Smoke and Mirrors: a magician’s trick, the art of making an entity appear to be floating through the use of smoke and mirrors. In figurative speech, something which, once examined, is proven to be an illusion. Like the moon reflected on water, or a flower reflected in a mirror. Unable to be touched.
Description: Listless idol Jeon Jungkook has lost his creative spark. Something just feels…missing. And between jet-setting across the world and constantly evading public scandals, Jungkook’s life up until now has felt like a movie. One thing Jungkook can count on, however, is video games. Y/N has been gaming forever. And when a new VR game called Arcana is released, both Y/N and Jungkook are all over it. But what will become of Jungkook’s online persona when life forces the two to work together? And will Jungkook manage to keep his identity a secret from one of his closest Internet friends?
Genre: Romance, Drama, Fluff, Angst
Pairing: Jungkook x (gender unspecified) Reader
Word Count: 12.1k
Tags: Solo Idol!Jungkook, Gamer!Jungkook, Makeup Artist!Reader, Manager!Seokjin, Florist!Hoseok
Warnings: Swearing and mentions of alcohol, although infrequently
A/N: Haha….ha….ha….um, well this is awkward isn’t it? I haven’t been active on here in a long, long time! But God does it feel nice to return. In the time I’ve been away, I’ve been working on a lot of things at once. Too many chefs in the kitchen, except the chefs are projects/responsibilities and the kitchen is me and is also on fire. I think right now more than ever, I’ve leaned into writing to help me feel a bit better about the world. So if this story can make you happy that’s honestly all I can ask for. I don’t think I’ll be keeping a posting schedule, as that feels like too much for me right now, but maybe in the future I’ll come up with a schedule that doesn’t feel overwhelming! Regardless, I’ve missed you guys and I’ve really missed posting my writing here. I hope you all still remember me! And I hope you enjoy this story. Really. As always, please feel free to send me any thoughts or concerns! Questions, critique, comments: send them all my way! I can’t wait to get chatting with you all again.
And I’m on Twitter! I’ll put the link here if you want to follow. I’m very active over there!
“Well work harder, damn. Tiki’s about to go down,” you say, gritting your teeth as you whip around toward the dragon staring your party down.
It circles you, never once looking away, several stories tall with glowing yellow eyes that seem to leave trails behind in the darkness of the cavern. You feel at once impossibly small and impossibly fragile in front of such a behemoth, all purple scales and saliva stringing across pointed fangs.
“Just focus on offense for now,” says Sapphire, grunting as he lunges sword-first toward the dragon.
Your brows shoot sky high as Sapphire, a DPS like you, runs straight for the enemy. His silver knight’s armor clanks in his wake. “Wait!” you call, but it’s too late. Your teammate has his sword plunging in and slicing out and slashing wild before you can even prep your next spell. “Jesus, Saph!”
You hear his laughter like bells echo through the cavern, seeming to bounce against the domed ceiling and drip like water from the clinging stalactites. “Tiki! Distract!” you call as the dragon whips wildly: first toward Sapphire and then toward you. “Shit,” you whisper, examining your mana with a hiss. “I need a second to recover!”
Tiki, a massive green orc and also your team’s tank, rushes in with his battle axe. Upon the first hit, the dragon writhes in pain and turns toward Tiki, ire in its yellow eyes. Tiki says nothing, just lets out a string of labored breaths as he swings his heavy weapon. Sapphire is quick to attack at the dragon’s heels. The dragon opens its mouth to spew flames across the charred cavern, aiming right for Tiki, but before it can Zero finally heals him with a flash of white light and a bolt straight to his broad green chest. You jump, turn to the side to see Zero is standing beside you about twenty feet from the dragon.
“Get spelling, Nova!” he shouts, long blonde hair flying in the breeze his spell created.
His voice, deep and gruff, doesn’t suit his pretty, dark-skinned elven body: particularly the well-rendered female…curvature. Every time he talks, it takes you off guard. You shake it off and nod once.
“Loli! Get punching!” you call to your resident monk as she idles near the dragon’s tail. She says nothing. You sigh, rest a hand on your hip. “Loli!”
She jumps to attention. “Sorry! My roommate needed me,” she says with a laugh, rubbing the back of her half-shaven head.
“Tell her to piss off!” calls Tiki as the dragon, halted by Zero’s healing spell, recovers and swings a mighty paw his way.
Your mana is finally restored and, shutting your eyes, you summon a bolt of ice. With a shout, you spin your staff over your head before slamming it down with a thunderous clap. Ice splinters dizzyingly fast from the ground beneath your staff and crawls like frost until it hits the dragon, stunning it still for a few seconds.
“Health’s low! Saph, go for the kill!” Lolita shouts as she lands a solid punch on the dragon’s belly that shatters your freezing spell.
Without waiting a second more, Sapphire shoves his sword into the dragon’s heaving chest as it writhes from pain. It looses a cry that sends vibrations through the cavern. A few rocks tumble from fissures in the cave walls, and a stalactite cracks and careens toward the ground where it explodes into shards.
And, with that, the massive beast falls to its stomach, its head clunking to the ground in front of Tiki’s feet. The ensuing silence rings in your ears as the five of you stand completely still, waiting. It wouldn’t be the first time an enemy has fallen only to reveal a dormant ability that results in a second battle. None of you says a thing until the massive body before you begins to dissolve into pixels, leaving you with only the skull as a prize and a bag of loot in place of a carcass.
Lolita is the first to break the silence with a loud hoot. “Wooh! Hell yeah!” she shouts, clapping her hands.
You chuckle, lean on your staff. “Loli, you can only celebrate halfway since you missed half the fight,” you tease with a fond sigh.
She rushes toward you, wipes off her blue robes and crosses her arms. “My roommate came in!”
“And you didn’t warn us,” Zero chides as he smooths a few flyaway hairs, smiling. That model of his is just too pretty…
“I-,”
“Guys!” Sapphire shouts, jumping once as he examines the loot bag. “Look at this!”
You spin your staff in your hand and jog to stand beside the knight. His red eyes are bright, digging through the bag until he produces in one gloved hand—
“Is that a Philosopher’s Stone Fragment?” asks Tiki, similarly enraptured as he comes up beside Sapphire’s flank.
Sapphire nods. “Which means—,”
“Which means we’re one step closer,” you say, and you lock eager eyes with Sapphire who only nods. “Well shit!”
“Also means we were right to come this way,” Lolita says, holding up one finger as if correcting us. “And whose idea was that?”
Zero shoves Lolita by the head and turns back toward the loot bag. “Anything else?” he asks.
Sapphire digs around before shrugging. “A shield,” he says.
“Don’t need it,” Tiki says.
“And…mm…,” he pauses, brow furrowing as he pulls out a piece of paper. He purses his lips, runs a hand through his blue-black hair, cocks his head to the side. “Schematic?”
“For what?”
“Oh!” he exclaims, turning to you as he hands you the paper. You look it over and scoff. “Superior elemental staff.”
“Cuts down the mana I need to do spells,” you say, rolling your eyes as you pocket the paper. “Coulda used that today.”
Sapphire claps your shoulder. “Next time! We’ve still got three fragments to find before anyone else does.”
You nod. “Well, with that settled…,” you begin, itching to use the bathroom.
“Ah! You gotta leave?” asks Sapphire.
You nod. “Got work in the morning.”
“Eugh,” he sighs, shoulders slumping. “Me too.”
“Me three,” says Zero.
“Ah, the working world. We’re lucky, huh Tiki?” Lolita says with a wistful sigh as water from overhead drips onto her shoulder. She jumps a little, but settles easily. “Don’t you miss your reckless college days?”
You laugh. “I only graduated last year,” you say, turning toward Sapphire. “Speaking of which, Saph did you ever go to school?”
He stiffens. “Ah, uh…,” he begins, glancing at his feet. He’s quiet for a moment. “No. Not past high school,” he says with an almost sheepish nod.
You don’t say anything, but it seems like there’s something he’s keeping to himself, something he doesn’t want to share. Sapphire is always like that, but this feels a little different.
“Hm,” you say, sensing his discomfort. “Welp, I’m gonna peace out for the night. Message me when you guys wanna go for the next fragment. I’ll keep researching where it might be.”
“Mm, sounds good,” says Tiki. “I’m starving. Loli, wanna get some food?”
Lolita glances at Tiki out the corner of her eye. “You mean, like, real food?”
Tiki sighs. “Obviously real food. I don’t wanna waste money on game food.”
She laughs and nods. “Alright. I’ll meet you at your dorm.”
“Mm.”
Without another word, both Tiki and Lolita blink out, leaving nothing behind them. You turn toward Zero and pat his back. “Sorry for getting on your case tonight,” you say. “I was worried Tiki would fall and then…well, you get it.”
Zero shrugs, examining one of his perfect fingernails. “No, I wasn’t on my game tonight. I’ll be better next time.”
“Me too,” you say, waving as Zero too blinks out.
You turn toward Sapphire and offer a smile. “Sorry for asking about college,” you say.
He stiffens, brows raised. “Hm? Oh, no it’s fine,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck with a smile. “It’s just, uh…well, you know my dad always wanted me to go to college so…”
You wave your hands, shake your head. “Forget it, alright? I won’t bring it up unless you do first.” You smirk. “You played tank tonight, didn’t you?”
He laughs. “Yeah, a little.”
“Don’t do that shit,” you say, but you can’t help your smile. “What would we do if we lost you in the middle of a battle?”
You can see his posture go a little straight. He turns to you, blinking. “You…?” he begins, but cuts himself off with a laugh. “Ah, mm, well…I’d better get going.”
“Mhm. Message me if you get any new info about fragment locations,” you say, then chuckle. “Or if you just wanna talk about The Bachelor or something.”
He laughs with you. “I don’t watch The Bachelor!”
“Well, whatever you watch!” you call as you jog a few paces away. You offer a wave which Sapphire mimics before pressing the disconnect button on your headset.
You shake your head, disoriented as you return to your bedroom, your window sitting before you, the outskirts of Bucheon spreading out in spindly arms around you. Your head throbs a little and you wince, removing your sensor gloves and setting them gently on the light wood table beside your computer. You guide one of the philodendron leaves to the side so it won’t tickle the gloves. You shuck off the sensor jacket too and leave it draped over the back of your gaming chair. Slowly, you return your attention to the window, smiling down at the sea of lights undulating in the dark. It’s a nice evening, you notice as you press the pads of your fingers to the cool glass.
Your phone, until then sitting dormant on the tabletop beside your potted jade plant, pings to life with a notification. Your eyes widen and you grab for it, stretching your torso as you do to work out your aching muscles. Tonight’s session with the group had gone long, and the fatigue on your back is severe from slumping in that gaming chair like a shrimp. And even though you have to move your upper body to activate the full range of Arcana’s sensor controls, your ass feels like you’ve just sat through back-to-back, four-hour lectures.
BeastSlayers™
SacredSapphire: miss u guys already :-(
You laugh, watch as Tiki begins writing a message in response.
TikiTikiRoom: ..
TikiTikiRoom: dont be soft bitch ill kill you
You pad down the hallway, watching your phone as you stumble through the dark apartment with one hand on the wall bracing you. You connect your phone to the TV speakers and play some lofi something or other, bop your head as you enter the kitchen and flip on a flickering yellow light. You rifle through the freezer, produce a cherry red popsicle. You press it to your lips and smile.
Lolovely: I haven’t even made it to Tik’s dorm wtf why are you being sappy already?
CodenameZer0: Looool, Saph? More like SAP.
TikiTikiRoom: press f
SuperNova: I think it’s sweet :’)
SuperNova: Wanna voice chat?
SacredSapphire: nonono
SacredSapphire: someone’s coming over lol
Lolovely: ominous…
You chuckle and take a bite of your popsicle. But as you do, the thing turns to mush and slides from the stick like slop, staining your white shirt and your lips red. “Shit!” you exclaim, then rush to the freezer.
With a sigh, you notice that a layer of ice is frosted over the back. And as you jam your hand in, you can feel that the temperature is higher than it should be. Hence, melty popsicle. You groan, take to it with a knife from the creaky drawer. You chip away at the ice and keep chipping until the back of the freezer is visible once more.
“Cheap piece of crap,” you mumble, kicking the fridge with your socked toe.
You return to the group chat to a slew of messages.
TikiTikiRoom: WAIT SAPH DO YOU HAVE A BOY/GIRL/THEYFRIEND??
TikiTikiRoom: IM GONNA HAVE AN ANEURISM
Lolovely: !!!!!!!!!
Lolovely: ??????
CodenameZer0: Hohohoh
CodenameZer0: Could it be?
SacredSapphire: NO!!
SacredSapphire: i don’t have a boy/girl/theyfriend! i’m too busy, rip
SacredSapphire: it’s just someone
SacredSapphire: don’t worry about it lol
Lolovely: sus…
Lolovely: nova’s better at this stuff
Lolovely: interrogation
Lolovely: think if i scream hard enough nova will come back?
Lolovely: NOVAAAAAA
You laugh and take a few photos. First of the old laminate floor which now resembles a crime scene in cherry popsicle red. Next of your shirt, now streaked in slush. Third, of your face, lips stained like you’ve smeared lip tint on your skin. You pull a pout before snapping the shot, then send all three together.
SuperNova: I crave death.
SuperNova: Stupid cheap fridge. Freezes over literally monthly.
SuperNova: I hate it here.
Lolovely: oooh that pic…
Lolovely: kinda….sexy hehe
SuperNova: ???
You set your phone aside and take to cleaning the floor. Last thing you need in this shithole is an ant infestation. Your music bumps gently through the sound bar beneath your TV. Sure, your apartment is decked out in tech, but the place itself?
You glance around the kitchen, a sanitary white with pretty fixtures, and suppress a sigh. It’s all for show anyway, this apartment. Like almost all the others in the area, it only looks nice. The reality, however…
Well, it’s melted popsicles and a shower that only runs lukewarm.
You check your phone with a hip against the countertop.
TikiTikiRoom: lewd lol
SuperNova: Shut up lmao nothing lewd about my shitty fridge.
SuperNova: Anyway, no I’m not gonna help you bully Saph.
SuperNova: Leave him alone or I’ll bite your ankles.
Lolovely: !!!
Lolovely: qu'est-ce que pas?
Lolovely: Nova…you’ve been defending Saph lately…
Lolovely: hold on i’m seeing something…
CodenameZer0: Don’t threaten my ankles.
SacredSapphire: nova baby ur the only loyal one here
Laughing, you type your response and make your way to the couch, falling flat on your stomach with an unpleasant thump.
Jeon Jungkook sits still, swiveling in his gaming chair with a soft smile as he watches the messages surge through the Discord group chat. Even though they’re busy teasing him, Jungkook can’t help the swell of fondness in his chest for his group mates. He leans back precariously far, the room nearly pitch black save for the shifting LEDs on his keyboard and the purple screensaver on his monitor.
SuperNova: It’s you and me, Saph.
SuperNova: Now come here and get your kith :3
Jungkook chokes a laugh with his hand, covering his mouth as his eyes squint. He tosses his head to the side, lets out a sigh. Quietly, he touches the photo you sent and lets it spread across his screen. He chuckles, examining your expression. Displeased, you eye the camera with furrowed brows and a pout. Briefly, Jungkook considers telling you it’s cute.
But he quickly clicks out of the photo, clears his throat, and catches up with the chat.
CodenameZer0: God, barf.
TikiTikiRoom: no kithes for zero
Lolovely: lolol i want a kith :(
SuperNova: Get in line then. Saph first.
SacredSapphire: i….*blushes*
SacredSapphire: N-N-Noona!
CodenameZer0: FUCKING BARF GOODBYE
Zero’s icon goes offline and Jungkook laughs in earnest now, his head lolling back. But before he can respond, the door to his studio opens with a robotic jingle. He jumps a little, turning his whole body toward the door. He nearly falls off the chair as he swivels.
In the doorway, Kim Seokjin shuffling across the threshold with two cups of coffee in a carrier. He looks a little disheveled, hair windswept and eyes scanning the room round and round. His gaze lingers here and there: resting on Jungkook’s wall of figurines, then on the futon still pulled down and covered in a messy heap of sheets, then on Jungkook’s face as he sits perfectly still, perfectly redhanded. Jungkook’s mouth agape, his fingers poised to type another message to the group chat, his computer monitor showing no lyrics, no notes, no Ableton. Just his screensaver.
Jungkook had planned to pull up his WIP song before Jin arrived, but the opportunity to do that has long since passed.
“Uh…,” Jungkook says, dumbfounded with round eyes glowing in the flashing keyboard lights. “Hey, Seokjin.”
Jin’s nostrils flare, his expression fiery. His attention flashes to the sensor gloves, the controllers sitting beneath them, the sensor jacket left astray on the ground, haphazard.
“Jeon Jungkook-,”
“I can explain!”
Seokjin glares at him, cocks one single brow. “Uh-huh?”
“I…,” Jungkook begins, flustered as he rises to his feet. He feels like he’s in school again. Seokjin’s gaze is disarming, intense, and his knuckles are white as he crushes the cardboard handle of the coffee carrier. “Uh…I was taking a small tiny little break.”
“A small,” Seokjin begins, placing the coffee on Jungkook’s work desk and resting his palm beside it, “tiny,” he continues, leveling his eyes with Jungkook’s, “little break?” Jin’s jaw is clenched.
Jungkook swallows hard. “Mhm…”
Jungkook expects Seokjin to bare his canines, to sneer at him, to scold him to kingdom come. But his manager simply eases into a sigh and leans away from Jungkook, rubbing his forehead. It’s clear the will to fight with Jungkook is slowly leaking, and before long Seokjin has fallen backwards onto the futon, crushing the blanket mountain in his descent.
“Listen,” Seokjin says, fatigue in his voice. “You’ve got…so much going on in the next few months, you know?”
“I know!” Jungkook says, quick to sit beside Seokjin, brows knitting. He feels like a kid again, and the disappointment laced through Jin’s words feels like his childhood. “Trust me, I’m not just…like, procrastinating. It’s not that.”
Jin eyes him sidelong. “Then what is it?”
Jungkook stiffens, his back straight as a board. He clears his throat, stares at the coffee. “Let me get those,” he says, rushing to his feet with a clumsy stumble and grabbing the coffees before returning to his spot beside Jin. He hands Jin a coffee, expectant and, begrudgingly, Seokjin takes it and sips.
“Don’t avoid the question,” he says, stern. “If anyone’ll understand, it’s gotta be me, right?”
Jungkook nods. “No, you’re right!”
“Like, we’ve gone through some hard shit and where have I been? Right behind you. From day one,” he says, leveling a serious look at Jungkook. The lighthearted mood has fled from the room through the cracks in the walls. “All I’m asking is for you to put in the effort.”
Jungkook sighs, rests his forearms on his knees, laces his fingers around the coffee cup. He stares at the space between his toes. “I just…,” he begins, voice choked with insecurity. He doesn’t want to say it. In fact, he’d rather do just about anything else.
Because, after all, saying it means it’s real.
And if it’s real, then it’s a real problem.
“Listen,” Jin begins, patting Jungkook’s back. “I get it. Making music…it can be really tiring, right?” he says. Jungkook can only shrug. “And sometimes you might not feel like you can do it. Like you don’t have the inspiration.”
