Inked

Chapter 21 -"Outcast"

A few days after I was admitted at the hospital for low iron I was discharged. Jinyoung did not leave my side and when he had schedule that could not be postponed he made sure that I was not alone and texted me/ called me whenever he could. Grail and A.J took turns in visiting me and Uka was nice enough to bring me his mobile production set so that I could make some beats when I was bored. At some point I turned my room into a studio which quickly got shut down by the Doc since I was suppose to take some rest. I was beyong happy to get discharged and PLT was throwing me a welcome home party at our studio which was the first place I wanted to go to after the hospital.

Jinyoung was on a schedule so A.J and Grail accompanied me for the day. It was nice to have them around me. I knew that they were different to any artist that I have met and they were so easy going. As we entered one of the studios after the boys all hugged me and nearly cried that I was back I sat down with the girls and chatted.

" So NJ what will we write about?", A.J asked as she put her coat over one of the chairs.

A.J had an aura I could not describe. Her every move had a power in them that I could not describe. She was the first one to start a change in the industry with her own label and the safe house project. I did not know much about her story first but she opened up about her journey and I was left speechless at the willpower she showed. It made her look more human and that is something we all forget while we look at the people that are in the spotlight. They too have struggled with their life or still do but they feel like they need to hide it. These two women here were different though. Real strenght comes when one decides what you want to share and what not as no one needs to know your next move before you take it. If you want to change something do not talk about it but rather take actions to make a difference.

" NJ are you ok?", Grail asked me as she lightely patted my shoulder.

I looked at her confused and nodded.

"Sorry I was spacing out", I said smiling.

" Ah ok. So what is on your mind? I can see that it is connected to us right?", A.J asked beaming a smile at me.

My eyes widended at her observing skills. I leaned back a bit and looked at them both for a minute before answering.

" I was thinking about you two and how far you come. How grounded you are and how you inspire me to become better. The industry needed some more people like you two. What is keeping you motivated?", I asked them shifting on my seat.

" I am becoming jelly at the words that you chose. Well for me it was the people that I met and seeing what the old system does to them. What keeps me going is them and my little family I assume. But as much as you say that we are part of this all I think you forget about you. Your new system in JYP entertainment benefits the artists and the trainees. It is a different approach and I see the fruits of that whenever I meet JYP", A.J sang in a mellow voice.

I blushed a bit at her words but tried to keep it cool.

" I agree with her. For me it was the people that I met and somehow I tried to take a different approach. There were not many CEOs out there in this industry. I was not an activist like A.J was or you are but I tried to make a change with what I had. I still learn from Unnie and you. My driving force are the people around me and the Genius that I married", Grail said shyly.

It took me a few seconds to connect the dots and then my face fell at the realizsation.

" You are married to Yoongi? That is not official right?", I asked shook.

" No we got married in a small circle last month. We wanted to wait with the announcement and we have just moved in together. We like the peace. The press release will go out early next week", she answered amused at my reaction.

" So now that you know our driving force what is yours?", A.J asked me concentrated.

" Friends and love. There is a driving force in pain, hurt, heartbreak I guess aswell. This album was created with these emotions in me and it brought out a masterpiece if I may so. Now that we have here assembled I think we are creating something that surpasses anything seen", I said with sparkling eyees.

" I love that vision of yours. Unnie do you have a beat in mind?", Grail asked A.J smiling widely.

" I do but I want her to be the driving force here. My gut tells me that she knows where we need to go", she said with a knowing expression on her face.

 I thought about it for a bit and walked over to the piano and tied my hair up in a high bun. Absent mindedly I hummed a melody and played a few keys.

"NJ YOU HAVE A TATTOO??", Grail shouted out loud which made me look at her surprised.

" Yeah I do. I have it since I was 18. Did that shock you?", I asked her confused.

" No. I love it but I never noticed it before", Grail said taking a closer look at it.

"What does it mean to you?", A.J asked me curiously.

" To be brave, good and never follow the masses. Bascially to be proud to be an outcast....", I said smiling and then as I said the last word I felt a wave of inspiration.

I turned around to the piano and put that message into a melody and a song idea. The two joined in naturally and within a few hours a monumental song was born which we called "Outcast".

It was nothing one of us ever sang or produced. Three different colours came together and made a blank canvas come alive.

" The cover of the song should  be authentic. NJ it should display your tattoo", A.J suggested and I agreed since she was right afterall.

"This song should be released on a special occassion. No one should leak this before hand ok? Not even our men", Grail said seriously.

I thought about a great platform to do that and came up with a visit at Idol room. This was the platform people went to when they released new music but none of us really went there yet. A.J knew the MCs well and made a call to schedule that. She wanted it to be different to any other show before and the producer of the show was willing to help us. He knew that if A.J was involved in this project that it would be next level. If he missed out on that occassion he would regret it for sure.