When Yoongi excused himself to fetch Rhea from Selena for dinner, she had been watching the crowd with quiet tension curled in her shoulders. As they made their way to the buffet, Selena suddenly darted toward Jin, who was deep in conversation with Namjoon.
"Hi Joon! How are you? Where's In-ha?" she asked, her tone bright.
Namjoon smiled warmly. "Selena. I'm good. In-ha couldn't make it—she's feeling a little under the weather."
Selena nodded, her voice dropping with sympathy. "That's too bad. I hope her nausea fades soon." She then turned to Jin with a cheeky grin. "Jagiya, I had a little chat with Rhea, and I think you were right about the other night."
"You only talked to her for a few minutes and already proved my point?" Jin raised a brow, amused.
Selena beamed. "I think I'm going to win the bet."
"How so?"
Selena only smirked, but before she could answer, Jimin called everyone to gather in the center for a surprise. The lights dimmed slightly, and soft music echoed through the venue.
Back at the buffet, Rhea hesitated, plate in hand. She turned to Yoongi. "Are we... going to participate?"
He shook his head. "Nah. Let's just stay here and watch. Not in the mood to join the crowd."
She exhaled softly, thankful. Rhea didn't know the celebrant—and honestly, Jimin intimidated her a little. She wasn't even sure why she was here. Everyone was famous or dazzling or both, and she was... just someone who DJ'd in dim clubs on weekends and served coffee on weekdays.
As she chewed on her salad, Rhea caught a silhouette slipping away from the crowd. Tall. Hesitant. Familiar. She stepped to the side and caught him tiptoeing toward the exit.
"Why don't you stay in the shadows with us and let the others pile in?" she asked gently.
Jungkook's eyes lit up. "Noona!" He let out a breath of relief. "Yoon-gi hyung—" he said quickly upon spotting Yoongi.
He scooted close, practically hiding between Rhea and Yoongi like a sheepish little brother. Rhea glanced at Yoongi and whispered, "Is he always this introverted?"
"Our baby's shy," Yoongi replied with a quiet smile, eyes still on the center of the room.
The surprise unfolded with timed lights and cheers. A woman with long black hair and a body-hugging pink dress entered the spotlight. She looked like she belonged on a Vogue cover—tall, radiant, confident. Champagne flowed, and Jimin's face lit up like a sunrise.
From Rhea's view, Jimin looked entirely smitten—affectionate in a way that made her chest ache slightly. He gave the woman a bouquet, his eyes drinking in her every move. His voice, his hands, the way he held her—it was full of warmth. The kind of love Rhea had only ever seen in movies.
She glanced at Yoongi, and without thinking, her gaze softened. His side profile was sharp yet relaxed, framed by his undercut. She noticed the subtle bulk in his arms—he'd been working out. The thought made her face flush as she remembered, vividly, the moment she'd touched his abs when he helped her off her bike weeks ago.
The couple in the center began moving through the crowd. Rhea elbowed Yoongi gently. "You do all the talking."
Jimin beamed as they approached. "Hyung! Glad you came."
"Lila," he gestured to the woman beside him, "this is Suga, Rhea, and Jungkook."
Rhea offered a small smile and a polite nod. Next to Lila, she felt even smaller—like a kid crashing an adult party. She hated how she instinctively pouted at the height difference.
Yoongi noticed. He chuckled quietly. "Hello," he greeted. "I'm babysitting two children today, so I won't keep you. Go enjoy your guests."
Jimin laughed, while Lila smiled and glanced toward Jungkook. Her gaze lingered longer than Rhea liked. Jungkook, in turn, shifted closer to Rhea, his shoulder brushing hers—subtle but deliberate.
"Let's go say hi to your friends now, baby," Lila cooed.
As they walked away, Rhea saw Lila's lingering glance trail after Jungkook, and her instincts prickled. She leaned slightly toward him. "JK... didn't you bring anyone?"
He shook his head. "Didn't plan on staying long. Didn't want the fuss."
Later that night...
Jungkook had grown more talkative after a few drinks, laughing with guests at a separate table. Rhea stayed behind with the rest of the BTS members—Yoongi beside her, Jin and Namjoon nearby. Hoseok had arrived, slipping easily into a deep conversation with Yoongi.