“Mm…”
Seokjin gives another pat, stronger this time. “But that’s how life is, Jungkook. Work doesn’t just wait. You’re an adult now. You’ve got adult responsibilities. And when you make a passion into your full-time job, you kinda sacrifice the freedom. Deadlines are a thing. You can’t just…be flippant and casual about it.”
“I’m not being casual,” says Jungkook, and for the first time since Jin walked in his voice is strong and steady. He sits up straight and meets Jin’s imploring eyes.
Seokjin offers a small smile. “Good,” he says. “I trust you. And, you know, you’ve got a whole team of producers behind you who wanna see you succeed. All you’ve gotta do is call.”
“I know.”
“You’re not doing it alone, alright?” he asks, and Jungkook’s throat tightens a little. “That’s the good thing about making your passion into your full-time job, huh? Now…well, now it’s not just your responsibility. It’s divided.”
“Yeah.”
“Well…,” Seokjin says, patting his thighs as he pushes to his feet. “Just wanted to drop by and check on you.”
Jungkook offers a smile and nods, standing with his manager. “Yup.”
“You do remember what’s on deck for tomorrow, right?” asks Seokjin, cocking a brow as he takes another swig of coffee.
Jungkook nods again. “Screen test with the drama people.”
Jin smacks the side of Jungkook’s head and crosses his arms. “Not the drama people!” he says, rolling his eyes. “It’s IJBC.”
“IJBC, right,” Jungkook says as he tenderly rubs the side of his head. “I remember.”
“Do you even know the name of the drama?” The younger boy falls silent, sheepish. “It’s called Give Up Generation, Jungkook.”
“I remember,” Jungkook says, pouting a little. “I just…forgot for a minute.”
Jin can’t help chuckling. “Get to bed early then so you don’t have dark circles,” Jin says with a smile, nodding as he turns toward the door. “Ah!” Seokjin pivots around, casting a disdainful look over Jungkook’s shoulder at the foldout futon. He pulls a scowl. “Sleep at home tonight, will you?”
Jungkook chuckles. “Alright. Stop nagging now,” he says, patting Jin’s back as he guides him out the door and into the hallway. “Bye, Jin!” he calls, not awaiting a response.
Slowly and with his head down, Jungkook shuffles back inside and slumps into his gaming chair, staring at his screensaver. He heaves a deep down sigh, lets it escape through his lips nearly pinched shut. Like exhaling cigarette smoke.
His phone pings to life with an incoming message.
SuperNova: Alright, I had your back before but I don’t cosign the Noona Agenda. I don’t even know if I am your noona.
Lolovely: seconded.
Lolovely: plus it’s icky.
TikiTikiRoom: boooooo
SuperNova: Wait, I think I just heard something in the hallway. Hold on.
Lolovely: SCARY!
TikiTikiRoom: burglars lol
Lolovely: ctrl z yourself, tiki
Lolovely: what if it is though…?
TikiTikiRoom: doubt it.
SuperNova: !!!
SuperNova: Lol it was a package…?
Lolovely: so late…?
SuperNova: Yeah…Lemme open it hold on.
The next message that comes through is a photo you send. Jungkook sits up straighter, opens it quick, and grins once he realizes what it is. A cardboard box, relatively big, sitting torn open on your kitchen floor, the photo features a look inside at several pretty makeup palettes and brushes. Jungkook doesn’t know the names of everything he sees, but he knows why it’s a big deal.
SacredSapphire: !! they finally sent it!!
SuperNova: They did!!
Lolovely: wait what? what did who send?
SuperNova: Lol, sorry. Uh I guess I only told Saph. But the brand I’ve been communicating with actually sent me a PR package! I’m gonna use it on my next job.
SuperNova: This shit’s super expensive too, so I’m lucky I’ve been in contact with a rep.
SuperNova: Gotta use the best to be the best!
TikiTikiRoom: i forgot ur a makeup artist lol
TikiTikiRoom: .-.
SuperNova: …
SuperNova: We’ve been group mates for like four months jfc
SuperNova: Anyway, yeah I’m glad. I guess they sent it to the wrong apartment? So my neighbor brought it over. He just got back from work.
Lolovely: neighbor?
Lolovely: cute neighbor?
SuperNova: He’s like seventy so no, not really my type.
SacredSapphire: nova, that’s super cool. i’m sure you’re gonna get big gigs soon.
SuperNova: Well, I can hope haha.
SuperNova: No, well…all I can do is work hard.
SuperNova: >:-)
All you can do is work hard, huh?
Jungkook tosses his phone to the side and rubs his hands up and down his face. He pinches his eyes shut and relaxes into the back of his chair, feeling the lull of sleepiness finally pulling at him.
And instead of going home like Jin asked, Jungkook simply pads over to the futon and, without moving the blankets, collapses atop them and falls asleep where he falls.
“I’m very sorry.”
“No…uh, no it’s fine.”
“Of course, you can keep the fees or whatever.”
“Oh, um, I…no, I’ll refund those too.”
“Really? I’ll give you a really good review!”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m really sorry.”
You sigh, plant a hand on your forehead and heave a sigh. Forcing a smile, you shake your head and press your phone into the crook of your shoulder, bending down to give your fiddle-leaf fig a hose down with your watering can.
“It’s fine. Things come up, you know?”
The girl on the other side of the phone, a young independent model going in for headshots, had called you an hour ago and had spoken at length about why she has to cancel her appointment with you today. How the photographer did this or that, how she actually watched a few tutorials online and figured she could do it herself, how she felt so so bad. You feel bad for her, of course. Kind of.
“Listen, I’ll give you a shoutout on my page, alright? I’ll tag you in my story,” she says.
You shake your head. “No, that’s fine. Just, um…you know, take care. Remember to clean your brushes.”
At this, she laughs. “Thanks for being so cool. I was actually super nervous to call and cancel. I’ve had to cancel a few things like this before, and I’ve had bad experiences,” she says. “Anyway, I’ll recommend you!”
“Alright.”
“Thanks!”
You nod as she hangs up the phone. Gently, you rise to your feet and set your watering can aside on the kitchen table. You set the phone beside it, pausing to glare at the black screen. Well…there goes your Sunday. You turn over your shoulder, pad to the window, crack it open a little. A bracing breeze whistles through, cooling your skin. You shut your eyes against it — only for a moment — before you turn on your heel, shove your feet into your sneakers sockless, swipe your phone and house keys, and shove out the door.
The florist’s is a healthy walk away, but the weather is nice enough and you’re too tired to brave the subway even if it’s only a few stops. You pass buildings and parks as the landscape becomes more and more urban and the high rises look like they could puncture the cloud layer. Before long, you’re standing in front of Happy Garden and, stepping through the sliding doors that are always left open and all-but nonfunctioning with the lush green plants climbing all around. You breathe a sigh of relief, pat your chest a little as the fresh, grassy scent settles your heart.
You aren’t there for more than half a minute before Hoseok stumbles out from the back room, grinning wide with a bouquet of hydrangeas in his hands, wrapped in butcher paper and twine. He curves around the stumbling greenery littering every surface and encroaching on every walkway and comes to a stop in front of you. He smiles.
“Hey,” you say before he gets the chance. You hold up one limp hand in a lazy wave.
He glances up and down, from your head to your toes, and sighs. Still holding the hydrangeas, he rests a hip on the checkout counter and cocks a brow.
“That is the opposite of encouraging,” you remark with a scowl.
He chuckles, pats your arm. “What’s up?” He jerks his head toward the front of the store where bouquets are displayed and you follow behind him as he leads you there. “Unsuccessful raid?”
“Contrary to popular belief, my life doesn’t revolve around video games, actually,” you say, but his laugh wipes the grimace from your face.
His fluffy hair bounces as he bends down to add the hydrangeas to the display and when he stands upright once more he crosses his arms. “You know what I mean. You’ve been in here a lot lately.”
“Pardon me for trying to raise plants,” you say with a pout.
Again, he laughs. “Jesus, stop trying to pick a fight!” he says. “You must be in a really bad mood if you’re here acting like this.”
“Well what’s that supposed to mean?” you begin, outrage all over your face, before locking eyes with Hoseok and composing yourself. You sigh, nod your head. “Yeah, no I’m being annoying.”
He smiles, heart-shaped, and the apples of his cheeks grow rounder. What a joyful guy, you think to yourself with a wistful sigh. “Tell me about it then.”
He pulls one of the empty display boxes over and offers you a seat as he begins tending to the plants all around. You oblige, settle in, and sigh again. “It’s just…everything kinda feels like a dead end right now.”
“Hm?” he asks over his shoulder, graceful hands guiding a waxy leaf back in place.
“Like with my work,” you say, then shake your head. “No, that’s not it. Not entirely.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like…things are okay, you know? I’m getting PR gifts. I’m growing my following on Instagram. I’ve got consistent clients,” you say, nodding. “Like everything is fine, you know?”
“But something feels…missing maybe?” Hoseok offers as he moves to spraying the ferns with water.
You shake your head. “More than that, it’s…like, I feel like I’ve hit the ceiling of what I can do, you know? Like what if this is the best I’ll ever do?”
“Is that bad?” he asks.
You sigh. “Not bad, just…disappointing,” you say. “I wanna work on movies. Red carpets. Editorials.” You rest your chin in your hand and your elbow on your knee. You stare up at Hoseok, now trimming brown leaves from another plant across the store. “I don’t wanna be stuck doing birthday parties forever.”
Hoseok hums, turns toward you with his hands in his apron pocket. He offers a smile. “You sound like a brat.”
You stiffen, eyes wide. “I-,” you start, but there’s really not much you can say to retort. So, softly, you slump once more and shrug. “Yeah…”
“And if you keep that attitude, you’re never gonna be an editorial makeup artist. I can promise you that,” he says with a nod as he approaches once more and crouches before your knees, still smiling. “Everyone has to grow somehow, you know? Be grateful you’ve got opportunities to build your resume.”
You nod. “Yeah.”
“What brought all of this on?”
Shrugging, you glance away toward the big croton plant in the corner, basking in morning sunlight, leaves all stiff and red and green. It’s a pretty plant. You tilt your head to the side, stare longer.
“That model bailed,” you say, but you’ve almost forgotten the self-pity of a moment ago. You stand to your feet and wander toward the plant, hitting halfway up your thigh. You crouch before it and look it over. “Hoseok, this is a really big croton.”
He laughs. “Mhm.”
“How much?”
“With the pot and given its height, it’s going for thirty-five-thousand won.”
You raise your brows. “I expected worse.”
“We’re fair here!” he protests, wagging his finger at you as he comes to stand beside you.
You smile softly, run a finger along the edge of a leaf. “It’s really pretty.”
“Suits you,” he says.
Without noticing, your anxiety begins to subside. “I think I’ll take it.”
“I’ll give you five-thousand off since you’re having a bad day,” he says, patting your back.
You turn to him with a smile. “Thanks.”
He chuckles. “I’ll loan you the dolly so you can get that thing home. Just bring it back before two.”
You stand up, stare down at the plant, nod once. “Mhm.”
Hoseok makes his way toward the cash register, punches in a few numbers. You linger a few steps behind, still staring at the croton. You get a good feeling off that one. Hoseok would tease you if you said as much, but you know when to listen to your intuition.
“Your big break will come Y/N,” Hoseok says as he rings you up, not once glancing to meet your eyes. “Just keep going.”
Jungkook sits with his head leaning against the rattling van window, eyes half-shut. Seoul blurs past him in shades of silvery grey and it’s all he can do to keep himself from falling asleep. For all his nagging, Seokjin had been right about one thing: Jungkook was sporting purplish bags beneath his eyes from a restless night’s sleep. Jin sits beside him now, frowning at his phone as he scrolls through Twitter. He’d given Jungkook a very stern talking to once he’d seen him, and really Jungkook deserved it. He knows that.
“Your voice is in good condition, right?” asks Jin.
Jungkook sits up straight, clears his throat. He shrugs. “Yeah. Why?”
Still stewing over his phone, Seokjin waves his hand without looking up. “Don’t worry about it.”
Jungkook sighs, leans back once more, gazes out the window once more. His phone buzzes once and he grabs it quickly, eager to distract himself.
BeastSlayers™
SuperNova: [image attached]
SuperNova: check him out OJO
Jungkook clicks the image you sent and chuckles as it loads up. The photo features nothing of you save for one hand, reaching out from behind the camera, throwing up a peace sign. Behind your hand, a houseplant. A pretty big one at that.
Jungkook smiles and drafts his reply, but the others are quicker.
CodenameZer0: Another plant? Lol isn’t your apartment overflowing with them by now?
SuperNova: Hush. Look at him.
LoLovely: cute!
LoLovely: does he have a name?
SuperNova: I don’t name my plants.
TikiTikiRoom: lol
TikiTikiRoom: because THAT would be weird
CodenameZer0: At least Nova can care care for a plant in the first place.
CodenameZer0: Let’s be honest here, Nova’s probably the only one among us who is even remotely responsible enough.
SacredSapphire: Nova it’s cute!
SacredSapphire: name him after me ;3
SuperNova: Sapphire?
SacredSapphire: hmmm say my name hehe
CodenameZer0: STOP IT FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST
CodenameZer0: IF THE FLIRTING DOESN’T STOP I’M GETTING YOU A TWO-WEEK BAN ON ARCANA
SacredSapphire: SHIT okay okay, let’s just take it easy
SacredSapphire: talk this out like adults…
SuperNova: Once I’ve finished setting up my new plant, I’m gonna play Animal Crossing. Anyone free to join? I’ve got oranges and mums.
SuperNova: Also had a meteor shower last night and have leftover star fragments first come first served.
The offer is tempting, to be sure. Not only would he receive star fragments, he’d be able to wander your island with the others. It might feel like you guys are side-by-side for real. Jungkook reaches into his backpack, slumped between his knees, and rifles around for his Switch. But as he produces the case, Seokjin shoots him the evil eye.
“If you’ve got time to play games, you’ve got time to review your lines,” he says, cocking a brow.
Jungkook sighs a little, slides the Switch back inside his bag. “I’ll look them over again.”
“Good.”
He takes one last look at his cell phone, checking the group chat with a frown that pinches the sides of his lips.
TikiTikiRoom: MEMEMEME
TikiTikiRoom: if any of you fakes get there before me ill go apeshit
TikiTikiRoom: i need so many
LoLovely: don’t need fragments, just wanna see ur cute face hehe
SuperNova: /blushes
SuperNova: I’ll open the gates once Sapphire Junior is nice and settled.
CodenameZer0: I’ll come too. I wanna shop.
SuperNova: Can’t you be cute like Lolita?
CodenameZer0: /gags
SuperNova: You coming, Saph? I’ll save a few fragments for you.
TikiTikiRoom: FAVORITISM
SuperNova: I am transparent about my favoritism toward Sapphire.
SuperNova: Because he is indeed my favorite.
LoLovely: *shocked pikachu face*
SacredSapphire: soz :-( i can’t
SacredSapphire: working
SuperNova: :-(
SuperNova: Next time we’ll all come to your island.
Jungkook tries not to feel that twinge of melancholy that tugs at his chest. That one he always gets when his friends go out for barbecue or grab drinks and hit the karaoke rooms. The one that feels like he’s really, deeply, fundamentally missing out on something important.
No, he doesn’t feel it. Instead, he focuses his attention on the printout Seokjin had given him three days ago. He scans the lines over and over, committing them to memory.
“No! That’s the thing, she didn’t even tell me!” says the girl below your brush.
You attempt to guide the highlighter across her cheekbones, but before you can make contact with her skin she’s jerked away once more, talking so animatedly that you can’t even tell if you’ve made her eyebrows even.
“That’s shitty,” says her friend beside her, likewise preoccupied as Jieun struggles to match her skintone.
The two of you lock eyes, both hovering over the two women as they chat over matching cups of coffee. Jieun puffs out her cheeks, raises her brows, and goes back to work, smoothing foundation on to the client’s chin with a brush.
You stand in a nice apartment — all marble floors and high ceilings and windowed walls overlooking Seoul. When you’d gotten the offer for a Seoul gig with Jieun, you’d been hesitant. The subway ride is long and you prefer to stay relatively local. But something made you agree. You don’t know exactly what. Call it divine intervention or epiphany or Jung Hoseok, but the words just keep going had been replaying in your brain since you last saw your friend. The pair of women — likely in their thirties — had booked both you and Jieun to do their makeup for a Sunday luncheon.
“And you know she’s looking out for him,” says Hyejin with a scoff. “As if I’m gonna bite the kid’s head off.”
“Maybe you will,” jokes the other woman, laughing just as Jieun reaches in to apply some liquid blush to her cheeks. “You know she’s got a soft spot for him.”
“Yeah well it’s a soft spot in all of our wallets if he doesn’t get his shit together,” says Hyejin, sighing. There is real woe in her expression and you can feel from the shift in atmosphere that things have turned serious. “He’s talented, you know? But…sometimes I think she goes too easy on him,” she continues, and this time her tone is decidedly softer, the movement of her face less pronounced.
You use the opportunity to work some powder beneath her eyes with a sponge. “Well, that’s motherhood for you,” says the other, flippant.
“Have you seen what the folks are saying on Twitter?” asks Hyejin as you apply shadow to her eyelids. “About his voice.”
“Hm?”
“Well some of his bigger hate communities have been compiling all the footage of his stage mistakes and they’re spreading it around,” Hyejin says with a huff. “Stupid, honestly. They’re making it out like he makes those mistakes all the time.”
“Netizens are like that, Hyejin,” says the other woman, now easing into her chair with her eyes shut as Jieun can finally get to work setting her base.
“Still…”
“Nowyou’re the one defending him,” she remarks with a laugh.
“It’s not that,” Hyejin says, scoffing. “It’s just…like if he doesn’t prove himself soon, all those commenters are gonna have more ammunition, you know? Which is annoying for all of us.”
“Sounds like you care a little bit.”
“I dont.”
“Hm.”
You focus on Hyejin’s full lashes, applying mascara with delicate, steady strokes. She hums a little as you use the pad of your fingertips to tame stubborn eyeshadow into blending more seamlessly. It seems, at least, that the conversation has died down. For that, you are very grateful.
“Say, do you two know anything about k-pop?” asks Jieun’s client.
The two of you lock eyes once more. It’s true that you are well-versed in pop culture: video games, TV shows, YouTube drama. But you’d be lying if you said you tune in to Inkigayo every week. And despite Jieun’s age and her trendy look, you know she’s not the type to keep updated on current idols. And you see in her brown eyes your own shock mirrored.
“Um…no, not particularly,” you answer for the both of you. Jieun releases a breath she’d been holding and smiles her thanks. “Do you two work in the field?”
Hyejin waves her hand and sighs. “Don’t go bothering them with those sorts of questions,” she says, and you notice for the first time the easy poshness that this woman has. Even with her head tilted back and her eyes shut tight, she seems sure of herself.
You envy her just a little for that.
“What? They’re young,” says the other woman, grinning with her eyes shut as Jieun works on her eyeliner. “You ever heard of RTE?”
“Hey now,” says Hyejin, warning in her voice.
