Chapter Text
———
“Ugh, done, finally.”
Jeongguk leans back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head with a groan. He feels a satisfying crack as his spine releases some of the tension built up from sitting for too long. This article has really had him in a chokehold. He can’t wait to send it to the editor and be done with it.
He lets his arms drop back to his sides and rolls his shoulders a few times for good measure before standing up from his desk and grabbing his empty cup, making his way across the office towards the coffee machine to make what will be his third coffee of the morning.
“Good morning!” Namjoon chirps loudly, appearing next to him and giving him a friendly slap on the back.
“Hyung, please,” Jeongguk grumbles as he places his cup under the machine and presses the brew button, the air filling with the warm aroma of coffee, “s’too early.”
“It’s eleven thirty Jeongguk-ah…” Namjoon chuckles, leaning against the counter and eyeing him in amusement, “you look like shit. I told you not to have that last bottle of soju last night.”
“I regret nothing,” Jeongguk lies as he takes a sip of the hot bitter liquid, willing the caffeine to hurry up and do it’s job. He definitely shouldn’t have had that last bottle, but Eunwoo had insinuated that he couldn’t handle three, and Jeongguk was never one to back down from a challenge. He was paying for it now though.
“Mhm, sure,” Namjoon says unconvinced, “well, when you’ve finished here the boss wants to see you.”
“Ugh, really?” Jeongguk groans dropping his head, his black hair falling forward from where it had been pushed back, “I was hoping I could spend today hiding at my desk, avoiding all social interaction. Did he say what it was about?”
“Nope.”
Jeongguk sighs, “helpful, thanks hyung.”
“Any time Jeonggukie. I’m always here to help,” Namjoon says with a grin.
“Im surprised you’re even out of the bosses office. Isn’t it like your second home now?” Jeongguk teases, revelling in the subtle change in his hyung’s expression. “Doesn’t Yoongi-hyung have a personal assistant that can pass on his messages?”
“He does, but then I wouldn’t get to see your adorable hung-over face first thing in the morning,” Namjoon deflects, pinching Jeongguk’s cheek before grabbing himself a coffee, “anyway, I’m needed back at my desk. There’s an article waiting for me to finally complete it. If I miss deadline the boss won’t be happy.”
“Right, because it’d be the worst thing ever for you to be punished by Yoongi-hyung,” Jeongguk smirks, enjoying seeing his friend get flustered.
“Watch your tongue Jeongguk-ah. I’ll bring a really loud bell and ring it right next to your ear.”
Jeongguk holds his hand to his heart, feigning hurt, “now thats just cruel.”
Namjoon laughs, shaking his head, “seriously though, I need to get this article done, and you need to get to Yoongi-hyung’s office. Try not to keel over on the way.”
“Okay hyung. Fighting!” Jeongguk calls after him as he walks away. He knows all too well the pressure of meeting the deadline before the months issue of the magazine is put together and published. He’s been on the receiving end of Yoongi’s wrath for not meeting a deadline once… never again.
Jeongguk runs a hand through his hair, making it as neat as he can to try and fool those around him that he isn’t hung over as fuck, and on the verge of passing out at any moment. He tries his best to keep his hair styled back while at work due to it growing a little too long for what was deemed ‘office-worker appropriate’. He’s not cutting it any time soon though, it’s finally long enough for him to put it in a ponytail.
As he walks briskly across the large open-plan office floor towards the editor-in-chief Min Yoongi’s office, he passes large posters on the wall of this months cover of GQ Korea. Actor Choi Woo-shik is on the front in black and white with the logo just overlapping his hairline. The huge displays are changed to each month’s cover shot, top a-listers on every issue.
As he walks through the office he receives greetings and bows from a number of different people. Ever since he won an award for an article he wrote on the life and accomplishments of fashion icon Park Young-hee, he seems to have gained the respect of everyone around him, friend and stranger. The article propelled him to fame in the literary circles, being acclaimed by critics and selling a record number of copies. It had earned him a promotion too, which he is forever grateful for.
Jeongguk had wanted to be a writer ever since he was young, and had moved from Busan to Seoul to study journalism at university. To make an impact with his writing has always been a thrill for him, one which he finds addictive. Having finally made a name for himself so suddenly with one article, he still finds the fact he is known as one of the big dogs in journalism a surprise.
When he finally reaches the editor-in-chief’s office, he doesn’t even bother checking with his assistant, rapping at the door with his knuckles before poking his head into the room.
“You wanted to see me, hyung?”
Yoongi is sat at his large desk, leaning forward in his chair to look over a spread of articles placed in front of him in a huge collage, pages of text and photoshoots for the next months issue. He looks up from his work and beckons Jeongguk in with a wave of his hand, “Jeongguk-ah, come in. Sit down,” he gestures to the chair opposite his desk.
Although they keep a certain level of professionalism in front of others, when it’s just them it tends to go out of the window. Sure, Yoongi is his boss and technically one of the biggest and most respected figureheads in the industry. But first and foremost he is one of Jeongguk’s closest friends. It is thanks to him that Jeongguk was able to get a job at such a renowned magazine, and thanks to him that he managed to get his big break in journalism. He will forever be grateful for everything that Yoongi does for him.
Jeongguk drops onto the chair, wincing a little at the pain behind his eyes.
“Is that for me?” Yoongi asks, eyeing the cup of coffee in his hands. Jeongguk glances gown at the coffee and then back up at Yoongi.
“Hyung, I love you, but you’ll have to pry this from my cold, dead hands,” he says, wrapping his arm around the cup protectively.
“Uhuh. Hung over?” Yoongi comments as he picks up two pages from his desk and swaps them over with a frown.
“How did you guess?”
“I know you well enough to know what you look like when you’ve had one too many. Let me guess, that’s your second coffee?” He gestures to the cup in Jeongguk’s hand.
“Third, actually.”
Yoongi just chuckles, holding up another page in contemplation, before typing some notes on his computer. When he finishes, he turns to face Jeongguk, lacing his hands together in-front of him on the desk.
“So, Jeongguk-ah, I’m guessing you’re wondering why I called you in here.”
“I am.”
“Well, I have an exciting proposition for you. As you know, your article on Park Young-hee went down a storm, and since then your other articles have also been well received. You’re certainly making a name for yourself.” Yoongi smiles at him proudly and Jeongguk feels himself blush.
“Ah, thanks hyung,” he says awkwardly, ruffling the hair on the back of his head, “I still think I could have done better though.”
Yoongi chuckles, shaking his head, “you always say that. Well this may be your chance.”
Jeongguk tilts his head in confusion.
“Park Young-hee has recently contacted me. She wants to commission another article, and she wants you to write it. She’s run the idea past me and I like it. A lot. So I’d like you to do it. It will be a six page spread, alongside a photo shoot for the July edition, two months from now.”
Jeongguk sits forward in his seat, his mouth open in shock. His article on Park Young-hee was only a four page spread. To get such a huge portion of the magazine is an amazing privilege which almost leaves him speechless.
“…a six page spread?” he asks in shock.
“Yes. It will be much like your previous article, but a little longer. You’ll be shadowing her grandson for two months to gather all the information you need. The feature article will be published alongside a photo shoot, and will be the cover page for that month. What do you think? Will you do it?”
“Shit- yes! Of course I will. Wow hyung, this is- wow...”
Yoongi smiles, “great, that’s settled then. It seems that Park Young-hee has become quite the fan of your writing.”
“That’s crazy,” Jeongguk says, blowing out a breath, “so what’s the article about?”
Yoongi stalls for a second, settling on a vague answer, “Park Young-hee is going to explain everything. She would like to meet you tomorrow at 1:30pm to tell you all about it.”
“Okay…” Jeongguk nods, mentally clearing his schedule for the meeting. He’d spent a lot of time with Park Young-hee while writing the article about her. She was a very impressive individual, and quite a character. Following her life and seeing all of her accomplishments had taught him a lot. He’s sure she will have a great subject for this article.
“Perfect,” Yoongi smiles down at the spread on the desk again in satisfaction, “I’ve got a feeling this article will blow the others out out the water. Make me proud, Jeongguk-ah.”
———
Jeongguk arrives outside Park Conglomerates at 1:15pm, fifteen minutes earlier than the scheduled meeting time. He had quickly learned in the past that it was important to be early for meetings or interviews, but not too early. Fifteen minutes before the arranged time always seemed to be an unspoken agreement which went down well with everyone involved, and also left a good impression, making you seem professional but not too over keen.
Stepping out of his taxi onto the bustling Gangnam street, Jeongguk adjusts his suit and looks up at the large building towering above him, squinting against the bright sunlight that reflects off the glass facade. It’s a modern building, just like all of the buildings lining Gangnam’s metropolitan streets. The building curves slightly, the glass creating soft lines, a design of a well know architect which makes it stand out amongst the more simple looking structures around it. It’s a very fitting building for a retired actress, come fashion icon, come business woman.
Jeongguk falls into step with the employees, probably just coming back from their lunch break, ready for an afternoon’s work. All of the people heading into Park Conglomerates are dressed impeccably, wearing expensive designer suits and dresses, beautiful in a way that tells Jeongguk that many of them have spent a lot of money not only on their outfits, but also on their faces.
