redamancy - jjk (part iii)
⤠genre: fluff, future smut, angst, gardener!jeongguk x rich!reader, okay but jeongguk isn't really a gardener like that but you'll see, kinda slow burn but not really
⤠pairing: jeongguk x female reader
⤠rating: 18+
ā¤word count: approx. 14.1 k words
⤠chapter warnings: explicit language, angst
summary: jeongguk is just a normal dude with a simple routine. wake up, go to the gym, work his job as a waiter at this posh upscale restaurant in the heart of gangnam before coming home to a night full of video games and ramen (it's delicious and cheap). that routine gets disrupted when he accidentally taps the back of an expensive sports car of one of the richest men in south korea. considering he's broke, he couldn't afford to pay for the damages so the man makes a deal with him by offering him to work at his house as one of the gardeners. jeongguk takes it but wasn't prepared to meet this beautiful young woman who's constantly lounging by the pool, you, the rich man's daughter.
author's note: hi hi hi pls don't kill me yall. i know it's been MONTHS since i last posted. there were many life changing events that occurred in my life and it really held me back from ever completing part 3. i had half of it written in august but it was left abandoned for a while because of my college semester. i also lost motivation to write for so long too. im gonna be honest, i hate this chapter. no matter what i wrote, i was not happy with it at all and im still not. but i didn't wanna keep you guys waiting. the only thing i ask from you is that if you can really give me feedback and thoughts on the chapter, it would be really helpful. seeing you guys enjoy it keeps me motivated to continue writing, the more motivated i am, the sooner i can post future parts. im on summer break so i would really like to finish this story if possible. pls don't be a silent reader. i hope you guys like this chapter. xx M.
taglist:@janedukiesworld@rjsmochii@mwitsmejk@jjeonjjk7@whoa-jo @linda-botello @dewamused @tearsdntfall617 @taehyungseggs @thoudailydeets @hobiiihope @miss-jupiter @petalsofink @imjustreadingig @guksunshine @iheartsvt @rainnyrh @axniyx @kookies-n-spice @carolsummerlove @rievjjks @dopedreamfireparty @
āYouāre going to what?ā Jeongguk asks, almost dropping the garden snippers on his foot.Ā
Dohyun jumps a little at the older manās loud voice, almost dropping the flower bouquet. He dusts off his white button-up, fixing the collar.Ā
āIām going to ask Y/N on a date,ā He reiterates proudly. āI got her these chocolates from that fancy chocolate store,ā He holds up the white box wrapped in a baby pink bow. āAnd some roses from my auntās flower shop.ā His other hand props up the bouquet, plastic rustling when he shakes it.Ā
No way. Thereās no way heās actually going to ask you. Not when you literally just said last night that you donāt have any form of feelings for Dohyun. But you also did mention that you wouldnāt have the heart to turn him down, not wanting to see him hurt.Ā
God, why did you have to be so nice? Are you actually going to accept the date when Dohyun asks you?Ā
He looks at Dohyun who seems to be in a daze, probably daydreaming about you and him together. He shivers at the thought of you kissing Dohyun on the corner of his mouth as you did with Jeongguk last night.Ā
Gross.Ā
Thereās no way youāre going on that date with Dohyun. Not when youāve made it clear that youāre interested in Jeongguk. If that kiss didnāt mean anything last night, heād be quite upset.Ā
āUhā¦I donāt know if thatāsā¦a good idea,ā Jeongguk replies, voice honeyed. Heād be damned if he lets Dohyun ask you out first.Ā
The excited smile begins to fade, forming a firm line. He looks at Jeongguk in confusion, āWhy?ā He asks.Ā
Fuck, what can he say? Thereās no excuse coming to mind.Ā
āListen, dude,ā Jeongguk walks up to Dohyun, putting his arm around the younger manās shoulder. āGirls like Y/N, theyāre not interested in guys like us.āĀ
Is he gonna go to hell for lying like this?Ā
āGuys likeā¦us?ā Dohyun questions, looking up at Jeongguk with a clueless pout.Ā
Jeongguk nods, pretending to look sullen, āYeah, I mean look at us, weāre just a bunch of commoners,ā Something youāve made very apparent that you donāt care about. āY/Nās familyā¦theyāre rich. Sheās probably into guys who own sports cars and Rolex watches.ā Lies. Youāve mentioned how you couldnāt stand materialistic guys.Ā
āSo what youāre saying isā¦ā Dohyun stares at the grass thoughtfully, āThat I need to have nice and expensive things.ā Jeongguk nods in response.Ā
Yeah, heās definitely going to hell.Ā
āB-But I made reservations at that expensive French restaurant,ā He tells Jeongguk, looking a little sad.Ā
Lame. Going to a fancy wine-and-dine restaurant for a date would not impress you, he thinks. You already seem to be sick of your high-class lifestyle. The last thing you would want is to be sitting in a place surrounded by other rich folks.
If it were up to Jeongguk, he wouldāve taken you to his favorite street vendor for some tteokbokki and then to the arcade to play games. He thinks youād enjoy that more.Ā
āItās okay man. That wouldnāt have been enough,ā Jeongguk shakes his head, putting a hand on the otherās shoulder in a comforting manner,Ā āShe probably wouldāve ordered the most expensive wine on the menu.āĀ
Dohyunās bottom lip quivers and a look of despair etched onto his face. āI wouldāve paid for it.āĀ
Jeongguk raises an eyebrow, āYou could afford that?āĀ
Dohyun shrugs, āI made a deal with the manager to pay in installments.ā Geez, he really had it all planned out.Ā
āI donāt think sheās worth it, dude,ā Jeonggukās voice is laced with fake sorrow. He hopes you never find out that heās saying this shit because he does not mean a single damn thing he just told Dohyun.Ā
āI mean I guess youāre right,ā Dohyun looks down at the flower bouquet with a dejected look on his face. āSheās just always been so nice to me so I thought there mightāve been something there.āĀ
You are a nice person. So nice that it shook Jeongguk to the core. There wasnāt a single bad body in your body it seems. You would never have any ill intentions towards anyone. Heās witnessed it firsthand. Youāre damn considerate of others that you were afraid of facing the day Dohyun confessed to you because you didnāt have it in you to turn him down and witness his heartbreak.
If anything, Jeongguk is doing both you and Dohyun a favor.Ā
āI hear you, buddy,ā Jeongguk clasps his hand against Dohyunās back, making the younger man wince a little. āGuys like us never get the girl.āĀ
Except for Jeongguk. He thinks he might have a chance.
Too arrogant?Ā
āI guess Iāll just cancel the reservation,ā Dohyun states in melancholy, and Jeongguk immediately nods.
Yes, cancel the reservation. Please. Cancel so Jeongguk can ask you out on a date instead.Ā
āWell Iām going to go put this stuff back,ā Jeongguk tells him, putting the tools away in the bucket. Heās also hoping to catch you sitting outside again. He wonders what swimsuit youāre wearing today.Ā
āIāll go with you,ā Dohyun mumbles, walking alongside Jeongguk.Ā
God dammit, never mind, he prays youāre not sitting outside.Ā
The two men are heading towards the back along the concrete pathway, stopping in front of the shed. Jeongguk looks over at the sunbed where youāre usually sitting but fortunately, youāre not there. His shoulders relax at that and he lets out a sigh of relief. He canāt help but look over at Dohyun, only to see him already staring at the sunbed as well with a gloomy look on his face.Ā
āCome on, help me put these tools where they need to go,ā Jeongguk suggests in an attempt to distract the younger man. Heās not going to lie, he does feel a little guilty for lying like this to him.Ā
Jeongguk is never the type to really feel guilty which is why his Jin Hyung calls him a dickhead sometimes. But right now, he can feel it just a tad bit.Ā
Dohyun glances over at the sunbed one last time before hesitantly following Jeongguk inside, placing the bouquet and box of chocolates onto the wooden table. He takes out the tools one by one, placing them onto the hooks. Jeongguk just watches the other, noticing how his frown isnāt going away, eyebrows furrowed.Ā
Once the tools are placed in their respective places, the two of them head back outside. Dohyun leaves first and Jeongguk follows behind only to bump into the other maleās back when he pauses in his footsteps. He clicks his tongue, looking up at Dohyun only to find him staring longingly at something a few feet away.Ā
Oh god, please donāt let it be.Ā
He turns his head and there you are, walking outside of the house in your swimming attire. Thereās a book in your hand as per usual and it sounds like youāre humming to a certain tune, earbuds on.Ā
Jeongguk finds himself panicking, ready to steer Dohyun away from the back but itās too late.Ā
āYou know what, Iām still gonna tell her,ā Dohyun says determinedly. āIām still gonna ask her out on that date.ā Heās got to be joking. āIām gonna ask her out on that date and then tell her Iāve been in love with her since we were kids.āĀ Before Jeongguk could respond, Dohyun is already striding over to you, chocolate and flowers in hand.Ā
This is not going to end well.Ā
+
Itās a beautiful day out, you think. The sky is a bright blue, the sun is out and shining high, the garden is looking colorful and vibrant with the newly planted flowers and thereās a nice breeze blowing through the air. You have a smile on your face as you think about all the things that happened yesterday.Ā
The way Jeongguk kept making you laugh obnoxiously and smile like a fool. Heās unintentionally funny because heās so honest and blunt. He wouldnāt even try hard to make you laugh, he would just say something casually and actually be serious about it when you think heās joking. You hope that you can see him again outside of your house soon.Ā
You havenāt seen him yet and youāre hoping he hasnāt left yet. At least not without saying bye to you. Not that he has to but it be nice if he did.Ā
Youāre listening to music when you walk outside of the house into the backyard, book in hand, ready to begin your reading for the day. You plan to read just for a little bit, drinking a glass of red wine while you wait for Jeongguk to come to the back.Ā
Luckily, your mother isnāt home, having gone to her companyās building after finding out about some setbacks with the clothing material for her latest fashion line. You have no idea what it was exactly but she was definitely stressed out about it.Ā
Plopping down onto the lounger, you open your book to the page you bookmarked before picking up your wine glass to take a sip. Before you can bring the glass up to your lips, you hear your name being called by a ringing voice.Ā
You flinch, almost spilling the wine on your thigh, and look up to see Dohyun striding towards you, a look of determination on his face. In his hands, heās holding a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates.Ā
Oh god. You were afraid of when this day would come.Ā
You set down the glass on the circular glass table beside you, closing the book as well. Mustering up your best (fake) smile, you greet him, āHey,ā You clear your throat, āUm you look nice.āĀ
The compliment immediately brings a bashful smile to his face as he looks down at the ground before looking at you once again. āThank you,ā He responds.Ā
āMhm,ā You clear your throat, awkwardly looking away.Ā
God, you were nervous. You already told Jeongguk you were never prepared for the moment when Dohyun was going to ask you out. You always hoped for him to eventually lose feelings and let you go. However, here he is, standing in front of you dressed in nice clothes while holding a flower bouquet.Ā
You felt like you were going to be sick.