“I’m just curious,” the woman continues with a sigh. “Look us up if you haven’t.” The woman chuckles, reaching out blind to smack Hyejin’s upper arm. “Hey, maybe even tweet something nice about our artists!”
“Knock it off and let them work,” Hyejin says, prying open one eye to meet yours. She offers a smile, apologetic, and sighs. “She’s just playing around. You can ignore her. It’s what I do.” She nods her head and leans it back once more.
Quietly, you get back to work. But you can’t help but feel like this woman’s incredible presence makes you paler somehow.
“What’s the point if it makes me unhappy?” Jungkook shouts, brows knitting, eyes growing watery. “The money, the lifestyle…what good is it?” his voice settles into a bare whisper, cracked.
“You only say that because you’re young! You’re stupid! You’re naive! You think things work out just because you want them bad enough?” says his costar, glancing down at the script every now and again as the two stand across from one another.
The set bustles on behind them, crew carrying tall lights and fixtures as they scuttle by. But Jungkook and his costar — a man named Namjoon acting as his older brother — continue their scene under the watchful eye of the cameras, trained right on them. Less of a screen test and more of a chemistry check between actors, Director Lim watches the monitor closely with his scrabbly chin in his palm.
“So what if I fail?” Jungkook asks with a quiver, referencing his script once to make sure he got the line right. “What’re you gonna do? Tattle on me to Dad?”
“I won’t have to,” Namjoon says, sighing as he grips the bridge of his nose. “He’s got his watchdogs trained right on you.”
Jungkook stiffens. “He’s been…following me?”
“I told you you’re too naive for the real world, Jiwon.”
Director Lim claps his hands and in an instant the tension and the scene are broken. Jungkook takes a respectful step back from his costar, and Namjoon offers him a bow of the head. Jungkook returns it, fighting off a nervous grin, and turns to the director as he circles around the equipment to stand in front of them. He’s a middle-aged man, handsome in a way with salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that seem to grab you and hold on like a snare. Jungkook is pinned in place like a bug in a shadowbox.
But Director Lim’s face splits in a crooked smile and Jungkook feels himself ease, exhaling long and slow. “Great job, boys!” he says, clapping both of their shoulders. “You were selling it well.”
“Thank you, Sir,” Jungkook replies too quick, like an eager child.
Director Lim chuckles, pats him again. “I’m praising you, kid. Don’t look so scared.”
He swallows hard. “I…I know. Um…thank you, Sir.”
Behind the trio, a group of stylists cart a rack of costumes quickly to the other side of the set, snagging the back of Jungkook’s shoe as they do. Jungkook stumbles to his knees, caught off guard, and the girls jerk to a stop as they catch themselves on the clothing rack. The two stare down at Jungkook, wide-eyed, and each of them covers their mouths. Immediately, they bow their heads in apology, both muttering sorry, so sorry almost too quietly to hear. Jungkook shakes his head and stands to his feet.
He too bows his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been standing there,” he says gently, hoping to assuage their concerns.
But the girls remain bowed, as if too afraid to even lift their heads. Jungkook, puzzled, leans down slightly to meet their eyes, but they glance away so quickly that he can’t even get a proper look at either of their faces.
“Um…it’s really not a problem,” he says, but before he can say more Director Lim approaches with a grim severity in his eyes. Jungkook, quick to stand up straight and face the director, stutters a little as he settles himself in front of the stylists. “It’s no big deal,” he says to Director Lim, but it’s like the man can’t even hear him.
“We were distracted, Sir,” says one of the girls, raising her head slightly to meet Director Lim’s gaze. “We are very, very sorry.”
“It really isn’t-,” Jungkook begins.
“You think it’s appropriate to crash into my actors? In the middle of a conversation about their performance?” Lim asks, but it’s clear the question isn’t meant to be answered. His tone has shifted into something cold. “You could have very well injured Jungkook.”
“I’m fine-,”
“But what if you weren’t?”
Jungkook shuts his mouth, staring helpless at the girls as they both stand up straight once more, eyes on the floor and hands knitted in front of them. He feels a hand on his back between his shoulder blades and jumps a little, turning quick to find Namjoon standing close.
“Don’t,” is all he says, voice terse and so quiet Jungkook almost doesn’t hear it, before dropping his hand and taking a half step back.
Jungkook’s jaw clenches, his hands work into balls as he stares. The lighting is low, dramatic as if a scene composed by Lim himself. The two girls lift only their eyes to gaze up at him.
“We’re very, very sorry, Sir,” says one of the stylists, guiding a lock of dark hair behind her ear.
“Mhm,” he says, looming. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Can’t afford to replace two stylists and a makeup artist in the same week.”
Jungkook simply stares, Namjoon’s warning freezing through him like ice. His limbs feel leaden. And as the two girls rush off, dragging their rack behind them, Jungkook focuses again on Director Lim.
He swivels back around to the two actors with a bright, fatherly smile. “Pardon me,” he says, waving his hand with a warm laugh. “Gotta keep the crew in check otherwise they’ll slack off.”
“Ha,” Jungkook puffs out in response, smiling in turn.
Namjoon hums a little. “Why don’t we try the reconciliation scene?”
“What in the world do you mean?” Hyejin yells into her phone just as she ushers you into her apartment. You eye her as her face grows red, her brows coming together. “He’s not quitting!”
Hyejin pauses to offer you an apologetic smile. She’s dressed in a modest pajama dress, padding barefoot along the cool marble floors. She leans against the arm of a nice black leather sofa, raises a hand to her flushed cheek, looks at her toes with vexation. Carefully, you set your makeup kit on her kitchen island, meeting her eyes with raised brows as if asking permission. She waves her hand, nods once before pinching the bridge of her nose between her index finger and her thumb.
“Listen, we knew Lim was difficult. But this is a huge opportunity for his career.” Hyejin rubs her kneecap, massaging. Her short hair falls along the line of her jaw as she dips her head in a deep sigh. “I know you know that, Seokjin. But you’re his manager. You’ve gotta keep convincing him.”
You begin unpacking your things, setting them neatly along the edge of the countertop, and try not to eavesdrop as Hyejin continues letting out chopped sighs. You can hear her fidget around the apartment behind you. She’d called you again, only a few days later, to secure you for another important event. A meeting, she’d said. You didn’t want to agree. Wanted to say you were too busy, that the commute was too much.
“Hey,” she whispers behind you. You jump, but turn nonetheless to find her cupping one hand over the phone’s receiver. Her eyes are severe, jaw clenched. “How long can you stay? This call might take a while.”
You raise your brows, think back over your schedule. “Hm…,” you respond, then shake your head. “I’m free all day. But…when’s your meeting?”
She stiffens, eyes flashing to the clock on the oven. “Shit,” she mutters. She approaches you with a frown. “I’ve only got two hours to get everything ready—Yes! Yes, I’m still here Seokjin. Stop panicking, for Christ’s sake—,” she says, her shoulders pinching. She glances at you again. “Um…”
You glance around the apartment. It’s spotless, as usual. But you spy in the corner beside a massive potted umbrella tree a taupe pantsuit, hanging beside a steamer. You’d have thought someone in her position would have sent it to the cleaners to be properly steamed, but perhaps it had slipped her mind. With the way she’s pacing around the apartment, still dressed in her pajamas, you wonder if perhaps she’s not as put together as you thought.
“I’ll steam that,” you say with a nod, pointing to the suit.
She stares at you, wide-eyed. “Oh, no. You don’t have to do something like that-,”
You shake your head. “No problem. What else do you need done here?” you ask, consulting your wristwatch with a hum. “If we keep it light, I can have your makeup done in forty-five minutes.”
She blinks at you. “Uh…well…,” she begins, then jumps a little as a voice in the phone shouts loud enough for you to hear. “No! No! Can you relax? I’ll talk you through it in just a minute! I’ve gotta sort some things out,” she shouts back at the phone. She turns her attention back to you with a sheepish smile. “Um, I need to steam the suit, wrap the fruits — they’re a gift for the client —, call the restaurant to confirm the reservation, shine my shoes, organize our documents chronologically and set them up in a binder,” she says.
You have to admit that the sheer volume of busywork has you taken aback. But you steel yourself with a bracing sigh, nod once, and offer her a smile. “Consider it taken care of,” you say.
“Ah! I…I really feel bad dumping all of this on you,” she says, crossing her arms with knit brows. “Normally I’d have my assistant doing all of this, but she’s ill.”
“Not a problem,” you say, smiling once more. “Just take care of your phone call and leave the rest to me! As long as we’ve got forty-five minutes for makeup, we’ll be fine.”
She lets out a sigh that seems to deflate her, shoulders slumping as if in profound relief. She nods once, smiling, and turns on her heel. “I’ll be in my office, alright? I promise I’ll be out in time!”
You give one wave as she rushes through a clouded glass door and shuts it behind her. You roll up the sleeves of your sweater and get to work on the suit.
Two hours later, and you’re accompanying Hyejin out into the apartment hallway. She pauses as the door clicks shut, waiting for it to give a chime, and turns to you with a sigh. She looks pretty. You had to rush a bit once she emerged from her office, and after taking care of the other chores you found it difficult to focus on her makeup, but you’re proud enough of your work given the circumstances. You’ve managed to match her eyeshadow to her pantsuit with gentle oranges and reds.
Since you were rushing to finish everything in time, the two of you hadn’t had a chance to exchange words. Perhaps you are curious — just a little — about the emergency she had to quell over the phone. Or maybe you just want a proper thank you. So you linger beside her in the well-lit hallway, you let your eyes wander to a potted fern in the corner by the elevator, wait for Hyejin to say something.
“I’m sorry,” she says, sighing. She glances at you through her lashes.
Your eyes go wide. “Hm? What for?”
“For having you do all of that,” she says, flitting one manicured hand. “I feel guilty.”
You shake your head. “No,” you say with a smile. “It’s no problem at all, honestly. You had me booked for an hour and a half anyway.”
She sighs again. “I really feel bad.”
“Don’t worry about it…,” you say, eyeing her. She crosses her arms, vexed, and purses her lips a little. “Um…was that call about an artist?” you ask.
She snaps back to herself, glancing at you. “Oh? Yes. That was about our biggest artist actually,” she says. “I think I’ve got it taken care of though, thanks to you.” She guides the two of you to the elevator. “I’ll pay you extra, alright?”
You laugh. “No, no. It’s fine! I’m just glad it all worked out.”
She stares at you, scanning you for a very long moment as the elevator rises to your floor. You try not to fidget, not to shrink under her scrutiny, but you feel yourself recoiling just a little. Her gaze is intense, knowing, as if she can see right through you and she’s looking for something. And as the elevator arrives, she gives a hum that sounds contented and you wonder if she’s found it.
Jungkook glances around the empty pavilion, scanning the cobbled streets for any sign of escape. From above, a dark mage is laying waste to the small shanty town. Not a single player has ventured out this way, all following a lead in the Elysian Forest to the west. But after you had mentioned a tip you got from researching at the Library of Arcana, you’d suggested visiting the seaside nook on the far south of the map. A legendary evil slumbers hidden, you’d recited over voice chat with a laugh, Sounds about right.
Only now, Jungkook’s alone. His hands are sweaty around the controllers in his palms and the realistic graphics are serving only to make him more nervous as the mage swings low near the central fountain and sets off a spray of fire just in front of him. Jungkook can almost feel the heat.
Jungkook had set out to do some scouting. Nothing extreme. Just a simple peek about, seeing if he could find any clues. He sent a message to the group chat, but he hadn’t waited on a response before he signed in. He’d had no idea that the Big Bad herself would come flying from the fountain the moment he touched the water with his sword. And now she’s circling him like some sort of hawk. Quickly, Jungkook calls up his inventory menu and searches through his items. A few extra swords he picked up, some ritual herbs, his old chainmail armor, some healing potions and…
The fragment…
If this mage takes him out, he’ll end up dropping his entire inventory. Including the fragment.
And by the time he can make his way back over here, other players will have come running from the commotion.
And the fragment will be gone.
“Shit,” he hisses out, dismissing the menu and focusing back on the mage as she releases a chilling cackle.
The quaint village is smoking, with thatched roofs catching fire and whole storefronts crumbling into piles of simmering stone. The sky is nearly blotted out with ash, and all he can see is that mage, swirling around up there in billowing black robes and shiny white teeth exposed in a wicked grin.
Jungkook glances over his shoulder toward the street he’d taken in to the village, but it’s too smokey to see anything more than the outlines of ruined buildings. There’s no way he’ll be able to navigate his way out of here without a lantern. And if it’s this smokey, he’s absolutely positive that nearby players have noticed. Which means more competition.
And more people to snatch his fragment when he falls.
The mage gives a cry, shouts her line, “Not enough yet?!”, and swoops down at a dizzying pace. Jungkook stumbles back, but he’s not fast enough. She’s approaching in a dark blur, too quickly for him to counter. A flash of regret washes through him as he squeezes his eyes shut inside his VR headset. He doesn’t want to see this.
He waits for a tense moment that way, anticipating the melancholy piano chords that accompany in-game death, but none come. Instead, he hears very keenly the sound of the mage grunting as if in pain. And, in an instant, he opens his eyes wide to see standing on the other side of the fount
↳ Summary: Waking up in a maze of rooms with no memory you’re thrusted into a world of lowlit neon lights and rumors of ominous Game Rooms, a series of challenges you must complete both physically and mentally in order to find the exit. When strange things begin to happen, the stakes rise higher and it’s only a matter of time before insanity takes over. As each door becomes a little more dangerous soon you are fighting for your life with a man who you know nothing of besides his name…It’s gonna take a lot of nerve for you to survive.
↳ Genre: thriller, mystery, angst, eventual smut, dark content TWs will be mentioned whenever present
You hadn’t been comfortable with this from the start, you could understand Jimin’s reasoning though.
‘Listen I’d keep you with me but it’s dangerous, too dangerous right now,” Jimin sighed as you crossed your arms, warily looking across the room where Jungkook was, kneeling down and holding up a notebook to the light as he scribbled something down, “I made a deal with Cross and Clay awhile back and they’re still angry over me breaking it. That was close Y/n, too close.”
You frowned as you whispered, “But we survived! You said it yourself Jimin, it’s not going to be easy here. Jungkook said he didn’t want me to go with him can’t I…” You sighed as you shifted your weight from foot to foot, “Can’t I just stay with you a little longer then I’ll leave!”
Jimin frowned, eyes filled with pity as he sighed, running a hand through his hair, “We survived, barely. And only…” Jimin trailed off as he squinted a little at you, “Only because you somehow learned how to fight four men at a time.”
You rubbed the back of your neck as you looked away, feeling as if he was asking you silently just how you did it, yet nothing came to mind, you didn’t know how you did it. You just….knew. As if it was in your blood, as if it was as easy as breathing air. Jimin leaned a little away from you as he lowered his gaze, “Just let me talk to Jungkook, okay? He’s a good guy, he’ll keep you safe until you’re comfortable on your own.”
Jimin gave you a pat on the shoulder before walking past you as your mind replied to what had previously happened. Somehow, you couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t you who needed to be protected.
Jungkook hadn’t spoken a word to you the whole time, no matter how much you tried to initiate conversation, he looked…not angry, but he certainly wasn’t happy you had ultimately come along with him. You weren’t sure what Jimin said, but whatever he had it must have convinced Jungkook, barely.
You weren’t used to this, Jimin and Seokjin were both not only helpful, but extremely nice and more than happy to answer any questions you had. Jungkook couldn’t be more than the opposite of that. Opening the door to the next room Jungkook sighed, “Go sit down, I need to scavenge the room.”
You jumped a little at his deep semi stern voice that made you at first want to obey before you paused, “I can help!” You chirped, wanting to at the very least, be on cordial terms with Jungkook. If you couldn’t at least be helpful then you’d rather just be on your own. You got the idea of how to do everything now. Even if you didn’t want to be on your own, you’d have to do it eventually.
“Sit.” Jungkook’s eyes narrowed a little as he looked at you stern this time, as you huffed keeping close to his body as he walked through the crowd of hazed stray’s who didn’t even seem to really notice you.
Jungkook stands in front of you in the open space of his dark lounge, you’re sitting on the sofa cross-legged and teary eyed as you both watch the news in horror. Toying with the hem of your white t shirt you can’t stop the cries from cascading down your cheek, the tape has been leaked to the public.
“Taehyung will fix this, he’ll get it deleted,” Jungkook nods as he reassures himself, eyes glued to the television, news reporters going into vivid details about your final night in Bora Bora - including an audio clip of the conversation that followed some of the most intimate moments of your life, “He’s the best attorney money can buy, I’m not just saying it because he’s my friend he’s going to fix this—”
“How could you do this to me?” You whisper, gaze finally meeting his.
“You thinkIdid this?” He’s hugely offended, his hooded eyes animatedly large and round, contrasting to his sharp set jaw, “You actually think I did this?” His voice is raised.
Standing from the sofa you frown, “Did you send the video to one of your friends? Is that it? Is that how this has happened?” You want to believe he’s not capable of something like this but all the evidence is against him – he filmed the video, on his camera, he was the only one with a copy. “Was it just something to send to your group chats? Is that what it was to you?”
“That video was for me and you, nobody else—”
“Then how has this happened?! Explain to me why it’s all over the internet!” Your heart hammers inside your chest as you scream, thrashing your arms about as adrenaline courses your veins.
At this Jungkook pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself down, “I-, I don’t know.” He exhales, ridding himself of his grey hoodie before he throws it on the sofa, leaving him stood wearing a plain black t shirt.
“Bullshit.” You spit, “You’re the only one who had the video, you expect me to believe you didn’t have something to do this?”
“Why would I do something like this? Hm? Financial gain? Last time I checked I don’t need the money. So what other reason would I have to do this?”
“You tell me.” You scoff, shrugging as you wipe away your tears.
The realisation that you genuinely believe he’s the one to blame suddenly dawns on him, he’s shocked and insulted to say the least, “Y/N I didn’t fucking do this, why would I want anybody to see that video? I’m on it too.”
“Right,” You laugh, though there’s no humour in your tone, “Because this is going to end so badly for you. The only thing that’s going to happen to you is now everybody knows that you’ve got a big cock, guys are going to high-five you and congratulate—”
“Stop it.” Jungkook bites, “I didn’t leak the video.”
“You know what will happen to me?” You’re furious as you continue ranting, wiping your cheeks with shaky hands, “I’ll be known as the slut that billionaire playboy Jungkook fucked. I’m just another name in your little black book! The sugar baby that he spanked in a beach hut—”
“I said stop it!” His voice is louder, “You’re my girlfriend, I’m not going to let that happen.”
“It’s already happened!” You shriek, “I wasn’t your girlfriend in Bora Bora, the media already know what our situation was back then it’s all anybody’s been talking about for the past two days. It’s all over the fucking news Jungkook! The news!”
“You don’t think I know that?!” He growls, “You think this is easy for me? Knowing that people have watched that video?” He’s pacing the room now, fingers pushing his hair back in a hurry.
“Oh I’m so sorry that you’re having a hard time, it must be so difficult knowing that the whole world knows you’re good in bed!” You know you’re being irrational with him, you know it’s hard for him to digest the events of the past three days but you can’t bring yourself to look past the fact he’s the one who’s done this.
