℠rundown ; Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
genre . marriage of convenience, jk x oc au
word count . tbc
status . on-going
banned by ; @jktny0
primarily on Wattpad
Index â¶ next chapter
The whisper that left Jungkook's lips were meant to be sarcasm. He remained still long after Brielle had walked away. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, finding it interesting. What he really thought was how baseless some of them were.
The conditions.
This wasn't a fake business deal, it was a fake marriage and not having any physical contact was simply foolish. But he thought it was okay. He had to figure this out.
His phone rang, the sound echoing through the empty corridor. It was the PR. The upcoming charity Gala had invited him to join and of course Jeon Jungkook never missed such events.
Charity galas rarely invited him for business alone.
Jeon Jungkook's face brought in money before he even spoke. As one of the youngest businessmen with good looks and a good name, the media pressure was more intense.
"Mr Jeon, we'd be delighted if you could grace the Gala with your presence. A plus one would be wonderful too." He hums, "Of course, I'll bring a plus one."
This was a chance to face the media with Brielle, he thought, pleased she'd agreed. He phoned his assistant. "Yes Mr Jeon?" She asked. "The PR called me." "Yes sir, I've informed them you'll be attending as you never miss this event." He nodded. "Prepare the plus one invitation too." The silence on the other end was deafening. "Sorry sir?" Jeni asked, unsure of what she'd just heard.
"Prepare the plus one invitation," he repeated sternly. "Y-yes of course! Sure Mr Jeon. Who should I share it with?" "Email it to me. I'll handle the rest." "Of course sir.. may I know the details." "To Brielle Carter. And make an appointment to the stylist." "Same person, sir?" "Yes." The line goes quiet after the call ends. Jeni lowers her phone slowly, staring at the blank screen.
Vice Chairman Jeon had never requested a plus one before.
Never a stylist appointment... for a woman either.Â
Jungkook looked down for a moment. This is a big deal, all eyes were on him. He didn't know if it was the perfect moment to show up with her or it was too fast to believe.
Once Jungkook made up his mind, he never second-guessed it. The media is spreading rumours about chairman Jeon's health. While his illness wasn't a secret, the rumours claim he's dead and will leave Jungkook the empire and more. It's disturbing how inhuman the words could be and makes Jungkook want to push through with this fake marriage.
A public appearance with Brielle would silence speculation instantly.
But he has to do it quick, Chairman Jeon doesn't have too long left. Jungkook takes a moment before his phone pings again.
The email of the invitation.
,
Brielle on the other hand can't stop thinking about what she heard Jeon say. She doesn't think she heard right. 'Why would he say something lik that?' She keeps thinking. She walks through the corridor quietly, deep in her thoughts. Anna pulls her to the side before she can enter the nurses station. "Where have you been?" she whisper-yells.
Brielle blinks. "What?" "You disappeared after checking on Chairman Jeon." Anna narrows her eyes suspiciously. "And don't tell me you were just walking around thinking about life."
Brielle forces out a small laugh, but it sounds weak even to her own ears. "I'm fine." Anna stares at her for a second longer before sighing. "You look pale."
Because all Brielle can hear is ...
'That might be difficult.'
Her stomach twists again.
'Why would he say that? It wasn't flirtatious. It wasn't mocking either. If anything... it sounded certain. She thinks.' 'Maybe he was sarcastic.. if he was, he was good at this.'
"Earth to Brielle." Anna snaps her fingers in front of her face. "Did Chairman Jeon's grandson threaten you or something?" Brielle's heart nearly stops. "What? No." Too fast. Anna's brows lift immediately. "Okay... weird reaction. He's just .. odd." Brielle exhales quietly and looks away.
"I just have a lot on my mind." Before Anna can question her further, Brielle's phone vibrates in her pocket.
Unknown number.
Her brows knit slightly as she answers. "Hello?" "Good afternoon, Ms Brielle."
The deep voice on the other end makes her freeze instantly.
Jeon Jungkook.
'How did he get my number?' she thinks as she answers. She runs to a corner her hand covering her mouth, speaking in a hushed voice. "M-Mr Jeon? How did you get my number?"
Jungkook rests his head against the back of his seat his eyes watching out the window as the driver approaches the office. "Mr Jeon?" Brielle asks but doesn't hear anything from his side. Pulling away from the phone she looks at the unknown number. "I got it from the reception. Save it." He says before declining.Â
Brielle frowns at the ended call before she can say anything. Jeon speaks rarely and sometimes it drives people crazy. He doesn't wait for the other person to speak even, as a matter of fact. She saves his number,
Jeon.
While he saves it as,
Brielle.
The car pulls up to the entrance and the driver opens the door. Jungkook walks in, adjusting his coat, while Jeni follows behind, holding her files and his schedule for the day. She debriefs him on today's meeting, and he nods along.Â
He glances at his watch and thinks about Brielle, the appointment to the stylist. Unfortunately, he's not aware of her schedule or her shift time, the inconvenience irritated him more than it should have.
"And after 5pm you have a meeting with Mrs. Javelin," she says.
"Cancel that and free my schedule up for the rest of the day tomorrow," he instructs his assistant. She nods, emails the cancellation, and the meeting is cancelled.
The meeting with Javelin was for the Jeon imperial launch in LA, the 6th resort by Jeon groups. Which can be delayed, right now with the gala coming up, there's more to focus on.
"Vice chairman Jeon is here, stand up," the employees are told as they hear Jungkook walk to his office. He doesn't greet them, just an occasional nod suffices.
Everyone in the building knew who truly ran Jeon Group. Chairman Jeon still held the title, but Vice Chairman Jeon was the one people feared disappointing.
From luxury hotels to real estate, most of Jeon Group's projects already passed through Jungkook's hands before reaching the Chairman. He's the youngest billionaire in Boston, which makes him more attractive to the public eye.
Despite his impressive accomplishments, Jungkook isn't the highest rank because his grandfather the chairman remains in that position. This leaves the public wondering why he isn't chairman when he effectively manages everything.
The reason behind Chairman Jeon's reluctance to hand over his position to his grandson is his marriage to a beautiful woman. Not just a pretty face, but a good wife who isn't from the same world as them.
Why? Because it shows enough.
Chairman Jeon's son had done it and still suffers. His family has been split up, and he can't do anything about it due to the public eye. So, he lives with his wife, problems never end and enemies grow. That's why Chairman doesn't wish that upon his grandson. He wants a girl no one knows about. Someone nice. Someone worthy.
Which Jungkook think.. could be Brielle.
She's kind and deserves this. Brielle wasn't interested in the kind of benefits most people would've wanted from him. She wanted the money to help those in need.
Jungkook attends the meeting as scheduled, unfazed by distractions. Once he focuses, he acts swiftly. By 7pm, he takes the elevator to the ground floor. His mind races with thoughts of attending the hotel in LA, inspecting it before the launch. Then he recalls the email he needed to send Brielle. Thankfully, he'd already sent it as soon as he settled into the back seat.
Brielle enters her apartment, dropping off groceries on the counter. She relaxes her shoulders after carrying all that weight. She neatly arranges them in their respective cupboards and fridge drawers. Leaving out her pre-cooked dinner on the table, she heads to the shower.
Meanwhile, her phone pings, unaware of the storm brewing.
She takes her time enjoying dinner while browsing through her latest files. Her eyes feel heavy with the words on the screen, so she pushes her laptop aside and turns on the TV.
Euphoria season 3 premieres, and she frowns at Cassie's new avatar. "Wow, when did she become so crazy?" she murmurs, munching on her salad while watching the latest episode. A long-time fan, she'd struggled to keep up with TV shows and movies due to her hectic schedule. But now, she's determined to catch up!
As she chews on her meat, she picks up her phone to check her messages and notices an email in her notification panel. From someone she'd never received a message from.
The title sent a shiver down her spine.
- Invitation to the 23rd charity gala -
"What the fuck?" she mutters. The television noise fades into the background. Even the food suddenly tastes bland.
It was because she was nervous about that subject. Shaking, she's unsure if she should open it but she has to face this storm so she clicks on it. For a moment her eyes close but when she opens them she sees:
The previous emails regarding Chairman Jeon had always come from the company address. This was different. Somehow... it felt more personal.
Her throat tightens slightly as she scrolls down.
- Invitation to the 23rd charity gala -
Ms. Brielle Carter,
You will be accompanying Vice Chairman Jeon Jungkook to the 23rd Charity Gala, 16th May evening at the Grand Palace Hotel.
A fitting appointment has been arranged for tomorrow at 2:00 PM. Transportation will be provided.
Further details will be shared shortly.
â Jeni Park
Office of the Vice Chairman
"Oh my god," she whispers, covering her mouth as she rereads each sentence. This... it's truly happening. She realises she only has two weeks left. The gala is in a week and she's going to face everyone? Brielle is going to be all over the internet and she doesn't think she's ready for any of it.
After the email, she'd lost her appetite. She leans against the couch and watches the TV, completely zoned out. "How am I going to be with him? What's going to happen there? Heck, what's going to happen tomorrow?" she thinks, her mind racing.
Everything revolves around this gala. But her main concern is why he made an appointment without asking her. She's busy too, she has patients to look after tomorrow at 2pm. Feeling angry, she impulsively decides to phone him without thinking. One ring passes... "Oh shit... maybe I shouldn't..." the second ring passes... "Okay, I'm going to decl-"
"Hello?" his voice makes her freeze, shivers running down her spine. "Uh..." Jungkook on the other end is walking outside his bedroom with a towel in his hand, rubbing his hair dry.
The silence is so thick he speaks again, "Speak Brielle." He murmurs. Brielle frowns, 'Why is he calling me so informally so quickly? I still call him Mr Jeon?'
"I wanted to let you know I'm not free tomorrow for the appointment." Jungkook sets his towel down on the bed and runs his tongue over his cheeks. "So I won't be able to come." "What time do you leave work?" he asks quickly. "...6pm?" "Alright I'll be there at 6." "What?!!" she exclaims a bit too high-pitched.
"I'll pick you up......What's happening?" Jungkook slowly pulls his phone away from his ear and checks the screen to make sure he's actually talking to Brielle and not someone else.
A very inappropriate scene blasts from the television in the background. The scene of Faye... having sex.
"I'm so sorry.. it's the tv-" Brielle whispers, embarrassed. Jungkook sighs. "I'll pick you up at 6. Is there any else you want to say?" "No.. not at all." "Good." The line disconnects before Brielle can respond. She stares at her phone in disbelief.
He was actually going to pick her up.
,
Tomorrow arrives far quicker than Brielle wanted it to.
Chairman Jeon had officially been discharged from the hospital earlier that morning, leaving with his driver and a private nursing team arranged by the family.
The VVIP floor felt strangely empty afterwards.
Brielle barely had time to think about it though. The rest of her shift kept her occupied with patient files, consultations and endless calls from worried families.
But one patient remained on her mind more than the others.
Room 407.
A four-year-old little boy diagnosed with leukemia.
Brielle had been quietly tracking his treatment progress for months now.
The hospital had done what they could, but the remaining treatment costs were impossible for the family to afford. And unfortunately, they weren't the only ones. That was the hardest part of Brielle's job.
Choosing.
Choosing who had a chance to survive.
She hated it.
But after months of saving from her own funding projects and charity programs, she'd finally gathered enough to help one patient completely.
One.
It never felt like enough.
Brielle stands outside Room 407 for a moment before quietly stepping inside. The little boy sits on the hospital bed clutching a dinosaur plushie almost bigger than his torso. The moment he sees her, his tired face lights up instantly.
"Miss Brielle!"
Despite everything weighing on her shoulders lately, she smiles immediately. "Hey, sweetheart." She brushes his hair as he looks up to her hopeful. With good news awaiting and he's feeling just right. "I have some good news." He smiles, waiting for what's next.
"I'm gonna help you." He hugs her tight. Brielle looks at his mother who has tears filled in her eyes. "You'll be okay very soon." He nods. "Thank you." Is all he says but his eyes say much more than his words could.
Brielle already feels like her day might finally end on a good note. Until she steps outside the hospital entrance.
And sees him.
The black car parked near the curb was impossible to miss, but it wasn't the luxury vehicle catching everyone's attention.
It was the man standing beside it.
Vice Chairman Jeon.
Jungkook leans against the sleek black car, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other scrolls through his phone lazily. Even from a distance, people stare. Nurses passing by slow their steps. Visitors whisper quietly.
Because men like Jeon Jungkook don't wait outside hospitals for people.
Yet there he was. Waiting for her.
Brielle blinks twice, glancing around as she gulps. "Maybe... I should run away." she tells herself. Clutching her bag, she tries to walk away as if he hadn't seen her. Brushing her bangs behind her ears, she heads in the opposite direction until she hears, "You're late."
Jungkook had glanced up at the entrance and spotted her before she had seen him. He waited patiently, curious to see her reaction. Would she ignore him or run to him, disappearing as quickly as possible? He was right, she pretended not to know him.
She freezes in her spot as he speaks, her face slowly turning to face him. A nervous smile plays on her lips as she looks around again, embarrassed.
Jungkook glances at his watch and shakes his head. "Get in," he says, opening his door and getting into the back seat. Brielle bites her lips, slowly walking towards the car. She sits on the other end of the back seat, neither speaking a word.
The driver starts the car and simply takes them. Jungkook remains glued to his phone while Brielle loosens the window. It's awkward but she has to deal with it. She clings to the door despite the considerable space between them it still feels strange to be so close.
The driver pulls up in front of a grand building, an exclusive clothing boutique Brielle knows is incredibly expensive. Her eyes widen in awe. Jungkook steps out of the car while she struggles to steady her breathing. "I look like a mess!" she whispers.
She adjusts her hair countless times, fixing her bangs and clutching her bag tightly. "I shouldn't be here!" she mutters as she enters. The crowd surrounding them is overwhelming. She looks at them with wide eyes, convinced she resembles a staff member among the wealthy.
On another day, she'd have been prepared, but she hadn't imagined he'd bring her to such a place. "Welcome Mr Jeon and...?" she searches for her name. Before Brielle can speak, Jeon interrupts. "Ms Carter." "Right, Ms Carter. Let's get to level 4."
Jungkook looks perfect, he belongs here. But Brielle? She can't handle the embarrassment. She hadn't applied much makeup and, while usually confident, she knows she could have done better. She feels exhausted from all the work today.
The elevator feels like suffocation, sandwiched between Jungkook and a woman wearing Dior head-to-toe. When the woman exits, she guides them to the room. "This is too much," Brielle whispers under her breath, but Jungkook ignores her.
"Ms Carter, come with me. Mr Jeon, please have a seat while Danielle brings you some refreshments." Brielle looks back at Jungkook with wide eyes, hesitating to leave but he doesn't look back at her, he sits in the couch, his leg on top of his thigh as he pulls out his phone.
Maxi Isle, the woman, leads them into a bright room adorned with paintings. A row of heavy dresses, shoes and bags line every corner. Brielle feels small and nervous as she takes in her surroundings.
"Ms Carter, are you okay?" Maxi asks. "Yes, of course. I'm just exhausted." "Oh, don't worry, you look absolutely beautiful! I suppose you're a nurse?" Brielle frowns at that. "How... did you-?" "You're wearing your card around your neck."
'Oh shit!' Brielle whispers as she removes it from her neck and puts it inside her bag. She laughs nervously. "I'm.. I'm not a nurse, I'm a social worker. I've just had a heavy shift." "Right, no worries, you look gorgeous even after a long day. You're the first woman, Mr Jeon had bought here. So it's a bit exciting to us." She murmurs.
Brielle nods, a bit surprised at that. "Shall we?" She guides her into a fitting room. Brielle gulps as Maxi brings in beautiful dresses.
Velvet, lace, net and more dresses in beautiful shades of red, black, blue. Brielle hasn't seen such gorgeous dresses in her life before. All her life she'd been around white coats, but this.. this was nice.
""Let's get dressed." Maxi helps Brielle into the blue velvet dress. It's a bit big for her size with a halter neck and plain design but the fabric makes it majestic.
The next dress was a soft pink silk strapless, almost like a top and skirt. A shawl draped around the neck it showcased the collarbones but Maxi thought it was a bit underwhelming for the event.
The next two dresses were equally beautiful. One was a red sweetheart neckline knee-length dress while the other was a yellow dress with an off-shoulder neckline.
However, the final dress was truly remarkable. It was a black lace floor-length dress with a see-through design and a high collar neckline.
It fitted her perfectly, accentuating her figure and highlighting her beautiful body. "This is it! Oh my goodness!" Maxi exclaimed in delight. "Yeah," Brielle whispered. It was fortunate that the dress came with the matching black bra, as she had worn a bright pink under her knit sweater to work. "Put on these heels and let's go out." She paused and looked at the lady. "Out?" "Yes, let's show Mr Jeon."
"Oh fuck no!" Brielle had completely forgotten Jungkook was outside and she'd had to wear this to a gala â not just play dress-up. "Oh no, I don't!" "Come on Mr Jeon chose all these dresses beforehand."
"WHAT?!" Brielle spoke a bit too.. fast and loud. Shocking maxi. "Uh.. yes? He chooses all these clothing with his stylists. Don't worry it's nothing new."
So they walk out. Brielle flattens her messed-up hair as she walks out, her hands fidgeting in anxiousness. Jungkook doesn't glance up until Maxi says his name. His eyes stop at the black lace. His eyes rack up from Brielle's face down her body to her shoes. He doesn't look fazed, he nods. "Doesn't she look amazing?"
She speaks. "It suits her." He utters. Brielle blinks nervously. "Pack this up." "Of course, bags, shoes, jewellery too." He nods.
"This is beautiful, Chanel looks good on you." Brielle thinks, her eyes widening. 'Chanel? Did I hear that right?'
