Moonleeai

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[pars-ley]

A new BTS Collab event hosted by myself and @anyamaris

Proof. The up and coming hot new music company born from the dreams of seven friends: the wealthy Kim Brothers- Seokjin, Namjoon and Taehyung along with their half-brother Jungkook, their cousin Jimin and two friends from school, Yoongi and Hoseok.

Each of them are very dedicated to their careers, and yet, there is something lacking in all of their personal lives. While they created something together as a team, every one of them will have to face their own trials when it comes to matters of the heart.

*Links will be added as they're posted. Individual posting dates TBD

Title: Loosen up

Author: @colormepurplex2

Pairing: CEO!Namjoon x Personal Assistant!Reader

Genre(s): CEO AU; boss/assistant; Angst; fluff; Smut

WC: TBD

Summary: Namjoon is uptight, strait-laced, and far too serious. He knows it, his business partners and family know it, and, as his personal assistant, you know it better than any of them. So, what do you do when he asks—no, *begs*—for you to help him loosen up a little?

Title: A pinch of pixie dust

Author: @remedyx

Pairing: CEO!Seokjin x Barista!Reader

Genre(s): Grumpy/Sunshine; Fluff; Comedy; Smut; Comfort

WC: TBD

Summary: Jin's life was structured around routine. He preferred it that way. A rigid businessman in public and private meets his match in a vivacious barista employed at the coffee shop he stops in at every morning. She flips his world on its axis and forces him to question everything he thought he wanted. But will he let her melt the ice around his heart and can love brew where it's least expected?

Title: Looking in

Author: @anyamaris

Pairing: CEO!Taehyung x Childhood Friend!Reader

Genre(s): Unrequited love; angst; smut

WC: TBD

Summary: Returning home after years at University, you’re eager to establish your own business and reconnect with your long time friends. Surprisingly, your childhood crush has developed into something more mature, but there’s just one catch. He’s in an arranged marriage with your best friend.

Title: Beautiful Mistakes

Author: @lo1k-diamonds

Pairing: Producer!Yoongi x Songwriter!Reader

Genre(s): Co-workers to lovers; Angst; Smut

WC: TBD

Summary: Yoongi wouldn't be caught dead meddling in people's lives, but once he sees you on that screen, he has to help you somehow. It's an impulse, a mistake. The kind that ruins everything for you. He can't undo it, but he can help you turn your life around, even if he can't tell you why.

Title: Rhythm reborn

Author: @moonleeai

Pairing: Lead Choreographer!Hoseok x Ex-girlfriend!Reader

Genre(s): Second chance AU; angst, smut, fluff

WC: TBD

Summary: You took a chance on love, but Hoseok’s relentless pursuit of success pulls you apart, leaving both of you tangled in loneliness. Yet, beneath the weight of pain and silence, a fragile hope flickers—a chance to rediscover the rhythm that connects the heart, offering a second chance at love.

Title: Promise

Author: @pars-ley

Pairing: Lead Lyricist!Jimin x Family Friend!Reader

Genre(s): Arranged marriage AU; love triangle; mutual pining; angst; fluff; smut

WC: TBD

Summary: Jimin has been a constant in your life ever since you can remember. He's the person you go to in times of need, the one you trust more than anyone and the one you fantasise about spending your life with. If you gave him the chance you know he'd jump at a life with you too. Sounds perfect, right? Just one problem…you're betrothed to his cousin.

Title: Who...

Author: @mrsparkjimin18

Pairing: Idol!Jungkook x Older!Reader

Genre(s): Forbidden love/taboo; age gap reader; Smut; Angst

WC: TBD

Summary: You never expected to see him again – not like this. No longer a little boy, but a man. And not just any man…the one you can’t seem to ignore. There’s a line between your fates. Drawn by time, by age, by everything you’re supposed to be. But this – whatever this is – feels like the kind of choice that changes everything. If you take one step closer, there may be no turning back…

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 10 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: cursing, alcohol, sasaengs, sara, a side character being diagnosed with cancer, cigarettes, panic attack, explicit content: jerking off, oral sex (male receiving), dry humping, clit play (slaps), unprotected sex (wrap it if you tap it), creampie. Different kind of explicit content: physical assault, knife, blood.

☆word count: 12.9k

☆a/n: hope you guys enjoy this new chapter <3 and thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Sunday, October 26th

Jungkook is tired. Exhausted, even, and he wishes they didn’t have concerts back to back like they’ve had the last few weekends.

Three concerts one after the other is too much, he reckons. But at least, the streak is done, and they have until next Thursday before the next concert, though they’ll have to travel to a whole other country for that one.

To be fair, Vancouver isn’t too far from Seattle, but still.

Jungkook looks towards Taehyung, who’s typing away on his phone while the other members are slowly taking off the tour outfits to put on their regular clothes again. Taehyung’s smiling, most likely texting Jennie, and Jungkook wonders if you’re busy right now. It’s a little past 11 pm here, which means it should be…

His brain fails to do the maths, and Jungkook pulls his phone out to go look at the international clocks. It should be 4 pm in Seoul, according to the app, which means you’re probably in the meeting for the publishing of your book. Indeed, it’ll be out in two weeks, with a book release at midnight in Seoul, where Jennie, Mingyu, Lisa and probably even Rosé will be in attendance.

You said your agent believed it to be the best way to promote the book, and to have all eyes on it right from the start. Jungkook agrees that it’s a good idea, and he wishes he could be there to support you…

But he’ll be getting ready for a concert in the evening in yet another city. Actually, he’ll probably still be asleep then, considering the time difference.

He’s been missing you a lot. Despite frequent FaceTime calls and almost constant texting, when you’re awake, he feels like he left his heart in your hands that Sunday in August when they first had to leave for the South American leg of the tour. They visited multiple countries there, performing in Sao Paulo, Lima, Buenos Aires, Bogota and even Santiago. Each stop had more than one concert, and then they headed up to Mexico City before starting with a few shows in New York.

And now Seattle, and soon Vancouver. And after that, they’ll be going back down the West Coast. 

Jungkook sighs, exhaustion swiftly pushing through him. He feels a little dizzy, and so he sits down, heading to his text messages with you.

[7:07 pm] You: good luck for the concert tonight [7:08 pm] You: you’re gonna fuck shit up

Your messages made him smile earlier, and they still do as he rereads, imagining you saying it out loud with that twinkle in your eyes he’s been chasing in the night sky whenever the sun is down. 

He hasn’t looked at the stars the same since the trip to Jeju. They remind him of you, and he’s taken a liking to stargazing each night, even though the city lights rarely let him see the stars like he saw them with you. They were infinite that night, with the Milky Way striking across the sky. 

He doesn’t even know if he’ll be able to see anything tonight. It was cloudy earlier, before they got to the arena, but the clouds were supposed to scatter around midnight…

Hopefully.

[11:13 pm] Jungkook: it was a good concert but oof i’m glad we’re done with seattle

He presses send, watching the message deliver on your message thread. He doubts you’ll reply right away, so he shoves his phone in the pocket of his pants, yawning as he glances around to see that they’re almost all ready to go.

Everyone is in different levels of exhaustion, it seems, with only Jimin brimming with energy as he had the brilliant idea to chug an energy drink before the encore. He’s currently yapping to Hoseok about something Jungkook doesn’t care to listen to, and Hoseok is replying with short one-worded answers, though it doesn’t deter Jimin.

Nothing ever really does. Jungkook envies that of his friend – talking has always been easy for Jimin, whereas Jungkook’s always been a little more on the introverted side. It almost cost him you at the beginning of your relationship, after all.

He blushes. Relationship is a big word. You’ve never really put a label on what it is between you and him, but Jungkook likes to tell himself that you’re his girlfriend. All the members act as if you are, too, so it’s been easy for him.

He wonders if you see him as your boyfriend. Or if the distance keeps you from imagining him as such. It hurts, his heart straining in his chest, and he wishes he could be by your side, if only for a few hours.

He’d ask you to be his girlfriend instead of just assuming you are. He’s thought about doing it over FaceTime, but it feels way too lame compared to the intensity of what he feels for you. And despite the distance, his feelings for you have just kept on growing since the end of August, only strengthening with every day that passes.

He believes you feel the same, if only because you always struggle with hanging up every time you FaceTime, telling him you need to see him for just a little longer. He never minds it, even though it steals some precious minutes of rest from him.

Who needs sleep when he can spend time with you instead?

“Let’s go,” Namjoon says to no one in particular, though Jungkook knows his words are aimed at the group of them. 

Indeed, they all file out of the dressing room, heading to the two cars that’ll drive them back to the hotel. Jungkook climbs into the one with Namjoon, Yoongi and Jimin, the two latter deciding to go grab a beer at a local bar while Namjoon peers down at his phone in his hands.

He’s been talking with his ex these last few days, the one he was with during the summer. They didn’t last long, but it seems the feelings lingered on her side, because she reached out to him first. She was the one to end things, though, so Jungkook feels wary for his friend, but he hasn’t said anything.

With his history with Sara, it would probably be out of place for him to say anything. Because he never listened to Namjoon’s advice, no matter how many times Namjoon told him to break up with Sara and block her so that she doesn’t come back.

He still hasn’t blocked her, though he hasn’t replied to any of the messages she’s sent over the last few months. She doesn’t deserve his attention anymore, or at least he likes to tell himself that.

He’s too busy thinking about you anyway. Talking to you, too. There’s no room for Sara in his life when he’s with you.

The car reaches the hotel, parking out front. There are fans waiting outside, and Jungkook shuts his eyes in annoyance, though he knows it’s not as bad as those that come to his house.

There were two break-in attempts this last month, though the police was quick to intervene. Both people ended up doing some jail time, and they have yet to show up on the cameras again.

Hell, one of them was even deported to another country with a stain on their passport that blocks them from ever returning to South Korea.

Jungkook shakes the thoughts away – they’re too heavy, and he doesn’t have the energy for that right now. Instead, he waits for the manager to give them the go to exit the car, and he plasters a smile on his lips when he finally does get out, waving at the fans.

They scream at the sight of him and the other members, and Jungkook could kiss Taehyung on the forehead when he shushes them with a finger on his mouth. They all instantly fall silent, which makes Jimin snort and say, “Damn, they’re well-trained.”

Hopefully, none of the fans speak Korean, because there’s a sarcastic lilt to Jimin’s words. One that doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the members, including Jungkook, and they all chuckle before heading in, wishing the fans good night.

Before he gets in, Jungkook makes sure to look up – there’s a break in the clouds, and he sees a lone star shining up above in all its beauty. He reckons it might be Jupiter, but he’ll have to make sure with his starmap app later.

For now, he focuses on heading to his hotel room to take a shower as he waits for you to get out of your meeting so that you can FaceTime before he goes to bed. It’s well past midnight when you finally text him to call, and he’s already half asleep in bed when he presses on the icon at the top of the conversation, the front camera turning on to reveal the dark circles under his eyes along with his tousled hair.

He looks even more exhausted than he feels, and he winces at the sight, trying to fix his hair quickly as the call connects.

“Hey,” you greet him the second you come into view.

You’re sitting at a coffeeshop from the looks of it, having clearly called the second you left the library where the book release will be. You’re sipping an iced americano, and you look so beautiful Jungkook thinks he might burst out crying.

Do you miss him as much as he misses you?

“Hey,” he echoes, wetting his lip. “How did the meeting go?”

You smile, glancing to the side as someone walks past you with a tray in hand. “It went really well. They’ll be able to sell alcohol.”

You’d been worried about that, as you claimed it’s one of the most fun parts of midnight releases. Especially with the crowd that’s expected since a bunch of celebrities will be in attendance.

“That’s amazing,” Jungkook says. “You must be relieved.”

You nod, your eyebrows raising over your eyes. “You have no clue. But what about you, how was the concert?”

“Same old,” Jungkook replies with a chuckle. “At this point, I think I could do the concert asleep.”

You laugh, the crystalline sound carrying so well through the phone Jungkook feels like you’re right here with him for a few seconds. His heart reaches for you, thinking it’ll find you… only to be met with a void that sounds like you.

He didn’t even know it was physically possible to miss someone this much.

“You probably could,” you agree, and then your features grow more serious. “You actually look exhausted.”

He sighs, rolling on his back as he holds the phone over his face. “Yeah, I am.” You look sad at his words, and he quickly adds, “But we have four days off until the next concert, so I’ll be able to rest a bunch.”

“Good.” You nod, as if to put emphasis on your word. “Really good. They shouldn’t overwork you guys like this.”

Jungkook chuckles. “Honestly, most of the time, it isn’t too bad. I’ve just been having trouble sleeping at this hotel, and it was three days of concerts straight.”

“Inhumane!” you let out, which only makes him laugh again.

“I’ll make sure you’re on the tour planning committee next time so we can avoid this.”

You smile. It’s infinitely soft, and Jungkook wishes he could reach through the screen to trace the curve of your lips with a finger. 

“I’ll make sure all concerts are in Seoul,” you say with a nod. “Or wherever I’ll be in the world by then.”

“Here, probably.”

You snort. “I did not grow up in the West.” You tilt your head to the side, growing pensive. “I could probably easily follow if it was all in the US, though…”

That’s something Jungkook realized weeks ago, one night he couldn’t sleep and he just ended up staring at the ceiling. As a writer, you’re not confined to one country to be able to work. You could write from anywhere in the world. If it weren’t for the fact you’re releasing your book in Seoul and have to do some promotion for it there, he would have suggested that you join on part of the tour.

But it feels like a lot to ask. Even Minha got too tired and decided to go back to Korea for a few weeks before coming back some time in November. At least that was the plan the last time he talked to Seokjin about it, and Jungkook genuinely hopes she’ll come back.

Seokjin has been a grumpy pain in the ass since she left.

“You could,” Jungkook says as he pulls on his piercings. “And then you could be in Seoul with me when the tour finishes.”

“That’d be amazing.”

Jungkook agrees. To be with you, back home… with nowhere to go and nothing to do. He’d take his damn time with you.

The thought immediately sends a bolt of lust down his spine, and it shoots forward to his dick.

“I miss you,” he says. He wets his lips, shuts his eyes for a few seconds to keep the arousal at bay – you’re in public after all. “I wish I could be with you right now.”

“Oh, Jungkook,” you let out, and he opens his eyes to see a pout on your lips, your gaze growing sad, heavier. “I miss you too.”

“Just want to kiss you.” Jungkook sighs, and he rolls on his side. “Really fucking wanna kiss you, actually.”

Your cheeks dust with pink. “Is that all you want to do?”

The question makes his heartbeat skyrockets, and Jungkook shuts his eyes with a small chuckle. “Don’t do this to me.”

You laugh, mischief in every word you say next, so low he barely hears them. “I really wanna be able to touch you.”

“Yeah?” he lets out as his dick hardens at your words.

You look around, bringing the phone closer to yourself. “Kinda want to ride you, too.”

Fuck.

He can picture it. You on top of him, your breasts bouncing as he jackhammers his hips into yours, the way you scream his name when you come…

You nod your head. “It’d be better than your hand, no?”

You’re insanity personified. Or maybe that’s him. Slowly going insane for a woman on the other side of the world.

He says your name like a warning. “People are going to hear you.”

You laugh, shrugging your shoulders. “Alright then, I’ll stop.”

“Are you far from home?” Jungkook asks, his hand going down his body as he tries to readjust himself in his boxers.

“Why?” you ask innocently.

“You know exactly why.” His voice is low, husky, and he wonders if you can hear the urgency in his tone.

He needs you so bad. Misses you even more and he is truly, fully, going insane with every moment spent away from you.

“Well, I’m meeting with Mingyu soon.”

It’s like someone threw a bucket of cold water at him, and the arousal slips out of Jungkook as if it was never there to begin with.

You’re friends with Mingyu. Obviously a lot closer to Jennie, but you’ve been hanging out with Mingyu lately, hitting the gym with him and Jennie whenever she can. But it hasn’t been too often lately, because she’s been out of the city to film a movie that’ll release next year.

And Jungkook loves Mingyu. They’re best friends after all. But Mingyu is attractive, and a flirt, and has mentioned he finds you attractive before, and…

Jungkook stops the train of thoughts before it can spiral any further.

“Gym sesh?” he asks.

You nod. “And then dinner with Hyunseok and his boyfriend.”

The jealousy dissipates at the knowledge you won’t spend too long with Mingyu, but Jungkook still wishes it could be him instead.

You’ve never worked out together before despite the multiple times you hung out at his house. The only time you ever were in his gym together is that night he ended up fingering you before you ran away.

“Where are you guys going?” he asks.

“The restaurant you recommended in Seongsu.”

You say the words with sadness etched around your eyes. Jungkook frowns at the sight, wishing he could take you in his arms.

“You okay?”

“I wish we were going together,” you admit. “I… I really miss you a lot too.”

A lump forms in Jungkook’s throat, and he gulps around it. But then…

They have five days off between the San Francisco concert and then the following one. Maybe he could fly home for a time…

He sits up in bed, eyes going wide. “I’ll come.”

“What?” you let out.

He laughs, like he should have figured it out before. “I’ll come home in two weeks. I have five days off, I can easily fly in and spend them with you.”

“Don’t say that,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook’s excitement slowly dwindles to nothing. “Why?”

“Don’t make promises you can’t hold.”

He sucks on his piercings. “But I can,” he insists. “I’ll book flights with the manager. I bet some of the other members would also love to go home for a little.”

“But you’re already exhausted,” you point out, though Jungkook sees the spark of hope as it ignites in your eyes, an echo of the one in his, he’s pretty sure.

“Who cares?” he lets out. “I’ll sleep on the flight to Incheon, and then I’ll sleep with you in my arms.”

“You’ll snore in my ears all night.” 

You’re smiling. You’re smiling and it’s like the light at the end of the tunnel. Jungkook runs towards it, dives in it.

“I will, and you’ll love it,” he jokes.

The smile stretches even wider, turning into a full-blown grin. “I will.”

Jungkook sends a message to the group chat, asking who wants to go with him, and then returns to the call with you. “I’ll see you soon.”

It’s like he’s suddenly powered by a nuclear reactor, and he feels like getting up to jump around like a little kid. He keeps it in though, his heart galloping in his chest instead, and he realizes his gaze is wet as a tear slips free, a bearer of so much joy he doesn’t even bother wiping it away.

You look just as happy. Your eyes shining with unshed tears too, your grin still just as wide. You laugh, that same crystalline sound wrapping around Jungkook like a warm blanket. It doesn’t hurt like before, just fills him with far too much happiness for his heart to handle.

“I can’t wait,” he says. “We’ll cuddle and work out and I’ll cook some food for you.”

“Oh, your food,” you let out. “I fucking miss your food.”

His lips curve upwards. “I’ll cook you breakfast and lunch and dinner, and as many snacks as you want.”

“I’ll get fat.”

“More of you to love,” he says, and then his gaze widens at his choice of words.

Love is a big word you have yet to say to each other, sort of, and Jungkook does not want to say it through the phone for the first time. Not when he whispered on your skin that he was falling in love with you the last time he saw you.

But he’s not falling anymore. Things are more than clear now.

Your eyes widen too, and you let out a small giggle. “Of course, of course.”

Jungkook’s phone buzzes in his hand with an upcoming message from Hoseok.

[1:04 am] Hoseok: heryung’s home those dates, i’m fucking in

“Hobi is coming too,” Jungkook says.

He receives a message from Seokjin and Namjoon at the same time, both of them saying they want to come as well.

“Jin and Namjoon too,” he adds a second later.

“Taehyung?” you ask, probably thinking about Jennie.

“He hasn’t replied yet, but I’m sure he’ll come.”

“Good,” you let out. And then you chuckle, eyes falling to your coffee. “I’ll see you in two weeks.”

He nods. “Right after your book release.”

You laugh again, slightly shaking your head like you can’t believe it. “I can’t fucking wait.”

“Me neither.”

And it’s true. The two next weeks are going to be hell. If only because Jungkook knows time will feel eternal, inching forward at a snail pace. But even if time stretches indefinitely…

You’ll still be there at the end of those two weeks. And there’s nothing in this world that matters more than that.

Monday, November 10th

Your steps are light today. There’s a bounce to them as if you’re a second way from flying away like a balloon in the wind. It makes sense, as you’ll finally see Jungkook after months of waiting to see him again. Not only that, but your book release was a success over the weekend, and you’ve made record sales since Saturday night.

Your dreams are paying off. In every aspect of your life, it seems. And you really feel so fucking light you might start floating soon. Hell, you’ll float to Jungkook’s place.

You’re on your way there. With a duffel bag with clothes for the next few days, because you’re not planning on leaving his house until he has to leave and go back to America.

He said he wouldn’t let you leave. That he’ll lock you in the basement if you try to, which only makes you laugh because his basement is the least threatening basement you’ve ever seen with the karaoke corner and the bar and the gym.

You’re walking down the boulevard, the wind surprisingly warm today. Or maybe the warmth comes from within, your heart inundating your bloodstream with it as it pumps your blood.

In just twenty minutes, you’ll finally be at Jungkook’s place. He offered to pick you up, but you had a meeting with Stella about the book release and you didn’t want him to wait around for you when he just landed from a twelve-hour flight. So you convinced him to go home, and you practically ran out the second the meeting finished.

Your bag has been ready since he told you he’d come two weeks ago.

So, you walk with a bounce in your step, unable to stop yourself from smiling as you turn into Jungkook’s street. You pass by two girls as you do so, and you smile at them, only to have them glare at you like you’re weird.

Right. People don’t usually smile at each other here. You can’t bring yourself to care, not when you’re so damn happy to see him. And it doesn’t take you long to reach his house, the street outside blissfully empty. He’s given you the code to get in without having to knock, and you head to the door, pressing it in before pushing the door open.

And then you’re stepping in, kicking your shoes off as you inhale a whiff of food. He’s cooking, much like he said he would, and you drop your bag and purse by the door before running in.

He’s in the kitchen, his back turned to you as he’s at the stove, mixing something in a pan with a wooden spoon. He doesn’t hear you, and you just stand there for a few seconds, taking in the fact that he’s standing in the same room as you. That, in a second, he’ll turn around and see you, and you’ll be able to run up to him, to hold him in your arms like you’ve been craving since August.

“Hey,” you let out, unable to wait any longer.

He startles, looking over his shoulder, and the second he sees you standing there, Jungkook spins around, running up to you and picking you up in his arms. You wrap yours around his neck as he spins you around, and you giggle as the world spins and spins.

“You’re here,” he says like he can’t believe it, and then he’s laughing too. “You’re here.”

“I am,” you say, and he stops spinning to look up at you, and you crash your lips on his with enough force he stumbles back.

His lips are just as pillowy soft as you remember them to be, and they part on a small grunt that just makes you laugh again. 

“You’re here,” he repeats against your mouth, like he can hardly believe it.

“I’ve always been here,” you say as you pull away to meet his eyes. And then you fall in the depths of them, in the emotions and the stars that look like nebulas as he stares at you with such intensity you feel like no one’s ever truly seen you before. “You’re the one that left.”

He lets out a small chuckle, and then he puts you down. He doesn’t let you get too far, his hands cupping your cheeks so he can pull you into another kiss, much more languid this time. 

It’s a heavy kiss. It holds the weight of the months apart, of the distance and the numerous FaceTime calls where you just craved the other’s touch. It’s heavy with the feelings that slowly appeared between the two of you over the summer, strengthened by the time in Jeju. It’s heavy with the way those feelings kept growing despite being away from each other since then, too.

It’s heavy with the fact he alluded to loving you on that FaceTime call two weeks ago when he decided to come back. And fuck, as he pulls away from you to rest his forehead against yours, his thumbs swiping the side of your face, those three little words almost tumble free.

But then the smoke detector starts blaring, and you both startle, glancing at the stove.

“Shit,” Jungkook says, and he runs back to the stove, quickly lifting the pan from it. He grabs the wooden spoon, stirring the contents of the pan, and then looks at you. “Can you grab a towel and shake it at the smoke detector?”

You nod, gaze widening because why didn’t you think of it before, and then you’re jogging into the kitchen, pulling the drawer with the dish towels open to grab one. And then you’re shaking it at the ceiling as Jungkook cranks the fan up to its highest setting. It’s so loud you can barely hear yourself think, but soon enough, the smoke alarm stops, and Jungkook turns down the fan and opens a window instead.

“I think the oil burned a little,” he says, “and some of the chicken might not be edible anymore but…” He shrugs with a laugh. “We still have plenty enough for a snack.”

You smile, walking back behind the kitchen island, throwing the towel on the counter. “Let me see.”

He lowers the pan, and you gaze at its contents. Indeed, some of the vegetables and chicken have blackened, though most of it still looks perfectly fine.

“Yeah, we’re good,” you say with a nod. Right on cue, your stomach wails, and you both burst out laughing. “I’m starving.”

“Then let’s eat,” he says, grinning wide. “I’m famished too.”

You grab plates from the cupboard next to the stove fan, and you help Jungkook with splitting the charred food with what’s still good before you split that into two plates. Luckily enough, and because Jungkook always cooks for an army, you both have plenty enough food for a full meal, and you eat at the kitchen island, Jungkook sitting so close you feel his thigh against yours. You don’t mind – you’ve needed him close, far closer than that, for months.

You’re not going to push him away now that he’s finally here.

When the meal is done and the dishes are washed and left to dry, you return to the front door to grab your duffel bag, bringing it upstairs in Jungkook’s bedroom. He’s your shadow on the way there, right behind you the whole time like he can’t let you out of sight for more than a few seconds. 

You put your duffel down by the bed, turning around with the intention of teasing Jungkook about it, but the intense look in his eyes stops the words from coming out, your smile slowly dying.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much,” he whispers as he takes a step toward you.

“Jungkook…”

You both start walking toward each other then, crashing in the middle of his bedroom. Jungkook’s lips are on yours quicker than you can even register it, and it clashes so hard you think your teeth might have slightly bashed together. But it doesn’t hurt, not when emotions pour out of his body and yours like a dam just broke between you and you’re losing yourselves in the dizzying dance of your lips on his, of your hands getting lost in his hair while his hold the back of your head and your waist.

The kiss deepens as Jungkook nudges your lips open with his tongue. He’s gentle about it, like he’s coaxing a wild animal into surrendering to him, and you’d laugh about it, say it’s not needed, if you weren’t so busy kissing him back with so much passion your heart races for a finish line you know it’ll find somewhere in his ribcage.

As your tongues twirl together, Jungkook backs you toward the bed, though he doesn’t push you down yet. He keeps on kissing you, keeps on holding you close like he can’t let go of you yet, even if it’s just for the few heartbeats it’d take for you to fall back on the bed. And you don’t want to let go either. Even as your lungs start burning from lack of oxygen, you just keep on moving your lips against the pillowy softness of his, his taste inebriating on your tongue.

You’ll never get enough of this man. There aren’t enough days in eternity for you to get bored of him, but you want every single one of them. You want to challenge fate, tell it to try and break you apart now that you’re together.

As if that’ll ever happen. 

Jungkook pulls away from the kiss, his lips swollen by it, and you just stare at each other for a few seconds like you’re trying to make sure that this is really happening, that you’re finally reunited. And you smile, so wide, because this is as real as can be.

You’re finally here together.

You sit back on the bed, grabbing Jungkook’s hand to tug him down with you. He resists for a few seconds like he needs to look at you for just a little longer, and then he climbs on top of you, spreading your legs with a knee as you lie back down with him hovering over you. His mouth is on yours a heartbeat later, so soft and sweet you could cry.

“I don’t think I can take my time with you right now,” he whispers in a desperate plea when there’s a short break in the kiss so you can breathe.

You’re holding his cheeks, and you immediately pull him back down for another kiss that leads to you sucking on his lower lip, teasing it with your teeth.

“Don’t take your time,” you reply when you part.

It’s like you’ve unleashed a beast. Jungkook grunts, grinding into you to show you just how hard he already is, and then he straightens, taking off his shirt, hands flying to his belt after. He unbuckles it, takes it off in a swift motion, and throws it on the floor. It thumps on the hardwood floor, and you imagine it probably left a mark, but Jungkook does not seem like he gives a fuck as he gets up to quickly push his pants and underwear down.

He steps out of the pile of clothing in his naked glory save for a silver chain on his neck, and he fists his dick, stroking himself as he looks down at you. You sit up, hand reaching for him, and he guides himself to your mouth.

You know what he wants, and you want it just as bad as he does. You’ve been dying for a taste of him, so you lick at the bead of precum that prettily sits on his slit, and then take him in your mouth, tongue swirling around him. Jungkook grunts, head throwing back as you suck hard, and he grabs your cheeks, pulling out of your mouth.

“I’ll come if you suck me,” he says, and he chuckles breathlessly. “I want to be inside you.”

You’re not going to say no to that, not when he starts undressing you in loving gestures, peppering kisses on every inch of skin revealed until you’re just sitting there in your bra and underwear. He leaves those on, pushing you back on the bed until he’s on top of you again, his dick rubbing at your clothed pussy. 

“Can already feel how wet you are,” he says as you let out a breathy sound.

Indeed, your panties are sticking to your wetness, even more so as Jungkook rubs himself on you. You spread your legs as wide open as you can as you chase more sensations, more friction, but Jungkook doesn’t give in right away, instead returning to your lips for another languid kiss. Your fingers are on his back, nails slightly digging in his skin, and Jungkook just keeps grinding into you, working you into a tight, uncomfortable knot that refuses to let go.

Not when there’s still fabric between you and him.

“Jungkook,” you whimper against his mouth.

He pulls away to look at your face. His pink lips are wet, glistening in the light coming in from the window, and your gaze catches on the mole under his mouth.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Jungkook asks.

“I want you inside of me,” you reply as you wrap your legs around his waist as if that’ll push him in.

“Want me to ruin you in that pretty thong?” 

Indeed, you made sure to wear a nice lace set for him. Maybe that’s why he left the bra on.

“Please,” you beg.

He chuckles darkly, pecking your lips once. “Of course, baby. I got you.”

He kneels back between your legs, hands caressing your thighs a few times as he looks down at you, his eyes shining with untethered lust and passion for you. He glances down between your legs, one hand following to gently rub at your clit through the fabric, and you moan under his ministrations. He sucks in a breath at the sound, and then he pushes your panties to the side so he can directly touch you.

It’s so much sensation you almost close your legs, but he holds them open before grabbing his dick, stroking himself again as he watches your pussy. You whine, and he taps your clit, making you jerk against the bed in surprise, the sudden pain turning into burning pleasure.

“Oh, you like this,” he teases as if he didn’t already know.

He slaps your clit again, harder this time, and your eyes flutter close as you spread your legs open wider. And then, instead of using his hand, Jungkook taps his dick on you, before starting to rub himself between your folds, collecting your juices. It feels insanely good, and you fist the sheets, lifting your hips trying to get him to push in.

He doesn’t. He just keeps rubbing himself on you, your panties to the side, so much so you know your panties are ruined long before he finally decides to put you out of your misery, pushing his tip inside of you.

It stretches, burning slightly despite how wet you are, and you moan his name in a broken sound.

“Fuck, it’s been too long,” he says as he slowly pulls out before starting to push in again, gaining another inch this time. “Way too fucking long.”

He keeps that infernal push and pull up until he manages to fully seat himself in you, and then he finally bends down again, finding your mouth for a sloppy kiss. His tongue is between your lips, his dick inside of you, and you’ve never felt so at home before.

Jungkook’s dick twitches inside of you once as you tighten your walls, and he grunts, pulling away from the kiss.

“I’m going to fuck you so rough,” he says, and it’s the only warning you get before he starts jackhammering inside of you, soon leaning back and pushing your legs up to his chest as he keeps fucking you.

His balls slap on your ass as he spears you wide open, and your mind swims with pleasure as he kisses the side of your leg, teeth nipping at your skin. You say his name as you look at the way the muscles of his abdomen contract with the effort from fucking you. He says your name back, reverence coating every syllable, and your heart swells so much for him, right as the knot he’s been working you into gets ready to snap.

He must have sensed it. Because he pulls out, flips you on your stomach, pushes one of your legs up and then slips inside of you again, reaching so much deeper this time. You hide your face in the sheets as you mewl at the sensation, and he’s unforgiving, fucking you fast and deep, so rough he slowly pushes you up the bed. You hold onto the sheets as if that’ll save you, but nothing can, not when he’s fucking you like this.

You come before he does. The knot inside of you snaps so hard and so suddenly you lose your vision for a moment, everything going white. He slows down then, coaxing the orgasm out of you in slow swipes of his hips, milking it out for so long you think you might be trembling when it finally starts fading.

Jungkook bends down then, leaning with his elbows on each side of your head. You turn your head to the side to catch sight of him, and he finds your mouth, kissing you sweetly as he keeps up with the slower rhythm he established when you were coming. It’s dizzying, mindnumbing, and you doubt you’re still fully in your body as he slowly starts to pick up the pace, chasing his own climax.

You reach back, cupping his cheek, and then you say, “Please come for me.”

It works. The words make Jungkook pick up the same relentless pace as earlier, and he fucks you hard into the mattress, his balls slapping against your clit now. It feels so good you think you might come again, even as his motions grow sloppy until he grunts out your name, slamming to the hilt as he comes deep within you, his dick twitching and twitching with every spurt of cum he paints you with.

Jungkook leans his forehead on the side of your face as you just breathe in sync for a time, and he interlaces your fingers on the bed. His weight on you is so comforting you feel your eyes watering. You smile, wide, mind buzzing with the remnants of your orgasm.

“I missed you too,” you say.

He chuckles, pecking your cheek. “I know, baby. I know.”

His dick, now softened, slips out of you, and his cum spills out, staining the sheets under you. But Jungkook doesn’t move, keeps caging your body with his like he’s protecting you from the harsh reality of the world outside. And you don’t want to move either. Don’t want to end this moment with him, but the small eternity eventually passes, Jungkook getting up and pulling you with him. You’re wobbly on your feet, but he holds you up, wraps his arms around you in a soulcrushing hug that you return without hesitation.

And then he tugs you to the shower, where you end up having sex again. And then you’re in his bed, sheets off in the washing machine, talking about the months apart. You end up making love again so many times as the day passes that you doubt you’ll be able to walk tomorrow, but you’re catching up for the months apart, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s much later that night, when the sheets are back on the bed and you’re lying in Jungkook’s embrace, looking at each other, that Jungkook says, “I know I said I’d be with you for tomorrow, but I have a quick thing to do in the afternoon.”

You scan his features, his slightly chapped lips from all the kissing. “What do you have to do?”

There’s a short silence as he just keeps on looking at you, and then he replies, “Just a quick something with the company.”

You nod, eyes fluttering shut as you nestle yourself closer in his embrace. “No worries. I’ll stay here while you go.”

He kisses the top of your head, his loose grip around your waist tightening to hold you impossibly closer. “Perfect.”

You smile as he pecks your head again, and you let his warmth guide you to a dreamless sleep that smells like him.

Tuesday, November 11th

Seoul is cold today, the warmth from yesterday having faded away so thoroughly it seems like winter's holding the world in its clutches. Jungkook hides his face from the wind in the lapels of the jacket you forced him to wear, smiling as he remembers how you used them to tug him into a kiss that almost convinced him to not go. And as another gush of wind bites at his features, he reckons he should have been convinced.

He knows he agreed to meet up with Sara last week when she called him crying and he picked up half asleep not realizing it was her. But he doesn’t want to see her, not when he fell for you so, so hard.

But then again, he’s going to pick up roses on the way back, and he’ll officially ask you to be his girlfriend. He wants the label, wants you to call him his boyfriend to everyone you know. He wants more than just the rumors about you and him that have slowly dwindled down over the months he spent away.

Hell, he wants to scream at the world that he’s in love with you. And he reckons some dirty, ugly part of himself just wants to rub it into Sara’s face after the way she’s treated him in the past.

Jungkook finally reaches the coffeeshop Sara asked to meet up at, and he walks in, the warmth a welcome reprieve from the world outside. He heads to the counter to order a hot cup of coffee, and he’s thankful that the person behind the register is an elderly woman. She just smiles at him with a nod of her head, clearly not recognizing him, and then she makes his cup of coffee, handing it to him.

He bows and thanks her before taking it, and then he looks around, wondering where Sara might be. The coffeeshop is tiny and completely empty, but then he spies a staircase in the corner, and he glances at the lady behind the counter.

“Is there someone upstairs?” he asks.

She nods. “A young lady arrived earlier and went upstairs,” she informs him.

He thanks the lady again, and then he heads in that direction, careful to not spill the hot liquid on himself. He climbs upstairs, indeed finding Sara sitting at a table overlooking the street.

Save for her, the floor is empty too, and Jungkook reckons her choice of meeting point was commendable. No one will know they were here together at all.

“Hey,” he says as he nears the table where she’s sat, and Sara startles, looking at him.

The dark circles around her eyes are witnesses to what she’s been going through, and Jungkook stops her from getting up when she tries to.

“No need,” he says, putting his cup of coffee on the table before sitting across from her.

“I didn’t think you would actually come,” she says, her voice wavery like she’s about to cry.

He reckons his would too, if he were to be diagnosed with cancer.

“I said I would.”

She nods weakly, looking down at the smoothie in front of her, clearly sensing that he is closed off.

“Well, thank you,” she says.

He nods curtly, glancing at the steam wafting out of his cup of coffee, his gaze then trailing outside to see some snowflakes fluttering about.

“I just wanted…” she starts, falling silent. “To catch up, you know?”

He wets his lips, sighing as he looks at her again. “Like I said over the phone, I have someone in my life now,” he says. “I don’t really want to catch up.”

She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, just staring at him unblinkingly. “Why are you here, then?”

Because you might be dying, Jungkook thinks, but he can’t bring himself to say it aloud.

“You said you wanted to apologize,” he reminds her instead, because she did mention that over the phone.

Her jaw clenches, a muscle ticking under the skin. “Can’t we catch up first?”

“I don’t really have much to say to you, Sara.”

Her eyebrows almost touch over her eyes as she frowns. “Aren’t you touring? Surely, you must have stories to tell about that.”

He widens his gaze, surprised at her audacity. “Sara, I told you I have someone in my life. She’s the one I want to tell my stories to, not you.”

It hurts her. The frown falls, replaced by a silver line slowly growing in her eyes. She blinks the tears away, looking out the window with a small, hurt chuckle.

“She’s that writer, isn’t she?”

So, Sara must have seen the rumors about you, then. 

Jungkook nods. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”

“You know, Seojoon broke up with me because he said I’m still in love with you,” Sara casually says, and Jungkook hates the way his heart strains in his chest like a reflex.

He didn’t even know Seojoon had broken up with her.

“I’m sorry,” he lets out, and he’s relieved he sounds a little bit genuine. 

Because frankly, he doesn’t care that she still loves him. He hardly thinks it’s true. 

She’s too good of a manipulator for it to be true.

“It’s…” she trails off, shrugging her shoulders. “It’s whatever.”

Jungkook purses his lips, but doesn’t find words to say in return. So he busies himself with taking a sip of his coffee, and it’s so hot it almost burns the skin off his tongue. He puts the cup back down, figuring he’s going to have to wait before drinking.

“Honestly, Jungkook, I really wished we could catch up like old times.”

He shuts his eyes at the sadness laced with her words. It’s so potent he almost tastes it on his tongue despite the burn left behind by the coffee.

“I get that,” he says, looking at her. “But what we had was extremely toxic. I don’t want to bring that back into my life.”

“So you’re calling me toxic?” she says.

He cocks an eyebrow. “You have to be aware that our relationship was toxic, Sara. I’m not saying you were.” Even though she definitely was. “I think it’s better left in the past.”

She takes a deep breath, and then draws a sip from the straw in her smoothie. It takes her a moment to speak again, but then she says, “Okay, then. It was toxic. I guess this whole…” she motions at herself, “thing has really just put things in perspective for me.”

Jungkook meets her gaze, but remains silent as he waits for her to keep going.

“I’m sorry, Jungkook.” She sighs. “I’m sorry for everything I put you through.”

He clenches his jaw, not expecting the words to hurt as much as they do. He thought it’d be liberating to hear it, but it just tastes bitter.

“But you also weren’t perfect,” she adds, and it explains the bitterness behind the words.

Because with Sara, nothing ever means what it’s supposed to mean. She always has an ulterior motive, and Jungkook really doesn’t understand why he agreed to meet up. As he sits in front of her, he realizes that he’s been over her for months now, and he likes it as it is.

Likes that she’s just a memory from the past. He’s sad she’s sick, that’s for sure, but he doesn’t want to walk down memory lane when it comes to her. 

“Alright Sara,” he says. “Anything else you want to say before I leave?”

“You’re not drinking the coffee?” she asks, her eyes round with fear. 

Jungkook glances at the cup, and it looks just as hot as it was earlier. “I’m not sure it was a good idea for us to meet up.”

She starts crying. And he doesn’t know how to react, the good part of him wanting to comfort her, but the more rational one remembering that she uses tears as a weapon all the time.

“I might die, JK,” she says. “I’m scared.”

He shuts his eyes again, because what the fuck is he supposed to say to that?

“You’ve been doing treatments, no?” he asks when he opens his eyes again.

She chuckles, but it’s entirely void of joy. And then she takes off the wig she’s wearing, throwing it on the table. “Yeah.”

Jungkook stares at the wig for a few seconds before looking up at her. She looks so sad like this, so vulnerable, that the good part of him wins.

“You still look good,” he reassures her.

“Thank you for acknowledging that a woman does not need hair to be attractive,” she says, using his compliment as an attack, as always.

He tilts his head to the side, raising his eyebrows like ‘Really?’.

“No, seriously,” she adds, and she wipes at her cheeks. “It’s something I keep telling myself every time I look at myself in the mirror.” She gulps and it’s loud enough for him to hear. “I don’t recognize myself anymore. Even with the wig on.”

“I’m sorry,” he lets out, voice barely above a whisper.

She shrugs. “It’s okay. I’ll kick cancer’s ass and grow my hair back.”

“You will.”

She smiles, so sad he looks outside again to see it doesn’t seem to be snowing anymore. “Thank you,” she lets out. And then she adds, with no regard to him, “And I’m really sorry for taking you for granted all these years. I thought I’d always have you by my side.”

He clenches his jaw, sucking on his piercings hard enough to hurt. “It is what it is,” he says after a few beats of silence. “I couldn’t keep being treated like that forever.”

She nods. “Fair. I really do apologize for everything, Jungkook.”

He meets her gaze, gives her a nod. “Thank you.”

He hears the clear scuffle of steps in the staircase, and his heart stops for a second at the thought of being seen with her. But then Heryung appears at the top of the stairs, and relief washes through him.

Only to be replaced by a wave of sick dread as she takes in the sight of him, gaze widening.

“What are you doing here?” she asks as Hoseok appears behind her.

Jungkook just looks between Heryung and Hoseok a few times before glancing at Sara. She’s looking down at the table like she’s guilty, and he realizes she planned this.

She wanted them to get caught. To be seen together. And for that reason and that reason only, Jungkook gets up from the table, his anger so sudden and potent he figures it best to leave and not say hurtful things to her.

“Nothing,” Jungkook says, and he walks away, not even glancing back. 

He’s glad he didn’t take his coat off, so he doesn’t have to awkwardly put it back on before storming away. But despite trying to get away before something more can happen, Hoseok steps in his path, forcing him to stop.

“Does Y/n know you’re here?”

Jungkook frowns. “Hobi, let me leave.”

“I thought you were really into Y/n,” Hoseok adds despite the warning in Jungkook’s tone.

“I am, and I’m going back to her right now, alright?”

Hoseok frowns, but remains silent, stepping aside to let him pass. Jungkook doesn’t wait a second longer, and he quickly runs down the stairs before returning to the cold world outside.

He really shouldn’t have come.

*****

Jungkook’s been silent ever since he came back from the company. You think it might be because he had to call the police before being able to get into the house. You were napping, and so you didn’t hear, but he apparently caught two girls trying to come in when he arrived.

When are people going to get tired of this? It doesn’t make sense to you. As if Jungkook would be happy to see them walk into his house…

He called them sasaengs, but you think it’s more than that. It’s a clinical level of delusion that would need severe therapy and most likely meds to heal from. Because who in their right mind believes breaking into someone’s house will make them like you?

He made dinner when he came home, busying himself in the kitchen for nearly half an hour. You tried to engage in conversation, but he looked so out of it you ended up leaving him alone, though you did the dishes every time he was done with something, if only to keep yourself occupied.

Over dinner, he told you that the meeting at the company was a waste of time, and that he wishes he’d stayed home with you instead. You smiled, telling him you wish he stayed too, and he only then seemed to start relaxing. He still hasn’t been talkative, even as he made love to you on the couch in the living room, while a movie you did not bring yourself to care about played in the background. You then took a shower, made love again in his bed, and then went downstairs for a snack, which you ended up eating in the living room, with yet another movie playing in the background. 

And Jungkook is now lying with his head on your chest, soft snores coming out of him at regular intervals while you scroll on your phone. 

You receive a text message from Heryung, and you click on it, expecting her to update you about what you’ll do this weekend, as she suggested hanging out while she’s here.

To your surprise, her message is in fact not about meeting up at all, and you frown as you read.

[11:23 pm] Heryung: is everything okay with jk? [11:23 pm] You: yes? [11:24 pm] You: there were people at his house earlier but the police scared them off [11:25 pm] Heryung: he just seemed rattled when we saw him earlier with sara

You stare at your phone, ice filling every inch of your body. 

Jungkook was with Sara earlier?

[11:25 pm] You: wdym with sara

It takes a moment for Heryung to reply, and your heart is beating so incredibly fast by the time her message comes in that you feel dizzy.

[11:29 pm] Heryung: he was talking with her at a coffee shop earlier? [11:30 pm] Heryung: didn’t he tell you?

No, he, as a matter of fact, did not tell you. In truth, he lied to you.

Jungkook fucking lied to you.

“Jungkook,” you let out as you put your phone down, trying to rouse him from his sleep. You push on him, and he grunts as his grip around you tightens. “Jungkook,” you repeat, your tone firmer this time.

“Mmh?” he hums.

“Jungkook, get the fuck up.”

The urgency in your tone must have woken him right up, because he sits up, throwing you a confused glance as he runs a hand through his hair, leaving it dishevelled.

“What?”

You’re disgusted, looking at him then. Because if he lied to you so easily about seeing Sara, didn’t he lie about the rest, too?

“What were you doing with your ex this afternoon?”

Your question does wake him right up. His gaze widens, fear filling the depth of his eyes, and he looks around for his phone, not finding it as it’s currently on the counter in the kitchen, where he left it to charge earlier.

“It was nothing,” he says, and then he must sense it sounds bad, because he adds, “I promise.”

“You said you were at the company.”

He doesn’t say anything for a while, and you get up from the couch, heading to the kitchen. He follows behind you, trying to grab your arm, but you shake out of his grip.

“Don’t touch me right now.”

You would rather jump off a bridge than be touched by him right now.

“Sorry,” he says. “Y/n, she has cancer and she just wanted to talk.”

You laugh, a bitter taste coating your entire mouth. Because what the fuck do you mean he came home and made love to you twice without saying anything? No wonder he was so silent when he arrived.

“I don’t care,” you reply as you find your purse.

You’re wearing Jungkook’s sweater right now, the one he gave you last August, the one you were wearing when you got here. Which is a relief – you don’t have enough energy to go upstairs to grab your stuff right now.

You want out, and right now.

“She wanted to apologize,” he adds. “It really was nothing, and I shouldn’t have gone.”

You laugh again, shaking your head as you glance at him. “I really don’t care.”

You walk around him, heading towards the front door.

“Will you stop for a second so I can explain?” he says behind you.

You spin around, and he’s so close he almost bumps into you. You raise a finger, pointing at him accusingly. “You should have explained before going.”

“Well, with your reaction, I’m sure you would not have understood.”

The audacity of this man… 

You spin on your heels again, heading towards the front door. Good thing you’re wearing sweatpants, and not the silky PJ shorts you brought in your duffel bag.

“Y/n, stop, I did not mean that,” he says behind you as you’re halfway through the living room, heading to the hall that leads to the front door. “She was shitty, like she always is, and I honestly just want to pretend it never happened.”

“Why the fuck did you go see her, then?” you ask.

“She has cancer,” he repeats. “She called crying and said she needed to talk to someone, and that she wanted to apologize.”

“It’s unfortunate for her that she’s sick, it really is,” you say, and you mean it. “But if you think that that’s the biggest problem, then I don’t have anything to do here anymore.”

“What’s the problem?” he asks, which only makes you laugh bitterly again.

A look over your shoulder tells you the laugh hurt him. He looks like you’ve slapped him across the face, and you really need to get out of this house before you actually do it.

“You lied, Jungkook. You lied like it was nothing.”

“I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of this,” he says, and his voice shakes like he’s about to cry. “I didn’t even want to see her.”

You turn around. He’s further away this time, having stopped at the start of the hall, of which you’re already almost all the way down.

“But you still went, and you lied about it,” you say. “You really believe I’ll trust a single word you say after that?”

He closes his eyes, cards his hand through his hair again. “Y/n, don’t blow this out of proportion, please. Let’s talk it out.”

“I do not want to talk it out with you,” you spit. “I don’t entertain cheaters.”

You resume your walk to the door, kicking off the slippers he got for you to put your shoes on instead.

“It’s freezing outside, surely you’re not going to walk home.”

You look over your shoulder. “I think I might punch you if you stop me.”

“Your things are upstairs,” he points out, and there’s terror in his voice. It’s shaking at the edges, and you reckon he seems to be shaking, too.

“Give them to Mingyu, he’ll bring them to me.”

You turn to grab the door knob. 

“Y/n, stop,” Jungkook insists again. “I’m not a cheater. I didn’t cheat, we just talked.”

“But lying about it is emotional cheating,” you throw at him, the accusing finger back on display. “You lied like it was nothing, and you probably wouldn’t have said anything about it if I didn’t find out on my own.”

“Heryung told you?”

“It doesn’t matter who told me, Jungkook. I’m going home.”

“Stop!” he yells as you turn the door knob, only to find it locked. “Please stop. I’m in love with you, you can’t just leave like that.”

His words take your heart out of your chest, throw it on the floor only to stomp on it repeatedly until it’s a disgusting mess of jam. 

“You should have thought about that before lying,” you say, your voice lower this time, and you unlock the door before looking at him one last time. “You really should have thought about it before lying.”

“Y/n, please,” he says, his voice breaking as tears roll on his cheeks. 

It gathers tears in your eyes, too, so you turn around, stepping out into the cold November night. The door closes behind you, sounding like the final nail in a coffin, and you feel like you’ve been dipped in acid. Your entire body hurts with the betrayal and heartbreak, and you angrily blink the tears away, refusing to cry for Jungkook.

Not after he lied to you like this. 

The street is empty, save for the moon up in the sky, and you walk down towards the boulevard, looking over your shoulder  at Jungkook’s house, expecting him to come running out after you, but the door remains shut.

It hurts so bad you turn left, needing to be home as quick as possible before you collapse. Because you will. You know you will – the tears are an impending doom of the collapse that awaits you the second the heartbreak really does fully settle in. So you turn left, heading towards the alley you walked down with Jungkook once, the moon thankfully guiding your path.

And as you walk, you can’t help but doubt everything Jungkook ever told you. It turns the memories from Jeju into a rotten mess, and you clench your teeth so hard it hurts.

I’m in love with you.

Hours ago, those words would have been the most beautiful revelation in this world, but now they just burn and ache and break, and you wish he had kept it to himself instead of putting that weight on your shoulders.

Because why the fuck did he lie to you if he is truly in love with you? To see his ex out of all things…

You reach the alley that cuts through the neighbourhood. It’s dark, like it always is but even more so at night, and you can almost hear Jungkook’s voice telling you it’s not safe. But his voice is the last thing you want to hear, so you ignore it, turning into the alley. You don’t slow down as it grows darker – there isn’t really any light but the light of the moon that’s following you home up in the sky, but even then the full moon barely reaches the ground here.

It’s creepy. Even during the day, this alley has always been creepy to you, and you feel adrenaline slowly surging into your bloodstream, inconveniently erasing the anger you’ve been feeling at Jungkook’s words. Instead, it’s replaced by the primal fear of being looked at right now, and you look over your shoulder.

There’s no one behind you, yet you accelerate, wanting to be out of the alley as soon as you possibly can. Your throat dries out, your heart picking up its pace in your chest, and you hear it hammering inside your ribcage as you reach the bend in the alley.

Your heart almost stops entirely as two girls are standing just right there, and you stop in your tracks right before bumping into one of them. They eye you up and down, exchanging a look that makes cold sweat break out on every inch of your skin, and you immediately open your purse, trying to reach for your phone.

“Sorry,” you tell the girls as you try to pass between them, but one of them steps right in front of you.

You look at her, cocking an eyebrow, hand still fumbling in your purse for your phone. You can feel your Airpod case, your keys and your lip stain, but your phone isn’t there.

Why is your phone not there?

“Are you Jungkook’s girlfriend?” the girl that stepped in front of you says.

Your gaze widens, and you let out a small laugh. “Excuse me?”

“Our friend says you just left his house.”

A ball of lead is forming at the bottom of your stomach, and it grows so heavy you feel like you can’t breathe right.

“Do I know you?” you ask, and you give up your search for your phone – it’s still on Jungkook’s couch, after all – holding onto your purse like it might be a weapon instead.

It feels silly, but the way the girls are looking at you makes the hair rise all over your body, and you just want to get out.

The girl to your left laughs, pushing up the wall against which she was leaning. She’s smoking a cigarette – the smell of it is clouding the air surrounding you – and she throws it on the floor, stepping on it with the heel of a boot.

She doesn’t look much older than twenty. The one in front of you seems older, and she has a predatory gleam in her eyes that makes you take a step back.

“Don’t be afraid,” she says, and just like that, you know that you have to be very, very afraid.

“I’m just trying to go home,” you say, voice shaking slightly, and you turn on your heel, heading back the way you came from.

You make it three steps after the bend in the alley before you notice a man and another woman coming your way. 

“We finally got her,” the man says in Korean, and you glance over your shoulder to see the two girls have followed you.

“She’s scared,” the first girl lets out.

They laugh. They all laugh, and you’re hit with the realization that they have to be some of the sasaengs that keep trying to get into Jungkook's house.

“Who are you?” you ask.

“And she speaks English? Not surprised he’s fucking ditching us for a foreign girl.”

You gulp as the four of them walk closer to you. There’s no way out – the walls are way too high on each side for you to dream of climbing them, and you know they won’t let you pass even if you ask. There’s something in the way they’re eyeing you that makes you feel like a mouse in the talons of an eagle, and you raise your hands.

“Hey, I’m not looking for any trouble,” you say.

You can’t even call the police. There’s nothing you can do, and you look behind the man and woman in front of you, hoping to see someone else coming your way.  Maybe Jungkook, finally running out after you. But it’s late, and it’s a residential neighbourhood, and you really shouldn’t have come in here at this hour.

“Leave me alone.” You’d hoped to sound threatening, but it only makes the guy laugh, and then everything happens all at once.

You make to scream, but the girl behind you wraps her hand on your mouth, pulling you back and making you stumble. The man is on you in an instant, and his fist collides on the side of your face so hard you see stars, your knees giving out under you. You drop your purse, and you try to raise a hand only for the girl to pull your arm in your back.

“We should film this,” one of the other girls says. “That’s going to teach him that he shouldn’t just date any fucking slut.”

You bite. It’s all you can think to do in the panic and grogginess that are battling inside your mind, and she lets you go long enough that you can scream.

One shrill sound that echoes on the walls of the alley, but that dies the second the man punches you in the stomach. The air goes out of your lungs as you fold in two, and you swear you heard something crack. But you don’t have time to think.

You’re thrown on the ground, and then they’re kicking at you. All you can think to do is protect your head, and tears roll on your cheeks as you let out muffled yelps of pain. You don’t know how long it is before someone’s pulling your head back by your hair, forcing you up in a sitting position. You try to get their hand off your hair, weakly punching at the air above you, but they’re laughing at you.

They’re all laughing at you, and you’re crying. You’ve been crying, and all you manage to do is grab ahold of the fingers in your hair. Your scalp is burning from how hard they’re pulling on it, but you immediately stop moving when you feel something cold on your throat.

“She deserves to fucking die.”

It’s the guy speaking, and you open your eyes to see him bending down in front of you. He’s got a knife in his hand, and the tip of it is pressing on your throat.

You’re going to die. You are going to die, and all you can think to do is say, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

It must have enabled him. Because he laughs, slapping you. “You’re not.”

“Okay, I think it’s enough,” one of the girls says, panic in her voice. 

You look up to see the youngest one looking down at you, and the last member of their group is holding onto her arm. “Just let him do what we paid him to do,” the one holding her says.

“We said we’d scare her.”

“She pissed herself, we got her pretty good.”

It occurs to you that you might have. That you’re too dizzy and terrified to compute that your pants are indeed wet, and that something warm is also running down your temple.

“She’s even bleeding,” the man says, and he brushes his fingers on the side of your face.

You’re shaking. You’re shaking like a leaf in the wind and all you want to do is fall asleep and never wake up.

This has to be a nightmare. But everything is hurting, and you’re keenly aware that it isn’t a nightmare. Suddenly, he pressure on your scalp suddenly disappears, and you fall on the ground again, rolling into a fetal position.

You hear screams. You hear screams and something sharp digs in your side twice before they’re running away, and you’re sobbing. You’re sobbing and your hand is red when you touch your side.

You’re bleeding.

Why the fuck did you leave your phone at Jungkook’s place?

They’re gone. They left, and you’re bleeding. 

Did they run because he stabbed you? 

You take a deep breath, and it hurts so much you choke.

You choke, but hands find your shoulders and pull you up. You cry in pain, shielding your face, but it’s a familiar voice this time.

“Y/n.”

You sob and choke and shake.

“Y/n, look at me.”

You can’t. Everything hurts.

“Please.” His voice breaks. “Y/n, holy fucking shit.”

He gently rests you down on the floor, and then he’s speaking quick Korean on the phone.

“Stay with me,” he tells you a few seconds later, but it also feels like an eternity later.

Time is moving slow and quick, all at once.

“Jungkook,” you choke out. You’re lying on your back, and his doe eyes are so wide you see white all around his irises. “What are you doing here?”

“I called the police,” he says, and you think he’s crying, like he was crying at his house. “Just stay with me.”

He has his hand on your side now. You don’t even know when he put it there, when yours fell away from the wounds.

“But what about Sara?”

You don’t know why you think of her right now. Why you become so tired at the same time, like you’ve just run four marathons back to back.

“Stay with me.” 

Jungkook is pretty. You’ve always been aware of it, but with the moon creating a halo behind his head, he looks like an angel. You raise your hand, and you touch his cheek. It stains red, and your hand falls back on the ground. You don’t even feel it hit the concrete.

You see home. Your home country, your family. Growing up with your siblings. You see a night sky over the sea in Jeju, words whispered against your skin. You’re so tired, and you can’t hold on much longer.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” Jungkook says.

You don’t know when you closed your eyes, but they flutter open at the sound of his voice. He smiles at you, and tears run down his cheeks. You want to tell him you’re okay, you’re not mad anymore, but no sound comes out when your mouth opens.

You pass out on your next exhale.

*****

Jungkook sees the moment the light goes out in your eyes. Sees the moment you lose consciousness, and alarms ring so loud in the distance that he startles. He says your name, over and over again, but you don’t come back. Blood still spills from the wounds on your side, and he can’t even tell if you’re alive anymore.

He should have never gone to see Sara. Fucking hell,

He’d kill her right now, but her cancer might just take care of that for him.

“Y/n, please come back to me,” he cries as he gently pats your cheek, only to leave blood on it.

He didn’t even realize his two hands were covered in blood.

“Fuck, Y/n.” He’s been crying, but your lack of response makes him break, and he shatters like glass hit by a baseball bat.

You’re dying. Hell, you might be dead. If he had run out after you faster, he would have been able to protect you. Would have told you to come back so you can talk. Would have convinced you somehow, even though you seemed so disgusted with him before you left.

He doesn’t quite know when the paramedics reach your side. When they pull him away from you, and he resists, refusing to let you out of his sight. He’s screaming, panicking. He might even have punched someone. But he can’t see you anymore, and there’s an animalistic fear in him at the thought that this might be the last time he ever sees you.

“I need you to calm down,” a police officer says, breaking through his panic. “Just calm down.”

“Let me stay with her.” Jungkook cries, and the police officer pulls him in a hug. 

“We’ll drive you to the hospital.”

“No.” Jungkook pushes him away. “Where is she?”

“They’re going to take her to the hospital.”

“I want to be with her,” Jungkook says, and he’s almost screaming.

A lot of people are watching him – paramedics, police officers, there are even people looking through the windows of their houses where lights have been turned on since he found you lying in a pool of your own blood.

“Let him come,” one of the paramedics says.

Jungkook almost falls in her arms, and she leads him to the ambulance. You’re lying there, and you’re so pale, and Jungkook just stares at you.

Your heart is beating. At least that’s what they say, and Jungkook can’t even fucking blink.

Everything passes in a blur. The ambulance ride. The hospital, with its white walls and pale blue floors. There are neon lights, and then a doctor calmly tells Jungkook that he has to let go of your hand. He can’t – your fingers are cold under his touch, and he’ll punch whoever tries to take you away from him.

“He’s under shock,” someone is saying.

“He might need calming meds.”

“Please, sir,” the doctor says. “We’ll bring her right back to you.”

Dead or alive.

Dead, or fucking alive?

They manage to get him to let go of you.

Jungkook watches them as they push your stretcher away, and then you disappear behind double doors.

And he dies with you.

Prev | Next

☆☆☆☆☆

........ yeah huh. my most sincere apologies. you're free to scream at me, i deserve it

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 9 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: cursing, alcohol, mentions of jk's relationship with sara, a stressful conversation, honestly this one is a little sad, explicit content: unprotected sex (wrap it if you tap it), nipple play, oral sex (female receiving), praise, creampie

☆word count: 13.1k

☆a/n: this chapter is one of my favourites of the whole series and i hope you guys will love it just as much<3 thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Friday, August 29th

You’ve never been to Jeju island before. In truth, you haven’t seen much of the world yet, your horizons confined to the state you grew up in and the few trips you did out of state.

And these last months in Seoul, obviously. But you’ve never been somewhere like Jeju before, and you think you’re already in love with the island.

It’s quiet. Save for the sound of the wind in the leaves of the trees, and the waves crashing on the beach just a little further away. There are birds too, seagulls crying at the sky, but apart from that… 

Apart from that, the world is quiet. You don’t think you noticed quite how loud Seoul can get before. Even on your trip back home, you were so caught up in the wedding and the stress from your meetings with the editor that you didn’t get to enjoy the quiet.

But here… Here, the quiet is all around you, like a hug from your mother you’ve missed far too much. It helps that you’re here with Jennie, and all the boys, too. Mostly, it helps that you’re here with Jungkook, who you’ve been falling for more with every day that passes.

Not that you’ve said anything. With him leaving for the start of his tour next week, you haven’t been able to tell him about the feelings in your chest. It’d be unwise – a young relationship surely can’t survive months apart, can it? So you’ve been enjoying the moments you get with him instead, few as they are. He’s been more busy every day, and though you’ve done your best to still hang out, the time together has been few and far between now. 

Though you reckon it’s always been like this. You just weren’t as aware of it before. 

Jungkook hasn’t mentioned anything. But you can tell he’s a little more guarded, his smile and laughs somewhat fewer, as if he always has something on his mind. You don’t blame him – touring must be a source of a lot of stress, even though it has to be exciting, too. At least you blame it on that.

You refuse to believe Jungkook is pulling away from you. Not when he still fucks you with all the stars of the sky shining in his eyes like you’re the center of the universe.

You blink out of your reverie as Jennie nudges you in the ribs. You glance at her, her sunglasses perched high on her head as you’re in the shadow of the trees right now. The boys are currently swimming in the pool, and Hoseok and his girlfriend have sneaked off to somewhere inside.

“You good?” Jennie asks.

You chuckle, trying to hide the fact that you are in fact growing anxious. “Yeah. Just tired.”

Jennie smirks. “Up late with Jungkook last night? she asks.

“I was not up late with Jungkook last night.”

In fact, Jungkook fell asleep the second his head touched the pillow last night, most likely being hit with the exhaustion of all the work he’s been doing, and with the exhaustion from travelling, too.

Even if you flew in a private jet. It was your first experience in one of those, and your fingers are already itching for a scene you’ll write in a later book that’ll take place in such an airplane.

“Boring,” Jennie says with a pout, and you roll your eyes as she laughs.

Taehyung and Jennie have been more in love than ever before since that Friday he told her he wanted a break only for him to change his mind and bring her flowers to confess his undying love. You trusted Jungkook about Taehyung’s sincerity, and he hasn’t done a single thing to make you doubt after that.

They’ve practically moved in together, in fact, and Jennie’s been a ball of sunshine, her smile never too far off her lips.

“Fuck off!” Jimin yells from the other side of the pool, and you glance that way to see Jungkook is lurking not too far from him, clearly threatening to push him in the water.

Jimin says something in a quick Satoori dialect, and you can’t keep up with the quick words. Not when they’re swallowed by Jungkook’s laugh, Taehyung throwing a volleyball at Jimin.

It hits him in the back of the head, and he spins around, cursing, only for Jungkook to take that opportunity to pounce on him, pushing him in the water.

Seokjin curses as the volleyball bounces his way, splashing his book with water, and his wife laughs as he glares at the boys in the water, Jungkook having jumped in too.

“They’re fucking kids,” he grumbles in Korean, and Minha grabs the volleyball, throwing it back in the pool.

“I don’t know how we’ll survive with a baby and them at the same time,” she says.

Jungkook explained to you yesterday that they’ve been trying to get pregnant for a few months now, though they haven’t had any luck so far. With the tour coming, you assume it’ll just get harder for them, but apparently, Minha will be touring with them.

A weird, ugly part of you is jealous at the thought, because it’s not something Jungkook ever suggested to you. You don’t know why he would have, though, as you’re not even dating, so you do your best to silence that part of you, listening to the one telling you he’s been making a lot of efforts to see you instead.

Hoseok and Heryung come out of the house, hand in hand, and the flush on their cheeks leave little to the imagination as to what they were doing in there. Heryung winks at you as her gaze catches with yours, and then she kisses Hoseok’s cheek before walking over to where you and Jennie are standing.

“Had some fun?” Jennie teases her.

It didn’t take you long to realize Jennie and Heryung are good friends, and Heryung’s outgoing personality made it easy for you to become friends with her, too.

“Sometimes, I wonder if Hoseok is trying to put a baby in me,” she says, sighing loudly.

“Ew!” Jennie bursts out at the same time as you say, “What the fuck.”

Heryung laughs, shrugging her shoulders. “We barely get time like this together, of course we’ll enjoy each other.”

You don’t blame her. From what she’s told you, she and Hoseok are mostly long distance, so it makes sense that their relationship gets… carnal whenever they do get the chance to hang out.

“Hopefully Namjoon and Yoongi didn’t hear anything,” Heryung muses. “They’re working on a song right now, can you believe it?”

You haven’t really talked to the two of them before, so you wouldn’t be one to agree with her. Jennie, on the other hand, nods her head and says, “I’m not surprised. They worked on the production of the last album the whole time when we were here a few years ago.”

Apparently, it’s a big tradition for them to come here before a tour. It started with just the boys when they were a lot younger, barely rookies of the music industry, and they’ve been doing it every time since then.

Like a little family outing before they jump into the public eye of their fame. You think it’s cute, endearing, and you’re still surprised you made the cut. But Jungkook suggested it earlier this week, after you told him that Jennie talked to you about it, and you accepted the invitation right away.

You weren’t expecting him to invite you at all. But he did, with that sweet smile of his that reveals a dimple in his cheek, his big doe eyes so filled with hope you just could not say no. Hyunseok was upset when you cancelled the plans you had with him this weekend, but he immediately understood the urgency of the situation when you told him what you would be doing instead.

“Should we get a drink?” Jennie suggests, glancing up at the sky. “It’s way too hot, and I do not feel like jumping in the pool when these idiots are playing like kids.”

“Hey, I heard that!” Jungkook yells from the pool.

The three of you glance his way, though his eyes immediately divert to you. They soften at the edges, and he offers you a tiny smile that you tuck right in against your chest, though the smile is short-lived.

Jimin tackles him, and they disappear under the surface of the pool. Jungkook comes up coughing, and Jimin is a giggling mess next to him as he emerges too.

“Yeah, I’d take a drink,” you say with a snort, and Jennie hooks her arms with yours and Heryung’s, pulling you towards the house.