“Y/N.” He laughs unamused, shaking his head in disbelief, “Nobody feels worse about this than me.”
“What about me?” You’re quiet, “Do my feelings mean nothing to you?”
“Of course not! That’s not what I meant—”
“Then what did you mean Jungkook? You think that you’re worse off than me in this situation? Knowing that men have watched that thing and… I feel violated. I feel sick. I haven’t slept because I know that it’s spreading like wild fire, I can’t even get into my apartment building without the paparazzi asking me for more adult content.” You’re sobbing now, your breath shaky and shallow.
“You think I don’t feel violated?!” His voice is hoarse as he yells, staring down at you with a face of thunder, “Somebody has leaked a video of me having sex with my girlfriend, not some random girl I don’t care about - my girlfriend. I feel disgusted that people are watching that thing and ogling you without your consent. My fucking parents are devastated, I’m devastated, why don’t you understand that this is hard for me too?!”
“You really expect me to believe that you’re not responsible—”
“You know what? Yeah. I do expect my girlfriend to believe me when I say that I didn’t do this, and the fact you don’t says a lot about what you think of me.”
“Why else would you want to film us in the first place?” You can barely make out his face through your tears, he’s standing two feet away with an expression that can only be described as hurt. “Did you plan for this to happen?”
“Don’t,” He warns, refusing your questions, “In hind sight, it was a fucking stupid idea. If I could go back and change it trust me I would.” There’s a moment of tense silence before he opens his mouth to speak again, “Y/N this wasn’t me, I didn’t do this, I could never do something so… disgusting and inappropriate to you.”
“Disgusting and inappropriate…” You repeat, swallowing the lump in the back of your throat, “You mean like when you wanted to pay me for sex thirty minutes after meeting me?”
At this Jungkook stills entirely, it’s his turn to cry now – he stands in front of you with watery eyes, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth as though that will catch his emotions before they escape, “That’s enough.”
There’s an uncomfortable silence, you’re rightfully upset and angry but even you know that was too far. You try to steady your breathing, toying with the idea of apologising before his words interrupt your thoughts.
“You really think I did it don’t you? That I leaked the video?”
No words are exchanged, instead you nod slowly and look away from his desperate profile, settling your gaze back to the television which is still reporting the story about you both. For obvious reasons the video can’t be aired on TV, so the news stations have settled for a screenshot of you laying beside each other in bed, his arm draped over your waist as he was about to confess his feelings for you, dazed and fucked-out beneath the sheets.
“But what I don’t understand is why…” Your voice is merely a whisper, “Why you would string me along for so long, just to publicly humiliate me break my heart.”
“If you genuinely believe I’m capable of this, you really don’t know anything about me.”
“No,” You grab your bag from the sofa and throw it over your shoulder, looking him dead in the eye for what you assume will be the last time, “I guess I don’t.”
“Y/N wait.”
You don’t look back.
Jungkook watches you leave his apartment with an aching heart, no sooner than you’re hidden behind the golden doors of the elevator he breaks down, sinking to the ground in floods of salty tears. Unbeknownst to him you too are bawling your eyes out as you exit the building, hiding your face from the dozen camera men that wait for you outside.
Genre: (Inaccurate) Historical AU || Strangers to lovers AU || Supernatural AU || Implied smut || Fluff || Angst
Summary: Picking which road to go down is easy when you think about how alone you would be without Jungkook, even if he hadn’t been the most honest with you from the start.
Word count: 9k
Tags/ warnings: angst, fluffy-ish, minor mention of blood, self deprecation, more lying, soft yandere kook, mentions of murder/ killing, definitely probably an unhealthy relationship, too much talking about dates it’s slightly confusing me thinks that is all
Notes: after a two month hiatus i have returned to my favorite child, i don’t really have an excuse except i’m ass at multitasking and shouldn’t have started a second series basically right after starting this one, so i recommend maybe going back and re-reading the last chapter like i had to unless you have sexy good memory
“Of course I’m mad Jungkook” you look at him in disbelief, “What if they had been thorough in their search? What if they found out you were the one who killed that man? Are you stupid?”
Jungkook swallows thickly, bottom lip jutting out into a pout as you berate him. He was more upset that you seemed genuinely angry with him that the possible consequences of getting caught because he couldn’t keep his anger in line. It wasn’t his fault the seedy old man had touched you without consent, what was he meant to do? Let the man go? That would go against all his morals and values.
“I told you it wasn’t me” he gently grabs your hands, his thumbs running over your palms. He looks down, eyebrows furrowing as a sad pout moulds onto his face, surely you couldn’t be angry at him when he looked so upset!
You look at him with a deadpan look, pulling your hands from his own. Because even if Jeon Jungkook looked like a kicked puppy, you weren’t about to forget the crime he had committed. And you would make it clear that if you were carry on knowing each other then he wasn’t allowed to go around killing men or women. Or anyone for that matter whatever they identified as. No killing.
By some miracle you’d made it out of the village without any other issues; you’d been so scared when you’d been stopped at the gate, convinced your life was truly over when it had hardly even begun. Turns out the men couldn’t care less about the murder, forced into the job last minute by the head of the village because no one had volunteered, simply asking the three of you to step away from the wagon so they could take a look for anything suspicious.
It seemed the man who had harassed you hadn’t been liked by many, the chief of the village only going ahead with protocol to appease his higher up in the capital so he himself wouldn’t be arrested.
They hadn’t even looked into any bags, their eyes skimming over what you were carrying, mindless hums passing through their lips as they prodded a bag or two, giving the three of you a curt nod and wishing you luck on your travels.
You’d thanked them, not missing the way their eyes had lingered at your chest as you climbed back into the back of the wagon; and it took all your will power not to kick them where the sun doesn’t shine. Namjoon seemed to share your anxiety, the way his shoulders had stayed tense until you were far enough from the village a clear sign, he had shared your sentiment. Only relaxing slightly once far enough to be considered safe.
You didn’t blame him. Felt a little sorry if anything.
It wasn’t every day that you have to travel with two complete strangers. One a four-armed demon who had arguably (definitely had) twisted morals, who was stubborn beyond belief sometimes and a foreigner who may still be wanted dead by the royal family because they believed you were a spy. (Something you will soon find out is a law that was demolished 6 years ago along with the fact there was a new king)
“Now you must think I’m stupid” you shake your head, “what other demon would have been in that small village?”
“Probably a lot” Jungkook argues, “I’m not the only demon and you know that”
You release a heavy sigh, fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of your nose, “No killing people, okay? It’s not right”
“I would never” Jungkook says, lie easily slipping through his cushiony lips. Anything to appease you.
You make eye contact with him, searching for something behind his onyx eyes, only to find nothing. He didn’t seem to be lying, Jungkook had no reason to lie to you. Maybe it was a little naïve of you to believe that Jungkook could do no wrong; maybe you were biased because he’d only ever shown you kindness. He treated you as an equal, not some house maid that had to cook and clean all day, nothing more than a tool for him to boss around to feed into some fucked up superiority complex. You’d liked to believe Jungkook was as honest with you as you are with him, and it felt easy to read him, like he wore his heart on his sleeve and if he were to ever lie, you’d know.
“Okay, I believe you” you whisper, heartrate picking up as he smiles down at you so brightly. How could someone so kind kill a man? Sure, he threatened Namjoon here and there but you saw where your demon friend was coming from, the world was a shitty place and not everyone can be trusted.
Namjoon clearing his throat catches your attention, “We’re almost at the capital” he informs.
You look up at the sky, full moon hanging high above the three of you, illuminating the path for Namjoon as he meanders down the dirt road towards the large gates of the capital.
You peek over the walls of the wagon, lips quirking into an excited smile as you catch the faint silhouette of a few high-rise buildings. It was hard to see in the silver glow of the moonlight, but you imagine it looked exactly how Taehyung had described it in his notebook. Tomorrow you’d have to take a look over his notes again and plan out how you’d spend the next three days here with Jungkook.
You turn your head to look at said demon as he snakes his arm over your shoulders, his eyes trained on the path ahead, his own smile quirking onto his lips.
“If it looks this beautiful in the moonlight it must be ethereal during the day” you tell him, smile widening when he turns his head to look at you.
Your eyes close briefly when he leans forwards, a gentle kiss being pressed between your eyebrows.
“Yes, but nothing will ever match your beauty” he murmurs against your skin, your eyebrows furrowing at the ticklish feeling.
You let out an unattractive scoff, pushing his arm from your shoulder as you sit back down, view of the capital being obscured by the walls of the wagon. Jungkook sits back too, a knowing smile on his face as he starts packing up both of your things into his backpack.
He just adored how shy you could be something, and he didn’t mind playing your little games if it meant he could see the strawberry pink flush of your cheeks, illuminated by the silver moonlight.
Jungkook wishes he could engrave this moment into his mind. You always had looked like a fairy in the cool glow beneath the moon, so undeniably beautiful he wanted to keep you all to himself. No one in this world deserving enough to see you looking so delicate, no one but himself. He find it hard to keep his hands to himself, wanting to caress your soft skin, kiss every inch of your body until you understand its beauty, maybe leave a love bite or two so you’ll remember him even when not together. He wonders if you’d trace the sensitive skin, pressing on it just to feel the dull ache, or if you would leave them out in the open for anyone else to see; a sign that you’re taken.
The rest of the night went by in a blur, entering the capital was easier than you had initially assumed it to be, you believe because it was so late into the night the guards were laxer than they would be during the day. It didn’t seem to be common for visitors to arrive so late, the three of you the only ones waiting for the gate to be opened, what lay beyond the walls silent, everyone having gone to bed or closed their shops until sunrise.
A guard had recognised Namjoon, more than happy to hurry up the process of getting you into a decent inn so you wouldn’t have to camp out in the wagon until morning; understanding your backs must ache and eye weary from a long day of travel.
The woman at the front of the inn was more than happy to house the three of you for the next few days, a beautiful smile on her face as she handed Namjoon and Jungkook a key. She’d then turned to you, assuring you that you were more than welcome to come and sit in the bar area downstairs and embroider with her during the day, she was having trouble with a project and would be extremely happy if you were to help out at some point.
You’d eagerly nodded, smile so wide your cheeks had started to hurt. No one had ever wanted you to help them with their embroidery before!
She reminded you of the mother you’d never had, something so soft and warm about her that you couldn’t help but say yes to everything she was saying. You’d have to sit with her at breakfast and ask her what the capital was really like, and maybe she could even look through Taehyung’s diary with you and make a plan to make the most of your three days in the capital.
“Good night” you wave to Namjoon as he unlocks the door to his own room adjacent from yours and Jungkook’s.
Namjoon waves back, dimpled smile making a brief appearance before he scuttles back into his room, door being locked from the inside.
Jungkook pulls out a pair of pyjamas for you to wear, throwing them onto the bed as you flop onto the mattress.
“Get changed before you sleep, pretty” he reminds you, smiling when you reply, muffled by your head being stuffed into the layers of silky blankets on the bed. Though he assumes it must be something along the lines of ‘can’t be bothered’ to ‘in a minute, kook’
He rummages through his bag, trying to find his own sleep clothes (he liked to pretend to sleep beside you even if his body didn’t need it like yours did, something so blissfully domestic about laying beside you, your calm breath a beautiful symphony in the dead of night), however his focus is trained on you. The slow raise and fall of your body as you just lay there, unmoving, exhausted.
He tuts, abandoning his task as he pushes himself up from the floor, sauntering over towards you with purpose in his steps.
You let out a surprised squeak when his first pair of arms snakes around your waist, easily lifting you to sit up.
“Come on” he encourages, one of his arms stretching to grab your discarded clothes, placing them in your lap.
“But ‘m sleepy kookie” you whine, falling back onto the mattress with a dramatic sigh.
Jungkook, amused, lifts you up again, this time by pulling you up from under your arms, like one would a baby. And maybe you were his baby, the most precious little thing in his life. Truthfully, he doesn’t mind moment like this, adores them actually. Each time you rely on him, he can prove to you that he is good enough to provide for you, and he can only hope that with small moments like these you were slowly falling in love with him. He knows you’d never love him as much as he loved you, that was impossible! No one could love anything as much as he absolutely worships your very being, but he believes one day you’ll love him. He believes you already do, why else would you have stuck around for so long? He just knows you’re a little shy and being the considerate person that he is, he’ll wait a little longer before he tells you his master plan. Surely you’d be thrilled.
The perfect plan to keep the two of you together for the rest of time. Even thinking about it makes his cheeks burn, dusted a light pink, like the sunsets that you like to watch each evening while he reads you passages of his favourite books, maybe even feeding you a slice of fruit between pages just to make sure you’re not hungry before bed.
You don’t complain as he easily slips your shirt from your head, sighing in bliss as he kisses your bare shoulders before helping you put one of your sleep shirts on. He does the same with your pants, placing a feather light kiss to your ankle as he helps you change. Fingers skimming your pretty skin, he has to stop himself more than once from running his tongue along the expanse of it, wanting to relish the feeling of you in as many ways possible.
Once done, he leaves you to flop back on the bed, reminding him of a sleepy floppy bunny, as he lifts a few of the blankets, before lifting you to tuck you into bed; something had seemed to be a routine at this point. He wouldn’t be able to count on his four hands the number of times he’d been able to tuck you into his bed, safe from the world, if only for a night.
“Thank you” you whisper, voice laced with sleep.
Jungkook brushes your hair from your face, deftly tucking it behind your ears.
“Anything for you” he whispers back, a fond smile on his face.
He waits until you’re asleep, carefully slipping from the bed, trying his best not to wake you because he knew you were a light sleeper. Rummaging through his bag he bites his lip as he pulls a map from one of the pockets. Trying his best to stay silent, as unrolls the paper, humming to himself as he scans the map, finger tracing the library he needed to visit. He wondered if books were more expensive in the capital, Taehyung would usually collect the ones he wanted, and it was easier to give his friend a few coins each month and whatever was left, Taehyung could keep. Jungkook never had much care for money anyways.
He nods in thought, turning towards the bag once more, praying to the devil down below that he had enough for the specific book he wanted, no… needed.
He rummages around until he finds the small pouch of money. Opening the drawer strings, he cringes at how much the two of you had left. Saving had started to get harder over the last few years. After the new king had risen to power and demons had become public enemy number one, the villagers hadn’t been as generous with putting their coins into shrines.
And Jungkook was now facing the consequences.
His whole life he had relied on the money humans would leave at his shrine, it was easy to live off, even after you’d started living with himself and Taehyung, the donations were generous enough he never had to worry about money for food, clothes or books, but looking now, money was starting to become an issue.
He wouldn’t tell you this of course. He couldn’t have you worrying, he couldn’t let your pretty little head come up with a stupid idea (like leaving him), just because the two of you had to be a little frugal with your money until he figured out a way to earn a decent living once again.
Maybe he could sell Taehyung’s art, it wouldn’t sell for a lot, Taehyung was by no means a well-respected painter, that is why he had struggled for years before he’d met Jungkook. But that didn’t mean his art was worthless, they would have to at least sell for a couple of pennies a piece.
Jungkook thinks you wouldn’t be happy if he were to sell Taehyung’s art. You adored it, having spent hours a day letting Taehyung teach you the basics of painting, and after finally getting a glimpse at his art, you’d stay hauled up in Taehyung’s room, connecting with him through his artwork even if he wasn’t physically with you anymore. You’d be crushed if any of the pieces were to disappear.
Maybe he could take a few of the smaller pieces? The ones you wouldn’t notice went missing, he just needed a way to earn a few extra coins. The last thing he needed was for you to starve. Or even worse, you to leave him because he can’t provide for the two of you. And if you were to find out, he could jut out his bottom lip, maybe even shed a tear or two until you forgave him, he’s sure you’d understand his struggle if he cried a little.
+++
Namjoon was suspicious.
He’d been thinking for a few days, ever since he’d spoken to you at the beach about the village in-front of the mountains and how you’d met Jungkook. It all seemed… off. Nothing was falling into place. Odd pieces of the puzzle that didn’t connect, or worse, that one puzzle piece that goes missing, impossible to find and so the picture will remain incomplete. Forever.
He had considered asking you a few more things about Jungkook but decided against it. Not only was Jungkook constantly glued to your side, the few times he strayed away from the two of you, he seemed to be lurking close by enough to be able to listen to your conversations. So, asking you was out of the question. For now.
And from what he had seen, you probably weren’t the best person to ask about the demon.
Sure, you lived with him, probably knew a lot more than you were letting on but either the demon was threatening you to not say anything, or you genuinely didn’t know all that much. Both seemed just as likely. Namjoon had been on the receiving end of Jungkook’s threats more than a few times during this trip and knew how scary he could be, but Jungkook was also extremely secretive. Like how he clearly didn’t want you know about what happened in the village 6 years ago.
Namjoon was also suspicious of the fact that you seemed to have forgotten a lot of what happened in your life over the last few months. By no means was he a doctor, he’d given up on that dream long ago, but nothing made sense. You seemed so confused, genuinely asking him for help, and no matter how hard he tried to think of ways your memories had disappeared, the conclusion always led back to Jungkook. Suspicious Jungkook who definitely had a few too many secrets.
And so, Namjoon had the bright idea to follow the demon to wherever he may be going instead of interrogating you back at the inn while you had breakfast with the nice front desk lady.
It wasn’t all that surprising when Jungkook walks into a library, the demon always had a book in his hands. And with how much he read, Namjoon wasn’t all that surprised he needed a new book so soon into the trip.
What alarmed Namjoon was the location of the library, hidden in the dark crevices of an alley way on the outskirts of the capital. A place you’d have to have known prior to the trip happening, either having visited this location before, or someone who knew of it telling him before the trip had begun. It was in too much of an obscure place to be any old library.
Namjoon waits for Jungkook to enter the building, his foot tapping against the cobblestone path for what felt like a minute before he decides that he should just go in.
It looked like any other library, shelves stacked up to the ceiling, books organised by category, clearly labelled with large wooden signs, hung on the end of each shelf. The young boy behind the front desk hadn’t bothered to look up at from his own book as Namjoon wanders inside. (If he had, Namjoon would have seen the third eye the boy had)
It’s fairly easy to spot Jungkook even among the tall bookshelves with his broad back and slightly suspicious looking navy cloak, Namjoon tries his best to stay a fair amount of distance between the two of them. He wondered how good Jungkook’s senses must be as a demon and the last thing he wanted right now was to get caught. That would be the end of him, and he promised his mother he would be home within a week.
The village boy slips to hide behind a nearby shelf once Jungkook stands down one of the isles, fingers lightly skimming over the spines of a few books. He peeks up at the wooden sign, checking what sort of book Jungkook could be looking for.
His eyebrows furrow. ‘Conversion theory’
In all his times spent at libraries he’d never seen that genre of book. And Namjoon, although his friends back at the village make fun of him, quite likes to read. He had taught himself how to, never having had gone and learnt from a scholar, but he liked to live the lives of other through the pages.
He himself was trapped in his mundane life on the farm, nothing more going for him. But he could adventure the globe through a book, learn the history of his land, picture what life beyond the vast sea must be like, and so much more, just from paper and ink.
