Americans Be Really Give You Lecture About Women Empowerment, Human Rights, Equality And Then Elect A

dextrocardia | 12

Dextrocardia. Originally a medical term, but also a way to describe someone who's got their heart in the right place.

"She's been moved to another operation to help out. This pairing is necessary because you'll be undercover as spouses. I know you two can be professional about this."

"What?!" It's Jeongguk's upset voice that sounds, and for once, you share his displeased opinion.

Spouses.

pairing: cop!jk x f detective!reader

genre: undercover cops, fake marriage, e2l au, angst, fluff, (smut?)

word count: 6.6k

warnings: talk about dv and sa but pretty briefly. also includes some (implied) trauma/ptsd reactions.

rating: NC-17 – Adults Only

masterlist

part 12/? 

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© dextrocardia is copyright jeonstudios. this fic can not be modified, re-posted, or translated without my permission.

An hour and a half later, you’re on your way to the bathroom when you run into Jeongguk nearly head first. He mentioned at breakfast that he was going to use the gym before taking on the window once more, and judging by the sweat that’s soaked through the dark green t-shirt and also glistens on his face, that’s where he’s just come from.  

“Oh,” you step back, saying the first thing that comes to mind. “Almost didn’t recognize you. You know… with your shirt on.”

It may be stupid, but better than to admit how seeing him sweaty, his breathing still heavy and his veins more prominent than usual, makes your own body heat up. 

He dabs his forehead with his arm, “Yeah… You know, I’m sorry for being such an ass to you. I thought it was cathartic, getting my revenge by flustering you. I didn’t understand that I was probably scaring you.”

Your eyes widen. He was. You remember your heart rate increasing uncomfortably whenever he’d walk toward you, his shirt off and saying something suggestive. If he wasn’t actually intentionally scaring you by implying he could do something to you whether you wanted it or not then he was an ass but not unforgivably so. It was immature, yeah, but if he thought you shot his friend for getting rejected and then protected by the chief, it almost makes it understandable. Almost.

“It’s okay. I appreciate it. It doesn’t bother me here, though, and it’s your home.”

He tilts his head slightly, looking down at you. “It’s what I want to do, and besides, it’s not nearly as hot as it was this summer.”

For a brief moment, you stand there, looking up at him and wondering if he’s actually a real person, a real man. Somehow he wants to do the right thing, be as kind and considerate he can, even if he doesn’t have to. It’s so far from the Jeongguk you thought you knew, but also… not. In a way, it makes sense that he hated you so much because he’s loyal, wants everything to be fair and right, which makes you wonder…

“Can I ask you something?”

“Mhm?”

“Why did you hate me so much?” you question, “I know you thought I shot Hoseong, either on purpose or by being reckless with the gun, but… what were your thoughts?”

His gaze turns curious, and you assume he doesn’t understand exactly what you’re getting at–after all, he thinks he’s explained it before.

“I hated you because I thought you shot him for rejecting you, and then I hated you because I thought you got away with it. I thought that the chief protected you by not dealing with what happened. Then I hated you more because you were always complaining about men when it seemed like you got off scot-free because you were a woman. I felt like you excused your shitty behavior as being a feminist or whatever and accused anyone calling you out of being sexist.” 

You consider his words. “Thank you.”

You were right.

“You’re… welcome?” he tilts his head slightly. “I’m gonna try to finish the window quickly, but I’ll need to head to the station after that, and I wanted to ask you if you want to come? I don’t think it’ll be too crowded today, and I know who’s working; all good guys. ”

You bite your lip. Going to the station would mean getting stared at and whispered about because at the end of the day, what happened to you–and then subsequently to you and Jeongguk–was what set the ball in motion. 

Sensing your hesitancy, Jeongguk continues, “We’re going over some paperwork of the changes we’re implementing, so Jihyo will be there, and we’ve asked all female employees to tell her if there’s anyone they’ve ever felt unsafe with, and we’re investigating those. The guys there right now are people I really trust from back home and the rest have no complaints, no reports made against them.”

You don’t really want to ever set foot at the station again, but logically, you realize that you’ll probably have to. After all, you can’t keep your pay and never work again, and you don’t have any other education. While you could try to find another job, it would have to be something like a customer service job, and your nineteen old self was more than done with that. 

Jeongguk still looks at you with gentle and hopeful eyes. Sooner or later, you’ll have to. Maybe it’ll be easier to have him with you when you do? Additionally, the least you can do is point out which guys haven’t made comments about you or threatened you.

“Okay.”

The tiniest form of raindrops hit the windshield as Jeongguk drives you toward the station. You bounce your knee nervously, trying to focus on the fact that you’ll get to see Jihyo and Sana again.

It turns out that walking inside the station with Jeongguk is just more reason for people to stare. He’s wearing dark blue and somewhat baggy jeans and a big black hoodie, but even without his uniform, he gives off an aura of authority among the people present. 

You trail behind him, just knowing that he’s glaring at those who let their eyes linger on you for too long, making them turn away their heads apologetically. You thought everyone knew, you really did, but judging by how many seem to want to come up to you and show their sympathy (or pretend to?), that’s evidently not the case. They all know now, however.

Jeongguk leads you through the corridors, and you stay behind him, feeling more unsure the farther in you go.

A man walks past in front of you as you reach the open part of the station, but you hear Jeongguk order a low ‘Don’t’ when his step falters. It’s a guy you’ve seen around but don’t really know, and even his name is escaping you at the moment. 

“Sorry,” he says before smiling gently at you, “Good to see you again.”

You nod, wondering to yourself if it’ll ever get easier. You don’t recall hearing the man insult or threaten you, but how can you believe he truly didn’t know?

Jeongguk leads you into the room you once knew as the old chief’s office, but now Jihyo’s family name is stamped on the glass. It’s empty, and you relax your shoulders when he closes the door behind you.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Some still stare but less so than I assumed.”

“I might have told them not to make a scene or make you uncomfortable.”

His words have a small, appreciative smile pulling on your mouth. Two seconds later, there’s a knock on the door, and you see the blurry shape of a man through the frosted window.

“Jimin,” Jeongguk mumbles, walking back to the door to open it. 

A smiling, dark haired man walks through, a little shorter than Jeongguk, and his eyes land on you. Immediately, he approaches, his hand outreached. You’re not sure if it’s the way he’s smiling–his eyes narrowing but almost endearingly so–or something else, but he’s got a whole different aura than the typical man who works around here. Even Jeongguk at first glance looks more mysterious and intimidating.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Jimin.”

His hand is warm when it shakes yours, and he nods when you say your own name. From behind him, you hear someone repeat it excitedly. Jimin steps aside, and you spot Sana approaching fast.

Your heart grows warm as you meet her in the middle and wrap your arms around her. She holds you close, doesn’t seem too keen on letting go, and you feel the exact same. 

“I missed you,” she mumbles into the embrace, and you hug her tighter. The truth is that you met with Jihyo a few times after the incident at the house, but you only spoke with Sana on the phone before you decided to leave town, telling them to give you space and not to visit. Being around people had felt overwhelming, but in retrospect, you’d been very lonely.

Sana steps back, “Jihyo had some pretty urgent matters to attend to, but hopefully she makes it before you leave. She said we could get started.”

“Right, there are some people already in the conference rooms, but we can just stay here,” Jimin points to a few chairs stacked in the corner, and Sana goes to get them. 

“Sure. Coffee, anyone?” Jeongguk asks, getting a chorus of affirmatives.

You watch him leave the room and the door glide shut behind him. Taking a seat, you clasp your hands on the table, looking at them inconspicuously.

“So, how do you know Jeongguk?” you ponder, even though your guess is that they used to work together before Jeongguk came to town.

Jimin pulls out the chair to your left and sits down. “We met at the academy, worked at the same station, first as highway patrol and then he switched to patrol and like… mostly DV calls before he transferred. After everything went down here, he and Jihyo asked me and a few others to help out.”

You blink in confusion, peering up at him. “Domestic violence?”

“Yeah. Of course, there’s not a specific DV unit, but if he was free and close, we usually sent him,” he explains casually.

“It’s often a complex situation as I’m sure you know; a manly man does best at talking to the offender–usually a man–but a woman or a less “harsh” man, like myself, usually does better talking to the victim and earning their trust. Jeongguk, for some reason, does well at both. So since we didn’t have a lot of female officers, he and a partner usually went. He would also talk to a lot of victims that came in to the station, taking their statements and supporting them to get the rape kits done if needed.”

You’re thrown back to the living room in your fake house, where you’re accusing Jeongguk of being one of the people leaving women to die at the hands of their husbands. You recall vividly how he stood there, just taking everything you threw at him. Why didn’t he tell you?

“Oh,” is the first thing that comes out of your mouth. “It’s never worked like that here, as far as I know?”

It really hasn’t. You couldn’t imagine the chief calculating who’s got the most fitting, empathetic personality and sending them out for calls like that. Closest guys went and then whoever was free talked to victims at the station. How well the job was done is a whole other thing, and you don’t even want to think about it or how any critique you and your female colleagues have raised has been handled.

“Yeah. Of course, it’s not always doable, and priority for all urgent cases is to send help out as quickly as possible, but if we could, then that’s what we did.”

Jimin’s words leave you with a lot to think about, and you can’t really keep your full attention on the papers Sana and Jimin pull out and start to go through. Though you hear them continuing on the subject, discussing whether to assign some officers a certain priority when a domestic violence or sexual assault victim comes in or just hold more thorough classes in how to talk to those people for everyone employed at the station.

A few minutes later, Jeongguk returns with coffee, and he wastes no time joining in from the chair beside you. You hum and nod sometimes, but it’s definitely hard to focus.

“You okay?” Jeongguk nudges you gently, observing you with big, understanding eyes. 

Logically, it wouldn’t be weird for you to feel intimidated by the current topics, and it’s most likely what he thinks is the reason for your quietness. 

“Yeah. Just… have a lot on my mind.”

He nods at the small smile you give him and surprises you by casually reaching for your hand on your lap. With his face forward and attention on the discussion, he briefly intertwines your fingers, stroking his thumb against your skin. Then before you know it, he’s pulling away.

“I have some… news,” Sana says with a lip balm in hand, watching your expression through the mirror as you exit the bathroom stall behind her.

“Okay…” you say, confused, joining her at the sinks to wash your hands.

“I’ve been in touch with a lawyer. You know how the bar owners said they didn’t save any footage from the Christmas party?”

You nod, thinking back to how you practically begged the owners of the bar where you all went for the after party to release their footage. They said no, said their cameras weren’t functional, and the chief didn’t grant the search warrant you requested. It was always so clear that the owners liked the business that the nearby station’s get-togethers brought, and you definitely know at least one of them was real buddy-buddy with some officers.

“Jimin and Jeongguk helped me get it. It was Ryung, not the one who put the drugs in the drink, but who asked the bartender to. I’ve been in touch with a lawyer, and we think we have clear enough evidence to prosecute.”

Your eyes are wide. Fuck, you hadn’t expected them to work together like that. The owners trying to protect whatever officer it was, sure, maybe even due to threats from said officer, but to have evidence of them essentially committing the crime together?

“Oh my God. Sana… That makes me so… I wanna say happy?”

She chuckles, but you can tell there are emotions bubbling under the surface. Fortunately–thank God–nothing happened to her that night since you and the rest of her friends at the station were quick to notice that something was wrong and took her to the hospital, but you can only imagine what it’s like to know that someone–most likely watching her in her day to day life–drugged her. Of course, their intentions were anything but good, and walking around, not knowing who was bold enough to try, and might just give it another shot, would terrify anyone. At least you knew who was trying to get rid of you.

“Something… needed to happen here,” she places the lip balm in her pocket, turning her full attention to you through the mirror. “We’ve been brave and fighting tooth and nail, but it was never going to be enough because we’re women and outnumbered. The men here, they either knew or didn’t–and evidently there were actually quite a few who shared Jeongguk’s belief–but the ones who knew–even if they didn’t partake–they didn’t stand up for us. I hate that you left without telling us–”

“–Would you have let me go?”

“No, of course not. In hindsight, yeah, it was the best thing you could’ve done because we needed something to happen. We needed Jeongguk. But when I found out that you were at the hospital after going on a solo mission with him? I thought he’d killed you.”

You let your gaze fall to the floor sadly. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I just… I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Sana touches her hand to your shoulder, giving you a sad but understanding smile, “How are you now? I imagine it’s scary, knowing they haven’t been caught yet.”

You sigh. “Yeah. I don’t know, in a way, I feel… numb. Sometimes I used to think I heard stuff… Footsteps, voices… Living with Jeongguk makes me feel safer in some ways.”

“But?”

You exhale, feeling your shoulders drop slightly.

Sana gives you a sad and almost defeated look. “Don’t do that. I really think he’s one of the good ones.”

“Don’t do what? Nothing is going to happen.”

“You sure? Knowing you, would you have agreed to live with him if you didn’t like him at least a little? And do you have any idea how much he cares for you? I heard from Jimin that he worked his ass off just to find out where you were, like from the moment he was discharged from the hospital and we wouldn’t tell him. He still asked about you almost everyday, even after he figured out your location and technically could go and see for himself. He works day in and day out to catch these guys for what they did to us and to him, but mostly for you.”

You tap your nails against the porcelain sink, listening to her words but not sure what to make of them. “He might be one of the good guys but I promise you, nothing like that is ever going to happen. Not between us.”

She purses her lips. “Okay, if you’re certain. But be honest with yourself if anything changes.”

“So, you and Jimin,” you change the subject, watching Sana roll her dark eyes and fail to suppress a smile.

“He’s a sweet guy. I didn’t think I needed to talk about what happened at that party, I thought I was over it. But since nothing happened and we never knew who it was? I guess I never let myself really process it and the always-present… fear I lived with. I know I talked to you, but I think I needed to talk to someone who in a way wasn’t in the same boat.”

“I get that,” you smile a smile that grows into a wide grin, “Can you believe it? We might finally get some justice.”

Two hours later, you’re rushing from the station’s front doors to the parked car, rain still falling from the gray sky. Jeongguk makes it before you, opening the passenger door.

Weird, why would you drive his car?

He looks back at you where you’ve come to a stop, “What are you waiting for? Get in,” he smiles, undoubtedly confused. There’s a raindrop running slowly from his forehead, down between his eyebrows and down the side of his nose.

Oh. He opened the door for you.

You move your legs, getting inside while Jeongguk remains standing there with his hand on the top of the door. As soon as you’re comfortably inside, he shuts it and rounds the car.

“Do you want to come with me or should I drop you off at home on the way?”

“Home, please. I think one station a day is enough for me,” you let out a stressed laugh at the mention of Jeongguk’s old workplace, gazing out through the window. 

“Of course,” he says, placing his arm on the back of your seat to look behind him, reversing the car.

You fiddle with your hands in your lap, glancing over at him while he steers the car out onto the road. “So, Sana told me she might have a case against Ryung as well.” 

“Yeah. If the bartender testifies against him, which I think he’ll do considering all the other charges we’re working on. If we can just catch them first to make him more relaxed with them in custody.”

You nod, more so to yourself. You hope the bartender testifies that he didn’t drug Sana by his own accord. Hopefully, he’d rather share the blame than take it all, even if he fears an eventual revenge act by Ryung’s cop friends.

“And you helped her?” you ask, tapping your fingers against your jean-clad thighs anxiously.

“To get the tapes, yeah. I remembered you told me what happened to her, so I asked her when I got back, and she explained everything. Owner was a real asshole and definitely tried to avoid it, so I might have threatened him a little.”

You look at the side of his face as he continues. “That if he didn’t hand all the footage over and make sure the cameras are always up and functional, I’d look into every crevice of the bar. Which, we technically can’t, because we don’t have any legal reason to at the moment. But I’m hoping it might deter them from shitty behavior in the future.”

He’s got such stunning features; the nose, the jaw, his eyes… His hair is relatively unstyled, parted to reveal his forehead. You didn’t think he could get more physically attractive, but boy, were you wrong. How much of one’s attractiveness is due to their personality? You find it so… heart-warming to know that he helped your friend and didn’t bring it up with you in order to win any brownie points. It feels like… he did it because he truly wanted to help her and left it to her to decide who should know.

“Thank you, Jeongguk,” you say earnestly, watching him turn his head to look at you for as long as he can before he has to focus his attention back to the road.

“No problem.”

You hear Jeongguk drive off only when you’re safely inside. Slowly but surely, your heart rate continues to increase, almost at the same rate as the rain that’s on a whole new level now. You faintly recall reading something about a smaller storm rolling through the city, but you didn’t remember it happening this week.

The first thing you do is lock the front door. You even pull on the handle a few times just to be sure, and then you head toward the living room before you walk back, checking it again.

It’s six p.mm when the first round of lightning hits. Holding your breath, you wait for it. One, two, three… There it is, the thunder. It shakes the entire house, and you feel restlessness fill your body. Your feet take you through the house and into your bedroom, locking both locks and sitting down on the floor with your back against the bed. 

However, Jeongguk removed the curtains for better access to the window and seems to have forgotten to put them back up. There’s a small space between the wooden planks, and you turn your head away as lightning flashes through.

Your breathing turns shallow, and you rise to your feet again. One, two… Any second now, it could happen. Any second. It rumbles again, and you feel it in your entire body.

Unlocking your bedroom door, you end up wandering the hallway in search of a calmer spot. You find a fitting room, and you pull the thicker curtains closed before slumping down with your back against the bed. The silence between the thunder fills your head with thoughts and memories and your body aches in pain. Trying to tune out the waves of thunder, you hide your face against your arms that are hugging your knees to your chest. It’s closer now, and you feel the walls rumble with it. 

You try to keep calm, but your shoulders are so tense. It feels like it’s right above you; it never moves. Moment after moment passes but it never moves. 

Footsteps stop next to you.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” someone says, and you open your eyes, peering over your arm at the familiar but worried face where he’s kneeling beside you. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

When did he even return? Wasn’t he supposed to visit the other station? Or… has he already? You can’t tell.

“I’m… fine,” you sniffle, raising your head, and meeting his brown eyes for a second. “It’s just that… bad things tend to happen to me when it storms.”

“I see,” he says, “Do you mind if I sit with you?”

You shrug because it’s his house, after all. Jeongguk sits down next to you with his back against his bed as well, barely touching your side. 

“No one is looking for us, you know?” he informs quietly. “We’ll be perfectly fine in this house. Jimin said that according to the latest updates, he thinks they're at least four hours away, and they definitely have more important things to prioritize than looking for you. Besides, I’m here, and I’m prepared this time so no one’s getting to you, okay?”

He nudges you softly with his shoulder. You nod shakily, trying to breathe calmly. For a while, you sit there on his bedroom floor, next to each other, until the worst passes. He makes it better; the feeling of his arm gently pressed against yours, the sound of his quiet breaths, and the scent of his cologne all pull you out of a darkness.

“We should do something.”

A lot calmer, you turn your head to meet his eyes, reflecting once again over how kind they look. There’s an additional sparkle in there too.

“Do… what?”

He stands up, holding out his hand for you. “Come on.”

A bit skeptical, you still give in and take his hand, letting him help you up. He doesn’t explain whatever plan he’s got, but you follow him into the kitchen where he stops.

“Teach me how to bake?”

“Jeongguk… I’m not a baker, myself,” you look at him, confused.

“But you baked those cookies? And they were good?”

“Yeah, I followed a recipe and had a bit of luck. Wouldn’t know how to replicate that without the exact instructions. I only know how to bake, like, one thing, and the last time I tried, it turned out terrible.”

“And that is?”

“Okay, uhm, eggs? And… butter?”

You watch as Jeongguk opens the fridge, searching for the ingredients you list.

“And we’ll need flour, baking soda, sugar, and… I’m guessing you don’t have vanilla extract?”

He places a cartoon of eggs and a stick of butter on the kitchen table before looking at you with a guilty face. “...No.”

“Alright, well, I guess we can do without. But we’ll need the flour, baking soda, and sugar; you have that?”

“Coming right up.”

You roll your eyes with a smile on your lips as you place his laptop on the counter, not displaying a recipe but a Netflix documentary.

Jeongguk follows your directions flawlessly, except for ‘accidentally’ making somewhat of a flour mess and tasting just a little too much of the batter. The cupcakes go inside the preheated oven, and he starts cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes in the meantime. Although your creations are a tad bit too dry for your liking, and you have to stop Jeongguk from popping an entire one into his mouth the second they’re out of the oven, you guess he succeeded because you don’t spare the dwindling rain any more thought.

At least not until you’ve closed the laptop and put the cupcakes in the fridge, turning the lights off in the kitchen. You’ve joked and laughed, but now that it’s quiet… You bite your lip, standing outside your room with your fingers on the handle of the half open door.

“Everything okay?”

You turn your head, meeting Jeongguk’s eyes. He’s stopped on the way to his own bedroom, and you make an effort to smile at him, “Yeah. I probably won’t be able to sleep… with the rain, but it’s okay.”

“Sleep with me in my bed?”

You can’t help the risk analysis your brain performs. It’s the concept of laying your unconscious body in an extremely vulnerable state next to a being much bigger and five times stronger than you, whose kind you know to be extremely violent and without a trace of empathy. But Jeongguk has had plenty of chances to hurt you, and in that way, he hasn’t. He quite literally could’ve murdered you when you fell asleep against him on the couch and didn’t even wake up fully when he carried you to bed.

“Okay,” you nod, taking the leap and watching him smile and continue to his room.

You change in your own room, emerging in a pair of baby blue cotton shorts and a white, loose t-shirt. Jeongguk is wearing a similar outfit, only his shorts are longer and his entire outfit is black, and he’s pulling away the bedspread as you enter his bedroom. Despite just spending hours with him, your heart rate increases.

He looks back at you over his shoulder. “You know, I’m sorry for making you sleep in bed with me back at the house. I thought you seemed uncomfortable because you were a little prudish, not because…”

“Because I was scared of you?” you continue, smiling softly at his confession.

He nods, and you see the way sadness fills his eyes.

“It’s okay. Thank you, though.”

There’s still a trace of hesitation in his eyes, so you roll your eyes playfully as you sit down on the bed. “Get in, Jeongguk.”

He follows your instructions, switching the lights off first, and though you’ve slept beside him in the past, it feels so different. There was always a tension, mostly because you were quite literally fearing for your life, but also because you did find him insanely attractive. 

In the middle of the night, you wake up to the bed moving and soon after feeling Jeongguk reach for you in a clumsy way that definitely means he’s not awake. With his arm around your waist, he pulls you back against him, nuzzling his face into your hair and sighing. He’s really, really warm and sturdy, and you find that… it doesn’t scare you that much. Not too long after, you feel him tense a little and start to pull back his arm, a sign that he’s awake and realizing what he’s done. Surely surprising him–and honestly, yourself too–you grasp his hand to keep it there, and a few beats of silence later, you feel him snuggle just a little closer.

When you wake up in Jeongguk’s warm, white sheets, you’re alone. Rolling over, you find yourself face to face with the ring, still on his bedside table. Should you ask him about that? (Or about how you basically cuddled?) Is it weird or are you overthinking stuff? You observe the shiny gold for a minute before you stretch your arms over your head and decide to get up.

After visiting the bathroom, you head toward the kitchen. Expecting Jeongguk to have left already, you’re surprised to see him at the kitchen table, still wearing the clothes he slept in.

“You’re not going to the station today? I thought you had some sort of meeting” you question, walking to the fridge to grab a cupcake and pour yourself a glass of apple juice.

Jeongguk puts his phone down, scraping the last of the cereal from the bowl in front of him onto the spoon. “Moved it to Wednesday. Thought I’d stay home today.”

You wonder if it’s because of you and the bad day you had yesterday, but you don’t voice your thoughts. It’s still raining, but luckily there hasn’t been any more thunder, and it’s supposed to last until tomorrow. Though, while you can handle ordinary rain, it feels… good to have him close by.

After breakfast, Jeongguk resumes working in his office. You’re not really sure what to occupy yourself with, and although he left the door open, you don’t want to disturb him.

You end up in the kitchen, inventorying the contents of the fridge, freezer, and cupboards. You used up the last of the butter when you made the cupcakes, and although there are a couple of eggs left, if you want to bake, you should probably get some more.

With a list in your phone, you knock on the open door to Jeongguk’s office.

“Can I borrow the car? I was thinking of going grocery shopping.”

He turns to you in the chair, leaning back. “Are we out of something? I went not too long ago and thought I got everything?”

“I want to try baking some more.”

From confused, his features turn to understanding.

“Yeah, of course. I have the bike in case I get called in,” he turns back to the computer screen, clicking around. “Hold on a minute, and I’ll get my card.”

You pull the door closer to your body. “It’s alright, I’ll pay.”

Jeongguk swirls the chair all the way to face you and stands up before you, looking down at you, “I don’t mind, though.”

“Jeongguk, you’re very kind, but it’s not like I’m without pay. I can pay for some things while living in your house.”

“I know, but you still pay rent for your own apartment that you can’t live in at the moment, you pay for your car you can’t safely use, and I know you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t really have to, so in a sense, you’re paying that price as well. And it’s partially because of me. Just let me pay.”

