Lost Stars

COLLABORATION.

JIEUN

It was after the concert, and my manager had brought me back to my apartment. Manager oppa said he was sorry that he left to get coffee while I was sobbing in my dressing room, and had to have Taehyung save me. Taehyung was my best friend, and he had also debuted under YG with me. Hyun Suk promised me that he would fit me into a duo slot with Taehyung for my next song, which won't have to wait three months.

Taehyung and I will surprise our fans with a duet, and Taehyung had agreed to sing a sad song with me. Of course, we can't be seen going into each other's apartments, so we have been skyping to discuss the lyrics and so on. But walking underneath the dark night sky with my manager following behind me like a sad, hungry puppy, I felt especially lonely after seeing... him.

"J-Jieun-ssi." My manager squeaked, jogging to my side. I nodded at him, feeling numb. "You should've come to me after the performance, oppa could've taken care of you." He sighed, clutching his green jacket closer to himself. "Why did you cry, Jieun?" I glanced at him and I saw that look in his eyes, the look one would give to a child who got smacked by their parent in public.

"It's nothing. I just want to go home. Can we walk faster?" I demanded, and I was surprised at my emotionless voice. My manager had nodded sadly, his thin lips in a long frown. "Sorry, oppa. I just don't want to talk about it." I said under my breath, heaving a sigh.

I noticed him nod and he hurried past me to open the building's door, letting me inside. Once he had dropped me off, he was glumly heading back to the van. Manager Oppa always insisted that it's better to drop slightly further away from my home, so that fans won't find it that easily. As I typed in the code for my apartment, I heard footsteps nearing me. Alarmed, I looked up to find Taehyung smiling at me, his famous rectangular smile. 

He lifted his hand as a greeting, and I relaxed slightly. "What are you doing here? If anyone catches you, there will be a major scandal to deal with." Taehyung chuckled and I pushed open my door after hearing the beep. "Let's discuss the song together, you sound weird online." He said, entering my apartment with me. "Well, okay. Where's your manager?"

"He's having coffee and some cakes at a cafe nearby. He'll pick me up at nine." I nodded and gestured for him to take a seat on my couch while I prepare some drinks. He tossed himself onto the couch, and my heart ached as I pictured Jungkook asleep on his own couch, in his favorite red hoody, black sweatpants with no make up on, his face so peaceful, like an angel's. "Get me a soda, Jieun." Taehyung hollered, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Oh, okay!" I replied, opening my fridge. 

I grinned, seeing all the food. Manager Oppa must have refilled it. I took a can of coke and a bottle of water for myself, kicking the fridge shut with my foot. Hurrying over to Taehyung who was taking derpy selfies, I set the can on the coffee table and twisted the cap off the bottle of water, sipping on it before setting it down. "Did you bring your own papers, or..." He nodded, sitting up straight and pulling a few folded papers out of his pocket.

"We finally get to sing together and you treat our efforts like that?" I scowled, pointing at his papers. "Well, I'm not preparing for a sleepover or anything and I didn't want it to fly away or get snatched by desperate idols." He snorted, sliding it onto the table. I rolled my eyes and stood up, heading over to my bedroom.

As I pushed the door open, I flicked the lights on and I blindly reached for my flowery pink and white file, where I kept all my self-composed songs. I held it up in front of me and furrowed my brows. There was a flower-shaped sticky note pasted on the front. 'Jieun-ah, your sunbae named 'JK' told me to leave this here. He said he's having a comeback after seven months and wants to greet all newer idols performing at his comeback stage.' I gulped, blinking away tears threatening to fall.