The city lights blurred as I walked down the bustling streets, the Uber ride I had booked, broke down half way.My thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and hurt. I had spent the past few months growing close to Namjoon, Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jimin. They had become my friends, my confidants, my family. But earlier today, I had stumbled upon a truth that left me feeling betrayed and unsure about everything.

I had discovered, quite by accident, that they were part of BTS, the internationally famous boyband. How had I not known? How had they managed to keep such a significant part of their lives hidden from me? The realization cut deep. It wasn’t just about their fame; it was about the trust I thought we had built, the openness I believed we shared.

I found myself standing outside a high-end restaurant, the kind of place where the wealthy and famous dined. The elegant sign above the door read "Epiphany." Without thinking, I pushed the door open and stepped inside, seeking refuge from the storm of my emotions.

The warm, dimly lit interior was a stark contrast to the chaos in my mind. I made my way to the bar and ordered a drink, hoping it would help numb the confusion and hurt. As I sipped my cocktail, I let the ambient sounds of the restaurant wash over me, trying to find some semblance of calm.

“Ava?”

I turned to see a man standing beside me. He was tall, with striking features and an aura of confidence. His eyes were kind, though, and I recognized him immediately from the photos I had seen earlier.

“Seokjin,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, sliding onto the stool next to mine. “May I join you?”

I shrugged, taking another sip of my drink. “I guess you already have.”

He smiled softly. “I heard you met the others. Namjoon, Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jimin.”

“Yeah, I did. They became my friends,” I said, my voice tinged with bitterness. “But they didn’t tell me who they really were.”

Seokjin’s expression grew serious. “I’m sorry, Ava. I can see that you’re hurt.”

I looked down at my drink, swirling the liquid around the glass.

“Why didn’t they tell me, Seokjin? Why did they keep such a huge part of their lives a secret from me?”

“It wasn’t that they didn’t want to tell you,” he began gently. “It’s just… complicated.”

I looked up at him, searching his eyes for the truth. “Complicated how?”

“We wanted to get to know you first, Ava,” Seokjin explained. “As real people, not as celebrities. It’s rare for us to find someone who sees us for who we are rather than our public personas. We wanted to build genuine relationships without the influence of our fame.”

His words made sense, but the sting of betrayal still lingered. “But how was I supposed to trust you if you weren’t honest with me from the start?”

Seokjin sighed, his gaze earnest. “We were planning to tell you, Ava. We just needed the right time. It wasn’t an easy decision to keep it from you, and I’m sorry for any pain it’s caused.”

"Was all the meets planned? " I asked, making him look at me with soft eyes before nodding

"Jungkook, he isn't a psychology major is he? " I asked making him shake his head

"No he isn't. He planned to be in the same university as you, to form a bond. Apart from hiding the fact that we are celebrities and Jungkook isn't a psychology major, we have been nothing but honest to you" He said softly as he grabbed the glass of whiskey from me

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. “I just… I thought we had something real. I thought I knew you all.”

“You do know us,” Seokjin said, his voice firm but kind. “The bond you share with each of us is real. Our friendship, our connection—it’s all genuine. The only thing we kept from you was our public identity. Everything else, every moment we’ve shared, that was all true. Minus the fact that Jungkook is a psychology major. ”

I looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity there. It was hard to stay angry in the face of such honesty.

“I don’t know, Seokjin. It’s just a lot to take in.” I said as I looked down at the table

“I understand,” he said softly. “Take your time, Ava. We’re here for you, and we’re ready to answer any questions you have. We care about you, and we don’t want this to drive a wedge between us.”

I nodded slowly, the tightness in my chest beginning to ease. “Thank you for being honest with me now.”

He smiled, a small but genuine smile.

“You deserve honesty, Ava. And you deserve to know that we value you, not as a fan or a follower, but as a friend.”  he replied as he handed me a glass of water and some tissues to wile my tears.

"Don't waste those precious tears, not on something like this" He said

We sat in silence for a while, the weight of the conversation hanging between us. I wasn’t sure what the future held, but I knew that I cared about Namjoon, Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung, Jimin, and Seokjin. It was as if there was some force thst was trying to keep us all connected.

And if they were willing to be honest with me now, maybe we could find a way to move forward together.

As I finished my drink, Seokjin stood up, offering me his hand. “Come on. Let’s go somewhere quieter. We can talk more, or just sit together. Whatever you need.”

I took his hand, feeling a spark of hope amidst the confusion. “Okay.”

As we walked out of the restaurant together, I couldn’t help but feel that, despite the secrets and the hurt, there was a chance for something real, something meaningful. And maybe, just maybe, we could find our way back to the trust and friendship we had started to build.