“You’re stubborn, you know that?” you roll your eyes but let him pass you into the hallway.

“In a good way, I hope,” he calls out. 

You follow him, taking the car key and card he just pulled out of his wallet from his hand. “And please just use it. I’ll check.”

“Fine.”

He grins happily, and then he returns to his office. But the joke’s on him because you do use his card at the grocery store, but you also take the opportunity to fill the car up with gas, and for that, you pay with your own card.

It’s just past noon when you return, locking the car in the garage and carrying the grocery bags inside. You notice the empty office on your way to the kitchen, and doesn’t it seem very… quiet? Then again, wasn’t the bike still in the garage?

You bring the groceries to the kitchen, unpacking everything before checking your phone again. If Jeongguk left he would’ve at least texted you, right? When there’s no notification from him, you conclude that he must be somewhere in the house, so you set out to find him.

You peer into his bedroom, finding it empty just like his office. Next, you open the door into your room, but he isn’t there either. That leaves, what, the bathroom?

The door to the bathroom is ajar, and as you approach, you see movement inside. Jeongguk stands with his back toward the door, sorting and throwing laundry into the washing machine. The final item he decides to wash is the shirt he’s currently wearing, and you watch him reach his hands to the back of his neck and then pull the black shirt over his head.

Which means that he’s left shirtless.

He places it in the washing machine and closes the door to it, unknowing of the way your heart has filled with an incredible weight, and you press your lips together in order to stop the bottom one from trembling.

The night that you almost died–Jeongguk more so than you–sometimes feels so distant. Like a terrible dream or something from another lifetime. But you’re now cruelly reminded by the large, very pink and ugly scar close to his shoulder blade.

He’s about to start the machine when he turns around as if he forgot something, worry filling his eyes and coloring his face when he spots you, on the brink of crying.

It doesn’t help you much, though, because there’s another huge, pink scar on his chest as well, spanning from right above where his heart should be and down a few inches.

You remember how he used to look when he couldn’t ever be bothered to wear a shirt around the fake house; how his warm, essentially flawless skin looked under the summer sun. And now, it’s going to look like that for the rest of his life. Because of you. You could’ve moved out of the way when Hoseong rushed toward you with the sword, but you didn’t. You could’ve at least tried, but you hadn’t.

“Jeongguk,” you whisper, distraught, taking a few steps toward him. He looks at you as you reach your hand out carefully, but he makes no effort to stop you, so you ghost your shaky fingers over the scar on his chest, as if it still hurts him.

“I–I…”

“Hey, it’s fine, okay?” he tries to meet your eyes, but you keep them on the scar, “It doesn’t hurt.”

He could’ve died. He was so, so close to dying. You nod, but your lip trembles as you tilt your head. 

“Listen… I’m fine… They’re just scars. I’m not bothered by them. Not at all; I don’t think about them. I can barely see them.”

Your gaze drifts, and you spot another scar on the side of his ribcage. “And this? I don’t remember this?”

He lifts his arm a little, giving you a better view of it. Luckily, it’s not close to as big as the others. “This,” he says, touching his other hand to raised, pink skin, “is from the chest tube. The others are from, well, the sword and fixing my ribs and my lung.”

In order to get your attention, Jeongguk places two fingers under your chin and lifts it to search your eyes, “I’m okay, I promise. The doctors told me not to exert myself like I used to for a while, so I’m still taking it a little easy, but I’ll definitely be able to.”

You grab his hand, holding it tightly in the air between you. “You’ll be completely fine?”

“Yes. I mostly am already. I’m like 99%.”

You think about the damage the sword did to his body, and if he hadn’t taken the blow for you, Hoseong would’ve aimed it for your heart, and it would’ve pierced your body. It hurts just thinking about it.

Closing your eyes for a second, you nod softly before gently turning him around again to look at the scar on his shoulder blade. He lets you, standing patiently with his back to you. 

“Have you tried any of those oils?” you sniffle.

“Oils?”

“That make them less noticeable.”

“I haven’t,” he answers over his shoulder. “I don’t think it’ll help since they’re so… textured. But if it’s just for appearance, I don’t mind. They don’t bother me.”

“It doesn’t hurt?” you ask to make sure, letting your fingers touch his skin still very lightly but less so than the previous ghosting touch.

He shakes his head, turning it forward again as if giving you free reign.

You trace the scar, the long vertical, raised line that thickens more to the middle. You’ve never seen scars like this before, not where you can even make out the stitches. For a moment, you stand there in silence.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your work?” you ask quietly.

He turns his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“Back at the house, when I essentially yelled at you for being a shitty cop and about the patriarchy. Jimin said you worked a lot of domestic violence and sexual assault cases, like… voluntarily. Why didn’t you tell me that? Why did you let me go on and on about women’s rights and police violence and abuse when you were actually trying to do good?”

Jeongguk shrugs lightly, “Would it have helped? In the moment?”

You think about it, letting your hand fall from his back. He turns around and leans back against the washing machine, his hands on top of it behind him.

“I probably wouldn’t have believed you.”

It wouldn’t have helped. You were angry–furious–and upset, and it wouldn't have changed anything because you would’ve thought he was lying. Lying and somehow trying to invalidate your feelings.

“I had the feeling you needed to vent. I sorta realized then what your impression of me was, and I felt like I understood you more in that moment as well.” He tilts his head, looking down at you with those kind, brown eyes and a small smile.

“That I wasn’t a fake feminist, using the movement for my own personal and professional advantage? And that I actually thought you were the most misogynistic asshole to ever live, not just throwing blame around to victimize myself?”

Jeongguk chuckles at your colorful description, “Yeah.”

Even so, he still looks so… sweet.

<previous | next>

author's note: so i hope you like this spontaneous april fools' prank lol. i'm also really, really hoping that if you did like it that maybe you'll leave a reblog or an ask with your thoughts? makes my day to hear if you liked it (and what you liked)!!

I’M GOING TO LOSE IT

Shootout to this, like hell you romantic, you!-

So cute, adorable, heartbreakingly beautiful. I love this so much. Such a strong, brave and beautiful OC 💜💜💜

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐆𝐨𝐝 🔞

Personal trainer!Jungkook x Baker!Reader

.｡.:✽ You're everything he's not. You're irritating. You're weird. You're confusing- and you're also everything he wants to be.

.｡.:✽Genre: slice of life, Romance, heavy Angst, Fluff, Adult, comfort

.｡.:✽Other Tags: body-insecurities/body hatred (Jungkook), mentions of past abusive relationship (verbal/emotional), reader is a cinnamon roll (get it?), overcoming past trauma, strangers to lovers, cuteness overload, suggestive themes such as sensual touching, kissing, body worship, oral (Female receiving)

.｡.:✽Wordcount: Long, 7.1k

.｡.:✽Story type: Oneshot

.｡.:✽Masterlist: Click

..............................................｡.:✽:.｡.............................................

Jungkook liked sweet things, some time ago.

He'd enjoyed ice creams with mild flavors such as vanilla, or other sweet desserts that were similar to it. He snacked often and always got a little excited when experiencing a new flavor for the first time, adventurous and never judgmental when trying out things he's never eaten before.

Jungkook also loved junk foods, like ramyeon or fast foods. He couldn't help but give in from time to time, the convenience of it all being a quick meal convincing enough to walk through the food markets back in his hometown, just to get back home with a plastic bag full of treats.

But that was before he'd met her.

He's always been quite quick to fall in love, not only with people. With a soul as trusting and eager for affection as his own, he's always been someone to love others with a fiery temper and a full heart. But that also made him an easy victim, a target almost painted on his chest it seems; because he also was once someone who trusted easily, and never saw the bad in someone.

Now? He wishes he could go back in time and warn his naïve self of what's to come.

He's punching the black bag over and over again, arms already aching- but that's just a sign that he's pushing his limits again. He knows his body inside and out, takes great care of it- or at least that's what he likes to believe. Never again will someone be able to make him feel shame about himself, never again will he feel like he did years ago.

He knows his worth.

But on his way home, he smells it again; the scent of melting sugar and baked goods, faint but familiar by now ever since the bakery had opened up a few months prior. Whatever is sold there must be good, because he can see the people lining up at the front door every morning before it opens up- and even after the morning rush, the tables inside and outside seem always filled. He wonders what's it all about- maybe just a glance this time.

He won't buy anything, he's just looking.

Someone's humming to a newly released pop-song quietly playing from the radio, inside of the shop warm lit and inviting. It looks almost more like a home than a café- but it's empty now, a much different look than what's going on during the day. "Oh?" your voice finds his ears, and he needs to take two glances left and right to find where you are, broom in hand and standing behind the counter. There's a bit of flour on your apron, and what looks like sprinkles, the frilly blouse you're wearing underneath void of any stains however. Your face shape is absolutely not as sharp and angled as what he's usually surrounded by- be it men or women- and you're visibly not as tall as the average female from what he can see.

Cute, he thinks to himself. What?

No, you're absolutely not cute. You're probably not even aware of all the calories you're selling to costumers daily- and it must be pure irony that you've opened your shop in close proximity to a gym of all places. You probably never went to one in your life, absolutely careless about your weight or health-

A lightbulb starts to flicker aggressively above his head. You laugh sheepishly.

"My boss said he'd get that fixed tomorrow. It's been like that for a few days now." you tell him for no reason. He didn't ask. "it's a little creepy to me, you know, considering I'm working alone when closing. But I can't change it myself, you know." you explain further, putting the broom to the side. Again, he doesn't know why you're telling him this. He doesn't care.

"you're closed?" he asks after a moment of staring at you awkwardly, and you shrug, making him confused.

"depends. I have some iced coffee left?" you say, opening a small fridge behind the counter. Only now does he realize that the shelves are void of any goods.

"don't wanna cause you a hassle. It's fine." he waves off at that, and you nod, smiling. He just nods back dumbly, walking out the door.

"Oh- please be careful! Goodnight!" you call out, and he turns around, hands in his jogging pants' pockets. His brows are raised, irritated.

"I'm a guy." he tells you, and you nod.

"So?" you wonder, and he scoffs a little.

"whatever." he simply mumbles to himself, before closing the door behind him.

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

Yoongi breathes heavily as he sits down on the carpeted gym floor, close to where his friend and personal trainer stands. "How's the shoulder?" Jungkook asks, mild worry in his words as he sits down close to him as well, crossing his legs.

"Better- but I think I should call it a day." He says, pushing a hand against the front of his shoulder before moving it in a circular motion. "Don't wanna overdo it." Jungkook nods at that, before another voice chimes in.

"I hope you're not overworking yourself already, Yoongi." You say, walking up to both of the men, and Jungkook himself can't help how his face shows his judgement of you. You don't fit into the scene at all, with your overknee socks and frilly skirt. You're wearing a blouse with cat-shaped buttons, entire attire showing that you visibly don't seem to care about your shape, seams of your socks already rolling down on one side from the fact that they sit so snug against your thighs, right where he can spot faint stretch marks lingering. Aren't you even the slightest bit ashamed?

Yoongi pats your head once, laughing at your words simply, before he looks into the white plastic bag you've brought. You're squatting now, Mary-janes making a slight sound as the leather bends to accommodate the way your feet are bending a little, and he tears his gaze away as soon as he notices that he can see almost under your skirt. You really have no shame, it seems. "What's that?" His older friend asks, rummaging around in the bag, while you just smile with excitement, your cheeks all round and a little blushed.

Would they look like that if you were to loose a bit of weight too? He hates how bloated he looks after eating, has kept his body-fat percentage low to make sure his face stays sharp and masculine- always remembering how much she praised his appearance if he did that. It's what's desirable, after all- so he can understand where she came from, back then.

Would she love him again if she saw him now?

"They're filled with a peach filling- but I played around a little so it's not too sweet, since I know you don't like that too much. And, you know, nowadays people are pretty scared to eat something sugary it seems." You joke, making Yoongi shrug while Jungkook feels irritated.

"Some people care about their diets." He speaks without holding back, and Yoongi looks at him a bit scandalized- but he doesn't get to scold him, because you're already talking.

"One single cream puff isn't going to ruin your body if it's once in a while." Jungkook hates how confidently you say that. And how he knows you're right, too. But he doesn't back down either, feeling threatened now.

"You don't look like one to know much about nutrition." He mumbles more or less, and Yoongi looks even more angry now- but you don't seem fazed at all, still smiling.

"Do you eat after working out?" You wonder, and he feels self-conscious now at that question. Oddly put on the spot. He doesn't like it- doesn't like you. You're not pushy, not at all, just asking, but he feels like you're interrogating him in a way he's uncomfortable with.

"No." He mumbles more or less to himself. "I have a tendency to, you know.. binge." He doesn't know why he's admitting that. You just asked a simple yes or no question, why does he feel the need to justify himself?

You're digging around in the plastic bag at that, before offering a small plastic container. "Here-" You say, friendly smile way too sugary for his tastes, like honey staining his teeth. "It's just fruit, nothing added to it. I brought them with me because I like to snack them during work, but you should definitely eat those instead." You tell him, and he looks at you with a questioning gaze.

"What will you eat during work then?" He wonders, and you shrug, an impish glint in your eyes.

"I'll hardly starve from one day without snacks. It's important to eat within the first two hours after working out- and we both know I didn't touch any of these weights here." You say giggling, and his heart stings a bit. While yes, he thinks the same, it's still tough to hear you say this so easily. He doesn't want you to think like that about yourself. He doesn't want you to feel like you need to adjust. "Alright- are you still coming Yoongs?" You wonder, and Yoongi nods, getting up and helping you stand as well. Your hand looks small in Yoongis large palms. Jungkook notices your little struggle. He himself can get up without any help.

"Yeah. We're eating at Jin's, you wanna tag along?" Yoongi asks the younger man, who instantly shakes his head.

"I need to put everything back into place again. Thanks." He simply offers, turning away from you both.

"Alright- maybe another time." You say, and he can only imagine the pitiful look you probably have put on for him. "I really wanna try his new dessert- he said he put some extra aside for me!" You giggle, voice becoming more quiet as you walk away. "Do you think I can watch him cook this time?"

"You know what Jin's like, but maybe-" Yoongi's voice becomes undistinguishable the further he walks off, and Jungkook dares to look around, seeing you smile effortless up to the older man, a little jump in your step, while the usually rather stoic producer looks at ease and genuinely friendly towards you. You both look so comfortable, so warm, and Jungkook suddenly feels like a kid left behind to stay at home alone for the first time- his inner thoughts not his own it seems as he watches you both leave the gym.

I want to come with you, too.

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

Sex isn't really anything special anymore.

He tends to be the first leaving, just like now- having barely undressed anyways, but he knows how to work around being naked while satisfying someone else. They don't care about him anyways, simply out for pleasure and no strings attached, and he's fine with that too. It makes him feel something at least, even if it's barely anything. It tastes of nothing but stale bread, feeding his desires while his soul leaves starved yet again.

The door closes behind him, and he can hear the lock set in.

Walking home, he passes your bakery- or rather a side-project of Jin's he'd been told by Yoongi last time he'd trained with him. It's closed now, but he still walks towards it, looking at the dark interior inside, barely visibly and only lit from the streetlights outside. Some red dots are blinking, indicating the security system is active inside- though Jungkook doesn't know what one might want to steal from a bakery of all places. The chairs are all upside-down on the tables, neatly placed, floor clean of any crumbs. Tomorrow, the people will wait at the entrance again, standing in line to get their breakfasts and coffees, and you'll probably stand behind the counter again with all those stains on your apron like he's seen you before.

He really doesn't know how to feel about you.

It's clear to him that your body makes him feel uncomfortable- because you're lacking any sense of consciousness about the way you look, but at the same time that can't be true considering you otherwise looked very well put together. Yoongi likes you- so why doesn't he himself feel the same?

Maybe because he's jealous.

He likes to tell himself that you're standing home alone as well, in front of the mirror and judging all those unflattering parts like he does way too often. Maybe you're just good at masking your feelings- your work having stained your very touch to the point that everything you do is just so tooth-rottingly sweet. You probably can't help it. He understands that.

Jungkook liked sweet things too, some time ago.

He walks away from the shop and back home, where nothing but the buzzing lights wait. And a cold bed, because he left the window open.

Maybe in his dreams he could fly outside?

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

"Oh, Jungkook, isn't it?" You ask, almost bumping into him in the furniture store.

"Yeah." He simply answers, a hand on your back pulling you a bit out of the way when he notices an elderly woman trying to push her shopping cart past you. Your back is warm. You're also way shorter than him. It's odd how he only notices now, it seems.

"Oh, thanks!" You say. "Uh- do you know where that spot is to get furniture you've ordered?" You ask, and he furrows his brows.

"I don't- what do you mean?" He asks, and you look up at him, clearly not uncomfortable standing close to him, because there's barely a step of space between you two. Or at least it feels like it to him. In reality, you're probably standing two steps away. At least. He puts his hands in the front pockets of his sweater- just to pull them out again. The pocket looks award when something's in it. He doesn't want to look odd.

"I ordered a small dresser a week ago, but they didn't have it here yet- so they ordered it and I could take it home later." You explain, and Jungkook nods at that, now realizing what you're talking about.

"That's up front- do you have a cart?" He wonders, and your eyes widen.

"Oh shit." You almost whisper, and a snort escapes him.

Oh god that's weird. He coughs to cover the sound up, but you're already laughing at him. He knew it. He can feel the tips of his ears turn red already-

"I'm so stupid I swear." You laugh- but it's at yourself, he realizes. "Ah, I'll get a cart then, and hunt down some employee so they can lead me there. It's no wonder they made those SCP-Horror stories about Ikeas stores." You giggle, and Jungkook can't suppress his smile this time. He can't force his lips down.

"You know about those?" He asks, he doesn't know why. He doesn't care.

"I'm on reddit and 4chan, I know more than I want to, to be honest." You say, faking a serious expression. "Someone made an experiment with his piss once-" You start, and Jungkook laughs at this, unable to be stoic about the way you so seriously say that. "I'm serious!" You laugh along, and he nods.

"No no, I believe you." He nods, using all his strength to make sure he doesn't grin, because his teeth look like a rabbits, she once told him. He doesn't want you to see it. Or maybe it's just become a habit. "Do you need help with that closet you bought?" He asks, and you giggle again. Did he say something weird?

"It's a dresser- but I guess it can classify as the same thing just smaller?" You think. "Wait when does a closet start and a dresser end- is it even size?" You begin thinking, and Jungkook apologizes instantly.

"You said dresser, I remembered that wrongly, sorry." He says, but you just playfully shake your head.

"No worries, maybe its even a closet and I just misunderstood." You tell him. "But yeah, if you could help me, that would be awesome! Gotta use those muscles for something, heh?" You joke, poking his stomach a little. He feels like you've just shot him. He doesn't know why he's so hyperaware of where you've placed your finger on his stomach, and it doesn't hurt, but in a way, it does. He doesn't know.

You're confusing him.

He trails after you like a lost dog and he's aware of it, but he can't help it. He's offered his help, it would be rude to just leave you be now, and he doesn't want to be rude to you. Even though he's been rude to you before already. Oh yeah- why do you seem so at ease with him?

You walk towards the place where he'd told you to get your furniture, and when the old man starts to place every piece in your cart, Jungkook helps without thinking. It's the same once you're at your car- he lifts it all into your trunk without thinking of the consequences it might have for him, adjusting the seats so everything can fit into the small vehicle properly. It's only when you go to bring back the cart that he realizes in horror what had happened.

The inside of his sweater feeling damp against his skin, body freezing as he can only imagine the darker stain on the back now where he knows he sweats the most. His neck feels just as cold as the wind passes him- even his hairline bothering him now. Why did he help you with that stupid furniture? He knows he sweats easily.

'Jungkook' she'd said, apologetic face when she'd spoken. 'you gotta do something about that. I don't wanna say its gross but.. well, it kinda is. No offense.'

Her voice doesn't let go of him even years after breaking up it seems. It echoes inside his head even as you're walking back towards him- and he falls into panic realizing he's gonna take public transport home. Maybe he should just walk. He didn't even get what he wanted to get anyways. "Thank you so much!" You say, grinning at him with genuine friendliness, and he just feels awkward standing like this in front of you. "Where did you park?" you wonder, and he shakes his head.

"Took the bus." He admits, and you nod.

"Oh- do you want to ride along? The least I can do is give you a lift home." You offer, but he's quick to shut it down.

"No no, it's fine, I'm all sweaty and gross now-" he rants, but much to his surprise, you simply shrug.

"Gross?" You ask, and he nods, ashamed.

"Yeah." He responds.

"Nah. Come on now, if you help be put it up too I'll put some chicken nuggets in the oven!" You giggle, getting in the car.

He doesn't know why he accepts your offer.

His smell is probably already noticeable to you in the small interior of the car. He doesn't rest his back against the seat- the fluffy covers way too clean to be touched by his sweaty back. He hates that he's like that. Maybe he should consult a doctor about this. This has to be an issue only he has. But then- your hand pushes against his front, forcing him to lean back into the seats.

You don't say anything, but you also don't need to. He just stares- because between all the horror of knowing now that you know about his insecurities and inner fights, there's a glint of relieve filling him. Because you're not annoyed. You don't seem bothered. You're still smiling a little, eyes on full alert while you keep your attention on the road in front.

While he right next to you can't help but think, how come he's never noticed how pretty your collarbones look? Not sharply protruding, or aggressively visible- but soft, delicate, and merely there to show that your bones underneath your skin are present. A simple necklace rests over them, pendant hidden in your cleavage, but the silver band alone seems enough to decorate that part of you perfectly. Your neck is a little red where you've scratched it a little earlier, itching the skin for no apparent reason- but it doesn't look out of place. It's like proof that you're alive, because looking at you now, he realizes what you remind him of.

Those old paintings of angels, with their soft bodies and rosy cheeks.

But that spot, and the slight redness on your nose is proof that you're alive. That there's blood running through your veins, that there's a heart beating and organs working inside of you. You're breathing next to him, and that alone makes him feel oddly out of place.

Because you're so at ease with just existing, it seems.

You know that he's staring, but you don't scold him either. You just smile, like always sugary sweet, when you have to stop at a red light- and he feels like he's drowning in honey.

But the strangest thing is that he's fine with that.

Because once in a while won't hurt your body, right?

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

Your apartment is odd.

Its Sunday, and he's currently waiting for you to do something in the kitchen while he takes off his shoes, looking around the area of your small home. It all looks warm, chaotic but inviting- like a genuine home. You don't seem to follow any sort of decoration theme, more or less simply existing, just like always, and it's odd to him how it all still fits together. It looks like you. Cozy.

"Alright, so-" You start, leading him into what he assumes is your bedroom, considering the bed in the corner. "-I just need help with like, holding some of the heavier boards. I'll screw, and you hold, alright?" You offer, and he nods. That's what he's here for. Why are you saying this stuff as if he's got an option here?

He doesn't even know why he's agreed to it- or even when exactly he did in the first place. All he knows is that you're actually good at following those disgustingly confusing instructions- never seeming to misunderstand where something goes, confident in the way you screw in those metal pieces, as if you've done this multiple times before. And all is fine until you have to stand awkwardly in front of him- and he becomes aware that you can probably look into the wide and short sleeves of his oversized grey shirt. You can probably see that he didn't shave, why didn't he think of that?

But you just smile at him for a second, as if to pacify his thoughts, before you turn back to your task.

He falls into his habit of judging you yet again when you sit on the carpeted floor, reading the instructions with screws in your hand while the other turns the page of the tiny booklet. The board has left a red indent in your thigh where you'd leaned into the wooden piece not too long ago, soft thighs seemingly without muscle while your arms look similar. Your wrists are small, fingers dainty like a doll- while your stomach rolls up in several little folds from the way you sit a bit hunched over, legs crossed now. The thin straps of your top lay carefully over your shoulders, and only now does he realize you're not even wearing a bra- faint outline of your nipples against the inner fabric of the top giving him the clue to come to this conclusion.

There's oddly enough no sexual thought in his mind though. Only the mere question about, how?

How can you just sit there so comfortably, not even realizing how admittedly unflattering you're showing yourself to him right now? You're not wearing makeup, your hair a little messy, and he hates the fact that you still look pretty to him. You look adorable, with the way you lick your lips before biting the upper one a bit deep in thought. Is it a habit? He wants to know, and he doesn't even know why.

"Jungkook?" You ask, waving your hand in front of his face a little. He didn't realize he's sat down on the back of his heels by now, probably staring into nothingness. The carpet has created angry red imprints on his knees. They look awfully boney compared to yours- he can't help but pull down the seams of his sweat shorts, his gaze falling onto the little heart shaped pendant hanging from your necklace. There's a paw print on it, and he wants to know why. Do you like pets? Why don't you have any? Then his eyes fall back onto your cleavage. Your breasts look just as soft as the rest of you. Are you warm? Could you warm him up if he touched you? "You can let go now, you now?" You say, and his heart stops beating for a second, eyes snapping up to meet yours.

"The board. You.. can let it go." You giggle a little, and he swallows hard, and lets go of it. There's a sweaty handprint left. Great- he's being gross again.

"Maybe I should skip dinner today." You say suddenly, and he feels ripped out of whatever thought he might've had just seconds ago.

