Celestine

twenty two //

Jungkook

Tasting blood as I nibble on my lower lip, I stare at the screen of my phone. The stylist pulls my hair, and I hiss. When I already got used to Julia making comments about the 'wrong' things with my face, they gave me another intern, not gentle at all.

Nothing hurts as much as the silence. I'm so fucking stupid, and I've been chewing myself over since the day. Since she said it. I thought I was hallucinating, but then she said it again. I love you. I replay that in my head all the time, just to keep hearing it.

I love you. I love you. I'm in love with you.

And I didn't say it back.

I didn't tell her the truth, because I wasn't ready yet. But now she thinks I see her only as a friend, and we're falling apart. And I need to stop this before I'm too late.

Whether we can be together or not, I need to stop her from getting off the path completely. Time is all I need, but she needs to know about it to give me the time.

The recording today is frustrating for everyone. I can't get anything right, because I keep thinking about Célestine. Daniel clearly wants to come onto the set and slap me, but he sticks to pinching his nose bridge.

The sky's black when I leave. I call Célestine, but she doesn't pick up again. I need to see her and talk to her. I don't know if she's home, but I have no way of finding that out besides going there. If she's out, I'll wait on the doormat. But I need to finally catch her.

As I get into the lobby, almost running, I give the guard a quick wave. I'm about to press the elevator button, but a short man slips in between me and the wall.

My eyes widen. "Excuse me?"

"Excuse you? Excuse me, who are you?" he asks. He's wearing the security jacket, but it's not the guy I've been introduced to.

"I'm here for my friend," I say.

"Do you have a permission?" he asks, arms crossed on his chest.

My eyebrows crease. "A what? I am already allowed to go in."

"Yeah? Can I see a paper?"

"A paper? I don't have a pap- man, listen, I'm really in a rush."

"What friend are you here for?" he asks.

"Tina Cartier," I say. He laughs straight in my face.

This kind of reactions terrify me.

"You? For Tina Cartier?" he asks, grinning. "Sure, man, I'll-"

I'm about to put my fist on his face – the mocking tone really starting to piss me off – when the other elevator, Bruce's, opens and he strides out, in white polo and white knee shorts, definitely ready for golf. He stops to look at the commotion and raises his eyebrows.

"Jungkook, hi!" Seeing Infinity Weddings CEO has never made my heart flutter like that.

"Can you, please, tell this man I am allowed to see Tina Cartier?"

Bruce looks relieved. He walks up to us and shakes my hand. A smile on his face is telling. He knows what happened between me and Célestine, and he looks glad I'm here. "Let him in, Tom. He is Tina's friend."

Grumpy Tom mumbles something under his breath and finally frees the elevator button.

"Thank you," I tell Bruce. "I really need to see her."

"Watch out," he says, kind of playfully. "She might smack the door in your face."

"She's mad at me?"

"I'm not gonna say I know what happened, but she's rather embarrassed and awkward than mad."