āSo I uh,ā Dohyun lets out a deep breath. āI was wondering if you would,ā No please no. āSorry,ā He shakes his head at himself. āI had a whole speech prepared but now I canāt seem to remember anything,ā He tells you and a fake laugh escapes your lips.Ā
If he can just get nervous and maybe back outā¦
āIwaswonderingifyoudliketogoonadatewithme,ā He says it so fast that you almost miss it but you knew exactly what he just asked you.Ā
Your throat feels tight, eyes just staring at him in surprise. What do you say? How can you tell him no? Not when heās staring at you with those hopeful eyes, hands clutching the bouquet and chocolates.Ā
How can you go on a date with someone else when you have a crush on Jeongguk? A major crush. Though you donāt know him very well, you know enough to like him. A lot. But maybe he doesnāt like you. Heās still a mystery to you. Heās made it clear that he finds you attractive but what if to him this is just some sort of little game to him?Ā
After all, he is only working here temporarily. He could just be trying to get into your pants and then disappear right after he gets what he wants. You donāt know. He genuinely seemed interested in having a conversation with you last night but at the same time, it could just be an act.Ā
āUm Y/N?ā Dohyunās call of your name causes you to snap out of your doubtful thoughts and look up at him.Ā
āYes?ā You say in surprise.Ā
āWait, that's a yes?ā An excited smile grows on his face.Ā
Oh fuck. Thatās not what you meant. The smile on his faceā¦how can you say no now?Ā
Letting out a regretful sigh, you gather a fake smile on your face. āYes,ā You canāt believe youāre doing this. āIāll go on a date with you.ā With those words leaving your lips, your eyes immediately snap to Jeongguk who you didnāt realize was standing a few feet away from you both.Ā
The look on his face causes your heart to drop into your stomach.Ā
Did he just witness you say yes to the date?Ā
Your eyes donāt look away from him, a guilty expression on your face as you stare at his now blank face. It went from surprise to blank in a matter of seconds, a way of showing you that he looks unbothered by what just happened.Ā
Maybe he is unbothered by it.Ā
If he isnāt, then heās doing a great job at not showing it.Ā
You didnāt mean to say yes. In fact, you were ready to say no. But with the excited look on his face, you donāt have it in you to take it away. You just have to come clean later. You canāt get this far.Ā
Not when you know you canāt reciprocate your feelings for the man.Ā
āIām so glad you said yes!ā His smile is vibrant and it looks like he canāt contain his excitement, bouncing on his tiptoes.Ā
With a tight-lipped smile, you accept the bouquet of red roses he hands you along with the chocolates. Your eyes glance behind him again towards where Jeongguk is standing. He gives you a thumbs-up and a pursed-lip smile before heading towards the gate.Ā
You open your mouth to say something but Dohyun speaks before any words can escape you, your attention turning back towards him again.Ā
āSo I can pick you up on Friday? How does 7 sound?ā He asks you, voice sounding thrilled.Ā
The more you hear him speak, the worse you feel. Thereās no backing out of this now. Jeongguk left without saying anything which causes you to question how he mightāve felt. Maybe he did like you back. Or maybe he just doesnāt care.Ā
Again, you donāt know.Ā
The overwhelming feeling of all kinds of emotions fills you and you just wish to disappear but instead, you just give Dohyun another fake smile and say, āSounds good.āĀ
āGreat!ā He grins. āIāll see you Friday!ā He says before turning on his feet and leaving. You watch him walk towards the gate, no longer containing his excitement when you hear him whisper yes yes yes.Ā
āJeongguk! Wait up!ā You hear Dohyun shout, eagerness, and enthusiasm loud in his tone.Ā
You wince, looking towards the gate in hopes of catching a glimpse of Jeongguk but you fail to see him at all. He didnāt bother to come to the back and say. But you can probably understand why. You let out a sad sigh, holding up the bouquet of flowers in your hand and staring at them.Ā
Just one date. You just have to get through this one date.Ā
+Ā
Friday eveningĀ
The feeling of dread swirls in your stomach as you stare into the mirror with your hair and face ready for the date youāre about to go on. Youāre not looking forward to it at all. Ever since you woke up this morning, you thought about coming up with some sort of excuse to back out of the date. Maybe lie and say you have the stomach flu or something.Ā
Then again, if you lie, you would just be postponing the date because you have a feeling he would reschedule it for another day. So you thought to yourself that it would be better to get it over with.Ā
Your plan is to go on the date, eat and then tell him that you donāt have any feelings for him. You know that if you lead him on further, it will end with a more painful heartbreak for him.
Youāre also bummed because, for the remainder of the week, you did not see Jeongguk at all. Even when you sat down at the pool all day, constantly looking over at the door in hopes of catching sight of him, he didnāt come towards the back.Ā
Instead of Jeongguk coming to the shed to drop off the tools, it would either be some other gardener or sometimes even Dohyun who, of course, would wave at you excitedly and remind you about the time of your date on Friday.Ā
You think he might be disappointed in you and doesnāt want to see you. Or maybe he backed off because he probably thinks youāre giving Dohyun a chance when youāre not.Ā
You just fucked up by saying yes.Ā
After telling Dohyun that you donāt have feelings for him, youāre determined to tell Jeongguk you like him when you see him on Monday. And if he doesnāt like you back?Ā
Well then youāre just going to hide in your room in embarrassment until he finishes working his last few days at your estate
Youāre wearing a black long-sleeved dress that has a square-shaped neckline and slightly ruffled sleeves. It reaches below your knees, a slit on the left side, revealing the skin up to your midthigh. You left your hair open in soft curls and your makeup is done minimally.Ā
Youāre putting on your dangly earring when you hear your phone vibrate on the vanity. The screen lights up with a text from Dohyun telling you heās out front waiting for you. You exhale deeply, attempting to calm yourself down, feeling slightly sick in the stomach.Ā
Just two hours. You just have to endure this date for two hours.Ā
Fixing the loose strand of hair in your face, you look into the mirror one last time before grabbing your clutch and walking out of the bedroom and down the spiral steps. You nod your head at one of the maids on your way out, giving her a polite smile.Ā
When you walk outside of your house, you see Dohyun waiting in front of the gate with another bouquet of flowers. He cleaned himself nicely, wearing a white button-up under a black blazer with matching pants. His hair is pushed back and heās not wearing those glasses again.Ā
With an elated grin, he gives you a bow which you return before grabbing the flowers he holds out and muttering a small āthanksā in response.Ā
He nods, seeming proud of himself before he holds out his hand which you hesitantly take. He walks you to his car, a red Toyota Corolla, opening the door for you politely.Ā
Your mind canāt help but wonder when you went out with Jeongguk that night at the bar and he told you that chivalry was dead so he wouldnāt open the door for you. You canāt help but smile at the memory, shaking your head.Ā
Once youāre sitting down in the car, bouquet in your lap along with your clutch, he gently closes the door before jogging towards the driver's side to sit down. His face is beaming when he starts the car again, the sound of a girl group song immediately playing on the Bluetooth loudly, causing you to wince at the volume.Ā
He looks panicked, cheeks and ears red as he quickly turns down the volume dial on the knob and mumbles a shy āsorry. You give him a reassuring smile before looking out of the window.
