BTS Eighth Member | The Life: Year 2016

Chapter 32- Watch Parties

Disclaimer -> mentions of su!c!de

Underlined = English

July 1st, 2016:

I was in school when I got the link to the music video from Jiyong. I sent the link to the boys and, during break, I quickly pressed the link and watched the video. It was a beautiful animation of several couplings: siblings, couples, and friends. One in each duo was struggling mentally and was obviously slowly fading, leaving the other alone by themselves, eventually physically as well.

Honestly, I was getting a little emotional watching it. It ended with a message: You are loved, you are not alone. The message was followed by the website and phone number of the Korean mental health and suicide hotline on the screen for 10 seconds. It was very moving and I couldn't be prouder to have been involved with the project.

By lunchtime, it seemed like everyone knew about the single. He hadn't released anything in a while, so it was bound to attract attention regardless. I could feel more eyes on me than what had become normal. Heeyoung came to see me in my classroom as she usually did during lunch.

"I didn't know you knew G-Dragon," she says excitedly, "or was this just a 'colleague' collab?"

"We're friends," I chuckle. Having spent pretty much every lunch break I had with Heeyoung, we had become much closer, and I felt comfortable enough to tell her about certain things about my life that I normally wouldn't with a regular ARMY. She had become more than that, and I could sense she realised it too. However, she was still very careful in asking questions and being respectful.

"Oh my gosh," she says, looking at me admiringly, "is Jungkook? If I know Jungkoook is friends with G-Dragon, I know I can achieve anything too".

"Hahaha, he's not really that close," I answer, thinking of what she would say if she knew I was even closer with IU.

"Oh, well... that's too bad," she nodded, frowning slightly, "anyways, I love the song. As a student, the message is also all too relatable".

"Really? Are you doing ok?" I ask her worriedly, "you know you can talk to me right?"

"Well... yeah..." she says unsure, "you know, school is just hard. And with exams coming it's even more stressful. Especially this being our final year and all".

"You been going to academies after school?" I question, knowing we were having sleepless nights for very different reasons.

"Of course," she smiles sadly, "we go to bed probably at the same time, but you do it because you're this famous idol... and I'm just trying to see if I can make anything with my life".

"You will make something of your life," I state seriously, "Heeyoung, you're one of the smartest, most hardworking, and dedicated people I know. And that's saying something I feel like".

"Tell that to my parents," she laughs, "but thanks. I don't think you realise how much that means to me coming from you".

"You know what, do you wanna come over on the..." I open my phone to check our monthly schedule, "the 7th? The first episode of Bon Voyage is coming out. We could watch it together. I could give you the inside scoops".