My hands flew to my cheeks, swiftly wiping the tears away as I lowered my head to the ground, avoiding his gaze.

"Why are you suddenly shedding tears?" Min-ho asked curiously, stepping closer to see my face only to make me turn away from him.

"I'm fine. It's just- because of the wind."

I tried to lie, yet he didn't budge. "Stop lying to me. I saw you tearing up."

I sighed before facing him again, his raised eyebrows falling as he scanned my face. "Min-ho-yah, do you want to have a drink with me?"

A few minutes later, we found ourselves seated in a small eatery, the soft chuckles from the other customers and chimes of the utensils filling our background. I had two bottles of soju in front of me, paired with samgyeopsal and chicken. As I sat with my shoulders slumping with the heavy load of loneliness within me, I thought about how I should start telling everything to my assistant about me and JK. I wondered how he would react if he discovered that I was linked with a member of the boyband he adored so much.

Min-ho carefully poured some soju into my glass while watching me intently, his eyes not leaving my every move. "Is your family troubling you again?"

I shook my head before releasing a deep sigh.

"Then who is it this time?"

Min-ho was very sensitive when it came to my problems. He and Lily knew everything about my family and all the hell I suffered from New York, so Min-ho always suspected them first.

I let out a chuckle, making his eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Did I kick someone out of my life... or am I the one being kicked out?"

Setting the bottle back on the table, he leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms. "You are always the one being kicked out."

I laughed. "You are right. I came to know... that I had been kicked out by him. But it's my fault." I rested my head on my palm and made a long sigh. "He lost hope in me and chose to forget."

"Who is that person?"

"Jeon Jungkook," I muttered, the mention of his name made me break into pieces.

"W-who?" Min-ho asked again as his eyebrows twitched in puzzlement.

"Jeon Jungkook," I repeated lazily, feeling my chest throbbing with pain while uncontrollable tears began to blur my eyes again.

Not getting the whole picture, he asked in confusion. "W-why-why would he push you away? I thought I saw you awhile ago having a good conversation with him?" He moved forward against the table and tilted his head, perplexed.

"Because he doesn't recognize me anymore," I answered, lowering my eyes and causing a drop of tear on the table. "We used to be best friends."

"What?" Min-ho's eyes went wide as he stood up and slammed his hand on the table. "You were friends with a BTS member?!"

"Pour me some more drink," I lifted my glass and waited. "I want to forget these pathetic shitty feelings."

Hours passed, and I was still drinking with Min-ho. I told him the whole story, which convinced him to stay until I was drunk. He was still speechless about my hidden past with JK, yet he showed concern and sympathy.

"What's the matter with her?" I heard Lily's voice behind me.

I did not realize how long I was drinking. Min-ho too, was a bit tipsy, his eyes reddening with the effect of the alcohol.

"Lily-ah, are you here to... pick me up?" I lifted my head to look at her with my drowsy eyes, unable to speak well. "How did you come here?"

"Min-ho called me. He said I need to pick someone who was pathetically kicked out in the street by her friend."

I chuckled. "That's-that's me!"

Letting out an aggregated sigh, Lily moved her palms inside her pockets, making her coat's sides flap. "Min-ho said he's done listening to your story, so let's go home now. It's getting late."

"Aigoo... " I hiccuped between my words. "Thank you *hiccup* thank you for coming. I-I need someone *hiccup* to take me home." I pointed at Min Ho. "I don't trust *hiccup* this guy."

"I know, I know. Now get up- ugh, you're so heavy!" Lily struggled to help me up from my seat and led me outside while Min-ho staggered behind. "Gosh, why do you have to drink this much? Look at you. You're a mess!"

"Ah!! I want to drink more- ah *hiccup* Jungkookah !!"

"Jungkook... Jungkook-what?" I felt Lily stop behind me while her hands were strapped on my armpits, my body weakly hanging from her grasp. "BEEP!"

I jolted my head forward, just to see Min-ho happily steering the wheel in his car. "Weeeeee!"

"Min-ho yah no! Let me drive! You're drunk!" Lily cried helplessly while trying to lift me up. "Gosh Shanshan, keep yourself together, don't sleep!"

"Unnie," I mumbled.

"Now what," she shook me. "Wait... are you crying?"

"Am I crying?" I didn't know.

My mind already started to blur with the effect of alcohol taking over my whole body.

"Ah! I shouldn't have come- no, no, Min-ho don't get away with the car! And Shanshan stop crying. What's wrong with both of you?!"

