faking you │ B.I.

► 19

I step out of our limo as Hanbin helps me out. We link our arms and cameras immediately begin flashing toward us. Hundreds of questions are thrown at us. They ask about our relationship, our careers, our outfits. Jinhyo directs us to which questions to answer first. We turn to a female journalist to our left, first. She's middle-aged and smiles widely as we turn our attention to her.

"What do you see in your future?" she asks and I blush.

Hanbin speaks first. "We haven't really thought that far ahead, right now we're just kind of living each day happy to be in each other's company."

I smile and nod my head in agreeance. A man to our right asks a question next. "Soojin, how well did iKON welcome you?"

I smile up at Hanbin and give the journalists a small laugh. "Actually, I haven't really met them because of our busy schedules. Today was my first day meeting them and they were all very nice to me. They were very respective."

The woman from before steps forward again. "What do you think of Hanbin's close friendship with BlackPink's Jisoo?"

"I've never met Jisoo, but I'm sure she's very nice and I think Hanbin is lucky to have a friend like her." I smile for the cameras and my mind starts to drift. 

Suddenly, another male reporter catches me off-guard. "Soojin, we have reports claiming that you're tied to Got7's Jackson. Do you have a secret relationship with him?"

The air grows tense. The other journalists know not to ask questions like that, but this man seems to be out for my blood. I stutter and try to think of how to explain myself, my mind jumbled from the sudden question. Hanbin comes to my rescue after a few seconds.

"Actually, I've met Jackson before. We were at Soojin's home playing board games to celebrate Soojin and I's one month anniversary. During that time I got to know him and how they met." I blush as Hanbin smiles down at me with that stupid, charming smile, lies just spilling out from between his full, pink lips. "You met when you were a trainee, didn't you?"

I nod, realizing how he had set the lie up for me. "That's right. Jackson and I used to be trainees together, actually. However, I left that company to pursue my acting and modelling career elsewhere. But we've remained close."

Fortunately after this question, Jinhyo interjects and tells us that we should head inside now. The other boys will answer questions about themselves while we start to head inside. Hanbin puts his hand on the small of my back and starts leading me down the carpet. We just smile and wave at the cameras as we make our way down the carpet. We stop occasionally to get photos taken. I show off my gown and the photographers go crazy.

About fifteen minutes later, we're finally inside of the event hall and we make our way toward our reserved seats. I hold onto Hanbin's arm as I try not to trip over my gown and heels. He chuckles as I stumble a little and I playfully glare up at him. "Oh, is that funny to you?"

He rolls his eyes. "You know it is, you would laugh at yourself. Don't lie."

Now I roll my eyes. "Whatever. How much further to our seats? I'm not feeling too stable."

"If I have to catch you so that you don't fall, I'll never let you live it down. Just keep that in mind."

I purse my lips. "You're right, I should try harder to be more careful."

He laughs again as we reach our seats. The rest of iKON is right behind us. Hanbin gestures to them and jokes, "Look, you made us walk so slow that the group actually caught up to us."

I swat his arm. "You try walking in heels."

Hanbin allows me to walk through the rows of seats, down to our own reserved seating. As I sit down, I notice a familiar face in front of us. I lean forward excitedly and tap him on his shoulder. He turns around and smiles at me.

"I told you I'd be here," Jackson says.

I smile back. "I didn't know we would be sitting this close. The reporters asked about us being friends, by the way."

Jackson raises an eyebrow. "Did they? Trying to stir up rumors I assume."

Hanbin watches our interactions quietly from beside me. Finally, Jackson turns a bit more in his seat and sees him. He gives him a small smile. Hanbin looks at him questioningly, then at me. I decide to break the ice between them.

"You know, Hanbin actually helped me come up with a story about our friendship. He really saved me from making a fool of myself."

"Is that so? Well then, good job, Hanbin."

Hanbin gives Jackson a tight smile. "It was nothing. Will you be at the after-party tonight?"

Jackson nods. "Yes, I will. I also wanted to introduce Soojin to a couple of friends."

Hanbin nods. "Yeah, I think she needs more, too."

"She's really too lonely in her small apartment," Jackson agrees.

"I think it's getting to her head." The two nod in agreeance and I scowl.

"I'm right here, you know. Nothing is getting my head. I'd be fine with or without friends."

The boys chuckle. Hanbin remarks, "We'll see about that."

I roll my eyes. Then, I watch in shock as the two boys continue speaking. The conversation is mostly about picking on me, but they actually start bonding. I sit back in my seat, observing. Then, I realize that at the after-party, I'm supposed to meet IU. I gasp and my heart starts racing.

The boys look at me questioningly. Jackson asks, "Did you forget to do something?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm meeting IU tonight. The IU. I'm not ready for that."

Hanbin shrugs. "You'll be fine. You guys are just getting together, snapping a few photos for the tabloids, and that's it. It's not an interview."

I swallow hard. "It feels like it is. She's been my idol since her debut. I'm worried I'll embarrass myself in front of her." 

"You won't do that. Trust me." Hanbin smiles encouragingly.

Before I can answer, the lights dim just a bit and spotlight the stage. The two MCs for the show start walking out onto the stage and everyone claps for them. As the event progresses and the awards are given out, I spend my time worrying about my meeting with IU. Suddenly, Hanbin taps my arm and points toward a screen on stage.

"Look, it's us. Wave!" He laughs at my stunned face on the screen.

I quickly smile and wave at the camera, receiving many cheers and claps from the audience. Hanbin's group members also laugh, surprised to be on camera as well. Suddenly, they start making hearts with their fingers and pretend to throw them at Hanbin and I. We laugh, not sure how to react. The audience goes wild over the scene. But just as quickly as we appeared, the screen switches to another group and the audience cheers for them.

"You looked frozen on the screen." Hanbin laughs.

"Yeah, because I wasn't expecting that! I'm going to be made fun of for awhile because of that." I sigh and laugh at myself with him.

Before long, the Seoul Music Awards are over. IKON was nominated for best song of the year and had come in second place, but unfortunately won no awards. Still, the boys were in a great mood. They were still wearing wide smiles and joking around with each other. For some reason, I felt disappointed the most that they hadn't won.

"What's with that face?" Hanbin asks me.

"You guys didn't win, I was hoping you would."

Hanbin raises an eyebrow and chuckles. "Shouldn't you have been rooting for your boyfriend's group? But it's okay, we'll win next time."

I blush as I realize he's right, I had forgotten to root for Jooheon's group. I mentally yell at myself, thinking that it was unforgivable of me to do. Since when did I start rooting for Hanbin, anyways? He's caused me so much strife that I shouldn't.

Hanbin flicks my forehead. "I can basically see your thoughts, stop hating on yourself. And me, I'm sure."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever, what do we do now?"

Junhoe peeks around at us and smiles menacingly. "Now we party."