Dangerous Woman - BTS 8th Member

Don't Blame Me - Jin & Grace

They had nearly been caught.

Very nearly.

It was hard to hide a relationship when you were two members of the world's biggest band, BTS. It was even harder when ARMY knew what you looked like just from your back and it was even more challenging when DISPATCH was looking for any hint of gossip when it came to the two eldest members, Seokjin and Grace.

They had gotten together, finally, in early January 2018 and the boys had been told a year after that. Then the pandemic hit and only now, in 2022, were things finally back to normal or at least semi-normal. The pandemic had spoiled them by allowing them to show their relationship without the fear of a camera spotting them or doing something in public that would give the whole game away.

Today, that secret nearly came unravelling.

They had just left the restaurant where they had been having dinner with Seokjin's parents and had just about made it to their car when the paparazzi showed up, more content on photographing another Korean celebrity who had been caught dining there. No one had realised two billboard singers had just left.

The car ride back to Grace's apartment was quiet, having come very close to being outed. She knew Jin wanted to reveal their relationship, and she knew the boys wanted to reveal the relationship as well but she was worried about what the media and ARMY's reaction was going to be.

The media hadn't exactly been kind to her at the very beginning of her career and they hadn't exactly been kind to the rest of BTS at the beginning of their career, only now fully accepted for who they were. ARMY, on the other hand, had always been supportive but there were those who would take things a step too far - Taehyung's situation with the members of BlackPink was a prime example.

She didn't want to go through that, just yet.

Jin had other plans and it started the moment he unlocked the door to the apartment.

"We should just tell them and get it over and done with. We're not going to get fired, not now we've got a Grammy nomination. Bang Si-hyuk has supported us from day one and he won't let anything happen either," Jin explained as he kicked off his shoes.

"It's not them I'm worried about - it's what the media could do to everyone's career. It's not just you and me we have to take into consideration here, it's the rest of the boys. This could negatively impact them, just as it could with us," Grace sighed as she ran a hand over her face. It was the same argument every time this happened.

She wanted to scream it from the rooftops, she wanted to tell the world, she didn't want to hide but there was so much more at stake.

"Can we think of ourselves for once? Can we not think of anyone else other than us?"

"How can I Jin when every day I'm reminded of what role I play, of who I am and of how many eyes are on me? I'm Korea's Noona, BigHit's Ace and only Female Trainee. I have to set an example, I have to have no scandals, no relationships, don't be overly familiar with men, don't give false hopes, don't do this, don't do that."

The years of rules and restrictions had finally caused Grace to burst. It had been implemented on her from when Boy In Luv came onto the scene - act the part of the sexy school girl but don't go overboard. Act the temptress in Danger but don't really be like that. Be the villainess in Wings but don't show any skin. Keep smiling, make sure you do this, don't do that and don't interact with this person.

"I want everyone to know, I want everyone to know how much I love you but how can I when there's so much at stake that one wrong move and it's over for all of us? Could you live with yourself - watching Namjoon's dream wash away, watch Yoongi's suffering be nothing, watch all the years of Hobi and Jimin's training go down the drain, watch Taehyung become nothing again and watch Jungkook be that shy teenager he used to be. Because without us, that's exactly what's going to happen and as much as I love you, I can't do that."

Jin watched her silently and she met his eyes, ignoring the fact that the tears had finally trickled from her eyes and down her cheek. Call her selfish but she wasn't going to give the world the satisfaction of watching BTS finally become nothing because Seokjin wanted to finally say he was in a relationship with Grace.

She silently watched as he slipped on his shoes again, take a look at her and walk out. She was left alone in her apartment for the first time in many weeks and she slowly turned, walking into her bedroom where she sat on her bed.

Silent.

Alone.

Jungkook found her an hour later, still where she was but with more tear tracks down her cheeks than before. "I'm sorry noona," he muttered as he sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulder and bringing her close. "I'm sorry for everything."

Finally, after years of quietly suffering, Chu Grace broke down.