It’s a huge house, a place where they actually came to film a TV show before their first tour. The owners took a liking to the group of them, and so they’ve offered to rent it to them whenever they want to. And it thankfully has AC, so it offers a reprieve from the heat outside as you step in, the cool air swarming you.

“Do we still have everything we need for lychee martinis?” Jennie asks.

“No clue, I’m having a margarita," Heryung replies. 

You did indeed make a pitcher of margarita earlier, and you end up having one too, Jennie abandoning the quest of making lychee martinis when she saw that the Soho bottle is almost empty.

You clink glasses, taking the first sip inside before you return outside, where the boys are still at it in the pool, Minha tanning while Seokjin curses at the younger members. You end up making your way to the other pool chairs next to Minha, and you and Jennie share one while Heryung lies down to tan, too.

Minha offers you a polite smile as she notices you next to her, her eyes looking down at your drinks with envy. But she mentioned she’s avoiding alcohol in case she does get pregnant, so you don’t offer her a drink.

“It’s so hot,” she says, her accent thick.

“I love it,” Heryung replies in Korean. “We need to charge up on summer before winter comes.”

“Woah, we still have a lot of that before the winter,” Jennie replies, wincing. “Let’s not even think of it.”

You’re proud of yourself for understanding all of that, and you take a sip of the margarita, the cold liquid far more refreshing than you thought it could be. 

Not when you know you’ve made it strong as hell. Or rather, Jimin made it strong as hell, as he claimed he accidentally dropped the tequila bottle in it or something. You don’t believe him – you know he’s done it on purpose, but you won’t complain.

The alcohol helps with making you feel less out of place with this group of people you used to be a fan of when you were younger, after all.

The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of more margaritas, in a blur of lounging by the pool and swimming when the boys have calmed down. Jungkook is sweet through it all, his big eyes and soft smiles feeling so, so intimate despite the group of people surrounding you. It helps that he stays with you once Jimin decides to go in for a nap and Taehyung and Jennie risk their chances at a walk on the beach.

It isn’t a private beach, so you’ve mostly decided to stay clear, if only to avoid being seen. The boys don’t want to risk people discovering this place. You understand – it’d be a quick getaway into losing this haven they’ve come to cherish through the years.

As afternoon turns into evening and bellies start rumbling with hunger, you all head inside, where you find out Yoongi has already been working on cooking dinner, Namjoon sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop in front of him, still working on the song. 

You don’t know how he does it. If you were on the brink of leaving for a tour, your first priority would not be to produce a new song. You’d be focusing on spending time with the people that you love…

But Namjoon broke up with his girlfriend recently, so you do understand the need to get away, the need to produce art that’ll hold the feelings instead of keeping them locked up in his chest.

“What are you making?” Jungkook asks as he walks into the kitchen, and you don’t hear Yoongi’s reply over the noise the rest of the group makes as they file in. 

Jungkook is quick to start helping his friend with the food, and you end up playing a game of Uno at the dinner table that finally gets Namjoon to stop working. It’s a mess, with a lot of yells and insults thrown at each other, and you mostly just observe, not yet comfortable with these people the way that they are with each other.

You feel some sort of a disconnect with them, which you blame on the language barrier. Though you understand most of what’s being said, it’s a whole different thing to be able to partake in casual conversation like this, especially with the loud music Hoseok also puts on. You still play though, trying your best to win, but it quickly occurs to you that the boys are cheating.

Indeed, you find a lot of lost cards under the table when you bend down some time later to pick up one you’ve dropped. Most of them are at the feet of Taehyung and Hoseok, and Taehyung catches you looking when you straighten up.

“You’re cheating,” you let out.

He raises an eyebrow, the face of composure. “Am I?”

You tilt your head to the side with a no-bullshit look on your face. “Look under the table.”

Everyone immediately does, and it leads to a collective eruption of laughter as Taehyung and Hoseok start bickering about who’s worse between the two of them. It’s finally loud enough to rouse Jimin from his slumber, and he stumbles into the kitchen with his hair sticking out all over the place, a confused look on his features.

“What the fuck are y’all doing?” he asks in Korean.

“What does it look like we’re doing?” Seokjin fires back.

“Dinner’s ready!” Jungkook yells from the kitchen proper.

You all turn to look at him, and then everyone is scrambling up, heading to where Yoongi is waiting with bowls in hands. You all form a line, taking a bowl and letting Jungkook fill it with some noodles and soup that smells heavenly as steam wafts out of it.

You end up returning outside to eat, scattering all over the picnic table and the chairs by the pool, and the boys are back to swimming not long after having eaten, despite Heryung warning them that they should digest first. They ignore it, though they don’t play as rough as they did earlier, which allows you and the other girls to partake in conversation without hearing constant screams.

“How’s the married life been?” Heryung asks Minha as you’re sipping on yet another margarita.

Minha smiles, her eyes darting to Seokjin who’s sitting with his legs in the water, chatting away with Taehyung and Yoongi.

“It’s been amazing,” she says with a dreamy sigh. “We’ve been together for so long, so I can’t say much has changed over the last year, but it feels amazing to be able to call him my husband.”

Heryung smiles. “I bet it does.”

“Do you ever want to get married?” Minha asks.

“I honestly don’t know,” Heryung admits, and you and Jennie exchange a look.

Bad sign for poor Hoseok, if you’d say so yourself.

“My parents never got married, and they still loved each other to bits,” Heryung adds. “I don’t feel like I need to get married to be able to experience a love like that, you know?”

“And do you think you and Hobi have that?” Jennie asks.

The corners of Heryung’s lips lift in a soft smile. “I think we have something solid going on. Even the distance mixed with military service wasn’t enough to fuck it up, so…” She shrugs. “I think we got this.” Her smile grows larger, more sure. “What about you and Tae?”

You can feel the love immediately pouring out of Jennie’s eyes as she lets out a small chuckle. “I think we got this, too. Would not have said that a month ago but…” She sighs, glancing at Taehyung. You catch him looking her way too, and you glance away to give them some privacy. “But he’s been everything I’ve ever dreamed of. JK told him to step up and be the man I deserve, and it shows that Taehyung listened.”

“It’s funny coming from Jungkook of all people,” Heryung says with a snort. “As if he understands that shit.”

You frown, your heart squeezing in your chest. Heryung notices, and she immediately puts a hand on your arm.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean with you,” she quickly apologizes. “But you know his history with his ex, right?”

You nod, worrying at your lower lip. “Yeah, it seemed… toxic.”

“Toxic is not even the word for it,” Heryung says. “They were horrible to each other for literal years.”

“She was way worse than he was,” Jennie says, her tone defensive.

“You know I was friends with Sara.” Heryung glances at you. “Heavy on the ‘was’. But he was way worse than her at the beginning. She became the way she was because of how he treated her during the first few years.”

You wish you did not understand Korean after all. You wish you were not sat here with the boys’ long term partners, made to feel like the odd one out. You wish you didn’t feel your heart crushing in your chest at the knowledge that Jungkook didn’t treat his ex right…

Though he was young. Youth is made to make mistakes, isn’t it? As long as he’s learned from them…

“What do you mean?” Minha asks.

Heryung winces as she glances at you, her nose scrunching up. “Well, he did string her along for months before they made things official.”

There’s nothing wrong with that, is there? Except…

Except you’re kind of stuck in a similar pattern, aren’t you?

“And he was fucking around so much during that time too,” Heryung adds. “Shit, I feel like we should not be talking about this.”

Jungkook, fucking around? That doesn’t sound like the sweet man you’ve come to know, but then again… then again he was a young, attractive celebrity. Of course, he’d be sleeping around.

“You okay?” Jennie asks you, and the three girls look at you.

“Yeah,” you say, nodding your head as if to give emphasis to the word. “We don’t really talk about that usually so…”

“He honestly has changed a hell of a lot through the years,” Heryung reassures you. "They all kind of used to fuck around a bunch. Except Seokjin, but that’s only because he and Minha are ancient.”

“What do you mean ancient?” Minha says as she laughs softly. “We’re just high school sweethearts.”

Heryung meets your gaze. “Ancient, I’m telling you.”

Minha playfully pushes Heryung as you snort. 

“Honestly, it’s commendable that you guys stayed together through–” you motion around – “all of this.”

Minha’s eyes shine as she grins. “Thank you. It wasn’t always easy, but it just made sense. We’ve got that red thread around our wrists and all.”

You barely know her, yet you’re so happy for her. Because if you were to meet your soulmate one day, you too would sustain any hurdles life throws your way to stay with them.

Your eyes glide towards Jungkook. He’s now sitting on the other side of the pool while Jimin floats on his back in front of him. They’re talking, yet Jungkook must have sensed your eyes on him because he looks up, his features softening.

For a moment, it’s like everything fades away – the chatter of the people surrounding you, the sound of the waves on the beach, the shrill cry of crickets as the sun sets. For a moment, it’s just you and Jungkook and you wonder, do you have red strings around your wrists, too?

Or is this bound to end in painful tears and broken hearts?

The thought is chilling. A lot more than it should be in the fading day, the warmth lingering around even though the sun is nearly gone. It makes your heart strain in your chest, and it’s much more painful than it should be.

Maybe it’s your mistake for getting so attached to him so fast. But you can’t help it – he’s everything you’ve always dreamed of, and you’re a hopeless romantic.

Of course you’ll romanticize everything when it comes to him, too. But… but you like to tell yourself it’s reciprocated. It has to be – no one can mimic that look in their eyes. And his eyes, they hold the light of the universe when he looks at you.

Some time later, when everyone starts calling it a night as you have to get up relatively early tomorrow for a yacht trip out at sea, you find yourself making your way into the house along with Jungkook. He’s silent as you climb the stairs to the room you’ve claimed for yourselves – the smallest one, as Jungkook is the youngest of the group and does not have dibs on anything. 

You don’t find anything to say as you walk upstairs, all the margaritas and the weight of the day starting to weigh on your shoulders, making you yawn as you finish climbing up. 

Yet when Jungkook grabs your hand the second you’re in your room, gently turning you around so he can kiss you, you feel all your worries disappearing like mist in the sun.

There’s no way he’d kiss you like that if he didn’t mean it. It’s enough to fully reassure you, and you melt into the kiss, tongue teasing his piercings. He chuckles in your mouth, pulling away to rest his forehead against yours, and you remain unmoving for a time, just enjoying each other’s proximity.

“I’m so happy you get along so well with everyone,” he whispers. “I… I really like having you here.”

Your heart skips a beat. “I love hanging out with all of them.” You smile softly. “They’re so welcoming.”

Jungkook pulls away, pecking your forehead. “They’re happy for me.”

You’re melting. Like a puddle that might pass through the cracks on the floor, but his hands on your waist are strong, holding you up.

“You do deserve happiness, you know that?” you whisper.

He doesn’t say anything for a time, so long that you open your eyes wondering if you said the wrong thing. But then you see him looking at you with so much emotion in his eyes you feel like you’ve been hit by a tsunami. His gaze is lined with silver, and you think he might cry, but then a knock at the door makes you jump, startling you.

“Are you guys going to take a shower right away?” Jimin asks through the door, fully disregarding the fact he might have interrupted a moment. “Or can I go?”

You and Jungkook exchange a look, and you see the emotion has faded from his gaze. It makes you want to cry, makes you wish you could step back in time to ten seconds ago just to relive the moment you opened your eyes.

But you can’t. So you say, “We probably should take a shower.”

Jungkook nods. “We’ll go first.”

Jimin groans on the other side of the door, and you chuckle lightly at the sound. “Be quick.”

You are. Or at least, you try your best. You share the shower with Jungkook, cleaning yourself while he cleans himself, but then your gazes connect, and Jungkook’s lips are on yours before you have time to take a breath.

It’s destroying. The kiss breaks you down, builds you anew into playdough under his adept fingers. You know that, in the moment, Jungkook could ask you to do anything and you’d do it. No questions asked, pure trust for him echoing with every beat of your heart.

And he kisses you like there’s no tomorrow. Like he, too, is realizing that he’ll be leaving for months soon, the fear of the distance making him need you closer. And you can tell he wants you close, much like you want him close. You’d have him under your skin if you could, you’d have him in you and around you and everywhere in between.

You wish you could fuse with him. Fuse with his heart and soul and pour every single of your heartbeats into him, just so he knows your heart beats for him. It has for a while now, but it’s just been growing stronger, so strong you realize there really only are two options when it comes to you and Jungkook: either you break unforgivably, or you live on to spend a life with him. It’s scary, and vulnerable, and the type of feelings you’re used to writing about, not the ones you usually experience.

It’s something so grand you think the fabric of the universe sighs when Jungkook pushes into you, his dick filling every inch of you. He’s bent you down, fucking you from behind, yet his arms wrap around your waist to make you straighten. So he can hold you close, so you can feel his strong body behind you. And then he’s moving in you as you lean your hands on the cool tile of the shower wall. His lips are peppering endless kisses on the skin of your shoulder and in your neck, and he’s whispering sweet nothings in your ear that makes your mind spin with him, your heart full with him.

You’re in love, you realize. You’ve fallen in love with Jeon Jungkook, and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever had the chance to experience. But it’s also scary with the vulnerability that it arises – you’re terrified for the months to come.

What if the distance undoes you? 

Jungkook must sense your unease, because he slows down, hand reaching for your chin so he can make you turn your head. And then he kisses you softly, like a feather, and your heart settles in your chest, syncing with his.

You’ll be okay. You have to be.

Saturday, August 30th

The waves lap at the hull of the yacht relentlessly, though they’ve grown weaker now that you’re further out at sea, the coast a distant line on the horizon. The water is darker here, deep blue compared to the crystalline aspect it takes near the shore, and the sun beams down on you where it sits high in the sky, the vast expanse of it unbothered by clouds.

It’s beautiful. You think, if someone were to ask you to describe what heaven would look like, it would be this. The sea, the sun, the sails of a sailboat in the distance. 

The people you’re surrounded with. The captain of the yacht is none other than the owner of the house you’re staying in, and he’s been chatting it up with Seokjin and Namjoon on the top deck, where the wheel of the boat is. He makes you think of a fun grandpa, with his Hawaiian shirt and the fishing hat he’s wearing. He spoke to you in a heavily accented Korean you did not understand, before saying the only word he’s been saying to you all day.

Pretty.

You’ll take it. Because he says it with a genuine grin each time – Jennie told you he said you remind him of his son’s wife, so you know he means no harm.

The weather is hot, though the breeze now that you’re out at sea helps, making your hair dance all around your head where you’re lounging on the sun deck along with the other girls and Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung. Hoseok and Yoongi are sitting at the back, where you ate earlier, talking about something they’ve clearly indicated they don’t want to share with the rest of you.

Jungkook thinks they’re talking about the producer Yoongi’s been hooking up with, but you wouldn’t know.

“I don’t ever want to go back to Tokyo,” Heryung says next to you. 

You’re lying down, eyes closed to enjoy the sun, and you turn your head to look at her, cracking an eye open. You’re blinded by the sun, and you put your hand over your face to create a shadow on your features. 

“When are you going back?” you ask.

“Tomorrow.” She sighs, glancing at you. “I have a direct flight there.”

“Oof,” you let out.

“At least, we’re all leaving at the same time. But I won’t get to enjoy the private jet back to Seoul.”

“I’m pretty sure we’ll all be napping on the flight back,” you tell her, trying to sound reassuring.

“Wish that were me.” Her sigh is dramatic, and she turns on her stomach, leaning on her elbows as she looks at you. “Should I move back to Seoul?”

You’re surprised she’s asking you out of all people. And you don’t have time to reply, because Jennie yells from the other side of you, “Yes, please!”

Heryung bursts out laughing. “You’re more eager than Hobi.”

“You’d understand if you had to hear him complain about it constantly.” That comes from Jimin, who you weren’t aware was even paying attention to what you and Heryung were saying.

“Aw, of course he is.” She smiles, closing her fists to lean her chin on them. “He’s a cutie.”

“He’s a pain in the ass is what he is,” Jimin grumbles.

Apparently, they got into a small argument earlier over something that Heryung called stupid and not worth discussing, but Jimin is clearly still salty about it. 

“Womp womp,” Taehyung jokes, and Jimin glares at him.

“Fuck off.”

They start bickering in quick Korean, and you sit up, your eyes trailing to Jungkook. He’s already looking at you, and his gaze grows tender the second yours finds him. Your heart starts beating faster, your lungs filling with warmth. There are butterflies in your stomach, taking flight in a spiral that makes you feel like you might start flying too. You feel light and heavy at the same time, so full of emotions you might just burst right here.

You really have fallen for Jungkook. So much more than you thought it possible.

Jungkook smiles. It starts in his eyes and trickles down to his lips, and he tilts his head toward the cabin of the yacht like an invitation. Anticipation swells in you, and you get up, grabbing your sunglasses to put them back on.

“Where are you going?” Jennie asks.

Jungkook gets up at that moment, and Jennie looks at him. 

“Oh,” she lets out.

You snort. “Just going to grab some snacks.”

“Yeah, ‘snacks’,” she mimics, and you roll your eyes as you head inside, though you have to walk around the cabin in and of itself to access it from the back, where large sliding doors keep the AC inside. You politely nod at Hoseok and Yoongi, and Hoseok grins at you. You grin back, unable to stop yourself, and then you walk in, surprised at the rush of cold air that surrounds you.

Goosebumps cover your skin, and you rub your arms as Jungkook slides the door shut behind you.

“Snacks, mmh?” he lets out, and he grabs your waist, spinning you around to press his lips on yours.

You expected the kiss, and you welcome it readily, your arms wrapping around his neck to hold him close. He tastes of the beer he drank earlier, though the second his tongue starts truly teasing yours, your mind empties.

Only for you to startle in his hold when Hoseok taps on the door. You both glance at him, and you see him mouthing ‘Get a room’, though you can’t hear him through the glass. Yoongi is smirking next to him, but he looks away when you look at him.

Jungkook flips them off, and then he tugs you further inside, where the kitchen area is located. He’s kissing you again then, his hands gently caressing up your sides before he cups your cheeks as he deepens the kiss, tilting his head to the side. 

You wish life would stop on this moment, forever. On the joy lingering in the air when he pulls away, smiling wide. He’s so damn beautiful it hurts, and you wonder how it is that he chose you. That you’re the one he invited here, that you’re the one he’s kissing like the world is ending.

“I know I’ve said it already but you look fucking fantastic,” he says. He takes a step back, making a show of looking you up and down. “This colour looks amazing on you.”

You look down at your pink bikini, a laugh bubbling its way up in your throat. “You like the colour, or the bikini?”

He pulls at his piercings, eyes twinkling with mischief as he grabs your waist, pulling you closer again. “The colour, of course.”

He winks, and you giggle as he leans in to press a kiss on your forehead. It’s featherlight, barely there, and fuck, the feelings swell so much they almost spill out of your mouth. 

But then he steps back, heading to the fridge, and the words get stuck in your throat, so much so you choke on them a little, clearing your throat. Jungkook doesn’t notice as he opens the fridge to grab a can of beer, and he offers you one, though you decline with a shake of your head. He frowns, but then he returns to rummaging through the fridge, pulling out a spiked lemonade that looks a lot more inviting than beer.

“Thanks,” you say, grabbing the can as he hands it to you, and he grins again, clearly satisfied that his offer was accepted. “Why’d you want to pull me in here alone?” you ask as you lean against the counter, cracking the can open.

Jungkook mirrors your position next to you as he too opens his drink. You clink together, and you take a sip of the refreshing lemonade, though it feels strangely cold in here, making you shiver. Jungkook slides closer to you until the warm skin of his arm is pressed against yours, and you smile up at him.

“Just wanted to spend some time alone with you,” he said. “You’re always with Jennie and Heryung.”

You chuckle. “They’re fun. And we’re also on a boat.”

Jungkook’s lips jut out in a small pout. “Just say you’re avoiding me on purpose.”

“Shut up,” you say as you roll your eyes, your laugh tumbling out of you. “I’m not avoiding you at all.”

He grins. “Good.” He leans down, pressing a peck on your temple. “That would suck.”

You nod in agreement. “Gotta enjoy the little time we have left.”

You don’t realize how sad your sentence sounds before it’s out there, hanging in the air between you and Jungkook. He tenses next to you, his eyes dropping to the can in his hands, and you wish you hadn’t said anything.

Wish you could take it all back.

“I hope you do enjoy it,” Jungkook muses, voice low.

You turn to face him fully. “I really am.”

He nods, but his eyes remain on the can, and you feel like he disappeared somewhere inside of his mind. You don’t know how to bring him back, so you try to step in his line of vision. He meets your gaze for just a heartbeat and a half before he’s looking away, pushing up from the counter and motioning outside.

“Should we go back with the others?”

His question makes you raise an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to spend some time alone with me.”

He sucks on his piercings, tugging them into his mouth, and then he sighs, closing his eyes as he slightly shakes his head. “Yes. Sorry.” He takes a deep breath, and then adds, “It’s hard to believe I’m leaving on Monday.”

It is. It’s hard to believe you’ll soon be in a city that’s void of him. 

How will it even look without him around?

“Aren’t you excited?” you ask.

He takes a sip of beer as he seems to ponder your question, and then answers, “I am. I really am, I love performing.” He meets your gaze then, and the drop of sadness behind his irises looks so out of place in this place that should be filled with joy you feel like crying. “But… I think I’ll miss you.”

You crumble. You crumble into little pieces on the ground because… because that means something. That means everything that’s been building up in your chest has been building up in his too, and it’s the reassurance you needed.  

“I’ll miss you too,” you murmur.

He offers you a sad smile, and then sighs again. “But let’s not think about that right now. Let’s live in the present.” He chuckles, but it lacks conviction. “No use in fearing tomorrow when we’ve got today.”

It sounds wise, and you’re pretty sure you heard Namjoon say something similar earlier. Considering how much Jungkook respects his older friend, you’re not surprised it stuck with him.

“Let’s,” you agree, and Jungkook meets your gaze again.

The drop of sadness in his gaze slowly melts away, replaced with that same tenderness you spied earlier. It steals your breath, much like Jungkook’s lips on yours do a second later. You shut your eyes at his sudden proximity, your free hand landing on the skin of his chest, still sunwarmed despite the AC blasting in the cabin. His finds the back of your neck, and he cradles you close as his soft lips move against yours.

You don’t know how long you kiss. Just know heat puddles in your lower stomach, and you put the can down on the counter behind him, your hand itchy to touch him more. To feel his skin on yours and his breath mingling with yours. Jungkook also puts down his can, and he caresses your sides before cupping your ass, squeezing lightly. You let out a breathy sound that he swallows like he’s dying of starvation, and he pushes you closer until all the length of him is pressed against all of you. His dick is on your stomach, so hard you feel wetness pooling at your core and you reach between your bodies, rubbing your hand on him.

“What the fuck!” Jennie yells, and you jump back, heart beating out of your chest, cheeks flushed.

She’s standing at the sliding doors, one hand over her eyes, and you hear Hoseok say, “Told you.”

“Get a fucking room!” Jennie yells again. “I’m never going to be able to look at you again.”

“Girl,” you let out, an embarrassed chuckle falling from your lips. “We were just kissing.”

“That looked like a lot more than kissing,” she replies, her hand still covering her eyes. “Are you sure you’re wearing clothes?”

You burst out laughing this time. “Yes, babe, we are.”

She nods, and her hand falls at her side. She bursts out laughing the second your gazes meet, and she says, “Hell yeah, girl.”

You laugh along with her, Jungkook remaining strangely silent beside you. You glance at him to see his cheeks are beet red, and he meets your gaze with a wince that makes you reach for him so you can squeeze his hand. He visibly relaxes then, and he grabs his can of beer, taking a long drag of it.

“Should have locked the door,” he mumbles, looking all sheepish.

You grin at him. “We’ll know for next time.”

He smiles too, revealing the small dimples in his cheek. “Next time,” he repeats.

It sounds like a promise.

*****

Jungkook is a mess. He feels stressed for the tour coming, especially more so now that Namjoon told them they’ll have to take a flight right away when they return to Incheon because their manager thought it was a good idea to book some last minute interviews. Which means he’s not leaving on Monday anymore.

One less day with you.

He’s been silent since Namjoon told him, not too long after they disembarked from the yacht. You were walking ahead with Jennie and Heryung, Minha not too far behind, and so he doubts you heard the news.

And they’ve all collectively decided to not tell you girls. If only to salvage the atmosphere that’s been reigning on this little getaway far from reality. Even Seokjin refrained from telling Minha, though he made sure that her flight ticket was also updated since she’s coming with them.

He doesn’t even have 24 hours left with you. It feels like a countdown has started in the distance, every second like the beat of a dreadful gong. It echoes in his mind, swirls down to his heart and squeezes it uncomfortably.

He doesn’t know what to do anymore. He’s falling for you, so, so much, but he doesn’t want to force you into a long distance relationship. And they’ll be touring for the next year.

He can’t ask you to wait for him for a year. Hell, though your visa allows you to stay until April, he doesn’t even know if you’re planning to renew it to stay for longer. You haven’t talked about the future a lot yet, stuck in this cycle of getting to know each other and being too busy to truly do so, and he’s running out of time.

Hell, he thinks he already ran out of time. Because, how is he supposed to make you understand what’s going on in his head in 24 hours when he barely even understands it himself?

He can’t stop thinking of you. Hasn’t fully stopped thinking of you since he saw you that first time in May, and it’s been months and he still can’t fucking understand. It’s like you’re engraved on his bones, carved into his very essence.

And he’s leaving in less than 24 hours.

He wants to cry. He wants to cry and scream because he should be excited. After all, he’s been looking forward to this tour ever since they announced they were going to do their military service. It’s been planned for years now, yet it tastes so fucking bittersweet today.

He sighs, rubbing a hand on his face as he leans back in his seat by the firepit. The atmosphere is a little more somber tonight, like there’s a damper on the guys’ enthusiasm, but he can hear you girls chatting away where you’re sitting by the pool. He spies a look at you,  and you immediately meet his gaze, offering him a wide grin.

He tries to reciprocate, but he knows he failed when you frown before getting up, walking over to where he’s sitting. 

“Everything okay?” you ask as you claim the spot next to him.

He glances at the members around the fire – Seokjin, Namjoon and Jimin, the others inside doing fuck knows what – before looking at you again.

“Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?” he asks.

You glance in the general direction of the beach before looking at him again. “It’s pretty dark, but I’m down to see the view.”

You smile like that might just be the most exciting thing you’ll do in your life, your eyes sparkling, and his anxiety settles in his chest a little, like the weight on his shoulders was lessened. In truth, it has been lessened. You’ve always had that impact on him.

Jungkook gets up, and the members all look at him and then you before their eyes return to the flames in front of them. They’re silent, much like he was, though you know they’re not all dreading the departure tomorrow. Indeed, Namjoon’s been needing to leave Seoul for a while, getting broken up with last month having been hard on him.

And Seokjin… Seokjin doesn’t have anything to worry about. Because Minha is coming too, and he’ll get to spend the following months with her.

Jungkook feels jealous, and he hates that he does. So he pushes the feeling away as he holds out his hand for you to take, your fingers interlacing with his. You squeeze his hand as he leads you towards the fence gate at the end of the backyard. There’s a short path on the other side that’s followed by stairs going down to the beach, and you both kick off your slippers on the last step, before jumping down in the sand.

It’s cool, the warmth of the sun having fully disappeared almost two hours ago, though the air is still warm enough despite the wind coming from the sea. Jungkook tugs you close, holding your hand tightly, refusing to let go.

He needs you close right now, because who knows when’s the next time he’ll get to hold you? If there is even a next time…

“Is everything okay?” you ask as he turns left so that you can walk along the beach. 

He slowly pulls you closer to the water, though he stops before you actually reach it, not wanting to get his feet wet. The sand is hard here, also making it easier to walk, and the waves crashing on the beach are loud, yet not nearly as much as it was earlier today.

Jungkook rubs his thumb on the back of your hand, eyes going to the horizon, to the sea of stars that seem to be endless, only interrupted by the ocean.

“Yeah,” he lets out, and then he sighs deeply, aware it doesn’t sound like anything is okay at all. “It’s just…”

He falls silent, unable to find the words. Unable to name his fears, and the weight of everything comes crashing onto his shoulders.

There are goodbyes hanging in the air. Ones he doesn’t feel like having.

“I’m not supposed to tell you,” he says, and he runs a hand through his hair. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“I know,” you say with a chuckle.

He frowns, glancing at you. “Who told you?”

A quizzical look takes over your pretty features, your eyebrows almost touching over your eyes. “Well, we’re all leaving tomorrow.”

Oh. His heart squeezes in his chest, and he sees the moment you understand. The moment you notice the sadness in his gaze, the tightness to his lips.

“Oh,” you echo his inner voice. “You’re leaving leaving tomorrow.”

He nods, and he looks away at the sea again. “Manager called Namjoon earlier to let him know.”

You don’t say anything, though you let go of his hand, grabbing his arm instead. It makes you step closer to him, and he takes in the feeling of you against him, carves it in his brain so he doesn’t forget.

“That’s okay,” you finally say. “We got all weekend.”

His head drops, eyes falling on the sand in front of his feet. “We did.”

Silence falls, loud with the wind and the waves, and Jungkook’s incessant thoughts. He wishes the thoughts could stop for a time, but they don’t. It’s dizzying, and he wishes he could drown it in the sea for a while.

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” you start, trailing off as he glances at you. You let out a small, anxious chuckle, and he can hear you gulp as you swallow. “What does that mean for us, Jungkook?”

There it is. It’s a conversation he wishes you didn’t need to have, one that scares him shitless, but he can’t run away from it. 

“I don’t think we should do long distance,” he says.

You stop walking, letting go of his arm as you stare up into his eyes, shock ebbing on your features like ripples on water. And Jungkook hates himself, and wishes you’d understand.

“Sorry?” you let out.

He pulls at his piercings. “I can’t ask you to do long distance, Y/n.”

You raise your eyebrows. “What if I want to do it?”

He stares at you, unblinking. “What?”

“What if I want to do the long distance?” you repeat.

He wasn’t expecting that. He doesn’t know why, but he believed you would understand right away. Wishful thinking.

“I’m leaving for a year,” he says, his throat dry as he tries to swallow. “I can’t ask you to wait for me for that long.”

You blink a few times, and he has to look away when he notices the silver line in your eyes. He can’t look at you crying. That might make him weak, but he just can’t.

“I don’t care,” you say. “A year is nothing.”

“A year is a lot.”

You shake your head, grabbing his arm again. He looks at you then, relieved to see you’ve blinked the tears away. “Jungkook, a year is nothing.”

There’s so much conviction in your eyes he feels his resolve crumbling. Because it’s a sign you want to stay here in Korea, and he was not expecting it at all.

“I don’t want you to get lonely,” he whispers.

You shrug. “We can text and call,” you point out. “You leaving on tour should not be the reason why we end things.”

Things… what even are you?

“But what if…” He pulls at his piercings, giving a shake of his head. “What if you do get lonely? I won’t be able to come back.”

“I have my friends,” you say. “I’ll hang out with Jennie and Hyunseok and Mingyu.”

“Mingyu’s leaving for military service soon.”

Your gaze widens. “What?”

Shit, he wasn’t supposed to tell you.

“He’s enlisting by the end of the year,” Jungkook admits. 

You remain silent for a few seconds again, before saying, “Oh well.”

A bigger wave crashes on the shore, and Jungkook quickly pulls you higher up as the water races toward your feet. 

“I just don’t know if doing the long distance is a good idea,” he admits. “We’re not even…”

He can’t finish the sentence. Not when you fold your arms on your chest, cocking an eyebrow. “Are we not?”

He doesn’t know how to reply to that, so he just stares with a wide-eyed gaze.

“What am I doing here then, Jungkook?” you ask.

It takes him ten heartbeats before he’s able to speak, “I wanted us to say goodbye.”

You scoff, and it’s a cold sound, one he thinks might make the sea freeze over. But it’s only his heart in his chest turning to ice, and he wishes he could take it all back.

“And here I thought you liked me.”

Your words fall like lead in his stomach, and he gulps around a lump in his throat. “I do.”

“Then why are you ending things?”

You turn blurry, and he furiously blinks, refusing to let the tears fall. “I’m afraid.”

For a moment, it’s like the sea pauses, the wind holds its breath. It’s like the universe was put on hold, and you just look up into his eyes with sadness clinging at the seams of you.

“Jungkook… what are you afraid of?”

Everything. He’s afraid of everything. But mostly, he’s afraid of losing you. He’s afraid you’ll find someone else while he’s gone, someone to entertain you when he can’t.

Sara did it once, after all.

“I don’t know,” he lets out, squeezing his eyes shut. “Aren’t you afraid, too?”

He doesn’t hear you come closer, but your hand gently cups his cheeks, and his eyelids flutter open. You’ve stepped closer to him, so close he needs only to bend to press his lips on yours.

“Oh, Jungkook,” you whisper, and your thumb swipes at his cheeks, collecting a tear that slipped free. “Yes, I am. But I think it’s okay to be scared.”

His throat bobs as he swallows, almost choking on that same lump. “I’m afraid we’ll get hurt,” he whispers. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”

“You won’t,” you reassure him, and you tiptoe to press a featherlight kiss on his lips. “I trust you, Jungkook.”

Emotions rush in. Wash over him, scatter his soul to sea, and Jungkook grabs your waist, catching your mouth in a languid kiss that soon tastes like his tears, like the sea next to you. You lose your hand in his hair, the other grabbing the front of his shirt as if to keep him from leaving.

But he can’t. He won’t.

He’s been falling in love with you, inevitably, and he’s just been afraid of the vulnerability. Of the loss that might come.

But even if he does lose you one day… isn’t it better to have at least experienced you? To have gotten to be with you, to love you?

He knows the answer to that as you kiss him with such fervor he feels weak in the knees. And the kiss lasts forever, for an eternity that takes all his worries and pushes them out to be swallowed by the waves crashing on the shore.

When you eventually pull away, staring up into his eyes with stars in yours, Jungkook whispers, “I’m starting to like you a lot.”

You smile, so soft and beautiful under the light of the constellations above. “Me too.”

He pecks your forehead then, his lips lingering there for another small eternity. Up until you let out a small giggle, and he pulls away to the sight of you grinning from ear to ear.

“You like me,” you say through the grin.

His heart is full and warm, blooming like a flower in the spring. “I do.” He chuckles, and he brushes a strand of hair behind your ear. “You like me, too.”

You nod, laughing again. “I do.”

Fuck. He feels like crying from the relief, from finally being free of this stress.

“Do you want to keep walking?” he asks.

You glance to the side, before nodding your head. “Yes.”

And so Jungkook grabs your hand, interlacing your fingers again, and he tugs you down the beach, toward the spot where the sand and the water meet at the horizon. It’s silent, but a comfortable kind of silence he wishes he could record to have with him when he’ll be gone. It’s a silence of enjoying each other’s company, of hope that shines brighter than the stars above.

It’s a silence of two people falling in love.

Jungkook smiles to himself as you walk, unable to keep the joy from tugging at his lips, and he reckons you’re smiling too. Indeed, whenever you meet his gaze for a soft embrace, your lips are curled up, eyes twinkling. 

You’re happy. And that makes him more happy than anything else ever could.

“Look, there’s a swing!” you say, motioning to said swing higher up on the beach. 

You let go of his hand, running toward it, and Jungkook runs after you, chasing your giggles in the wind. He helps you up on it, pushing you as you laugh and kick your feet at the stars, and he feels infinite.

He wonders if you feel it too.

You must, because when the swing finally slows down to a halt, you squeeze in a corner, patting the spot next to you. It’s barely large enough to fit the both of you, yet Jungkook settles down next to you, arm wrapped around the rope on his side. You lean your head on his shoulder, eyes looking up at the sky, and his gaze travels to the stars too, taking in their beauty.

It doesn’t compare to your beauty, but it’s still a sight to see, one he knows will become a core memory. He feels it deep in his gut, as if his hippocampus is already working over time to make sure everything can be committed to perfect memory.

And as you look at the sky over your heads, a shooting star crosses the vast expanse of it, leaving him with a wish he hopes is on your mind too. A wish he prays is reciprocated, yet one he won’t say out loud just yet, if only to not jinx it.

He really does feel infinite tonight.

*****

You must have stayed on the beach for longer than you thought you did. Indeed, as you walk back to the house, climbing the stairs and pushing the iron fence open to return to the backyard, you notice everyone has gone inside, and the lack of lights on indicates that they all probably went to bed, too.

You feel bad for keeping Jungkook away from his bandmates for the last night before they’re leaving for their tour, but you’re also infinitely thankful Jungkook decided to spend this moment with you.

Infinitely thankful that he didn’t push through with ending things. Because you would have broken out there on the beach, and it would have been ugly.

You don’t want Jungkook to ever see you breaking down. You want to show him the strongest parts of you, those that can withstand what a life by his side might be. 

“Guess we should also head to bed,” Jungkook says as he too takes in the empty backyard.

You glance at him over your shoulder, and then look up at the stars again. “We spent way too long looking at the stars.”

Jungkook steps closer to you, turning you around with a gentle hand on your arm. He then cups your cheek, before leaning in to brush his lips on yours. “I loved every second of it.”

You smile bright, and then you tug him towards the house. He follows you with a small laugh, and you slide the door open, making sure to be as silent as possible. You hear a shower in the bathroom on the ground floor though, so someone has to still be up. You reckon they might have not come back in too long ago.

You end up quickly taking a shower upstairs, Jungkook accompanying you once more. He’s touchy, rubbing your back and pulling you back into his chest as you stand under the warm water, and you lean your head back on his shoulder. His soft lips peck your cheek as you do so, and you melt in his touch, eyes shutting in contentment.

“Let’s go to bed,” he whispers, kissing your cheek again. “I want to hold you in my arms.”

You’re gone for this man. So thoroughly gone you wonder if you’ll ever be the same again. You doubt you will – Jungkook has forever changed you, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Once you’re done in the shower, you quickly dry yourself, before putting on your PJs and heading back to your room. You chuck your dirty clothes in your luggage while Jungkook neatly folds his, and then you sit on the bed, watching him as he straightens, his grey joggers hanging low on his hips.

He didn’t bother with putting underwear or a shirt on, and you lean back on your elbows as he stalks towards you. You spread your legs to make space for him as he climbs on the bed, and he immediately bends down to capture your lips in a languid kiss. You sigh in his mouth, your heart syncing with his, and you wrap your legs around his waist to pull him in as close as possible.

Because this is it. This is the last night you’re getting with him for months, and you’ll make it count. You’ll be damned if you don’t.

“Jungkook,” you whisper as he pulls away to look at you for a moment.

He’s beautiful like this, hair wet from the shower, drops of water still littering his skin from how poorly he actually dried himself. They shine in the light of the lamp on the night table like tiny pools of gold, and you dry the ones on his neck with your thumb.

“Yes?” he asks.

“I can’t believe I used to think you hated me.”

He chuckles, eyes crinkling at the corners as he leans down to kiss you sweetly again. “I never did,” he whispers like a promise. “I was always just too attracted to you.”

You can’t help your smile. “Of course you were.”

“You were wearing a green dress when I met you,” he muses. “You were a fucking vision.”

“And you were pissy and asked me to sign an NDA.”

Jungkook winces before letting himself fall on the bed next to you.

“I’m such a fucking loser.”

You laugh, rolling until you’re straddling him, his big hands immediately resting on your thighs. “I was so pissed,” you admit. “But I genuinely thought I would never see you again.”

His features grow more serious as he looks up at you, his hands rubbing your thighs gently. “I think I would have died if I never got to see you again.”

You snort, bending down to press your lips on the pillowy softness of his for a second before leaning back. “You’re cheesy.”

“For you? Damn right I am.”

You take a deep breath, the scent of his bodywash filling your nose. It’s so him that you feel your heart reaching for him, so much so it’s almost painful.

You’re in deeper than the Pacific Ocean.

So you dive in. Into those sparkly eyes of his, so tender they feel like a warm summer breeze. You jump into his eyes, feet first, losing yourself in him. Even more so as he sits up to capture your lips, and you follow him down as he lies back, his hands now on your back to pull you with him. 

And you kiss him with passion. You kiss him with fire, with rain like that of a storm. You kiss him with all the strength of the feelings you have for him, and he kisses you back with the same intensity, meeting you exactly where you are. 

You sit up, take off your shirt and toss it to the side. Jungkook’s gaze dips to your breasts, and he cups them, pinching your nipples lightly, before tugging you back down into another kiss. It’s like there’s a tornado in your brain then, as he spins you to be on top of you again, and you let out a surprised yelp that ends with his hand on your mouth.

“Shh,” he lets out. “We wouldn’t want the others to hear.”

And then, like he has no care for your sanity, Jungkook leaves a trail of hot kisses down your neck. But he doesn’t stop there, continuing his path downwards to your breasts. His tongue teases at one of your nipples, and it hardens at the sensation. He smirks at the sight, though he doesn’t linger around for too long as he keeps lowering himself down your body. 

As if it’s not enough, he ends up kneeling on the floor next to the bed, grabbing your thighs to pull you closer. He unties the knot that’s holding your shorts up before pulling them down your legs along with your panties.

It seems Jungkook has no patience to tease you tonight like he usually does. There’s some sort of urgency in his touch, in the way he kisses at the inside of your thighs, nipping at the skin. And before you know it, he buries himself in your pussy, his tongue dipping in between your folds before he goes up to tease your clit, swirling around the sensitive bundle of nerves. You let out a breathy sound that makes him pull away, and he regards you with so much intensity in those dark eyes of his you think your heart stops in your chest.

“Baby, they can hear us,” he reminds you.

You gulp, nodding your head. “Sorry. I’ll be careful.”

He smirks, head tilting to the side like a predator sizing his prey. “Good girl.”

His words send pleasure coursing up your spine, much like his lips closing around your clit does a second later. It takes everything in you to not moan out loud, and you put a hand on your mouth to muffle the breathy noise that still crawls its way up your throat. Jungkook lets it slide this time, too busy making out with your pussy, his tongue tracing adept circles on your clit before he starts flicking at it. 

It feels heavenly. So much better than it’s ever been with anyone before, and your hand grabs at the sheets on the bed, so much so you think you might rip the fabric. But it holds on strong as your fist tightens, and Jungkook flattens his tongue, swiping it from side to side. 

You try to grind on his face to get more friction, but he’s quick to put a hand on your stomach, holding you in place. It somehow heightens the sensation of his tongue on you, and your mind goes blank.

And then it explodes as he pushes a finger inside of you. You see colours and lights, a kaleidoscope that makes your mind spin. It’s harder to keep your sounds in, and you have to bite in the skin of the inside of your lip to prevent from alerting the whole house that you’re currently getting the best head you’ve ever gotten in your life.

It always feels like this with Jungkook, and you’ll never get tired of it.

“I’m close,” you let out in a whimper as Jungkook keeps making out with your pussy, making lewd noises that have to be loud enough to be heard outside the door. 

He hums against you, the sound like a shockwave in your body, and your fist clenches on the sheets once more as you try to grind on him again only to be firmly held down by his hand on your stomach.

It’s frustrating, and you let go of the sheets to grab his hair instead, trying to push his head down. Jungkook lets you do it, most likely because he can sense your walls growing impossibly tight around his finger like they always do when you’re about to come. He curls his finger, rubs at that nutty spot inside of you, and you lose it as he sucks on your clit, hard.

You break apart. You lose sense of your surroundings, the orgasm crashing through you in waves and waves of pleasure, Jungkook guiding you through it all. He’s gentle with it, making sure it doesn’t get oversensitive, and you ride the pleasure for longer than you thought it possible.

It’s ecstasy in its purest form. Everything seems out of focus when you open your eyes again, like there’s an aura coating every object. Coating Jungkook, as he pushes you back on the bed to be able to climb on top of you once more. He kisses you rough, the taste of you on his lips mixing with his taste, and you kiss him back sloppily, your tongue meeting his.

When Jungkook leans back from the kiss to take off his sweatpants, you admire the aura of light that seems to be surrounding him. It’s yellow and pink, with some orange, like the light of the lamp is fractured in its different components. It’s beautiful.

He is beautiful. So fucking ethereal your eyes water at the sight of him.

And he likes you.

Jungkook likes you.

“Hey, you okay?” he whispers when he’s climbed back on top of you, his dick teasing your swollen entrance.

“I really like you,” you murmur with all the vulnerability in your heart.

He kisses you, time slows and stretches, and you wrap your arms to hold him close to you. As if that’ll keep him right here with you and for a foolish moment, you think it does. You tell yourself he’s staying tomorrow, and all the days after that.

It’s the most beautiful lie you’ve ever told yourself. 

“I like you so much,” Jungkook replies. He grabs his dick to align himself properly, and then pushes inside of you to the hilt.

You’re so full of him, physically and emotionally, and you think this is it.

This is what your brain will remind you in the seconds before your death.

“So, so much,” Jungkook adds, and then he’s kissing you again.

You’re his. You’re so completely his, and you know he’s yours too. Maybe you haven’t put a label on your relationship tonight, but you’re going to try to make it work. And in this moment in time, you don’t have a doubt that it’ll work.

There’s too much love in the air for it to not work. It’s everywhere in this room, like a thousand fireflies, twinkling to life around you. It’s in Jungkook’s gaze, in the way he slowly pulls his hips back before pushing in again. It’s in the depths of his eyes, circling his irises, shining in his pupils. Hell, you slowly lose yourself in his soul as he makes love to you, slow and steady. 

It’s home. You’ve found home.

Jungkook kisses you, tongue parting your lips open gently until it dances with yours. And he keeps on making love to you, keeps that push and pull of his hips that drags on your inner walls, and you slowly unravel under him again. But this time is different. 

It’s not an explosion. It’s a slow build up of emotion rather than pleasure, of feelings passing between your heart and his as they beat in sync. It’s a melody only you and him know, one that wouldn’t make sense to anyone but the two of you. And it doesn’t have to.

Because this is you and him. Stripped to your souls, a connection so deep it has to rattle the stars in the sky above. And if you were outside, casting your eyes up at the constellations again, you’d know that it does. That shooting stars rain for you and Jungkook, like the stars want in on that moment between you and him. So does the wind and the waves and the sea outside.

Jungkook makes love to you for a long time. And you enjoy every second of it, committing it to memory to remember in the next few months. When he comes, Jungkook leans his forehead against yours, grunting softly. You only wrap your legs tighter around his waist, rubbing his back. His dick twitches inside of you as he spills his cum deep in you, and even when he’s done, he doesn’t pull out right away. Like he, too, is committing everything to memory. And you let him have this moment, keep on caressing the skin of his back.

He pecks your lips again, and then whispers, “I honestly think I’m falling in love with you.” He kisses you again, like he didn’t just reveal such a beautiful truth to you. It’s soft and sweet and everything that makes him, him and you, you.

He pulls away, resting his forehead against yours. And then, he gives you another beautiful truth.

“I’m not scared anymore.”

And the best thing is, you aren’t either.

Sunday, August 31st

The flight back to Seoul is spent in heavy silence. You’re cuddling Jungkook for most of it, your head on his shoulder as he traces idle shapes on the skin of your arm. When you shiver, goosebumps pricking your skin, he offers you his sweater.

It smells of him, like a comforting hug, and you know you’re not giving it back to him at the end of the flight.

You’ll need it in the months to come.

From where you’re sitting, you can see Jennie and Taehyung cuddling too. They’ve been watching a show together, and you don’t know how they can be focusing on that when… when in just a few hours, the boys will be gone.

The further you go from Jeju, the more you feel like the weekend might have just been an invention from your brain. But the people around you are a reminder that it did happen, that you and Jungkook are indeed falling in love, and that the last few days will forever be cherished in your heart.

No matter what the future holds, you’ll never forget the time you spent in Jeju.

Jungkook sighs, kissing the top of your head. You try to squeeze closer to him, and he wraps his arm around you to hold you against his chest. You know the other members of the group have been looking, but you can’t bring yourself to care.

You only have a few hours left with him. And it breaks your heart so much you understand what he meant, last night.

How will you make it through the next year? It feels impossible after last night, after the stars and the love. Yet you have to do it. And you have to be strong for him, especially when you’re the one that convinced him it was worth it to try.

When the wheels of the airplane hit the tarmac in Incheon, you think they might have squeezed your heart on the pavement too, leaving a bloody mess behind. It takes everything in you to disentangle yourself with Jungkook. To get up and follow everyone out of the airplane. Their jet is already waiting for them at another location of the airport, and a small van is already waiting to drive them there. 

It’s cruel. This is cruel – they don’t even have time to go back home before leaving for so long. Like the world decided to make their goodbyes for them, and you wonder if they’re all as affected by it as you would be.

You know Jungkook is. His eyes are filled with tears when he looks at you as you stand there on the tarmac, gazes connecting like the two opposite poles of magnets. It’s a pull so strong you don’t know how he’ll be able to leave.

“So, this is it,” he lets out.

A lump grows in your throat, so big it gets harder to breathe. 

“Well, not really,” you say, chuckling. It sounds more like you’re choking, and you blink away the sudden wetness in your eyes. “We’ll be talking the second you land.”

Jungkook nods, lips pulled in a taut line. “We will.”

He steps closer to you, ignoring the members moving to the car, Jennie and Taehyung lingering behind too. Minha gazes at you from the van, her features sad, but you ignore her to focus on the man in front of you instead.

“Thank you for everything,” he says, voice choked.

“Stop,” you reply, slapping his chest. “You sound like you’re breaking up.”

A tear rolls on his cheek as he chuckles. You wipe it for him, a single drop of water that holds so much emotion you think you might pass through the Earth’s crust.

“I’m not,” he reassures you. “I wouldn’t be able to. Not after last night.”

Your heart swells in your chest, tripling in size for the man you’ve been falling in love with.

“Good,” you say, voice just as watery as his. “Damn, why are we crying?”

He laughs, and he wraps his arms around you, pulling you tight to his chest. “I’ll miss you,” he whispers.

You hide your face in his neck, inhaling deep. He still smells like his bodywash, and you make a mental note to go buy the same one he uses.

“I’ll miss you too.”

His lips find the top of your head, and you both remain unmoving for so long you tell yourself the van left without him. But it’s still there when Jungkook pulls away from the hug, his hands remaining on your shoulders as he looks down at you with those big, sad eyes of his.

Who knew goodbyes could hurt so bad?

“You’ll have fun, yeah?” you ask.

He chuckles as another tear falls on his cheek. “I will. Not as much as if you were there.”

“I bet you’ll be too busy to even think of me,” you say. It was meant to be reassuring, but it actually scares you so much you start crying.

“No, no,” Jungkook says, pulling you into his chest again. “Don’t cry. I can’t leave if you’re crying.”

“Jungkook!” Namjoon yells from the van.

“Just a second!” Jungkook yells back, and he rubs your back, swaying you side to side. “I’ll come back as soon as I can,” he tells you, voice barely over a whisper. “It’ll be like no time has passed.”

You nod, pulling back to wipe your tears. “I can’t wait.”

Your gazes meet again, and Jungkook offers you a smile. It doesn’t quite reach his eyes, but you can tell he’s trying. Trying to be reassuring despite the fact that you’ll be apart for so long at the beginning of your relationship.

“Me too,” he says. 

Somebody else screams Jungkook’s name, and you know he has to go. They sound impatient, and lest you have a heart attack right here and then, there’s nothing you can do to keep him from leaving.

“I’ll be thinking of you all the way there,” he says.

The words swirl around you like butterflies before settling into your heart. 

“I’ll be waiting for your text.”

He smiles again, a sad smile you wish you didn’t have to be a witness to. It’s nostalgic, like this truly might be the end. But you’ll try… right?

“Fuck,” he curses, and then he’s cupping your cheeks and kissing you deeply.

The world fades, and it’s just you and him for a time. It’s short, too short, and then he’s stepping back, smiling that stupid sad smile again. You smile back, or at least you try to as he takes a few steps back. He gives you a nod, his throat bobbing on a swallow, and then he’s turning around, jogging to the van.

He turns to look at you when he’s in, but the manager shuts the door behind him before you’ve truly been able to wave him goodbye. You almost break down, but Jennie pulls you into a hug despite the tears on her own cheeks.

“It’s okay,” she tells you. “They’ll come back faster than we’ll even realize.”

You hope she’s right. And she should be, as she’s already gone through this before. So you steel yourself, pulling away from her hug to wipe the new tears on your cheeks. And then you look at the van as it disappears in the distance, turning past a wall, and you think your heart left with him.

What if it never comes back?

Prev | Next

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i forgot how angsty this got oops i would like to sincerely apologize to all of you guys... hope you still enjoyed tho :') tell me what you think!

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 8 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: cursing, taehyung being a dick, some mentions of sara, explicit content: jerking off, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), nipple play, clit play, creampie

☆word count: 8.5k

☆a/n: hope you guys enjoy this new chapter <3 and thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

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Thursday, August 7th

Jungkook hasn’t been in such a good mood in months. No, his good moods usually never linger around, but he’s been feeling like he’s on cloud nine for weeks now.

Ever since their last concert, and the time he got to spend with you. Which isn’t too much of it, as he’s been busy with rehearsals for their upcoming tour along with filming for music videos, but he still made time for you at least once a week.

He’d want more, always, but his schedule doesn’t really allow it. So instead, he enjoys the rare moments he gets with you, and keeps them tucked close to his heart whenever you’re apart. They’re little pearls of time, precious moments he knows he’ll never want to forget.

He hasn’t watched Sara stream in the last three weeks. Hasn’t really even thought about her at all, choosing to Facetime you instead when he has a short break in his day. You always pick up with a smile on your face and bright eyes that make being busy annoying, but also so worth it.

“Let’s run that one again,” the director of the music video says, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He blinks back to reality, the lights of the set almost blinding where he’s standing, and he gives a quick nod to the director, though it goes unnoticed as he’s already instructing Jimin and Taehyung as to what he wants them to do.

“The rest of you, just do the same thing,” the director then yells, and he returns behind the camera as the crew repositions themselves for filming to resume.

They’re filming a scene for the music video, the only one in which they’re actually playing their respective instruments. The rest of the music video is more of a story telling how they made it through the military service and the time they spent apart from each other, and Jungkook already knows that the fans will love it.

In truth, he thinks the fans will love the new album a lot more than they loved what they put out in the past. Maybe because their music has grown in time with the fans, and the subjects they now speak of are more mature, things that adults can relate to more than teenagers.

The director does the countdown to resume filming, and the track of the song blasts from the speakers around the makeshift scene. They start playing again, the camera focusing more on Jimin and Taehyung, yet Jungkook gives his all in the back, much like he always does lately.

You’ve given him an infinite well of energy, and it shows in everything they do. He’s always the first one there and the last one to leave, if only because he wants to impress you. Wants you to remember the days of being a fan of the group, if only because he wants you to love the music as much as he does.

He wants you in every aspect of his life, and though it should be scary, he thinks it’s the sweetest thing ever. For years, he’s stopped himself from building something with someone else in fear that Sara would come back, which she always did, but now he knows he’d tell her to leave if she tried to come back.

Hell, he’s never replied to the message she sent him after their concert, and she hasn’t reached out again, so he doubts she’ll ever come back anyway. He’s finally free of her, and now all he has to do is enjoy you.

He’s seeing you tomorrow. They have two days off before returning to rehearsals on Sunday, and though you’re busy until the early evening, he’ll get to see you tomorrow night, and then you’ll spend Saturday together.

He really can’t fucking wait.

They end up redoing the scene seven more times after that take, the director wanting to film each of them individually, too, as to have tiny tidbits of all of them sprinkled through the big thing. It could be annoying, exhausting even, yet Jungkook feels excited as they do so, if only because he knows they have a break after, and he’ll text you to ask about how your meeting with your editor went.

Apparently, they asked you to rewrite the ending of the book, and you seemed extremely bummed about it the last time you mentioned it. But Jungkook encouraged you, and he knows you’ve been working hard at it over the last two weeks.

“Cut!” the director finally yells, ending the final tape they needed, and Jungkook gets up, stretching. 

A set assistant walks out with water bottles she hands to all of them, and Jungkook grabs his with a smile on his lips, drinking deeply as she moves along to Yoongi and Namjoon. He’s chugged half of it when Taehyung swears loudly, almost making him choke.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jimin asks Taehyung, who just throws his water bottle on the floor, storming away.

Jimin meets Jungkook’s gaze as an awkward atmosphere fills the set, and Jungkook winces, before running after his friend. 

Taehyung is halfway to the dressing room when Jungkook catches up to him. Taehyung’s on his phone, eyes cast downwards to look at the screen, and Jungkook spies the name of Jennie at the top of the conversation Taehyung is looking at.

They’ve been having a rocky few days, some ghosts from their past haunting them – Jennie, asking Taehyung for more attention as she feels left out of his life and Taehyung, asking for space to concentrate on their busy schedule.

It’s always been an issue between the two of them, Taehyung never being the best at balancing work and personal life. They used to get in arguments about it all the time before Taehyung broke up the week before he enlisted, but Jungkook reckons the issue caught up to them regardless.

“You good?” Jungkook hesitantly asks as they reach the dressing room.

Taehyung simply scoffs, not bothering to say anything, and he walks into the room, closing the door in Jungkook’s face.

Not one to be deterred by his friend’s shitty mood, Jungkook walks in, leaving the door wide open as he folds his arms on his chest. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Jungkook asks.  

“Nothing,” Taehyung replies, his tone clipped.

Jungkook cocks an eyebrow in disbelief, leaning against the door frame. “Got in an argument with Jennie again?”

“Again?” Taehyung repeats, and then he scoffs. “So she’s talked to you already?”

It sounds like an accusation, and Jungkook just remains silent as he stares down his friend. Taehyung turns around, cursing under his breath, and he pulls on a chair before sitting on it.

“You really need to choose who your friend’s with here.”

“We’re adults, Tae,” Jungkook carefully says. “Let’s act like it.”

It clearly was the wrong thing to say, because Taehyung gets up, stalking towards Jungkook. “What the fuck did you just tell me?”

For a moment, Jungkook is afraid Taehyung will punch him, and so he chooses to remain silent, just holding his friend’s gaze. That seems to work better, as Taehyung shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Shit, sorry,” Taehyung apologizes. “I just can’t believe we’re fighting over this again.”

He looks around, and then sighs deeply, returning to the chair where he sat before. Jungkook follows him, sitting on the chair next to it, and he just looks at his friend’s profile as he’s looking at his phone.

“I don’t know what to tell her anymore,” Taehyung finally says a minute later, sounding far too defeated. “I feel like I’ll never be good enough for her.”

Jungkook’s brows knit together, confusion sweeping through him. “What do you mean?”

Taehyung meets his gaze. “She always wants more. Feels like who I am right now is not enough.”

Jungkook pulls at his piercings, tilting his head to the side. “Before I say anything, I’ll say that she in fact has not talked to me.”

But she talked to you, and you talked to him, but Taehyung doesn’t need to know that.

“So I don’t know if what I’ll say is fully accurate, but I think she just wants you to make the effort to see her more.”

“I did when I had time!” Taehyung scoffs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You know how fucking busy we’ve been these last weeks. I don’t have time to hang out.”

“We’re off tomorrow,” Jungkook points out. “Have you planned to see her?”

Taehyung shuts his eyes, rolling his shoulders. “I have a shooting for a commercial tomorrow.”

Shit.

“But I said I’d go to hers and bring take out after.”

“That’s good,” Jungkook says encouragingly. “Why are you upset, then?”

“She said she’s busy. And that she wants to see each other on Saturday instead, but I’m supposed to hang out with the Wooga guys.”

Jungkook tenses, because the Wooga guys include Park Seojoon, Sara’s now boyfriend. Taehyung completely misses his discomfort, clearly too deep in his own.

“Should they uh… really be a priority right now?”

The affronted look Taehyung throws his way makes Jungkook want to disappear through the floor. “Listen, I know you don’t like Seojoon because of Sara, but they’re still my close friends.”

Jungkook raises his hands in defense. “That is not what I meant.”

“Whatever.” There’s a tense silence, and then Taehyung sighs again. “I told her it’s tomorrow night or nothing, and she sent me a paragraph to complain about how I don’t prioritize her.”

He doesn’t. In Jungkook’s honest opinion, Taehyung does not prioritize Jennie at all, but he doesn’t know how to communicate that to his friend without it becoming an argument.

Namjoon would be better at this than he is.

“Well then…” Jungkook trails off, not knowing what to say. “I could try to talk to her.”

“And tell her what?”

Jungkook shrugs, glancing behind himself as he hears the scuffing of shoes by the door. It’s Jimin and Hoseok, who both look like they were ready to fight if needed.

“That you love her,” Jungkook simply replies. “And that you both are flawed, but if you got together again, it means you can overcome hurdles together. Just gotta compromise.”

“Exactly what I said earlier,” Jimin pipes in. “Just plan something elaborate next weekend, and go sleep over during the week. Doesn’t she live closer anyway?”

Taehyung remains silent for a few seconds, before muttering, “She does.”

“Then it’s easy,” Jimin adds. “Tell her you can go sleep at hers next week and that you’re taking her out on a date on Saturday.”

Taehyung does not look like he wants to do that, yet he gives a curt nod. “Okay.”

Jimin and Jungkook exchange a look, both sensing that Taehyung is probably not going to do that at all, but before they can say anything, Namjoon appears in the door frame.

“We’re going to get samgyeopsal.” 

It probably was meant to be an invitation, but Namjoon doesn’t say anything else, just knocking on the door frame once before turning back the way he came. They all follow him out of the dressing room, from the instincts of the years when Namjoon would order them around as the leader of the group – even though he’s the oldest, Seokjin never really wanted to lead.

And though he tries to talk to his older friend again as they’re finishing to eat some time later, Taehyung leaves before Jungkook has a chance to. 

It stresses Jungkook out more than it should.

Friday, August 8th

You want to bash your head in the wall. In truth, you want to jump out the window – not actually, just as an euphemism. But if you have to write a single other sentence for this book…

You can’t seem to make the end of the book work again. You feel like it worked perfectly well as it was, but apparently it didn’t. The editor didn’t like that the mob boss died. Said it was lazy writing, that he should not sacrifice himself for the main character. But it just made sense – he wasn’t directly involved in the main character’s father’s death, but he felt responsible for it. And now you don’t know how to end it anymore. The book’s themes feel too dark to have it end with the main character and the mob boss falling in love.

But they did. It sort of happened on its own, when they were at a poker game where you revealed that the police officer was actually involved with a ring of criminals unrelated to the mob boss. They were the ones to eliminate her father when he got too close to finding out the truth about them after the mob boss sent him on their trail. The poker game ended in a shooting where the mob boss protects the main character, getting shot in the shoulder by the police officer.

Which led to them falling in love. They fell in love as she stitched the wound for him, and you think it was always meant to end that way. She was always meant to fall in love with the dark man and his sleeve of tattoos…

But, the editor does not want him dead. So you can’t kill him, and you don’t know how to keep him alive. Because the police officer and his goons storm the mob boss’s house at an auction dinner, and the chaos that ensues leads to him jumping in front of the main character to protect her from getting killed by the police officer.

Or maybe… Maybe he could still jump in front of her. Maybe he could protect her and get injured without dying. It might feel redundant as he’s done it already, but it could become something the main character teases him about.

She could tease him about how he’s always catching bullets for her. How he should learn to have a survival instinct, and he could tell her that his only instinct is towards her. That he doesn’t care if he lives or dies, as long as he gets to be with her when the end comes.

It’s romantic. You know you’ll have to figure out the conversation more for it to flow naturally, but it’s a start. So you get to work, rewriting the scene from the moment the police officer and his men burst into the ballroom of the house. It’s packed with action, with shorter sentences to make the readers feel out of breath, like they’re in the middle of the action too…

When the mob boss is bleeding out on the floor, your fingers pause, hovering over the keyboard of your laptop. And then you laugh. You laugh, because you know what should happen. It’s so clear now, like you should have figured it out earlier…

The main character picks up the mob boss’s pistol. Takes aim at the police officer, who raises his hands and tells her, "Sweetheart, you don’t want to do this”. But she does. Oh, she really does, and she shoots him right between the eyes, killing him with no regrets.

And then she’s with the mob boss, pressing a hand on his wound, and he tells her she’s his angel. She kisses him in the chaos surrounding them, and then his second helps to carry him out. They go down a dusty staircase usually used by the staff of the house, and they escape through the night.

You finish the chapter, sitting back in your chair as you fold your arms on your chest. You reread it, feeling satisfied enough that you send it to your agent to see what she thinks, and if she agrees with this direction. Mostly, to ask if she believes you should keep going, or if the editor will once more call your writing lazy.

Once the email is crafted and sent, you finally allow yourself to go upstairs, where you left your phone so you wouldn’t be distracted while you write. And you know you would have had reasons to be distracted – Jungkook is off today, and he said he’d send you pictures of him working out.

He’s done that a bunch over the last few weeks, and it’s been driving you insane in all the best ways possible. Almost as much as the moments you got to spend with him, where he showed you just how much he knows how to touch you already.

It’s insane. You’ve never had a connection with anyone like this before, like it’s more natural than the wind and the rain and the sky, yet being with Jungkook, laying with him, feels more natural than all those things combined.

You sit on your mattress as you get upstairs, reaching for your phone on the other side of it. It was face down, volume off to make sure it wouldn’t disturb your writing and you grab it, turning it in your hand to take a look at the screen. Your heart drops in your chest as you see you have five missed calls from Jennie, along with a dozen of messages.

Jungkook texted you, too, but you ignore his messages in favour of opening the conversation thread with Jennie.

[2:34 pm] Jennie✨: babe [2:34 pm] Jennie✨: tae said he needs a break [2:35 pm] Jennie✨ i can’t believe this shit

You quickly read through the other messages, all of them growing increasingly more desperate and sad. She’s freaking out, visibly so, and your heart breaks in your chest for her. So you call her, but she sends you right to voicemail, though a text message comes in almost instantly.

[4:45 pm] Jennie✨: am crying [4:46 pm] Jennie✨: can’t believe i lost him again [4:46 pm] You: are you at home?

It takes a moment for Jennie to reply, and you’re already grabbing a raincoat and an umbrella from the closet by the door when her reply comes in.

[4:50 pm] Jennie✨: yes [4:51 pm] You: omw

*****

Jennie is a mess. She’s been a mess, sobbing in your arms for the better part of the last hour while Jungkook and Mingyu have just been sitting there like they’re going through a nightmare. 

You didn’t know Jungkook was here. But Jennie admitted that she called Mingyu when you didn’t pick up, and Jungkook and Mingyu were together, so they both came to the rescue. You reckon they seem like they’ve been doing a shit job at cheering her up, but they’re men.

Men suck with emotions.

“He just said he needs to think about it all,” Jennie says for what feels like the hundredth time. “Again. He always does this shit.”

“And you always go back to him.” Mingyu’s words earn him a glare from you and a punch in the shoulder from Jungkook. “What! It’s true.”

“I thought he would have changed after the military,” Jennie says, glaring at him through her red eyes and swollen nose. 

“He’s been stressed”, Jungkook says, which only makes Jennie glare at him, too. “He’s shutting me out too.”

“But not his stupid friends.” Jennie sniffs, glancing at her phone as it lights up. 

It’s not a message from Taehyung. You know it because she visibly deflates, and a rush of fresh tears roll down her cheeks.

“Bet he’s with them right now,” she adds. “Laughing and shit when he fucking broke my heart again.”

“Babe…” you let out, grabbing a tissue from the box sitting between the two of you. You dab her cheeks, and she just starts crying harder the second your gazes meet, so you pull her in again, letting her cry on your shoulder. “Deep breaths,” you gently say as you rub her back.

Mingyu says something behind you in Korean – you recognize the words for ice cream – and Jungkook replies in the affirmative.

“I’ll be back,” Mingyu then says, and you glance at him.

He offers you a weak smile, and then he leaves, disappearing down the hallway that leads to the front door of Jennie’s spacious condo. You return your attention to Jennie, who takes a shuddering breath in before leaning back from the hug so she can lean on the backrest of the couch instead, looking at you.

“I don’t feel like eating ice cream,” she tells you, like you’re the one that suggested it.

“He’s just trying to help,” you gently say, and you meet Jungkook’s gaze quickly. “Is there something you’d rather have?”

“A baseball bat,” she grumbles. “So I can beat some sense into Taehyung.”

“Woah,” Jungkook lets out. “Let’s not resort to violence here.”

“Let’s throw eggs on his house,” Jennie adds, ignoring Jungkook. “I could slash his fucking tires.”

You snort. “Period. I’ll help.”

Jungkook sighs, before weakly saying, “I’ll drive you guys.”

That earns a smile from Jennie, and you look at it like it’s a rainbow after the worst storm of the century. 

