Bucket Hat

Tenth Floor

As soon as we step inside my sister notices Jungkooks manager has inserted the key. She leans close to me and whispers, "Where is he taking us El? Like a secret area for the rich and famous or something?" I can't help but stifle my laugh and slap her arm. "Shh!! No! You'll see so just be quiet and don't embarrass me!" Kayla rolls her eyes and scoffs at my remark but does as I ask and keeps quiet. After a very long minute or so, the bell of the elevator dings and the golden doors open to the familiar hallway from last night. The man exits and gestures us to follow him. Kayla's eyes are the size of golf balls as she's scanning every inch of the hallway and the several closed doors we pass. "El! Do you think any of the members are behind any of those doors?" She's digging her elbow into my side while trying, but failing, to whisper to me. I hear the man chuckle but he doesn't turn back to us. "Which room were you in last night? Which one is JK's?" I look at her with pleading eyes, begging with them for her to shut up. She gets what I'm trying to say and clamps her mouth with a smirk. Once we reach the end of the hallway the man opens a set of double doors. "Jungkook asked that you both please go in and make yourselves comfortable. He will join you shortly, he is finishing up some work with the members." I smile and thank him and we walk into the room. The man smiles, bows and shuts the doors behind us. "Whoa El! Is this like a conference room turned into a gigantic dining room?" I look around and walk slowly, taking it all in. Straight ahead in the center of the large room is a huge glass table with at least a dozen or more chairs surrounding it. On the table there are cream ceramic plates with cutlery, napkins and glasses at every chair. Off to the left I see three black leather couches making the shape of a C around a glass coffee table, which is scattered with papers, and I can clearly see Korean writing on them. There's a large tv mounted to the wall facing the couches. I see a doorway in the left corner, which I would guess would take you to restrooms, well, because it has the picture indicating a unisex bathroom. To the right the walls are all glass with a beautiful view of the city. Against the wall straight behind the dining table is a row of tables, probably where a buffet would be set out, seeing how the groups entire staff has to be fed. There's also three refrigerators with glass doors showing the immense variety of beverages from all over the world. "El, look at this view! I didn't think Chicago was this pretty." I see Kayla standing at the glass windows and I walk over to peer out onto the city with my sister. She was right, it looked beautiful. But all I could focus on was my body shaking and sweating because I was so nervous again. "I'm so nervous Kay. I feel like I'm going to be sick. Last night was one thing, but seeing him again...and after we kissed!" I sigh and start panicking worse thinking how Jungkook will walk in at any moment. What if I'm not dressed well enough? What if my hair isn't good enough? Or my make-up? Internally I was ripping myself apart and cursing myself for not applying much make-up. I'm just not a make-up person though. Kayla nudges my side to get my attention. "Ella...stop it. I can see you crawling under your skin. You look great. Your dress looks great, your hair looks great. Even the tiny amount of make-up you refused to let me help you with looks great. And he must have liked who he met last night or he wouldn't have texted you and invited you to dinner tonight. This is their day off to recoup and rest before another show tomorrow. But he stayed up late into the morning talking with you....KISSED you....and now has invited you to dinner. That should tell you he liked what he saw last night. Now take a deep breath and chill the fuck out some. I'm right here too, so don't be nervous." She wraps her arms around me and hugs me while I just lay my head on her shoulder. "I'm trying Kay. Thank you for agreeing to come with me." She half shoves me and says, "How could I say no? I get to meet Jeon Jungkook! And I'm standing where Min Yoongi could have possibly stood! I wonder if he's eaten in here and which chair he sat in?" She starts looking at the table while I laugh. "He's eaten in here once I think. I don't remember what chair he sat in though." A voice comes from behind us and we both whip around to see its owner.