He’s been here once before, at the beginning of the year when he’d first met with Park Young-hee to discuss her article, and he had been extremely underdressed. He was determined not to make the same mistake again today.
Seeing as he’s meeting with a huge fashion icon at a company which centers around the fashion industry, Jeongguk has dressed to impress in his best suit- a dark grey Tom Ford, cut off at the ankles with a pair of Prada loafers on his feet. He has his long hair styled back from his face with one strand falling forward.
That morning when he was getting ready in his cosy Itaewon apartment, he had actually wondered if he was going a bit overboard, thinking he might be overdressed. But looking around now, he fits in perfectly.
The workers file in and out of the large doors like bees in a hive, and Jeongguk follows the flow of people as he walks through the entrance and into a grand entrance hall. He walks across the space, glancing up at the huge crystal chandelier hanging above him as he heads towards the reception desk. Before he even makes it to the desk though, he is greeted by a woman with very feline features, wearing a sleek black dress to match her long, sleek black ponytail.
“Jeon Jeongguk-ssi?” she asks.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Welcome to Park Conglomerates. Park Young-hee is expecting you.” She smiles a tight but polite smile, a smile which tells Jeongguk straight away that this woman is someone who sticks to her schedule, “please come this way.”
Jeongguk follows her across the white marble floor to the private elevator he remembers taking last time. It’s separate from the main elevators, set to the side and manned by a security guard who bows and lets them past. The sleek black doors open up to a fully mirrored interior, giving Jeongguk one final chance to check his appearance. The doors close silently behind them and the assistant presses the only button on the wall, one which takes them straight up to the top floor of the building.
It’s a residential level Jeongguk remembers as they exit the elevator. There’s a door to an apartment to their right, and a hallway leading straight ahead to the office. Many business owners who own huge buildings like this also have an apartment built into it, as an additional home to whatever huge gated house they own in the suburbs of the city. Within a few calculated turns, he arrives at Park Young-hee’s office. The assistant taps on the door and announces Jeongguk’s arrival before stepping aside and allowing him to enter.
Park Young-hee is definitely a woman of expensive taste. Her office is large and luxurious, much like the entrance hall and elevator. Different plush rugs cover the marble floor, deep jewel colours and a variety of lavish fabrics decorating the almost minimal room, as well as several ornate lamps and another smaller chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It makes Jeongguk’s small apartment, filled with books, and plants, and old furniture look like a hole in the wall.
“Hello, Jeongguk-ssi. It’s so good to see you again,” she says with a kind smile, from where she sits comfortably on a stylish teal velvet sofa placed in front of the large window overlooking Gangnam. She’s wearing a long, dark blue dress, her grey hair hair tied back in an elegant bun. She has jewelled rings decorating her fingers and an ornate necklace around her neck. Her youthful face and slim frame make her look much younger than her years.
He had come to know Park Young-hee rather well when he was writing her article, so he doesn’t feel the nerves he had felt when he’d initially met her. She was nothing but kind to him from the get go, so Jeongguk feels a familiar comfort settle in his gut as he smiles and bows a greeting to her.
“Its so kind of you to invite me here again. How have you been?” he asks with a smile.
“I am well, thank you. My health is good at the moment, better than it was when I met you last. Please take a seat, make yourself comfortable,” she gestures to an identical deep blue velvet sofa opposite her, a glass coffee table set between them. Jeongguk walks over and sits down, folding his hands in his lap, waiting for her to speak.
“Jeongguk-ssi, as you know I am forever grateful for the article you wrote about me. It truly brought me to tears when I read it. It was a beautiful and respectful piece of writing that I will cherish always.”
“I’m so happy to hear that. It really means a lot, thank you,” Jeongguk bows his head gratefully.
She smiles kindly and continues, “I’m sure your editor-in-chief, Min Yoongi-nim explained to you that I have something in mind for your next article.”
“Yes, he did. But he didn’t tell me what it was. He said you would inform me.”
“Ah, I see,” she clears her throat, “Jeongguk-ssi, I would like you to write an article about my grandson, Park Jimin.”
Jeongguk tenses, his brain trying to catch up with the words that just came out of her mouth. He tries to keep his face neutral, but he’s sure that his features betray him and let slip a small incredulous frown.
Park Jimin? Top actor and Korea’s it-boy? Jeongguk has seen his face on pretty much every billboard, and every magazine cover. He has a huge fan base and seems to be at the top of his career. There’s no one in Korea who doesn’t know who Park Jimin is. Jeongguk would usually jump at the chance to write an article on such a huge celebrity. He knows that just having him on the cover of the magazine will up sales for that month tenfold.
But Park Jimin has an awful reputation. He’s famed for being cold and unapproachable, an arrogant person with little interest in anyone but himself. Jeongguk has heard rumours of him having a horrible temper, having violent outbursts and taking his anger out on staff and the people around him. He’s also a renowned womaniser, leaving broken hearts in his wake.
His fans will tell you he’s ‘misunderstood’, but all the rumours and the hundreds of negative articles say different. He’d read one article that had described Park Jimin as ‘the most unpleasant person you’ll ever meet.’ And apparently he has a burning hatred for the press. Jeongguk can’t help but feel dread as his stomach churns. How the hell is he supposed to write an article about someone like that?
Park Young-hee takes in his expression, and nods slowly in understanding, not even having to ask what he’s thinking, knowing exactly where his thoughts have gone.
“I’m sure you’ve heard what people say about Jimin,” she says softly, “I’m sure you know of his reputation, the ideas that people have formed about him. But I can promise you, there’s more to my grandson than meets the eye.” She looks at him determinedly, her gaze unwavering, “I want people to see the Jimin that I see. Not the villain they’ve constructed him to be out of their own boredom and thirst for drama. I want to dispel all those silly rumours. I want you to show the world the real Park Jimin.”
Jeongguk nods blankly, trying not to look too taken aback. The real park Jimin? Sure. She’s his grandmother, of course she’ll say he’s different. She probably looks at her only grandson with rose tinted glasses. He’s probably on his best behaviour when he sees her, trying to get more money for his trust fund or something. Jeongguk seriously doubts that she’s right and everyone else is wrong. Park Jimin is probably exactly what the rumours say he is.
But what can he do? Say no, he won’t write it? Yoongi has already thrown him into the deep end by agreeing on his behalf. This meeting is just a formality to explain what the article is about. If he were to turn around and say no he would end up ruining the good relationship he’s built with Young-hee and Park Conglomerates, which would not be a good career move, or have a good impact on GQ magazine as a whole.
But two whole months of shadowing Park Jimin? Jeongguk is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“I’ve invited my grandson to this meeting too,” Young-hee says, glancing at the clock, “he should be here any minute-“ a knock on the door echoes in the room, and the same assistant as before pokes her head in and announces Park Jimin’s arrival.
Jeongguk takes a breath, trying to calm his nerves and cling onto any positivity he can muster. Maybe she is right. Maybe the rumours about Park Jimin aren’t true. Maybe he will walk into the room with a kind smile, and an explanation that all the things circulating about him are made up. Maybe they will get on really well, and Jeongguk will be able to write a wonderful article that pleases everyone involved.
That isn’t what happens.
The door opens and in walks Park Jimin. Jeongguk’s breath catches because wow he is beautiful. His ash blonde hair falls softly across his high cheekbones, jaw strong and defined, full pink lips sitting perfectly on flawless honey skin. He has a piercing gaze which looks as if it could instantly cut a man down. His ears hold two delicate silver hoops, and he’s dressed in head to toe black, a loose fitting silk shirt with a deep v that shows of his chest, and tight leather look jeans with black heeled boots.
Jeongguk knew he was attractive. He can never resist a double take whenever Jimin’s advert appears on television or on a billboard as he’s walking past. He’s seen his photos throughout the years, but nothing compares to Jimin in real life. He has an aura which a camera can’t fully capture. An elegance, but also a strength which seeps from him. He is absolutely stunning.
Jimin’s gaze draws straight to him, eyes narrowing slightly, and Jeongguk feels pinned to the spot. The look is intense. Jeongguk isn’t one to be intimated, but the way Jimin looks at him makes him feel nervous. Breathless.
“Halmeoni,” Jimin turns and greets his grandmother with a polite bow.
“Hello sweetheart” she replies and Jeongguk almost fails to suppress a snort because nothing about park Jimin is sweet. Jimin seems to notice, phoenix eyes locking back onto him, brows pulling into a scowl. Jeongguk quickly slaps on a very fake smile, but Jimin’s frown seems to deepen more, seeing through the facade.
“Come and sit down dear,” Young-hee says fondly, not noticing the exchange. Jimin obeys his grandmother, sitting down on the sofa beside her. He crosses his long legs, leaning sideways slightly on one hand, his other hand resting on his knee. Jeongguk’s eyes are drawn to his elegant fingers, covered in an array of silver rings, matching his earrings and a delicate chain around his neck, glinting slightly against his skin.
Jimin looks at him again, tilting his head as if assessing him and finding him lacking. Jeongguk doesn’t like that look. Not one bit. He is quickly starting to hate the drop-dead gorgeous bastard.