Across the room, Rhea spotted Jungkook looking at her—wide-eyed, pleading. Like a puppy silently begging for rescue. She stood up.
"Where are you going?" Yoongi asked, his hand lightly catching hers.
The contact felt electric. Her breath caught. She blinked.
"Uh… going to save someone," she mumbled, withdrawing her hand quickly and heading to JK.
"JK," she said, "Yoongi has something to ask you."
It was a lame excuse, but the relief on Jungkook's face said he didn't care.
Before he could stand, a voice cut through—sharp, slurred. "Excuse me, but can he go after we're done talking with him?"
One of the foreign girls, glassy-eyed with alcohol, leaned over the table. Lila sat primly beside her, twirling her hair.
"He looks done to me," Rhea replied in smooth English.
"So you understand us? I don't have to translate that he's not done here yet," the girl sneered.
Rhea exhaled, steadying herself. She didn't come here to fight. But she wasn't going to stand down either.
"Am I talking to you?" she said coolly.
The table exploded in a chorus of "Oohhh's" and dramatic gasps. The girl scoffed.
"You keep shoving him drinks," Rhea added, voice calm but firm. "You know he doesn't know how to say no. Don't take advantage of that."
Lila's smile dropped slightly. She noticed Jimin walking over and straightened. "Let's not ruin the night, Cindy," she said with a tight smile. "Let it slide."
Cindy rolled her eyes and tossed back champagne.
Jungkook didn't wait. He stood up and put an arm around Rhea. "Thanks, Noona."
She elbowed him in the ribs. "You almost got me in trouble. You owe me a respectful bow."
"I'll do it when I'm sober. Food on me next time."
"Oh, shut up," Rhea muttered, steadying him by wrapping an arm around his waist. He leaned into her, and though the height difference wasn't in her favor, she walked him back to the members' table, not letting him stumble.
The girls went back to their party, Jimin settling beside Lila and kissing her temple.
"Having fun, baby?" he asked.
Lila sipped her champagne, glancing again toward Rhea and Jungkook.
"Who's the little girl with JK?" she asked.
Jimin looked over. Yoongi had leaned close to Rhea, saying something that made her smile.
"She's a friend of Yoongi hyung. Jungkook met her once at the company… Why?"
"She was rude to my friends," Lila pouted, tracing Jimin's collar with a manicured finger. "Don't you think she should go? I don't want her causing more trouble."
Jimin paused, thinking back to when he first met Rhea at the dorms. She was skittish, barely spoke unless Yoongi did. She flinched when she broke a plate—hands raised instinctively like she was expecting to be hit.
They all saw it.
They all knew.
"She won't cause trouble," he said quietly. "Let her be with the members."
"Jimin," Lila said, her voice sharp.
"Let's just enjoy the party, okay?" His voice had a quiet edge now.
Lila clicked her tongue and sulked, throwing back another shot.
Jimin didn't look back.
***
Rhea slipped out of the dorm, her jacket only half-zipped, a half-smoked cigarette tucked behind one ear like a messy bookmark. The buzz from the alcohol still lingered in her system, softening her edges but not dulling the storm in her chest. She told them she needed air.
Air meant distance. Space. An excuse not to crack under how tightly she'd been holding herself all night.
She didn't expect company.
Around the corner, near the rear exit where the staff usually went out to smoke, she saw them—Cindy and her crew. Laughing. Loud. Careless in their clunky heels and wine-drenched confidence.
Rhea leaned against the brick wall, quiet as smoke, just far enough to be unnoticed. Until the English started flying.
"Girl, I swear to god—Jungkook was like one shot away from going home with me last week."
"No way," one of them giggled. "Didn't that girl pull him away?"
Cindy scoffed. "Yeah, her. That Rhea chick. The one Yoongi always hangs with? She's like a sad puppy with trauma issues or something."
"Isn't she friends with the manager?" someone else added, lips curled. "God, why are they letting her hang with the hyungs?"
"I mean…" Lila chimed in with a dry chuckle, "at least I got Jimin. Even if he's short. That boy's got talent."
Cindy smirked. "And Rhea's just hoarding Jungkook for no damn reason. He was mine."