"What?" He asks, whispers almost.

"You know, to combat all of this?" You say, sitting back and stretching out your legs or a second. "Maybe if I work out hard like you I don't look like the Michelin man when sitting down?" You laugh, but he doesn't see the joke. Where is this coming from? He doesn't like that you talk about yourself like that. "Do you think if I lost weight my face would look like those models in the TV commercials?"

"Stop it.." He says, barely above a whisper, in no way an actual threat. You just rant on.

"But then again, it's probably genetics. Imagine my body being all toned but my face still all round. I'd look hideous- all for nothing, really." You sigh. "But plastic surgery is an option. The easy way. I mean, I saved up to maybe move into a bigger apartment, but imagine how my life could change if I was pretty!" You tell him excitedly, and he hurts. "Like, actually, conventionally pretty!" You tell him. "I'd finally be loved too-"

"Stop.!" He barks out now, having reached his breaking point. He wants to apologize for yelling, but you're still smiling, sitting right in front of you. Only now does he feel your knees touching his- skin warm, warmer than his own it seems. Or maybe he's just imagining it. He can't stop staring at the differences. "Don't say that.."

"It's rough hearing someone else talk about themselves like you talk to yourself, isn't it?" You say suddenly, quietly, softly, and he feels his eyes sting. Now he really wants you to stop. "Truth is, Jungkook, that I don't care." He looks up at you. "I don't care what you look like. I don't care what I look like." You say, and he swallows thickly before attempting to get up. But you don't let him, holding his arms, even though you're no match for him.

He lets you win.

He doesn't know why.

But he lets you.

And he cries into the crook of your neck, all ugly and loud, sobbing now because who cares? He's already crying in front of you, so fuck it. It doesn't matter now, he just wants to exist just for a moment too, without thoughts and expectations and deadlines and time, and your hands are so gentle running over his back, your body heavy on his lap, but in no way uncomfortable. He feels as if your weight keeps him from floating away, from breaking apart and being swept away by the waves.

He calms down only after a moment- but refuses to look at you. Embarrassment is already creeping up his throat, making its home in his mind when he realizes the way he'd cried all over your naked shoulder. He's being gross again. "Who hurt you, Jungkook?" You carefully ask, and he shrugs.

"No one." He answers, voice raspy.

"Bullshit." You respond. "This doesn't happen for no reason." You say, and it's quiet for a good moment, giving him the opportunity to break apart from you- but he doesn't want to. You're warm- and he hasn't had something sweet in years. He just wants a taste.

"I was gross back then. I still am, sometimes." He admits. "Like right now."

"You're not." You reassure, but he shakes his head.

"She loved when I worked out. Said I looked like a Greek god when I was at my peak." Jungkook explains, for the first time spilling anything about it. "She wouldn't sleep with me if I slacked with my workout. But when I managed to stay on schedule, she'd love me. And I loved her."

"Jungkook.." You say, but he continues to rant.

"She really loved me then. You know. All the bad things she told me, all the times she yelled at me, I could understand it then. It was to help me, so she could love me at my best." He tries to justify, but you just squeeze his body.

He likes that feeling. He wants you to do it again.

"That's not love, Jungkook." You admit to him. "She didn't love you, Jungkookie. She loved your body, nothing else."

"I don't care." He simply responds.

"But I do." You say, and he feels his eyes sting again. "I care about you."

"You said you didn't." Jungkook fights back, leaning back a little and your hands wipe his tears from his cheek without any sense of disgust.

"I said I don't care what you look like." You remind him, and he can't help but stare. Have your eyes always been this pretty? They're like two rare gemstones polished to perfection, moving so lively and looking so warm and inviting. Even the faint redness and blemishes look more like stars now than anything else. "I care who you are. You're such a handsome being, but it's all messed up because of someone who didn't even notice what she had." You say.

"You're just saying that to boost my confidence." He responds.

"I'm saying this because you deserve to have that confidence." You instead say, and he cant help but stare for a second. "Don't kiss me now." You say, and he blushes, stammering a bit.

"I-wh.. why not?" He wonders. The moment is perfect, so why don't you want to? He's confused. It all sounded so much like you liked him- maybe even loved him.

"Because right now, you're not properly thinking." You say. "Go home. Sleep. Go about your day- don't think about it." You instruct. "For once, just exist. You've got free will Jungkook, no one cares if you work out or not, if you go get a coffee or not, or if you stay at home and laze around all day. Do what you want to, just for once, and not what you think is expected." You say.

"And if I still want to kiss you after?" He asks, and you smile.

"Then I'll be here, waiting."

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

It's been weeks since you've seen Jungkook.

Yoongi says he's gone on a trip, camping, something he's not done since he was a kid. You're happy- he deserves to do what he likes, and to exist without any boundaries. "He's looked.. a lot warmer these days." Yoongi says, speaking to you who's sitting on his couch in his studio. "I have a feeling I know who's at fault."

"Hmhm, maybe." You say. "I still can't believe how much damage that bitch has done." You grumble to yourself, loosing a game on your phone, and letting it fall out of your hand onto the carpet on the floor.

"Yeah. I remember how heartbroken he was when they broke it off." He sighs, before clicking some stuff on his computer. "Did he talk to you at all these days?"

You shake your head. "Not a single message. It's fine though- he's probably busy enjoying his newfound freedom." You giggle, and Yoongi turns in his chair, looking at you.

"It's okay to be upset." He tells you, and you nod, well aware. You're not upset though- you're happy for him, genuinely so. Maybe he'll find someone who will finally cherish him for who he is, and not what he looks like. He deserves feeling happy. "Come here, angel." He suddenly says, and only now do you realize the tears falling from the corners of your eyes.

Seconds later dampening Yoongi's sweater, while he holds you close in the quietness of his studio.

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

"What do you mean he doesn't work here anymore?" Jungkook wonders, standing in front of Jin who simply shrugs, defeated.

"I think Yoongi said she's now a lyricist under his label. Don't know where she went now though, sorry." He offers, before going back to wiping the counters.

Outside, Jungkook calls his friend with eager taps of his fingers- but he's not picking up. You said you'd be waiting, you told him you'd wait- so why did you leave now? You loved that bakery, you had a passion for your work, so why did you just break apart from that?

Because you've got free will.

You're way more aware of it than he is himself, having only newly discovered it, but it hurts to think that you just left like that. Sure, it's been almost half a year, but is that really too late now?

Your apartment.

He takes the bus line he's taken before, stands in front of the building, tries hard to remember which apartment number was yours, but he can't for the life of him focus anymore. He doesn't remember, he doesn't know- how could he forget a fucking number like that? Maybe you tested him, tested his love and he literally royally fucked up that test like a champ, because he took all your advice, all your efforts and all your comfort and ran off with it instead of staying. He should've stayed. He should've insisted.

He should've fought.

"Jungkook?"

His phone vibrates in his pocket before it falls out, clatters to the ground. The screen is probably broken. He doesn't care.

"I still want to kiss you." He says.

You break out in laughter.

Before pulling him down towards you.

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

"That's not how you do it." Jungkook says, furrowing his brows.

"So?" You say. "Not a crime I'm committing here. Modern problems require modern so-lutions!" You struggle with the chopsticks, before the cork of the wine bottle finally plops out. "Hah! You see that? I'm a survival specialist, Bear Grylls has nothing on me!" You triumph, before pouring some in his glass, then your own.

"So you plan to survive a let's say, zombie apocalypse, with wine?" He raises an eyebrow, the warm fire between the two of you crackling away and painting your body in red hues.

"Hey, being drunk makes a lot of situations better." You offer, and he laughs- freely, corners of his eyes crinkling a little, bunny smile on full display. You like him most like that. Free.

Happy.

"Hm, I disagree." He says.

"Oh?" You challenge.

"Hmhm." He tells you, taking a sip of his wine after you. "For example, my first time with you shouldn't be wasted with alcohol." He cheekily says, and you blush- happy the fire covers that change in color for you. "I wanna remember it." He teases. He's become awfully bold- entire being evolving into something you can only describe as dangerous.

"Ah.." You just respond.

"Too much?" He asks, and you shake your head.

"No- just.." You say, unable to quite put it into words. "It's weird hearing someone say that, you know, to me." You say.

"Why?" He wants to know. Are you a virgin? He highly doubts that- considering you're pretty soul and pretty smile. There's no way he's the first to ever be interested in you like that.

"I don't know, it just.. happens, I guess. I'm good at giving advice left and right, but I'm bad at following that myself. I.." You admit, sighing as you look at the fire. "..tend to let myself be used, I guess."

"Why?" He asks again, but this time its whispered, like he himself can't believe what you're telling him.

"Because it lets me dream a little?" You giggle. "It's why I didn't kiss you, you know, right away. I know where it would've lead."

"And you don't want that with me?" He wonders, but you shake your head no.

"I do." You say. "I did back then too." You confess without shame. "But.. I liked you too much. It would've crushed me to wake up and realize it's been nothing but a short fever dream. I would've hated myself if you woke up and.. I don't know, realized that you don't like me like that after all, and that emotions were just hot and high."

Jungkook nods at that- because he can't say that it wouldn't have happened like that. You looked out for him that night as well, maybe without knowing it- and he's thankful you did. Because it gave him time, freedom, and the chance to really let everything sink in and flow through.

It made him realize that he still loves you, even if you hadn't been the one to wake him up like you did.

"Now I ruined the mood." You laugh, throwing your head back a bit in dramatic agony. "Ugh I'll never get anywhere like this."

Wordlessly, Jungkook puts his glass down on the plastic table, before he walks over to you and takes yours as well, helping you stand up. "Jungkook?" You wonder, and he just kisses you, soft and warm like he always does. It's silent, there's no need for words, especially not when he picks you up and opens the door of the campervan, bringing you inside where he immediately tries to shed your thick jacket and sweater.

"You're so pretty." He chants out, hands running over your warmed up skin like he has to convince himself that you're real. And he does, in a way- because it all feels absolutely surreal to him in every way.

He doesn't think about his own appearance at all. He doesn't care.

He doesn't mind when you pull his own sweater over his head, hood of it catching on his jaw and making you both laugh. Your hands on his skin feel like heaven, he's never realized how he'd burn the world down just to feel your skin against his own. You're holding onto him like he's worth millions, his lips chasing yours, teasing you every now and then by not letting you get as close as you'd like to.

Sex has never been so exciting and comfortable at the same time for him.

Every sound you make, every heavy breath or whine he drinks up like a starving man, hands gripping your flesh like you'll disappear if he doesn't hold onto you strong enough. There's trust in this- trust you'll tell him where to go if he looses his way, trust that you'll accept what he does for what it is, trust that you'll love him just as much as he loves you.

Your thighs are soft, laying over his shoulder as he holds onto them, his mouth busy on your core.

You're both cute and absolutely enchanting, writhing and squirming under his actions, whimpers accompanying his own obscene noises he doesn't care about making. You're divine, you deserve to be treated like it as well.

And you cum so prettily too, toes curled and hands reaching out for his own.

"I love you." He says, and you smile up at him, kissing his lips before you turn his chin towards the side.

"And I love you too, but maybe no kids yet?" You joke, making him laugh and nod as he walks over to fetch a condom out of his bag. He didn't specifically plan anything to happen on the trip with you- but he still prepared in hopes of it. "Jungkookie.." You say, when he's back above you, wrapping the contraceptive over his length.

"Hm?" He wonders, looking at you wide wide eyes, in all his naked glory and inked up skin.

"I love you." You say, and he grins, brightly even though he's barely illuminated by the little campfire outside.

"I love you too." He responds, adjusting your positions to push himself inside. "Everything about you." He adds on, before he moves, slowly, agonizingly slow, frustrating you. But he seems to enjoy that struggle, rather than feel like he needs to adjust anything. "We've got time." He chuckles, and you wrap your legs around his middle at that.

"Please..!" You beg, and he only cocks his head to the side at that, hair falling into his face a little. "Kook, please, come on-"

"Impatient now?" He wonders, and you huff.

"Obviously!" You call out, making him laugh again before he pushes your thighs towards you, adjusting his pace to a more brutal thrusting.

Your head spins.

"You look so fucking pretty like that." He praises, hands on your skin digging into your flesh, probably leaving imprints later on.

Good.

"Gotta mark you up all pretty too, right?" He grunts into your neck, kissing first, before he bites, sucks, claims almost. "Gotta make sure they know you're mine." He says breathlessly.

"Yours." You respond out of breath yourself, before you clench around him, orgasm hitting you hard at his ruthless pace. He himself can't help the obscene moan that escapes him as well, coming undone only a short time after you.

"Make sure they know you're mine?" You joke, out of breath. "Where did that come from?"

"My heart." He says, making you slap his chest. "Ow!"

"You're so cheesy!"

"You love me for it."

Yes.

Yes you do.

……………………………………….｡.:✽:.｡………………………………………

to build a home | chapter five

pairing: Jungkook x reader. ceo!jk + dilf!jk x nanny!oc

genre: strangers to lovers. angst. loads of plot. eventual smut.

word count: 9.2k

warnings: angst. swearing. alcohol. jealousy. no one is black-out drunk in this, oc’s just a lightweight! more heavy petting? idk anymore. mentions of sex and virginity.

author’s note: hii! this was quite healing to write, tbh. it’s very angsty at times but the ending makes it all worth it! i feel like we need a little bit of love after last night’s interlude so i made sure to sprinkle some of that on this one. thank u for all ur love and feedback, i appreciate it more than you’ll ever know! i'm sending a million kisses your way <3 xxx

p.s. yes. this settles the jucy/yoocy debate. place your bets.

This is a work of fiction. Please respect the members and their privacy. x

Chapter Five

Your eyes are fixed to the perfectly cut orange wedge that floats on top of your Aperol Spritz. You circle your straw around it, the clink of the ice hitting the glass throwing you right back into time and space.

The music is muffled by the loud chatter of the people scattered around the bar. Some in tables, some standing in corners, aimlessly engaging in conversations that lead nowhere, everywhere – some just passing the time until its, quote on quote, morally correct to end up in each other’s beds.

You look up from your glass, abruptly thrown into your own aimless conversation.

“And then he proceeds to pay for my matcha latte with coins!” You turn to Lucy, who widens her eyes at Sky’s words in mock surprise. “And- ___, get this,” she says, snapping her fingers when she notices you’ve drifted for the majority of her recount, “he walked me home. Only he was riding that skateboard of his the whole way there! Ugh.”

“What’s so wrong about coins, though?” Lucy says, a little dumbfounded by this. You snort.

“Well,” Sky contemplates for a while. “I don’t know! The vibe was just off. And the waiter had to stand there for like ten thousand centuries as he counted them. One. By. One.”

Sky is not your friend.

Well, that is a loose statement. Let’s try again. Sky is someone that has fallen into the space between an acquaintance and those people you end up in the company of whenever you want to do just this – have aimless conversations in a bar. You can’t quite explain it but the mundanity of her problems is comforting at times. Like they bring some sort of universal balance that sets everything back into place.

If you let her, she’ll sit through five negronis and tell you about any recent atrocity that she stumbled upon. Today is the poor skateboarder that had to pay for her overpriced green tea with coins. You take a moment of silence for his spirit and hope he recovers well.

“Hold in there, Sky. You know what they say, a million thorns to get to the rose.” Lucy comforts as Sky sulks, sipping on her drink.

Nobody has ever said that. But Sky nods, sniffing a little, and you smile. Lucy is, without a doubt, walking straight into the gates of heaven.

“Ladies, on the house.” Jiwoo, former literary student and classmate, says as he places three shot glasses filled with a suspicious looking clear liquid.

He also bartends, hence your uncomfortable seating arrangement at the bar besides one another. The three of you are his personal cheerleaders as you keep him entertained through his shift and he keeps you, well, buzzed.

“I just think-” Sky starts, “I think I’m ready for my rose. Now.”

The three of you just nod in acknowledgement at her words. A sheepish smile adorns Jiwoo’s face, who successfully recovered after Sky crushed his spirit freshman year. He did not pay with coins but she did tell him his head was ‘a little too in the clouds’ after he confessed his undying love for a good Shakespearean drama.

You reach for the glass, eyeing it for a second before you decide, fuck it. As you bring the shot closer to your mouth you glance at Lucy whose eyes look frantic, wide in shock. You simply assume it’s a delayed reaction to Sky’s very own Shakespearean drama. As soon as the rim touches your lips, your neck draws back, closing your eyes as you down the Tequila in one swing.

“Wow. I didn’t know you had it in you, ___!”

The awfully-familiar-but-not-quite-there voice startles you, opening your eyes and glancing at the direction of where it’s coming from. Your eyes widen in pure, utter terror, face wincing as the burn from the straight liqueur hits your throat, too consumed in the sight before you to bother reaching for a chaser. You let out a throaty cough.

The awfully familiar voice belongs to Taehyung, who, to no surprise, stands in a circle next to your seat at the bar with a set of familiar faces. One of them being Jungkook’s.

Your mind chants a string of highly explicit curse words that, for obvious reasons, you can’t voice.

“Hey, ___! Nice to see you again!” Jimin’s chirpy voice breaks you out of your ghostly trance.

“Uh- yeah. You too. It’s nice to…,” your voice drifts as your eyes meet Jungkook’s stern ones.

Fucking hell.

“Ah, don’t let him get to you. He’s done worse.” Yoongi muses, amusement evident in his voice. He’s even smiling. This moment is so awkward it even broke Yoongi.

Great.

Taehyung chuckles before he says, “I’m gonna go see if I can find us a table. This place is packed tonight, huh?”

“I’ll come with.” Yoongi says, voice back to his relaxed tone.

Jimin browses through the menu as Jungkook comes to stand next to you.

“Hey,” he says, giving you a tight-lipped smile.

You nod, returning it with the same amount of awkwardness. “Hey.”

“Hi!” Sky chirps, making you both turn to her, “I’m Sky. Nice to meet you.” She extends her hand over you, offering it to Jungkook.

He shakes it, returning her introduction with a simple, “Jungkook.”

“How do you two know each other?” She rests her elbows on the bar, back turned to Lucy completely, as she cocks her head that rests between her hands. A dazzling, Colgate smile gracing her features.

“He’s my boss,” you say the last word with a certain edge to it, hoping it helps her tone her peacock wings down. But it is to no avail.

You look up at the ceiling, looking for your angels that seem to have clocked out for the day.

“Oh! You’re the owner of that cute baby she keeps yapping on about?”

Lucy’s fingers press at her temples, mentally cursing her own angels for this exceptional turn of events.

Jungkook all but gawks at her for a second too long before he says, “Yup. That’d be me. Owner of the cute baby.”

“Oh my god, cute! I love babies. Well, more like, babies love me.” She giggles, overly enthusiastic for the dullness of the exchange.

Jungkook smiles nervously at her. Jimin senses his discomfort and the overall awkwardness of the situation and steps in, coming to stand between Sky and Lucy.

“Hey, what are you drinking? It looks nice and refreshing.” He asks her.

“Oh, this? It’s a negroni. Super strong, but kind of picked up the habit during my semester abroad in Rome.” She takes a sip of her drink as she responds.

“Ah, that sounds nice.” He entertains that for about a second, giving her a genuine smile before he turns to Lucy. “Hi. I’m Jimin, and you?”

She glances at him, eyes long lost somewhere else as to brace herself from the situation. “Oh- um. Mint julep.” She says.

He chuckles softly, meeting her eyes before he shakes his head lightly. “No. I mean, what’s your name?”

She gasps a little in shock, an apologetic giggle leaving her lips. “I’m Lucy.”

“Lucy…” he contemplates, eyes fixated on the endless bottles on the other side of the bar. A small smile on his lips. He turns to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Lucy.”

~

1. That one time you stole a single cherry flavoured Chupa Chup from your local convenience store after your cousin, the juvenile delinquent, called you a wuss.

2. Breaking Micky, member of your grandma’s beloved porcelain kitten collection and denying it over and over again, resulting in her taking the belief her house was haunted to her death bed.

3. Cheating on that one math exam in fourth grade because the basic concept of geometry just wouldn’t get through you.

4. Letting your geeky science group partner feel you up in your bed whilst your parents were next door, at total peace with their daughter engaging in the thrilling wonders of the anatomical body – the other kind.

You’re going through a mental list of every single thing you could’ve possibly done to be stuck in this situation. But even for you, who’s had to live with the guilt of said doings for many years, it feels a little bit drastic to be punished like this.

Taehyung’s quest for a table was unsuccessful, resulting in them having to occupy the seats right next to yours at the bar.

And so here you were, right next to Jungkook, both of your backs turned against each other’s, as you both tried to enjoy a little night out on the town. Another quest that kept finding itself unsuccessful.

The space is quite loud around you and you can’t really listen to their conversation – only Taehyung’s loud laugh now and then.

So, you think, this is good. This could be worse. You can’t even see him! And like Jungkook says: out of sight, out of mind. Yes. This is perfect.

This was not perfect.

“Guys,” Sky whispers, waving her hands inwards, motioning for you and Lucy to get closer. You do and she says, “I must’ve spoken too loud because… it’s here!” She shrieks and Lucy frowns in confusion at her words. Sky rolls her eyes. “My rose, silly.”

“Elaborate?” Lucy urges.

“Duh. ___’s hot boss! Jungkook,” she whispers his name but you still turn around abruptly, making sure he didn’t catch it. “___, you must play cupid. Pretty please?” Her palms flush together, signalling a prayer and you’re not religious but the act feels blasphemous to you.

“Sky, did you spike your negronis again? He’s my boss. I’m his nanny. There is so much wrong with the simple image of me trying to hook him up with my twenty-two-year-old friend.” You argue, trying to sound objective, so as to look away from the specks of jealousy that are threatening to explode inside your chest.

Sky pouts and Lucy nods before she adds, “Yeah, Sky. I think this rose is thorny.”

“I think it’s the beginning of a very romantic story.” She stands her ground, and quite frankly, you don’t blame her.

“Sky, if actual cupid is somewhere around here on nightly rounds, then he might be able to help you. I can’t, though.”

She jumps in her chair excitedly, clapping her hands once before saying, “You are so right! It has to be fate. Plus, he won’t be able to resist me.” She bats at her hair as she says this, sipping on her negroni, cheeky smile on her face.

And for all you know, she might be right. Sky is the textbook definition of attractive. She has sharp features that make her look almost cat-like, but a soft, warm smile that, yeah, most times she fakes but hey – it’s warm alright. She dresses like she knows she has an all-rounder proportionate body and overall, she oozes confidence. If you consider Jungkook’s track record, as in, the woman he had a child with then yes – he wouldn’t be able to resist someone like Sky.

It shouldn’t, but the realization makes you feel uncomfortable. And the more you think about it the discomfort turns into something worse – sadness.

Sky goes on and on about the principles she sticks to, all gathered from her, and you quote, Bible; Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. You’ve never read said literary masterpiece but the title alone sounds sexist. Both Lucy and you let her talk, though, falling back into the dynamic of the aimless conversation – just like you were before Jungkook and his troop waltzed inside your little Saturday Sanctuary, now cursed forever.

You sigh, shoulders falling to the beat of your gaze as you go back to aimlessly stirring your drink, a significant mental strain on trying to brush aside the feeling of jealousy that takes over you. It’s a jealousy that doesn’t even belong to you, you realize. A feeling that came from an idea so far-fetched inside your brain, mustered from a shock-end reaction after Soori ended up in the hospital over a week ago.

Neither of you had acknowledged it – proving your case further. And it was better that way – you didn’t need the added tension on top of Jungkook’s day-to-day indifference. So, in that moment, you welcomed it.

Right now, it makes your heart feel heavy, though.

Jiwoo senses your despair, walking over to you and placing his hands gently on top of yours, shaking them a little to get your attention. Your gaze snaps up, looking at him as you return his sweet smile.

“Are you alright?” He asks.

“Just fine,” you tell him but he raises his brow, picking up on your white lie.

“Hm,” he ponders, “I’ll believe you. Have some of this, though. Just in case.” He winks before he places another shot glass in front of you, swiftly sliding it your way.

You catch it. Another poorly judged, ‘fuck it’ before you’re repeating the same motion that put you right into said misery you’re trying to drown.

~

At first, Jungkook only feels it – your change in demeanour. Then, he notices the change in your tone of voice, really cancelling out his friend’s conversations and listening in on yours. You laugh, clap, shriek, gasp – dramatizing every reaction to whatever it is your friends are saying. He’s not really listening in on your conversation, no. He’s listening to you.

Curiosity finally gets the best of him and he shifts around in his seat, coming to face the bar fully. You’re slightly turned around but he can see you from the corner of his eyes. Your cheeks are flushed, arms swinging around in the air as you tell some story about a road trip from hell where you and Lucy both caught food poisoning and your car broke down halfway through the trip. He chuckles softly to himself. You truly are a storyteller. Even funnier as your words begin to slur slightly as the alcohol swims through your body all the way to your head.

“Hey,” Jiwoo barely whispers, but Jungkook can hear him perfectly from his place next to you.

“Yeah?” Your voice is soft, and he can hear the smile on your face.

“What are you doing after this?”

“I don’t know… what am I doing after this?” You mock seriousness.

