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The reporters are seen to fill the seats in the conference hall. There are more than 20 of them, all equipped with pens and papers, some even have laptops with them.
All seven of them stand gathering around Namjoon. The leader is giving a prompt pep talk just to ease the tense atmosphere that has been around them for days. The BBMAs was sure a momentous occasion. Two days has passed yet it still feels as though it just happened minutes ago. It has been a couple of sleepless nights for them. Even so, they are much wakeful from them adrenaline, not to mention the stress and anxiety.
"You guys know what to say, right? One person at a time. We got this."
"We're more than alright Joon-ah. It's you that we're worried about," Hoseok replies.
"Yeah. Are you positive about this?" Seokjin nudges his arm.
"It's a little late to ask that don't you think?"
"Joon-ah," Yoongi starts. "This is a big step you're taking, for us too. Bangtan is everything to all of us, but so is your happiness. Whatever the outcome is after this, we got your back."
"Thanks, hyung. That means a lot to me you don't even know."
"Hey what brothers are for?" Hoseok squeezes his shoulders, earning a fond grin from the rest of them.
"Jimin-ah, you okay? Look alive please," they laugh at Taehyung's witty remark. The mood feels milder at last.
"Jimin hyung hasn't spoken since last night. I think the soul has left his body," Jimin shoves Jungkook away and Taehyung holds him back from kicking the maknae further, while the hyungs tell them not to fool around in the background.
Out of them all, he seems the most nervous about the whole thing. Jimin is naturally one to think deeply of things. But today, he's exceptionally edgy. Actually, that's an understatement. He really feels like dying.
"I'm okay, I guess. Just nervous that's all."
"2 minutes guys!" their manager alarms. A couple of staffs come to check on them, making sure their makeups are not smudged and their hairs are in place.
They do the usual group cheer before lining up at the entrance. The moderator is now doing the opening for the conference.
Jimin peeks into the hall and he becomes more nervous than ever upon seeing the number of press present. He bites his lips and clasps his sweaty palms together, his feet carelessly tapping the uneasiness away.
"Hey," Namjoon mutters at the back of his head. Jimin can feel his breath like an inch away. "You'll be fine. We'll be okay. I promise you."
Namjoon's words sound heavy in Jimin's ears, but his chest feels light, and his voice is indeed the only thing he needs to find comfort. Jimin remains silent and reaches to hold on Namjoon's hands, and he understands. He nuzzles against Jimin’s hair and hums, while his palms are resting on his waist. Hoseok, who’s standing right behind the two, notices one of their managers is staring, and she gives him the look. He shrugs back at her, telling her to just “let them be” through inaudible mumbles.
“I hereby welcome our nation's only, Bangtan Sonyeondan!” the moderator calls upon them and the press are finally looking up from whatever they were attending to, all eyes on the seven men gradually entering the hall. They pose dashingly towards the flashing cameras that are all over them for a few minutes, before the mod directs them to fill in their respected seats.
The conference starts off in a brisk ambience. As expected, Namjoon firmly leads the group when the q&a session begins. He lets his members take turns to talk, so everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts. Although they have done this a number of times, today’s conference gives off an exceptional mood for all of them. The news about them winning the award was informed to circulate fast amongst the media. It was covered by a tv station during a news broadcast too. Despite receiving mixed impressions from the public initially, their achievement has been acknowledged and everyone is congratulating them.
Jimin glances over at Namjoon, feeling content at how calm he’s handling the occasion. He has always admired the leader’s ways of controlling a situation, be it in a formal or casual setting. To Jimin, the group would have not made it if it wasn’t for Namjoon. As a matter of fact, he didn’t think he would be a part of this group if Namjoon hadn’t take his hand and guide him since the day they first met. In Jimin’s eyes, Namjoon means so much more, more than he’ll ever know.
30 minutes passes in a jiffy. They’re starting to feel agitated from sitting upright throughout the whole thing (what happens when you’ve travelled so much, even sitting still becomes a torture). The moderator takes final inquiries from the press and then prepares to wrap up the conference.
“I guess that’s all we have for this conference. Everyone, this has been-“
“Actually, Mr. Kim,” Namjoon interjects, “I still have some things to say, if you allow me?”
“Ah yes, Rap Monster. Go ahead.”
“Everyone,” Namjoon scans his members, waiting for some sort of reassurance to ease his diffidence. They nod back at him followed with fond smiles, and he returns back to the audience to continue.
“Yeah the reason we’re here is not just to talk about our achievement and future endeavours as a group, but I have something fairly special to tell all of you.”
He stops for a while to gather his emotions. Jimin can sense how nervous he is to speak up from the way he grits his teeth and rubs his palms on his lap. He extends his reach and grabs one of Namjoon's hands tightly, until he finally looks up and smiles.
“I am here to tell my story. Believe it or not, I’ve actually been in love with the same person I met 5 years ago when I was still a trainee in the company. It’s crazy,” he chuckles. Gasps and shocked expressions are already shown, but Namjoon remains unflustered.
“It took us a lot of courage, really more than any of you can imagine, to get to this point. And from this day onwards, it’s going to cost us more than courage to go through whatever awaits us next. I know this may be a shock to some of you, although I think love shouldn’t be something that bothers anyone by any means. When two people reconcile deeply in the name of love, it should be celebrated and not criticised, am I right?” the silence prevails in the audience.
“But anyway, this is a risk I’m, we’re, willing to take together, all 7 of us,” Namjoon takes another glance at his members, who’re watching him with care, that he doesn’t need to look twice to know he has their support.
“Everyone, I, Kim Namjoon, am sitting here today very happy to announce that I’m engaged,” he slowly pulls out his hand from under the table and shows the shining band of silver ringing his finger to the audience. “And I’m very proud to say that I’m getting married with the person who owns the prettiest pair of eyes and a smile that illuminates brighter than any light visible in this room.”
He pauses again, and this time, his eyes are fixed on Jimin.
“And that person is sitting next to me right this moment,” he can hear a lot of noise ascended from the reporters and camerapersons, but he can’t care less.
“Park Jimin is the one who has my heart, and he,” their fingers interlock. “He’s my entire universe.”
In the midst of the frenzied setting, where the reporters compete to attain detailed information and the camerapersons desperately want to capture the contentious moment, Namjoon and Jimin stand side by side without words. They exchange relieved smiles and stare at each other a little longer in their longing eyes.
They think it could have been more, or it could have been less. A lot can go wrong, and it may never go right. But for what it is at the time, it is absolutely perfect.
~ ~ ~
We are gathered here to unite these two hearts in the bonds of holy matrimony…
“Joonie?”
“Yes, baby?”
“If everything falls apart, will you still be with me?
…Into this, these two now come to be joined. If anyone present can show just..
“Even if the whole world turns its back against me, I got nothing to worry about. Because the world is nothing compared to you, Jimin.”
Do you take this man as your lawful wedded partner, to live together in the estate of…
“I do,” Namjoon gawks at Jimin, who’s dressed in all white, contrasting his all black suit. And he swears he has never seen anything as breathtaking as the man right before him.
…forsaking all others, be true to him as long as you shall live?
“I do,” Jimin’s heart is full, thinking that he’s marrying the guy with most beautiful soul to exist. “Even in another universe, I do.”