the relationship [sequel]

speech

Bang PD may have been approving, but Dispatch were on the story faster than light with their theories and their rumours. However, we had learnt from our mistakes. A scandal only has the power to be destructive if you give it the power to affect you. And we were done allowing these things to hurt us anymore.

Most importantly, we were tired of hiding.

That was how I found myself sitting on the front row of a press conference - this time not behind the table - waiting with nerves filling me as the room was filled. Everyone wanted to know what Kim Namjoon's secret speech was going to be about; he had released a cryptic statement saying that he had a lot to say and gave a venue and a time. Press from around the world had flocked here like vultures, expecting more gasoline to be added to the media scandal around Namjoon's suspected secret romantic relationship.

But I knew better. I knew that he was sat backstage with trembling hands as he went over the speech in his hands. He joked that he was almost as scared about giving this speech as he had been for the UN. After all, he was denouncing the industry that had given him wings. I knew that Bang PD would be standing next to him, telling him that it would bring about a necessary change for the generations of idols in the future.

The lights suddenly dimmed in the room, and Namjoon walked out to a room of applause. And then it silenced, keyboards and pens poised and ready in the attempt to ruin a career with one article. But Namjoon wasn't about to give in that easily.

"Thank you to members of the press that have joined me here from across the world. That greeting is merely a formality because I have no reason to thank you given that you are part of the problem I will be discussing today-"

I took a moment to survey the room around me which had gone deathly silent. No one was typing, no one was writing. Because this was not what any of them had been expecting.

"I debuted as an idol star because I loved music. That was it. It would be naive to say that I didn't expect the things that came with fame, but there is a difference between being mobbed by paparazzi and having your whole life dictated by the observations of everyone around you. Most notably, in the case of love."

I let out an exhale as he said those words, my heart fluttering slightly as I looked at how earnest he looked. The passion was thick in his voice.

"It was this close media monitoring that led me here to where I stand today. The fear of being exposed for being human - for having human desires - leads to us idols to hide in seedy deals and behaviour that could be considered immoral. But through the darkness that I was cloaked in while hiding, I found light."

It was at this moment that we made eye contact, and while I promised him that I wouldn't cry I couldn't help the tears that were already welling in my eyes.

"When we find love in this world, we are often told to grab hold onto it and cherish it. As an idol, this is not possible. We are strictly regimented in what we can do. Our meetings are strictly confined to private spaces simply because if we reveal our relationships we will be critiqued from every angle. There will be those who will claim a relationship will distract us from our work rather than inspire us. There will be those who will claim that as an idol we have to appear as an accessible dream or fantasy to everyone. There will be those who will criticise our choice of lover."

Namjoon clenched his jaw and I could tell the anger was bubbling inside him again, threatening to spill out. However, he took a breath and composed himself, not wanting these words to sound like a mere spark of passion.

"The reason I called you press here today is to consider the humans behind the articles you write about. The reason I called leading figures in the K-Pop industry here today is to see the consequences of your restrictive rules and regimes regarding the lives of idols, not just in dating but in every single aspect. Our image, our diet, our mental health. We are humans. We are flawed, we fall in love, we get drunk sometimes. By forcing us to hide away who we are, you are forcing us to not be true to who we are."

His words continued, and I found my heart swell with pride as he continued to speak. Seeing him stand up there, I found myself undergo a new emotion. It was love - as bountiful and plenty as it had ever been - but it felt like a new type of love. The type of love that is no longer naive and excited, but contented and ingrained within us. A comfortable type of love.

Concluding his speech, I saw him take a shaky breath before he exited the stage. Once he had left the room erupted into heated conversations between journalists. I stood up to avoid hearing their discussions, and made my way backstage. The other members were patting him on the back, telling him how wonderful he had been.

We stared at each other, and at once ran towards each other and kissed with ferocity. It didn't matter that everyone else was watching because I wanted to show how proud I was of him. Words wouldn't cut it, so I hoped my actions spoke for themselves.

"I think my zipper was undone that whole time," Namjoon said, and I burst into tears from laughing.

Sure enough, among the articles about the actual content of the speech, there were a few dedicated purely to the pair of red briefs Namjoon had chosen to wear that day.

-

just realised there hasn't been smut in like forever, lol.

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