There he stood, his black hair wavy but styled, wearing tight ripped blue jeans and a similarly tight navy button down. I think I stopped breathing. He look perfect. No make-up, but does he even need any anyway? He looked godlike to me. Kayla must be thinking the same way because she hasn't peeped a word and when I steal a glance at her her jaw is hanging lower than I've ever seen it. He is looking directly at me, smiling, but not moving an inch from the doorway. "Good evening Ella. I hope you had a nice day since we talked?" I let the breath out I was holding, blink....blink....and then remember what I'm doing and smile. "I-I did, thank you. I hope you got some rest. I know this is your day to rest before another concert tomorrow." I see his cheeks turn a slight shade of pink as he starts walking toward us. He looks so confident but the pink tint suggests to me he's a little nervous as well. That and how he's rubbing his hands together as he's walking. "I've gotten plenty of rest. I'm sorry that you had to wait, the members and I had to finish going over the set list and final details for tomorrow." He stops a couple feet in front of me, still smiling, while I notice him now playing with his fingers. Is he that nervous too? Jeon Jungkook is nervous to see ME? I'm nobody though. I look down at my own hands that I'm wringing nervously and say, "Ahh....no no. We've only been waiting a few minutes. You're work is more important. It was no problem to wait." He tilts his head a little while still smiling. "Nothing is more important than a beautiful woman waiting for you. You look really beautiful Ella." And then I died. The butterflies in my stomach burst out and killed me with his statement. Never in my life has anyone said something so cheesy but cute to me. I feel the heat cover my face and neck and can say nothing, but I look down again. He chuckles at my reaction and then turns to Kayla. "Hello, my name is Jeon Jungkook, it's nice to meet you. You are Ella's sister?" Kayla start stammering as she answers him. "Y-yes! I'm her little sister Kayla. It's so nice to meet you. I'm a huge fan of yours. And of BTS! I love you guys! God you're good looking!"

I'm again mortified by what leaves my sisters mouth. Of all the stupid fan girl things to say....it was so cliche. But Jungkook just laughs while nodding his head and bowing slightly. "Thank you. It's always nice to meet ARMYs." Kayla says nothing more, just does this fake ass giggly thing. I do a silent facepalm and nudge her to get her attention, mouthing 'stop it' when she finally looks. She wide eyes me and takes a deep breath to calm herself. "Should we sit down for dinner?" Jungkook says as he motions us to the table. We both smile and follow. "Please sit wherever you like. The food will be here in moments. He waits for us to sit first. I sit and Kayla walks around the table to sit across from me. Probably wanting to be able to look at him the whole time. Jungkook then walks up and touches the chair next to me. "Can I sit here?" He looks at me with his smile still attached. "O-oh...of course!" I pat the chair and he smiles while pulling the chair to sit.

We sit for a minute in an awkward silence, no one knowing what to say. Kayla pipes in first. "You speak English really good. I remember you saying you were taking lessons, and how your English was from videos a few years ago. You've gotten a lot better." Jungkook blushes a bit while nodding at her. "Thank you. I have tried to study harder since we have gotten a lot more international fans and recognition. I want to help my hyungs during speeches and be able to understand others during interviews. I still have a lot to learn though." He was so cute. I love his accent but Kayla is right, his English is very good. "I don't think you need to learn more, I can totally understand everything you say. You really are the Golden Maknae." He looks down to his lap and smiles, clearly embarrassed. I kick Kayla under the table. "OWW! God damn El!!" She looks at me pissed but then realizes she just cursed out loud. I roll my eyes again while looking at the ceiling. I quickly turn to Jungkook to apologize for her. "I'm so sorry Jungkook! She didn't mean to curse like that!" He laughs and waves his hands at us. "No no guys. Don't. I want you to feel comfortable here. Please talk freely." I glare at Kayla while she sends me a smug smirk.

The doors open behind us and I hear wheels rolling. We all turn to see hotel employees wheeling in carts of food. They bring it to the table and begin laying it all out. There was so much food! Way more than all three of us could ever eat. Jungkook must have noticed my eyes widening at the spread because he chuckles and says, " I wasn't sure what you liked. So I ordered everything on the menu." I slowly turned to him and see him rubbing the back of his neck with a shy smile on his beautifully kissable lips. "You didn't have to do this. This is so much food! I would have been fine with anything you chose." He shyly glances at me and then the table before saying, "I didn't want you to be fine with whatever food. I wanted you to be full on food you prefer." Oh stop my heart! He is too sweet. We look at each other smiling and Kayla ruins our little moment with her mouth yet again. "That's the sweetest crap I've ever heard! Jeesh El, I'm jealous you caught the bucket hat and not me." My eyes go wide and I turn my head slowly to toward her, shocked at her overly honest comment. "Kayla! Don't say stupid stuff....please?" Jungkook again just laughs when Kayla rolls her eyes and crosses her arms against her chest, obviously pouting at me scolding her in front of him. "It is really ok. I am glad she caught my hat though." Our eyes lock and I can see the sincerity in his eyes. We both smile and blush fully and look away. Jungkook clears his throat. "Let's eat before this goes cold, yeah?" I smile and nod.

"I knew I smelled food" I hear a voice say behind us.
"No, you knew JK was on a date in here." Another voice is heard. Kayla's eyes almost popped out of their sockets at what she was looking at. I turned around quickly and there stood all of them. BTS was all standing there in front of us.