Headlines

Wednesday, 9th

~

It's not a secret I try to hide

~

Jimin ran his hand through his hair, as he smiled to the room full of reporters. He was already exhausted with the several questions that he was asked, and there was still thirty minutes more to the interview. 

He looked to his team mates, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook. Those two were equally exhausted as Jimin. They were up late last night preparing for their comeback and had to wake up early to prepare for the interview.

"Jimin! Jimin!" One of the reporters called out, wearing a blue pant suit. 

"Yes?" Jimin replied to the lady, picking up his mic.

"Have you been recently going out with anybody?" She asked.

Jimin sighed, his eyes twitching at the comment. He was wondering why no one has asked him the question by now. He never understood why these reporters kept on asking this same question during every interview.

Even if there is two interviews in the same day.

Were they expecting Jimin to get a partner in a matter of hours?

"Well...the answer is still no. I am not going out with anyone as of now" Jimin answered in a voice as calm as possible.

The reporter nodded, "If, say, that you were to date someone, will the person be male or female?"

Jimn clenched his jaw, curling his free hand in a fist. He though about how to answer the question tactfully. He could't boldly say that he can date both girls and boys; homophobics exists. And even Jimin believed that most part of his fandom will accept Jimin no matter what, he knew that the homophobics were still a huge problems.

People who hate Jimin, will leave no extent to drag Jimin and his team down. 

He to say something ambiguous, "Well....I'll like to date someone who respects me as a human and likes me as me, a human and not an idol"

Jimin bit back his smirk when he noticed the defeated and annoyed look in the reporter' eyes. Before he could try to ask another question, other reported started to bombard Jimin with questions.

The reporters were as annoying as they were useful. 

Jimin leaned back in his chair, when the reporters were asking questions to Taehyung and Jungkook. He scanned the room and his eyes stopped on a specific person. Immediately annoyance and rage filled his mind as he looked at the familiar reporter. 

Someone who  has been tagging after him for almost 6 months now.

Unknowingly, his hands curled up in fist below the table, his lips pressed in a thin line. He noticed that specific reporter's behavior. He wasn't as interested in Jimin as the other's were. He too had an annoyed look on his face, which very much mimicked the expression that Jimin was wearing.

His almond like feline eyes were looking around the whole room filled with reporters. Surprisingly, the reporter paid little to no attention to Jimin. Which shocked Jimin a little because he had never someone as uninterested as that reporter, even though Jimin was sure that his job was get any kind of information on the idol.

The reporter and him finally made any eye contact. Jimin kept up a blank expression, observing the reporter's face. Again, the reporter's action surprised the purple head idol. The reporter simply raised his eyebrow and tilted his head. 

"Jimin-ssi" The said idol turned to his teammate Jungkook. The younger idol leaned in and whispered in Jimin's ear, "Manager-nim said that you can go out afterwards. But you need to make sure that no one recognizes. He cleared your schedule for today"

Jimin looked to Jungkook and then to his manager standing off the podium. The idol smiled and gave his manager a little bow. Then, he took a looked at his watch, wandering how much time was left till the interview was over. 

Fifteen minutes more.

~

Jimin got rid of his flashy suits and put on a simple monochromatic hoodie above light blue denims. He took his house keys and walked out of the room. On the way out of the building, Jimin came across his Taehyung. 

"Going out?" Taehyung asked, furrowing his eyebrows a little.

Jimin nodded in answer, "A couple of hours"

"You mask?" Taehyung asked, seeing that Jimin's face was completely uncovered. 

Jimin pulled out a black mask from his pocket and showed Taehyung the cap he had in his other hand, "Don't worry. It's not the first time"

Taehyung smiled back, "I know. Bye"

"Bye" Jimin replied and walked out the building.

Jimin took in a deep breathe as he walked through the barely filled park. He liked taking walks like these every once in a while. But after signing up to become an idol. He lost his normal life from his twenties. Even for doing something as simple as walking out in the park, Jimin had to talk to his manager, team and the staff from a week back. And even after all the planning, there was a high chance this walk would have been canceled. 

He would be lying that he didn't miss his past, normal life. But even then, he was more than grateful and happy to have what he has now. It was complex. Sad and Happy. Wanting something else and being content. All these polar emotions swirled through his mind on a daily basis. And by now, Jimin was almost too used to it.

He stopped in his path and turned the other way when he though that a group of teenage girls were looking at him. He didn't want to have his cover blow. Even if the locals and other people's respected his privacy, the paparazzi didn't. 

Jimin kept a look around as he walked to the other end of the park, where he noticed were barely any people. He stuffed in his hand in his pocket, keeping his head low as he passed a group of college students. 

He breathed out in relief when he saw that there were hardly people around him. Fixing his cap, he continued strolling along the stone path.

"Well,well, well, if it isn't the Park Jimin" The purple head idol froze in his path, his eyes widening like saucers upon hearing those words. 

~

(Written: 15-06-2020)

(Published: 16-07-2020)