The girls laughed, the sound stabbing into Rhea's spine. Her cigarette dangled forgotten at her side.
"I'm gonna go get more drinks," said a new voice, syrupy and smug. "Maybe I'll get that shy one—what's his name? Yoongi—to loosen up."
The next part made Rhea's jaw clench.
"Bet if I get him drunk enough, he'll end up in my bed. All that quiet boy energy? Probably wild under the sheets."
That was it.
The cigarette hit the ground, crushed beneath the heel of her boot as Rhea stepped out of the shadow.
"Yah."
The laughter stopped. Heads turned.
Rhea's voice shook—not from fear. From fury.
"That guy is not some toy. Not an escort to go sleeping with. Fuck you for even saying that."
The group went stiff. Cindy's lips parted. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Rhea snapped. "You don't know shit about him. You don't get to talk about him like that. You don't get to talk about any of them like they're prizes to be passed around."
The girls started yelling over each other. It was messy, high-pitched chaos. Lila threw her drink aside and marched toward her.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?"
A scream was about to tear free—when the door slammed open.
Yoongi and Namjoon.
They clocked the scene in seconds.
Namjoon got between Cindy and her friend just in time. Yoongi stepped directly in front of Rhea.
"Enough," Namjoon barked, calm but sharp.
Yoongi didn't say a word at first. He just looked down at Rhea—her shoulders shaking, her breath shallow. His hand found her arm.
"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's go."
"Yoongi—"
"Come on."
She let him pull her away.
By the time Jimin came out, Lila was already crying dramatically, spinning her story fast: "She attacked us, Jimin. She snapped! I was scared—"
Rhea heard it. She heard the lie land. She turned just in time to see Jimin's face.
Not disbelief.
Just quiet hurt.
Like she had disappointed him.
Her eyes burned.
And she ran.
The Car
The ride was silent. Tension thick as fog. Streetlights passed like blinks. Rhea sat curled into herself, one hand braced against the cool glass of the window.
"I don't know what happened," Yoongi said softly, "but I know you. I know you wouldn't do that unless something had happened."
Rhea didn't answer.
Didn't move.
Didn't even breathe properly.
Her vision blurred. The alcohol buzz had turned sour. Spinning. Dull nausea twisting in her gut.
She didn't want to go inside.
She didn't want to do anything.
"You good, shorty?" Yoongi chuckled quietly, trying to lighten the mood.
Rhea snapped.
"No, I'm not good. Can you shut up for a second?"
Yoongi blinked. Then laughed anyway. A warm, easy sound. "Okay."
She felt his hand rest gently on top of her head. Familiar. Comforting.
But tonight, something in her broke.
She grabbed his hand and yanked it down—right to her stomach. "Stop petting me."
Yoongi froze. Her hand still wrapped around his.
He didn't know what the hell was happening—but his face flushed. He tried not to think about how soft her shirt was or how close they were sitting. He tried not to think about her.
And failed.
He leaned in, unsure, breath held.
But Rhea reached up and pressed her finger to his forehead.
"Stop. Don't come any closer," she whispered.
Yoongi's brow furrowed. "Why not?"
"Because it's dangerous."
He tilted his head, smirking. "How so?"
"Because when you're near, my stomach feels like there are butterflies in it and I hate it. You make me nervous. And I shouldn't be nervous. So stop—" she jabbed his smirk "—doing that."
He bit back a laugh. "What should I do then?"
"You should stay away. I should stay away. I caused trouble tonight. I messed things up with Jimin's girlfriend. And did you hear how they talk about you? Like you're just some… fuck toy. It pissed me off, Yoongi. And then I look at myself—tattoos and attitude and trauma—Selena is more your type. Not me."
Yoongi leaned back slightly, eyes locked with hers.
"What if I don't want to stay away?" he said, voice low. "What if I don't care about your tattoos and shit, Rhea?"
"Then I'll stay away."
She moved closer, her face now just an inch away from his.
Her breath ghosted over his lips.
"After this."
And then she kissed him.
A full, unapologetic kiss.
Yoongi didn't move at first, stunned by the fire and ache behind it. But then his hand found her face, fingers slipping into her hair.
He kissed her back.
Like he'd been waiting.