Prepared To Hate You

The Apology

"I think Noona should have a big bandage on her cheek."

"No, that covers it up too much. Do the strips come in different colours? Or can you paint them red?"

Jimin and Taehyung were standing beside her while she got her makeup done before their first concert in America.

"What are two doing?"

"Thinking about how to make your injury more obvious."

"What? Why?"

"So ARMY can see what happened to you."

"Seeing is believing."

"Stop being ridiculous."

Jungkook joined them.

"Yeah, Hyungs. It will look fake if it's too obvious."

"Fake! Can you use makeup to make it look bigger and more... ouchy?"

"More ouchy? Really?"

"You know what I mean."

"Maknaes! Leave her alone. Now."

The three youngest shuffled away and she smiled gratefully at Yoongi.

"Thanks."

"You indulge them too much."

"What? Should I be scarier, like you?"

"Yes. Exactly."

"You fool no one. You're a softie at heart too."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?!"

The concert went well. The fans didn't ignore her quite as much and she smiled so much that her cheek was hurting by the end. Jin had to stop her from rubbing her cheek, something the boys had been doing a lot the past few days as she had a bad habit of touching her face, such as leaning it on her hand.

That night they all gathered to eat dinner. Some of the boys were checking their phones for reactions to the concert when Taehyung suddenly jumped up.

"Taehyung! Be careful! You almost knocked that drink all over the food."

"What is it that's got you so excited?"

Taehyung sat back down but waved his hands around excitedly.

"We didn't need to make it more obvious after all!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Noona, everyone's talking about the cut on your cheek!"

Jin leaned forward in his seat as he scrolled on his phone.

"He's right! ARMY's doing an investigation on Twitter. They found that video someone got of the incident. You know, the part where you got hit, not the Namjoon hugging you part."

"And they finally realised that the statement the company released was about you, not us. I can't believe they didn't clarify that."

"Hashtag ARMY is sorry. We have the cutest fans."

They were all looking at their phones now, apart from her and Yoongi. The rapper leaned closer to her.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah... I just didn't think they'd take any notice."

She raised her hand and hovered her fingertips over her wound.

"These things have a way of righting themselves."

Jungkook interrupted their little moment.

"Look! Namjoon-Hyung is being called the perfect protector, the handsome hero, and the buff bodyguard."

"Whoop! Go Hyung!"

The leader had his face in his hands as he groaned at the younger members' teasing.

"I think I like the buff bodyguard the best."

"Don't encourage them, Jin-Hyung!"

"Hey! You should be happy that they've changed their tune. Yesterday they were hating on both of you, this is a miraculous turnaround."

Yoongi nudged his shoulder against hers.

"I bet a certain someone will see all this too."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. If he saw the bad news, then surely he'll see the good too."

Yoongi looked at Namjoon as he spoke again.

"Don't worry. A little thing like this won't come in between you two."