“Jimin, darling, this is Jeon Jeongguk. He is a very renowned journalist for GQ Korea. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
Jeongguk moves to stand and bow a greeting, but Jimin doesn’t mirror it, remaining seated, looking him with that same intense look, “No, I can’t say I have.”
Jeongguk tenses and sits back down. This pretentious shit. He isn’t holding any punches and they haven’t even exchanged words yet. There was a photo in the press of Jimin reading his article so Jeongguk knows Jimin knows who he is. He’s just trying to psych him out. Playing with him like a cat with a mouse. Trying to scare him off for some reason.
“So, what’s going on?” Jimin asks his grandmother, eyes flickering to her and then back to Jeongguk, “why is he here?” Jimin looks at him like someone has let a rat into his grandmothers office, one he wants to get rid of swiftly and inhumanely.
“Well, Jeongguk-ssi wrote such a wonderful article on me for GQ Korea, you know the one, you said it was well written. Well, I’ve asked him to write one on you too. It will be even bigger than mine, focusing on you as a person as well as your work and accomplishments. I’ve already discussed it with your management,” her voice lowers slightly, “and I’ve spoken to your parents about it too. They think it will be good publicity for you… as long as it’s all positive- which I’m sure it will be,” she emphasises the last part, turning her head and smiling at Jeongguk hopefully. Jeongguk returns her smile, nodding in agreement.
Jimin tenses, his hand tightening a little against his knee. It’s a small shift, a subtle hairline crack in the facade, but Jeongguk notices it, taking down a mental note.
Jimin looks at him again, eyes narrowing, fingers tight in a fist on his knee. “No, thank you. I don’t want an article like that about me.”
“Jimin dear, this will be good for you,” Young-hee says softly, “a chance for you to get rid of those silly rumours following you around everywhere you go. Jeongguk will shadow you for two months, get to know you properly, see all aspects of your life. Show people the real you.”
Jimin sits up straight, pulled tight like a thread, “you’ll be following me around?” he asks Jeongguk with a glare.
“O-only during your work hours, if that’s what you’re most comfortable with…” Jeongguk stumbles on his words, partly due to shock and intimidation, but also due to the anger bubbling inside his chest that Jimin would be so insulted by the prospect of him writing an article about him. Other celebrities would be lining up for the opportunity.
“I refuse. I’m sorry halmeoni. I have enough paparazzi following me everywhere I go, all hours of the day, anytime I set foot outside. I don’t need one being given permission to follow me around inside too.”
Paparazzi?! Jeongguk’s professionalism slips and his brows pull into a scowl. Who the hell was Jimin calling a paparazzi? Jeongguk is a journalist, a writer, and a fucking good one at that.
“Jimin-ah,” Young-hee says in a hushed but serious tone, “Your management has already signed the contract with GQ magazine. You’ll be doing a cover photo shoot as well as a formal interview with Jeongguk-ssi for the July issue. It’s non-negotiable. Starting from next week, I expect you to be polite and professional. Show Jeongguk-ssi how kind you can be.”
Jeongguk struggles to suppress another snort. Kind? Jimin probably doesn’t even know what that word means.
Jimin notices Jeongguk’s scowl and glares at him, standing up suddenly like he has had enough. His hands clench and unclench tightly at his sides, his eyes flickering from his grandmother to Jeongguk and back.
“I don’t want this article written about me,” he says bluntly before he turns to glare at Jeongguk, “you and your little notepad better stay away from me. I mean it.” With that he storms out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.
And yeah, it’s official, Jeongguk hates Park Jimin. He disliked him before he’d even met him, but now it’s full blow hatred, cemented in stone. He really is as awful as everyone says he is.
“I’m sorry about him, Jeongguk-ssi,” Young-hee says apologetically, “he has a very negative view of the media in general. They’ve never been good to him. Please don’t hold this against him, I’m sure he will come around.”
Jeongguk nods, standing up, “I understand. Thank you for this opportunity, I’m honoured,” Jeongguk bows, trying his best to smile.
Young-hee smiles back at him, a sadness in her eyes, “Jimin struggles with being in the spotlight. It turns him into something he isn’t, not deep down. Just be patient with him… I’m sure you will see the real him by the end of this.”
“I’ll try,” Jeongguk says, but inside he really doubts it.
———
Jeongguk returns to the office in what can only be described as a blind rage. The taxi driver almost has a heart attack when Jeongguk gets in and barks the address at him. Once he arrives at GQ, he storms straight to Yoongi’s office, not bothering to knock as he bursts through the door. Yoongi is sitting at his desk talking on the phone. He takes one look at Jeongguk and quickly ends his conversation, a finger in the air to tell him to wait a moment.
“I’ll call you back. Yes. Goodbye.” He puts down the phone, and turns to Jeongguk, “Jeongguk-ah, you’re back.”
“Seriously, hyung?! Park fucking Jimin?! You could have told me!”
Yoongi sits back, calmly crossing his arms over his chest, the look on his face saying he was expecting this reaction, “If I’d told you, you wouldn’t have gone to meet with her.”
“Damn right I wouldn’t have! You put me in a situation where I couldn’t refuse! Don’t even tell me not to be mad.”
“I won’t. But this article is a brilliant career move and you know it. All eyes are on you at the moment as the next big writer. This could solidify that. You’re a professional… it will be fine.”
“It won’t be fine, hyung! The guys a complete dick!”
“Jeongguk-ah,” Yoongi says, voice turning serious in that way it always does when he’s giving Jeongguk a pep-talk, “no one has ever gotten this kind of opportunity with Park Jimin. The interviews he does are always the same, one or two pages, the same bog-standard questions. He’s never done anything like this. This article will be groundbreaking.”
“Well I have the perfect headline for your groundbreaking article,” he snaps, motioning the title in the air above his head, “‘Park Jimin is an Arrogant Asshole!’”
Yoongi frowns, “Jeongguk-ah…” he warns.
“Oh, you don’t like that one? I have plenty more! ‘Pretentious Prick!’”
“Jeongguk…”
“Wayward Wanker!”
“Jeon-”
“Frivolous Fucker!”
“Jeongguk!”
Jeongguk clenches his jaw, dropping down onto the chair behind him with a huff, crossing his arms.
They sit in silence for a moment before Yoongi speaks again, “I’m sure he’s not as bad as the rumours say. His grandmother seems to think he’s actually a nice person. You just have to get to know him.”
Jeongguk snorts, “everyone’s grandmother thinks they walk around with a halo. That’s a grandmother’s job. She’s bias. Anyway, I’m not here to get to know him, I’m here to write the article about him. That’s all.”
“How can you write about him if you don’t get to know him?”
“Oh, I can already think of plenty of brilliant content for my article. Believe me, it’ll make headlines across the industry.”
Yoongi sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I can see that he’s managed to rub you up the wrong way already, but please try to at least be professional? If not for yourself then for the good of the magazine? This falls on my head too, you know?”
Jeongguk relents, trying not to let his temper get the better of him. He takes a deep breath and nods. “Fine. It looks like I don’t have a say in this, so I’ll try to play nice.”
“Good. That’s all I ask,” Yoongi says, moving his chair closer to his computer to type something, “so, Park Jimin has the leading role in a new drama called, ‘We Met In Spring’. It’s a romantic drama based in a hospital setting-“
Jeongguk snorts loudly, “I don’t see him as the ‘rom-com’ type, but go on.”
“…Anyway,” Yoongi continues, “you will be based on set with him for the next two months, shadowing him through his work day. I want you to write an honest article. The real Park Jimin behind all these false rumours circulating around.”
“Okay, I’ll be honest. But if he’s a dick, I’m writing that he’s a dick,”
“Fair enough. Just, give him a chance, okay?”
“Fine,” Jeongguk grumbles, biting the inside of his cheek.
“So… is he as good looking in real life?” Yoongi says with a smirk, resting his chin in his palm as he leans on his desk.
“He’s so fucking stunning it’s sickening,” Jeongguk says with a grimace, “but he’s got the ugliest attitude. It’s like when Ursula turns into that pretty girl in the little mermaid. Sure she’s pretty on the outside, but underneath it she’s a hideous sea witch who wants to steal people’s souls.”
Yoongi snorts, shaking his head as he waves Jeongguk away, “you’re an idiot. Now, go home and make any preparations that you need to make. I’ll be emailing and calling you regularly for updates. This is an important article for the magazine, so make sure you make the deadline.”
Jeongguk nods, standing up and leaving the office. If there is one thing Yoongi is passionate about it’s his magazine. And Jeongguk respects that, it’s what made him want to work under him.
He returns to his desk to pack away his laptop, as well as his pocket recorder, notepad, and his lucky pen. Apparently he isn’t going to be working from the office for two months. He glances at the succulent sitting on his desk with a pout. He’ll have to ask Namjoon to take care of it on his behalf.
Tucking his things into his laptop bag, Jeongguk throws it over his shoulder and makes his way across the office to the elevators. As he presses the button Namjoon jogs up next to him, “so, I heard the news… congratulations!”
“And what’s the cause for celebration? Because I fail to see it,” Jeongguk deadpans as he slips into the elevator. Namjoon follows him inside, standing next to him, grinning because he can read Jeongguk like an open book. Both him and Yoongi have that skill, and they both love to tease him.