She quickly changes back into her sweater and pants and heads out of the fitting room to where Jungkook looks sits. He doesn't glance up. Hesitant, she finally speaks, "Do we have to do this? I could just get a dress from the mall."
Jungkook sighs, his eyes fixed on the screen. "This is my part of the deal."
Brielle bites her lip and gulps. Danielle hands her some bottled water with a smile but Brielle can tell it's fake. Danielle's attention lingers on Jungkook far longer than necessary. Maxi arrives with a file and pen, which he signs. Brielle shakes her head, thinking she doesn't even want to know the price for all this.
The lady returns with huge boxes of Chanel, guiding them both down the aisle. "It was lovely meeting you," she wiggles her eyebrows as she says goodbye to Brielle.
"What's your address?" Jungkook asks. "24 drive lane." Brielle replies. "Note that, Calvin." He mentions to the driver, who nods back as a reply. Brielle thinks, everything that sits back in the car would probably cost so much that could pay so many patients treatments. She feels upset at the thought of that.
Jungkook doesn't speak neither does she.
The apartment building grows smaller and older the deeper they drive into the lane. Brielle keeps glancing out the window, growing anxious with every turn.
Jungkook notices. Of course he does.
"Right there," she says softly, pointing toward a narrow building squeezed between two convenience stores. The car stops. Before Brielle can reach for anything, Jungkook steps out first. She tries to stop him, that she can do this herself but he doesn't budge. Calvin carries the heavier box while Jungkook carries the rest. Leaving Brielle with nothing but a small box of jewelry.
The apartment is small. Clean, but clearly lived in.
Medical files sit stacked on the dining table beside grocery receipts and sticky notes filled with reminders.
A pair of fuzzy socks lays abandoned near the couch.
The entire place smells faintly like vanilla and laundry detergent. But organized, like everything has been set in a certain place.
Brielle quickly slips off her shoes near the entrance, immediately straightening the second pair beside the rack before realizing Jungkook is watching. He doesn't step inside with his shoes, he removes them and walks in with his socks, so does Calvin.
Brielle moves the files, apologizing under her breath as she clears space for the boxes.
Brielle awkwardly smooths down her sweater sleeves as Calvin places the last box near the couch. "Thank you," she says quietly.
Jungkook nods once before turning toward the door. But just before leaving, his eyes land on her again. "You should prepare yourself."
Brielle's brows pull together slightly. "For what?" Jungkook adjusts the sleeve of his coat.
"After this gala..."
His gaze lingers for only a second, a frown forming on his face as he looks around the place before landing on her again.
"People are going to recognize you. Your life's gonna change quickly, Brielle."
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℠rundown ; Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
genre . marriage of convenience, jk x oc au
word count . tbc
status . on-going
banned by ; @jktny0
primarily on Wattpad
Index â¶ next chapter
Brielleâs pov
I stare at him, my vision blurry with tears. Never did I think I would be in this situation, but here I am. He looks at me with confidence as he utters those words. This might be a joke to him, but it's not to me. I don't know where this leaves me, but it surely looks like I'm left helpless. "You don't get to use them."Â
The words leave my lips hardly. I try to breathe, but I don't want him to think he's getting me. He doesn't move, he shows no emotions as he rubs his brow, unimpressed. "I'm offering you a solution." He mutters.Â
"bullshit." He sighs and clenches his jaw. I notice his expressions, though they're very faint. "I help you, you help me. That's it. Think about it." I know... I know his twisted deal is tempting... but what does that make me?Â
All my life I've tried to build it myself, with my funding, my assets, but...doesn't this change everything? Doesn't this make my efforts go to waste?Â
"You get what you want. I get what I need. A marriage of convenience." I shake my head, he can't expect me to say yes to this immediately. I...I can't organise my thoughts without feeling dizzy. "I...." I choke on my words. My fingers dig deep into my palm, they hurt...a lot, but they manage my anxiety. Â
"I...I need time." I finally spit out, and he nods like he knew I was going to say that. "Three days... that's all, that's all you get." I frown and close my eyes.Â
How can I make a life-changing decision in... three days? What does this...stranger think of me?Â
"Chairman doesn't have much time like you've mentioned. I can't waste any more of it." Right, of course, the Chairman. Okay, fair enough. He has a month at most so alright. Breathe, Brielle.Â
"Okay." I murmur and he nods before walking into the VIP room, hiding a smile that he makes for his grandfather. He closes the door behind him almost like shutting me out.Â
I drag my feet back to the staff room. The voices of my friends fill my ears, but I'm still stuck on what had happened a few minutes back. I take a seat, my elbows on the desk as I cover my face. "Elle? Are you okay?" Anna rubs my shoulder. I look up at her and smile with a nod. "Just a bit tired." She pouts and hugs me from behind. "Coffee?" She raises her eyebrows, dancing them as she makes me chuckle. "Sure, let's go."Â
Sipping my sweet coffee, it tastes bitter. Not because of the coffee beans but the sick words of Mr Jeon stuck in my mind. How did he find out? Why is he doing this to me? Do I look so desperate for money? I've never spoken to him about this, then how? As I collect patients' files and enter their rooms to check on them I hear my name being called. I stop and turn to face it.Â
There, a past patient of mine approaches me with the biggest smile I've ever seen. "Ms Brielle! I'm so glad I saw you." "Hey Elsie, how have you been?" I ask.Â
A 24-year-old girl, Elsie, who had been diagnosed with leukaemia and whose treatment I had helped fund a year ago, holds my hand and giggles.Â
"I've been so well. I think it's working. I'm getting better all thanks to you!" She grips my hands tightly, her smile radiant and her eyes sparkling with hope, happiness and relief. My heart clenches as I reflect on her situation then and now. I did this. I helped her.Â
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't thank you enough. You're a good person, Ms Brielle. May God bless you with so much love and good health. Amen." I nod and place my other hand on top of hers, squeezing it.Â
"Amen. I'm so happy for you. I hope I see you again better than ever." "You will!" She smiles and turns back to her name being called. She gives me another smile before heading back. My heart aches, I love this. This is what I want in life â curing patients. And this is what I will continue to do. My mind drifts back to Mr Jeon and guilt hits harder.Â
-
I didn't want to have dinner, I don't eat when I don't have the appetite...which is almost every other day. My friends constantly worry about my eating habits, but...I can't force myself to eat.Â
Today, Anna begged that I joined them for dinner after working hours and even after I said no multiple times, I agreed when I saw them disappointed. Maybe it will help take my mind off things. Walking down the street to the diner. "Oh, I'm famished, I need like 2 burgers." Anna laughs. "Let's get a meal, I need the fries." Min Hye gestures the waiter to come by to order.Â
A few other staff members also ordered. Anna turned to me and asked what I wanted. "I'll get some fries and a beer." Anna and Hye exchanged a sigh, even though they tried to hide it. I noticed it despite their efforts. While everyone else was engaged in conversations and laughter, I sat in the corner nursing my beer. I wasn't interested in their lives, I was preoccupied with my own. How could anyone believe what's happening in my life?Â
Not me either.Â
The beer keeps me relaxed. I don't drink too much because I work on weekends too. But this is definitely going to help me sleep tonight. Blocking all the echoes of his voice, as I close my eyes and let my mind just...sit.Â
I walk myself back home, leaving earlier than the rest. Anna tried to stop me, she wanted to drop me home, but I told her to enjoy her dinner. She doesn't have to waste her day because of me.Â
I plop on the couch, my hands reaching for the lamp switch as I click it on and off, the sound of it and the beer in my system letting me to slumber.Â
-
I'm back at the hospital, but my mind is still stuck on his words. I don't have much time left, and every second feels like a countdown. My fingers itch to look him up, to understand who he is, but I force myself not to. I don't want to give him that kind of importance.
...But this could change everything.
"Elle, here's another file..." I look up to see Anna standing beside me, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. I thank her quietly. My desk is piled high with twenty-four files and more are waiting on my laptop. I close my eyes and try to stay awake but the sheer number feels overwhelming..Â
"Hey... don't do that," Anna murmurs softly, rubbing my arms. I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. "I'm fine," I say, though it comes out weaker than I intended. "No, you're not." She moves around to stand in front of me, tilting her head slightly, studying my face like she always does when she knows I'm lying. "You've been staring at those files for ten minutes without turning a single page." I look away.
"...It's just a lot." "It's always a lot," she says gently. "That's the job, Elle." Her voice softens even more. "But you don't carry all of it alone." I swallow, my fingers tightening around the edge of the desk. "It feels like I do." She sighs, stepping closer again before pulling me into a proper hug this time.
"You're doing more than anyone else here," she murmurs against my shoulder. "You fight for them when no one else does. That counts for something." I close my eyes. "It's not enough." "It is," she insists, pulling back just enough to look at me. "Maybe not all at once, maybe not the way you want... but it is."
She gives my arm a small squeeze. "You're going to get there, okay? You'll help them. All of them. Just... not in one day." A small, tired smile slips onto my lips despite everything. "You always say that." "Because it's true," she says, nudging me lightly. "And because you never listen."
I huff out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "...Thank you." "Anytime," she replies, softer now. She lingers for a second before letting go, but the warmth stays.
Maybe...
maybe Mr. Jeon is that shortcut.
-
The apartment is quiet when I step in. I toss my bag onto the couch and head straight to the shower. I'm not hungry. A protein bar is enough. A few minutes later, I'm in bed, laptop open, legs pulled close as the screen lights up my face. I shouldn't be doing this. I know I shouldn't.
But I do.
His name fills the screen, article after article. Every single article I open up has nothing but good things about him.Â
Billionaire.
 CEO.
I knew that, everyone knew that, but...
Donations. Expansions. Success. Those words, they take my interest as I skim through every latest article, there's nothing negative. Not a single crack.
My brows pull together as I scroll.Â
"Jeon Group Chairman Reportedly in Declining Health"
"...with no official statement from the family, speculation continues to grow regarding the future of the conglomerate..."
I scroll.
"All Eyes on Jeon Jungkook"
"...currently leading the U.S. branch, the 31-year-old executive is widely viewed as a key successor, though no formal transition has been announced..."
Another article catches my attention.
"A Legacy Bound by Conditions?"
"...industry insiders hint that the Chairman's inheritance may be tied to undisclosed requirements, sparking debate over how leadership will ultimately be determined..."
I stare at the screen a little longer than I should.
Conditions?
My stomach tightens.
...What exactly is he asking me to be part of?
That's his side of the deal, coming to mine. He wasn't exaggerating. He can do everything, but...am I ready for whatever he wants me to be.Â
-
Monday arrives and I know I'll be seeing Mr Jeon today. Three days have passed and my anxiety keeps me on edge. Before heading to the hospital, I visit Dad with a few files he asked for. I needed to see him before making a decision. "Morning Brielle," he greets me. "Morning Dad." I hug him tightly, sighing into his chest.Â
I miss him and the warmth he brings. "Are you okay?" he asks, rubbing his hand through my hair. I smile and nod. "I got you the files." He takes them and reads the first page. "So many people in need of healthcare," he tsks. "Dad, will this ever end?" He looks at me with sad eyes and shakes his head. "Never. We can't help everyone, Elle. But we could try with what we have."Â
"What if..." my words linger as I think about Mr Jeon's words. "What if someone offered you a way to fix everything... but it.... didn't feel right?" The words leave my mouth, hesitation in my eyes. He smiles.Â
"Sometimes doing the wrong thing for the right reason... still saves lives." Then my heart drops. He's right...Â
Dad is... right.Â
I give him the tightest hug. He grumbles a laugh and pats my back. "You'll be late, darling." "Thanks Dad, thanks a lot. I love you."Â
My heart has already made the decision, even though my mind says this is wrong.Â
I enter the hospital, leave my bags on my desk and head to the VVIP to check on Chairman Jeon. There Mr Jeon already stands beside his grandfather, talking to him whilst holding his hand. when I close the door behind me, they both look up.Â
Mr Jeon's smile fades away, and his frown shows up. "Good morning Chairman Jeon, how are you feeling today?" "Good, I want to go home," he mutters. "you can and you will, tomorrow." he nods and looks at his grandson. "Ms Brielle here has taken the best care of me. she's brilliant."Â
Mr Jeon doesn't take his eyes off me as the old man speaks. "I'm aware." he says and turns back to him with a smile. "I'll come to take you home, tomorrow." He presses a kiss to the Chairman's hand before stepping out. His gaze flicks to mine, subtle, but enough.Â
"I was expecting you." the first thing he says as I walk out of the door. My eyes on him this time, not the ground. "three days." he reminds quietly.
I nod, my fingers curling slightly at my sides.
"I've made my decision."
Silence stretches between us. He inhales slowly, tilting his chin up, hands slipping into his pockets as he waits.
Watching.
My lips part as I step closer, his brows push together.Â
"but I have conditions."
He tilts his head slightly. "I assumed you would."Â I swallow. "I want to keep working." A pause....but he nods. "Fine." "The funding..." I continue, slower now, "it goes under my name. Not yours."
That makes him pause. Just slightly.
"...Why?" "Because it's mine," I speak. "I don't want to owe you for it." His gaze lingers on me a second longer this time. "...Fine."
I didn't expect that either. I didn't think he would agree so fast, but...he did. My fingers curl tighter. This time, he exhales softly, almost amused. "I don't want this to be... so public."
"That's not how this works." My brows knit, a bit afraid of what he's gonna speak about. "What do you mean?" "People are already watching me," he says. "This won't stay private."
The reality sinks in. Slowly... I nod. Yeah, of course. That's why we're doing this, for the public. How stupid of me. "...Okay."
He studies me. Waiting. I inhale. This is the one that matters. Now I prepare myself for the worst. I don't want to say this, but I must. I can't...keep it inside me. My fingers press my palm hard, it hurts. My throat feels trapped, the words stuck but IÂ must convey my conditions, if he doesn't accept them. This stops immediately.Â
"Then we set boundaries." His gaze sharpens as he watches me.Â
"No kissing."Â Silence drops between us.Â
"No acting like a real couple unless it's absolutely necessary."
His jaw shifts. Not agreement... a reaction. I hold his gaze, steadier now. He needs to know this. He must. And he better follow this.Â
"And if you cross that line..."
A beat.
"I'm gone. I don't care what this deal is worth." Another silence. He studies me like he's seeing me properly for the first time.
Deciding. And then...
The corner of his mouth twitches a bit. And I hear him say something in a whisper that sounds like...
"...That might be difficult."
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℠rundown ; Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
genre . marriage of convenience, jk x oc au
word count . tbc
status . on-going
banned by ; @jktny0
primarily on Wattpad
Index â¶ next chapter
"Marry me." The words leave Jungkook's mouth faster than intended. For a moment, they linger between them, heavy, misplaced.
Silence follows. She just stares at him, wide-eyed. There's something in her expression he doesn't expect. Not just shock but something sharper. Disbelief... and something close to disgust. For a second, she doesn't react at all. As if her mind refuses to process what he's just said.
Then, a quiet, breathless laugh escapes her. "I didn't think you were the joking type, Mr. Jeon." She glances around the room, like she's waiting for someone else to react, but there's no one around them; they're alone. She waits for him to say something else, expecting there to be more than that.
There isn't.
Jungkook doesn't smile.
"This isn't a joke." That's when her expression shifts. The faint humour disappears, her brows pulling together as she looks back at him properly this time.
"...What?" Her voice is barely above a whisper as she glances around the room, like she's waiting for the punchline to appear. It doesn't. Her reaction is... wrong, her assumptions incorrect.
Jungkook steps closer, his eyes darkened. "You heard me." "No, I don't think I did," she snaps immediately, moving back just as fast, as if distance alone might fix whatever just happened. "Because there's no way you just-" "I need a wife," he cuts in, voice steadier now. He can feel the conversation slipping, and he doesn't allow that. "You need stability. This works."
Her expression shifts, worse this time. Brielle is hit with confusion. Offended.
"Works?" she repeats, shaking her head. "Mr. Jeon, this isn't a meeting. I'm not your employee. This isn't a business deal." "It is," he replies without hesitation. "There's nothing emotional about it. Treat it like one."
That only makes it worse. She lets out another laugh, louder this time, but there's no humour in it. Her brows pull together, her expression tightening like she's trying to make sense of something that refuses to.
"Are you hearing yourself?" she asks, staring at him like he's said something absurd. "Is this some kind of joke? Because I'm not- I'm not finding this funny, Mr. Jeon. You're... you're not quite-"
"This isn't a joke, Ms. Brielle Carter." His tone sharpens slightly. "I know what I'm saying."
"You don't!" Her voice rises, the words breaking out of her before she can stop them. She takes several steps back now, putting real distance between them, her breathing uneven.
Jungkook watches her.
Quietly.
"Out of all the people in your world..." she continues, swallowing hard. "Why me? Why a... random social worker and not another billionaire?"
A pause. "....Why me?" There it is. The question had been expected. Still, the answer doesn't come as quickly as it should. Jungkook holds her gaze for a second longer than necessary.
"You're suitable." The moment the words leave his mouth, something shifts. Not dramatically. But her face falls in a way that feels... final. "Suitable," she repeats softly.
Then she shakes her head, stepping back again, building distance like a wall. "You don't even hear yourself."
Her hands lift in frustration before falling back to her sides. She looks at him like he's completely lost his mind. Jungkook doesn't respond immediately. He knows what he said. He knows what this is.
"This isn't emotional," he says, more firmly now. "It doesn't have to be." "Well, it clearly isn't for you." She lets out a small, humourless smile, and this time- her eyes glisten. It's unexpected. Unnecessary.
"You're a billionaire, Mr. Jeon," she continues, her voice tightening. "You have everything. You can get anything you want. You live in a world where people like me serve you- we don't get in your way, we don't... we don't cross into your life. And suddenly I'm 'suitable' for you? How?"