He takes a look at another shelf, gulping when he reads the sign.
‘Demonic entities’
Namjoon has to slap a hand over his mouth as he looks around, finally taking a look at the library properly; completely forgetting he was here to see what Jungkook could be trying to find.
Mixed among the humans were other beings, just like Jungkook.
+++
You watch Jungkook shove an unfamiliar book into the backpack, “You bought a new book?” you ask absentmindedly, more focused on brushing the knots out of your wet hair. You felt like a brand-new person, freshly washed, smelling a little less like dried blood and sweat after the incident from the day before.
You’d washed your hands at the previous inn, but the stench of blood had lingered, even then you don’t know if that was your mind playing tricks on you. The wound still fresh as you think back on the good times with your pretty kitty.
You wondered if you were okay, feeling so numb to the fact that another companion of yours had died. That was the third one in under two years. You thought you would have cried more, wanting to lock yourself away from everyone else a wallow in self-pity until your head hurts and your skin is dry from the salty tears. But you felt the opposite, wanting to finally go out and explore. Maybe you were a shitty person for moving on so fast, but maybe it was for the better. Or maybe that was a smaller part of you trying to convince yourself it was all okay when in reality it really wasn’t.
You could only hope that your cat would have a better life when reborn. That would be enough to let you sleep peacefully at night.
Jungkook hums, “Something about the history of this land”
You nod, never having been fond of history. It felt a little a little unconventional, why would you focus so much on what has already happened when you have the whole future to look forward to?
“I was thinking we could go out for lunch; I saw a nice place on my walk this morning” Jungkook turns towards you, happy with how far down he’d been able to stuff his book into the bag.
He doubted you’d ever rummage through his stuff, seeming more content with him riffling through the bag to get clean clothes or a snack. But better to safe than sorry. Especially since it was becoming evident you could read now; he would hate for his plans to be ruined because he was kind enough to share his knowledge with you.
“Sure” you reply, handing him the hairbrush to be put back neatly into the bag.
Jungkook was right, the small building the two of you had entered was more than nice. It even had two floors! (The owner explaining it had been inspired by building from the countries overseas who had places to eat with more than the ground floor like the hanoks) The outside was lined with small flowers, vines clinging to the walls, climbing their way up to the balconies above the ground floor.
You don’t ask when Jungkook requests the private balcony area on the second floor, assuming it was so the two of you could eat comfortably without worrying someone would try and hand you into the royal family or freaking out because Jungkook had four arms.
You watch the bustling streets, watching some kids play a game you weren’t familiar with, a few stealing loose fruits from crates, giggling as a few elderly people chase after them.
You wonder if that is what a real childhood looked like. All the children in the capital seemed so happy, happy with their parents and siblings, happy with their lives. The perfect life you could only ever have dreamt of becoming a reality.
You wouldn’t say you were jealous. If you hadn’t left the home you’d grown up in, your life would have been completely different. Your friend would still be alive, maybe you would have married by now. His father wouldn’t have approved, but you supposed you could have run away together. If you’d run away would the outcome, be the same? Would he have died because he had married a spy? You suppose he wouldn’t have been safe either way.
Regret is a fickle thing. There have been so many moments in your recent life where you wish you could just go back and change what has happened. You wouldn’t care if the future was different, that is something the you of then would have figure out. Because the you of now wanted to go back and change all the times something had led to the death of someone you loved so dearly.
You would convince your friend to stay home, he wouldn’t have died a brutal death. You would tell Taehyung he shouldn’t go down to the village, you’d go alone because if you could survive the disease once you could do it again and then he would still be by your side. You’d have taken lil meow down with you to breakfast the other morning, that way you’d still have your furry companion.
You regret not knowing, which in hindsight sounds stupid because how were you meant to know all of these bad bad things would happen? And it was easy to feel sorry for yourself, and the small, selfish part of you thinks that you feeling sorry for yourself if justified. Because why were you still alive and they weren’t?
Maybe you regret being born, you didn’t really have much say in the matter, but maybe it would have been better if you hadn’t tried so hard all your life to stay alive. Fighting tooth and nail to survive in a world that clearly didn’t want or need you.
If you hadn’t been born you wouldn’t be a bad omen to those around you, and everyone you’ve ever loved wouldn’t be dead. Jungkook may have been a special case, born blessed as a being that is unable to die. And maybe that’s why you stayed, because no matter how unlucky you may be, Jungkook would never fall into the hands of death because of you.
If you hadn’t been selfish, childish, then the poor cat would still be alive. Roaming the mountains free of burden. If you hadn’t been selfish and wanted to spend just a few more moments with your friend you’re your childhood, he wouldn’t have suffered an unjustified death. If you hadn’t agreed to stay in the hanbok, then maybe Taehyung could have waited out the winter with what food you’d eaten, and neither of you would have contracted a disease. He would still be alive and happy, carefree as he carries on the same routine he had for years without you coming and interrupting his peaceful life with his friend.
“Y/n?” Jungkook calls you, tugging at the sleeves of your cloak to catch your attention.
Your eyes flit up to meet his own.
“Are you okay?”
You hum, waving him off with a quick smile. It was easy to smile while looking at Jungkook’s face. Maybe it was because you didn’t want him to worry, so a smile was easy, or maybe Jungkook just had that affect. Such a nice face that you have no other choice but to smile too brightly at him. Or maybe you smile because you don’t want him to ask too many questions that you yourself don’t know the answer to.
He watches you for a moment longer, trying to gauge if you were lying or not. But then he sees your eyes light up at the array of food laid out on the table before the two of you.
“You bought so much” you mutter in awe.
“Well, aren’t you going to eat?” he asks, nudging a pair of chopsticks into your hands.
You nod slowly, “I’m trying to engrave what it looks like into my mind”
Jungkook laughs, a fond smile on his face as he just watches you, “No need, we’ll just come back in a few months and eat here again” he tells you, easy smile on his face.
“Okay” you grin.
Jungkook’s eyebrows furrow when you push yourself from the cushion on the floor, feet light as you skip your way over to his side of the table.
You lean down, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you for the food, Jungkookie” you smile.
Jungkook feels his heart stop, his fingers moving on their own as they wrap around your wrist.
Your head tilts in question, your breath hitching when he pulls on your wrist, so you’ve leant down once again.
You bite your lip to stop the big smile that threatened to pull onto your face when he presses a kiss onto the apple of your right cheek.
“You’re welcome, my lovely” he replies, motioning for you to go and sit down, “Now hurry and eat before the food gets cold”
“Yes sir” you mock salute, giggling when Jungkook rolls his eyes, tone teasing as he tells you to hurry up and sit down.
+++
You grip onto the sleeve of Jungkook’s cloak when a large group of people move in a clump down the narrow street.
You look up at Jungkook in confusion, ready to ask if he knew why so many people were moving in tandem, but your mouth clamps shut when you see the annoyed crease in his brows.
“Burn the demons!” a burly looking man shouts, the posse of people following him repeating his words with just as much enthusiasm.
Jungkook pulls you back into his chest when a new wave of civilians shove their way down the street, although their movements lack the mesmerising movements like the sea’s waves crashing against the shore, more shoulders bumping shoulders, the delicate crash of the waves replaced with grunts as they all bounce off one another.
“What’s going on?” you ask, voice raising in hopes that Jungkook would be able to hear you.
Either he does, or choses to ignore you as his fingers take a hold of your hand, dragging you into a narrow alley way beside the building the two of you had just had lunch in. You try and pull your hand from Jungkook’s fingers feeling as though they were going to snap with how tightly he was holding your hand.
“Jungkook what’s going on?” you ask, voice a little breathy as you try and catch up with Jungkook’s long strides.
The demon slows down a little, apologetic furrow of his brows as he watches you try and catch your breath, “They must be protesting” he mutters, and you simply nod.
“Against demons?” you ask, watching Jungkook release a long sigh.
“I should have told you” he turns towards you, “Not all demons are kind, my love. Some do bad things, and so they get punished” he explains, hoping the worry evident in his tone is enough to convince you of this white lie. It was technically half the truth, but you didn’t need to know the full problem, you losing your memories of what happened the night years back had already helped him move forwards in his plan.
As long as you believed it was the same year, where you were a wanted spy, and he was a harmless demon that was worshiped by all then everything would be okay. His plan would continue to run smoothly and then he could hold you in his arms without worrying about trivial human matters like death.
“Was there a bad demon here then?” you ask, worried you’d get caught in-between the conflict.
Jungkook nods, hand coming to rest on his chin as if in thought, “It seems so, we should head back to the inn for the rest of the day, just in case”
“That’s probably a good idea” you agree.
Jungkook takes a step before stopping. You make a noise in the back of your throat in question, watching as he releases your hand, turning to face you as he rummages through the pockets of his cloak.
Your head tilts up to look into his eyes when he pulls what looks to be a small pocketknife from the confines of his cloak.
“What?” you ask when he thrusts it in your direction.
“Just in case something happens and I’m not there, you’ll be able to protect yourself” he leans down to take a hold of your right hand, placing the pocketknife into your palm.
Your left hand traces the intricate design of the handle, wood having been carved out into small delicate flowers, painted with so much care there were no smudges or random pieces of colour bleeding into one another. It truly was pretty, like nothing you’d ever seen before.
“Jungkook I—I can’t” you shake your head, not daring to sheath the actual blade.
“You know I’ll always be by your side to protect you, but just in case” he pushes your hand away when you try to give it back, “Please, I’ll be able to rest easy knowing that if anything were to happen to me, you’d at least be able to put up a fight”
You swallow, eyes flitting back down to the pocketknife before you look back at Jungkook. Even with the warm afternoon sun being obscured by the roofs of buildings, in the dingy alleyway that was nothing more than grey cobblestone, greened with moss and small weeds, Jungkook looked so pretty. He looked so calm, unlike how he had been moment ago in the street. You sometimes wonder if he had lied about being a demon, he looked nothing like the scary beings that old wives’ tales made them out to be. Maybe he truly fell from the sky, an angel sent to help guide you in life.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he scoffs, finger pushing at your forehead.
You sigh, “I was imagining what I could do with this thing” you dangle the offending weapon between your thumb and forefinger
Jungkook laughs at that, “You can’t kill a demon with a measly knife” he waves you off, easily slipping his fingers between your own as he pulls you out the alleyway.
“Then how am I meant to defend myself”
“That’s what I’m here for”
“But you just—”
Jungkook presses a finger against your lips, “I’ll always be there for you, but it never hurts to have a back-up plan”
+++
You’d been thinking for a few days about the conversation you’d had with Namjoon about the part of your life that you felt, had gone missing. Maybe you were paranoid, or just plain stupid. Or maybe you imagined the incident that happened in the village. Or you were overthinking everything. All seemed like possible answers but no matter how hard you try to remember, you can only ever think back to the moments before the rocks had been thrown at you, enamoured by how intricately made the wooden bunny was.
And then blank. You couldn’t recall anything after that. Like it never happened. Seeming swallowed into a blackhole, making no sign of ever returning.
You faintly remember a dream, but after the first day of waking up it had been pushed to the furthest corner of your mind, Taehyung’s death taking up most of your thoughts. And whenever you try and think back to it now, you can only seem to remember how fresh the air had felt, and the soft scratching of golden grass on the backs of your hands as you wandered into the horizon. The sky a bright blue that otherwise hurt your eyes, a dull pain in the back of your head that would return when you would think too hard about what may have happened in your dream.
Nothing adds up.
It had been winter the day you’d gone down to the village with Taehyung, you were sure of that, you remembered how soft the scarf was Taehyung had gifted you, a gift for your first winter spent with himself and Jungkook. And if what Jungkook had said was correct; that you’d been passed out for only a few weeks, then there was no way it should have been that far into the spring once you’d woken up. Flowers in full bloom, sun not shying behind the clouds throughout the day.
But why would Jungkook lie?
Your fingers gently brush over your cheek, contemplating whether it was possible for such a deep gash to heal in such a short amount of time, with no evidence left behind. No scar, no tender tissue or discoloration. You’d woken up like nothing had happened. Maybe that was common? But as a child such a deep wound would take months to fully heal.
He wouldn’t lie, would he?
You fall onto your back, mattress cushioning your fall. Your head turns towards the door of the inn room, Jungkook’s large backpack coming into view.
Maybe he kept a diary like Taehyung did?
Jungkook had gone out for a walk that morning, whispering to you while you battled between staying asleep or finally waking up, sun peeking in through the windows, encouraging you to peel your eyes open. You’d hummed and waved him off when he asked if you wanted to join him. And that was less than an hour ago.
He did say he would be gone for a few hours… that would leave you with more than enough time to quickly snoop through his bag and see if he was hiding anything.
You felt a little bad because you knew that looking through people’s stuff was wrong. Really wrong. And you think Jungkook would be disappointed if he ever found out you’d gone and peeped into the bag while he was gone. But, if you wanted to figure out the anomalies in your life, Jungkook may be the perfect place to start.
You don’t know what you would do if you ever found out he was actually lying to you, and that’s why you pause when your fingers make contact with the bag.
Whatwould you do?
Maybe it’s better you never know.
Or maybe Jungkook had done nothing wrong, and you were being paranoid. What if he found out you’d gone through his stuff, and kicked you out of his home? Left you stranded, leaving you to fend for yourself. You both knew that was impossible, your best bet would be to hide in the forests, no one usually ventured into the woodland. Although, you doubted you’d be able to survive of wild berries alone, the thought of having to kill an animal making you feel squeamish.
Then what? You’re back to square one where you die alone, unwanted by another person?
You swallow.
But what if he never found out?
What if he never found out and you got the answers you were looking for? It would be easy to put everything back in the backpack the way you’d taken it out, and it’s not like he would notice miniscule changes in the packing.
You look at the door, waiting to see if he would walk in. When he doesn’t, you turn back to the backpack, fingers deftly pulling the strings open.
You carefully remove the layer of folded clothes, placing them neatly beside you. Soap, hairbrush, sack of apples, more clothes, a map. (What you fail to notice is his ‘history’ book wasn’t in the confines of his bag, because who would need a book on history when you plan to buy supplies?)
Your shoulders slump forwards when you find nothing. No notebooks, no pieces of paper with anything written on them, nothing. You even look into the pockets, nothing.
With a defeated sigh, you start to pile everything back into the bag, only praying that you were putting them all back in the correct order and hadn’t messed up.
You tie the top of the bag, pushing yourself up off of the floor.
Deciding you’d take a break in your investigation, breakfast sounded really good right around now. So, you skip downstairs with Taehyung’s notebook secured under your arm.
“Morning!” the inn owner calls out to you, smiling as you plop yourself down at one of the bar stools.
“Good morning, do you have some ink and a quill?” you ask, thanking the woman when she tells you she’ll be right back.
Your legs swing back and forth as you wait, peering around the room.
“Do you know where Namjoon is?” you ask when she places the ink in-front of you.
“Said he was going to check on the horses, he already ate so I imagine he wouldn’t be back until lunch time” she replies.
You nod, opening a new page in Taehyung’s notebook.
You flip back one page, checking the latest date, making sure you had the year correct.
Taehyung’s latest entry had been November 1859, written the day before the two of you planned to visit the village. You didn’t read too much of what was written, respecting that it was Taehyung’s private thoughts, although from what you caught a glimpse of, it spoke of the things you both needed to buy in the village.
You supposed if it was already spring then it must be 1860, which further confuses you. Deciding to brush off the suffocating feeling that consumed your body, your tongue pokes out as you figure out exactly what you want to write.
“1860? That was a while ago wasn’t it… I hadn’t even opened the inn yet. Do you plan to write a novel?” the inn owner asks you.
You look at her with wide eyes, “A while ago?” you ask, confusion heavy in your voice.
She nods, “Yes, I heard novels of recent history are popular these days, with the new king rising to power”
“What year is it now?”
“This year it would be 1865”
“Right now? It’s 1865?”
She nods, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as you start to flick through the pages of Taehyung’s diary.
“Are you okay dear?” she asks.
Your head shoots up to look into her eyes, “Yes!” you slam the notebook shut, “I’ll be back in a minute”
“But my—your breakfast!”
“I’ll come back for it” you call out to her as you sprint up the stairs, lungs squeezing for air as you push open the door to yours and Jungkook’s room.
You fall onto the bed, careful as you pull open Taehyung’s notebook once more.
When you said you had never lied to Jungkook, that was a lie in itself. You learning how to read and write so well was meant to be a surprise. You wanted to show Jungkook how quickly you’d progressed in both skills, how you’d practiced with Taehyung while doing chores, and sometimes you’d dream of studying certain characters that you found difficult.
You did plan to surprise him when you got back to the hanok, maybe by asking if you could read to him before bed, not the other way round.
You flick to Taehyung’s most recent entry once more.
[November 1859;
Tomorrow me and y/n]
Your eyes zero on your own name. That was definitely your name.
If you’d been with them in 1859, how was it currently 1865?
You knew you hadn’t had the best gauge of how much time you’d spent with them but basing it off the seasons it shouldn’t have been more than a year. It definitely hadn’t been a year since Taehyung died. If you’d woken up weeks after the incident, then Taehyung shouldn’t have been dead for more than a month.
Taehyung wouldn’t have written the date wring so many times, would he?
From the few times you’d been in his room it seemed he kept more than one notebook. When you’d first met him and asked what he would write down every other day or so, he had told you about his habit of writing. How he liked to document special moments in his life so he could go back and read about his past in years to come.
How likely was it that he had gotten the years wrong all this time?
Taehyung was quite a meticulous person, not the type of person to guess a date and go with it. He was particular about small details like that.
You chew on the nail of your thumb, but why would Jungkook lie?
Say it hadn’t been weeks, and it had actually been years.
How were you alive? Without food or water surely, you would have died. If it had been 6 years, then how come you hadn’t aged at all?
That would explain how the wounds you had gotten from the village boys would have fully healed, but nothing else made sense.
You slam Taehyung’s notebook shut when the room door opens. Your heartrate speeding up as Jungkook saunters into the room. You look at him with wide eyes, swallowing thickly as he roves his eyes over your body.
You see his eyes slightly narrow, as if trying to gauge what you were doing before he came into the room.
“What were you going?” he finally asks, eyes trained on the notebook tightly clasped by your fingers, his own tightening on the woven bag in his hands.
You stay silent for a moment, mind racing a mile a minute as you try to find a decent lie. Something believable enough that he wouldn’t ask any more questions, because your heart felt seconds away from beating right through your chest with how hard it was pounding against your ribcage.
“Jungkookie?” you eventually say, tone a little sweeter than usual.
He looks up at your face, head cocking to the side in question.
“I have a request”
“Only if you answer my question” he prods, clearly unsatisfied with turn of conversation.
“It is about that actually” you look down at your lap, fingers fiddling with the hem of your shirt, “I was looking through Tae’s list, and he says the royal palace is really beautiful”
Jungkook is silent for a moment, and you keep your eyes trained in your lap, scared that if you were to look into his eyes, you would spill everything you had discovered within the last hour.
“Is that all?” he eventually asks, easy smile on his face; because you were just too adorable. Of course he would take you sight-seeing if that’s what you really wanted, nothing to be embarrassed about.
