MOONCHILD, kim namjoon

05. wielder of shadows

That day, Jaehyun went back and cried again, because he was dramatic in that way.

Just the idea of someone loving someone else so much, when they were strangers at one point in their life overwhelmed him so much. And also the fact that Namjoon had absolutely no inspiration to write all of that until he asked Jaehyun to kiss him— yeah, he was definitely overwhelmed. Plus, that was Jaehyun's first kiss, so he wasn't even completely confident about it. And the passage that Namjoon had written was just so beautiful, that Jaehyun doubted it was actually due to the live-action example he had given. 

Plus, what was it with his heart doing this excited little dance every time he saw Namjoon?

(He saw him a lot, nowadays, but they couldn't stop for small talk because of the fact that now Namjoon's book would go into publishing. There was so much stuff to do, like the graphics for the cover, the final editing, proofreading, and all that jazz. It also included all the yelling sessions from the editor-in-chief, boss, or whatever, who risked losing her voice shouting at all the editors about how they were inefficient and how they should all be fired for being slow as elephants, but Jaehyun knew she didn't ill-mean that, and it was just because of pressure from her higher officials and problems back home. Or maybe he was just kind. Or the recent events fucked up his brain so much that he couldn't get mad at his boss and rant about it to Xumin after getting home, who would make her usual tea that never failed to calm him down.

All in all, the publishing house was in chaos, because Namjoon was one of their most profitable authors, and they did not want to let the money go.)

For a break, he'd come into the café right behind the publishing house, that his sister, Eunha had recommended the other day. He definitely did not expect a burst of emotions to hit him right as he was about to take a sip of his mocha, which led him to keeping the cup down and burying his face into his palms. 

You couldn't blame him when a sudden "Um, hi" almost made him jump.

When he wiped his eyes and looked up, he realised that it was the doe-eyed barista with a shit ton of tattoos and piercings. Upon realising that it was the barista, he tried to make himself look as normal as he could, smoothing out his hair that was fading back to its original colour, black. 

"You were the only customer, and I saw you sobbing into your palms, so I decided to just, you know, say something. Bad breakup?" he said, eyes skimming over Jaehyun's face. 

"No, it's nothing like that," Jaehyun replied, almost cringing at the absurdity. He'd spent most of his high school being like one of those people in books who absolutely denied the existence of love and cringed at the couples in school.

"Then?"

"Will you laugh at me if I said that it's because of a paragraph in a book that is yet to be published?"

If it was possible, the barista's big eyes got wider. There was a hint of a chuckle, and Jaehyun figured that the barista was restraining himself from laughing, out of cultural politeness.

"Oh, so you work at Honeydew?" Jaehyun nodded, recognising the name of the publishing house, "One or two employees from there are regulars, and they keep talking to each other about the 'big thing' that's going to happen, and apparently Kim Namjoon is going to publish the last book in his series." Jaehyun raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, I know eavesdropping is rude," he added with a grimace.

"I mean, it's not like everyone hasn't eavesdropped once in their life. I once overheard a conversation between my brother and his wife, and they were planning for a baby. I was traumatised for life and promised to myself that I would never ever eavesdrop again," that made the barista laugh a real laugh, no restrains this time. "I'm Seol Jaehyun, by the way, and— keep this a secret, please— Kim Namjoon's editor."

"Oh?" the other man raised his eyebrows, eyes going wide, "Jeon Jungkook."

Jaehyun wanted to put his hand out to shake, but he debated himself in his mind. It would seem incredibly formal, considering that Jungkook had basically seen him cry. Jungkook beat him to it by bringing his hand forward—the dude had tattoos on his knuckles and fingers—and Jaehyun replied by shaking his hand, with a smile that he'd been told which made him look like sunshine personified. Sunshine was overrated. Jaehyun preferred wielder of shadows.

"You have a nice smile, reminds me of someone I met recently," Jungkook said.

Ah, there he goes again.

☾

i know this chapter makes no sense whatsoever with regards to namjoon & jaehyun's relationship, but it'll make sense in the future!! if you also read yuri's fic hehe.

also hints towards jaehyun developing feelings?? we love to see this.

i literally have no idea how to end chapters el oh el.