Chances

Chapter 8: All Caught Up

Rachel stood at the door, waiting for the arrival of her guests. She was a huge fan of BTS and gladly offered all the services she could to meet the budget they had presented Hyejin with. They didn't account for the professional fees of Hyejin and Reyna, which were higher than the travel fees combined, so Rachel made ends meet by sponsoring the travel and accommodation fees. She was quite nifty with expenses, accounting for the equipment they'll be needing and the food costs, even up to the post production work she had marked them all down to a T. She has yet to confront the members about this but that was another reason why she wanted to fetch them form the bus.

As they neared where Rachel stood, the boys couldn't help but think how adorable she looked. In her baby pink, fluffy dress paired with white wedge heels, her wavy hair styled up in a half-pony. Not to mention her chipmunk-like cheeks blushed over with a pink tinted pigment and a glowing highlight over her well pronounced cheekbones. Jimin had basically fallen out of the bus door wanting to greet the precious girl who waited for them. 

Rachel helped him up and saw that he was blushing profusely, she stood only a little bit past his shoulder, which Jimin added an extra point to the attraction he had towards her. Hobi couldn't help but laugh behind him as he got off the bus too, introducing himself and Jimin. The other boys followed suit, to which she greeted each of them with a peck on the cheek sharing her name as well. They had complimented her on her beauty and her wealth, saying how much they liked the products of her dad's companies. She laughed it all of remaining humble and modest despite all the high praise. 

As Dahee stepped off the bus, she abruptly stopped laughing, a blank expression suddenly coming across her face. Dahee offered a weak smile and s curt wave and Rachel responding with a barely there nod. She turned to the boys who now looked confused by the interaction but followed her into the castle picking up their bags with them.

The tension could still be felt as Rachel explained that the west wing would house their bedrooms for the next two weeks, each with their own shower and tub. Climbing up the grand staircase, she points to the other path the stairs led up to "The east wing houses our rooms, you can find yours at the end." Dropping the honorifics as she spoke to Dahee, the scorned girl took this as her chance to break the tension by climbing up towards her room while Rachel continued to tell the boys of the other rooms in the main house. 

Rachel gave them a verbal tour as soon as they got to the west wing, looking out one of the bedroom's balcony she pointed to different structures in the estate that they were free to use if they would like during their spare time. Taehyung was especially excited about the horse stable he saw while Jin wanted to go fishing in the lake with Yoongi, the golf cart and gold course was what peeked Namjoon's interest, Hobi and Jungkook both telling him they want to try. They all spoke over each other, child-like wonder and excitement filling each of their words as they spoke about what they wanted to do. Rachel giggled at them fondly and also showed them a map of the castle, labelled as the main house, indicating the different spaces from the basement to the second floor with the kitchen, arcade and bowling room, indoor basketball and tennis courts being on their next to visit lists.

She waited for each of them to choose their rooms, which didn't take very long as all the rooms were just as beautiful as the other, before accompanying them downstairs where they had refreshments waiting for them at the dinner hall. Aside from the food and beverage displayed for them to devour, they were also met by Reyna and Hyejin, already digging into the food and was working out their production schedule.

Hyejin approached the group with Jin, Taehyung, and Jimin leading them to giver her a hug and kisses on the cheek as a form of greeting and doing the same to the other members she hadn't met. Reyna, on the other hand, stayed glued to her seat at he head of the table avoiding eye contact. Rachel came to take the seat opposite where Hyejin sat only moments prior and conversed a little bit with Reyna.

She knew Reyna had a form of social anxiety which would explain her working conditions and current behavior. In fact, Reyna didn't initially talk to Rachel during their reunion. Reyna and Hyejin flew to Ireland rom the Philippines two day after Hyejin convinced Reyna to join the project, Rachel had already been here prepping the place for everyone's arrival and found herself speechless as Reyna and Hyejin turned up. 

Reyna, of course, was distraught and spoke to Hyejin in private questioning why Rachel had been there and why they had chosen this place of all places and why she didn't tell her Rachel would be here. In a calm and hushed voice Hyejin told her everything, how Rachel wasn't the one she'd be terribly angry about, that Dahee was coming too and that she was sorry she didn't tell her sooner cause she knew Reyna would bail the moment she found out. But being in Ireland, in this provincial town, Hyejin knew she wouldn't be able to leave so easily. "You basically trapped me." Reyna commented, sliding down to the floor weeping for what seemed like hours but "I don't wanna be here, Jay." she sobbed into Hyejin's shoulder after she crouched down hugging the younger girl. Hyejin apologized and stroked her hair and said for two weeks to bare with her and forgive her and to hang on there.

Everything here, in this place, with these people, brought back so many sad memories for Reyna making her ask "why me?" dozen, even hundred, of times then and now. Hyejin didn't think the scar would open this deeply and would still hurt her, hurt them, like it did in the past but there was no going back now. Their affiliation with the band had been confirmed on social media and they had each signed contracts which meant that leaving now, discontinuing the shoot, would lead to a lot of dollars exiting their bank accounts, not to mention their reputation being tarnished would minimize their staying power in the industry.

So they did what they must, picked each other off the ground, wiped their tears away, and properly greeted Rachel at the dining hall where the adorable girl had hugged the youngest and cried more telling her how much she missed her and saying how sorry she was that she didn't try harder to keep in touch.

They had caught up with each other those next three days when they waited for the boys and Dahee to come in. Reyna could forget about the skipped time she had missed with Rachel but she didn't think she could forgive Dahee for the horrible choices she made. She was even more unsure of how she could possiblly be comfortable with the seven new faces she had to work with over the next couple of days.

She kept her distance even now, with all of them sitting at the opposite end of the table where she sat, Hyejin and Rachel on each of her side, over 20 dishes linking them. Small chatter going on between the member of the group and with the two older girls. Just as she had mustered up enough courage to stand and greet them all, in came Dahee in her navy blue tailored suit and pin straight long hair. Guilt and shame hovering over her features as she locked eyes with Reyna who in turn had anger, disappointment, and betrayal riddled across hers. Without another word Reyna stormed past the too formally dressed lady with Rachel running after her and Hyejin glaring at the still frozen Dahee.