Synopsis: Eat, Sleep, Dance, Repeat. When you're chasing a dream, sometimes other things take a backseat. That's how things were for Y/N. Then opportunity came knocking. All thanks to one member of the internationally known K-Pop group, BTS. She thought being brought in for a music video was a one off, until the second call came. Jimin had taken a liking to the shy dancer that had joined him for his music video. Which was why he had suggested her when they'd begun to hire dancers for their upcoming world tour. What neither of them expected that a shared love of dance, might lead to so much more.
Author's Note: Finding my footing here, thank you to @nammies-girl for letting me bounce some ideas around this afternoon to bust through that writer's block! Without them, the foundation of this idea wouldn't be here.
I stood off to the side watching as the other dancers congregated and chatted before we headed out for the stage rehearsal. Despite being several weeks into the tour and having spent a few months with them before the tour started, I still kept to myself. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be friendly, it was simply the fact that I was shy. Going up, starting a conversation, that was the last thing I wanted to do. Of course, it hadn’t helped me in any way. Instead of considering it was because I might be timid, because when I was dancing I was anything but, I was labeled as a snob or standoffish. This was something that I had just accepted. If that was how they wanted to see me, then so be it. As far as I was concerned, I wasn’t there to make friends. I was there living part of a dream I had worked hard for. There were, however, some who saw it for what it was. Some being seven.
BTS. They were all like brothers the way they acted. But outside of that, they treated their staff and dancers like part of an extended family. What I hadn’t anticipated was the way they saw that I was not only shy but tended to keep to myself. That seemed to attract all of them. Not in a weird way, most of them treated it as if I was a little sister. Some light teasing or playful banter. I knew it wasn’t flirtatious, at least with most of them. While it wasn’t known to the public, being part of their team behind the scenes meant you had information the world didn’t. Like the fact that Three out of the seven were married, a fourth was in a serious relationship. As far as I knew Jin, Jimin, and Jungkook were all single. But the other four women I had seen throughout rehearsals before the tour had started or backstage at the Goyang show.
I’m too lost in my thoughts to realize that someone had approached me. It was one of the tech guys, he’d been trying to flirt with me the past couple of stops. I usually just blushed and completely clammed up. I wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. Because despite being in my mid-twenties, I was woefully inexperienced. My focus had always been on school and dance. I didn’t have time for big friend groups or dating. That had carried over through high school and into college.
“Some of us are going out for drinks after the rehearsal. Thought maybe this time I could convince you to go?” He smiled as he leaned against the wall looking down at me.
“Oh uh…” I stammered looking up at him. He was cute, but I just didn’t know how to handle this attention.
I looked up when I heard the first golf cart roll up. With the arrival of the guys it meant we would get the rehearsal underway. I saw that it was Jin and Jimin, with V Jungkook sitting on the back swinging their feet.
“So, drinks?” Tech guy repeated, pulling my attention back to him.
“No thank you,” I managed quietly.
I looked up as Jimin walked by, my eye catching his. He smiled bowing his head in a small greeting before continuing on.
“What is it going to take to convince you…” I hadn’t been paying attention to the tech guy as he went on. Not once Jimin had walked by.
Jimin was the whole reason I was even here. I’d met him when I’d gotten a call back to dance in his music video. A piece from some of his solo work before the group had come back together as Seven. After working together I had apparently made an impression on him, because I’d gotten the call about joining their world tour a few months later.
When the other carts pulled up with RM, Suga, and Jhope, I was relieved I could escape this conversation. Because now it meant that it was time to dance. This was the whole reason I was here. I managed to slip away to go find my spot as the other dancers started to get into place for the entrance.
*~*~*~*~*
Jimin sat in the front of the golf cart as Jin drove it towards the entrance to the field. The dancers were all ready and waiting to go out on stage for the dress rehearsal. It was the same routine for each stop. His eyes scanned the dancers knowing full well that he wasn’t going to find her in any of the groups. Usually he found her alone. Today, however, when he finally spotted her she wasn’t alone.
“Looks like that new tech guy is shooting his shot again.” Jin commented.
“Is he still new if he’s been with us since Goyang?” Jimin questioned. It was enough to have Jin looking at him with a raised brow.
