Eyes Don't Lie

chapter 12

Mina peeks in the room and saw a sleeping figure of seung hugging wafiyah as she runs her fingers through his hair, she motions her to come out. Wafiyah carefully detach herself from his hold and follows Mina out "he likes you alot" wafiyah smiles "he's so loveable himself" they walk to kitchen and Mina asks her to sit while she make them lunch, wafiyah offers hand but she politely refused saying that she's a guest and must be taken care "his personality resembles Jungkook in many aspects" Mina says as she chops the vegetables "he's got Mr jeon's eyes" the moment she realized what she said it was too late, now Mina will think she stare at Jungkook her mouth filter doesn't work in such situations and lead to her embarrassment. When did she look so intently at his eyes to know they resemble to seung min's maybe in the elevator? She doesn't quite remember all she want is the earth to open and swallow her. She glance at Mina who was busy pouring the the vegetables in pan, there are only two possibilities either she didn't hear or she ignored it in both cases she's thankful "do you work?" Wafiyah asks to move on from the past discussion "No dear I prefer staying home and being treated like queen, going on shopping sprees and vacations. I don't want to get stress mark on my face" "that's my dream life too except the shopping and vacationing" Mina looks at her in disbelief "you can't be serious are you?" There was hinge of skepticism as she asks "really I hate shopping I have never bought anything myself, in my home country my sister used to shop for me and here Selena is my savior" Mina put her hand over her heart dramatically "what's wrong with you?" Jungkook asks as he make his way toward the fridge "she's not human kook" he furrowed his eyebrow not understanding a word "why? she looks human to me" Mina hold him by his arm pushing him to sit a little far from wafiyah "this girl doesn't go shopping at all like literally at all, have you ever seen a human not wanting to visit malls and shops, scan all materials and items and buy them" wafiyah looks down embarrassed. "Maybe seung is right then" he utters gently, his eyes never leaving her holding so much of an emotion he thinks is too early to name it "I second that" Mina agrees as she lowers the flame. Wafiyah thinks about what could he mean by that but couldn't put her finger on it "wafiyah" hearing her name from jungkook seemed a bit different than rest of people, it always took her out of any mental zone she would be in " yes" "it's time for prayer use seungie's room" she saw the time and indeed he was right "oh thank you sir" she leaves but not before melting his heart with her eye smile "back to earth kook" "don't let her go early okay" he whispers "kook you make it sound like you're an addict and she is your addiction, this isn't healthy for both of you" he gets up from his seat "maybe you're right too" he walks back to the lounge and Mina stand there staring at his back apprehensively. Wafiyah performed ablution and came out of restroom to pray then it hit her she didn't bring the bag in which her prayer mat was "Ya Allah I'm so stupid" she looks around to find something to pray on but there was nothing other then toys and plushies in the room. She thought of asking Mina for a clean mat or piece of clothing, as she opens the door jungkook came stopping at the right moment before they could bump again "Sir" "you okay wafiyah?" She nods "yes I'm fine but I forgot my prayer mat and I couldn't find anything to pray on" jungkook was having crisis he was torn between listening to her issue or focus on the close proximity, cherish it and take in as much from her closeness as possible "Sir" she calls again "how can I be of any help?" "Is there a piece of cloth or a mat ?" Jungkook thinks for a while looking around for any idea "would a bedsheet work?" "If its washed then yes" "cool let's get one from Noona" they went to Mina and asked "Noona do you have clean bedsheet?" She wiggles her eyebrows evilly "what are you two upto hmm, naughty naughty?" Wafiyah eyes widened she let out a gasp of shock "Astagfirullah Astagfirullah Astagfirullah" she covers her ears with her hands "Noona are you nuts" maybe she doesn't take such jokes seriously but for wafiyah it's not something to laugh about "watch your words before uttering them, apologize to her this instant" jungkook looked genuinely angry at this point and he might be crossing his limit but so did she, so it's even "No sir please don't, it's okay she meant it as a joke don't ruin your day because of me I sincerely request you" "I was taken by surprise it's alright just let it slide, I'm so sorry mam" she was scared  to be the reason for their relationship to crumble or fall into pieces "Mina walk around the kitchen counter and hug her gently "you shouldn't be apologizing I should've been careful not everything's funny" wafiyah sighs in relief, they pull apart, Mina had pout on her face making her look younger than her age "jungkookie scolded me ask him to apologize and make up with me" she looks at him, he was still glowering but his expressions softened as he met her gaze silently asking him to make up with her, he could literally hear her pleading voice without her uttering a word and jungkook was weak man, he hugs Mina and utters a 'sorry' wafiyah claps for him which only he could see giving him a thumbs-up. at this rate, maybe he'll use that word he's trying hard to ignore sooner than later. "Come wafiyah I'll give you something to pray" she performed her Salah in seung min's room making sure no figures were in front of her, she was making invocations when seung woke up and tapped her shoulder, he was still drowsy and sat in her lap she continued to complete her prayers. She decides to take leave soon as