Please Love Me | JJK

Part 5

"You look absolutely stunning, ___. I wouldn't be surprised if Jungkook decides to marry you right then and there," Nari says from behind, both of you looking at the full-body mirror at her boutique store.

"Hold up, missy. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. He and I have known each other forever and he's never complimented me like that. Ever," you say, as you palm the red satin dress that's hugging your form nicely.

"He's an idiot."

You laugh at this. "I'm just not his type."

"Still an idiot. How can you not be his type? Have you seen yourself?"

"Yah, I'm more than how I look!" You exclaim.

"Exactly! You're smart and kind and talented, and you're gorgeous. Literal full package," she clarifies, handing you your jewelry and placing your heels in front for you to wear.

"I'm also not spontaneous, daring, feisty, or assertive. In short, I'm not fun. And Jungkook's always been into the fun ones," you say, thinking back to the girls he dated in high school and his Instagram stories you've seen of him going hiking or diving or partying out with his ex-girlfriends in recent years.

"You mean immature ones," she corrects.

You cock an eyebrow at her.

"You forget my closeness with Jimin. None of his girlfriends ever got the seal of approval because they're immature and rash and superficial. Probably also just wanted him for his money. And the sex."

She eyes you head-to-toe one more time. "But you, my dearest best friend, are..."

"Don't say wife-material."

"I am offended you'd think I'd say that," she says, slightly pinching your arm. "You are a self-assured, driven, and passionate individual with the biggest heart that I know. You're your own self who doesn't need a man to complete her identity."

A final tuck of your hair behind your ear and she gives you her smile of approval.

You smile at your reflection too. "You've mastered my measurements, Nari. This dress is stunning."

"You're just the perfect muse and model, ___. Any design I whip up would always look good on you," she says, looking at you like a proud momma. "Now go and change that man's mind."

**

You enter the Grand Ballroom of one of your family's hotels for tonight's Gala. It's one of the events you're asked to attend to ensure your presence is still felt by the company's affiliates and to keep up appearances. The Kims is one of the most respectable families in South Korea extending beyond business; your family supports various charitable causes and your mother is a reputable lawyer as well.

You dislike these events for how spiteful the attendees are. It's the assumption that your parents are still supporting you because "art is just your hobby, right?" It's the claims of "it's unfortunate you're not part of the company," but it's the "it's okay, you can always marry someone who'll work there on your behalf" that does it for you. It's the looks of pity masked as admiration for "doing something you love" that "doesn't make much, does it?" It's the comparisons to your sister who's "doing so well for a woman," and "at least you're pretty" that send you over the edge. Clearly these people have never heard of a competent woman whose value isn't tied to her family's wealth or her husband or whose accomplishments are her own.

Your mother and sister have trained you for this - repeat their statements to them so they'd hear how absurd they sound; stay calm no matter what, composure intimidates people; and keep your smiles measured so you can have them on all night, that way they'll underestimate you. You learned from the best and you've managed all these years without wanting to pull all the hair off your head at the end of the night. Still, it doesn't change the fact that you don't enjoy these things.