“Park Jimin is hot as hell, don’t even act like you don’t think so too. I’ve seen the guys you’re interested in when we go out. Park Jimin is exactly your type.”
Jeongguk huffs, opening his mouth to deny it, but who is he kidding- Namjoon would see through his lie right away. “Yeah well, he’s got the personality of a troll so I’m not interested, no matter how gorgeous he is,” he grunts, adjusting the bag on his shoulder, “plus he’s not even gay.” The elevator slows and announces that they have arrived at ground level, the doors opening to the foyer.
“Aha! So you admit he’s gorgeous!” Namjoon calls after him from the elevator, not caring about the startled employees trying to enter, “I knew it!”
“Goodbye hyung,” Jeongguk waves over his shoulder, pulling three fingers down and flipping him off as the doors close again. He hears Namjoon’s bark of laughter and can’t help but grin himself. At least he has his friends to cheer him up, even if it is with teasing.
He waves down a taxi once outside, slipping inside and giving his address to the driver. He does have a car, but there’s limited parking at GQ, so he usually just takes a taxi to work. He sits back and watches the world go by as he’s driven back home to Itaewon. He gets the driver to drop him in the high street so he can grab a coffee at his favourite independent coffee shop a few minutes away from his apartment.
Jeongguk loves Itaewon. The alternative and lgbtq+ scene tucked away in the back streets had quickly made his younger self feel accepted when he was first coming to terms with his sexuality. When he’d finally started earning a decent pay check he’d moved from the outskirts of Seoul to Itaewon to be closer to the friends he’d made, including Namjoon and Yoongi who had quickly taken him under their wing when they’d seen him walk into a bar one night, young and wide-eyed and curious. Since then he hasn’t been able to shake the pair.
Walking up the concrete stairs into his modest second floor apartment, the first thing he does is water all his plants. His home has a very bohemian vibe, like somewhere a librarian in the seventies would live. It has creamy white walls and an excessive amount of greenery, thrifted wooden furniture, and books spilling from the book case, piled up on every surface. There is also a small fish tank containing some goldfish sitting against the wall which he feeds with a pinch of fish food. He walks over and slides open his balcony doors, letting the air and afternoon sun flood into the space. He keeps the bug screen pulled closed though, damned if he’s letting a single mosquito inside.
He wanders to his bedroom and drops down onto the bed with a groan. His room isn’t huge, but it’s big enough, a double bed in the centre, again surrounded by books and plants.
Sliding open his rustic antique drawers, he changes into a slouchy tee and some joggers, pulling his hair back into a messy bun. He shuffles back into the living room and drops down onto his worn but very comfortable sofa, pulling out his laptop, and opening it on his lap.
Suddenly he doesn’t feel like continuing with the work he has open on his tabs - an exposé on fast fashion and how it affects their country’s carbon footprint, and a separate interview with an up and coming indie director - both articles he asked to write that don’t have deadlines. Instead he opens up Naver, his fingers hovering for a moment before typing ‘Park Jimin’ into the search bar.
Instantly his screen is filled with pictures of Jimin, paparazzi photos of him walking along the street, red carpet photos, photos from award shows, professional posed photo shoots, headshots, fashion shots, screenshots from scenes in dramas and movies. As he continues to scroll he sees photos of Jimin as a small child, acting in dramas and appearing on variety shows, his features similar and yet so different, eyes and cheeks rounder and more innocent, comments about him being such a cute child actor, about him taking after his actress mother.
He clicks on one of the photos where Jimin can’t be any older than four, and dozens of related pictures appear beneath, showing him at around the same age, some younger. Damn. How young was he pushed into acting? He only looks around three years old in some of these photos.
Jeongguk pulls up his IMDB, scrolling to his first appearance on television. He had just turned three years old, appearing on a variety show where a group of idols would take care of him in a sort of daycare setting, a type of fan service so that their fans can imagine what good fathers they would be. Even then Jeongguk can see the way he had been styled, hair permed and blush added to make him look cute for the camera.
Jeongguk clicks on a few articles, and notes down a few facts about Jimin’s career starting off so young. A family that has been in the spot light for generations, his mother a famous actress and model, his father a chaebol. He is an only child. Attended a performing arts school since childhood. It seems like Park Jimin’s career path had already been marked out for him before he was even born.
An email alert flashes up in the bottom corner from Yoongi, and Jeongguk quickly opens it, tucking his legs up under himself and readjusting a little on the sofa. It’s Jimin’s schedule for the next two months, colour coded for convenience, and geez does this man ever stop?! Jeongguk thought his own work life was hectic, but Jimin’s puts his to shame. If it isn’t filming the drama, it’s tv appearances, interviews or photoshoots. The email also includes Jimin’s management’s contact information, and an address to the studios where the drama he is currently working on is being filmed.
He replies a quick thank you to Yoongi, before returning to Naver. It’s hard to avoid Park Jimin on Naver, an article almost immediately popping up about him in the top visited that day. He scrolls down the list, and clicks on a few more articles, as well as some tweets mentioning Jimin. It seems his name is everywhere online - for better or for worse. There are photos taken of him standing by an actress on a film set, headlines about dating scandals seeming to be the norm with him. Another article comes up about his ‘violent tendencies’ and ‘aggressive temper’.
Jeongguk furrows his brows as he clicks on a blurry video, obviously filmed on a mobile phone. The video shows Jimin practically being mobbed while leaving the airport. He’s wearing a mask, hat pulled low as cameras are shoved in his face. The shouts from paparazzi and screams from so called fans are so loud, Jeongguk has to turn the volume down on his laptop. The security guards are trying their best to shield him but the large crowd is pushing in so close that Jeongguk feels suffocated even watching it through the screen.
The video catches the moment Jimin snaps, shoving one of the large cameras which has been pushed into his face away from him with force, shouting something ineligible. The surprised cameraman stumbles backwards, dropping the large and expensive looking camera, causing it to smash into pieces on the floor. The crowd steps back a little in shock, taking pictures of the scene.
Jimin shrinks back, lifting his hands up to cover his face, his shoulders curling in as a young man with white blonde hair who had been following behind him wraps a firm arm around his shoulders and leads him into a waiting van. The crowd continue to push up against the car like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie, desperately trying to take photos through the blacked out windows until the van finally drives away. That’s when the video cuts off. The tweet containing the video reads, ‘Park Jimin’s violent outburst at member of the press’.
“That’s a little bit extreme,” Jeongguk mumbles to himself, reaching up to turn on the lamp beside the sofa. He wouldn’t call what Jimin had done violent. To be honest, if he’d had someone shoving a camera in his face like that, he would have probably done the same thing. And you could see that Jimin didn’t intend to break the man’s camera. It was an accident more than anything.
Jeongguk sighs and pulls back up Jimin’s schedule- and therefore his schedule- and sees that the next weeks filming will be at a film studio in Seongsu-dong, where it looks like most of the indoor scenes of the drama are filmed. It isn’t too far of a commute, which Jeongguk feels relieved about, and there’s parking on the premises which means that he can easily drive there himself.
Jeongguk orders takeaway for dinner, continuing with his research before finally closing his laptop when his eyes start to ache. He jumps in the shower, washing the stresses of the day away before flopping face first onto his bed with a groan, the sheets bunching up around him. He tosses and turns a bit, still irked at the events of the day.
Next week is the start of two months shadowing Park Jimin, and he’s already dreading it.
———
Jeongguk arrives at the studio on Monday morning at 6am sharp, getting himself a guest pass and a parking space in the carpark. The studio is huge, and he gets lost more than once, but eventually he finds himself on the bustling drama set which has been built to look like several different locations: an apartment, a hospital, and an office space. The half-rooms are all set out in a semi-circle with the large film cameras and tracks laid out in the centre for ease of filming.
Jeongguk is given a quick tour by a very busy young woman, whom he assumes is an intern of some sort. There are production offices and a cafeteria at one end of the studio, and dressing rooms just off of the set at the other end. After being shown where the toilets are, he is pretty much left to his own devices, which he doesn’t really mind. It gives him time to properly wake up with a strong-ass coffee from the cafeteria. He wanders around for a bit, familiarising himself with the layout of the place before slowly making his way back to the set.
As he walks down the corridor containing the dressing rooms, he stops in front of a door with ‘Park Jimin’ written on a gold plaque in bold black letters, the title for the drama written underneath. He doesn’t feel right entering Jimin’s dressing room before he has actually arrived on set, so instead he resigns himself to waiting outside the room, drinking his coffee and watching as the staff hurry around him preparing for the day of scheduled filming.
“Good morning everyone!” chirps a voice from down the hall, sounding far too happy at this ungodly hour.
Jeongguk looks up to see a bright head of white blonde hair moving down the busy corridor towards him. As the man gets closer, Jeongguk immediately recognises him from the video of Jimin at the airport, the person who had ushered him into the van. He has a bright face, large heart shaped smile and an energy which is almost contagious as he greets all the staff who pass him. His clothes are bright and fashionable, and Jeongguk assumes they reflect his personality.
The man opens the door to Jimin’s dressing room before pausing and turning to scan Jeongguk up and down. He thinks for a moment, then points at him with a look like he has just worked something out, “Jeon Jeongguk?”
“That’s me.”