she has to prepare her presentation for Monday "hungry" he meekly says "I'm hungry" she picks him up "Let's get this tummy filled" she tickles him lightly making him giggle. They joined Mina and jungkook on the table, he didn't move an inch from his position and asked her to feed him "seung min how will wafiyah eat if you won't get off of her lap" jungkook tries to convince him but he shakes his head "Sir it's alright" he tuts but doesn't say anything. She would take a bite then make one for him until both of their stomachs were full "what does hyung call you?" She didn't understand what he meant so she asks "sorry baby what did you say?" "Kookie hyung calls you something, what does it mean" "oh that's my name, like your name is seung min my name is wafiyah" she explains "it's difficult to say" she chuckles and nods agreeing "yes it's a bit difficult for many people so they call me whatever they find easy and comfortable" "what does it mean?" "It means loyal, trustworthy and reliable" he makes an oh sound at that "you're name is pretty so is your face" "like uncle like nephew" Mina sings so she wouldn't notice. After a few more minutes she decided to take leave "mam" "don't call me that, call me Mina or eonni" "Eonni I should take my leave now" "NO, you can't leave" it was seung min she knew it'll take alot of effort to convince him into letting her go "but I've to get a few thing done today" he adamantly shakes his head "do it tomorrow" jungkook was praising him in his heart "I can't do it tomorrow though " "why not?" It was jungkook this time "Sir I have to make the presentation Miss Jun jihyun asked me  the other day" she explains "Ah I remember she  will be going somewhere tomorrow " jungkook looks at her quizzically "where are you going if you don't mind me asking" "Jungkook let the girl live seung min-ah you too she doesn't need to tell you about her whereabouts" Mina scolds them so they belt up pouting. Wafiyah kiss his head gently "I'll see you again don't be sad" he looks at her with doe eyes "my birthday's soon you'll come right?" "Oh really when is it?" Mina tells her that next Friday they have family gathering on his birthday and she was invited "it's a family event let it stay like that, I'll try to wish him in some different way" jungkook glances at Mina "it's just our family no one else would be there and we would like if you can make it" she bites her lips "I can't give false hopes but you'll see me on your birthday but not in the party" Mina nods she didn't want to push her to extreme they had already pestered her alot. Wafiyah turn seung min in her lap to give him a good bye hug, holding him close to her while he wrapped his tiny arms around her neck "be a good boy, listen to your mom okay be happy and take care of yourself you're a big boy now isn't it?" He nods enthusiastically, he pulled apart smiling "yes I'm a good boy and when I grow up I will marry you just like mom and dad" she throws her head back as she laughs and as much jungkook liked the sound of it he didn't appreciate seung's statement. "Seung min watch your mouth" she thought jungkook said that thinking it would upset her religious sentiments unbeknownst of his own conflict with it glaring at him and if looks could kill the poor kid might be dead "I'll drop you to your dorm" jungkook says and gets up "sir you don't have to I'll grab a cab thank you" she quickly intervened "I have to you're our guest can't let you go in taxi" Mina tries to suppress her laugh as if he has ever cared about any guests before "thank you for the warm treatment Eonni, take care of yourself and baby seungie" who was standing there with sullen face she wave at him and walk to the door which jungkook held open for her "wait" seung yells and run to her she crouch down to hold him "come back soon" he says and plants kiss on boh her cheeks "inshaAllah my sweet baby" and leaves. Jungkook drive her to the dorm "Miss wafiyah " he calls noticing she was quite and zoned out "yes?" He never thought a mere word of three letters can sound so endearing "are you really going tomorrow or was it an excuse to leave?" She straightened up "I'm really going to itaewon with Selena sir, I didn't lie to seung" it was his way of knowing where she was going and he felt bad making her think he doubts her "I know you won't lie" they didn't talk after that. Soon they were standing outside of her block "thank you Sir have a great day" she was entering when Selena came out "finally you're back" she wraps her arm around her shoulder jungkook stood there watching them "who's he ?" Wafiyah looks back at him "oh that's my boss, I work at his company he decided to give me ride back to the dorm seung is his cousin" Selena nods checking him out without any fear smirking "he's hot" wafiyah covers her mouth with her hand "Astagfirullah he will hear you" she walk toward him even with all protests from wafiyah looking him in eyes daringly " CEOs don't give ride to his employees nor does they let them get along with their families" her words carried a message which he understood very well, he raises his eyebrow "I'm so sorry sir she doesn't mean it in wrong way, or doesn't appreciate your kindness she's just kidding " she makes an awkward effort to not create misunderstanding.  Selena chortles at that "good bye sir I'll talk to her myself" he looks at her last time before driving off "you were so mean to him sela" she slaps her arm away. Selena was more mature and had better knowledge of people's behaviors and their intentions behind it, wafiyah might not see it she was not very clever or had exposure to understand a man's intention behind these rides and inviting them to their home and as long as she's there no one can hurt wafiyah, she won't let anyone play with her emotions she wouldn't be able to handle it.
