BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 116: one step closer to healing

<OST: Tell me about your day - Kwon Jin Ah>

"Aren't you going to ask me anything...?"

"Hm?" Jennie glanced at Yoongi who sat on the couch right next to her after they came home later that day. "Ask you what?"

Yoongi hesitated, as he looked away.

"About that day," Yoongi said quietly. "Why I did what I did, all the details about the incident, how my life was before that and how it was after... You must be curious, aren't you...?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't..." Jennie said softly as she got up from where she was and took a seat right next to Yoongi on the couch. "But I told you that I'd give you space, oppa. You don't have to pressurise yourself... just tell me about it when you're ready, whenever you want. Even if you never want to talk about that day, it's okay with me. Do whatever you're most comfortable with."

"You know..." Yoongi paused. "Your sajang-nim bringing up the fact that I served jail today resurfaced all the memories of the past again..."

"I knew it-" Jennie seethed with anger. "That frog-looking scum... I was too nice towards him today. Before I left his office, I should have at least smashed a few of his electronic devices or something-"

"Wow-" Yoongi let out a small chuckle. "Wow, you're really something, huh. I was surprised that you yelled at him today, to be honest. Aren't you afraid that he'll end your contract?"

"I wish..." Jennie scorned. "I want to end my contract with him too... The thing is - if he ends it first, he'll have to pay me the termination fee. So... that's what I'm hoping for. But the thing is... I doubt he'll be able to fire me - I'm one of the top-performing artists of the company these days - he'll have a hard time recuperating the losses if he were to get rid of me."

"Ah..."

"But damn it-" Jennie sneered. "That old hag. I'm sure you were about to forget memories of that traumatic day too... Why did he have to bring it up? Even if he wanted to reject you, he didn't have to be such an asshole. Wow, the more I get to know him, the worse my impression of him gets - seriously."

"Ah, but the thing is..." Yoongi hesitated. "I don't know why either... but thinking about the incident today... it didn't hurt as much as it used to... And it also didn't hurt as much as I thought it would... Jennie-ya, I think... I think my emotional wounds might be healing, slowly but surely."

Jennie's eyes widened.

"Of course it still does hurt..." Yoongi began as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Thinking about it makes it a little harder for me to breathe. But after hearing what your sajang-nim said to me today, I realised something else - that no one will ever leave me alone about the fact that I was jailed for close to a decade... and that is understandably so. I feel like... I need to face my fears once and for all, before I face people like that sajang-nim of yours once again. You did such an amazing job standing up to him for yourself today. But the next time we meet, I want to be able to stand up to him better."

"You're right, facing your fears is definitely one step closer to moving on-" Jennie pursed her lips, glancing at Yoongi with a worried look on her face. "But are you sure that you're ready for that conversation?"

"Mm-" Yoongi glanced at Jennie. "But are you...?"

"I'm ready as long as you are," Jennie said with a comforting smile. "I'm always waiting for you here patiently, so there's no need to hurry."