“Wanna get some ramen on the way and go over to yours? Watch a movie?”

Jungkook visibly tenses, but you don’t pay him much mind when you jump from your seat. “Beetlejuice!” You exclaim.

Jiwoo laughs, a short-nod of affirmation as he says, “Beetlejuice.”

“Bathroom break,” you announce, to seemingly nobody.

You stumble down from your stool, holding onto the edges when your step falters a bit as your head spins once, then twice as you regain your balance. Once you’re seeing straight again, you make your way to the bathroom – laughing to yourself as you feel the buzz all through you, easing your nerves, making you feel good.

Jungkook bounces his left leg repeatedly in a frenzy. Jimin picks up on it, turning to him.

“Hey, you okay?”

He nods. “Yeah. I’ll be right back.”

He doesn’t process his train of thought as he gets up from his stool, turning around and promptly making his way to where he knows the bathrooms are. He shoves past groups of people dancing, kissing and groping. Some doing all at once.

He makes it through the narrow hallway that leads to the bathrooms and stands there, waiting. He realizes just how poorly thought out his action was and how he has no fucking idea of what he’s going to say to you when you walk out of the toilet. He’s about to turn around, or hide inside the men’s bathroom – whichever one he can muster first. But the Universe has other plans because right as he begins to stir out of his awkward standing position, you come out of the bathroom. You’re looking down, measuring your steps, hands at your side fixing your skirt.

You look up and you’re met with the sight of him.

“Oop,” you yelp, hands coming to your mouth in embarrassment as you lose balance slightly.

He grabs your shoulders gently, holding you in place. “You okay?”

“Yeah-,” you stare at him, blinking slowly as you take him in. “Yeah. Yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what,” he asks.

“Um… my- me. Uh. I’m drunk. This is embarrassing.”

Jungkook chuckles lightly, letting go of your shoulders. “Don’t be. You should be doing just this on a Saturday night.”

“I don’t- usually. You know?” You tell him and he frowns in confusion, smiling a little at your rambling. “I usually spend my Saturday nights reading The Little Prince and listening to Elton John until Lucy loses it.”

“The Little Prince?” He asks, amused.

“It’s my comfort book.” You defend, a pout forming at your lips. You frown, “where’s Soori?”

“She’s spending the night at my parents’,” you wince slightly at this, eyebrows raising. “Don’t worry, my nanny’s there- I mean. She- took care of me when I was growing up.”

You give him a lazy smile. “So, you had a me?”

“Eh- yeah. Kind of.”

“Was she qualified?” You tease.

He laughs, rolling his eyes. “Funny.”

“I’m,” hiccup, “sorry.”

Jungkook scolds himself mentally over how endeared he is by your teasing and hazy minded playfulness. If he thinks about this situation in a professional light, the same one he carries as CEO, he already breeched protocol. But then again, he’s pretty sure that happened the moment he pulled you to him and you straddled his lap. But we don’t talk about that.

“You’re alright.” He gives you a kind smile, throwing you aback. “Do you- I can take you home, if you want. My driver’s out front.”

You ponder on this for a second too long, sending Jungkook’s brain into a frenzy. The protocol is non-existent at this point. “Are you sure? I- there’s a bus! I usually take the bus. From the ramen place. Best ramen in town. You should try it- anyways. The bus stop is right in front-”

He interrupts your ramble, voice going back to that stern edge. “I wouldn’t want you taking the bus this late at night.” He can see you contemplating, lips in that signature pout. “We can stop by the ramen place- if that’s why you’re so hesitant.”

You smile at him. A big, toothy smile that makes your whole face light up.

“Done deal.”

~

The scene that unfolds before you as you get back to your designated places in front of the bar is astonishing, to say the least.

The both of you come to a halt as you take in the little social circle both your group of friends have formed as they mingle, down shots and sip on their drinks casually.

When two worlds collide is an ironic way to put it but it couldn’t hold more accuracy.

Yoongi and Taehyung are invested in some recount about Sky’s strolls through Venezia – hard Z. Jiwoo fills in on that conversation here and there as he mixes drinks behind the bar. Their mouths are agape, taking in her wild stories as she over-dramatizes them for the purpose of having their full attention on her.

Opposite that, in their own little bubble, another mingle that borders on bonding forms as Jimin and Lucy sit awfully close to one another. It’s all giggles and coy smiles, little whispers in between stories as they grow visibly smitten with each other.

Jungkook’s voice takes them all out of said bubbles.

“I’m taking ___ home.” The moment the words leave his mouth he regrets them – an assortment of bemused faces gawking back at him. “To- I mean- I’m giving her a ride home.” He clarifies.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit tired,” you turn to Jiwoo, an apologetic smile on your face. “Let’s do Beetlejuice some time next week?” He only nods, returning your smile.

“Alright, Gguk. Get home safely – the two of you. Give Soori a forehead kiss from me.” Taehyung says.

“And me,” adds Yoongi.

Jungkook smiles at them, nodding before turning around. But he’s caught halfway through his action before a high-pitched voice calls out his name.

Sky walks over to him, offering a flirty gaze before she says, “Jungkook! It was so nice meeting you. I hope our paths cross again. I’m sure they will.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Until then,” Jungkook tells her, bowing slightly, shooting a quick smile her way before he walks away.

You are not one to thrive off of other people’s miseries but yes, a wicked grin adorns your face at the sight of hers. Taehyung catches this, raising a brow your way. Your smile drops, quickly facing away from him. Out of sight, out of mind.

You walk over to Lucy instead, smiling at her before you say, “Hey, Lu. You coming with?”

She looks at you, a sheepish smile forming at her lips. “Uh… I think I’ll stay. Text me when you get home, though!”

“Sure. Will do. Let me know when you’re heading back as well.”

She nods and gives you a hug, which you return – letting yourself melt into her.

You can quite literally feel the happiness she radiates.

Jimin looks at you, smiling sweetly.

He’s to blame. You smile back at him.

His little moment of bliss doesn’t last long as he feels Jungkook come to a stand right next to him.

“Minie,” he wraps his hand around his friend, sweetly bringing him closer as he laughs. But Jimin knows his alter motives. “Don’t fuck my nanny’s best friend.”

“Ggukie,” Jimin laughs, over-dramatizing the action, a saccharine ring to his voice when he says, “don’t fuck your nanny.”

~

You are sitting in the backseat of Jungkook’s Range Rover. He’s by your side, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. He bounces his left leg over and over again and as you fixate on it you begin to feel dizzy, head spinning a little.

You have no idea how you get the two of you to the ramen place with the half-assed directions you give his driver but once you’re pulling up, you’re telling him your orders and Jungkook is handing him his credit card over before he exits the car and heads to your personal idea of adult Disneyland – the ramen place.

You think about how this poor man is about to hand the cashier a black, sleek card to pay for greasy under-priced, in your humble opinion, ramen. The thought is so funny to you in your drunken state, you start chuckling.

Jungkook’s eyes snap from his phone to you, frowning in confusion as to what it is you find so amusing. His bewildered expression just makes the whole situation funnier and you’re full on laughing now – head thrown back in your seat, one hand over your mouth and the other over your chest as you try to control it. But your attempts are in vain because your laughter only gets louder, filling the space around you at an alarming rate.

Jungkook stares at you. He’s stuck in a very 50/50 state of mind. 50% dumbfounded and 50% praying to all the gods and angels above your laughter never comes to a stop. And with that, it becomes contagious. He tries to fight it but there’s no use as he feels it bubbling inside his chest and then – he’s laughing with you. Lightly at first but then his cackles reach the same pitch as yours.

The moment holds its little infinity for a while and then your laughter begins to die down – shoulders still shaking slightly as you come down.

You melt into the seat, head turning slightly as you glance at him, his eyes glassy as he begins to come down, too. He does the same, head dropping a little to the side until his eyes meet yours. This side of him makes you feel light – your chest fluttery, on a steady ascend and you never want to come down.

He stills. That soft blink, warm smile making your head spin – now drunk on how ethereal he looks. Not only him, but his whole essence. So pliant, so soft. A soul that finds laughter contagious. You can physically feel your heart contract at this. It hurts, tugging at your every string in the sweetest way possible.

“What was so funny?” He murmurs, that smile never faltering – only getting impossibly softer.

“I don’t remember,” you say, even though you do. You just can’t bring your brain to process any other thought that isn’t him. Him and his big, doe eyes and the way the night reflects on them. Him and his light.

He hums, absentmindedly. The silence that fills the car is dense but you welcome it. You both do as your fingers begin tracing irregular patterns on the leather seats, right between the two of you. They move mindlessly and your eyes close, wishing with all your heart it was his skin under your touch. You can hear the steady rise and fall of his breathing and you just wish he’d come closer – close enough to get lost in yours.

Your mouth voices out your wishes, encompassing them in an ever-so-soft,

“Please.”

And Jungkook can’t think straight.

He hasn’t been able to think straight since your laughter filled the closed space of his car, crawling inside his chest and settling in places he didn’t even know still carried themselves in screaming colour.

His mind had lost all composure the moment you looked into his eyes as if they carried the whole galaxy in them. Since that moment, his heart had taken on the lead.

He moves closer to you, sliding against the leather seats. He does this so swiftly you only notice when your eyes slowly flutter open, butterflies swarming your tummy as your wish grants itself before your eyes.

You give him a dopey smile, pulling yourself closer to him until you’re both a breath away from touching. You wish for that breath, too.

Your fingers dance from the now tight-knit space between you to his legs, slowly moving up his thigh, the tips of your index and middle finger beginning a stroll with no apparent direction. Jungkook can barely feel your touch against the thick fabric of his jeans but the thought alone sends shivers down his spine, shutting his eyes closed for a moment as he tries to gather all the sensations he’s feeling. As he tries to reason with his rational mind and his heart.

All his thoughts come back to you.

His hand hovers over your thigh for a second and, before he can attest to his actions, they close around it – feeling the smooth of your skin, promptly joined by a million goosebumps as your body gives into his touch. He squeezes slightly, unable to control himself. Unable to control the ardent need to have you impossibly closer, to imprint his touch on you until you can feel it for days.

Your hand flies to his cheek, cupping it gently as you let yourself stare into his eyes – hoping they can speak your desire with words that shy away from you the more real the moment becomes. He keens into your touch, face nuzzling into your hand, lips grazing at the soft skin of your palm. He closes his eyes as you run your nails gently down the smooth of his cheek, the sensation making him squeeze your thigh harder, making your whole body shudder as a whimper leaves your mouth. The faint sound has him opening his eyes and they begin a slow dance between your gaze and your lips, back and forth until the feeling at the pit of your stomach grows unbearable. You move an inch closer, pulling his face to yours with the hand that stills on his cheek.

“___,” his voice is but a whisper, “you’re- drunk. We shouldn’t.”

He exhales loudly and as much as you want to give him a detailed recount on how his touch activated all of your senses to the point of sobering you up, you don’t.

“Okay, just… stay here? Please?” you say.

He leans his head forward until your foreheads are touching, nodding slowly as he closes his eyes and lets himself go – falling into your touch and enjoying the way you feel as you melt into his.

Your hands snake all the way to his hair, tangling in his locks – realizing just how much you missed how receptive he is when you touch him there. Your nails scrape down his scalp, softly – an idle touch that does more to Jungkook than he can begin to grasp. His hand comes up to rest at the small of your waist, snaking his arm around it, pushing you closer. You feel restless – a need that doubles as greed at this point invading your senses, begging for him. You pull at his hair slightly and he hisses – so close to your mouth you can feel the vibrations of the sound graze your lips.

“Fuck, ___-,”

The sound of the front door frightens the both of you – jumping abruptly at the sound. It takes Jungkook three seconds too long to register what’s happening but when he does, he removes his hand from around your waist and, in a collected manner, goes back to his seat.

He thanks the driver as he passes him the food, and places it on the floor between the two of you.

You sit there, motionless – trying to absorb the previous moment before it completely drifts from your mind. Like a needle to a soapy bubble. Gone in a second.

You can’t figure out if your heart is restored or bent all over again.

You feel Jungkook shuffle closer to you until he’s flushed to your side. Before you can utter a word, his arm comes up, reaching across your body for the seatbelt before he pulls it down, safely strapping you into the seat. You think he’s about to pull away again but his forehead comes to rest against your temple, your breath hitches in your throat at the mere contact.

“I’m sorry,” he exhales into the soft of your cheek, nose nuzzling against it for a second before his warmth leaves your skin.

You can feel your heartbeat pounce against your every pulse point, erratically threatening to leave its safe space. But despite its restless temper the answer comes to you clearly.

It’s restored.

~

Your head pounds against your skull as your eyes begin to flutter open – the god-awful hangover you can already feel kicking at your nerves as you adapt to the light that shines through your window. You have a bad habit of not closing your blinds before going to bed and today, it’s a problem.

You lay there, staring at the ceiling as you try to steady the beat of your heart at the recollection of last night’s events. At the mere thought of it – of his face, so painfully close to yours, his eyes taking you in, his touch on your skin – the butterflies settle back into what seems to be their favourite place lately.

It’s hard to put a feeling so ethereal into words. You wonder how it’s possible for something so delicate to hold such complexity yet at the same time for it to feel like the easiest thing in the world.

Jungkook is, without a doubt, an enigma. All the blind spots in a puzzle that feels impossible to bind together yet when it fits, the way your bodies found each other’s yesterday, it falls into the big picture seamlessly.

You’re mad at your brain for not letting you fully enjoy the light, soaring feeling of your heart – the way you feel warm all over when you think of his face. The same face your gaze held impossibly close yesterday. Every single mole on his honey skin, the way your mind fell in a trance, an endless game of connect the dots as you held a particular focus for every single one. It’s the closest you’ve felt to adoration and as you pulled him closer, you decided you wanted to do just that to him.

Adore him.

You groan, hands coming to cover your face as you try to collect yourself, falling back into the sensical scheme of things. The reality – your reality.

You need coffee and fresh air – a much needed walk in the park with a, presumably, loved-up roommate and best friend. Who, most likely probably, has one hell of a story to tell.

You get up from your bed, making your way to the closet as you retrieve a pair of biker shorts and a beat-up vintage Rolling Stones shirt you found in a garage sale for a fiver. It is your comfort shirt and immediately, its superstitious effect soothes you.

You make a pit stop in the kitchen, brewing some coffee and fixing it just the way Lucy likes it – warm and sweet, a little drizzle of cinnamon at the top. You smile, remembering the way hers shone last night. You throw a handful of ice on your own cup before you grab them both and head to her bedroom.

“Good morning, lover.” You say.

She’s wide awake, resting on her side, cheek flushed to her hand as she smiles at her phone screen that she holds awfully close to her face.

“Hi,” her answer is brief but her tone of voice is laced with a sweetness you don’t miss.

“One to ten?”

“Ten,” she ponders for a minute, “thousand.”

You gasp, a shriek leaving your lips as her giggles join your excitement.

“What? Oh my- wait. What are you doing in your own bed? Is he- is he somewhere in here?” You begin scanning the room frantically.

She rolls her eyes playfully. “Where exactly would I hide a full Jimin in here, ___?”

You visibly melt at the softness her voice takes at the mention of his name.

“I need to know. Everything.” You place the coffees in her nightstand before you’re jumping inside her covers as she makes room for you – both your arms resting in her soft pillows, head cocked in the palm of your hands.

“Wait- you’re not mad?” She wonders, voice a tone nervous.

“Why would I be mad, Lu?”

“Because, you know… he’s Jungkook’s best friend.”

You shake your head softly, smiling at her before you reassure her, “No. I’m not mad. How could I ever be? You look so happy.”

“After the bar, we went to that diner – the one close to the library. We walked all the way there, too. He held my hand and…,” her eyes glisten and your heart flutters a bit. “It felt… right. We sat in a booth and talked. For hours on end. I could hear his voice forever.”

“Oh, Lu…” you lay flat on your back, staring at the ceiling. “Tell me more.”

“He kissed me.” She mimics your previous move. “I’ve never been kissed like that. I’ve never felt so… wanted. He broke down walls I didn’t even know I had, ___.”

Your hand reaches for hers, intertwining your fingers together.

“All this time I thought I had an idea of… love that was so unrealistic. I didn’t think it could happen, let alone to me. But he’s the closest thing to it. He’s so real.”

You think about your years of friendship with Lucy. The way you’ve witnessed as she’s changed, matured, grown out of beliefs and ideas that once kept her innocent – young. Yet the one thing she didn’t ever let go of is the idea that she was deserving of a love so strong, so striking from the very beginning.

If it’s not a hell yes then it’s a hell no, she would say, after countless disappointments that left her picking up shattered little pieces of heart as she gave them all so transparently, with a vulnerability you admired.

“He’s your hell yes.” You tell her.

She smiles, nodding her head. “I didn’t… tell him that, you know, I’ve never been with someone… like that. But I wanted to. I wanted him. Yet when the moment transitioned and it could’ve gone further than a kiss, he told me he didn’t want it to be like that. He said there was no rush. That we could take our time. That if I let him, he could literally lay me in a bed of roses.” She giggles, a bit shy at voicing out the memory.

You turn to her. “Lucy, I’m not going to have to resort to re-reading Norwegian Wood for a fix of romance. I have my very own starstruck one right next door!”

Your loud laughs fill the room and it settles down the air of uncertainty around you.

“He feels like every romance novel I’ve ever read. And more.”

~

A shiver runs down your spine, making you shudder. You don’t quite know if the cause is the abnormal chill that breezes through the summer morning or the nerves that brew at the pit of your stomach, traveling all the way up your throat, making you feel a bit sick.

You stand in front of Jungkook’s front door, waiting for the door to open – Mrs. Chae’s soft features offering you a smile, the smell of dark coffee, the glossy morning dew that adorns the green grass. Anything to make this routine you’ve adapted for the past two months feel familiar – normal. To give you the comfort of what becomes the ordinary once you settle into its steady rhythm.

The comfort, however, does not come.

When Mrs. Chae opens the door, her soft features are slightly fallen, as if she was immensely drawn into a restless train of thought. Soori is in her arms, abnormally quiet for her usual cheerful morning state.

You frown, taking her in your arms as her little body leans forward, grabby arms reaching for you.

“Hey, princess. What are you doing here, huh?” You coo, placing a soft peck on top of her forehead.

“Good morning, ___.” Mrs. Chae says, that warm smile back in its place.

“Good morning, Mrs. Chae. Did she have breakfast already?” You ask her, bouncing Soori in your hold a little, emitting a giggle from her. There she is.

“Not yet, no. Mr. Jungkook has asked me to tell you to meet him in his office.”

“Oh. Sure, let me just-”

“Now.” She senses your discomfort as you wince slightly at her words and she softens, “as in, as soon as you got here.”

“Okay. I’ll… just go then.” You say, placing Soori back in her arms before you turn around, heading the way that leads to the long hallway.

You glance back as you hear Soori’s faint whines behind you, fidgeting in Mrs. Chae’s hold as her tiny fists open and close in your direction.

You’re scared.

You don’t know exactly what to expect – a plethora of intrusive thoughts had been overwhelming you all weekend, trying to make out just how Jungkook would navigate about the whole situation.

Before he dropped you off, you had turned to him, waiting for him to say something – anything, to settle the nerves that were already starting to blossom as you became aware of just how far the line between wonder and temptation had been crossed this time.

The look in his eyes had been gentle, understanding even. Letting you know that he, too, was trying to make sense of it. It made you feel hopeful, to think that maybe, just maybe, he’d be willing to hold onto your moment for longer, to let you in as you both figured it out. Together. But your heart sank as his gaze dropped, voice back to that frivolous nature you’d reluctantly accustomed to.

‘See you Monday,’ is all he said.

Monday found you in front of the door to his office, hands shaky as you mustered the strength to finally knock on it.

You do – a couple of seconds of hesitation before you decide that it’s inevitable. Whatever happens, it’s all inevitable.

“Come in,” you hear his voice from the inside, a little muffled but already, the sound of it makes your shoulders drop, bracing yourself for the worst.

“Morning,” you say, closing the door before you lean against it, hands still behind you gripping onto the doorknob.

“Good morning.” His eyes remain glued to the stack of paperwork that sits in front of him for what feels like an eternity. He looks up at you, his head leaning to the side a bit – something you’ve noticed he does out of habit when he’s lost in thought.

“Are you going to fire me,” you run your words, an agitated ring to them.

He just stares at you but nothing in his dark irises give way to what exactly he’s about to say next and this makes you all the more nervous. He senses it, the way your chest heaves rapidly, shoulders tensed.

“No.” You look up at him, a mix of shock and relief taking on your expression. “Sit down, please.”

Your steps are somewhat lethargic, the initial nerve not having fully died down and now simply merging into another type of worry. Once you finally settle into your seat, your eyes lock with his.

“Jungkook,” you begin.

“We’ve crossed… a lot of boundaries. I want to apologize for that.”

His words feel like a stab, right at your heart. Sharp, cold, shooting pain through all your nerve endings. It hurts – thinking he sees what you did as something worth apologizing for. A mistake. It hurts and breaks and there’s nothing more than you want to do than ask him to take it back.

“There is nothing to apologize for, I- wanted it. I want-”

“I think we got carried away. We misinterpreted a lot of things. It’s not real, ___. It was all just a side effect of… curiosity.”

You.

He continues, looking away from your eyes. He fears that if he lets himself get lost in them for yet another minute he might break. He might finally lace all the words they hold together and he might just have to coincide with them.

He rather his own not tell you their truth, either.

You remain silent.

“I don’t want Soori to lose you, ___. We- can’t afford to lose you. You’re good for her and that is the most important thing to me. So… this can’t happen again. I hope I’ve made it clear.” He adds, eyes cold as they meet yours once again. You look away, fearing you might give into the impending tears.

“You won’t. Lose me, I mean." It takes you a minute but your eyes land back on his – hurt evident in them but something else Jungkook had yet to become familiar with. A void that unsettles him. “And yes. You’ve made it very clear.”

His eyes on you break you further – second by second. He just stares and it makes you angry. His carelessness makes you angry. His very little courage to try.

But your heart doesn’t let that feeling linger – it doesn’t let you put him in such light. You think of his own heartbreak, the same one that landed you in his door. You truly are a side effect, but not of curiosity, no. You are a side effect of the most painful thing to ever happen to him.

The realization settles upon you – shattering your heart, its fragility taking you aback as all the sense you make of the situation doubles as broken glass, breaking at your skin as you grasp at them.

It isn’t real. It never was. You have been the consequence of a loss of control. His heart walked away and you walked in. It never was real because he’d never see you as more than that.

“Can I go now,” you ask and he simply nods.

You don’t look back when you walk away and you might all of your courage in order to collect yourself.

For Soori.

And even if with half a heart, for him.

~

Her light is contagious and you’re grateful for it.

As the hours drag along you let yourself be softened by Soori’s laughter, her ever-green wonder, her loud baby babble that makes you wonder what exactly goes on in that head of hers.

She’s so loved. She’s so needed.

She’s the heart-mender and she doesn’t even know.

You rock her to sleep, chuckling a little as you look down at her, only to find her eyes wide open looking up at you – no hint of sleepiness in them.

“Hey, you. Go to sleep, missy. When you wake up, we’re going to eat and read and play.” She smiles at you, two tiny front teeth peeking. “We can have some of those dino nuggets your daddy’s afraid of because they’re non-gm-something.” She giggles at your words, nuzzling closer to your chest, lulling herself to sleep with the faint beat of your heart.

You bring her closer and when she falls, body growing heavier in your arms, you let yourself hold her for a little longer.

You can smell him on her.

Love is fragile but not futile, as opposed to feelings.

You break, letting yourself quietly cry as you sway her from side to side.

~

The pressure building in his knuckles as they land on the punching-bag is painful but Jungkook can’t risk gloved hands with a speedy Soori on the loose.

He looks down at her, sat in her play mat that is spread on the grass, a diverse selection of all of her favourite toys laid down in front of her. She doesn’t seem to be too interested, though. Tugging the fabric of her shirt up as she pokes her belly button in total awe.

Jungkook smiles at the sight, giggling softly to himself as to not break her out of her most recent discovery.

He’s proud of himself – of the way he’s managed to make their weekends worthwhile. It might sound ridiculous but he puts an exuberant amount of pressure on himself to keep his eleven-month-old entertained. He still hasn’t figured out if it’s hard or a belly-button-poking type of easy. So, he tries many things – some fancy some simple. She seems to enjoy the simpler things in life, though – her favourite being the water and this one pink rubber ducky that’s seen better days.

They’ve done it all this Saturday. Having woken up bright and early, made a mess out of the kitchen in a highly successful attempt at making French toast – another new favourite for Soori – and swimming in the pool, rubber ducky included.

He enjoys her company and he likes to believe she enjoys his.

Jungkook finds comfort in how hands-on he has to be with her new found mobility. She’s quick and sneaky and requires his full attention so she’d been doing an excellent job at keeping Jungkook distracted from the calamity of his own thoughts.

It’d been two weeks since your talk.

He’d done it all. Everything in his book to run away from his feelings. Even more – everything he could think of to ignore how restless he felt.