“He’ll kill you,” Jennie says.

Jungkook shrugs. “He can try.”

She snorts, before sighing loudly. And then she looks between the two of you, and her eyes grow silver again. “To think y’all are dating when I’m getting dumped.”

She’s crying again, and you put a hand on her forearm, squeezing softly.

“Hey, hey, he just asked for a break, he didn’t break up.” You meet Jungkook’s big doe eyes after the words leave your mouth, and you wet your lips. “And Jungkook and I are just friends. Nothing more.”

It hurts him. He recoils, immediately frowning, his big eyes narrowing to unhappy slits. But then you nod your head towards Jennie, trying to communicate with your eyes what you can’t say in front of her.

Jungkook doesn’t seem like he understands for a few seconds, but then his face lights up with comprehension, and he says, “Yeah, we’re just friends.”

Jennie deflates even more. “I want you guys to like each other.”

She’s pouting, and you chuckle at the sight. “Friends like each other.”

She remains silent, just taking a deep breath as she grabs a tissue to wipe her cheeks once more. She throws it on the pile of used tissues on the floor, and you glance at Jungkook again.

He looks pensive, eyes downcast, and he doesn’t look up to meet your gaze. You hope he’s not upset with your words, and that he understood you were just trying not to upset Jennie. 

The last thing she needs right now is you two rubbing in her face how you’ve been standing in front of a blooming relationship.

At least that’s what you think it is. It surely feels like it, and though you’re still wary about Jungkook not being over his ex, he hasn’t mentioned her since that day after the concert. And the praises he reserves for you whenever he’s balls deep in you…

You feel your cheeks burning, and you push the thought away, clearing your throat. 

“Can we watch Mean Girls?” Jennie asks.

Right as she says the words, you hear the front door unlocking, and Mingyu strolls into the living room a few seconds later with a tub of ice cream in a seethrough plastic bag.

“I got the goods,” he says proudly.

Jennie sighs, and then motions towards the kitchen. “Go get bowls.”

He does so, and you hear him looking through drawers and cupboards for a few seconds before he returns. Meanwhile, Jungkook busies himself with setting up the movie, and soon enough, the four of you sit together on the floor in front of the couch so that you can eat while watching.

You’re halfway through when the front door bell rings, and Jennie throws a look in that direction, frowning as she pauses the movie. 

“Did you invite someone else?” she asks.

You shake your head no, both the guys replying in the negative, too.

“Weird,” she lets out.

“I’ll get it,” Jungkook quickly says, and he gets up from where he was sitting next to you, jogging to the front door.

You all listen, looking in the direction he went, and Jennie jumps to her feet when a baritone voice is heard.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

It’s Taehyung asking, and Jennie runs out of the living room. You and Mingyu both get up to follow her, though you stop when you can see the door.

Jennie has her arms thrown around Taehyung’s neck, and he’s holding a bouquet of red roses while Jungkook stands to the side, visibly trying to avoid the glare Taehyung is throwing his way.

Taehyung’s gaze shifts to you, and the daggers lessen as he catches sight of you.

“We were just hanging out,” Jungkook replies then, motioning over his shoulder at you and Mingyu. 

Taehyung hands him the bouquet, and Jungkook grabs it, throwing you a confused look. And then Taehyung is pushing Jennie back until he can close the door behind himself before he wraps his arm around her waist, hiding his face in her neck.

You wave Jungkook over, but he just stupidly stands there for a moment, until Mingyu says his name in a hushed whisper that still cuts through the air. Jungkook startles, and then he turns and walks over to you guys.

“What sh–” he starts, but you put a finger on your mouth to tell him to shut up before grabbing his arm and Mingyu’s arm, pulling them towards the kitchen. 

And then, thinking better of it, you push them out on the balcony. You follow them, closing the sliding door behind you, and the two men look at you as you turn around.

“Let’s just give them space,” you explain.

“It’s raining,” Mingyu deadpans.

It is. But the balcony is large, and there’s a small roof over part of it that allows you to remain dry. 

“We’re okay,” you say, and you glance at Jungkook who’s just looking at the bouquet of roses in his hands.

“He brought her flowers,” he says, and he lets out a small, disbelieving chuckle. “Taehyung fucking brought her flowers.”

He looks up, smiling, to see you and Mingyu looking at him with your brows furrowed in confusion. 

“He’s never brought her flowers before,” Jungkook explains. “Guess he figured out he’s a dick.”

“Flowers don’t excuse his fuck ass behaviour,” Mingyu says. “She deserves better.”

“He’ll be better,” Jungkook replies with such quiet conviction that you immediately believe him.

They’re practically brothers, after all. If anyone would know, it’s him.

“Still don’t trust him,” Mingyu says with a slight shake of his head. “Why would he ask for a break and then show up here with flowers a few hours later?”

“He probably realized he was wrong and decided to apologize before it was too late,” you guess. “Which is a good thing.”

“Well, define a good thing. We’re stuck on a balcony in the rain,” Mingyu grumbles. You laugh in time with Jungkook, and Mingyu just looks between the two of you before leaning his head back, looking towards the sky. “I guess there are worse things in life than this.”

“Definitely,” you say.

There are. There are a lot of worse things in life than your friend not actually getting her heart broken today. Relief washes over you, and you really, really hope Jungkook is right. Because Jennie deserves happiness, always, and you know she won’t want it if it doesn’t come from Taehyung.

She loves him too much.

The sliding door opens, and you turn to see Jennie standing there. You spy Taehyung a few steps behind her, his hands in his pockets, and he meets your gaze for barely a second before looking away.

“What are you guys doing out here?” she asks.

“Y/n thought it was best to give you space,” Mingyu explains.

Jennie laughs, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, thanks for that, bubs. But you guys can come in.”

You do so, and there’s an awkward silence while the five of you exchange a look, until you figure someone should say something. So you clear your throat, and say, “Are you okay?”

Jennie gives you a small smile. “I will be.” She looks at Taehyung, and then adds, “Did you guys want to finish the movie?”

“I think I’ll head home,” Mingyu says, scratching the back of his neck. “But I’m glad you’re feeling better.” He then walks closer to Taehyung, and says, “If you hurt her again, I think I’ll kill you.”

“Mingyu!” Jennie bursts out.

He looks over his shoulder, winking at her, and then he walks away. Taehyung remains silent, though you’re pretty sure he clenched his jaw. He takes a deep breath, and then says, “I deserved that.”

“You did,” Jungkook agrees, and he hands the flowers to Jennie. “If you don’t mind, I think Y/n and I will go, too.”

Jennie smiles, looking between the two of you. “Leaving together, I see.”

“We’re neighbours,” you remind her as you narrow your gaze at her, but she ignores it, turning around to grab a vase in a cupboard to put her flowers in. 

“I’ll see you at rehearsals on Sunday,” Jungkook tells Taehyung, and he taps his friend on the shoulder.

Taehyung nods and then speaks in Korean. “Yeah. Thank you for the message you sent, by the way. You opened my eyes.”

At least you think that’s what he said with your limited Korean knowledge, though you reckon you’ve been getting a lot better in the last few months after hanging out with all of them for so long.

“Of course, bro,” Jungkook replies, and then he looks over his shoulder to meet your gaze. “You coming?”

“Yes,” you say, but you quickly jog to Jennie, pulling her into a hug. “You need to tell me everything tomorrow,” you tell her in a whisper.

She nods her head. “Will do. Thank you for today.”

“Anytime, girl.” You hug her again. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

*****

Jungkook taps his finger on the wheel in time with the beat of the music, the windshield wiper swiping across the windshield in a quick flurry. It’s hypnotizing, especially as you’re stuck in traffic, and you’ve been silent for most of the ride, looking outside the passenger window.

He glances at you, and you haven’t moved from your position. From this angle, all he sees is your profile, though you turn your head as you sense his gaze on you.

“Everything okay?” Jungkook asks before returning his attention to the world outside as the car in front of you move. 

“Yeah”, you let out, and you wet your lips before adding, “You think Taehyung and Jennie will be okay?”

Of course you’d be worried for Jennie. Despite the fact you haven’t been friends for a long time, Jungkook can tell you have grown extremely close to Jennie. Enough so that she chose to call you today, and not Rosé or Lisa. 

“I think so,” Jungkook says as he presses his foot on the accelerator, and the car inches forward, slowly, to make sure he doesn’t bump into the car in front. “He would have never come over if he didn’t mean to make it work.”

“Are you sure about that?” you ask.

Jungkook casts you a quick glance. “I am.”

You nod, worrying at your bottom lip as you too look in front of you. The car you’re stuck behind is looking to turn to the left, and Jungkook makes sure there’s no one in his right blind spot before he switches lanes to pass the car.

“What did you tell him anyway?” 

Jungkook raises his eyebrows, surprised you understood that as Taehyung did not speak in English. “I told him she would never take him back. That she knows her worth and deserves better than that.”

“You did?” you let out. “Didn’t you say Taehyung is stubborn?”

Jungkook chuckles. “You remember that?” He mentioned it once the last time you hung out, when you mentioned Jennie’s worries about Taehyung being distant. “He really is. But he loves her. He’s stupid about it, but I know he loves her.” He falls silent as they finally are able to roll down the street, traffic seeming to lessen out of nowhere. “He was depressed the whole time they were broken up.”

Your eyes tickle his profile, and Jungkook quickly glances at you before resuming his attention on the street.

“He was?”

Jungkook nods with a sigh. “It was a lot,” he admits. “But he’s been doing so much better now that they’re back together. He just took her for granted.”

“He did,” you agree. “Hopefully he won’t anymore.”

“Don’t think he will.”

You don’t say anything to that, and a new song starts on the radio, one Jungkook knows you love from hearing you humming it a couple of times. He turns the volume up, and you start bobbing your head along to the beat, a smile splitting your face open.

It’s like his heart expands in his chest at the sight, with warmth and softness and something just a tad scary, and he can’t help the smile that grows on his lips too. It remains there for the whole duration of the song, even when you start singing just a little off key.

He laughs then, and you glare at him, but then you’re taken by the bridge of the song, and Jungkook can’t help but sing with you. At that you’re smiling again, eyes shining and fuck, Jungkook wonders if he’ll ever forget this moment. It seems so simple, yet… Yet you look so happy, careless, and there’s a gentle aura around you that feels like the glow of the sun. You’re glowing, shining from within, a fallen star he has the chance to see in the flesh.

And though you sing just a little off key, there’s something raw about it, an authentic quality to your voice that few people could reproduce. He’d listen to you sing all day, even if he knows you get insecure when you realize he’s listening.

Indeed, every time you’ve sung in front of him before, you end up turning deep crimson and telling him to stop looking at you. He just can’t help himself – you’re so damn beautiful.

You finally reach the boulevard by your place, and Jungkook drives past your building, heading to his house instead. It doesn’t take too long until you get there, another song playing on the radio that you seem to enjoy just as much as the other.

With the torrential rain, the street outside his house is thankfully empty, and Jungkook is able to pull into the tunnel that leads to his underground parking without anyone looking his way, or running away. It’s such a relief he feels the tension lifting from his shoulders, and he’s able to breathe better as he closes the garage door behind the car while you’re going down the ramp. 

Soon enough, he parks his car in the usual spot, and you both get out, heading towards the staircase.

But Jungkook doesn’t let you get to it. No, he’s been dying to kiss you since you got to Jennie’s place, so he grabs your wrist, spinning you around into his arms. He catches you, one arm going around your waist while his other reaches up, his hand grabbing the back of your neck to pull you into a kiss. 

You don’t resist, as if you expected the kiss, and your lips part open on a soft inhale as his mouth finds yours. He takes the opportunity to gently tease your tongue with his, your hands grabbing at his oversized shirt to pull him closer, and he sighs against your lips.

You taste sweet. Sweet and soft and everything in between. And he kisses you languidly, letting your taste fill his mouth, dizzying his head. Mind spinning with you, Jungkook pulls away just enough to rest his forehead against yours, and he takes a breath.

“Just friends, huh?” he lets out.

You chuckle. “You know I just said that because I didn’t want to upset Jennie.”

He doesn’t reply anything to that, instead pressing another kiss on the pillowy softness of your mouth, and you’re quick to deepen it, tilting your head to the side as one of your hands gets lost in the hair at the back of his head, pulling just enough for him to feel a shot of desire going down his spine.

He likes when you pull his hair. Likes when you dig your nails in the skin of his back, or when you nip at his neck. He likes the gentle pain that comes with it, as it mixes with pleasure. He’s always been like this, but it’s heightened with you. 

He’s aware of you in ways he barely comprehends, and he doubts he’s supposed to understand. Instead, he just enjoys it, lets it be. It’s easy – you’re starting to become the oxygen in his lungs, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He pulls away again, his breath shorter this time, a little ragged as he whispers your name. You say his back in that soft, breathy voice of yours that makes him crave your body against his, under his, and Jungkook is back on your mouth, though it’s fiercer this time.

There’s far too much desire in his bloodstream now for him to be able to hold back. Not when he held back all evening, even as he sat next to you during the movie. The faint smell of your perfume was making him feel lightheaded, but it’s nothing compared to the spinning in his mind now that he gets to touch you, to taste you.

You’re his favourite drug. He gets drunk on you, on the way your lips move against his, as his hands lift your shirt just enough to slip underneath so that he can feel the warmth of your skin in his palms. It’s inebriating, and fuck he’ll never get enough of it.

He’ll never get enough of you and of how a single kiss of yours feels like he’s been struck by lightning. He’ll never get enough of how your hands on him make him feel like a star about to burst, a supernova waiting to happen. He’s so energized in your presence he thinks sleep becomes futile.

But maybe that’s just because he wants to fuck you all night long. He’s so greedy when it comes to you – all he can do is hope his greed won’t become his downfall. 

“Jungkook,” you breathe out again as he pulls away, and you tilt your head to the side, his lips coasting at the side of your throat.

“Y/n,” he says in the same tone.

You curse, and he knows he needs you right now. Knows there’s no chance he’ll make it all the way to his bedroom, yet he still bends down to pick you up. You let out a startled yelp, yet wrap your arms around his neck quickly. 

He walks upstairs, pushing the door open with his back so he can carry you to the couch. It’s dark, only the motion sensor light by the garage door lit up, and he gently sets you down before grabbing his phone to quickly turn on the lights by the bar.

He wants to see you. Needs to see you as he takes you. 

He looks down at you, at the way your hair is like a halo on the couch under you. You’re breathing heavily as your gazes connect, and Jungkook takes his shirt off, throwing it on the floor. He doesn’t even check to see where it lands, too busy contemplating you as he climbs on top of you to find your mouth again.

Your swollen lips taste just as heavenly as they did downstairs, and he feels his dick straining against the fabric of his pants. He shifts, inadvertently rubbing against you as he does so, and he groans in your mouth. It unleashes you, your hand going between the two of you so you can cup him.

“You’re already so hard,” you say with a gasp of surprise. “So fucking hard.”

“Baby,” he lets out, groaning in pleasure, yet he needs more. “You know I’m always hard for you.”

You bite at your lower lip, and he leans down to suck your lip out of your teeth’s prison, which makes you moan softly. It’s a barely-there sound, but Jungkook still bucks his hips, seeking friction.

Your hand leaves him for a few seconds, though you quickly push it into his pants, under his boxers. The moment you wrap your fingers around him, Jungkook moans, his head falling into the crook of your neck. He smells your perfume there, and he gently bites at the skin of your neck before sucking on it.

You stroke him, your grip tight, though it seems like you’re struggling because of the angle and of his clothes. So Jungkook kneels back between your legs, quickly unbuttoning his pants. You’re impatient, pushing them down just enough so that you can rub his dick through the fabric of his boxers, and then you push those down too. His dick stands tall, leaking precum, and you rub your thumb over his slit before spreading his precum on his length.

Jungkook shuts his eyes, taking in the sensations, and he throws his head back as you start jerking him off at a steady pace. He wants to fuck into your hand, if only so that he can get more, but he knows if he does, you’ll stop your ministrations to tease him.

You’re bratty. He loves it, likes to tame you until you’re a mess under him, but he doesn’t have the patience for it right now. Not when his balls are already tightening and you’ve barely even touched him yet.

“Fuck, that feels good,” he praises, and he looks down at you to see you’re looking up at him with lust spilling out of your gaze, on your features, like the way you’re touching him is making you feel just as good as it makes him feel.

Fucking downright sinful, you are. He loves it.

“Baby,” he lets out. “I want to fuck you, mmh?”

You smirk. “Don’t like my hand wrapped around your dick, Jungkook?”

He shuts his eyes with a smile on his lips, shaking his head. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then let me have my fun, alright?”

And then you’re letting go of his dick just so that you can spit in your hand before grabbing him again. None of his fantasies have been able to convey just how hot that simple gesture is, and Jungkook knows he can’t wait any longer.

He needs to be buried in you. Needs to feel your tightness sucking him in. So he grabs your hand, pushing it over your head along with the other so he can hold your wrists in place, and then he unbuttons your pants, pushing them down your legs.

“Let me…” you trail off as he struggles with it, and he lets you go, getting up to finish taking off his pants and boxers, too.

He watches you undress, though you keep your shirt on. He doesn’t mind – he’ll push it up so he can see your perfect breasts as he fucks you anyway. So he kneels between your legs again, gently caressing up and down your thighs, your soft skin like satin under his touch. You just look at him through your lashes, lips slightly parted, and he needs to kiss you again.

So he bends down, captures your mouth in a sweet embrace, and he grabs his dick to align it with your entrance. With the lack of foreplay, he knows he’ll have to take his time, and though he can grow impatient with you, he knows he has all evening.

And tomorrow, too.

So Jungkook nudges your entrance, rubs his tip on your clit, and when you softly moan in his mouth, he starts pushing in, slowly. One inch at a time. You’re tight around him, yet so, so wet, and so he slips right in, up until he’s fully sheathed inside of you. Your walls flutter around him, and he grunts, though he doesn’t disconnect from the kiss.

There’s something too perfectly intimate about kissing you while inside of you. It makes him forget about the world outside, about everything that led to this moment in time. It’s just you. It’s just been you for a few weeks now, he reckons, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

After what feels like a short eternity, Jungkook pulls away from the kiss, leaning his forehead against yours. He slowly pulls back, and then pushes all the way in, the breathy sound you let out like the first sip of water after being lost in the desert for days. It’s heavenly, and he’s convinced you’re an angel.

You’re his angel, sent to save him from this existence. 

“Jungkook,” you whisper, and he realizes he hasn’t moved for a few heartbeats too long. 

He’s just been taking in the feeling of you, getting distracted by it. He swallows, his throat feeling somewhat dry, and then he starts moving again, slowly. His motions are steady, deep, and he feels all of you along all of him. Your walls suck him in, and it feels so good he knows he could come like this.

He’s always on the verge of coming when he’s with you. You turn him on too much, but he wants to please you first. Only ever allows himself to come when he knows you had your fun. So he focuses on you, on the way you react to everything he does, and soon he’s picking up his pace, kneeling back between your legs as your soft moans start growing louder.

It’s pornographic. He wishes he could record you for when he touches himself, but he’s got a good imagination, and so far it hasn’t disappointed.

“You feel so good,” he praises you. Your walls tighten around him, and he bites the inside of his lip to keep from coming. “So fucking good.”

He opens his eyes – he doesn’t even remember closing them – and he looks down at the spot where your bodies are connected. His dick glistens with your juices every time he pulls his hips back, and it’s a sight he’s committed to memory already. So, instead, he looks up to your features, to the creases of pleasure on your forehead. He picks up the pace even more, and your hands find his thighs, your nails scratching at his skin inadvertently.

“You take me so well, baby.” He grunts as your walls grow even tighter before loosening. “Love to fuck you.”

“You’re so big.” 

Your words are a whine, and Jungkook feels his balls tighten so hard it takes everything in him not to come then and there. But he manages to hold it in, and he takes a deep breath as he slows down the rhythm.

“Wanna try another position?” he asks.

He’s come to realize you’re not the biggest fan of missionary. He doubts you’d tell him, but he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t make you come like this. 

It’s much easier when you’re on top, or when you’re lying on your side. This time, you end up on top of him, and Jungkook plants his feet into the couch to be able to fuck up into you as you ride him, your head thrown back in bliss.

He pushes your shirt up, hands caressing up your sides before moving forward to your breast. You’re not wearing a bra, and your nipples are perked high. He sits up, feeling the need to taste you, and he licks at one of the sensitive buds, rolling the other between his fingers. You keep fucking yourself on him as he does so, and you’re so wet he feels your juices dripping down his balls, most likely staining the couch underneath. It’s leather, though. He’ll have no problem with cleaning it after. So instead of worrying about it, he slides a hand between your two bodies, finding your clit. It’s swollen with arousal, and he rubs at it gently, trying to make sure to not put too much pressure. You cry out his name still, and your pussy grows so tight he thinks you might push him out. 

But then you grow limp, your head falling in the crook of his neck as you stop moving, and your walls spasm all around his dick. He raises his head from your breast, kissing the side of your face. You come for a while, and he rubs your back all through it, up until you raise your head too, immediately aiming for his mouth. It’s a sloppy kiss, and then you’re moving again, going up and down on his dick.

You’ll be the death of him.

You push him down, the blissed out look on your face enough to make him let you take over, and then you’re fucking yourself on him, though this time, you’re focusing on his pleasure. Your hand rests around his neck in a loose embrace, and he helps supporting your weight with his hands on your ass. His eyes focus on your breasts as they bounce with the motions, and it’s entrancing, so much so that he feels his balls tighten again, and this time, he lets himself go.

This time, he comes deep inside of you, his mind soaring to the sky as you barely even slow down, the stimulation so thorough he loses grasp on reality for a moment. He only comes to his senses when you move up until his dick falls on his lower abdomen, his cum spilling out of you. His mind is spinning too much for him to register the view, and then you’re putting a hand under you as if to stop the flow.

Jungkook chuckles, looking down at himself. He came a lot, and there is nothing to clean himself with here.

“What’s funny?” you ask.

He shuts his eyes, his lips spreading in a lopsided grin. “Nothing. I just feel… amazing.”

You press a quick kiss on his lips. “So do I.”

Jungkook meets your gaze. “Let’s get cleaned up and then we should order takeout.”

He doesn’t want to waste time cooking right now. Not when he only has this evening and tomorrow with you. After that, it’s getting ready for the album release next week, for the tour and the months away…

His heart drops in his chest. 

How will he manage to spend months away from you?

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☆☆☆☆☆

i'm a little sorry for that ending OOP- hope you guys enjoyed this chapter tho! tell me what you think here

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[riverwolf-thewriter95]

Red Fox • Episode Two

Featuring: FMC (Female Main Characters) x BTS

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-fi Fantasy, Martial Arts, Crime-Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Dark Romance, Melodrama, Crime-Fiction

Trigger Warning: 18+, MDNI, mentions of death and drug abuse, use of cocaine and armed weapons, mentions of rape and violent sodomy in court justice, use of smoking and littering outside of public property, private executions

WC: 3116

Synopsis: Hye-Mi explains her family struggles to Soa and how much they value their friendship. Meanwhile, Jong-Doo and Jungkook has been released from prison. They both have separate ideas on how they would enjoy their freedoms except one of them wanted revenge.

Author's Note: I decided to create a warning up there anyways to avoid getting reported.

Chapter Two

The next day…

Author’s P.O.V

Soa and Hyemi went inside a local cafe and sat down near the window facing the entrance. Soa invited Hyemi out for coffee to discuss the relationship between her and her father. To be honest, this is a new territory for Soa. She’s never been good at listening to feelings. Much less discuss it. Her way of expressing her feelings is through training and spar against any opponent who’s willing to put their life on the line while she beats the life out of them.

However, ever since she first started working for Mr. Ko, Hyemi has been very kind and patient with her. She has always been there to assist Soa, even when it was unnecessary. Like the one time Soa had accidentally cut herself in the kitchen, she didn’t feel any pain thanks to her training of learning how to endure the pain. It eventually becomes numb, mind over matter, she tells herself. What surprised her was the concerned look on Hyemi’s face when she saw the cut on Soa’s index finger.

Soa wanted to snag her finger away, telling Hyemi it’s no big deal. Hyemi had noticed it for weeks—the way Soa never flinched, never slowed down, never treated herself with even basic care. The cut was tiny, but the way Soa ignored it made something in Hyemi finally snap. “Please do not dismiss your life as if it has no value. I may not know you personally, but I have seen someone who hates their life so much. They wasted so much of their time with the wrong crowd who don’t value human life.” She sheds a tear. “Whatever you are going through, don’t let it be the reason why you should stay down. You have the will power to get up and fight the negativity and you won’t have to do it alone. I would be willing to help, if you let me.” Since then, the friendship between them grew. Hyemi taught her the humane things about life, trust, and care for the next six months. 

“Do you and your father plan to never speak again?” Soa asked, sipping on her black coffee.

Hyemi looks down with a sad expression on her face. “Knowing my father, he probably won’t speak to me until the end of summer. By then, I’ll be at the University studying.” She says, tapping her fingers on the coffee cup.

“I can see that. I have never seen your father so angry before. Not so surprising, considering he was a soldier.”

Hyemi scoffed, “you don’t know the half of it.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“His temper is one thing. But at home, he acts more of a soldier than a father figure. I can tolerate his attitude, but my older sister couldn’t. There were times I felt I wanted to blame him for chasing her away. But at the same time, he’s not entirely at fault. She made her own choices after mother died. The drugs, the alcohol, her abusive boyfriend.”

Her expression tightened for a moment, then she exhaled slowly. “Father had tried to help her. I tried to help her. She’s been in and out of rehab for more than three years. In the end, my father gave up on her and focused on his business.” She sighed deeply.

“But you didn’t.” Soa says, tilting her head in concern.

Hyemi slowly shook her head, “I didn’t have the heart to give up on her and I was right not to.”

She fidgets her fingers before starting her story, “over a year ago, she called me and told me about turning her boyfriend in to the police and going to rehab after. I didn’t believe her at first, then the police came knocking at our door. I was lucky enough to open it, and father was out grocery shopping for the restaurant. They told me everything that was going on and I was able to see the whole thing going through. I made sure my father didn't know anything about it because he wanted nothing to do with her. After court, my big sister went to rehab like she promised.” Her voice started to crack towards the end. Her visions blurred as her tears were threatening to come out as she raised head facing Soa. “For the first time in a long time. I finally have my big sister back!” She cried, shedding her tears while she was smiling. “She’s been getting a lot better and we’ve kept contact after that.” 

Soa smiled a little and slowly nodded her head with approval. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“A few weeks ago, my sister called me and told me she’ll be released from rehab soon. But the problem is, father doesn’t want her home. So I don’t know how long I can keep up with this lie about my father thinking about it.”

“She can stay with me.” Soa interrupted her.

Her eyes widened with surprise, “W-what? N-No! You don’t have to do that for me!”

“But I want to. It’s the least I could do after everything you and your father did for me.” She says, laying her hand gently over Hyemi’s hand.

Hyemi gasped, covering her mouth with her other hand. She got up and hugged Soa from behind tightly. “Thank you, thank you so much! You are the best!” 

“I will tell my big sister right away!” She says, sitting back down. Taking her cellphone out from her front pocket.

                                                   * * * * * * *

Later that afternoon…

The front entrance of the prison facility doors had creaked open and out of the shadow was Park Jong-Doo. He leaned his neck back, sniffing the air of freedom that didn’t reek of inmate sweat and other heavy testosterone. He sighed deeply, strolling with his haughty attitude, hands in his pockets, and  smiling ear to ear as he exited through the final gate.

“Freedom at least! I have never felt more alive!” He screamed with joy while raising his hands up to the sky.

Then he turned back on his left side, looking at the guards who were not so pleased seeing him released early. Normally the law would have him in prison for drug possession and soliciting prostitutes for fifteen years or more. However, with his connections within the law to bribe a judge and threaten a number of jurors with families, his sentence resulted in a year and six months.

“Thanks for the hospitality, boys! I hope we can keep in touch!” He sent them a taunting salute.

From across the street, there was a black SUV parked next to the curb along with a driver and a few men standing beside him. Most of them were dressed in grunge and punk street wear clothing with heavy piercings and tattoos from head to toe. Some were vaping, others had their sunglasses on to hide their diluted pupils from sniffing cocaine. As he got closer, they all bowed and greeted him respectfully.

Jong-Doo chuckled and clapped his hands while rubbing them. “My boys! What a sight for sore eyes! I hope you guys didn’t celebrate my release without inviting me.” He says, snatching the sunglasses from one of his men.

One of his guys squinted from the bright light and turned away.

Jong-Doo scoffed, “Well that’s a damn shame.” He threw the sunglasses at the guy’s chest.

“No matter, today is a good day! I’m in the mood to get laid anyways. Jerking off in prison isn’t as fun as it used to be.” He says, feeling annoyed. 

“I know! There’s this nightclub full of hot foreign women who're looking to get laid.”

Jong-Doo shook his head, “Nah! I know just the whore I want for my pleasure,” he says, taking out his picture of his ex-girlfriend.

“An unfinished business I’ve been wanting to get my hands on for over a year now.” He smirked devilishly.

Before he was about to say anything, one of his guys noticed someone else coming out of the prison gates.

“Hey, look, boss! One of the Bangtan brothers has been released from prison too!” One of the guys said, gesturing his head at the young man across the road from them.

The guys began murmuring…

“Wait, isn’t that Jeon Jungkook?”

“Yeah, I heard he went to the clink for beating somebody to death.”

“Oh really? Who?”

Jong Doo started to feel annoyed by their whispers and yelled, “Does it fucking matter?! Is he your boss?! Or am I?!” He asked, pointing at himself and the young man behind him.

They all flinched at his burst of anger and shook their heads, “You, boss!”

They bowed at him with respect. Jong Doo scoffed at their loyalty, “Get in the car before I have the urge to kill all of you!” He dropped his voice at the end, aware they were still outside the prison walls and unwilling to risk landing back inside.

Before Jong Doo got inside the car, he made one last deadly stare at Jungkook and his brother then drove off.

*REWIND*

Jungkook had finally been released after being in prison for three years. It would have been 25 years to life if it weren’t for his brothers. Unlike Jung Doo, they didn’t need to bribe and threaten people to lighten Jungkook’s sentence. The Bangtan brothers wanted to keep him there to learn his lesson for being rebellious and reckless. Especially the stunt he pulled by beating the bar owner to death over a woman who’s old enough to be his mother. Some say he had an affair with the bar owner’s wife and killed her husband to claim ownership. Others say she seduced him into killing her husband for insurance money. No one knew the truth except Jungkook and his older brothers.

As soon as he crossed the front gates, he saw two of his older brothers leaning on their black jeep. One of them had a stone look and their arms crossed. While the other, smiled joyfully and spread his arms out for his little brother.

“Looks like the golden maknae lives!” One of them said with a mochi‑soft smile.

Jungkook scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully. “What’s up, Jimin-hyung?”

Both of them embraced warmly, patting each other on their backs, and released each other right after. Before Jungkook was about to say something, his other hyung beat him to it.

“I hope you learned your damn lesson during your time at the clink,” his other hyung said in a monotone.

“Yes, Taehyung-hyung. I learned my lesson,” Jungkook sighed, annoyingly. “From now on, I’ll mind my own damn business when it comes to marital disputes.”

“Even though the bastard deserved it,” he lowered his voice angrily while gritting his teeth.

“Who gives a damn whether he deserved it or not. We are the Bangtan brothers, not vigilantes for battered women. Besides, his wife deserved just as much.” He pointed out, tilting his head to the side.

Jungkook made a confused look before he was about to ask. It was as if Taehyung knew what he was going to ask, he ‘tsked’ and shook his head in disappointment. 

“After you were sent to prison, I went to investigate the incident with Jimin.” He gestured his head at Jimin.

“We caught the woman sleeping with one of her husband’s bouncers. Her luggage was packed and ready to go by the doorway. Along with the money stolen from her husband’s vault.” Taehyung could tell the look of betrayal on Jungkook’s face and sighed deeply as he patted his younger brother’s shoulder.

Jungkook pushed his hand away in anger and glared at him, “I don’t believe you! She swore her loyalty to me before I confronted her husband! She even showed me her scars and bruises!”

“Oh yeah?” Taehyung interrupted him. “Did she swear to you while you were sleeping with her or after?”

“You son of a bitch!” Jungkook gritted his teeth in anger as he was about to punch him, but was immediately blocked by Jimin, who was standing between him and Taehyung.

“Hey! That’s enough!” Jimin says, frowning at both of his younger brothers.

After trying to calm down Jungkook, who’s puffed up with anger, Jimin sighed deeply, “Taehyung is telling the truth, bro.”

“That woman used you to kill her husband to run away with her so-called real lover. There was no remorse in her eyes.” He said, looking at his younger brother pitifully.

Jungkook’s eyes widened in shock, taking a couple of steps back before kicking the ground in anger. “AISH!!” 

He dragged in a sharp breath through his nose, shoulders tight, then shoved past them and yanked the car door open, “I’m going to kill that bitch,” he mumbled.

“Whoa! Hold on, bro!” Jimin said as he quickly shut the car door in front of Jungkook.

“Taehyung already took care of her,” Jimin said, trying to assure him.

Jungkook glared at Jimin, “Hyung!“

“Jungkook-ah!” Jimin interrupted him. “You know I would never lie when I’m serious,” he said, giving him a serious look.

Jungkook slowly turned to Taehyung, “Did she suffer?”

Teahyung smirked devilishly, “Trust me, bro. She stopped screaming after the cement block sank her and her lover to the bottom of the ocean. They’re nothing but shark food now.”

Jungkook scoffed and chuckled, “Good. Now I feel bad I wasn’t there to see that.” He smirked.

Jimin and Taehyung laughed around him and patted his back, “There’s the maknae we know.” Jimin said, opening the passenger car door for Jungkook.

Just as he was about to get into the car, a familiar yell rang out from across the street behind him. He turned to see Jong-Doo shooting him a death glare before climbing into his own car.

As the Bangtan brothers got inside the car, Jimin spoke. “I heard Jong-Doo was going to be released today. They say the court ruling was chaotic because his girlfriend turned him in.” He chuckled, “Talk about a stab in the back.”

“Women can never be trusted. They bring nothing but death, deception, and disappointment. Nobody, and I mean, nobody, underestimates the Bangtan Brothers. I will hunt them and gut them down like an animal if anyone thinks they have a chance against us.” Teahyung glared deeply into space without noticing his whitening knuckles gripping on the black leather wheel.

“You and me both, hyung.” Jungkook nodded his head with approval. “For now, let’s go home. I’m sure Namjoon-hyung and Seokjin-hyung are looking forward to lecturing me.” He rolled his eyes annoyingly. Leaving Jimin laughing and slapping his back at his remarks.

                                                        *********

The next day…

Near the edge of Seoul is a rehab facility for women who were drug addicts. Amongst them was Ko Ok-Sun, it took her over a year to go through withdrawal and avoid temptation to get her next fix. Getting over pain and throwing up constantly was a huge challenge for her in the beginning. Ok-Sun was close to giving up the treatment when her thoughts drifted to her father and younger sister. The hard steps she had to take were meant for them. Seeing the look on their smiling faces, and for the first time in a long time, her father would be proud of her and welcome her home. 

After the withdrawal, she went from group therapy to solo therapy from the trauma she went through with her boyfriend and her rebellious years after her mother died. She cried most of the time during her therapy sessions. Feeling remorse for her words and actions was her next step of improvement. Her therapist was willing to help her create a goal to improve her relationship with her family and her future life choices.

However, when it was almost time for her to leave the facility. Ok-Sun spoke to her younger sister, Hye-mi, about coming home. Except that plan had changed when their father didn’t want her to come home. Ok-Sun felt completely heartbroken after working so hard to recover and was ready to come home. She knew living in the streets would be dangerous for her since her ex-boyfriend owned them even when he was in prison. Ok-Sun felt the urge to have a panic attack until her sister called her again and told her her co-worker is willing to take her in. She felt unsure at first, but her younger sister assured her that her co-worker is also a close friend. Someone she would trust with her life. Ok-Sun somehow felt relaxed after hearing the phrase “trust with her life.” It was all she needed to calm her anxieties. On her last day at the rehab facility, Ok-Sun had her belongings packed and ready to go. She took a deep breath while feeling excited at the same time. Ok-Sun looked forward to reuniting with her younger sister and meeting her best friend at the same time.

But little did she know…

There was a black SUV parked outside the rehab facility, and Park Jong-Doo sat in the passenger seat. Smoking his weed and watching people coming in and out of the entrance. Like a predator watching its prey, his eyes squinted and growled angrily. Remembering that time in court when she testified against him. Explaining every detail of what he did on his business days, talking about his abuse toward her to the point he ended up raping her with foreign objects, including a loaded gun. Fortunately, he didn’t pull the trigger. But he still left deep, jagged scars carved into her thighs, back, and arms. What set him off even more was when she spoke about his torture rooms. From every sharp butcher’s instrument to working tools that were used for construction sites. His dumping sites for dismembered bodies fed to starving dogs after the dog fight arena that he ran on his property.

Jong-Doo flicked off his lit cigarette with his middle finger through the window. “So this is where she was staying this whole time while I was in prison?” 

“Yeah, boss! One of my sources told me that her old man doesn’t want her home, and she has been staying here since. No one came to visit her. Not even her younger sister.” One of his guys answered.

Jong-Doo chuckled, “How unfortunate. I guess that makes me her only family, and as her only relative, it’s time I bring her home and teach her a lesson about snitching. Don’t you think, boys?” He asked, turning towards them, smirking evilly. 

His men nodded in agreement, pulled out their masks and weapons from their feet, and cocked their pistols to ready themselves as they left the SUV and followed their boss into the rehab facility.

>>>MASTERPOST<<<

[riverwolf-thewriter95]

Red Fox • Episode One

Featuring: FMC (Female Main Character) x BTS

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Martial Arts, Crime-Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Dark Romance, Melodrama, Crime-Fiction

Trigger Warning: 18+, MDNI, Physicial Assault, Psychological Manipulation, Dangerous Heists, Provocative Sexual Poses

WC: 2523

Synopsis: Daughter of a powerful tycoon, Seoyoon names herself after the Korean folklore, "Gumiho" to spread fear in the hearts of men and enemies. However, she mysteriously disappears after her father sends her on a solo mission.

Three years later, Seoyoon returns with different identity hoping to live a normal life.

*Please read "A Note From The Author" from Masterpost*

Chapter One

When I was a little girl, I used to read a folklore story called Gumiho. A nine tailed fox spirit in the body of a woman who was beautiful and benevolent on the outside. But dangerous and evil on the inside. Like a siren, she lures men into the forest at night through her charms and ethereal beauty. Then consumes their hearts and livers to live a long life and gain stronger supernatural powers.

Legends say that the Gumiho was so desperate to become human that it was willing to take the hearts and livers of a hundred men to escape its curse. 

Most people would find this story terrifying, but I found this as an inspiration for my way of life. As an assassin, I understood why Gumiho did what she had to do to survive. 

The only difference was… she didn’t have an older sister who was trained by her side their entire lives until they were ready to hunt. 

If there’s one thing I learned from Gumiho, the only reason why she wanted to become human was because deep down, she hated the desire to end innocent lives for immorality. 

For seven years, my sister and I have hunted down warlords and crime leaders to please our father. His goal was to become the only king of the underworld crime empire. Anyone who was a threat to him, we were sent to annihilate.

Until that one night, I couldn’t carry out the mission I was sent to do. So I left and never looked back. 

I hoped and prayed that Red Fox would never return. Not as a villain, but as something else who would make up for the lives she had taken into something more.

                                              * * * * * *

Three years later…

Author’s P.O.V

“Hyemi-ah! Would you mind helping me pick up dishes from empty tables?” The waitress shouted over her shoulder as she served hot porridge soup to the guests.

“I’m busy with this table!” The waitress concluded.

“I’m coming!” Hye-mi rushed from the kitchen double doors to collect the dishes.

Soa watches Hye-mi float around…letting her mind wander to when she was that age.

Ko Hye-Mi, an eighteen-year-old graduate student from high school. She starts her first year at Seoul University in the fall, where she’ll study to become a lawyer. Being her father’s golden child, she decided to spend her last three months’ vacation to help her father and his business. “SouperKorea.” It was Hye-Mi’s way of thanking her father for saving his business money over the years to spend it on a scholarship for her studies and a dorm room for her to stay for the next three years. As an average-height girl with round brown eyes and long, dark brown hair that frames her fair skin, she is unafraid to face any challenge that comes her way, even if it means risking her life for the people she cares about.

“Enjoy your meals.” The waitress bowed briefly to the elderly couple.

When she stood back up, she used her index finger to push back her thick black glasses to the bridge of her nose. Her soft smile revealed the kind expression on her face despite her bangs covering her eyebrows and the rest of her curly hair tied in a low ponytail on the back of her head. 

The elderly couple responded to her gentle expression, “You have a beautiful smile, young lady!” The old lady chuckled.

“Your boyfriend must be a very lucky man!” The old man said, turning to his wife as she nodded in agreement.

The waitress blushed and shook her head, “No, I don’t have a boyfriend." She took a long pause before responding, "I’m afraid my job has kept me more occupied than relationships as it is.”

The old woman had a look of pity on her face, “You shouldn’t work so hard, you’re still young! Go out there and have fun! Fall in love! Get married! Trust me.” She held her husband’s hand. “It’s worth it.” She concluded by placing her head on her husband’s shoulder.

The old man chuckled softly, patted his wife’s head, and kissed the center with love.

The waitress was about to warmly smile at their affections. But caught herself and turned a blank face.

She once again told them to enjoy their meal and bowed quickly before she rushed back to the kitchen.

At the end of the day, the girls were cleaning the serving area, wiping the tables, then flipping the chairs over to stack on top of the tables. Sweeping and mopping the floors and collecting trash from the garbage bins. Before Hye-Mi was about to leave through the back door. Her father came through the double doors from the kitchen. 

Mr. Ko, an old man in his sixties wearing a black bandana. His grey hairs sticking out on the sides of his face and his eyebrows. Wearing a black and white chef cook uniform with a black apron wrapped around his waist and sleeves rolled neatly up to his elbows. Before he owned his restaurant, Mr. Ko was a war veteran in his younger years. But after being away from home too often, he decided to end his tour and opened his restaurant, “SouperKorea.” He met Hyemi’s mother, got married, and had children together.

Unfortunately, his happy ending didn’t last forever. His wife passed away from blood cancer, leaving him behind to struggle with the business and her two little girls on their own to help their father at home and work.

“Ah! Great job, ladies! We made it through another successful day at work,” he said, grinning at them.

“Especially you, Mun Soa-ssi!” He turned to the waitress who was putting the last chair on top of the table.

“Thank you for the assistance in the kitchen! I know it was a last-minute call, but if it wasn’t for your help. My “SouperKorea” business would have been in trouble,” he chuckled.

“You’re welcome, sir. I’m glad to help out.” Soa bowed to her boss in respect.

*RING! RING!*

Hye-Mi’s cellphone rang from her back pocket, causing her to be alarmed within her father’s presence.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Aren’t you going to answer your phone?” Her father asked.

Hye-Mi quickly grabbed her cellphone to check the caller I.D and bit her lip nervously, “it’s Ok-Sun, father.”

Ko Ok-Sun, Mr. Ko’s eldest daughter. After her mother’s death, she grew rebellious against her father at the age of 15. She refused to “be a slave” to her father’s needs and turned to the worst crowd who were willing to accept her. Over the next few years, Ok-Sun dropped out of high school and became addicted to drugs and alcohol. Her father has tried to talk her into going to rehab, but their debates became too extreme. Mr. Ko had no choice but to kick her out of the house, and he hasn’t spoken to her since.

Her father’s smile melted into a frown, “Why is she calling you? How did she get your number?”

“I gave her my number.” She responded in a shy tone.

“Please don’t be mad, father! She has been doing really good this time! She’s been recovering for over a year now!” She takes a deep breath before pleading. “She just wants to come home!” Before Hye-mi was about to continue, her father interrupted her.

“No! I gave her three chances and she blew it! Recovered or not, she is no longer my responsibility!” He yelled angrily.

“You either end your conversations with her now, or you are disowned from this family too!” He huffed and turned back through the kitchen doors.

“SHE’S YOUR DAUGHTER! YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!” Hye-Mi screamed through her heartbroken tears.

Her father paused his movements before entering the double doors.

“You have no idea how hard it was for her to go through the pain of withdrawal. The constant vomiting, the shakes, and the headaches. Ok-Sun went through all of that just to prove how sorry she was and how willing she is to recover because she’s ready to come home.” She sniffled, wiping her tears from her right cheek with the back of her hand. 

“If you can’t accept her forgiveness and anything were to happen to her. You will regret it for the rest of your life.” Hye-mi concluded, before leaving through the back door to take out the trash.

Soa sighed and was about to untie her apron when her boss called for her.

“Mun Soa-ssi, could you please forget about what you just heard and make sure you girls lock up before you leave?” He said as he left through the double doors from the kitchen and up the stairs to his house.

Soa slowly nodded and whispered, “Yes, sir.” 

Later that night…

Outside the city of Seoul, there was a high-security prison facility with moving lights on different corners of the building. Guards spoke to one another through their walkie-talkies, others checking the perimeter with their dogs. Every single one of them was occupied with their jobs. Meanwhile, inside the building, through the dark halls and echoing footsteps of security guards, a loud grunt came from the first floor in one of the cellblocks. A man was doing sit-ups, facing the wall in front of him. The room may have been dark, but his eyes were focused on one thing. A picture of a woman with long dark hair, round eyes, and pale skin, smiling while holding a cigarette in her fingers. Instead of focusing on her face, he focused on her plump breasts, where her other arm was covering her nipples. He couldn’t help but drool over her provocative position. 

By the time he finished a number of sit-ups. He got up, breathing heavily, and strolled toward his picture and removed it from the wall. Before he was about to utter a word, he heard a few bangs from his cell bars. He smiled, knowing it was one of the guards getting his attention without turning around.

“Hey! You! Park Jong-Doo!” The guard yelled, raising his flashlight. It revealed the prisoner’s glistening, sweat-soaked upper body, covered in heavy tattoos. On his back was a tattoo of a phoenix flying from the flames. Then on his right arm was an eastern dragon with horns, slithering around his entire arm and shoulder with exotic flowers. 

“Stop making a racket and off to bed now! Or it’s an isolation room for you!” The guard warned before he left.

Jong-Doo scoffed in annoyance and ignored the guards' threat. “Just one more week, baby. I will see you soon.” 

He flipped the picture around before the guard's flashlight left his cell and read on the back out loud to himself, “My Ok-Sun.” Releasing his scary laughter.

                                                     * * * * * * *

Mun Soa P.O.V

It’s been a few days since Hye-mi and her father last spoke to one another, since that night when they argued over Ok-Sun. Not even a glance. As much as their tension makes me feel uncomfortable. I also felt pity for them. Like Hye-Mi, for example, she sees the potential of goodness in her sister. No matter how many chances her sister was given. Hye-Mi never gave up on her. Even if it meant hiding their conversations from their father. I can understand why she did that. I should know, I also had a father who saw nothing but disappointment from my older sister, Yuna.

*FLASHBACK*

Author’s P.O.V

“Ugh!” Yuna grunted when she landed her back hard on the ground. She remembers why she chose her code name, Viper. A name that sounds dangerous because she was tired of being underestimated.

“That’s enough! Red Fox is the winner!” Their father said in his deep voice as he raised his left hand to cease their sparring.

Yuna turned to their father with her eyes widened. “No, Father! Wait! Let me try again! I can beat her this time!“

“No! You will not!” Their father yelled, rising from his seat. Then strolled toward his youngest daughter, Red Fox.

“It is clear no matter how many times you’ve tried to outbeat her. You always fail!”

He proudly patted his youngest daughter’s shoulder, “Red Fox has never failed to disappoint me.” He quickly switched the subject. “Soon, when the underground empire becomes mine, you will be my right hand.” He smiled proudly at his youngest.

Meanwhile, Red Fox stood there, still breathing heavily and sweating from the recent sparring with Yuna. She felt uneasy about the promotion she received. She didn’t know what to say until she saw the sad look on Yuna’s face.

“What about Viper, Father? Will she rule with us?” Red Fox asked, hoping the answer would help her older sister feel better.

“Humph! I highly doubt that! She’s nothing but a disappointment! Viper should be happy I’m only keeping her around because she’s my last flesh and blood. He grinned cynically. “If you would like, she could be your servant.” He chuckled, turning on his heel and exited the room with his men. 

Yuna clenched her fists tight until you saw white knuckles. Her tears were threatening to come out, and her teeth were grinding in anger. Red Fox could easily see the hurtful look on her older sister’s face when their father talked down to her.

Red Fox knew Yuna hated to see the look of pity on her face. Instead, she sighed heavily and knelt down next to her. “Ignore the old man, you are a skilled fighter. I’ve seen your potential! If you want, I could teach you-”

“SHUT UP!” Yuna yelled in anger and shoved Red Fox to the ground.

“I thought I told you to stop pitying me!” She growled, taking out a short blade and shoving it near her throat. “I don’t want your fucking help!” 

“Try that again, and I won’t hesitate to kill you!” Yuna threatened before getting up, keeping the blade by her side.

“I will beat you one way or another. Even if it means I have to train ten times harder, a snake never backs away from a fight.” She glared at Red Fox before leaving the room.

*FLASHBACK ENDED*

Soa had just arrived at her apartment after work. She switched from her shoes to her house slippers and walked toward her bedroom. From there, Soa opened her closet door and saw an old wooden box on the ground with a Kitsune symbol, faded with red paint. She kneeled down in front of it, caressed the top part with her right hand, and sighed heavily.

Mun Soa P.O.V

Red Fox had done so much damage to many families. Some were left with physical scars, others were left to die, and nobody saved them. To this day, I can still hear their screams. There were times I could barely eat or sleep. My apologies will never be enough to bring them back.

Although I couldn’t help but wonder if I could help fix the relationship between Mr. Ko and his daughter. Would it help me? Or could this be the opportunity for redemption from my past?

Episode Two >>

[riverwolf-thewriter95]

Red Fox Masterpost

Featuring: FMC (female main character) x BTS

Rated: MDNI & NSFW

Inspired by: Black Widow (MARVEL), Electra (DC), Mortal Kombat Legacy (Kitana & Mileena), Legend of Chun Li: Street Fighter (Film), Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, Tokyo Vice

Theme: Twist Sisterhood/Family, Trauma, the path to Redemption and the power of Choices, Feminism and Empowerment, the struggle for Identity and Legitimacy, Transformation and Survival, Good vs. Evil, Forging a new life, Rivalry and Jealousy, Loyalty and Betrayal and the conflict between Duty and personal Desire, the dynamic often shifts between hatred and a desire for family, Self-Discovery, the price of secrets, Corruption and Moral Ambiguity, Mafia Underworld Dynamics.

Vibes: Dark & Gritty Atmosphere, Intense Action Scenes, Dual Life Drama, High-Stakes Melodrama, “Flashback” Driven Plotting, Assassin Thriller Atmosphere, Family Dynamics and Trauma. Feminist and Empowering, Nostalgic and Reflective, Reclaimed Narrative, Tragic Sisterhood and Rivalry, Royalty and Power Struggle, Horror Elements, a dark, action-packed vibe focused on redemption and martial arts, slow-burn tension, Sensory Details, Enemies to Lovers, Intense Action & Atmosphere, Assassin and Kkangpae Conflict, Criminal Underworld Dominance, Explicit Sexual Contents, Graphic Violence and Gore, Abusive Power Dynamics and Manipulation, BDSM, Torture, Mime and Sadism.

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Martial Arts, Crime-Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Dark Romance, Melodrama, Crime-Fiction

Warning: This story contains extremely dark and mature themes that may be disturbing to some readers. Triggering topics, and I will attach photos that are not very safe in your mind. This is just a work of pure fiction. Names, Character Reference, and Historical Reference are clearly the products of the author’s imagination and just used for fictional manner and for representation ONLY. Places, Characters and events that appeared on the content don’t have anything to do in real life. All scenes and chapters are completely the work of the author's imagination. Credits to the rightful owners who created the films and tv shows on the list of inspired by.

Do not expect to be warned when I update the chapters. You can only be warned from here.

*****************

This narrative is specifically crafted for readers who are comfortable with, and actively seek out, dark romance with challenging and potentially triggering content. It does not shy away from the darker aspects of human nature and relationships. Plus I did some research on Asian Mafia (Yakuza, Kkangpae, Triads), their initiations and hierarchy, Tattoos, Allies and enemies, Loan Sharks and so forth.

If you are sensitive to any of the aforementioned themes or prefer lighter romance, adventure and happy endings, this is not the story for you. It will contain human Trafficking, Public and Private executions, Drugs and Weapons Trafficking, Punishments, Extortian, Dangerous Heists, Espionage, Embezzelment, Political and High society Corruption and Bribery, rape and harsh punishments and so forth. May I remind you, the story may be fictional but these certain contents are somewhat true in real life based on History videos and Online Research. So please do not take it to heart and throw your anger out on me. Not to be rude, but please! Don’t bother reading ahead and leave if you can’t handle this story and its contents.

Disclaimer: This story does not reflect any real thoughts, opinions, or behaviors of the BTS members. Do not compare the actions and beliefs of these characters to the real Bangtan. This is an alternate universe, though their names may have changed. But their appearances and their actions are from my own imagination and countless weeks of planning and building characters and storyline.

Word Count: N/A

Summary: For as long as she could remember, Seoyoon and her older sister has been training to become assassins for their father who plans to reign the criminal underworld and sends his daughters to kill anyone who threatens to get in his way.

Seoyoon names herself after the Korean Folklore “Gumiho” to spread fear in the hearts of men and enemies. However, she mysteriously disappears after her father sends her on a solo mission.

Three years later, Seoyoon returns with a different identity hoping to live a normal life after hearing her father has passed away.

Suddenly, her new life was cut short when her friend’s older sister was kidnapped by her ex boyfriend.

Would she return as Red Fox to make amends of her dark past?

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

To those of you who will read on, please proceed with caution and at your own discretion. None of the theme and vibe contents are to be condoned or glorified. As this takes place in a fully fictional world, I ask you to read on with the understanding that their cultures, traditions, politics and more may differ from what you’d prefer in an ideal world.

Hello ARMY! Thank you so much for giving this story a chance! I know this story contains mature themes for mature adult readers. I wanted to challenge myself into creating a unique story that is different from all other BTS mafia themes. I grew tired of their repeated conflicts and plot themes. I sincerely hope this story will be something you want for guilty pleasures and slow-burn tension based on my dark imagination. I’ll do my best to write this plot in a way that captures your minds and hearts. I look forward to receiving lots of encouraging comments from all of you! Enjoy your reading, ARMY!

MASTERPOST:

🦊 Chapter One

🦊 Chapter Two

🦊 Chapter Three - COMING SOON

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 5 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: references to the events at the end of ch 4, cursing, alcohol, taehyung's jealous ass, sara mentions, explicit content: phone sex

☆word count: 10.8k

☆a/n: here's a new chapter for you guys <3 and thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Friday, June 27th

The lights of the studio are dim, spotlights directed on the set where Jennie is currently filming a scene. She’s invited you, as you haven’t hung out since karaoke night last week, and you didn’t find it in you to say no.

Not when she questioned you about Jungkook last night, claiming he was acting weird after you left, and that she’s afraid you’re avoiding her because of it, too.

No one knows what happened between you and Jungkook. In truth, you highly doubt it even happened at all – it doesn’t make sense that you’d end up hooking up with him like that. It just doesn’t register in your brain, like somebody else experienced the moment.

But you know you’re the one that experienced it. You can still feel his hands on you, at night when you’re trying to sleep. You can still taste him on your lips, and you can’t forget the way he made you come so easily, like it was second nature to him.

To be fair, you haven’t had any action since Josh, which has already been a few months ago. So you’ve been blaming it on that, because you refuse to accept that Jeon Jungkook could do that to you. Not when you barely know each other.

The director yells ‘Cut!’, and Jennie and her co-star walk off the scene. She heads your way, sitting down in the chair left for her. She’s careful as she sits not to disrupt the makeup on her arms – she’s got fake wounds all over her forearms, as her character got in an accident in the show. They’re filming a hospital scene, so she’s also wearing a white hospital gown, and she wraps a blanket around her legs once she’s sat, courtesy of her assistant.

“I am freezing,” she complains.

You don’t blame her. It’s relatively cold in the studio, enough so that you’ve also been wrapped in a blanket since you got here.

“How are you finding it so far?” Jennie asks.

“It’s interesting,” you answer. “It’s my first time on a set.”

Jennie’s assistant hands her a water bottle, and then offers you another one. You thank her with a slight bow of your head, and then you uncap it, taking a sip of the clear liquid.

“Really?” Jennie lets out. 

You nod. “Yeah, never had the opportunity before.”

Jennie makes a non-committal sound, and then says, “My parents used to take me on sets all the time as a kid. I used to do homework while they’d act.”

Indeed, her two parents are well-known actors too, though they’ve mostly retired from acting now.

“I used to go to my mom’s office,” you reply. “It was nothing like a movie set, unfortunately.”

Jennie chuckles. “Bet.”

There’s a short silence, and Jennie grabs her phone to reply to the few text messages she’s received while they were filming. You were the one to hold her phone, so you know most of them were from Taehyung, though you’re pretty sure you spied one from Jungkook, too.

Not that you really checked.

“Do you know BTS are having a comeback concert next month?” Jennie asks out of nowhere a few minutes later, while you’re scrolling your Instagram reels.

You glance at her. “Yeah, saw the notice on social media,” you reply.

“They’ve already started rehearsals,” she adds mindlessly as she’s still looking at the screen of her phone. “Tae suggested meeting up for dinner if filming doesn’t end too late. Wanna come?”

And see Jungkook? No thank you. But you can’t really tell that to Jennie, can you?

“I’m meeting up with Hyunseok,” you remind Jennie, which is thankfully not a lie.

Jennie throws you a look, her eyes slightly narrowed. “Are you?”

“Yes.” The suspicion doesn’t wear off from her features, and you chuckle. “I swear.”

“Are you sure you’re not avoiding Jungkook?”

Your throat dries out, and you find yourself at a loss for words. Jennie’s face breaks out in a smug smile as the silence stretches between the two of you.

“Knew it!” she says after a few seconds, a little louder than necessary. Thankfully, people are too busy with fixing up the scene that no one looks your way. “You need to tell me what happened last week.”

“Nothing happened,” you say, though the lie is weak, your cheeks burning too bright for it to be normal.

“Girl.” Jennie throws you a no-bullshit look. “You ran out of there like the place was on fire.”

“I didn’t.” You wet your lips, and then shrug meekly. “I wanted to go home.”

“You and Jungkook were alone for like fifteen minutes,” she says. “We all saw him follow you.”

“Just went to the bathroom.”

Jennie laughs, a snort that makes you want to disappear through the floor. “Girl, I went to the bathroom. You guys were not there.”

You just sit there in silence, your cheeks turning darker.

“What happened?” Jennie asks again.

“We just talked!” you blurt out.

Jennie narrows her gaze at you again. “Just talked?”

“Yeah.” You nod, clearing your throat. “We actually fought. Called him out for being a dick to me.”

“Oh.” Jennie seems surprised at this turn of events, and you offer her a tight-lipped smile, hoping she’ll let it go. But then she asks, “And what happened after that?”

You worry at your bottom lip, looking away. “He apologized.” You shrug, sighing deeply to try and tame the wild beats of your heart. “And then I left.”

“Oh,” she lets out again. “Okay.”

She believes you. Relief floods through you, and your smile is a little truer as you look at her. “Yeah.”

“Jungkook seemed pretty shocked,” Jennie admits, frowning slightly. “And he told Taehyung to kick everyone out and then went to bed before we even left.”

You try to not sound too interested when you say, “Did he?”

Jennie nods. “Yeah. And after seeing you running out, I just assumed something happened. Didn’t think it was a fight.” The director suddenly yells for the actors to return on set, and Jennie gets up, handing you her phone. “That’s my cue.”

You grab her phone. “Good luck.”

She winks. “Thanks, bubs. And about Jungkook, sorry for the fight. He was looking for one last week, and I’m sorry that it happened with you.”

“It’s okay,” you reassure her. “I guess we sorted our shit out, kind of.”

“I’m glad.” She nods once, and then she glances at the scene, where her co-star is already waiting for her. “Let’s talk about this more after.”

You give her a thumbs-up, and then she returns to the hospital bed, and there’s a bustle around her as some assistants make sure that she’s in the same spot as before so that there’s no differences between this take compared to the previous ones, allowing for no continuity errors.

You take a deep breath, relieved that she’s off your back. Relieved that she believed you, too. Which, you reckon she doesn’t really have any reason to doubt you. You’ve never lied to her. And it’s not like you did lie, either. You just… chose to omit part of the truth.

All you can do is hope it doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass.

*****

Jungkook looks at Jennie’s reply to his message, and he can’t help but be annoyed.

He’s told her everything after what happened with you. He originally didn’t want to say anything, but she directly confronted him about it, telling him she knew something had happened between the two of you, and he’d immediately fumbled. Mostly because he’s a bad liar, and Jennie’s known him long enough to be able to tell when he lies. At least, he made her promise to not say anything, and though he’s pretty sure she’s told Taehyung, Mingyu and the others haven’t made any comments, so he thinks she’s made good on her promise.

She said she’d try to get you to come hang out tonight, but her text message reveals that you’ve got other plans, and Jungkook feels far more disappointed than he should.

He can’t get you out of his head. Ever since last week, all he’s been thinking of is the way you kissed him, the way your legs were wrapped around him… and how fucking wet you were as he fingered you. He’s jerked off way too many times to the thought of you, to the knowledge that he made you come. It’s burned in his mind, as clear as when it happened.

You were so beautiful he thinks you’re unreal. An angel sent from above, and god fucking damn, he can’t get you out of his mind. It’s a curse as much as it’s a gift. Because he can’t focus on rehearsals, and he’s been fucking up the beat constantly over the last hour, enough so that Hoseok got mad at him and asked him what his problem is.

He lied and said he had a headache, and they cut him some loose, but he’s noticed Taehyung watching him, and he feels like he’ll get scolded again by the end of rehearsals.

So, he focuses on the song. On the beat, one that he knows by heart so much it’s muscle memory. He shuts his eyes, lets himself get carried by the rhythm…

And he’s right back in his gym, with you pressed against him, his dick so hard he thought he’d explode. Hell, he almost came when you did, just because it was so fucking pornographic to please you.

“Jungkook, goddamn,” Hoseok lets out again as he messes the beat, disrupting the song. “If your head hurts that much, we can put a backtrack for your drums and just go take a nap or something.”

“Sorry,” Jungkook apologizes as he blinks a few times, trying to get rid of the image of your dress hiked up around your waist, your black thong pushed to the side, his fingers plunging inside of you…

He needs a cold shower. And to jerk off, because he’s already semi-hard. Luckily enough, the members can’t notice since he’s sitting, but he knows he can’t even get up right now.

“I’m good,” he says. “I’ll get it, I promise.”

“Stayed up late last night?” Taehyung asks, and Jungkook wonders if he imagined the jealousy behind Taehyung’s words.

Which, he reckons Taehyung could be jealous. Because he did stay up late last night, talking to Jennie. About you, though, but maybe Taehyung doesn’t know it after all.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says.

Jimin’s the one to speak next. “Were you watching Sara stream again?”

The mention of Sara is enough to douse Jungkook’s arousal, the thought of you quickly fading away.

“No?” he says, eyebrows bunching up over his eyes. “Why would you assume I was?”

The members exchange looks, but Taehyung offers him salvation. “You were talking to Jennie.”

“Yeah,” Jungkook replies. “She’s a friend.”

There’s an awkward silence, and Seokjin is the one to interrupt it a few heartbeats later. “Now that that’s settled, let’s start again from the top.”

At the singer’s cue, everyone gets ready to start the song again, and Jungkook sighs in relief as they all look away to focus on their own instruments instead. This time around, they make it through the song without any mistakes, and it seems it lifts everyone’s spirits up enough that they don’t call him out again for the rest of rehearsal. 

Jungkook almost thinks he’ll get away with it at the end, too, but Taehyung comes over to him as he’s chugging some water, patting him on the back.

“You coming to eat with us tonight?” Taehyung asks.

Jungkook swallows the water, nodding his head as he puts the cap back on the bottle. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

Taehyung remains silent for a few heartbeats, and then sighs. It sounds defeated, resigned and Jungkook almost feels bad. Until Taehyung inquires, “Since when do you talk to Jennie like that?”

Jungkook shuts his eyes for a few seconds. “It’s really not what you think it is.”

“She refused to tell me what it was all about,” Taehyung says. “I just think it’s sus.”

Jungkook pulls at his piercings, surprised that Jennie didn’t tell Taehyung as he holds his friend’s gaze. “Just needed someone to confide in.”

“And you couldn’t talk to us? Or to anyone else?”

Jungkook knows that Taehyung has a tendency to get jealous a lot, but he’d entirely forgotten to what extent while they were broken up. Some part of it was because he wasn’t stationed with Taehyung at the military base he was assigned to during his service, but also because Taehyung distanced himself from the group during that year and a half somewhat, most likely out of heartbreak. 

“Bro,” Jungkook lets out. “I guarantee you that you have nothing to worry about.”

Jimin stops next to them, a bright smile on display, fully unaware of the tension between Jungkook and Taehyung. “You guys coming? The car is here.”

Jungkook and Taehyung hold gazes for a few seconds more, and then Taehyung lets out an audible sigh that almost sounds like a scoff before walking away. Jimin watches him leave, frowning.

“What’s up with him?” he asks.

Jungkook chuckles bitterly. “He’s jealous that I’m friends with Jennie.”

Jimin looks at Jungkook, confusion spreading on his features. “You guys have been friends for years.”

“I know.” Jungkook sighs, slightly shaking his head. “He really has nothing to worry about, I don’t get where this is coming from.”

“Maybe he’s just unsure if Jennie really wants to commit to him after everything,” Jimin suggests. “You know he feels like he doesn’t deserve her after breaking up with her.”

“She’s in love with him,” Jungkook points out. 

“I know.” Jimin pauses, seemingly looking for the right words to say. “But maybe he needs reassurance, you know? The breakup wasn’t easy for him.”

Jungkook has half a thought to say it was way harder on Jennie, considering that she’s the one that got dumped out of the blue, but he keeps it to himself. He sighs, shoulders hanging low. “You’re right. Jennie’ll be there tonight, I’ll tell her to talk to him.”

Jimin offers him an encouraging smile. “And if things get awkward, I’ll play the middle man.”

That makes Jungkook laugh. “You really don’t have to.” Jungkook grabs his bag, and he follows Jimin out of the studio where they were rehearsing. He closes the door behind him, and then turns to his friend. “And also, Tae always gets anxious about rehearsals,” Jungkook points out, scolding himself for not thinking about it before. “Maybe it’s just that.”

They head to the elevator, and Jimin calls for it, throwing Jungkook a look. “You’re right, he might just be stressed out. So am I, if I’m honest. We haven’t had a concert in so fucking long.”

“We got this,” Jungkook reassures Jimin. “It’s not like we’re performing anything new this time around.”

Indeed, the concert is a means to come back to the music scene slowly, before they announce their new album and their tour.

The doors open, and they walk into the elevator, Jimin pressing on the first basement. They ride down, and they get out of the elevator to see Hoseok and Taehyung, waiting for them. Yoongi, Seokjin and Namjoon all decided to go home, so it’s the four of them as they walk towards the car, and they quickly climb in. Taehyung gives directions to the driver, and then they set off towards the restaurant where they’re meeting Jennie.

And unfortunately not you, Jungkook remembers. He sighs, and Taehyung throws him a look that’s a little too tense to Jungkook’s liking, so he pulls his phone out of his pocket to text him.

Better to do it himself than ask Jennie to do it after all.

[7:13 pm] Jungkook: it’s really not what you think [7:13 pm] Jungkook: don’t tell the others but [7:14 pm] Jungkook: i hooked up with y/n

Taehyung grabs his phone as it vibrates, and his gaze widens. He drops his phone, looking far more suspicious than Jungkook thought he would, but Jimin and Hoseok are talking about Heryung’s last fashion show and Taehyung’s fumble goes unnoticed. 

[7:15 pm] Taehyung: the fuck you texting me that for💀

Jungkook pulls at his piercings.

[7:15 pm] Jungkook: that’s why i was talking to jennie last night [7:16 pm] Jungkook: i wanted to know what she thinks

Taehyung raises his head from his phone to meet Jungkook’s gaze, giving him a nod.

