November 3, 2019
"Ige deo jung-yohada..." (This better be important...), someone started to say but looked at the screen and stopped when he saw Bella. His head was tilted to one side and looked like he was in a recording studio. His look reminded Bella of a kitten.
One was in the kitchen. Another one was in a recording studio. Two were in a dance studio. One was in bed with a tiny black and brown dog.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" Jake chirped. No one said anything.
Bella was not sure if she should wave or not so she just looked at Jake.
"Everyone, this is Bella. Bella, this is everyone."
The one in the kitchen turned off his stoves and placed his spatula down. He picked up his phone and seemed to bring the phone closer to his face. The tiny black and brown dog tilted its head and barked.
The two people in the dance studio looked at each other off screen.
Complete and utter silence.
"Hyungs, open your mouths and say hi Bella." Jake instructed.
"Of course, how rude of us! So so so sorry. Hi Bella, I'm Namjoon." The other one in the recording studio greeted, waving his hand. Bella could see that he had dimples.
"Hi Namjoon! I'm Bella. Nice to meet you!"
The one with the tiny dog sat up in bed. He had bed hair. Bella noticed that he had a mole on his nose. "Hi Bella! I'm Taehyung!" he said and picked up the dog. "This is Yeontan. Say hi, Tannie!"
"Hi Taehyung, hi Yeontan!" Bella replied. "He's so cute!" Yeontan barked again.
"Yeontan, we talked about that ego." Taehyung rubbed his nose against Yeontan's. Bella laughed.
The ones in the dance studio started to smile. "I'm Jimin and that is Hobi-hyung!" Bella thought he looked like an angel. Hobi had a smile that could light up the world.
"Hi! Nice to meet you both!"
"Hi Bella! I'm Yoongi. Sorry about earlier." The one who had trailed off said.
"Nothing to be sorry about, Yoongi! If anything, I'm the one who needs to apologize for bothering you all."
"You're not bothering us, Bella! We were just a little shocked to see JK with a girl this soon." Namjoon teased.
"Except for the staff and the make-up artists, Namjoon." The one in the kitchen corrected.
"Right, Jin-hyung!" Namjoon replied. "My bad. I meant after uh, well, you guys know what I mean."
"Hi Bella! I'm Jin! Welcome to my group chat with my six children."
Jake leaned in close to Bella. "He's our eldest, Princess."
Bella laughed. "Hi Jin! What are you making?"
"Kimchi Jjigae. I'm preparing a little something for Eat Jin." Jin shared.
"I'm sorry, Eat Jin?" Bella asked, confused.
"JK, she doesn't know what Eat Jin is?" Jin admonished playfully, hands on his hips.
Jake moved his face into the screen a little bit more. "She's not ARMY, Jin-hyung. She only knows Gangnam style."
Everyone erupted into laughter.
"Don't worry, little one." It was Jimin. "You'll have plenty of time to get immersed in the inner dynamics of the K-pop industry."
"JK is our wonder child, Bella. Have you heard him sing yet?" Hobi asked.
Bella nodded. "Yes, sir. I have."
"Call me oppa." Hobi offered.
Bella's face registered a blank. "Um, oppa?"
Taehyung spoke. "It means older brother. It's a salutation and a Korean sign of respect."
Bella nodded. "Oh, I see. Do I call all of you oppa? I'm not sure if you're all older than me."
"Are you the same age as JK?" Hobi asked.
"No, oppa. I'm younger." Bella replied.
Jake looked at her. "You never really told me your age."
Bella smiled. "I'm twenty-four. Both in Filipino age and international age." Jake pinched her nose, catching her joke.
"Then everyone is your oppa since I'm the youngest." Jake clarified.
Jin clapped his hands. "You look good together." Heads bobbed up and down on the screen.
Taehyung looked visibly excited. "You're Filipino?"
Bella nodded, "Yes, oppa. I am. Have you been to the Philippines?"
"We went to Coron when we visited the Philippines for our 2017 summer package. I plan on visiting the Philippines again eventually." Taehyung said.
"If you want to visit other Philippine beaches you could always try Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Boracay or even where I'm from, In Cebu." Bella informed them.
"Throw yourself in as the tour guide and watch JK pitch that so hard to management!" Jimin joked.
The group call erupted into laughter once again. Jake hid his face behind Bella.
"I thought you were in Taipei, JK." Namjoon spoke. "Did you actually go to Cebu?"
"I am in Taipei, hyung." Jake insisted.
"Where exactly are you right now?" Namjoon continued.
"We're at 228 Peace Park."
Yoongi shifted in his seat. "JK, is this why you're not in here recording our guides? Because you met Bella?"
Jake groaned. "I'll be there tomorrow, hyung."
Chuckles erupted.
Bella turned to look at Jake. "I'm sorry about the teasing."
"Oh, this is no cause for apologies. This is just your introduction to us and our chaos. This is us, toned down. We are so much worse than this." Taehyung warned Bella.
"He's not lying." Jake agreed and smirked.
"We all raised that little wonder child." It was Hobi again. "We like to stake our claim on him. Teasing him is on the top of that list."
"I joined BTS when I was fifteen and still in school. Jimin-hyung and V-hyung are the closest to me in age yet are two years older." Jake explained to Bella. "They all helped shape me to be the me I am today."
"I remember taking him to and from school." Jin reminisced. "Dropping him off with his little backpack. Now he's introducing his first little girlfriend to us."
Bella waved both her hands in an x. "Oh no no no, Jin-oppa. I'm not his girlfriend!"
"You will be." Yoongi predicted.
"I think so too, Yoongi-hyung." Namjoon agreed.
Jake grinned and raised both his eyebrows. "Yoongi-hyung has the power of prophecy, Princess."
"I'm weird and unpredictable." Bella countered. "Besides, we only discussed the downsides to dating an idol. I'm still waiting for our discussion on the benefits."
Jimin snickered. "OOOh, I like her!"
"She's a feisty one!" Taehyung added.
"You heard her! Help our golden maknae convince her why she should date an idol!" Jin exclaimed.
There was silence for a few seconds. They seemed to be deep in thought.
"You're doomed, Jake. Seven idols can't even come up with one argument." Bella teased.
