33 – YG perspective

I stepped onto the bus for the first time in well over a week. It was the first day after the Christmas holidays and I hadn't seen Jimin at all. I missed him. But there he was, sitting in his usual seat by the window. I smiled at him and he smiled back and got up to wrap his arms around my neck, pulling me closer. I hugged him back tightly, just happy to see him again.

I sat behind him like always and we talked about our holidays and families until Taehyung arrived. He sat next to Jimin and they hugged. We may have had our differences in the past, but Taehyung and I were far better friends than either of us had anticipated. We were talking and laughing all the way to school and by the time we got there, Jungkook was waiting for us at the gate. Taehyung sprang off the bus first, eager to see his boyfriend again. They hugged and kissed as Jimin and I held hands and walked next to them like proud parents.

"Yoongi-hyung, have you been practising?" Jungkook asked. I had been and I showed them my verse nearly perfectly. Our song that we were writing with the others was almost complete and only the finishing touches needed to be added. It was a really fun project and all seven of us were firm friends. Seokjin and Namjoon were a couple, even though they hadn't admitted it to us yet. Hoseok had told us all he had a surprise for us and to meet him in the sports hall that lunch instead of the music block.

We parted to go to our different lessons and I marvelled at how much easier the subjects seemed now that my head was clearer. Lunch rolled around and Namjoon, Seokjin and I met Jungkook on our way to meet Jimin and Taehyung outside their classroom. We walked to the sports hall, speculating wild theories about what the surprise could be. These theories ranged from a wedding ceremony for Namjin (a ship name that I was proud to take the credit for) to a birthday party for Taehyung, whose birthday fell inside the holidays.

Hoseok was in his dance clothes and all of us except for Jimin looked uneasy. He smiled brightly at us and said,

"I have had all vacation to do this and I think I've got some killer choreography down for this. But it's designed for seven people so all of you need to be committed to this." Five of us groaned and Hoseok pouted "Hey, I have been committed to all of you since you all started. I locked Taekook in a cupboard, I managed to make Yoongi talk to Jimin for the first time ever and don't even get me started on Namjin, you guys were exhausting!" Everyone laughed except for Taehyung and Jungkook. Jungkook looked very confused and said,

"First of all, Taekook?" We all nodded in appreciation for that name. "Secondly, you locked us in the equipment cupboard?!" We all laughed louder. Seokjin giggled,

"You didn't know it was him?" Taehyung and Jungkook were staring at Hoseok, who shrugged,

"Hey, that plan made Yoonmin and Taekook happen, so I think I knew what I was doing." After that, we decided to concentrate and run through the song. Namjoon hooked his phone up to his speaker and the track, slightly more developed that we had heard before, began to play.

We ran it through without a hitch. Taehyung's raspy, deep voice was really improving and my angel was on point with his high notes. When we finished, Hoseok beamed.

"Please, can I teach you to dance? It would go so well!" I was the least enthusiastic, but even I caved eventually. He told us that we needed to be energetic and to really go for it. I didn't want to, but I also didn't want to let any of my friends down. So Hoseok taught us the first verse of choreography. It was more fun than I was expecting and I ended up really enjoying myself. I didn't tell anyone that, of course.

Over the weeks, we slowly learned more of the dance until we could sing it through and dance at the same time. It was after we were all lying on the floor after a full run through that I realised something.

"Hey, we don't have a name. Like a real group name. What would it be?" Everyone thought for a while. Hoseok piped up first.

"What about…Heungtan Sonyeondan?" Jungkook looked sceptical.

"Isn't this song a little bit angsty for 'the fun boys'?" Agreed. Namjoon got our attention,

"Hey, what about Bangtan Sonyeondan?" We all ooh-ed in admiration. Jimin still looked unsure.

"It's kinda long for a name, though."

"We could always abbreviate it," I suggested, "BTS?" More sounds of approval. So that was sorted.

"So we've got our cool k-pop band name or whatever," said Seokjin, "what about stage names? What do we call ourselves?" We thought. Jungkook and Jimin didn't want to change their names and, in all honesty, nothing else seemed to fit them anyway. Taehyung was getting excited.

"I want something cool. Maybe like just a letter, like V." We agreed that actually sounded quite cool and suited him well. Seokjin decided just to cut his name down to Jin so that just left the rap line without names. I had an idea.

"Can I be Suga? It's like shooting guard and it sounds like the English for sugar," I said and everyone agreed. Jimin still wanted to call me Gloss, but I was against that. Namjoon decided on Rap Monster, RM for short and Hoseok wanted to be called J-Hope, taking the J from his surname and the Hope from all around him. We were all just laughing and I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends.

A week later, Seokjin arranged for us to perform in assembly. In front of people. Real people. Hundreds of them. I was not looking forward to it, but Jimin was there supporting me, so I said yes. We were introduced and we stood in formation on the stage. I saw RM nod to the technicians and we started to sing.

"I want to be your oppa/ I'm so hungry for your love/ I want to be your oppa/ I'll have you, just watch."

Jungkook rapped with confidence, RM spat straight fire, J-Hope kept the beat impressively, Taehyung sang and danced with strength, Jimin danced with pure sexual charisma, Jin sang clearly and powerfully and made a few girls fan themselves and I didn't mess up once. We finished and were met with applause and cheers unusually positive for a morning assembly. I didn't realise how much I loved performing until then. We walked calmly off stage but collapsed into squeals and jumps and giggles as soon as we were out of sight.

I loved every second of it and I just wanted to do it again. I wanted to write more, to rap more, to dance more, to release an album, to become famous, to tour Korea, to tour the world. I wanted to able to own the exhilaration, to own the hearts of everyone who heard us or saw us perform. We all wanted the world and we decided then and there that we weren't going to stop until we had it in front of us.

Le end. Hope you had fun reading it, I had fun writing it so :) Hit me up if you want a bonus chapter or a rewritten one bc I will take literally anything that means I can procrastinate english homework