[7:17 pm] Taehyung: when did you hook up with her anyway [7:18 pm] Jungkook: at the party at my house last week

Taehyung cocks an eyebrow, approval in his eyes.

[7:18 pm] Taehyung: see i told you [7:19 pm] Jungkook: i know [7:19 pm] Jungkook: but she ran off

Taehyung winces, and Jimin throws him a look.

“What’s up?” he asks. 

Taehyung shrugs his shoulders. “Nothing. How’s Heryung doing, by the way?”

Hoseok, entirely oblivious to what was going on, says, “She’s doing fantastic. She’s going to be there for the concert next month.”

“Hell yeah,” Taehyung replies. “Any chance you’ll see her before, though? The concert is like at the end of the month.”

It’s in the third week of July, in truth, but no one corrects Taehyung. Especially not Jungkook, who’s just relieved Taehyung is not asking him more questions.

He doubts he’d be able to keep a straight face if he did.

“No, she’s fully booked until then.” Hoseok lets out a long sigh that has Jimin clap him on the shoulder in support. “And with rehearsals, I don’t have time to go to Japan.”

“I really don’t know how you can date someone that lives so far,” Taehyung says. “Couldn’t be me.”

“How are you and Jennie doing anyways?” Hoseok asks, wiggling his eyebrows. “Y’all been reconnecting well?”

As Taehyung only offers a smirk and a wink in reply to Hoseok, the driver informs them that they’ve reached the restaurant. It was a short drive, and they probably could have walked, but since the new album wasn’t announced yet, they’re trying to avoid being seen in public together too much. Indeed, although there has been some speculation going around, the company doesn’t want people to figure it out before the announcement. 

Though, people know about the concert. Maybe they really could have just walked.

Hoseok chuckles at Taehyung’s antics, and they shortly all file out of the car, jogging towards the door of the restaurant to avoid being seen.

Which proves to be easy, as the street isn’t too busy at the moment, the only passerbys an elderly couple walking with their small white dog on a leash. The dog’s wearing a blue hat, and Jungkook can’t help but smile at the sight.

He loves dogs. Always has, and always wanted to have one too, but with their busy schedule and the fact that they’re gone for so long at a time when they’re touring, he’s figured having a dog is not really something achievable.

Maybe one day, he always tells himself. Once they stop touring, if they ever do. Or when he has a stable partner that can take care of the dog, perhaps. 

They walk into the restaurant, and Jennie waves at them from the table at the back. The restaurant is thankfully empty despite it being dinner time, as they reserved it for a couple of hours to keep their privacy, and so no one is around to snoop on them as they head to where Jennie is sitting.

Jennie gets up as they near her, and she and Taehyung exchange a short kiss that has Hoseok raise his eyebrows with a knowing smile as he glances at Jimin and Jungkook. Jimin laughs and pushes their older friend, and then Jennie greets them as Taehyung stands next to her. They all sit after that, and the food arrives almost instantly as they ordered in advance.

The food is good. Delicious, even, the Jeju pork tasting better than ever. Or maybe Jungkook was just famished, and any food would have been delicious. He eats his fill as they talk about everything and nothing, Hoseok asking a bunch of questions to Jennie about her current acting project. It’s fun, soju flowing between the five of them, and Jungkook wishes you were here.

He wants to talk to you. To tell you he’d like to get to know you more, and that he’d like to take you on a date. But he doesn’t have your phone number, and he hasn’t had the courage to dm you on Instagram either. He meant to ask Jennie for your number yesterday, but he was so embarrassed to tell her you ran away after you hooked up that he figured it was best not to.

After all, Jennie said you might need time, and so he’s been trying to give you some time. But it’s not easy… Not when the thought of you makes him feel like his blood has turned to magma.

He takes a long sip of his maekju as he tries to push you out of his thoughts, and it works enough that he’s able to rejoin the conversation. You slip out of his mind, sort of, for the next hour and a half, but when they finish eating, Jimin and Hoseok leaving together, Taehyung turns toward him, his eyebrows raised.

“What the fuck do you mean, you hooked up with Y/n at your party?” he says.

“Tae!” Jennie blurts out as she slaps his arm. 

Jungkook laughs, cheeks burning. He takes another sip of his drink, shrugging his shoulders. “Yeah. Kind of?”

“You told him?” Jennie asks.

Jungkook nods. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You do nothing,” Jennie states. “Y/n…” she trails off, and an apologetic look takes over her features. “She uh, lied about it. Either she’s just shy, or she’s embarrassed.”

It hurts. His heart squeezes in his chest, and he looks down at his drink, focusing on a drop of condensation on the glass. “Ah.”

“I didn’t get to talk to her a lot between takes,” Jennie adds. “So it might be that too. But when I asked her about it, she said you guys just argued.”

“Did she?” Jungkook lets out.

Jennie nods. “Yeah. I didn’t push, especially not when there were people around, but… yeah.”

“Noted.”

Taehyung sits back in his chair, folding his arms on his chest. “Come on, that means nothing. I bet she was just shy to be confronted like that. Just get her to come to the concert next month.”

Jungkook clenches his jaw, and then sighs. “I kind of want to text her?” he admits. “The concert isn’t for a long time, no?”

“Yeah, I don’t think you should wait that long,” Jennie replies. “Wait, you don’t have her number, do you?”

Jungkook shakes his head no, and Jennie pulls her phone out of her purse, scrolling through her contacts. When she finds you, she clicks on your name, and then she hands her phone to him.

“Here’s her phone number,” she says, and Jungkook could thank all gods that exist that he didn’t even have to ask her for it in the end. “Text her if you want.”

“If I want?” Jungkook repeats as he grabs his own phone, adding your number to his contacts. “You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“I kind of wish I could talk to her about it more first, but…” she trails off, shrugging her shoulders. “Just text her now, we’ll see what she says.”

Heart beating out of his chest at the sudden prospect of texting you, Jungkook asks, “What should I say?”

“Just say you want to hang out,” Taehyung suggests.

“To talk it out,” Jennie precises. “Just something simple like ‘Hey, been thinking about last Thursday, I’d like to talk to you. Let’s meet up’ or something.”

“That is very straightforward,” Jungkook says.

Jennie shrugs. “It’s better to be assertive, honestly.”

Though he’s unsure, Jungkook gives her a nod. “Okay.”

He types a message out, deleting it a few times before he figures out what he does want to say. Once he’s satisfied with it, he hands his phone to his friends. 

“What about this?”

Jennie and Taehyung read, and they both give him the thumbs-up. So Jungkook gathers his courage, taking a deep breath, and though he thinks his heart might be in the process of exploding, he presses send.

[9:01 pm] Jungkook: hey, it’s jungkook. ngl, i’ve been thinking about what happened last thursday. do you want to meet up and talk about it?

He turns his phone off, putting it face down on the table, and then he meets his friends’ gaze. And then, for good measure, he chugs the rest of his maekju, which makes Taehyung cheer for him loud enough that the waitress, who’s been sitting at a table on the other side of the restaurant, looks at them quizzically.

The next hour is excruciating. Jungkook keeps glancing at his phone, and apart from a video Jimin sends him, his notifications remain void of you. Disappointment chokes him up, slowly but surely, even though Jennie reassures him and tells him you had dinner with a friend tonight and that you might just be busy. It doesn’t make him feel better, not even in the slightest.

Especially not when, later, he gets home to no text of you still, and to the sight of two random girls taking pictures of his house. They run when they see his car, most likely knowing he’ll call the police, yet Jungkook is in a foul mood by the time he’s showered and lied down in bed, turning on the TV just to have something to fill the silence.

Then, when he’s convinced you are not going to reply, his phone lights up, your name at the top of his notifications. Almost immediately, adrenaline floods his bloodstream and Jungkook sits up straight, grabbing the device. His heart racing, he opens the notification.

Only to wish he’d never text you.

[11:57 pm] You: hey. tbh, i don’t think there’s anything to say??

Jungkook shuts his eyes, heart sinking in his chest. But then his phone buzzes again, and he looks down at it.

[11:58 pm] You: actually… [11:59 pm] You: jennie said you have a concert next month?

Jungkook swallows around a lump in his throat. And even though he should probably wait before replying, he starts typing right away.

[00:00 am] Jungkook: yeah! you’re invited if you want to come:) [00:01 am] You: i’d love to🤗

Jungkook sighs in relief, tongue toying with his piercings as he watches the three dots pop up a few times before you send another text.

[00:03 am] You: about last week, i’m sorry

He frowns.

[00:04 am] Jungkook: you have nothing to be sorry about

And then, feeling emboldened, he adds:

[00:05 am] Jungkook: it was hot

It takes you a moment to reply. Jungkook is almost convinced you won’t reply at all, and he puts his phone away after three minutes of staring, if only because his eyes are starting to burn. Ten minutes later, his phone vibrates again.

[00:14 am] You: i meant for fighting but… i guess it was hot🤭

Jungkook’s throat goes dry, and the adrenaline in his system is replaced by something else entirely, something that makes him wish he was back a week ago, with you in his gym.

[00:16 am] Jungkook: oh yeah?🫣 [00:17 am] You: yeah [00:17 am] You: but that was very unlike me [00:18 am] You: idk what happened [00:19 am] Jungkook: i get that! dw about it [00:21 am] You: 😌 [00:21 am] You: gotta head to bed but… [00: 22 am] You: i’ll see you at the concert?

Three weeks really is too far away, Jungkook reckons. But he doesn’t know if he should push. Not when he receives a notification that Sara is streaming, and his heart strangely strains in his chest, her name in this moment feeling like a slap to the face. He swipes the notification up so that it goes away, and then replies to you.

Sara should not be in this thought when he’s talking to you anyway.

[00:24 am] Jungkook: sure! 

And then, for good measures, he adds:

[00:24 am] Jungkook: we can grab a drink before too [00:25 am] Jungkook: if you want [00:26 am] You: i’ll let you know! i actually have to go back home early next week [00:27 am] Jungkook: oh? how come?

It takes you a few minutes to reply this time again, and Jungkook tries to focus on his show, though he really cannot bring himself to listen to what the characters are saying. Not when a small part of him wants to watch Sara’s stream instead, just to see how she’s doing. He feels disappointed with himself, mostly because he really doesn’t want to be thinking about her when he’s talking to you, but he can’t help it. It’s been second nature for so long, and he curses himself mentally, annoyance slowly taking a hold of him. Thankfully, when he receives a new message from you, Sara leaves his mind, replaced by the much more appealing thought of you.

[00:31 am] You: my publisher wants a meeting in person, and my cousin is getting married [00:32 am] Jungkook: congrats to your cousin:) [00:33 am] Jungkook: and the book is going well? [00:34 am] You: almost done with it, actually [00:34 am] Jungkook: already?! [00:35 am] You: yeah… the publisher is being a pain in the ass [00:35 am] Jungkook: I’m sorry [00:35 am] You: it’s okay. just means i have to lock in and focus on that [00:36 am] You: which is why i have to go to bed [00:36 am] You: i need to finish it over the weekend [00:37 am] Jungkook: well good luck with that! [00:37 am] You: thank you! [00:38 am] You: good night:) [00:39 am] Jungkook: good night, sleep well

And though Jungkook wishes you’d say something else, his phone doesn’t buzz again, and he assumes you’ve truly gone to bed. So he puts the device aside, trying to focus on the TV, but all he manages to do is think about you.

Your conversation went well. Hell, he feels all giddy as he rereads it, much like a teenager with a crush, and he’d be embarrassed with himself if it wasn’t because of you. You, who came all over his hand last week. You, with those pretty, shiny eyes that could likely drag him to hell if you wanted…. 

Though he might be disappointed he won’t get to see you soon since you’re leaving, the thought of you being at the concert next month sends Jungkook’s mind spiraling with excitement, and he really does feel like a stupid teenager with a crush. 

He really can’t fucking wait for the next three weeks to be over.

Saturday, July 5th

It’s hot. Dreadfully so, and your cousin Chelsea was worried about possible downpours in the afternoon ruining the wedding, though so far all that’s visible up there is the blue, vast expanse of the summer sky, with the occasional white fluffy cloud leisurely travelling across.

It’s hot, yes, but it’s a beautiful day. With just the right amount of breeze to lift Chelsea’s veil perfectly in the pictures she takes with Ryan, her now husband, and you watch from the side with tears in your eyes, your other cousins and some family members surrounding you.

Hyunseok is somewhere at the reception hall, enjoying cocktail hour – he’s been your plus one since you RSVP’d for two, thinking Josh would accompany you. Instead, Hyunseok followed you home, never one to turn down a trip and free food and alcohol at a wedding. Though he’s been missing Haneul, you can tell he’s been enjoying his time here.

“She’s so pretty,” your mother says as she wraps her arm around your shoulders. “Doesn’t she look like a Disney princess?”

“She does,” you agree.

Your mother sighs dreamily. “Do you remember when you were younger and you tried on my wedding dress?”

You do. You’d been in middle school, and you had to do a photoshoot for a project with an important object to you. You’d chosen your mother’s dress, as pictures of your parents’ wedding day were all over the house growing up, and it was always a source of happiness to see them.

“It was way too big for me,” you reminisce, chucking lightly. “I still can’t believe you let me wear it.”

“I couldn’t say no to my baby,” she teases with a smile.

Indeed, you’re the youngest of three siblings, though your two older brothers couldn’t attend this wedding – one being stuck at an important conference on the other side of the country he could not skip as he was asked to host, and the other back home a plane flight away with his wife who’s about to give birth any time soon.

You lean your head against your mother’s, emotions rushing over you.

You were lucky. You had a great childhood, with parents that have always supported your dreams to become an author, and though you love the life you’ve started to build for yourself in Seoul, you do miss home sometimes.

“Alright, let’s do a picture with all the cousins,” the photographer says, and you quickly blink away your tears.

Your mother gives you a quick hug – she’s been sticking around as she’s your cousin’s godmother, and will be taking pictures with her after. You then follow your cousins to the spot the photographer tells you, and you pose like she recommends, laughing with your family.

Except for your brothers, all the cousins are girls, and as Chelsea is the first one to get married, it makes for a few emotional pictures as laughter turns into joyful tears, which only leads to more laughs.

The air is light with happiness you rarely know, the kind of happiness that’s elusive, the one you hold in your palms for just a short amount of time, thankful you’ve even experienced it. The reception feels the same way – the white and purple flowers create a magical ambiance, as do the strings of leaves hanging from the ceiling. The fairy lights entwined with the leaves basks the room in a warm glow that you know your memories won’t be able to render properly.

So you take pictures. You take pictures and you share conversations with family members you haven’t seen in forever. You try to avoid the questions about Josh, but they inevitably come, many uncles and aunts wondering where Josh is and who’s the guy that’s with you.

Hyunseok is great. He’s been talking with your family like he’s known them forever, and it feels a little less lonely with him around. Because, yes, despite it all, you can’t help feeling lonely tonight. Maybe it’s the fact that most people surrounding you are happy in love, and you’ve lost the one thing you’ve ever had. It’s been months, but it hits harder tonight.

But the food… the food is amazing. Decadent, even, and you and Hyunseok eat your fill, drowning it all with white wine that tastes just a little fruity. It matches the summer vibes, and you end up going outside to take pictures with Hyunseok after dinner, when dancing hasn’t quite started yet and the cake is half-eaten on your plates.

You didn’t stray too far from the reception, standing just a little off to the side of one of the doors leading to the party inside, and though the grass is a little wet, the air smelling of the rain that fell during dinner, you still decide it’s a good spot as any for pictures.

“I probably look bloated as hell,” you complain, patting your stomach.

Hyunseok, who’s holding your phone to take a picture of you, tilts his head to the side in annoyance. “Shut up. You look perfect.”

You lift your hand, letting out a long “Ayyy” that makes Hyunseok burst out laughing.

“Okay, diva,” he hypes you, and you can’t help but hit a few eccentric poses.

As Hyunseok keeps hyping you up, you turn around, looking back at him over your shoulder, and he snaps a few more pictures. But then, his eyes move from your phone to you, going wide as saucers.

“When the fuck were you going to tell me you’ve been texting Jeon Jungkook?”

You spin around. “What?!”

“Girl?” Hyunseok lets out a small disbelieving laugh. “‘Bet you look amazing in your dress’?” 

“Oh my fucking God,” you let out, walking towards him to grab your phone out of his hands. 

In truth, you’ve texted Jungkook sparsely over the last few days. You’ve been busy, and the time difference doesn’t quite make for easy conversation. But he’s still texted you consistently, asking you about your day and about your meeting with the publisher, which went a lot better than you thought it would.

Except they said they’ve loved what your agent told them about your book, and that the editor has put in a good word for the book so far. Not only that, but they said they’re excited for more books of that genre from you in the future, which you frankly don’t know if you have more stories like that under your sleeve, but you just laughed and told them you’d do your best.

You will. That’s what you’ve always done, even if your best sometimes falls short. You’re only human after all.

“Girl,” Hyunseok repeats as you see he’s already pressed on Jungkook’s message, and your conversation thread with him lights up the screen of your phone.

Indeed, Jungkook’s text really does read what Hyunseok just said, and you think you flush fully red.

You’ve never been more thankful for the good coverage of your foundation.

“Huh,” you let out.

“Bitch, Jeon Jungkook,” Hyunseok says. He laughs, and then repeats Jungkook’s name louder.

“Shut the fuck up,” you grumble through your teeth as you glare at him.

“Oh.” Hyunseok makes an apologetic face, looking around. Thankfully, it’s just you outside on this side of the building, so no one’s heard. “Is it like, a secret or something?”

You shut your eyes, scrunching up your nose as you try to figure out what you’ll say. And, to be fair, you trust Hyunseok with your life – even though the NDA Jungkook made you sign back when you’d met him and Jennie mentions you’re not supposed to talk about them at all, you know Hyunseok wouldn’t say anything.

“It’s just…” you trail off, shrugging your shoulders. “Remember the guy I told you I hooked up with at a party two weeks ago?”

Indeed, though you didn’t tell Jennie anything about what happened with Jungkook considering she’s his friend, you had felt the need to talk about it with someone, at least to a certain extent. That person ended up being Hyunseok, when you had dinner the night when Jungkook texted you for the first time.

“Bitch!” Hyunseok almost yells. “That was him?”

You slap his arm. “Shut up, holy fuck.” That just makes him laugh, and you throw him a stern look. “Yes, that was him. It was sudden and unexpected and nothing’s happened since then.”

“Well, he’s been texting you, mmh?”

You nod, chuckling. “Yeah.” You look down at your phone to see Jungkook’s text still on display, and you mindlessly scroll up. “Yeah, actually.”

“I’m so fucking happy for you.” Hyunseok pauses, narrowing his eyes. “But so jealous too. Goddamn. Jeon Jungkook.”

You giggle, slightly shaking your head. “Shut up, I told you it’s nothing.”

“Girl, it is not nothing,” Hyunseok says as he puts his fists on his hips. “He’s texting you. Thinking about you in your dress and shit.”

You worry at your lower lip, shrugging. “I guess?”

Hyunseok just stares at you for a few seconds, lips jutting in a small pout. “Why are you being so nonchalant about this?”

“I’m not!” You look at your phone, tongue toying with your cheek. “I just deadass thought he hated me, and I genuinely have not wrapped my head around what happened yet.”

Two guys walk out of the reception hall, and you watch them pass as music engulfs you for a short time before the door closes again. They’re Ryan’s friends, and you’ve never met before, so you just offer them a polite nod as they start walking down the path that leads to the field where you took pictures earlier.

You have half a thought of telling them it might be wet, but you refrain, not wanting them to stop for a chat.

“Why did you think he hated you?”

You wince. “Well, hate is a strong word,” you admit. “He was just… weird every time I saw him. Like weirdly cold and distant, and he was always looking at me like he wanted me to leave.”

“Oh you have to be the most oblivious person on this planet,” Hyunseok says. “I bet he was looking at you ‘cause he thinks you’re hot.”

“Well,” you let out, chuckling. “Can’t deny that.”

“Ayyyy.” Hyunseok high-fives you, and you look to your left. 

There was a fountain earlier today in the middle of the pond, but now that the sun has almost fully set, gray clouds covering the sky up above, no water is spurting out of the pond anymore. There’s enough light for you to see that there’s a couple on the other side, and you don’t recognize them from the wedding.

They’re likely people from the event in the other reception hall.

“But seriously,” you add, “I really thought he didn’t like me, and then we fought and we kissed and it degenerated.”

“In a good way, though,” Hyunseok points out with a wink.

You nod. “Of course. And he’s asked Jennie for my number, and he’s been texting me a little. But it’s really nothing.”

“‘Bet you look good in that dress’,” Hyunseok repeats. “That is not nothing.”

You worry at your bottom lip. “I… I guess not.”

Hyunseok’s eyes light up like a cartoon character when they have an idea. “Send him a picture right now!”

“Oh no,” you refuse. “I told you I’m bloated.”

Hyunseok rolls his eyes. “You haven’t even checked the pictures I took yet.”

He’s got a point, so you switch apps to your picture app, and you click on the first picture he took. 

It’s not bad. But you look awkward, like you’ve never been in front of a camera before, and it doesn’t get any better as you scroll through the pictures. But then you reach the one where you’re looking over your shoulder, and the open-backed dress reveals the muscles you’ve been working on at the gym.

You’ve indeed been working out even more since you’ve moved to Korea, often going in the morning before you start your day.

“Is this one good?” you ask Hyunseok.

He nods his head, clapping his hands. “Yes girl. Send it.”

You hesitate for just a few seconds, the wine from dinner clearly giving you more courage than you’d usually have. And, the moment you press send, you turn off your phone, meeting Hyunseok’s gaze.

“Let’s go inside and have a drink.”

Hyunseok snorts. “Good plan.”

You end up having more than one drink. In truth, despite being the one to text you first tonight, Jungkook doesn’t reply for hours. So you drink lychee martinis after lychee martinis, dancing with Hyunseok and with your cousins, even taking a shot with your mother.

You never thought you would take a shot with your mother one day, but here you are, downing the strong liquor. Your mother is a pro – she barely even winces, and she immediately asks for another round, and you truly party like you haven’t partied in forever.

There’s dancing and singing and Chelsea and Ryan looking absolutely in love. There’s your mother convincing your father to dance with her, and they too look so in love it almost makes your heart ache. And there’s Hyunseok, partying like he really has been part of this family forever. It’s fun, the fairy lights bathing everything in a surreal glow, and you’re walking back to the reception hall from the bathroom, some time after midnight, when Jungkook finally replies.

[00:09 am] Jungkook: you look fantastic [00:10 am] Jungkook: attached picture [00:10 am] Jungkook: been at rehearsals all day

Your eyes catch on the selfie he sent, his lips slightly jutting out as if he’s pouting. He’s throwing a peace sign, and he looks good, effortlessly, like he was born like this. And you reckon he was.

Jeon Jungkook has really good genes indeed.

You stop in your tracks, just staring at his picture. And then, alcohol acting as liquid courage, you take a selfie yourself, pressing send. And then you add:

[00:12 am] You: you lool good

You realize the typo after pressing send, and though you’d usually edit it hoping he doesn’t see, Jungkook immediately starts typing. So you wait, watching the three little dots moving for a few seconds before you receive a reply.

[00:13 am] Jungkook: are you drunk? haha

You pout. 

[00:14 am] You: no:( [00:14 am] You: yes [00:14 am] You: good drunk

Jungkook doesn’t reply right away this time, and you get tired of waiting for him after what feels like an hour, but might have been just a few minutes. So you return to the reception, where people are dancing to classics from the 2000s. You join in on the fun, phone forgotten in your hand and then on the table where you ate when you go to drink water a little later.

The wedding is ending by the time you realize you don’t have your phone on you anymore and, drunk enough to panic easily, you get Hyunseok and your mother to help you look for it. You’re checking in the bathroom when your mother comes, handing you the device.

“Someone’s been texting you,” she says with a smirk, her skin flushed from the dancing and the drinks.

You immediately grab your phone, pressing it to your heart. “I thought someone had stolen it.”

Your mother laughs. “No one would dare steal a phone at a wedding. Maybe you’re just a little drunk?”

You are, though you’re pretty sure you haven’t actually drank anything for nearly an hour.

“Aren’t we all?”

Your mother snorts, eyes wrinkling at the corners. “We sure are.” She wraps her arm around your shoulder, pulling you out of the bathroom. “Let’s go home, your dad already called a taxi.”

You’ve been staying at your parents’ house since you came home, not having an apartment here anymore. It’s been strange to sleep in your childhood bedroom, yet you think about your bed as your mother leads you out, and you just can’t wait to be in bed.

In bed and cuddling with Roxie, your parents’ dog.

You’re yawning in the backseat of the taxi when you finally read the texts you’ve received while you accidentally lost your phone.

[00:23 am] Jungkook: sounds fun [00:24 am] Jungkook: make sure to drink water and eat something! [00:59 am] Jungkook: hope everything is okay [1:01 am] Jungkook: text me when you can? [1:17 am] Jungkook: lmao this made me think of you😂 [1:17 am]: Jungkook: attached link

You click on the link, startling when music starts playing. You apologize, and Hyunseok throws you a look from where he’s sitting on your left. Your mother’s on the other side, and she looks like she fell asleep with her head against the window.

It can’t be comfortable, but she doesn’t look like she cares, even as the taxi hits a small bump in the road and you swear she hits her head on the window.

You look back down at your phone then, watching the video Jungkook sent. It’s a squirrel that seems like it’s passed out, one little paw on its belly. It’s adorable, and you watch it a couple of times before returning to the conversation with him.

[2:01 am] You: wdym it made you think of me😭

You shut off your phone once you hit send, and you lean your head against Hyunseok for the rest of the ride home. When you finally arrive, you all file inside after your father pays for the taxi, and your parents immediately head upstairs to go to bed, wishing you and Hyunseok a good night.

And though you’re tired and probably should go to bed too, you need a snack first. So does Hyunseok, so you order burritos from a 24-hour place you used to order from all the time when you still lived here. You wait for the food to arrive in the living room while Hyunseok shows you the pictures you took of him that he prefers so that you help him choose which one to post on Instagram.

You feel too tired to bother with posting tonight, though you already know you’ll post the picture you sent to Jungkook, along with a picture that you took with Chelsea a long time before you got drunk.

“This one’s the best,” you say, pointing at Hyunseok’s phone as he’s swiping between the three pictures he prefers.

“Not this one?” he asks as he swipes left.

“Nah, the other is better. More candid.”

“Period,” Hyunseok lets out, and he switches to Instagram so that he can post the picture. 

Your phone buzzes while he does so, and you look down expecting it to be the Door Dasher, but it’s Jungkook replying.

[2:21 am] Jungkook: lmao i thought you were passed out drunk [2:22 am] You: no, just waiting for food [2:22 am] You: actually sobering up

“Who are you texting?” Hyunseok says in a teasing tone, and he wiggles his eyebrows when you look at him.

You push him, and he falls on his side on the couch, laughing. “No one.”

Hyunseok stays in his lying position even after he’s done laughing, just scrolling Instagram. “Uh-huh,” he lets out.

You look up to the ceiling as if annoyed, and then resume your attention on your phone, right as a new text comes in.

[2:25 am] Jungkook: what are you getting

The Door Dasher ends up arriving right as you’re starting to type a reply, so you erase it, taking a picture of your burrito once you’ve grabbed the bag with your food outside. And then you eat the food, lying back against the couch as the flavours melt on your tongue.

“Oh this is good,” Hyunseok says. “Wow.”

“I know,” you reply despite your mouth being full. You swallow. “It always hits so good.”

Hyunseok makes a non-committal sound of agreement, and then you busy yourselves with eating, conversation becoming futile when good food is to be had.

[2:33 am] Jungkook: that looks so good

You smile as you send him a picture of the half-eaten burrito.

[2:34 am] You: it is

Jungkook’s reply comes right away, and you almost choke on your bite as you read it.

[2:35 am] Jungkook: wish I was there with you so that i could have some [2:36 am] You: oh yeah?

Your heart rate picks up as you watch the three dots appear and disappear a few times.

[2:37 am] Jungkook: yeah [2:37 am] Jungkook: i’d kill to see how good you look right now

As a matter of fact, you think you don’t look half as good as you did earlier in the evening, but you still blush at his words.

[2:38 am] You: you wanna see me? [2:38 am] Jungkook: is that a trick question [2:39 am] You: no🤭 [2:39 am] Jungkook: you still in that dress?

“Oof, I’m gonna go to bed,” Hyunseok says from beside you, his burrito finished. “I’m going to fall asleep on the couch if I don’t.”

He’s been sleeping in one of your brothers’ rooms in the basement, and he gets up from the couch, stretching. 

“Good night,” you tell him.

“You’re not going to tuck me in?” he asks, puppy dog eyes on display.

You laugh. “Shut up and just go to bed. I’m going to head up.”

Hyunseok sighs dramatically before wishing you a good night. You wish him back, and then you shove Hyunseok’s burrito’s empty wrapper in the bag in which you got the food, before carrying it to the trash in the kitchen. You end up putting the rest of your burrito away in a container that you put in the fridge, and then you head upstairs, tip-toeing past the door to your parents’ room to reach the bathroom that’s in front of your room.

And then you grab your phone, taking a picture in the mirror. You send it to Jungkook, and then say,

[2:47 am] You: gonna take it off now

Jungkook takes a few minutes to reply, and you’re naked, makeup off, when his next message comes in.

[2:54 am] Jungkook: wish i could take it off you

Your blood heats. Turns to liquid magma, warmth spreading through you at his words. He hasn’t flirted like that once, and it does something to you that you reckon might be madness. But your core grows warm too, sensitive, and all you can think of is the way he touched you two weeks ago.

[2:55 am] You: wish you could touch me

Your heart starts racing, and you nibble at your bottom lip in expectation as you wait for him to reply. When it takes a little too long, you decide to turn the shower on, knowing you need to feel clean to be able to fall asleep.

[2:58 am] Jungkook: touch you how [2:58 am] You: 🙄 [2:59 am] You: you know how

You’re horny. Maybe it’s because you haven’t really been able to fully get him out of your head since that night, but you feel your pussy clenching at just the thought of those fingers of his and what they did to you in his gym.

[3:00 am] Jungkook: i think you should remind me

He’s frustrating. Infinitely so, and you get in the shower, making sure your phone is far away from the water when you reply.

[3:00 am] You: like at the party at your place

You slide a hand between your legs, not surprised to find wetness already collecting there. And when Jungkook sends you a picture next, you feel your knees get weak, and you promptly get out of the shower, throwing a towel on the ground so that you can sit on it, leaning your back against the wall.

He’s sent you a picture of his dick. He’s fully clothed, but you can see the outline of his erection through his underwear, and he’s holding the base of it.

[3:02 am] Jungkook: look at what you’re doing to me [3:04 am] You: shit jk

You think about him. About how he must be touching himself right now, the thought of you making his blood boil just like the thought of him does to you. And he’s hard. You can tell he’s hard from the picture, and you so, so wish he wasn’t on the other side of the world right now.

[3:05 am] Jungkook: too much? [3:06 am] You: no, i want more

You slide your hand between your legs again, teasing your clit. It’s already swollen, crying for attention, and you press your lips together to avoid moaning at the sensation.

The last thing you want is someone hearing you right now.

[3:07 am] Jungkook: you wet for me?

You dip a finger into your pussy, and it slides right in, coming out slick with your juices. You use it as lubrication on your clit as you start pressing circles on it, keeping a slow, lazy rhythm for now.

[3:08 am] You: yes [3:08 am] Jungkook: show me

You bite at your lower lip, a small part of you being reticent at the idea of sending him a picture. Not because you’re against it – you’re two adults that are allowed to have fun – but because you’re afraid he won’t like it, won’t think you’re as attractive as you think he is.

But then you remember the picture he sent of himself, and you scroll up to look at it again, your heart beating out of your chest. You pick up the rhythm on your clit, and your eyes flutter shut for a few seconds, allowing you to imagine it’s him touching you instead.

Then, your shyness dissipates, mostly because you want to please him. Want him to find you hot, even more than he’s told you before that he does find you hot. So you angle your phone between your legs, taking a picture that shows how your pussy is already glimmering with your wetness, and you send it to Jungkook, waiting on the chat for him to reply.

[3:11 am] Jungkook: holy shit y/n [3:12 am] Jungkook: i wanna fucking taste you

At his words, you push a finger inside of yourself again, curling it to find the spot that makes your head spin. It doesn’t feel as nearly as good as it was when it was him touching you, but the picture of his dick he sends next still makes your walls flutter around your digit.

He’s taken off his underwear, and he’s gripping his dick hard, holding it up for you to see. He’s big, that much you can tell, and your eyes follow along a vein that starts at the base of him and goes all the way up to the tip.

You reply with another picture of yourself, this one with your finger inside of you, and Jungkook replies with a short video.

“Fuck,” you hear him say as he jerks himself up slowly, light catching in the bead of precum that already sits on his slit.

You push a second finger inside of yourself, increasing the rhythm of the back and forth motion you were already doing. And then you film yourself for a few seconds, taking your fingers out of your pussy at the end so that you can spread them, a line of wetness stretching between them before it breaks.

[3:17 am] Jungkook: that’s so fucking hot [3:18 am] Jungkook: want to fuck you so bad [3:19 am] You: i wanna suck your dick [3:19 am] You: it’s unfair you touched me and i didn’t touch you

The video Jungkook sends this time is of him jerking himself off faster, and he grunts and says your name like you’re a prayer. It’s the hottest thing you’ve ever heard, and you watch the video on repeat a few times.

He’s rough with himself. Holding himself tight, moving fast and slapping his balls on the way down. It’s so, so fucking hot, and you wonder how good he’d fuck you.

You feel like you wouldn’t be able to walk after.

You send another video, starting with fingering yourself and then circling your clit fast and hard. Your pussy clenches around nothing, and you imagine his dick splitting you open, ramming into you so hard you’d see stars…

[3:21 am] Jungkook: i’m gonna come so fast

You don’t blame him. You already feel your high nearing you, though it’s still out of reach. It might be because of the alcohol that’s left in your system, or because you’re tired after your day. But though you feel an orgasm coming, it stubbornly stays still, refusing to explode.

[3:21 am] You: i wanna see [3:22 am] You: wish you’d come inside me instead [3:23 am] Jungkook: fuck

Another video comes in, and you think Jungkook has gone insane. Because he’s sitting in a chair facing a mirror, and he’s filming the mirror while he pleasures himself. It’s hot, sinfully so, his head thrown back to reveal his Adam’s apple, his biceps flexing as he moves quickly. His chest is red, and he’s breathing hard, and all you want to do is climb on top of him so that you can fuck yourself on him.

[3:25 am] Jungkook: i’ll fill you up when you come back

You’re going to come. As much as your orgasm was avoiding you, it’s now coming right at you, and you start filming, fingering yourself fast, your palm slapping on your clit every time you go in. It’s hard to keep your moans in, but you bite at your lower lip, imagining Jungkook finishing in you, and you go over the edge, tumbling into your climax. 

It’s intense. Not quite as mind-numbing as it was when Jungkook was knuckles deep inside of you, but you still lose your vision for a few seconds, fingers stilling deep inside of you as your thighs tighten around your wrist.

You send the video to Jungkook, and then you just sit there, back against the wall, as you try to catch your breath.

That is, until he replies with another video, and you watch him as he strokes himself, the muscles under the skin of his arm dancing with his movements. He’s going even harder than before, slapping his balls so hard on the way down that it has to hurt, and then he’s coming, white spurting out of his dick and landing on his abs. 

You want to lick him clean. It’s feral, animalistic, but you can’t help it when he comes with your name on his lips, like he’s done it a hundred times before.

The video ends as he’s holding his dick up, cum dripping down on his fingers, and you don’t think you can breathe anymore. You just sit there, trying to fill your lungs with oxygen, and Jungkook texts you again.

[3:28 am] Jungkook: holy shit [3:28 am] Jungkook: that was…

It’s strange to read words under that last video he sent, and it’s almost like your brain can’t compute them. You must have been staring at your phone for too long, because Jungkook sends another message.

[3:31 am] Jungkook: you’re driving me crazy, y/n [3:32 am] Jungkook: can’t stop thinking about you

You swallow, gulping, and then you take a deep breath.

[3:32 am] You: can’t stop thinking about you too [3:33 am] Jungkook: 😌 [3:34 am] Jungkook: i can’t wait to see you

You wet your lips, mind still buzzing with your high, yet a smile still breaks out on your features, too. 

You wish you could kiss him. Wish you could hold him for a few seconds, as you regain your breath. You wish you weren’t alone, in the bathroom of your childhood house, sitting right outside the shower with steam wafting out of it. 

[3:34 am] You: i’m coming back soon

You get up, putting your phone down on the counter before you go back into the shower, quickly cleaning yourself. Your skin feels tingly from your high, and you revel in it, even as your exhaustion catches up to you. 

You step out of the shower once you’re done, wrapping yourself up in a clean towel. You immediately check your phone to see that Jungkook has texted you again.

[3:35 am] Jungkook: i know [3:36 am] Jungkook: i’ll see you then [3:43 am] Jungkook: i assume you went to bed? [3:43 am] Jungkook: good night, i hope you sleep well

You smile, drying yourself with your towel and quickly putting your PJs on. You reply to him as you’re brushing your teeth, wishing him a good night too – even though it probably isn’t even close to bed time for him – and then you head to your room, softly closing the door behind you before you climb under the covers.

And though you’d meant to stay up until he replies, you fall asleep almost right away, phone still clutched in your hand, your dreams visited by a familiar man with a sleeve of tattoos that knows how to touch you like no one else can

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well well well mmmmmmh what did we think of this chapter?? the ending though.... let me know what you think <3

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 4 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: sasaengs, cursing, alcohol, explicit content: fingering

☆word count: 11.7k

☆a/n: It's time for a new chapter ayyy! hope you guys enjoy it <3 and thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

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Sunday, June 15th

Jennie sits across from you at the table, her legs propped up in her seat as she leans back against it. She’s reading a book – not one of yours, this time around – while mindlessly sipping at her matcha once in a while. You’ve been doing the same, though you’ve never been a fan of matcha, so you’ve ordered an iced americano instead. A half-eaten salted bun waits for you on a plate on the table, but you’ve been putting off finishing it.

Not because it isn’t good. Just because you know yourself – it’s so good you’ll only get more if you finish this one, and bread tends to always get you bloated. 

Jennie takes a sip of her matcha, and then puts down her book as she grabs her phone instead.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she says, though she never finishes her sentence.

You raise your head, putting your own book down. “To ask me?”

Jennie chuckles, and then she meets your gaze, wiggling her eyebrows with a smirk. “What happened with Jungkook last Friday?”

You scoff, rolling your eyes. “Nothing. He’s a dickhead.”

“Stop, you were basically making out on the dancefloor.”

Flashes of that night come back to your mind, and you wish you could disappear through the ground. You were drunk, way too drunk, and Jungkook was right there and looking good and you still don’t know why you talked to him on the dancefloor.

Maybe because you were still reeling from your interaction outside of the bathroom. From the way he’d looked at you as if he’d never seen you before, his eyes drinking you in in a way that had made you feel naked, vulnerable.

All of that, right after he’d seen his ex with her new boyfriend. Or at least you assume Seojoon is her boyfriend.

“Nothing happened,” you tell Jennie, and you take a bite of your bread.

The buttery, salty taste melts on your tongue, and you think you might be in flavour heaven.

“Girl, you were grinding on him,” Jennie teases.

“You were grinding on Taehyung!” you throw back at her.

You’re in a private room at the café, yet Jennie still glances outside of the double doors that have been closed since the waiter brought in your order.

“Not so loud,” she says, her cheeks turning bright pink. “But…” The shyness melts away, replaced by that same mischievous smirk. “That’s exactly my point.”

You narrow your eyes, letting out a non-committal sound.

“Or you’d rather I ask you what you and Mingyu were doing?” she asks.

“Oh my God, you’re so annoying.”

It only makes her laugh again. “There’s something between you and Jungkook.”

“Not between me and Mingyu?”

She shakes her head no, though she seems to grow pensive. “I don’t think Mingyu’s your type, actually.”

Well, after what she told you about how he tends to sleep around a lot, you don’t think you want to get involved with him. Not as more than a friend, that is.

“He’s attractive,” you still say.

“So is Jungkook.”

“I don’t like Jungkook.”

Jennie tilts her head to the side as she throws you a ‘really?’ look.

“We don’t like each other,” you add, but you sound far too defensive.

“Girl, Mingyu said Jungkook was pissed you left.”

You frown, replaying the scene in your mind. The way you’d danced and it’d felt so natural. The way his hands had roamed all over your body, yet still staying respectful. The way you’d almost kissed…

And he’d tensed like he realized what he was doing and was regretting it. It’d pissed you off, but mostly it’d embarrassed you, so you ran away, initially meaning to talk to Jennie, but she was far too busy with Taehyung to pay any attention to you. So you ran outside, and Jungkook ran after you in the end, but made a call instead of even trying to talk to you.

He only tried to talk to you when you were getting in your taxi.

He’s weird. He’s been weird since you met him, but last Friday was even worse. 

“Too bad,” you let out as you shrug your shoulders. “He was a dick.”

“What did he do?” Jennie asks.

And… you don’t even know how to answer the question. Because he technically didn’t really do anything. He just made you feel… unwanted, and you don’t sit well with feelings like that. Especially when you’re too drunk to try to make sense of it all.

“He was weird,” you say, and you sigh deeply. “The vibe was off.”

Jennie hums, pursing her lips. “Oh well.” She remains silent for a second, but then adds, “It really didn’t look off from an outside perspective.”

“Girl.” The word is stern, and Jennie raises her hands in defence.

“Okay, okay,” she says. “I’ll stop.” She picks up her book, searching for the page she left off on. “But he’s having a karaoke night at his house next Thursday, and you’re coming with me.”

You cock an eyebrow. “No thank you.”

“Blah blah blah,” Jennie lets out. “I can’t hear you.”

You look up toward the ceiling. “I hate you.”

“Love you too, girl.”

You sigh, shaking your head with a small smile, and then you pick up your own book, resuming where you left off. You keep reading for a little while longer, and you’re finishing up a chapter when Jennie puts her book down again before stretching.

“I think I’m done for today,” she says with a yawn. “This book isn’t as good as yours.”

You smile at the compliment. “Right, right.”

She chuckles. “Do you wanna go grab something to eat for dinner? I’d kill for some japchae right now.”

The thought of japchae does seem appealing to you, so you put your bookmark between the pages of the book you were reading before grabbing the last bite of bread on your plate. 

“Yeah, let’s do it,” you say, and then you eat the rest of the bread, taking one last sip of your americano once you’ve swallowed. 

You make your way to the front, where you pay for your food and drinks, and then Jennie pulls you out into the streets of Gangnam, towards a place she swears has the best japchae. It’s a small restaurant, and the owner is an elderly lady that seems far too pleased to see Jennie walking in.

Maybe because, not even thirty minutes later, the place has filled up with people like Jennie is a lighthouse that guided them all to this restaurant.

The food is good. Amazing, even, and though you weren’t that hungry before getting here, you still eat your fill. You also share a bottle of soju with Jennie as you eat, and she tells you about Taehyung, like she usually does whenever she gets a chance to.

“It was…” she sighs contemplatively as she looks away from you. “Girl, I still can’t believe he kissed me.”

You can. They were all over each other at the afterparty, like they’d missed each other and needed physical contact to compensate. Which, you reckon they clearly did miss each other.

“It felt like it was the first time,” Jennie adds, a shy smile growing on her lips. “I really hope we get it right this time around.”

“He better not hurt you,” you say. “I’ll punch him if he does.”

Jennie chuckles. “I’ll relay the message.”

The waiter comes back to your table, interrupting you before you can say anything else. She asks Jennie something in Korean, and Jennie looks at you. 

“Do you want more food?”

You shake your head no, patting your belly. “Nah, I’m full.”

Jennie replies to the server then, and the girl walks away, only for the owner to come thank the two of you for eating there. Jennie ends up signing an autograph for her, which you assume will be put up on the wall of autographs by the door.

As you walk out, your eyes snag on Jungkook’s pictures, and on the faded black marker autograph beneath it. You’re not surprised he’s been here before – he seems like the kind of the guy that’s always eating, and you assume he’s already been to most restaurants here in Seoul.

It’s lightly raining when you step outside, and you pull out an umbrella from your tote bag. Jennie didn’t bring one, so you stand close together as she grabs her phone to call her driver.

“I’ll drop you off at home,” she tells you.

“No need,” you reassure her, but she ignores you as her driver picks up, and she tells him where to come get you. 

You end up walking to the store next door as you wait for him to arrive, the rain getting a little too intense to wait outside when you both have books in your bags, and you find a cute keychain – a crocheted teddy bear – that you buy and put on the strap of your tote bag. It looks adorable, and Jennie decides to get a matching one, just so that you can take pictures of your bags.

She uploads the pictures on her story, and your follower count once again increases by the thousand in the next few minutes, which makes the two of you laugh as you watch it go up.

The driver arrives a few minutes later, and you run to the car, even though you’d initially told Jennie you’d take the subway. Indeed, by then the rain is torrential, and you really don’t feel like walking to the station and then home at all.

Not when that means ruining a perfectly healthy book.

“You live around here?” Jennie says a little while later when her driver finally reaches your neighbourhood. 

You nod, looking outside at the rain lashing the window. “Yeah, I’ve got an apartment in one of the towers,” you say, motioning to said towers in the distance, though they’re currently almost invisible with the low visibility from the shower outside.

“That’s funny,” she says. “Jungkook lives really close to here.” She leans forward so that she can look outside of the window on your side, frowning slightly. “Pretty sure that’s his street.”

Your gaze slightly widens as you look in that direction, but it’s just a regular street.

Of course, he lives less than a twenty minutes walk from your place.

“No way,” you let out.

Jennie nods, sitting back in her seat. “Now, you really have to come on Thursday night.”

“Not this again,” you say with a whine. “I doubt he’ll want to see me anyway.”

Jennie snorts. “Girl, shut up. He’ll be happy to see you.”

You throw her a no-bullshit look that makes her wink at you. “He doesn’t like me.”

There’s a short silence where Jennie just furrows her brow, looking at you like you’re crazy. “What makes you think that?”

You gulp as your heart skips a heartbeat, stress flooding your system. “I told you he has a weird vibe.”

“I mean…” she trails off. “JK has always been weird, but I guarantee you he does not not like you.”

Now, your heart starts racing in your chest. You don’t understand the physiological response, and you don’t have time to analyse it before the driver reaches your building.

“So come on Thursday,” Jennie adds, a mischievous smile on display.

You hold her gaze, but the look on her face tells you she’s already won. So you let out a small disbelieving chuckle, and then say, “I’ll think about it.”

Monday, June 16th

Jungkook is exhausted. He’s had trouble sleeping for the last few days after the stalkers tried to get into his house. It’s like whenever he’s about to fall asleep, his brain comes up with an image of someone in his house and he sits up in bed, half-convinced that someone actually might have come in.

He doesn’t feel safe in his own house anymore. But the police promised they are going to add patrol routes in the street and that they will be instructed to disperse whoever shows up at his house uninvited, so hopefully shit like that won’t happen again

It’s reassuring, a little, to think that the police will be preventing things from getting out of control, but still, people managed to show up last night. They didn’t try their luck at the passcode, which he reckons is a relief, but he still finds it infinitely creepy that people would just assume it’s okay for them to stalk his house that way.

Namjoon suggested that he might need to move, but he just got this house built, and he loves it… so he’s just going to have to suck it up until those people find another celebrity to harass. 

Or until the police actually catch them. Which, maybe they will with the new footage that Jungkook got. But he’d be surprised – the people who have been coming have been very diligent with hiding their faces.

Jungkook sighs, taking a swig of his water bottle. He’s trying to sweat the anxiety out at the gym in his house, but it hasn’t quite worked so far. Maybe because he received a notification that someone was at his door earlier, though it ended up being a delivery driver with some equipment he ordered for his in-home studio.

Yoongi is coming later to help him set it up. Jungkook is looking forward to it – they rarely hang out just the two of them anymore, and he’s always found Yoongi’s calm energy to be soothing whenever he feels anxious.

Jungkook puts his water bottle down before checking to make sure that his lifting belt is secured properly around his waist. Once that’s done, he positions his feet near the barbell, and then goes in for another round of deadlifts. 

He grunts as he lifts the barbell, making sure to not bend his back. It’s heavy, though not nearly close to his PR. He can tell he’s been too tired, and it pisses him enough that he manages to get two more reps than he usually does. When he’s done with those, he drops the barbell, cringing at the loud noise, and then he unbuckles his belt with one hand before taking it off.

Done with his workout – except cardio, that is – Jungkook puts away the barbell and the plates, grabbing his phone to make sure no one’s at the door. Thankfully, the camera reveals an empty street, and he sighs in relief before walking over to the treadmill. Though he hates it, he still forces himself to run for fifteen minutes, just because he knows cardio is equally as important as lifting weights.

He'd just rather do a different kind of cardio… This dry spell has been going on for far too long, and jerking off just doesn’t quite cut it anymore. 

Once he’s done with running, Jungkook heads up to take a shower. Yoongi gets there while he’s in the shower, texting Jungkook that he’s coming in, and Jungkook joins him in the studio as quickly as he can, not surprised to see Yoongi started without him. 

“‘Sup,” Yoongi says as he sees him walking in.

“Hey.” Jungkook hands him a bottle of beer he grabbed on the way to the studio. “Thanks for telling me you got here. Might have walked in here ready to fight if it wasn’t for that.”

Yoongi chuckles. “The police will catch those bastards soon enough. They did with mine.”

But Yoongi’s stalker was a single girl that decided to stay at Yoongi’s door, inside his fancy apartment complex – no one knows how she got in – and she was refusing to leave even when security politely asked her to. Jungkook remembers, as he was there that night – Yoongi felt bad for her, as she clearly had mental health issues. The girl was full on sobbing and hyperventilating when they escorted her away, saying Yoongi was the only reason she was alive, and the image has seared itself in Jungkook’s brain.

There are many positive sides to being famous, but fame unfortunately comes with a lot of down sides too.

Yoongi drinks from his beer, motioning around him, swiftly changing the subject. “That’s some solid stuff you got.”

“Figured it’d be great to record from home,” Jungkook replies, relieved that Yoongi knew he would not want to be talking about his stalkers. “That way they won’t make me go back to the company fifty times for a single stupid line.”

“Taejin has been really fucking annoying with this album,” Yoongi agrees in a grumble. “I get that we haven’t released anything in a long time, but it’s not like we forgot how to do this shit.”

Jungkook raises his beer at that, drinking a long swig of it. The bitter liquid slightly burns as it goes down, leaving a rich aftertaste behind. “Yeah, it’s not like we’re new at this.”

And with the solid fanbase that they have, it’s not like they have to worry too much. Seokjin even recorded some meme songs as a joke that were so popular he won some awards for them. But it’s not like they don’t care about the quality of their music anymore – it’s just second nature to them now, and they’ve made their name mostly with the quality of their live sound, and not that of the studio version.

There’s a reason why they sell out their tours so fast.

“Can you hand me the screwdriver?” Yoongi asks some time later as they’re setting up the stand for one of the mics Jungkook ordered.

Jungkook scans the floor, locating said tool before grabbing it and giving it to his friend. Yoongi makes quick work of the screws, and soon enough, the mic is ready to go.

“Should we give it a try?” he asks as Yoongi sits back in one of the chairs they brought in here.

“Let me make sure it’s properly connected.”

It doesn’t take him too long to do so, and Jungkook sings a few lines from one of their older songs into the mic, a smile tilting his lips up as memories of last Friday night comes to mind.

It’s the song that played at the party, the one that led to him dancing with you. To you grinding on him, and he’s been replaying it in his mind constantly over the last few days. Even though he managed to fuck it up…

He’s starting to seriously hate Sara a lot for that. And he thinks that’s a good thing.

“Sometimes, I wonder why you aren’t a singer,” Yoongi says, an awed look on his features. “That was good.”

Jungkook waves him off, walking back to the production room. “Tell that to Taejin.”

Yoongi chuckles. “I don’t know why they’re making him work with us on this album. I hate his guts.”

Jungkook returns the sentiment with a nod and an annoyed scoff. “Don’t get me started.”

Yoongi doesn’t say anything, replaying the lines Jungkook recorded. It feels strange to hear his voice a cappella like that, yet Jungkook has to agree with him – he really nailed that shit. Though he scolds himself mentally for not holding the last note a little higher. Without music, it doesn’t show too much, but he knows it’s not the right key.

But if Yoongi doesn’t point it out, Jungkook won’t either. 

“Well then, that means you’re good to go,” Yoongi says. “Think you’ll record some songs in here?”

“We’ll see,” Jungkook replies. “I haven’t written anything in a while.”

Not since the solo album he released before his military service. And most of the songs from that album were inspired by his relationship with Sara, by the highs and lows of dating her, and he hasn’t found inspiration like that again.

Or maybe he has. Maybe he found it in a shiny gaze and a drunken dance, though it feels like a sin to write about you. You’re the writer – he doesn’t think he’d do a good enough job at writing about you. So for now, all he does is think about it late at night when he should be trying to sleep, and it makes his heart race like he’s back there with you, swaying to the beat of the music.

“Hello?” Yoongi lets out.

Jungkook shakes out of his reverie, blinking his eyes a few times. “Huh?”

“I asked how the afterparty was,” Yoongi says with a laugh. “Namjoon mentioned Sara was being a bitch.”

“When is she not…” Jungkook mumbles.

Yoongi, eyes wide, stares at him. “Did you really say that?”

Suddenly feeling defensive, Jungkook frowns, folding his arms on his chest. “Isn’t that what all of you guys think?”

“You know you would have killed me a month ago if I said something like that?”

Jungkook holds Yoongi’s gaze before shrugging his shoulders. “I guess I figured she’s not coming back this time.”

No. Not when Park Seojoon’s agency actually announced his relationship with Sara, making it far more official than Jungkook ever was with her.

“I’d say I’m sorry, but you know I’m not.”

Yoongi’s always been brutally honest, so Jungkook barely winces at his words. 

“I bet Tae’s going to be annoyed he has to see her again when he hangs out with his friends,” Yoongi adds, and Jungkook raises his eyebrows.

“She’s always been nice to you guys,” he points out. 

“But not to you,” Yoongi replies, with a gentler tone than Jungkook expected. “You know we didn’t like her because she was always hurting you, right?”

Jungkook shrugs, wishing he hadn’t finished his beer already. “She wasn’t always hurting me. We had good times too.”

He’s aware it sounds incredibly pathetic, and though he’d once have defended himself about her far more than this, he doesn’t really have the energy for it anymore.

“Yeah.” Yoongi says, glancing around the studio. “I’m just glad you’re finally moving on. You deserve it, JK.”

Jungkook doesn’t know what to say to that, so he just offers Yoongi a tight-lipped smile that makes Yoongi chuckle.

“Come on, Namjoon said you’ve been eyeing Jennie’s friend.”

Jungkook’s gaze widens, and he remembers how Namjoon actually disappeared when he’d been dancing with you. He’s not surprised the leader still gossiped about the moment though. He and Yoongi talk about everything after all.

“Excuse me?”

That makes Yoongi laugh, his gums showing from his wide smile. “Apparently, Jennie’s writer friend is pretty cute.”

When the silence stretches for too long to be comfortable, Jungkook figures Yoongi is expecting him to say something. So he says, “Yeah, I guess.”

Yoongi’s smile stretches more, if that’s even possible. “You’re smitten.”

“What?”

“You’re totally smitten.”

“Shut up,” Jungkook grumbles, looking away from Yoongi. His eyes stop on the production software, and on the single line from the recording of his voice. “I’m not.”

“You so are.”

Jungkook actually thinks that maybe he is. Maybe that’s why he’s been thinking about you since last Friday night, and maybe that’s why he’s starting to hate Sara. Because the thought of her made him hesitate when it comes to you, and he never should have hesitated.

“Bullshit,” he lets out, but it sounds weak even to his own ears.

“Give it a try,” Yoongi suggests, suddenly sounding far more serious. “You never know if things might work out.”

The only thing is, is he really ready for that? He’s attracted to you, yes, and he’s had more than one fantasy with you as the centerpiece, but he did hesitate with you last Friday night.

He doesn’t think you deserve someone that hesitates when it comes to you. You deserve someone that’s all in from the start. Maybe someone like Mingyu even, if that’s what your heart desires. You don’t deserve someone that’s been hung up over the same person for years. Yet, the thought of Mingyu with you, especially considering his intentions with girls in general…

It doesn’t quite sit right with Jungkook.

Thursday, June 19th

You’re sitting at the desk in your apartment, your laptop open in front of you as you wait for your agent to call you. You eye the pictures you’ve put up on the wall to try to make your living space livelier – it’s pictures of you and Jennie, and one that you found in your phone of you and your parents’ dog. You have pictures with Hyunseok too, whom you spent the evening with yesterday, having dinner with his boyfriend, and you even put some pictures from your latest book launch.

All in all, you’re unsure if it fits, but it feels like you, like home, and that’s all that you need. 

Your laptop starts ringing, a Zoom call incoming, and you join the call with a smile on your lips. Only to be met by Stella’s red eyes, and your heart drops to your ass.

“Is everything okay?” you ask, worry laced with adrenaline running through your blood.

“You know I hate when books don’t end well,” Stella comments, and she wipes a tear on her cheek. “Just finished this manuscript where the guy dies before he tells the girl he loves her and I’ve been in tears since then.” She grabs a tissue, dabbing her eyes and then blowing her nose. “You better not do this to me with your book.”

The way she says it is scolding, and you assume she’s also read the latest chapter of your book.

“She’ll be fine,” you reassure Stella. “It was just a scratch.”

“Don’t play with my feelings, girl.” Stella sighs, sitting back in her chair, but then a smile graces her lips. “I like that the mob boss came to the rescue.”

You couldn’t help yourself. You were stuck on how to make him appeal less… enemy-ish, and you figured that she needed to get hurt in front of him. And of course, as a very morally grey character, he immediately came to the rescue, killing the man – his man – that hurt her. Not in front of her though. 

She just found out about it when he took her home, letting her go and promising to keep watch on her. And maybe she should have found it scary, but the way he’d looked at her, fingers reaching for her but halting midway…

Let’s say that love triangle seems to be leaning on the wrong side all of a sudden. Because you don’t know how to make her be with the police officer anymore. He’s too moral, too righteous for her.

She loves a side of mystery. And the mob boss has it all, with the tattoos and the smirks and the cocky attitude.

And with the roses he gets delivered to her place every week, too,

“I knew you’d like it,” you tell Stella. “I think I’m starting to lean in his direction more.”

“I wanted to talk to you about that,” your agent admits. “What if…”

She stops talking, turning her head to the side as her name is said off screen. She’s at home, as you can tell by the painting that’s hanging on the wall behind her. You assume it’s Allie talking, and it’s confirmed when she comes into view.

“Hi, bubs,” Allie says, waving at you. “I hope you’re not the one that’s been making Stella cry.”

You chuckle. “You know I wouldn’t. I like my happy endings.”

“Period,” Allie says, winking at you. She then looks at Stella. “Dinner is served, but take your time.”

“Sorry, I got caught up in AJ’s manuscript. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done with Y/n.”

Allie nods, and they exchange a short kiss that makes you look to the side to offer them some sort of privacy. And then Allie waves you goodbye, and she walks away, disappearing from view.

“Sorry,” Stella says, blinking a few times as if trying to bring you back in focus. “What was I saying?”

A crease appears between your eyebrows as you think, and then you say, “I mentioned that I was leaning towards the mob boss more now, and you were going to say something about that.”

Recognition lights up in your agent’s gaze. “Right!” She smiles, mischief shining in her eyes. “What if we get rid of the police officer all together?”

You raise your eyebrows. “What?”

“He’s not Cal,” she points out, Cal being the nickname of the mob boss. 

“That is kind of the point,” you say with a laugh. “But I actually have figured it out already.”

Stella leans forward, her interest clearly piqued. “Yeah?”

You nod. “He’s going to start acting shady.”

Stella looks at you like you just dropped a bomb. A confusing one, though. “And?”

“Well,” you let out with a shrug. “You’re going to have to keep reading to find out.”

“That’s unfair, you haven’t even written it yet.”

You laugh, and then you reach forward, moving your mouse until you can click on the share screen logo. Stella lets out a squeal, and she authorizes you to share. It doesn’t take too long before the page you wrote today appears, and you wait in silence as Stella goes over the line.

“You genius bitch!” she exclaims as soon as she finishes reading. “Yes! The readers will love it.”

“I told you!”

“But that’s a bold change from the initial book,” she says. “Are you sure you feel comfortable with pushing through with it?”

You nod. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” you admit. “I just feel like it makes more sense like this.”

“And people won’t quite see it coming.” Stella nods, tapping her chin. “Yes, I approve of this. Do you think you can get the first draft almost finished by the end of the month?”

Her words spark anxiety in you. “That’s in like… two weeks.”

“You’re already more than halfway in,” she points out. “The publisher wants to have a schedule for publishing.”

You have half a thought to say ‘Screw them’, but you hold it in. Especially when they’ve been doing such a good job with your earlier books.

“I can get you twenty thousand words by then,” you say, though you think that might be overestimating your capacities by a lot. But then again, you wrote Love in the End in less than a month, and the book is more than seventy thousand words long. 

Surely you can do it again.

“That should be almost climax,” Stella says as she frowns, like she’s trying to do the maths. “I think I can sell them that. But first draft needs to be fully done in July. They want the book out by the end of the year.”

Your throat dries out, and you give her a nod. “That doesn’t give us a lot of time for edits.”

“Well, they remember how little of it we had to edit with LitE,” she points out. “Their standards are higher now.”

You pull at your lower lip, dry skin coming off almost instantly. It slightly tastes like blood, but you don’t let it show. “Okay,” you say, nodding with what you hope is confidence. “I’ll try to get the book done by the end of the month, then.”

Which means you are going to have to lock in and focus on that and that only. If you write three thousand words a day, you should be good. 

“That’s even better,” Stella says. She gives you a gentle smile, and then adds, “I’m sorry for putting that pressure on you. They just want to be able to ride that wave of fame you’ve been surrounded in.”

You get it. You totally do. Your Instagram comments are flooded with people asking about what you’re writing now, and Stella even has an interview scheduled for you next week to start giving people some hints.

“That makes sense.” You sigh, looking outside the window to your side. The building outside looks just the same as it always does, and you wish you had a better view of Seoul from here. It’d be a lot more inspiring. “Can you send me the questions for the interview next week?”

Stella’s brow furrows as she leans closer. She looks around her screen, and you wait for her to say, “I thought I had sent it already, my bad.”

“No worries,” you reassure her, your email dinging with an incoming message. You open it, opening the file with the questions. You quickly read through them, not quite paying attention.

Not when Stella adds, “I’m proud of you, by the way.”

Your gaze widens. “Where is that coming from?” 

“You’ve been doing great in Korea,” she replies. “I was a little worried initially, but you were right. It was the right move.”

You don’t know what to say, so you just awkwardly sit there for a time, holding her gaze through the computer screen.

“Thanks?” you finally say.

She laughs. “Of course. I’m really excited for you to finish this book. It’s going to be huge.”

“I hope so.”

She’s grinning when she says, “I just know it.”

*****

“You owe me something,” you tell Jennie as you get in her car. 

She looks at you, her Gentle Monster sunglasses sitting prettily on her nose. “Shut up, it’ll be fun.”

“Do you know how to sing?” you ask. “You said it was karaoke.”

She looks around, making sure that it’s safe to drive, and then she turns on the avenue next to your building. “It’s a party, and there will be karaoke.”

“Girl, I’m not singing.”

Jennie laughs, glancing at you. “You honestly probably won’t have to. Jungkook invited a bunch of singers anyway.”

Which makes sense, considering he’s from the music scene. Another reason why you feel like you shouldn’t go.

You have nothing to do with that crowd.

“But what if they make me sing?” you ask. “Everyone will need to cover their ears.”

“I’ll sing worse than you.” Jennie stops at a red light, looking at you. “Easy.”

“I’ve heard you rap, and I know for a fact that you can sing too. You’re too talented.”

She bursts out laughing. “Shut up.”

You wince, fiddling with the strap of your purse in your lap. You’ve spent the afternoon writing, and you would have rather stayed home to write some more, but you told Jennie you would go to the party, and you felt bad saying that you couldn’t anymore.

So you sucked it up, and here you are. Though… you honestly have been looking forward to the party too. Ever since Jennie mentioned it, and questioned you about Jungkook, you’ve been wanting to see him again, just to see if you imagined what happened last Friday, or if he truly hates you.

Though hate feels like too strong of a word here. You don’t think Jungkook has any grounds to hate you, but you’ve always felt like he dislikes you. Hell, you’re almost convinced of it. But Jennie believes he doesn’t, and you kind of want to see it for yourself.

If only because you were a fan when you were younger, and you’d hate for him to hate you, to be this version of himself that you can’t reconcile with the one you were a fan of.

“Are you sure Jungkook will be okay with me being there, though?” you ask Jennie.

She turns on the street she’d said was Jungkook’s street, throwing you a quick look. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you. My bet is you’ll be grinding on him again by the end of the night.”

“Jennie!”

She laughs, slowing down to a stop as an elderly lady crosses the street. “It’ll be fine,” she says, her tone reassuring. “There will be a lot of people anyway.”

You tongue the inside of your cheek, nodding curtly. “Alright. But if he’s weird, I’m leaving.”

Jennie starts driving again. “When is he not weird, though?”

You chuckle, slightly shaking your head. “Never.”

That makes her laugh, and then a song starts on the radio that she seems to love, and she cranks up the volume until you’re both singing along, the conversation dying as you finish the drive to Jungkook’s place. 

Like Jennie mentioned earlier this week, Jungkook’s house is actually pretty close to where you live, so you reach it before the song ends. Some bodyguards are stationed outside the house, and a group of people you assume to be fans are standing on the other side of the street, looking towards the door. Some of them are taking pictures, and you’re thankful for Jennie’s tinted windows as she stops in front of the house.

Jungkook’s house is huge. You’re not surprised, not with the amount of money he has, but it strangely looks like a villain’s lair, with all black walls and what looks like an actual wall around the house in and of itself. You reckon it has to be to keep people out – those fans look like they’d give anything to go in – and it hits you how creepy it is.

Why would people just come to his house like this?

One of the bodyguards walks to Jennie’s car, and she lowers the window enough to be able to talk to him. He nods at what she says, and then the garage door opens, and Jennie turns into the tunnel leading underground. It leads to a large garage that is roughly the same size as the house, though it’s fully open, and a few cars are already parked. There’s also a motorcycle in a corner, and you smile at the sight.

The mob boss in your book also rides a motorcycle.

Jennie parks her car next to a large SUV, and you both get out at the same time. 

“Jungkook said to just go up the stairs,” she says as she looks at her phone. “They’re in the first basement.”

“What the fuck?”

Jennie laughs. “Yeah, I had the exact same reaction. JK really got a huge ass house ‘cause he hates going outside.”

It’s your turn to laugh, and then Jennie is opening the door that leads to the stairs, and you can hear music playing. Some people are singing over it, which is confirmed as you climb up the stairs and Jennie pushes open the door that you find there, too. 

The basement is large, though not quite as large as the parking lot. It’s dark, yet somehow cosy, with a bar against a wall and a large screen in one corner. The screen is showing the lyrics of a song, and you notice some girls singing, mics in hand.

It only hits you then that Jungkook has an actual karaoke set in his house, and it’s not just the ones you can find on YouTube.

As you walk in, a few heads turn your way. Mingyu, Lisa, and Eunwoo see you first, and Mingyu walks over to greet you.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you,” he says, beaming at you. He pulls you into a short hug before stepping back. “You look fantastic.”

“Thank you,” you say, and then he’s moving towards Jennie to greet her too.

As he does so, you scan the basement, looking for a familiar face that you have yet to see. It occurs to you then how strange the basement looks. Like this house is truly the lair of some villain, with black paint covering the walls and all furniture being dark as well. It would be gloomy if it weren’t for the cheerful song the girls are singing.

You notice movement to the side, and you see Jungkook as he finishes walking down the stairs that lead to the ground floor. Your gazes catch, and you think you forget how to breathe for a second.

He’s wearing light pants along with a dress shirt that seems to be silky. He looks like a model straight out of a Channel magazine, and it’s such a different look on him than the usual darker attire you’re used to that you can’t stop staring. 