Going to itaewon was probably the best decision they had so much fun throughout the day. First as they arrived they went to a halal restaurant owned by a pakistani Muslim and ate Desi cuisine, the biryani reminded her of her home and the malai chicken was out of this world then they went to the central mosque, she performed her zuhr and asr prayer there and met other Muslims they had fun chit-chat with them and next they went to food street and ate almost everything from sweet buns to tteokbeokie  Ramen and the list went on. There were stalls of accessories and gift items from where selena bought lots of stuff wafiyah bought gift for seung min as she remembered his birthday was around the corner. Then they went to Gyeongnidan-gil Road and appreciated the art and graffiti done on the walls making the city lively. They also visited art gallery which for Selena was too fun and worth the time but for wafiyah it was completely opposite she never understood the purpose of these galleries like there was a painting which had nothing exquisite or unique just two colors splashed on canvas and when asked about its value it costed more than her 4 semesters stipends. They kept bickering about the paintings and their back stories about them until the manager had to ask them to leave because they were disturbing other visitors. She also prayed her Maghreb and Isha prayer in central mosque which looked even beautiful in night time after eating their dinner they headed back to their dormitory both were so tired and exhausted that as soon as they hit the bed they were fast asleep, even in their dreams they were strolling in streets of itaewon, eating snacks and street food laughing and chatting without the worry of the world. She had neglected her phone throughout the day, it was lying abandoned in her bag. On the other hand mingyu had been texting and calling her but it went unheard, he even visited her dorm waiting outside asking the security who didn't let him in the female section without approval from higher authority. He even asked Yuna but she said she didn't talk to her either and asked him to let her live her life she wasn't bound to include him in every part of her life but he turned deaf ear to every word she said. He was getting restless as his thoughts were taking him to places he didn't want to be true and if he isn't wrong then he might not hold back. While jungkook kept his promise and met his friends they had great fun and moved on from past disgruntlement and bittness he apologized for his behavior but they were considerate and supportive and told him that's they will always be there for him through the thicks and thins. They got drunk had a couple shots of their favorite alcohol, his friend hoseok was quite a messy drinker he started dancing, jimin and yoongi had to make him sit between them so he doesn't escape again, Seokjin and namjoon were the most sober and could tolerate their alcohol better whereas Taehyung was half asleep. Jungkook loved his friends they were genuine people and never tried to use him for their selfish reasons, they were more dear than his own blood relatives. Jungkook was youngest among his group of friends but they never once treated him differently they respected and indulged his opinions. He watched them silently drinking his beer which didn't taste how it used to before, it wasn't easing his mind rather it increased his headache Selena words were bugging him but every thought would suppress the moment her image appeared in his mind. Her captivating and bright brown eyes were not leaving his mind, the moment he laid his eyes on her in the restaurant. Her smile and the sound of laughter was a piece of music that kept playing in his ears which subdued the blazing rock music of the bar. Everything about her is just so endearing especially her bashfulness made him want to protect her and not to forget when she gasps in surprise or shock, he closes his eyes breathing in the mixed smell of sweat and some cheap air freshener "you okay kook" namjoon the smartest one asks putting his hand on his shoulder looking at him with concern he nods and change the topic before namjoon ask more questions.he wasn't ready to tell them about his emotions as he has yet to figure out what's happening with him. All of them were busy in their lives dealing with different problems and joy, some enjoying their time making good memories while other having internal battle with their emotions. They didn't realize when their lives started to take turn and what would it lead to in future but rightnow they were weak before their emotions not caring about anything just living in their present.