Generations Expectation's | 8th member of BTS

59

Ae Cha's POV

"Is this too dressy?" I asked anxiously, fiddling with the fabric of my dress. I'd been getting ready for over two hours. Showering, shaving everything, wrestling with curling rods, and slathering on enough skincare to make me rival a newborn baby. I've attended award shows, held concerts, even shaken hands with people whose names opened doors, but for some reason, a childhood friend's wedding had me more nervous than all of that combined.
Though my face was primmed with foundation I could've sworn my face looked green with nerves.

"For a wedding? No, sweetie. You look great!" my aunt said from her spot on my childhood bed, trying her best to be the voice of reason. After fifteen minutes of watching me obsess over a single false eyelash, she knew I'd need a full emotional support team just to get out the door.

"Great?" I turned on my heel, staring her down, the space between my brows pinching tight with anxiety.
"Beautiful!" she offered quickly, trying to level up her compliment.
"Beautiful?!" I echoed, unconvinced, already turning back to the mirror and wondering if it was too late to undo the pinned curls and go for a half-up straight look instead. Maybe it wasn't too late to redo my whole face.

"Perfect!" she blurted, springing to her feet and placing her hands firmly on my shoulders, anchoring me in place. She stood behind me, eyes meeting mine in the mirror as I stared at my reflection with a thousand spiraling doubts. Her smile was wide, and I knew she was trying her best not to chuckle at my teenage angst, but I couldn't help but feel like she was lying. 

"Maybe I just shouldn't go." The words slipped out before I could stop them, my chest tightening as doubt started to coil around me like a snake. I had been looking forward to this wedding but now? Now I was finding every possible excuse to run for the hills.

What if the paparazzi caught wind of us? Jungkook and I showing up together? They'd descend like vultures, swarming the venue, flashing cameras in Lulu's and Pablo's faces, ruining their big day. What if we made the news? K-pop Idol Crashes Wedding With Mysterious Plus-One. No. Worse! K-pop Power Couple Confirmed? Intimate Wedding Appearance Raises Eyebrows. My name and Jungkook's side by side in big bold letters. Ugh.

And what if Lulu and Pablo didn't actually want me there? What if it was just one of those courtesy invites? "Oh sure, we should include Ae Cha, remember her? What if everyone else from my old school thought I was just showing up to step out? Or worse! What if Reese showed up? I hadn't seen him in years. Would I have to introduce Jungkook to him? Hi, Jungkook, this is the boy I used to fawn over when I was eleven. Please enjoy awkwardly shaking hands over buffet shrimp.

God, what if Reese was still cute? What if Jungkook picked up on that and got weird about it? What if Jungkook wanted to leave early? What if I got a nosebleed in the middle of the ceremony? What if I tripped in my heels and took out an entire row of chairs like some kind of sparkly, overly-moisturized bowling ball of shame?

Oh my god. What if Jungkook didn't really want to go at all? What if he was just being polite, saying yes because he's too kind to turn me down, even though he's secretly dreading the whole thing? Because we just such a good friend.

My breathing had turned shallow, my reflection blurring as the panic built.

Then, like a tether to reality, my aunt's hands gently squeezed my shoulders. Her voice broke through the noise, warm and grounding.
"Hey, kiddo. Earth to Ae Cha," she cooed, her smile calm as if she'd seen this storm coming a mile away.

My eyes flicked to her reflection in the mirror. Her gaze was calm and steady, so soft it unraveled me. She didn't even have to say much just, "Breathe." Her voice was light, patient, the way you'd speak to a nervous animal. I sucked in a breath, shaky and tight, and let it out in a rough sweep. "Good. Again."