Lily's voice began to echo and fade slowly from the background. I tried to stay conscious... but failed to do so.

^^. . . ^^

"Ugh..." I sat up, wincing with pain while I touched my head. "My head 's still throbbing from the alcohol last night."

Twitching my groggy around my bedroom, I spotted a note on the bedside table. Lazily snatching the piece of paper from the table, I rubbed my eyes before reading the scribbled words.

"Call me when you wake up. -Lily"

I smirked before throwing the note away. "What does she want?"

Tossing the blanket aside with my leg, I clumsily got out of bed and went straight to the toilet. I decided to do my morning routine before calling her.

"What happened last night?" was the first thing I asked after she picked up.

"You and Min-ho were too drunk last night, especially you! You had no idea how I strived to send both of you home! You were crying wildly in the car, don't you remember?"

I spat the soup out of my mouth. "You're kidding."

"I'm not! You were shouting Jungkookie Jungkookie Jungkookie while putting your hands in the ai-"

"Aishhhtt!!" I immediately cut her off. Admittingly, I didn't want to hear any embarrassing thing I did last night. "Why did you want me to call?"

"I need you to come here quickly. I'll send you the address."

"What place? And why should I go there?"

"You'll know soon. I'm hanging up."

Before I could stop her, I got disconnected. I felt annoyed but at the same I was curious. "What does she want from me?"

An hour later, I arrived at the set that Lily told me about but I couldn't find her anywhere. After asking the people around, one staff mentioned that she was busy taking photographs with the models inside a room.

"Are you perhaps Lee Shanshan? Ma'am Lily informed me that someone will come to assist her."

"What? When did I ever agree to be her assistant? Whoah, if only I knew, I shouldn't have come! Is she trying to make me pay for vomiting in her car last night?"

"Ma'am?"

"Ah, yes. I came to assist her," I made an awkward smile.

"Then... this is for the staffs," she handed me an ID lace with a CREW written on the card. I just nodded and thanked her before putting on the item around me. "Wew. Let's see what's waiting for me."

Upon entering the door, I was welcomed by a dim-lit atmosphere, though the room was big and spacious. There were a few people on the set, so it was easy for me to step further inside.

I carefully went my way closer to the monitor, where three to four people surrounded it.

"Oh? This guy's back seems familiar," I thought as I got nearer. "Ugh!"

Someone shoved me forward that I lost my balance and unexpectedly touched the person's back.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," I bowed quickly to the guy in front as he turned around.

"Are you okay?" The voice asked in concern.

When I stood straight, our eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Kim Namjoon?"

"Madam Shanshan," RM gasped after recognizing me. "What are you doing here?"

I grinned, feeling my cheeks blush. "I came here as Miss Lily's assistant. How about you?"

"What a coincidence! We are having our photo shoot. She's our photographer today." He answered and pointed at the woman taking photos of two models, with the green screen behind them. "How can a CEO become a photographer's assistant?" He crossed his arms and chuckled.

"Oh, I love taking photographs more than managing a gallery," I answered with a sneer.

"Really? That explains the beautiful displays taken by you during our last visit to your exhibit. You are amazing."

I felt my eyes lit up by the words the idol said. His beautiful eyes were telling me he was sincere about what he said, and that made me feel satisfied. "This is already the third time we met, and he is treating me nicely. Is the leader of BTS always this nice? He is smart too."

"By the way, please make yourself comfortable. Everyone here is nice to each other, so don't worry asking about anything and our staffs are ready to help."

"Sure, and thank you."

"If a BTS member is here, does it mean... he is here too?"

Suddenly, we felt a presence from behind us. RM and I hastily turned around just to catch JK and Kim Seokjin who were about to startle us.

"Mission failed, " RM chuckled before turning back towards the monitor.

I was frozen to my toes as I nailed my eyes on Jungkook, who was mutually surprised too. A Series of memories from yesterday flashed in my mind while I looked at him. "Don't budge. He does not recognize you. You're not Lee Ji Hyo."

"Ms. Lee?" He pouted with curious doe eyes.

"Shanshan," I corrected him. "Please just call me with my first name."

"She's our photographer's assistant. Jin-hyung, her name is Lee Shanshan, gallery CEO and also a photographer," RM spoke.

"Oh," Seokjin bowed gently and smiled cutely, making puffy cheeks on both sides of his face.

"Nice to meet you. I'll do my best while working with you," I bowed too while feeling the warm stare coming from Jungkook. "He's watching."

