Apathy, and His Smile JIKOOK||

Chapter 38

Jungkook

It had started to snow again during the evening. The bionic had been waiting and wiping tables all day, alongside the wintry draft from doors opening whenever customers would come into the café.

He had been working everyday with the exception of the day before. Sundays were days off, and although this was only supposed to be part time, Jungkook had volunteered himself to work the extra shifts during the holidays. Working was a way Jungkook found he could feel less guilty for not participating in the daily assignments he had taken before as a bionic. Even though he knew that he was now a bionic with real feelings, that still wasn't an excuse to not give back for his second chance at life.

"Oppa, what are you doing later on?"

A group of girls had ordered from one of the tables at the back, and Jungkook stiffened up. They had come to the cafe a few times during Jungkook's shift. At the very least they were in high school, and he knew that one of them was a university student. Since he had always been the youngest of his group of friends, the bionic felt immediately uncomfortable when one of the girls had greeted him this way.

One with a side braid and red cheeks from the cold tapped his arm. "We're going down to the festival later on, if you want to come with us?"

"I'm actually already going with a friend," Jungkook replied, as he awkwardly stood at the foot of their table.

"Oh? Then we can all go together then! It'll be fun oppa~"

Her friends chimed in. "Yeah! Come on oppa!"

"I-I'm not your oppa."

The girl jutted out her bottom lip, and tightened her grip around her coffee mug. "You're way too handsome to spend new year's alone! You don't have a girlfriend do you?"

"No..."

"Then-!"

"Excuse me, noona?" Seoyeon bowed slightly at the girl, and gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid we will be closing soon."

"Oh really? What time is it?"

"Almost 10."

The girls gasped, and hurriedly pooled out their money onto the table. "Ah right! Sorry about that. Are you sure you don't want to come with us oppa?" Two of the girls grabbed hold of Jungkook's arms, and the bionic looked at Seoyeon for help.

"He's working overtime today," his coworker answered.

The girl with the braid sighed, and smiled at Jungkook. "We can always wait-?"

One of her friends whispered to her: "we're supposed to meet up with the others though..."

Jungkook attempted a smile, and pulled his arms away from the girls. "You should go enjoy yourselves. Maybe next time."

"Aww okay, don't work too hard! Thank you for the coffee!"

Jungkook and Seoyeon bowed as the girls left, and the bionic immediately sighed when the doors closed behind them. Seoyeon laughed at him, and nudged his arm to which Jungkook awkwardly smiled back. "You should just reject them if they're bugging you!"

"But they're customers, I can't afford to offend them in any way."

"Jungkook oppa-"

"Please don't call me that."

Seoyeon laughed. "What? You know I'm actually younger than you unlike those girls, so what should I call you, hyung?"

"No, you can just call me Jungkook."