To the blind eye – nothing seemed to have changed. Morning kitchen meetings, doorway goodbyes, Soori falling into his arms in the same place he’d left her in and then you were gone until it was time to do it all over again the next day.

But, to Jungkook, nothing held your warmth – the light he’d grown used to. The one he didn’t quite realized he looked forward to every morning until it stopped keeping him warm.

You both did a stellar job at hiding it, though. Keeping on civil smiles and brief greetings – only letting yourselves linger on the eye contact for long enough so as to not dissipate the distance that you’d put within yourselves.

He throws a hard punch, not quite realizing the harshness of the action. It startles Soori, eyes coming to look at her dad in total confusion, chin quivering in the wake of a cry.

“No, no, baby. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he picks her up, bringing her close to him. “No more of that, okay? It’s done. It’s bye-bye.” He presses his lips to her temple as she calms down.

He feels stuck in a grey spot. Unknown. It makes him feel uneasy, just so fucking restless. His curiosity never died down and it’s then that it dawns upon him – he never let you in enough to know what the pain of losing you would actually be like. To know enough about you as to miss you – need you.

If the void in his chest is big enough to fit his longing now, he can’t imagine what it’d be like to know you enough to love you.

He reaches for his pocket, retrieving his phone. He unlocks it – pulse racing as he dials.

“Hey, Ggukie. Talk to me.” Taehyung’s voice rings against the speakers.

“I need your help.”

~

You’re being swarmed by little arms, tucking you in their embrace as they tickle you.

You pretend to squirm and attempt to release yourself from their hold, gasping in surprise as their loud giggles fill the room.

“Okay, okay. Free Miss ___.” You say but it is a lost cause as a troop of very determined kids try to seek revenge for the tickle attack they’d ensued from you a couple of minutes prior.

Dae is the first one to break free – his voice loud and excited as he says, “Uncle Jungoo!”

You freeze. Looking to your side to directly meet his eyes. He wears Soori in a baby carrier, a pretty yin and yang design adorning the front. He gives you a small smile. You don’t quite return it but you don’t divert your gaze from his. You smile at Soori, though, who’s jumping in his hold at the sight of you.

You walk closer to them, smiling at Taehyung as Dae jumps into his arms, showing him the drawing he’d painted during his free time.

“This is amazing, bud. You’re such an artiste. Mommy and daddy are going to have to start displaying your work in the gallery, huh?” He says, earning himself a big, crooked grin from Dae who nods enthusiastically. “Hey, ___.”

“Hey, he did so well today.” You say, smiling at Dae.

Soori shrieks, in need of your attention. You turn to her, smiling wide before you come to play with her little hands that stick from either side of the carrier.

“Hey, baby girl. What a nice surprise,” you coo, coming to plant soft kisses on her plump cheeks.

“Hey…” Jungkook says, voice low.

“Hey.”

“Can we- um… can I talk to you?”

“Sure.”

Taehyung grabs Soori from the carrier and helps Jungkook strap himself free, shooting you a warm smile before you’re both turning around, heading for a quieter space in the library, walking through the high shelves stacked with books.

“How are you,” he starts. He sounds nervous and it unsettles you.

“I’m fine. What’s wrong? Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry.” He says, your cold stare has his mind running around in circles. All the courage he’d mustered to come here fading away.

“For what exactly? I think you’ve apologized for your so-called mistakes already. No need to do that again.”

“I don’t think we got nearly close to making a mistake.”

You scoff. “Did we not? it seemed that’s all you saw it as back then, though.”

“Because it might be, ___.” He defends, voice growing exasperated.

“What do you know?” You whisper, tone harsh.

“I know enough. About mistakes and where they land you. How they feel like once you’re left cleaning up the mess they make.”

“Well, it’s good we didn’t fully commit to said mistake now, isn’t it?” Your words are venomous and they take you by surprise – but above all, they’re laced with pain. So much pain.

“Maybe it’s good. Maybe it’s bad.”

“I can’t with the back and forth anymore, Jungkook. What did you come here to tell me?”

“I can’t live with not knowing.” He starts, “I want to know. The mistake has been made. It was made the moment I let myself look at you, really see you. And it was made the moment I let you see me.”

You tried to suppress them but a fresh set of tears pool in your eyes – making your eyes shiny. It tugs at Jungkook’s heart and he wants nothing more than to hold you.

You surrender, letting yourself weaken before him. “Please – stop calling it a mistake. That’s so unfair, Jungkook.”

“You’re not understanding me, ___. Mistakes – fuck. They rule this world. It’s the one constant in this life. You’re bound to make them. What I’m saying is that… they can turn out to be the best- the best thing to ever happen to you.”

He thinks of Soori.

Of the day he met Ira.

He thinks of how big of a mistake he thought he was making when he hired you.

“Why are you so afraid of making them, then?”

He huffs, shaking his head. “That can’t be further from the truth.”

“So, it’s just me then. I’m the one mistake you’re not willing to make.”

“You’re the mistake that terrifies me the most. The very one that tests all of my rationality.”

You look at him. Holding his gaze, eyes not faltering once. His chest flutters – the way it hadn’t done in a while because you haven’t looked at him like this since that night in the backseat of his car.

It takes you a moment but you break your silence, a soft whisper – one last attempt.

“Then let go. Free the rationality from your actions and… treat me the way you would if you only listened to your heart.”

Your gaze falls to the floor, fearing having to look at him as your heart breaks all over again.

You don’t see him take a step towards you. You only feel his index finger, coming to rest under your chin before he tilts it upwards – slowly. Letting himself look for your gaze. When he finds it you’re met with starry eyes. The galaxies, his light.

You think he’s about to pull away when his hand travels to the back of your neck, pulling you closer in one swift, determined movement. Your mouth barely lets out the gasp that forms in your throat before he’s crashing his lips into yours. Arms snaking around your waist, flushing his chest to yours – two heartbeats finally blending together. Mending together.

You fall into him, knees weakened, a light feel to your bones as your arms entangle around his neck, leaning your head to the side as you melt into his lips, parting your mouth to welcome his tongue, falling into the dance of his kiss.

It’s your hands on the soft, warm skin in the back of his neck.

And the feel of his pink bottom lip tucked in between yours.

It’s his body leaning forwards as yours falls backwards, his big hands enclosing around your waist, holding you to him.

Every feeling intensifies and shoots straight to your heart – settling in your chest, your heartbeat thundering against it until you can feel it in your throat, merging with all the words that you’ve reserved just for him and this moment since the minute your soul subconsciously leaped onto his – sealing a pact unbeknownst to you at the time.

It’s your heart, on his lips.

That’s what the world tastes like.

~

YEP. i literally went “now kiss.” AND I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT IT! i feel like all the words i’ve put into this story have amounted to this moment right here and i cant wait to keep navigating their relationship. it's real guys. it's happening. i hope you are happy too! also, team JUCY y’all won. honestly from the beginning of chapter two i was like YOONGI. YOONGI’S HER BOY. but tbh i like to make y’all happy and ALSO jiminie got me with his dumb jokes on the last one too lol. two hopeless romantics. i want what they have. i really hope u enjoyed this one and that your hearts are well. i can’t explain how much i appreciate the love and i am sending it right back. do let me know what u thought – love talking to u guys. xxxxxx

~

★taglist★

@roro-in-utopia @yiyi4657 @littlrmills14-blog @namjooningelsewhere @drownforryou @iwanttohitmyself @finelinememories @yukiehyukie @shatzkrinslinzki @bts-fic-recs-mess @kokoandkookie @subtlepjiminie @girl-meetsevil @kookiesbreaky @di0rgguk @bloopkook @babyrosieareroses @kookiecrumb @casspirit0705 @eclectictacozinewobbler @tickledpink55 @rjsmochii @dimcorner @miniiimee @vintageroses10 @amyniu @tessxblxckthorn @emotionaltrashcansblog @fangirl125reader

-> Jungkook buys a female android to help him practice talking to girls

Pairings: Jungkook x android!reader

Genre/au: fluff, angst, android!au, slice of life

Warnings: Jungkook was born with a brain abnormality that affects his speech patterns, so much stuttering, he doesn’t like that part of himself, some self-esteem issues and lack of self-confidence, mentions of bullying, Jungkook falls for a robot, a few awkward sexual innuendos and references but nothing crazy

Wc: 10.7K

taglist: @staerryminimini @unicornbabylover @kookieswan @taeshobipop @captainsjoongs @just-some-weird-blog @cakecobain @hazalnut @simluvbot @sugarflywme @little-fluffle @mwitsmejk @dvalitaes @ratherbefangirling @jeonthighss @diaryofangie19 @juwrites18 @kitk4400 @kookxin

Instructions should always be written in the simplest of terms. So people like Jungkook can best understand how to follow them. But when your only help is written in three different languages, none of which you can understand, instructions don’t help all that much.

Jungkook struggles, flipping through the unnecessarily long booklet in hopes that a Korean translation will magically appear if he just turns enough pages. Eventually, he’s forced to abandon the useless pamphlet and attempt to do this on his own.

There’s gotta be an on/off switch or something simple somewhere. At least a power button? All his electronics have a power button.

Maybe he should call Yoongi. He wouldn’t even be in this situation if it weren’t for him anyway…

Keep reading

It's really so cute 🥰🥰. It’s short, sweet, heartwarming. Ahh loved it. And I love nerdy Jungkook who watches Harry Potter 😍

how to get away with kidnapping

Pairings: brother's best friend!jk x little sister!reader (ft. Vmin)

Genre: fluff, coming of age

Warnings: mentions of drugs, lil bit of grinding, they make out and Jungkook likes it a lot

Summary: you're tired of Jungkook seeing you as his best friend's little sister

Wc: 3.5K

a/n: repost alert! I hope this fic gets lots of love bc it has a special place in my heart.

The best thing about having a best friend is seeing them find love and happiness, even if it leaves you alone for the weekend with nothing to do and no one to play Overwatch with.

In all honesty, Jungkook doesn't mind suffering for a few weekends so that Tae can spend time with his new boy toy. Jimin seems like a legit sweetheart and, if he's making Tae happy, then Jungkook is happy.

The clock strikes midnight and Jungkook decides it's a good time to pause his Harry Potter marathon to make his third single serving of popcorn. Thinking back, if he had actually eaten dinner, maybe he wouldn't be pigging out like this.

Fuck it, of course he would be.

Just as he presses play, his phone starts ringing, a least expected name appearing on his screen with a tempting green answer button floating underneath it.

He answers, unsure of why exactly you of all people would be calling him. The last time he got a call from you was several months ago when you requested his help in pranking your brother for his birthday. Since then it's been silently passing each other in the living room, the occasional meme spam over text, and avoiding sitting next to each other when he comes over for dinner because it makes your mother swoon and it's admittedly awkward. Not that he wouldn't be down for a closer relationship with you, but reality is you've never hinted at wanting anything more and he might be murdered by your ridiculously protective older brother, so Jungkook doesn't try.

"Hey, ___, what's up?"

You're practically frantic, although it appears you're trying failing to stay calm. "Have you heard from my brother? He's not answering his phone."

"Tae ditched for his date tonight. I can take a message if you want but I probably won't hear from him until tomorrow, same as you," Jungkook tells you, curious about why you're looking for your brother on a weekend--something you rarely do since starting university--but he's more so worried about you and your increasing levels of anxiety.

"I'm at a party..." you pause as if expecting him to fill in the extensive blanks you've left.

"Are you hurt?"

"I feel...sick."

He blinks, setting his popcorn aside and standing so he can pace the carpet. "Sick? Okay, like in your head or your stomach?"

You're silent for a minute, the only sound being a growing bass in the background affirming your earlier statement of being a party. The song choice is...not to Jungkook's taste but that's beside the point.

"Both?"

Your answer is a question which doesn't provide a whole lot of confidence, but Jungkook continues on nonetheless.

"Is there alcohol at that party? How much have you had to drink?"

"Just a little bit..." you admit quietly, voice small and seemingly innocent. You're cute.

"Did anyone give those drinks to you?" he asks.

"Maybe."

"Who?"

There's a shifting on the other end, as if you're moving to another quieter location. "Just some guy. Why?"

"Don't you know you're not supposed to take drinks from strangers? Shit, just find a safe place to lay low and I'll come pick you up." He's already slipping on his shoes and grabbing the keys to his truck. "Where are you again?"

"57-2 Ok-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan."

"Be there in twenty." He hangs up and starts driving, lowkey planning out how hard he's going to scold you when he gets there. Underage, inexperienced, innocent angel taking drinks from total strangers at a college party? He thought you knew better than that. Maybe you are still just a naive little girl.

But when he pulls up to the house and sees you running across the yard, arms crossed at your waist, cardigan pulled tight around your body with your head down and your hair blocking your eyes, all that frustration is out the window and replaced with a deafening desire to hug you and make sure you're okay.

He leans across the passenger seat and opens the door for you. "Get in." And you do, gladly.

His truck is tall thanks to the massive tires he recently purchased, so tall you have to take an extra step climbing in. But it's kinda nice that way. You feel powerful riding next to him like this, the front seat expanding like a bench across the middle console so there's plenty of room to scoot from side to side. It feels like you can bulldoze anything, do whatever you wanna do with no consequence. That extra spark of confidence comes from Jungkook's position behind the wheel. You know if you're in his capable hands, nothing bad can happen to you.

"You okay?" he asks first while quickly turning the corner.

You nod, sitting up a little straighter once the house is out of view. "Yeah, sorry for making you drive all the way down here."

"It's all good. I'm glad you called me."

And he is. Genuinely glad because who knows what could have happened had you waited for Taehyung to call you back or god forbid ask some sleazy senior to take you home. Being a senior himself not that long ago, he knows they're not all douchebags, but the ones that attend freshman parties are, not to mention they were probably the ones giving you drinks.

Jungkook glances at you a few times before speaking again. "So, how do you feel?"

"Hungry."

"I thought you were sick?"

"I'm not sick."

"But you said--"

"You thought I was actually sick?" you giggle, scooting to the middle console to reach the air control and blast some refreshing AC on your cheeks. "Ah, that's better."

Jungkook knocks your shoulder.

With a sigh, you sit back and explain. "I just needed an excuse to leave. Too many sketchy guys and girls and all the drinks they offered me were obviously spiked. To be honest, I've only been to two other parties but this one freaked me out. I told my friend I needed to leave but they were too drunk to drive me back." You shrug. "So much for designated driver, huh?"

Jungkook can barely believe it. You were faking? He legitimately thought you were under the influence big time. Over the phone you sounded so weak and helpless but here you are recognizing a dangerous situation and getting yourself out of it like a boss. Of course, you used him to do it but he's not that upset.

"You haven't changed at all," he chuckles, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Now that the adrenaline is starting to leave his system, he's realizing how dark and warm it is in his truck. You're making it warmer sitting this close to him too. Tucking your legs underneath yourself, you lean against his shoulder and let out a big, contagious yawn.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's not a bad thing," he assures you. "Remember when we were younger and you used to ask me to go with you places you were too scared to go by yourself? I didn't know why you were scared of the toy aisle but, I mean, I went anyway."

"Hey, those baby dolls could be real creepy, okay?"

"Most little girls liked them, you know."

"Yeah and they all grew up to be serial killers probably," you laugh along with him, reminiscent of when the two of you were only kids, playing hide and seek and chase--although you distinctly remember being the one doing all the chasing.

Jungkook shrugs, bouncing your head and it makes you feel like a kid again. "To be honest, I was kinda surprised when you told me you were at a party."

"Why?" you ask, lifting your head to eye his handsome profile glowing within the dark with each passing street light. "What's so shocking about me going to a party?"

"You were always the responsible little sister type. Remember how you used to call me 'brother kookie' all the time? You would look at me with those massive, pitiful eyes and ask me to play house, but like, all we did was pretend to cook and clean your Barbie mansion."

He could be imagining it, but did you just move away from him?

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago. I haven't called you that since I was six." You tuck your hair behind your ear and the motion catches Jungkook's eye so he has to look over at you for at least a split second. He doesn't get a good look because of the disappointing midnight darkness and you've lowered your head and turned away.

The air is thicker now despite the AC cooling the inside of the truck to a comfortable temperature. Your hair is being slightly blown and goosebumps race up your arms. Jungkook used to pride himself on being able to read your mind. He always knew where you'd hide during recess and what Disney movie was your favorite and what you wanted to eat before you even asked. But recently, he's faltered. You're not the same little girl you used to be. You grew up and things weren't supposed to get complicated, but he can't help but imagine how things might be if you knew how he looks at you now.

He clears his throat. "Either way, I'd hate for you to get into trouble because of some stupid seniors. You can always call me. What else are friends for--"

"Shut up."

The car halts at a red light, illuminating the inside of the truck in the harsh color. He can't tell if the cherry shade on your cheeks is from you or the traffic light. Your brows furrow to an unattractive point, pouty lips pairing with them to perfectly portray how sour your attitude has suddenly turned.

"Okay," he whispers, eyeing the space between you and him. "I'll shut up now."

And he does...until the light turns green. You didn't really want him to shut up completely. Just to shut up about that specific relationship dynamic. Dropping your shoulders, your head lands on his shoulder again.

"Did you wanna stop and get food somewhere? You said you're hungry. What do you want?"

"McDonald's," you answer without a care in the world, your lips turning up when his melodic laugh fills the vehicle and all of a sudden you're not so sour anymore. "What?"

"Nothing, just," he covers his mouth in an attempt to calm down but something must be seriously amusing to him, "fees like I should've known that's what you were gonna ask for."

You blush. Thank god for unevenly spaced streets lights to give you an extended period of darkness to hide in.

"Alright," Jungkook agrees, tapping the steering wheel to the beat of a familiar song, "McDonald's is it. Oh, I need to stop for gas first. Let's just stop right up here."

He pulls into the nearest gas station and parks beside the pump with practiced precision. It seems the large wheels on his truck don't have any effect on the accuracy of his driving. That's hot somehow.

"This won't take long," he promises while unbuckling.

"Jungkook?"

"Yeah?" He looks over his shoulder, near inches from popping the handle on his door.

You've gripped your hands into fists in your lap, bottom lip trapped between your teeth while you muster the courage to say what you want to say.

"I don't want to be your little sister anymore."

As soon as the words leave your lips, Jungkook swallows. There are several ways he can translate this, but which one is the right way? Subtle light from the gas station canopy meant to help drivers see in the dark shines upon your features, the soft, somewhat poor lighting only making your delicate face look that much more mature...and nervous.

"To be honest, I haven't felt like your little sister in a long time."

Scooting closer until your shoulders press rough against each other, the mere proximity makes Jungkook's head spin. Not like you haven't been this close to him before, but if he thinks about it, you kind of haven't. Not like this anyway. Not wearing what you're wearing and looking at his lips the way you're looking right now.

"You don't want to be my little sister anymore?" he repeats, buying time to process. "O-Okay. I guess that's a good thing."

Your head drops into a cute tilt. "It is?"

"I mean, we aren't related, you know?"

"Right."

"To be honest, I haven't looked at you like that in a long time. Like a little sister, I mean. But I'm not sure what I can do about it."

Your body angles itself towards him, breasts pressing against his side and hand sliding across his thigh. Your movements are slow but eager. It's clear to him what you're initiating here, just like it's clear to anyone who might peek through his windshield. It doesn't matter, Jungkook isn't about to stop you. Your hand on the inside of his leg sends goosebumps across his skin and makes his whole body shiver.

"You're my best friend's little sister, I mean, he would kill me if he found out that I liked you," he tries to remind himself of who you are but obviously it's not doing much because in the next moment he's got his hands gripping your waist and pulling you into his lap. "I thought you wouldn't be interested in your brother's nerdy friend."

"You thought wrong," you giggle, tracing your fingers up the sides of his neck and into his hair.

"I guess you haven't met all your brother's other nerdy friends." The deep chuckle in his throat is hot but not nearly as hot as the bulge in his pants pressing between your legs. When you test with a roll of your hips, his cheeks turn an adorable pink. "So, where do we go from here?"

"How about we start with this?"

The kiss is desperate, passionate, and you both realize long overdue. Jungkook can't believe the pressure he feels release from his chest when your mouth finally, finally overtakes his. He has to tilt his head back until it hits the headrest to accommodate for the height of you straddling his lap in his truck.

Holy fuck you're straddling his lap in his truck.

Your waist beneath his palms is so perfect and when he pinches it, you squirm a little and grip his hair to hang on. Everything about you is so soft except for the way you kiss him, something he's finding more and more attractive, the thought of such an innocent, sweet girl breaking the rules for him. The good girl being bad for only him.

It's so wrong but shit, it feels so right. He can't imagine anything else giving him the kind of adrenaline rush like you're giving him. With no other way to accurately express his lust for you, Jungkook spreads his thighs and pulls you closer until your clothed core is sitting directly over his hardening cock, warm and already damp.

Your tongues battle for superiority but Jungkook falls weak when hears you moan for the first time (hopefully not the last).

"Fuck, you sound pretty," he whispers to you between kisses, guiding your hand to feel him through his jeans, "touch me--"

Just as the beg request leaves his lips, his entire lap jumps, lifting you with it when his phone vibrates in his pocket, and your head hits the ceiling of his truck.

"Sorry!"

He can't as well not answer it, but with you chillin on his crotch, he really doesn't want to. What is he supposed to say? 'Sorry, I was making out with your younger sister. Hope that's cool.' With one hand still holding your waist, he swipes the green answer button and puts it on speaker.

"It's okay," you sigh, rubbing your head and digging his phone out before hesitantly showing him the screen. "It's my brother..."

"Hey bro, how's the fancy date?"

"Dude!" Taehyung's voice sounds loud and panicked on the other end, causing you both to flinch. "It's ___, she's been kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped?" Jungkook repeats, eyeing you hide a smile behind your hand, quietly smothering a giggle. He shushes you, trying to keep a laugh in himself. "Why do you think she was kidnapped?"

"She called me but I missed it, and when I called her back, she didn't answer. I went to the party she was at and her friend told me she left with some weird man in a truck. I'm freaking out, bro! What if she's hurt? There's no telling what he's planning to do to her or--oh god, what he's already done. Jungkook, we have to call the police!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a second," Jungkook acts quickly once he hears Taehyung's alarmed state getting out of hand, "it was me. Dude, that was me. I picked her up in my truck."

Taehyung gasps, "You kidnapped my sister?!"

Your laugh escapes in beautiful echoes throughout the front seat. Surprisingly, Taehyung doesn't seem to notice, but god damn, Jungkook does and he feels himself falling for the sound of your laugh just as much as he does your smile.

"What? No I--" he sighs, unable to keep his eyes off you. "Yes, I kidnapped her. Alright? She's finally all mine! All those years of waiting and waiting and...she's finally...mine."

His lowkey confession to your kidnapping has your heart leaping within your chest. Bravely, you fall forward and place a kiss on his lips. If it was anyone else on the phone in any other situation, Jungkook would have gladly hung up and thrown his phone away, followed by his shirt and your supposed innocence, but there's a time and a place for all that later hopefully.

"What are you talking about?" Taehyung pants, out of breath from freaking out.

"Well, when you didn't answer, she called me, and I went to go get her. She's perfectly safe. Here, talk to her." He hands you the phone and lets you sit back onto the seat. "Take your time. I'll fill up the tank."

Now standing outside with the driver door shut and the phone off speaker, Jungkook can't make out exactly what you say, even if he was paying attention.

You kissed him. His head is still reeling.

How long have you wanted to do that? How much time have you two wasted silently avoiding each other or trying to convince your mom that you're just friends? Jungkook knows. Too long.

The price continues to rise as his truck fills with gasoline, enough to get you to the dorms and himself back home at least. Unless...you want to come home with him? He slaps himself on the head for even thinking something like that. Even if you did, there's no way Taehyung is letting you out of his sight for the next week and a half after his panic attack tonight.

Maybe it'll be different this time considering Jungkook also likes the idea of getting in your heart. (Talk about Hallmark, that was so cheesy, I'm sorry.)

What is he supposed to do now that you know he likes you? He can't ignore his feelings anymore or pretend they're not real, especially since he's discovered you feel the same way. But that doesn't change who you are. His best friend's little sister.

What a fanfic trope. What a Hallmark moment.

Saying Taehyung would murder him in his sleep isn't too much of an exaggeration in Jungkook’s mind. He can't help but remember that time some guy from your class asked you out for coffee and Tae practically went berserk on the dude's ass. Jungkook is 90% sure you didn't like Yoongi anyway, but the fact remains that Taehyung isn't one to let people near his baby sister easily, especially people who want to get in her pants.

For now, he'll print his receipt and try to mentally prepare himself before climbing back behind the wheel.

"Everything okay?" he asks, starting the truck again while you buckle in.

You hand back his phone, the call ended. "Yeah, he's satisfied for now."

"Cool."

You spy his hands on the wheel and his foot on the gas but he's not driving. He hasn't even put the truck in drive yet, but his eyes are glued to the road like he's going a million kilometers per hour. You're about to ask if he's okay when he suddenly looks at you.

"Could I kidnap you again sometime, maybe next Friday? We could see a movie or something. Get food. Talk about...us?"

"Yeah," you reply softly, scooting closer so you can hold his arm. "I'd really like that."

