Risk is the Spice of Life

Chapter 11

On the screen was a slideshow of me and Namjoon. Some of the pictures were cute, like when he would hold my hand or when he back hugged me as we stargazed, some were ones that I wished hadn't been taken – brief moments of fiery passion -, and some were outrageously scandalous acts with our faces photo shopped in, but Namjoon and I were the only ones who knew they were photo shopped; to everyone else watching we were an active and interesting couple. When the slideshow ended the cameras turned off. I couldn't read the expressions on my friends' faces and I couldn't even look at any of the BTS members.

"She cheated!" someone from the crowd of unchosen contestants shouted. "She couldn't win with talent so she had to sleep her way in!"

"It is shocking" Linnet conceded. "I didn't think any of us would stoop so low. But I am more surprised any member of BTS would follow suit. Especially their esteemed leader." Their hateful gazes turned to shock and disappointment as they looked at Namjoon. Uneasy murmurs rippled through the crowd and they began to get anxious. And I was suddenly scared for my life; the riot against the unjust our choreography conveyed was being focused at me. However, before the crowd could surge Fernando ushered me and BTS away.

We had been ushered into a private room for a discussion; me and Namjoon against the rest of BTS, the managers, and representatives. BTS stared at us as we were being lectured and I felt like a child being scolded by parents. My only source of comfort was Namjoon's arm around me. I'd initially tried to avoid his display of affection and protection while we were being lectured, but he was insistent and stronger than me so I gave in. Despite our current predicament a part of me just enjoyed being in his embrace.

"Namjoon", a representative said, "I still can't believe how reckless and thoughtless you were. This has caused a lot of problems we aren't quite prepared to deal with."

"I don't understand the problem" Namjoon replied calmly. I winced and face-palmed myself.

"Namjoon, the issue isn't your feelings or the person you have them for; we all adore Pendriel. The problem is the public---"

"I don't care about the public" Namjoon interrupted.

"---and the image you are supposed to present." The representative finished. Namjoon looked at him expectantly but remained silent.

"Under any other circumstance a romance between an idol and a fan is a real-life Cinderella story. However, in this case, the hosen contestants were to be chosen solely on their scores from the challenges, without bias."

"But Pendriel was chosen because of her scores."

"That's true, but, thanks to Linnet's stunt, the public will only focus on the drama that can come out of this, which is that Pendriel was chosen because of the romantic relationship you shouldn't have had during this event. It's quite scandalous, and the media will eat it up and spit it out as many times as it will give them the top story. And speaking of scandalous......were all of those pictures real?"

Namjoon grinned and winked. "Wouldn't you like to know." The representative sighed heavily as I smacked Namjoon and the other members of BTS chuckled.

"Most were real, but not all" I answered. The managers and representatives rubbed their eyes in thought and stress.

"We are going to have to turn on the wi-fi so that we can handle this. And until we can get everything resolved, you two are going to have to stay as far away from each other as possible."

"Absolutely not" Namjoon replied firmly as he tightened his grip around me.

"You will" the head manager cut in angrily. "We won't be able to get the situation under control if new pictures of you two start blowing up the internet. You are not to meet or see each other until the Fan Favorite choices next week. End of discussion."