He looks amazing. Like a prince from a Disney movie, as if  his house isn’t fully black. The contrast with his living space is stark, and makes him all the more enticing. You wonder why he’s wearing nice clothes such as those – he looks like he’s about to shoot for something important.

And he doesn’t look away either. His eyes dip down your frame, drinking you in, and you shiver under his attention. It doesn’t help that it’s cold, the AC turned up too high for your liking, and you can see the moment his eyes stop on your perked nipples through the fabric of your summer dress.

And then you go hot, like molten lava. Because he’s looking at you like there’s just you in this room, and he’s about to jump on you. His eyes find yours again, and a muscle feathers under the skin of his jaw as he clenches his teeth, and then he’s frowning.

He’s frowning like he’s angry you’re here, and you reckon you were right.

Jeon Jungkook doesn’t like you.

“Do you want a drink?” Mingyu asks, breaking the eye contact with Jungkook as your gaze settles on him instead.

Jennie isn’t next to you anymore, as Taehyung appeared from somewhere. They both moved to the bar, and you nod, swallowing around the lump in your throat. 

You tell yourself it doesn’t matter if Jeon Jungkook doesn’t like you. You already knew it after all. Yet you feel uncomfortable, your heart somehow straining in your chest as you follow Mingyu to the bar and he makes you a lychee martini.

Until you become keenly aware of Jungkook standing next to you, and you throw him a quick look.

“Didn’t know you were going to be here,” he says.

The words are clipped, and your gaze drops to the floor. “Jennie insisted.”

“Did she?” he lets out, looking at her.

She’s noticed the interaction, and she shrugs her shoulders. “You didn’t say I couldn’t bring a plus one.”

Jungkook says something in Korean that makes Jennie scoff. She replies with the same annoyed tone, and you feel so unwelcomed that you pull your phone out of your purse.

“I’ll just go home.”

“No!”

The word came from Jungkook’s mouth, and you meet his gaze. He looks just as surprised as you that he said it, and he just stares at you for a few painful heartbeats.

“You can stay,” he says then, and he offers you a small smile that seems far too forced for it to be genuine. 

You gulp. “It’s fine, I’ll call a cab.”

“You really shouldn’t,” Jungkook insists.

Mingyu hands you your glass. “Just ignore this asshole,” he tells you. “He’s been a dick all day.”

“Yeah, what’s up with you?” Jennie asks, her eyebrows almost touching over her eyes. 

Jungkook sighs, and you feel his eyes on you as you take a sip of your lychee martini. It’s a lot better than you expected it to be, but then again the bottles of alcohol that Mingyu used look a lot fancier than what you are used to.

“Just annoyed that those fans are outside again,” he mumbles.

“Oh, that’s what you went up to do,” Mingyu says. “Are they the same people as last time?”

You frown, looking between Jungkook and Mingyu. The same people as last time?

“I don’t know,” Jungkook says in Korean. “There’s been people nearly every day this week.”

“Call the police,” Taehyung says, his deep velvety voice stern, like he’s scolding Jungkook.

It feels strange with the context, but then again maybe he’s just trying to help.

“Already did,” Jungkook admits. “That’s what I went up to do.”

There’s a short silence, and it feels heavy, like there isn't a group of people currently singing ‘Gangnam Style’ just a few meters away.

“But yeah,” Jungkook says, and you slightly tense as you realize he’s talking to you. “Please don’t leave while there are people outside.”

His words make it seem like he still wants you to leave, and you wish you could disappear through the floor. 

You offer him a nod. “Okay.” 

“She’s not leaving at all,” Jennie says, walking towards you. She grabs your phone, putting it back in your purse. “We’re here for karaoke, and you better leave her alone.”

“Woah, I’m not…” you trail off as she grabs your hand, pulling you towards the group in front of the large screen.

You almost spill your glass on the way, but you manage to save your precious drink. To your surprise, the three men also follow you, though Jungkook lingers in the back as he checks something on his phone.

Jennie greets the group, and they all wave and bow at you. You return the gesture, waving a little harder at Rosé as you see her standing towards the back with one of the karaoke mics in hand.

“Is the drink good?” Mingyu asks as he moves closer to you, gaining your attention.

“Yeah.” You make a show of taking a good sip. “Yeah, but I genuinely think I should go.”

Mingyu shakes his head, throwing a disapproving look towards Jungkook. “Just ignore him,” he tells you. “He’s been a dick to everyone ever since we got here.”

“I mean…” you trail off, and you glance at him. He’s worrying at his piercings, and he looks up just in time to catch you looking. “Can you blame him? This has to be stressful.”

“Oh, definitely,” Mingyu agrees. “People need to learn a thing or two about boundaries. But the police will do their job.”

You nod, hoping that they do. Because, even if Jungkook clearly dislikes you, he doesn’t deserve this stress.

“Wanna sit?” Mingyu asks after a few seconds of silence where Jennie hugs Rosé and Lisa.

“Sure, let’s.” 

You settle on the large L-shaped couch, next to a pile of expensive looking purses that the girls in the room have all discarded there. You add yours to the pile even though it’s not designer like the rest of them, and then you look up to see Jennie standing in front of you.

“Move, I wanna sit with you.” 

You chuckle, scooting closer to Mingyu, your thigh pressing against his before he moves to the side too. And then Jennie plops down next to you, resting her head on your shoulder.

“Sorry about JK,” she says, pouting. “That was indeed really fucking weird of him.”

You don’t know why, but you feel the need to defend him. “I mean, I kind of get it. He seems stressed.”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “But he shouldn’t take it out on you. Or anyone.”

You look to the side, trying to find Jungkook, and you catch sight of him at the bar with Taehyung. Taehyung is mixing a drink, and Jungkook pulls two beers out of a mini-fridge.

“Now, you get what I mean though, right?” you ask her.

She nods against your shoulder. “Yeah. But seriously, don’t let it get to your head. He’ll warm up.”

“Like last Friday,” Mingyu says from the other side of you.

Your cheeks burn. “Nothing happened last Friday.”

“Yes, of course not.” You narrow your gaze at Mingyu, and he just laughs. “You definitely did not dance with him.”

“I danced with you guys too!”

“Not like that,” Mingyu points out, though you’re pretty sure you did in fact dance with him like that too.

“You’re annoying.”

Mingyu pinches your cheek, and you swat him away. 

“Leave my poor girl alone,” Jennie says as she leans forward to look at Mingyu. “We’re just here to have fun.”

“So am I,” he replies with a grin. “I’m always ready for some fun.”

“I don’t know if that was disgusting or not,” Jennie deadpans, and you snort.

Mingyu frowns. “I did not mean it like that, you weirdo.”

“Of course not,” she innocently replies, and you all laugh, the tension from earlier finally fading away.

The song Rosé was singing finishes then, and she walks towards your trio, handing a mic to Jennie. “You guys should sing something, we need a break.”

The two girls she was singing with seem to agree, and they give you and Mingyu the other mics before going through the pile of purses, probably on the search for their own. Apart from them, there’s five other people sitting on the other side of the couch – Lisa and Eunwoo being a part of them – which makes this party a lot more intimate than you expected it to be.

At least, that’s what you think for the first hour, but then more people start arriving, and Jungkook’s basement slowly starts to fill up. You end up singing a few karaoke songs with Jennie and the others, Taehyung joining you after the first one. 

But Jungkook never joins, and you just know it’s because of you.

At least that’s what you tell yourself when you catch him looking your way as you’re winding down on the couch from one of the more energetic songs that Jennie insisted you sing with her.

He gives you a small smile, and this time it seems a little more genuine.

Maybe Mingyu was right – Jungkook just needs some time to warm up. But then again, why does he seem so friendly with everyone else but you?

*****

Jungkook fucked up earlier. He realized it the second he spoke to you, making you believe he wanted you to leave.

Hell, he was just embarrassed because he got semi-hard at the sight of you, and Mingyu definitely noticed him staring at you. But of course he had to be rude to you when he was just trying to greet you without you knowing how affected he was at the sight of you.

It’s that damn dress. It’s similar to the one he first saw you in, though it’s pink, with some flowers going down on one side. It hugs your body perfectly, and he just…

You’re a sight to see. You always are, but even more so tonight. But maybe that’s just because you’re in his house, and last Friday, you were grinding on him and he was touching your waist, and breathing in that sweet perfume of yours…

“They gone?” Taehyung asks as he leans on the bar next to him.

Jungkook shakes out of his reverie, glancing at his older friend. “Yeah.”

“Then why do you still look so pressed?”

His eyebrows knit together. “I’m not pressed.”

“Well come with us, then,” Taehyung says, motioning towards Jennie, Mingyu and you. 

Even Eunwoo, Lisa, and her friends are dancing and singing with you now, yet Jungkook feels awkward.

Maybe because Mingyu’s hands were all over you a second ago as you sang a duet that had no business being so sensual.

“Ah, I don’t know,” Jungkook lets out.

“Is it because of Y/n?”

Jungkook turns his head towards Taehyung so fast his neck hurts. “No?”

“What’s up with her?”

Taehyung’s question makes Jungkook gulp. “Nothing?”

“Dude, you basically told her to leave earlier.”

“That was a misunderstanding.”

Taehyung throws him a no-bullshit look. “Jennie mentioned it’s not the first time you’ve been weird with Y/n.”

Jungkook toys with his piercings, folding his arms on his chest. “What?”

“I don’t know, man, that’s just what Jennie said.” They both look at you as you laugh at something Mingyu said, and Mingyu wraps an arm around your shoulder in a half-hug. “You into her?”

Jungkook chokes on his saliva, coughing a couple of times. “No.”

“Oh, you are.” Taehyung laughs. “Holy shit, I forgot how awkward you get with girls you have a crush on.”

“I’m not awkward with girls.”

Taehyung raises an eyebrow, and his silence is far more telling than any words.

“Okay, maybe sometimes I’m awkward with girls,” Jungkook agrees. “I’m not like you guys.”

Meaning Taehyung and the other members of the group.

“You know a hell of a fucking lot of women in this world would beg on their knees to have a drop of your attention, right?” Taehyung reminds him. “You don’t even need to do anything. Just be yourself.”

“The problem is, I keep fucking up,” Jungkook admits. “I don’t think I’m ready.”

And that’s another one of the reasons why he’s stayed away from his friends so far. Not only because he fucked up with you earlier, but also because he still thinks about Sara. And he had a notification that she started streaming earlier, and he’s had half a thought to ask everyone to leave if only so that he can watch her stream instead.

“Maybe she can just be a distraction,” Taehyung says. “It doesn’t have to be anything serious.”

“Bro, I don’t think she wants anything to do with me.”

Taehyung looks your way. You’re now sitting on the couch, and Mingyu still has an arm wrapped around your shoulders. Jungkook’s heart squeezes at the sight.

“Yeah actually, you might be right.”

Jungkook almost feels betrayed by Taehyung’s words, but he keeps it to himself.

“I just…” He searches for his words, sighing deeply as he plays with his piercings. “I just wish I wasn’t thinking about Sara anymore.”

“Best way to forget someone is to get under someone else,” Taehyung says. He taps Jungkook on the shoulder, leaning down to retrieve two beers from the mini-fridge. “Come.”

He offers one of the beers to Jungkook, who just looks down at it like it’s foreign. But then he says fuck it, grabs it, and opens it on the side of the counter, the cap flying somewhere else in the room. 

Taehyung laughs at the sight. “There he is.”

He opens his own beer with the bottle opener, and then they clink their bottles before taking a long swig. The beer is tastefully bitter, and Jungkook swallows the cool liquid, letting it tame down the accelerating beats of his heart.

And before he can tell himself to stop, he walks toward you and Mingyu and the rest of his friends, joining the circle with a smile on his lips. He tells himself to be normal, and if they think he’s being weird, no one mentions it.

But you stay sitting on the couch with Mingyu, talking about something he can’t hear, and Mingyu is rubbing your arm. It’s almost intimate – there are goosebumps all over your arms, and Jungkook frowns at the sight.

You look up, and your gazes meet, and Jungkook gulps, raising his beer. You smile, though it seems like more of a reflex than anything, because a second after, you’re looking away.

Jungkook reckons it’s fine. He was rude to you earlier, and he’s just glad you decided to stay. He’ll try and talk to you later to apologize. With that thought, he allows himself to loosen up with his friends. He even ends up singing a bunch of songs while Eunwoo and Taehyung cheer for him, and all the anxiety he’s been plagued with slowly dissipates like fog in the morning sun.

For a blessed moment, Jungkook forgets about the fans that were outside again. He forgets he was short with you, and he drinks and dances and sings like he’s always loved to do. Mingyu eventually gets up to enjoy the fun, too, though Jungkook doesn’t approach you just yet. But you look happy, smiling at him when he glances at you, and he thinks maybe all is not fucked.

At least he hopes so. 

So he asks you, “Do you wanna sing something?” 

Your gaze widens. “No, I’m good.”

He hides his disappointment with a nod of his head, turning away from you almost immediately. Taehyung catches him looking, and then motions towards you.

Jungkook turns again to see you walking away, down the hall that leads to the gym.

And he knows what he has to do this time around. So he jogs after you, though you’ve had time to walk into the gym before he reaches you. He walks in behind you, and you run into him as you turn around.

“Shit, sorry,” you say as you step back. “I thought this was the bathroom.”

“It’s at the end of the hallway,” he informs you.

You nod, staring at him. And he stares at you – the light is dim in the gym as he’s only left the light above the mirrors on. He’s relieved the gym is empty, and he thanks the stars.

Now he can finally apologize.

“Can I–” you start at the same time as he says, “Hey.”

“You first,” he says.

You blink once, and then sigh. “Can I go?”

“To the bathroom? Yeah, of course, why couldn’t you?”

A line appears between your brows. “Well, move?”

Jungkook only then realizes that he’s standing in the middle of the doorway. But instead of stepping aside, he steps closer to you. You take a step back, and he halts.

“I just,” he starts, gulping. “I’d just like to apologize.”

“What for?”

“For being rude earlier,” he says.

You fold your arms on your chest. “Okay.”

Okay? That’s all you’re going to say?

“It was uncalled for,” he adds. “And I didn’t want you to go. I was just surprised to see you.”

“Surprised?” you scoff. “You don’t have to pretend you like me when it’s just us two, Jungkook. You’ve made it very clear on a lot of occasions that you don’t like me.”

The words stab him right in the chest. “That’s not true.”

You laugh, and it drips with venom he’s never perceived from you before. “Listen, you were a dick the night we met with all that NDA shit and then wanting to leave me out drunk on the sidewalk. And then you’ve just been weird every time I’ve seen you, and I’m genuinely really tired of it.”

Your words are slightly slurred. He wonders if you’re just as tipsy as him, but then the meaning of what you said hits him.

“I’ve been weird?” he lets out, and he hates that he’s insulted.

It’s one thing when Taehyung calls him out, but it’s another when it’s you.

“I get that your ex was a bitch last week, but you didn’t have to just leave me hanging.”

He sees red. He doesn’t know why or how, but he sees red.

He always does when it comes to Sara.

“Don’t fucking call her a bitch.”

You look taken aback by his words, and you scowl. “Excuse me? She was fucking someone in the bathroom and just winked at you after. That is peak bitch behaviour.”

He takes a step closer to you, and you stand your ground, tilting your head back to hold his gaze. You look defiant, and there’s something in the way your eyes bore through his that makes Jungkook’s blood heat up.

“Okay, sure, she was a bitch,” he says. “Why would you care?”

“You seemed upset.”

He hates that you noticed. “Well, it’s none of your business.”

There’s a silence while you just widen your gaze, and then you’re scoffing again, shaking your head. “And you said you came here to apologize?”

The reminder of the purpose of this conversation is like a cold shower. “I did.”

“You’ve got a weird fucking way to apologize, Jeon Jungkook.”

You take a step to the side like you’re going to leave, but he moves with you.

“Let me start again,” he says, afraid you’ll leave and he’ll lose his chance with you.

You laugh. It’s cold, cruel, and he’s such a fucking loser.

“No, I’m good. This is useless.”

“It’s not.” He sighs, his eyes dropping to your mouth before going back to your gaze. Your shiny gaze, lit from within by anger, is ready to destroy him. “I’m sorry if I’ve been weird with you. I’m not used to new people in my friend group.”

“You’re twenty-eight years old. Why does it matter?”

“It shouldn’t. It doesn’t.” He wets his lips. “Hence why I’m apologizing.”

“You don’t have to,” you reply. “Some people just don’t get along, and that’s okay. We don’t have to get along.”

Jungkook feels at a loss for words. He just looks at you, because he doesn’t know how to tell you. How to say that despite being hung up over his ex, you’ve still managed to make a home for yourself in his thoughts.

“Let’s just start again,” he suggests, and he wonders if he’ll have to beg for you to understand. 

You tilt your head to the side. “Why? You don’t have to like me, Jungkook.”

“That’s not…” He runs a hand through his hair, sucking on his piercings. “I think you’re hot. And every time I look at you, my brain just fucking short-circuits, and I don’t know how to act anymore. I don’t not like you.”

The anger fades from your gaze, replaced by surprise. “Sorry?”

“I’m really fucking attracted to you,” Jungkook adds. “I don’t know how to make it simpler.”

“You’re a fucking dick.”

That is not the reaction he was expecting. At all. It stuns him enough that he lets you walk around him. But he grabs your wrist before you can get much further away, and then he’s pulling you towards him.

You don’t resist. As a matter of fact, he thinks you propel yourself at him, and then your lips find his.

*****

You’re kissing Jeon Jungkook. You were mad, and then he said what he said, and you decided to kiss him. It’s probably the dumbest decision you’ve ever made, but this conversation was confusing, and fuck he’s been looking good all night.

And he tastes just as good. Like the beer he was drinking, with a slight aftertaste of cigarettes from when he and Taehyung went smoking earlier. But there’s something that’s him, a taste you can’t describe but feels so addictive you know you won’t be able to pull away. His lips are soft, gentle, though they grow insistent as his hands find your waist, and he pulls you closer.

You’re holding onto the collar of his shirt – satin, you were right – wrinkling the fabric from how hard you’re gripping it. And you kiss him harder, not wanting the gentleness he started with. No, you want it rough. 

You want something to match the anger you felt up until he said he’s attracted to you. Even though it makes no sense to you.

But he’s kissing you, and you melt under his touch until he’s pushing you back against the wall, and one of his hands leaves your waist to find the door next to you. He slams it shut, and you hear him fumbling for a little longer as he locks it. 

You bite at his lower lip, and Jungkook groans, and you go feral.

You jump, wrapping your legs around his waist, and he presses you against the wall until the length of him is pressing between your legs. He’s hard, already, and you moan at the feeling of him.

How the fuck did you get here?

Jungkook’s head dips in the crook of your neck, and his teeth bite down just enough for you to whimper, and then he’s sucking on the skin, and you melt and melt like ice cream in the sun. His lips leave a trail of hot, wet kisses up your neck, and then he’s kissing you again, his tongue parting your lips to find yours.

He grinds into you, and the friction of his dick against you makes you moan. 

“Fuck,” you let out as you lean your head against the door. 

His hands are all over your ass, and your dress has ridden high enough on your thighs that it’s skin against skin, and you feel the calluses of his palms on you. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers through his heavy breathing.

You grab his face, pulling him closer again, and then he’s kissing you like he’s a man starved in the middle of the desert. He kisses you like he’ll die if he doesn’t, and you think you might die when he stops. 

It’s overwhelming. Your heart is in overdrive, and you don’t think you’re breathing. Just drinking him in, feeling him against you and fuck, you think you’re soaking through your panties.

You run your hands through his hair, pulling at the strands at the back of his head. He grunts, gripping your ass harder, and then one of his hands moves between your legs, and he touches the apex of your thighs. It’s a gentle touch, barely there, yet you still moan.

“You’re soaked,” he says, sounding surprised.

“Do something about it.”

He pulls away, his eyes meeting yours. His cheeks are flushed, and he’s dishevelled, but he still looks so fucking good you’ll likely go insane.

He touches between your legs again, this time right on your clit, and you lean your head against the wall again, taking a deep breath.

“You want it?” he asks.

Consent. You didn’t expect him to seek consent right now when he’s already felt how wet you are for him, but that makes you respect him more, and want him even more.

“Please,” you beg.

He curses in Korean, and then he’s pushing your panties to the side, and he immediately dips a long finger inside of you. You cry out, and he grunts as he arches his finger, finding a sweet spot inside of you.

“Careful, we wouldn’t want people to hear,” he whispers, voice low and husky.

You nod, and his finger slips out of you before moving up to your clit. He traces a circle around it, and you feel so sensitive you think you might come already. You squirm, and Jungkook lightly taps your clit.

“I mean it,” he says, and then he pushes two fingers inside of you, and you bite down on your tongue to keep from moaning out loud. “I’m sorry for giving you the wrong impression.”

He fucks you with his fingers, squelching sounds echoing around you as he increases the speed on and on until you swear he’s surrounded with stars. And you try to make sense of his apology, but everything is fuzzy and going so fast and he feels so, so good.

“Jungkook,” you let out on a soft moan. 

He slows down. “Yes?”

“Feels good.”

He wets his lips, and then he nods. “You like it like this?” he asks. You nod. “Is it better like this?”

He arches his fingers, finding the sweet spot from earlier, and now you know you’re seeing stars. You moan, loud enough that he moves forward to capture your lips into a kiss, and you hold on to his neck as he fingers you harder, his thumb finding your clit. 

You’re going to come. Hell, you haven’t had action in so long and he knows what he’s doing far too well for you to resist the pleasure. You don’t even think you could.

“You’re so fucking wet,” Jungkook whispers in your mouth, and you sloppily kiss him, your tongues dancing together.

Your high nears, and you’re pulling at his hair again, and the sound of Jungkook’s grunt mixed with the sinful movement of his fingers sends you over the edge until you’re barreling into your orgasm at full speed.

You see white. And you moan, loud, though Jungkook swallows it as he kisses you. He keeps fingering you through your high, and you’re hit by wave after wave of it until you feel like putty in his hands. 

“That was quick,” Jungkook says once he’s milked your orgasm out of you. “Thought I’d have to work harder to have you come all over me.”

You’ve thrown your head back against the wall once more as you came, and your eyes flutter open so you can look at him. He’s got a small, satisfied smirk on his lips, and you wish you were strong enough to push him away for it.

Instead, you moan when he replaces your panties, slapping your pussy once before he lets you fall back down on unsteadily legs. You hold yourself up on him, and he kisses you one more time as you sway.

And then it all hits you. All at once, you realize that Jungkook, as a matter of fact, does not dislike you. Quite the opposite, actually. And you just kissed and he fingered you and you came all over his expensive pants. 

You pull away from the kiss, running a hand over the wrinkled fabric of his shirt.

“Shit, I’m…” you trail off, gulping. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

You look down between the two of you. “For this.” You shut your eyes. “We shouldn’t have done that.”

Jungkook freezes, growing stiff under your touch. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to push a boundary.”

“No, you’re good,” you reassure him. “I just… I think I should go.”

He just looks down at you, lips slightly parted. They’re swollen from all the kissing, but goddamn you just kissed Jeon Jungkook and he made you come and you need to leave before you make a fool of yourself.

“Sorry,” you repeat, patting his chest.

He gets the memo, taking a step back. You readjust your dress, wincing when you catch sight of how wet his pants are. 

“Really sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he says, in Korean. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Glad to know uh…” you trail off, looking to the side to see a wall lined with mirrors. Anyone that takes a look at you will instantly know you’ve just had one of the best, if not the best, orgasms of your life. “That you don’t dislike me.”

He remains silent this time, and he looks entirely stunned as you look at him. You can barely hold his gaze, so you look to the other side. The door is still closed, and you reach for it. Jungkook is faster, unlocking it for you with his clean hand, and then he opens it.

“I’ll see you around?” you say like a question.

“Yes, yes,” he replies.

You start to leave, but then you stop in the doorway, turning to look at him. 

“And Jungkook?”

“Yeah?” he says, and you watch his Adam’s apple bob on a swallow.

“Thank you for apologizing.”

He nods. “Of course.”

“Yeah.” You wet your lips, and you can still taste him. “Okay, I’ll go.”

You turn back around, and you leave before Jeon Jungkook has had time to say anything else.

Prev | Next

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mmmmmmmmmh... so what did we think of this chapter?? anyone saw this coming? let me know!!

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 3 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, some chapters have mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: alcohol, cursing, taehyung being taehyung again, sara, anxiety because of papparazzi, jungkook is still an awkward mess honestly, mentions of smoking, a dance🤭, sasaengs

☆word count: 12.4k

☆a/n: in honor of the arirang tour starting, here's a new chapter! thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Thursday, June 5th

“I love what you’ve got so far.”

Stella is beaming at you from the other side of the Zoom call, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiles. 

“This book is going to be amazing,” she adds. “I can even see it getting adapted to a movie at some point.”

You wince. “We’ll see about that,” you say. “I don’t know if I want to see my book on a screen.”

Especially considering that a lot of authors aren’t even listened to by directors and the movie differs from the book far too much.

“Fair.” Stella glances to the side, where you see her assistant bringing in a stack of paper that looks like a manuscript. You know it isn’t yours, and Stella puts it aside. “But you’re still doing good work. I like the idea of her getting kidnapped and him rescuing her.”

You nod once. Indeed, Mingyu’s idea did inspire you, though you changed it in the end to her being kidnapped alone and not with him. It just made more sense, as he’s supposed to be undercover and it’s still more so the beginning of the book.

“You know…” Stella trails off. “I feel like a good amount of people will love the mob boss.”

“Everybody always loves a morally grey character,” you agree. “He’s fun to write.”

“And fun to read.” Stella chuckles. “I fear I like him more than the police officer already.”

You see where the conversation is going, so you purse your lips before saying, “Which might become a problem.”

“You get it,” Stella says with a nod, looking relieved that she didn’t have to tell you herself. “They really just have some weird chemistry, no?”

They do. Somehow, the first time the main character and the mob boss talked, sparks flew. Which is why you’re unsure if you’ll keep the scene as it is – you don’t want readers to want him over the police officer.

“Yeah…” You sigh, glancing outside the tall window to your right. You’re sitting at the small desk in your apartment, and all you can see is the building outside the window. It’s raining right now, and droplets of water are racing each other on the window. “I can try to start again.”

Stella’s eyes are wide when you look back towards her. “Don’t!” The word was a little loud, and she chuckles before adding, “Don’t. I think you should explore this.”

You frown. “How?”

“Make it a love triangle,” Stella suggests. “I bet people would go crazy for it.”

“Or I could make it a why choose thing,” you joke, but Stella seems far too interested.

“You could!” She claps her hands. “I bet that would sell a lot.”

“Stella, I’m not doing a why choose trope,” you tell her sternly, almost like you’re scolding her. “Not that there is nothing wrong with it, but it’s not my vibe.”

No, you usually write friends to lovers or enemies to lovers. Which might be one of the reasons why you struggle so much with the connection between the police officer and the main character – strangers to lovers is a trope you have yet to master.

“I know,” Stella says, and she sighs longingly. “I’ll convince you on the next book, I swear.”

You snort, knowing she might very well put that in your contract. Just because she loves it so much. You wouldn’t even be surprised if the manuscript on her desk is such a trope.

“We’ll see about that.” Your phone vibrates, and you flip it so that you can see the screen. 

It’s Jennie sending you the information for a Calvin Klein event she was invited to, one she asked you to tag along with her. Mostly because she hates going to those alone, and you’ve been hanging out so much in the last two weeks it only feels natural for her to invite you now.

Or at least that’s what you think it is. And you have an inkling as to why she appreciates your friendship so much. All of her other friends are friends with her ex as well, and it has to be awkward sometimes.

You’re not quite sure you’d be able to be friends with someone that’s still friends with Josh. Which is a good thing – none of your friends actually ever liked him, so you really don’t have to worry about it.

“Well then, think about the love triangle,” Stella says. “Could be a good way to keep the readers engaged throughout the book.”

As if all the action you’ve been packing in the latest scenes isn’t enough. Though you get it – you too love some love triangle action, as long as it doesn’t become too much. And you feel like it would become too much in your book’s setting far too quickly for you to actually try it out.

But the mob boss… There’s something about him. Something dark, something mysterious, like maybe he’s just misunderstood. You reckon it has to be the sleeve of tattoos, or the way he’s cold toward the main character, but never hurtful…

You don’t want to do Stockholm’s syndrome though. You’re not a dark romance kind of person, and you doubt you’d be able to do it justice…

But there’s nothing wrong with exploring some enemies to lovers' energy, isn’t there?

Friday, June 6th

Jungkook doesn’t remember the last time they were all together. They’ve been in and out of the studio for weeks now, but somehow never all together. Which is strange, as they used to record everything as a single track. But the producer decided to do it differently with this latest album, and their contract stated that they didn’t really have a choice.

Maybe that’s why Namjoon and Yoongi have been in the studio so much. They’re trying to make sure their music doesn’t lose its authenticity.

“Man, I miss Heryung,” Hoseok says, and he earns a group of annoyed groans that makes him sit up straighter. “Y’all fuck off, I haven’t seen her since last week.”

“Just propose already,” Seokjin says. “Then she’ll move in with you.”

“Doesn’t fix the fact that she models in Japan,” Yoongi points out, and he takes a long swig of his bottle of beer. “Why are you dating someone that spends most of her time in Japan?”

The question is directed at Hoseok, who just plops back on the couch, sighing deeply. “Man, I don’t know. When you fall in love, you fall in love. It’s not like you can control it.”

That Jungkook wholeheartedly agrees with. Because if he could, he’d immediately unlove Sara. Especially because she’s told him that she has indeed been seeing someone, and it’s probably better if she stops talking to him.

He’s watched her stream every day since then, missing the days when they would play together. To think she got into gaming because of him, and then started streaming when she had a break between two fashion shows…

“Y’all would know if you actually bothered with dating people,” Hoseok adds, his words vaguely thrown at all of them.

Jungkook grabs the soju bottle that’s been waiting for them on the coffee table, and he starts pouring shots for everyone. “Why don’t you shut the fuck up?”

Hoseok bursts out laughing. “Not you, Jungkook. These assholes.” The last two words are accompanied by a motion toward Seokjin and Yoongi. 

The first raises his left hand, looking pointedly at the wedding band on his finger, and Yoongi just takes another cool sip of his beer, staring at Hoseok.

Yoongi’s never been one to date a lot. Sometimes, Jungkook believes that Yoongi’s one true love is music and music only, especially as he’s their main lyricist. But Yoongi’s been working with a pretty girl at the studio lately…

And Jungkook might or might not have seen them hooking up the other day. He was finally rerecording the lines Taejin – the main producer – had been harassing him about. It went well, and he’s finally done with singing for this album, which is a huge relief.

Though Jungkook does enjoy singing, he’s always loved losing himself in a drum beat a lot more. There’s just something about the power behind every tap on the drums, on the cymbals, and the control that it requires that he loves more than anything.

“You know I’ve been married for two years, right?” Seokjin asks Hoseok, and they just start bickering like they always tend to do.

Jungkook shuts them up by shoving a shot glass in their hands, and then they’re all drinking, the alcohol tasting almost sweet as it goes down.

“Maybe y’all should fucking wrestle or something,” Jimin says, and a glance his way reveals how flushed with alcohol he already is. “Might make you shut the fuck up.”

“You shut the fuck up,” Hoseok and Seokjin simultaneously say, and they erupt in laughter.

Jungkook tunes the conversation out as he looks at his phone, noticing that Jennie messaged him. They have a Calvin Klein event next week for the opening of a new shop downtown, and though they usually avoid being seen in public at events like that to not get any dating rumors, they always go to the afterparty together.

[8:37 pm] Jennie: apparently they’re inviting people that aren’t gonna be at the event [8:38 pm] Jennie: tae said he’ll come🤞

Jungkook sighs, pulling at his piercings. They hurt less now, like he’s gotten used to the pain, and he has half a thought of getting a new one, though that might be too masochistic even for him.

[8:39 pm] Jungkook: are you sure it’s a good idea?

He glances toward Taehyung, who’s smiling down at his phone. It’s rare to see Taehyung not brooding these days, and Jungkook can’t help his own smile at the sight.

[8:40 pm] Jennie: attached photo [8:40 pm] Jennie: see for yourself

Jungkook quickly goes over the picture, which is a picture of her chat with Taehyung. He’s saying how excited he is to hang out with her and, from the smile on his friend’s face as Jungkook looks at him again, he can tell he’s being genuine.

[8:42 pm] Jungkook: hopefully that doesn’t change

It takes Jennie a moment before replying, as she’s been on set for a new show over the last few days, and Jungkook puts his phone away, rejoining the conversation with his friends. It’s moved on to how they’re all annoyed with the producer, and Yoongi’s cheeks are red from how vehemently he’s speaking.

“I told you guys we should leave the label and make our own,” he’s saying. “Taejin will just keep on stealing money that’s owed to us.”

“Contract says we can’t,” Namjoon reminds him. “Unless you want to drop a shitload of money to compensate him for breaking the contract.”

“Bullshit,” Yoongi says. “We’re big enough to say fuck it and do whatever we want. Jungkook’s been doing lives without staff and no one’s said anything.”

At the mention of his name, Jungkook sits up straighter. “I’m not doing anything bad!”

“Not saying you are.” Yoongi rubs his forehead, looking at each and everyone of them. “We can do it on our own.”

“We can,” Seokjin agrees. “But we’ve also always tried to be respectful, and a contract is a contract. We only have a few years left.”

“Are we still going to be making music in our thirties?” Yoongi asks, as if they aren’t almost all in their thirties already.

“Why would we stop?” Jungkook asks. “It’s what we all love.”

“Because life is life.” Yoongi takes a swig of his beer, sitting back against his leather seat. “Jin wants to have kids soon. Doubt you want to be away from your family while touring and shit.”

Jungkook doesn’t like this. Doesn’t like the fighting, doesn’t like that Yoongi is right that they probably don’t have a lot of years in front of them still. But then again, he also knows many groups that kept making music for decades. 

Surely they can, too. Right?

“You know Minha will follow,” Seokjin says. “The kids will be with me even when we’re touring.”

“Might be too rough for them,” Hoseok lets out.

“Nah, they’ll be built different,” Jimin jokes and somehow, somehow that breaks the tension that was building in the room.

“Hell yeah, they will be,” Seokjin agrees, a smirk on display. “I’m about to raise some sick musicians.”

“And we’ll help,” Taehyung jumps in. “This family is not about to be separated.”

Yoongi sighs, taking a deep breath. “I got way too mad about this, didn’t I?”

“Hey man,” Namjoon says as he claps Yoongi’s shoulder. “Don’t feel bad. We’re all afraid that this won’t last forever. We’ve felt this way since we started.” He motions around. “And look where we are now? There ain’t no stopping us.”

“Yeah, y’all are going to have to stick around for a lot longer,” Jungkook says. “Can’t have a group by myself.”

Jimin snorts. “Imagine just a drummer though.”

“People would sell their organs to see Jungkook on a show alone,” Hoseok jokes. “Look at what happened when you released your solo album.”

“That was different though,” Jungkook says with a laugh. “I was singing too.”

“And playing the guitar,” Seokjin adds. “Still can’t believe you can sing and play the drums and the guitar. Is there anything you can’t do?”

There’s something mischievous in the way Jimin looks at Jungkook. It’s like a spark deep within his eyes, and Jungkook braces himself. 

“Don’t say it,” Jungkook lets out.

“Except keep a girl.”

Jungkook launches himself at Jimin and they fall on the floor while Namjoon tells Jimin he’s an idiot. They start fighting, though there’s no real violence behind the act. Not when Jungkook has been boxing for years and Jimin wouldn’t be able to truly defend himself. Still, they wrestle, and Jimin ends up tapping Jungkook’s arm as he holds him in a chokehold.

“Fuck,” Jimin says, and he coughs. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“You’re an asshole.”

Jimin grins. “And proud to be. But,” he raises his hands in defeat, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Jungkook frowns. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

There’s an awkward silence, and Jimin shrugs his shoulders. “You looked sad when Yoongi was talking earlier,” he sheepishly explains. “Wanted to make sure you weren’t really.”

Fuck, they really are brothers, aren’t they?

“Nah, all good,” Jungkook reassures him. “And you’re right anyway. Sara is seeing someone else.”

Jungkook’s words echo as if they’re in a cave, and everyone looks at him. He just sits there on the floor, lips pressed in a thin line as he tries to ignore the concern wafting off of his brothers.

“How are you feeling about that?” Namjoon carefully asks after he’s looked at every member.

“Not worse than Tae’s feeling about Jennie,” Jungkook replies, throwing Taehyung under the bus if only so that they stop looking at him the way that they are.

“Hey, what the fuck, why are you bringing me into this?” Taehyung folds his arms on his chest, staring down at Jungkook. “Besides, Jennie and I are doing good.”

“Yeah?” Jungkook lets out at the same time as Hoseok says, “You sure about that?”

“Yes, I am,” Taehyung insists. “We’ve been talking.”

Jimin stands up before dropping down on the couch next to Taehyung again. “Talking talking? Or just talking like we’ve been telling you to do.”

Blush spreads on Taehyung’s cheeks. “Just talking.”

Jungkook cocks an eyebrow. “Is that why you’re coming to the afterparty in two weeks?”

Taehyung’s gaze shoots to Jungkook, his eyes a little wide. “How do you know about that?”

Jungkook shrugs as he too gets up to settle back in his seat. “Jennie told me.”

“She literally just invited me,” Taehyung says, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Jungkook shrugs. “She was asking if I was coming to the afterparty.”

Which is true. That’s what she’d texted him about originally.

“Right,” Taehyung lets out curtly.

There’s a short silence, and Jungkook wonders if he’s the only one that senses the tension in the air. He must be, because a second later, Seokjin asks them if they’ve seen the latest baseball game. The conversation moves toward sports then, and Taehyung doesn’t seem like he’s upset with Jungkook.

Yet Jungkook feels bad, remembering what Taehyung said when they were working out a few weeks back. How Jungkook didn’t have to be friends with Jennie. And he wonders, is Taehyung jealous of their friendship?

Or was that tension just in his head? It’s hard to tell, especially as Taehyung insists on sleeping over later so that they can hit the gym in the morning. 

It probably was just him, right?

Friday, June 13th

You sit in front of the mirror, feeling way too out of place. Jennie, to your left, looks way more comfortable as her beauty team bustles around her as they get ready to do her makeup and hair for the event tonight.

They’ll be doing yours too, as Jennie insisted, and you’ve been anxious about it since you got to Jennie’s place. 

“Relax,” Jennie throws your way. “They won’t hurt you.”

You chuckle. “I’ve never had my makeup done before.”

Jennie turns her head toward you. “Not even for a book release?”

Her makeup artist starts patting some cream on her face, and you just watch for a few seconds before replying, “No, I’ve always done everything myself.”

“Well, enjoy this,” Jennie says. “There’s nothing like feeling like a princess.”

You snort. “I’m not sure if I feel like a princess.” Jennie throws a scalding side eye your way, and you raise your hands in defence. “Alright, alright, I do.”

She smiles angelically, and then one of the makeup artists starts working on you, too, and it doesn’t allow for much conversation. You take it in as the artist works on you – she’s a master of her craft, and she makes you look like you’re barely wearing any makeup despite the amount of things she puts on your face. The makeup style isn’t quite your own, so you feel like a stranger as you look at yourself in the mirror while the hair stylist finishes with Jennie and moves to you.

Luckily for you, your hairstyle stays similar to what you usually do to yourself, though the products the guy puts in your hair makes it look far healthier than you’ve ever seen it. Indeed, your hair shines, and no frizzle frames your face despite the humidity of the world outside. You expect that to change when you’ll be making your way to the event – the world is wet today, rain lashing out at the windows next to where you and Jennie are sitting.

But you don’t mind, not when Jennie insists on taking a couple of pictures before you even leave, and she lets you post one on your story. You don’t tag her, yet the story goes viral in little to no time, which you’re slowly getting used to when it comes to Jennie.

Your book sales have finally started slowing down, which is a shame, but you still made a lot more money in just a few weeks than you made all year, so you won’t complain.

“I think you should wear this,” Jennie says as she goes through what her designer brought for her today. “This color would look amazing on you.”

“Isn’t it too pink?” you ask as you eye the baby pink dress she pulls out.

Jennie shakes her head no. “Nah, it’s the perfect color to go with your skin tone,” she reassures you. “I’d wear it, but it’s not Calvin Klein.”

You have half a thought to ask why the designer brought clothes that aren’t Calvin Klein, but then you realize that it must be because Jennie wanted to find you something to wear too. 

And you’re not a Calvin Klein ambassador, are you?

“You sure that’ll fit me?” you ask as you take the dress.

It looks tight, but the soft fabric looks stretchy enough that you reckon it might not be too bad.

“Definitely,” Jennie says with a nod. “Try it on.”

You do, moving behind a small paravent so that you can change without anyone looking. Though the fit is a little tight, you do manage to squeeze into the dress and, once Jennie’s helped you zip it up, you look at yourself in the mirror, wondering where the hell you were packing this body.

You don’t think you’ve ever felt this good about yourself. Yes, you work out a lot, as it’s a space for you to clear your head whenever you need to plan a scene, but you don’t follow a certain diet, and it’s led to less results than you would have gotten had you been following the classic chicken, rice and broccoli diet. Yet, looking at yourself in the mirror, you feel like you might fit in after all in Jennie’s world, even if you’re not nearly a celebrity like she is.

“Girl, you look gorgeous,” Jennie says, clapping her hands. “I knew it. And this dress makes your ass look fire.”

You turn to the side, eyeing your ass, and you chuckle. “Worked hard at the gym to build this shape,” you say. “Glad it’s paying off.”

“Doubt people will look at me when I walk in with you by my side,” Jennie jokes, shaking her head as if she disapproves.

“Stop, you look amazing,” you tell her, your cheeks burning slightly at the compliment. “No one will be able to take their eyes off you.”

Indeed, Jennie always looks pretty. But there’s something about the lilac dress she ended up choosing for herself that makes her look like a flower in bloom and, paired with the makeup and hairstyle, she looks like a dream, like a fairy you’d read about in a book.

“We’ll see about that.” 

It doesn’t take long after that before Jennie’s manager tells you that the driver is here, and then you’re rushing to the car, piling up in the back. It feels strange for a moment, to be driven around in a car like this – way bigger than a regular car, it fits you, Jennie, her manager and two body guards easily. It’s not too long of a ride, thankfully, and soon you’re arriving at the event. 

It only hits you then that paparazzi are standing in the rain, waiting to take pictures of the celebrities that will attend the event. Which means you’re about to be photographed, and probably plastered all over the Internet again as you’ll be with Jennie.

“Ready?” Jennie asks after her two bodyguards and her manager have stepped outside.

“How crazy will it be?”

She glances outside. “Honestly, it’ll probably just be very bright. Lots of flashes at the same time. Just smile and follow closely so you don’t get lost.”

“Not sure if that’s reassuring.”

Jennie laughs. “I promise it isn’t too bad,” she says softly. She grabs your hand, squeezing it once. “I’ll be with you, and it’s only five meters to the door.”

“I should have come in another car,” you whisper as anxiety spikes through you.

You’ve never been too much of the anxious type, yet the prospect of being thrown into a world of cameras and celebrity and all makes you feel like your mind is spinning. You take a deep breath as Jennie’s manager looks inside the car, asking something in Korean.

You understand it. She’s asking if everything is okay, and you feel horrible about holding her and the two bodyguards out in the rain.

“Yes, sorry,” you quickly apologize. “Just getting a little stressed.”

The manager waves a hand like it’s nothing. “We have umbrellas,” she says in a thick accent. She puts her hands over her head, partly hiding her face. “You can hide.”

You worry at your bottom lip, immediately stopping as you refuse to ruin the gloss you have on your lips before going out there.

“Alright then,” you say, giving Jennie and her manager a curt nod. “Let’s do it.”

Jennie goes out first, as her manager suggests for pictures, and you get out of the car when her manager motions for you. And then it’s a blur of bright lights, of flashes like someone threw a flash bang at your feet, and you think this might be what people talk about when they say you see the light at the end of a tunnel when you die.

But then Jennie’s manager grabs your arm, her grip firm yet gentle, and she pulls you towards the entrance as Jennie waves at the paparazzi. The flashes are directed at her, you assume, and so your anxiety lessens as you follow, and you lose Jennie’s manager a meter away from the door.

And then you’re in, the sound of the camera shutters dimming as the door closes behind you, and Jennie hooks her arm with yours to pull you further inside the store. You glance over your shoulder to see that your car drove off only to be replaced by another one, and the cameras are already flashing at it as someone steps out. Yet you’re still too blinded by the amount of flashes there were when you were outside, and you can’t tell who they are.

Clearly someone famous, you presume.

You turn back around taking in the sight of the store. Multiple flower pots decorate the place, and there’s a large area at the back that was fitted with red carpet and what you assume is a photobooth. People are taking pictures over there with a photographer, but Jennie pulls you on the other side, toward a table where macarons and other small desserts are waiting to be savored. There’s already people at the table, and Jennie guides you to one end to grab something to eat.

Her manager says something in Korean, motioning to a staircase. Jennie nods, replying quickly, and you recognize your name in it. Her manager gives you both a thumbs up, and Jennie looks at you.

“You can grab something to eat, but then I have to take pictures upstairs,” she says. “They’ll make a collection book or something.”

“Upstairs?” you ask as you glance at the photobooth. 

“That’s just for the regular guests,” Jennie explains. “We can take pictures there later, but I have to go upstairs first.”

“No worries.”

You end up grabbing a macaron that tastes heavenly, but then you’re following Jennie up the stairs. Her bodyguards are close behind, though they give you all the space you need as there isn’t really any danger in here.

Not with the security that’s all over the first floor.

You reach the second floor, and Jennie’s manager says something to her before heading off somewhere else. You and Jennie just head towards the windows overlooking the ground floor as Jennie explains to you how the events usually go. It’s pictures, and then milling around until they do a speech, and usually they are free to go after that.

“Doesn’t sound too bad,” you tell her.

“Except when they take hours before doing the actual speech,” she replies with a sigh. “But Calvin Klein has always been well organized, so I think we’re good.”

“And then it’s the afterparty,” you state, a smile growing on her lips.

The promise of that party and the expensive food that’ll be served is what convinced you to accompany Jennie in the first place after all.

“Damn right,” Jennie says, a mischievous smirk growing on her lips. 

“Let’s go.” Her manager reappeared next to the two of you, and you startle as you didn’t see her. “Quick.”

That was all in Korean, but for once you understand everything. 

“Sorry,” Jennie apologizes. “I’ll be quick.”

“No worries,” you tell her. “I’ll probably just go grab more snacks.”

But nothing too much. You don’t want to be full by the time you reach the afterparty, even though it only starts at seven and you have a few hours to go before then. Especially if Jennie insists on arriving late, which she says she usually does.

If only to make sure their makeup and outfits are still slaying, or so she said earlier.

Jennie blows a kiss your way as she leaves, and you turn back around to look at the ground level. To your surprise – which is stupid, as posters of him are already decorating the walls downstairs and you knew he’d be here – Jeon Jungkook is looking your way, though he’s quick to look away when you find him.

He’s with Mingyu, the only other friendly face you know here, and Mingyu waves at you, a grin curving his lips upwards.

*****

“Careful,” Jungkook warns Mingyu. “People could see you interacting with her.”

Mingyu looks down from where they’d both spotted you a few seconds ago, and he drops his hand at his side. “Bro, chill,” Mingyu says. “It was just a wave. No way anyone caught that.”

Jungkook has half a thought to tell Mingyu that he was being obvious, but he feels bad for dousing his friend’s enthusiasm, so he just motions upstairs. “We should go up anyway. Manager said we have to do some photoshoot before the presentation.”

Mingyu nods, and they head toward the staircase. Jungkook politely bows his head at the people that recognize him, though for once the attention is mostly on Mingyu, as he’s the one that released music most recently.

They manage to make it to the staircase, and then they’re climbing, the soft pop music playing downstairs being replaced with some most needed silence. Though conversations are still loud upstairs, a lot less people are on the second floor, which gives Jungkook a break from the chaos.

As he reaches the top of the stairs, Jungkook can’t help but look your way. You’re engrossed with something on your phone, and the sight of you in that dress from up close punches him right in the chest, and then down his spine and straight to his dick. His throat dries out, especially as you sense him looking and meet his gaze. He immediately averts his eyes, glancing at Mingyu who’s also admiring you, and Jungkook slightly frowns at the sight.

Mingyu’s just being friendly, he tells himself. Like he was at the restaurant a few weeks back, the last time Jungkook saw you. When he’d been so damn awkward trying to find a way to talk to you that you’d only glared at him when he’d tried suggesting something for your book. Hell, he’d lied awake that night wondering how fucking stupid he was, and though he asked himself a thousand times why he feels so awkward around you, he still hasn’t found the answer.

It might be because he jerked off to the thought of you before you went to the restaurant together, and he still hasn’t lived the shame down. But he tries to not think about you right now, especially when you look so…

So everything. You look like a pretty present, a jewel that shines under the light of a thousand stars. You’re hot, too, if only because the dress you’re wearing is hugging you in all the right places, but mostly, you’re pretty, the makeup style you’ve gone for complimenting your features to perfection. At least that’s what he got from his quick glance your way, and he slips, looking at you again.

Just to confirm that he’s not imagining things. And he’s not – you’re a sight to see, standing there by the windows overlooking the ground level. 

Maybe he can try to talk to you tonight. Jimin kept telling him last night that he should try to talk to someone else, so that he stops thinking about Sara. But Sara has been posting a lot over the last few days, and he couldn’t help himself.

He watched her stream until late last night, falling asleep to the sound of her voice as she played that farming simulator game she always plays when it’s late at night.

Mingyu, to Jungkook’s demise – or luck? – walks your way, and Jungkook follows, trying to figure out what he’ll tell you. He doesn’t have much time to think, and he’s struck by the sight of you as you look up at him when he stops in front of you.

Your eyes are a little wide, like you’re surprised to see him there, but then Mingyu is saying something and you look away.

“It’s been good,” you reply to Mingyu, and Jungkook realizes that he has no idea what Mingyu asked you. “What about you? I saw you on Mnet a couple of days ago.”

“Oh, you watched!” Mingyu smiles, tilting his head to the side. “I’m flattered.”

Jungkook is pretty sure you’re blushing, and he clears his throat. Both you and Mingyu look at him, and he’s hit with the reality that he still doesn’t know what to say. “How’s the book?”

You frown, exchanging a quick glance with Mingyu. “Like I just said, it’s been good.”

There’s an awkward silence – was that what Mingyu asked you? – and Jungkook doesn’t know how to recover. So he looks to the side, and he’s pretty sure your frown is deepening as you look at his profile.

“Okay,” you let out, and there’s so much venom in those two syllables Jungkook wishes he could jump through the window. “Anyways, yeah, I was watching when taking a break from writing.”

Mingyu says something else, and Jungkook zones out as he curses himself mentally for his awkwardness. And then it’s like maybe there was a divine intervention, because Mingyu’s manager appears, pulling him away to go do that photoshoot.

Or at least Jungkook imagines it’s that. But they don’t ask him to go too, so he’s suddenly alone with you, and you look his way with that slight frown to your features he thinks you reserve only for him.

“You don’t have to go too?” you ask, your tone sharp as a knife.

Enough to twist in his gut as his throat dries out. He coughs, though it does nothing to help, and then meets your gaze.

Your eyes are shining. They always are. Even with that line between your eyebrows from how you’re furrowing them, your eyes still shine like they’re the star in the middle of a solar system.

“Apparently not,” he replies, and he wonders if the blush creeping on his cheeks shows through the foundation his makeup artist put on his face earlier. “They’re probably going with who’s most relevant first.”

Your frown deepens, as if that’s even possible. “And you don’t think you are?”

Not when you look at him like this. Like he’s stupid, dumb – an idiot, if you will. And though his initial reaction to you is a deep-rooted attraction that tugs at him like flame to the moth, the aggressiveness of your words awakens frustration in him.

“That’s not what I meant,” he replies, a little more stern than he meant to. He clears his throat, and then glances to the side to see a waiter carrying a tray of champagne. He deftly grabs a glass, taking a quick sip that only makes his throat feel worse. “It’s just, haven’t released anything in a while.”

Your frown dissipates, and you shrug your shoulders like you don’t have a care in the world for him. The way you look down at your phone also makes it seem so, and Jungkook wishes those bright eyes of yours would look his way again.

“So,” he lets out. When he remains silent, obviously not knowing what to say, you glance his way, cocking an eyebrow quizzically. “You said the book has been going well?”

You offer him a curt nod and a hum in confirmation, and Jungkook’s heart sinks in his chest. 

He really sucks at this.

“That’s…” he trails off, shrugging his shoulders. “That’s good.”

“Jeon Jungkook,” a staff says next to the two of you, attracting Jungkook’s attention and also effectively interrupting this awkward moment with you. “They’re ready for you at the photo studio.”

The words are said in Korean, and Jungkook nods before glancing at you again. “I’ll see you around?” he says like a question.

You look surprised by his words, and the animosity that he’s been feeling from you since the beginning of this whole ordeal wavers. “Huh?” You blink a few times, looking down, and he wonders if he’s reading into it or…

Are you being shy?

“Yeah, Jennie’s forcing me to go to the afterparty,” you reply as you look back up. 

Jungkook already knew that. Because Jennie told Mingyu who told him, and he reckons that might be just what he needs to be more comfortable around you. A party setting, some dim light and alcohol and music that’s loud enough to obliterate his thoughts…

And you. He already can imagine you dancing to the music, and he really needs to walk away before he makes a fool of himself again.

“Well then,” he says, swallowing around the knot in his throat. “I’ll be there too.” He looks around, his gaze shortly meeting that of the staff that’s still waiting next to you two. “Enjoy the rest of the event.”

You’re frowning. A different frown this time, like you’re confused more than anything. Especially as you say, “Thank you.”

He offers you a small smile that has to look all kinds of weird, and then he’s following the staff away, internally cringing.

He really needs to get a grip of himself around you.

*****

You’ve been rehashing the conversation you had with Jungkook earlier on a loop since you’ve arrived at the afterparty. Hell, you reckon you should probably be busy drinking and dancing, but you’ve caught him looking multiple times, and you’re pretty sure he tried to smile at you at least twice.

Jeon Jungkook is a mystery. You’re convinced he doesn’t like you – this behaviour of him feels strange, like maybe someone told him to stop being a dick and he’s trying his best. But you can tell he’s faking it. It shows in the way his eyes glare at you whenever you talk to Mingyu, like you approaching his best friend is the worst thing that’s ever happened to him. Like you being in Mingyu’s vicinity is disgusting, something Mingyu should realize to avoid.

At least that’s what it feels like after the third time you catch him looking, and he immediately looks up to the ceiling like the red lights are going to offer him some sort of salvation. 

You furrow your brow, and then you look at Mingyu again.

“What was that?” you ask him as you notice him looking at you with a quizzical look on his features.

“I asked if you want a drink,” he repeats. He motions over his shoulder at Jennie and Taehyung, who are currently being very comfortable with each other at one of the booths against the wall of the bar. “Doubt Jennie’s going to come back any time soon.”

Indeed, the second Taehyung got here, Jennie left to be with him, though she did tell Mingyu to keep you entertained for the evening. Mingyu promised he would, and that’s how you’ve ended up spending the last twenty minutes with him as he tells you stories about his last show.

It was held outside, and the Internet has been going crazy after it started raining, which led to some – very attractive, you’d say – videos of him and Seungcheol, S.Coups, going viral. 

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to let them be?” you ask, throwing a worried glance Jennie’s way. “Taehyung really hurt her before…”

“As much as we’ve all told her to move on, she’s obsessed with him,” Mingyu says matter-of-factly, which you’ve also come to realize after the weeks of friendship with her. “And… according to Jungkook, he’s just as obsessed.”

Jungkook is standing too far away from the two of you to know Mingyu just said his name, yet you still feel his gaze on your profile all of a sudden, and you turn your head to the side only for him to look away immediately.

You tongue your cheek in annoyance, and then you resume your attention on Mingyu. “That sounds a little toxic,” you admit.

Almost comically, Rosé’s song Toxic Till The End starts playing, and Mingyu bursts out laughing. 

“You’re the one that said it.” He grins, and then he motions at the bar. “So, drink?”

You can’t say no, not when he’s looking at you with that wide smile of his. So you nod your head, offering him a smile of your own, and then you make your way to the bar with him.

You end up drinking two shots each, tequila burning your throat as it goes down, and then you order a fruity cocktail that seems a lot more appealing than the beer he goes for. You tease him about it, and he shrugs his shoulders.

“If it’s bad, I’ll just steal your drink from you.”

You fake-glare at him, pulling your drink closer to your chest. “Nu-uh. This is all mine.”

He laughs, and then he leads you away from the bar so that a pretty girl and an actor you recognize from a Marvel movie can order something. Or at least you think he played in a Marvel movie. But you’re pretty sure he’s also been in multiple K-dramas, though you can’t remember which ones.

“Shit,” Mingyu lowly curses as you’re walking away from the bar, and you notice his eyes are on the girl.

A glance back shows that she’s currently kissing the actor, and it’s the type of kisses you’d reckon is far too intimate for a setting like this one. The guy behind the bar looks awfully uncomfortable, and your gazes meet. He immediately winces, and you return the expression before focusing on Mingyu again.

“What’s wrong?” you ask.

But Mingyu seems like he’s not listening, scanning the room as if he’s looking for something.

“Mingyu?”

He runs a hand through his hair, and then his eyes shortly meet yours before he’s looking around again. “That’s Jungkook’s ex.”

Your gaze widens, and you look back at the girl by the bar. She’s now looking at the actor with heart-eyes, her cheeks flushed by the kiss they just exchanged. Or at least you assume they are – the red lighting in the bar conveniently covers such evidence. Which is something you think you could use for a later scene in your book, one where the main character attends a poker game that the mob boss and the police officer, undercover, both attend as well.

That is, if you figure out how the main character is going to escape from the mob boss’s house. If she does at all. Maybe she doesn’t have to – maybe the mob boss is endeared by her fierceness and lets her go.

You snap back to reality as Mingyu curses again, in Korean this time. “I need to find Jungkook.”

“Bad relationship?” you ask.

Mingyu scoffs, letting out a dry laugh. “Horrible. That girl is a master manipulator, and Jungkook refuses to see it.”

“She looks like she moved on,” you comment as you look back at the bar, only to see that she’s left. 

“Doubt she has. They’ve been on and off for years at this point.”

Your gaze widens. Somehow, that doesn’t reconcile with the image that you have of Jungkook, of him being so cold all the time. Or maybe it does reconcile – maybe that girl is the reason why Jeon Jungkook became so cold in the first place.

“Let me text him,” Mingyu mumbles, and then he does so while you take a sip of your fruity drink. 

Mingyu doesn’t even have time to send his text before Jennie appears next to you, her eyes wide. “Did I just see Sara making out with Park Seojoon?” 

Mingyu nods. “Where’s Tae?”

“He went to find Jungkook. Apparently he’s out smoking with Namjoon.”

The casual mention of another one of the members of BTS has your eyes go round, but you hide behind your drink as you take a long sip of it.

“I’ll go with them,” Mingyu says, and he offers you an apologetic look. “I’ll come back to you after.”

And then he’s gone, and Jennie lets out a small laugh. “Oh, he’s into you?”

You think your cheeks turn deep crimson and this time, you’re thankful for the red lighting. “What?”

“Mingyu.” She smiles wide, looking back at his retreating form. “‘I’ll come back to you’,” she mimics.

You snort. “He probably meant nothing by that,” you say.

She tilts her head to the side, smiling prettily. “Or maybe he’s got a little crush.”

“Shut up.” You roll your eyes, taking a sip of his drink. “I am so not in his league.”

Jennie makes a show of looking you up and down. “You definitely are in his league. Or even,” she looks down again, and then meets your gaze, “you’re out of his league.”

You burst out laughing. “Hell nah.”

Jennie’s pretty laugh echoes around you. “But actually,” she says when the laughter recedes, “I need to warn you. Mingyu does not do relationships at all. He’s sweet, a good friend, but… he’s broken way too many hearts for me to let him do that to you.”

“Has he?” you ask, surprised. The gentle golden retriever energy that Mingyu carries himself around with does not seem like the kind that would sleep around a lot, but then again, it’s always the ones you least suspect that are the worst.

“Oh, he has.” Jennie snorts, slightly shaking her head as her eyes cloud over with memories. “He probably hooked up with half of the celebrity scene in Seoul.”

“No way.” 

Jennie nods. “Yes way. He’s actually hooked up with both Rosé and Lisa in the past. A long time ago, but still.”

You raise your eyebrows in surprise. “Oof.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jennie sighs. “But he’s a really sweet friend, so I forgive him. And they have too, even though I think Rosé still hates him a little.”

You can’t blame her.

“Well then, I’ll be careful,” you say, which earns you a smile from your friend.

“Unless you just want to hook up with him,” she says innocently. “Then I fully support you.”

You scrunch up your nose, chuckling. “Nah, I don’t do hookups.”

“I feel you, girl.” She hooks her arm with yours, pulling you towards the bar. “I need to get something to drink.”

You laugh in agreement, following her as she beelines for the bar. The bartender sees you and smiles, and Jennie looks between the two of you a few times before she shakes her head, and then orders a drink. 

“So,” you let out as you wait for said drink. “You seemed pretty cosy with Tae just a moment ago.”

“Oh my God,” she says, and she giggles. “Yeah. He… He said he missed me.”

You cock an eyebrow. “He did?”

She nods. “Said he doesn’t know why he avoided me. I told him he was dumb and he said he knows it. And that he’ll make sure to win my forgiveness.”

You’d feel wary for your friend if she didn’t look so happy right now. You don’t want to burst the bubble, not when Mingyu told you not too long ago that Taehyung is apparently obsessed with her too.

Maybe giving each other a second chance is what they actually need. And you won’t be the one to stand between them, not when you weren’t there when they first were together and broke up. You’ll just make sure to be there for Jennie if she ever needs it.

Once her drink is ready, Jennie pulls you to a group of people she’s introduced you to before, and you join their conversation, thankful that all of them speak English with accents from different places around the world. It makes for easy conversation, and you end up playing a few drinking games with them, enough of them that your brain goes fuzzy with alcohol, and your bladder fills to the rim. You excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, which you’ve made a trip to when you arrived here earlier because Jennie insisted it was worth taking a few pictures there – she was right, obviously.

So you make your way to the bathroom, mind buzzing with the energy in the room, and you wait at the end of the short line of people waiting to go in. Two girls are taking pictures together at the spot you and Jennie took some earlier, a guy directing them as they pose, their poses growing sillier as the guy keeps clicking pictures. You smile at the sight – you and Jennie probably looked exactly like that earlier – but then your smile freezes as you feel a gaze on your profile, and you see Jeon Jungkook stopping next to you.

“Hey,” he lets out.

The lights aren’t as red here, and you think his cheeks are flushed, either from alcohol, or something else entirely.

Maybe he’s just annoyed as you at finding you here.

“Hey,” you greet him. You immediately pull your phone out of your purse, trying to avoid conversation with him. 

But that doesn’t seem to deter him at all. Indeed, he adds, “You having fun?”

“Yeah,” you reply, not even gracing him with a glance.

You wish he’d leave you alone, but he really doesn’t get the clue. “I’m glad. Sometimes, these events can get… overwhelming.”

There’s something sad in the way he says the last word, and you feel bad for trying to ignore him. Especially when you remember that his ex is here, and that it probably means he’s having a shitty night.

“You get overwhelmed sometimes?” you ask him as you put your phone away, and you look his way to find him already looking at you.

He chuckles, pulling at his piercings. Your eyes immediately drop to his lips, and you quickly avert your gaze, hoping he hasn’t noticed. “All the time. I’m honestly much more of an introvert.”

Is he?

“Oh?” you let out, your tone more surprised than you intended.

“I know, I don’t come off as an introvert most of the time,” he says, and he slightly winces. “But I guarantee you, I’d much rather be at home than here tonight.”

You wonder if it’s because he’s truly introverted, or just because his ex is in attendance, kissing that actor like they aren’t in public.

“I can understand that,” you say.

And obviously, just to turn the knife in the wound, the person – or persons – that walk out of the bathroom next are none other than Jungkook’s ex, and Park Seojoon. They’re holding hands, with cheeky smiles on display that leave little to the imagination as to what they were doing in the bathroom.

Jungkook tenses next to you. Fully freezes like a deer in headlight at the sight of them, and you feel horrible for him. You don’t like him, that much is true, but he looks so hurt standing there, eyes wide and mouth hanging open, that you feel yourself reaching for him.

His ex winks at him – winks?! – as she walks past, Park Seojoon trailing behind her, and Jungkook doesn’t look away from the two of them, not even as they turn down the hallway to return to the main room of the bar.

“Are you okay?” you ask, your fingers grazing Jungkook’s arm.

He startles, looking your way, and you’re pretty sure you see him blinking back tears. But he’s good at it, and he offers you a practiced smile that you reckon might be the one he usually uses for the camera.

“Doing fantastic,” he says. “Yeah.”

You cock an eyebrow. “Wasn’t that your ex?”

The practiced smile disappears, replaced by a frown. “How do you know that?”

“Mingyu,” you sheepishly offer as an explanation. 

Jungkook curses, rubbing his forehead as he closes his eyes. “Of course he’d tell you about her.”

It sounds like an accusation, and you furrow your brow. “He just mentioned it because he was concerned about you.”

Jungkook runs a hand in his hair, stopping to pull at the strands. It leaves his hair tousled, dishevelled, and a deeply-rooted instinct tells you to reach up and tame the strands, which only makes your frown deepen.

“Right.” He curses again, slightly shaking his head. “Whatever. She’s allowed to do whatever she wants, we broke up a while ago.”

Once again, pain shows up behind his words, turning his sentence sad, lonely like the full moon up in a sky devoid of stars. You feel the need to reach for him again, to comfort him, but you sense that it’s the last thing he wants from you.

Yet his gaze meets yours, and it shines. It shines, his eyes holding stars, and you wonder if you’ve ever seen a prettier gaze than his before.

His ex can go to hell.

“But she doesn’t have to rub it in your face,” you point out. It reminds you of Josh, and of all the pictures of him and his new girlfriend you’ve been seeing on social media lately. “That’s shitty of her.”

Jungkook wets his lips, holding your gaze for a moment longer before nodding once. “You’re right. Sorry. I…” he trails off, and he lets out a small, self-deprecating chuckle. “I was not expecting that.”

“No need to apologize,” you reassure him. “Just try to not let her ruin your night.”

You know that’s easier said than done, but the way Jungkook looks at you then makes you feel… seen. Like suddenly, it’s just the two of you here, the music a distant memory, and everything goes blurry at the edges.

Like you’ve stepped into an alternate reality of dream.

“I…” You see his throat work on a swallow as his gaze darts between your two eyes. “I won’t. She doesn’t deserve my attention.”

You offer him a gentle smile, and he looks down at it like it’s an oasis in the desert.

“Exactly.”

He slowly nods, and then he scans your features, and it feels like it’s the first time he’s seen you. His gaze widens, his eyes shine brighter, and your heart races in your chest.

But then someone bumps into you, and you step aside to see the guy that was taking pictures of the two girls raising his hand. 

“So sorry,” he says. 

You don’t say anything back, too stunned by what just happened between you and Jungkook.

Too stunned by the fact his hand is now splayed on the small of your back, like he tried to catch you when the guy ran into you. Your senses go into overdrive – you’re standing close enough to Jungkook to feel his body heat wrapping around you, and you’re reminded of the way you’d touched him that first night you met him.

His racing heart, and the hard muscles of his chest…

You snap out of it as the guy that bumped into you just stands there with wide eyes, and you quickly reply, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

He nods, and then he’s walking away, and you’re left standing there so close to Jeon Jungkook that his cologne is teasing your senses. And gosh, he smells divine. It’s masculine, subtle, with an undertone of musk that makes you look at him again.

His head is tilted down, eyes on the floor, and his hair is falling in front of his gaze. You resist the urge to tread your fingers through his hair again, but you don’t miss the way he looks up to find your gaze.

“You look beautiful,” he murmurs. 

Not expecting a compliment from the man you believe doesn’t like you, you step away, almost like he burned you.

“Sorry,” you apologize.

He looks just as startled as you from the words he said, and his hands disappear in the pockets of his pants. “No need,” he says. “I, uh, I think the bathroom is available.”

You blink a few times like you didn’t understand, but then he motions behind you. And true to his words, the line that was in front of you is gone. 

“Oh, right.” You swallow, your throat feeling so dry you might need a few drinks to rehydrate yourself after. “Well then, I’ll be going.”

