Fae's Painted Secrets

Chapter 15

The next evening found you standing in your kitchen staring at your phone disheartened. Blinking rapidly, you quickly read over the message in the group chat over again with a deep frown. You had spent the earlier part of the day relaxing and then had hit the kitchen hard making your Nonna's chicken and veggie alfredo lasagna as well as a more traditional meat one with homemade Italian bread. When it had gotten close to time for the guys to arrive you had started feeling nervous due to not hearing from any of them since the four had left yesterday. Your nerves were all over the place due to the nature of the intended conversation tonight and the radio silence hadn't helped. But you had chalked it up to their busy schedule. When the food had finished you had set it up prettily on the kitchen island and snapped a quick picture and sent it in the group chat to only receive a bland response from Namjoon.

"Busy schedule. Can't make it. Sorry." You read out loud. That response was nothing like the previous messages you had gotten from him that it threw you off. Setting your phone down you looked at the full spread and sighed. "Well, I guess I won't have to cook for a while now." You commented and began cleaning up and putting things away. You understood how their schedule could change at any time, but you had to admit it still stung. Shaking your head, you cleared it and just decided to try again another day.

Two weeks later you found yourself in the kitchen again putting final touches on the BBQ short ribs that you had set up in crock pots before heading out to BigHit for the scheduled appointment to go over your ideas and sketches for the collab you were doing with the guys for their album. You hadn't seen them during the past 2 weeks, and you hadn't spoken to any of them other than the very rare short message from Namjoon saying they were busy. Otherwise, you had been left on read. To say your feelings were a bit hurt would be a slight understatement, however with the new album coming out you were doing your best to be understanding. You had decided to go out on a limb and set up a meal to slow cook for everyone in hopes that after seeing them in the meeting that they would join you so you could all finally talk. You knew it was a stretch, but you couldn't help but hope.

About 2 hours later found you walking down the halls of the company to the conference room the meeting was to take place in. Upon reaching the door you adjusted the strap to your bag on your shoulder and took in a deep breath to try and calm your nerves. You didn't know why but you felt overwhelmingly nervous about seeing them again. Trying to shake it off, you forced a smile on your face and entered the room to see all seven of them sat on one side of the table with Sung-Min sitting at the head of the table.

"Well, hey there strangers" you greeted cheerfully taking them all in. Almost all of them stared at either the table, their phones or down into their laps aside from Namjoon who looked at you coolly. "Miss Vittori" Sung-Min greeted you with a professional smile while you smiled back quizzically not quite understanding the atmosphere of the room. Maybe something had happened before you had gotten there? Not sure what to make of it all you took a seat at the center of the table across from Namjoon and smiled gently at him while pulling out your sketch book.

"I know you guys have been busy lately, so I'll try not to take up too much of your time, I've drawn up some ideas based off what I've been told previously and going in the same theme as what we had done with Hobi before. I know you guys are on a timeline as well with the album release so I've mostly cleared the next 3 weeks of my schedule so I can be available at just about any time so we can get this done in a timely manner and with the result your wanting." You stated while flipping through the pages of your sketch book to find the concept drawings.

Namjoon cleared his throat "that actually won't be necessary, there have been some changes to your previous contract that we need to go over quickly before we proceed" he said in a cool tone making you pause and tilt your head. "Changes?" you questioned with a frown. Sung-Min passed down a packet of paperwork to Namjoon who began flipping through it.