Her Astronaut

✯Epilogue✯

It was a surreal feeling being back in Vegas for Elle.

Staring out at the lights in the early morning hour, she couldn't help but shudder at the memory of the last time she was in this city. Eight months ago she was at an extremely low point all due to her doing. Although she was on her own mental health journey, just let her insecurities take over.

A mistake that almost cost her the friendship that she cherished the most.

Although they had not returned to the relationship they once had, Elle and Nova were slowly repairing their bond. A repair that required Elle to put in most of the work. She was given a cautious second chance, one that she was forever grateful for.

After a not-so-gentle nudge from Yoongi, Elle took the first step to repair her and Nova's friendship over the summer. Thankful that Nova was willing to meet with her, they chose to meet in a very public place. A coffee shop near HYBE.

This was just the first step.

Elle apologized and gave Nova the entire story. Not leaving out a single detail. The tears Nova silently shed that June afternoon was proof that the two of them had a chance to reconcile.

Not being a stranger to mental health, Nova understood what Elle was going through and why she acted in that way. It did not excuse the behavior and as much as Nova missed their friendship, she was extremely guarded and cautious. Elle didn't blame her. She just wanted a chance to explain herself and apologize.

She was fine if Nova never forgave her. But Nova did and the two women began to slowly work on their friendship.

Although the two women were now working for the same company, Elle hardly saw Nova. When she was in Korea, Nova was attached to Jin or actively working with TXT. Since the younger group was not a part of her contract, Elle hardly saw her friend.

Elle threw herself into helping Yoongi finish up his album. It was an emotional experience but allowed her to learn more about the man whom she was undoubtedly beginning to fall in love with. It was through his music she was better able to understand who he was and truly what made him tick.

Yoongi wasn't the only artist that Elle got to work with.

After word got about the 'editor from America' who had been hired to work with SUGA, Elle got a call to go meet with the CEO of ADOR, a label under HYBE. This newer label was about to debut a brand new girl group. Elle was brought on as not just an editor, but a producer as well. They felt her personality would be the perfect match for this new group.

New Jeans.

Although they already had some songs prepared, Elle wasted no time in helping them not only prepare for their debut but also help them write and produce more songs for later EPs and albums. Following BTS' lead, the girls were heavily involved in the songwriting process. Elle bonded with all five girls rather quickly, becoming a big sister figure in their lives.

Between the group's explosive debut and everything around finishing Yoongi's album, Elle kept herself rather busy. There wasn't much time in which she could ruminate on repairing her friendship with Nova. However, the two of them kept in contact with occasional check-in texts after Nova returned back to the States.

After Jin got sick, Nova returned to South Korea and followed him around everywhere. Due to this, the two women began to see each other more often around the company. What started as pleasant exchanges in the hallways of HYBE slowly turned into coffee runs and meeting up in the company cafeteria for lunch.

It was slow, but it was progress.

When Nova returned to Seoul after dealing with the rouge Kosmos investor, Elle made a concerted effort to check in with Nova daily. From texts to delivering surprise coffees, Elle made a point of making herself visible in Nova's everyday life.