The car begins moving, an awkward silence immediately filling the air since neither of you say a single word. Dohyun is the first to break it, clearing his throat before speaking.Ā
āSo how was your day?ā He asks, attempting to make conversation.Ā
You shrug, watching outside as he drives out of your neighborhood towards the city. āIt was okay. Didnāt really do much.āĀ
Other than hoping and praying for the date to be canceled one way or another.Ā
He nods, tapping his index fingers against the steering wheel as he says, āCool cool. I didnāt do much either.ā You nod, listening. āWell actually, I started this new Korean drama. Itās about this guy whoā¦āĀ
He rambles about the drama, beginning from the first episode and providing you with details on how it all started, and for almost the majority of the car ride, heās giving you a rundown on how each episode goes down one by one along with his personal opinions. You just nod and add in a few words to make yourself sound interested when really, all you wanted to do was open the car door and roll down the street.Ā
Unable to help yourself, your mind drifts to the time you were with Jeongguk and how you two talked about the most random things. He would tell you crazy stories about the things heās done with his friends, always having something ridiculous to say which would make you laugh a crazy amount.Ā
Again, Jeongguk is blunt and careless about what he says and who he says it to. He never held back from telling you things that might sound absurd to others.Ā
For this one time when he and his six other friends had a competition on who can eat the most gamja hot dogs at a carnival before they all went on one of those spinning rides and ended up vomiting while the ride was still going. The whole ride had to immediately shut down and people who were waiting in line were not happy and covered in their puke.Ā
To make the night even worse, his friend Jin almost fought a little kid over the last alpaca plushie at one of the games and it resulted in them being kicked out of the carnival.Ā
The whole time he had told you that story, he had a smile on his face at the memories and you remember being enraptured by how beautiful he looked with his bunny teeth on display, the small mole beneath his rose-colored lips visible; the hand gestures heād make to animate the story.Ā
You donāt realize youāre smiling again until Dohyun calls for your name, causing you to flinch in surprise.Ā
āYeah?ā You ask, smile dropping and you look at him questioningly.Ā
āI was um asking what you thought about it?ā He wonders, glancing at you before looking back at the road.Ā
Fuck, what did he ask about?Ā
āIām sorry,ā You shake your head. āCan you repeat the question?ā You look at him apologetically, mentally cursing at yourself for being distracted by Jeongguk again.Ā
Dohyun clears his throat, āI was asking what your thoughts were on the show so far.āĀ
Oh right, the show. The one you didnāt listen to a single thing about. God, you donāt know what to say.Ā
Think, Y/N, think.Ā
āIt soundsā¦ā Youāre looking for the right word. āLike thereās a lot going on.ā You slightly wince at that, hoping he doesnāt notice.Ā
Dohyun looks a bit confused, pursing his lips in thought before saying, āReally? I donāt know. I honestly think itās quite boring. Thereās no good drama going on with the characters.ā He says and you nod.Ā
āHonestly youāre right,ā You quickly add. āI donāt know what I was thinking,ā You let out a fake chuckle. āIt needs to be more dramatic.āĀ
You have no fucking clue what youāre saying.Ā
Seeming to be satisfied with the answer, he nods with a smile before moving on to a different topic.Ā
For the rest of the car ride, you try really hard to give him your full attention when he talks, chipping in on things when appropriate up until you guys reach the restaurant. You let out a slightly annoyed sigh under your breath when the restaurant comes into view.Ā
Pierre Gagnaire Ć SĆ©oul.Ā
The French restaurant your mother absolutely loves meanwhile you hate. The food is not bad but itās not to your taste. Youāre also not a fan of the environment, surrounded by all the posh and stuck-up rich people.Ā
The restaurant has valet parking as well so when you guys pull up to the front, Dohyun quickly opens the door and runs to your side so he can open your own door for you, holding his hand out for you to take.Ā
You try not to think about how Jeongguk would probably tell you to open the door yourself because he wouldnāt do it for you.Ā
He hands his keys over to the valet before you both head inside, his hand holding yours. You try not to squirm when he tries to intertwine your fingers, letting out a breath to try and relax.Ā
He opens the door for you, allowing you to go in first and you give him a thank you before walking inside first, internally grateful that your hands are no longer clasped together.
The aromatic smell of the food immediately hits your nose. The sound of chatter fills your ears along with the utensils hitting against the plates. The sight you see with your eyes is one you are used to. Wealthy people dressed to the nines in their extravagant dresses and suits, sipping on expensive wine.Ā
āGood evening,ā The hostess at the front greets with a practiced smile. āReservation?āĀ
Dohyun nods excitedly, āDohyun at 7:30.ā He tells her and she nods, looking at the screen before grabbing two menus from beside her and nudging her head towards the tables.Ā
āFollow me please,ā She says, Dohyun letting you go first before he follows behind you. You walk past other people, avoiding making eye contact with anyone you know.Ā
This restaurant is where all of the affluent people go, friends of your family that your parents are close to. You wouldnāt be surprised if you saw any of them here though youād much rather not which is why you just stare at the hostessā back as she guides you both towards your table.Ā
Dohyun pulls the chair back for you as soon as you reach the table before he sits himself down. The hostess places the menus down on the table before saying, āYour waiter should be here shortly.ā And with that, she leaves.Ā
āIāve never been here before so Iām excited,ā Dohyun says, flipping through the menu with stars in his eyes.
You shrug, pretending to look through the menu though not really because you already know what youāre going to choose. āIāve been a few times,ā You inform him.Ā
āOh,ā He looks at you. āDo you like it?ā He looks nervous when he waits for your response.Ā
You give him a pursed-lip smile and say, āYeah,ā You lie. āI like it.āĀ
He grins, seeming satisfied with the answer before looking at the menu again. You look down at your own menu again in order to distract yourself, waiting for him to decide what he wants to eat.Ā
āGood evening, my name is Jeongguk and Iāll be your waiter this evening.ā As soon as you hear that husky yet gentle voice, your head snaps up to the person and the menu drops onto the table out of surprise.Ā
And there he is, standing in front of you wearing black slacks that accentuate his strong thighs while he wears a white button-up that hugs his chest. The sleeves are pulled up a bit, his inked arms slightly peaking out. His dark hair is pushed back to reveal his eyebrow piercing and strong brows, a single loose strand slightly falling forward on his forehead.Ā
His large doe brown eyes meet yours, shock evident on his face as he stares right back at you.Ā Ā
āHoly shoot Jeongguk!ā Dohyun sounds just as surprised as you look before a large smile overtakes his face.Ā
+
Jeongguk had no fucking idea that this was the fancy wine and dine restaurant Dohyun was going to take you to for the date.
The whole week Dohyun wouldnāt shut up about it and he didnāt bother asking the younger man which restaurant it was. He wasnāt interested in knowing because quite frankly, he tried not to care.Ā
To say that he was disappointed when you said yes to Dohyun would be an understatement. He knew you were too nice and didnāt want to hurt the guy but he really thought youād muster up the courage to turn him down.Ā
Instead, he watched you say yes and take the flowers and chocolates from Dohyun with that pretty smile on your face.Ā
Now Jeongguk usually isnāt the type to get jealous. But thatās usually because thereās no one heās really been interested in. Sure, heās had a few girlfriends here and there but the relationships donāt last long enough because the girl either ends up batshit crazy or he just couldnāt return the same feelings.Ā
But seeing Dohyun all excited and happy about taking you out on a date would just piss him off. He wanted to be the one to take you out. He thinks his plan wouldāve been more solid and fun. Taking you out to the arcade before eating at his favorite fried chicken spot with beer.
Jeongguk canāt deny that he holds these strong feelings of infatuation towards you. You interest him because youāre different. Sure, it might sound like those typical cliche things but heās speaking the truth. Youāre intelligent, funny, and so fucking kind to others. Letās not also forget how immensely beautiful you are.Ā
Yeah, heās got a gigantic crush on you.Ā
Too bad heās standing in front of you as your waiter and not as the date sitting across from you. He canāt seem to take his eyes off of you right now. Taking in your wide eyes and slightly ajar mouth, he tries not to act just as surprised by keeping a blank stare.Ā
āOh wow, didnāt expect to see you guys here,ā Jeongguk says, voice flat and void of any emotion.Ā
Before you can say anything, Dohyun says, āJeongguk, I didn't know you worked here!ā Jeongguk tries not to wince at Dohyunās loud enthusiastic voice.Ā
āYeah,ā Jeongguk clears his throat, giving his full attention to Dohyun so he doesnāt stare at you. āUsually the evening shifts now since you knowā¦I work at the other place.ā He informs him.Ā
Dohyun nods, āCool cool.ā He looks across at you. āIsnāt it funny how Jeongguk is our waiter, Y/N?āĀ
Jeongguk looks at you whoās just looking at Dohyun before glancing at him, āYeah, itās pretty crazy.ā Your voice is shy of speaking and he thinks it's because of him. He holds eye contact with you, taking in the small pout on your glossy lips. Thereās a certain emotion in your eye, almost looking apologetic but Jeongguk tries to brush it off.Ā
āAnyways, what would you guys like to start off with? Something to drink maybe?ā Jeongguk asks, pulling out a pen and his notepad.Ā
Donāt fucking look at Y/N, Jeongguk.Ā
Dohyun looks at you first with a questioning gaze, āY/N?āĀ
You clear your throat as you shut the menu, āIāll just have water.ā Jeongguk nods before looking at Dohyun.Ā
āIāll also have water,ā The younger man smiles at Y/N.Ā
Why the fuck is this guy always smiling? Jeongguk wonders.Ā
And why the fuck are they both just ordering water? If Jeongguk were you, heād be ordering the overpriced wines for the hell of it. Maybe just maybeā¦he can make this date a bit more entertaining for himself.Ā
Jeongguk stands straighter and then looks at Dohyun, āAre you sure you guys donāt want to try the red wine? Itās Pinot Noir. A classic.āĀ
Dohyunās eyes widen for a second before they glance at you and then back to Jeongguk. Jeongguk looks at Dohyun and secretly winks, almost as a way of communicating to the younger man that this is going to impress you.
