♡ | Chapter 18

'it looks like a hickey!'

"I'm fine, Kyu Won."

"Aren't you even worried about how Manager Sejin would react?" Her voice has reached an almost unbearable frequency.

I secure my phone between my shoulder and ear so that I can use both hands to re-check the contents of my handbag.

"What's the use of worrying about it?"

"Honestly, I don't know how you're being so cool about it. I'm envious." She begrudgingly admitted.

"I know."

"Geez conceited much? I take my words back." I could hear the eye roll that obviously accompanied her words.

"Sorry but it's not refundable." I teased.

"You're annoying."

"You love me though. Anyways, I gotta go now!"

"Whatever, you take care! Try not to make another scene."

"Ugh why do you speak like I'm doing it on purpose?"

Her only response was a chuckle before hanging up on me.

I grabbed my bag and was about to slip my phone into my skirt pocket when it pinged, indicating a text.

Oh wow the nerve of him. Let me teach you a lesson.

I stifled the giggle that was trying to slip past my lips and shook my head. Look at me acting like a teenager.

His reply rendered me speechless. I scrolled back up to check his text and indeed he hadn't mentioned the word "date". My ears heated up in embarrassed frustration.

With a huff I tossed my phone into my purse.

~¤~

I clutched my clipboard and dashed towards the BTS's dressing room, mentally praising myself for deciding to wear sneakers instead of heels.

We were at an awards show with hundreds of celebrities smiling an dancing for the sake of cameras. And among them were the BTS boys as well.

A few minutes ago V had come back stage for some reason. I had assumed it was probably because he wanted to use the restroom. But then a minute later Jungkook followed. It seemed a bit odd but I brushed it off.

What got me anxious was that they were talking too long to return to their seats.

I was almost there when I saw Jungkook and V coming out of the dressing room.

What were they doing in there? Touch up?

V went back into the award ceremony hall while Jungkook idled at the door for a moment and swiped his fingers on the side of his neck seeming rather conspicuous.

That's when I noticed a peculiar looking red mark on his neck.

As I was contemplating this I saw him glance at his watch and walk towards the entrance.

My body acted on its own accord.

Before he could step into the hall I clutched onto his elbow and made him stop.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a surprised look on his face.

"You can't go out like this."

"Like what? Is my zipper undone?" He asked and proceeded to animatedly check it, making me roll me eyes.

"You've got a mark...on your neck. It looks...weird. People might get the wrong idea if they notice it since you were with V..." I said and immediately felt my cheeks heat up.

Why is this so awkward?

To my surprise, he just shook my hand off and tried to continue on.

"It looks like a hickey!" I exclaimed.

He stopped and dramatically turned around, looking straight into my eyes. And it seemed like the world hushed around us.

There was something so raw in that moment. It felt like my emotions were being stripped bare and laid out for the world to see. But they weren't my emotions. They were his. His big brown eyes that usually held a glint of mischief and guarded nonchalance was now giving me a glimpse of the whirlwind that was his emotions. A shining speck of vulnerability like a lone star shining in the dark night sky.

His next words came out in a quite but sharp voice that pierced through the noise around us.

"That's because it is a hickey."

His words would have seemed comical in par to his intense gaze, but comical was far from what I felt right then.

As I watched him walk out into the limelight I couldn't help but be reminded of RMs words that day.

What you saw wasn't exactly black and white. It's more complicated than that.