He nods. “Have uh… fun.”

You snort. “Fun?”

He shrugs, a sheepish smile growing on his lips. “Yeah? I don’t know. Ignore me.”

It’s your turn to nod. “Okay then.”

And then you turn around, and you walk into the bathroom with your heart beating out of your chest.

What the actual fuck just happened?

*****

Jungkook is a lost cause. Mostly because he’s drunk, and Sara has been a total bitch all night, but also because…

Because he swears he almost kissed you outside the bathroom. And it makes no sense. Not when he literally just saw Sara with Seojoon but… But you looked so beautiful, and for a moment, it was just you, and everyone else was gone.

What the fuck is wrong with him?

He’s been asking himself that question as he watches you dance with Jennie, though Taehyung comes back with a drink and Jennie is quick to push you toward Mingyu. Mingyu effortlessly catches you with a laugh, and Jungkook just stares, unable to make sense of the way his heart is squeezing in his chest.

He’s a total, fucking mess.

Namjoon stops next to him, the faint smell of cigarette smoke clinging to him. Jungkook was surprised when the leader mentioned he’d received an invitation for the afterparty, and especially as Namjoon admitted he decided to attend. Though he’s far more extroverted than Jungkook ever was, Namjoon isn’t one to usually do parties like this.

“Sara just left,” Namjoon says, his words clipped like he’s even more annoyed than Jungkook is which, in truth, wouldn’t surprise him.

“Oh,” he lets out. He looks at you, eyeing the way Mingyu spins you in his arms until your back is pressed against him. 

You’re quick to turn back around, wiggling a finger side to side as if to say no. Mingyu raises his hands innocently, and you both laugh like that’s the easiest thing ever. And it probably is – Mingyu’s always had it easy when it comes to talking with people. Jungkook, on the other hand…

“Can’t believe Tae and Jennie are basically back together,” Namjoon comments next, and Jungkook throws a look at him to see him taking a sip of his old-fashioned. “They better sort their shit out properly this time.”

Taehyung is currently dancing like a madman in front of Jennie, and she’s just laughing at the sight. They’re visibly in their own little world, but Jungkook can’t help but look at you and Mingyu instead.

Whoever told you to wear this dress today had to be the most intelligent person ever. You look magnificent, and…

You look his way, catching him looking, and Jungkook quickly averts his gaze.

“They will,” he replies to Namjoon. “If anyone can do it, it’s them.”

Namjoon makes a non-committal sound that seems like agreement, and they just stay there in silence for a little while as the leader grabs his phone from his pocket, reading some messages he received.

“It’s getting late,” Namjoon eventually says. “Are you staying for longer?”

Jungkook pulls at his piercings, glancing your way. He’s been trying to amass the courage to walk up to you and ask you to dance with him, but you look so happy with Mingyu and Jennie, even laughing with Taehyung, and he feels like a stranger in his own friend group.

“Yeah, think I’m going to stay,” he replies.

Namjoon remains silent for a moment, but his thoughts are loud. Loud enough that Jungkook glances at him, his eyebrow cocked in question.

“What?”

“She’s pretty,” Namjoon says.

Jungkook looks your way again. You catch him looking once more, and you frown before bursting out laughing as Jennie grabs you to spin you around.

“Yeah,” Jungkook lets out.

“You’re going to talk to her?”

His throat dries out, and he gulps on a swallow. “Ah, I don’t think I’m in the right mindset for that.”

Namjoon sighs. “I’m sorry, you know. I wish Sara had the decency to not act this way.”

“You told me this would happen,” Jungkook says with a shrug, remembering the fight they had weeks ago. He looks at the leader. “Not gonna rub it in my face?”

Namjoon just holds his gaze with a face Jungkook can’t read. It makes him look away, and his eyes instinctively find you again.

“No, I won’t,” Namjoon carefully replies. “I’ll just tell you that maybe you should go talk to her.”

“To Sara?” The two words were a lot louder than Jungkook intended, and he quickly scans his surroundings to make sure no one heard. 

Obviously, with the music playing and the amount of alcohol everyone probably has ingested by now, his outburst went unnoticed.

“No.” Namjoon laughs with a shake of his head. “No, I meant to Jennie’s friend.”

Oh. Jungkook’s cheeks burn, and the conversation he had outside the bathroom earlier comes back to him. You looked so appalled by him touching you, jumping away like he was going to give you an infectious disease. 

And to think he’d been about to kiss you.

“Ah, I don’t know,” he replies. “She seems pretty comfortable with Mingyu.”

“Wasn’t Mingyu seeing that Bomi girl?” Namjoon asks.

“Nah, that was last month.”

Namjoon chuckles. “It’s always hard to keep up with him.”

Jungkook nods in agreement, letting out a small laugh, but he remains silent as the song changes, and one of their songs starts playing.

It’s one of their early ones, and Namjoon perks up at the sound of it.

“No way,” he lets out. “Wasn’t expecting that to play.”

A lot of gazes turn their way, Taehyung sending them a thumbs-up and, guided by the fact that this is their music and they’ve made it this far thanks to it, Jungkook grabs Namjoon’s arm and pulls him to the dancefloor.

Mostly to get to Taehyung, but you smile as you watch him getting closer, and it does a hundred different things to him that he’d be unable to describe even if someone were to put a gun to his temple.

Okay, maybe you weren’t appalled, earlier. Maybe you were just surprised. Hell, he was surprised too. Much like he’d been when you’d run into each other outside of the bathroom at the club where you met.

Taehyung grins widely as Jungkook and Namjoon stop in front of him, and they all start singing along, Jennie and Mingyu joining along. The crowd forms a circle around them, and the buzzing energy in the bar grows to something akin to the one Jungkook usually feels at concerts, when he’s on the stage and the music is running through his veins, the repercussions of his drumsticks reverberating through his forearms.

For a moment, he’s taken back to when they’d recorded the song, not knowing that it was going to be their first hit. The one they won their first awards for, and the one that made them big in the whole country before it trickled down to the surrounding ones, too. To countries in Europe, in America, even.

And maybe the song playing was his salvation. Because as the last chords play, ringing through the bar while Seokjin holds the last note, Taehyung pulls him and Namjoon in a hug, and they laugh as they jump and turn in a circle. But then, when they pull away, Jungkook slightly stumbles back.

Right into you. And you stop him with a laugh, and your hands on his back feel so right he almost gets whiplashed.

You’re drunk. He can smell it on your breath as he turns and you meet his gaze, and maybe that’s why you look so happy to see him. His intuition is confirmed as you rise on the tip of your toes, one hand landing in the middle of his chest to stabilize yourself.

“I love this song,” you tell him, your speech slightly slurred.

He wets his lips as you pull away to meet his gaze, and you’re grinning so wide your eyes are crinkling at the corners.

He thinks you’re the most beautiful girl in the world, and it’s one of the scariest thoughts he’s ever had.

“Oh yeah?” he lets out.

You nod vigorously. “Used to listen to it all the time back in high school.”

Your hand is still on his chest, and Jungkook wonders if you can feel his heart hammering.

Who cares about Sara being a bitch when you’re right here?

“I didn’t know you were a fan.”

You burst out laughing like that was the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard. “Oh, a fan? I was in love with you as a teenager.”

Jungkook’s heart stops in his chest at your words. At the way you say it like it’s funny, like it’s an inside joke he’s already in on.

“You were?” he says with a shy laugh.

You hum, and then your smile dies down, and your usual frown comes out. Jungkook hates it the second it appears, especially as your hand leaves his chest.

“Sorry, that was weird.”

His gaze widens, and he shakes his head. “No, no,” he reassures you. “Don’t worry about it.” 

In truth, in any other circumstances, if it was someone else saying that to him, Jungkook would have been weirded out. But to hear this from you… it just makes his blood grow warmer in his veins like a small fever is taking over him.

And maybe that fever comes with courage. With something to push him forward. Maybe salvation truly found him tonight, because when the next song starts, and you’re still looking at him with that frown he’s getting used to, he says, “Do you want to dance?”

You seem surprised by the suggestion, even more so as he offers you a hand. You hesitate – he swears he can see the cogs in your head turning, and he reckons that if you refuse, he’ll leave and never talk to you again. But then, a wicked spark ignites in your eyes, and the frown is replaced by a smile he’ll need to see again and again. It’s like a drug and hell, he’s already addicted.

“Only because my teenager self would kill me if I said no,” you reply.

And though he wishes you’d dance with him because you want to right now, and not because you would have wanted to in the past, Jungkook still closes his fingers around your own as you grab his hand.

He’s good at dancing. Mostly because the company had them take a bunch of classes for a while in an attempt to push them into becoming more of a Kpop idol group, but it never led anywhere. Still, he knows his way around music – you have to understand the beat to be a good drummer – and he settles into an easy rhythm that you follow like dancing comes as easy as breathing to you.

You sway to the beat, hips moving from side to side as he pulls you closer, and your hands lay flat on his chest again. You’re looking up at him, and he’s not even sure this song asks for such proximity, but he’s not going to let you get away again.

Not like earlier. Not when his hands settle on your hips, and the supple skin he feels through the fabric of your dress makes his mind go into overdrive. He can feel the gaze of your friends on the two of you, but he doesn’t break eye contact, just sinks into your gaze like it’s a pool with no bottom.

You narrow your gaze quizzically, but then Jungkook lowers his head. Mostly because your hands have moved up, and your fingers find the nape of his neck. It slightly tickles, especially as you run a hand in the hair at the back of his head.

Your fingers on his scalp feel heavenly, and he sighs in contentment, his eyes fluttering shut. And then he abandons himself to the beat, to the way you move in sync with the music, and then you’re turning around, pressing yourself back against him, and he thinks he’s stepped in a dream.

In one of his fantasies, and he brushes your hair to the side so that he can get access to your neck. You grind back into him, and his dick immediately hardens at the friction. He lowers his head some more, lips teasing at the skin of your neck, and he swears the breathy sound you let out is the most beautiful melody he’s ever heard.

Fuck.

You’re a devil. Your ass rubs against him, and he guides your hips, refusing to look up even though he knows Mingyu and Jennie are staring at you. He wonders if you’re looking at them too, or if your eyes are closed as you take in the sensation of him against you.

Emboldened by the music turning sensual, Jungkook lightly bites at your neck. You let out that same breathy sound again – not quite a moan, but something close enough that his dick twitches in his pants – and then you’re turning around, pressing your forehead against his.

Your arms wrap around his neck, and you’re holding him close, and he can taste the fruity drinks you’ve drank before on your breath. Your eyes are half-lidded, and they flutter shut as he squeezes your hips and fuck, he really wants to kiss you. 

He wants to feel your plump lips against his, yet he doesn’t move in for the kiss. He can’t do it – he never expected to get this close to you tonight, and he freezes.

He freezes, because suddenly, he’s thinking of Sara, of how they’d used to dance like this too, and he curses himself mentally. Because you nudge your nose with his, trying to pull him in, but he can’t do it.

You feel the change in his energy. You do – you tense, and then you’re pulling away, opening your eyes to meet his gaze.

The song ends. The song ends and he stares at you while you stare at him, and he doesn’t know what to do anymore. 

You scoff. You scoff, and the sound is so annoyed yet disappointed that Jungkook tries to pull you closer again. But you resist, and he lets you go, if only because he really doesn’t fucking know what to do.

“Well, that was that,” you say matter-of-factly, and then you walk away, and Jungkook watches you go because what else is he supposed to do?

And then he looks away, only to see Mingyu laughing at him while Jennie and Taehyung are too busy with each other again to realize he just majorly fucked up.

“Fuck off,” he tells Mingyu.

Mingyu just laughs some more. “How did you scare her off?”

Jungkook just glares at him, and then he makes his way through the crowd.

He has no clue where you went off to, but he needs to find you. Yet his phone starts vibrating in his pocket with enough incoming notifications that he takes it out, and he frowns as he sees a bunch of notifications from the security app that’s linked to the cameras he set up around his house.

There’s a group of people outside the door, trying their luck at his password. The sight of it makes him feel sick inside, and he entirely forgets that he was going to try to find you.

Those people have been coming to his house for weeks now, ever since someone leaked his address online, and he’s not surprised to see that they’re trying to get in. It’s creepy, scary, and he has to call the police, and fast.

So, instead of trying to search for you, Jungkook makes his way outside of the bar, and he calls the cops as he’s stepping outside, turning left to avoid the group of people smoking in a circle. 

He stops dead in his tracks at the sight of you standing there, and you look his way. You cock an eyebrow, as if challenging him to say something, but then the line connects, and the voice of a police officer asks him the reason for his call.

Jungkook has no choice but to turn away from you, facing the street instead, and he explains the situation. It takes a while, and he glances your way a few times to make sure you haven’t moved, but you’re just scrolling on your phone, your face cast in a soft glow from the screen. Anger and frustration take a hold of him, and he hopes this time the police will be able to catch the people at his house. They ran off the last time it happened, and the cameras didn’t reveal enough of their features to be able to recognize them with facial recognition.

By the time Jungkook is finally finishing up and they tell him they’ll send a car to his house and that he should meet them there, a taxi stops in the street in front of him.

You walk towards it, not even looking behind once. Jungkook tries to reach for you at the same time as he hangs up the call, but the car door slams shut in front of him. He just stands there, trying to see you through the darkened window, but it’s like you disappeared.

He curses as the car drives away, and he wonders how it is that his night turned to hell so fast. And then he curses again – it’s been hell since the moment he noticed Sara was here.

Who is he kidding?

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sooooooo yeah haha what did we think of this chapter? hope you liked it <3

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[lo1k-diamonds]

Unique 💜 Part 4

Isn't that what we're made of? Our dreams and regrets.

PAIRING: idol!Namjoon x OFC

SUMMARY: Angie and Namjoon don’t leave it up to fate this time and finally meet again.

WORD COUNT: 6k

GENRE: Idol AU, strangers to lovers, time jumps, star-crossed lovers, angst

RATING: PG-13

WARNINGS: angst, bittersweet, fighting

A.N. And here we are, one year later, as promised! I'm happy I left this prepared in advance because my life is so unpredictable right now that I don't think I'd have been able to do it otherwise 😅 Happy to keep this one going, hope you enjoy it 💜 Thank you @moonleeai for the beta read, and @eerieedits for the banner 💜

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The spoon clinked against the glass as Angie let it go. She had stirred her latte countless times in mere minutes, the espresso long mixed with the steamed milk. Raising her eyes, she shifted in her seat as life went about its business—passerby walking the street outside, some entering the cafe, making the bell chime, the faint jazz ambient music from the speakers, the buzz of coffee machines, the soft voices of customers, and amiable responses from the baristas, and the clink as she grabbed the spoon and stirred her untouched latte again.

Her fingers trembled, and she smiled, sighing softly in anticipation. Having time to be nervous and feel the weight of waiting was her fault; she was there ten minutes early. But she much preferred this to wasting one second that could be spent right there. Even if her breath was shaky and her thoughts got lost in the swirl of the warm drink, at least she could reminisce and let the excitement thrill her. Because, although she was never one to believe in fate or chance encounters or in fulminating love, she had been proven wrong not once, but twice before. 

I’ll always be that someone you know, and our time theory stays the same: there could still be a future in which we will see each other again. That’s all I hope for, Angie. That’s all I want.

She smiled, letting go of the spoon again. Her heart thumped loudly with the idea of a third time; it was hard to contain it, even if her rationale told her it wasn’t likely to happen. Too much time had passed; things were different now, surely. And yet, she couldn’t stop smiling. She guessed they were bypassing theories and—

“Angie.”

Her eyes darted up, and she got up in an instant, soaking in the sight in front of her before she could even take a full breath. Her mind took a second to wrap itself around the figure in front of her, but her feet were immediate in closing the distance between him and her.

“Hi, Namjoon.”

Her voice was soft, the same as his, as she opened her arms. That second was enough to exchange so much without words—the nostalgia, the lingering affection, a sprinkle of longing on a whole lot of curiosity—all in his dark eyes and slightly parted lips; all emotions she knew she was mirroring perfectly.

He didn’t need more than that second to welcome her into his embrace, and she closed her eyes, letting her head fall to his chest. He looked the same, ever the tall, soft-spoken Namjoon in his large hoodie and beanie. He felt the same, too, warm, firm, like a refuge in the middle of a storm. Even his perfume was the same, the fresh, citrus, and woody scent making it harder to fight her emerging tears. His hand found its way to the back of her head, supporting her gently, and she sighed contentedly. It was just like she remembered.

“It’s so good to see you,” he mumbled near her ear, voice tight as an embodiment of their embrace, and she smiled.

She pulled away to meet his eyes. “And you,” she beamed, unable to hold back the happiness making her eyes water. Her heart was thumping louder than before, and she realised she was in his arms in the middle of the cafe, staring at him like he hung the stars in the sky. She shouldn’t just keep him standing. “Please,” she started, taking a step back to point to her table so they could sit.

But he hesitated. “Maybe there’s a more private table…”

“Oh, right,” she breathed, quickly looking around from where she’d been, in the middle of the cafe, to the bookshelves lining its walls to find a secluded, empty table. She spotted one and grabbed her latte, coat, and handbag. “Come.”

She didn’t need to look back to feel him following her closely; it elicited a chain of goosebumps down her spine. Once there, she put her drink down on the coffee table and her things on one of the armchairs as they both sat down. 

“I’m sorry, I should have thought about that,” she sighed, watching him get comfortable across from her.

“It's not a problem. You know I like it that you don't think about it,” he voiced, taking off his beanie, carding his hand through his hair.

Angie couldn’t help her smile. They were immediately back to it, like two years hadn’t passed since he had last said that. “We ended up meeting at a cafe, not a bar.”

He nodded. “Well, we've drank together multiple times, so this is okay, no?”

“Yeah. Hyejin picked a nice place,” she commented, reaching to grab her drink. “One of my favourites in the neighbourhood.”

He raised his eyes to hers. “I guess she would know that?”

Angie smiled, putting the latte down again after a sip. “She would, she has visited me enough times.” Namjoon nodded, quiet, with an introspectiveness hard for her to decipher. Yet instead of letting him go further inside his thoughts, she licked her lips and asked, “How are you?”

His eyes instantly became bright. “Good. Good, I’m—I’m sorry I’m late,” he suddenly added sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “I wanted to go to an exhibition before I leave tonight, so I went before meeting you, thinking I’d have time, but the curator found out I was there and it was hard to leave.”

She chuckled, the same as him, despite the knot twisting inside her stomach. So he was leaving tonight.

“First of all, you’re not even late,” she assured him. “So don’t worry about it. Where did you go?”

“To the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. I’ve been meaning to for a while, and they had a Persona exhibition that I was interested in.”

“What type of exhibition?”

“Photography with thirty artists exploring the concept of Persona. Wait,” he stretched to take his phone out of his pocket, and Angie smiled, “there were actually a few that blew my mind.”

As he scrolled on his phone, she could tell he’d get lost showing her what he’d seen. It was familiar, made her warm, and she asked, “Should we get you a drink first?”

He paused. “Oh, yeah, right. Wait.” He put his phone down and pulled a facemask from his pocket, quickly heading to the counter to order something.

She watched him go, order, and come back with a sense of ease tied to her thumping heart. He was really there; it was that natural and easy. Of course, he had to leave, but she wouldn’t let that bum her out. He was there; their time had aligned again. Little could make her sigh so deeply.

When he sat back down across from her, he put his iced coffee down absentmindedly, took off his facemask and grabbed his phone. They both leaned across the table so he could show her the pictures and explain what drew him in and sometimes what the curator told him. It wasn’t hard to understand why he was so interested in the theme, as he kept drawing parallels between concepts, his own ideas, and how they’d pass through his music.

“It’s actually a prominent theme in my recent album, and it just shows how long I’ve been developing and living with the idea of a persona or sometimes even multiple personas. Though ultimately, I think there’s just one with multiple aspects and phases, which is how I choose to see it. Sometimes, anyway.”

He finished quickly, as though he realised he had been talking too much over the same thing, and she just smiled. “Sounds like that’s one way of doing it,” she offered, reaching to grab her latte. In an impulse, he leaned forward to grab his iced coffee, and it almost fell on the table. Only she caught it quickly, passing it to him before grabbing her drink. He mumbled a thanks, eyes low. “I’m happy to hear you’re not limiting yourself and are actively developing your art. You released an album?”

She couldn’t help her curiosity. She had actively stopped searching for what he was up to, but if it were him telling her, she wouldn’t say no.

He raised his eyes. “Yeah. It’s quite old, actually. I mean, I wrote those songs two, three years ago, but…” his voice drifted off, eyes locked with hers as he mumbled, “only now we’re having solo activities and…I’m ready.”

“Ready?”

“To show them to the world.”

He cleared his voice, and she nodded slowly. “Can I hear it? Or should I not?”

“What? Why?”

“Well, you said three, two years ago,” she remarked quietly. “We were together at some points during that time…or am I being pretentious?” she joked with a chuckle. “Thinking you’d write any songs related to—”

“No, I did,” he interjected firmly. “I definitely did.”

Angie waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. She took a deep breath. “Any about last year? Maybe I’ll skip those…”

“No, not in this one. But even then, why would you skip them?”

“Well,” she looked down with a crooked smile. “Maybe I don’t want to hear how you… How I hurt you. And maybe that’s exactly why I should, right?”

Her smile crumbled as she kept her eyes low, and he leaned over the table. “We were both hurt, I don’t see it as a one-sided thing. Of course, there’s pain. Even two years ago.” She raised her wet eyes to his, knowing exactly what he meant. Knowing they loved each other and had to let go was a very painful moment for both of them. “But maybe it’s still worth listening to?”

“I know it is,” she breathed, finding comfort in his soft features. “It’s yours, so of course it is.”

The distant noise from the cafe gained space around them as they simply looked at each other. Angie was more than content to be in his presence, gazing into his dark eyes, with a mix of calm and excitement that wouldn’t let up on her heart. Namjoon returned that gaze, that serenity tangled with something more she couldn’t place. It appeared when his eyes sharpened, heightened when they dropped to her mouth, and was completely hidden when he pulled back to sit straight, dragging his iced coffee to his mouth.

She looked away too, worrying her lip for a moment. “Did we just go into it too fast?” He raised his eyebrow, and she smiled. “It’s kind of our thing, I guess because it’s so easy to just talk to you.”

“What—What do you mean?”

“Well, maybe I should have started by asking about your letter,” she offered gently, and he nodded, keeping his head low for a moment.

They both knew what they were talking about, and she knew he’d remember his words the same way she did.

I finally feel a little braver. We’ve always left it up to fate…and in a way, I am. But this time I’m reaching out with my own two hands because I want to see you. I hope our time can align at least this once.

“I knew you’d ask, but I don’t have a good enough answer,” he finally rasped after rubbing his head with a hint of defeat. “It’s a mix of everything, and I thought this would be a good time to meet if you wanted to.”

She furrowed her brow. “Well, I clearly wanted to, I told Hyejin as much, and I’m here.” Angie recalled how Hyejin had given her the letter the last time she was in Boston, telling her Namjoon wanted to leave it up to her if she’d read it. As if she would have ever decided not to. “But what makes this a good time for you? Why now and not two or three years ago?”

He hesitated before sighing. “It’s different now, right? I mean, I’m promoting an album about a phase of my life that you touched so deeply, and everything is changing so fast. So after what Hyejin said, I just thought…I wanted to see you at least once more. Because our deal…it doesn’t make sense anymore, right?”

She frowned. “It doesn’t? Why? What did Hyejin say?”

A sudden shudder made her wary; Hyejin wouldn’t just share things about her best friend, that much Angie knew, but—

“She said she was coming here to...I’m sorry,” he stammered, “I should have said congratulations, I should have led on with that, I don’t know why I—”

“What are you talking about?” she interjected, leaning forward.

Namjoon looked pale. “She said your dress was beautiful, that it was a dream wedding, that—”

“Tori’s wedding?” she interrupted again, bending even more over the glass coffee table between them. “You mean, she told you she’d come to Boston for Tori’s wedding?”

“Tori?” he sputtered. “She—She said a wedding in Boston and went on about all her best friends from college getting married.”

“Well, not me,” she clarified with a soft scoff. “She was Tori’s bridesmaid, and that’s when she gave me your letter. At her wedding.”

“It wasn’t yours…” Namjoon was breathless, looking down, and this time, she followed his eyes.

She raised her hands, empty of rings. “No, not mine. Not married, haven’t even dated in a long time. A year, give or take.” He seemed speechless, and she insisted, unable to suppress a tinge of annoyance, “So you thought I got married, and so our deal didn’t make sense anymore. Did you want to say goodbye or—”

“No! I mean, maybe, I—” he stammered before heaving a deep breath. “Things have been changing for me, too, so you getting married just felt like a confirmation that everything is going to change. So I don’t know what I wanted to do, maybe I did want to say goodbye. Or just to hold onto you a little longer, or maybe I just missed an old friend with whom I never needed a mask.”

Her heart raced, and she was as breathless as he was. There was something raw about the way he spoke, like he was uncovering a wound he would normally never expose. And she knew that was so.

“That’s okay,” she said gently. “Whichever the case, I’m here.”

He nodded, visibly relaxing for a second before looking back at her. “What do you mean, a year?”

She shrugged. “Things changed after I saw you last time.”

“How?” He leaned forward, and just that gesture brought color to her cheeks.

“Well… Seeing you reminded me of what it should feel like to want to be with someone. To love them. I realised how I actually felt, and I regretted how I let things happen. Not that night...but what I was doing. I was just going through the motions; it wasn’t fair for Alex, me, or anyone, really. So we broke up right away.”

“You…broke up,” he repeated quietly, as though to wrap his head around it.

She nodded. “And I’ve been alone since.”

“Alone…”

“Yeah. But it’s a good thing,” she added, smiling despite his light frown. “It’s not your fault or anything, I just…I realised I needed this time alone. For me.”

His lips parted for a moment, but no sound came out, and she waited. To her, she wasn’t saying anything outrageous, but he seemed genuinely affected, and it was hard to decipher his thoughts.

“I—” He rubbed his eyes before clearing his throat and finally saying, “Out of everything I thought you’d tell me today, that never crossed my mind.”

Angie chuckled. “Well, life takes turns, right?”

She took a sip of her drink while he pressed the back of his fingers to his mouth. When she put the glass down, he leaned in, his cold drink still gripped tightly in his other hand. “I wanted to go after you,” he revealed, no hint of hesitation in his dark eyes despite the way hers widened. “I contemplated the option until the very last minute, but…it wouldn’t be fair after everything.”

“What do you mean?” she breathed.

“I was bitter that I wasn’t the one. Because I wanted to be the one for you,” he underscored with a smile. “Until that moment, I kept thinking, life has many seasons, I’ll be with her one spring day. Then I realised that I wanted all seasons with you, but my choices left me with none. It wouldn’t be fair to go after you and tell you all this when I still wouldn’t be able to change anything. To do anything different. So I didn’t go,” he finished quietly, a whisper, as though those were not the words he wished he were saying.

Angie’s chest pulsated with a warm ache that reached her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes to his lap. Thinking about a scenario in which he’d show up at her door unexpectedly after she broke things off with her ex shouldn’t fill her heart in the way that it did. If nothing else, because it never happened.

She grabbed her latte again. “So, in the end, you still held back from doing what you wanted,” she mused quietly.

“Yes, but I…I’ve been trying to do what I want to do now.”

She raised her brown eyes to meet his and paused. Despite his firm voice, there was hesitation. She tilted her head, her dirty-blonde hair falling over her cheek. “The changes you mentioned…” she recalled. “Tell me about them. Are you still carrying the weight of a brand, a culture, and a country?”

She could see how Namjoon stiffened under her gaze, pondering how to reply for a moment. She wondered if she’d gone too far and if he’d finally raise his mask, but he didn’t. 

He chuckled. “I missed this. The way we talk. The way you look at me. Even now, I can’t hide.”

“Do you want to?”

“No,” he admitted gently, before his expression sobered. “I’m still trying to juggle everything,” he confessed. “I’m doing diplomatic events, and with my military service coming up, there are definitely expectations that I feel like I have to meet.” Her brow furrowed, and he kept going, “But I’m also doing things for me. Doing what I want to do. Like this album and promoting it the way I want to, or working on things to release while I’ll be away, or deciding when I start my military service, or giving my heart a chance.”

Her expression had softened at some point before her eyebrows shot up in surprise. For a split second, she was confused. Was that why he was there? But that made no sense, he thought she had gotten married when he sent her the letter to meet, so…

“Wait, I shouldn’t just have blurted it out like that,” he immediately backtracked, and Angie’s heart settled painfully in her chest.

“Don’t worry, nothing is worse than how you heard about it last time.”

“Still, I…”

Her deep sigh quieted him. “So this is what it feels like.”

The cafe noise was muffled as she let that ache spread across her chest once more. Looking at him, she could see the same realisation in the way he pressed his lips and stayed very still.

“This is what it feels like,” he echoed, and even then she gave him a small smile. 

Because even in mirrored moments like those, they were still connected. He was still the only person she ever got to talk to and feel this way about. Nobody else would have understood.

“It’s my turn to say I’m happy for you,” she said, relieved with how lightly the words flowed out of her lips. Because she meant them. “Not just that you’re taking the reins and doing things for yourself, but that you took a chance. That you’re not letting external factors force you into sacrificing your happiness. I’m really happy for you.”

He cleared his throat and swirled the melting ice in his coffee with his straw. “Somehow…” he muttered, then raised his eyes. “Remember what you told me? When I said that?”

“Yeah. I said I’d hate you if you kept saying that.”

He gave her a firm nod, as if that said everything, and she bit down on her lip not to laugh. She guessed the roles really were reversed.

“Is it the same situation, though?” she asked, and a glimpse of hurt in his dark eyes made her clarify, “I’m genuinely asking. Last year, when I saw you…everything felt raw. It was like no time at all had passed since the last time I said that I loved you and cried listening to your CD for the first time. But now another year has passed,” she sighed, despite the way his glossy eyes were fixed on her. “It’s only fair if I’ve become nothing but a memory.”

“Would I be here if you were nothing but a memory?” he asked. “You’ll always be more than that. Even though two years have passed since I let you go, it’s like I always carry a part of us. Even right now, I still hold us tightly inside my heart.”

“That makes sense, we’re like that.” As Namjoon stared at his drink again, she tried to lighten the mood. “Well, one thing is for certain,” she started, raising an eyebrow playfully. “I never figured out the right time like you hoped for in your song.”

He leaned forward, drink still in hand. “Never sounds too definitive…”

“And the one time you’re like ten minutes away from mine, it’s the one time I can’t in good conscience invite you over.” She smirked, watching the gears turn behind his dark eyes. “Can’t even say free and interested. I never get to say it,” she whined playfully before taking a sip of her now cold latte.

“You really want me to feel how you did one year ago,” he tried to say lightly through his tense throat.

“No, Namjoon. Not at all,” she sighed with a light smile. “I won’t invite you over, I guess I’m just venting. There’s nothing to regret if there was never an opportunity to begin with.”

“An opportunity… Every time I see you, it doesn’t matter how long it has been. I realize that that’s what I’m always hoping for—a real opportunity.”

It was her turn to look away. “But there are many types of opportunities, right? Like there are multiple time theories, and many different dimensions.” She smiled, and looking into his red eyes, knew she didn’t have to say anything anymore. “I’m glad for this chance to just see you and hear from you.”

Namjoon’s eyes held hers until he nodded and looked away. Even without saying it, she knew he remembered the last words they had parted with. There was so much lingering between the two, and yet retracing old stories and moments was surprisingly nice. At least to her.

“Tell me about the things that are changing for you,” she requested gently, and he did.

Once the dam broke, the rush of water was strong, from big projects to small details. He told her of the weight of trying to do things right, be it by his feelings, his music, his bandmates, his fans, his label, his country. Sometimes the pressure was paralysing; sometimes it felt like the only way forward was crawling; and in others, he somehow had the strength to try to stand tall.

“It just never feels like it’s enough,” he confessed.

“And where do you stand in the middle of all that?”

He chuckled, but it was bitter. “Somewhere? Sometimes I can find him.”

“And the other times?”

“There are pieces.”

Angie took a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re not alone through it.”

He tried smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I thought I did well by choosing to live in the present and to plan the future. But lately, I…wonder if I didn’t take it too far.”

“You didn’t,” she assured him, playing with her fingers so her fists wouldn’t close. It was frustrating to hear what he’d been through. The urge to help him fight his battles and stand beside him was strong, and the frustration of not being able to burned. “You are choosing yourself. To live life the way you intended, to the best of your ability. That’s the only way to truly live, even if it maims you into pieces.”

“So there’s no limit?” he asked playfully.

“I’m sure there is,” she acknowledged. “I’d rather it didn’t destroy you like this, and I’m hoping you’ll find a balance. Don’t forget you can count on people around you.” She cleared her voice to hide the wavering, but he surely heard it. “Sometimes that’s all that’s needed—just surround yourself with good people.”

“I wonder if that’s why I wanted to see you again.”

She chuckled before it could hit her too hard. “No, that’s because you thought I got married and wanted to say goodbye.”

He sighed. “That’s not the entire truth, though.”

“No?”

“No,” he insisted, smiling, same as her. “I just wanted to see you one more time and couldn’t wait any longer.”

Angie’s smile held, despite the ache, and so did his. “Part of me wishes things were different.”

“Different how?”

“Different. If we were closer, we could at least be friends.”

“We don’t have to be closer,” he argued immediately. “Let’s just say no deal, exchange numbers, and—”

“I don’t think I can do that,” she interjected as firmly as she could, despite tearing up. She forced a chuckle. “I…don’t think I’m over you yet.”

“Angie…”

“Not your fault, I told you I need this time to be alone. I think that if we talked all the time, it wouldn’t help. Even if I do wish I were there for you. But I think I need to be selfish about this. I’m sorry,” she added sheepishly, with her warm cheeks and wet eyes, and he leaned forward.

“No, don’t apologize. If anything, I’m sorry. Things could have been different if I hadn’t hesitated for the millionth time.”

She chuckled. “You don’t know that.”

He hummed in disagreement. “Let’s say I’m sure there’s one dimension in which I had the guts to do what I wanted and didn’t wait a year to finally see you again.”

“Hopefully more than one dimension,” she smiled, “especially if I had the courage to do the same.”

He smiled but leaned back, heaving a deep breath. “I feel so bitter.”

“Hey, don’t think like that,” she told him, kicking his foot lightly next to the coffee table. “We’re doing our best, same as everyone. We’re living the best way we know how, and you’re fighting for your happiness. That’s much better than being stuck in the past.”

Despite her light tone, his thoughts turned inwards as he frowned softly. “Do you think a relationship means happiness?” She couldn’t help frowning, too. His eyes stayed down. “Some say it’s work, some say it’s a dream. Well, which is it?”

She chuckled. “You tell me, you’re the one in one.” He smiled, but stayed quiet. “I can’t say relationships automatically equate to happiness. They do take work. What if you hate plants, and I like to have my place covered in them? What if you hate travelling and I’d rather live with my backpack, hopping from place to place? Some things will be fundamental to us as humans, others won’t. Perhaps we could keep a few plants or have a large garden. Maybe we can travel together, or I can travel alone. I think the most important thing is the willingness to meet in the middle. To never stifle, but to grow together. Growing takes work, but we all dream of growing. Right? And when you do this with someone you love and care about, it’s just easier. Like a breeze or a dream. Happiness comes from both things, I think. From both holding the person you love every day and getting to go on that journey together. At least, that’s how I’d picture it,” she concluded, unsure of what she was seeing in his eyes. Perhaps a mix of tenderness and melancholy.

She was about to dare ask why he wondered about such things when his phone started ringing. He grabbed it from the coffee table and cursed. “My ride to the airport will be here in ten minutes.”

“Oh.”

There was nothing else she could say. Time had passed so fast that she almost forgot their time would end eventually.

“If I could, I’d cancel the flight and stay,” he said, making her blink back to reality. “But I have to be in South Korea to finish the album promotions.”

“Of course, I understand,” she blurted, sitting a bit straighter.

“Will you listen to it?”

She bit her lip before nodding. “Any suggestions?”

“Just get comfortable and let it play. Listen to it in order.” She nodded with a smile, and he sighed, “I wish you’d tell me what you think.”

“I’m sure I’ll like it.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

She swallowed dryly, not really knowing what to say. Whatever she thought about it, he’d only find out if they ever saw each other again, and she wasn’t sure they would.

“I didn’t even get to ask you about you,” he whined, raking his fingers through his hair with a huff.

“There’s not much going on, don’t worry.”

“I doubt that,” he stated, leaning forward. “Even last year, we didn’t talk as much. I never found out if you changed jobs or if you went trekking in Europe or—”

His phone rang again with a notification, and she put her drink down and got up with a smile. “I didn’t do either of those things. Yet.” He mimicked her with a soft frown, and she gave him a light smile. “I hope this isn’t the last time we see each other.”

His lips twitched before he made a decision. He tossed his phone on his armchair on his beanie, then circled the coffee table to pull her into his arms by the waist. It was a more intimate type of embrace, and he was comforted in the way she matched it by wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him hide in her hair. He breathed in her orchid scent that brought so much longing to his heart, closing his eyes to try to memorize that moment.

“We’ve definitely changed over the last three years and yet…” he whispered. “It feels the same. One more time. I want to see you one more time.”

“Just one more time?” she asked playfully, and he squeezed her.

“And at least one more time after that.”

Namjoon cursed under his breath as a door slammed yet again. He could still hear her shouting somewhere in his apartment, but he didn’t move from the living room. There was something keeping him nailed to his couch as his girlfriend erupted like a volcano around the place. There, in the relative peace of his space, surrounded by his art, bonsai, and orchids, he felt like he could stay somewhat grounded, which was a must when Yesong went on like that.

He knew how this went, and after being home only one day, he was already dreading it.

The door opened and slammed on the wall before she dragged her luggage to the hallway. Namjoon could hear it scraping on the floor, but he still didn’t get up.

She stormed into the living room. “How could you not have told me it was today?!”

“Didn’t think you’d care.”

“How could you think that?!” she screeched, coming to a halt in front of him. “You know I always go and watch you!”

“Not always.”

“What?!”

“Not always,” he repeated louder, raising his eyes to hers.

“You can’t be serious!”

“You didn’t attend the live concert, performances, or go with me to record in New York.”

“I was busy!” she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air.

“You said you didn’t leave the house because you didn’t feel well.”

His tone was neutral, but with that, she erupted again, “Because of you! Because you drive me crazy! To take care of your precious apartment! With your precious art and precious—”

He got up and grabbed her wrist, effectively halting her before she could throw a pink orchid against the wall. Her watery red eyes and flushed cheeks didn’t perturb him as they usually did, and in a split second, her expression went from needy to bursting with anger. She pulled her wrist free, and he let her go, but only after grabbing the flower pot.

“You never value anything that I do for you!”

“That’s not true,” he countered calmly, putting the pot down in its place. She was always careful not to break anything of value, so reaching for one of his orchids crossed a line. One he was admittedly more sensitive about at the moment.

The orchid perfume reached his nose as she kept shouting behind him, and he wondered what he was doing. Knowing the drill and going through with it all the same. Knowing she’d shout until he’d beg for forgiveness and give her what she wanted so she wouldn’t walk out the door. So she’d become the loving person he once let his guard down for. 

But now, all he could think about was Angie. This wasn’t a dream, they weren’t happy, they weren’t growing. He wasn’t authentic; not one word out of his mouth sounded like him. Not when he pretended everything was fine so he could get one moment of peace, and not when he placated her as if she were the centre of the universe and he was the void.

He knew something was off, but now he couldn’t unsee it. He couldn’t unhear it.

“Why can’t you just be happy for me?” he asked.

“What?!” she spun around, and he turned back to look at her. Pillows had flown, chairs weren’t in their place, and knowing her, it’d be seconds before a glass or jar would fly once she realized he hadn’t heard a word she had said.

Still, he repeated himself, “Why can’t you just be happy for me?”

Angie stared at the computer screen, reading for the tenth time the same line, but still unable to click her mouse over the red submit button.

She heaved a deep breath and carded her fingers through her blonde hair, then leaned back on her office chair. For two years, she hadn’t been sure of what to do with her career, and when this option presented itself, she was conflicted. It was too much responsibility, too far away, too different, too much of a risk…and they were all excuses. The real reason was that it was too close to the sun and she didn’t want to get burned.

She sighed; at least now she knew the exact chances of that happening. She’d like to say that meeting Namjoon the day before changed everything—no reason to have false hopes, so fewer chances of getting burned and more strength to take the gamble. The truth was far more complicated than that, but one thing was for certain: she had not made a change in far too long. She needed to pick the present and plan for the future, just like him. And what the hell, it was just a gamble.

She clicked the red submit button with her mouse, then picked up the first essay she had to grade. A knock on her door made her raise her head.

“Hey Angie, hope I’m not interrupting,” her head of department said, and she shook her head. “I was wondering if you thought about the military collaboration opportunity I told you about? I know it would be a huge change, but I hope you give it serious consideration. Allan and Bruce already applied, but I think you should, too. The deadline is tonight.”

“I applied just now.”

Her department head grinned. “Perfect. May the best physicist win.”

Next Part >

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 2 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: hungover, cursing, taehyung being taehyung (yes, it deserves its own warning), sara :(, smoking cigarettes, explicit content: male masturbation

☆word count: 12.4k

☆a/n: new week, new chapter! thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Saturday, May 17th

You’re not quite sure what wakes you up first. Maybe it’s the sun that’s spilling on your face from the window next to your bed. Or maybe it’s the incessant vibrations of your phone on the floor next to the mattress. It could be the sound of the children in the street outside your apartment as they scream about something you can’t decipher.

Especially not when you’re hit with severe throbbing at your temples, most likely a combination of dehydration and hungover. You groan, pulling the sheets over your head. It offers momentary reprieve from the world outside, though your cellphone starts vibrating again a few seconds later, and the kids are still screaming too loud to pretend you can’t hear them.

You have half a thought that you shouldn’t have plugged your phone in before going to bed last night. Miraculously enough, you managed to take a shower and remove your makeup before sleeping, but you doubt it’s a miracle that you remembered to plug your phone in.

Not when it stops ringing for only a few seconds before starting again.

Who the fuck is trying to call you?

You grit your teeth, figuring that it has to be something important and that you can’t ignore anymore. So you push your sheets off, squinting as the sun hits your eyes once more, and you roll on your stomach so that you can reach past your mattress. Your fingers find the floor, and it takes you a few seconds of fumbling around before you manage to grab your phone. 

You roll on your back again once you’ve got a hold of your phone, and you glance at the screen to see that it’s your agent calling. Suddenly feeling very awake, you sit up in bed, picking up the call and pressing your phone to your ear.

“Yes?” you let out when the line connects.

“Where have you been?” Stella says. “Isn’t it the middle of the afternoon for you?”

You glance at the time on your phone. “It is.” You sigh, rubbing your face. “I was up late last night.”

“So you did end up going out!” Stella’s words are far too chirpy for your current state, and you wince as your headache seems to double up. 

It only occurs to you then that you completely forgot to send her pictures last night, drunk as you ended up to be. And then you remember all about who exactly you spent the evening with, and your heart ceases its beating for a few seconds.

“Did you have fun?” Stella asks.

You swallow, throat dry, and reply, “Yeah, it was pretty nice.”

You don’t know what else to say. You’re aware that you signed an NDA, and that it is likely possible that you can’t even mention who you were with last night. But Stella is your agent…

Fuck. You really should have asked Jungkook to send you the NDA. Though… you do recall asking for it. You just highly doubt that Jungkook will send it.

“Just that?” Stella lets out. “There’s been a bunch of pictures of you online.”

Your heart stops in your chest for good now. Your throat closes up, and it’s like the kids down in the street are under water.

Or maybe it’s you. Maybe you’ve been thrown under water, waterboarded by sudden anxiety.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Stella laughs. “Girl, your sales are through the roof. Kim Jennie!”

The last two words are meant as an explanation for what happened, yet you can’t connect it to your agent’s first sentence.

“My sales are through the roof?”

“Just leave it here,” Stella says, and it’s a little muffled like she’s moved her phone away from her mouth. “Yeah,” she adds after a second. “Someone recognized you in some of those pictures and you’ve got a lot” – she holds the ‘lot’ for a few seconds – “of people buying Love in the End. You’ve doubled your sales, girl.”

You blink. Once, twice. What the fuck?

“What,” is all you manage to let out.

“I had the exact same reaction,” Stella says with a laugh. “Never would have imagined you’d go viral like this.”

Neither did you. Though you did grow popular on Tiktok for a little while, the hype didn’t stick around for long.

“I’m thinking we should use this to promote your next book.”

Stella’s words make you sigh internally. It makes sense that she’s saying so, but your head hurts far too much to think about work right now.

“I’ll talk with the publicist tomorrow morning and let you know.”

Right, it’s early night back home.

“Sounds good.”

There’s a short silence, and you think you hear someone whispering on the other side of the line. You assume it’s Stella’s fiancée – you doubt Stella is at the office right now.

“Allie is saying ‘congratulations’,” Stella says, confirming your intuition. “And so do I. Can’t believe you met Jennie.”

You can barely believe it yourself. If only Stella knew the array of celebrities you actually met…

“It was really unexpected,” you admit. “Kinda ran into her in the bathroom, and Josh…” Your words catch up in your throat, and you can tell your agent is giving you time to collect your thoughts as she remains expectantly silent. “He met someone else. Posted her in his story.”

“And…” Stella trails off. “What does that have to do with Jennie?”

“She was also –” You catch yourself, unsure you can actually say anything about her. “She cheered me up,” you choose to say. “We talked at the bar for a while.”

“Yeah, that’s what those people are saying online.” 

You put her on speaker, and you finally take a proper look at the screen of your phone, swiping out of the phone call to see that you have hundreds of new followers on Instagram, and that you’ve received messages from a lot of people from back home.

Hyunseok also sent you at least twenty messages, the last one claiming that he’ll kill you if you don’t explain what the fuck happened last night.

You open the thread of your conversation with him, scrolling through the messages to notice that most messages contain variable levels of threats to you from not telling him about last night.

[2:43 pm] You: signed an NDA🤷‍♀️

Hyunseok replies almost right away.

[2:43 pm] HS (not high school musical): BITCH

You snort.

“What’s up?” Stella asks, and you startle.

“Nothing,” you quickly say. “Just texting a friend.”

“Well…” Stella chuckles. “I’ll let you go do that. I have to sleep anyway. But please, I need to know everything about last night.”

“Good night,” you say, cheeks burning as the fact that you did sign an NDA and can’t actually tell her anything comes to your mind.

Stella wishes you goodbye, and then the line goes dead. You’re still looking at the conversation with Hyunseok, trying to figure out what to say, when you receive a text message from an unsaved number.

[2:46 pm] unsaved number: hey girl! kinda noticed that pictures of us last night have blown up [2:46 pm] unsaved number: i hope you don’t mind! didn’t realize people were taking pictures of us

Your heart speeds up in your chest yet again. It has to be Jennie.

[2:47 pm] unsaved number: it’s jennie btw

As you thought. You take a deep breath, looking at the square of blue sky you can see out of your window. It’s delimited by the window frame and by the building on the other side of the street, but you still manage to see a bird flying past. 

[2:48 pm] You: hey! dw about it [2:48 pm] You: my manager actually just called to say my books have been selling record numbers rn [2:49 pm] You: so thank you, actually haha [2:50 pm] unsaved number: that’s amazing!  [2:50 pm] unsaved number: thank YOU. i was a mess last night

A child screams particularly loudly down in the street, and your headache chooses that moment to come back in force. You wince, and you put your phone down on your bed as you get up to close the window. You have no clue why it’s open – maybe drunk you believed the fresh air would help. 

As if drunk you forgot you have AC.

You grab your phone, carrying it downstairs to the kitchen area of your studio as you ponder what to reply to Jennie. As you think, you grab a bottle of water from the fridge, putting your phone down to uncap it. You take a long swig of water, and your phone vibrates on the counter.

[2:52 pm] unsaved number: can i take you out for coffee or smthg as a thank you later this week?

You almost spit out the water. You did not expect Jennie to want to hang out again.

[2:53 pm] You: that’s really not necessary!  [2:53 pm] unsaved number: 🥲 [2:54 pm] unsaved number: i insist, i had fun with you last night!

You nibble at your bottom lip, not knowing what to reply. But then Hyunseok texts you again, telling you he’s actually happy you made friends with Jennie and just like that, your decision is made.

[2:55 pm] You: alright then, i’d love to hang out🤗

You save Jennie’s phone number next, adding the stars emoji next to her name. It feels fitting considering how famous she is.

Or at least that’s what you tell yourself as your brain tries to compute everything that’s happened in the last 24h.

*****

Jungkook grunts, the dumbbells in his hands heavier than he remembered them to be when he picked them up. Or maybe it’s just because he’s done too many reps already. Was he on eight, or nine?

Or maybe it was just seven.

He stops, groaning as Taehyung slaps his shoulder.

“You’re not done, big boy, five more reps.”

“Fuck off,” Jungkook curses lowly, yet he resumes the biceps curls he’s been doing, his face scrunching up from the effort.

“You shouldn’t have drank yesterday,” Taehyung teases, but Jungkook elects to ignore his friend’s comment.

He hadn’t even been supposed to drink all that much. But he’d needed to forget how shitty yesterday was, and the only way to do so had been with alcohol and smoking. He’s still unsure if it worked – Namjoon bailed on working out together today, and the producer asked Jungkook to record those same lines again even though he spent his whole day in the studio yesterday.

Not only that, but he’s pretty sure Sara went home with someone else last night, and the message he sent to ask if she was home safe is still sitting in his phone unanswered.

He tells himself he shouldn’t care, yet the familiar pain in his chest can’t be silenced. So he pushes for more reps, and Taehyung cheers him on.

“Hell yeah,” Taehyung says when Jungkook finally drops the weights. “You’re hitting that pump today.”

Jungkook chuckles, looking up at his reflection in the mirror. He’s shirtless – he got too warm while they were warming up earlier, and he took off his shirt right away. They’re working out in the gym in his new house anyway.

It’s not like anyone would see them. 

Jungkook’s gaze catches on the new ink on his shoulder and chest. Though he got the tattoo a little while ago, it still feels unfamiliar to see it there, like maybe it should have washed up when he was taking a shower. But he’s glad it hasn’t – the artwork is beautiful, the red and black ink forming a pattern he’s come to like more with time.

Jungkook flexes his biceps as a reply to Taehyung’s comment, and both of them burst out laughing as Jungkook finally gets up from the bench.

“Your turn,” he says, motioning at the bench for Taehyung to take a seat.

Taehyung nods before plopping down, and he grabs his own weights – he’s never been able to catch up to Jungkook’s usual weight even after all the training he did in the military. Soon enough, Taehyung’s grunts fill the room, and Jungkook leaves him to grab a bottle of water from the mini fridge. 

He takes a long gulp of water, pushing his hair back as he heads back to where Taehyung’s working out. As he waits for Taehyung to finish, Jungkook sits on the other bench, and he ends up grabbing his phone from the floor.

[4:57 pm] Jennie: are you with tae?

Jungkook slowly closes his eyes after reading the text that sits on the screen, letting out a long, annoyed sigh. Taehyung glances at him – he’s just finished his set – and he cocks an eyebrow.

“What’s up?” Taehyung asks.

“Fucking talk to Jennie,” Jungkook grumbles.

Immediately feeling defensive, Taehyung frowns. Jungkook can literally see Taehyung’s walls go up in his eyes before he replies with, “Mind your fucking business.”

“Why are you even ignoring her?” Jungkook asks.

He’s asked that question what feels like a hundred times already and, like usual, Taehyung only grumbles something under his breath and then gets up. He stalks towards the mini fridge, grabbing a water bottle for himself.

“I’m not ignoring her,” Taehyung grumbles.

“She just wants you guys to be on good terms,” Jungkook reminds Taehyung. “It’s making it awkward for everyone.”

“No one’s forcing you to be friends with her.”

Taehyung’s words are clipped, short, and Jungkook raises his eyebrows.

“No offence, but we were friends long before you dated.”

Indeed, years ago, Jungkook had been the one to introduce Jennie to Taehyung. And he’d met her through Lisa, who he met at an event earlier in their career, when the group was only starting to win awards, surpassing the popular K-pop groups.

“Right.” Taehyung sighs, drinking some water. “I just don’t want to talk to her.”

Jungkook pulls at his piercings, debating whether to say something else. Never one to have a filter when it comes to his close friends though, the words come out regardless.

“But why, though?”

“Don’t push, okay? It’s your turn anyway.”

That last sentence is accompanied by a vague motion towards the weights on the floor, and Jungkook sighs, but complies.

He knows he’s not going to get an answer anyway. He reckons that Taehyung might be ignoring Jennie because he still has feelings for her and her insisting to be friends is too hard for him. But it’s not like he can just tell Taehyung that, no matter how true he might believe it to be.

He loves his friend, but he’d probably get punched in the face if he uttered the words out loud. He knows the truth has to come from Taehyung, whenever he’ll be ready. 

So, he throws his phone on the floor, not replying to Jennie, and switches benches to the one where they’ve been doing their bicep curls.

They’re on shoulder presses a little while later when Taehyung speaks again.

“Did she text you?”

It takes everything in Jungkook to not physically facepalm himself. Instead, he pushes the weights up, his shoulders burning from the strain.

“Why do you care?”

Once again defensive, Taehyung lets out a small scoff. “Just wondering.”

Jungkook just stares at Taehyung, holding in a laugh at the sight of the blush that creeps on his friend’s cheeks.

“Fuck off,” Taehyung grumbles.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “It’s written all over your face.”

“Is it though?”

Jungkook resumes his shoulder presses as Taehyung stays silent this time, and he finishes his series before getting up.

“Just talk to her,” he tells his friend. “See what she has to say.”

“We talked yesterday and it was a mess,” Taehyung admits with a sigh, this time sounding resigned. “It’s really better if we don’t talk.”

Jungkook watches as Taehyung sits, avoiding his gaze. He picks up his weights, getting ready for his series. As always, Jungkook positions himself behind in case Taehyung needs a spot.

“Gotta do twelve,” Jungkook says, and Taehyung starts his reps, going through half of them with ease. 

On the eighth, his arms wobble slightly, and Jungkook gets ready to help. The tenth ends up being failure, though Jungkook saves the rep by slightly pushing on Taehyung’s arms until he’s made the full repetition.

“God fucking damn,” Taehyung lets out as he drops his weight. “I swear to God it’s harder every time.”

“You’re just lifting heavier,” Jungkook encourages him. “Gotta get the gains.”

Taehyung makes a non-committal sound, nodding his head. They both drink water, and Jungkook’s phone vibrates on the floor again. It’s facing up, and both their gazes divert to the device. From this far, Jungkook can’t tell who texted, but the way Taehyung tenses tells him everything.

He bends down, picking up his phone and opening it with face ID . The conversation with Jennie immediately pops up, and he reads her new text.

[5:19 pm] Jennie: can you send me the nda you got y/n to sign

Y/n… Jungkook feels his heart skipping a beat at the mention of you, and he sees you again last night, looking drunk out of your mind, yet ethereal. He thinks it was the dress. It had to have been the dress – you even eclipsed Sara last night…

But maybe that’s just because of the way you’d touched him outside of the bathroom. Your hands on his chest, possessive yet tentative, and he’d frozen on the spot. It helped that he had a view of your breasts from that angle. It did something to him that he still doesn’t understand now, and he had to splash cold water on his face a moment later to try and get the image of your half-lidded eyes looking up at him like that out of his mind…

Jungkook gulps, his blood heating, and he quickly replies to Jennie, sending her the file he’s saved on his phone last night.

“What’s wrong?” Taehyung asks.

“Nothing?”

A doubtful line appears between Taehyung’s eyebrows as Jungkook looks at him.

“Nothing, I swear,” Jungkook insists, which only makes him look guiltier.

Taehyung’s frown deepens. “Is something going on between you and Jennie?”

Eyes almost bulging out of his head, Jungkook lets out a startled laugh. “What? No? What the fuck?”

“Why are you being weird?”

Jungkook gulps, pulling at his piercings. They still hurt, and he makes a mental note to make sure to clean them thoroughly later.

“Jennie just made a friend last night and asked me to send her the NDA the girl signed.”

The frown dissipates from Taehyung’s features, replaced by a cocked eyebrow. Jungkook ignores it, grabbing his water bottle and taking a sip from it.

“NDA?”

So much for trying to avoid the conversation, Jungkook tells himself.

“I had the girl sign an NDA since it was a private event with just idols and actors,” he explains. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get in.”

“You just had an NDA on your phone for that?” Taehyung’s tone is teasing, and Jungkook’s cheeks flash even darker.

“Yeah.”

The silence that follows is heavy, expectant, like Taehyung’s waiting for Jungkook to explain further.

“It’s actually the NDA I make girls sign before…” he trails off. “But it works for the situation.”

Taehyung bursts out laughing. “You did not.”

Jungkook’s lips stretch in a thin line. “I did.”

“That is fucking hilarious.”

And though Jungkook is feeling embarrassed, he reckons that it is indeed hilarious. Had Taehyung or any of the members done the same thing, he would have also laughed at them. But, to be fair, it’s not like the NDA has anything specific about him in it.

It’s just a contract that says the person that signs it cannot talk about anything in relation to the idols they come in contact with, no matter the level of intimacy they share. His name isn’t even in it, which he reckons might make the NDA invalid. 

But he doubts you’ll say anything about last night. Or, at least he hopes you won’t.

The amount of people that were openly kissing last night would likely break the industry if it were to get out. Though, if you were to talk, he assumes you already would have. Especially after you went viral too.

Indeed, he’s seen the pictures of you and Jennie. They served as a good reminder of the way you’d possessively touched him like you’d known him your whole life…

“Let’s finish this workout, I have something with Seojun later,” Taehyung says, taking Jungkook out of his reverie.

He nods, blinking a few times as if needing to readjust his gaze to the world surrounding him, and then he clears his throat before getting ready to work out some more. He guides Taehyung through the rest of the exercises, and they finish with a ten minutes of cardio that has Taehyung complaining the whole time. Once they’re done, Taehyung heads upstairs to take a quick shower, and Jungkook makes himself a protein shake. He’s sipping it when Taehyung comes down, and he tells his friend goodbye as he walks him to his car in the garage.  

When Taehyung is finally gone and his house is once again silent besides the sound of the air exchanging system, Jungkook finishes his protein shake, leaving the bottle in the sink before he heads upstairs, grabbing his stuff to take a shower too. Still tired from yesterday night, he figures he’ll have dinner and game for a few hours before heading to bed.

Especially since he’ll have to record some lines again tomorrow, as the producer confirms while Jungkook is digging through a drawer for a clean pair of boxers. The text makes him think of his fight with Namjoon, and Jungkook sighs audibly, maneuvering to his conversation with the leader.

They didn’t speak today – Namjoon told Taehyung that he wasn’t going to come work out, and that was that. He didn’t reach out to Jungkook, and Jungkook didn’t try to talk to him either. He feels a little guilty – their fight yesterday got out of hand, and wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for the producer being a total ass.

[6:23 pm] Jungkook: sorry about yesterday [6:24 pm] Jungkook: i shouldn’t have snapped at you

He watches the messages he sent, worrying at his piercings some more as if that will make Namjoon reply right away. He doesn’t – he’s always busy with one thing or another now that they’re out of the military – so Jungkook throws his phone on his bed, heading to the bathroom.

He drops his clean clothes on the counter, turning on the shower before getting out of his gym attire. He puts the clothes away in the hamper, making a mental note to do some laundry soon as it’s almost overflowing. Though he reckons he could do it now, if only so that it’s done.

It takes him five minutes to start the washing machine, and then he’s running back to the bathroom as he realizes he didn’t turn the shower off in the meantime. It’s now wafting off steam and, already undressed, Jungkook jumps in the water, hissing at how hot it is.

He always forgets how hot Taehyung takes his showers.

He adjusts the temperature, sighing in relief when it finally reaches his preferred warmth. Not too hot, just lukewarm enough to be refreshing, especially after a gym sesh. And then he’s washing his hair, rubbing shampoo into his scalp as his thoughts go back to last night.

To Sara, and the white shirt she was wearing. It did little to hide her body, and Jungkook grinds his teeth as he remembers she ignored him. Didn’t even say hi last night, and didn’t reply to his messages either.

She always does that. He thinks she likes the chase. Or maybe this time around she truly is done with him… His heart aches in his chest at the possibility of it, so he pushes it away, focusing on rinsing the shampoo out of his hair.

There was you, too. That dress… It too was quite revealing, hugging your body perfectly. You carried yourself with a confidence that he rarely sees in people that aren’t in the industry, like you expected someone to be taking pictures of you at all times. He knows, because that’s how all idols usually carry themselves.

But you’re a writer. He knows that, too, because Jennie mentioned it, yes, but mostly because he stalked you this morning with his burner account. He didn’t realize last night that you were fairly known – you nearly have 100k followers on Instagram.

Nothing compared to the likes of him, but you’re not quite as unknown as he thought you were before. And he gets why – one of your books has gone viral on Tiktok, but you also are pretty, in a very simple, elegant way that attracts the gaze.

Indeed, your eyes shine in every picture, like you know something that people don’t. It’s like a bit of mischief, something mysterious, and Jungkook wonders how many men have fallen to that gaze before.

He knows he almost fell to it last night, when your hands were on his chest and you looked up at him like he was the center of the universe. He felt important, hot and bothered and…

Fuck.

You’re attractive. It’s a simple fact. He knew it last night – he disregarded it because it didn’t seem important at the moment – but it only truly hits him head on right then, in the shower. 

It’s your body, he tells himself. You apparently work out a lot, and those pictures on your Instagram of you in biker shorts wearing only a sports bra revealed enough to let him know you’re good at it, too. At least you have the results that indicate you are. Which explains why that dress fit you so well…

Jungkook shuts his eyes, trying to clear his mind. But it doesn’t work, it only makes him imagine your hands on his chest, on his shoulders, the way you squeezed him like you were trying to make sure he was real…

It’s not his fault he hasn’t hooked up with Sara – or with anyone really – in weeks now. Not his fault that he imagines how your hands would have felt on other parts of his body. And those eyes…

Fuck.

He’s hard. He blames it on not having had time to jerk off this morning, though he knows it’s not only that. It’s the thought of you, the way you looked at him…

He hasn’t felt that way about someone other than Sara in forever, so he lets it slide, no matter how weird it might be. Hell, now that he’s hard, he just lets his thoughts wander as one of his hands grabs the base of his dick, squeezing once.

He strokes himself slowly, and he thinks about your half-lidded eyes. And even though it probably shouldn’t, the thought of you just makes his dick harden even more. So he starts moving faster, the friction making his blood boil in his veins.

He really needs to get laid soon. 

He’s always liked it fast and hard. Yet he teases himself, mostly because he’s not sure if what he’s doing is respectful. His eyes shoot open, and he leans against the wall. He watches the water trickling down from the shower head, pulling at his piercings again… yet this time the pain turns him on. This time, the pain makes him want more, makes him want to bury his cock into someone’s pussy.

Into you, his brain supplies, but he ignores it, focusing on the generality of it. Trying to remember the last porn video he watched, yet somehow he keeps going back to you. To your hand on his chest, your head tilted back…

Jungkook grunts, picking up his pace. He feels like a teenager. Getting so worked up about someone he doesn’t even know… But it’s not like you will know, right?

It’s not like he’ll ever see you again. The thought soothes the awkwardness he’s feeling more than anything, and so he allows himself to jump feet first into the lust. Fantasies of you under him fill his mind as he pumps his dick fast and hard, slapping his balls on the way down. He’s rough, rougher than he usually is, but he’s been so horny, so fucking frustrated, and he just wants the release.

He curses under his breath as he closes his eyes again to focus on the sensations. To focus on the way he feels his balls tightening as he imagines you on your knees looking up at him with those sinful eyes…

He doesn’t even know you. Has barely even talked to you… yet he imagines how you might moan if he were to bury his head between your legs. If he were to pinch your nipples…

Do you like pain the same way that he does?

Not that he’ll ever know. But in his fantasy, you do, and he fucks you hard and rough until you come undone under him, and only then does he let himself go.

He’s jerking himself so fast now that his arm starts to burn, but it’s barely an inconvenience, something his body realizes but ignores as pleasure shoots up and down his spine. He’s getting close, his climax so near he feels it at the base of his dick, and he keeps jerking himself off, leaning his head back against the cool tile of his shower.

Would you say his name when you come?

The thought of it sends him over the edge, and Jungkook comes hard, his cum shooting out of his dick and mixing with the water from the shower before going down the drain. He breathes hard, not moving for a moment as the climax still rushes through him, making his head spin. He jerks himself slowly, making sure to milk all the pleasure out of himself, and then he opens his eyes, looking down at his hand. His tattoos are discolored from the cum covering the back of his hand, and he winces in disgust as he moves his hand under the water to rinse it.

Post-nut clarity hits him hard, and he turns the shower cold, standing in the water despite it feeling uncomfortable. It feels like good punishment for what he’s done, for jerking off to the thought of someone he doesn’t even know, but he reckons the embarrassment will likely cling to him all evening.

All he can do is hope that he’ll never run into you again.

Tuesday, May 20th

The clinic where you are is illuminated with warm lights, the ambiance that of relaxation. Multiple plants are scattered around the waiting room, their leaves dusted with droplets of water from the girl that’s currently watering them with a spray bottle. The tile floor is so clean you imagine your reflection in it, and the receptionist is currently talking on the phone with a low voice that reminds you of the librarian at your college’s library.

All in all, you’re falling asleep as you wait for your appointment to start, and Hyunseok next to you isn’t doing any better. It doesn’t help that you were up late last night writing the newest scene of your book, where the main character meets up with the policeman at the station after their first meeting in the shady club’s basement. 

You’re still struggling with their chemistry, and that most of all is the reason why you ended up going to bed way later than you usually do. You slept in this morning, but you still feel like you would have slept more had it not been for Hyunseok calling you four times in a row because he was outside your apartment.

You’d planned this day with him last week – he’d convinced you to go with him to get a facial done at his favourite clinic in Gangnam before going shopping in Seongsu. You have to stop at the Dasique shop to get more of your favourite blush palette, so you didn’t need a lot of convincing to follow Hyunseok on this adventure.

A pretty girl in pink scrubs calls your name followed by Hyunseok’s name, and Hyunseok startles next to you, standing up quickly. You follow him up, laughing as he wobbles on his feet, clearly dizzy from getting up so fast.

“You good?” you ask.

“Girl, I was passed out.” 

You chuckle again, before following as he heads to where the girl is waiting for you. “Yeah, you were snoring,” you tease.

Hyunseok glares at you over his shoulder. “I wasn’t.”

You snort, but you reach the girl before you have time to say something else, and she walks the two of you to the room where you’ll get your facials done. You sit next to each other where the estheticians tell you to, and then they immediately start their routine, efficient as they are. It leaves you no time for conversation, and so you settle comfortably in your chair, shutting your eyes as they get to work.

As you’re relaxing, you think about your book again. You left off on a conversation between the two love interests, the policeman telling her how dangerous it was for her to be at that club. The main character doesn’t like it, doesn’t like the seeming condescendance of the guy’s tone, and she lets him know she’s able to defend herself. 

But then you don’t know what the guy should reply. You feel like he’s written in a way that he might discard her words as those of a girl that’s not aware of the dangers of the world. Because he is arrogant – even if he’s supposed to be the love interest, his better-than-thou attitude bleeds through the words you write. 

You might have to start the whole scene again for it to work better. Unless you go for the enemies to lovers trope?

You take a deep breath – you have to stop thinking of the book if you want to relax. So instead, you think about the shopping you’ll do later, and about…

What if the love interest isn’t him? What if…

You don’t know who the love interest should be if it isn’t the police officer. 

“You’re tense,” the esthetician that’s currently rolling a jade roller under your eyes says. “You can relax.”

“Sorry,” you apologize, and you curse yourself mentally, embarrassed that she noticed.

It’s not like you have to figure it out right now. You can figure it out later, when you’re not getting a facial done. So you let the book go – it doesn’t stray too far though. It never does. But you do your best to let it go, and you manage to start dozing off while she’s applying a mask on your face a little while later.

You come back to your senses when the esthetician tells you you’re all done, and she moves your chair back up into a sitting position. You barely even noticed when she moved it to an almost lying position, which you reckon is a sign you probably fully fell asleep.

You yawn, stretching as you glance to the side. Hyunseok is already done, and he offers you a tired smile as you meet his gaze.

“I need a coffee,” he declares solemnly, making you chuckle.

