Pop Star || Yoongi x Reader

35. Impending Disasters

A colorful supermarket whizzes past your car window but you can't get his face out of your mind. Or the feeling of him holding you.

"Oh, god, Y/N, snap out of it..." you mutter to yourself. You feel confused. But not quite upset. He's not like anyone you've previously been attracted to - so far at least - and in a good way. And while you can't predict how things are going to go, you feel confident that it won't be like -

Your phone rings, interrupting your musings. You don't recognize the number. That's strange, who'd call your personal cell? You answer out of curiosity, "Hello?"

"Hey Y/N. How have you been?" a deep, sickly familiar voice answers.

"DK? How did you get my number?" there's palpable irritation in your voice.

"So rude, Y/N - but there's nothing new there. You sold a few songs so you think you can stick your head above the clouds and live?"

Shit. You want to retort but the words don't seem to come out. You weren't on your guard at all. Shit.

He continues, "you're going to give me back what's mine, Y/N. Ten times more. Hundred times more. You were trash without me -"

You cut the call, swearing under your breath. Your heart's racing again, and not in a good way. There goes your good mood - how did he even get your number? You block him immediately. It's shocking how much his words affect you even now. And to think there was a time when you were pretty used to him taking out his frustration on you. You take a couple of deep breaths. He can't touch you anymore, you remind yourself.

You stroll into the apartment lobby, having regained some of your composure. "Y/N!" you scan the lobby in the direction that voice came from. "Here-!" you spot Lily waving towards you from a corner. You both get into the elevator that leads to the penthouse that is your Airbnb.

"Monica's already upstairs - she's got news," Lily says. She's grown her curly hair over the course of this year, and with loose denims, it is giving her a rather 90s vibe.

"Good or bad?" you ask.

"It's about Ribbon," she says.

"No shit. There goes my good day," you mutter.

"Why - oh! The session - how did it go?" she practically bounces with excitement.

"Well - V took a sick day, so we couldn't do much," you deliberately avoid mentioning anything about you and Yoongi.

"Wait, so it was just you and Suga?"

"Yep," you avoid her eyes by looking at the digital screen next to the elevator doors.

"Oh - M - G. How was it?"

You catch her eager eyes and end up laughing. Thankfully, she can't read you the way Monica can.

"It was -" the last moment between you and Yoongi flashes in front of your eyes, "- um - good," you end in high pitch.

Lily struggles to understand the combination of complex expressions and plain words that you deliver to her. But she's not that simple.

"Good how?" she giggles.

You press your lips together to hold back a grin and insert your balled up hands into your pant pockets. How do you explain this? Even you don't know what to make of what's going on between the both of you. Both of you step out of the elevator with you still in your thoughts.

"Agh, Lily - I don't know!" you groan.

"What did you do, Y/N?" she squeals, laughing harder.

"Nothing! We recorded some bits. He arranged them," you leave out the bit where he fell sick, "then we talked and then it - well, it's nothing complicated - I'm just surprised that -" you're at a loss of words.

"Are you feeling serious about him?" Lily asks seriously.

You let out a wail. "I hate being vulnerable. I think he does too. Nothing is coming out of this, Lily. Nothing. We're too defensive for our own good."

"Or maybe both of you are mature enough to not rush things," Lily says, "and are giving each other the respect and space to figure things out, as you should."

You blink. You didn't think of it that way. "Damn, Lily. That's deep. I'm pretty sure I'm immature af - but that's deep..." you continue staring at her back as you both enter your home.

The entry leads from a small lobby to a fairly large living room. The furniture is minimal, but you've gone with olives, browns and beige fabrics that lends the place a warm vibe. The glass balcony doors let in ample amount of sun from afternoon to late evening. On the left, the living room leads to the kitchen-dining area and a spare room that's usually occupied by Lily. On the right is your little bedroom, a tiny room that you've converted to a temporary closet and the last one's a master bedroom that you made into a workstation.

You slump into the olive squishy sofa after dumping your purse in a corner. Despite how awkwardly the afternoon ended, you can't help but feel a giant warm bubble inside of you. Breathe... the memory makes you blush. You do like him. And him? He's a little moody, and a little reserved, but you feel it's okay to trust him. And it feels nice when he's around. You fell asleep so easily back then although it's hard for you to sleep in unfamiliar places. And even back when you were returning from Daegu. Today, funnily enough, he woke you while putting the blanket on you although he tried to be as subtle about it as he could. You didn't move an inch. He could be weirdly sweet sometimes...

"Why is she grinning like a dumb tomato?" Monica's voice pierces your cloud of memories.

"She recorded with him today. Alone," Lily replies. Both of them are standing, heads together watching you. You bury your face in a cushion.

"Stop it, okay. Monica, you have news?"

"Ah, yes. Your mother called. Apparently, DK is trying to convince Prakriti's board of directors to appoint him as the executive director."

"Wait. He's what? Is that why he called me today?"

Monica stares at you confused. You fill her in on your phone conversation with DK less than an hour ago.

"...I think he was high - that little -," you finish with a few swear words, then add, "But - don't all directors have equal vote share? What's he trying to achieve by taking on this ED post?"

"Exactly," Monica says, "on the face of it, it's not much of a difference. In fact, the post will tie him down to India."

"Which would conflict with his position at Ribbon, right?" Lily asks. Monica blows air out of her cheeks.

"Ribbon is going down, Lily. This is sure proof. See - the executive director oversees the actual operations of Prakriti - don't you get what he's trying to do?" Monica glances at both of you.

"Of course," you bury your face in your hands. That piece of shit. Prakriti was always his backup, and you should have known.

"What is going on?" Lily asks in a small voice.

"Money, Lily. If he oversees the operations, the funds will also ultimately go through him. And whether we like it or not, he's worked at Prakriti long enough to have enough people by his side to actually succeed. He'll probably stage a step-down from Ribbon, and join Prakriti full time."

"Wait. So like - he can't just take the money, can't he?"

"No he can't," you answer her, "but this is DK - he's like a fucking magnet for money. He will find a way."

"He is spiteful, Lily," Monica sighs, "it would be foolish to trust him."

You bury your head in your hands.