Jeongguk knows it wonāt but heās bored and sad. Sue him.Ā
Dohyun nods rapidly and says, āWeāll have some of that as well.āĀ
Before Jeongguk can say anything, you cut in by saying, āAre you sure about that? Itās quite expensive, Dohyun.ā Youāre looking at him in concern, pointing a manicured nail at the price of the wine on the menu.Ā
Dohyun just shakes his head and tries to wave it off, āDonāt worry, Y/N. I can afford it. Order whatever you want.āĀ
You purse your lips, not saying anything else. Your eyes shift to Jeongguk slightly squinting at him almost in suspicion but he just shrugs, turning around to walk away.Ā
Is Jeongguk going to look like an asshole for trying to sabotage this date? Probably. Does he care? Not really. Heās trying to save your ass before Dohyun confesses to you. He needs to make sure that doesnāt happen otherwise youāre going to end up lying and telling the man that you like him back when Jeongguk knows damn well you donāt.
Though Jeongguk only really hung out with you once, he knows enough to say that you will feel extremely guilty for hurting someone elseās feelings. Youāve proven that just by going on this date with Dohyun regardless of the fact that you donāt hold any feelings for the guy. You just didnāt want to turn him down because you knew heād be heartbroken.Ā
Jeongguk is not going to let you accept Dohyunās confession. Not when Jeongguk likes you and you like him. At least he thinks you like him because if that kiss on the corner of his mouth didnāt mean anything he doesnāt know what the fuck that meant.Ā
Surely you werenāt leading him on. Or maybe thatās how you say goodbye to your friends?Ā
Wait, but then again you donāt have friends.Ā
This shit is going to give Jeongguk a headache. By the end of this date, if it doesnāt turn into a complete disaster, Jeongguk is going to stop being a pussy and say something. He doesnāt exactly know what yet. But something.Ā
Pouring the wine into the fancy glasses, he puts them on a tray and brings them back out to the table. The first thing he sees when he heads towards your table is your smiling face looking directly at Dohyun.Ā
Hell no.Ā
āHereās your water,ā Jeongguk places down each glass one by one. āAnd your wine,ā He carefully puts down yours, making direct eye contact with you as he does. He notices you gulp and he tries to hold back a smile. When heās setting Dohyunās glass on the table, his finger accidentally knocks over the glass, causing it to tip over onto the table and a little bit on Dohyunās slacks.Ā
Okay, that one wasnāt planned, Jeongguk swears.Ā
Dohyun gasps out of surprise, standing up with his pants slightly soaked in the wine. Meanwhile, youāre just staring with your hand covering your mouth, eyes wide. Jeongguk quickly acts shocked as well.Ā
āI am so sorry,ā He picks up the white cloth napkin and attempts to dab it on Dohyunās pants at the front. āIām really sorry. I donāt know how that fell over.ā He pretends to wince, facial expression feigning guilt.Ā
Some of the people at the surrounding tables are watching, talking amongst themselves as they stare at what just happened. Itās like theyāre expecting Dohyun to lash out at Jeongguk or something but instead, he says, āHey itās okay. It was an accident.ā He grabs the cloth from the Jeongguk, patting the pants himself.
This guy is so damn nice, Jeongguk hates it. Why is he so damn nice?Ā
āYou sure you donāt want to go clean up?ā Jeongguk hears you ask, watching the whole scene in concern.Ā
āNo no,ā Dohyun shakes his head and waves off. āItās alright. At least Iām wearing black pants so itās not that noticeable.ā He laughs and you just nod in response.Ā
āIāll get you another glass,ā Jeongguk speaks, turning around to get him another glass. Once he returns with a new one, he carefully places it on the table.Ā
āAlright, so did you guys decide what you want to eat?ā Jeongguk clasps his hands together, looking between the two, gaze lingering on you.Ā
Look away, Jeongguk. Look. Away.Ā
āHm, Iām having a hard time deciding actually,ā Dohyun pouts, brows furrowed as he studies the menu. āDo you have any recommendations?āĀ
Boy, Jeongguk sure does.Ā
Clearing his throat, he slightly cranes his neck to look over at the menu and points at one item in particular, āI recommend this filet mignon. Everyone loves it.ā And itās fucking expensive as fuck.Ā
Jeongguk hears you add to the conversation, āItās almost 150,000 wonā¦ā Youāre staring at him in ridicule, mouth parted and eyes wide.Ā
If thereās anything Jeongguk has learned about you, itās that youāre not dumb. In fact, you are very fucking intelligent and heās pretty sure you can see right through his actions. But for some reason, that doesnāt stop Jeongguk. Maybe he wants to have a bit of fun with this. In his defense, heās trying to help you.Ā
āDonāt worry about the price, Y/N. I can afford it,ā Dohyun acts nonchalantly, looking up at Jeongguk and confidently saying, āIāll have that.ā He then looks at you. āY/N?āĀ
You let out a defeated sigh, closing the menu, āIāll just have the risotto carnaroli de coquillages.ā The way you say it so eloquently in French almost makes Jeongguk's dick hard. God, it sounded so hot.Ā
How much more attractive and interesting can you get?Ā
And also, where the fuck did you learn to speak perfect French?
It seems as though Jeongguk isnāt the only one affected by your French speaking because when he looks at Dohyun, the younger man is just staring at you with parted lips and stars in his eyes as if youāre the greatest thing heās ever seen.Ā
Youāre so damn nice that you ended up choosing the cheapest entree on the menu. You were just way too damn considerate. There goes that rich girl persona he was trying to paint to Dohyun.Ā
Trying not to physically drool, Jeongguk looks away and nods, āGot it.ā He walks always so fast, almost bumping into another waiter on his way.Ā
+
You have a feeling that Jeongguk is trying to fuck up the date youāre on with Dohyun. You can see right through him. Having the poor guy choose expensive menu items so he can impress you when Jeongguk knows damn well youāre not about it.Ā
At least this can kind of confirm that he was affected by the whole date thing. That answers some questions but not all.Ā
Also, can you just say that Jeongguk looks fine as fuck in his uniform?Ā
If you had known that he works here as a waiter, you wouldāve definitely joined your mother for the sake of seeing him. The sight of him wearing that tight-fitted button-up with those slacks hugging his ass almost had you drooling.Ā
You tried so hard not to just dead-on stare at him the whole time while he was standing right in front of you. You just couldnāt help yourself at times, eyes trailing down from his perfectly structured face to his chest and down to his tattooed covered hands and forearms that were peaking out from beneath his shirt sleeve.Ā
Your mind was steering away to someā¦unholy thoughts. Especially because of those damn thighs.Ā
Why did he have to be so damn hot?Ā
Okay, youāre getting a little too carried away right now. You need to focus. Focus on Dohyun. The man you came on a date with. You have to try and at least make some sort of conversation with him. Heās always asking you for your opinion and thoughts on what heās saying but you end up stuttering your way through the conversation since you have no idea what heās asking you about when youāre not listening.Ā
Jeongguk being here as your damn waiter does not help the situation at all. Although you think heās trying to help you in a somewhat cruel way you need to get him to stop. Youāre beginning to feel guilty as fuck when you see the man do something that is the total opposite of impressing you.Ā
āUm Y/N?ā Youāre snapped out of your thoughts when you hear Dohyun calling your name.Ā
āYes? Sorry,ā You apologize, feeling bad for being distracted again.Ā
Dohyun shakes his head, a small smile on his face, āNo worries. I just wanted to talk to you about something.āĀ
Your heart races at that and you gulp, beginning to feel a little worried at what exactly he wants to say. No no, you didnāt think it be this soon. You need to tell him before he tells you. You canāt let him tell you first.Ā
Before you can say anything more, he continues, āI donāt know if you remember that before you left for college I was going toāāĀ
āMore wine anyone?ā Jeongguk cuts in, holding up the bottle and acting oblivious to what he just interrupted. Your shoulders relax in relief and you nod rapidly.Ā
You really need a fucking drink to get through this.Ā
āYes please,ā You hold up your glass and he pours it in for you.Ā
āThere you go,ā His fingers brush against yours which ensures the glass is in your handās grip when you pull it back and you try not to shiver at the tinging feeling and his eyes directly looking into yours.