You nod, breathing a sigh of relief when he agrees.
“Let me just put this stuff away” he says, “Then we can leave”
You watch him pull the book he had purchased the day prior from a woven bag, your eyes narrowing when there is nothing written on the cover of it.
“Jungkook?” you ask, he hums, not turning towards you as he tries to shove it further inside the bag, “Is that history book interesting? I think I want to try reading harder books now, not just children’s poems.”
Jungkook pauses, eyes meeting yours briefly before he turns to the backpack once more.
“I don’t think you’d like this one, love. The vocabulary is hard, even for me” he explains.
You hum in understanding, deciding it was best not to prod any further.
“Ready to go?” Jungkook stands up, hand stretching out to help pull you up from the bed.
“Yeah, I still have to eat breakfast before we go”
Jungkook sniggers at that, nudging your shoulder as he tells you how breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that it was closer to lunch time now than it was breakfast.
You shrug, explaining that even breakfast can be eaten at lunch sometimes.
+++
How well did you truly know Jeon Jungkook? Why had it taken you so long to ask this question?
You knew it was because he was the closest person you would get in this life that would always be a constant. He liked you, he couldn’t die, so why would he leave you? Just like yourself he had no one else in this world. And maybe you were cowardice, projecting your own insecurities and fears onto him, but it was true was it not?
Loneliness was simultaneously the best and worst thing that could happen to a human. It was a valid fear, as humans were social creatures that overall worked better as a team than in solitude. Two pairs of hands are always going to be better than one and being able to confide in another person should be second nature, because no one should have to deal with their pain alone when they had so many that cared for them.
Loneliness however can force you to learn to love your own company. If there is no one else around, you can only rely on yourself. And at the end of the day, you are the only constant in your life. Forced to fend for yourself, live for you, and you only.
But that scared you, what was living if it wasn’t for other people? Forced to marinate in your own thoughts, figure out your own feelings and live just because you want to or feel obligated to because you were given life so maybe you should live it out for a while.
Unless you’re Jeon Jungkook. He never seemed alone.
You believed that you would stay with him for a long time, because he had nowhere else to go just like yourself. And wherever he went, you think you would follow, because you were scared of being alone. Scared of the solitude that some found comfort in.
But why would you blindly follow him? Because he was kind enough to house you? Feed you? Put a roof over your head and help you develop skills that otherwise you would have no resources to do so? Even if he had been lying to you, deceiving you even.
If Jeon Jungkook was a colour, he would be grey. Muted, his character unimposing until you peel back the layers upon layers that he shields his being with only to find black. Onyx. A dark plain that can only be described as Jeon Jungkook, the ghost of a hand pulling you into his warm embrace until you settle down and thin sticky vines trap you beside him with no escape, remaining by his side for the rest of his eternal life.
Even with a small crack in what is Jeon Jungkook, a lie exposed to you, you chose not to say anything.
Why?
Because he’s familiar, and you’re scared of being alone.
Why would you willingly fall headfirst into a spiral of solitude when you could remain by his side, acting oblivious as he plays you like a puppet. Chipping away at your very being until you’re too warn down, leaning on him for support like he had planned from the start. He’s never hurt you, his caress gentle, and words sweeter than fresh honey or sugar cane. Blindly guiding you further into his abyss, steps away from the point of no return.
But you’re okay with that. Willingly holding onto him like he holds onto you, like the two of you are the only two left in the world, needing nothing more than each other to survive.
Now you find yourself at a crossroad. Why walk down the path of loneliness when you could walk down the path towards Jungkook, who happily waits for you at the end of the road with his arms wide open? It seemed obvious which path you would choose. And maybe you were spineless, allowing someone you barely knew to swing you around like a doll on some strings instead of facing your fears.
Maybe Jungkook was scared of being alone too. You’d never considered living an eternal life, simply living day to day hoping you’ll wake up tomorrow. But you worry how lonely he would feel if you were to ever leave him, a twinge of empathy flaring up at just the thought of it. Left to live alone for the rest of time. If you could live together, without the fear of desolation… walking the ways of life hand in hand with no one but each other.
And that’s why as you shut the book stuffed away inside the lower depth of Jungkook’s bag, you say nothing. Washing away what you had read from your mind, smiling happily when the demon re-enters the room, freshly washed, looking like the epitome of ethereal as he flops onto the bed, beckoning you to come over with a kiss to your cheeks, his own flushed the prettiest shade of dusty rosy, pink.
RATING 18+. mature WC1k SUMMARY exploring sex with each of the members while being in a committed relationship.
JIN You’ve never wanted someone to be possessive of you, but for some reason you want him to mark you up and make you his. Leading up there’s a perfect balance of pouty and lovey Jin, his fingers skating up your sides, teasing touches, half-assed jokes.
And then something switches. Something in his gaze changes and you end up fucking in the kitchen whle dinner burns, his hand pressing down on your neck to hold you down as he thrusts into you. Think: dirty and domestic. And you better believe he’s into sensation play.
YOONGI There’s a strange contradiction to this man. There’s a rush, an urgency to wanting him where you’ll let him have you wherever, whenever. But then once you begin, he takes his time. He’s there for a good time and a long time. Sometimes he lets his mouth run, spilling the dirtiest obscenities. And sometimes he’s quiet, fucking you in the bathroom at the party, hushing you when you whine, biting down on his lower lip. He prefers to fuck at home though, where he’s not rushed, but still will take you in a broom closet if he wants to.
NAMJOON Half of the game is the foreplay. Days of foreplay. He buys you a dress with your exact measurements, and surprises you by renting out the entire gallery at your favorite museum. He’ll talk sweetly in your ear, hands roving over your body, murmuring about the artist, the technique, the impact. You’re half-blind to it all, and he loves seeing you swoon for him. He loves what he can do to you. It’s a little bit of a game for him, seeing how far he can push you before you break with need. And then in the car ride home, he’ll roll up the partition and fuck you, telling you over and over again, you’re mine, you’re mine.
HOSEOK He surprises you when you learn about his jealous streak. He doesn’t like to let it show, but you know it’s there, swimming beneath the surface. And rather than asking him to push it down, you turn it into a game. The two of you are partners in crime, in business, in life, and one day when you’re out working together you meet his eye. Your hand falls on the arm of the photographer running the shoot for the day. You laugh a little too loud. Pay him too many compliments. This is exactly what you and Hoseok talked about, and you know his eyes are glued to you. It doesn’t take long for Hoseok to snap. Excuse me, Hoseok will say, butting in gracefully in the middle of the conversation, his hand tightening around yours. He leads you to his dressing room where he fucks you and makes you look in the mirror as he does. He wants you to see where your bodies meet, where your bodies are joined. When he kisses along your neck, he won’t leave a hickey, because he doesn’t have to. The whole world already knows that you’re his. He’s into showing off the most wild positions during sex, and would definitely fuck you on a balcony.
JIMIN The man is obsessed with pleasure. His pleasure. Your pleasure. He wants to lay back and feel it all. He’s also determined to be the one who will make you feel better than anyone else in your whole life. He wants to talk about sex until it’s not talking anymore, he wants to be the perfect boyfriend. But there’s a dark side to him too. In his search for pleasure, he’ll run alongside his own and your own boundaries, teasing the line with a graceful toe. You never know what to expect from him, other than he’s aiming for multiple orgasms. He will probably tell you he loves you for the first time while fucking into you, even though he had the statement planned out for weeks with flowers and champagne. It’s an accident, but he doesn’t regret it, because you’re whining out his name soon after and saying it back.
TAEHYUNG Brush your fingers through his hair. He loves when you take your time with him, when you lavish him in delicate attention, treating his body with the same love that you treat him with. He likes to tell you what to do, loves the creativity with which you play around his rules and expectations. Like that one time he directed you to undress, and you took ten minutes to do so. He’s delighted by your loopholes, he loves your brain, and even more than that, he loves pushing you over the brink as he fucks into you hard, and you pant out, I love you, I love you, I love you.
JUNGKOOK Pain and release, in his mind, are inherently intertwined. He wants to push the boundaries of what you expect from him, going above and beyond in and out of the bedroom. He’s used to being the best, and it’s no different with you. “Accidentally fucking” is the norm with the two of you. Leaving parties early to fuck. Grinding against you in the club like he’s making love, the only thing in the way those pesky clothes. But he also likes to plan his accidents. Likes to play a part. Like that one time you started watching a movie and his cock “accidentally” slipped inside you. You had planned that, sure, but you hadn’t planned to come on his cock three times that night, as he grinned and pleaded, Come for me, just one more time, please.
| Aubade | n.| au•bade | meaning: a poem or piece of music appropriate to the dawn or early morning. |
⤷Genre:romance; fluff; light angst; husband!jungkook x wife!reader.
⤷Warnings:themes of fear; insecurity.
Jungkook had a way with effortlessly stealing words directly from your mouth.
It was almost facile to your love as he bound you within a stunned silence and left you gaping at his every soft act of love, whether it was a mere kiss stolen before his elders or a plethora of romantic whispers trickling into your ears.
He burned your flesh with an addictive warmth and made you gasp into his affections, reducing you to a stuttering and feeble mess in all he did.
But none of these things mentioned could compare once the disheveled curls and sleepy irises of your lover peeked into the warmth you found in his blankets, his eagerness to have your undivided attention fluttered your heart before the sun had even kissed the sky.
Your sleepy hums and whispers of love that were always promised to escape your lips when you first awakened were taken from your throat once his slender fingers delicately slipped the other half of his ear buds into the hollow of your ear.
“I need you to hear this, love.” He whispered his needs as his only explanation for his excitement that almost trembled his every limb.
Your lips parted in a silent question of what he had meant, but the words melted upon your tongue the moment the rich tones of your love’s voice spilled over your senses as he delicately crooned of the words of love to fill your heart.
Your sleepy mind was suddenly serenaded by every soft note or poetic lyric as his honeyed voice dripped into your senses, to capture your heart with the words of love he confessed your relationship had inspired, you were astounded.
The alluring crescendo kissed your cheeks with the warmth only your lover could elicit, as the crest stirred the butterflies of your stomach in the early hour of blurred vision and sleepy love’s.
The devoted symphony toyed with your heart and dizzied your head within Jungkooks arms until the charming music melted into the cathartic sounds of your love’s even breaths that grew shorter in anticipation of your reaction, and his eyes shyly met yours.
“So, what do you think?” His head fell to the side, curious of your thoughts when not a word dared to pierce your silence.
Your love’s molten eyes stared into yours, so soft and warm as he patiently awaited your answer to his question, the twinkle of hope for your approval within him ensnaring your heart.
The string of the ear buds he shared with you tightly connected your bodies, forcing you to share the little space that waned with every inching closer of his body as his creation overwhelmed you with emotions.
His slender fingers nervously toyed with the warm skin of his hands that you wished to hold so closely, but the stunned silence his soft voice entranced you with kept you locked in your place before him, wrapped in his heart just as well as his sheets.
He was so much like a small puppy as he timidly stared into your eyes, his unkempt hair almost begging to have your fingers threaded through the silken locks as it fell into his gaze.
It was only once you realized you had only stared at him through the tears that gathered behind your lashes rather than answer his request for criticisms did he pour the contents of his heart to you.
“I was just thinking so much of you and how much I love you, a-and the words just poured out-”
The nervousness of revealing the raw depths of his love for you poured his thoughts into you as his hand instinctively reached for yours in search of comfort and tranquility.
His dark eyes squeezed shut until his button nose wrinkled with the force he applied and a soft sigh suffocated each of his flustered ramblings and his hand found it’s place, covering your own.
“I just couldn’t get you out of my head.”
He confessed at last, cautiously revealing his starry eyes once more, fearing your rejection of his particular display of his love for you.
But once he felt the familiar weight of your arms wrap around his shoulders as your body pushed him into the plush pillows that waited to hold your entangled bodies, his stomach twisted with affection, because though he doubted himself, he knew deep in his heart that he was safe in your hands once he stared up into your eyes.
However the gentle caresses of his fingers burned the flesh of your thigh, and his heavy stare suffocated every word that formed upon the back of your tongue, yet your lips parted with confidence.
For the very first time in your relationship, you gathered the words he took from your mouth with his soft love, and you returned his displays of love whilst you whispered into the curve of his ear.
“Jungkook, I didn’t think I could physically hold anymore love for you, but-” your words collided with the kisses you fluttered over the line of his jaw and pooled between your tightly wound forms until you tenderly pressed your mouth to his to whisper into the parting of his lips. “I was so very wrong.”
He tenderly peered up at you through unkempt locks and his fingers dug into your soft flesh as he merely gaped at you, simply enamoured by the passion that held him so dearly.
“I meant every word in that song, (Y/n),” he confessed in the intimate moment you found yourselves wrapped within, his fingers reached into the empty spaces of your own, “you make me whole.”
Your heart warmed at his confession of love that came as naturally as oxygen to his lungs, and you fell for him even more as he raised himself beneath you just enough to meet your lips again, after craving the taste for so long.
And with yet another kiss stolen in the first morning light, Jungkook stole your words once again to leave you gasping in his love, to forever promise to leave you speechless with his heart’s devotion.
⤷Genre:romance; fluff; idiots to lovers; college au; oblivious!roommate!jungkook x female!reader.
⤷Warnings:themes of fear; brief mention of nausea; dizziness; pining.
Jungkook was oblivious, almost painfully so.
He was excruciatingly blind to the fond words of every sticky note you placed to his mirror wishing him a wonderful day,
And his ears were torturously deaf to the sweet whispers you murmured into each cuddle session you held at his place that he most likely shouldn’t have overheard.
The flutter of his heart that alighted his chest at the mere trace of your fragrance was overlooked as no more than excitement for your next adventure, and the rosy hue that spread over his cheeks with every kiss you pressed to them was assumed to be a faulty heater.
Even the gentle reveries of kissing your lips or the wonders of how your hair felt around his finger was written off as a mere phase.
Because everyone falls a little in love with their best friend at least once, right?
All of this being why Jungkook gave no second thoughts to your eager persistence to make a filling breakfast together before you classes started, as a team, as friends, rather than allowing him to sneak to the nearest bakery and snag a breakfast burrito that was almost too much to stomach this early in the morning.
Because you shared a home, definitely not because you cared for him.
It was simply routine for him to stare at your features from afar as the warm, morning light accentuated the shape of your face, as you carried out whatever your mind was set to, seemingly unbothered by his blatant admiration, that is until your voice broke him from his focus.
“I love spending time with you, Koo.”
His eyes ascended from the comically large mitts that covered your hands to peer into your own that were already awaiting his.
“I wouldn’t mind spending every morning with you.” His pulse quickened once more at your words but the fact was discarded in the very same breath he took in to answer.
“That’s what friends are for, I’d love to share my mornings with you too.”
He smiled innocently before it quickly faded once he witnessed how the corners of your lips fell, though he remained ignorant of the cause of your change.
Despite your valiant attempt to break through Jungkook’s friendzone to atleast make your feelings known, your lingering glances that remained upon his for a second too long was accepted as nothing significant, just as your hesitance to release his fingers from your grasp as you guided his hands around the whisk was no more than apricity.
Every blantant hint you dropped went unnoticed until you all but shouted to the whole campus of your love. His oblivion of today growing even more tiring than the years you practically confessed to him daily with no response.
Your thoughts of the future dizzied your head until merely thinking of bearing another day by his side without knowing if he returned your love in full physically hurt as you bothed danced around the other in the kitchen.
But you decided you had nothing else but to take matters into your own hands.
So once the familiar heat of his presence stood behind you, you turned upon your heel to effortlessly exchange your positions, his hip pressing into the corner of the counter with every step you took closer.
But just as your eyes locked upon his, they strayed over his features that always tugged your attention back to him, no matter where you found yourself, and your heart faltered in your plan, his perfection drowning your confidence.
Jungkook was the epitome of what humanity wished to be, he was what artists strived in vain to capture, from his dark lashes and his pretty lips to the barely noticeable freckle just below them. He was perfect in your eyes.
“I have something to tell you.”
The words breathlessly spilled into the air between your tightly pressed bodies, as if a cherished secret only ever to be heard by the one who captured your heart.
Your heart slammed against your chest and into his own, but you didn’t have a care in the world, you needed this release.
You drew in a deep breath in one last desperate attempt to settle your nerves and soothe the butterflies he placed within your stomach, before it all spilled out.
“Jungkook, I love you.”
The words slipped past your lips, never to be taken back again now they pierced the air and met his ears. Silence fell over you both as niether dared to answer nor follow up with the weighted confession.
You stared up into his blank expression with the wonders you harbored for more than two decades, still awaiting an answer that manifested itself as a mere furrow of his brows.
You nibbled lightly on the insides of your cheeks as your mind returned to the negatives of your confession, as you waited for the painful sting of rejection or a nervous laugh that churned your stomach.
His lips parted to speak and you winced in anticipation of his next words, but a scoff never came- but rather something you should have predicted.
“Like, more than a friend or?”
Your eyes rounded into spheres as you stared up into his sincere expression, dumbfounded by your clueless love, your eyelid twitching slightly.
He was still so lost with his feelings for his childhood friend, he never wanted to ruin what he did have with you, all for a kiss or the title of a boyfriend, only to lose you in the end. Until you showed him.
You reached to gently dip your fingers into the flawless canvas of his features to cup his cheek within your hands as you rose to the tips of your toes to gently graze his inviting lips with yours.
You could hear your pulse within your ears whilst your fingertips tingled as you kissed your best friend, as a potential lover, that waited for his response.
“I like you a lot more than a friend, dummy.” You whispered, pulling back just a bit to simply admire him once more, just in case he would never be yours to adore again.
Your eyes fell to his lips that were much warmer and sweeter than you expected, even in the fleeting taste you had, to witness your favorite bunny smile of his grace the dewy flesh.
His strong arms which you cuddled into so many nights and ran to for comfort in every drizzly day wrapped around your waist and pulled you into his chest, without an inch of space separating you.
“I like you too.” He confessed at last, and your eyes nearly spilled over with tears, he was finally yours.
His lips met yours as the tip of his nose grazed your cheek with every sweeping of his tongue, and your breath lathed over his skin to elicit goosebumps.
Your fingers reached to thread through the tousled strands of his hair as your bodies pleaded to come closer, as it just felt right.
And once the timer of the oven startled you within his arms and you both parted, breathless with a smile upon your lips, you only hoped Jungkook caught the hint, you liked him much more than a friend.
In which you meet Jimin and Jungkook by complete chance- running off before you could even notice the connection you have with not just one- but both of them.
Tags/Warnings: Wolf!Jungkook, Wolf!Jimin, Wolf!Reader, fluff, Angst, smut in future chapters, injustice against werewolves, mistreatment, judgment, past abuse, poly! Relationship, mentions of death, Idol!Jungkook, Idol!Jimin
Additional Chapter Warnings: Jungkook be in fluffy Alpha-headspace, cuddling
And while you all went to bed in an orderly fashion, after making a big nest in the living room so you all could fit, the way you wake up is anything but. Something is holding you hostage basically- legs and arms wrapped around you, head buried in the crook of your neck while you’ve visibly been clinging to Jimin who’s equally as attached to you.
