Jeon Jungkook has always been a protective boyfriend. If it were up to him, he'd make sure that he was by her side 24/7 at all hours of the day.

Sadly, he could not.

Sometimes, he finds himself incredibly frustrated especially at moments like these where his girlfriend is alone in the spare room, hiding away and alone with her thoughts. It's the night before the Melon Music Awards and she's practicing the dance in front of the mirror, time and time again, singing on top of her lungs.

He knows, she's not in a good position.

If it were up to him, he'd shield her from all the rumours, all the hate and all the pressure that her agency was putting onto her. Ever since the rushed released of the single, she'd been having a hard time. She felt unprepared, and despite being very capable of hitting the various high notes in the long, the anxiety and pressure was suffocating and stopped her from doing her best.

If it were up to Jeon Jungkook, he'd take all the pain away and absorb it.

He'd do anything to make sure she could smile.

There were many times where he'd find her sneakily rushing off to the spare room playing her guitar at 3am in the morning. He woken up by the urge to use the bathroom, only to see her side of the bed empty.

Sometimes she'd sing, but other times, she'd simply cry with scrunched up music sheets all over the floor.

He doesn't dare to interrupt, but he makes sure to wake up extra early in the morning and to shower her with kisses and prepare her favourite breakfast.

Jeon Jungkook knows that by confronting her, he'd only end up hurting her more. He knows that by letting her know that he's seen her in her weakness, unintentionally, that she'd only feel worse about her condition.

Park Chaeyoung has a façade to keep up, and she didn't want to be a damsel in distress. She grew up in a family of strong and individual achievers, and was taught to always be strong—but he knows that the girl who suddenly moved to a foreign country to be separated from her family, was internally very soft.

With careful steps he tiptoes through the hallway, making sure that he can't be heard from the spare room as he goes to the living room. He helps prepare her bag—wallet, keys, hand sanitiser, warm fuzzy socks (her feet were always cold) and a bottle of water. Even if it was something small, he hopes it'll make her feel better in the morning, that she doesn't need to be rushed. He neatly folds her favourite oversized sweater beside her bag before hearing the sound from the other room coming to a halt.

Quickly, he tiptoes back into the bedroom as he hears her footsteps follow not long after, jumping into bed with him.

He makes sure to cuddle her tighter, putting kisses on top of her forehead as he feels their breathing slowly becoming one.

"Koo," she whispers, and he can feel her lifting her head up to him her chin against his chest, "... I'm nervous."

"Baby, you'll do well. You always do," he responds comfortingly, bringing their bodies closer as he rubs gentle circles in her back, "... don't think too much, you should sleep, you need rest."

"What if I don't?"

He hates how much her voice quivers in fear, obviously traumatised by some of the hate she'd receive in earlier performances.

"Don't worry about that," he tells her.

She pouts, and he eventually kisses it away.

-

Park Chaeyoung's smile is a work of art in itself, one that puts the mona lisa to shame, he thinks.

They're backstage and Jeon Jungkook can't help but keep his eyes at her direction as their group does a quick rehearsal and sound check. She looks effortlessly breath taking, golden blonde hair cascading down her face and the way her body moved with ease. Even at a soft rehearsal, she puts her 100%.

It's one of the things that he loves about her.

Her perfectionist tendencies bring a lot of stress to him, but its her hard working nature that really set her apart and caught his attention from the beginning.

"Jungkook you're being obvious," Kim Namjoon, the groups head reminds him, "... you will get caught if you keep staring."

Among idols, their relationship wasn't necessarily the biggest secret, but the pair were always careful to be cautious around another's, especially in public settings where fans and staff were around. His girlfriend particularly, was the queen of having a poker face.

"Hmmm," he murmurs, turning his attention back at the boys before slowly finding his head slowly turning back on the screen, the more he could hear her singing.

"Just leave it, he's useless," Min Yoongi chimes in, "... he's lovesick."

The other boys laugh, but Jeon Jungkook doesn't care.

He sees, despite her tiredness, that there's a sense of anxiety looming in her aura.

He hopes she'll be okay.

-

"So pretty," Lalisa Manoban comments as the girls sit down following their performance, "... I bet Jungkook hasn't stopped staring at you since you came."

Park Chaeyoung blushes at the comment, but quickly dismisses it, "... Lisa..."

"What? I'm serious Chaeyoung, you look breathtaking. I think every idol couldn't help but stare, both male and female—I really don't blame them," she tells her, "... the silver looks so good on your skin tone and your hair up—chefs kisses."

Park Chaeyoung chuckles, but is thankful for such a supportive friend.

