<OST: It's You - Chungha>
"Ya-" Byulyi reached a leg over and prodded Seokjin with her big toe. "Ten minutes has passed, get back to work."
"I'm sleepy..." Seokjin yawned loudly as he stretched on the couch. "Byulyi-ya... let me rest for five more minutes."
"You said that five minutes ago!" Byulyi got up from her seat and walked over to the couch, pulling at Seokjin's arms. "Get! Up! Now!"
"I don't want to-" Seokjin tugged at Byulyi's arms gently, but firmly enough for her to roll down onto the couch right next to him. He seized the opportunity and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, locking her in.
"Ya!" Byulyi pouted as she struggled to break free from Seokjin's embrace. "Kim! Seokjin! The due date for this chapter is literally tomorrow! Let! Go! Of! Me!"
"Let's just stay like that for a while-" Seokjin's wrapped his arms even tighter around Byulyi and closed his eyes. "You need to rest too, Moon Byulyi."
"Ya-" Byulyi thrashed around. "I don't need to rest."
"I saw your nose bleeding earlier this morning," Seokjin said nonchalantly. "Stop pushing yourself beyond your limit."
Byulyi finally stopped thrashing around and lay in Seokjin's embrace for a few seconds of silence.
"You saw...?"
"Mmhmm-" Seokjin hummed as he snuggled his head along the groove of Byulyi's neck. "You know what nosebleeds are a sign of? They're a sign that you haven't been resting well enough. So listen to me, Moon Byulyi, and rest."
The tension built up in Byulyi's body slowly dissipated as she grabbed hold of Seokjin's arm around her shoulder, cuddled up closer to him and closed her eyes for a while.
"I'm sorry, Seokjin-ah."
"Sorry...?" Seokjin eyes fluttered open and he furrowed his eyebrows. "For what?"
"Just-" Byulyi sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, don't say that-" Seokjin whispered as he turned Byulyi around to face him on the couch such that their foreheads met. "Tell me, what's wrong...?"
"Sorry for yelling at you-" Byulyi finally said as she looked into Seokjin's eyes. "And for rushing you all the time, and for stressing you to meet our deadlines, and for-"
"Why are you apologising for all that?" Seokjin chuckled a little, giving Byulyi a little kiss on her nose. "If you weren't like that, we'd be dysfunctional, Byulyi-ya. There always has to be one person between two people who is more responsible, am I right? I'm the one who should be apologising, sorry for being so layback most of the time and not sharing the burden of all the stress with you."
"Mm, I guess you're right-" Byulyi shrugged a little. "We both play our roles in this partnership. But I guess... sometimes I wonder if you've ever regretted becoming my business partner."
"What? No!" Seokjin let out a small chuckle. "Ya- why would you even think that way?"
"I don't know..." Byulyi sighed. "Maybe because our current story is coming to an end..."
"Ah-" Seokjin shook his head as he gently stroked Byulyi's cheek with his thumb. "Not at all, Byulyi-ya. People say couples tend to fight when they start working together... and it's true to a certain extent. But regardless of that, I still really like having you as both my business partner and my life partner because I spend more time with you doing what we both enjoy."
Byulyi finally let out a relieved smile. "Me too."
"Alright, so stop thinking unnecessary things and rest up-" Seokjin turned Byulyi around and closed his eyes, snuggling up close to her on the couch before planting a light peck on the back of her neck. "We still have a story waiting for us to finish."
-•-•-
"Unnie..."
"Jennie-ya...?" Jieun picked up her phone and heard Jennie's shaking voice immediately. She got up from the couch at once and headed out of Jungkook's studio, after mouthing to Jungkook that it was Jennie.
"Unnie..."
"Hello, Jennie-ya?" Jieun finally spoke when she was outside, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "What happened? Why are you crying?"
"Unnie... I... I..."
"Hey, calm down, Jennie-ya..." Jieun pursed her lips. "Take a deep breath with me, okay? You need to calm down and tell me what's wrong before I can help you with anything."
Jieun took a few deep breaths together with Jennie on the other end of the line.
"I... I..." Jennie stammered on the phone, choking back her tears as she tried her best to relate what had happened to Jieun. "It's about Yoongi-oppa... and I have no idea what to do right now, unnie."
"Okay..." Jieun nodded slowly. "So... what's the context?"
"It's about... the offer to go overseas and pursue a Masters in film production..." Jennie managed. "I... I... want him to go... but at the same time... I don't want him to..."
Jieun bit her lower lip, remaining quiet. She had heard about this offer from Yoongi a month ago, when she had gone to meet him with Jungkook. Yoongi had asked them about their opinions on whether he should go, but reminded them before they left to keep it a secret from Jennie. He had intended to keep it a secret from her for as long as he could... but the cat was eventually let out of the bag this morning when the news companies covered it. Jieun had known that it wasn't going to end well... but still, she didn't want to interfere.
