sea-kissed 🌊 || j.jk+k.th

{4} second deal 🌊

Jungkook looked up to the man now sat in front of him, comfortably settled in the opposite seat.

"I... I'm sorry, what ?"

The man giggled loudly at his confused tone, catching the attention of the three other people in the room. Jungkook waited patiently for him to stop, trying to figure out what the hell he wanted. He was wearing a gray suit and a light-pink tie ; his hair was deep black and pulled back, exposing pairs of eyebrows and of playful eyes ; his broad shoulders were shaking in amusement, and his skin, young and glowing, made Jungkook frown internally. The man was obviously older than him by years, and yet he radiated a much more youthful aura than he did. How unfair.

"If you don't have anything to tell me, then leave me alone." Jungkook snapped.

The stranger stopped giggling and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Aaah, Jungkook," he adressed him familiarly, "this is no way of speaking to a hotel manager."

"How do you know my name ? And who even are y- oh."

Jungkook felt the blood rushing to his face and heating his cheeks.

"You're Namjoon's friend," he said more to himself than to the man in front of him. "You run this hotel."

"Correct answer !"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I thought you were making fun of me."

"Well, I was, so I guess we're even."

Jungkook frowned again ; the other's mischievous smile could have been either joking or 100% serious.

"Well, let's start this conversation over. I'm Kim Seokjin. I run this hotel. And you're Jeon Jungkook. You pay a ridiculously low price for one of my best rooms. Nice to meet you !"

"Nice... to meet you too ?"

Seokjin smiled at him and he smiled back, because he was almost scared not to.

"Now," the man continued, "it may seem like I hold a grudge against you because my friend forced me into sacrificing my own benefit for you and, worry not, I sure do. However, I'm not one to bully you for such a childish reason. So I'll simply ask that you work for me a little bit outside of your lifeguarding schedule, okay ? Fair deal, isn't it?"

Jungkook didn't really have any other option than to agree with him, so he did the only thing he could do : reluctantly nod and avoid meeting his eyes.

"Perfect! Your first shift begins tomorrow morning, right ? Then meet me at the hotel tomorrow afternoon, after you're done for the day. It's a pleasure working with you, Jungkook."

Seokjin's smile was big and his hand wide-opened. Jungkook nodded once again and shook his hand, still not sure what was happening to him.

"Well then, have a good night," the hotel manager said while finally getting up and leaving the boy's table. "Oh, right !"

As he was about to leave the dining room, he spun around and continued with a smile :

"Order anything you want, dinner is on me tonight. But don't get used to it."

After that, he winked, and he left.

Jungkook stayed frozen for a few seconds, his brain trying to process the interaction. Had he just agreed to take on a second part-time job on the same day he had been hired for the first one ? Well, he probably wasn't going to be paid for this, so it didn't really count as a job.

And all in all, he didn't mind that much after all. He did leave Seoul in order to clear his mind, and working was a pretty good way of keeping his thoughts at bay.

His new boss, however, triggered if not worry, at least a little concern. He never had a boss winking at him before, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it.

But ever since he had dived in the sea to save a stranger's hat, Jungkook had had a feeling that he was in for a lot of surprises here, in Gimyong.

And boy, was he right.