Jungkook stirs first out of you three; and he’s in heaven right away, head in the clouds as he stretches for a second before he turns to look at the sight before him.
Jimin is still asleep, but for the first time in a long while, he looks absolutely at peace. There’s no trace of stress on his partner’s face, features soft and even a small smile on his lips while he holds onto you.
And you seem right at ease as well; shirt having risen up a bit to reveal your soft stomach and very edge of the underside of your chest, and Jungkooks instincts move quickly as he slowly brings the blankets over the two of you again.
You need go be covered, comfortable, safe.
Jimin wakes up a little afterwards, greeted by the sight of Jungkook scenting you, nuzzling your neck with closed eyes and a sleepy smile. You’re still fast asleep, unaware of the alpha’s wandering hands. Jimin carefully stops one from moving to your chest underneath your shirt- jungkook’s eyes opening in alarm for a second, before he notices who it is.
With the hint of pink on his face, he retrieves his hand, as Jimin adjusts your shirt for you.
He doesn’t need to say anything, because they both understand clearly what the other feels in this moment even without any words spoken. It seems like you’ve been the missing link between them, emotions reignited and at the same time, it’s as if they’ve fallen right into place as well. There’s no frustration, nothing bubbling over- just comfort, warmth, and safety surrounding you three. “why’re you up?” you yawn, voice a bit squeaky from the lack of use, and Jungkook immediately turns to throw one of his legs over yours, lips softly kissing the skin of your neck briefly.
“go back to sleep love.” Jimin simply hums out, making you turn to look at him with sleepy eyes. “it’s still early.” he informs you, and simultaneously dies a little inside when you wrap yourself around him again, Jungkook eagerly reaching for his hand to hold as well.
In which you learn what it’s like to be his chosen mate.
Tags/warnings: Alien!Jungkook part 9643 I guess, human!Reader, futuristic, Angst, Fluff, strangers to lovers, eventual smut, jungkook is VERY touchy, Alien shenanigans and scary human things
Additional Chapter Warnings: low-key clingy JK, the cutest alien boyfriend
Ever since confessing, a switch had been flipped with Jungkook, or so it seems.
He’s no longer shy, doesn’t bother hiding his face, seeks your attention at any chance he gets. He’s attached to you now it seems- always offering to help, eyes sparkling during any conversation you’re having. However, it seems like he’s holding something back- and right now, late at night as the movie you’ve watched ends, you feel like it’s the right time to ask. You’re comfortably laying in his arms, one of his hands softly running circles over the skin of your hand, as you turn to sit up, looking at him.
“there’s something I wanted to ask you these days.” you say, and he nods, turning off the TV before he sits up properly as well, facing you. “is there something you’re not telling me?” you ask, and his brows furrow as he leans his head to the side a bit in question.
“no?” he wonders, now a bit nervous. “why do you ask?”
“I just.. It always feels like you want to ask me something whenever we go to bed, but you don’t.” you say, and that seems to hit a nerve, as his eyes suddenly avoid you, gaze lowering as his fingers begin to play with the string of his sweatpants. “Koo.. We’re a couple now, right?” you ask, and he nods, though he’s still squirming.
“I just.. Don’t know how to move forward now.” he admits, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. “Like.. I read online that you’re supposed to kiss when you confess but we didn’t and now it feels like I missed the chance.. And, I want you to sleep next to me at night but it’s said online that-” he gets cut off by your fingers touching his lips, a smile on yours as you look at his slightly shy face.
“why do you obsess over what others say so much?” you wonder, and he sighs.
“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with me.” he admits. “I’m worried that the differences in culture and all of that might become a problem.” he says softly, before you scoot forwards to hug him.
“Culture is to be shared, not judged.” you hum towards him, as his arms wrap around you. “and a relationship is a journey on which you’ll get to learn about each other. But we need to talk about this stuff before we can try to take steps. Otherwise we’re gonna end up going different roads, and then we’ll loose sight of each other.” you tell him, and he nods, as you sit in front of each other again.
His eyes find your lips fairly easily, one look all it takes before you lean into him, placing a soft kiss to his own. His eyes close almost instantly, the gesture something he’d thought about for way too long now; and it’s better than he could’ve ever imagined it to be.
“can you.. Will you sleep next to me tonight?” he asks, and you nod. It takes him a second before he realizes you’ve agreed, eyes suddenly wide as he scrambles to get up. You laugh.
“what’s wrong now?” you giggle, when he takes all the blankets and pillows from the couch, before running into his room.
“I have to make a proper nest!” he yells from his room, noticing your steps. “no no no don’t come in yet!” he panics, and so you agree to stay outside, sitting next to his door against the wall while he does his thing. It takes him quite a while it seems, and he looks rather sheepish as he walks out to get you now. “I- it’s not that great-” he starts, though he notices you asleep already, his demeanor relaxing as he leans down to pick you up.
He’s glad you’ve both gotten ready for bed prior to the movie you’d watched- because now he can comfortably place you right in his bed between all the pillows and blankets, before crawling in himself, pulling you close to him.
You’re finally right where you belong, in his opinion. You’re right here, where he can hold you, all throughout the night.
In which you’ve got a crush on your coworker- and a stalker problem.
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Tags/Warnings: I do not condone any of Jungkooks questionable actions, this is fiction, soft Yandere!Jungkook, stalking, criminal actions (trespassing, stealing), obsession, he’s really not quite right in the head, mc is kind of stupid for not involving police but wbk
Additional Chapter Warnings: stalking, violence (a brief mention), Jungkook’s got some not-so-soft-yandere thoughts..
You’re sure there’s someone following you- you don’t know the guy, can’t see his face, but he’s surely a man. For the first time in a long time you begin to think about the stranger that’s been invading your life as someone to be feared- if that’s even him. Maybe it’s not? And if it’s him- what would he do to you?
You decide to walk the last few streets home- stuff like this happens in movies, not real life. You’re probably imagining things- maybe the guy is just on his way home as well.
So you ignore his steps behind you, even when they reappear once you exit the small store.
♥━━━━━━━━━━━♡━━━━━━━━━━━━♥
Jungkook knows the route you take home better than his own.
You’re always careful to stay in the lit up areas of the streets, never taking shortcuts, staying safe seemingly your first priority. It makes him happy- you’ll stay safe and protected this way, until you’re together, and he can physically keep you safe from any harm. He’d never let you walk home- he didn’t buy a car for nothing after all.
However, his face darkens once he notices you don’t seem to care much for what’s going on behind you.
Can you just not hear the footsteps? They’re timed with yours, so it’s possible that you just fail to notice them. Maybe you’ve become too comfortable, too sure of your safety to think about the dangers lurking all around you. He’s notices them. He knows them. Men are disgusting creatures, controlled by lust and nothing else- they take what they want and treat it like they deserve it even when they don’t. If anyone was to ask him, someone like you shouldn’t ever be touched by anyone but him.
Because he’s different.
He doesn’t want your body or just simple pleasure- he wants to care for you, make you feel loved and protected, wants you to have no worries at all. He loves you, and he knows you love him too- you’re perfect for each other, after all. All your interests align, your hobbies compliment each other’s, and your personalities match like none he’s ever met before. You just have to realize it, and once you do, you’ll love him just as much.
And just to imagine gaining your affection..
Oh he would melt underneath your gaze if you ever uttered the three magic words to him. You’re always so cute and gentle, would you be like that with him too? He doesn’t care at this point.
However, there’s a problem currently. A problem that urgently needs to be taken care of first and foremost.
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“you should’ve just stayed on the main street.” The figure says, for the first time speaking lowly to you- and you shudder, as you walk faster. It’s just a few steps ahead and you’re back out in the open. You’ll be fine there- you can run up the stairs and finally escape into the safety of your apartment. You have to tell Jungkook about it tomorrow- maybe he can walk you home and scare the guy off?
“alright, I’m done with this game.” is heard from the guy, before you start running, the stranger doing the same, quickly catching up to you- grabbing your bag and yanking it back towards him. You stumble, fall onto the ground-
And suddenly, a metallic hit is heard, before a body falls to the ground.
“Are you okay?!” comes the soft voice you’ve come to connect to your coworker Jungkook- as he kneels down to assess any injuries you have. And while at first you nod, the shock of it all quickly catches up to you- and you throw all care out the window, as you basically crawl into his arms, holding onto him tightly.
Jungkook knows he shouldn’t be happy- though he can’t help the warm feeling boiling in his body as he involuntarily inhales your scent, a hand running over your back comfortingly. He’s about to say something as the man slowly gets up, grabbing the back of his head. “fuck- You little-” he starts, though he seems to freeze suddenly, gaze finding Jungkooks icy glare.
“I’d reconsider doing that.” he lowly threatens, simply staring while his free hand holds onto the light metal pipe he’d already used once. It’s a single sentence that holds a way bigger threat to anyone understanding the hidden message- and the stranger definitely seems to be able to connect the dots, as he gets up, and simply runs off- shoulder hitting the side of a building before he vanishes from sight.
He’s lucky.
Without you here, he probably would’ve lost his hand for touching you. He could’ve broken his fingers, getting away with it by claiming it to be accidental. His boots are heavy- he should’ve maybe ‘tripped’ over his palm, scratching the skin at the very least, punishing him for doing what he did. It disgusts him to think that the man had gotten away with touching anything that belongs to you- though he cant help it. He will be more thorough next time- if there will ever be one.
Certainly not if he’s around. Though he’s got to be careful.
You’d never want him if you’d experience him being violent- he knows you don’t like it if someone even does so much as yell. He’s seen you flinch from your boss once when he’d scolded you a bit too loudly.
Jungkook would never yell at you.
“Let’s get you home.” he softly says instead, helping you up to your feet before he dusts your clothes off for you. You both walk out the alleyway and back into the open, more lively streets- people walking past you, though only a few are still awake at this hour. “you should maybe.. L-like, get one of those keychains with an alarm on it. I’ve heard it uh.. It scares such people off.” he recommends, and you nod.
“Thank you so much, Jungkook.” you say, bowing a little and making him visibly flustered. “if you weren’t-”
“hey, I was, no need to think about anything else.” he soothes your worries with a smile, before he nods towards the apartment building. “you live here?” he asks, even though he knows.
“yeah. Do you.. Want to come up?” you ask, and his breath hitches a bit.
“I-it’s late. I.. Thank you though.” he declines. He’s sure he wouldn’t be able to handle such a situation yet. You nod, visibly relaxing now. “Go up, I’ll stay here until you’re inside.” he promises with a smile, and you reach out to hug him for a second- before you run off to walk up to your apartment door.
Once there, you wave down at him, laughing a bit to yourself when he cutely waves back to you in the middle of the street. Though only in bed later that night do you wonder-
With your eyes glued to your phone, you impatiently wait for Jungkook’s message. He promised that he’d make you discover Seoul at night on his motorcycle, he described it as a very unique feeling, and since he talked about it, you’ve been dying to do it although it makes you extremely anxious to be on a motorcycle.
Everyone around you, except Jimin isn’t aware of this new little relationship with Jungkook. To be honest, you’re not even sure you can call him your new boyfriend so for the moment, you just don’t say anything. You simply disappear for hours with him without warning anyone.
Of course, your parents have started to realize something is a bit off with you but you’re a grown woman, and they are leaving you alone. Your mother is simply happy that you’re finally happier, she was really scared that the after Baekhyun would destroy you even more. She knew how much love you had for your ex-boyfriend.
jk : i’m in front of your place, honey
You jump out of bed before running to the entrance door. You only take with you your phone and your id card, nothing else should be needed for a motorcycle little trip, and you put on your shoes and jacket.
“I’ll be back in two hours,” you say to your mother before pressing a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re not eating dinner with us?” she asks.
You shake your head. On top of a little city tour, Jungkook promised to cook you dinner at his place before dropping you off at home, and that’s honestly thoughtful of him. However, you believe this man has some other plans on his mind, probably something including you being on his bed with your legs completely spread for him or something very similar.
“Have fun then!” she replies with a bright smile on her face. There’s absolutely no doubt you’re going to have fun with mister loverboy.
“See you,” you say before leaving the house.
As you step outside of your place, you find Jungkook in front of his motorcycle with two helmets in his hands. Your heart flutters at the sight, and for a moment, you simply look at him. Never in your life have you ever thought that this fuckboy would interest you or the other way around.
The man waiting for you is wearing a black leather jacket on top of a white shirt and ripped black skinny jeans. His eyes are looking down while he’s waiting for you to come out of the house. To say that he’s handsome is more than a total understatement, you could keep staring at him for hours. When he lifts his head and a smile arises on his face, you swear your heart skips a beat.
He starts walking in your direction but you almost run to him as he does so because you know your mother is hiding behind some window to get a sneak peek of the person you’re going to spend the night with. For the moment, you don’t want her to see him since you know she’ll directly invite him for dinner to question him. It’s too soon for that, you’re simply having fun with him for the moment.
“Stay where you are,” you practically yell at him.
A little chuckle leaves his lips before he halts, still holding tightly the helmets in his hands. Quickly, you take a look behind to check if your mother is really hiding behind a window. Thankfully, you don’t see her but you’re sure she’s there.
“My mom is for sure trying to see who I’m with, and she’ll force me, later on, to invite you at home,” you tell him as you get closer to him.
Jungkook puts the helmets on his motorcycle to be able to hold you tight in his embrace before he drives the two of you to the city. Honestly, this exclusive thing with you is very new to him and he doesn’t know what to do most of the time. The only thing he’s absolutely certain of is that he craves to be around you all the time. For that, he’s ready to overcome himself.
“But that wouldn’t be a bad thing, no?” he asks while he grabs you tightly in his arms.
A little giggle escapes your mouth when he pushes you into his arms before he presses a tender kiss on your lips. Automatically, your arms wrap around his neck as you kiss him with passion. Being around him has been making you feel alive in a way you’ve never felt before. Everything with him seems a hundred times better, and you desire to keep him in your life for the longest time possible.
“My mom adored Baekhyun,” you reply as you break the kiss. “I’m sure she’d make you go through hell to be positive that you’re better than him.”
His arms hold you tighter. “I managed to convince her daughter that I was better than him, maybe I’ll be able to convince her,” he replies before placing a strand of hair behind your ear.
“My mother will eat you alive, JK,” you say. “The first time she met Baekhyun I thought she was going to kill him, it was a miracle she ended up liking him.”
If your mother finds out that he used to be a fuckboy, there’s absolutely no way she’ll like him, not even a tiny bit.
“But let’s not talk about this right now,” you tell him.
Thinking and talking about your ex is never easy for you because it reminds you of all the pain he gave you towards the end of your relationship. You’re not even sure you’ll ever be able to forgive him for what he did to you.
“Is he still texting you?” Jungkook asks with concern.
Recently, Baekhyun has been texting you a lot, trying to get you back which is honestly super annoying. Before you left him, he absolutely didn’t care about you, and now, he suddenly realized that he had a girlfriend he apparently ‘loved’. Jungkook is more than mad that your ex only opened his eyes this late, but he’s really on the verge of kicking his ass.
“Yep, he texted me an hour ago,” you sigh.
You wish things would have happened differently with him because damn, you were so in love. Your heart was only beating for him but then, Jungkook showed up, turned your world upside down, and made you realize you were worthy of so much more. Since he appeared in your life, things have changed for the better. To you, he always does things right to make you feel extremely special, and you’ve tried your best to make him feel the same way.
“I swear to god that I’m going to kick his ass,” he rolls his eyes.
The only reason why he hasn’t done it yet is that you’ve begged him not to. The rumors are already so huge behind the reasons why you and Baekhyun aren’t together anymore, and you don’t want to make things worse. People keep gossiping that Jungkook is the reason why you aren’t together anymore but it isn’t fully because of him. You and Baekhyun are the real ones responsible for the ending of your relationship. The campus fuckboy just opened your eyes, nothing else.
If the boys start fighting over you in front of everyone, it’ll just make things worse. People will start saying that you left Baekhyun over Jungkook, and your ex will most probably think that it’s true. Right now, all you want is for things to calm down, and see how things with Jungkook can work. It’s all too new.
“Please don’t,” you reply while cupping his face in your hands.
He presses a kiss on your lips as if he’s saying “okay, I won’t do anything” and once he puts an end to the kiss, he grabs one of the helmets.
“Now, let’s get into this motorcycle for a little night out,” he says.
He hands you the helmet and helps you out to put it in your head. It honestly feels like all your face is being squeezed but it’s always better to play safe when you jump into such a monster like Jungkook’s motorcycle. For a brief moment, he takes the time to admire you. It’s the first time ever he’s letting a girl take a ride with him on his motorcycle, but you’re not any random girl. You’re his girl.
“Ready?” he asks before putting his helmet on.
There’s no doubt that he looks absolutely hot with it. Well, absolutely everything fits him well, but something about this outfit with the helmet makes him look extra good. For sure, with him looking this attractive, you’ll end up having a very steamy session once you’re at his place.
You nod, ready to explore the city with this stunner. The man adjusts your helmet visor to protect your eyes, a smile appearing on his face. He can’t help but think you’re absolutely adorable.
“Okay, give me your phone,” he says before you hand him your phone.
Jungkook puts it in the pocket inside his jacket, keeping it safe for you while you explore the city on his motorcycle.
“I’m going to place myself first, and you’ll take a place behind me,” he starts saying. “I’ve put handles on each side so you can hold yourself onto them while I drive,” he shows you the handle placed on the right side. “And you’re going to put your feet here,” he shows you the footrest of the motorcycle. “If there’s anything, you just tell me and I’ll stop right away, okay?”
You simply nod before the two of you take a seat on the massive motorcycle. Of course, you do as Jungkook explained to you seconds ago and it seems like a correct position to enjoy the view around you. Your heart is starting to beat extremely fast, you’re not really sure about this little drive with him although you’re a hundred percent confident he’ll be very careful. What you don’t trust is the motorcycle.
“I’ve connected our helmets together so we can easily talk and listen to each other while I’m driving,” his voice echoes in your helmet as if he was whispering in both your ears.
You can see his face turned to you, a little smile appearing on your face. This man has thought about everything, even connecting your helmets to have a normal conversation. This warms your heart in an indescribable way, and it makes you wonder once more how this man was a fuckboy not so long ago.
“Thanks, Jungkook,” you reply with a small voice, confident that he heard it perfectly in his helmet.
He simply nods, happier than ever to have you on his motorcycle. The man puts his gloves on before slowly and carefully starting the engine. Your heart beats faster at the loud sound, your hands strongly grabbing the handles.
“I’m going to start riding very slowly, let me know if it’s not okay for you,” he says, his eyes focused on the road in front of him.
“Okay,” you answer.
As he said, the motorcycle starts to slowly move but you’re extremely nervous right now. You try to calm yourself down while the man gently drives. It’s more than obvious he’s being extra cautious because he doesn’t want to scare you or make you panic, but it goes to his heart that you’re ready to test something he’s passionate about.
Slowly but surely, you start to feel less anxious, and you grow accustomed to being on this vehicle. The feeling of being on the motorcycle is quite unique, the wind collides against your entire body but Jungkook’s body almost feels like a shield in front of you. Everything around you moves at the same speed as if you were inside a car but there’s no window between you and the world around you. You’re in direct connection together.
