ICE CREAM [ completed ]

Fifty-Three

The restaurant that Namjoon picked out is as expected -- some ridiculously amazing place that is probably way overpriced, and as Jungkook and I walked in together in our caps and loose shirts I realize we are highly under-dressed.

Lucky for us, we're taken back to a private room where Namjoon and Jin are already seated at the table munching on appetizers.

I reach up to fix Jungkook's hair as we walk, laughing at how messed up it had gotten from us being a little feisty together in the car.

"Finally!" Jin came running up and embraces me dramatically as he always does, like he hasn't seen me in ten years. He sways me back and forth and I just let him get it out before he releases me. "Kookie! I'm so glad you could come. You remember Namjoon?"

Jungkook and Namjoon share a gaze that seems a little casual. As if Jungkook forgets his manners, the youngest then quickly leans out to shake his hand. "Thank you for allowing us to drink at your club, Namjoon hyung. And thank you for putting our drunk asses in a cab, and paying for it, and letting us drink for free at the bar, and listening to me sing..."

I elbow him in the side to shut up.

"It's not a problem. Come, sit. We've ordered just about every type of sushi there is. Yoongi! Let's talk about your game!"

We settle in at the table with Jungkook sliding next to me. He casually throws his arm across the back of my chair as I begin to talk with Namjoon about the exciting turn out at game. But I can see Jin watching me curiously. His eyes go from my face, to Jungkook's arm, to Jungkook's childish expression, back to the arm, then back to my face...

"And that's when Mia asked me..."

"DID YOU TWO HOOK UP?" Jin blurts out with wide eyes.

I can feel the red in my cheeks growing and wish I could pull my snapback over my face.

"No! Jin hyung! God, you are so embarrassing," I pick up my spoon like I'm about to throw it at him. Namjoon is grinning with his signature glare, and Jungkook is biting his lip to refrain from laughing. I don't pay attention to the special exchange between the youngest and Namjoon at this revelation.

I wish I had.

"Sorry! But something is different. You think I can't tell? You're glowing. Are you pregnant?!" Jin is joking and being extra, but I seriously want to punch him.

"I'm his boyfriend now," Jungkook says this as a matter-of-factly, but while he speaks he is looking at Namjoon. I debate on crawling under the table.

Meanwhile, Jin looks like he's about to have a heart attack.

"Oh...my...god..." Jin grips Namjoon's arm and basically transforms into the most stereotypical fangirl anyone could ever ask for.

We spend the next fifteen minutes unfortunately having to talk about our relationship -- a relationship that hasn't even truly blossomed yet. But at least Jin is satisfied.

For now.

Namjoon pushes a bottle of wine in Jin's direction to shut hi up, then puts his attention back on me. "It's good to see you happy. This sort of energy will reflect in your upcoming games, I'm sure,"

"I can't thank you enough for getting the word out like you did. It's only been two games but I have a really good feeling about everything," I tell him while we start to eat.

"I'll make sure that Mia's interview gets to where it needs to be, don't worry," Namjoon tells me this information as if he already knows that I know. It doesn't surprise me, but it still keeps me suspicious.

I've never felt such conflicting feelings then what I feel for Namjoon.

As I watch him eat, I notice the constant smug look that stays on his face as if its imprinted into his skin. Somehow it makes him look both attractive and terrifying at the same time. I don't know how he does it. His skin is tan and there is a bit of makeup on the corner of his lids. Countless rings and other jewelry adorn his body. I wonder how long it takes him to get ready in the mornings.

I feel Jungkook nudge me in the side at my staring. 

"So, what's next?" I ask Namjoon between bites. "Sold out arenas, interviews, my social media blowing up..."

Jungkook nods furiously at my comments, even though I hadn't even told him what was going on with everything regarding Namjoon and his big plans for me. I don't know if he's pretending to fit in or if he's not even paying attention and just going with the motions.

The latter wouldn't surprise me.

Namjoon dabs his lip with his napkin before placing it back in his lap. He leans back with his glass of champagne and puts his arm behind Jin.

"Well, the next thing will be to make sure there are other scouts at your game. Granted, these scouts won't really know that you have no interest in them. But they need to think you are available so the competition continues to grow,"

"I thought there was supposed to be scouts here tonight?"

"There were, but only two. It's okay to start small like that. By the end of the season, everyone will be dying to sign you. Lucky for us we'll already have something in the works," Namjoon winks, and I felt my stomach churn again.

I glance to Jungkook whose cheeks are stuffed with a mixture of rice and sushi and he looks like a hamster. Namjoon presses his fingers into Jin's broad shoulders. "All you need to do, Yoongi, is keep doing what you do best...win. The interviews will come along, people will want to know who you are, and nothing can go wrong as long as you keep winning. I don't know what will happen if you stop winning, that is. So do us all a favor and keep breaking records, got it?"

"No pressure, right?" I attempt to joke.

"No pressure at all,"

Namjoon holds out his glass to me and I pick mine up, then we cling them together. His gaze remains on me as he drinks, then it subtly shifts to Jungkook. A heaviness falls at the table, which is something I find happens a lot when Namjoon is around. For just a strange moment, Jungkook and Namjoon meet each other's gaze.

Jungkook is quick to look away first.