“Wow, you actually showed up. I’m impressed.”
“Um… thanks? Sorry, who are you?”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, how rude of me,” he laughs, “I’m Jung Hoseok. Nice to meet you. I’m Jimin’s personal stylist and makeup artist. I basically follow him around and play dress up whenever I feel like it. It’s a fun job!” He glances down the hall then back at Jeongguk, “would you like to come in and sit down while you wait for Jimin? He was taking a phone call in the car when I left him, he should be here in a minute.”
“Oh, yeah okay… thanks.”
“No problem,” Hoseok replies with a friendly smile as he holds the door to the dressing room open for Jeongguk. Jeongguk bows appreciatively. Hoseok seems like a really nice guy… what a shame he’s stuck working for Jimin.
Jeongguk sits down in a chair positioned at the side of the dressing room, wrapping his hands around the coffee in his lap as he watches Hoseok prepare for the day. He moves quickly and precisely, the movements of someone who has done this job for a while. He places makeup out on the vanity, checking the brushes before placing them down ready to use.
Jeongguk clears his throat, “Um, while I’m here could I ask you some questions about your job?”
Hoseok turns to look at him, “is this for your article?”
“Possibly. I could use you as a quote. Would you be okay with that?”
“I mean, sure,” he shrugs, “are you okay with me working while you ask me questions?”
“Sure,” Jeongguk pulls out his pocket recorder, placing it on the small table beside him and pressing the record button. “So, how long have you been working for Park Jimin as his personal stylist?”
“Hmm,” Hoseok thinks for a moment, “it’s been about six years now since he officially hired me. Before that I was just his friend who would do his hair and give him wardrobe advice,” he chuckles.
“You’re friends as well as colleagues?”
“Oh yeah. Me and Jimin have been friends since kindergarten. We were also roommates for a while when we shared a dorm room at performing arts school. Saying we’re best friends wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
Jeongguk feels his jaw drop open, “best friends? Really?”
“Yeah, practically family! He’s my little Jiminie,” Hoseok giggles as he hangs up a silk shirt and begins to steam the creases out, puffs of steam floating up into the air around him, “I look after him, and he looks after me.”
Jeongguk just about manages to reel in his shocked expression. How on earth could someone as friendly as Hoseok be best friends with the literal grim reaper who walks around harvesting souls? There must be some sort of mistake, some sort of glitch in the matrix.
Jeongguk schools his features and continues, “And- um- how would you describe Park Jimin as a person? What is he like to you?”
Hoseok doesn’t even stop to think, “he’s a total sweetheart. He’s so good to me. Honestly, he’s just a kind person in general. But he has always been super shy. He struggled with it a lot since childhood. I guess being in the spotlight was never actually something that came naturally to him. I think he gets misunderstood for a lot of things because of that, which is sad-”
Just then the door opens and Jimin walks in. He looks different from how he’d looked when Jeongguk had first met him last week. He’s wearing casual clothes, a slightly oversized hoodie and joggers with a mask covering his nose and mouth that he removes as he enters the room, revealing his bare face. Somewhere in the back of Jeongguk’s mind he thinks Jimin is even more gorgeous without makeup, but he quickly stops that thought, chastising himself internally.
Jimin’s eyes immediately lock onto Jeongguk, his brows pulling into a scowl when he sees the recording device on the table.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Jeongguk looks down at the device, instinctively reaching out to take it off the table, holding it protectively in his lap. It isn’t cheap, and he isn’t sure if Jimin is the type to lash out and break it. He saw what had happened to that cameraman in the airport video.
“Good morning, Jimin-ssi,” Jeongguk says with a tight smile.
“I asked you a question.”
“He was interviewing me,” Hoseok interrupts enthusiastically, smiling as he marches over to stand next to Jimin, “I agreed to it, don’t worry. It’s all very exciting isn’t it? You having a feature article written about you.”
Jimin stares down Jeongguk, fists clenched at his side, “I don’t know what you think you’re doing in my dressing room, but I already told you I’m not doing your article.”
Jeongguk knew Jimin wasn’t going to make this easy, but it’s literally been ten seconds and he already wants to go home.
“I’m sorry, Jimin-ssi, but that’s not up to either of us,” he tries his best to stay professional, standing up and plastering on a tight smile, “the contract has already been signed between the magazine and your management. There’s nothing either of us can do. So if we could be professional?”
Jimin’s scowl deepens, eyes narrowing as he looks at Jeongguk in distrust, “why were you talking to Hobi-hyung? I thought your job is to hound me?”
“Well,” Jeongguk’s eyes flicker to Hoseok who is still half hidden behind Jimin’s back, watching their exchange, “Hoseok-ssi is part of your team and a close acquaintance of yours. It would be nice to get a quote from him for the article.“
Jimin glares at him before turning away and walking to the makeup chair, sitting down in it and looking seriously at Hoseok in the mirror, “don’t say another word to him hyung,” he warns.
“Jiminie…” Hoseok sighs.
“He’s here to interview me, so he can talk to just me. He doesn’t need to start hounding my friends too.”
“So you’ll let me do a brief interview with you?” Jeongguk asks, hopeful. If Jimin at least gives him something to work with, it’s better than nothing. He can bulk out the rest of the article with things he observes as a third party for the next two months. His stomach drops again thinking of the length of time he has to spend here. Oh god, it’s going to be a long two months.
Jimin nods tightly, “fine. If that’s how it has to be for you to not harass my friends, ask away.”
Hoseok starts on Jimin’s makeup, careful fingers searching through everything he needs on the table in front of them while Jimin tugs off his hoodie, leaving him in a plain white shirt with a wide neckline which shows off his collarbones. Jeongguk drags a chair up beside him, cautiously placing the recorder on the table and looking at Jimin’s profile. Jimin refuses to look at him, staring straight ahead at the mirror.
Jeongguk clears his throat and thinks of the things he had researched the night before. “It seems that the whole of South Korea knows your face. How does it feel to be at the peak of your career?”
“It’s fine.” Jimin shrugs blankly.
Jeongguk waits for more, but Jimin gives him nothing else, simply closing his eyes as Hoseok starts to apply some concealer around his eye area.
“Um… alright…” Jeongguk collects himself, “who is your inspiration when acting?”
“No one in particular.” Jimin deadpans.
Jeongguk bites the inside of his cheek, “right. So, what do you do to get into character?”
“Read my lines.”
Jeongguk clenches his jaw, frustration crawling under the surface of his skin, “and how about your free time? Do you find it hard to separate your work life and social life?”
“No.”
“Jimin-ah,” Hoseok laughs nervously, eyes flicking up to Jeongguk who is becoming more and more irritated, “give the guy something.”
Jeongguk continues, trying not to let Jimin see he’s getting to him. Well he wouldn’t see it anyway, because he wont fucking look at him.
“What has been your favourite drama, or movie you have worked on?”
“They’ve all been fine.”
Jeongguk can feel his anger growing. All his interview etiquette seems to have gone out the window.
“Is there anyone you would like to work with in the future?”
“Not really.”
That’s it. The fucking prick. He knows they’re both stuck in the same situation, and yet he refuses to even cooperate? Fine, if that’s how he wants to play it. Jeongguk can play dirty too.
“I noticed your first tv appearance was when you were three years old. Did you actually want to be an actor, or were you pushed into it by your parents?”
Jimin stiffens noticeably in his chair. Jeongguk doesn’t even care if he has hit a nerve, in fact he revels in it, because finally Jimin is looking at him, albeit with a look that could kill.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, looking at your past work, it seems like your mother- who was a hugely successful actress in her younger years- pushed the career onto you from a young age. Tell me, Jimin-ssi, did you even want to be an actor, or did you have no choice?”
Jimin looks at him in disgust, like he’s grown a second head, “I- you… how dare you?” His hands curl into the same tight fists as before, clenching and unclenching at his sides. Jeongguk has noticed he does it a lot. It must be a habit of his, a characteristic of his temper maybe. Right now though, Jeongguk’s own temper rivals Jimin’s.
“Jiminie, calm down,” Hoseok whispers, rubbing Jimin gently on the shoulder.
“Is that one of the the reasons for your violent outbursts?”
Jimin stands up sharply, the chair scraping backwards along floor. He’s standing over Jeongguk now, looking down at him fiercely, “I am not violent.”
“I’ve seen some videos on the internet that beg to differ,” Jeongguk states matter-of-factly, crossing one leg over the other as he holds Jimin’s glare. Jimin recoils slightly- it’s only subtle but Jeongguk notices. To be fair, he hadn’t actually seen any videos of Jimin being violent, only the one from the airport, and anyone could see that wasn’t intentional and the camera guy deserved it. But right now it’s good ammunition. He’s not pulling his punches anymore, and he can feel himself finally knocking Park Jimin down a peg or two.
“I’m not violent,” Jimin repeats, a little weaker.
“Your reputation for ‘fits of rage’ begs to differ.”
“That’s a lie…”
“Well look at how you’re acting now.”
Jimin looks down at his defensive posture, how he’s almost leaning over Jeongguk, and he shrinks back, his face dropping.
“I-I…”
“Jimin-ah, Jeongguk-ssi, I think it’s probably best to end this interview here,” Hoseok cuts in, trying to pull Jimin backwards towards him.