He doesn't answer. Not immediately.
"I don't want to hear anything more," she cuts in quickly, shaking her head. "I've had a terrible day, and I don't need it getting worse."
"Ms. Brielle-" "No." The word lands sharp, final.
The tension in the room tightens, both of them standing on the edge of something neither steps into.
"I don't want to be part of this twisted arrangement," she continues, her voice unsteady but firm. "Please excuse me. I need to get out of this... bad dream."
She turns. This time, he doesn't stop her. Jungkook stays where he is, watching as she walks out of the room. The door closes behind her. Silence settles again. His hands curl slightly at his sides, fingers tightening just enough to be noticeable. She said no. The thought lingers, unfamiliar.
People don't usually refuse him. But that isn't the problem. Not really. She was overwhelmed. That was all.
He exhales slowly, his gaze shifting toward the door she'd just walked through.
She would listen.
Just not like this. He'd had to do something about this soon. Jungkook leaves the building after checking on his grandfather, who was asleep. Jungkook had a couple of meetings to attend; however, he had to make a quick stop at his place. He gets inside his black Maserati, says nothing but 'home' as he takes out his phone and calls his secretary.
The gates open, his guards stand by each door, greeting the owner as he makes his way inside. His staff stay quiet, even more after getting a glance of the frown that sits on their sir's face. His villa is clean at all times, minimalistic and dark. There's barely any colour except black, cream, and brown.
It gives Jeon Jungkook, dark like his aura and cold like his heart. The place is not empty but unused, like no one lives here. There's no light, no sign of happiness, just gloom with dim lights, and he walks to his room like a ghost.
Jungkook never comes home this time. It's past 2pm and he's usually in the office till late, but today, he had to drop by. His mind...is disturbed. He enters his bedroom, throws his coat on the bed, and pulls his tie. He's got one more problem to think about.
Brielle.
However, this problem can solve all the other 99 problems behind him. He doesn't know how to approach her again. Jungkook rarely lets himself overthink, because he gets everything he wants in the snap of his fingers. No one has ever refused him or anything he's asked for. But Brielle? She did.
He sits on his bed for a minute, the files in front of him sitting on his desk stare. He thinks about her for a moment, 'there's something about her that feels...'
He stops the thought before it forms.
Irrelevant.
He lets himself cool down for a while before getting on his feet, grabbing those files and making his way down the stairs. "Sir, your coat-" " "I'm fine." He walks out, the doors already opened for him as he gets inside his car and lets the driver take him to his office. The decision had already been made.
What remained was execution. Now that, he'd had to plan for it. Jungkook has never been the type to go back on his words, if he wants something, he gets it, and right now, it's Brielle.
Brielle Carter.
There were easier options. Women who would agree without question. He didn't consider them.
She's suitable for him, she's the only one that fits all the situations, the solution to all his problems.
Entering his building, everyone stops talking, they move out of the way and bow. "Welcome back Mr Jeon." Jeni, his secretary, says as she walks beside him, clicking the elevator and holding it as he walks in. "Any messages from the hospital while I was gone?"
"No, sir, Chairman Jeon is doing alright." He nods, his hands inside his pocket as he makes his way to his room. "Sir?" She whispers and he stops. She gestures to take the files from his hand, he glances at them then back to her. "They're personal." She soon nods and moves away.
Jungkook sits on his chair and sighs. His elbows rest on his thighs as he looks at the files placed on the coffee table. His mind is like a ticking bomb, the files, his grandfather, the board pressure, public image, and all of them come to the last thing, her.
One act, one fake marriage, which solves all four of his problems. How efficient. How...easy. He clicks his tongue, walking around as he tries to think what could be done. There is no option except her.
No one ...matches what she has.
Chairman Jeon trusts her, she knows how to handle everything, Jungkook himself has...observed it all. She's not manipulative, she has no connection with his business rivals, she's...perfect.
Why? Why can't she say yes? He thinks. He rubs his chin as he looks out the glass, the buildings shine with lights, the sky getting darker as time passes.
"Mr Jeon, your meeting begins in five minutes." "I'll be there." He replies as he forces himself to pause his mind.
Jungkook sits through the meeting in silence, his posture composed, fingers resting lightly against the table as Paul continues presenting, his voice steady, numbers and projections filling the room. Around him, the board listens carefully, some nodding, some taking notes- but Jungkook's attention drifts. Not entirely.
Never entirely. He catches enough to respond, enough to remain in control- but his mind keeps slipping back.
Brielle Carter. The way she refused him. Immediate and certain.
His jaw tightens slightly as Paul continues speaking about funding allocations, expansion, investments- numbers that usually settle things, solve things. That's how it works. Everything has a value. Everything has a solution. "...with the right funding, the entire programme could be sustained long-term," Paul says, gesturing towards the screen, "it's not about the structure- it's about where the money goes." Jungkook's fingers still.
Something clicks.
His gaze lifts slowly, focusing now-not on the screen, but somewhere past it. Not about the structure. About where the money goes. His mind shifts instantly, pulling the thought into place. Her.
The way she spoke about the patients. The way she stayed longer than required. There are very few problems in his world that don't have a solution- and this is no different. His gaze shifts briefly, distant now, focused on something far more precise than the presentation in front of him. Money.
Not for her, but for what she wouldn't walk away from. "Fuck." The word slips under his breath before he can stop it. The room falls silent. Paul freezes mid-sentence as the others exchange quick glances. "Mr Jeon? S-Should I delete that?" he glances up, realising he'd cussed aloud. "No, not at all. It's perfect."
Jungkook mutters and gets on his feet. "I like it. We'll go forward with it," Jungkook turns to Jeni, his secretary. "Get the details from Paul." He walks out with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. Paul, the presenter, frowns then laughs.
"He liked it! Did you hear that?! CEO Jeon, liked it!!!" he screamed and everyone clapped their hands cheering for him. Mr Jeon never says he likes something, he'd never say anything but a nod or a yes or no.
Jungkook hurried to his room, pushing open the gold bars of his door and heading straight to his desk. It was dark sleek and untouched by clutterâ no scattered files or misplaced objects. Just a desktop, important files and a few pens perfectly placed... and silence.
However his mind was a whirlwind of ideas and potential celebration, already visualising it all. He sat down and swirled his chair to take in the night view. There was one thing that could fix Brielle's mind and say yes â something he could arrange, no matter the number.
Money. He had made a plan. The rest would follow.
;
"Kookieee!" He hears her scream as she tries to place her phone well so he could see her. Jungkook smiles as he watches her run to her bedroom, the screen blurring, he could only see her lips and chin. "Careful, watch your steps." He mutters, worried she would slip down the stairs due to the speed of her run.
"I've been missing you so much! You don't call me every day anymore!" She pouts as she crosses her arms and frowns. He giggles and nods with his lips closed. " I'm sorry... forgive me please." She shakes her head and looks away. Jungkook tries to think how he could convince her to forgive him.
He hums, pretending to be in deep thought. "Would a gift be convincing?" She side-eyed him and took some time to think. He squinted his eyes too, copying her. "A surprise gift? Yup!" She laughs, he follows too. "Alright! The first thing I'm gonna do in the morning is get you a gift!" "Aww! Thanks kookie!" She smiles wide.
"Did you eat?" he asked, smiling and nodding. "Yes, I did!!" "Good. I'm going to sleep now. I'll call you soon." "Okay, kookie. I miss you!" "I miss you too, love you." He declined the FaceTime and sighed.
Jungkook took his laptop from the bedside table and began researching. It glowed in the dark as his fingers typed quickly. His eyes darted side to side as he opened multiple tabs, scrolling through them and clicking enter occasionally.
As he read through each article, covering various charities and internal reports, his expressions shifted from confusion to understanding. Before he delved deeper, he realised he needed to learn about 'how patient funding works.' Once he understood that, he sighed.
He thought, "So she personally looks for donors, deals with people who can't afford patients and... keeps a list of cases needing urgent funding categorised into pending, critical and insufficient funds."
Multiple cases. Her name on almost all of them.
Some succeeded.
Many didn't.
And she stayed anyway.
He realises that she stays even when she loses, she still tries to fix things. Everything has been sorted, he now has to meet her. This time she'll agree, she has to. He thinks before he drifts to slumber.
:
The night passes and the morning arrives. Jungkook fixes his tie as he looks at the mirror. He pauses, remembering what he'd read last night. Many people are unable to cure themselves, people his grandfather's age, even young children, babies too.
He grabs his phone as he makes his way downstairs. "Package it well and deliver it to the same location," he informs, to send the gift he'd told he'll prepare last night. "Ms Kim, I'll be making a short visit to the hospital before the meeting." "Sure Mr Jeon." He declines the call and gets inside his car. "Hospital." He mutters.Â
Jungkook walks past the corridors, his mind heavy with thoughts as he notices from a distance Brielle pushing a wheelchair with an old lady, a smile on her face as she speaks to her. The lady claps her hands and covers her mouth, she's laughing too much.
Brielle is the reason for her laughter. He stops, turns around, and walks back to the reception to get some air. Before making his way back to his grandfather's room, he stops by the doorway, Brielle stands beside the bed, adjusting the blanket as she makes him sit up to have breakfast.
"Chairman Jeon, I got you some dessert too." He smiles and nods. "Ohhhh wonderful! It's been a while I had rice pudding." "I know, that's why I got some for you." She smiles and hands him a silver spoon. She turns around and looks up to meet Jungkook's eyes, his hands inside his pocket. He watches her with a neutral expression.
She looks away and walks out, a short nod before she brushes past him. He thinks 'this is the only way' before he speaks, "You're looking for funds, are you?" She stops, her eyes widen, she almost loses her balance.
"How many cases are pending?" he asks, she doesn't react, still in shock. "How long do they have?" This makes her slowly turn her head. She looks up at him, in disbelief while he looks at her. He sees that she's getting ... frustrated but a flicker of fear passes.
"I can help all of them, today and for the next years to come. You can get your funds, double, triple even." She glares at him, the rim of her eyes red as the grip she has on her files tightens. Brielle clenches her jaw tight, Jungkook notices it all. But this is the only way.
"So let me make this simple for you," he says, taking a step closer.
"I help them...
and you marry me."
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℠rundown ; Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
genre . marriage of convenience, jk x oc au
word count . tbc
status . on-going
banner by ; @jktny0
primarily on Wattpad
Index â¶ next chapter
minâs notes ; a new book is here, itâs uploaded on wattpad so you get updates there faster. Hope you enjoy this one! Follow me on insta @/ Buryhny for updates and all stuff about me!
Brielle's Pov ;
Prologue,
"Don't." Jungkook's voice is low, careful. Like if he speaks too loudly, I'll disappear. "Don't leave." I let out a breath, turning my face away, trying to make sense of everything all at once. "Don't," he repeats, softer this time.. and it breaks. "Don't walk away like this."
A quiet laugh leaves me hollow and misplaced. "Like what?" I ask, finally looking at him. "Like I didn't just realize what this marriage actually is?" His jaw tightens. He steps closer. Says nothing. And somehow... that silence says everything. "It was never anything more than a condition, was it?" He exhales, eyes closing briefly. "Brielle... that's not true." "Then what is?"
My voice is quieter now. "Because I don't know anymore." He takes another step. Stops halfway. Like he wants to reach for me.. but doesn't know if he's allowed to anymore. And somehow, that hurts more than anything he could say. "You're my wife." I shake my head, a small, tired smile forming. "No," I whisper. "I'm your obligation." The words hang between us, fragile... final.
And for the first time, our marriage feels exactly like what it has always been an act.
act of marriage.
- Chapter one -
"Did Lina get discharged already?" Anna asks while she sips her iced Americano, pushing the swivel chair towards me as she hands over a double shaken espresso latte. "Thanks- Yeah she did." Heaving a sigh, I put down the pen and take a sip of my latte.
Mmmm, so good!
"I've been working here for years yet I still can't adjust to this. I can't fathom how difficult it must be for her." I nod in agreement. Lina, a 67-year-old patient, has been here for some time. She was diagnosed with dementia after being found on the streets waiting for her daughter who never arrived. Lina never had a daughter, her young daughter had passed away years ago.
The past few months have been incredibly tough. There've been too many accidents and patients who can't afford treatment. The crisis cases are piling up and overtime is finally catching up with me. I fall asleep during the day and lie awake at night. Six years of nonstop work, plus loans to repay, is becoming too much to handle.
Working as a social worker isn't for the faint-hearted, and being empathetic makes it even harder. Everything feels heavy and when it builds up inside you, it can be suffocating, especially when long-term patients you've grown attached to pass away.
"Do you think I need Botox? My fine lines are showing up more now or maybe I'm just stressed?" Min Hye asks, touching her face and pulling up her cheeks.
"Min, you're Korean! You basically look 20 even though you're 40!" Anna says, playfully hitting me in the shoulder and encouraging me to agree. "Yeah, she's right. You don't need fillers, you look perfectly fine!" I glance over at her from the computer and see her typing intently at the screen.
"Still..." Min Hye sighs. "Did you hear about Dr. Yeo Jeong-woo? The plastic surgeon in Seoul? He's the best and....he's so handsome." She covers her face and laughs.
"Isn't that the guy involved in the murder case?" Anna asks. "Yes, but he wasn't at fault. It was a planned crime." I've seen him once at a charity event in Korea. He was charming, too charming.
"Anyway, he's married! So our chances are zero!" Anna says dramatically, pouting as she tries to finish her coffee. Her slurping fills the room.
A knock interrupts us.
"Elle, room 231 wants you." I grab my file. "On it." I pass by the same corridors every day and knock on the door before entering. "Yoona." I say her name with a smile and stand by her bed.
Yoona is a beautiful 84-year-old patient who's been here for 10 years and now under my care for the past five. She's wonderful, her voice always lifts my spirits. She was diagnosed with chronic heart failure but remains strong despite her mobility issues. She smiles and brightens everyone's day. I check her file and assess her condition.
"Dear, I've been feeling a bit weak," she murmurs, her voice faint. I wouldn't have heard her if I hadn't been so close. I frown at her words, she was doing fine this morning.
"Oh, let me do a checkup," I say and perform a routine checkup, measuring her pulse, pressure, and oxygen levels. She does feel weaker than usual, but I can't pinpoint the cause.
"Let's get you to sit up a bit," I adjust her pillow and turn on her favourite channel, HBO Max. "Hold still for me... That's it. Good. We'll keep you comfortable." I smile, and she nods.
I notice a slight pallor in her cheeks. "You're a bit paler than usual. Did you skip breakfast?" I ask, smiling faintly. She can't fool me anymore. I've learned to recognise her needs and lies. She hasn't had breakfast.
"You need to eat to take your medication, Yoona," I say. "Oh, I'm tired of porridge!" she sighs and shakes her head.
"What would you like to have?" she thinks for a moment, her eyes scanning the room as if she's plotting something. Then a mischievous smile creeps across her face.
"Ice cream," she murmurs. I blink. "Ice cream?" She nods, looking at her fingers and giggling. Right, she's like a child, who would want to eat bland food all day? "I'll get you ice cream after you have breakfast." I knew she was gonna interrupt so I say, "I'll bring you soft tofu soup. I know you like it." She holds my hand and caresses it. "I'll enjoy it." I nod and make my way out.
Picking up some tofu soup, I stopped by dad's building. Dad and I have a dream, our own clinic. Dad is a retired paramedic, he helps patients who are unable to afford their treatments, I do too whenever I have time. But to open a clinic we need funds and that.. that was difficult especially when I have student loans to repay. My pay is just enough however with loans and funding to think of, I try to save as much as it's possible. Hoping someday I could make my dream come true.
"Hi dad." I walk inside his small apartment, looking around for him. "Ellie! Come come." He runs to me and gives me a big hug. I missed this, I miss him a lot. I look at him, noticing his grey hairs getting prominent every time I see him. His glasses sit on the bridge of his nose and his sweaters, are getting too old now.
"Dad, I got you lunch." He tsks and looks at my hands. "Why take the trouble? I'm good! I know you didn't have lunch yet so you have it." "I'm okay dad, I had coffee." "Ughh! Coffee doesn't do anything, you should stop having them too much! It's ruining your body." He grumbles and I laugh. "Dad, have it! I got some tofu soup for a patient and stopped by to see you, I'd never come by empty handed, you know that."
He nods, looking at me as his hands brush over my hair. "I know my lovely daughter, I know. Take care of yourself okay." I nod. "I haven't been helping you, I'll try to come by soon." He shakes his head and holds my hand. "Elle, you know we can't do everything together. Focus on the hospital."
"I know, Dad. But even helping a few families a week is something to me." He knows i won't listen to him. I'm adamant, much more when it comes to this.
"Just promise me you won't burn out doing it." I nod and smile, " I will try." He smiles and hugs me again. "Ice cream?" I chuckle and show him the vanilla tub. "For Yoona, she wasn't gonna have breakfast without ice cream." "Oh you love her so much don't you." "I do!!!"
She's one of my favorite patients, she's been closer to me these few months and it's been so nice. I don't know much about her but I feel her so much more than anyone does. Even her own children. "I'll get going dad!" "Okay dear, be safe."
I head out with the food in my hand, the weight of the day still sitting on my shoulders. The next few weeks are going to be hectic.. new interns, more responsibilities, more people to guide. It never really slows down.
And somehow, neither do the goodbyes.
"Yoona, look what I've got for you!" She leans forward to take a closer look and claps her hands. "That's my favourite ice cream!" "It is!" Her smile beams, her cheeks rise like warm buns. Seeing patients smile so wide makes my day. "Let me help you." The tray is set carefully in front of her - soup on one side, a small scoop of ice cream on the other.
