A Modest Proposal (Kim Namjoon/ BTS) (#SerendipityAwards)

10. Ma City

Ji Ah lurched after the pickpocket, who seemed to have realized that the brunette-haired woman was in close pursuit. He picked up his pace, but the assistant videographer didn't relent, agilely maneuvering her way through the throng of people, never once losing sight of him.

Namjoon caught up with her, frequently throwing backward glances, his anxiety spiking as the paparazzi- two males and three females- began to close the gap between them. Ji Ah realized this too, rounding a corner and darting down a deserted alleyway. She pulled out her phone and hastily dialed the person who she hoped would be able to come to their aid.

"Ji Ah Noona!" a cheery greeting followed a couple of shrill rings and Kim Taehyung's excited voice rang through the speaker, echoing in the hollows of the empty lane. "What's up? By the way, are you with Namjoon Hyung by some chance? All kinds of rumors-"

"Taehyung-ah," Ji Ah interrupted him quickly, her legs pounding against the graveled footpath, Namjoon hastening beside her. "I need your help although I can't explain everything at the moment. Can I count on you?"

"Of course!" he said without any hint of hesitation and Ji Ah's spirits rose. They could conquer this yet.

"I'm about to send you our location," she said, her breath coming in short rasps as she gasped for air. "I want you to come pick us up. And alert the police while you're at it."

"Hold up, what? The police?" Taehyung's loud exclamation caused even the pickpocket to throw a cautionary glance over his shoulder.

"Not now, Taehyung-ah," Ji Ah almost pleaded, willing her body to move faster. They were in close range of the perpetrator; one more leap and she would be able to reach out and touch him. "I just need you to trust me on this."

Taehyung seemed to have understood, hanging up as Ji Ah tossed her phone to Namjoon, who caught it reflexively. "Send him the location."

"Why can't you-" But before he could complete his question, he received his answer in the form of Ji Ah lunging forward and grabbing the thief by his collar. The rapper watched in incredulity as she tackled him to the ground by landing a swift kick to his torso, her arms trapping the man in a chokehold.

Ji Ah looked up to find Namjoon staring and raised her eyebrows while the man thrashed around wildly in her grasp. "I used to take taekwondo classes in middle school remember?"

He did remember. How could he forget, when their first meeting had been Ji Ah punching him in the gut because she had thought Namjoon was ogling her.

Ji Ah fished around the man's pockets, ignoring his guttural protests as she pulled Namjoon's phone out. The rapper had texted Taehyung their location, and he now returned her device, claiming his own from her outstretched palm just as a siren began wailing in the distance. Ji Ah rose, dusting her pants, her eyes resting at the paparazzi which had finally caught up with them. "Keep your mask up," she advised Namjoon, striding in their direction.

"This man here," she indicated innocently to the figure still prostrate on the ground, "is a pickpocket. Watch over him till the police get here please?"

Before the flabbergasted group could voice a reply, Ji Ah grabbed Namjoon's elbow and steered him towards the other end of the alley where a minivan had pulled up on the curb mere seconds ago. Seokjin's face leaned out of the window and he waved his arm animatedly. "Hurry the hell up! We need to get back before Sejin grounds our asses for the rest of the year!"
***

Shivers ran down Namjoon's spine when he reflected on how close he had come to causing a scandal. Fortunately for him, the untoward mess had been cleared up without garnering much attention from the staff at Big Hit. He and Ji Ah had been reprimanded for taking off without informing anyone, but had the managers known exactly what had happened, a simple scolding would have been the last thing they would have to worry about.