āDohyun?ā Jeongguk looks at him with a questioning gaze, holding out the bottle but the other just shakes his head in response.Ā
āIām good thanks,ā He looks eager for Jeongguk to leave right now, knee bouncing in anxiousness.Ā
āOkay well your food should be here shortly,ā Jeongguk says before turning to leave. He looks a bit hesitant to leave, glancing over his shoulder to look at you and you just send him a fake small smile, looking down into your lap.Ā
What the fuck do you do?Ā
āAs I was saying Y/N, before you left for college I was going to tell you something,ā Dohyunās voice sounds a little shaky when he speaks. āBut you had to leave and I never got the chance but for so long IāāĀ
āBathroom!ā You blurt out, eyes going wide.Ā
Dohyun looks confused, āHuh?āĀ
You let out a nervous laugh, āUm I just really need to use the bathroom,ā You stand up, grabbing your purse. āCan you give me a few minutes? I really gotta pee.ā No, you donāt. You need to go freak the fuck out and possibly climb out of the window.Ā
āOh okay,ā He nods understandably before flashing you a sweet smile. āIāll wait.āĀ
You give him a fake smile in response, pushing into your chair before walking towards the bathroom. You maneuver your way around a few waiters, avoiding eye contact and rushing inside. Luckily no one else is in the bathroom so you just stand in front of the sink, taking a few deep breaths as you stare into the mirror.Ā
You donāt know how to turn him down. Heās getting so close to telling you about his feelings. You didnāt have the heart to turn him down for the date. What if you canāt reject his feelings for you either?Ā
If that ends up happening, youād be absolutely fucked.Ā
You donāt even fucking see a window in here otherwise youād escape right there.Ā
āYou okay?ā You hear a familiar voice ask, causing you to flinch in surprise, hand resting on your chest.Ā
āHoly shit,ā You exhale. āYou scared me.ā You look at Jeongguk, wondering how the hell you didnāt hear him enter the bathroom.Ā
The womenās bathroom might you add.Ā
āYeah yeah,ā You try to wave off. āIām fine. What are you doing in here?ā You quickly ask, looking away and pretending to look into the mirror and fix your hair.Ā
āI saw you come in and you didnāt look too good,ā He shrugs, hands in his pocket as he leans against the wall. āJust thought Iād check up on you.āĀ
Your heart swells a little at his concern. Youāre in awe at the fact that he cared enough to come to see how youāre doing because he thought something was wrong. God, heās making you like him more and more.Ā
āIām,ā You clear your throat, āIām good.ā Youāre not. āI think.ā You add before letting out a shaky breath. āItās not every day that someone is about to confess about being in love with you for years.ā You let out a humorless chuckle.Ā
āWell youāre right about that,ā Jeongguk says and you look at him with a raised eyebrow. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. āSorry, not helping.āĀ
āNot at all,ā You respond, turning around so you can lean your back against the counter of the sink. āArenāt you going to be in trouble for being here?āĀ
Jeongguk shrugs, āNot my first time being in the womenās bathroom during a shift,ā He smirks and your chest slightly tinges in jealousy at what heās implying but then he adds, āI once had to help an old lady clean a stain off of her dress.ā You relax at that, causing Jeongguk to smirk.Ā
āWhat did you think I meant?ā He teases and you roll your eyes in response.Ā
āWas it a wine stain cusā you sure seem to be quite clumsy for a waiter,ā You ask with heavy sarcasm, watching how he pushes himself off the wall.Ā
āHey! That was actually an accident,ā Jeongguk tries to defend.Ā
āIām sure it was,ā You remark, arms crossed over your chest. You try not to notice how heās slowly walking toward you.Ā
āIt was,ā He answers before saying, āLook Iām trying to help you out over here.āĀ
You pout, avoiding eye contact with him by staring down at the pristine tiled floor. āI donāt need help.āĀ
Youāre lying. You really fucking need help.Ā
Jeongguk lets out a sigh, āY/N, whyād you say yes to the date if you knew you didnāt like him?ā He asks, pierced brow raised in question.Ā
Unable to meet his eyes, you fiddle with the rings on your fingers and say, āI just felt really bad because he just seemed so excited,ā You look up at him, āI just didnāt know how to say no.āĀ
Jeongguk nods and you notice how heās standing directly in front of you now. You swallow at the sight of how good he looks in his button-up that shows off his small waist and strong chest. The sleeves are snug around his biceps and the black dress pants accentuate his strong thighs.Ā
āYeah but now look,ā His hand gestures towards the door to refer to Dohyun. āYou said yes to the guy, making him think he has a chance or that you might like him or something.ā The guilt weighs down on your chest and you stare down at the floor in shame.Ā
Ā Jeongguk is right. You made the mistake of saying yes and it probably made Dohyun hopeful that the feelings he has for you are mutual in return. But thatās not true when the man standing a few inches in front of you is the only one you want.Ā
Seeing the uniform hug his body in a way that shows off his toned muscles almost has you drooling and you try not to shiver at how his dark eyes give you a once-over. You know you look good with the way your black dress is hugging your body, the slit reaching your midthigh, showing off your smooth skin. His eyes seem to linger on that area in particular and you try not to smile.Ā
āI just couldnāt say no,ā You whine, pouting at the floor with your arms crossing over your chest.Ā
Jeongguk dips his head a bit, bringing it closer to yours with just a few inches of space in between, and asks, āAnd why couldnāt you say no?āĀ
Your eyes canāt help but wander to his rose petal-colored lips that look so soft at the moment. Youāre curious to know how the piercing would feel if you were to just kiss him on the mouth. Thereās also that cute little mole he has beneath his bottom lip. Swallowing, you look up to find his doe-brown eyes staring at your own lips as well.Ā
Clearing your throat, you answer, āBecause he brought me flowers a-andā¦ā You shyly look away from his intense gaze, cheeks flushing as you look behind him. āAnd he got those expensive chocolates. I just didnāt know how to say no.āĀ
āWhat about me?ā Jeongguk inquires, causing you to snap your head to look at him in surprise.Ā
āWhat about you?ā You raise an eyebrow in question.Ā
Your heart starts to race when you notice his right hand come up to your face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lightly brush against your exposed neck, causing you to slightly shiver at his touch.Ā
If he can just wrap those hands around your throat you donāt think youād mind at all.Ā
āWhat if I brought you flowers and overpriced chocolates and asked you out to dinner?ā He asks, eyes watching how you grab his right hand, fingers tracing over the tattoos on his knuckles.Ā
āI wouldāve said yes even if you didnāt bring me flowers or overpriced chocolates,ā You tell him truthfully, enjoying the satisfied look on his face.Ā
āWell,ā He looks down at your joined hands before intertwining his fingers with yours. āGood to know I donāt have any competition.ā You snort at that, suddenly feeling brave and pull him closer to you.Ā
You know you shouldnāt be doing this right now. Not when youāre literally on a date with someone whoās been crushing on you since you were kids but youāre in the bathroom with your waiter slash gardener slash friend? Acquaintance? Whatever he is, what you know for sure is that you want to kiss him right in the mouth because he looks too good not to.Ā
So you do.Ā
Forgetting about everything else going on, you make the move youāve been desperately wanting to make since you saw the man standing in front of you.Ā
You grab the collar of his shirt and tug him down so you can press your lips against his in a lustful kiss. A small noise of surprise leaves his lips but he quickly reacts by putting his hands on your waist and returning the affection.
The feeling of his lips against yours was nothing like youād ever felt before. They felt almost silk-like and pillowy as they moved against yours in the heated kiss. Sparks ignite, in your chest, buzzing throughout your entire body as his large hands slid up and down your back before moving down toward your hip. He squeezes it softly, causing you to inhale sharply.
His lips move against yours in a soft but sensual manner that has your knees slightly quivering and your heart pounding. You feel breathless when you pull apart for a few seconds with his forehead resting against yours. His right-hand cups your face, thumb playing with your bottom lip.