Just one.
It's all she's allowed. Still, she looks at it like it's everything. "All done!" she says, a little too proudly, ice cream smeared at the corner of her mouth. A quiet laugh escapes me as I reach for a tissue, wiping it away. "You did well."
Moments like this... They make it worth it.
I guide the nurse to hand over the pills to her in 30 mins and get to the break room to have my own meal. As someone in the medical field, knowing a lot about food allows me to have a good balanced diet. When my friends bring heavy meals, they complain when they see my bowl of buttered vegetables and steak. I don't have much time to prepare meals, so I settle with my stocks of frozen meals I cook for the week.
"Elle, we're having dinner together, will you be joining us today?" I shook my head and bit into a broccoli. "I've got to work on my files." They nodded and looked at me with sad eyes. "You need to rest, please get some sleep." Anna placed her hand on my shoulder. "I will try, insomnia is turning me into a zombie." They chuckled and sat beside me.
"Have you heard about the new trainees?" I nodded. "I saw them this morning, reminded me of when I first joined." That made me smile. When I first joined, it felt so unreal, I couldn't believe I was going to work for the prestigious hospital -
Belmont Hospital for Advanced Care.
Here I am today, a well-reputed social worker who sometimes gets called a doctor by patients.
I left early, didn't require to stay overtime, so I headed straight to my apartment. At the top of the street, the usual group of cats sit. They move around me, rubbing their heads on my feet as they look up waiting for their food. I opened the box of meat I prepared for them and let them eat. I do this every day. Pets of my own aren't an option, not with the hours, the unpredictability, the constant absence... so this is enough. It has to be.
They've grown since the first time we met, healthier, less cautious and something about that makes the day feel a little less heavy. "Hello... I'm early today, aren't I?" Fingers brush over soft fur, a quiet reward after they've eaten, lingering just a second longer than necessary. Parting feels strangely reluctant, but the moment passes. A quick dusting of hands against my coat, and the street stretches ahead again.
The elevator has been under maintenance lately, so taking the stairs is the only option. I drop my keys into the tray by the door, aligning them with the edge. The apartment is exactly how I left it this morning. Clean and Quiet.
I slip off my shoes, placing them neatly beside the rack before heading inside. The silence follows me.
It always does.
I walk straight to my bedroom, drop my bag on the desk and head to the washroom. A warm shower after a long day is the best medicine, so relaxing that I moan at the feel of the water touching my skin. I slip into my pyjamas and dinner is already ready â just reheating it.
I take the chickpea salad out of the fridge and microwave it. Sinking into my chair in front of my laptop a quiet sigh escapes as I chew and let my thoughts flow. So many thoughts in my little head, sometimes I wonder how someone can think so much. Isn't it funny? Our minds work nonstop!
The patients' files sit on the desk. I've reviewed the cases multiple times and it bothers me that I can't help them more. Funding for patients who can't afford treatments hurts when they're desperate. If I made more money I'd put my all into helping them but I can't. I have the bare minimum myself, loans to pay off. I type my proposal of funding options and patient care programs but the words pause, delete, type, pause, reword and delete again. It always comes down to the same thing.
Money.
And I don't have enough of it to change anything.
-
Once again, I've fallen asleep on my couch. This has become a daily routine- one I'm not particularly proud of. The clock reads 7:50 a.m. as a yawn slips past my lips. I stretch my arms over my head before pushing myself up and heading to the washroom to freshen up.
By the time I'm back, the apartment is already half put together. It always is. I'm too much of a neat freak to leave anything lying around.
The counter gets wiped, cushions straightened, everything returned to its place without much thought. Bread goes into the toaster while I gather the files scattered across the table, stacking them neatly before slipping them into my bag along with my meals for the day- containers lined up, water bottle filled, everything prepared the night before.
The toaster clicks.
I spread a thin layer of cream cheese, fold the slice into a sandwich, and take a bite, chewing as I move through the apartment, turning off lights, checking corners, making sure nothing is out of place.
It never is, but still, I check.
Keys. Phone. ID. All in place.
By the time I step out, the hallway is quiet, the kind of quiet that lingers before the city fully wakes up. I pull the door shut behind me, the soft click echoing longer than it should.
Another day. And another long sigh leaves my mouth.
Placing my bag on the desk, something feels... off. The room is too quiet... no greetings, no familiar chatter, not even Anna's usual smile. She walks in, her eyes meeting mine before she exhales. "Elle..." The way she says it makes my chest tighten instantly. "What's wrong?" I ask, but she hesitates, just for a second- and it's enough.
"Yoona..." she whispers. Everything in me drops. I don't wait, don't fix my ID, don't grab my coat- I'm already moving. She was fine!!! She was fine yesterday! What could've happened? I was panicking, I know their lives are unpredictable yet... it's just so difficult to accept it. The thought repeats in my head as I push her door open- then I stop.
The machines hum softly, slower than usual. Yoona lies still, her chest rising in shallow uneven breaths. Too slow, too weak. She's going to leave. "Yoona..." My voice comes out quieter than I expect as I step closer. Her eyes flutter open just barely. "...Brielle," she breathes.
Her fragile hand reaches out for me and I grab on, holding her close. My eyes sting with tears but I don't let them out. It will only make her pain when she sees someone cry for her departure. I don't know what to say or how to say anything. So I just look at her for the last time. I lean closer, tightening my hold on her hand.
"I'm here." Her fingers move slightly against mine. Just enough for me to feel it. I'm the only person who's been with her for years, no relatives, no children. She was all alone. "Thank you...", she murmurs. "Thank you for being with me..." She struggles to speak as her chest gives out. Her voice barely audible but she tries to convey her final words.
I sit beside her, closely to hear her speak. I wouldn't miss her last words for anything. She blinks slowly, losing consciousness as she attempts to be louder to speak just a bit more but she can't. My chest tightens looking at the one person I've been taking care of for years, leaving me.
"You're a great person, Yoona. Thank you for being so lovely." I mutter and she smiles. Surely she hadn't heard the whole sentence but I'm fine. "Elle..." she whispers again as she tries to hold my hand again but her grip is faint. Her hand slowly stops moving and the next thing I see is the machine showing a single line and a beep.
She's gone.
One more patient... gone. I take a moment to gather myself, her hand in mine. I get on my feet, placing her hand on her stomach before gesturing for the nurse to take over. I walk out of her room and head to the washroom. I splash water on my face, exhaling deeply. I didn't realise I'd held my breath for so long. Closing my eyes, I look down the sink and think blank thoughts. I wipe my face with a tissue and walk back to the staff room to grab my ID and files.
Let's get back to work.
The staff room is almost empty. I take my files out and read through them. My mind is foggy. I know I've been re-reading the same line over and over again but it just doesn't seem to stick. I try to work on my funding project but my fingers aren't able to type anything so the cursor just sits there blinking. The staff around me keep taking glances at me, which doesn't bother me but makes me aware of myself. Min Hye places her hand on my shoulder and asks, "Are you okay?" I nod. I'm okay, even if this has broken me inside. I have to be.
The silence doesn't last. It never does.
Footsteps rush past the corridor outside- fast, uneven. A stretcher wheel squeaks against the floor. Voices overlap, this is urgent. Sharp. My grip tightens around the file in my hand.
Another emergency.
"Clear the way- move!" The doors swing open as a team rushes in, a patient wheeled in at speed. The air shifts instantly, it's tight and urgent. "ICU prep- now!" The nurses rush and I'm already on my feet before I realize it. Whatever I was feeling... it gets pushed aside.
"Brielle- ICU. VIP case. Emergency intake." I grab the file- my only VIP case.
The Jeons.
My steps falter for half a second. Then I'm moving. Running behind them, I fix my hair tightly as I push through the doors. Gloves are handed to me- I slip them on, already checking his oxygen levels, his pulse-
And then I see him. Really see him.
My chest tightens- but my hands don't stop. "When did he collapse?" "Twenty minutes ago. Sudden loss of consciousness." the paramedic replies. checking his pulse, I press two fingers to his wrist. Weak. Irregular. "vitals?" "BP dropping earlier, we stabilized slightly." the nurse mutters as she moves around checking the machines, adjusting the oxygen mask.
"He was just sitting- he said he felt dizzy and then-" "Please step outside." My voice is steady, even as I finally look at the bodyguard. One glance is enough. This is worse than before. I inhale slowly, forcing it down, forcing it away. "Prep for ICU transfer."
Stepping outside while the nurses continue inside, I pull out Chairman Jeon's file. He doesn't have much time left. His condition has worsened faster than it should have. I close the file, exhaling quietly before walking down the corridor. His room - VVIP 02, is already prepared. I step inside, scanning everything, making sure it's exactly as it should be.
Perfect and Ready.
The door slides shut behind me as I step back out. Fast footsteps echo through the hallway. I glance up. The staff immediately tense, shifting to the sides, clearing the path without a word. He walks through them like it's instinct- like they were always meant to move. His voice is low and steady. "Where is Ms. Brielle?"
I hear my name before I fully register him. He looks straight ahead- then his gaze lands on me. For a second, everything stills as he makes eye contact with me. Then he walks faster. Not rushed. Not panicked. But there's something in the way his steps sharpen. He stops in front of me.
"What happened?" No greeting. No hesitation. Just two words- he's always direct to the point.
That's Jeon Jungkook.
The grandson.
My eyes don't meet his. His gaze is too intense, too heavy to hold.. so I let it pass over me, looking anywhere but directly at him. The file in my hands suddenly feels like an anchor. I grip it tighter, grounding myself. He's taller than I expected.
I have to tilt my head slightly just to face him- and even then, it feels like he's looking through me rather than at me. It's not just his height. It's the way he stands. Still. Like nothing shakes him.
But I know better.
Telling families their loved ones don't have much time left is never easy. Today.. it feels heavier. "He had a cardiac episode. We've stabilized him for now, but-" I pause, drawing in a breath. I don't miss it- the way his expression shifts, just slightly. He notices the pause immediately.
"But what?" His voice is sharper now. I lift my gaze just enough to meet his.. briefly. "He doesn't have much time, Mr. Jeon." His jaw tightens. There it is.
A crack. Small... but real. as if he's trying to hide but i see it. "How long?" The question comes out steady, but there's a faint break beneath it- something he doesn't let surface fully. "A few weeks. A month, at most... if he holds on." His hand curls into a fist at his side subtly.
He doesn't interrupt. He just stands there- holding it in. Right at the edge, like showing any emotion would break his character. i wish he knew that he could show them, he doesn't have to always be the cold person he is. "Do whatever you can to keep him." His voice drops, quieter now. Not a command this time.
Almost... a plea. I nod. "I will. I'll do my best." "You better." His words are firm- but they don't carry the same weight as before. He turns before I can say anything else, walking away with the same controlled steps.. but faster this time.
I watch him go for a second longer than I should. Then I turn, heading toward the inventory room. VVIP needs to be ready.
Any minute now.
I pull open the cabinet, quickly checking the crash kit, defibrillator pads, emergency meds, IV lines. Everything needs to be within reach. Fresh oxygen masks. Backup tubing. I set them aside, making sure nothing is missing. the sedatives sit in the next drawer, my heart clenches a bit as i watch it for a moment. I hesitate for a second before adding the sedatives. Just in case...
Monitors ready, everything is ready. My hand pauses over the tray- just for a second.. before I force myself to keep going. As I slide the door, Mr. Jeon sits on the couch, his phone in his hand, a faint frown on his face. He looks like he's reading something, not even glancing at who walked in, his focus fixed on the screen. His coat is off, draped over the back of the couch while he sits in his waistcoat and tie, one leg crossed over the other. Mr. Jeon has always had one look... formal, composed like he's never anything but a Billionaire CEO. i sometimes wonder, if he really is like this, all the time?
"Mr Jeon? Do you need anything, coffee or tea?" he shakes his head, his eyes still focused. I nod and place the items on the tray. "Elle- sorry.." Viva walks in, unaware that Mr Jeon is sitting as she calls my name out loud. "Brielle..." she whispers as she approaches me with a few files in her hands. "This patient, Stage 3, needs immediate treatment but-" I already know where this is going. An exhale escapes my lips as my shoulders drop.
I look down at my hands where the oxygen mask sits. "They can't afford it?" I ask, well aware of her reply. She doesn't speak, she nods. "Put them under my list." Viva sighs and shakes her head, like she's had enough of this. i get her too but i wish people would understand me better. "Brielle, not again. You can't keep doing this. The funding-" "I'll figure it out." That's the end of it. She knows she shouldn't speak anymore. My eyes close as my grip on the table tightens.
This is exhausting but I can't stop. Nothing will stop me. "They won't be turned away. I'll arrange something."
I leave the room to check on the patient. Chairman Jeon is conscious, lying flat on the bed with his eyes fixed on the ceiling. The door behind me closes softly, and he looks ahead, knowing someone is entering the room. "You came," he murmurs. I give him a short smile and nod as I stand beside his bed. "You need to rest."
I glance at the monitor then back at him. He looks at me longer than usual, making me feel upset. "I don't have much time, do I?" he asks in a whisper, and I don't reply. The silence fills the gaps. He already knows, I don't have to say it. We both remain silent, and I stay beside him for support. There's nothing I can say from my side. The quietness isn't uncomfortable, it's sad and heavy. "Before I go... I want to see him married."
He mutters, and I freeze. Why would Chairman Jeon share something so personal with me? "Someone who won't leave him." I don't know what response he's looking for, so I don't say a word. I look down at my fingers and let him speak while I listen. Maybe he wants to share what's in his mind knowing the pressure of leaving scares him.
The air shifts, and there's some discomfort. I'm unaware of why, but it feels like he's speaking from his heart, and I don't think I'm the one who should hear it. "I hope everything you wish for... is fulfilled, Chairman Jeon." He smiles and nods. "Let's get you back to your room.
Mr Jeon immediately gets on his feet when the doors open and his grandfather is wheeled inside. Worried, his eyes seem different as he watches his grandfather placed on the bed. Standing beside him, he helps the nurse pull up the blanket to cover him. Mr Jeon takes a seat and holds Chairman's hand. "You're late."
Mr Jeon shakes his head quickly, sadness filling his eyes. "I'm here now. I rushed as soon as I heard." The patient grumbles, his laugh short-lived as he frowns in pain. "Careful." Their voices are softer now, Mr Jeon's too. He was different, he wasn't intimidating anymore. He was quiet, calm and emotional. I wouldn't have thought he had emotions until now. Mr Jeon visits the hospital with Chairman every appointment but he's never been like this before.
Perhaps he's realised these are the last few moments and he wants to cherish them as much as he can. He smiles though it's very short lived yet.. it makes me smile, I've never seen him smile before. I watch them from a distance and think he's not intimidating right now,
Not cold.
Just... human.
I excuse myself and quietly step out. I've missed my lunch and breaks and haven't had water or my supplements all day. I wasn't hungry or thirsty, I was clouded by too much to feel the need to eat or drink.
"Brielle, here, have a cup of coffee." Anna walks over and hands me a small cup of black coffee. My nose scrunches as I look at it and she chuckles. "I know you hate black coffee but have it. It'll taste good on an empty stomach." I nod. I know black coffee was incredibly bitter. However, the warmth felt so good, especially since the VIP area was colder than the rest of the buildings.
The coffee felt like a warm hug (though it tasted terrible, bitter and nothing I'd ever choose on my own. I'd always prefer a double shaken espresso but well, I don't mind it right now.) Anna looks at me longer, wanting to get something out of me and it makes me chuckle.
"What?" I ask her, and she smiles. "Are you okay?" she asks, and I nod. "Do not give me that bullshit, are you really okay?" Anna knows me, she also knows I won't speak even if she asks me a million times. "I am, really. I'm just a bit tired." She nods, giving me a side-eye and an eye-roll. "Fine, but you know I'm always there for you. You can tell me anything, alright!" "I know, I know."
The door slides open, Anna flinches and smiles at the man who walks out. She gestures at the empty coffee cup in my hand, and I hand it over to her as she leaves, giving Mr Jeon and me privacy. Mr Jeon looks at me, leaning against the door. "Chairman Jeon is stable for now but his cardiac function is declining faster than expected. We've optimised his oxygen and medication but he'll need continuous monitoring."
I speak, flipping through his files in my hands as I explain it to Mr Jeon. "He's stable for now but we don't have much time. We'll do everything we can. He's in good hands." Mr Jeon doesn't speak ask questions or comment on what I've said which I found a bit odd. I pause, my eyes slowly moving up to take a glance at Mr Jeon in front of me.
I notice him observing me, his eyes don't move away and it makes me uncomfortable. "I want to speak to you privately." he mutters with his rough voice. His eyes stay on me- a strong glare. I blink my eyes and look around, there's no one here at the moment. "We are." He shakes his head slightly. "Privately."
I must've frowned, because before I can say anything, he reaches out, gripping my wrist and pulling me with him. "Mr Jeon?" he pushes open an empty consultation room and closes the door with his foot. The room is dim and quiet. I look up at him with wide eyes, unable to understand what he's doing here with me alone.
Mr Jeon really looks at me. The frown lines on his forehead deepen as he speaks. "You've been treating him for five years." Confusion hits my face. This is what he wanted to say? Why did he pull me here? Why is he acting weird? "Yes," I reply.
He doesn't wait. He immediately says, "He trusts you." What does he mean? Why is this the conversation? Why is it a private one that can't be done outside? We were just fine. Silence engulfs us. I look up at him with nothing but discomfort and confusion. While he looks down at me with a frown his eyes roam around my face, eye to eye.
I don't say anything. I'm not even sure what I can say. My mind is still trying to catch up- still stuck somewhere between what he just said. But he doesn't give me time.