Jimin looks at the recorder still recording on the table next to them. He looks back up at Jeongguk, freshly lined eyes turning red at the corners, filled with betrayal, like Jeongguk has tricked him and won, “you’re going to write all this in your article, aren’t you?”
Jeongguk doesn’t reply.
“That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t want to write an article like my grandmothers, you want to tear me to pieces just like everyone else. ‘Park Jimin, violent psychopath!’,” Jimin motions the title in the air, and gives an incredulous balk of laughter, “you’re just like the rest of those blood sucking parasites. You know what? Write your damn article, write it however you fucking like. It’s not the first bad press about me, and it certainly won’t be the last.”
Jeongguk recoils at the accusation. He stands up so they are eye to eye, leaning into Jimin’s space, his cheeks feeling hot, “If you’d just get your head out of your ass and let me interview you properly, I wouldn’t need to stoop so low…”
Jimin’s eyes lock with Jeongguk’s for a moment, emotion flickering across them before he turns away and shakes his head, storming over to where his costume waits for him freshly steamed on a clothing rack, “this thing, this interview- whatever the fuck it is- is over. Get out of my dressing room. I need to change.”
“Jimin-ah,” Hoseok follows Jimin, stroking at his arms gently “hey, Jiminie, let’s all calm down, hm? I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” he looks over at Jeongguk apologetically, “Jeongguk-ssi I think it’s best if you go.”
Jeongguk doesn’t need to be told twice. He’s had enough of whatever shit show this has turned out to be. He grabs his recorder off the table beside him, pressing stop and pushing it back into his pocket before he marches out of the room, closing the door firmly behind himself. He doesn’t really go far though. His job is still to shadow Jimin for two months, so he hovers around the set, waiting for Jimin to finally appear out of his dressing room.
Jimin is taking a while, and the crew have all finished preparations, waiting on him. Jeongguk takes another walk back towards the dressing rooms, hovering in the hall outside for when Jimin decides to grace everyone with his presence. After a few minutes the door opens and Hoseok steps out, pausing to look back inside and say something to Jimin. He hasn’t noticed that Jeongguk is standing there, and that’s when Jeongguk sees Jimin opening a bottle of pills with shaky hands, popping a few into his mouth and swallowing them with water.
Well would you look at that. Park Jimin is a junkie as well as a psychopath, apparently. Another thing Jeongguk can check off the list.
Hoseok turns to walk out of the room, eyes widening and mouth forming a small ‘o’ when he sees Jeongguk standing there in front of him. Jeongguk crosses his arms and leans on the wall opposite the room. “Jeongguk-ssi, you’re back,” Hoseok says, quickly pulling the door closer to himself, shielding the inside of the room, and subsequently Jimin from view. Though it’s too late at this point. He should have done that thirty seconds ago when Jimin was popping pills at his makeup table.
Jeongguk doesn’t say these thoughts out loud though, he just smiles politely, “I am. It’s not like I can really go anywhere,” he sighs, running a hand through his hair, “I think the crew are waiting for Jimin, will he be coming out anytime soon?”
Hoseok looks back into the room, and then steps out, pulling the door closed behind him. He takes Jeongguk by the arm and pulls him to the side of the hallway. Crew members rush by them, all busy with their respective jobs which keep the production running smoothly each day. Hoseok steps close, speaking in a hushed voice that only they can hear, “listen, about Jimin. I know you two haven’t really gotten off to a great start. Maybe your opinion on him isn’t that positive right now…” Jeongguk almost scoffs because that’s an understatement, “…but I’d really appreciate it if you give him a chance. There’s a lot more to Jimin than what people see.”
Jeongguk tries his best to act professional, and nods in understanding, not wanting to be rude to the one guy who actually seems like a nice person. Maybe even the one guy Jeongguk can get on with while he’s stuck with Jimin for two fucking months.
“Jimin finds dealing with members of the press difficult. He always has,” Hoseok explains, “the way he’s acting, it’s nothing personal. I think he’s just seeing you as part of the ‘evil media monster’ that he has to deal with almost every day. The press can be really unforgiving, so Jimin has learned to be unforgiving too, even if it’s misdirected. It’s a defense mechanism. So, please don’t take it the wrong way, okay? I’ll try and talk to him when he calms down.”
Jeongguk nods again. He can understand a celebrity being reserved around a member of the press. He can understand it when it’s a reporter chasing you down the road for a cheap headline in the next mornings newspaper, or the paparazzi hiding in bushes wherever you go, hungry for a scandal. But that isn’t what Jeongguk is here for. Any other celebrity would jump at the opportunity to have a spread in GQ magazine, and in all honesty it was never supposed to be a bad article. That isn’t what he’s here for.
“I’d appreciate you talking to him, Hoseok-ssi. Thank you. I’m just trying to do my job.”
Hoseok smiles his heart shaped smile again, pushing his blonde hair back in relief, like he’s managed to defuse a bomb which was about to blow up in his face. “No problem! You seem like a nice guy, I know you and Jimin would actually get along if you both tried. So if you could try and be patient with him, that would be a big help.”
“Sure,” Jeongguk shrugs “I’ll try.”
———
“So how was your first day on set?” Yoongi asks, sipping on a glass of whisky. He looks different when he’s not in his work suit. Younger. Softer. You would never look at him and think he is the editor-in-chief of one for the most popular magazines in South Korea.
“Horrible,” Jeongguk grumbles, face buried in his arms on the table, “I think these two months are going to be a total train wreck hyung. The second I met Jimin in the morning he went ape-shit at me. Then after that he kicked me out of his dressing room and refused to even acknowledge me for the rest of the day. I just want to go back to writing my article on fast fashion,” Jeongguk whines, peeking up from his arms to look at Yoongi with pleading eyes.
Namjoon leans over and rubs his back comfortingly. They’re sitting in their usual booth in a small bar in Itaewon. It’s tucked into the corner, low amber lighting reflecting off the shiny surface of the table and the liquid in their glasses.
Yoongi chuckles sympathetically, “I’m sorry, Jeongguk-ah. Let’s just hope they’re teething issues which will pass. I mean, you’re usually a pretty easy guy to get along with. Hopefully Jimin will see that.”
Jeongguk just sighs, taking a mouthful of his drink, feeling the burn of the liquor run down his throat. He puts the glass back down with a clack and runs his fingers through his hair. “I don’t care if he sees it or not, to be honest.”
“Oh, Jeongguk-ah,” Namjoon pats him on the back, “he sure has you riled up doesn’t he?”
“He’s just- I tried, I did. But he’s impossible! He’s been nothing but rude to me since we met. For no reason!”
“He must have some sort of reason, thought. I can’t imagine he’s just acting like this for no reason,” Yoongi shrugs.
“Well, Hoseok his stylist said that he has always had an issue with the press. But I already explained to him I’m not some random paparazzi trying to catch him out.”
Namjoon nods, leaning forward on the table with his drink in his hand, “well, people who have been famous from childhood have had to deal with the press for a long time. And the tabloids can be pretty cutthroat. They’re always looking for a story or scandal, asking things to trip you up or to try and get a reaction. I guess he probably hasn’t had many good experiences with people in our line of work. I mean, I for one haven’t seen many positive articles on him, have you?” he asks, glancing at Yoongi?
Yoongi shakes his head, delicate fingers tapping against the side of his glass, “not since his childhood, no.”
“See?” Namjoon tilts his head and smiles “he’s probably just cautious. Just give him some time.”
“And don’t antagonise him,” Yoongi says with a warning tone, giving Jeongguk a pointed look.
“I didn’t antagonise him!” Jeongguk says defensively. Yoongi raises an eyebrow and gives him a look which says ‘I don’t believe you’ and Jeongguk sighs, running his hand over his face, “okay, maybe I did antagonise him a tiny bit… but only because he was being difficult and not answering any of my questions! He started it.
“Then you need to be the bigger person. You’re a professional Jeongguk-ah.”
“I know, I know,” Jeongguk sighs, pushing his palms into his eyes, “I’ll try harder.”
After one more drink, and a whole lot more consoling from his adoptive parents, Jeongguk walks home through the backstreets of Itaewon to his apartment. The older building doesn’t have an elevator, so he has to climb two sets of stairs on aching legs. He practically falls in and out of the shower, setting his alarm for early the next morning before collapsing into bed in exhaustion. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Maybe he’ll get lucky, and Jimin will finally be reasonable with him.
———
Jeongguk gets a double shot of espresso in his coffee, preparing himself for the day ahead. He had used the morning drive to try and get in a sort of zen-like head space, ready to be calm, composed and professional throughout the day no matter how Jimin acts. He doesn’t know why Jimin gets under his skin so much, but he’s determined not to lose his cool again today.
Walking into the studio, he passes Jimin’s dressing room, irritation bubbling up inside. He silently chastises himself, reminding himself to stay calm and composed. He busies himself with reading through the schedule of scenes they’re filming today which are marked out on a board on the wall. He rocks on his feet, slipping his hands into his pockets.
He’s wearing a smart-casual outfit, a loose shirt tucked into chinos, having been told last night by Yoongi that a suit was not necessary while on this job. To be honest, Jeongguk has never been too fond of wearing suits, wearing them only because they were part of the office dress code more than actually wanting to.