So you end up going to a café after you’ve paid for the facial, and you both grab an iced americano with pastries.

“You know,” Hyunseok says between two bites of his strawberry cream-filled croissant, “you never told me how it was to party with the Kim Jennie.”

Flashes of last Friday night come back to your mind. The party was wild – there was a lot of alcohol, a lot of dancing, and so many people you’ve only ever seen on the other side of the screen of your phone or computer.

Or TV, even. Indeed, you’re pretty sure you saw Cha Eunwoo at some point. He was making out with someone though, so you don’t know if it was really him.

“It was wild,” you say, taking a sip of your coffee. “There were a lot of people.”

Hyunseok’s eyes sparkle with interest. “Like who?”

You scrunch up your nose. You read the NDA, and it was vague enough that you’re not even sure you can tell Hyunseok.

“NDA, remember?” you let out.

Hyunseok looks up to the ceiling with a long sigh. “Girl, you can trust me. I won’t say anything.”

The thing is, you haven’t known him for that long yet. As much as you get along with him well, you don’t know if you can fully trust him. So, instead, you offer him a sheepish smile.

“I really don’t want to get in trouble,” you say. 

Right on cue, as if summoned by the conversation you’re having, your phone lights up on the table with a text from Jennie. Hyunseok sees it at the same time as you do, and his eyes shoot to your face.

“Oh shit!” he says. “What does she want?”

You grab your phone. “We’re… friends now, I guess?”

“Your friends with Jennie!” Hyunseok practically yells, and people turn to look at the two of you.

“Shut up,” you say through gritted teeth. 

He barely looks apologetic, yet he mumbles, “Sorry.” He stays silent for a few heartbeats, and then he adds, “This is so cool.”

You don’t know what to say. You understand his excitement – hell, you practically feel the same too – but you don’t want to make it seem like Jennie isn’t just a normal person like the two of you. So what if her job made her incredibly famous?

You glance down at the screen of your phone to finally read her text.

[3:12 pm] Jennie✨: just started love in the end!!! [3:13 pm] You: omg, you don’t have to

“She’s reading my book,” you tell Hyunseok, a little surprised that she is.

You didn’t expect her to.

“Girl!” Hyunseok smiles brightly. “Of course she is, it’s an amazing book.”

You chuckle, and the awkwardness you felt about the NDA fades. “Thank you, thank you.”

Like he sensed that you indeed grew awkward from his insistence and excitement about your friendship with Jennie, Hyunseok switches subject after that, talking to you about something Haneul did recently.

After that, the conversation stays well away from anything celebrity related, which is a big relief. You do end up going shopping, and you buy a couple of cute pairs of socks outside of the subway station, at a small shop you notice on your way to Dasique. The trip to Dasique ends up with you buying a perfume at the shop in the basement along with the blush palette you needed, and then you go to a store Hyunseok wanted to go to.

You’re waiting for him to try on a few shirts when you get another text from Jennie, telling you she’s already obsessed with the story. It makes you laugh, and you reply to her with a smile on your face.

[4:46 pm] You: stoooop [4:47 pm] Jennie✨: I’m serious! [4:47 pm] Jennie✨: btw, are you available on thursday evening [4:48 pm] You: yeah, should be😌

Hyunseok walks out of the dressing room, attracting your gaze. You look up at him, and he makes a disgusted face as he holds the three shirts away from his body.

“Nu-uh, these make me look horrible,” he says, and he hands them to the worker before heading towards you. “I’ll go to Musinsa some other time, Haneul said they have similar but better shirts.”

You nod. “Want to go somewhere else or do you have to meet with Haneul?”

Hyunseok glances at the time on his phone. “Yeah, gotta head home.”

And so you leave the store, heading back to the subway station. You stop to grab a snack on the way – Hyunseok buys one for his boyfriend too – and then you make your way to the station. You ride together for a while, both scrolling on Instagram, your social batteries out, and Hyunseok hugs you loosely once you reach his stop, waving goodbye as he gets off.

You wave to him, too, and then you resume your doom scrolling, only to be interrupted by a new text from Jennie.

[5:35 pm] Jennie✨: good, excited to see you xx

Needless to say, you’re excited to hang out with her, too.

Thursday, May 22th

“Fucker!” Namjoon curses, and Jungkook bursts out laughing.

They’re currently gaming, and Jungkook is beating the shit out of Namjoon, as he usually does. It’s not that Namjoon isn’t a good Smash player.

It’s just that he is absolute fucking trash.

“You can’t just spam the same button constantly,” Hoseok says from the other side of Namjoon.

The leader throws him a glare. “You think you’d do any better?”

“Against JK? Hell fucking no.”

Jungkook lets out another laugh. “You almost beat me!”

Namjoon throws him a no-bullshit look. “You still have two lives.”

“Well…” Jungkook lets out, shrugging his shoulders. 

“I need a fucking smoke,” Namjoon says, and he hands the controller to Hoseok, who looks at it like it’s alien.

“I’m not playing against Jungkook.”

“And I want a smoke too anyway,” Jungkook says. “Now that I finally finished recording.”

Hoseok winces, getting up with the two of them. “Y’all blow the smoke away from me.”

“You know you can just wait here,” Jungkook tells his older friend.

“Your house is way too creepy for that.”

That earns a snort from Namjoon, and a cocked eyebrow from Jungkook.

“Is it?”

“Who told you that making everything so dark would work?”

“The designer,” Jungkook deadpans.

Hoseok grumbles under his breath, following Jungkook and Namjoon as they head to the small inner garden he’s had included in the house, if only so that he could smoke outside without having people see him.

“Fuck, it’s hot,” he says as they step outside.

Indeed, the weather has been akin to summer lately, and Jungkook already dreads how it’ll only get warmer from here.

“Fucking love it,” Hoseok says as he plops down on a stone bench. 

“I’d pass,” Jungkook replies.

They are different. The seven of them. Sometimes, Jungkook wonders how they made it this far despite all their differences. But then again, it works.

Family is family, even if you’re different. And he’s been seeing these men as brothers for a decade now. 

Hoseok makes a non-committal sound as Namjoon lights up a cigarette, handing one to Jungkook. He uses Namjoon’s lighter to light up the end of his cigarette, and he inhales deeply, the smoke filling his lungs.

The first time he’d smoked, Jungkook had coughed for five days straight after. But nowadays, the smoke barely even itches anymore. It just gives him a relaxing rush that he’s come to like more and more with time.

Which he reckons might be a problem, but a problem for another time.

“Have you spoken to Sara?” Namjoon asks, and Jungkook almost chokes.

He and Namjoon haven’t spoken about their fight last Friday. After he apologized over text message, Namjoon just said that it was all good, and they’d left it at that. So Jungkook definitely was not expecting the question.

As a matter of fact, Sara did reply to his last message eventually. Indeed, he received a message some days ago from her, telling him she hadn’t seen his text before, a clear lie in his opinion.

She’s always on her phone after all, especially when she’s getting prepped for one shoot or another, and he knows she had a fashion show – she’s a model – on Monday evening. So he chose not to reply, though his fingers have been itching since then to ask if she’s seeing someone new.

“Not really,” he tells his leader. 

Namjoon blows a cloud of smoke towards the sky. “How are you feeling?”

Jungkook shrugs, glancing at Hoseok who’s just on his phone now, a smile on his lips clearly indicating that he’s texting his girlfriend.

“I’m okay,” Jungkook says, but it sounds like a lie even to his ears.

He’s never been a good liar after all, even if that is not quite a lie. He is okay. Just annoyed that he and Sara are in one of their lows right now…

“You should let her go,” Namjoon says, as gently as he can.

But it reminds Jungkook of their fight last Friday, and he bristles. “Let’s not go over this again.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

Jungkook inhales some smoke, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out as he taps the cigarette in the ashtray to get rid of the ashes at the end of the stick. “I think she’s seeing someone else, so you don’t really have to worry about it.”

“Oh.” Namjoon’s gaze drops to the ground before coming back up. “I’m sorry, bro.”

Jungkook shrugs. “It’s whatever.”

“It doesn’t have to be whatever,” Namjoon calmly says. “But I hope that you’re not going to let that affect you too much.”

She doesn’t deserve it.

That’s what Namjoon said last Friday, and the reason why they actually got into a fight. But the words are left unsaid this time around, and Jungkook sighs in relief.

“She’ll probably come back eventually anyway.”

He sounds so delusional he feels like gagging. 

Hoseok chooses that moment to come back into the conversation. “And if she doesn’t?”

The silence that follows is heavy. It’s only interrupted by the sound of a honk on the street by the house. And all Jungkook can do is stare at Hoseok because… what then?

What would he do?

“Ah,” he lets out, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess I…” He takes a drag again, blowing it towards the sky. “I guess I’d have to move on.”

Jungkook expects Namjoon to say something along the lines of ‘You should move on regardless’, but Namjoon remains silent again.

“I’ll set you up with Hana,” Hoseok says. 

Hana, his girlfriend Heryung’s best friend. Hoseok thinks she’d be the perfect girl for Jungkook, as he mentioned multiple times before, but Jungkook reckons he has no interest in meeting her. Not that she isn’t attractive or anything. He’s seen pictures before, and he’s pretty sure she was backstage at one of their last shows before his military service, a time when Sara was also there.

He’s just not interested.

“I’ll pass.” He chuckles, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m doing okay right now, I promise.”

And the thing is… it really isn’t that much of a lie.

“Well,” Namjoon says. “As long as it’s true.” He finishes his cigarette, crushing it on the concrete railing before dropping it in the ashtray. “I feel like Tae’s the one we should really worry about.”

That, Jungkook fully agrees with. “Yeah, I think he’s ignoring Jennie because he’s still in love with her.”

“He clearly still is,” Hoseok agrees. “He was telling Jimin about it all the other day.”

“Was he?” Namjoon lets out.

Jungkook is even more surprised than Namjoon at Hoseok’s revelation. After all, he’s always kind of assumed that he was closer to Taehyung than the others…

But he’s friends with Jennie, and he knows that that has been making Taehyung uncomfortable. His reaction when they were working out together last Saturday and Jennie texted him was a clear indication of it.

“Yeah, Jimin said Tae nearly cried.” Hoseok pouts. “We should do something with the seven of us to cheer him up.”

They so rarely meet up all together now, and nostalgia hits Jungkook head on as he remembers times when they were always together, back when they even lived together.

Though such a time is coming again, as they will tour as BTS once more soon.

“That is a good idea,” Namjoon agrees with a nod. “Think you can host everyone here?”

There’s a reason why Jungkook made sure to have seven bedrooms in the house. Exactly for a situation like this.

“I’ve got a shooting with Calvin Klein this weekend,” he says. “But I should be available next weekend.”

“I’ll send a text in the group chat,” Hoseok says. “We can plan a date then.”

Jungkook nods, finishing his cigarette too, and then they all head back inside. He’s about to start a new game of Smash when his phone starts ringing, Jennie’s contact photo lighting up the screen. He excuses himself, handing the remote to Hoseok, and then he walks away from his friends to pick up the call.

“What’s up?” he says as the line connects and he brings the phone to his ear.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” Jennie asks as a way of greeting.

Jungkook glances towards Hoseok and Namjoon who decided to start a game without him.

“Nothing special,” he replies. “Just chilling with Hobi and RM.”

“Y’all down for barbecue?” Jennie asks. “I’ve already asked Mingyu and Eunwoo and they’re in.”

“Tae won’t come.”

“Who said anything about Tae?” Jennie grumbles. “I’m asking you because Mingyu said to call you.”

Jungkook’s phone vibrates in his hand with an incoming text, and he looks at the device to see that Mingyu has just texted him about it.

“Right.”

There’s a short silence, and then Jennie says, “So? You in?”

“I’ll check with the boys, but I can’t guarantee anything,” he says. “I don’t know if they’re planning to stay late.”

“Well, like I said, they can come too,” Jennie reminds him. “I already rented a room at that restaurant we went to last time.”

Jungkook loves that restaurant. The meat is just… out of this world, and they have all the privacy they need in the back rooms. 

“I’ll let you know.”

“‘Kay,” Jennie lets out. “And if you feel like inviting Tae…”

There it is.

“Not gonna happen,” Jungkook says. “And not because I don’t want to invite him, but he’s at a shoot with GQ today.”

“Oh, is he?” Jennie asks, sounding way too interested in the subject.

“Yeah.” Jungkook’s phone vibrates again. “Man, Mingyu really wants me to come.”

“Y/n will be there,” Jennie says absentmindedly as if she’s doing something else on the other side of the line. Her voice is louder when she adds, “Mingyu wants to get to know her.”

Jungkook is stunned silent. Mostly by the mention of your name – to think he’s literally jerked off to the thought of you a few days ago, thinking he’d never run into you again. 

Holy fuck.

“JK?”

He clears his throat. “Huh.” He swallows, his throat suddenly dry. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come.”

“Shut up,” Jennie says. “You’re not still thinking she’ll start rumors?”

“No!” Jungkook immediately lets out. “No,” he says, lower this time as his first outburst attracted Namjoon and Hoseok’s gaze. “Of course not.”

“Well then, just pull up,” Jennie insists. “We’ll have fun. But I gotta go now, Y/n is back.”

Jennie hangs up without another word, and Jungkook is just left staring at his phone, wondering what the fuck is happening.

He can’t see you again. Not what after he did last Saturday… but Mingyu is interested in you? He doesn’t even recall Mingyu talking to you last Friday.

Unless… you did dance with him at some point, didn’t you? Though it was mostly with Jennie and Rosé… 

Jungkook gulps, and then he walks back to where Namjoon and Hoseok are playing.

“Everything okay?” Hoseok throws over his shoulder, and the moment of distraction has his character shoot out of the screen by Namjoon’s character. 

“Yeah,” Jungkook says with a nod as he drops down in the spot he abandoned before picking up the phone. “Jennie just invited us to dinner.”

“Us?” Hoseok lets out with a laugh, not even focusing on the screen. “Or you and Taehyung?”

“She said you guys are invited,” Jungkook replies. “But I don’t think I’ll go.”

“Don’t stop yourself for me,” Namjoon intervenes. “I’m going to meet Yoongi at the studio for some edits.”

Indeed, though they have producers too, Namjoon and mostly Yoongi always make sure to be very involved in the process, as it’s a way for BTS to remain more authentic despite the fame.

As a group, they’ve always wanted to remain authentic.

“And I’m having dinner with Heryung, so I’ll be leaving soon,” Hoseok says. “So you should go.”

Jungkook sits back on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. 

He doesn’t really have a reason not to go now, does he?

*****

“You’ll love it I promise,” Jennie says as you walk up to the restaurant.

You spent the afternoon together – it started with coffee and then shopping, and she even took you to an appointment she had at a designer store. It’s been fun, like you’ve known her your whole life, which honestly surprises you a little considering you are both sober.

You were drunk when you met her, or rather you got drunk when you met her, and you thought the friendship with her was born of alcohol. But it seems the universe really did want you and Kim Jennie to be friends, because you haven’t had this much fun in a long time. Laughing like you’ve never known any sorrow, gossiping like two teenagers…

It’s been fun. So fun that she managed to rope you into her dinner with friends in the evening. You’d initially planned to go home and have an early night, but Jennie said that this barbecue has the best food around town, and that you really need to try it.

So here you are, heading towards the restaurant as Jennie shoots a message to the staff to let them know that you’re almost there.

“Are you sure Mingyu and the others won’t mind that I’m here?” you ask again.

Mostly, you think about Jeon Jungkook, and about how cold he was toward you last Friday, but Jennie just shrugs it off.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” she reassures you. “I told them already.” She offers you a bright smile and a wink. “They like you already.”

You snort. “We’ll see about that.”

You reach the restaurant, and Jennie hooks her arm with yours to lead you to the door. A host is already waiting for the two of you, and he immediately lets you in, leading you to the back of the restaurant. A few people notice you on the way, but Jennie told you to ignore them, so you just focus on the guy’s back in front of you. It feels awkward, weird, and you wonder if pictures of you and Jennie will surface online again.

You gained so many followers since last Friday, and your books are still selling more than they ever have before, so you won’t complain about it, no matter how strange and surreal it feels.

“Thank you,” Jennie tells the host as he lets you into the private room.

He politely bows at the two of you, and then leaves you, closing a sliding door behind him. It’s made of frosted glass, giving you privacy for the evening, which you reckon is something celebrities like Jennie must need more often than not.

“Finally,” Jennie lets out as she drops down in one of the small couches that surround the round table. 

There’s six of them, and you sit in the one next to Jennie, happy to see that a water pitcher is already waiting for the two of you. You pour a glass for Jennie and then one for yourself, almost downing it in one go.

“Shit, I was thirsty,” you say.

Jennie chuckles. “All that walking around will do that to a girl.”

You snort, and then you grab your phone, making sure that Stella hasn’t sent you any new emails since yesterday regarding promotion for your book. You believe it’s way too early for promotion, but she’s been so excited with your new… fame that she wants to start promoting right away.

Thankfully, your email invoice is empty, and you switch apps to Instagram.

And then you immediately turn off your phone, practically throwing it across the room. Jennie’s head shoots towards you, and she looks at you with wide eyes.

“Everything okay?”

“My ex just posted a picture with the girl,” you say, still not sure that’s what you truly saw.

Josh never wanted to post pictures of you and him together. He said he didn’t like to be active on social media… and yet he’s posted that girl twice in less than a week. You try to not let it get to your head, but it’s a little hard when it was such a big issue between the two of you.

Not that you necessarily wanted him to post you. It was just weird that he was so against it all the time.

“Asshole,” Jennie lets out. “He’s a fucking asshole.”

Agreed.

“I don’t know how long they’ve been together but, what the fuck?” You shake your head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Men are like that,” Jennie says wisely. “They make you believe you’re the center of their world but then refuse to do anything for you. And somehow, it’s always easier with the next one. Like they’re trying to show you that they’re oh so much better off now.”

You glance at her. “Are you talking from experience? Because if Taehyung has done that to you…”

You don’t finish the threat, mostly because Jennie chuckles, and her cheeks turn pink. “No. The one before him did, though. But Tae…”

You wait for her to add something, but she just remains silent, a small smile appearing on her lips. It’s so different from the way she was speaking about him last Friday that you raise your eyebrows, looking at her quizzically.

“Tae?” you repeat.

Jennie blinks a few times. “Sorry.” She clears her throat. “He actually texted me and apologized for being a dick last Friday.” There’s a short silence, and then she adds, “But I’m not stealing the spotlight from you right now.”

“I don’t mind talking about something other than Josh,” you say, a concerned line appearing between your eyebrows. “Do you really think he’s being genuine?”

You’d hate for Taehyung to raise her hopes up only to hurt her again. From what you’ve gathered from the conversation last Friday, this isn’t the first time that he’s done something similar.

“I know him.” She nods once. “He wouldn’t apologize if he didn’t mean it.”

“But is it going to change the way he speaks to you?” you ask. “Or the way he acts?”

You hate the way her eyebrows slightly furrow, clouds gathering in her gaze. You don’t want her to be sad – you just don’t want her to get hurt again.

“Honestly…” She sighs, and she looks at her glass of water as if it holds answers to your question. “He apologized last night. Called me and all. Said we can try to be friends, but that it’s hard for him.”

It’s clearly hard for her too, but you don’t mention it.

“So… I guess we’ll try?” she concludes.

You’re not sure what that would entail, and by the look on Jennie’s face, you’re pretty sure she doesn’t know either. You’re about to point it out when the sliding door opens, and you both turn to look at it.

Jeon Jungkook is standing on the other side, Kim Mingyu behind him, and every thought of Jennie and Taehyung eddies away from your mind as your gaze connects with Jungkook’s.

He looks… different, when you don’t have alcohol in your system. Like he’s more in focus, his features sharper, and the grey t-shirt he’s wearing reveals his sleeve of tattoo. It's tight enough to hint at the muscles you shamelessly groped last Friday, and it takes everything in you to not look down. He’s paired his shirt with a chain, and he’s got a silver hoop in one ear along with multiple stud earrings in the other.

He’s hot. Even hotter somehow than the last time you saw him, yet…

Yet he looks at you just as coldly as he did last time, before disregarding you as he looks at Jennie and says something in Korean.

“Yes, it’s just us two,” Jennie replies, and a glance at her reveals her rolling her eyes. “Lisa might come later and Eunwoo should be here soon.”

Jungkook offers a curt nod before strolling into the room, Mingyu on his heels. Mingyu looks at you, grinning widely, and you feel your cheeks burning as he sits down in the leather seat next to you.

“Hey,” he greets you, eyes sparkling as his smile doesn’t budge from his features. “Long time to see.”

You’re fully aware that he’s looking at you and you only, and your eyes shoot to Jennie as you try to assess if it’s normal. She winks at you, and then she says something to Jungkook, who sat on the other side of her.

“How are you?” you ask Mingyu.

“Fantastic,” he says. “Just released a mini album, and it’s been going well.”

“Wait…” you trail off, aware that you’re going to sound extremely stupid, but you don’t care.

You didn’t even know he was in a group.

“You sing?” you guess.

Mingyu laughs. “Yeah, I’m in a hiphop duo. Sort of. Ever heard of CxM?”

You have. Their music has popped up on your Spotify once or twice before, but you had no clue what the singers look like.

“Oh, that’s you!” you let out.

“Me and my friend S.Coups,” Mingyu says, nodding his head. “We used to be in a bigger group, but now it’s just us.”

He stretches forward, reaching for the water pitcher that’s in front of you. You catch a whiff of his masculine cologne, and you purse your lips, moving slightly back as your gaze tracks along his arm. Clearly, he spends a lot of time at the gym, too. He doesn’t seem to notice your ogling as he refills your glass before pouring himself one.

“It’s been great,” he says, sitting back in his seat, and you shake out of your reverie.

“The duo?” you ask.

He nods, taking a large sip of water. “The whole thing. Releasing the album, getting to do it with a good friend, the variety shows we’ve been going on…” His eyes glaze over as if he’s reliving one of those variety shows. “But enough about me,” he says with a blink. “How did you become a writer?”

Before you can reply, Eunwoo walks in, smiling wide at the sight of the group. His gaze catches on you and he slightly frowns, though it vanishes the second Jennie introduces you. Once he’s settled in the seat next to Jungkook, engaging in conversation with him, Mingyu asks you the question again, as if to make sure you don’t forget to reply.

“It’s something I always wanted to do,” you admit. “I started writing when I was in middle school.”

“Wow!” Mingyu nods appreciatively. “That’s amazing. Having a passion like that is the best thing.”

“You feel the same way about music?” you ask, lips curving upwards at his understanding.

He grins. “Definitely. I wouldn’t have done anything else.”

You’re suddenly keenly aware that someone’s looking at you, and a glance to the side confirms that Jungkook is staring at you while Jennie and Eunwoo are talking about something you don’t quite understand. He doesn’t look away when your gazes meet, and you offer him a tentative smile. It’s met with a slight frown, and you immediately turn your head back toward Mingyu.

What the fuck was that?

You ask yourself that same question multiple times in the next hour. Though you mostly share conversation with Mingyu, who’s just as friendly as you remember him to be last Friday, you always catch Jungkook looking at you. Even when you’re eating later, every glance to the side has your gazes connecting, though he’s quick to look away now.

“How’s the book going?” Mingyu asks some time later, when you’ve finished eating and the group of you is just watching him and Jungkook still engulfing food.

You meet his gaze. He’s been talking to Lisa for a little while, the actress having been able to join you while you were already eating, and you’ve just been sitting there in silence as Jennie went to the bathroom.

You’d almost gone with her, but you didn’t quite need to, and she said that they only have one bathroom stall anyway.

“Oh,” you let out, a little surprised at Mingyu’s question. “It’s honestly been a struggle.”

His eyes turn sad, a little pout appearing on his lips. “How come?”

“The love interests are lacking chemistry,” you explain with a sigh. “And I don’t really know how to fix it.”

Not without rewriting what you’ve already got, but you really like the beginning and the scene in the shady club. It’s what comes after that just doesn’t seem to work.

“Mmh.” Mingyu sips from his third beer of the night before putting the bottle back down on the table, reaching for a piece of meat next. He eats it quickly, and then says, “Maybe you just need to lock them in a room.”

You snort at the suggestion, only to realize that he’s being serious as he doesn’t even smile, which is pretty rare when it comes to him.

“Sorry,” you quickly apologize, cheeks burning. “It’s just…” you trail off, and your gaze slightly widens.

He isn’t wrong. What if they go somewhere and end up being kidnapped? Then the policeman can save the main character, and maybe the chemistry will finally bloom.

“You might be onto something, actually,” you say, sounding a little too excited, but you don’t care, not when you’ve been struggling on the book all week. “I can work with that!”

Mingyu’s iconic smile spreads on his lips. “See! It always helps to lock two idiots together until they realize their feelings for each other.”

You laugh, tilting your head to the side. “Not quite sure they’re there yet, but it can definitely make them intrigued with the other.”

“Maybe he needs to see her getting hurt.”

The words come from your other side, and you only notice then that Jungkook has been paying full attention to the conversation. His gaze is on you, unwavering, like he’s waiting for something. It does something to you – your heart starts racing, your blood swishing through your veins, and you feel slightly out of breath.

“What was that?” you ask, as if you didn’t hear the first time around.

You just didn’t expect him to talk to you at all. Not when he’s made his… disdain for you clear.

“Isn’t there a trope where the girl gets hurt, and the guy goes on a rampage to kill whoever hurt her?” he asks.

He crosses his arms on his chest, his biceps bulging out, and your gaze drops to the muscles. You think he flexes them on purpose – he leans back in his chair, the perfect picture of male arrogance.

“Well, the guy is a police officer,” you say. “Not quite sure he’d keep his job if he were to kill people.”

Jungkook makes a non-committal sound. “Just trying to help.”

He pulls at his piercings, and you glance at his lips next. His eyes are still burning on you, and the way he cocks his head to the side makes your blood boil in your veins…

Until Jennie sits next to you, and Jungkook and you both glance at her.

“What are you guys talking about?” she asks.

“Y/n’s book,” Mingyu supplies from the other side of you.

You’d entirely forgotten that he was the one that started this conversation.

“Oh,” Jennie lets out. “Anything new with it?”

“Just trying to figure out what to write next,” you tell her. “I’m struggling with the chemistry between the main characters.”

“Ah.” She slightly frowns, and then glances at Jungkook, who immediately looks away as if he wants no part in this conversation anymore.

What is wrong with him?

“Did you end up writing that…” Lisa bursts out laughing at something Eunwoo said, and Jennie glances her way before focusing on you again. “That scene at the club?”

You nod. “I did. That’s what I was working on over the weekend, but now they’re at the police station and it just doesn’t work.”

“I’m sorry, girl,” Jennie says.

“This one gave me an idea,” you reassure her, pointing toward Mingyu who answers with a grin. “So it should be okay.”

You think Jungkook tenses next to Jennie, but you ignore him.

“Good. I’m excited to see how this book turns out.” Jennie offers you a warm smile. “Love in the End is just so good.”

You feel blood rushing to your cheeks. “Thank you.”

As Mingyu fetches the last piece of meat that was on the grill, the group agrees that you’re done eating, and that you’re ready to pay. To your surprise, Jungkook decides to pay for everyone, which apparently is something they usually do.

One of them pays, and then another one pays next time. You wince – you doubt you have the same budget as the group of them, and you don’t think you could pay for everyone. Though you don’t see the bill, as Jungkook heads to the front of the restaurant to pay before coming back, you assume it had to be in the hundreds.

But that’s a problem for another day, you presume. It’s not like you’ll end up having dinner with them again… right?

The way Jennie hooks her arm with yours when you’re leaving the restaurant much later that night tells you that you actually might have to start saving up for a hypothetical later date. If only so that you don’t embarrass yourself in front of your new friends.

Outside the restaurant, Jungkook and Mingyu wish you good evening. Jungkook stands to the side, his careful gaze on yours, while Mingyu hugs you goodbye, and you can’t help the blush that spreads on your cheeks as you look up at him.

Mingyu is attractive. It’s like it’s needed to be part of this friend group, and having him look down at you with that gentle look in his eyes makes you feel seen, shy, and your gaze drops to the ground as he steps back.

“Good night,” he repeats. “It was a pleasure to talk to you tonight.”

“Likewise,” you reply, and you force yourself to look up and meet his gaze again. “Thank you for your help with the book.”

Jungkook scoffs behind Mingyu, and you glance at him, not surprised to see that he’s avoiding your gaze. You clench your jaw, annoyed, but you don’t say anything. Not even when he finally meets your gaze, his eyes dark in the dim lighting of the street. The moon is hidden by a cover of clouds, so it’s just the yellow light by the restaurant’s door and a streetlight up the hill to your left. They do nothing to light up his eyes, darkness clinging to his pupils.

Jungkook doesn’t look away. Neither do you – you feel defiance taking over you, your annoyance from the way he’s been acting towards you ever since you met him replacing the… intrigue that you felt at the beginning of the evening.

Jeon Jungkook is an asshole. Which is strange – when you were a fan of him, every video showed him as this sweet person. But he was a teenager then, just a little older than you. People change, you assume. Or that sweet person was just a hoax, a lie, the devil wrapped up in pretty bows and shy smiles.

Jeon Jungkook is none of that now. He is all tattoos and piercings and rough edges. Cold eyes, better-than-thou attitude, and a disdain for you you don’t quite comprehend. It’s not like you’ve done anything to spite him. But it seems your mere presence last Friday and today again was enough to piss him off.

Mingyu notices you and Jungkook staring at each other, and he glances between the two of you before taking a step back, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. And still, you just hold Jeon Jungkook’s cold gaze.

But there’s… You think there’s something else in the way he looks at you. He seems to notice the moment you see it, and he looks away, breaking eye contact first. You don’t feel like you’ve won though. You just feel confused, and you frown, though Jennie pulling on your arm distracts you until you look away from Jungkook, too.

“Let me call a cab for you,” Jennie says. 

“Actually,” you let out, and you glance to the side to see that Jungkook is now on his phone, the glow of the screen casting shadows on his features. “I’ll just take the subway.”

Your sentence attracts Jungkook’s attention, and he looks at you with a frown that borders on a scowl as if you wanting to take public transport is the most disgusting thing that he’s ever heard.

“Are you sure?”

You nod. “Yeah. So I’ll just walk home.”

Jennie pulls you into a hug. “Text me when you get home, then,” she says. “And we should hang out again soon.”

“Of course,” you reply, a smile blooming on your lips. “I had a lot of fun today.”

She grins at you, and then you’re hugging her goodbye one last time. Mingyu also goes in for a last hug, and you wave goodbye to the others, Jungkook barely even glancing your way. You think about bumping your shoulder in his when you walk past him, but you refrain.

You’re older than this, you tell yourself.

Or at least you have to be. Because you doubt Jeon Jungkook will be.

Prev | Next

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hope you guys enjoyed this chapter <3 let me know what you think!

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 2 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, this chapter has mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: hungover, cursing, taehyung being taehyung (yes, it deserves its own warning), sara :(, smoking cigarettes, explicit content: male masturbation

☆word count: 12.4k

☆a/n: new week, new chapter! thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Saturday, May 17th

You’re not quite sure what wakes you up first. Maybe it’s the sun that’s spilling on your face from the window next to your bed. Or maybe it’s the incessant vibrations of your phone on the floor next to the mattress. It could be the sound of the children in the street outside your apartment as they scream about something you can’t decipher.

Especially not when you’re hit with severe throbbing at your temples, most likely a combination of dehydration and hungover. You groan, pulling the sheets over your head. It offers momentary reprieve from the world outside, though your cellphone starts vibrating again a few seconds later, and the kids are still screaming too loud to pretend you can’t hear them.

You have half a thought that you shouldn’t have plugged your phone in before going to bed last night. Miraculously enough, you managed to take a shower and remove your makeup before sleeping, but you doubt it’s a miracle that you remembered to plug your phone in.

Not when it stops ringing for only a few seconds before starting again.

Who the fuck is trying to call you?

You grit your teeth, figuring that it has to be something important and that you can’t ignore anymore. So you push your sheets off, squinting as the sun hits your eyes once more, and you roll on your stomach so that you can reach past your mattress. Your fingers find the floor, and it takes you a few seconds of fumbling around before you manage to grab your phone. 

You roll on your back again once you’ve got a hold of your phone, and you glance at the screen to see that it’s your agent calling. Suddenly feeling very awake, you sit up in bed, picking up the call and pressing your phone to your ear.

“Yes?” you let out when the line connects.

“Where have you been?” Stella says. “Isn’t it the middle of the afternoon for you?”

You glance at the time on your phone. “It is.” You sigh, rubbing your face. “I was up late last night.”

“So you did end up going out!” Stella’s words are far too chirpy for your current state, and you wince as your headache seems to double up. 

It only occurs to you then that you completely forgot to send her pictures last night, drunk as you ended up to be. And then you remember all about who exactly you spent the evening with, and your heart ceases its beating for a few seconds.

“Did you have fun?” Stella asks.

You swallow, throat dry, and reply, “Yeah, it was pretty nice.”

You don’t know what else to say. You’re aware that you signed an NDA, and that it is likely possible that you can’t even mention who you were with last night. But Stella is your agent…

Fuck. You really should have asked Jungkook to send you the NDA. Though… you do recall asking for it. You just highly doubt that Jungkook will send it.

“Just that?” Stella lets out. “There’s been a bunch of pictures of you online.”

Your heart stops in your chest for good now. Your throat closes up, and it’s like the kids down in the street are under water.

Or maybe it’s you. Maybe you’ve been thrown under water, waterboarded by sudden anxiety.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Stella laughs. “Girl, your sales are through the roof. Kim Jennie!”

The last two words are meant as an explanation for what happened, yet you can’t connect it to your agent’s first sentence.

“My sales are through the roof?”

“Just leave it here,” Stella says, and it’s a little muffled like she’s moved her phone away from her mouth. “Yeah,” she adds after a second. “Someone recognized you in some of those pictures and you’ve got a lot” – she holds the ‘lot’ for a few seconds – “of people buying Love in the End. You’ve doubled your sales, girl.”

You blink. Once, twice. What the fuck?

“What,” is all you manage to let out.

“I had the exact same reaction,” Stella says with a laugh. “Never would have imagined you’d go viral like this.”

Neither did you. Though you did grow popular on Tiktok for a little while, the hype didn’t stick around for long.

“I’m thinking we should use this to promote your next book.”

Stella’s words make you sigh internally. It makes sense that she’s saying so, but your head hurts far too much to think about work right now.

“I’ll talk with the publicist tomorrow morning and let you know.”

Right, it’s early night back home.

“Sounds good.”

There’s a short silence, and you think you hear someone whispering on the other side of the line. You assume it’s Stella’s fiancée – you doubt Stella is at the office right now.

“Allie is saying ‘congratulations’,” Stella says, confirming your intuition. “And so do I. Can’t believe you met Jennie.”

You can barely believe it yourself. If only Stella knew the array of celebrities you actually met…

“It was really unexpected,” you admit. “Kinda ran into her in the bathroom, and Josh…” Your words catch up in your throat, and you can tell your agent is giving you time to collect your thoughts as she remains expectantly silent. “He met someone else. Posted her in his story.”

“And…” Stella trails off. “What does that have to do with Jennie?”

“She was also –” You catch yourself, unsure you can actually say anything about her. “She cheered me up,” you choose to say. “We talked at the bar for a while.”

“Yeah, that’s what those people are saying online.” 

You put her on speaker, and you finally take a proper look at the screen of your phone, swiping out of the phone call to see that you have hundreds of new followers on Instagram, and that you’ve received messages from a lot of people from back home.

Hyunseok also sent you at least twenty messages, the last one claiming that he’ll kill you if you don’t explain what the fuck happened last night.

You open the thread of your conversation with him, scrolling through the messages to notice that most messages contain variable levels of threats to you from not telling him about last night.

[2:43 pm] You: signed an NDA🤷‍♀️

Hyunseok replies almost right away.

[2:43 pm] HS (not high school musical): BITCH

You snort.

“What’s up?” Stella asks, and you startle.

“Nothing,” you quickly say. “Just texting a friend.”

“Well…” Stella chuckles. “I’ll let you go do that. I have to sleep anyway. But please, I need to know everything about last night.”

“Good night,” you say, cheeks burning as the fact that you did sign an NDA and can’t actually tell her anything comes to your mind.

Stella wishes you goodbye, and then the line goes dead. You’re still looking at the conversation with Hyunseok, trying to figure out what to say, when you receive a text message from an unsaved number.

[2:46 pm] unsaved number: hey girl! kinda noticed that pictures of us last night have blown up [2:46 pm] unsaved number: i hope you don’t mind! didn’t realize people were taking pictures of us

Your heart speeds up in your chest yet again. It has to be Jennie.

[2:47 pm] unsaved number: it’s jennie btw

As you thought. You take a deep breath, looking at the square of blue sky you can see out of your window. It’s delimited by the window frame and by the building on the other side of the street, but you still manage to see a bird flying past. 

[2:48 pm] You: hey! dw about it [2:48 pm] You: my manager actually just called to say my books have been selling record numbers rn [2:49 pm] You: so thank you, actually haha [2:50 pm] unsaved number: that’s amazing!  [2:50 pm] unsaved number: thank YOU. i was a mess last night

A child screams particularly loudly down in the street, and your headache chooses that moment to come back in force. You wince, and you put your phone down on your bed as you get up to close the window. You have no clue why it’s open – maybe drunk you believed the fresh air would help. 

As if drunk you forgot you have AC.

You grab your phone, carrying it downstairs to the kitchen area of your studio as you ponder what to reply to Jennie. As you think, you grab a bottle of water from the fridge, putting your phone down to uncap it. You take a long swig of water, and your phone vibrates on the counter.

[2:52 pm] unsaved number: can i take you out for coffee or smthg as a thank you later this week?

You almost spit out the water. You did not expect Jennie to want to hang out again.

[2:53 pm] You: that’s really not necessary!  [2:53 pm] unsaved number: 🥲 [2:54 pm] unsaved number: i insist, i had fun with you last night!

You nibble at your bottom lip, not knowing what to reply. But then Hyunseok texts you again, telling you he’s actually happy you made friends with Jennie and just like that, your decision is made.

[2:55 pm] You: alright then, i’d love to hang out🤗

You save Jennie’s phone number next, adding the stars emoji next to her name. It feels fitting considering how famous she is.

Or at least that’s what you tell yourself as your brain tries to compute everything that’s happened in the last 24h.

*****

Jungkook grunts, the dumbbells in his hands heavier than he remembered them to be when he picked them up. Or maybe it’s just because he’s done too many reps already. Was he on eight, or nine?

Or maybe it was just seven.

He stops, groaning as Taehyung slaps his shoulder.

“You’re not done, big boy, five more reps.”

“Fuck off,” Jungkook curses lowly, yet he resumes the biceps curls he’s been doing, his face scrunching up from the effort.

“You shouldn’t have drank yesterday,” Taehyung teases, but Jungkook elects to ignore his friend’s comment.

He hadn’t even been supposed to drink all that much. But he’d needed to forget how shitty yesterday was, and the only way to do so had been with alcohol and smoking. He’s still unsure if it worked – Namjoon bailed on working out together today, and the producer asked Jungkook to record those same lines again even though he spent his whole day in the studio yesterday.

Not only that, but he’s pretty sure Sara went home with someone else last night, and the message he sent to ask if she was home safe is still sitting in his phone unanswered.

He tells himself he shouldn’t care, yet the familiar pain in his chest can’t be silenced. So he pushes for more reps, and Taehyung cheers him on.

“Hell yeah,” Taehyung says when Jungkook finally drops the weights. “You’re hitting that pump today.”

Jungkook chuckles, looking up at his reflection in the mirror. He’s shirtless – he got too warm while they were warming up earlier, and he took off his shirt right away. They’re working out in the gym in his new house anyway.

It’s not like anyone would see them. 

Jungkook’s gaze catches on the new ink on his shoulder and chest. Though he got the tattoo a little while ago, it still feels unfamiliar to see it there, like maybe it should have washed up when he was taking a shower. But he’s glad it hasn’t – the artwork is beautiful, the red and black ink forming a pattern he’s come to like more with time.

Jungkook flexes his biceps as a reply to Taehyung’s comment, and both of them burst out laughing as Jungkook finally gets up from the bench.

“Your turn,” he says, motioning at the bench for Taehyung to take a seat.

Taehyung nods before plopping down, and he grabs his own weights – he’s never been able to catch up to Jungkook’s usual weight even after all the training he did in the military. Soon enough, Taehyung’s grunts fill the room, and Jungkook leaves him to grab a bottle of water from the mini fridge. 

He takes a long gulp of water, pushing his hair back as he heads back to where Taehyung’s working out. As he waits for Taehyung to finish, Jungkook sits on the other bench, and he ends up grabbing his phone from the floor.

[4:57 pm] Jennie: are you with tae?

Jungkook slowly closes his eyes after reading the text that sits on the screen, letting out a long, annoyed sigh. Taehyung glances at him – he’s just finished his set – and he cocks an eyebrow.

“What’s up?” Taehyung asks.

“Fucking talk to Jennie,” Jungkook grumbles.

Immediately feeling defensive, Taehyung frowns. Jungkook can literally see Taehyung’s walls go up in his eyes before he replies with, “Mind your fucking business.”

“Why are you even ignoring her?” Jungkook asks.

He’s asked that question what feels like a hundred times already and, like usual, Taehyung only grumbles something under his breath and then gets up. He stalks towards the mini fridge, grabbing a water bottle for himself.

“I’m not ignoring her,” Taehyung grumbles.

“She just wants you guys to be on good terms,” Jungkook reminds Taehyung. “It’s making it awkward for everyone.”

“No one’s forcing you to be friends with her.”

Taehyung’s words are clipped, short, and Jungkook raises his eyebrows.

“No offence, but we were friends long before you dated.”

Indeed, years ago, Jungkook had been the one to introduce Jennie to Taehyung. And he’d met her through Lisa, who he met at an event earlier in their career, when the group was only starting to win awards, surpassing the popular K-pop groups.

“Right.” Taehyung sighs, drinking some water. “I just don’t want to talk to her.”

Jungkook pulls at his piercings, debating whether to say something else. Never one to have a filter when it comes to his close friends though, the words come out regardless.

“But why, though?”

“Don’t push, okay? It’s your turn anyway.”

That last sentence is accompanied by a vague motion towards the weights on the floor, and Jungkook sighs, but complies.

He knows he’s not going to get an answer anyway. He reckons that Taehyung might be ignoring Jennie because he still has feelings for her and her insisting to be friends is too hard for him. But it’s not like he can just tell Taehyung that, no matter how true he might believe it to be.

He loves his friend, but he’d probably get punched in the face if he uttered the words out loud. He knows the truth has to come from Taehyung, whenever he’ll be ready. 

So, he throws his phone on the floor, not replying to Jennie, and switches benches to the one where they’ve been doing their bicep curls.

They’re on shoulder presses a little while later when Taehyung speaks again.

“Did she text you?”

It takes everything in Jungkook to not physically facepalm himself. Instead, he pushes the weights up, his shoulders burning from the strain.

“Why do you care?”

Once again defensive, Taehyung lets out a small scoff. “Just wondering.”

Jungkook just stares at Taehyung, holding in a laugh at the sight of the blush that creeps on his friend’s cheeks.

“Fuck off,” Taehyung grumbles.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “It’s written all over your face.”

“Is it though?”

Jungkook resumes his shoulder presses as Taehyung stays silent this time, and he finishes his series before getting up.

“Just talk to her,” he tells his friend. “See what she has to say.”

“We talked yesterday and it was a mess,” Taehyung admits with a sigh, this time sounding resigned. “It’s really better if we don’t talk.”

Jungkook watches as Taehyung sits, avoiding his gaze. He picks up his weights, getting ready for his series. As always, Jungkook positions himself behind in case Taehyung needs a spot.

“Gotta do twelve,” Jungkook says, and Taehyung starts his reps, going through half of them with ease. 

On the eighth, his arms wobble slightly, and Jungkook gets ready to help. The tenth ends up being failure, though Jungkook saves the rep by slightly pushing on Taehyung’s arms until he’s made the full repetition.

“God fucking damn,” Taehyung lets out as he drops his weight. “I swear to God it’s harder every time.”

“You’re just lifting heavier,” Jungkook encourages him. “Gotta get the gains.”

Taehyung makes a non-committal sound, nodding his head. They both drink water, and Jungkook’s phone vibrates on the floor again. It’s facing up, and both their gazes divert to the device. From this far, Jungkook can’t tell who texted, but the way Taehyung tenses tells him everything.

He bends down, picking up his phone and opening it with face ID . The conversation with Jennie immediately pops up, and he reads her new text.

[5:19 pm] Jennie: can you send me the nda you got y/n to sign

Y/n… Jungkook feels his heart skipping a beat at the mention of you, and he sees you again last night, looking drunk out of your mind, yet ethereal. He thinks it was the dress. It had to have been the dress – you even eclipsed Sara last night…

But maybe that’s just because of the way you’d touched him outside of the bathroom. Your hands on his chest, possessive yet tentative, and he’d frozen on the spot. It helped that he had a view of your breasts from that angle. It did something to him that he still doesn’t understand now, and he had to splash cold water on his face a moment later to try and get the image of your half-lidded eyes looking up at him like that out of his mind…

Jungkook gulps, his blood heating, and he quickly replies to Jennie, sending her the file he’s saved on his phone last night.

“What’s wrong?” Taehyung asks.

“Nothing?”

A doubtful line appears between Taehyung’s eyebrows as Jungkook looks at him.

“Nothing, I swear,” Jungkook insists, which only makes him look guiltier.

Taehyung’s frown deepens. “Is something going on between you and Jennie?”

Eyes almost bulging out of his head, Jungkook lets out a startled laugh. “What? No? What the fuck?”

“Why are you being weird?”

Jungkook gulps, pulling at his piercings. They still hurt, and he makes a mental note to make sure to clean them thoroughly later.

“Jennie just made a friend last night and asked me to send her the NDA the girl signed.”

The frown dissipates from Taehyung’s features, replaced by a cocked eyebrow. Jungkook ignores it, grabbing his water bottle and taking a sip from it.

“NDA?”

So much for trying to avoid the conversation, Jungkook tells himself.

“I had the girl sign an NDA since it was a private event with just idols and actors,” he explains. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get in.”

“You just had an NDA on your phone for that?” Taehyung’s tone is teasing, and Jungkook’s cheeks flash even darker.

“Yeah.”

The silence that follows is heavy, expectant, like Taehyung’s waiting for Jungkook to explain further.

“It’s actually the NDA I make girls sign before…” he trails off. “But it works for the situation.”

Taehyung bursts out laughing. “You did not.”

Jungkook’s lips stretch in a thin line. “I did.”

“That is fucking hilarious.”

And though Jungkook is feeling embarrassed, he reckons that it is indeed hilarious. Had Taehyung or any of the members done the same thing, he would have also laughed at them. But, to be fair, it’s not like the NDA has anything specific about him in it.

It’s just a contract that says the person that signs it cannot talk about anything in relation to the idols they come in contact with, no matter the level of intimacy they share. His name isn’t even in it, which he reckons might make the NDA invalid. 

But he doubts you’ll say anything about last night. Or, at least he hopes you won’t.

The amount of people that were openly kissing last night would likely break the industry if it were to get out. Though, if you were to talk, he assumes you already would have. Especially after you went viral too.

Indeed, he’s seen the pictures of you and Jennie. They served as a good reminder of the way you’d possessively touched him like you’d known him your whole life…

“Let’s finish this workout, I have something with Seojun later,” Taehyung says, taking Jungkook out of his reverie.

He nods, blinking a few times as if needing to readjust his gaze to the world surrounding him, and then he clears his throat before getting ready to work out some more. He guides Taehyung through the rest of the exercises, and they finish with a ten minutes of cardio that has Taehyung complaining the whole time. Once they’re done, Taehyung heads upstairs to take a quick shower, and Jungkook makes himself a protein shake. He’s sipping it when Taehyung comes down, and he tells his friend goodbye as he walks him to his car in the garage.  

When Taehyung is finally gone and his house is once again silent besides the sound of the air exchanging system, Jungkook finishes his protein shake, leaving the bottle in the sink before he heads upstairs, grabbing his stuff to take a shower too. Still tired from yesterday night, he figures he’ll have dinner and game for a few hours before heading to bed.

Especially since he’ll have to record some lines again tomorrow, as the producer confirms while Jungkook is digging through a drawer for a clean pair of boxers. The text makes him think of his fight with Namjoon, and Jungkook sighs audibly, maneuvering to his conversation with the leader.

They didn’t speak today – Namjoon told Taehyung that he wasn’t going to come work out, and that was that. He didn’t reach out to Jungkook, and Jungkook didn’t try to talk to him either. He feels a little guilty – their fight yesterday got out of hand, and wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for the producer being a total ass.

[6:23 pm] Jungkook: sorry about yesterday [6:24 pm] Jungkook: i shouldn’t have snapped at you

He watches the messages he sent, worrying at his piercings some more as if that will make Namjoon reply right away. He doesn’t – he’s always busy with one thing or another now that they’re out of the military – so Jungkook throws his phone on his bed, heading to the bathroom.

He drops his clean clothes on the counter, turning on the shower before getting out of his gym attire. He puts the clothes away in the hamper, making a mental note to do some laundry soon as it’s almost overflowing. Though he reckons he could do it now, if only so that it’s done.

It takes him five minutes to start the washing machine, and then he’s running back to the bathroom as he realizes he didn’t turn the shower off in the meantime. It’s now wafting off steam and, already undressed, Jungkook jumps in the water, hissing at how hot it is.

He always forgets how hot Taehyung takes his showers.

He adjusts the temperature, sighing in relief when it finally reaches his preferred warmth. Not too hot, just lukewarm enough to be refreshing, especially after a gym sesh. And then he’s washing his hair, rubbing shampoo into his scalp as his thoughts go back to last night.

To Sara, and the white shirt she was wearing. It did little to hide her body, and Jungkook grinds his teeth as he remembers she ignored him. Didn’t even say hi last night, and didn’t reply to his messages either.

She always does that. He thinks she likes the chase. Or maybe this time around she truly is done with him… His heart aches in his chest at the possibility of it, so he pushes it away, focusing on rinsing the shampoo out of his hair.

There was you, too. That dress… It too was quite revealing, hugging your body perfectly. You carried yourself with a confidence that he rarely sees in people that aren’t in the industry, like you expected someone to be taking pictures of you at all times. He knows, because that’s how all idols usually carry themselves.

But you’re a writer. He knows that, too, because Jennie mentioned it, yes, but mostly because he stalked you this morning with his burner account. He didn’t realize last night that you were fairly known – you nearly have 100k followers on Instagram.

Nothing compared to the likes of him, but you’re not quite as unknown as he thought you were before. And he gets why – one of your books has gone viral on Tiktok, but you also are pretty, in a very simple, elegant way that attracts the gaze.

Indeed, your eyes shine in every picture, like you know something that people don’t. It’s like a bit of mischief, something mysterious, and Jungkook wonders how many men have fallen to that gaze before.

He knows he almost fell to it last night, when your hands were on his chest and you looked up at him like he was the center of the universe. He felt important, hot and bothered and…

Fuck.

You’re attractive. It’s a simple fact. He knew it last night – he disregarded it because it didn’t seem important at the moment – but it only truly hits him head on right then, in the shower. 

It’s your body, he tells himself. You apparently work out a lot, and those pictures on your Instagram of you in biker shorts wearing only a sports bra revealed enough to let him know you’re good at it, too. At least you have the results that indicate you are. Which explains why that dress fit you so well…

Jungkook shuts his eyes, trying to clear his mind. But it doesn’t work, it only makes him imagine your hands on his chest, on his shoulders, the way you squeezed him like you were trying to make sure he was real…

It’s not his fault he hasn’t hooked up with Sara – or with anyone really – in weeks now. Not his fault that he imagines how your hands would have felt on other parts of his body. And those eyes…

Fuck.

He’s hard. He blames it on not having had time to jerk off this morning, though he knows it’s not only that. It’s the thought of you, the way you looked at him…

He hasn’t felt that way about someone other than Sara in forever, so he lets it slide, no matter how weird it might be. Hell, now that he’s hard, he just lets his thoughts wander as one of his hands grabs the base of his dick, squeezing once.

He strokes himself slowly, and he thinks about your half-lidded eyes. And even though it probably shouldn’t, the thought of you just makes his dick harden even more. So he starts moving faster, the friction making his blood boil in his veins.

He really needs to get laid soon. 

He’s always liked it fast and hard. Yet he teases himself, mostly because he’s not sure if what he’s doing is respectful. His eyes shoot open, and he leans against the wall. He watches the water trickling down from the shower head, pulling at his piercings again… yet this time the pain turns him on. This time, the pain makes him want more, makes him want to bury his cock into someone’s pussy.

Into you, his brain supplies, but he ignores it, focusing on the generality of it. Trying to remember the last porn video he watched, yet somehow he keeps going back to you. To your hand on his chest, your head tilted back…

Jungkook grunts, picking up his pace. He feels like a teenager. Getting so worked up about someone he doesn’t even know… But it’s not like you will know, right?

It’s not like he’ll ever see you again. The thought soothes the awkwardness he’s feeling more than anything, and so he allows himself to jump feet first into the lust. Fantasies of you under him fill his mind as he pumps his dick fast and hard, slapping his balls on the way down. He’s rough, rougher than he usually is, but he’s been so horny, so fucking frustrated, and he just wants the release.

He curses under his breath as he closes his eyes again to focus on the sensations. To focus on the way he feels his balls tightening as he imagines you on your knees looking up at him with those sinful eyes…

He doesn’t even know you. Has barely even talked to you… yet he imagines how you might moan if he were to bury his head between your legs. If he were to pinch your nipples…

Do you like pain the same way that he does?

Not that he’ll ever know. But in his fantasy, you do, and he fucks you hard and rough until you come undone under him, and only then does he let himself go.

He’s jerking himself so fast now that his arm starts to burn, but it’s barely an inconvenience, something his body realizes but ignores as pleasure shoots up and down his spine. He’s getting close, his climax so near he feels it at the base of his dick, and he keeps jerking himself off, leaning his head back against the cool tile of his shower.

Would you say his name when you come?

The thought of it sends him over the edge, and Jungkook comes hard, his cum shooting out of his dick and mixing with the water from the shower before going down the drain. He breathes hard, not moving for a moment as the climax still rushes through him, making his head spin. He jerks himself slowly, making sure to milk all the pleasure out of himself, and then he opens his eyes, looking down at his hand. His tattoos are discolored from the cum covering the back of his hand, and he winces in disgust as he moves his hand under the water to rinse it.

Post-nut clarity hits him hard, and he turns the shower cold, standing in the water despite it feeling uncomfortable. It feels like good punishment for what he’s done, for jerking off to the thought of someone he doesn’t even know, but he reckons the embarrassment will likely cling to him all evening.

All he can do is hope that he’ll never run into you again.

Tuesday, May 20th

The clinic where you are is illuminated with warm lights, the ambiance that of relaxation. Multiple plants are scattered around the waiting room, their leaves dusted with droplets of water from the girl that’s currently watering them with a spray bottle. The tile floor is so clean you imagine your reflection in it, and the receptionist is currently talking on the phone with a low voice that reminds you of the librarian at your college’s library.

All in all, you’re falling asleep as you wait for your appointment to start, and Hyunseok next to you isn’t doing any better. It doesn’t help that you were up late last night writing the newest scene of your book, where the main character meets up with the policeman at the station after their first meeting in the shady club’s basement. 

You’re still struggling with their chemistry, and that most of all is the reason why you ended up going to bed way later than you usually do. You slept in this morning, but you still feel like you would have slept more had it not been for Hyunseok calling you four times in a row because he was outside your apartment.

You’d planned this day with him last week – he’d convinced you to go with him to get a facial done at his favourite clinic in Gangnam before going shopping in Seongsu. You have to stop at the Dasique shop to get more of your favourite blush palette, so you didn’t need a lot of convincing to follow Hyunseok on this adventure.

A pretty girl in pink scrubs calls your name followed by Hyunseok’s name, and Hyunseok startles next to you, standing up quickly. You follow him up, laughing as he wobbles on his feet, clearly dizzy from getting up so fast.

“You good?” you ask.

“Girl, I was passed out.” 

You chuckle again, before following as he heads to where the girl is waiting for you. “Yeah, you were snoring,” you tease.

Hyunseok glares at you over his shoulder. “I wasn’t.”

You snort, but you reach the girl before you have time to say something else, and she walks the two of you to the room where you’ll get your facials done. You sit next to each other where the estheticians tell you to, and then they immediately start their routine, efficient as they are. It leaves you no time for conversation, and so you settle comfortably in your chair, shutting your eyes as they get to work.

As you’re relaxing, you think about your book again. You left off on a conversation between the two love interests, the policeman telling her how dangerous it was for her to be at that club. The main character doesn’t like it, doesn’t like the seeming condescendance of the guy’s tone, and she lets him know she’s able to defend herself. 

But then you don’t know what the guy should reply. You feel like he’s written in a way that he might discard her words as those of a girl that’s not aware of the dangers of the world. Because he is arrogant – even if he’s supposed to be the love interest, his better-than-thou attitude bleeds through the words you write. 

You might have to start the whole scene again for it to work better. Unless you go for the enemies to lovers trope?

You take a deep breath – you have to stop thinking of the book if you want to relax. So instead, you think about the shopping you’ll do later, and about…

What if the love interest isn’t him? What if…

You don’t know who the love interest should be if it isn’t the police officer. 

“You’re tense,” the esthetician that’s currently rolling a jade roller under your eyes says. “You can relax.”

“Sorry,” you apologize, and you curse yourself mentally, embarrassed that she noticed.

It’s not like you have to figure it out right now. You can figure it out later, when you’re not getting a facial done. So you let the book go – it doesn’t stray too far though. It never does. But you do your best to let it go, and you manage to start dozing off while she’s applying a mask on your face a little while later.

You come back to your senses when the esthetician tells you you’re all done, and she moves your chair back up into a sitting position. You barely even noticed when she moved it to an almost lying position, which you reckon is a sign you probably fully fell asleep.

You yawn, stretching as you glance to the side. Hyunseok is already done, and he offers you a tired smile as you meet his gaze.

“I need a coffee,” he declares solemnly, making you chuckle.

So you end up going to a café after you’ve paid for the facial, and you both grab an iced americano with pastries.

“You know,” Hyunseok says between two bites of his strawberry cream-filled croissant, “you never told me how it was to party with the Kim Jennie.”

Flashes of last Friday night come back to your mind. The party was wild – there was a lot of alcohol, a lot of dancing, and so many people you’ve only ever seen on the other side of the screen of your phone or computer.

Or TV, even. Indeed, you’re pretty sure you saw Cha Eunwoo at some point. He was making out with someone though, so you don’t know if it was really him.

“It was wild,” you say, taking a sip of your coffee. “There were a lot of people.”

Hyunseok’s eyes sparkle with interest. “Like who?”

You scrunch up your nose. You read the NDA, and it was vague enough that you’re not even sure you can tell Hyunseok.

“NDA, remember?” you let out.

Hyunseok looks up to the ceiling with a long sigh. “Girl, you can trust me. I won’t say anything.”

The thing is, you haven’t known him for that long yet. As much as you get along with him well, you don’t know if you can fully trust him. So, instead, you offer him a sheepish smile.

“I really don’t want to get in trouble,” you say. 

Right on cue, as if summoned by the conversation you’re having, your phone lights up on the table with a text from Jennie. Hyunseok sees it at the same time as you do, and his eyes shoot to your face.

“Oh shit!” he says. “What does she want?”

You grab your phone. “We’re… friends now, I guess?”

“Your friends with Jennie!” Hyunseok practically yells, and people turn to look at the two of you.

“Shut up,” you say through gritted teeth. 

He barely looks apologetic, yet he mumbles, “Sorry.” He stays silent for a few heartbeats, and then he adds, “This is so cool.”

You don’t know what to say. You understand his excitement – hell, you practically feel the same too – but you don’t want to make it seem like Jennie isn’t just a normal person like the two of you. So what if her job made her incredibly famous?

You glance down at the screen of your phone to finally read her text.

[3:12 pm] Jennie✨: just started love in the end!!! [3:13 pm] You: omg, you don’t have to

“She’s reading my book,” you tell Hyunseok, a little surprised that she is.

You didn’t expect her to.

“Girl!” Hyunseok smiles brightly. “Of course she is, it’s an amazing book.”

You chuckle, and the awkwardness you felt about the NDA fades. “Thank you, thank you.”

Like he sensed that you indeed grew awkward from his insistence and excitement about your friendship with Jennie, Hyunseok switches subject after that, talking to you about something Haneul did recently.

After that, the conversation stays well away from anything celebrity related, which is a big relief. You do end up going shopping, and you buy a couple of cute pairs of socks outside of the subway station, at a small shop you notice on your way to Dasique. The trip to Dasique ends up with you buying a perfume at the shop in the basement along with the blush palette you needed, and then you go to a store Hyunseok wanted to go to.

You’re waiting for him to try on a few shirts when you get another text from Jennie, telling you she’s already obsessed with the story. It makes you laugh, and you reply to her with a smile on your face.

[4:46 pm] You: stoooop [4:47 pm] Jennie✨: I’m serious! [4:47 pm] Jennie✨: btw, are you available on thursday evening [4:48 pm] You: yeah, should be😌

Hyunseok walks out of the dressing room, attracting your gaze. You look up at him, and he makes a disgusted face as he holds the three shirts away from his body.

“Nu-uh, these make me look horrible,” he says, and he hands them to the worker before heading towards you. “I’ll go to Musinsa some other time, Haneul said they have similar but better shirts.”

You nod. “Want to go somewhere else or do you have to meet with Haneul?”

Hyunseok glances at the time on his phone. “Yeah, gotta head home.”

And so you leave the store, heading back to the subway station. You stop to grab a snack on the way – Hyunseok buys one for his boyfriend too – and then you make your way to the station. You ride together for a while, both scrolling on Instagram, your social batteries out, and Hyunseok hugs you loosely once you reach his stop, waving goodbye as he gets off.

You wave to him, too, and then you resume your doom scrolling, only to be interrupted by a new text from Jennie.

[5:35 pm] Jennie✨: good, excited to see you xx

Needless to say, you’re excited to hang out with her, too.

Thursday, May 22th

“Fucker!” Namjoon curses, and Jungkook bursts out laughing.

They’re currently gaming, and Jungkook is beating the shit out of Namjoon, as he usually does. It’s not that Namjoon isn’t a good Smash player.

It’s just that he is absolute fucking trash.

“You can’t just spam the same button constantly,” Hoseok says from the other side of Namjoon.

The leader throws him a glare. “You think you’d do any better?”

“Against JK? Hell fucking no.”

Jungkook lets out another laugh. “You almost beat me!”

Namjoon throws him a no-bullshit look. “You still have two lives.”

“Well…” Jungkook lets out, shrugging his shoulders. 

“I need a fucking smoke,” Namjoon says, and he hands the controller to Hoseok, who looks at it like it’s alien.

“I’m not playing against Jungkook.”

“And I want a smoke too anyway,” Jungkook says. “Now that I finally finished recording.”

Hoseok winces, getting up with the two of them. “Y’all blow the smoke away from me.”

“You know you can just wait here,” Jungkook tells his older friend.

“Your house is way too creepy for that.”

That earns a snort from Namjoon, and a cocked eyebrow from Jungkook.

“Is it?”

“Who told you that making everything so dark would work?”

“The designer,” Jungkook deadpans.

Hoseok grumbles under his breath, following Jungkook and Namjoon as they head to the small inner garden he’s had included in the house, if only so that he could smoke outside without having people see him.

“Fuck, it’s hot,” he says as they step outside.

Indeed, the weather has been akin to summer lately, and Jungkook already dreads how it’ll only get warmer from here.

“Fucking love it,” Hoseok says as he plops down on a stone bench. 

“I’d pass,” Jungkook replies.

They are different. The seven of them. Sometimes, Jungkook wonders how they made it this far despite all their differences. But then again, it works.

Family is family, even if you’re different. And he’s been seeing these men as brothers for a decade now. 

Hoseok makes a non-committal sound as Namjoon lights up a cigarette, handing one to Jungkook. He uses Namjoon’s lighter to light up the end of his cigarette, and he inhales deeply, the smoke filling his lungs.

The first time he’d smoked, Jungkook had coughed for five days straight after. But nowadays, the smoke barely even itches anymore. It just gives him a relaxing rush that he’s come to like more and more with time.

Which he reckons might be a problem, but a problem for another time.

“Have you spoken to Sara?” Namjoon asks, and Jungkook almost chokes.

He and Namjoon haven’t spoken about their fight last Friday. After he apologized over text message, Namjoon just said that it was all good, and they’d left it at that. So Jungkook definitely was not expecting the question.

As a matter of fact, Sara did reply to his last message eventually. Indeed, he received a message some days ago from her, telling him she hadn’t seen his text before, a clear lie in his opinion.

She’s always on her phone after all, especially when she’s getting prepped for one shoot or another, and he knows she had a fashion show – she’s a model – on Monday evening. So he chose not to reply, though his fingers have been itching since then to ask if she’s seeing someone new.

“Not really,” he tells his leader. 

Namjoon blows a cloud of smoke towards the sky. “How are you feeling?”

Jungkook shrugs, glancing at Hoseok who’s just on his phone now, a smile on his lips clearly indicating that he’s texting his girlfriend.

“I’m okay,” Jungkook says, but it sounds like a lie even to his ears.

He’s never been a good liar after all, even if that is not quite a lie. He is okay. Just annoyed that he and Sara are in one of their lows right now…

“You should let her go,” Namjoon says, as gently as he can.

But it reminds Jungkook of their fight last Friday, and he bristles. “Let’s not go over this again.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

Jungkook inhales some smoke, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out as he taps the cigarette in the ashtray to get rid of the ashes at the end of the stick. “I think she’s seeing someone else, so you don’t really have to worry about it.”

“Oh.” Namjoon’s gaze drops to the ground before coming back up. “I’m sorry, bro.”

Jungkook shrugs. “It’s whatever.”

“It doesn’t have to be whatever,” Namjoon calmly says. “But I hope that you’re not going to let that affect you too much.”

She doesn’t deserve it.

That’s what Namjoon said last Friday, and the reason why they actually got into a fight. But the words are left unsaid this time around, and Jungkook sighs in relief.

“She’ll probably come back eventually anyway.”

He sounds so delusional he feels like gagging. 

Hoseok chooses that moment to come back into the conversation. “And if she doesn’t?”

The silence that follows is heavy. It’s only interrupted by the sound of a honk on the street by the house. And all Jungkook can do is stare at Hoseok because… what then?

What would he do?

“Ah,” he lets out, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess I…” He takes a drag again, blowing it towards the sky. “I guess I’d have to move on.”

Jungkook expects Namjoon to say something along the lines of ‘You should move on regardless’, but Namjoon remains silent again.

“I’ll set you up with Hana,” Hoseok says. 

Hana, his girlfriend Heryung’s best friend. Hoseok thinks she’d be the perfect girl for Jungkook, as he mentioned multiple times before, but Jungkook reckons he has no interest in meeting her. Not that she isn’t attractive or anything. He’s seen pictures before, and he’s pretty sure she was backstage at one of their last shows before his military service, a time when Sara was also there.

He’s just not interested.

“I’ll pass.” He chuckles, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m doing okay right now, I promise.”

And the thing is… it really isn’t that much of a lie.

“Well,” Namjoon says. “As long as it’s true.” He finishes his cigarette, crushing it on the concrete railing before dropping it in the ashtray. “I feel like Tae’s the one we should really worry about.”

That, Jungkook fully agrees with. “Yeah, I think he’s ignoring Jennie because he’s still in love with her.”

“He clearly still is,” Hoseok agrees. “He was telling Jimin about it all the other day.”

“Was he?” Namjoon lets out.

Jungkook is even more surprised than Namjoon at Hoseok’s revelation. After all, he’s always kind of assumed that he was closer to Taehyung than the others…

But he’s friends with Jennie, and he knows that that has been making Taehyung uncomfortable. His reaction when they were working out together last Saturday and Jennie texted him was a clear indication of it.

“Yeah, Jimin said Tae nearly cried.” Hoseok pouts. “We should do something with the seven of us to cheer him up.”

They so rarely meet up all together now, and nostalgia hits Jungkook head on as he remembers times when they were always together, back when they even lived together.

Though such a time is coming again, as they will tour as BTS once more soon.

“That is a good idea,” Namjoon agrees with a nod. “Think you can host everyone here?”