"He wants to see me married." My breath catches slightly. I don't like where this is going. I really don't understand where this is going. Why he's telling me this? And then...
Everything in me just ... stops.
"Marry me."
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℠rundown ; Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
genre . marriage of convenience, jk x oc au
word count . tbc
status . on-going
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banner by ; @jktny0 đ€
"You can fake it, but you know I know, know I know."
Cha Mu-Hee is finally living her quiet life in the front half of a small building, running her pottery studio, Haru Haru. After years of waiting, the back half is finally rented, only to discover her new neighbor is Jeon Jungkook, a rebellious biker whoâs turned his space into a loud, chaotic garage for his crew.
A shared, impossibly thin wall separates them, but itâs barely enough. Yet maybe opposites arenât so impossible to fall for after all⊠especially when Cha Mu-Hee begins to shake up more than just the quiet heâs grown used to.
genre . enemies to lovers | grumpy x sunshine
word count . 14k
contains fluff, young adult , no smut
min's notes ; here's the valentine's special fic, enjoy!! First time tried writing JK x oc, as a tester for my book since that will be oc too! So yeah Jungkook x Cha Mu Hee from can this love be translated here!
Banner cr , @jktny0 đ
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful. She hopes he doesnât smile to anyone but her.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
wanna read more of my stories? click the m.list!
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my new book âAct of marriageâ is out now! On wattpad!
synopsis ;
Their billionaire marriage was never meant to be love, only a solution to Jeon's will and Brielle's circumstances. But when she becomes his only safe space, he realizes far too late that losing her wouldn't just hurt⊠it would ruin him.
marriage of convenience au! jk x oc
wc; tbc
young adult, ptsd & other medical terms
"You can fake it, but you know I know, know I know."
Cha Mu-Hee is finally living her quiet life in the front half of a small building, running her pottery studio, Haru Haru. After years of waiting, the back half is finally rented, only to discover her new neighbor is Jeon Jungkook, a rebellious biker whoâs turned his space into a loud, chaotic garage for his crew.
A shared, impossibly thin wall separates them, but itâs barely enough. Yet maybe opposites arenât so impossible to fall for after all⊠especially when Cha Mu-Hee begins to shake up more than just the quiet heâs grown used to.
genre . enemies to lovers | grumpy x sunshine
word count . 14k
contains fluff, young adult , no smut
min's notes ; here's the valentine's special fic, enjoy!! First time tried writing JK x oc, as a tester for my book since that will be oc too! So yeah Jungkook x Cha Mu Hee from can this love be translated here!
Banner cr , @jktny0 đ
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful. She hopes he doesnât smile to anyone but her.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
wanna read more of my stories? click the m.list!
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hey guys! my new book 'Act of marriage' will be out soon on April in Wattpad.
This time Iâm bringing ; billionaire romance, marriage of convenience, childhood strangers reunited, âtouch her and youâre deadâ and more tropes with Jungkook x Original character!
Hello, for barista's recommendations fanfic, why did you only add jungkook and jimin and not the other members?
hello! Itâs because I donât feel very comfortable reading the other members. Iâm not sure why, I mainly read Jungkook. Iâve only read few Jimin fics, not anymore
"You can fake it, but you know I know, know I know."
Cha Mu-Hee is finally living her quiet life in the front half of a small building, running her pottery studio, Haru Haru. After years of waiting, the back half is finally rented, only to discover her new neighbor is Jeon Jungkook, a rebellious biker whoâs turned his space into a loud, chaotic garage for his crew.
A shared, impossibly thin wall separates them, but itâs barely enough. Yet maybe opposites arenât so impossible to fall for after all⊠especially when Cha Mu-Hee begins to shake up more than just the quiet heâs grown used to.
genre . enemies to lovers | grumpy x sunshine
word count . 14k
contains fluff, young adult , no smut
min's notes ; here's the valentine's special fic, enjoy!! First time tried writing JK x oc, as a tester for my book since that will be oc too! So yeah Jungkook x Cha Mu Hee from can this love be translated here!
Banner cr , @jktny0 đ
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful. She hopes he doesnât smile to anyone but her.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
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"You can fake it, but you know I know, know I know."
Cha Mu-Hee is finally living her quiet life in the front half of a small building, running her pottery studio, Haru Haru. After years of waiting, the back half is finally rented, only to discover her new neighbor is Jeon Jungkook, a rebellious biker whoâs turned his space into a loud, chaotic garage for his crew.
A shared, impossibly thin wall separates them, but itâs barely enough. Yet maybe opposites arenât so impossible to fall for after all⊠especially when Cha Mu-Hee begins to shake up more than just the quiet heâs grown used to.
genre . enemies to lovers | grumpy x sunshine
word count . 14k
contains fluff, young adult , no smut
min's notes ; here's the valentine's special fic, enjoy!! First time tried writing JK x oc, as a tester for my book since that will be oc too! So yeah Jungkook x Cha Mu Hee from can this love be translated here!
Banner cr , @jktny0 đ
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
"Please take good care of your miffy mugs! They're made with a lot of love!" Mu Hee beams at her young customer as she hands over the package carefully. "Of course I will, thanks Mu Hee-ah! My friends are gonna love it!" She holds the door open for the teenager to walk out, waving at her as she gets inside the car. "Come back for more!!!" she calls, with a grin.
Mu Hee walks back to her little nook, sitting behind the pottery wheel to complete the next set of ceramic tea cups for the grandma who lives down the lane. She had placed an order for a beautiful tea set to gift her newlywed daughter-in-law.
twelve tea cups, a teapot, and matching saucers, each carefully customized for the new family member. She turns up the volume on the radio, which plays her favorite songs every day from 4 to 6 pm.
The romantic indie tunes fill her little shop as she moves her hands to the melody. Mu Hee has been making pottery here for almost 2 years now. She's better than ever, at pottery itself and business overall. Social media has helped a lot, in fact, her little Miffy glasses holder went viral and had over 50 orders in just a week.
Her excitement was over the roof, all she had was her best friend 'Sol' , both of them screamed, holding each other's hands as they jumped around when the orders came in. Mu Hee had to pull all-nighters for a month, her shop was too tiny to store all the glass holders, so she had to shift some to her friend's place, her backyard had enough space and heat to store. she had never been happier before, but the exhaustion that came in was dreadful.
Humming to Beabadoobee while her hands mould the dip of the cups, her hands covered by wet clay as it rotates on the wheel. The bells chime when a new customer enters her shop, Mu Hee's head shifts to meet them and a wide smile stretches across her face. "hello! evening, welcome to haru haru!"
"Hi dear, I'm here to look around your beautiful work!" a lady in her 40s walks in with a two-year-old baby in her arms, sucking on a candy, while his mum admires her art. "Sure, ma'am, let me know if you need any help. " She continues her task on the wheel while taking glances at the lady with a smile on her face. Mu hee waves at the boy, and he shyly away, hiding inside his mum's neck.
"This is so beautiful, dear! How much is one piece?" she questions, holding the hand-painted, carved plate in her hand, the one Mu Hee took hours deciding which colour combo to go with. "Oh, that would be $40 per plate!" "Oh, lovely. Is it possible to customise?" "Why, yes, of course!"
The rest of the evening goes well for her. She had a couple of customers who picked up their items, and a few placed custom orders that came in. She loved seeing them smile; it made her sleep well every night. She flipped the handmade clay sign from open to closed, heaving a sigh while looking around through the glass doors. She took a glimpse of men hanging around the street, frowning. She thought they were quite unfamiliar, she had never seen them here before. They looked... different, unlike the people she saw here all the time. Maybe they were here for an event.
She walks back to the wheel to finish off the rest of the cups and plates before heading back home. She takes the subway since her place is about 30 minutes from the shop. She gets some tteokbokki from the nearest open store she can and gets back home to clean the mess up. My hee is a tidy person. She needs to either come back to a clean space or she won't rest until she cleans the place up.
Today she had a bit more to do, so she picked her clothes which you'd dropped on the floor, folded them up, washed the dishes that she left for later, and then she let herself fall onto the couch. The teok is cold, but she doesn't mind, she eats in silence, her thoughts loud enough with the plenty of orders she must prepare herself for. But it's fun, and she really, really enjoys and loves what she does.
The sun rises, she's up by 7, brushing her teeth as she puts her bagels into the toaster, taking out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, placing them on the counter. She heads back to the washroom to rinse her mouth and rushes back at the sound of the bagels popping out golden and crispy. She places them on the plate, spreading the butter and jelly. Mu Hee fills her glass with the leftover orange juice and finally sits down to have breakfast in silence, while her phone plays the loud documentary about Britney Spears's life story.
Mu Hee's fit for the day is blue jeans, a short sleeved shirt with a checkered red doll top. She leaves the house with a strawberry milk and gets on the subway to get to her shop. walking by her street, she smiles at the sight of greenary.
'there has to be clovers here.' - she thinks.
Mu hee sqauts to take a look, her hands brush against the grass and little flowers around. she pouts at the sight of none,
'maybe its not my day.' - she thinks.
Dusting her hands off on her denim as she makes her way to her shop. She blinks a few times as she stands at the top of the lane, anxiously taking in the sight before her. The once-quiet street is now cluttered with bikes and boxes dumped along the roadside.
What happened here?
Curiosity pulls her forward as she heads towards her shop, especially when she realises the back half of the property is suddenly occupied.
"Wowie! It's been ages since I've had a neighbour back there. I must visit them- or he- or she? Whoever it is, with some cake and a little handmade flower vase maybe. That would be nice." - she tells herself.
She walks inside, flips the sign to open, and gets to work. Mu Hee puts on her apron and glasses, her radio plays the music while she makes the little customised cup sets. For years, her pottery shop has been the calmest corner of the lane, where kids, teenagers, and adults drop by to adore the handmade goodies and just...spend some time learning how she does it.
It charms them, often making her laugh because it's really nothing to do. With years of practice and constant making with clay, it's a part of Mu Hee. In here, time moves slowly, but with comfort and so much love. Love from making her products and love from the customers who give her creations a home.
Customers came by, their orders were picked up, she had her lunch and sipped on some strawberry milk. The evening was as comfortable as an old shoe. But the night... the night was... quite the opposite. She hadn't experienced this before. Noise.
She tried not to think so much of it at first but... it got louder and louder. As if it couldn't get any worse, it got fucking louder! Engines revving, metal clanking, loud voices carrying through the thin walls. The laughs of both men and women, the quiet street was now louder than the thunder. She tried...so fucking much to focus on the music that was playing. She tried to hum louder but eventually gave up.
So she decided to knock on the wall. She knocked once...wait for a reply that never came. "Excuse me... could you keep it down please?" She asked politely. They ignored.
"Alright, it's 8 anyway, leaving early wouldn't harm me." So she packed her stuff and locked the shop. She tried to peek from the corner of her building, unfortunately she could see no one except bikes.
'Maybe it's a party, like a housewarming party. Is it a home now?' - She doesn't think so because there were no lorries with... household furniture, so maybe it's a ... shop? Like a motor shopâwhatever. It's none of my concern.' - She says.
y/n ; hey sol, wanna hang out?
sol ; what? you're not in the shop?
y/n ; nope, left early. come on lets hang out
sol ; mama's pot then!
Taking this as an opportunity, Mu Hee met up with her best friend sol, at Mama's Pot Shop! They serve the softest bread and muffins you could ever find. sol arrives 15 minutes later and catches Mu Hee already munching on some garlic bread. "Hey, you're eating without me!" "Nope, just bit into it!" She laughs.
"What's the occasion, huh? I thought you were super busy with orders." She nods and passes the plate. "Yeah, I am, you know I need some peace of mind while working. The back half is rented now, I guess, and they are crazy noisyyy!!" Mu Hee whines, a pout forming in her lips.
"Who's rented it? Like a family with kids?" sol asks. "No, I don't think soâI'm not sure, but it sounded like a couple of men and women in bikes and stuff. I'm sure they were drinking. They were so loud and...weird." sol's eyes get wider as she holds the table with both hands. "Did you say...men? Like young men?" Mu Hee sighs and turns away. "That was what you caught in all I said? I don't know if they're young, just a bunch of gangsters, I'm guessingâI need to stop judging! I'm better than this!!."
"Holy shit, y/n! Please get some mafia romance, im tired of your virgin life-" "I'm not a virginâI am-!" "You haven't been with anyone since... that jerk!" Sol snaps, biting into her bread a little too aggressively, which makes you laugh. "He's not a jerk, Sol. We ended things on good terms, remember?" "Yeah, great news for Grandpa."
"Sol! He was just ten years older-" "I'm telling you, he was married! I'm telling you-" "Alright, Sol, I'm leaving-" Mu Hee pushes up from her seat, but sol grabs her hand and yanks her back down. "Not before you have some soju."
Mu Hee has a terrible hangover the next morning. This is the reason she avoids hanging out with sol too many times. Sol always forces Mu Hee to have soju, and then the next day is hell. Mu Hee's tolerance is low, so she gets drunk super fast, and the aftermath is having bad body pains and a headache, so her day was already starting off...bad.
'Yeah, no. This is not happening today. Why was my shop entrance blocked with boxes? What is with the number of bikes here? Is this some sort of garage? It's getting on my nerves. I'm not in a mood to be kind! Whoever here is about to get it...bad.' - Mu Hee thinks
Exactly 7.30 pm, the loud noise starts. Her hangover had just almost faded away, and it's back again, a hundred times worse now. She... won't let it slide anymore.
One night was fine, but today too? Who knows how long this is going to continue. She knocks again. Louder this time. "Excuse me!! Can you PLEASE keep it down!!!" No response, no change. She's on a ride...to hell.
,
It happened again the next day and nope. Nope, nope, nope. Not any more. Especially because today she had a teenager pass by who came to collect her vase, who had a worried look on her face, and when Mum Hee questioned her why, she said,
"It's a little scary here now...the guys outside are making me uncomfortable. maybe I'll ... order from you online next time. Thanks for these!" These guys are now scaring away Mu Hee's customers. Now that's not happening. Every knock-on-the-door goes unanswered, and it's...finally time to snap back.
Mu Hee walks out of her shop, hands still dirty from all the clay. She marches around to the back to see what's going on- only to step into a crowd. A whole group of people, mostly men, some girls draped over their shoulders, bikes lined up everywhere, loud music humming in the background. It looks like a full-on hangout spot.
She pushes her way through the crowd. A few heads turn, eyebrows raised, staring at her like she'd wandered into the wrong universe.
"Who's the owner of... this place?" she asks.
The girls immediately flick their heads toward a guy standing at the back.
She's unsure where to look first - four guys, three girls, all in leather, all watching her. They look intimidating, sure, but not in an illegal or gangster way. Just... the type of people she wouldn't casually walk up to. the girls smile weakly at her, they look.. sexy in their shorts and skirts, of course it looked like a friend group with couples. "who is the owner here?" She ask again as frustration spills out.
That's when he appears
A tall, young man...much younger than the other three men around, steps out from the middle of chaos, wiping his hands on a rag, tattoos in his palms catching the light as he glances at her with that casual, lazy confidence. He had this aura in him that made him shine from the crowd, daunting and cold. With his piercing on his lip, he definitely looked rough around the edges.
"Yeah?" he says, as if he hadn't just burst in ready to fight the entire building. She sighs, clearing her throat as she speaks. "I knocked on your wall the past three days asking you to keep it down, and I was ignored." She mutters, and he frowns. "Your crowd is too loud for the others to work. If you could keep it down, I would very much appreciate it." He bites his inner cheek and shakes his head. "I heard you. Didn't care." He mutters.
Her jaw drops, completely unprepared for such blunt rudeness. No one has ever been so cold, so... indifferent to her before. Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she couldn't even form words.
He blinks twice, noticing how she flinches and opens her mouth, the tiniest flicker of vulnerability in her soft, unguarded expression. "How...rude." She whispers under her breath, hoping he hears it but also doesn't.
"We're fixing bikes. Noise happens. Can't really control it. We're not going to stop working just because it bothers you."
"And what about bothering me? You're so loud, I can't work at all!! As if that wasn't enough, you're scaring away my customers!" He chuckles at her words.
His hand is on his hips now as he takes her in. His eyes scan her top to toe. She's so messy. Her apron is dirty, her...fingers are covered in mud? He can't figure it out, he doesn't even know where she's coming from. "Look, I don't care about your customers."
He shrugs, voice flat, eyes still on her. "This is my space. You'll just have to deal." She shakes her head in anger, fingers raising to push back her glasses that sit on her nose. "You really are a mess, huh?" He tilts his head, scanning her apron and muddy fingers again. "I don't even know what to make of you."
" Turn the apocalypse down, or I'll make one myself!" His eyebrows raise at her sass, she's such a small human, he could easily flick her away. So cute to think she would start one.
"Try." He mutters. "Oh, I will!" She folds her arms and walks away, back to her little shop. Jungkook smirks, thinking about what just happened.
'I'm curious to know what she will do.' - He thinks.
Getting back to his business, "Who was she?" Sejung asks as she places a hand on his arm. "Neighbour. Forget about her." He mutters, getting back to fixing the engine of the bike.
Mu Hee groans as she gets back inside. They haven't made any changes. His music is still loud, so is the engine. This is going to be bad. So, so bad. She's not ready for this mentally or physically.
,
"Oh no, I left the window open!!" Mu hee groaned as she removed her shoes and placed them gently on the rack, running to close the living room window that had accidentally been left open. Not only would there be mosquitoes tonight, but that cat must have made its way inside again. She sighed and looked around her room, in search of that ginger that somehow always breaks into her apartment and hides itself from her.
"Where are you, Ginger? Show yourself. Where did you hide this time?" She talked to the kitty as she looked under the coffee table, in between her cushions, behind the chairs.
