radiant | jung hoseok | ✓

chapter ten | irish cream coffee

Jimin flashes me an excited grin, "Welcome to our home!" Then he throws the door open with dramatic flair.

A large room lies behind the door with hardwood flooring and surprisingly high ceilings. The windows are covered with curtains and the only light source of the room comes from the main light and small spinning disco balls set throughout the living room. They cast their spotted, rainbow lights across the blank walls and create party energy for the room.

A set of couches are focused in the far corner of the room with a large flat-screen TV at the center of it. A mess of blankets are thrown over the couches with various throw-pillows tucked into the corners. Large brown bookshelves border the TV on both sides and begin to overflow with various books and worn-out magazines. A Bluetooth speaker sits on one of the shelves and pulsates with blue light as it blasts pop music.

On the other side of the room, I catch a glimpse of a kitchen hiding behind a jutting-out wall. Though I may not be able to see the kitchen entirely, the masterpieces being created within it are no mystery. The heavenly aroma of barbeque sauce and the sound of sizzling meat is evidence enough that the kitchen is in full use.

I notice another hallway leading away from the main room and I assume that is where the bedrooms are.

"She's here!" Jimin shouts with the full force of his lungs.

Within seconds, the occupants of the house appear from their various spots. Taehyung and Jungkook sit up from the couch, their heads peeking over the back with mirrored curious expressions. Jin pokes his head out from the kitchen doorway with a soft pink apron that reads, "Kiss the Cook" on the front. Namjoon jogs down the hallway with Hobi on his heels.

"Finley!" Hobi celebrates, dodging around Namjoon's broad figure, and rushes up to me. He takes my hands and holds them gently, "I am glad you could make it!"

He's holding my hands! I think excitedly to myself.

I return his excited smile and hold his hand a little tighter. "Yeah, of course!"

Jin leaves the kitchen and comes to greet me as well. "Welcome! I hope you came hungry, I've been in the kitchen all day." He throws a pointed look at the boys on the couch, "These punks eat quickly so you might need to fight them for it."

I chuckle at his comment and nod, "Got it. I'm ready to fight."

Hobi releases my hand and moves to Jin's side, throwing his arm around his shoulder. "We really love your food, hyung. It's no surprise that we never have leftovers."

With Jin's dark-toned eyes glittering with smug humor he says, "Ah you're giving me such a high e-steam, Hobi."

Jimin makes a strangled sound of death and stumbles away, "He couldn't even last five seconds, hyung," he whines to Namjoon with pleading eyes.

Jin bursts out laughing at his own joke which makes the joke sound funnier than it was. I can't fight my growing smile so I cover my mouth shyly.

Hobi laughs as well, either out of sympathy or because he believes it was funny. "Sometimes I think you became our cook just so you could make more cooking puns."

Jin grins playfully at him and lightly pushes Hobi's shoulder back. "Maybe I did," he muses.

In the corner of my eye, I watch Namjoon give Jimin a light hug before moving to join our semi-circle. "Hey Finley, I hope the rain didn't give you any trouble," Namjoon greets and bows his head to me.

I bow my head in return, "It didn't, no worries. Thank you for inviting me here."

"Company barbeques are an absolute must!" Hobi claims, standing up straighter as he announces it. "Besides, it's nice to have a party every once in a while."