Jeongguk smirks, āYou look good with your lipstick smeared.ā You roll your eyes playfully but you can feel the heat in your cheeks at his comment.Ā
āShut up,ā You pull him until your lower back hits the counter behind you, his hands caging your body against it which causes a rush of excitement to run up your spine. You canāt help but give him a once over, noticing how pink his lips look now, hair slightly unruly from your hands. Jeongguk watches as you bring your hands to his chest, fiddling with the collar before letting them trail down his chest to feel his pecs.Ā
The muscles feel hard and firm beneath your hand as you trail them down toward his abdomen. When your hands dip a little too low, he quickly snatches your hand and holds it up against his chest, tugging you close by the waist with the other arm.Ā
āNuh-uh,ā Jeongguk clicks his tongue, āAs much as Iām into the idea of fucking you in a public area, you are not about to start this in the fucking bathroom at my job.ā Your cheeks flush immediately and you try to shove him away but he hardly moves.Ā
God, you just wanted to devour him right here. You couldnāt handle the sight in front of you right now. You know this is just his work uniform but you never wouldāve thought that he can look this good. You just wanted to get on your knees andā¦Ā
āY/N.ā You immediately snap out of your horny thoughts, eyes wide and face warm. Jeongguk has a stupid smirk on his face as if he knows what youāre thinking about right now.Ā
Despite wanting to tackle him to the ground and have him take you right here, you remember you have a whole date waiting for you outside at the table most likely wondering where you are.Ā
āWhat?ā You clear your throat, pushing those lustful thoughts aside.Ā
Jeongguk holds a teasing smile on his face, āAre you dreaming about my dick?āĀ
āWhat-no!ā You deny, pushing him off and turning towards the mirror to fix your hair. You notice how your lipstick is smeared, courtesy of Jeongguk. You take a tissue and clean it before opening your clutch to pull out the liquid lipstick so you can reapply it.Ā
You can feel Jeonggukās eyes on you the whole time as youāre bent over the counter, looking closely in the mirror. You try not to make eye contact, gliding the applicator across your bottom lip.Ā
Your breath hitches in your throat when you feel his hand slide on your hip but you pretend to like it doesnāt affect you even though your heart rate starts to increase and a feeling of thrill runs up your spine.Ā
āYou were totally dreaming about my dick,ā You glare at him through the mirror, elbowing him in the abdomen which causes him to slightly groan.Ā
āWhy would I be thinking about your dick when Iām on a date with someone else right now?ā You ask.Ā
Jeongguk snickers, āYou werenāt saying that when you had your tongue down my throat a few minutes ago.āĀ
Your jaw drops and you turn around, pushing at his shoulder, āI did not have my tongue down your throat.āĀ
He has that smug smile on his annoyingly handsome face that had you contemplating whether you wanted to smack him or kiss him again.Ā
āItās okay, youāre too shy to admit it right now. Youāll get comfortable eventually,ā He shrugs, avoiding the little punch you were about to deliver to his chest. He grabs your hand instead and pulls you towards him once again with his tattooed arm around your waist while the other cups your cheek.Ā
āYouāre annoying,ā You mumble, playing with the top button on his shirt. You notice ink peeking out from where the shirt is unbuttoned which you somehow havenāt noticed before.Ā
Can this man get any more attractive?Ā
āIād say charming,ā Jeongguk responds before asking, āWeāve been here for quite some time now.āĀ
āYouāre the one who followed me,ā You retorted.Ā
āI had to make sure you were okay,ā Jeongguk defends, thumb stroking your cheek. āWhat are you going to do now?āĀ
You let out a dreaded sigh, letting your hands rest against his chest as you say, āIām going to have to tell him Iām not interested.ā You shake your head. āI shouldnāt have said yes in the first place. It was a mistake from that day but he just had this hopeful smile on his face. I didnāt have it in me to deny him.āĀ
Jeongguk looks at you with a nonjudgmental gaze, nodding his head. āYou canāt let this drag out any longer.āĀ
āI know,ā You agree, thinking about how crushed Dohyun is going to look once you tell him the truth.Ā
āHeās going to be heartbroken,ā Jeongguk adds.Ā
You pout, āI know.ā
āBut Iām going to be one happy man.āĀ
āI knowāwait what?ā You almost missed what he said and he just chuckles in response. āWhy would you be happy?āĀ
āCuz then I can ask you out on a date,ā Jeongguk says with full confidence, wrapping both arms around your waist and swaying you side to side.Ā
āAnd youāre so sure Iād say yes?ā You ask, eyebrows raised in question.Ā
He narrows his eyes at you playfully and says, āWith the way you were about to get on your knees Iād like to thinkāāĀ
You slap his chest, āGod, youāre so annoying! See if I ever give you head now.āĀ
āIām kidding,ā Jeongguk pouts. āYou canāt take away that privilege already. You havenāt even done it yet.āĀ
Rolling your eyes at his response, your hand plays with the piercing in his right eyebrow. His hands rest on your lower back casually as if you guys have done this a million times. Jeongguk is definitely a touchy person but not in a way thatās made you uncomfortable of course. Youāve enjoyed the feeling of his hands on your body and you wonder what it would feel like on your bare skin.Ā
Youād definitely like to find that out.Ā
To say that youāre surprised heās even talking to you would be an understatement. Especially after the day he saw you accepting Dohyunās little gifts and proposal to dinner. He had left so abruptly much to your disappointment. And even after that, you didnāt even catch wind of him when working around the garden.Ā
You really thought you lost your opportunity with him but his actions and words say otherwise.Ā
āYou didnāt answer my question,ā Jeonggukās statement breaks you out of your thoughts.Ā
āWhat question?āĀ
He raises an eyebrow, āIf youād like to go on a date with me.ā He runs his thumb over your bottom lip, staring at them as if he wants to just devour them again but heās restraining himself.Ā
You didnāt even realize he asked you that question.Ā
With a snort, you say, āAre you seriously going to ask me this in the bathroom while my actual date is waiting for me outside?ā
Jeongguk rolls his eyes at you, āIām sorry would you like me to shower you with flowers and expensive as fuck chocolates? I can also ask Bill, who is playing the violin in the dining room right now, to play you a song while I ask you out.āĀ
This time you roll your eyes at his response, āNo need for flowers and expensive as fuck chocolates,ā you emphasize his words. āAnd his name is Bill? He doesnāt even look like a Bill.āĀ
āThatās what Iāve been telling my coworkers. He looks more like a Marvin to me.ā Jeongguk says and you nod your head in agreement after a quick thought.Ā
āTell you what, give me your number first and then Iāll give you a response,ā You donāt know where this confidence suddenly came fromĀ
āYou know you couldāve just asked me for my number if you wanted it so bad,ā He laughs and you ignore him, handing him your phone.Ā
āHush, I need to leave now so hurry up,ā You watch as he types in his number, an amused smile pulling at his lips which causes you to narrow your eyes at him.
He hands you back your phone, an innocent smile on his face while youāre looking at him suspiciously. When you glance down at your phone, you understand why he has that look on his face.Ā
The contact name for his number is My super hot gardener <3 <3
Can he get any more annoying?Ā
āAre you kidding me?ā You ask him but donāt change the name anyways.Ā
āNot at all, love.ā He pulls you forward once more, cupping your face with both hands this time, causing you to look up at him. āListen, donāt worry about how Dohyun is going to feel, and donāt beat yourself up about it either.ā You nod sadly. āYou canāt keep leading him on like this. Neither of you deserve that. So just be honest about your feelings towards him.ā Jeongguk tilts your head up to look at him. āYou have to put yourself first okay?āĀ
You nod understandingly, hands going behind his neck to pull him down for another sweet kiss because you just couldnāt fucking help yourself. The feeling of his lips on yours was just so damn addicting. The way he was gazing at you with those soft doe eyes and the comforting words he provided had your stomach fluttering with butterflies.Ā
Your lips move in sync, arms tightening around one another as if you didnāt want to let each other go. His tongue prods at your lips, asking for entrance which you grant. His tongue slides into your mouth, hands digging into your hips as he fights for dominance with your own tongue. The kiss becomes more and more heated, your hands tangling in his wavy hair once again while youāre pretty sure your lipstick is smeared over both your lips as well as his own.Ā
The sound of your phone vibrating has you pulling back from his lips with a loud POP. Your chest is heaving, slightly out of breath from the intense kiss. Jeongguk runs his thumb across his lip to clean the faint lipstick while youāre opening your purse to see a message from Dohyun.Ā
Dohyun: Hey Y/N, are you okay?āĀ
Great, he must think youāre fighting for your life in the bathroom or something. Itās probably been well over 20 minutes so you canāt blame him.Ā
āI really have to go now.ā You tell Jeongguk and he nods understandingly.Ā
āItās fine,ā He grabs a tissue and brings it up to clean beneath your lower lip. āYour lipstick smeared again.ā You smile at the gesture in a thankful manner, letting him clean it for you.