"I know what you mean, Jennie-ya-" Jieun first tried to calm her down. "But if he really doesn't want to go, you can't force him."
There was silence for a few whole seconds.
"How do you know he doesn't want to go?" Jennie finally asked, her tone now investigative instead of sad. "I didn't even mention whether he wanted to go or not."
Jieun squeezed her eyes shut and slapped herself internally. Lee Jieun, you idiot.
"I just guessed that he wouldn't want to go," Jieun covered the slip of her tongue with a white lie. "Why? Am I wrong...?"
"No, you're right-" Jennie sighed loudly, still sniffling every now and then. "And that's where the problem lies, unnie."
"Mm... I mean-" Jieun sighed too. "I know how strongly you feel for him, Jennie-ya, and so I'd understand why you'd want him to stay. But why would you want him to leave...? Especially if he says he doesn't want to go too... I thought you'd be happy. Besides, I thought you always respected his decisions."
"That's true to a certain extent..." Jennie sobbed. "I respect his decisions most of the time, but only when those decisions aren't directly related to me. But this one is different - he says he isn't going because he's worried about the company... but I know he isn't going... because of me."
Jieun bit her lower lip nervously. Jennie knew.
"I may be carefree most of the time, unnie-" Jennie carried on. "But don't forget that... I'm not 100% over my social anxiety and panic attacks. I know that that's what's holding him back... I'm not that clueless."
Jieun shook her head silently. Jennie didn't know.
"You're right that he is holding himself back for you, Jennie..." Jieun swallowed hard. "But it's not for that reason, it really isn't. He wanted to reject the offer because he likes you, Jennie-ya... and he can't bear to spend five whole years in a foreign country without you."
Silence.
"No, you're wrong-" Jennie insisted. "That's not it, unnie. I know he likes me, he himself has told me that before. But how much I mean to him is nothing compared to how much his dreams matter to him, that's the truth that even someone like me, who likes him so much, cannot refute."
Oh my goodness, she was frustrating.
"That's, like, so untrue...?" Jieun shook her head. "If his dreams really mattered that much more to him than you did... why on earth would he insist on giving up his dreams for you and staying?"
"Because I'm still ill, unnie!" Jennie exclaimed. "I thought I was really out of the woods... but I guess I was wrong. If only my stupid illness didn't relapse a month ago... he wouldn't even hesitate to go."
"You're so freaking stubborn!" Jennie groaned exasperatedly. "Everyone else can see how much you both like each other... why can't you see it?"
"It's true, we both like each other-" Jennie paused. "But he doesn't like me nowhere near as much as I like him - that's a fact that I accepted from the very beginning."
"He likes you way more than you even know, Kim Jennie..." Jieun was at the verge of giving up. "And I wish you could see it yourself."
Jennie was silent for a while.
"And how would you know that, unnie?"
Jieun clenched her fists tight. Why was it that people who were clearly in love with each other had to go through so much misunderstandings? It was that way with her and Jungkook, same for Byulyi and Seokjin... and now Jennie and Yoongi...? Why?
"I don't think it's worth it for him to stay for my sake," Jennie kept talking, unaware of the truth. "He doesn't even like me that much, anyway. From the beginning, I was the one who kept bothering him right off the bat. He just learnt to get used to me... that's all."
This was something Jieun wouldn't even be able to persuade Jennie out of. Good job, Yoongi. Good job for always doing things for her quietly behind her back. Good job for rarely expressing how you felt for her. But at the same time, Jieun had already learnt about his struggles. Was this really going to end up as a sad love story between a guy who didn't know how to express himself and a girl who was as clueless as Jennie was? Jieun's heart ached for them.
"I got into a quarrel with him earlier, unnie," Jennie continued. "He said that he'll be leaving tomorrow morning, and for me not to send him off."
"So soon...?" Jieun frowned. "Are you sure he's not saying it out of anger just for you to change your mind...?"
Jieun was pretty sure that was the case.
"I don't think so," Jennie sniffled. "He did look pretty angry that I didn't want him to stay though..."
"Then go look for him then!" Jieun facepalmed. "Doesn't he live right next to you? Go knock on his door and explain!"
"I want to-"
Jieun furrowed her eyebrows. "Then...?"
"-but I'm not going to."
Jieun sighed exasperatedly.
"Maybe it's for the better, unnie-" Jennie let out a sad chuckle. "You know how difficult it is for me to let go. Even if he's going to hate me for saying those things, at least he's going to be one step closer to fulfilling his dreams. I'm happy for him, I really am."
"You don't sound happy... at all."
"I am happy-" Jennie tried to convince herself. "I'll be happy one day. It's just five years, I can wait."
"You can wait, Jennie-ya-" Jieun shook her head. "But time waits for no one."