"ah ha! There you are!" She found it stretching itself at the sight of her, this time it was behind the curtain. Mu hee shook her head and squatted to rub it. "Kitty, you need to stop hiding from me. I'm not going to eat you, just... show me where you stay, and I will let you. Don't hide from me!" She mumbled in a baby voice, rubbing its open stomach for her as it purred at her touch.
"Come on, I'll give you some leftover tuna." She grabs the opened tin from the fridge and puts it on a plastic plate, dancing in front of the cat to come to her. "Here's the food! Come here, come on, kitty!" She laughs when it runs to her, sniffing the plate before it dives in. "Aww, you're such a cutie!" She giggles, rubbing its head before preparing a toast for herself.
Heading to bed, she could not stop thinking about the encounter she had with her new neighbour. She's hoping things get better, or she really might have to start an apocalypse, trying to chase him away! But how... Her brain starts to make up scenarios, a tiny, wicked little giggle escapes as she slowly drifts to slumber, looking at the glow in the dark stars pasted on the ceiling.
,
what a way to start the day. She smile. forcibly. fakely. because right at her entrance, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smoking a cigarette is-
him.
Wow. Beautiful sight.
She ignores him entirely and walks straight to her door, keys out. He glances at her once, then does a slow double-take.Â
'Oh shit, she's the owner of this shop!' It finally clicks for him.
'What do you even sell?'
he turns fully to take a glance at what's inside this shop and he sees handmade stuff, cups and shit.
'Oh... right. Makes sense.' - he thinks.
She smiled at the morning sun and skipped right past him, pretending he's part of the wall. Because the sun is so beautiful today, so bright and yellow and lovely. A little bad breeze isn't going to make her forget to smile at the golden sun! He knows that she's ignoring him because he saw her greet a random stranger at the top of the lane.
She had this huge ass smile and bowed like 180 degrees and waved like you saw a celebrity. How much energy does one have in the morning? He can barely open his eyes when he's out at 9.
And the way she walked past him like he was air?
Professional-level ignoring. Olympic tier.
He had no intention to bother her, he doesn't really care. But he glared at him through the glass, wondering why he's camped out in front of her shop, sipping his coffee like he owns the entire street.
'Not my business.' - she thinks
'As long as he stays on his side and acts like a civilized human being, everything is fine.
Perfectly fine. Great, even.'
So she smiled and got back to her daily routine. "Oh my god, you're coming out so well today!!!!" She spoke to the clay, excited at how lovely it was turning out. Even with experience, some days either the clay doesn't cooperate or she's just not in the right state of mind with patience. But today, wow! It's so beautifully coming out and she couldn't have been happier.
"Please don't crack, you're the best pot I've made in a while!! Please hold on, please please." She mumbled to the pot like it could hear her, as she placed it on the shelf carefully. Everything was going well, it seemed like her bad neighbour had respected her words yesterday and was doing well at keeping down. Or so she thought.
Because as soon as the clock hits 7, the noise starts banging the walls. This time, louder than ever. Since only a thin wall separates them both, the sound of his music beats and revving engines is almost unbearable. The vibrations rattle everything- Mu Hee's shelves, her brushes, even the drying pots.
She gasps at a sudden crack! and spins around- only to see it. The beautiful pot she carefully shaped that morning... cracked down the middle.
Her hands freeze over the clay. Her chest tightens.
She's mad. She's mad, mad right now. She stomps to her radio, letting her fingers roll over the scroll, allowing the indie music to scream.
'If he's going to do this even after you asked him not to... kindly, then he's going to have to get a taste of his own medicine.' - she thinks
'His annoying rock music gets louder, wow. So this is a music war now, huh? Who's got the louder music? Huh, he thinks his stupid rock is going to win. No chance.'
She grabs her speaker, connecting her Spotify because of course this JBL speaker is going to be louder. She places it right near the wall and plays her R&B mix. Indie isn't the vibe right now. Her R&B mix goes on shuffle and voila! Heartless by The Weeknd plays, "Amazing Spotify, you just know me!" She mutters.
Jungkook stands in the back half of the building, jaw tight, listening. He hears the smooth R&B pulsing through the wall and lets out a low chuckle.
'She thinks she's winning,' he thinks. Doesn't matter.
Namjoon and Taehyung peek out from under the engine, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you planning on making us deaf?" Namjoon mutters, shielding his ears.
Jungkook shrugs, turning back to the bike. 'Let her try.'
Taehyung glances at the wall, eyes narrowing. "Enemy territory music wars," he mutters under his breath, ducking back under the bike.
Jungkook doesn't respond. He just turns back to the engine, as calm and unbothered as ever.
She crossed her arms and let the music get to her. There was no change in his volume, so she'd keep it high too.
'He thinks he can do whatever he wants to and il let it slide? No way, he's dealing with the wrong one. I may be kind, too kind, but not to shit heads like him. No. They don't deserve my kindness.' - she thinks
,
The next few days are all just...annoyance getting the best of her. My hee keeps knocking on the wall, banging even. Because he just doesn't listen. She knows he's ignoring her, but why? damn, is he just...acting like she doesn't exist? Jungkook is just unbothered, it's his half and he's doing what he wants to. Maybe he's ... doing it more because she complained to him like she owns the place, but the knocking and everything is annoying him as time passes.
She's also started leaving him stupid notes, pasted on his door.
He reads it, then scrunches it up and tosses it on the ground.
' You really think you can control me?'he thinks. Never.
The next day, she comes to her shop and sees a note stuck to her door.
[Stop trying, it won't work - jk ]
She scoffs and tears the paper.
'The guts he has. Oh fuck, he's so, so, so irritating.'
,
Jungkook comes the next day to see another note. This time... it makes him mad.
[All your helmets will be used as flower pots, alllll covered in MUD >0< ]
This b-
He doesn't do anything about it though. He knows she's trying to get a reaction from him and he's not going to let that happen. Instead, he gets cautious. His eyes follow the window of his half.
The little teeny window in the thin wall is covered on Jungkook's side. It's locked from the back half, and honestly, he didn't need it. Why would he want to peek into the front? He didn't bother breaking it, either, busy with engine work and setting up the garage.
But now...now he's going to keep an eye on her so she doesn't harm any of his helmets. Who knows, maybe she's a crazy woman? He can't let some kid ruin them with clay. So he removes the cloth that covered it, taking a peek inside her shop. Right...he can see everything from here.
He looks around. Her shop is colourful, almost painfully bright compared to his dark garage. Then there she is, wearing an apron, shaking her head to the music, her hands covered in clay as she lifts them to wipe off the sweat from her forehead with her arms.
'Yuck!' - he thinks.
A customer walks in and her head snaps fast, "Hello!!! Welcome to Haru Haru!!" Her greeting is so loud, he could hear her through his loud music.
What is she, really? She's nothing like he's ever seen, she's nothing like his female friends at all. He's solely observing her so she doesn't ruin his stuff, he turns his music down too for that reason, to keep her away.
She feels so much at ease, it must be the note, she thinks, giggling at how he's changed so suddenly.
'See! Sometimes threatening helps!'
Your days pass by with so much less trouble, she can hear her music well, her customers are not scared away.
'This is how it's supposed to be, grumpy!'
She shapes her cups and cleans the mess it leaves all behind. When Mu Hee's too happy, she greets every single stranger she meets down the lane and Jungkook seems to notice that whenever he walks out to catch some air, when the garage is too oily. She's always smiling and he's always frowning.
Mu Hee finds cats down the street, kittens too, and plays with them, feeds them her lunch sometimes. The little things make her so happy! "Oh little kitty, are you okay? Are you hungry? Here, have some bread." She mumbles, rubbing its little head as she pulls them to her lap and feeds them bits of her peanut butter sandwich.
His days are measured- coffee in the morning, engine grease on his hands, his bike, music in the background, a nod to friends now and then. Reserved and simple. He doesn't speak much, only when needed, keeps things to himself even with his friends. He loves his schedule and doesn't think he's ever going to change it.
With his new neighbour now, the two of them have no choice but to blend into each other's lives. If a war starts, it's never going to end, so maybe it's best to let it play out. They both want to listen to music? Fine. Play it. Just not loud enough to ruin the other's mood. When the volume on his side climbs, she glares at the wall, rolls her eyes, and takes a moment before crashing back to work.
Jungkook, on the other hand, just chuckles... stealing quick glances at her through his window.
,
Meanwhile, Jungkook slips back into his world- the garage, the boys, the engines. "Let's check this bad boy!" Taehyung mutters as he revs the car, whistling at the sound.
"Fire, dude," Namjoon laughs, the boys enjoying the show as they inspect the customer's car.
"Let's get to work, rev again." Jungkook grabs his tools, glancing at the window from time to time. When Taehyung revs a bit too loudly, Jungkook notices her shelf wobble through his vibrations, and a cup falls to the ground. Her customer gasps, thinking it's her fault, but she knows it's not.
Jungkook knows it's not too. It's ... his fault. Mu Hee reacts lightly, he sees her shaking her head, consoling her customer that it's not their mistake.
Her shoulders drop when her customer walks out of her shop. Jungkook notices it all. He chooses to stay silent. It pricks him more when he watches Mu Hee bend down to pick the pieces and ... she just stays there, looking at it for what seemed like an hour.
Jungkook gets back to his work, but he becomes weirdly aware of her. He brushes it off, slightly guilty about the cup scene. Even the next day, as he tightens the bolts along the valve cover, her reaction sticks to him like oil on his hands. He tilts his head and tsks, why was he thinking of her? It's just a cup, it's not a big deal. He can't focus on this anymore, so he walks out for some fresh air.
Putting on his denim jacket over his black tee, he wipes his hands and steps out. The sunlight isn't too bright, it's just perfect. He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Hello?! Get out of the way!" he hears her scream. He glances over his shoulder and sees her waving at him.
"You're covering the sun," she mutters, squinting up at him like he personally dimmed the entire sky.
Jungkook exhales sharply, his head tipping back as if the heavens can save him.
Great. He came outside specifically to get his mind off herâ and here she's are again. Like a glitch he can't shut off.
It's always her. In that stupid apron, humming,
smiling at strangers like she's hosting a festival and leaving notes on his door like a menace in pastel colours.
Ever since he moved here, it's been her, her, her.
He doesn't even know her name.
He doesn't know what the hell is happening. He never had these problems in his old building. Nobody talked to him. Nobody bothered him. Everything made sense.
But here? Here nothing makes sense.
Not the cracked pot.
Not the music wars.
Not the way she glares at him like he personally stole her oxygen.
And especially not the way she takes up space in his head like she pays rent.
What is the damn issue here?
"I'm in my property." He says and she smiles fakely. "True that helmet hoarder, but this door is mine too. And you're blocking the sun from it." He frowns at the stupid nickname she'd given him. 'Helmet hoarder?'
"Shoo away, move an inch to the side and we're good to go." He scoffs and walks away. She's increasing his bp a bit too much. He just can't do it anymore. He decides to walk it off, mind, irritation, all of it, grabbing an iced americano from the corner stall. Maybe caffeine will drown the chaos.
His phone buzzes.
Meri: Kookie! Are we meeting tonight?
Jungkook stops walking. Exhales through his nose.
He types back one word: No.
Meri...
His old neighbour.
Clingy, loud in ways he never liked. Always wrapping her hands around his arm, always convincing herself he was hers. Too flirtatious, too touchy, too obvious. She texted like it was her job, flirted like it was a sport.
But she never got into his head. Never took up space. Never made him think twice. Her attention was predictable , easy to ignore. But then he never had to be guilty over again for her or over her.
But his new neighbour...
She doesn't want him, doesn't fawn over him, doesn't even look at him unless it's to glare. She's not flirtatious. She's not even trying.
And yet she's the one stuck in his thoughts like a splinter.
So irritating.
It's all that stupid cup, it's all guilt. He convinces himself.
And the worst part?
She doesn't care. Not even a little.
And that is what bothers him. She doesn't give a reaction unless she's fully triggered. And even then, she remains calm, the drop of her shoulders when the customer ran away blurs his mind again. It kept him up all night and is clodding his mind even now. He couldn't see her face but he knew she was sad, that her cup broke and her potential customer had been scared away.
Jungkook comes back down the street, iced americano in hand.
He passes by her shop, planning to walk straight past, but he freezes when he hears her voice.
Again.
She's waving at strangers like lost puppies, her loud laugh bouncing off the walls. Before he can stop himself, his eyes widen, tuning into the noise. "How many this time?!" someone asks. "Thirty!! Freaking thirty Hello Kitty mugs! Can you believe it?!"
She squeaks so loudly he almost drops his drink. "Oh Sol, Sol, Sol, I'm gonna be busyyyyy!" "Yes ma'am!!"Jungkook blinks, he keeps moving.
He doesn't hear from her for a while, he doesn't hear her music either.
'Are you even there?' he peeks through the window... just. And she's there. But she's quiet. Why? He doesn't really know, he doesn't even know why he's paying so much attention to her.
But he's curious why she's been so silent. He doesn't play music because the electric keeps getting cut; the weather has been acting up lately. Oh. It clicks him then, the weather. The past two days, his lights have been flickering , his speakers hiccup because there's no signal. It's the rain. Which means... she's in trouble.
,
'Oh no, no, no!!!! It's the third day and the power's gone off again! For the third time of the day!' She's so mad, she hasn't even completed ten pieces. With the rain ruining her drying time and the power cutting every few hours, her usual two-week schedule was turning into a month-long nightmare. She groaned and sulked the whole evening.
She's suspicious... what if he's doing this? But she never asks, avoiding him is for the best. She packs up much later, since the power comes by night, she stays at the shop all night. She wishes she lived around, it would've been easier to pull an all-nighter.
Jungkook notices her lights on, he leaves past 10 and frowns at the sight of her still working. He wonders where she lives, because the streets are dead past 9 here.
,
Ninth day â one week before the deadline.
Jungkook is under a car, fixing wiring while he vibes to music. When he focuses, he chews on his lip ring without noticing, exactly what he's doing now. He reaches for the drill with his other hand, ready to use it when-
Snap.
Everything dies at once.
His music.
The drill.
The lights.
The weather's been gloomy for days, getting dark by 3 pm, so the blackout hits harder when you're under a damn car. He pushes himself out by his feet, glancing towards your tiny window to check if it's only his side.
Nope. Her shop is dead too, even her colourful fairy lights. He hears her mutter a tiny, broken "fuck." Jungkook gets up, tossing on his leather jacket over his white tank. He steps outside and sees the entire street swallowed in darkness.
A second later, her door jingles as she rushes out, locking it behind you. "Did you do that?" She demands. He frowns instantly. "Why the hell would I turn the whole neighbourhood off?"
What kind of villain does she think he is?
"I don't know! Because you hate me?" She blurts out, throwing her hands everywhere. She's clearly panicking- and clearly not thinking before speaking.
His jaw tightens. "I don't hate you," he says flatly. Then he glances at her shaking hands. "Calm down. It's just the power."
He's trying NOT to care, but he clearly sees she's stressed. "Calm down?! I needed at least ten mugs done to say! How am I gonna finish it?" She groans, walking back to her shop.
Jungkook doesn't know what to do. He shifts, scratches the back of his neck, guilt kicking in because her cup broke because of him earlier. It doesn't have to do anything with the situation right now, but maybe he could do... some help?
He walks inside her shop, surprise taking her in at his appearance, but she's too stressed out to speak, worried about how she's going to be done with this when she's got a week left. Mu Hee grumbles something like, "I can't see anything, I can't finish my glazing, I'm so behind," and sighs.
He sees the unpainted pieces behind her, the brushes, the mess, her annoyance, and the empty space of the cup that broke... before. "...You have a deadline, don't you?"
Mu Hee shrugs, frustrated, sad. She whispers, "guess I'll never make it." She bends down to pick the brushes up, too little light to see what she's doing. She doesn't want to accidentally step on something she's made. "I have a flashlight. And... a battery lamp. I can bring it. So you can finish whatever you were... painting."
He tries to sound like he doesn't care, but he does.
He's noticing the colours on her hands, the clay on her apron, the small details he's never bothered looking at. Mu Hee looks at him, wide eyes. "you;ll... you'll do that for me?" She asks softly and he...reluctantly nods. She looks so hopeful, her eyes shone even when it's so damn dark here.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just... broke one of your pieces. So, I'm fixing it. That's all." She blinks at what he had taken back. 'When did he break your- oh...that day. He... he knew baou tit? He saw? How?' A million questions ran in her mind.
"I'll... bring them." He mutters and leaves. Jungkook grabs his flashlights and his phone just in case she needed more light. He glances at the window and sees Mu Hee covering her face with her hands. He sighs and walks back to her shop.
The bells chime and she turns up to look at him. He turns on the flash to her and sees her eyes welled up in tears. His heart crushes at the sight of him being stressed out. He's never seen her look so ... sad. Jungkook swallows a lump down his throat as he walks closer to her. "Here... light." She looks away, pulling her nose as she blinks back the tears. "T-thanks."
She looks around, processing everything. He moves the flash around to help her. "You...you can sit- um, I don't have an extra-" "I'm good. Carry on." She nods, taking a deep breath as she begins to glaze the rest of the pots. Jungkook watched as she dipped the pot into a bowl of thick liquid, lifting it out with a soft shake of her wrist. The dull clay slowly darkened, changing right in front of his eyes.
Curiosity itches, he wants to know what she's doing, but he doesn't want her to think he's into this... everything. "What's this?" he asks. "It's glaze," Mu Hee replies quietly, brushing the liquid over the pot. "It's what makes it shiny. What makes it last." He nods, fascinated by whatever she's doing.
