Chapter Text
Every meeting Nayeon had been in lately was just another room of execs railing on her for what she had done. She opened up her laptop to cast her PowerPoint, showing that yet again, her numbers were up. She had increased followers, engagements, and brand deals. And while she loved these metrics, the main reason she sat here was to make sure Jeongyeon and Jihyo were kept out of the spotlight. She knew what Jeongyeon’s career meant to her, and she would do everything she could to protect her girlfriend.
“I’m telling you guys, just let me explain. The easiest situation here is to just pin it all on me. Everyone has inklings about me and Sana, let’s confirm it. She is ok with that. We can say that I was greedy and talked Momo into it, we know the truth, she is ok with it. That will save her image and then leave everyone else out of it?” Nayeon was heated. She was so tired of having these conversations and having to defend herself but she knew they had to happen.
“What about Mina?” Her manager asked wearily.
“We can confirm Mina too, is that what you want? Is that what will make this all go away?” Nayeon yelled angrily. It wasn’t like her to yell, but she was so tired of these meetings. Nothing she did was good enough.
“We lost the ability to make this all go away when you slipped up and then doubled down in your unsanctioned live. You think this is just about you? It’s about all of us! It’s our jobs and our reputations at stake too!” Her pr rep slammed her hand on the table, tears in her eyes as she yelled.
Nayeon sat there quiet. She had been worried so long about herself and her relationships that she had neglected to consider the people who worked for her. The people who had worked tirelessly to fight the trolls in her comments, who had spent time redoing her wardrobe so it wouldn’t overlap with her girls, who had stayed up late helping Momo with her events. She owed them a lot, not just for doing their jobs but for going above and beyond in her life. She stopped and looked around the room, finally noticing the bags under everyone’s eyes and just how worn they looked. Her heart sank.
“I… you’re right, I’m sorry I’ve been so selfish. I’m sorry I brought you all into this and haven’t considered the consequences for you guys and I’m even more sorry that I have no solutions.” Nayeon paused as she looked around the room, making sure to acknowledge every person there. “What do you think we should do?”
Nayeon listened to each person in the room, thoughtfully considering each of their perspectives while weighing them against others and her own concerns. After several hours of back and forth, she finally felt like they’d come to a resolution that worked for all of them. She thanked everyone for their time and sat back contemplating their next steps. It felt like it should work well, so she finally felt her shoulders relax.
-
As part of their updated pr campaign, her agent felt it necessary to have paparazzi photograph several couples in different places. Last week has been focused on her and Momo, smooching in the Ferris wheel, holding hands in the park, the works. This week was her and Sana, and one of the interns had the brilliant idea of having Momo with Mina to show that Momo was ok with it too.
Her and Sana stood off to the side and watched as Mina tried to show Momo how to ride a bike. Mina looked elegant as ever, so much so that the paparazzi had to tell her to flip some hair in her face to look a little less elegant. It somehow made it worse.
Sana looked over at Nayeon and smirked. “Watch this.” She turned to where Mina was and yelled, “Minariiii how does it feel to be so hot that they have to tell you to try and be less attractive??”
Mina instantly flushed red, foot slipping off the pedal as she quickly worked to regain her balance. The paparazzi snapped several pictures and gave Sana a thumbs up.
Nayeon loved how Sana was able to do that with just about anyone, but also how quickly she was able to do that with Mina. She wondered how long it would take her to get there with Mina. She wondered if she could do that with Momo. Something small twisted in her stomach.
It was now Momo’s turn on the bike and Nayeon was intent on getting her flustered. She yelled, “What are you, a baby deer? Quit wobbling!”
Momo looked over and glared, Mina and Sana both giggling from their respective places.
“That was something,” Sana said while Nayeon scowled. Why didn’t it work? Stuff like that usually worked? Right?
Momo was still wobbling pretty aggressively on the bike, and with that Mina decided to jump in and help stabilize. Everyone watched as Mina leaned over to grab the handlebar and help, their fingers touching for a moment until Momo realized what had happened. She immediately blushed and moved her hand, leading to her falling off the bike. At that, Nayeon and Sana mobilized to her side, checking in on the girl.
“Are you hurt? Are you ok?” Sana asked.
“Let me get this bike off of you,” Mina said quickly, working to make sure her limbs weren’t cut.
“Baby girl you are so clumsy, are you alright?” Nayeon asked with a frown.
Momo winced as the bike was pulled off her, but she was still trying to play it cool. Nayeon knew she would hear about how much it hurt when they got home. One of the producers brought over some alcohol and gauze, insisting that each of them take turns cleaning the wounds. Mina was delicate and soft on her hands, however ineffective because there was definitely still dirt when she was done. Nayeon noted the way Momo looked at her softly and tried to affirm that she had done a good job. Sana was the most effective as she worked on Momo’s elbow, and while Nayeon had always been aware of their connection, something about it stung just as much as Momo’s wound did, probably.
When it was Nayeon’s turn, she poured extra alcohol on Momo’s knee, trying to make sure the wound was EXTRA clean. She noticed the pain in Momo’s face as she dabbed at it, the producer in the back nervously trying to tell her to ease up. It was a rather deep cut and Nayeon was worried it would get infected. She also made a point to go back and work on Momo’s hands, even though Momo was grunting in pain through gritted teeth.
“I think that’s enough, Nayeon,” Sana said sternly. Nayeon looked over to see Sana with her arms crossed and a nervous Mina. Momo was sitting there, finally able to relax after the girl’s brief foray into medicine. There was a good chance she hoped this would never happen again.
Nayeon set down the used gauze into a trash bag and took a step back. She probably shouldn’t have done that but at the same time, she almost felt a compulsion to. Something stirred in her chest and constricted her throat, jaw tightening. Why did she feel this way seeing Momo with Sana and Mina? Why did she feel like she somehow couldn’t measure up to the way they cared for Momo?
What was this?