You always thought his smile resembled something familiar, but it's not until this moment, when he breaks into the biggest, most precious smile you've ever seen that you recognize what it is.

He starts towards McDonald's, listening to you read off what movies are playing next Friday and thinking to himself two thoughts:

One. He's really excited to see where this goes.

Two. Taehyung is gonna kill him.

..

Lovely! It was such a lovely fic. Agh the characters, their relationship with one another are just on point. There crazy banters and funny personalities are so gracefully highlighted. A very well - written fic. It's like a full movie. Amazing <3

Quarter Life Crisis

pairing: jungkook x reader

genre/warning: slow burn friends to lovers!au, friend zoning, being dense AF, swearing & sarcastic bantering, a smidge of angst, explicit implications of smut

word count: 25k 

A/N: guys. i’ve never written something this long and in depth before and i honestly don’t know how to feel about it. but i do know i have a newfound respect for fic writers. i poured so much time and effort into this, and can only imagine what other writers go through so please remember to show your fave writers love for all their hard work! 

In the movies, the recently graduated, mid-twenties protagonist sets off on the journey of life and seems to immediately land a fantastic job, find a stellar unit in an even more luxurious apartment complex, gets a fancy car with a name that’s impossible to pronounce, is in a long term relationship from college and is going to receive a proposal within the next few months (but doesn’t know it yet), and basically, has life all figured out. If movies are going to portray young adult life like that, then that’s ideally what your twenties should be like, right? Being young, educated, ready to take on the world, further discovering yourself and finding true love.

This, however, is not what you imagined your mid-twenties to be like.

Keep reading

hot like summer, yeah, im makin’ you sweat like that

Ahh!!! it's finally here. The 1st chapter of this series. And it was really sooo good. Full of tensions and untold stories. So excited for the coming chapters. Eagerly waiting for the story to unfold and where it will lead me 💜💜💜

Burning Love (01)

Pairing: Jungkook x reader

Genre: Fluff, angst, smut (?)

Au: Exes au, CEO Jungkook.

Warning: mentions of alcohol, curse words.

Rating: 18+

Summary : Jungkook was your first love, your high school sweetheart, whom you continued to date throughout college, well maybe not throughout. Three months before finishing college, he decides it wasn't worth it. Six years later, you're far away from South Korea, working for a small company. What are the chances that the big multinational company that ends up buying the company you're currently working for is owned by none other than Jeon Jungkook?

Word Count: 14K

A/N: It took me so long to get this done. It was done by the middle of September but my phone crashed and I had no backups, so yeah had to rewrite it. So, please let me know if you like it because it took a lot out of me. Also, there might be some tiny mistakes because I edited it at like 2:00 in the morning, so don't mind it.

Prologue

THEN

"Is the seat taken?"

Looking up from the book you were reading, you find a boy you have never seen before, standing awkwardly. His hair covers almost half of his face and big doe eyes stare at you with traces of nervousness in them.

He must be new.

"No, it is not." You reply, offering a polite smile.

"Do you mind if I take the seat?" He asks scratching the back of his neck.

"No, not at all." You thought it was obvious.

"Thank you." Giving you a small smile, he occupies the seat next to you.

You watch him as he settles down and opens one of the books he was carrying and starts to flip through the pages. However, the constant tapping of his foot against the floor, lets you know that he isn't able to concentrate on the words in front of him.

"Are you new here?" You ask to hopefully begin a conversation.

He looks up from his book startled as if he was not expecting you to speak.

"Yes. This is my first day." He gives you a shy smile.

"That's great. If you need any help, let me know."

"Thank you." Giving you a small awkward nod, he returns to his book.

Seeing that your attempt to start a conversation has failed terribly, you decide to do the same.

You'd find new students in your class almost throughout the year, so that was not unusual to you, neither was his shy behaviour.

On your first day, you were shy and timid too.

You remember feeling extremely nervous when you first stepped in, not to mention how you were new to the city as well but from what you have seen, your school's extravagant appearance had that effect on almost everyone.

When you walked through the gate for the first time, you felt intimidated by the huge building in front of you. It looked like a building that could easily be used for serving royalties, with high ceilings, marble floors, classrooms bigger than you have ever seen, a huge open space, beautiful gardens and a dreamy lake that although was prohibited for the students, definitely completed the picture.

Your school is an international private school and is just as costly as it looks. With your father being a top tier businessman, money hasn't ever been a problem.

The students, unlike what people would expect, were nice. Yes, there are obviously a few who wouldn't fit in the description, but every school had those kids.

It took some time for you to come out of your shell and get adjusted to the environment and the people, he'll–

Wait, you never asked for his name.

"Hey, I'm Y/N." You say, turning towards him, perhaps a little too cheerfully.

Hearing your voice, the poor kid gets startled yet again and lets out a small squeak.

Okay, maybe you were not that nervous.

"Sorry." Red hue coats his cheeks.

Was he apologising for squeaking?

"It's okay." You wanted to chuckle at his cuteness but somehow resisted the urge. You knew it would only make him feel more embarrassed and you did not want that.

"I'm Y/N, by the way." You introduce yourself again, this time in a much softer tone.

He blinks at you.

"Oh, right, I never introduced myself." He chuckles lowly at the realisation.

"I'm Jeon Jungkook."

NOW

You've been glaring at the computer screen for around fifteen minutes now.

The reason you're glaring? Because you're tired as fuck and all you want to do is sleep like a baby. Although, if glaring is a tactic to not fall asleep or if you're glaring out of frustration, you don't know.

Your day so far has been filled with meetings, submitting reports, updating files and whatnot. Along with that, you have also been in and out of your office at every half an hour intervals to check if the server, which has been glitching since morning, has been fixed yet.

While yes, the last week of every month was the same, minus the glitching server, of course, today your body has apparently decided to resist any sort of work, to its absolute best.

Or maybe it's because you have not provided your body with enough carbs to deal with the heavy workload.

You've not provided any.

The grumbling noise from your stomach, very kindly, reminds you.

You mentally curse yourself. You should have taken Tae's advice and had some food on the way.

Seeing the cursor blink, you let out a sigh. It's as if it's mocking you as to how you've not typed a single code so far and with how unresponsive your brain is, you wonder if you'll get anything productive done today.

But you need to be productive. You release another sigh, before coming to a conclusion.

You have to eat something.

You're about to get up when a knock on the door stops you from doing so.

"Come in." You say, straightening your posture to look professional.

"Good morning, boss." Mina greets, making her way into your office.

You relax instantly but not before rolling your eyes. Dramatic as always.

Mina is your friend turned assistant. You met her when you were a newbie in the company and you both instantly clicked. At the time, she used to work as the assistant of the ex-head of the software department. When you were abruptly promoted as the head, she became your assistant.

"Good morning." You greet back.

"My morning has been good indeed. I mean, did you see Namjoon today? He came to work wearing a black silk shirt. A. Thin. Black. Silk. Shirt. Who does that? You can literally feel his muscles through that shirt." She rambles excitedly, taking the seat in front of you.

"You kidding me?" You try to match her tone.

"Hey, don't mock me." She deadpans, her enthusiastic look turning into a glare in a matter of milliseconds. "You'll understand what I'm saying when you see him. It's a serious issue, everyone, literally everyone has been ogling him and I swear he has a little smirk on his face that lets you know he's enjoying it."

You chuckle and nod in mock understanding. "Well if you had to come to my office to ramble about how hot Namjoon looks, I don't doubt its seriousness."

Mina's eyes widen. "Oh shit, I forgot. See, this is what I'm talking about, he's distracting people from work."

"By people, you mean you?"

"Shut up." She glares, yet again. "The reason why I had to come to your office is because apparently, you have not replied to an important mail by the office authorities."

You furrow your brows at that. In the midst of everything, you've forgotten to check your emails. "Right, I haven't checked my mails today. Just wait a minute, I'll check."

Logging into your mail id, you find a bunch of new unopened mails. Selecting the one from your office id, you start reading it.

From: officeml@fcs.co

To: ynsoftdept@fcs.co

Subject: URGENT MAIL.

Miss Y/L/N,

This mail is to inform you that Felix Consultancy Services has been sold to Jeon Jungkook and is now a part of Jeon Corporations. According to the contract signed, all the employees currently working for FCS will start working for Jeon Corporations from 1st September 2021.

We know this can come off as sudden and unexpected but we assure you that the contracts signed, have been made while keeping the best interests of the employees in our mind. We thought it would be best to let you know now, to avoid you taking any unnecessary stress.

We would request you to hold a meeting to let everyone in your department know of the matter.

We are extremely grateful for your dedicated performance and the hard work you've done for us. We wish you all the best and hope you take each step in your career with the same spirit.

Thanking you,

FCS Team.

Excuse me?

Is this a joke? It has to be. There's no way this is happening.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

There's that name again. Jeon Jungkook.

"Are you okay?" Mina's voice, heavily laced with concern, stops your thoughts from accelerating any further.

"Our company has been sold." You whisper.

"What?!" The disbelief is evident in her voice.

"Read this." You motion her towards the computer screen.

She gets up from her chair, walks towards where you're sitting and bends down to level with your computer screen, all the while with a frown on her face.

While she reads, you wonder if by any chance your office id has been hacked and someone decided to pull this cruel prank. But if that were the case, Mina wouldn't be here. She was technically asked by the office authorities to have you check your emails.

Realising that this isn't a prank, you deflate in your seat.

What are the chances really? You left Korea, left everything you knew, behind, just so that you could be away from that place and especially from him because the pain was unbearable.

Never in your wildest dreams did you imagine he'd buy the company you're working for.

"I think it's sudden, but maybe we should have seen this coming." Mina breaks the silence after some time, a frown still etched on her face.

"What do you mean? How were we supposed to see this coming?" You can't help the way your voice sounds. It's as if someone has said the most ridiculous thing.

She thankfully takes no offence to that and takes a deep breath, a thoughtful look appearing on her face. "I mean see, Mr. Denver has been handling the company for so long. He would want to retire at some point and from what I know none of his family members are interested in the business world."

"But isn't it too sudden? He never even gave us hints that he wants or plans to sell the company and they should have informed us a little earlier. They inform us just a week before we are supposed to start working for another company and that too over mail." You mumble, unable to hide your frustration.

She hums in agreement. "I agree with that but you know how Mr. Denver is. He doesn't ever want us taking unnecessary stress and he loves the company with his entire heart, I believe he must have handed the company in safe hands and about the mail thing, I think I heard he's out of the country, otherwise, he'd have held a proper meeting."

You release a frustrated sigh.

Mina is right about Mr. Denver, the CEO or ex-CEO of your company. He treats his employees as if they are a part of his family, always looking after their well being, and supporting them whenever they need. It's one of the many reasons working for FCS, never felt like just another 9-5 job.

Unsurprisingly, knowing that your company has your back lets people feel a certain level of freedom and ease in the work environment instead of feeling like a puppet. It allows them to make their own decisions and use their creativity to manage and complete a task.

When you became the head of the department, you made mistakes, oh you definitely did. After all, it was so abrupt and you were so unprepared but Mr. Denver always had your back. You remember the first time you made a mistake, you felt like you had done the biggest blunder ever possible in mankind and were so scared of the consequences. Unlike whatever scenario you and imagined in your mind, he gave you a warm, reassuring smile after learning as to what has happened. You remember feeling so light after hearing his comforting words.

Truth be told, you'd still be a mess had it not been for him and Mina. You'd be forever grateful for the way these two supported you in each step.

Mr. Denver is just as perspicacious and experienced as he is kind. His decisions are always so insightful, you've always admired his method of working and how calm he remains even in the most stressful of situations. You've also always trusted his decisions blindly. This time though, you can't help but feel bitter. Was it necessary to sell the company and that too, to Jungkook of all people?

"I don't know, Mina. Fuck, I don't even know much about Jeon Corporations and I'm supposed to start working for them? Even saying that out loud sounds so stupid."

"Well, I don't know too much about them either, just that they are a huge company and that the CEO is quite popular." And then, her eyes sparkle in a way that lets you know she has been struck by one of her brilliant ideas. "You know who knows about them and can help us? The internet!" She exclaims and before you can interject she's already typing 'Jeon Corporations' on the search bar.

Although, it isn't exactly his name that's being searched it is something that is directly related to him and that is enough to make you feel queasy. You have never searched him or anything even merely related to him on the net. The younger version of you never thought she'd have to, the older version of you didn't want to.

"Here we go," Mina mumbles more to herself, as she starts reading the results.

You contemplate if you want to look at the screen. You weren't lying when you said, you don't know anything about the company. You did at some point but you are pretty sure that it's irrelevant and of no use, after all, six years is a long time.

While you're not interested in him, any information about Jeon Corporations might be helpful. So, you make a quick decision and glance up at the screen.

First, comes some basic information about how Jungkook's father was the founder of the company and how Jungkook was handed over the ownership a few years ago when his father retired.

This you knew already.

Second, some information about how big the company has become and how it is now one of the biggest multinational companies out there.

That's new to you.

Then, came the top articles.

Jeon Jungkook steps out holding hands with Tina Fred.

Jeon Jungkook, owner and CEO of Jeon Corporations, was spotted making out with Jennifer Gomes.

Is Sarah Jones, Jeon Jungkook's new target?

Two days after filing for divorce, Olivia Fren is spotted having the time of her life on a yacht with Jeon Jungkook.

Model Sierra Alex and Jeon Jungkook are reportedly dating.

A look into the affairs of playboy billionaire Jeon Jungkook.

"Looks like he has got quite the reputation." Mina snorts.

"Maybe it's typical media." You say with a shrug, feeling the inside of your mouth turn sour.

"Pictures don't lie, babe." She replies, still searching for some information with squinted eyes.

"Who cares?" Reaching out for the glass on your table, you gulp down the water in one go.

You wish it was alcohol. At least, that way, your brain wouldn't be running miles a minute.

"I didn't even search his name, yet, mostly it's all about his affairs." She whines after some time, seemingly frustrated.

Before she can type out a more specific search, you interrupt her. "You know what? We can look for information later. For the time being, just forward this mail to everyone in the department." There's no way you'll be able to break this news to a room full of people without looking as panicked and stressed as you feel.

Hearing your words, Mina frowns in surprise and worry. She knows you enough to know that you're the kind of person to hold a meeting to discuss the issue because that's what's the right thing to do. Especially, when you strongly dislike being informed about such an important and serious issue over mail. For you to ask her to forward the mail, there must be something wrong.

"Are you okay?" She asks, keeping her voice soft.

"I'm okay, don't worry about it. Just a little shaken up, that's all." You lie, waving your hand dismissing her concern.

She knows that, that isn't the entire truth. Her frown remains in place but she lets it go, knowing whatever it is you'll open up when you feel comfortable. "Don't worry too much about it, it's of no use anyway. Also, if you need anything just let me know, okay?"

You give her a nod, grateful for her words.

"Well then, I'll get going. Just forward me the mail." She collects a few files from your desk before heading out. "Bye, bitch."

Usually, you'd chuckle at that. Calling you boss while entering and bitch before exiting, is peak Mina behaviour. This time though, you're too anxious to find any amusement.

With the door clicking shut, you're met with silence, unlike what's going inside your head.

There are thousands of thoughts running inside your head, the headline of each being the same; Jungkook is back in your life.

To put it lightly, Jungkook is a bitter topic for you. You wish you could say that it's bittersweet but then, that would be a lie because it isn't, it's just bitter. He's that one person for you, who has hurt you so brutally that even though it has been years, one mention of his name is enough to serve as a reminder of the pain he has caused.

It's tricky though, it's not like he is that much of an issue but somehow he still is. You are happy and content in your life and Jungkook is almost forgotten. Almost. He is like one of those wounds you don't even realise is there until someone mentions it or pokes it. It's also the type of wound that heals slowly, very slowly.

To summarise, Jungkook is someone you rarely spend time thinking about but when you do, it's against your will and quite unpleasant for you.

The last time Jungkook occupied your mind would be a month ago when you saw him at the party. It just caught you so off guard. Your subconscious screamed at you to run, perhaps she still believes he'll somehow ruin your happiness out of nowhere, just like he did all those years ago.

By the time you reached home that night, you calmed down when you realised how natural and normal it was for him to attend a business party. Just because you haven't encountered him before, doesn't mean he never attends them. Right? You also, assured yourself, saying, you will just have to be a little cautious from the next time.

But more than anything, you were grateful he didn't spot you.

Now though, all of those thoughts sound so ridiculous to you. You bet, in any other situation you'd even find the situation funny but you don't. After all, he's soon going to be your boss.

Is there no way to get out of this?

Mina's words about how worrying is of no use, ring in your head, answering your question.

That doesn't help the fact that you are desperate to stay far away from Jungkook.

With leaving South Korea, you let yourself believe that that's the end of everything between you and Jungkook, that he would always be a chapter in your past that would never be reopened.

How are you supposed to deal with this?

Amid the panicky thoughts, there's a small voice inside your head that's telling you that maybe you're overreacting.

Are you?

You don't know. You don't know how someone is supposed to react upon learning that their ex, the person they were once so in love with, the one who also crushed their heart without a second thought, is going to become their boss.

You release an exhausted sigh before getting up and walking towards the big glass wall. Looking down you find traffic and people rushing, and can't help but compare it to the commotion going on inside your head.

Currently, you are cursing your building's elevator for going out of service.

It had to be today out of all days. Isn't it?

Even lifting your feet from the ground feels like an extremely strenuous job for you. It feels like you're taking each step with a heavy load on your back.

Well, technically you are.

Since the moment, you read the mail, your brain has been busy coming up with different scenarios regarding how work from next week will look like for you. And out of the million scenarios, you didn't like any of them, because all of them somehow involved Jungkook.

Finally reaching your floor, you sigh in relief. Never have you found the way to the fourth floor, so tiring.

But now that you've reached home, maybe the sleep you so longingly desired would finally be yours. Maybe, you would finally get some rest and maybe, your mind will finally calm down.

Unlocking the door, you find the lights on which makes you frown.

You thought Tae would be asleep by now. He never stays up this late, none of you does actually, especially on weekdays.

You had texted him previously letting him know that you'll be late and had asked him not to stay up.

You've no idea what he is doing.

As you close the door, a little bark coming from the hallway breaks your train of thought. Turning around you find the little ball of energy running as fast as his little feet could carry him with his tail wagging even faster.

A small but genuine, smile appears on your face.

Stopping at your feet, Yeontan lets out barks demanding to be picked up.

You could feel your heart getting all mushy. How is he so cute?

Removing your heels, you bend down and pick him up and as soon as you do, he starts licking your face.

You couldn't help but coo at him. "Aww, did you miss me?"

He replies with more aggressive licks.

You chuckle at that. Although this is how Yeontan would welcome you every day, it never failed to make you feel rejuvenated after a long day's work.

Today's case might be a bit different than the usual, while it might not have made you feel completely rejuvenated, it still makes you feel way better.

You scratch behind his ears and smile at the happy bark he lets out.

"You're back." Glancing up, you see Tae coming out of the kitchen with a spatula in his hand and flour patches on his face.

"Yeah, I just arrived. What are you up to though?" You question his attire, a chef's hat and an apron that said hot stuff coming through.

Why are your friends so dramatic?

"I'm cooking, duh. What does it look like?" He rolls his eyes.

"This late?"

"Hmm. It's always good to keep in touch with your skills. Irrespective of the time."

"If that's the case–" you raise your eyebrow in curiosity, "–what are you making?"

He scowls at that, almost looking offended. "Don't tell me you didn't figure it out by now."

You pout at him in an attempt that it would convince him to tell you, but his scowl only deepens. So, you settle for sniffing the air like the weirdo you are.

Your eyes widen upon realising.

How could you miss it?

"Chicken butter masala?"

A smug look appears on his face. "With naan"

Your absolute favourite.

A small squeal of delight escapes your lips which makes Yeontan, who was almost asleep in your arms, bark at you.

"Oops, sorry." You say sheepishly, immediately offering more scratches as an apology.

Tae is a great cook. You would even say that his dishes could beat many top-level restaurants. The idea of breaking your unintended fast, with your favourite dish and that too cooked by your favourite cook, did wonders to your sulking mood.

"Okay, that's my cue." He says upon hearing the beeping sound of the timer. "Go freshen up. We can then talk over dinner."

You pause at that.

Tae must have received the news by now and you expected that he would want to talk to you about this. Truth be told, you wanted to converse about it as well. You don't know what would come out of the conversation but it's unhealthy to bottle up emotions and you just really feel the need to talk about it with someone.

The thing that bothered you, was the over dinner part. You wanted to enjoy your meal to the fullest and you doubted it would be possible with Jungkook being the topic of discussion. You remember how your mouth turned into this weird mixture of sour and bitter, every time you heard people whispering and gossiping about him. At some point, it felt like the ghost of his name was haunting you.

You don't want that. You want to have your dinner in peace.

Moreover, you are feeling slightly better now. Freshening up will only give your brain time to figure out more reasons to worry.

You hold Tan, who had his little head snuggled against your neck and was finally asleep, a little tighter and walk towards the kitchen.

You want to talk now.

As you step into the kitchen, the beautiful aroma of various spices welcome you. Damn, you don't remember the last time you had this dish. Your heart, brain and stomach were dancing in joy at the promise of what waited after the talk.

Okay, yes, after freshening up too.

You clear your throat to announce your presence.

Tae surprisingly doesn't even flinch at that, as if he has been expecting you. "What?" He asks without turning towards you.

"I want to talk."

"Hmm"

"So...."

"Leave Tan in the living room first."

"What! Why? He's already asleep–"

Tae whips around at that and looks at you with narrowed eyes. "I'm already allowing you, in my kitchen in your dirty gross clothes, don't test my limits."

You narrow your eyes right back. "Give me–"

He shuts you up by narrowing his eyes even further.

Huffing, you reluctantly exit the kitchen. You wanted to stomp but don't in fears of waking Yeontan up.

You gently put him down on the couch and smile at the way he whines, at the loss of your warmth.

He's such a spoilt baby.

Making sure he's comfortable, you walk back into the kitchen to find Tae leaning against the counter, waiting for you.

You cross your arms in annoyance. "Why did you make me put Tan down? He was providing me so much comfort." Your voice turns into a whine by the end of the sentence.

"Well I know how much you're going to swear and Tan is far too innocent for that. I don't want him to be traumatized." He replies in a monotonous voice.

Why are you still friends with him again?

The smell of beautiful flavours reminds you exactly why.

"Whatever" You reply before marching to where he is and take off his chef's hat.

His protests come instantly. "Hey, how dare you touch–"

"Shut up, I can't have a proper talk with you when you look like that." You grumble out.

"What do you mean? A chef's hat is like a king's crown." If he wasn't offended when you couldn't immediately tell what he was cooking, he sure as hell is now.

"Be grateful that I'm not taking off that apron of yours." You say, your voice leaving no room for argument.

You walk towards the small, two-seater dining table, rest the hat on the surface and take a seat, waiting for Tae to join you.

"I'm going to put extra salt in your food someday, you'll see." He mumbles as he takes the seat opposite to you.

Extra salt? Well then, you'll hide his favourite Gucci t-shirt.

Smirking internally, you maturely decide to ignore his statement.

Leaning forward, he clears his throat and you feel the air getting tense, the playful mood of bantering disappearing.

"So, how was work today?"

A snort escapes your mouth.

What a way to start the conversation.

"It was great. You tell me." You chime, sarcastically.

Tae only raises one of his brows at that, his trademark move. All his eyebrow raises have different meanings though, and after knowing him for almost five years, you have become an expert at decoding each of his brow raise.

This one screamed, you done?

You release a deep breath. "I don't know Tae today has been filled with surprises and not the good kind."

He hums. "I was surprised too. I did read some news about their company buying smaller companies but wasn't expecting FCS to be one of them."

"They were buying smaller companies?" Scowling, you wonder out loud.

He hums again. "Came across an article about that on the net, you'd know anything about it if you read some news."

Well fuck.

"Say, I knew that they were buying companies but I doubt it would make it any less shocking. We didn't know shit. I mean when did this all even take place?"

"I agree, none of us knew anything about it and I have no idea when all of this took place." A frown appears on his face. "But from what I have heard, the final papers were signed at last month's party."

"Last month's party as in when I saw him?"

Receiving a nod from Tae, you slump in your chair at the realisation.

He wasn't there for nothing. He wasn't there attending just another party, as you had initially thought, no, he was finalising the deal. Finalising his way back into your life. You doubted he knew that at the time. But looking at it now, a part of you wanted to laugh. If only then, you knew that running away was of no use. You'd save some energy, wouldn't have reacted as heavily and would have also saved the cab fare.

Taehyung places a hand under his chin. "That isn't really what's bothering you though."

You sigh.

You wonder how many times you have sighed today. Is there a record for sighing the most number of times in a day? If so, you're pretty sure you have broken all records.

"What now?" You finally manage to ask the question that has been stuck in your head.

He looks at you with soft, sympathetic eyes. "I don't know really but don't stress about it too much."

"I don't want to stress about it but I can't help it. I picture what it will be like to see him again when that's the last thing I want." You say, your voice shaky, allowing yourself to show the vulnerability you have been trying to hide so desperately.