-•-•-
"Good job, everyone!" Namjoon clapped loudly after waking up later on and resuming with the debrief, and the rest of them in the meeting room clapped along. "We made it through yet another difficult case, together! As usual, you all did an amazing job leading, cooperating and assisting each other. We definitely couldn't have done it without anyone here. Jung Hoseok, Kim Chungha, Ahn Hyejin, Park Chaeyoung and Kim Jisoo - good job, main team!"
Everyone clapped loudly.
"Whoo!" Hoseok grinned as he nudged Chungha. "Good job, Chungha-ya."
Chungha flashed him a small smile.
"Anyone wanna give a short reflection about what they learnt from this case?" Namjoon looked around the table and his eyes landed on Hyejin. "Hyej-"
"Me!" Hoseok's arm shot up. "Bujang! I have stuff to say!"
Chungha quickly pulled his hand down, giving him a meaningful look, but Hoseok just put up his other hand instead.
"Okay, I guess we're done here with the debrief!" Namjoon announced, completely ignoring Hoseok's arm. "Thank you, all of you! Let's continued to work hard for the rest of the year!"
"Bujang, my arm is still-" Hoseok was cut off immediately as Chungha slapped a hand across his mouth and put his hand down hurriedly.
"Before you leave-" Namjoon flashed Chungha a smile of thanks before turning to the rest once more. "I actually have a little gift for you all as a token of appreciation."
"Daebak-" Jisoo gasped. "Isn't this bujang-nim's first time giving us a gift...?"
"Shh-" Chaeyoung whispered. "Don't make him regret it."
Namjoon reached behind his desk and pulled out five huge shopping bags, handing it around the table at once.
"Wah..." Hoseok tried to pull open the ribbon and peek into his bag. "What's inside here...?"
"Ya-" Chungha nudged him. "It's not nice to open your present in front of the giver."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever-" Hoseok scoffed as he looked up at Namjoon. "We're friends, after all, aren't we? I can open it up and take a look - can't I, bujang?"
Namjoon glanced nervously over at Hyejin, who stared at him with a blank smile. "Um... maybe you guys should go home and open it instead."
"See?" Chungha chuckled at Hoseok. "Go home and open it instead, he said."
"Oh, Hyejin-ssi!" Chaeyoung pointed at Hyejin's bag suddenly, her eyes sparkling. "Your bag is pink, while mine is yellow. Pink is my favourite colour, whereas yours is yellow... isn't it? Do you wanna swap?"
"Oh, right!" Hyejin's eyes lit up as she spotted the yellow bag. "Alright, let's swap!"
"NO!"
Namjoon's loud yell filled the meeting room and almost everyone jumped in surprise.
"What the hell was that?" Hoseok grabbed his chest and took a few deep breaths. "I thought there was an earthquake or something."
Everyone else glanced at Namjoon with a look of utter surprise on their faces.
"I mean... no," Namjoon said with a gentle smile as he finally cleared his throat and calmed down. "I don't think that it is appropriate for you to exchange gifts in front of the giver."
"I swapped mine with Jisoo-unnie earlier though, bujang...?" Chaeyoung scratched her head. "Before I saw that there was pink...?"
"It's okay, Chaeyoung-ssi-" Hyejin smiled. "Let's swap it outside later."
"NO!"
Everyone turned their heads to look at Namjoon again.
"I mean... no." Namjoon smiled again, flashing all of them an awkward smile. "I selected your gifts with so much time and effort... do you think it's appropriate that you swap gifts? I expected better from all of you."
"It's literally just a generic stuff toy," Hoseok muttered under his breath as he finally saw what his gift was. "What do you mean time and effort...?"
Chungha stomped on Hoseok's foot and he shut up at once.
"Um... right!" Chungha let out a nervous chuckle as she ushered Hoseok towards the door quickly, before pulling Jisoo and Chaeyoung along as well. "So... anyway! Thanks for the gift, bujang-nim, we'll use it well!"
Hyejin turned to follow them.
"Hyejin-ssi, stay here!" Chungha shoved her back into the room as she herded the group of unsuspecting colleagues out like they were her children. "Don't you still have something else to discuss with bujang-nim?"
Hyejin frowned. "I don't...?"
"She does, doesn't she, bujang-nim...?" Chungha let out an awkward laugh. "You said you wanted to talk to her about, um- um- her- well-"
Hyejin turned to look at Namjoon. As his eyes darted back and forth between Hyejin and Chungha, he finally got it.
"Ah, that!" Namjoon pretended to rummage through his desk. "Right! Thanks for the reminder, Chungha-ssi. Yes, Hyejin-ssi, please take a seat. I have something to discuss with you for a while."
"We're leaving work now, bujang!" Chungha announced. "See you tomorrow! You too, Hyejin-ssi!"
"See you tomorrow, sunbae-nim."
"Thanks, Chungha-ssi. See you tomorrow."
And with a clueless look on her face, Hyejin took her seat once more. With a triumphant smile, Chungha finally left the room and closed the door gently behind her.