"By the way, do you know the meaning of WWH?" Seokjin asked playfully, his lips twitching into a smile.

While RM and Jungkook sighed and lowered their heads in embarrassment, I grinned at him.

"Hyung, seriously, stop it," Jungkook sneered.

"Yah, I just want to test her because she's working with us from now on!" Jin raised his voice as he defended himself.

"Of course," I answered. "It's the title that belongs to the eldest member of BTS only. World- famous. Wide shoulders. Handsome Jin."

Seokjin closed his eyes in satisfaction and closed his fist for a thumbs up. "Whoahh, you just made my day!"

I smiled and breathed inward. "Puff. Min-ho forcing me to research more about BTS finally came to use. The articles said right about Jin. He is such a cheerful person and blabbers a lot. I wonder when I will get to hear one of his uncle jokes."

As we grew quiet, I observed the room while waiting for my friend to notice me. I knew I couldn't just go there and distract her. At the moment, she was instructing two handsome men, Jimin and Jung Hoseok, I suppose- the one with a bright smile.

"Lily is working with BTS without my knowledge. Furthermore, she called me here. Why?"

"V- hyung, are we next?" I heard Jungkook speak behind me.

"It's me and the brother cat," another stunningly handsome guy sitting on the corner with a woman fanning his back while he played with his phone replied. Another guy was next to him, watching the photoshoot with sharp eyes and seated cross-legged while sipping an iced coffee. "That must be Suga, and the other is V. That guy's jawline is no joke, huh. Anyway, they all look more attractive in person. I understand now why their fans are crazy for them. How can I be so lucky to see every member of the greatest boyband just in thirty minutes?"

"Lunch break!" I heard Lily announce.

"Okayyyy!!" BTS simultaneously exclaimed at the good news. "Thank you for the hard work."

"You did well too!" Lily exclaimed with her usual bright face.

After waiting for almost everyone to get dispersed, I went to Lily and pulled her outside the room, making her grumble with pain and not giving her a chance to talk.

"Lily, are you kidding me? Just because you heard about Jungkook and me from Min-ho, don't try to play some tricks!" I asked as I let go of her hand.

"Aish, give me a second!" she whined as she shook her wrists from the pain of my hand gripping on it a moment ago.

"Unnie, seriously, what are you trying to do?" I asked her, putting my hands on my waist. "I don't want to get involved in your game especially when my past best friend is involved."

"That's why I asked you to come," she crossed her arms and smiled, "because you kept irritating me last night for help."

"Ha?"

"From that eatery to me going to bed, you stepped the red button of annoyance in me-" She mimicked my drunk voice and said, "Is there no way I can be with him again? I came back to Korea just for him! Ahhhh... huhuuuu- unnieeeee, he's the only family I haaaave." She paused and spoke with her normal voice, "...when I have been with you for the past two years... he WAS your friend ten years ago. Am I not your family? Hm?"

"Family my foot. You're barely a family member of mine. You're a friend." I answered directly while looking around.

"Whoa! I'm trying my best to help you here while I get to hear hurtful words that I don't even deserve." She glared at me as she crossed her arms in a fit.

"Well, uh..." I scratched my head. "Family for me... is like him who stayed for me for many years-"

"Looool so do I have to be your friend for a decade before I deserve to be included in your 'family'-ah, thinking of it, you don't actually have a family. Fine, go live your life alone!"

"Yah!" I let go of my arms. "Those words hurt even more!"

Smoothly turning away from me and fumbling with her things, she mumbled, "Since you kept me up last night with that consistent favor you had been asking, I didn't get enough sleep and made a plan to help you, but I guess you don't want to cooperate-"

"Fine fine! What do you want me to do?" As I faced her back, I tilted my head upwards and rolled my eyeballs. "I don't even have any clue about what I did last night, yet I was forced to agree with her. Heiish."

Facing me once again with a bright smile, she winked at me. "Good girl."

"And what do you think you're doing here? With BTS?"

Lily made a smug expression before crossing her arms. "You might not believe it, but I just signed a contract with HYBE. Not a permanent job, though, but at least I get to work directly with the boys."

I made an "Oh" expression after what I heard. "Daebak." Working under HYBE is something worth being proud of.

"How about becoming my permanent assistant throughout the year?"

"And how is that going to help me with JK?" I blinked.

"You want to rebuild your friendship with him. I think that if you keep showing up in front of your ex-best friend, he will get used to you and you..." she poked my chest, "do your job in taking him back."