Jeongguk’s eyes trail across the director’s messy handwriting, falling again onto Jimin’s name which has been scribbled multiple times. He turns when he hears Jimin’s door open, the actor walking out onto the set. He looks stunning as always, the mood of the studio almost shifting with his presence. His eyes scan the room until they meet Jeongguk’s. His brows instantly pull down into a scowl, a silent warning for Jeongguk to stay away from him.
Hoseok sees the exchange from where he walks out after Jimin, and smiles apologetically at Jeongguk. Jeongguk gives a polite nod to them both, and Jimin just ignores him, turning and walking away. Hoseok hurries over. “Good morning,” he says with a smile, “I’m sorry that Jimin is still giving you a hard time. I did have a chat with him last night. I’ll try again today when we’re on break.”
“Thanks, Hoseok-ssi. Honestly, I really appreciate it,” Jeongguk smiles.
“I just want everyone to get along,” he smiles sadly, “and it hurts to see people talk badly about Jimin when I know that’s not what he’s like. He doesn’t help himself though,” Hoseok sighs, glancing over at Jimin. “I’ll try to make him come around.”
As promised, Hoseok has a long chat with Jimin during a break in filming that day, but if anything, things just get worse. Jimin goes from throwing scowls in Jeongguk’s direction when he’s not filming a scene, to point blank ignoring Jeongguk’s very existence.
For someone so pretty, Jimin definitely lives up to his reputation of cold and unapproachable. The production crew avoid him like the plague, and even the director himself seems to walk on egg shells every time he makes a suggestion during a scene.
The only person who actually approaches Jimin out of choice seems to be Hoseok. He appears between takes to dab at Jimin’s face with cotton pads and to reapply some makeup, as well as fix any loose strands of hair. He’s so bubbly, and he talks to Jimin like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Jimin talks to him too, saying quiet sentences and nodding along to whatever he says. He looks at Hoseok with a gentleness which Jeongguk hasn’t seen from him before.
Unfortunately Jeongguk can’t hear a thing they are saying because he’s been asked to stand out of the way during recording, shunned to the corner of the room while they film a complex hospital scene. From what Jeongguk can glean, Jimin plays a young doctor, and to be honest he is a very good actor. Each time the room goes quiet during a scene, Jeongguk can’t help but be sucked into the moment, hanging off every word from Jimin’s lips. You can see that he is a person who has spent many years behind the camera.
Between scenes, Jimin still ignores Jeongguk, walking quickly in the opposite direction whenever he attempts to approach him. During their lunch break, he disappears into his dressing room, locking the door behind him. And now, at the end of a twelve hour long day of filming, Jimin simply changes back into his hoodie, pulls it low over his eyes and walks straight towards the parking lot without a second look at Jeongguk.
———
For the next five days Jimin continues to avoid him, and by the end of the week Jeongguk is at his wits end. He’s spent over seventy two hours now shadowing Park Jimin and has absolutely fuck all to show for it. In a bid of desperation, and a little rage, Jeongguk follows Jimin to the parking lot after filming has ended, and as he is about to climb into a large blacked out vehicle, Jeongguk steps between him and the open door, blocking his way.
Jimin sighs stepping to the side, and Jeongguk steps that way too. Jimin steps the other way, and does Jeongguk. Jimin stills, looking up from under his hood, meeting Jeongguk’s eyes for the first time in days. He looks tired, the skin under his eyes a dark purple where his makeup has been removed,
“Yes?” he sighs.
Jeongguk opens his mouth, but now that he’s here, with Jimin actually looking at him, he is at a loss for what he wanted to say. Finally he manages to put together a sentence, “you know, it’s immature to ignore me when I’m a professional doing my job, just like you. This attitude… it won’t reflect well in your article,” he says, the words leaving his mouth before he can stop them. Nice one Jeongguk. So much for not antagonising him.
“Oh, really?” Jimin replies unaffected, “honestly, I couldn’t care less at this point. I already told you, you can write whatever terrible shit you want about me in that article.”
Jeongguk groans, rubbing a hand over his face, “That- that’s not the point! I’m not actually going to write a bad article. Why would I? It’s your grandmother who commissioned it to be written. God- Jimin-ssi, you don’t need to like the press, or me, but please, at least be civil and let me do my job.”
Jimin just blinks at him, “Jeongguk-ssi, I think you’ll find your contract covers following me during my work day. Right now, I’ve finished work for the day,” he steps closer, and Jeongguk hates that he feels intimidated as Jimin leans in and drops his voice to a whisper, “so, by my calculations you’re overstepping your boundaries. Now, please move aside so I can enter my car and go home. I’ve had just about enough today.”
Well, he’s got him there. His contract does cover shadowing Jimin only during his working hours. Jeongguk grits his teeth, begrudgingly stepping to the side, letting Jimin slip past him and jump into the back seat of the large black car. He feels his anger flair as Jimin presses a button, keeping his eyes forward as the door slides closed, not saying another word to Jeongguk as the blacked out glass cuts him off completely.
Jeongguk’s anger is still blazing when he crashes through the door of his apartment, storming to his bedroom and opening his laptop without even removing his shoes. Fine. If that’s what Jimin thinks his article will be like, then who is he to disappoint, hm? He will write an article that will live up to his fucking expectations.
He types a little too fiercely as he writes out the title: Park Jimin - The Inside Story.
Jeongguk takes a break after around thirty minutes of aggressive typing, finally taking his shoes off. He’s calmed down a lot, having let most of his anger and frustration out in his writing. Reading back through what he has written, to say he’s trashed Jimin is an understatement. He has really gone all out. Dragging up Jimin’s already muddied reputation and smearing it all over the document, lacing it with his own anger and hatred. Exaggerating Jimin’s violent tendencies and secret pill addiction. Throwing in some family drama just for good measure. And he’s definitely overused the work ‘dickhead’.
Of course he would never publish this. It’s just a way of venting his frustrations, and it’s worked pretty well. He feels a lot calmer now, having thrown all the insults he wanted to throw at Jimin’s face into the article instead.
He takes a breath, closing his laptop and pouring himself a well needed whiskey. It’s been a hell of a long week.
One week down, seven to go.
———
It turns out Jeongguk is still pretty pissed off when he wakes up, his irritability having kept him tossing and turning all night. He can’t help but sigh in relief when he rolls over and checks his phone. It’s Sunday which means no filming, which means no Jimin.
“Ugh, thank god,” Jeongguk mumbles to himself as he pushes back his linen duvet and climbs out of bed, leaving it unmade which has become a bad habit of his. But hey, the rest of his apartment is a mess of books and plants, why should his bed be any different?
He runs his hand through his messy hair, an attempt at combing it back out of his face which proves futile, his thick bangs falling forward across his cheekbones. Stretching his spine out, he rifles through his wardrobe and pulls out his joggers and a t-shirt, tucking his unruly hair back from his face with a baseball cap.
Jeongguk fills up a bottle with cold water and pulls on his battered sneakers before leaving his apartment, the door clicking shut behind him as he bounds down the stairs and out onto the backstreets of Itaewon. It’s still pretty early, but its summer and the sky is already a powder blue above him. It’s cooler this time in the morning, so it’s a perfect time for Jeongguk to work off some of his energy with a run. Maybe it will help him clear his head.
He tightens his grip on his bottle and sets off down the quiet street, slipping in and out of alleyways and bounding down small sets of stairs between houses and shops. Jeongguk has been living here long enough to know the area like the back of his hand. He heads towards the Han river, and luckily the way there from home is mainly a descent as the natural hilly part of Seoul plateaus out towards the river’s edge. Jeongguk feels the subtle burn in his muscles as he runs, the sensation clearing his head of any other thoughts of a certain someone.
He crosses an overpass and jogs down some steps to reach the rivers edge, running along the path marked out for pedestrians. At this time on a Sunday there aren’t many people, just a few joggers and cyclists. He continues down his normal route before finally stopping to stretch, catching his breath at the rivers edge. It’s not the ocean, and Jeongguk can’t fool himself that it is when the tall buildings on other side of the river are staring at him so blatantly, but he finds that even a large body of water like the Han river helps to calm and comfort him when he needs it.
He takes a sip of water, feeling a subtle breeze brush across his sweat-dampened skin. If he closes his eyes he can imagine he’s back with his toes in the sea in Cheongsapo. He loves living in Seoul, but he’s always had the ocean in his veins, and some days he craves it more than others. After listening to the soothing slosh of the water for a while, Jeongguk starts running again, finishing his loop and heading back towards Itaewon.
He slows into a walk to warm down as he makes his way down a street called ‘cafe street’ known, unsurprisingly, for the many cafes which line either side. As he passes one particular cafe he can’t help but do a double take, eyebrows raising. The entire outside of the cafe is covered in banners and photographs of Jimin’s face. God, he’s everywhere. Jeongguk rolls his eyes. He can’t avoid him for even one day, apparently.
He could just pass by. Instead he finds himself walking closer to the cafe, scanning the pictures for any idea why the place has suddenly become Jiminland. A worker steps out of the cafe, placing out the tables which sit on the front decking.
