The Missing Piece

Chapter 20

The week before Seollal saw decorations being hung all over the HYBE building, in keeping with every other business and home throughout Korea. The vivid reds, greens and yellows adorning paper bunting and lanterns throughout the office had inspired Narae, and in the absence of anyone else doing it, she ran the idea up the flagpole that she might decorate the shared apartment.

"Can if you want." Was the resounding answer she got. The boys had become so used to maintaining holidays as a different type of duty that they often forgot to enjoy the celebrations and traditions behind them. This year though, there was a little more enthusiasm as it was the first major holiday they were spending with Soulmates, always a romantic notion. Narae wanted to capitalise, so she went to town.

"You take good care of us, you know." Hoseok told her one morning, standing back to admire their joint work after he'd helped her tie up the last of the streamers to the ceiling.

"I suppose it's nice for you all to have a woman around the house." She smiled.

"To be honest, I think it's just nice to have someone who isn't preoccupied with BTS around the house." He responded pondering.

"Oh, I'm plenty occupied with BTS, I promise." She reminded him, with a flirtatious grin. Feeling charitably festive, he returned it.

The season may have meant holidays and relaxation for many, but their business was as busy as ever.

Narae and all the boys had been asked to meet all together with Sejin, Narae's department head, Hara, and a couple of the other 'In the know' staffers to discuss the week's schedule. As usual, they had to be at home to avoid anyone noticing Narae going up to the conference floor of HYBE when she had no business being there.

"Okay, thanks everyone. A couple of quick points about the party." Sejin starting, calling the room to order.

"We've given Namjoon some notes for a very casual, very quick, very 'impromptu' speech, so you all need to familiarise yourselves with what you want to say. Just lots of 'thank yous' really."

The members of BTS had grumbled in private but now they all nodded dutifully, glancing around the other staff.

"Narae. We're not sure about you going. Probably best to sit this one out." Sejin continued off hand, almost moving onto his next point.

Narae, who wasn't usually spoken about or to at these things lifted her head suddenly. "Oh, really, why not?" She didn't usually question things either.

Sejin looked through a few sheets of paper as though the answer might be on there. "Most of the Cordi team that's going to the recording the next day will be out of it anyway, getting the costumes and stuff safely to the venue. It's an early shoot. You should be with them."

Narae flopped back in her chair. She wanted to argue, she knew she couldn't. She was gutted. She'd been looking forward to it for weeks.

"Sejin-ssi, that's just not going to work. We've all been talking about this. We're excited to go, we want Narae to be there."

Jimin surprised her with his heartfelt outburst. She turned wide, loving eyes on him, beaming at his defence of her.

"Jimin, it will just look strange, we'll have to get her there separately."

"Sejin, find a reason. She's not missing it. If we have to go, so does she." Seokjin grumbled, adding a note of finality to the debate. As usual the line between what HYBE could dictate to BTS and vis a versa was not always straight.

Sejin frowned, his eyes running between Jimin and Seokjin for a moment but ultimately he decided to move on.

"You need to be very careful in that case." Piped up Hara, who usually didn't speak either. She was a stern woman who took her job very seriously. Everyone valued her for it, but she tended to behave towards Narae as though she was a liability for the group, not an extension of them. "There will be alcohol at this thing, and you're going to have to keep yourself in check and make sure you don't do anything silly."