Heās going to kill you.Ā
āRemember what I said okay?ā He tells you and you nod in response, your throat feeling tight already at the conversation youāve been dreading the whole night. āAnd Iāll be nearby in case you need help.ā You nod once again, feeling reassured by his words.Ā
āOkay, thanks.ā You give him a sweet smile, leaning up on your tiptoes to kiss his cheek which catches him off guard.Ā Ā
āYeahā¦ā He clears his throat, āNo problem.āĀ
With a small smile, you turn around and walk out the bathroom door not without looking over your shoulder at Jeongguk one last time.Ā
Here goes nothing.Ā
+
āHey, sorry I took so long,ā You apologize to Dohyun, straightening out your dress before sitting back down on the chair.Ā
Dohyun just gives you a sweet, understanding smile in return and says, āItās okay. Jeongguk hasnāt even come by with the food yet.āĀ
You cough, taking a sip of your water to hide the flush of your cheeks. If only he knew Jeongguk was too busy with his tongue down your throat in the bathroom. The thought of what just went down in the bathroom had your stomach swirling in excitement. You hope the small smile on your face was not too obvious.Ā Ā
āIs everything okay?ā Dohyunās voice is filled with concern.Ā
Youāre snapped out of your thoughts at the sound of his question, looking up at him with wide eyes. You need to focus on the fact that youāre on a date with Dohyun right now and that you only have to endure this for a little bit longer before the food comes.Ā
Then you actually have to let Dohyun down politely. Honestly, you donāt even know why you donāt just get it over with right now.Ā
Jeonggukās words echo in your head, telling you that itās okay to think about yourself and turn Dohyun down. Thereās no reason for you to be stretching this time out even longer. Itāll save him the heartbreak. Itās not like he was wrong. The further you lead Dohyun on, the more hurt heāll be in the end when he finds out you do not reciprocate mutual feelings.
You also canāt forget the soft look in Jeonggukās eyes. It was a look that youād never seen on his face before and one that you didnāt think he was capable of showing considering his intimidating aura. But if thereās one thing you learned, itās that Jeongguk is far from intimidating underneath all those piercings, ink, and black clothes.Ā
God, you just wanted this date to be over so you can tell Jeongguk to fuck off his shift for the night and go somewhere so the two of you can spend some time together.Ā
āUh yeah, Iām okay,ā You take a sip of your wine this time. āIām fine. Itās just a little hot in here.ā Youāre praying he buys that excuse for your flushed face. You exaggerate it by fanning yourself with the menu listed with the different alcoholic beverages.Ā
āOh no,ā Dohyun looks worried. āDo you want to go somewhere else?ā He asks seriously.Ā
āNo no,ā You wave off. āIāll be okay. Thank you though.ā You reassure him with a small smile. You are not about to drag this night out any longer.Ā
Dohyun nods though he looks a bit unconvinced. You fiddle with your fingers, unsure of what else to say. The silence between the two of you is awkward. Youāre staring down into your lap while Dohyun opens and closes his mouth as if he wants to say something but holds himself back.Ā
āSo Y/N,ā You look up at Dohyun. āYou probably already have an idea why I asked you out to dinner.ā You try not to make it obvious when your eyes become a little wider, your heart dropping in your chest. āI mean..ā He chuckles a bit, scratching the back of his neck. āWeāve known each other for so long. I remember watching you as a kid, thinking youāre the prettiest girl Iāve ever seen.ā You try to smile but you think it looks more like a grimace.Ā
āI remember when one of the kids your mom would set you up with for playdates was being so mean to meĀ but you justā¦came to the rescue and told them to leave me alone.ā The memory was quite vivid to you only because ever since that day, you noticed how Dohyun would start bringing you small gifts like a flower from the garden or pieces of candy. āThatās when I knew I started to develop feelings for you.āĀ
And there it is. The expression on his face is filled with admiration and love as he stares at you intently, pouring his heart out to you and confessing his feelings. Something youāve always feared because you knew that by the end of this, he was going to leave with a broken heart. You let yourself get way too far and led him to this point. Now itās your job to end it.Ā
āI just really want to tell you that Iāve always lovedāāĀ
Dohyun gets interrupted when Jeongguk arrives with a tray carrying your entrees. āAlright you guys, the food is here.ā Dohyunās face drops, falling silent at the interruption while youāre filled with relief, exhaling out a breath. You look up at Jeongguk only to catch him already looking at you, giving you a small wink that Dohyun isnāt able to see.Ā
āFilet mignon for you,ā Jeongguk sets down the plate in front of Dohyun who thanks him in response with a polite smile. āAnd risotto for the pretty lady,ā Jeongguk emphasizes pretty and you bite your lip to hide the smile that threatens to form on your face.Ā
āThank you, Jeongguk,ā Your foot brushes against his ankle purposely when you uncross your legs and he just looks at you with a certain glint in his eyes, a pierced eyebrow raised at the gesture.Ā
āNo problem,ā He clears his throat, breaking eye contact so it doesnāt look so obvious to Dohyun. āIs there anything else you guys need?āĀ
Dohyun looks at you in question and you shake your head as a no in response. He then looks back up at Jeongguk and gives him a grateful smile, āNo, weāre good. Thanks, man.āĀ
āYeah, no problem. Iāll be back to check on you guys,ā He informed you and it sounded like he was mostly talking to you from the way he looks at you, eyes lingering before leaves. He needs to stop making it so damn obvious.Ā
āSoā¦ā Dohyun is about to start talking but you interrupt him.Ā
āLetās eat, Iām starving,ā You immediately pick up the fork and dig into the feed even though you had no appetite to consume food. If anything, you felt nauseous. Youāre dreading the conversation that youāre about to have.Ā
āWow,ā Dohyunās eyes are wide as he chews his food. āThis steak is amazing.ā He gushes, cutting into the meat with his knife and fork before holding it in your direction. āYou need to try this.āĀ
You shake your head, āOh no, Iām okay. Thank you though.ā You politely decline and give him a grateful smile.Ā
āNo seriously,ā He responds. āYou have to try this.ā He seems persistent, wiggling his fork towards you with a bite of the tender-looking steak. You gulp, noticing how heās leaning forward in anticipation with an eager look in his eyes. Youāre about to lean forward, lips parted to take a bite but Jeongguk being the savior he isāGod, you can just kiss himācomes back.Ā
āYou guys look like youāre running low on wine so I brought some more,ā Jeongguk chirps, moving Dohyunās arm back so he can pour into the glass. You bite down on your lower lip to keep yourself from smiling widely, meeting Jeonggukās eyes with a thankful expression. You opt to stare at his beautiful inked hands pouring into the wine glass as you try not to make it obvious when your hand secretly strokes his thigh. You hold back a laugh when you notice him slightly flinch out of surprise, jaw clenching, and eyes narrowed when he glances at you.
You feign a look of innocence and say, āThank you for the wine.ā Youāre grateful that the table is high enough that Dohyun canāt see how Jeongguk takes his left hand while the right is still holding the bottle and squeezes your hand.Ā
Jeongguk clears his throat,Ā
āThanks, Jeongguk,ā Dohyun gives him an appreciative smile, āI was just trying to get Y/N to try the filet mignon.āĀ
āOh yes,ā Jeongguk says, attempting to sound professional and you bite back a laugh, āMany customers rave over the filet mignon. The cows were fed organic grass which is one of the reasons why itās so delectable.āĀ
Organic grass? What the fuck is he even saying?Ā
You know damn well heās trying to be funny but the way he said it with a straight face would make one think heās serious. For example, Dohyun looked utterly fascinated by the thought.Ā
āWow, are they really?āĀ
Jeongguk snorts but quickly covers it with a cough, āYeah man. Donāt you know? Those cows are living their best life. Better than you and I,ā Jeongguk takes the fork out of Dohyunās hand and the other boy just stares at him, eyes wide in curiosity. He grabs the piece of steak that was originally meant for you and slides the bite into his mouth before giving Dohyun the fork back. Jeongguk scrunches up his face in delight, almost looking angry as he chews before he lets out a sigh and looks back at Dohyun. āDare I say the cows are living a better life than Y/N too.āĀ
You cover your face, unable to hold back your giggles while Dohyun just looks confused now. Jeongguk has a small smile on his face as he glances at you, feeling accomplished for making you laugh so cutely.Ā
āI have to ask my uncle about this if itās true,ā Dohyun shakes his head, expression full of surprise as he looks deep in thought. āHe owns a farm so maybe he can start doing that too.āĀ
Jeongguk looks like heās trying not to burst out laughing this time but instead nods, āYeah let me know what he says, man.āĀ
āJeongguk, Suho is calling you to the back,ā A waiter whispers into his ear, āLike now.āĀ
āNow?ā Jeongguk asks and the other waiter nods. He looks back at you and sees you swallow nervously. This means Jeongguk can no longer save you from delaying this any further. Itās either now or never.Ā
You look back at Jeongguk and give him a reassuring nod in a subtle manner to tell him itās okay if he leaves. He glances over at Dohyun, noticing how the other boy is tapping his foot impatiently beneath the table as if waiting for Jeongguk to leave so he can pick up where he left off.Ā
āAlright,ā Jeongguk clears his throat, āLooks like Iām needed in the back. Are you guys good?ā He asks, mostly directing the question at you based on the direct eye contact he makes, eyebrow raised.Ā
You give him an appreciative smile, āIām good. Thank you, Jeongguk.āĀ