His eyes soften, even more, he knows how much you hate feeling weak and helpless. "Have you asked yourself why it's bothering you so much?"

No.

That's a complicated question, one you haven't given much thought to.

While yes, there's the obvious reason that he is your ex, with whom things ended in the most terrible and painful ways but is that it?

A part of you says, no.

When you first came to America, you felt lonely and stranded, with your heart always feeling heavy. Sometimes your mind would wonder if it was just a dream, a very bad, cruel dream. But the harsh reality never took long to remind you just how real everything was. You didn't even have anyone you could just talk to, the bare minimum any person needs while going through shit.

In those days, you felt pathetic. To you, that was your identity, a lonely pathetic girl who can't get over her ex breaking up with them.

But even then, never did you wish you had stayed back in Korea. Never did you think of moving back, which by the way, your parents had offered you to, at least a thousand times.

To you, the pain, was worth it if it meant you were miles away from him.

And maybe that's why you are irate. Him buying your company, just puts all of that to waste, doesn't it? Yes, it's been six years, you no more consider yourself a pathetic person, but even then a part of you just doesn't like the thought of being anywhere near Jungkook.

Simply, you always held a grudge against him for hurting you the way he did. It also doesn't help that he is now your boss, if anything, it only adds fuel to the fire.

But is that all?

You're not so sure.

"I don't know if there's one particular answer to that, it's complicated. There are so many reasons, some I'm not even completely aware of." You decide to be truthful. "All I know is I hate to be put in this situation."

Tae's face changes into an expression that you know very well, it's the face he makes every time the philosophical side of him is about to make an appearance. "So, you know what you're feeling but you don't completely know why you're feeling the way you are."

You nod. "In a way, yes."

"Do you think it might be because you don't know how you feel about Jungkook?" Seeing that you're about to object to his question almost immediately, he clarifies. "What I mean is, I know that you don't harbour any of the old romantic feelings towards him, but you sure do feel a certain way about him, they might not be the nicest of feelings but you still do. So what I'm asking is, do you have a clear picture of the emotions you feel when it comes to him?"

"I don't think so." Whispering you realise that you've always pushed this issue under the rug and maybe that's why you still have unsettled emotions about him.

Tae looks like he expected that answer. "Have you ever thought that this might actually be good for you? It might help you get a clear picture about what you feel about him and when you do, you can work on it."

"Maybe I don't want to." You shrug. "I have been doing pretty fine in my life, it's not an issue that needs to be dug. Not knowing how I feel about him, has never been a problem, even on the very few occasions, that it has been, it's been manageable. And trust me, if his presence in my life is what it takes to solve this issue, I'd rather not solve it."

"Are you sure you're not downplaying it?" He raises one of his eyebrows again, this one lets you know that he sees right through you.

But you're not going to let this conversation take that turn. "Can we get back to the main problem here?"

His brow comes back to its original place and sensing that you're not going to talk about it, he nods. "About Jungkook being our new boss, I don't think it would be a problem."

"What do you mean?" You ask, your voice incredulous. The concept of Jungkook not being a problem sounded too good to be true.

"I mean, yeah he's going to be our boss but so what?" He says in a questioning tone, relaxing back in his chair.

"Oh, yes please go on being all vague, I appreciate it so much." You deadpan.

He has the audacity to roll his eyes. "How much was Mr. Denver involved in your life?"

And you immediately get the point he's trying to make.

Mr. Denver has been an extremely inspirational person in your life but with well-maintained boundaries.

But that doesn't ease you completely.

"It's not that simple. Jungkook and I share a past. I don't even have any idea what to do if he tries talking to me?"

"Well if he talks to you, you reply and how you reply depends on whether you want your relationship with Jungkook to be anything more than that of an employee and an employer."

You shake your head immediately, you'd never want any form of relationship with him, the fact that you both still will have one, even if it's that of an employee and an employer, is testing your limits, having any sort of relationship with him outside of workspace is beyond your imagination.

"You know I don't want to." You grumble.

"Well then, it's simple. How he behaves or reacts to you is not in your control but how you carry yourself, is."

Hmm.

Even though it's not the ideal situation, this makes you feel better because this way you don't feel as helpless you did minutes ago.

Tae sighs. "Listen, I know it's not the most likeable situation but try not to overthink it, it's not going to be of any use. Even though it might suck, just know you're not alone. Okay? If anything ever weighs on your mind, you can always come to me."

These words work like magic. It makes you feel confident as if whatever it is, you'll be able to deal with it because you're not alone, like you once were. Even if something goes wrong, you'll still have a shoulder to cry on.

You feel some of the weight being lifted off your chest.

"And if he becomes too much of a bother, we can always send Tan to scare Jungkook away."

The mental image of the scene plays in your mind and a fit of giggle escapes you. "Common, he can't scare anyone away, even if he tried to. He's just too cute."

Tae stares at you with his mouth hanging open. "I'll let you know, he definitely can."

"He can't, never in your wildest dreams. But at least he scares the bugs away– " You drum your fingers on the table, "–unlike you." He puffs his chest in defence, which makes it all the more difficult for you to control your laughter. It's quite the sight, especially with that apron he is wearing. "I'm not scared of bugs, I just don't.... like them."

You scoff, totally enjoying riling him up. "Then don't ask me to shoo away the bugs from next time."

He leans forward with squinted eyes. "I won't."

Smirking, you reply. "We will see."

Nodding, he leans back in his seat, squinted eyes still fixed on you.

You mimic his position but your eyes soften, the sneer being replaced with a small smile, and the tension that you have been carrying all day, leaves your body. "Thank you."

Saying these words, you hope he understands that you aren't just expressing your gratitude for the way he patiently listened and conversed with you. You're also thanking him for his thoughtfulness. The fact that he cooked your favourite dish, to make you feel better (you did not buy that 'keeping in touch with your skills' bullshit even for once), after returning from work and that too on a day where he learns that the company he has been working for has been sold, is something else entirely.

And if you were to go with the way the corner of his mouth lift, he knows.

"Well, I'm amazing, I know, I know." There he goes again.

"Shut up, I give you thanks once, take it, you won't get it back." You roll your eyes playfully.

"You know you love me so whatever." He replies cheekily. "But now that we are done, I'll have to go and check on my beautiful naans." He swiftly gets up, the sound of chair scraping against the floor, reaching your ears.

He shuffles through the cabinet searching for something in particular. Stumbling upon a flask, he turns towards you.

"I forgot, I made some tea a few hours ago, you wanna have some?"

"I don't think it's healthy to have tea on an empty stomach." You shrug, not paying much attention to what you just said.

"What?!"

Oh shit.

"Hello, my eyes are here. I need an explanation and I want you to be looking at me when you provide me one." Although you aren't looking at him, you are sure he has his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't feel like having anything today." Your mutter, voice small. You feel like you are being scolded by a parent.

He huffs. "Considering today's circumstances, I'll let it slide, but I expect this to be the last time. If this repeats, you won't be off the hook so easily."

You only nod in response.

He goes back to shuffling the cabinets and takes out a container filled with cookies.

"Go wash your hands and have these." He orders, putting the cookies on a plate.

"Okay, dad."

"Eww, that's gross. Didn't know you were into that."

"That's not what I meant!"

THEN

You were four when a butterfly landed on your open, welcoming palm.

You remember staring at the delicate creature and its pretty, blue fluttering wings with so much awe. You also remember pouting heavily and complaining to your brother when the butterfly flew away.

That's also when you developed this pull towards nature.

At first, it was curiosity. You were curious about everything. You'd often follow the trails of ants or maybe crouch down and watch a croaking frog. You're pretty sure at some point, at least one of them, if not all of them, side-eyed you while croaking to his people about how there's this weird human watching them like a creep.

As you grew, your curiosity grew into appreciation.

Now that you're sixteen and are well into your teenage years. You've learned that it isn't everything the movies and rom-coms make it out to be. Teenage years can be stressful. Mainly because the most unimportant things become the most important.

Funnily, you've also learned to seek comfort in nature.

And that's why you're here, sitting near the lakeside.

Not that, you're stressed or it's not like you have something heavy on your mind at the moment. It's just that stress is what first brought you to this place. You can't even properly remember what got to you but if you are not wrong it had something to do with your less than satisfactory marks in the maths exam. That was two years ago and since that day you've developed this habit of spending lunchtime here. But then who wouldn't love to feel the cool breeze blowing through their hair while having their lunch? You also, sneakily pet the ducks sometimes but don't tell that to anyone.

Settling comfortably, you open your lunch box. Finding delicious chicken sandwiches waiting for you, you lick your lips.

That's another thing about you, you're quite the food enthusiast.

Taking the first bite, you hum in delight. These are too good.

You're about to go for a second bite when you feel a shadow looming over you. Looking up, you find Jungkook standing, well, awkwardly.

"Hey?" You ask, unsurely.

"Hey–," he scratches the back of his neck a habit of his when he is nervous, or so you assume, "–do you mind if I join?"

"No, I don't. It's absolutely fine."

"Are you sure?"

Quite the deja vu, huh?

You roll your eyes and pat the space next to you. "Yes, I'm sure and stop being so formal with me."

He slowly walks towards where you are sitting and fiddles with his lunch box. "I just want to make sure, you aren't saying yes just –"

"If I remember correctly, I was the one who asked you if you'd like to join me."

"I know you did, but that was a week ago, and I don't know if it is still okay to join you, you know?"

"Well then, I'm telling you again, it's completely fine and you can join me whenever you want."

He gives you his usual shy small smile and finally sits next to you.

A comfortable silence falls.

In the span of one month, that you've known him, you've observed a few things about Jungkook. One of them being, how he's a bit shorter than you or how you are a bit taller than him. At least that's how you prefer saying it. You don't know how you did not notice it the very first time but when you did you were so excited. You remember returning home that day and when your mom asked how your day has been you replied saying that there is this new boy in your class and that you're taller than him. An answer, you know that didn't make sense but you were too happy to care.

Another thing you've noticed is, unlike what you assumed, he's just as shy as he was on the first day, minus the jumpiness that is. Throughout the day he'd remain extremely quiet and only speak if it's extremely necessary.

That also has something to do with why you were quite surprised to see him approach you. Knowing that he has no friends here and spends the lunchtime all alone, you've asked him if he'd like to join you on various occasions, you've also maintained gaps between your offers so that you don't come off as overbearing. But every time he has politely declined, which you have reasoned might have to do something with his shy nature.

You don't want to overthink it though. Maybe he finally felt comfortable enough to spend time with you or maybe he got bored. Whatever it is, you are not going to risk making him uncomfortable by asking him.

"Do you want some?" You ask after some time, offering a piece of your sandwich.

Sensing another is it okay or are you sure on the tip of his tongue, you glare at him, playfully of course, and thankfully he gets the message.

You watch as his long fingers slowly take the sandwich from your hand.

As he takes a bite, a very intense expression appears on his face and if it were not for the moan of delight from him, you'd think he was severely angry or in pain.

A small chuckle escapes you, which causes Jungkook to snap his eyes open.

"Is it that good?" You ask in a teasing tone.

Jungkook to your surprise, doesn't shy away and nods furiously. "It is that good. I didn't even know chicken sandwiches could be this delicious."

Your smile only widens at that. "You can take more if you want."

At this, he gets shy again and mumbles a small thank you. For some reason, you feel happiness bloom in your chest at the lack of his hesitance.

A comfortable silence settles between the two of you until you break it. "So do you like the school?"

He faces you and ponders about your question for some time, before answering. "It's nice, I guess, but it's also too soon to come to a conclusion."

You hum, agreeing with him, after all, it has only been a month that he's joined. "What about the city?"

This time his reply comes instantly. "The city is not new to me, I was born here."

Your mouth forms a small oh learning this. Most of the new kids who would join your school were new to the city and so you assumed that he was as well but clearly you were wrong.

"Were you new to the city when you joined the school?" He asks.

You nod. "Yes, I was. Our family had to shift to Busan because of my father's business."

His eyes spark with curiosity. "If you don't mind me asking is your father a businessman?"

"Yes, he is." You reply meekly. "He is the founder and CEO of IBN."

This time it's his mouth that forms an oh but unlike yours, it's a big one.

The curiosity in his eyes is replaced with astonishment, a look you earn from almost everyone but you can't lie, there's something different about his reaction. His eyes reflect something genuine. With the other people that you've come across, they too reflect amazement on learning that you're none other than the heir of IBN but at the same time you can also sense the wheels running inside their heads. Jungkook's eyes however reflect pure astonishment. There's this weird innocence, that you can't explain in words.

And that's another thing you've observed about him, his eyes always make his feelings transparent.

"That's one of the biggest companies out there. I've heard so much about IBN from my father." He mumbles.

Hearing this, you too get curious. "Is your father a businessman as well?"

He nods slowly. "Yes, he is the CEO of Jeon Corporations."

Not knowing what to say as a reply, you settle for, "That's cool."

"You've never heard about our company have you?" He sees right through you.

Were you transparent too?

You reply with a small shake of your head, feeling a little shy and awkward.

Not knowing a company's name isn't that big of a deal because let's be honest there are millions of companies out there. But you've come across people, teenagers even, who take great offence to not knowing about their business. Some even react as if you've committed the biggest crime out there.

That's the reason you decided to hide the fact that this is the first time you're hearing that name but that certainly didn't work.

"That's okay, it's not that big of a deal and our company is fairly new, so it's not that huge yet," he assures you seeing your nervous body language, and it works, his words instantly put you at ease.

Before you can reply, not that you had a proper one, he begins again, quite excitedly might you add, "My father started the company a few years ago. It's a private sector company. I want to become the CEO someday and if I do, I will expand the company and make it as big as I can."

Although he started with full excitement, he becomes shy by the end of the sentence, as if realising his sudden burst of energy.

You can't help but find it cute.

He's cute.

"So, a CEO, huh?" Seeing him nod to your question, you decide to tease him, just a little bit. "Everyone's going to call you Mr. Jeon, then."

His cheeks redden as he grumbles something inaudible.

You chuckle quietly to yourself and take a huge bite of your sandwich when a sudden realisation clicks in your brain. "Dis is da mosh eu hab tolk to me."

Jungkook looks at you weirdly and then breaks into fits of laughter. Uncontrollable laughter.

Seeing him laugh like that, you can't help but chortle.

It wasn't even that funny.

"You look like a squirrel." He somehow manages to say.

Finally, gulping down the sandwich, you respond. "Well, I'm a cute squirrel then."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Heyyyyyyyy." You pretend to be offended.

He only cackles harder.

Is it that easy to make him laugh?

You don't know, but now that you've heard it, you know that he has a pretty laugh.

Where did the book go?

Not on the third shelf.

Not on the second shelf.

Not on the first–

There it is.

Finally finding the book that you've been searching for more than half an hour, you sigh.

You check if all the pages are intact. Finding that they indeed are, you issue the book and return to your seat.

"I finally found it." You whisper to Jungkook, who's sitting in front of you on the other side of the desk.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?" Seeing you nod, he further asks, "have you read the first three?"

"Yes, I have and all of them are so amazing."

He hums in agreement and goes back to scribbling.

Huh?

Weird.

He has been like that since morning.

You wouldn't find it weird had it been a month ago but since the day he spent his lunchtime with you, he has been a little more interactive and at ease around you. He doesn't hesitate to join you for lunch anymore, asks if he's facing any problem with studies, sometimes hums unconsciously and even converses with you, although it's usually about school and stuff, it's still enough for you to find his behaviour weird.

At first, you thought it might have something to do with the exam that took place today but then you asked him about the paper and he replied saying it went pretty well.

Now that you have a clear view of his face and observe him, it becomes very clear to you that something is wrong.

"Jungkook?" You whisper, trying not to get another scolding from your library sir.

Hearing his name he looks up.

"Are you okay?"

He fidgets with the pen in between his fingers and takes a breath before answering. "Yes, I am."

His eyes tell you otherwise.

You're about to ask him if he's sure when the stern voice of your library sir reaches your ears.

"Jungkook and Y/N, I expect the both of you to follow the library rules."

Well, he sure has a superpower of hearing.

Giving him a timid nod, you start pretending to intensely read the book.

After some time, you glance up to check on Jungkook, only to find him going on with his scribbling.

What's with him and scribbling today?

Looking back at your book, your mind starts to wonder.

What is bothering him? His eyes looked just so sad. There was another emotion you saw a flicker of. Desperation. Although, you're not so sure.

A second question pops in, why do you care?

That's a difficult one. It's not like you would be nonchalant about someone being sad, no matter who they are. Seeing someone down, makes you want to try to and make them smile and make them feel lighter. But your action about the matter depends on whether you know them or not and even if you do know them, to what extent. Trying to have a heart to heart conversation with a stranger is weird and even if for some people it isn't, you don't have the confidence to just walk to someone and begin one.

Jungkook for sure is not a stranger but then he's also just your classmate, like the other thirty-seven students in your class. While yes, he's also your seatmate but that is all that there is.

You don't even know how much a person is supposed to know about the other or how much time someone is supposed to spend with the other after which they can be considered friends. But even then, you're pretty sure you and Jungkook aren't exactly what people call friends. You both are a little more than acquaintances and a little less than friends.

With someone, who's in that weird limbo, you'd usually ask if they want to vent, if they don't, you just let it be, you never push them. You're aware pushing anyone unnecessarily is an invasion of privacy, you wouldn't prefer someone doing that to you and so you never do that to anyone.

That's why you can't explain why you feel this need to act upon your want of making him feel better. Maybe it has something to do with his big doe eyes, which always have curiosity filled in them but are now filled with sadness. So much sadness.

And that's what causes another question to rise.

How are you going to cheer him up?

That's a difficult one too.

If you knew exactly what's been bothering him, it might have been easier for you to figure out the how part, but you don't. You don't expect him to share with you either. But it also doesn't help the fact that you know literally nothing about him. His favourite genre of music, favourite artist, favourite films, favourite dish, heck you don't even know his hobby.

You slump in your seat dejectedly.

Couldn't you ask him the most basic questions? What's wrong with you? This way it's never–

Wait a minute.

You straighten up in your seat at the speed of light as an idea hits you.

It might work. Just might. And that 'might' is better than nothing.

You glance at the big wall clock to find it's only five minutes away from lunch. After the bell rings, you'll ask him, you mentally decide.

Those five minutes pass by slowly, with you constantly tapping your feet, but you also make sure that it doesn't make any noise.

As soon as the bell rings, you pack your things, get up and patiently wait for Jungkook to do the same. As he finishes packing, you both head towards the door side by side, an awkward silence lingering in the air, although you're pretty sure it's only you who's finding it awkward because you've something to ask but you don't know how to.

What if he declines? He has every right to and considering his mood most likely he will.

What if you don't ask him at all? Then maybe, he'll just sulk all day, which will also make you feel bad and worried for him.

A question never hurt anybody.

"Jungkook, do you want to go somewhere with me?" You blurt, immediately wincing at how weird that sounded.

Your stupid silly brain.

Jungkook, though, doesn't look weirded out by your question, if anything he looks confused. "Where and when?"

You stubbornly refuse to let the hope and relief wash over you at his question. "Umm, it's in the school campus really and I was thinking, we can go during lunch." You shrug, trying not to show your nervousness.

"Okay, sure." He agrees.

This time, you let the relief take over you and release a breath. Quite honestly, you were surprised that he agreed so easily but more than anything, you were glad that he even agreed.

"Let's go, then."

With dense bushes and about feet tall grasses, you have no doubt in your mind that this is probably one of the most unkept areas on your school campus. The dry leaves crunch beneath your feet as you walk, Jungkook following closely.

Along with your lunchbox, you're also carrying an additional one, which Jungkook hasn't noticed, even if he has, he hasn't mentioned or asked you about it. Which you're honestly thankful for.

A high pitched scream from Jungkook makes you whip around.

"What happened?" You ask rushing towards Jungkook, whose shaking form, makes you feel extremely concerned.

"Something dropped on my shoes." He says with his eyes closed in fear.

This only causes your worry to double up. Although you've never come across a snake in the various frequent visits you've paid, you can't erase that as a possibility. You look down frantically, trying to find the subject of his fear.

When you do spot it, you desperately try to hold back the snort trying to escape you. There's a part of you that's asking you to scare him and play a prank but you decide otherwise, he's already having a bad day and looks scared enough.

"Jungkook, open your eyes."  You say, softly with slight humour in your voice.

"I-i-is it safe?"

Okay, now you feel bad.

"Yes, it is."

He slowly opens his eyes, unsure and looks down.

"Is that–"

"Bird poop, yes."

His brows come together in a mix of disgust and embarrassment. "Well, shit."

"Quite literally." You chuckle.

"Umm, I didn't know that this is what it was, I'm sorry if I scared you." He mumbles, clearly embarrassed by his display of fear over something that isn't scary.

"No, it's okay, if anything it's funny," you let yourself tease him just that much and to your surprise, his lips quirk up ever so slightly.

"Okay, but how do I get rid of it?" He asks as he scowls to hide the smile.

"We can just wipe it off with a leaf and I got sanitiser in my pocket so we can sanitize the spot as well as your hands after you're done."

He nods in response, agreeing that it's the best that can be done at the moment.

You hold his lunchbox for him as he bends down to collect a leaf and does the needful, when you hesitantly begin, "I'm sorry for bringing you here, it's not the ideal place, I understand why you got so scared and I'd understand if you don't want to go any further. We can just head back."

He straightens up and takes the sanitiser from your hand. "No, it's completely fine, we have already come a long way and heading back now, is only going to put it at waste."

"No, you don't have to–"

"It's completely fine," He cuts you off as he sanitizes his hands, and gets shy again before saying "Just, maybe, umm, can we walk side by side–"

Seeing how shy and borderline uncomfortable he is getting, this time you cut him off. "That's absolutely reasonable, I should have been doing that in the first place, I'm sorry."

His body language eases almost immediately at the thought of not having to walk alone as he nods gratefully. "It's okay and thank you."

As you both start walking again, side by side this time, you can't help but feel stupid. Who thought it was a good idea to bring him along with you? Right, it was you.

Poor kid already has been having a bad day and then you bring him to a mini-amazon. It's still a surprise that he hasn't even asked you a single question regarding where the both of you are headed and has been patiently just trailing along with you.

Maybe he is cursing you in his mind thinking why on earth did he agree to go along with you. Maybe he thinks you have gone nuts. Heck, maybe you have.

Your anxiety only doubles up at the thought of the trouble not being worth it. What if your effort just doesn't make a difference? What if he only gets annoyed when you tell him or rather show him why you brought him here? Even more important question, what if they don't like him?

These are questions you should have thought earlier, you idiot.

Your footsteps stop as you approach the spot.

"So, we're finally here." You say, gulping, the anxiety refusing to leave.

Jungkook who has also stopped walking beside you, looks around confusedly. "What's so special about this place?"

"You'll see in a minute." You mumble mainly to yourself but he hears it anyway. "I'm sorry, but it's better if I head first from here, you can come closer when I tell you to."

Jungkook only becomes more confused but agrees anyway.

You cautiously step forward. If it were any other day, they would have been out by now, would be trying to climb you like a tree but today you see no traces of them. Something you are pretty sure has to do with your companion.

Not finding them anywhere in the out, you peek under the bush you know to be their home. And surely, two shining eyes blink back at you.

You wave your hand in greeting.

Hey, you're weird and you never denied it.

Seeing that they aren't coming out, you open the lunchbox that you use to carry food for them, hoping to lure them in.

To no one's surprise, three similar but much smaller pairs of shiny eyes come into view. One pair of which comes closer to you, until its tiny head and gradually its entire comes out of the bush.

Jungkook releases a small gasp.

Okay, so maybe not to no one's surprise.

You smile as the tiny creature comes closer to the lunchbox and takes a bite from one of the meatballs and meows in approval. You just knew he would be the first one to give in.

"She's so tiny." Jungkook whispers. Although you weren't facing him, you could still imagine his eyes being wide like saucers.

"He's a he and his name is Milo." You correct Jungkook, slowly petting the kitten's head as you take out a few meatballs and put them in front of him. "You can come closer now."

You get up from your crouching position as Jungkook slowly approaches where you are standing. Seeing him come closer, another body comes out of the bush.

"He isn't the only one?" He whispers, halting his steps immediately.

You softly shake your head, smiling at how flabbergasted he looks. "There are four of them actually, she is Mama C and this one is Milo"

"O-O-Okay but why is Mama C looking at me weirdly?" He asks voice low and sounding a little scared.

A small laugh escapes you. "She isn't acting weird, she's just cautious of you, that's the most natural thing considering you're a total stranger to her and that too when you're so close to her kids."

"Makes sense but umm she's coming closer to me, do I stay still? Do I bend down? Do I offer her my hand? What should I do?" He asks urgently voice even lower, almost a whisper.

Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh at how scared he looks. It's rude.

"Do what feels natural to you, she isn't going to harm you." You shrug.

Jungkook looks even more scared to be put on the spot. He fumbles a little bit until he slowly crouches down. You watch as Mama C stops a few centimetres away from his feet and just looks at him with narrowed eyes. Jungkook shakily offers his open palm to her and you watch in amusement as she sniffs his hands and gives it a tentative lick.

