(Namjoon-BTS) Please Stay With Me

Chapter Four

The car's tires tread over the bumps and small crevices in the road. I couldn't get Luna's warning out of my head. She said that I wouldn't like the opportunity, so I know that whatever the supposed opportunity is, it comes at a price. If I have to make another big shift in weight, that's going to make me upset, but it's manageable.
The thing that would really piss me off is if they asked me to get plastic surgery. I'm the only runway and photo shoot model in Korea that I know for sure has never had a cosmetic procedure, and I never believed in the practice to begin with. I was always confident in how I looked. Maybe I swam in the shallow end of the gene pool, but everyone says they wouldn't change anything. That I'm "perfect". It's degrading to have people scrutinizing my body at any given point in time, but I appreciate the compliments. Even if I can't see what they mean. I've never genuinely seen myself as beautiful, but I have some self-confidence. That's good enough for me.
"...Jagi? Earth to (Y/N)..."
I whip my head to my right, seeing that dashing white smile and those sparkling eyes I fell in love with. I lean up and press a peck to his soft lips.
"Sorry, Joonie... I'm just scared of what the CEO's got to say. Luna said she didn't know what the opportunity was, but she did tell me that I wouldn't like it. She knows me better than I do sometimes, so I'm flipping out inside." I lean my head to rest on his shoulder as his arm wraps around my shoulder. He kisses my temple. I feel his hand rubbing a gentle, comforting pattern on my skin.
"(Y/N), there's nothing to be afraid of. We've got your back. All of us." Jimin chimes in, interrupting our quiet moment.
"We're all coming. If this opportunity is as big as Luna's let on, then I know that I want to know, and I want to be by your side to support you." Jungkook adds his opinion into the mixture, putting his hand on top of my head and ruffling my hair. I feel Joonie's arm tighten around my shoulder, and Jungkook slinks back into his seat. I feel a warm, comforting hand on my knee, squeezing. I lift my head and look to my left; TaeTae is looking out the window as we pass by buildings, the car's reflection mirrored on the glass. But his hand is the one on my knee. I free myself from Namjoon's embrace and lean over, wrapping my arms around my cousin.
"I'm here, you dork. I'm here." I hear his low chuckle in my ear, and I sigh, feeling content. His arms wrap around my frame, returning my embrace, and I feel at home. In the arms of my dearest cousin, my lifelong best friend (other than Luna). Thank the Lord above that I'm finally in Seoul with him, I don't think I would have been able to last being apart from him much longer if I hadn't moved here six months ago. That's the main reason I came here, to see him again. I honestly thought I had a one in a billion chance at actually making it big as a model, and had come to terms with it, but if I had Taehyung by my side again... it would be worth it. It would all be okay. I'd have my partner in crime back, and we could be "besties" again. He always used that word to describe us, and as much as it annoyed the hell out of me, it was a breath of fresh air to know I had a "bestie" I could count on. Someone who I knew would stay by my side.
I stay in Tae's embrace for the rest of the car ride. Jimin and Jungkook continue talking in back, occasionally breaking out laughing at something stupid the other person's doing. I feel Tae's hand rub my shoulder and I cuddle closer.
"Remember when we were kids? That time we went camping at Aunt Sue-Yin's place?" I hear a voice suddenly ask. I can't help but start laughing out loud. I slap his knee as I respond.
"Yeah, we ended up staying in different tents! I wanted to throw such a fit! But Irene and some of the boys pranked me by pretending to be a wild animal. I can't remember the last time someone made me scream so loud."
"And I ended up bursting in, trumpets blaring as the cavalry arrived! You stayed in my tent after that for sure..."
"And they never pulled a stunt like that again, because I (you) blackmailed the boys with a photo of them standing next to auntie's wrecked flower garden with mud all over their faces!" Taehyung and I somehow manage to finish each other's sentences, and we say the last part in sync, cracking up. I can always depend on Tae to make me feel better, and I hold onto him tighter as we calm down from laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Y/N)-ah, look!" Jimin and Jungkook are howling over other, unable to breathe. I look over to my right and Joonie-oppa is glaring at Tae but also trying not to laugh. When I look up, I start to howl and laugh too. Tae is making the most ridiculous mocking face to my boyfriend, with his eyes spread as wide as they can go. He's warped his face to make a double chin and stick out his tongue at Namjoon. I slap Tae's knee as I keep on laughing.
"Oh dear Lord, that's comedy gold right there! I wish Yoongi, Jin, and Hoseok were in the car with us right now, and not in a different one!" I immediately stop laughing and I look back at Jungkook, whose hands are now clasped shut over his mouth. Everyone's dead silent.
"KOOKIE'S DROPPED FORMALITIES!" Jimin shouts, making me laugh at the new horrified expression on Jungkook's face. "Care to comment?" Jimin holds up an air microphone to Jungkook as he begins to fake cry, laughing and screaming "Noooooo!" The rest of the car ride is filled with laughs.