There’s a reason why Jungkook made sure to have seven bedrooms in the house. Exactly for a situation like this.

“I’ve got a shooting with Calvin Klein this weekend,” he says. “But I should be available next weekend.”

“I’ll send a text in the group chat,” Hoseok says. “We can plan a date then.”

Jungkook nods, finishing his cigarette too, and then they all head back inside. He’s about to start a new game of Smash when his phone starts ringing, Jennie’s contact photo lighting up the screen. He excuses himself, handing the remote to Hoseok, and then he walks away from his friends to pick up the call.

“What’s up?” he says as the line connects and he brings the phone to his ear.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” Jennie asks as a way of greeting.

Jungkook glances towards Hoseok and Namjoon who decided to start a game without him.

“Nothing special,” he replies. “Just chilling with Hobi and RM.”

“Y’all down for barbecue?” Jennie asks. “I’ve already asked Mingyu and Eunwoo and they’re in.”

“Tae won’t come.”

“Who said anything about Tae?” Jennie grumbles. “I’m asking you because Mingyu said to call you.”

Jungkook’s phone vibrates in his hand with an incoming text, and he looks at the device to see that Mingyu has just texted him about it.

“Right.”

There’s a short silence, and then Jennie says, “So? You in?”

“I’ll check with the boys, but I can’t guarantee anything,” he says. “I don’t know if they’re planning to stay late.”

“Well, like I said, they can come too,” Jennie reminds him. “I already rented a room at that restaurant we went to last time.”

Jungkook loves that restaurant. The meat is just… out of this world, and they have all the privacy they need in the back rooms. 

“I’ll let you know.”

“‘Kay,” Jennie lets out. “And if you feel like inviting Tae…”

There it is.

“Not gonna happen,” Jungkook says. “And not because I don’t want to invite him, but he’s at a shoot with GQ today.”

“Oh, is he?” Jennie asks, sounding way too interested in the subject.

“Yeah.” Jungkook’s phone vibrates again. “Man, Mingyu really wants me to come.”

“Y/n will be there,” Jennie says absentmindedly as if she’s doing something else on the other side of the line. Her voice is louder when she adds, “Mingyu wants to get to know her.”

Jungkook is stunned silent. Mostly by the mention of your name – to think he’s literally jerked off to the thought of you a few days ago, thinking he’d never run into you again. 

Holy fuck.

“JK?”

He clears his throat. “Huh.” He swallows, his throat suddenly dry. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come.”

“Shut up,” Jennie says. “You’re not still thinking she’ll start rumors?”

“No!” Jungkook immediately lets out. “No,” he says, lower this time as his first outburst attracted Namjoon and Hoseok’s gaze. “Of course not.”

“Well then, just pull up,” Jennie insists. “We’ll have fun. But I gotta go now, Y/n is back.”

Jennie hangs up without another word, and Jungkook is just left staring at his phone, wondering what the fuck is happening.

He can’t see you again. Not what after he did last Saturday… but Mingyu is interested in you? He doesn’t even recall Mingyu talking to you last Friday.

Unless… you did dance with him at some point, didn’t you? Though it was mostly with Jennie and Rosé… 

Jungkook gulps, and then he walks back to where Namjoon and Hoseok are playing.

“Everything okay?” Hoseok throws over his shoulder, and the moment of distraction has his character shoot out of the screen by Namjoon’s character. 

“Yeah,” Jungkook says with a nod as he drops down in the spot he abandoned before picking up the phone. “Jennie just invited us to dinner.”

“Us?” Hoseok lets out with a laugh, not even focusing on the screen. “Or you and Taehyung?”

“She said you guys are invited,” Jungkook replies. “But I don’t think I’ll go.”

“Don’t stop yourself for me,” Namjoon intervenes. “I’m going to meet Yoongi at the studio for some edits.”

Indeed, though they have producers too, Namjoon and mostly Yoongi always make sure to be very involved in the process, as it’s a way for BTS to remain more authentic despite the fame.

As a group, they’ve always wanted to remain authentic.

“And I’m having dinner with Heryung, so I’ll be leaving soon,” Hoseok says. “So you should go.”

Jungkook sits back on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. 

He doesn’t really have a reason not to go now, does he?

*****

“You’ll love it I promise,” Jennie says as you walk up to the restaurant.

You spent the afternoon together – it started with coffee and then shopping, and she even took you to an appointment she had at a designer store. It’s been fun, like you’ve known her your whole life, which honestly surprises you a little considering you are both sober.

You were drunk when you met her, or rather you got drunk when you met her, and you thought the friendship with her was born of alcohol. But it seems the universe really did want you and Kim Jennie to be friends, because you haven’t had this much fun in a long time. Laughing like you’ve never known any sorrow, gossiping like two teenagers…

It’s been fun. So fun that she managed to rope you into her dinner with friends in the evening. You’d initially planned to go home and have an early night, but Jennie said that this barbecue has the best food around town, and that you really need to try it.

So here you are, heading towards the restaurant as Jennie shoots a message to the staff to let them know that you’re almost there.

“Are you sure Mingyu and the others won’t mind that I’m here?” you ask again.

Mostly, you think about Jeon Jungkook, and about how cold he was toward you last Friday, but Jennie just shrugs it off.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” she reassures you. “I told them already.” She offers you a bright smile and a wink. “They like you already.”

You snort. “We’ll see about that.”

You reach the restaurant, and Jennie hooks her arm with yours to lead you to the door. A host is already waiting for the two of you, and he immediately lets you in, leading you to the back of the restaurant. A few people notice you on the way, but Jennie told you to ignore them, so you just focus on the guy’s back in front of you. It feels awkward, weird, and you wonder if pictures of you and Jennie will surface online again.

You gained so many followers since last Friday, and your books are still selling more than they ever have before, so you won’t complain about it, no matter how strange and surreal it feels.

“Thank you,” Jennie tells the host as he lets you into the private room.

He politely bows at the two of you, and then leaves you, closing a sliding door behind him. It’s made of frosted glass, giving you privacy for the evening, which you reckon is something celebrities like Jennie must need more often than not.

“Finally,” Jennie lets out as she drops down in one of the small couches that surround the round table. 

There’s six of them, and you sit in the one next to Jennie, happy to see that a water pitcher is already waiting for the two of you. You pour a glass for Jennie and then one for yourself, almost downing it in one go.

“Shit, I was thirsty,” you say.

Jennie chuckles. “All that walking around will do that to a girl.”

You snort, and then you grab your phone, making sure that Stella hasn’t sent you any new emails since yesterday regarding promotion for your book. You believe it’s way too early for promotion, but she’s been so excited with your new… fame that she wants to start promoting right away.

Thankfully, your email invoice is empty, and you switch apps to Instagram.

And then you immediately turn off your phone, practically throwing it across the room. Jennie’s head shoots towards you, and she looks at you with wide eyes.

“Everything okay?”

“My ex just posted a picture with the girl,” you say, still not sure that’s what you truly saw.

Josh never wanted to post pictures of you and him together. He said he didn’t like to be active on social media… and yet he’s posted that girl twice in less than a week. You try to not let it get to your head, but it’s a little hard when it was such a big issue between the two of you.

Not that you necessarily wanted him to post you. It was just weird that he was so against it all the time.

“Asshole,” Jennie lets out. “He’s a fucking asshole.”

Agreed.

“I don’t know how long they’ve been together but, what the fuck?” You shake your head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Men are like that,” Jennie says wisely. “They make you believe you’re the center of their world but then refuse to do anything for you. And somehow, it’s always easier with the next one. Like they’re trying to show you that they’re oh so much better off now.”

You glance at her. “Are you talking from experience? Because if Taehyung has done that to you…”

You don’t finish the threat, mostly because Jennie chuckles, and her cheeks turn pink. “No. The one before him did, though. But Tae…”

You wait for her to add something, but she just remains silent, a small smile appearing on her lips. It’s so different from the way she was speaking about him last Friday that you raise your eyebrows, looking at her quizzically.

“Tae?” you repeat.

Jennie blinks a few times. “Sorry.” She clears her throat. “He actually texted me and apologized for being a dick last Friday.” There’s a short silence, and then she adds, “But I’m not stealing the spotlight from you right now.”

“I don’t mind talking about something other than Josh,” you say, a concerned line appearing between your eyebrows. “Do you really think he’s being genuine?”

You’d hate for Taehyung to raise her hopes up only to hurt her again. From what you’ve gathered from the conversation last Friday, this isn’t the first time that he’s done something similar.

“I know him.” She nods once. “He wouldn’t apologize if he didn’t mean it.”

“But is it going to change the way he speaks to you?” you ask. “Or the way he acts?”

You hate the way her eyebrows slightly furrow, clouds gathering in her gaze. You don’t want her to be sad – you just don’t want her to get hurt again.

“Honestly…” She sighs, and she looks at her glass of water as if it holds answers to your question. “He apologized last night. Called me and all. Said we can try to be friends, but that it’s hard for him.”

It’s clearly hard for her too, but you don’t mention it.

“So… I guess we’ll try?” she concludes.

You’re not sure what that would entail, and by the look on Jennie’s face, you’re pretty sure she doesn’t know either. You’re about to point it out when the sliding door opens, and you both turn to look at it.

Jeon Jungkook is standing on the other side, Kim Mingyu behind him, and every thought of Jennie and Taehyung eddies away from your mind as your gaze connects with Jungkook’s.

He looks… different, when you don’t have alcohol in your system. Like he’s more in focus, his features sharper, and the grey t-shirt he’s wearing reveals his sleeve of tattoo. It's tight enough to hint at the muscles you shamelessly groped last Friday, and it takes everything in you to not look down. He’s paired his shirt with a chain, and he’s got a silver hoop in one ear along with multiple stud earrings in the other.

He’s hot. Even hotter somehow than the last time you saw him, yet…

Yet he looks at you just as coldly as he did last time, before disregarding you as he looks at Jennie and says something in Korean.

“Yes, it’s just us two,” Jennie replies, and a glance at her reveals her rolling her eyes. “Lisa might come later and Eunwoo should be here soon.”

Jungkook offers a curt nod before strolling into the room, Mingyu on his heels. Mingyu looks at you, grinning widely, and you feel your cheeks burning as he sits down in the leather seat next to you.

“Hey,” he greets you, eyes sparkling as his smile doesn’t budge from his features. “Long time to see.”

You’re fully aware that he’s looking at you and you only, and your eyes shoot to Jennie as you try to assess if it’s normal. She winks at you, and then she says something to Jungkook, who sat on the other side of her.

“How are you?” you ask Mingyu.

“Fantastic,” he says. “Just released a mini album, and it’s been going well.”

“Wait…” you trail off, aware that you’re going to sound extremely stupid, but you don’t care.

You didn’t even know he was in a group.

“You sing?” you guess.

Mingyu laughs. “Yeah, I’m in a hiphop duo. Sort of. Ever heard of CxM?”

You have. Their music has popped up on your Spotify once or twice before, but you had no clue what the singers look like.

“Oh, that’s you!” you let out.

“Me and my friend S.Coups,” Mingyu says, nodding his head. “We used to be in a bigger group, but now it’s just us.”

He stretches forward, reaching for the water pitcher that’s in front of you. You catch a whiff of his masculine cologne, and you purse your lips, moving slightly back as your gaze tracks along his arm. Clearly, he spends a lot of time at the gym, too. He doesn’t seem to notice your ogling as he refills your glass before pouring himself one.

“It’s been great,” he says, sitting back in his seat, and you shake out of your reverie.

“The duo?” you ask.

He nods, taking a large sip of water. “The whole thing. Releasing the album, getting to do it with a good friend, the variety shows we’ve been going on…” His eyes glaze over as if he’s reliving one of those variety shows. “But enough about me,” he says with a blink. “How did you become a writer?”

Before you can reply, Eunwoo walks in, smiling wide at the sight of the group. His gaze catches on you and he slightly frowns, though it vanishes the second Jennie introduces you. Once he’s settled in the seat next to Jungkook, engaging in conversation with him, Mingyu asks you the question again, as if to make sure you don’t forget to reply.

“It’s something I always wanted to do,” you admit. “I started writing when I was in middle school.”

“Wow!” Mingyu nods appreciatively. “That’s amazing. Having a passion like that is the best thing.”

“You feel the same way about music?” you ask, lips curving upwards at his understanding.

He grins. “Definitely. I wouldn’t have done anything else.”

You’re suddenly keenly aware that someone’s looking at you, and a glance to the side confirms that Jungkook is staring at you while Jennie and Eunwoo are talking about something you don’t quite understand. He doesn’t look away when your gazes meet, and you offer him a tentative smile. It’s met with a slight frown, and you immediately turn your head back toward Mingyu.

What the fuck was that?

You ask yourself that same question multiple times in the next hour. Though you mostly share conversation with Mingyu, who’s just as friendly as you remember him to be last Friday, you always catch Jungkook looking at you. Even when you’re eating later, every glance to the side has your gazes connecting, though he’s quick to look away now.

“How’s the book going?” Mingyu asks some time later, when you’ve finished eating and the group of you is just watching him and Jungkook still engulfing food.

You meet his gaze. He’s been talking to Lisa for a little while, the actress having been able to join you while you were already eating, and you’ve just been sitting there in silence as Jennie went to the bathroom.

You’d almost gone with her, but you didn’t quite need to, and she said that they only have one bathroom stall anyway.

“Oh,” you let out, a little surprised at Mingyu’s question. “It’s honestly been a struggle.”

His eyes turn sad, a little pout appearing on his lips. “How come?”

“The love interests are lacking chemistry,” you explain with a sigh. “And I don’t really know how to fix it.”

Not without rewriting what you’ve already got, but you really like the beginning and the scene in the shady club. It’s what comes after that just doesn’t seem to work.

“Mmh.” Mingyu sips from his third beer of the night before putting the bottle back down on the table, reaching for a piece of meat next. He eats it quickly, and then says, “Maybe you just need to lock them in a room.”

You snort at the suggestion, only to realize that he’s being serious as he doesn’t even smile, which is pretty rare when it comes to him.

“Sorry,” you quickly apologize, cheeks burning. “It’s just…” you trail off, and your gaze slightly widens.

He isn’t wrong. What if they go somewhere and end up being kidnapped? Then the policeman can save the main character, and maybe the chemistry will finally bloom.

“You might be onto something, actually,” you say, sounding a little too excited, but you don’t care, not when you’ve been struggling on the book all week. “I can work with that!”

Mingyu’s iconic smile spreads on his lips. “See! It always helps to lock two idiots together until they realize their feelings for each other.”

You laugh, tilting your head to the side. “Not quite sure they’re there yet, but it can definitely make them intrigued with the other.”

“Maybe he needs to see her getting hurt.”

The words come from your other side, and you only notice then that Jungkook has been paying full attention to the conversation. His gaze is on you, unwavering, like he’s waiting for something. It does something to you – your heart starts racing, your blood swishing through your veins, and you feel slightly out of breath.

“What was that?” you ask, as if you didn’t hear the first time around.

You just didn’t expect him to talk to you at all. Not when he’s made his… disdain for you clear.

“Isn’t there a trope where the girl gets hurt, and the guy goes on a rampage to kill whoever hurt her?” he asks.

He crosses his arms on his chest, his biceps bulging out, and your gaze drops to the muscles. You think he flexes them on purpose – he leans back in his chair, the perfect picture of male arrogance.

“Well, the guy is a police officer,” you say. “Not quite sure he’d keep his job if he were to kill people.”

Jungkook makes a non-committal sound. “Just trying to help.”

He pulls at his piercings, and you glance at his lips next. His eyes are still burning on you, and the way he cocks his head to the side makes your blood boil in your veins…

Until Jennie sits next to you, and Jungkook and you both glance at her.

“What are you guys talking about?” she asks.

“Y/n’s book,” Mingyu supplies from the other side of you.

You’d entirely forgotten that he was the one that started this conversation.

“Oh,” Jennie lets out. “Anything new with it?”

“Just trying to figure out what to write next,” you tell her. “I’m struggling with the chemistry between the main characters.”

“Ah.” She slightly frowns, and then glances at Jungkook, who immediately looks away as if he wants no part in this conversation anymore.

What is wrong with him?

“Did you end up writing that…” Lisa bursts out laughing at something Eunwoo said, and Jennie glances her way before focusing on you again. “That scene at the club?”

You nod. “I did. That’s what I was working on over the weekend, but now they’re at the police station and it just doesn’t work.”

“I’m sorry, girl,” Jennie says.

“This one gave me an idea,” you reassure her, pointing toward Mingyu who answers with a grin. “So it should be okay.”

You think Jungkook tenses next to Jennie, but you ignore him.

“Good. I’m excited to see how this book turns out.” Jennie offers you a warm smile. “Love in the End is just so good.”

You feel blood rushing to your cheeks. “Thank you.”

As Mingyu fetches the last piece of meat that was on the grill, the group agrees that you’re done eating, and that you’re ready to pay. To your surprise, Jungkook decides to pay for everyone, which apparently is something they usually do.

One of them pays, and then another one pays next time. You wince – you doubt you have the same budget as the group of them, and you don’t think you could pay for everyone. Though you don’t see the bill, as Jungkook heads to the front of the restaurant to pay before coming back, you assume it had to be in the hundreds.

But that’s a problem for another day, you presume. It’s not like you’ll end up having dinner with them again… right?

The way Jennie hooks her arm with yours when you’re leaving the restaurant much later that night tells you that you actually might have to start saving up for a hypothetical later date. If only so that you don’t embarrass yourself in front of your new friends.

Outside the restaurant, Jungkook and Mingyu wish you good evening. Jungkook stands to the side, his careful gaze on yours, while Mingyu hugs you goodbye, and you can’t help the blush that spreads on your cheeks as you look up at him.

Mingyu is attractive. It’s like it’s needed to be part of this friend group, and having him look down at you with that gentle look in his eyes makes you feel seen, shy, and your gaze drops to the ground as he steps back.

“Good night,” he repeats. “It was a pleasure to talk to you tonight.”

“Likewise,” you reply, and you force yourself to look up and meet his gaze again. “Thank you for your help with the book.”

Jungkook scoffs behind Mingyu, and you glance at him, not surprised to see that he’s avoiding your gaze. You clench your jaw, annoyed, but you don’t say anything. Not even when he finally meets your gaze, his eyes dark in the dim lighting of the street. The moon is hidden by a cover of clouds, so it’s just the yellow light by the restaurant’s door and a streetlight up the hill to your left. They do nothing to light up his eyes, darkness clinging to his pupils.

Jungkook doesn’t look away. Neither do you – you feel defiance taking over you, your annoyance from the way he’s been acting towards you ever since you met him replacing the… intrigue that you felt at the beginning of the evening.

Jeon Jungkook is an asshole. Which is strange – when you were a fan of him, every video showed him as this sweet person. But he was a teenager then, just a little older than you. People change, you assume. Or that sweet person was just a hoax, a lie, the devil wrapped up in pretty bows and shy smiles.

Jeon Jungkook is none of that now. He is all tattoos and piercings and rough edges. Cold eyes, better-than-thou attitude, and a disdain for you you don’t quite comprehend. It’s not like you’ve done anything to spite him. But it seems your mere presence last Friday and today again was enough to piss him off.

Mingyu notices you and Jungkook staring at each other, and he glances between the two of you before taking a step back, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. And still, you just hold Jeon Jungkook’s cold gaze.

But there’s… You think there’s something else in the way he looks at you. He seems to notice the moment you see it, and he looks away, breaking eye contact first. You don’t feel like you’ve won though. You just feel confused, and you frown, though Jennie pulling on your arm distracts you until you look away from Jungkook, too.

“Let me call a cab for you,” Jennie says. 

“Actually,” you let out, and you glance to the side to see that Jungkook is now on his phone, the glow of the screen casting shadows on his features. “I’ll just take the subway.”

Your sentence attracts Jungkook’s attention, and he looks at you with a frown that borders on a scowl as if you wanting to take public transport is the most disgusting thing that he’s ever heard.

“Are you sure?”

You nod. “Yeah. So I’ll just walk home.”

Jennie pulls you into a hug. “Text me when you get home, then,” she says. “And we should hang out again soon.”

“Of course,” you reply, a smile blooming on your lips. “I had a lot of fun today.”

She grins at you, and then you’re hugging her goodbye one last time. Mingyu also goes in for a last hug, and you wave goodbye to the others, Jungkook barely even glancing your way. You think about bumping your shoulder in his when you walk past him, but you refrain.

You’re older than this, you tell yourself.

Or at least you have to be. Because you doubt Jeon Jungkook will be.

Prev | Next

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hope you guys enjoyed this chapter <3 let me know what you think!

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | ch 1 (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, some chapters have mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: alcohol, mentions of smoking cigarettes, cursing, an NDA, jungkook is lowkey mean

☆word count: 8.1k

☆a/n: FIRST CHAPTER LET'S GO!!!! thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Friday, May 16th

The bass is loud. It vibrates in your ribcage like it’s found harmonious resonance somewhere in your chest, squeezing your heart on the way. Maybe that’s why you’ve been hiding in the bathroom for the last five minutes. The lady with the soap keeps eyeing you like she thinks you’re dangerous, and you’ve been ignoring her, scrolling on your phone instead.

Your agent didn’t lie about Seoul’s nightlife. As a writer, you tend to stick to calmer environments, but your agent pointed out that you had to do your research to connect to the readers better, so here you are.

Alone at one of the fanciest clubs of Gangnam, hiding in the bathroom because you’ve seen so many celebrities already that you feel out of place on the dancefloor and at the bar. You think there has to be a celebration of some sort. Indeed, the crowd outside is unfazed by the celebrities, like this is just another Friday night for them.

You reckon it might be. But the friend you were supposed to come here with didn’t mention it, and he’s been stuck at work, the surgery he was assisting with being delayed for a reason he didn’t share with you. He still encouraged you to go, saying he’d try to convince his boyfriend to meet with you, but Haneul, said boyfriend, is too much of an introvert, so he never showed up. 

You know Hyunseok meant well by saying Haneul would accompany you, but it was wishful thinking on both your parts.

So here you are, all alone in the bathroom, fearing having to go out there and see yet another famous person. You’re looking at some stories on Instagram instead, watching your friends from back home living life – birthday celebrations, a wedding you were invited to but couldn’t make it, your cousin’s baby shower. Life really has been happening back home without you there, while it feels like yours was put on hold when you decided to travel to Seoul for research for the novel you’re currently working on.

You tap the screen, ignoring the soap lady’s gaze on your profile – she hasn’t been very subtle with her staring – and another story comes up. This one is a video, and your heart aches in longing for your ex-boyfriend – the one who dumped you when you said you’d come to Korea to do research.

You used to believe Josh was the love of your life. Hell, he’d supported you through your writing career, especially when you were just beginning and weren’t able to sell your first book. Three books later, he’d reveal that he didn’t like that you didn’t have a stable job and that you wanted to leave far away for an unknown period of time. Revealed that the idea of long distance wasn’t one he wanted to entertain, and that he believed it was better to split before you left.

All that on a FaceTime call a few weeks before you left, and you’ve never seen him since then. You’d try texting him a little, the whiplash of a two-year-long relationship ending out of nowhere like that too hard to deal with, but he’d remained quiet despite seeing the stories that you posted, trying to gain his attention. 

The story on the screen of your phone is a video. He’s visibly on top of a mountain – you’d used to go hiking together all the time – and you remember such hikes, with the greenery and the sunlight and the feeling of standing on top of the world.

But then your heart stops in your chest. Hell, you think it might have even started beating backwards, if that’s possible, because a pretty girl with a high ponytail comes into view, her hair swishing sassily behind her, and she presses a kiss on Josh’s cheek. He smiles brightly, so wide someone might be able to count all of his teeth. You remember that smile. It used to be yours. 

Clearly, it isn’t anymore. 

You shut your phone, staring blankly at the black and white tiles of the bathroom floor as if that will erase what you just saw from your memory. But it doesn’t. It’s engraved in your brain, the video playing on a loop, like seeing it once wasn’t enough.

You blink once, and then glance at the soap lady. You wonder if she saw the story too. If she saw your heart breaking in slow motion, like it didn’t break enough when he ended things.

You need to get out of this bathroom. Need the flashing lights and the booming music and the crowd of strangers to make you forget what you just saw. Maybe you should even stare into one of those lasers – going blind could fix it all, couldn’t it?

But you stay rooted to your spot, your breathing feeling shallow. 

Did it start even before you left? Did he end things like that because he did not have the courage to admit he had met someone else?

Was your leaving just an excuse to hide a truth he didn’t want to admit?

You close your eyes, taking as deep a breath as you can. It somehow helps calm your wild heartbeat, and you feel somewhat better when you open your eyes again. Or maybe it’s just shock settling in, filling you with numbness.

And numbness might be just what you need to find the courage to go out of the bathroom and take pictures to post on your story so that your agent believes you when you say you’ve come here. At least that’s what you tell yourself as you face the mirror, taking in the sight of your perfectly styled hair.

You put a lot of effort into your looks tonight. Like makeup and hair might cover the fact that you don’t usually go out. You’re not quite sure it does the trick, but it does help to light up your eyes despite what you just saw.

For the book, you tell yourself as you try to convince yourself to leave your safe haven.  Indeed, the book takes place in Seoul, a young American girl chasing after the people who kidnapped her father while he was on a business trip. It brings her to a club – most likely less fancy than this one – yet this is the one your agent suggested when you said you wanted to do ground research. 

The book has been a slow work in progress. You’ve written the beginning – how she gets to find out what happened to her father, and her retracing his steps all the way to Korea. But you’ve been stuck on the meeting with the hot policeman she is supposed to end up dating, something not quite clicking between the two of them.

Maybe love interests aren’t supposed to meet at the club.

The bathroom’s door opens, the music’s loudness increasing by several decibels momentarily. From where you are, you can’t see who’s coming in, but the sound of high heels echoes on the walls until a pretty girl appears, making direct eye contact with you.

She’s one of the people you’ve been hiding from. One of those celebrities you’ve seen out there. An actress from a renowned series of movies, though right now, her name doesn’t come to mind. She smiles at you, and you can’t help but notice how strained it is. Her eyes are red, and she diverts them to a bathroom stall.

And then she stumbles her way there, closing the door behind her. Your attention returns to your reflection, and you take in your wide-eyed gaze. As if you’re prey and she is a predator. It’s hard to believe it’s her when she walks out of her stall and to the sink closest to you.

You think you’ve even seen her in Calvin Klein ads before. 

“Fucking hell,” she lets out, and your eyes shoot to her. She’s looking at her phone, and she throws her head back as she rolls her eyes, sighing loudly. “Fuck men.”

Period.

She realizes she spoke out loud when she catches your gaze in the mirror. She lets out a small laugh, but it’s a lot sadder than she is trying to make it seem. Or at least that’s what it looks like, and you pride yourself on how observant you usually are.

“Sorry,” she apologizes, clearing her throat. 

You don’t know why you speak. The words are out before you even realize, and she seems just as surprised as you.

But then again, isn’t girlhood about cheering up a stranger in the bathroom of a club?

“Everything okay?”

Her eyes widen, and she turns to face you, shoving her phone in her purse. “Just my ex being a dick,” she lets out, and her eyes momentarily sparkle from unshed tears, though she’s quick to blink them away. “Said we are friends, but then he avoids me like the plague.”

Her words are slightly slurred, and she vaguely smells like alcohol – you can only assume she’s had a little too much to drink. 

“I hate men,” she mutters, and she sighs again. But then her eyes fill with tears, and your heart breaks a little when her gaze drops to the ground, embarrassment seemingly draping over her. “I hate him,” she adds in a much smaller, broken voice.

It’s strange, to see a celebrity and realize that they are so… human. That what you see on the screen is just an image, just as much of a character as that from a TV show. And maybe for a short, sweet moment, you’re possessed by a character from a TV show, too, because you tell her, “No clue who he is, but you deserve better.”

At that, she lights up. “You’re right,” she says, and she wipes at her eyes. “It’s usually okay, but I definitely drank too many shots today.” She chuckles, glancing at the lady with the soap who appears to be drinking the conversation in. She realizes that much at the same time as you do, which is clearly not something good for a celebrity like her because she adds, “Are you down to come out there with me? Unless you’re waiting for someone.”

Yeah, she definitely is somewhat drunk. Or maybe she’s a social butterfly, someone who makes friends as easily as breathing. You were like that back home too, but the language barrier over here has limited your friend group to only Hyunseok, as you’re not so sure you can consider Haneul your friend, either.

But this girl is speaking to you in English, with an earnest look in her eyes that makes you crave for a female friendship like those you left back home. Or maybe she just caught you when you are vulnerable, when you are desperately in need of someone to hold your hand for a moment, and her cry of hating men feels too relatable to let go.

You won’t complain – you doubt it’s every day that someone like her will serve you friendship on a silver platter like that. Even if it’s just for the night.

“I was actually hiding in here,” you admit. “Came alone, and I realized that clubbing here is not my thing all that much.”

She smiles brightly, her eyes sparkling from within like they weren’t filled with sadness a moment ago. Either her emotions really do come and go quickly, or she’s a good actress. You reckon it has to be the latter.

“That’s because you didn’t know me before,” she says with a mischievous smile. “I’m Jennie.”

She reaches out like she’s about to grab your hand, but stops midway, waiting for you to do the rest. “Y/n,” you reply, shaking her hand.

“I like you already,” she says, the smile still on her lips as she holds on to your hand. “I think you and I will be good friends.” And then she’s pulling you out of the bathroom. 

Her steps are much more assured than they were when she came in, like this time she has a fixed goal in mind, and you let her guide you through the throng of people that meet you the second you step out of the bathroom.

It’s easy for her. Earlier, you had to squeeze through the bodies, wincing at every touch of a foreign sweaty body on the skin of your naked arms, but the crowd parts for Jennie like she’s Moses in front of the sea, and more than one person squeals as they get a smile from her, or so you assume. You’re surprised she doesn’t have security with her, but then again, no one tries to move closer, or to invade her space.

A celebrity amongst their ranks must not be new to them like it was new to you earlier. 

But she doesn’t act like it – Kim Jennie treats you like you’ve known her your whole life as you reach the bar, pulling you into conversation about her ex, whom she doesn’t name for now.

But from the way she speaks about him, you think you might know who he is. You just don’t want to pressure her into telling you something she believes she shouldn’t.

“So,” you recapitulate. “He broke up before he went into the military, then came back after?”

She nods as she sips from the straw of her fruity cocktail. “Yeah, but he said he felt too different, and that we’d be better as friends.”

“Dick,” you let out, and then your gaze widens in surprise as you didn’t mean to say it out loud. Jennie takes it in stride, laughing at your expression. “My bad,” you quickly apologize.

“No, I get it,” she says. “He has been dickish since we’ve started talking again.” She frowns. “I mean, not that we ever really fully stopped, but he keeps insisting that we’re just friends.” 

“But then he kisses you sometimes?” you say – she’s just told you that they saw each other last week, and they spent the entire time making out.

She sighs, her gaze going down to her drink. And then she looks around, making sure that no one is listening – there isn’t a single soul in a five meter radius, and with how loud the music is, you doubt anyone but you can hear her.

“Yeah, it’s so confusing,” she drawls. “He kisses me, then pulls away. He was supposed to be here tonight, but he’s avoiding me again.”

You wince. “You deserve better than that.”

“Girl, I know.” She sighs, like the heaviness of the world is suddenly on her shoulders. “But it’s so hard to let go when your stupid heart believes they are the one.”

You can’t blame her. Before you saw that story Josh posted, you’d believe you’d make your way back to him somehow. Hell, you still believe it.

That girl is no one serious in his story, isn’t she?

You feel stupid for even hoping so.

“You okay?” Jennie asks, clearly sensing the shift in your mood.

It’s your turn to take a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Believe it or not but, right before you came into the bathroom, I saw a story my ex posted with a new girl.” The video comes back to your mind, and you clench your teeth hoping that it might stop the pain to reach your heart. It works, if only a little, enough so that you can add, “We broke up last month. A week before I flew here. And even though he’s been ignoring me since he broke up, part of me wishes I’d be able to fix things when I go back home.”

“Right,” she lets out sadly. “Why do we girls always believe we can fix things?”

You shrug your shoulders. “Probably something about the way society raised us,” you say, sounding far wiser than you meant to. “Boys will be boys, and girls are taught to fit in a mold that really should not even exist.”

“Yeah, all that caretaker bullshit,” Jennie agrees. “It makes me think of that song… The one where the singer lists off what society wants women to be for men?”

You know the song. Hell, it’s in your workout playlist, the rage from all your female ancestors giving you far more strength than anything else could.

You raise your glass. “Prime workout song.”

Jennie chuckles, raising her glass to clink it with yours. “Period.”

There’s a short lull in the conversation, and you both end up ordering new drinks as Jennie notices yours is almost empty. You’ve got a decent buzz by the time you finish that drink, too, and you’re impressed that Jennie seems completely unaffected by the alcohol. She’s telling you stories about being on set, regaling you with tales of period dramas and modern scenes in cities all over the world.

“The only thing that I regret with going the actor way is that it feels like I never get to live a normal life,” she says with a sigh some time later.

She’s just finished telling you about the latest movie she’s casted in, yet her eyes suddenly take on a wistful look, as if she can imagine such a life if she concentrates enough.

“Yeah, I don’t think there’s anything normal about your life,” you comment. She seems saddened by your comment, so you immediately add, “But I think that’s a good thing. You get to live for your passion. Isn’t that the most beautiful thing?”

There’s a slight pout on her lips, but it lessens as she frowns. “I guess you would know, as an author. You do live for your passion too.”

You chuckle. “Definitely not as successfully as you but, it does pay the bills.”

“You’ll get your success!” she says, and she seems to believe in it so fully you can’t help but believe it too. “One day, I’ll get to say that I’m friends with such a talented writer, and people will be jealous of me.”

You doubt they’d be jealous for that reason, but you do appreciate the sentiment. Though, unable to help yourself, you tease, “That’s some high praise for someone that hasn’t read any of my books.”

Her  gaze widens. “I solemnly swear that I will be reading your books first thing in the morning tomorrow!” You definitely look unconvinced, because she adds, “Well, maybe after my hangover passes.”

That makes you both laugh, and then conversation resumes like it’s the most natural thing between you and Kim Jennie.

Like maybe you were supposed to be friends, so much so that it was written in the universe. Or maybe it’s just the alcohol that makes you believe that. But who cares?

“Hear me out,” Jennie says when you’re talking about the book you’re currently writing, and you mention how you’re stuck on the meeting between the two love interests. “Maybe you just need to experience it yourself.”

Your cheeks, already burning from the alcohol you’ve been ingesting since you came to the bar what feels like an eternity ago, darken with shame. “You want me to talk to a guy?”

“Nah, you’re mine for the evening,” she jokes, the friendly possessiveness making you snort. “But I came here with friends, and they are in a private room downstairs. Maybe that’s the kind of setting you need for your scene.”

Kim Jennie is intelligent. Brilliant, even. Because the second she says that, you can visualize it – a smoky, shady room in the basement of a not-so reputable club, the cop, undercover, trying to mingle with the lousy crowd, only to be struck by the sight of the main character as she walks in. He puts down his cigarette, excuses himself from the people he’s been sitting in thick, leather chairs with, and he walks over to her.

“Oh!” you let out. “Damn, you gave me an idea.”

“I got you, girl.”

You both raise your glasses in celebration, and you take a long sip from yours, long enough that the glass you put back down on the bar is empty save from a couple of ice cubes that clink against each other.

You smile at her as she raises an eyebrow, her eyes trailing to your glass. And then you both just laugh, and she orders another round for the two of you, as if that won’t be your fourth since you got here with her.

You’ve just received that new drink when her phone lights up on the bar between the two of you, and your gazes both trail to it. You can’t read the Korean that’s on the screen fast enough, but she lets out a small ‘whoops’ as she grabs her phone.

“My friends are looking for me,” she admits. “Let me just tell them I’m…”

“Jennie!” A loud voice says from your side, and you startle and turn to see a tall guy with a wide grin on his lips. He says something in Korean, and Jennie motions towards you.

“Made a new friend,” she says in  English.

The guy seems to get the clue, because he switches to English. “Hey, nice to meet you.”

His English is thick with an accent, but he’s still smiling broadly and you can’t help but reciprocate.

“Nice to meet you,” you reply with a smile.

“Kim Mingyu,” he says, motioning at himself. “And you are?”

You give him your name, and the smile remains on his lips as Jennie says something in Korean. You think it might be about saying she’s okay with you here, but then Mingyu’s grin dims a little as he glances towards where you assume he came from. He replies, and you catch a few names that you recognize – Rosé and Lisa, mostly – and at that, Jennie sighs, nodding her head.

“Have to go back,” she tells you as she plops down from her stool. “I’d invite you, but I don’t know if you want to go?”

“You should!” Mingyu says, golden retriever energy back in full display. “We can get you in.”

You’re tipsy. Probably even a little drunk despite the drinks being really diluted in juice, and Jennie’s company has been incredible despite the strange way you met in the toilet. She’s been helpful with your book, yes, but also a huge distraction from Josh. So you nod, cheeks burning, and say, “I would love to.”

That seems to make the two of them happier than it should, and then you’re getting up from your stool too, Jennie linking her arm with yours to pull you through the crowd. You take the scene in as you reach the stairs for the basement – there’s a tall chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and two bodyguards on each side of the stairs that look like they might very well kill you if you look at them wrong. But they let you pass with a few words from Mingyu, and then you’re walking down the stairs, admiring the paintings that are illuminated by a string of LED lights hidden behind their frames. 

It’s posh. Expensive – the walls have rich red tapestry all over them, and the frames of the paintings themselves seem to be made of gold. It shimmers and glows as you walk down the stairs, and the hallway you reach when the basement appears is just quite as fancy, with a few closed doors with round windows in them, revealing what appears to be a large room filled with more people.

There’s another bodyguard in front of sliding doors, which you assume are the main doors to the wide room you’ve caught glimpses of. The bodyguard stops the three of you before Mingyu manages to tap the sign to open the doors, saying something as he motions to you.

Jennie whines, replying something that sounds like ‘She’s a friend’. 

You really have to study Korean more.

They talk for a while. The bodyguard seems extremely wary of you, and impostor syndrome starts to fuck with you as Jennie seems to be getting exasperated. You tug on her arm, trying to gain her attention, but then the door is opening from the other side.

The guy that stands on the other side of the door is tall. Clad in dark, oversized clothes, with a sleeve of tattoo that disappears in the cuff of his black t-shirt. He’s wearing two thin silver chains that have gotten slightly tangled together, and two silver beads rest on his lower lip, like he’s recently gotten two new piercings. His eyes, shaped like those of a doe, narrow at the sight of you from under the strands of hair that rest low on his forehead. But his hair is ruffled, like maybe he just ran his hand through it, and it completes his charm more than anything else could.

You know this man. You hate that you do – you’d once believed him to be the most attractive man alive, when you were young and dumb and you were a fan of BTS, one of the most famous rock bands in the world. But you stopped listening to them years ago, your music taste evolving to calmer, gentler indie music that feels like a summer afternoon.

But how could you forget their drummer and occasional singer, Jeon Jungkook, when you once had a poster of him in your teenager room?

*****

Jungkook has been having one of the worst evenings of his life. It started off at the studio, where he got shit on by the producer for smoking during his military service and ‘ruining his voice’. As if he’s the main singer anyway. Not only that, but he also got into an argument with Namjoon over some petty shit that shouldn’t matter while they were trying to record, and then Taehyung stood him up for the evening, which led to Jennie being mad at him, too.

Hell, he thought that he might be able to hook up with Sara tonight despite their history, but she’s been distant again, and he doesn’t know how to make it work. Right now, she’s busy dancing with someone else, and Jungkook’s heart strains in his chest at the sight, like it’s been doing ever since she broke up with him the last time.

A smoke should help, he tells himself. Just some fresh air, the nicotine in his blood stream, and then everything will be alright. So he pats his pockets, making sure he still has his cigarettes and lighter – as if they would have fallen out on their own – and then he heads to the sliding doors.

He spies Jennie on the other side, with Mingyu and a pretty girl in a light green dress, talking to the bodyguard that was hired for the evening. With a slight frown, Jungkook opens the door, and all eyes turn towards him.

Yours too. They widen, pretty eyes going round at the sight of him, and he can’t help but notice how you went a little heavy on the makeup. It’s not a bad look, but he can tell you’d probably look better without it. Your dress has a low cleavage cut, and even though he tries to stop himself, his eyes drop down your frame, drinking in the sight.

And he immediately realizes how fucking stupid he is for even doing that, because you clearly are not on the list of people allowed in here, and you’re looking at him as if he’s salvation.

He’s not. He can’t be, not when letting you in would ruin his plans for the evening. He can’t risk a dating scandal, and he highly doubts you’ve signed an NDA. After all, only celebrities were invited tonight.

“What are you doing?” he asks, the question directed to Jennie. 

His gaze darts to you, and you seem shocked, eyes unblinking. It only occurs to him then that you’ve totally recognized him, which makes it even worse.

He doesn’t like when people recognize him in settings like this one. Never has, and the fact that you are pretty doesn’t – can’t – make up for it.

Jennie glares at him like it’s his fault that Taehyung decided not to come tonight, and then looks at Mingyu.

“Can you tell JK to fuck off before I punch him?” she asks, her words sharp and clipped.

Mingyu raises his hands in defence as if to say ‘don’t bring me into this’. And Jungkook agrees – Mingyu has nothing to do with all of this mess.

Not that Jungkook has anything to do with it either.

He scoffs, unable to help himself. Not when she’s been mad at him all night as if he’s the one to blame. “Fuck off, Jennie. Don’t try to bring someone in tonight.”

He’s made sure to speak in English for that, hoping that maybe you’ll get the cue that you shouldn’t be here. He reckons it’s rude, but he’s tipsy and tired, and honestly, he really just wanted to have his smoke in peace. But he feels bad the second he looks at you. Your cheeks have reddened – you didn’t put on as much makeup as he initially thought, did you? – and your gaze has dropped to the ground. Half a heartbeat later, you’re pulling on Jennie’s arm, and he hears your voice for the first time.

“It’s okay, I’ll just go back upstairs,” you shyly say, though your voice doesn’t waver. No, Jungkook thinks he sees the second where you steel yourself, straightening your spine and holding your head high. “I don’t think I’m welcomed here.”

Shit. That’s not what he meant. Well, maybe he did, but he hates the way you look at him next as if he’s the reason why you’ll go.

Which he is, and he’s drunk and confused and suddenly wants to take it back. “Have you signed an NDA?”

The question blurts out on its own. You cock an eyebrow like you’re surprised to hear it, and glance at Jennie.

“No, I haven’t.” You wet your lips, and it does something to Jungkook that he doubts he’ll ever understand. “Is that an issue?”

He can’t reply to you. Not when he knows the reply – a definite yes – would be just as rude as he was earlier, so he switches back to Korean, focusing on Jennie.

“Make her sign an NDA now,” he says, as firmly as he can.

He thinks he hears you scoff – do you speak Korean? – which only makes him realize that ignoring your question might have been just as rude and insulting as actually telling you the truth.

“She’s a writer, and she’s only here to do research for her book,” Jennie replies. “Keep your fucking dick in your pants, and there shouldn’t be an issue.”

Mingyu, who’s been religiously silent this whole time, lets out a small chuckle, though it dies the second Jungkook looks at him.

“Don’t laugh, that applies to you too,” Jennie says, and then she returns her attention to the bodyguard. “So, like I said, she just needs to see the setting and all for her book.”

“Don’t you realize that it sounds like an excuse?” the bodyguard replies, and he looks annoyed as if he’s been saying so for a while.

He might have, considering Jungkook doesn’t know how long the three of you have been out here trying to get in.

“She could be trying to write articles about us,” Jungkook adds, and the bodyguard sends him a grateful look.

“She is an action and romance writer!” Jennie vehemently says. “Her book is about gangsters and shit. Y’all need to fucking chill.”

Her last sentence was in English, and you immediately perk up at the sound of it. “Jennie, it’s really okay. I’ll just go.”

Jungkook looks at you again, only to find your profile. Your nose is small, well-defined, and he wonders if you needed to get plastic surgery for it to arch so elegantly, or if you were just born with it.

He has an inkling that you were just born with it, but maybe he’s just blinded.

“I don’t want you to,” Jennie whines. “I really need a friend tonight.”

Your features soften. Clearly, you’re endeared that Jennie said so, and Jungkook almost wants to tell you that Jennie always makes friends easily, and that you’re likely not any more special than her thousand other friends. It’s a mean thought – when did he get so mean? – and Jungkook suppresses it as best as he can.

“We’re your friends,” he says instead, though it sounds weak.

Your eyes are back on him, and this time, you look annoyed. It’s somehow hot, and Jungkook’s blood heats up as you frown at him.

“Clearly, you’ve been a good friend to her if she needed me to cheer her up.”

The dry sarcasm in your tone makes Jungkook raise his eyebrows, and he finds himself unable to reply. Especially as he notices that Jennie has tears in her eyes now, and maybe you have a point.

Maybe he’s been taking his annoyance from his shitty day out on Jennie the same way that she’s been taking hers out on him.

“Give me your phone number,” Jennie says then, turning to face you as she pulls her phone out of her purse. “Let’s hang out soon.”

You grab Jennie’s phone, and Jungkook just watches in silence as you put your number in it, and then hand it back to Jennie. He’s stunned by the words you said, like he’s a kid that’s been scolded by his mom, and he feels bad.

Enough so that he says, “Well, I have an NDA on my phone that you could sign.”

You glance at him. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

But Jennie heard, and her sadness seems to have entirely faded away because she says, “Sign it! I want to introduce you to Lisa and Rosé.”

You seem to weigh the options for a few seconds. Mingyu’s the one to speak up first. “Just give her the fucking NDA so we can go back to partying.”

Jungkook wonders how you managed to get Mingyu on your side so easily, but he reckons his best friend has always been a social butterfly, much like Jennie. 

“Right.” Jungkooks grabs his phone from his back pocket, using face ID to open it. It takes him a few seconds to maneuver to the right file, and he copies it quickly before clicking on the place where you can sign with your finger. 

You grab his phone. You do. It’s such a simple act, and it shouldn’t have done anything to him, but Jungkook’s heart stutters in his chest as electricity shoots from his hand up his arm and to his spine from the slight contact with your fingers. He’s struck dumb, literally, and he just looks at you as you raise your gaze towards him.

“You need to send this to me,” you tell him, and then you proceed to sign. “I don’t like signing contracts without knowing what’s in them.”

He nods, but he’s unable to reply. When you look at him with question marks in your eyes, all he manages is to hold your gaze. 

You really are attractive. Damn. 

You furrow your brows as if confused, and then give him back his phone. He takes it with a hand that’s starting to feel clammy, and before he can embarrass himself further, he walks past you, heading to the staircase.

He really needs some air, and to get his fucking shit together.

*****

“That was weird,” you tell Jennie as you finally walk in the party room.

She laughs, shrugging her shoulders. “Jungkook’s fucking wack, dont worry about it.”

You look back, but all you can see are the glass sliding doors as they slide shut. Mingyu ended up following Jungkook, and the bodyguard is looking your way, so you turn back around.

“I didn’t expect him to be rude,” you let out pensively.

“He and Tae are assholes,” Jennie says as she looks your way. “Don’t take it personally.”

It’s weird to be with someone that talks about your teenage idols so casually, and it only really hits you then that you are way out of your comfort zone, and that you actually talked to Jungkook.

Fucking Jeon Jungkook, who immediately acted as if he is way better than you. You don’t know if you’re surprised. Fame gets to everyone’s head some day, in one way or another.

Why would he be exempt from it?

Though Jennie doesn’t seem like fame has gotten to her. Hell, she’s been treating you like an equal, like someone she wants to spend time with. There’s a reason why you caved with signing the NDA – there’s something about her that makes you want to be friends.

It might be the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream right now, though you don’t really care. Not when she’s quick to pull you deeper into the room, and your gaze immediately scans your surroundings.

The light in the wide room is dim, the air slightly clouded by what you reckon must be vape fumes. It smells of fruits, of something tropical, and it contrasts with the low lighting – you’d expect such a smell on the beach of an island, with a cocktail in hand and the light of the sun beating down on you. But here it is in this dark room, with its back wall covered in an extravagant array of expensive liquor bottles behind a bar made of what seems like mahogany. There’s a DJ booth in a corner, music blasting from the multiple hidden speakers in the room, and a guy with dark blond hair – hard to tell in the dimness – plays with the beat, turning it into his own personal music. The room is occupied by what seems like mostly celebrities – you’d bet your hand it’s just celebrities, though you don’t know most of them – mingling around the tables, a group of them currently dancing in front of the DJ. 

In your book, you imagine the air would be clouded with cigarette smoke instead, or maybe even cigar smoke. The love interest would be sitting at the bar instead of on a couch, chatting idly with the bartender, pretending to belong in this dark room like the criminals at the booth in the corner. He’d be stealing quick glances at the gangsters, most of them as subtle as the sheen of sweat on his temple – that is, almost impossible to notice – though the head of the gang, ever the observant man, would notice right away.

You blink out of your reverie as Jennie waves to two girls, and you recognize them as they look your way – one is another actress from Jennie’s movies, and the other is a famous pop singer. Jennie leads you to them, motioning to you.

“I just met the coolest writer,” she says, and Rosé, the singer, and Lisa, the actress, look at you quizzically. 

Rosé is the first to speak. “Have I had the chance to read one of your books?”

You blush. Hell, you think you turn beet red – both of the girls currently looking at you are way prettier than cameras make them look, and you think your brain short-circuits.

“You might have, actually,” Jennie says. “Y/n wrote Love in the End.”

“You remember the name?” you let out – you told her the name of your three published books before, Love in the End being the first of them.

“Wait.” Rosé pulls out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans, and she frowns at it as she opens what turns out to be Good Reads – who knew she was a reader? “Damn, I actually have.”

Indeed, she pulls up the review she wrote for your book, and she shows it to you. She’s rated it five stars, and you can’t quite wrap your head around the fact that she actually read it.

“It’s been a while, but I loved that book.”

Lisa, silent so far, speaks up. “What brings you here tonight?”

So you tell them, too, how you’ve been doing research for your new book. They’re friendly, though it connects more with Rosé than Lisa who disappears not too long after you and Jennie got there, claiming she had to head home for an early schedule tomorrow. You tell her goodbye, and then Rosé and Jennie pull you to the dancefloor, where you end up dancing the night away, trying to fit in despite not being from this crowd. Mingyu dances with you at some point, though you barely exchange a single word, Jennie pulling you back into her embrace too quickly. 

You’re a little shy, but somehow you still laugh and sing along to the songs with her, surprised to see she can rap bar for bar some of the rap songs that play. She also makes sure you’re always drinking – be it cocktails or shots – and the night feels infinite. You thought you were tipsy before, but Rosé pulls you into many rounds of a drinking game that inspired one of her songs, and you end up forgetting all about the fact that the people you’re with are celebrities. Hell, you even forget about Josh – all that’s left are the female friendships, the music, and the way everything seems so easy and light.

It’s no wonder you’re way past drunk when you’re stumbling to the private bathroom much later. Your phone died not too long ago, the hour reading way past four AM, yet the energy in the room is infinitely contagious, and you don’t feel like going home. You tell yourself that as you’re washing your hands, looking at yourself in the mirror once you’re done using the bathroom. You struggle to keep your face in focus, and it makes you laugh a little.

Who would have thought you’d end up here tonight?

Not you. And it’s an infinitely funny thought, at least to your drunk mind. So you’re still giggling a little when you open the door to walk out of the bathroom. You stumble, your feet getting caught in the doorstep, and you start falling forward. You try to catch yourself on the doorframe, but your hands hit air, and you keep falling. That is, until strong hands wrap around your waist to keep you steady, your own hands landing flat on whoever’s chest it is. Heart beating out of your chest, you remain unmoving for a moment, up until you clock the feel of the strong muscles under the palms of your hands on this guy’s chest.

Unable to resist, you run your hands down, and you swear the guy takes a sharp breath in. Your hands then shift to his shoulders of their own volition like you’ve known him your whole life, and your throat dries out at the feel of the muscles there, too.

For half a heartbeat, your brain produces an image of Josh here. Josh, come to save you from your drunk state. But when you look up, it’s not Josh looking down at you with that affronted look on his face. It’s Jeon Jungkook, and you jump back with your heart skipping way too many beats in your chest, your face burning bright.

“Sorry,” you apologize. “I…”

But he doesn’t say anything. He just looks at you for a few more seconds with a dark look in his gaze, and then motions behind you.

“Oh, right.” You step aside to let him pass, and he’s closing the door when you speak again. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to be,” he replies, though his gaze is on the ground when he says it, and his jaw is set in a hard line that makes you think he’s pissed. 

You’re drunk enough to want to say something about it, but he finishes closing the door in your face before you can, and you just stand there staring at the door as if that will make it open back up. And then it occurs to you that it might be weird if you’re still here when he comes out, so you spin on your heels, the motion enough to send your mind in a dizzy spiral. You close your eyes for a few seconds to steady yourself, before walking back to where you left a very drunk Jennie and an even drunker Rosé.

Jennie has tears on her cheeks when you get there, and your gaze widens at the sight. She’s looking at her phone – Rosé has passed out on the seat next to her, her head on Jennie’s shoulder – and whatever Jennie’s reading seems to be breaking her heart.

“Why does he care if I get home safe or not?” she asks you as you sit on the other side of her.

“Oh, baby,” you let out. 

“It’d be so much easier if we weren’t in the same friend group,” she says, and you reach up to wipe the tears on her cheeks. “I just want to forget him, but he’s always around.”

“It’s not easy to forget someone we care about,” you tell her, and your thoughts go to Josh again. Your heart strains in your chest, but you ignore it, focusing on your new friend. “But that’s why you meet other people. You make new friends. Can’t stop when you get your heart broken.”

“It’s so hard.” Jennie sounds so defeated you just rest your head on her other shoulder considering you can’t pull her in a hug without risking to wake Rosé up. “It’s been over a year and a half and I still just miss him so much.”

“I know,” you say. “I’m sorry.”

She sighs deeply. “Nah, I’m the one that’s sorry. It’s so late and he’s just trying to be nice.” You hear her gulp. “He’s a good person, you know?”

You nod, even though you’re drunk enough to believe he’s a horrible person for breaking Jennie’s heart.

“Everything okay here?”

You both look to the side, where Jungkook is standing. He’s focusing on Jennie and Jennie only, and she lets out a defeated sigh. 

“I want to go home.” Or at least you assume that’s what she said, because she spoke in Korean. 

Jungkook says something in that same language that you don’t understand even though you’ve taken classes for the last month, and you just watch him as he pulls out his phone. He’s mindlessly pulling on his piercings as he focuses on the screen, but he must have sensed your gaze on his profile, because he glances your way.

You immediately look away, grabbing your phone as if it didn’t run out of battery long ago. And then Jungkook says something again, and Jennie shakes Rosé until she lets out a grunt.

“Let me sleep,” Rosé grumbles. 

“Let’s go home.” Jennie shakes her friend once more as she seems like she’s going to fall back asleep. “Come on, Rosie.”

You end up having to help with bringing Rosé to the car, while Jungkook is pulling a very drunk Mingyu with him. Mingyu’s babbling about something that makes all of them laugh, but you’re too tired to do the translation. All you can do is steal glances at Jungkook, your palms itching to get another swipe at the strong muscles you barely had a chance to explore before. It’s enough to make your cheeks burn when he catches you looking, so you focus on getting Rosé to the car, and then you make to follow behind her, Jennie already sitting in it.

“No.” It’s Jungkook, and he’s grabbing your wrist to stop you from getting in. “This is not for you.”

You’re reminded of how rude he’d been when you met earlier – how long ago was it? It’s already sunny outside.

“My phone is dead,” you say. 

“You can’t know where we live,” Jungkook offers as an explanation.

He doesn’t even look sorry, but you’re way too tired to feel offended by it.

Jennie is looking at her phone, still crying, and she doesn’t look your way. Rosé is no salvation either, as she’s already asleep in the car again, and you just meet Jungkook’s gaze.

Mingyu is the one to save you. “I’ll call you a cab.”

You reckon you aren’t surprised that Jungkook isn’t the one who suggested so. And once the cab is called, Mingyu and Jungkook also get in the car without another word to you. Jennie barely has time to wave you goodbye before Jungkook is slamming the door shut, and you see your reflection in the tinted windows.

What a dick, you think.

And just like that, you assume the passage of all those celebrities in your life ended.

Prev | Next

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sooooo what did we think? did we like it? let me know what you think about the fic! and if anyone is up for stuff like character asks and the likes, i'll be very happy to answer them all for you <3

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | teaser (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, some chapters have mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆warnings: mentions of smoking cigarettes, cursing, an NDA

☆word count: 1.7k

☆a/n: here's a little tiny teaser for y'all! hope you enjoy reading <3 and thank you to @moonleeai for being my perfect beta reader again, you are the best and i'm forever thankful for you <3

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

Jungkook has been having one of the worst evenings of his life. It started off at the studio, where he got shit on by the producer for smoking during his military service and ‘ruining his voice’. As if he’s the main singer anyway. Not only that, but he also got into an argument with Namjoon over some petty shit that shouldn’t matter while they were trying to record, and then Taehyung stood him up for the evening, which led to Jennie being mad at him, too.

Hell, he thought that he might be able to hook up with Sara tonight despite their history, but she’s been distant again, and he doesn’t know how to make it work. Right now, she’s busy dancing with someone else, and Jungkook’s heart strains in his chest at the sight, like it’s been doing ever since she broke up with him the last time.

A smoke should help, he tells himself. Just some fresh air, the nicotine in his blood stream, and then everything will be alright. So he pats his pockets, making sure he still has his cigarettes and lighter – as if they would have fallen out on their own – and then he heads to the sliding doors.

He spies Jennie on the other side, with Mingyu and a pretty girl in a light green dress, talking to the bodyguard that was hired for the evening. With a slight frown, Jungkook opens the door, and all eyes turn towards him.

Yours too. They widen, pretty eyes going round at the sight of him, and he can’t help but notice how you went a little heavy on the makeup. It’s not a bad look, but he can tell you’d probably look better without it. Your dress has a low cleavage cut, and even though he tries to stop himself, his eyes drop down your frame, drinking in the sight.

And he immediately realizes how fucking stupid he is for even doing that, because you clearly are not on the list of people allowed in here, and you’re looking at him as if he’s salvation.

He’s not. He can’t be, not when letting you in would ruin his plans for the evening. He can’t risk a dating scandal, and he highly doubts you’ve signed an NDA. After all, only celebrities were invited tonight.

“What are you doing?” he asks, the question directed to Jennie. 

His gaze darts to you, and you seem shocked, eyes unblinking. It only occurs to him then that you’ve totally recognized him, which makes it even worse.

He doesn’t like when people recognize him in settings like this one. Never has, and the fact that you are pretty doesn’t – can’t – make up for it.

Jennie glares at him like it’s his fault that Taehyung decided not to come tonight, and then looks at Mingyu.

“Can you tell JK to fuck off before I punch him?” she asks, her words sharp and clipped.

Mingyu raises his hands in defence as if to say ‘don’t bring me into this’. And Jungkook agrees – Mingyu has nothing to do with all of this mess.

Not that Jungkook has anything to do with it either.

He scoffs, unable to help himself. Not when she’s been mad at him all night as if he’s the one to blame. “Fuck off, Jennie. Don’t try to bring someone in tonight.”

He’s made sure to speak in English for that, hoping that maybe you’ll get the cue that you shouldn’t be here. He reckons it’s rude, but he’s tipsy and tired, and honestly, he really just wanted to have his smoke in peace. But he feels bad the second he looks at you. Your cheeks have reddened – you didn’t put on as much makeup as he initially thought, did you? – and your gaze has dropped to the ground. Half a heartbeat later, you’re pulling on Jennie’s arm, and he hears your voice for the first time.

“It’s okay, I’ll just go back upstairs,” you shyly say, though your voice doesn’t waver. No, Jungkook thinks he sees the second where you steel yourself, straightening your spine and holding your head high. “I don’t think I’m welcomed here.”

Shit. That’s not what he meant. Well, maybe he did, but he hates the way you look at him next as if he’s the reason why you’ll go.

Which he is, and he’s drunk and confused and suddenly wants to take it back. “Have you signed an NDA?”

The question blurts out on its own. You cock an eyebrow like you’re surprised to hear it, and glance at Jennie.

“No, I haven’t.” You wet your lips, and it does something to Jungkook that he doubts he’ll ever understand. “Is that an issue?”

He can’t reply to you. Not when he knows the reply – a definite yes – would be just as rude as he was earlier, so he switches back to Korean, focusing on Jennie.

“Make her sign an NDA now,” he says, as firmly as he can.

He thinks he hears you scoff – do you speak Korean? – which only makes him realize that ignoring your question might have been just as rude and insulting as actually telling you the truth.

“She’s a writer, and she’s only here to do research for her book,” Jennie replies. “Keep your fucking dick in your pants, and there shouldn’t be an issue.”

Mingyu, who’s been religiously silent this whole time, lets out a small chuckle, though it dies the second Jungkook looks at him.

“Don’t laugh, that applies to you too,” Jennie says, and then she returns her attention to the bodyguard. “So, like I said, she just needs to see the setting and all for her book.”

“Don’t you realize that it sounds like an excuse?” the bodyguard replies, and he looks annoyed as if he’s been saying so for a while.

He might have, considering Jungkook doesn’t know how long the three of you have been out here trying to get in.

“She could be trying to write articles about us,” Jungkook adds, and the bodyguard sends him a grateful look.

“She is an action and romance writer!” Jennie vehemently says. “Her book is about gangsters and shit. Y’all need to fucking chill.”

Her last sentence was in English, and you immediately perk up at the sound of it. “Jennie, it’s really okay. I’ll just go.”

Jungkook looks at you again, only to find your profile. Your nose is small, well-defined, and he wonders if you needed to get plastic surgery for it to arch so elegantly, or if you were just born with it.

He has an inkling that you were just born with it, but maybe he’s just blinded.

“I don’t want you to,” Jennie whines. “I really need a friend tonight.”

Your features soften. Clearly, you’re endeared that Jennie said so, and Jungkook almost wants to tell you that Jennie always makes friends easily, and that you’re likely not any more special than her thousand other friends. It’s a mean thought – when did he get so mean? – and Jungkook suppresses it as best as he can.

“We’re your friends,” he says instead, though it sounds weak.

Your eyes are back on him, and this time, you look annoyed. It’s somehow hot, and Jungkook’s blood heats up as you frown at him.

“Clearly, you’ve been a good friend to her if she needed me to cheer her up.”

The dry sarcasm in your tone makes Jungkook raise his eyebrows, and he finds himself unable to reply. Especially as he notices that Jennie has tears in her eyes now, and maybe you have a point.

Maybe he’s been taking his annoyance from his shitty day out on Jennie the same way that she’s been taking hers out on him.

“Give me your phone number,” Jennie says then, turning to face you as she pulls her phone out of her purse. “Let’s hang out soon.”

You grab Jennie’s phone, and Jungkook just watches in silence as you put your number in it, and then hand it back to Jennie. He’s stunned by the words you said, like he’s a kid that’s been scolded by his mom, and he feels bad.

Enough so that he says, “Well, I have an NDA on my phone that you could sign.”

You glance at him. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

But Jennie heard, and her sadness seems to have entirely faded away because she says, “Sign it! I want to introduce you to Lisa and Rosé.”

You seem to weigh the options for a few seconds. Mingyu’s the one to speak up first. “Just give her the fucking NDA so we can go back to partying.”

Jungkook wonders how you managed to get Mingyu on your side so easily, but he reckons his best friend has always been a social butterfly, much like Jennie. 

“Right.” Jungkooks grabs his phone from his back pocket, using face ID to open it. It takes him a few seconds to maneuver to the right file, and he copies it quickly before clicking on the place where you can sign with your finger. 

You grab his phone. You do. It’s such a simple act, and it shouldn’t have done anything to him, but Jungkook’s heart stutters in his chest as electricity shoots from his hand up his arm and to his spine from the slight contact with your fingers. He’s struck dumb, literally, and he just looks at you as you raise your gaze towards him.

“You need to send this to me,” you tell him, and then you proceed to sign. “I don’t like signing contracts without knowing what’s in them.”

He nods, but he’s unable to reply. When you look at him with question marks in your eyes, all he manages is to hold your gaze. 

You really are attractive. Damn. 

You furrow your brows as if confused, and then give him back his phone. He takes it with a hand that’s starting to feel clammy, and before he can embarrass himself further, he walks past you, heading to the staircase.

He really needs some air, and to get his fucking shit together.

Next

☆☆☆☆☆

SO IS ANYONE AS EXCITED AS I AM???? please come scream with me, this fic will be SO fun!! I can't wait to share the rest with you guys <3

All rights reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[oddinary4bts]

Meant to post this earlier today but I got swamped with work so surprise!! Hope y’all enjoy this✨ so excited to be starting this journey with you🤗

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | Masterpost (jjk)

☆summary: when you move to Seoul to do some research on your upcoming book, your life gets tangled with the city's celebrity scene. It leads to you crossing paths with Jeon Jungkook, whose confusing behaviour convinces you that he hates you. Only, you might have misread his intentions from the beginning...

☆status: next update (Wednesday, March 18th 2026)

☆pairings: drummer!Jungkook x writer!female reader, Jennie x Taehyung, Hoseok x OC, Namjoon x OC, Seokjin x OC, Yoongi x OC

☆rating: 18+ (minors DNI, some chapters have mature content)

☆genre: enemies (annoyances?) to lovers!au, celebrity!au, rockstar!au, smut, angst (make it dramatic), fluff

☆total word count: 188.3k

☆a/n: following a bad heartbreak last year, I fully lost my interest in writing. until I stumbled upon this fic that I had started like two years ago and never touched again. after reworking the premise (it initially was fully idol!au), this baby was born and gosh do I love it and its characters. I hope you guys enjoy it, as it was my way of healing from that bad break up and also as it taught me how to love writing again <3 it goes through dark stuff, and as per usual, each chapter will be appropriately labelled with its own warnings. Please be on the lookout for those!

☆Thank you to @moonleeai for beta-ing this fic <3 i am so thankful for you and your work, as always!

☆add yourself to the taglist here!

☆☆☆☆☆

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

Iris, The Goo Goo Dolls

☆☆☆☆☆

➳Teaser: the first time he sees you (1.7k)

Just give her the fucking NDA so we can go back to partying.

➳Chapter one: when you meet Jeon Jungkook (8.1k)

I didn't expect him to be rude.

➳Chapter two: when your paths cross again (12.4k)

You're not still thinking she'll start rumors?

➳Chapter three: when you go to the same afterparty (12.4k)

I was in love with you as a teenager.

➳Chapter four: when you and Jeon Jungkook clash (11.7k)

Some people just don't get along, and that's okay.

➳Chapter five: when he starts texting you (10.8k)

Goddamn. Jeon Jungkook.

➳Chapter six: when you go to his concert (14.8k)

I just wouldn't get attached if I were you.

➳Chapter seven: when you spend a day with him (10.1k)

So you're not denying it?

➳Chapter eight: when you witness love breaking and blooming (8.5k)

Just friends, huh?

➳Chapter nine: when you find out how hard goodbyes are (13.1k)

What am I doing here then, Jungkook?

➳Chapter ten: when you break (12.9k)

You lied like it was nothing.

➳Chapter eleven: when you wake up (10.3k)

Leave.

➳Chapter twelve: when you let go (12k)

But I promise I will heal, and I really want you to heal, too.

➳Chapter thirteen: when you meet again in Okinawa (15.8k)

Heartbreak is one of the most universal things there is.

➳Chapter fourteen: when you go back to Seoul (15k)

I've been thinking about you a lot.

➳Chapter fifteen: when you give each other a second chance (9.3k)

Love doesn't come without risk, ever.

➳Chapter sixteen: when you love him, and he loves you too (11.2k)

You're the love of my life.

☆☆☆☆☆

All right reserved to @oddinary4bts, 2026. Do not copy, repost or translate.

[moonleeai]

Soooooo ready for this ride 🥰

[oddinary4bts]

Iris | banner (jjk)

☆coming soon🤭

☆will be working on the masterpost as soon as I finish writing the fic so be on the lookout for that!

☆my goal is to start posting around the start of the tour, so end of march

☆schedule will be a chapter release once a week on Friday, 5 pm EST like usual

☆you can expect 16 chapters in total, so around 4 months of posting🫣

☆feel free to send asks if you want to talk about this fic, I’m really excited about it✨