The Explanation (Part 4 Coming Soon)

The Explanation Part 1

The three of them sat on the couch, facing the camera. They looked like porcelain statues, still and absurdly beautiful, almost too perfect. They weren't perfect though, and at the moment they were all acutely aware that they'd messed up. That's why they were there. That's why there was a camera pointed at them, waiting for an explanation.

Jungkook and Jimin sat on either side of Ji-Moon. The three of them sat alone in the dressing room that had been cleared of other people. It was strange to be in a dressing room all by themselves but it also felt appropriate. They'd made this mess, they had to fix it.

"Hi ARMY..." Ji-Moon's voice broke so she paused and reached for a glass of what looked like Coke, but was thankfully mostly rum. The ice tinkled, a bit too loudly in the waiting silence as she sat it back down. She cleared her throat and started again. "Hi ARMY, thank you for watching tonight. This won't be a long video, in fact we're about to go on stage." She paused to let the camera pick up the distant chants coming from the arena. The entire building vibrated with the screams and energy coming from 50,000 ARMY.

She wondered how many empty seats would be out there. How many ARMY changed their mind about coming because they were disappointed in them - because they were disappointed in her.

She tried to focus on what needed to be said but how in the hell could she get ARMY to understand? There was no way to explain it, at least no way that would make sense to anyone other than Jungkook, Jimin or herself. She had to try though, for all their sakes - for the sake of BTS. If the hatred she'd seen online in the past 24 hours was any indication, the future of the group was at stake. Groups had been brought down for far less.

"We, all of us – the other members too, feel it's important for the three of us to talk to you, to let you know what's going on. We're aware of the pictures that were posted online yesterday and how they look. We know a lot of you are confused and upset..."

"We're upset too!" Jimin interrupted. He was angry - very angry, although he was as calm as a butterfly now compared to last night when the pictures first surfaced.

They'd been in the middle of a rehearsal when it happened. Every phone in the room went crazy at the same time. Ringtones, notification alerts, beeps – they were so sudden and so loud that they drowned out the music. The members didn't stop dancing at first, although they looked around while they continued with the choreography. As the staff checked their phones, their immediate look of shock was obvious. Once they realized what they were looking at, all their eyes turned towards Ji-Moon, and then Jimin and Jungkook.

"What's going on?" Namjoon asked.

At first no one answered and then phones were handed over. Namjoon took one glance at the one he grabbed and he swore. His eyes also sought out Ji-Moon first, then Jimin and Jungkook. His sudden panic was unmistakable.

Jimin grabbed his phone. "What the hell? Where did you get this?"His fury was immediate and ferocious. He handed the phone over to Ji-Moon and Jungkook.

"Oh my god..." Ji-Moon grabbed Jungkook's arm but he didn't respond. He just froze, staring at the screen.

"Where did this come from? Who took this?"

"It's online." Someone said.

"Online? You mean this is public?" Jimin exploded with red hot anger. Ji-Moon just stared at the screen, not believing her eyes. She looked up at Jungkook. He just kept looking at the screen too, not saying a word. She didn't know if Jimin's fury or Jungkook's silence was more frightening.

"It looks like it's everywhere." Someone else said. They all scrolled through their phones, checking different apps.

Still, their phones kept dinging and ringing.