The cart hadn’t even come to a full stop as Jimin stood, swinging himself off it. He tried to hide his slight annoyance at seeing the tech guy flirting with Y/N. As he walked by, she’d looked up and their eyes locked for a moment. His annoyance wasn’t with her, so he offered her a small smile. Truth was, he had a thing for her. The problem was, he wasn’t sure how to act on it. He saw how flustered she got when he or Jungkook flirted with her. Nevermind how uncomfortable she looked when the tech guy did it. Jimin knew that Jungkook flirted to get a rise out of her, not because he was interested in anything. He flirted with her because not only did he have a thing for her, he was the reason she was there. After working with her on one of his solo music videos last year he knew she’d be a good fit for the tour and had recommended her.
As soon as the other cart pulled up, everyone started to get into place. This was just a rehearsal. Something they’d done plenty, but it always proved worth it when coming to a new venue. It gave them the feel for each stadium. Jimin noticed that Y/N had escaped the Tech guy to find her place among the other dancers now that everyone was getting into place.
Everyone was in place, ready to move. Except right before he put his ear piece in, Jimin heard something that caused him to freeze.
“You’ve been at this for weeks, just admit you’ve lost and pay up.”
“Nah, I’ll crack her. Once I do, you’re gonna be the one paying up.” Tech guy smirked as he grabbed the headset from his buddy.
“Well, I think you’re both idiots.” the third and oldest of the trio said. “Considering the way BTS treats her, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them isn’t already fucking her.”
Jimin, always calm and empathetic, felt like he was seeing red. Tae came up beside him, nudging him forward. They were moving. Jimin put his ear piece in. It was all a game to them. It was hard not to let this information affect him during the rehearsal. Enough so that Jin and Namjoon approached him after.
*~*~*~*~*
Something was off during the rehearsal. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but Jimin wasn’t himself. He was focused, but tense. Afterwards when everyone was dispersing, I went back to get my things. That was when I heard him talking with RM and Jin. I caught bits and pieces of it, but not enough to know the extent of it. Plus, my Korean was still a bit rough. One on one I could hold a conversation, but the three men in a back and forth was a no-go. Jimin seemed frustrated as he ran his hand through his hair.
That had been Tokyo.
When we’d gotten to Tampa I noticed the Tech Guy was MIA. It was a bit of a relief for me, because it meant I didn’t have to deal with him flirting with me or trying to get me to go out after the shows.
We were getting ready to go out on stage for night two of Tampa when I noticed my boot was untied. I knelt down to tie it just as Jin and V came by. Jin ruffled my hair as he walked by and V turned around and made a silly face at me as I looked up. This was completely normal coming from them.
I loved being on stage. It didn’t matter to me that it was as a backup dancer. Being out there, hearing all those people. It was an insane experience. Overwhelming the first time. One might think it’d be too much when you’re as shy as I am. But being out there is different, when you’re performing. At least, for me.
At the end of the night I hung back as a group of the other dancers were talking about going out. There were supposedly some good late night spots and they were still ramped up from the show. I felt like an outsider. I didn’t get invited. Unlike with the tech guy, the other dancers had never even tried. It stung a little, but I tried not to let it bother me. Mostly because I knew if I did go, I’d probably be uncomfortable. Plus, I was there to dance, not make friends. But it did get a little lonely.
Everyone was clearing out, I knew the fans were starting to empty out into the parking lots surrounding the stadium.
“Hey you, what are you still doing here?” I turned to see Jimin coming towards me. His sweatshirt hung off his shoulder and he’d pulled a beanie on.
“Hi Jimin,” I said quietly. “Everyone else decided to go out.” I left it unsaid that I hadn’t been invited. “I’m just going to go back to the hotel.”
“Are you tired?” He asked as we started to walk together.
I shook my head, actually I was still riding on the adrenaline.
“Want to hang out with me?” He asked. It was like he knew what I had left unsaid.
“Oh, uhm… “
“You seemed a bit sad, figured you didn’t want to be alone.” He smiled.
I looked back up at him, thinking about his offer. I bit my lip before nodding, “What did you have in mind?”
That was how I found myself sitting on the floor of his hotel room across from Jimin with a pizza between us. We’d also had a few drinks, which had me relaxing a little more. Until he asked one simple question.
“Why do you get so flustered when someone tries to flirt with you?”
