taengoo.

“It’s okay,” he chuckles, rubbing his eyes while sitting up on the dressing room couch, having a look around at the others who were still snoozing in there. “I was half awake anyway.” They’d arrived early on that morning to the music show, and seeing as the staff was still setting up the stage they couldn’t really rehearse so most of them decided on napping until the hair and make up departments arrived. “They still are though, so we might wanna grab whatever you needed from in here and head out… Do you happen to know where the bathrooms are backstage?”

Jimin bursts out laughing at the things she blurted out so easily, just like that and the song popped out in his mind but with the lyrics she had just made up and his laughter increased, his hands clapping together as a small ache hit at the pit of his stomach. “Ahh, you are terrible. How can you be like this?” He joked, the orbs staring back at his, replacing the laughter by a playful smile and blows against her facial features for a second. “Sleepyhead.”

“I still vote for fluffy pajamas with pets all over it such as bunnies or puppies or some other cute animal. With small, tiny wolves! That would be some view.” The pink haired male ran his digit across her eyelid carefully, smiling at the sleepyness readable across the swollen skin. How could he ever imagine his life ending up like that? Having anxiety and panic attacks, murder images pushing through his memories when his deepest instincts were begging to quick in and he desperately tried to keep his own personality, his original character. And yet, he became a vet and he found a best friend like her, sneaking into her dorm and play with the pups that somehow loved his natural scent more than any other creature. “I’ve been… so exhausted, work just gets on growing more and more and I can barely sleep these days. I missed you too, that’s why I had to show up in the middle of the night to bug you. I wonder how ones does not beat me with an hammer for waking her up at 5 am.”

Though she kept it a secret for a long time, Jimin sneaking into her room at night, her secret was busted as soon as she moved into the dormitory - it was hard to hide a teenage boy from a very hyperactive and awake room mate after all. The girls used to scold her for letting him in, assuming that he was some sort of hooligan, a bad boy who would only use her. However, with the time that went by, they become accustomed to his presence and realised that he was anything but a player - he was their dear leader’s best friend when ever she felt like she had no one. Her manager had no idea though, of course; who would curse the poor working man with such a dangerous secret?

“Whichever you say first, it doesn’t matter which. I answer to both” He grinned, nodding slightly as he looked around. Hansol tried to remember ever spot as they walked through, not wanting to forget each place and how to get around. “Well, no matter how many people are here, I’ll still do my job” He smiled, his hands clasped in front of him. “What about allergies? Pets? Likes and dislikes?”

“Well, I like to sleep,” she laughed lightheartedly, “And, honestly, I stay in bed most days - I game a lot, you see, so if you need me anytime then I’ll probably be in there. The other girls are usually out with their friends when we don’t have schedules; they’re the sociable ones.” Working for an apartment full of girls, many loud and boisterous, would definitely be tough work for Hansol, but she figured that she should have been the easiest to work for. Maybe.

“Pets wise, we all have our little pups and kittens, though it’s mostly just Tiffany’s Prince that’s around a lot - he’s napping in her room right now,” she explained, “You’ll see them here now and then, but they’re mostly staying with out parents since we don’t have time to look after them. My pup’s staying in Jeonju with my parents.” Leading him into the kitchen, she showed him where they kept all of their utensils and the fridge - well stocked, partly because Taeyeon liked to cook and also because no one was home enough to eat it all; except her and she rarely ever ate. “I’m allergic to nuts,” she listed, “So I have to be pretty careful with that. And Sica’s allergic to – oh.”

Joohyun smiled, trying to show her some sort of assurance. The thing is, it was difficult to promise assurance. They were all trying so hard to help their fellow member out, and prayed that nothing they did would go in vain. They all loved each other so much and Joohyun wanted nothing but the best for her members. They were always going to be her sisters, her family in Seoul who were more precious to her than anything in the world. But sometimes, the way Wendy held herself worried her so much. “I will, unnie. I’ll make sure to take care of her with to the best of my abilities.” Now, that was something she could promise. In fact, she would go way beyond her best to take care of not only Wendy, but the rest of Red Velvet. The girl seemed tough on the exterior, but she knew there was more to her than her bright smile and her astounding voice. “We usually try to tell her to…eat a lot. And she did go on that one food show where she got to eat a lot!” Asking for the older’s help…that wasn’t something Red Velvet’s leader could nod off to. She didn’t want to bother them, and so she shrugs the offer off with a smile.

“That’s good,” Taeyeon nodded, “I honestly should have a talk with your manager or something. I mean, I don’t know how much I can do when I’m just another artist, but you girls are young. All of this control isn’t good in the long run.” She started dieting when she was barely a teenager, trying so hard to fit into the perfectly pretty mould that she saw on the television screens, feeling that that was the only way to be a singer. Little did she know the long term damage it would do to her body, weak and aching often now.

✦✧✦ He followed the girl sheepishly and with a smile plastered on his face. “You’re surprisingly down to earth, for an idol of your caliber.” He spoke before he had time to really think over what he was saying. Only after hearing his words he realised just how rude they were. “I’m sorry, I mean… You’re so influential and it would make sense for you to be a bit of a diva but you’re not. You’re a really nice person.” He hoped that he explained himself more or less well enough.

He stood beside her as she was getting her car from the parking lot and only lightly laughed at the reaction she was getting. At the same time he replied. “If you’ve managed not to be in the news for constant crashing of your car then I’m sure you’re a good enough driver. I mean, nowadays with the internet and smartphones there would be no way to cover up if you were accident-prone. But I don’t remember even one word. Meaning you weren’t in any. That’s good enough for me.”

“Of my calibre?” she repeated, laughing at his words, “I can be a diva at times, I’ll admit. You wouldn’t want to be around me at those times.” Actually, Taeyeon was a rather meek and polite person even professionally, though she had her moments - mostly with stage crew or audio technicians who, in her opinion, were under performing. She was a hard worker, a perfectionist, and in return she expected others to be as well.

“There’s just more room back there to stretch out. For long rides, I didn’t want to make you feel cramped!”