He keeps standing, bothering her, but she doesn't say anything. After a few minutes pass, he realises this is taking time, so he walks beside her and sits on the floor. Mu Hee looks at him with wide eyes. "The floor...is dirty- " "I work with dirt and oil every day. I'm fine." He mutters. "Okay..." she whispers under her breath.
Jungkook holds the flash, moves around to help her look at the sides of the mugs, perfecting the glaze. He takes glances at her, the round glasses sit in the bridge of her nose, her hair, which was tied into a bun, is quite messy now, strands of layers wrap around her forehead and fall down to her eyes, but she ignores them.
He notices how she bites the inside of her lower lip when she focuses and her brows squeeze together. Her fingers move around, Mu Hee sighs when she finally finishes one round, wiping the sweat beads off her forehead with her cardigan sleeve.
Jungkook is an introvert and an observer. If he chooses something of interest, which he barely does! Almost never, but it must really fascinate him to make him observe, and this time, after a long, long time, it is she.
This makes him think... he doesn't even know her name. Should he ask her?
"So you're... Haru?"Â He asks hesitantly. She looks at him with surprise in her eyes.
'Did he... ask for my name?' "Cha mu hee." She says softly. The name settles in his chest like it belongs there.
"Cha... mu hee."
He whispers, saying her name to hear how it sounds. "Yup, that's me."Â She smiles, getting back to the mugs. Jungkook looks at her hands, his brows knit together. Her name repeats in his mind like a mantra.
'Why does it sound so... her?' - he thinks
"Hello?" You say, the flashlight he holds has moved away from the mugs and he's zoned out. You don't know his name except for his initials - JK.
"Hellooo!?!!" "Yeah?" He moves looking back at her, jittering. 'The light. Oh yeah.' He shifts back to her and helps with the flash. Mu hee takes glances at him, noticing how he's always got that frown on his face.
'He's gonna be left with wrinkles on his forehead very, very soon.'
The silence was now too loud, it wasn't as uncomfortable as she expected it to be yet it was still too quiet for her liking. "Why did you think my name was Haru?" She asks quietly. He looks up to her face, then back down to her hands. "Your shop is Haru Haru." He murmurs and she giggles.
"Ohhhhh! That must've been why! No, actually, I wouldn't name my shop after me!" She laughs while he looks at her. "I named my shop after my cat, Haru. She passed away due to... a car accident." Jungkook nods, feeling upset about how her tone changed.
He notices her fingers... they're long, slim, and beautiful. Even though they're covered in the glaze and her fingernails are filled with them.
"What's your name?" She asks him, looking up to face the man for once. She's tired but almost done with the cups so that's a relief. "Jungkook." He mutters. "Ah!"
'Now you know what his initials mean, Jung-Kook!'
"Jeon Jungkook." He looks just like his name.
Mu hee sighs with a nod as she places the mugs away and stands up. "All done!" She washes off her hands and tools while Jungkook walks behind her with the flash. She removes her apron and glasses, letting down her hair. He then notices the length of her hair- medium length, straightened, suits her well. Mu hee turns around and looks at him, a soft smile on her face.
"Thanks for your help. I'm... sorry, I must've kept you away from your work."
"All good," he mutters, turning off the flash.
They both walk out of the shop. He waits outside while she lock up. Jungkook takes a moment to look at her. Mu hee smile and nod as a final thank you before she leave.
"I'll get going..."
He nods, placing his hands inside his pockets. She gives him one last smile before making her way to the top of the street. It's late, yes â but fortunately the power outage was just this lane, not the main streets, so she'll be safe.
Jungkook stays for a moment, eyes drifting down the street. The shops are dark, quiet â like nothing happened at all.
He still hasn't finished his work. The wiring under the car sits half-done, abandoned. There's no point going back without power, so he locks up instead.
It shouldn't bother him.
But it does.
The name - Mu Hee, follows him home. It settles into his thoughts, soft and persistent. A beautiful name. One he has no reason to remember.
And yet, he does.
He shakes it off as he reaches out for the beer in his fridge door. The can hisses open. He slumps onto the couch, taking a long sip. His mind betrays him anyway , her fingers brushing glazed mugs, the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the way she pushes them up with her arm. Irritation flares. He drains the can, crushes it in his fist, tosses it into the bin. A shower. Sleep. Anything to stop thinking about the potter girl next door.
Standing at the top of the lane, he shakes his head at the sight of Mu Hee feeding a stray cat. "Where's the ginger? She's not here today?" She murmurs as she caresses the white cat's head while feeding it bread. Jungkook sighs, his hands slipping into the pockets of his denim while he takes her in.
"Oh! Good morning, aunty!" She greets the grandma that jogs every morning. "Good morning, lovely Mu Hee." That name... Jungkook clenches his jaw, running away from this place to his shop. She glances at him, getting back to her feet, dusting her hands. "Bye bye." She mutters to the cat and makes her way down the shop. Jungkook isn't too far away from her; she meets his eyes with a soft, lived smile. "Morning..." she murmurs and he nods.
She looks down at her keys, feeling the ridges of them. They both pause. He doesn't walk into his shop, neither does she. But he hesitates, fingers tightening around her keys. She wants to thank him ... she doesn't know how. Maybe because it's him?
Jungkook. The JK of the threatening notes he sent back to her. He doesn't know what to say, heck, he doesn't know why he's standing out here.
"Powers back..." she mutters, eyes shining with the sunlight. "Yeah." He says blankly. Silence. She bites her lips with a nod. "Thanks...for yesterday." He looks up and sees that smile on her face. "Anyone would've helped." She nods again and smiles, her thumb pointing to the shop, letting him know she's getting to work. He nods back too, making his way to the garage. He heaves a loud sigh when she's gone.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' - he thinks.
As the days pass, things keep changing. Even though they're too subtle to notice by anyone else, he knows it. His music feels too loud, so he keeps it down. Day by day, it gets lower and lower so he can hear what his front half is playing. He doesn't care like that; he's just curious. "Hey, kook? What are you doing?" Namjoon wakes him up. "tf is you fixing? You just removed the whole damn thing?" "Oh shit." Jungkook's mind isn't at the right place, and it's all one person's fault.
Cha Mu Hee.
It was just a name. He tells himself, yet he keeps digging into it too. Taking peeks from the window has become very much frequent now. He starts to take more interest there than the engine down. He notices her scrunching her nose whenever she receives a compliment. The way her eyes shine as she comes down to the shop every morning. How she constantly talks to herself, thinking no one can hear her, but he can.
He looks at her without the fear of being caught; she never looks this way. Mu hee does too - just not at the same time. The tension between the thin wall feels like a tug-of-war, but neither of them is trying to win. She's been a teeny bit distracted herself; it's more of why did the war die? There's no more music wars, no paper threats; it's peaceful. It's always been peaceful before he'd shifted here; she likes it. Of course, it's not a problem, but why does it feel different?
He takes breaks from time to time, leaning against her shop while he has his coffee, watching the empty, quiet street. He glances at her from the corner of his eyes; she moulds the clay while vibing to the music. A few dance moves here and there. She's a sunshine, sunshine next to his darkness. He finds it ironic. He finds it funny. He finds it...
'Stop. Stop it, Jungkook.'
He walks to the only BBQ place he finds comforting. It's quiet there, easy. A small break from the two places he's constantly at: his house and the shop.
Neither lets him breathe.
At the shop, he keeps catching himself looking for her.
At home, he sees her everywhere.
The steady sizzle of meat on the grill pulls him back to the present. The smoke, the low hum of conversation, the clink of glasses- it dulls the noise in his head. He still thinks about her, of course. He always does.
But here, it doesn't feel like his mind is eating itself.
,
sol's birthday was coming up and if theres one thing she loves, LOVES. its Mu Hee's hot fudge filled chooclate lava cookies. which.. sound like alot but it isnt, its her special recipe which she'd mastered a year ago and is now only baked for special events and sol's birthday is one of them, the only one actually.
She stopped by the mart to get the ingrediants, as she look at the list she pause for a moment.
'Since I'm baking cookies anyway, maybe I could bake extra for my new neighbours too. I couldn't give him a welcome gift, although it's quite late, maybe he'd like to have some sweets. But...he doesn't seem like someone who would eat sugar-leave it, that's up to him if he wants to have it or not.' She thinks.
She wanted to thank him for that night too. He helped her so much, so the least she could do was bake something. So you buy an extra of every ingredient to make two batches. Walking up the stairs with bags of flour, butter, and sugar was a task. The elevator is under maintenance, so she stops by each five steps and takes in deep breaths. She pushes the bags up her elbow. "Ugh!"
Mu Hee cries as she forces herself to walk one more step. The eggs, she was worried about the eggs that she got. She couldn't drag the bags either, the eggs are too fragile and expensive! She didn't want to harm any of them. "Oh my goodness." She drops the bags at the doorstep and type the digital lock. The door opens.
She drags the bags inside and places them on the counter. Mu Hee takes a cold water bottle from the fridge, gulping down to quench her thirst. It's been a long day at work. She looks down at her hands. The scrapes on her knuckles are evident today. A pout forms on her face as she flexes her fingers, stiff from hours at the wheel. She makes her way to the washroom.
Her most favourite part of the day has to be showering. Mu Hee loves the earthy smell that she brings home, but it can also be too much sometimes, especially when she wants a break. Dinner wasn't made tonight. She wanted to have some cereal with milk, and that's what she did.
The furry cat sits beside her on the couch, curled up into a ball, sleeping quietly while she stares into the wall. Her thoughts are blank, still loud. The night passes by and she passes out on the couch, too tired to walk back to her bedroom.
Sol ; bestie, what's my birthday plan?
Mu Hee: Nothing.
Sol ; rudeeee! Do something for me, make something for me
Mu Hee ; i thought you didn't like any of my pottery work
Sol ; its z i can't handle fraglie stuff. don't wanna drop it off, would break my heart
Mu Hee ; sure Sol, sure!
Mu Her prepares the batter - flour, butter, egg, chocolate. all the goodies in one bowl. dancing to her favorite songs, the spatula becomes her mike. "tears run down my thiiiiighs!" Sabrina carpenter plays loud in her headphones. Mu Hee loves indie yes but! pop is everyone's favorite, cooking and music goes hand in hand. she pokes her finger into the batter, getting a taste. "mmmm" she hums and claps.
The very large quantity scares her; she's always made a small batch just for Sol, but the batter tasted good, cookies never go wrong anyway- right? The ginger sits on the counter, watching her with half-closed eyes, paws tucked under her body. "I wonder where you come from, but I think you like here better than your... own place." She speaks, the cat yawns. Mu Hee giggles.
Until the cookies bake, she decorates the two boxes, one for Sol and one for her neighbour.. Sol's box is purple, her favorite color with butterflies and flowers while Jungkook's is... black.
Mu hee obviously isn't aware of what his fvouite color is, but she assumes it's black, because all he ever wears is black and white. She doesn't overly decorate his box,
keeps it minimal. Too much decoration might give the wrong impression and she doesn't want that.
she doesn't want to come off crazy. She licks the bowl clean while some random drama plays on TV. When the cookies come out golden and perfect, she does a little victory dance. "Sol is gonna loooove this." she sighs as she places the other half of the cookies in Jungkook's box. she hopes he likes it. or...the least, tries it. Mu Hee smiles shortly and closes the two boxes, leaving them onthe counter, wainting to hand them over tomorrorw.
her feet keeps shaking, her eyes keep glancing at the window.
"should i go now?" she asks herself. shes been asking herself that about 50 times. no...not now. she says after. mu hee tried finding a 4 leafed clover on her way to the shop as good luck and failed. it made her anxious even more. theres someting about...goign to his side. jungkook has not been too cold to her, hes just unapproachable and gives off. do not distub vibes.
But half a day is gone and even though she hadn't gotten a glimpse of Jungkook today, it makes her more scared and Mu Hee still hasn't given the cookies to him. "I should just do it." She mutters. She gets on her feet and does a reenactment, "Hi...um, I made you some cookies as a welcome gift-" She holds the box out and smiles.
"Ugh nooo!-" She steps back. Again, she takes a step forward, imagining she's in front of Jungkook's door and he's in front of her, "hi JK i made you - noo don't say JK!" She cusses and steps back again. Taking a deep breath, she does one more reenactment, "Hello Jungkook. I made you a little welcome gift. Hope you like it."
She says and nods. "Yes, that would do!" She walks out of her shop, slowly making her way to the back half of the building. Her hands shake as she holds the box tight, anxiously looking around as she gulps down. She peeps into the garage, a few men working around a black car. "Okay!" She breathes, giving herself one final nod before stepping to their entrance.
A tall guy, much taller than the others, raises his eyebrows at the look of her. He wipes off his hands with a serviette before making his way to her. "Hey." He says, Mu Hee smiles at him and looks around again, finding him. Namjoon clicks his teeth and sighs, "He's not at work today." 'shit-' she thinks. "Oh... " She mumbles disappointedly, a pout sits on her face.
The way Namjoon says it so casually makes her feel stupid for caring. "I made you guys some cookies. I... hadn't given a welcome gift before, I'm sorry I'm late." "Oh no worries!" He takes the box that she hands over and looks inside through the transparent lid. "Wow! These look amazing." "What looks amazing?"
Another guy walks out, his hair disheveled like he'd been working under the car, oil stains on his sleeveless vest. 'He looks so ...handsome' - Mu Hee thinks. "Woah! They actually look insane. Thanks...?" The both of them raise their brows, asking for her name. "Oh! Mu Hee... Cha Mu Hee!" They chuckle and nod. "Thanks Mu Hee, we're gonna devour them now." "What's your name?"
"I'm Namjoon." "I'm Taehyung." They smile. Namjoon's dimples look so cute. She'll probably forget their names later - but Namjoon's dimples? Those are unforgettable. "Enjoy guys! And... welcome the neighbourhood, although I'm...months late." They laugh and wave at her.
Mu Hee returns to her shop. She stares blankly at the ground, disappointment carried in her eyes. She packs up her stuff and heads to Mama's Pot Shop. Riding the bus, she keeps looking out the window. The city passes in blurs of grey and neon. She presses her forehead to the window, watching strangers walk with purpose.
It's silly. He's just a neighbour.
So why does it feel like she missed something important? She pushes open the window to allow the wind to hit her face. Closing her eyes, she lets the soft air take away her unresolved thoughts and feelings.
,
The morning comes by, Mu Hee was tired from last night, sol had pulled an all-nighter with her and she couldn't say no when it was the birthday girl's wish to watch the barbie movies to relive her teenage years since she turned 25 and was starting to feel too old. So today was going to be a hard day with little to no sleep but she can't delay this anymore when there's less than a week left to pack them up so all her focus is on the painting and final details.
She didn't think about yesterday, she couldn't when there was too much work left. She wondered if Jungkook had at least tasted them? Then again she won't ever know although Namjoon and Taehyung complimented and thanked her a hundred times, she giggled at the memory of that. Sol too, gave her the tightest hug ever. Said she missed these so fucking much. And can't wait for her next year's birthday if this is what she's going to get every year on this day.
A yawn leaves her lips as she stretches her hands and spine. "Done for the day, Mu Hee. Let's get going." She says aloud. The exhaustion is creeping up, she plans on not having dinner tonight, just the bed.Â
"Yeah, will do that tomorrow," Namjoon says to Jungkook who nods, while he closes up. "Oh hi, pottery girl!!" Jungkook frowns at the loud-pitched hi, Namjoon says. "Hihi Joon!" He hears ... Mu Hee saying back?
"Thanks a lot again, those were the best I've had in a while." The crease in Jungkook's brows grows deep. 'What is he thanking her for?' - He thinks. What did he...miss? "Oh no worries! I'll il definitely make you more soon." She looks at her left, seeing Jungkook enter with confusion written on his face. "What's going on?" He asks and she blinks a few times. A hint of sadness, clicking by before she smiles.
"I'll be going, I'm kinda late today, my cat must be hungry." She gulps and walks away. Namjoon looks at his friend, hitting his shoulder. "The cookies, Kookie." "What cookies? Why were you thanking her?" The dimpled guy got hit by a truck when he realised that... Taehyun and him had eaten all of them and left none of Jungkook.
"fuckk!! The pottery girl-" "Mu hee! Mu hee is her name." Jungkook corrected him. "Yeah, her, she gave you some cookies that she made as a welcome gift, but you didn't come to work yesterday, so..."
Jungkook frowns a chuckles. 'dumbass-' he thinks as he brushes past Namjoon. "I said I'm sorry! They were too good to have leftover! Kook!!!" He screams as Jungkook walks away, running to find her.
Mu Hee feels sad, more because Jungkook had no idea of the cookies. It didn't matter to her, why was this becoming a problem, she thinks. She grips her bag as she waits at the bus stop. "Mu Hee!" she hears her name vaguely, but she's unsure if she heard it right.
'Who would be calling for me?' - she thinks. "Mu Hee!" she hears again and looks round to find... Jungkook running? "Cha Mu Hee!" He finally makes it to the bus stop and heaves his breathing. She frowns at the look of him.
'What was he doing here? Did he... run to catch me?' - she thinks. "Is everything okay?" she asks. He nods, looking around the empty road. "Did you...have dinner?" She shakes her head. "Not yet." He nods. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I... um- I know a good BBQ place."
Her eyes widen at his words, unable to process what he'd said. "Dinner with... you?" He gulps before nodding. She fixes her cream beanie and blinks. "Uh...sure!" She mumbles and he sighs. "Stay right here, i'll...get my bike." "Huh?" She gasps. "My... bike. Wait here."
She thought the both of them were going to walk to a place, not...ride his bike. "Oh uh...." She stammers. "I'll come with you." "No, it's far. Just- just sit here." She hesitantly nods as he runs back to the street to get his bike. Mu Hee slowly walks back to the bench and sits down, looking around in confusion. Her thoughts louder than the vehicles on the road. She taps her feet anxiously, waiting for Jungkook to come by.
