Frozen Grapes | KSJ ✔

.seven.

"Go ahead and sit down. I can wash the dishes for us." 

I shake my head. "I can help." 

"Really. There aren't even that many dishes." 

I stare up at Seokjin directly into his eyes. "I insist." 

Seokjin laughs. "Okay. If you insist." 

For the first few minutes, only the sound of running water can be heard. The rising pressure to break the silence fills me again, but I find the peaceful atmosphere relaxing. Regardless, someone has to continue the conversation, so it might as well be me. "Is this where I say a dad joke?" I ask. 

Seokjin laughs. "I was enjoying the silence just fine." 

Eyes shift over to him quickly before returning back to the dishes in front of me. "Would you call yourself introverted?" 

Long, slender fingers reach towards mine as they take the plate I extend. "Definitely. Being loud and extroverted requires so much energy. I could never understand people that are naturally extroverted." 

I nod in agreement. My thoughts were exactly the same, although I knew that both of us saw ourselves as the moodmakers within our friend groups. 

"What about you?" 

I smile down at the plate in front of me. "The same. I'm definitely more introverted, but I know how important the ability to maintain a conversation is. Being charismatic in general automatically gives you a bonus in life so I try a little harder since it doesn't come as naturally for me. Making others laugh also just makes me happy in general so there's that bonus as well." 

Seokjin shuts off the water and places the last dish onto the rack before turning around to look down at me. "This is bad." The statement makes me smile from the randomness and I tilt my head at him, silently urging him to continue. Seokjin sighs. "You're too similar to me. I don't think this world can handle two of me." 

I throw my head back and laugh. "I'm sorry. Should I change my personality? Become a different person?" 

Seokjin nods. "I can help you with that. We'll start weekly classes." 

I smile and shake my head. "I can't imagine how different this relationship would be if I was the older one." 

Seokin laughs. "Let's not talk about that. The only thing that matters now is the fact that I'm the senior and you aren't." 

I roll my eyes with a grin. "Sure, Oldie. Say that again when you're on your deathbed and I'm still six years younger." 

Seokjin's shoulders shake and his hands clap slowly in soft laughter. "Do you want to bet whether or not you're going to be talking informally to me by then?" 

I flash him a grin. "No need to bet. I think we both know I'm going to." 

Another cabinet shuts closed, wood slamming on wood. I open a drawer, wheels rolling on its track and jolting to a halt as it reaches the end. 

"What are you doing?" 

I pull out a large bowl and a whisk. "I'm kind of in the mood for chocolate chip cookies," I answer without looking up at Seokjin. 

"Or you just want to show off your baking skills." 

At that I look up and shake my head. "Me? Of course not. I'm as humble as humble can get. Plus, there isn't much skill required to make cookies. If I really wanted to show off, I would make something like a cake or macarons." I'm met with silence and look up at a silent Seokjin after pouring in the flour. "What?" 

"I'm trying to decide whether I should believe you or not." 

I smile. "Of course you should. You really think this innocent face of beauty could lie? Can you pass me the sugar?" 

The container of white sand is handed to me. "You act so similarly to me I'm getting a little uncomfortable." 

A curtain of hair falls over my shoulder and brushes across my cheek. I jerk my head to the side to flip it back over and out of my way. "I really think I was born in the wrong year. Something tells me you're the one that copied my personality and not the other way around. I'm convinced it was me first." 

Fingers wrap around my wrist and I stop what I'm doing to turn and look up at Seokjin. He pulls the hair tie off of my wrist and steps behind me. 

"What are you doing?" 

"I'm helping you. Trust." 

A choked laugh gurgles from my throat. "Seokjin-ssi, I met you a few weeks ago. I think it's a little irrational for you to ask me to trust you." 

As the sentence continues, my voice fades away, losing strength as I feel fingers curve hair around my ears and gather everything else into a single ponytail. Seokjin chuckles, noticing the obvious effect he has on me and clearly enjoying it way too much. "I'm not going to kill you. Don't worry." My hair is pulled through the tie once, twice, three times, before Seokjin tugs on it one last time to secure it into place. 

"I can't know that for sure." I try to sound as confident as I can, and I'm grateful Seokjin is behind me so he can't see my shaking hands. 

"You're here now, aren't you? Safe and sound." 

A whisk enters the bowl and starts to stir in circles. "Where did you learn how to do that?" I ask. The ponytail was secure and comfortable. "You've been secretly practicing in your room, haven't you?" 

Reputable loud laughter returns to fill the space and the cheerful sounds automatically lift my lips into a smile. "You caught me. No, I'm kidding. When my members have their hair grow out too long, sometimes we try crazy stuff with it just because we can. Tying hair into ponytails of course was the first few things we've done. Look at me?" I turn once again from the bowl to look up at Seokjin and he smiles from ear to ear. "Adorable." Seokjin's hand lifts to raise my sliding glasses back up my nose. 

"I know that," I say nonchalantly, although I can barely hear his words over the thudding of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. 

Seokjin continues to smile down at me, a sparkle of hidden thoughts in his eyes. "Do I make you nervous?" His voice has dropped significantly, both in octaves and in volume, and the sudden unexpected shift has me widening my eyes. 

"No." 

"Stop looking to your left." 

I really needed to discontinue that habit. "Stop that," I demand, trying my best to sound confident and authoritative. 

But Seokjin's smirk only grows. "Stop what?" 

I force myself to tear my gaze from Seokjin and continue working on the dessert. "Do you want cookies or not?" 

I'm met with laughter, breaking the unidentifiable tension in the kitchen. "Hana, Love, I was never the one that asked for cookies, nor did I ever even vocalize a liking for them." He's right, which only makes me look worse. I scramble for something to follow up his words. "If I help, do I get to at least try them?" 

I nod, scared of saying anything else that would back me into a corner. I'm grateful that Seokjin responded for me and pulled me out of that uncomfortable spot, but something tells me that he only responded because he knew I was searching for a way out. I look over at Seokjin who meets my gaze with a smile, which only solidifies my assumptions. 

One eye is kept on the batter while the other glances at the man beside me, trying to figure out who he was behind the walls and portrayed persona.