Honestly—she doesn't usually go for so such a look. She prefers to have her hair out mostly, almost like a safety blanket and short skirts and uncovered shoulders sometimes made her feel too exposed.

But when she saw the way her boyfriend prepared breakfast and her bag for her in the morning, she decides to ask the hair stylist to have her hair up. He preferred it like that, always.

She sneaks a few glances here and there, more than she'd usually allow but not once—did he look her way.

Usually, she'd at least catch him once or twice but tonight, when they were sitting so close to one another, not once did their eyes meet.

Did he not find her attractive?

Park Chaeyoung feels as though maybe, she's not good enough.

-

Jeon Jungkook believes that his girlfriend is too beautiful for the world.

She looked gorgeous without make up in the rehearsal, but when he saw her at the show he had to mentally stop himself from looking her way.

Her beauty was dangerous.

"Jungkook's girlfriend looks stunning," Park Jimin comments out loud as the other boys agree, making small comments such as "yes" and "really pretty" causing for his eyes to bludge open in surprise.

The older male notices him, chuckling, "... careful, protective boyfriend is already getting jealous."

It wasn't just his group that noticed her beauty, he'd overheard some male idols practically drooling over her when he walked by and on one hand, he's glad—that the world was really appreciating her. But on the other, he feels jealous.

One of the hardest things for him was the fact that he couldn't openly hold her hand or stand beside her. Hell—he couldn't even look at her without causing trouble.

He's trying to do what he can, to exercise self-control and somehow he feels even more nervous than not, when he feels her eyes moving towards his direction.

Jeon Jungkook can't help but freeze.

Get yourself together!

A little later on in the night, he realises that he hasn't seen any of the girls in a while.

He decides to go backstage and search for them, only to find Jisoo Kim running around frantically with her phone in her ear.

"Jungkook!"

The older woman's voice seems concerned as she finds him.

"Chaeyoung fell down."

He feels his world come crushing down.

-

Jeon Jungkook swears that he wants to sue Kakao entertainment for running an award show with slippery floors. He waits by her side as she's hooked to an IV drip. Luckily, her condition wasn't too serious, so she was brought home, also giving her more privacy.

A few hours later, she begins to open her eyes and he quickly calls for the doctor who comes in and checks on her before finally giving her the all clear.

"Make sure she rests for the next few days, no strenuous activities," the older physician comments.

"Noted, thank you," he bows deeply, before the older man leaves.

"Baby, how are you feeling?" He rushes to her and hold her hand, "... you fell on the floor, nothing too serious but you have a lot of bruising on your arms and legs."

His girlfriend slowly moves her body, sitting against the headboard.

"I'm okay, where are the other girls?"

"They went home, you've been out for a few hours," he informs her, "... you need to be more careful, baby."

She nods, "... I'm sorry for worrying you."

"That's okay, that's what boyfriends are for right," he jokes with a smile, "... do you need anything? Water? Food?"

She shakes her head.

"Koo," she holds her hand out, "... are things between us okay?"

He looks at her confused.

Was something wrong?

"Wh—what do you mean?"

And he watches as she looks at him with the most gentle eyes, "... you barely looked my direction..."

Oh, how wrong she was.

He chuckles, making her frown.

"Baby, you're the most breathtaking woman in the world, there's no way in hell I'll ever let you go," he tells her, "... the boys were telling me I shouldn't be too obvious, so I tried not too look too much, in case we'd get caught."

"Oh, I was so worried... I thought—you were losing interest in me," she admits sheepishly, "... I'm sorry, I know I'm being so stupi—"

"It's okay, I know you've been super stressed," he tells her, "... you looked gorgeous today, as you always do. Everyone couldn't stop talking about it."

She smiles, "... it doesn't matter what others think, all I care about is about what you think."

This was a side to her, that only Jeon Jungkook got to see.

"But baby, you're so cute when you're jealous."

Park Chaeyoung takes the closest plushie and throws it at him, "... I am not! You're sleeping on the floor tonight!"

-

When Park Chaeyoung gets to the practice room the following morning, the other girls are fawning about last night.

"You're such a lucky bitch!" Jennie Kim comments, with a slight pout, "... Jungkook carried you bridal style to the car, he literally didn't care that everyone was looking."

"He's so protective for you," Jisoo Kim adds, "... but I'm glad, it makes me feel rest assured that you're being taken care of."

"Chaeyoung deserves all the love in the world," Lalisa Manoban comments before the four girls gather for a hug, "... you have three strong girls and one overprotective boyfriend always by your side."

She thinks that it's true.