“How are you feeling?” Jungkook asks with apparent concern.
“Better,” you answer without any hesitation.
The city around you doesn’t seem to be sleeping at this exact moment. There are cars everywhere, people walking in the streets, lights turned on in almost every building, and animated restaurants. This is a world you never got to see, even inside your car when you’re driving at night.
For a little longer, Jungkook keeps driving at the same speed, not going any faster as he wants to make sure you’re just fine. He can imagine that this must feel odd for you and every step of the way, he desires you to feel comfortable. If tonight you don’t go faster, it’s totally fine for him. All that matters is that you’re feeling good.
But you love speed, you love the adrenaline that comes with it. So now, you want more.
“You can go faster, Jungkook,” you inform him.
“Are you sure?” The man doesn’t look back but he wishes he could because he’d love to see your face.
“A hundred percent sure,” you answer without any hesitation.
Your eyes watch with wonder all around you, the regular breathing of the driver in your ears, the wind brushing against your body, and the sweet scent of Jungkook lingering in your air. This is and feels wonderful. This is definitely something you’d like to repeat again and again with him.
You barely feel it when he drives faster as you’re completely hypnotized by the world around you. Seoul at night is wonderful and a scenery everybody should have the opportunity to see. You already believed that driving at night was something, but discovering it from the passenger side of a motorcycle is magical.
“It’s beautiful,” you whisper.
Jungkook doesn’t need to see you to understand those words come from the bottom of your heart, but he desires now to see the sparkle in your eyes as you stare around you. He’s sure your eyes are shining so bright at this exact moment.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replies.
Your heart flutters at his words, and unexpectedly, you leave the handles to wrap your hands around his tiny waist. Carefully, you press your head against his back while you keep admiring the view before your eyes.
“Thanks for this, Jungkook,” you tell him.
His heart warms in a way he can’t quite explain. No other woman has ever had such power over him, he wants to give and make you discover the world. He’s always ready to give you his entire being, knowing that you’ll listen to him and try to understand his point of view. Around you, he isn’t scared to be himself.
For the rest of the ride, you stay pressed against him while you discuss both your favorite places. When you talk together, you realize there are so many places in the city you’ve never got to visit despite the fact you’ve been living here since the second you were born. Jungkook doesn’t tell you the places he has brought his hookups to because he doesn’t want to ruin this moment, but he has some memorable souvenirs at some places with some girls.
“You’re the first person to ever get on my motorcycle,” he confesses.
To say you’re surprised is an understatement. You truly believed that this man would have brought back home his hookups on it since a lot of girls only seem to talk about how attractive he looks on it. You thought he would have used it as an argument to have more girls spreading their legs for him.
“Really?” you ask with surprise.
“My motorcycle is my baby and I don’t want some random people to be on it,” he says. “Plus, I love driving alone, it helps me to think, but I really wanted you to discover this unique feeling of being on a motorcycle,” he explains.
A smile grows on your face at his words. Jungkook definitely knows how to make you feel special.
“You’re so thoughtful,” you reply with still that idiot smile on your face.
“Well, I want you to step inside my world and it starts with this,” he explains.
You hold him tighter, he’s being too adorable with you right now, and it’s making your heart flutter way too much. You’re not sure you can handle him being extra cute with you, you’ll probably faint or something.
“Now, let’s go home, babe,” he says. “It’s getting late and we still need to eat.”
You simply nod, your arms still wrapped around him while he drives the two of you to his place. Tonight is definitely a very special night, and for sure, one of the best nights of your life. Being on a motorcycle is something you can’t quite explain, but it’s a wonderful feeling.
The drive to his place is quite fast but none of you speak during that time. Jungkook is simply enjoying the fact of having you completely pressed against him while you’re enjoying the beautiful city displaying before your eyes. So the silence is definitely not an awkward one.
Once you reached the parking of the apartment complex where he lives, he stops the vehicle before he steps out of it. Without any hesitation, he helps you get out with still your helmets on your head. As soon as you put your feet on the ground, Jungkook takes the helmet out of your head because he desperately desires to see you. The second he sees your sparkling eyes, his heart instantly warms.
“How was it?” he asks while he takes his helmet off.
“Wonderful,” you reply before pressing a kiss on his lips.
Jungkook smiles while kissing you. This day will for sure be one he’ll never forget, no matter what happens between the two of you.
“Perfect then,” he replies.
The two of you head then to the elevator to reach his apartment’s floor and finally eat dinner together. Useless to say that he ate you out before you both eat dinner.
since a lot of you have been eager to read more about our dear fuckboy jungkook and oc, you can suggest in my inbox what moments between the two you’d love to read. i’ll write small drabbles (with or without smut) based on your suggestions and i’ll post them just randomly. please keep in my mind that i’ve already written down a drabble with oc and jungkook on his motorcycle that will be posted very soon. my biggest fear with the continuation of this one-shot is to not have enough ideas so i believe this way, this will be a series written by all of us ❤️
on top of that, i’d like to mention that everyone that was tagged on the fic will automatically be tagged on the drabbles & if you weren’t tagged but would like to be now, just let me know ❤️
Genre: Fluff Characters: Jungkook, Reader (+ Bam) Warnings: Slight bad language, but that’s it. Just fluff. Description: While on vacation with you and his band members, Jungkook notices his new puppy, Bam, is gone. Word Count: 560 (Just a little drabble) A/N: I know, I know… you guys are waiting for the update for The Bath House, and it is coming! I promise. But I just had this little scenario in my head that I needed to put out there. Hope you enjoy! x
“Hey hyung, where’s my dog? Have you seen Bam?” Jungkook asked, furrowing his brows in confusion as he took a quick look around the living room.
“No, he’s not in here.” Yoongi responded, not looking up from his game of Mario Kart, where he was concentrating on trying to keep up with Jin’s Yoshi. “I think Y/N took him to her bedroom to play with.”
Jungkook smirked and rolled his eyes, knowing that he should’ve assumed you were up to your puppy stealing antics once again.
“Ok thanks.” He responded, leaving the living room to go up the stairs of the vacation rental, to find you in your temporary bedroom.
You were laying on your side on the bed, back towards the door, completely oblivious to your doe-eyed best friend leaning against the door frame with a grin on his face. You were too preoccupied with Jungkook’s new puppy Bam, who you had only just met this weekend but had fallen absolutely in love with. You cooed at him, petting behind his floppy ears and giggling over his paws that he hasn’t quite grown into yet.
“I found the puppy thief.” Jungkook finally spoke up, causing you to turn your head to look at him over your shoulder.
“Puppy thief? He loves me. He’s spending quality time with his auntie Y/N.” You giggled, turning your attention back to the puppy.
“Auntie Y/N? You’re such a weirdo.” Jungkook teased, chuckling to himself.
“I’M a weirdo? Ok, sure. Taehyung put this poor baby’s ear in his mouth and nobody bats an eye, but I’m the weird one for taking him up here for snuggles. Makes perfect sense.” You playfully sassed back.
Jungkook snorted at your remarks, walking over to the bed to see your hand continuing to scratch in Bam’s favorite spot, right behind his ear.
“You know what I think? I think somebody’s jealous that he’s not getting snuggles.” You told Bam. Jungkook shook his head at the cuteness of you talking about him to his dog.
“You’re really talking shit about me to my dog? Unbelievable.” He smirked.
“Hey! No cussing in front of the baby.” You playfully scolded, turning back to Jungkook. “But I think I’m right. If you wanted snuggles, you could come in and join us, instead of ruining our time together.”
“You know what Y/N? You’re right.” Jungkook said, earning a glare from you.
He crawled onto the bed next to you, forcing you to move over to accommodate him while Bam’s slightly disturbed from the movement, lifting his head up to see what was happening. Jungkook put an arm over you, reaching over to pet the dog while managing to keep you close, something he considered an added bonus.
“You were definitely right, Y/N, this is so much better. I guess I was just jealous.” He teased, smirking as he knew he won.
You looked at Bam, who’s big puppy eyes were looking right back at you, his tail wagging at the attention he was receiving.
“You see this, Bam? This bitch called my bluff.”
Jungkook laughed, and you smiled at the feeling of his warm breath tickling your skin.
“What happened to no cussing in front of my dog?” Jungkook asked, lightly pinching your arm, causing you to giggle.
“Fine. You win.” You conceded, just content with the feeling of being in Jungkook’s arms.
synopsis: A trip to Seoul ends up transporting you 300 years in the past. How will you survive the Palace life that you surprisingly end up in? Or will the King kill you?
pairing: king!jungkook x female timetraveler!reader
Probably the only thing that was keeping him up at the moment was the wooden desk under his hands. The same one that she spread herself on for him.
Jerking his hand away as if burnt, he turns around to remove the memory from his mind. His hands clench up into fists to hide the tremble in them. This can’t be happening.
“Your Majesty,” his general stops behind him with a bow, interrupting his thoughts.
“Well?”
“No sign of Her Majesty, Your Majesty.”
His tongue presses against his cheek as he slowly turns around to regard the most loyal servant that just failed him.
“You mean to tell me that you, with thousands of soldiers, can’t find the Queen?”
The general at least has the decency to not show his face as he utters his defeat. “No, Your Majesty.”
He lets out a dry laugh, borderline crazy, as he approaches the general. He stops in front of him, bending slighting to get to eye level with him, even though the other man is staring at the floor.
His hand closes around the hill of the general’s dagger, and he pulls it out the next second. His other hand fists the back of his head, snapping his head backward, and presses the dagger to his neck.
“You better listen closely because it’s the last time I give this order. Gather as many men as possible, and you are to search every inch of this palace, of the city, of the entire country. But don’t you dare return before me without my wife.”
He keeps him under the blade for a few seconds to make sure that he made his point before shoving him away. He thrusts the blade in the desk, returning to his position from earlier as the general takes his departure.
He finally acknowledges the tears streaming down his face as they smear the ink on the royal verdicts.
Enraged at them, at the world, at _____, he shoves them away. All of it. The burning candle, the books, the papers, the brushes, the damn brushes that she used to steal from him study.
He collapses to the floor after all of that, breaking in gut ranching sobs. The eunuchs and the maids at least have the decency of slightly retreating to leave the mourning king his privacy.
Unlike his trusted advisor Min, that is foolishly stepping into the Lion’s den.
“Leave if you value your head on your shoulders.”
“I’m not here as a subject, I’m here as a friend of Sukjong.”
He wants to laugh at that sentence but his body won’t let him.
“Have they been dealt with?”
“There are still a few names that we need to get, but I’ll get them.” There is a sinister smile on his face that he is now pleased to see.
“Good, good… I’ve heard your father was among them.” A pregnant silence falls between the two of them.
“A slip-up on his part. My loyalty lies with my king, not a fallen queen.”
His eyes fall on his friend, and he feels grateful for his friend.
“So, this was the reason for it,” he tsks.
“Mainly, they were already planning to force your hand in demotion Her Majesty.”
He lets out a short, mocking laugh, “They weren’t pleased with making me take Choi into my harem, they had to have more. Choi and that bastard of hers.”
The anger inside of him almost reaches a boiling point as he starts shaking in rage.
“Tell Hoseok that now is the time to convince her to leave, that is not safe for her. I want her gone. They don’t get to have any satisfaction about their plotting.”
The magistrates struck immediately after the death of their second son, attacked his lover, and he had to give them a fake upper hand to protect her. That’s when Min had the idea of entrusting one of his trustworthy men to seduce her.
And when she got desperate enough, she let him get her pregnant. He had to let her seduce him after it, and it’s no surprise when he could barely get it up. He was that disgusted by her.
With _____ gone, he can’t get rid of the thought that the last thing she remembers from being with him is him pulling away from her touch when all he wanted was to pull her into his chest and apologize for all that he did to her. He was just trying to protect her, and yet he failed her once again like he failed their son.
Min trains his throat to catch his attention.
“We managed to find her maid, Neul Neul, and…”
“What?” he rasps, feeling drained from everything he found out already.
“It seems that Her Majesty was aware of the plot happening against her, that’s why she appeared before the magistrates today.”
And what of an appearance she has made. She looked exactly like the Queen she was before she withdrew from him. Fierce and strong, and foreign, she was looking like the foreigner that she was but everyone ignored her. Yet he loved every bit about it, he deeply loved her. He still deeply loves her. But he mostly missed her, he misses her like a bleeding wound. And she left him.
He thought about it in the beginning, that as easily as she arrived here that she could leave. But after years of her living here he stopped thinking about it. He didn’t think it was an option anymore for her. She loves Bunny too much to give him up.
Oh, my Gods. Little Bunny, how she likes to call him, a foreign name that he learned to say for her. How is he going to raise him to be a fitting king? He was a good enough king with her help, but now without her-
“The maid confessed that Her Majesty was ready to escape after her stunt, and they swapped places last minute, but they almost got caught when the Royal Guard appeared.”
“Wait… the Royal Guard? But I didn’t-“
“I know that, and the magistrates knew that too, we think that they assumed she would go more willingly if she thought that the order was from you.”
If he had anything else to throw around, he would.
“You mean, that when I was reaching for her- that she thought I was trying to-“ he needs a few breaths before he can utter the words. “She ran and pulled away from me because she thought that I was trying to catch her to punish her.”
Min has the decency to bend his head when he says yes.
This is probably the most heartbreaking thing for him. What happened to them that made them doubt their relationship so much. So much that at the time when she is in danger, she would pull away from him. The one that promised her safety. He vowed to himself that he would protect her in this foreign world.
And he failed her. He failed you.
With ragged breaths, he eyes the blade that he stuck into the desk. Thinking of the night that she was in his arms, hands threading through his hair, his hand closes around the hill of the dagger and he pulls it out.
With the other hand, he untied his hair, letting it fall before fisting it at the base of his neck. And slicing it clean off.
He hears the sharp inhale coming from Min but he doesn’t regret his decision.
“I lost my honor the moment I broke my promise. Announce that the country is in mourning, they’ve lost their Queen. I expect a few challenges when you present my defeat. I’ll be waiting for them, protecting the throne that rightfully belongs to my son.”
He hands over the ponytail that most Koreans would die over then part, and he nods towards the doors, dismissing Min.
It never got better. The pain of losing someone. Especially when you fault yourself for it.
But life moves on. And he had a son and a kingdom that depended on him. Their son, the only remaining part that he had left from her. And he looks and behaves so much like her, even though she only spent a few years with him.
It would especially hurt when Yi Yun would look at him with adoration in his sparkling eyes.
He was already at the age that he could wear the Crown Prince blue garment. The one that he wore when he met you. Not exactly that one, that one is saved for when he can fill it out, but for now he wears a smaller version.
“Father, why are you sad?” Yi Yun cranes his neck to look up at him. Jungkook looks down at him and squeezes his shoulders in conform.
“I miss your mother.”
“I miss mother too, but do you know what she told me before she left?”
“What did she tell you?” he asks curiously like Yi Yun hasn’t told him millions of times already.
“That I need to grow up to be like Father, so you can’t be sad.”
He laughs when he hears the conclusion he pulled from those words, blinking away the tears that filled his eyes. He could never get over how those words impact him. How much you must have loved him for your last words to their son to be… this.
“Okay, okay, from now on Father will not be sad so Yi Yun can grow up happy.”
He seems satisfied with his answer and he turns to lock back towards the garden. _____’s garden.
“I’m almost as good as Mother at painting,” Yi Yun announces proudly.
“Are you now? Did you study her drawings?” the ones she sneakily left behind with instructions to reach future time. Like Yi Yun would not sneak the portrait of her around, so much that he got worried that it would get too damaged and he commissioned an exact replica of it. It still seems somewhat different from what you painted, but Yi Yun didn’t find any mistakes.
So, he greedily gets to keep the original in his study. On lonely nights he pulls it out and traces your brushstrokes. He doesn’t dare to pull out the one of him. He can’t look at himself through your eyes. Not after what he has done.
“I did. I painted Mother one with me being a big boy, so she won’t miss me.”
“I’m sure she misses you nonetheless.”
“But wouldn’t that mean that she is sad? I don’t want Mother to be sad.”
“We’ll have to ask her when we meet her in another life.”
“Your Majesty,” they are interrupted, and as he turns around, he sees Min.
“Yi Yun, why don’t you go and get ready for your tutor?”
“But I don’t want leave yet-“ a hard stare from him shuts him up, but there is still a pout present as he makes his way, dragging his feet, towards Neul Neul.
When he is out of earshot, Jungkook turns to Min.
“I came as soon as I could, Your Majesty.”
“Good, good, I have something to ask from you Min.”
“Anything, Your Majesty,” he replies instantly.
“You are one of the few people that I trust with my life and this that kind of matter…. I need a letter to get to 2021. This is a legacy promise.”
“It would be my family’s honor, Your Majesty.”
“Good, I know that you won’t disappoint me.”
You think that it’s 4 years after you returned to… your starting timeline when you see him. It was an idea in the back of your head, that maybe you would notice him on the street. Slim chances considering the population of Seoul.
But there he is. Pushing the small girl on the swings of a random park. That is a sight that you would have never imagined.
You stopped watching their videos and listening to their song, just because it was too hard for you. You would find yourself watching some videos late at night when you feel alone, just to make yourself suffer.
You want to look away because you know you shouldn’t stare, most of the fans would disapprove if they saw you. But you want to absorb every detail because you see him in flesh. But he is not JK, not your JK, he is Jungkook, a global superstar.
When you are about to turn around, his head snaps up, his eyes landing on you, gazes clashing. You inhale sharply, while you see him frown in confusion. Of course.
You blink tears away, that you didn’t notice forming, and turn around and leave.
Maybe in another life.
It all started when the drawings from the Gyeonghui Palace were found. Yoongi remembered the myth attached to the Min family. Okay, not a myth, he saw the damn letter with his own eyes, along with the portrait.
He forgot long ago about it, the letter in case in care of his brother. But the resurfacing of the portrait, along with the one of King Sukjong, who has a striking resemblance to Jungkook. Fuck him, he can’t ignore it anymore, that’s his fucking bandmate.
So, that means only one thing.
“Jungkook!” Yoongi bursts into Jungkook’s studio, sure to find him there, and he does, with a pair of headphones on his head, probably listening to a beat.
“Hyung,” he jumps in his chair, caught red-handed.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about-” his words die in his mouth as he sees the screen of Jungkook’s computer, a photo of the Gyeonghui portraits upon it. “What are you doing?”
“Oh, I was with Soo yesterday at the park and someone familiar was staring at me. It seems that it was familiar because she looked exactly like Hui-Bin Jang.”
summary;jungkook had seen many flowers, but yn was the most beautiful on
a.n;the 'bomb-momb’ thing is about the time when jungkook and rest of the bts cannot stop laughing in the middle of filming the 'hause of army’ because jungkook couldn’t pronounce 'army bomb’. if you didn’t see it yet i am dropping the link here.
summary;jungkook had seen many flowers, but yn was the most beautiful on
a.n;the 'bomb-momb’ thing is about the time when jungkook and rest of the bts cannot stop laughing in the middle of filming the 'hause of army’ because jungkook couldn’t pronounce 'army bomb’. if you didn’t see it yet i am dropping the link here.