Time pauses as she seems to contemplate before giving out a meow, which you assume was one of approval because as soon as she does that, the other two kittens rush out of the bush as if they have been waiting for the permission for ages.

Now surrounded with three kittens, you offer food to the other two. Jungkook just looks awkwardly at Mama C as she turns around with full sass and walks towards you to get her share of food. You smile as she takes small bites from the meatballs in your hands.

"Do they have names too?" Jungkook asks, indicating towards the two new addition.

You nod. "She's Minnie and he is Juno." Scratching behind the ears of the said kittens, you doubt if he'd be able to distinctly remember the names. After all, they just look so similar, thick white fur with occasional black patches here and there. Initially, you used to get confused too but now you can just tell.

"They are so cute." Jungkook mumbles in awe.

You hum. "They are. You can try and feed them if you want to."

His eyes sparkle as if he has been waiting for those particular words but you also see the slight nervousness in them. "Will they let me?"

"You've got approval from Mama C so I'm pretty sure they will." You smile at him reassuringly and pass him the lunchbox. Milo's eyes follow your movements like a hawk. Realising that Jungkook now has his food, he parades his way to him as fast as he can, without giving you or anyone a second look. It only makes you chuckle at his behaviour.

Jungkook puts a few meatballs in front of him and Milo dives in without paying Jungkook any attention. "Isn't he eating too fast?" He frowns.

"That's how he usually eats. If you feel like it, you can break the meatballs into pieces and maintain some gap between feeding him. Although be careful, he gives these dangerous kitty eyes if you don't give him food fast enough, which can make anyone feel guilty and will make you feel terrible." You warn him seriously but with the way he nods, you know he didn't take the kitty eyes part seriously.

Oh boy, he'll learn it the hard way.

Once you feed all the meatballs that you had, you get up to fetch some more from the lunchbox, which makes the other three cats meow and follow you.

You crouch next to Jungkook and take a few out to feed them. As they feast on it, you slowly start petting Mama C, your heart-melting at the way she softly purrs. "You can try and pet them too, you know?"

"Can I?" He whispers, sounding unsure.

"Go for it, but if you pet Milo he possibly won't even realise that you're petting him because when he eats, he doesn't care about anything."

He furrows his brows while looking at Milo. "Whom should I pet then?"

"You can try pet her." You motion towards Mama C who's currently putty in your hands.

"She's intimidating, I don't think she'll let me." He says, looking even more unsure.

"She isn't intimidating at all, trust me." You say trying to assure him.

He nods but you can tell he still feels unsure. Shuffling closer to you, he shakily puts his hand on the top of her head and just keeps it there for some time, waiting for any sign that lets him know that she doesn't want to be petted by him.

She just looks up at him, for about a second and then goes back to her food. Jungkook takes this as a sign that she's okay with him and slowly runs his hand from the top of her head to the middle of her body in a back and forth motion.

The biggest smile breaks on his face when she starts purring. It's a genuine smile, mixed with excitement and slight disbelief.

You've noticed previously that he has bunny teeth but you've never seen them full-on display like this. The time he laughed during lunchtime, his head was thrown back, but now you see his bunny teeth, you realise it makes his smile just that much more adorable.

"She isn't as scary as I thought, she's kinda cute." He says to you with visible giddiness, getting a little bold with petting and feeling more confident.

You chuckle, feeling happy that your plan didn't go to waste and that it actually worked. "She is."

A comfortable silence falls between the two of you, the only sounds being the cats chewing on their food and the occasional purring.

After some time you hesitantly begin with something that's been on your mind. "Jungkook, if it isn't too much to ask, please don't tell anyone about this place or about them."

His hands that were busy petting momentarily stop as he turns towards you with curiosity etched on his face. "Is it like your secret spot?"

You sigh, feeling unsure as to how to explain it. "You can put it that way, I guess, but more than that, this is their safe space. When I first found Mama C, she was injured, it might be so that she accidentally hurt herself but it looked like someone intentionally hurt her. She couldn't even walk and she was pregnant. Can you imagine that? That was about a month ago, and I somehow brought her here because it didn't seem like anyone visited this place, treated her and everything and now she seems fine. So yeah, if anyone else were to find this place, I'd feel very anxious about anyone hurting them or even making them feel uncomfortable." You ramble in one breath.

Jungkook just looks at you for some time and his grip on Mama C's fur tightens just the slightest, not enough to be uncomfortable but in a protective way. "I won't tell about them to anyone." He says, his voice sincere, letting you know that he means it.

You give him a small and equally sincere smile. "Thank you."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you bring me to this place?" He asks with a curious frown on his face.

Well shit. How do you answer that?

Do you lie? Even if you do what do you say? You just thought of bringing him here? Was that even a good enough reason? You believe he knows, that you two aren't all buddy-buddy enough for you to just casually bring him here, especially after telling him how much this place means to you. It's not that you don't trust him, you know that he won't ever think of causing any harm to anyone, he just has this aura of innocence that is somehow undeniable which also makes this image of him harming anyone seem impossible. But then again, there are plenty of people who wouldn't possibly harm the cats, but that doesn't mean you'll just go on inviting everyone.

Seeing that your mind won't come up with a good enough lie, you settle for the truth. "You've been down since morning and it looked like something was bothering you so I thought bringing you here would make you feel better." Your voice gets smaller as you speak and you don't dare to look at him.

The longer he remains quiet, the more you get anxious.

Is he going to tell you that's it's none of your business? Is he going to get mad at you?

To your surprise, he does none of that, instead, he himself sounds surprised. "You noticed?"

"It was kind of obvious." You shrug, still feeling a bit unsure.

"Thank you." He mutters in the softest of voice, which gives you the courage to turn towards him. "I'm feeling way better now, so thank you and it means a lot." He says, looking straight into your eyes.

The fear that you had of him misunderstanding you, immediately dissipates and a smile appears on your face. "Don't mind it, I'm glad I could help."

He gives you a smile in return, not a shy one but one that's rather not shy at all to show you, how grateful he is for your kindness and you find it beautiful in every possible way.

A small nudge on the palm of your hand gets your attention. Looking down, you find Minnie trying to lift your hand with her tiny little head to try to get you to pet her. Chuckling at her cuteness, you start scratching behind her ears and your heart warms at the way she closes her eyes and meows in satisfaction.

Jungkook's voice, however, makes you turn towards him again. "I, umm, just something happened that was bothering me, someone sa–"

"No, you don't have to feel obligated to tell me." Sensing where he was going with that sentence, you cut him off immediately.

He just looks down, fiddling with Juno's paws. "But you deserve to know–"

"No, I don't." You cut him off again, firmer this time. "Just because I brought you here, doesn't mean you have to tell me what's been bothering you. I brought you here and that was my choice. If you ever tell me or anyone something personal, it should be your choice and not an obligation or not because you feel like you should or have to."

Jungkook just keeps his head down and after some time nods his head, his posture which you didn't even realise had somehow stiffened, relaxes.

"Thanks." He whispers.

"You're welcome." You keep it short and simple. If by the way, his body eased immediately at the thought of not having to narrate to you about whatever it is that has been bothering him, it is pretty obvious that he doesn't feel comfortable enough to share it and you're going to respect it. Honestly, he shouldn't even be thanking you regarding it, in the very first place.

A comfortable silence falls between the two of you, except for the meows and purring.

"Can I be honest with you about something though?" Jungkook asks, breaking the silence. Seeing you nod in approval, he begins. "Mama C is a veerryyyy weird name."

"Hey! How dare you?" You exclaim, now fully turning towards him.

His eyes swirl with mischief as he exclaims back. "What? I'm just being honest."

"For your information, it's a very adorable name." You defend your choice of name, huffing.

"No, it isn't."

"That's a good joke. Haha."

"It wasn't a joke, it's the truth, duh."

"As if."

Whatever retort was on the tip of his tongue, never comes out because a hiss stops him from continuing. You both find the source to be Mama C, looking at the two of you with squinted eyes, a look that screams disapproval.

You automatically raise your hands in the air in surrender. "Okay, sorry. No more arguing about your name. Got it."

"And someone said she's not intimidating." Jungkook mumbles loudly, mimicking your pose.

"She isn't but you just made fun of her name and made her angry. Anyone would be offended."

"Well, she's clearly–"

Another hiss.

That makes the both of you quiet again.

After moments of intense staring at the two of you, she concludes that you both have shut up for good. She waddles towards you and lays down on your lap, with her head on the top of your thigh.

You swiftly turn your head towards Jungkook and slightly raise your brow in a way to say I won. He only raises his brow back in complete denial.

Riiiiinnggg.

And there goes the lunch bell.

As if knowing that you'll have to leave, Mama C slowly gets up and licks a portion of the skin that's visible between the hem of your skirt and your socks. Gently stepping out of your lap, she hisses at Milo who was now licking whatever remnants of food is left in the lunchbox. He only looks up being caught off guard.

Well with this kid around you never have to worry about any food going to waste, that's for sure.

The two of you get up and give up some goodbye scratches, which by the looks of it, are greatly appreciated.

"Next time, I want you to pay attention to me." Jungkook scolds Milo lightly. You ignore the giddiness that rises at the thought of him enjoying his time enough for him to think of a second visit.

This wasn't a blunder after all.

Bending down you collect the lunchbox when Jungkook speaks again, in a very confused tone might you add. "Umm, what is she doing?"

Facing him, you spot the source of his confusion and find extreme amusement at the sight in front of you. "Well, Minnie's trying to climb you." You snort. "That's her way of welcoming you to the family."

Jungkook's confused expression turns into one of disbelief and seconds later a burst of gleeful laughter escapes him.

This wasn't a blunder at all.

NOW

Today is Monday.

You don't know what you expected but even then to your surprise, the beginning of your day has been normal and nothing out of the usual.

Tan tried waking you up by licking all over your face but when you didn't wake up like he wanted you to, he 'scream-barked' near your ears, which made you spring up from your bed at the speed of light. When you tried scolding him for almost making you deaf, he gave you puppy eyes, because obviously.

After regaining some sense of hearing, you did your morning routine, chose a white blouse with a grey blazer and matching skirt as your outfit of the day, argued with Tae over breakfast about which out of DC and Marvel is better, left Tan at your nearest pet care centre, and then the both of you headed out.

Pretty normal.

The only thing that's been a reminder that it isn't just any other Monday, was the way Tae hugged you a little tighter and longer while whispering, it's going to be okay, before parting and making his way to the IT sector of the building.

You possibly stood there awkwardly in the middle of nowhere for some time, watching Tae's back as he walked, before finally taking a deep breath and calming yourself.

Today isn't just any other Monday but you'll deal with it.

Over the course of the week, you've accepted the fact that Jungkook is now going to be your boss. There's no denying that. But then that's just it right? He's only going to be your boss.

Honestly, from what you've heard from Tae, he's this big hot-shot of a CEO and lowkey a celebrity, whom you doubt you'll ever meet. But say, you do, even then it's only going to be once or twice and yeah maybe it would be awkward but that's okay, it would be weird if it's isn't awkward.

So yeah, as Tae said, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

And that's why you're calm, or at least way calmer than you expected yourself to be. You aren't going to lie, there's still this little anxiety at the back of your mind but that is normal and you have made peace with it.

That brings you here, in your office.

Checking the time on your wristwatch, you find it's 8:50, which means you're fairly on time.

You put down your handbag on the table and walk towards your chair to take a seat when the door of your office opens suddenly, startling you.

"Thank God you're finally here." Mina gushes, quite literally running towards you.

"Hey! Calm down, why are you in such a hurry?" A look of confusion appears on your face.

"I'm in a hurry because you have a meeting in ten minutes." She responds between shallow breaths.

Frowning, you ask, "Meeting in ten minutes? That early?"

"Yes, I got a mail that said new boss would like to have a meeting with the department heads, first thing in the morning." She explains further.

Your frown only intensifies and so does your anxiety. "New boss as in?" You ask just to be sure.

"Jeon Jungkook, duh."

Well fuck.

Really?

You're going to face Jungkook after six long years, more like you have to face Jungkook, and that too this early.

What's worrying you, even more, is the fact that he is going to know that you work here. When you left Korea, you left without a clue and you have no idea how he is going to react upon seeing you. If he–

Realising, where your thoughts are headed, you stop yourself immediately.

You're not going to waste your time, thinking about it. How he reacts is on him. You get no say on that. What matters is, you know how you're going to react.

Maybe it's too soon to see him, maybe you were totally unprepared for it, but the sooner you get over with it the better.

"Hey, you still functioning?" Mina's voice brings you back to reality.

"Sorry, I just wasn't expecting an early morning meeting but it is what is, I guess."

"I know, babe, no one likes early morning meetings buuuut it's 8:53 now and if you don't head out now, chances are, you'll be late." She informs you, tone slightly apologetic.

You hum in agreement. "Did they ask us to carry any specific files or documents?"

"Nope, not really. Just take a few sheets, I guess, in case you have to note down something."

You hum again before opening your drawer to collect a few sheets of paper and a pen. "So, I'll get going." You say, awkwardly, suddenly feeling doubtful about being in the same room as Jungkook.

"Hey, chill okay? It's all fine." It's funny how you don't even have to say but Mina automatically knows when something is bothering you.

You release a deep breath before nodding. "Thanks. Also, please just have a cup of coffee on my table when I come back."

She nods in response and with that, you finally head out.

On your way to the top floor, you can't help but notice this nervous aura radiating off from almost everyone. You feel for them, you really do. A lot of fears come along when you start working for a new company. You can only hope their fears turn out to be just that, fears and nothing else.

As the elevator door closes, you feel thankful that it's empty. Checking your reflection on the shiny reflecting doors, you feel confident about the way you look. No one would ever guess that there's anything that's running at the back of your mind and that's exactly how you prefer it.

Especially you won't ever let Jungkook know and give him the satisfaction that you indeed spent so much time of your week thinking about him. Although, they weren't the most pleasant thoughts about him but still, those thoughts somehow mean that he still kind of sort of affects you. Which is not what you want.

As the elevator door opens, you head straight out to the meeting room.

It's a huge room, to be honest. The kind of room that's simple, spacious yet slightly intimidating.

You open the door in one swift motion which makes all heads turn towards you and an awkward silence falls over the room.

Uh, okay.

You slowly close the door and take your seat, the third on the left side of the table. Sighing in relief, when the chatter resumes.

It's 8:57 and thank god you aren't late. You can only imagine how awkward it would be if you were to walk in when Jungkook was giving some sort of speech.

"Good morning Y/N." Alex, the head of the marketing department who's also sitting to your right, greets.

Turning your head towards him, you greet back. "Good morning, Alex."

"So, how are you keeping up with all this?" He waves his hand around slightly at the lack of better words.

"I don't know really, it sucks but it's not like how we feel matters, we have no say on it technically." You shrug.

"Well yeah, that is unless we–"

And the door opens.

Your head turns in sync with everyone to see Jungkook enter and your breath hitches.

When you saw him at the party, you just had a glimpse of him but now that you see him, you can't help but notice the obvious differences in him.

But what did you expect, it has been six years.

His facial features have matured, there's a very hard, calculative look on his face which you never saw on him in the past, there's this aura that he radiates which you'd otherwise find intimidating. His hair is dishevelled as if he has run his fingers through them countless number of times. He also has just overall grown a lot. He must be at least an inch or two taller than the last time you saw him, the width of his shoulder much broader.

His costly looking black suit adorns his body and by the looks of it, you possibly wouldn't find a single crease even if you tried. As his right hand comes up to fix his tie, you notice the tattoos, something you knew he always wanted but never knew he had finally gotten, and not to forget the various sliver rings on his fingers.

The sound of heels clicking against the floor makes you snap out of your trance.

Huh?

What were you doing?

This is an important meeting and were you just comparing the Jungkook that stands a few metres away, with the Jungkook that's ingrained in your mind from six years ago?

What is wrong with you?

Shaking yourself out of these thoughts and telling yourself to focus, your eyes follow the sound of heels to find a woman, in a red suit, closely following behind Jungkook.

What catches your attention, however, are her heels. They are like taaaallll, tall.

How does she walk in those? You have no idea.

"Good morning." Jungkook begins, taking his seat and you notice how his voice has turned slightly deeper, not too deep though. It's still very Jungkook, but also has this gravelly touch to it. It's the slightest of change that is noticeable but not an extreme one. You can still recognise his voice from anywhere, just like you did at the party.

"For those of you who don't know, I'm Jeon Jungkook, CEO of Jeon Corporations and this is my assistant, Miss Elene." Your eyes drift back to the woman in extra tall heels to find her standing at a distance from the chair Jungkook is sitting on. Honestly, you'd feel very awkward to be standing like that, but she looks more than okay, not minding the sudden attention on her.

"I know, the last few days might have been stressful for every one of you and that's why I called this meeting." Saying this, he makes eye contact with everyone, including you. What surprises you, is how unsurprised he looked.

Did he already know you work here? You're pretty sure by now, he already has a file that states all the names of the employees from FCS, maybe that's how he knows? Or maybe he checked the names of the people he was going to hold a meeting with? That's pretty normal and makes sense, you reckon.

"To begin with, there will be no change in positions for at least six months from now, you all will be on the same post as you were before." He gets straight to the point, with a stoic face. Seeing how Elene sports a very similar look, you wonder if that's an unspoken rule everyone working for Jeon Corporations needs to follow, to have a blank and emotionless face.

"At the end of each month, I expect both hard and soft copies of reports from each department head, on my table." Interlinking his fingers on the table surface, he leans forward. "There won't be much difference of workload from what you're used to." His eyes do a quick scan of everyone on the table.

"Though, there are some, rather small things that one needs to keep in mind while working for a company this big." The way he says these words doesn't make him calling his own company big, sound cocky, if anything they sound like he's just stating facts.

"Most of them you'll learn on your own, sooner than later, and honestly, it's for the best that you learn them by yourself. But the most important of them is, staying away from rumours." He pauses briefly to emphasise his point. "There are at least seven each day. Some if not all, are extremely misleading. Do not trust information if it's not from a reliable source, and I'd like to inform you, news channels and articles do not count as reliable."

Seeing a few head nods, he continues. "This building also will be the main branch of Jeon Corporations in the States and I'll be working and operating from here for some time. So expect a lot of unwanted media attention."

Oh?

Oh.

Ohhhhhh.

Haha. You're thoroughly fucked.

"Except for the points that I mentioned, everything is going to be the way it used to be. So I don't think any of you will face any problem but if you do, you can always reach out to Miss Elene." He leans back in his seat, before beginning again. "You will be shown a presentation and after that, if you have any questions that you want to ask, feel free to ask them."

Receiving nods of agreement from the people in the room, he signals Elene to begin the presentation, who then walks to the other side of the room, where the screen is.

As the presentation begins, you can't help but be amazed at the numbers on the screen. To say, that they are impressive would be an understatement. Jeon Corporations has made huge progress in the last few years. To be very specific, since Jungkook became the CEO.

There was this tiny part of you that was elated to know that the big, doe-eyed kid you met all those years ago got to achieve his dreams but you quickly shove those thoughts down.

Thinking about Jungkook won't do you any good.

After the presentation ends, a few rounds of questions are asked, which Jungkook answers precisely. Although you didn't have any questions, you doubt if you'd ask even if you had any.

"Any more queries?" He asks, his hard eyes roaming across the table. Being met with silence, he nods taking that as an answer. "That concludes the meeting, then."

"Welcome to Jeon Corporations."

It's surprising that the meeting ended as fast as it did. You honestly expected a lot more detailing and information being passed on but Jungkook kept it short, very to the point. He didn't start at a slow pace or gradually ease into it, no he just started talking about the things 'we should know', within five seconds of him entering the room.

You didn't expect the meeting to be so....extra professional.

Good for you, you guess. You didn't have to stay in the same room as him for long.

But one particular part of what he said has been the highlight for you.

He is going to work from here.

Aren't there other branches of Jeon Corporation in the States? Then why, just why?

Well, you know why, because the Universe had to play a sick joke on you and as a result of which, you have to see him at work every single fucking day.

Great. Just fucking great.

Your pace increases as you near your office. You feel like you will face-plant yourself and scream at the top of your lungs. Honestly, you might just need to scream to let off some steam.

But if only luck was on your side.

Just when you place your hand on the doorknob to open your office door a voice calls out for you.

Turning around, you find it to be Elene. "Yes?" You ask, with a confused frown.

"Mr. Jeon has requested you in his office." She says with a straight face.

Your brow quirks up in surprise. That bitch already has his own office in the building? This quick?

Is it wrong to call your new boss a bitch on the very first day? Probably so. Do you care? Not at all.

"Did he specify any reason?" You don't know why you asked this question it's not like it would make any difference. If he has summoned you, you have to go.

"No." Her reply comes short, but not in a way that shows impatience or annoyance.

"Well then, which room is his office?" You ask, releasing a sigh.

"The one that previously used to be Mr. Denver's room."

You only nod in response, before heading in that direction.

You were too busy cursing him in his mind to even wonder about the reason as to why he might have called you.

Just when you are about to knock on his door though, your hand pauses midway in the air.

Were you just going to walk in all frustrated? Were you going to show him you were affected?

Fuck, no you won't do that.

You might have slipped for a second, but he's not the only one who's good at putting up a business font and he's sure going to learn that.

Taking a few deep breaths, you calm yourself down and knock on the door. Hearing a faint come in, you push the door and to your surprise, Jungkook's eyes are already on you, as if he knew you were on the other side of the door.

"You called me, Mr. Jeon?"

Something very brief flashes through his eyes but it disappears just as quickly.

"Yes, please take a seat." He says in the same gravelly voice, without moving his eyes from you.

You walk towards the chair in front of his desk and take a seat, all the while maintaining eye contact with him. Maybe it's kind of silly, but if he wasn't going to back down, you aren't going to either. It's in large contrast to how you reacted to seeing him at the party, but there's no point in running away now, is there? The bare minimum you can do is to seem unbothered.

"So, how have you been?"

The question takes you by huge surprise, out of all the things you expected to come out of his mouth, you sure weren't expecting such a casual question.

But you don't let your surprise reflect on your features. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jeon but I don't get how it is any of your business." You reply, pretending to be genuinely confused.

His features harden slightly. "I haven't seen you in six years, you left without telling anyone, and now that I ask you the simplest of questions, you respond as if we are strangers." Perhaps, anyone will say that these words are that of frustration but with the way he says it in the same business-like tone, there's a part of you that finds it absurd yet hilarious.

It's a weird mix, hardened features with a relaxed, monotonous voice.

"Again, I'm sorry, Mr. Jeon, but like I said, I genuinely don't think it's any of your business after all you're my boss and I'm your employee and I'd prefer if it stayed that way." You say, your facade dropping just a little to let him know that you mean it.

His jaw clenches, his features harden even more but he still doesn't take his eyes off of you.

And neither do you, the only difference being, your features are much more relaxed, with a hint of a smile that can fool anyone into thinking that you're amused.

Seeing that he isn't saying anything else, you decide to break the tense silence. "Is there anything else, Mr. Jeon? If not, I have work to do."

And just like that, his features relax back into their regular expressionless state. "I'm sure you do and I won't keep you any longer, Miss Y/L/N."

You don't miss the way he emphasizes on miss. Although you've been addressing him as Mr. Jeon from the very moment you entered the room, he has refrained from directly using your name, but now that he did, adding the 'miss' seems to be his way of telling you, that he's going to give you what you want.

If you want to be professional, he'll be professional. If you want to pretend to be strangers, he'll pretend to be a stranger.

Giving a firm nod, you swiftly get up and leave, but on your way to the door, you feel his eyes burning holes at the back of your head.

As soon as the door closes, relief and a tiny hint of pride blooms in your chest. It went way better than you initially imagined it to be. Moreover, the last time you had a conversation with him, you were a broken sobbing mess, this time though, you didn't let him see through you.

There are certain things though which you just couldn't miss, even if you tried to.

Like, how his eyes were unreadable. Something that you didn't think was ever possible. From the very fast time that you met him all those years ago, his eyes would always reflect whatever it was that he was feeling but the long and tense eye contact you held with him in his office let you see that his eyes now had various layers to them, layers which helped him hide his emotions.

Then there was the fact that he has become so direct. First the meeting then the way he talked to you, he didn't beat around the bush at all, not even for a second. It felt like you were talking to someone who's trying to make a business deal, minus the 'convincing them' part of course, not that you wanted him to try or insist, because it would be of no use anyways, if anything it would only make you feel uncomfortable. You are glad he didn't take the conversation any further.

It's just that he's become all businessman, like.

It doesn't bother you though, it's just an observation.

But it only benefits you. If this is how Jungkook is going to be like as your boss, then it wouldn't be a problem at all. It will make your life way easier. Hell, you think you won't even notice his presence this way. He will be your boss, that's it. Nothing less, nothing more.

And currently, that's the best that you can settle for.

Taglist:

@miniiimee @its11-11mylove @jeonlovescoffee @mageprincess7 @namjooningelsewhere @unicornbabylover @drownforryou @diorggukie @koorosie @ggukkieland @joonwater @btsreader12 @shatzkrinslinzki @starbrightday @yoonchrisgull @shameless-army @mwitsmejk