that bitch

“i’m surprised that hasn’t happened yet, i’m going to be honest with you,” byul admitted with a little laugh. “i wonder when minseok is going to enlist– i know yein mentioned that they want to start a family after he’s back….” she sighed deeply. “i do often wish i just…. left with yein when everything happened. i feel like i owe it to the fans, though. and to you.”

“so am i, but i can’t imagine either of them are all too excited for minseok to get up and enlist,” giselle pointed out. “it’s getting to the time when it’s about to be mandatory, though. i have to wonder how quick after his service is over ... everything will start moving,” she laughed, not sure how else to put that delicately. “you don’t owe anyone anything, sweetie. i would have been-- and will still be-- just fine. your happiness and creative freedom is way more important.”

“oh, god– it would look cute for the first week, but i can’t imagine that colour would take to hair long term. she might be better off,” yein snorted. “you’d shout me out anyway, unnie. you love me. and my music. you just can’t help it.”

“i feel like i have no idea what color green would fade into....” giselle admitted thoughtfully, before shaking her head slightly. “yes, well, as right as you are, let’s not get a big head now.”

“yeah… i guess i wish more open lines of communication with fans were more of a thing, across the entire industry. so i could let them know that i’m happy, but also…so they’d believe me and not thing higher was making me say it,” she sighed

“yeah. i can only hope that they can see you’re happy,” giselle answered. “some attribute it to just good acting, but i can tell. you’re doing just fine.”

“i wish there was something we could do. to go on like this. but its not fair to yein or haena,” byul sighed. “at the very least, i want to push to have more of a hand in the music. hyo does good work, but it doesn’t suit us. or me. it doesn’t suit me at least.”

“yeah, yein is too good solo. and if she and minseok are getting more serious, having group schedules on top of everything doesn’t seem like the most viable option for her,” gigi agreed. “sometimes i wonder if we should have just disbanded. because i love the new music, but its obvious you’re not happy, byul.”

“well, those fans are probably newer ones, i suppose,” she commented, sighing a little. she didn’t like the division within reign’s fandom between the old fans and new fans. it lead to fights like the ones that were breaking out now. “it felt good. honestly, it’s going to be weird going back to four, i think.”

“i think so too. especially without haena. it felt so powerful having her back, like we were starting a new chapter, but that’s not the case,” gigi hummed, frowning. “i really hope that this doesn’t do more harm than good. for her, i mean.”

“unnie, i got to perform with my childhood idols. people i’ve looked up to since i was a kid. i got to be part of the most anticipated reunion in kpop history. i’m the opposite of upset,” jess inisted. “i feel lucky to even be in the group in the first place. a few less lines doesn’t bother me.”

“i know  you say that but i worry,” gigi insisted. “i kind of get it, though. i remember when i got no lines, fans were so upset, but i didn’t care. i was usually strung out those eras, working on something else, or exhausted from lessons. their worry was nice, but it was misplaced.”

“what do i win for being right? we made a bet, right?” yein replied sarcastically, holding back a giggle. “well, however many of them there are, they sure are loud. i’m glad i looked good in the music video, though– the styling was cute.”

“the styling was cute! i know matty is a little upset she didn’t get to actually dye her hair that mint color, though,” giselle laughed. “you get bragging rights? my love and attention? a shout out on my socials for your next comeback?”

beom shook his head as he softly laughed off how nice giselle was being to him, feeling his cheeks burn slightly from blushing a little. “i can always get you one from one of our earlier comebacks if you want, but i think they’re all a little old now. should i be collecting reign ones?” he wasn’t kidding when he asked her, but beomsoo figured that unfortunately he probably couldn’t get away with putting a photocard of her in the back of his phone  ––  though then again his label had him keep his phone out of plain sight enough already that beom wondered if it would even make a difference. “okay, if i ever take a new photocard i promise you’ll be the first to get one. should we start trading them with each other or something?”

“no, you’re right. and i think it’s natural to see other people rack bigger numbers and want more, but i try hard to keep it in perspective.”

“fine! i trust you! i just worry, okay? and i worry about how fans are going to see this.”

“i get that, but when you get to the level we’re at now, you can never make anyone happy. all we can do is give a statement on why the decisions we made were made, and hope most will understand,” giselle retorted

“god, i hope that didn’t sound like i was…..pretending like i don’t have fans or something. or discounting the ones i have. because i love them and am so grateful for them,” aeri quickly said, turning bright red.  

“if you’re sure. i just… i remember how upset you used to get when you got barely any lines back in the day. i don’t want me returning to do the same to one of the new girls.”

“this is so different from that. this isn’t punishing her for anything, or relegating her to a visual only role. this is us celebrating you and haena. let us.”

“try telling liberty that– i think they’ve finally found success for me, and are scared about making a wrong move and jeopardizing that,” aeri sighed. “i’m sure there are some out there, but honestly….we didn’t have many fans to begin with, you know?”