I'm really hungry today!" The boy whinged. "I don't want to share." 

"Hyung, don't be stingy. She's your girlfriend. Are you really going to let her starve?" Jungkook huffed disapporvingly. Yes, he was going to let her starve. She could eat when she got home. Due to his delayed response, everyone's jaw slacked open in disbelief. He was actually considering the idea? 

"You can have some of mine," Seokjin offered. 

"Yeah, take some from me too." Namjoon prodded. 

"Here, a girl should eat." Hoseok pushed his box toward her as well. 

"Okay! Okay! I'll share. You guys don't need to guilt-trip me." Taehyung moved closer to Arang and placed the box of chicken in the middle. Immensely grateful, Arang grabbed a drumstick and devoured it in less than thirty seconds. She had cleaned the bone and tossed it into the bag like it was nothing! 

The boys gawked at her as she moved onto her next piece. She looked like she could run her own mukbang (eating) channel! The person who was the most stupefied was Taehyung. How could a girl eat like that? Wasn't she flustered? He thought girls were always on diets, eating nothing but salads and fruits to keep their figures in check. Apparently he was wrong. 

The initial shock disappeared and the boys began to feast on the chicken as well. They were too busy eating that none of them had the time to talk. They wanted to learn more about Arang and her relationship with Taehyung but figured they could just do so after they were all finished and their bellies were full. Because she was consuming the food so fast, Arang started to cough. She hit her chest with her fist and when Taehyung noticed what was happening, he instinctively uncapped the bottle of ice tea and handed it to her. While she was chugging down the liquid, he patted her back. 

Once he realized what he was doing he pulled away and cleared his throat. "Thanks," Arang gave him the tea back and he took it without sparing her a second glance. Why did he do that? Who cared if she choked and died? Arang didn't seem as bothered by what had happened because she continued stuffing chicken into her face as if that incident had never even occurred. 

After they had consumed all of the chicken, they cleaned up after themselves. The boys called it a day and decided not to practice anymore in case they would over-exert their bodies. Now it was the moment of truth. "So, how did the two of you meet?" 

Arang and Taehyung turned to each other and mentally face-palmed. What were they going to do now? They were always so occupied with bickering and bantering that they never had the time to create a cover story on how they stumbled upon one another. "Uh—" "Um—" They began nervously. The rest of the members plastered on quizzical looks as they waited for the couple's answer. Just as Arang and Taehyung thought that they were screwed, the girl's phone started ringing. It was Byunghyun! 

"Sorry, I have to take this." She pointed out, a little too eagerly. "Hello? Hi, mom. What is it? You want me to come home now?" 

"Mom? Yah, So Arang, you drunk right now? It's me, Byunghyun." Her friend declared over the line. 

"No, of course not, mom. Okay, okay. I got it. I will have Taehyung bring me. I'll be there soon. Bye." Before Byunghyun could scream at her and ask why she kept calling him mom, she ended the call and climbed to her feet, making sure to pull her boyfriend up with her. "Sorry, guys. My mom doesn't want me to stay out too late. I have to go now but we'll make sure to answer all of your questions next time. Thank you for the chicken and warm hospitality."

"It was our pleasure. Hopefully we get to know more about you, Arang. Be careful on your way back." Namjoon smiled. 

"Was that really your mom?" Taehyung pondered inside of the elevator. 

"No. It was my friend." Right on cue, Arang's phone started ringing again. She stared at the caller id and rolled her eyes. She put him on speaker so Taehyung could listen in on the conversation. "What?" She huffed. 

"Don't what me! What's going on? Are you in trouble? Is that arrogant ass bothering you again?" Byunghyun sneered. 

"Arrogant ass?! I hope you aren't talking about me." Taehyung jumped in, fuming. 

Arang, on other hand, simply cackled. "Oh shit, did he hear me?" 

"There's nothing to worry about, Byunghyun. I can take care of myself. I'll explain everything to you tomorrow." She assured. 

"Fine but I'm warning you, douche, do anything to my best friend and you will regret it. I know what you look like!" The boy threatened over the phone. Arang hung up and slipped her phone back into her pocket. 

"You told him about us?" Taehyung gaped. They were supposed to keep their fake relationship a secret! 

"Yeah. Relax, Byunghyun is trustworthy. He won't say anything. I already informed the director as well." Arang replied nonchalantly.

They reached the lobby and Arang got off. She glanced back and furrowed her eyebrows at Taehyung. "Aren't you coming?" 

"No, you can walk home alone, can't you?" He answered bluntly. As the doors were about to close, Arang extended her arm out and latched onto his wrist, pulling him out of the shaft. He fumbled out and frowned at her. 

"I can walk home alone but my parents are going to be expecting you. They're really old fashioned. They still believe in chivalry. So if you want to stay on their good side, I suggest you take me home and greet them before you leave." Arang informed as she released him. 

"Fine." He grumbled as he yanked his hood over his head. "Let's go." Taehyung never cared about staying on people's good side but due to the fact that they were his supposed girlfriend's parents he didn't have much of a choice. 

As soon as they stepped outside, they encountered a small crowd of girls who were currently distracted and not paying any attention to them. They must have been waiting for hours. Taehyung quickly pulled his hood even lower. He peered over to Arang and inwardly groaned. Her face wasn't covered at all. They'd be shit out of luck if she was recognized. Not wanting to get caught, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and dragged her toward his body.

Arang crashed into his chest and glanced up at him "What—"

"Just keep walking like this or else we'll be in trouble. When it's clear I'll let you go." He murmured and shockingly enough, Arang didn't protest and obliged.

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author's note

» hope you guys enjoyed~ in this chapter we get to see Arang a little calmer and level-headed about things while Taehyung isn't a complete ass.