“Excuse me,” he says to her, “what’s all this about?” He gestures at the banners and posters all over the cafe. If one Park Jimin wasn’t enough, he’s now got about fifty of them staring at him with sultry eyes.
“Park Jimin filmed a scene from his new drama here,” she says with heart eyes towards the posters, “we’re promoting the drink that he orders in the scene, in partnership with the drama.”
“Oh…I see, ” Jeongguk nods. They really do use Jimin as the face of everything they can, just because they know that he can sell out pretty much anything.
Just then two girls who are walking a dog pause at the entrance, “oh, look unnie,” one of them says, wiggling in excitement and squeezing the others’ arm, “it’s Park Jimin!”
“He’s so handsome! It must be a promotion for his new drama!” the other girl almost swoons, “we have to get that coffee,” she says pointing at the promotion. Jeongguk feels himself roll his eyes. Case in point. They both brush excitedly past Jeongguk and into the cafe, taking photos with a life size cutout of Jimin before ordering two of the coffees, priced up to a ridiculous price even though they are probably just regular, normal, boring coffees.
“Didn’t he film this scene with Moon Ga-young?” one of them says with an air of gossip to her tone.
“Mhm,” the other nods, “I heard that he hooked up with her.”
The first covers her mouth in disbelief, “no way, I thought he was dating that model? The one called… I forgot her name -you know the one.”
“Well I’m just saying that’s what I heard, why else would she have left the drama so suddenly?”
“Unnie, wouldn’t his company have released an official statement about it? Wouldn’t he have released an apology if there was a scandal?”
“Apparently he never gives any statements or apologies for these scandals. It’s like he thinks if he just ignores their existence, they’ll go away.”
Ha. Jimin, ignoring something and hoping it goes away? Jeongguk knows the feeling.
The younger girl shrugs, “oh well, he’s so pretty to look at, and the idea of him being a heartbreaker makes him more attractive to me. I like the bad boy type.”
“You’re terrible,” the other laughs, slapping her shoulder as they leave the store with their little poodle. Jeongguk just stands there as they walk past him. Does Jimin know that this is the way that even his fans speak about him? To not even give any sort of statement to extinguish the fires of a scandal… Jimin is either very brave or very stupid.
“Sir? Would you like to try the coffee?” the staff member asks with a smile.
Jeongguk ends up walking back towards his house with a ridiculously priced coffee in his hand, the cardboard sleeve of the take-away cup printed with Jimin’s face. He holds up the cup to look at the picture, laughing to himself as he shakes his head.
Even photo Jimin looks at him like he hates him.
———
When his alarm goes off on Monday morning, Jeongguk has absolutely zero motivation to get up, the feeling only subsiding slightly with three cups of strong coffee before he even leaves his apartment and heads to the film studio. In Jimin’s beyond hectic schedule, it says that he will be filming all day at the studio from 6am.
Jeongguk manages to pull himself together and make himself look half decent with a loose dress shirt and a pair of black jeans, his hair tied back in a neat bun. The days are getting hotter, a sign of summer fast approaching, however he will be inside the air conditioned building all day so it won’t affect him too much.
Jeongguk slides into his car and makes his way to the studio. After asking around he’s managed to secure a regular parking space, making commuting a lot easier for him. He takes deep calming breaths on the way, getting into his zen-mode for when he has to face Jimin.
When he arrives however, it’s not Park Jimin he’s met with, but the confused looks from two actors who are preparing to film their scenes instead. Jeongguk recognises them instantly, Kim Seokjin and Kim Taehyung. They are both popular and successful actors in their own rights, and close friends of Jimin’s he’s learned. Jeongguk glances around, but Jimin is nowhere to be seen.
“Hello,” Jeongguk approaches the ridiculously attractive actors and bows a greeting, “um, sorry, is Park Jimin running late?”
“Jimin? He’s not filming here today. Him and some of the crew are filming a few of the remote location scenes,” Kim Taehyung replies.
“What?” Jeongguk pulls out his phone to double check the schedule he had been emailed, “but his schedule says he will be filming here all day?”
“Oh, I think he changed it last minute,” Kim Seokjin says, a stylist fixing his hair ready for the scene, “he asked to do the remote location shoots instead.”
“Yeah,” Taehyung nods, “he insisted on swapping the schedule. From what I recall his exact words were, ‘as far away from the studio as possible’.”
———
“Son of a bitch, ”Jeongguk grumbles under his breath as he swerves his car, ducking and weaving through the rush hour traffic he thought he had avoided earlier in the morning. It turns out Jimin’s filming location is just under three fucking hours away.
Brilliant. Just brilliant. If it were anyone else he was shadowing he would turn the car around right now and go home. But he just knows that’s exactly what Jimin wants him to do. No- he will go to the ends of the Earth to spite Park Jimin.
With that thought feeding his determination, Jeongguk drives on. He’s managed to get the location from the film crew, an old Hanok village set in the mountains.
He calls Jimin, having been given his mobile number by his management, but of course he doesn’t answer any of the calls. The first few times he calls, it rings a few times then goes to voicemail, but then after that the phone doesn’t even ring, going straight through to voicemail. Bastard.
Jeongguk takes several wrong turns on the way. With that and traffic, by the time he finally makes it to location, he’s missed more than half a day of filming.
He’s pretty sure his car has a puncture by the time he parks it on a bumpy country road where he sees a few vans belonging to the film crew parked. Jumping out from the car, Jeongguk walks over to where they have set up cameras down an alley between two vacated hanok houses. It only takes a second for him to locate Jimin, eyes locking onto the man that instantly stands out in a crowd, his ash blonde hair styled across his forehead, light silky clothes draping across him just right, making him look ethereal. The beautiful fucker.
Jimin glances up from where he is leaning against the door frame of one of the vacant houses, waiting as the crew prepares for the next scene. The moment he sees Jeongguk approaching like a human apocalypse, his head drops back against the door frame, eyes closing like he’s exasperated. He’s exasperated? Him?!
Jeongguk storms straight up to Jimin until he’s standing inside the door frame right in front of him.
“Jeongguk-ssi, you came,” Jimin says with a sigh, his eyes still shut, head still tilted back.
“I did,” Jeongguk snaps, failing to hold onto the last piece of professionalism, “no thanks to you.”
Jimin opens his eyes and lifts his head, “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You don’t know…” Jeongguk can’t help but laugh bitterly, “you changed your schedule and forgot to inform me.”
A few crew members start to throw sideway glances at them, quietly watching the drama unfurl. Jimin thinks for a moment, putting on an innocent expression, “did I? I’m sure I sent you through the change of schedule.”
“You didn’t. You know that you didn’t, so don’t even try that bullshit.”
Jimin pushes off the old worn door frame, walking back inside the house, “you know you could have just gone home. We’re not even filming anything important today.”
Jeongguk follows him into the empty house, only bare walls left of what was once a family home. He feels his hackles rise. His skin bristles, his clothes too thick for the summer heat, no air conditioning in sight.
“I couldn’t do that, you know I couldn’t. You just wanted to fuck around with me.”
“I wouldn’t have told anyone,” Jimin shrugs, “It’s not like you want to be here anyway. And I certainly don’t want you here.”
Jeongguk clenches his jaw in frustration, “what the fuck is your problem? I haven’t even done anything to you!”
Jimin turns towards him, crossing his arms around himself defensively, “I don’t want a fucking article written about me, and you’re doing exactly that. That’s my problem.”
Jeongguk shakes his head in disbelief, “you have literally hundreds of articles written about you. Why is this one so different?”
“Maybe it’s because I have a choice about this one!”
“You don’t have a choice though. That’s what happens when you’re famous, Jimin-ssi. Articles are written, and guess what? Almost every single article about you is negative. Why is that, huh?”
Jimin flinches, brows drawing down as he takes a step backwards. Jeongguk goes on, ignoring the hurt in Jimin’s eyes, the dark circles which bleed through his makeup. He feels the dam break, all the anger and frustration he’s felt the last week hurled at Jimin.
“Maybe- just maybe if you could actually be a decent human being for once in your life, you’d have one nice article written about you for a change. You’re here acting like I’m the bad guy in this situation, when you’re the one that everyone avoids like the plague!”
Jimin shrinks backwards again. Jeongguk knows he’s being harsh, he knows it’s unprofessional and that he’s taking it too far, but he can’t stop.
“I’m not the bad guy Jimin-ssi. I’m just trying to do my job, and at least I can get through a days work without doping myself up on pills to do it!”
Jimin draws back like he’s been punched, mouth opening but nothing coming out. He’s shaking, eyes red, flushed cheeks melting into the purple circles under his eyes. He glares at Jeongguk for a moment before he shakes his head and turns away, speaking quietly, “I don’t want anything to do with someone like you. You’re just like everyone else. You say you’re not the bad guy, but you seem to have no problem judging someone you don’t even know. I can’t trust your journalism will be any different.”
Guilt instantly claws at Jeongguk. He knows he’s crossed the line. He let his temper get the better of him. God, why did he get so worked up? He’s not usually this much of a dick. He’s supposed to be a fucking professional. If Yoongi saw what he just did he’d be in so much trouble.
“Listen-”
“Go home Jeongguk-ssi,” Jimin snaps as he walks away, “we’re done.”