āMe too. Thanks, Jeongguk!ā Dohyun says a slight eagerness following his tone.Ā
āOkay cool, be right back.ā He tells you, sending you a small comforting smile. You let out a deep breath, looking over at Dohyun whoās already staring at you with a nervous expression on his face.Ā
āY/N, thereās something I need to tell you. Iāve been meaning to tell you for so long butā¦ā Dohyun twiddles with his fingers resting on top of the table. āI would just get so nervous and chicken out,ā He chuckles at himself with a shake of his head. āIāve always admired you and your kindness. Your kindness is what drew me to you more than anything. Comforting people when theyāre upset and going out of your way to make them feel better.ā Your lips turn up into a small smile at his words but your chest aches out of guilt with what youāre about to do. āBasically, what Iām trying to tell you is thatā¦I uh really really like you. Iāve liked you since we were kids. Maybe even love.ā Dohyun lets out a quivering laugh, avoiding eye contact. āI was wondering if youād give me a chance.āĀ
Your throat feels like itās closing up as you hear his words, processing them clearly. The feeling of your heart pounding against your chest and beating in your ears, your face feeling warm and flushed. You look down at your hands in your lap, playing with the ring on your index finger as you let out a shaky breath through your lips.Ā
āDohyunā¦youāve always been a sweet guy,ā You begin, āSo selfless and always thinking of others.ā You add and he nods, a smile playing on his lips from your compliment. āBut Iā¦Iām sorry,ā You feel your eyes stinging as you notice the smile vanish from his face, lips pursing in despair. āI donāt see you that way.ā You finally say.Ā
His face crumples a bit, shoulders and head dropping as soon as the words leave your lips. He looks down into his lap and you swear you can hear him sniffling a bit. The silence between you two is almost deafening, the sound of other customers and cutlery being the only thing you hear.Ā
āIām really sorry,ā You say again, eyes welling up a bit because of how bad you feel. āI probably shouldnāt have even said yes to you because it seems like Iāve led you on but I just didnāt know how to tell you no.āĀ
Dohyun just nods in response, not moving a single inch from his position and his lack of words is killing you. You notice Jeongguk peeking at you from behind the door, locking eyes with you. He immediately notices the sorrowful look on your face, stepping forward to approach you but you quickly shake your head.Ā
Not yet, you try to tell him. You think this conversation needs to end with closure. You donāt want to leave without making sure heās okay. You know heās not okay and he probably wonāt be for some time. Heās had feelings for you for so long, he must feel so crushed by your rejection.Ā
When Dohyun finally lifts his head up to look at you, you feel your chest ache at his red-rimmed eyes and quivering lips. āY-You wonāt even give me a chance? Like⦠not even if I take you on more dates a-and maybe let you get to know me better?ā He wipes his nose with the back of his hand, sniffling.Ā
You shake your head, a sad smile on your lips. āIām sorryā¦I just,ā You look over at Jeongguk whoās talking to another customer while constantly glancing at you in concern. āI like someone else.ā You tell him, feeling like absolute shit. You just didnāt know what else you couldāve told him for him to completely let you go. You had to tell him the truth.Ā
His face shows pure anguish, looking completely defeated. āSo I-I donāt stand a chance against him?ā He asks, voice hoarse.Ā
āIām sorry,ā is the only thing you think you can say in response to that.Ā
He just nods, head hanging low and lets out a quiet. āOkay.āĀ
āEverything good?ā Jeongguk decides to cut in, saving you from this painful moment.Ā
Dohyun just looks up and Jeongguk in response and nods solemnly, āYeah can we get the check please?āĀ
āUh yeah sure,ā Jeongguk responds. āBoxes?āĀ
āNo thanks,ā Dohyun immediately says, his voice cracking. āY/N,ā He looks at you properly for the first time. āDo you think I can get a r-ride home? I-I just donāt think I canā¦ā He looks like heās about to have a breakdown so you immediately cut in.Ā
āItās okay. Donāt even worry about it.ā Your voice is soft, feeling like you need to speak to him in a delicate manner because he may break any second. āIāll call my driver.āĀ
āOkay,ā Dohyun nods. āIām gonna go. Iāll see you on Monday.ā He says quickly before getting up swiftly. Thereās a fresh set of tears in his eyes and he nods at Jeongguk. Head hanging low with his feet dragging across the floor, he walks towards the door without looking back.Ā
You stare at the door, never feeling this much guilt and regret in your life. Guilt for turning him down but also regret even accepting this date. You think saying yes to the date probably gave him high hopes that you had feelings for him in return. You shouldāve come clean at the pool when he asked you out in the first place.Ā Ā
āOh god,ā You cover your face with both hands. āI feel so awful. I feel so fucking awful. I canāt believe he cried.ā Your throat feels tight and painful, unable to get the image of your head.Ā
āHey hey,ā Jeongguk looks around before kneeling beside you, hand on your arm, āItās okay. You had to do it okay?ā You nod but donāt move your hands away from your face.Ā
āI know I just canāt forget the look on his face,ā You whisper into your hands. āI just feel so bad.āĀ
āI know Y/N. That wasnāt an easy thing to do,ā Jeongguk acknowledges, rubbing his hand up and down your back in a comforting manner.Ā
Not only do you feel like a total asshole right now, youāre a little embarrassed at the fact that Jeongguk is seeing you on the verge of bursting into tears but you cannot help yourself.Ā
āHey listen,ā His voice is gentle and you feel him move closer to you, his chest pressing against your knee. āA lot of these people are looking at us and I donāt know if they know who you are but I donāt want it spreading around that you were crying in this boujee ass restaurant in the headlines tomorrow.ā You chuckle a little taking the napkin heās holding out for you, patting it beneath your eyes.Ā
āThank you,ā You say quietly, unable to look him in the eyes.Ā
āOf course,ā He clears his throat. āIām about to finish my shift soon. Um if you want, I can give you a ride home?ā He offers before quickly adding. āOnly if you want to. I wonāt be offended if you just want your driver to pick you up.ā
You finally look at him for the first time, taking slightly widened doe eyes, face looking soft. Heās tugging at the piercing on his lower lip, a nervous habit youāve noticed from the time youāve spent with him.Ā
āI would really appreciate that,ā You inform him with a grateful smile.Ā
His shoulders visibly relax at your answer, a sigh escaping his lips.Ā
āThank God you said that,ā He pretends to wipe the sweat off his forehead, āI donāt think I was ready to handle the rejection.ā He tells you and you feel like thereās some underlying truth to that.Ā
āThe dude Iām crushing on is offering me a ride, who am I to say no?ā You say bravely and he freezes, eyes wide and full of surprise with how you say that without a single stutter.Ā
āD-Dude youāre crushing on me?ā He repeats, bringing his hand up to point his index finger at him. āAm I the dude youāre crushing on?ā He asks in disbelief.Ā
You give him an āAre you jokingā look, pushing at his shoulder. āWho else is offering me a ride home here?ā You ask him.Ā
āIām sure tons of people would. Youāre beautiful.ā He says easily and you flush, not expecting that response at all.Ā
āOh,ā You look down at your lap with a smile on your lips. Feeling so flustered by his compliment, you change the subject. āIs it wrong to do all this after I just broke someoneās heart?ā You ask him.Ā
Jeongguk shakes his head, āNo, you did what you had to do, Y/N.ā You nod, a slightly guilty expression appearing on your face once again. āHere,ā He pulls out what looks like car keys from his back pocket. āDo you want to wait in my car while I finish up here?āĀ
You nod, grabbing the keys from him with a smile, āIāll wait.ā You grab your purse, pulling the strap onto your shoulder. Jeongguk also stands up from his kneeling position, brushing his black pants.Ā
Once you stand up, you have to peer up to look at him. Even with your heels on you, youāre still barely reaching his damn shoulder.Ā
Are you really that short or is he just super tall?Ā
āBy the way,ā You start, causing him to immediately pause from picking up the plate and giving you his full attention with the way he turns his body to look at you, eyes meeting yours. For some reason that makes your heart flutter. āCan you charge the dinner on my card?ā You open your purse to pull out your tiny card holder. āItās the least I can do for Dohyun.ā You add, handing him the card.Ā
Jeongguk looks down at the card in his hand as if itās the most fascinating thing heās ever seen, eyes squinting before widening. He holds the card up to the light as if inspecting it before bringing it back down and closer to his face again.
āUm, is everything okay?ā You ask in confusion.Ā
āDid you just hand me a black card?ā His voice is full of surprise, mouth slightly ajar.Ā
āYeahā¦ā You trail off, looking down at your feet.Ā
Great, he must think youāre a spoiled brat.Ā
āDo you know the amount of unnecessary and useless shit I would buy if I had one of these?ā He holds the card in his fingers as if itās fine china.Ā
āI mean you can,ā You respond and he just looks at you in disbelief.
āBaby youāre too sweet but I never thought about getting sugar mama.ā He smirks before adding, āAt least not anymore.ā Your heart flutters and you try not to squeal at the fact that he casually called you ābabyā.Ā
This man is trying to kill you.Ā
You pretend to act unbothered by his words with a roll of your eyes, shoving at his shoulder, āShut up before I make you pay for this dinner.ā You threaten and he immediately closes his mouth, turning towards the table. You laugh in response, shaking your head at him.Ā
āIāll be out in 10 minutes,ā He tells you and you nod, a smile on your face as you step towards the door already feeling a lot better just by talking to him.Ā













