BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 45: the morning after

"Ya!" Jieun yelled back, slamming her cup down onto the dining table. "Just because I have been patient with you doesn't mean you can keep taking out your anger on me, you know?! Your room? I didn't touch it - I didn't even go in, I was out the whole day, after the cleaner lady came in in the morning. It's the cleaner lady! Okay? The cleaner lady! Not me! Stop freaking taking your anger out on me!"

Jungkook breathed heavily. "Oh-"

"Why are you in such a terrible mood in the first place?" Jieun carried on, agitated that Jungkook was taking his anger out on her. "Even if something happened to make you upset, you can't just take it out on anyone like that, you know? Especially me - I just made you a meal today, thinking that you must be tired and hungry when you came back from your hike - why can't you be nice?!"

Jungkook bit his lower lip, instantly realising how wrong he was. "I'm sor-"

Grung!

"Forget it!" Jieun shouted as she pushed her seat back and stormed away. "Eat it if you want, throw it away if you don't. I can't be bothered anymore, okay? I give up!"

"Lee Jieun-ssi-"

Jieun glared at Jungkook one last time before she closed the door. "And don't expect me to help you tonight!"

Bang!

Jungkook groaned as his knees gave way and he sunk to the ground, staring blankly at the food on the table.

-•-•-

"Hey, calm down-" Byulyi coaxed Jieun later that night. "I'm sure he didn't mean to be so rude either - even you yourself are saying that he must have been triggered by something outside. Go talk to him about it or something-"

"I don't want to!"

"Okay, okay, then don't-" Byulyi sighed. "What exactly happened?"

"I went out for a while and the cleaner lady came back and rearranged everything-" Jieun let out a frustrated groan. "He came back and accused me of touching his things, and also scolded me for cooking... That ungrateful brat... I'm never cooking for him ever again."

"Yeah, don't-" Byulyi laughed. "Why did you even bother cooking for him in the first place? I thought it was banned or something?"

"I-" Jieun hesitated. "His food is inedible, really - I have no idea how he does it. I wanted to cook something for both of us... but he took it so negatively... I really can't stand him any longer!"

"Is that so?" Byulyi hesitated for a while, before she whipped out a notebook and a pen. "Jieun-ah... I know now may not be the right time... but can you do me a favour?"

Jieun clucked her tongue agitatedly. "What?"

"Give me some details about you and JK..." Byulyi tried her luck. "I've really been running out of inspiration lately... please help me!"

"Ya, unnie! This is not the time for that!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding..." Byulyi chuckled, but continued to push for it. "But if the both of you have any progress... do make sure to keep me updated- I could really do with more information..."

Beep.

"Hello? Hello? Are you still there?" Byulyi frowned as she put down the phone. "That rude girl... I hope she's doing okay..."