Party Pooper

When Suga fetched Hye-Ri from Selena to grab some dinner at the buffet, Selena rushed towards Jin who was talking with Nam Joon.

"Hi Joon! How are you? Where's In-ha?" She politely asked.

"Selena." Nam Joon greeter, "I'm good. In-ha couldn't come because she's feeling a little under the weather."

Selena nodded, "That's too bad. I hope her nausea fades soon," and looked at Jin. "Jagiya, I had a little talk with Hye-Ri and I think you are right about the other night." She giggled.

"You only had a little chat and you already proved my point?"

Selena nodded excitedly. "I think I'm going to win the bet."

"How so?"

Selena only smiled, but then Jimin started asking everyone to gather in the center for the surprise. Hye-Ri, who was eating beside Suga, looked at the man beside her asking if they are going to participate.

"No, I'm not in the mood. We'll just stay here 'till the surprise is over." He answered Hye-Ri's unspoken question. She sighed with relief because she was too shy to be part of the surprise. She didn't know the celebrant and isn't exactly close with Jimin either.

She caught an eye to one tall silhouette walking or tilting, away to the crowd. Hye-Ri walked few steps to her right and caught the man tiptoeing himself to the exit. "Why don't you stay with us in the shadows and let the others pile in the crowd?"

"Noona!" He let off a breath of relief. "Yoon-gi hyung." He said as he caught sight of him. JK scooted near Hye-Ri and Suga as if hiding beside his parents.

Hye-Ri leaned closed to Suga and whispered, "Is he always this introverted?"

"Our baby is shy." Suga answered, referring to the youngest member of BTS. After that, the surprise went successful and the woman who entered had long black hair and wore a pink figure-hugging dress. She was tall, fair-skinned, and a foreigner straight out from a runway. Jimin was in full smiles as he showered her with bouquets, gifts, and champagne.

From Hye-Ri's point of view, Jimin is a romantic person that showers his love with affection. He couldn't stop looking at her as if the woman was the rarest diamond he has ever touched. The way he was gentle with her was something Hye-Ri had felt when she's with Suga.

The way she thought of Suga made her unconsciously look at him admired his side profile. She hadn't noticed that he sported an undercut, and his body got a little buff the last time she noticed it. The rock-hard abs she had touched when he rode her bike was the proof of hitting the gym every day.

Hye-Ri spotted Jimin and the woman walking towards them and elbowed Suga. "You do all the talking."

"Hyung! I'm glad you came." Jimin gave a side hug to Suga. "Lila, this is Suga, Hye-Ri, and Jung Kook."

Hye-Ri nodded and smiled at Lila; the height difference made her look like a five-year-old child and pouted. Suga noticed it as he side glanced at Hye-Ri.

"Hello." He greeted back, "I'm babysitting two children today so I don't want to hold you back here and mingle with your other guests."

Jimin laughed, while Lila only smiled looking at Jung Kook. He smiles in response and looked at the little woman beside him. Lila noticed him get closer to Hye-Ri as if avoiding her gaze.

"Okay, let's go to your friends now baby."

Hye-Ri saw the woman lingering gaze on JK, and she looked back to him minding his own business looking at the lights.

"JK," Hye-Ri called. "Didn't you bring anyone?"

He shook his head, "I don't have plans on staying long. That's why I didn't bring any."

***

Few hours after JK and Hye-Ri's conversation, JK is already talkative to other guests. While Hye-Ri and Suga stayed with the other members' table.

Namjoon with Jin and Selena. Hoseok came not long ago and is already in deep conversation with Yoon-gi. Hye-Ri met JK's eyes from the other table and looked like a puppy asking for help.

Hye-Ri stood up, but then Suga took her hand, stopping her. "Where are you going?"

The touch somehow felt like she had touched a live wire, startling her. "Uh, I'm just going to save someone."

She pulled her hand away from Suga and went straight to JK's table. "JK, Yoon-gi has something to ask you."

It was the only excuse she could think of, but the relief on JK's face was there.

"Excuse me, but can he go there after we're done talking with him?" One of the foreigners interrupted, she spoke in English but her words were thick of alcohol.

Lila twirled her hair and looked at Hye-Ri with a little smirk on her face. Hye-Ri looked around the table and was full of foreigners. Jimin wasn't around to look at the situation that his girlfriend and her friends have been up to.

"He looks about done to me." Hye-Ri replied, also in English.

"So you understand us right? I don't need to translate that he's not done here yet."

Hye-Ri sighed, she wanted to pinch her nose bridge hard. "Am I talking to you?"

The girls in the table 'Oooohhh-ed' and scoffed at Hye-Ri's boldness. She didn't want a fight, she just wanted to take JK off the table with these girls.

Suga, who has been watching from the table, tried to stand up but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around to look at the person. "Selena?"

"I think she wouldn't like it if you jump in a ladies' conversation."

Suga bit his lip and turned his head toward the other table.

"I talked to JK first, and you keep butting in. You keep shoving him drinks when you know well that he couldn't decline." Hye-Ri continued.

Lila, who spotted Jimin coming in, straightened and tapped her friend on the shoulder. "Now now, let's not ruin this night. Let's let slide, for now, Cindy."

The friend called Cindy rolled her eyes at Lila and gave her champagne, "let's drink this to cool down."

JK smiled before leaving the table, and put his arm around Hye-Ri, "thanks Noona."

Hye-Ri elbowed him on the rib cage, "you almost got me in trouble, you should be giving me a respectful bow."

"I'll do that when I'm not drunk. I'll just treat your food next time."

"Oh shut up." Hye-Ri put her hand around JK's waist to steady himself. Although the height difference is not at her advantage, she kept JK walking straight to their table without letting him stumble.

The ladies who JK left at the table minded their own business once he left, another round of shots and champagne were brought to their table as Jimin sat beside Lila hugging her and showering her kisses.

"Are you having fun, baby?"

"Yeah." She answered simply, as she stole glances towards JK whom he has put a shoulder on the little woman. She also caught sight of her putting her little arms on his waist. "Who's the little girl that JK is with?"

Jimin glanced at the other table and saw Suga leaning at the woman who just put JK down on the seat next to her.

"I think she's a friend of Yoon-gi hyung, and Jungkook-ie met her once at the company... Why?"

"She's a little rude to my friends baby, don't you think she should go? I don't want her to cause any more trouble..." Lila pouted, putting a finger to Jimin's face down to his collarbones as she spoke.

Jimin thought of Hye-Ri for a second, he only met her once at their dorms and he didn't think for a second that she would cause trouble. He thought of that day when she clung to Suga as they went inside the dorms, of how shy she was to interact with them.

The first time he talked to her was she looked terrified unless Suga would speak to her. She didn't want to cause any trouble. When she broke a plate after eating, she flinched and put her hand up in reflex.

The members who saw that straight up went quiet and looked at each other, knowing full well that she was abused in the past...

"She won't cause you, trouble baby, let's just let her be with the other members for now."

Lila's face curled in annoyance, "Jimin." she said sternly.

"Let's just enjoy the party, okay?" Jimin said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He heard Lila click her tongue in annoyance and sulked in her chair as she bottoms up a shot in front of her.