She turns at the roar of the bike, rising from her seat and walking to the edge of the street where he pulls up. He removes his helmet and holds it out to her.
She tilts her head, pointing at herself.
He nods.
"I... thanks?"
She takes it carefully, brushing her hair back behind her ears before sliding the helmet on. The loose straps dangle at the sides of her jaw, and Jungkook hides a soft smile as he reaches forward, gathers them beneath her chin, and clicks the clasp into place. The helmet being too big for her makes him bite his lip. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Her hands fold into a fist, unsure where to hold. Behind the helmet, her teeth pick at her lips, anxiously. Jungkook looks over his shoulder, noticing the evident struggle. "Hold me." he mutters. Mu hee looks up, grateful for the darkness - and the helmet that hides whatever might be written across her face. She hesitates before placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch light at first, almost unsure.
He grips the handlebars, revving the engine, the sound rumbling between them before he pulls away. The moment the bike moves, her fingers tighten around his shoulders.
And Jungkook's heart stutters at the feeling.
He doesn't go too fast - he knows she's scared.
Her hands cling to him like her life depends on it, fingers curling tighter every time the engine hum deepens between them. He keeps the speed steady, careful, controlled.
Jungkook has given rides before - a few girls, mutual friends who needed to get somewhere urgently, or when his bike happened to be the only spare seat left in a crowded plan. It had never meant anything. Just convenience. Just timing.
But this...
This is the first time he's riding with someone he wants behind him.
The first time he's aware of every inch of space between them. The first time he's grateful for the way her arms wrap around him.
He wanted her there.
The BBQ wasn't too far, he parked his bike under the shelter and stepped down. Mu Hee pulled the helmet off, her hair a mess. "Oh my god." She whispers to herself and fixes it through his rear mirror. Jungkook watches her, his hands slipped inside his denim, waiting for her. She turns and smiles at him, ready to walk in.
The both of them take the only empty table available. Jungkook pulls a chair out for her. She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips - caught off guard by the simple, gesture. She hadn't expected that from him.
For a second, she wonders if she's misjudged him.
This isn't the version of Jungkook she had built in her head. Not the quiet boy with the unreadable eyes and rough edges she decided meant trouble.
Why had she thought so negatively of him in the first place?
Was it just that first impression? She looked around the place, dim lighting, quiet and cosy. It felt like Jungkook, a place he would come often. He didn't bother looking at the menu. He'd come by here almost every other day, alone. So he memorised the menu by heart. "What would you like to have?" the waiter asked.
Mu Hee looked at Jungkook, then the menu. "I'm fine with anything!" "No, choose please." Jungkook requests. She nods and looks through the menu, glancing at him, wanting to ask him something. "I'll get what you're having- please." She says, cutting him off before he can protest.
Jungkook hesitates for half a second before turning to the waiter.
"Two portions of samgyeopsal. One galbi. And a doenjang jjigae." He pauses. "And steamed egg."
Mu Hee blinks. "That's a lot."
"You don't eat enough," he replies simply, already reaching for the tongs.
Her lips part as her brows knit. How does he know about my eating habits? She thinks as she looks down at his hands. Jungkook senses that he...must've said something he shouldn't have. "I noticed you only have coffee during working hours."
Mu Hee thinks for a second, her heart feels warm knowing that he noticed the little thing. The food comes and Jungkook takes charge of the BBQ. She looks around, trying to find another tong, which were next to him. She attempts to take it and then their hands brush. He feels a wave of electricity and she feels warm, warmer than the BBQ.
"It'll splatter, I'll do it." He says. Jungkook doesn't speak more than he's supposed to. His sentences are short, mostly speaking in one word. While Mu Hee is the opposite, she rambles a lot but when she's around him, she can't help but keep control of her tongue, almost like she's afraid she'll say something she isn't supposed to. But it's too quiet and if no one speaks it's gonna get awkward, it already is.
"You come here alone a lot?" He nods. "Don't you get bored?" "...No." he answers, eyes on the grill as he turns the cut meat side to side. "Do you just sit and think?"Â "...Sometimes."
Now she's curious. "About what?"
He doesn't answer. His hands pause before they get back to grilling. He doesn't say anything, so Mu Hee lets that go. The tension lingers and it's much more edgy than it was before.
"This place is actually really cosy. I like how it's not too loud. Most BBQ places are chaotic. Like, smoke everywhere and people shouting. This one feels... calmer."
He just nods. "Mm."
She keeps going because he didn't shut it down.
"And the lighting is nice. It doesn't make you look... shiny." she says with a laugh, basically implying she's worried about how she looks.
She stops. Realises what it means.
He quietly says, "You look fine."
He wants to say much more, but he won't take the risk to scare her, not when they both are finally bonding...a little bit. "Thanks?" she murmurs. Jungkook says nothing. He just grabs a plate, places a few freshly grilled pieces onto it, and slides it toward her.
"Oh! Thanks- I can serve. Let me serve for you-" She reaches for the grill.
"Ouch-"
The heat snaps at her fingers before she can pull back. Jungkook's hand closes around her wrist almost instantly, firm but careful.
"Careful," he says, voice low.
His thumb lingers against her skin a second longer than it needs to.
"You'll burn yourself." he says, Mu Hee glances at him and nods. He serves for himself while Mu Hee chews on the meat. "Mmm, the meat just melts in your mouth." "mm hmm." he hums, she stares at him for a few minutes, noticing the evident frown on his face.
'He frowns way too much, those lines are gonna be permanent very soon'- she thinks, worried for him as she slurps the soybean stew, moaning at the taste of it.
"This just reminded me of my grandmother." He smiles. "Are you enjoying it?" Her eyes widened as she covers her mouth and nods. "Very much!" her words come out funny with her mouth full of meat. 'Cute' - he thinks.
Jungkook knows exactly why he's drawn to her. Korean girls are beautiful, sure- but there's something about a girl who looks unmistakably, effortlessly Korean. Like Cha Mu-hee. her eyes are round, wide and sparkly. shes got fuller lips, that pout while she eats or it doesnt matter what she does, they sit so perfectly on her small face. her long hair, he beautiful sense of dressing. everything about her sceams my type- he thinks.
He's seen plenty of girls in his life. Not once did he feel compelled to truly look - to really, really look. But from the moment his eyes met hers, despite the messy first impression, he'd be lying if he said he felt nothing.
He takes glances of her from time to time, trying hard to hide his growing smile when he sees her mouth full of food. Her cheeks are like chipmunks. "Mmmmm!!!!" She closes her eyes and throws her head back. If he had fallen in love with the food, she could eat so much more to cover up her exhaustion. He chuckles under his breath at how she moans every time she fills her mouth.
"I didn't know you rode that carefully." She mumbles. "What?" He asks her, topping a piece of kimchi on her meat. "The bike." He pauses and looks up at her. ""You thought I wouldn't?" he asks carefully, as he gestures her to eat.
"No, I just... you look like someone who would speed." He nods.
"...You were scared." He whispers, hoping she wouldn't hear, but she did. It made her heart skip a beat. He was being considerate. "Thanks.... for this.. " she shows the meat. " "And for being slow." He shakes his head with a smile. "I... I'm curious... what do you even do all day? Like...all I hear is loud music." She asks, tilting her head with her chopsticks in her mouth. "Engines." He says.
She exhales and folds her arms. "No short answers, please." He bites his bottom lip, liking how curious she is. "You build them or fix them?" She asks. "Fix." Her eyes widen as she leans forward. "Can I see?" He blinks and frowns. "See what?" "Your shop." He shakes his head.
-There's no way I'm taking her in, not when it looks like that' - he thinks. "It's messy." "I don't mind!!" "No, Mu Hee."
'Call me that again' - she thinks, blushing at the way he said her name. "Pleaseeee, I really don't mind!!! My shop is so much worse!" She slurps her soup and chews on the veggies. "Are you comparing a garage to a little shop?" He folds his arm now. She nods. "Yup! Plus... you've been to my shop, and I've never been to yours." Jungkook remembers that night. He remembers it clearly.
"Fine." "Goodie!" She claps her hands and giggles. 'She's so adorable' - he thinks. His heart beting irregularly.Â
Jungkook and Mu Hee had dinner in the quiet. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable and nice. They both walked out after he'd paid. Mu Hee tried to pay for her share, but he kindly denied it. He would never allow a woman to pay.
"stay here. I'll get the bike." She grips her bag as she waits for him to come. He helps her put the helmet on before she gets on. The hold on his shoulders got easy, relaxed. The ride back to the shop was faster since there was less traffic.
Jungkook opens the garage ad turns the lights on. He looks around and sighs. It is messy. Very messy. "Told you it's messy." She spins in a slow circle, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she's stepped into something magical instead of mechanical.
"These are so cool," she breathes. He blinks. She walks towards a half-built motorcycle, crouching slightly to look at the exposed engine.
"Oh my god, what are these?" she asks, pointing at the metal cylinders and tangled wiring. She looks at him like he just revealed something sacred.
"You fix all this? With your hands?"
A shrug.
Her fingers hover over the handlebars of another bike, careful not to touch anything without permission.
"This looks so complicated, how do you even do this?!" she looks at him in excitement. "It's like pottery to you, it looks complicated to me but ... it's art to you." She nods and gets closer to him. "You make sense! Oh my god!" She turns to the left and notices the little window.
With a frown, she gets closer and realises how he could see everything from here. "You can see my whole shop from here." He doesn't speak, he leans against the wall and watches her. "Yeah, I can." He replies. She looks back at him and giggles with her hands covering her mouth. "Come with me!" She grabs his hands and drags him out. "Where to?" "Il teach you some pottery!"
She opens the door to her shop and turns on the lights, her mood lamps change colours time to time, setting a comfortable mood as they both enter the shop. Mu Hee drops her bag on the floor and walks behind the cash counter. "Here!" She lends him an apron and he sighs; shaking his head. 'Mu Hee...'"Come on now!" He thinks for a bit, maybe he could make a cup like the one he broke last time.
Maybe this could be his way of taking off his guilt so he puts on the flower-patterned apron and waits for her. "Alright! Come over here." She pulls him by the hand, to make him sit where the wheel is.
'I'm really gonna do this' - he thinks
He sits at the wheel, unsure. She stands behind him at first. The wheel starts spinning. "Relax your shoulders," she murmurs. He stiffens instead and she laughs softly.
She takes the wedged clay and slams it knto the center of the wheel so it sticks. The wheel spins, his hand hovers over unsure. "What am I supposed to do?" "Press it down and inward."
He tries. His large hands close around the spinning clay, but it wobbles under the uneven pressure, stretching taller and thinner. Water splashes. Clay slips between his fingers. "It's getting messy," he mutters. "Because you're fighting it," she says. "Like this."
She moves beside him ... then closer.
Her arms reach around him.
"Not like you're fixing an engine," she teases. "Gentler." He frowns, the clay is so cold but his skin feels hot. Her fingers curl around his. Her wrists brush against his forearms. His heartbeat grows loud in his ears. Too loud.
Jungkook feels every little thing through her touch.
She leans in closer to adjust his grip, her chin almost grazing his shoulder. A strand of her hair brushes his cheek.
He stops breathing. He can't understand what she's saying anymore. He's not focusing.
He's not here.
His jaw tightens and the clay wobbles again. "You're nervous," she whispers.
He isn't nervous about the clay.
He's nervous because she's so close he can feel her breath against the side of his neck.
Her hand stays steady inside the clay while the other supports the outside. She leans in again, adjusting his thumbs. He turns his head slightly, catching her side profile.
Too close.
She's too close.
Something inside him flares!
instinct, panic, something he doesn't want to name.
"Hey!" She whispers, making eye contact with him. "Eyes down here!" She smiles and he flinches before looking down at the clay. That eye contact might've killed him. He swallows hard.
She helps him make the cup, as time goes Jungkook gets the hang of it. He understands how this works, even though it's messy, it makes her laugh. And that's all he wants.
Jungkook tries not to look at her, it only makes things more difficult for him. It's too much with her hands on him already, he doesn't think he can go on for long.
"Okay! We made the mug!!" She exclaims and clads her hands, the clay sticking to her fingers. "Yeah- we did it."Â He mumbles. She looks at him, smiling softly. There's something proud in her eyes. Something warm.
Before he can look away, she leans in and presses her clay-covered finger against his nose. A soft smudge marks his skin. She bursts into laughter.
And he closes his eyes, biting down his lip as he tries not to smile. "Let's not play around."he warns, lifting his clay-stained hands. She takes a small step back, eyes widening playfully.
"Are you scared, Mr Engine?" "Absolutely not, Ms Apocalypse!" He gets up from the stool and attempts to catch her. The shop is tiny by itself, there was nowhere to run.
She squeals and tries anyway, and he catches her wrist easily. Eventually, she gives up, backing into the wall, breath slightly uneven from laughing.
He steps closer.
Too close.
His hands hover near her waist, clay still wet on his fingers. For a second, everything goes quiet. There's no teasing. No laughter. Just the sound of their breathing.
He could hold her face.
He could lean in.
He could kiss her.
She slowly closes her eyes.
Leans back against the wall.
Waiting for the cold clay on her face.
His heart pounds so hard it almost hurts.
He lifts his hand.
But instead of touching her....
He stops.
His fingers curl into a fist.
He steps back and removes the apron, hanging it back in place. "Let's go, I'll take you home." Mu Hee opens her eyes, evidently disappointed. He sees it, but he doesn't do anything about it.
She locks the shop door and walks over to him. "I could take the subway." "At eleven?" he replies, already reaching for his keys. She makes a small "oh" sound. Right. Too late. And she hates being alone at night. He hands her his helmet. She doesn't take it. Instead, she just looks at it. "I don't want to wear it," she mutters.
He frowns. "Mu Hee-" "Can you go faster?" His lips part, but nothing comes out. "I want you to go faster," she says again, softer this time. "Please." She whispers the please. And he can't deny her. He nods once. She grips his shoulders as she swings onto the bike behind him. Her fingers press into his jacket. He feels it everywhere. He starts the engine.
The familiar vibration steadies him. He pulls out slowly at first. But when he glances into the rearview mirror and sees her smiling- really smiling... something in his chest shifts. He speeds up and the wind rushes past them. "Oh my god! This is so fun!" she screams, her laughter getting carried away by the air.
Her smile is wide and beautiful. Jungkook doesn't notice the first few raindrops. They're light. Barely there.
But then more follow. Cold droplets soak into his leather jacket. The road darkens. It's about to pour.
"I'm going to speed up so we can get to your place faster-" he calls out. "No, please!" she shouts back. "Let's go longer!" "But-" "Anywhere! Take me anywhere!"
And then-
She lets go of him. She opens her arms wide. The rain starts falling harder, drenching her hair, her clothes, her face tilted toward the sky as she laughs. Jungkook's heart nearly stops. "Mu Hee!" he snaps. She just giggles.
He wants to look at her. He wants to turn around and see her fully - see the rain sliding down her cheeks, her lashes clumped together, the way she looks so alive. But he has to keep his eyes on the road. So he steals glances through the mirror. And smiles. He loves his view.
"Ahhh!" she squeals when the bike takes a sharper turn, and this time she grabs his waist tightly. Her arms wrap around him. Her cheek presses against his back. Jungkook almost forgets how to breathe. For a split second, he nearly loses control of the bike -
If his instincts hadn't kicked in. His grip tightens on the handles. His jaw clenches. Because this..
This is dangerous.
Not the rain.
Not the speed.
Her.
The way she makes him want to forget everything.
He pulls up at a garden, helping Mu Hee off the bike.
She runs forward, giggling as she takes in the view. Flowers and greenery stretch around them, glowing under the rain. There's even a lake - raindrops scattering across its surface like silver sparks.
"Jungkook! This is so pretty!" she calls. He stays back, hands in his pockets, watching her instead. "Hey, don't go far. Come here."
She runs back to him like a child, eyes sparkling in the dark. A shiver runs through her and she hugs herself. He notices immediately.
Without saying anything, he shrugs off his jacket and steps in front of her, gently draping it over her shoulders. She looks up at him and smiles. He doesn't smile back. His jaw tightens. Her fingers lift and press lightly against his forehead, smoothing the crease between his brows.
"You're going to let those sit permanently," she whispers. He glances at her fingers... then at her.
Rain drips from her lashes. Her hair clings to her cheeks. Slowly, carefully, he brushes the strands behind her ear. His hand lingers, cupping her cheek.
"Mu Hee..." he whispers.
A chill runs down her spine. She loves the way he says her name, like it means something fragile.
"Tell me, Jungkook," she whispers back. He leans his forehead against hers. They both breathe harder now. Not from the cold. "I don't think I can keep pretending."
She blinks. "Pretending what?" "That you don't matter to me." Her breath catches. "You matter," he says, voice rough. "So damn much."
"Mu Hee..." he whispers again. Her hands slide up around his neck, pulling him closer. "Say my name again."
"Mu Hee."
"Again."
His fingers tighten slightly at her waist.
"Mu Hee."
She exhales, eyes soft.
"Kiss me, Jungkook."
He doesn't hesitate.
His lips meet hers... gentle at first, almost careful. Like he's afraid she'll disappear. But she doesn't. Her hands hold him there.
The rain falls harder around them, soaking through everything, but neither of them move. Her hands caresses his hair, tugging at them while his hands press her waist closer to his chest, wanting more of her.
"I like you, Jungkook," she breathes against his lips.
He pulls back just enough to look at her. Their noses brush. She smiles, she sees him smile for the first time. Beautiful!
His smile is beautiful. She hopes he doesnât smile to anyone but her.
"And I like you more, Cha Mu Hee."
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