Yoongi's gaze remained fixed on her. Another unprofessional handling would not be tolerated by the man. Not to mention the fact that this was for Hoseok. 'To see her potential,' he said before. It wasn't only about potential; it was also about how well she could handle Hoseok's restrained demeanor.
On the other side, he was emphasizing how at ease they would feel with the woman. He even prayed to the gods to have pity on his worn-out soul and to make matters worse, Seokjin's blood sugar level was dropping. Based on his previous experience, he predicted that the older would become easily irritable soon.
Yoongi took a peek at the curricular vitae to see her name.
The young woman reasoned that it would be best if she got started right away. "I graduated from Kyunghee University last year. I took a nursing course and received a degree after five years. Although I have a nursing degree, I choose to seek a normal job. I used to earn my own money when I was in college. I had worked as a part-timer in a restaurant as a waitress, at a café as well, at daycare during holidays, and doing laundry for the college students."
Something didn't feel right to Seokjin. He raised an eyebrow. "Doing laundry for the students?"
Jiah nodded.
"How much do you earn from a person?"
"About 10,000WON to 15,000WON."
"Was that a price you decide yourself?"
Jiah shook her head, denying.
"Who suggested the idea?" Seokjin asked.
"My roommate suggested the idea."
Through the corner of his eyes, Seokjin peered at Yoongi. Even though Yoongi was not the one who asked, he nodded gently. He uttered, "I see. You may leave."
Seokjin was stumped. He exclaimed, "just like that?"
"She is the most normal person I meet today. Isn't that good?" Yoongi threw him a lazy smile.
"But, the interview is too quick for me to make a decision. Don't tell me you're going to make this decision on your own!"
Being blasé, Yoongi repeated a familiar sentence. "She has a CV, you dumb."
Seokjin curved his lips downwards.
"I can... leave now, right?" Jiah carefully questioned.
Yoongi reacted instinctively. "Ah, yes." He got out of his chair and walked away from the table to lead Jiah out. "We'll contact you," he said, a small smile on his face.
"Thank you, sir."
Yoongi smiled as he watched Jiah backing him. Her feet led her out of the narrow corridor. When the girl proceeded further, he went inside and found an older man slouching on his chair with a phone in his hand.
"What takes Wheein so long?" Seokjin grumbled.
"Be patience, hyung."
"My sugar level is dropping!"
"Make yourself some sugar then."
Seokjin chucked the younger a stern look before returning his gaze to the phone.
Yoongi sighed, resting his back on the chair. In an attempt to switch the atmosphere, he said, "I kept remembering that nurse student."
"She graduated, Yoongi. And she fucking has a name!"
The older's new behavior came like a bolt from the blue*. Yoongi's eyes widened. "Wow, you that cranky? You are lashing out at me now."
"I'm – I need sugar!"
"Fine, fine. We'll talk about this after you get your sugar."
Seokjin looked at Yoongi, feeling bad. "If it's important, why not you cook ramen for me?"
"Do I look like your wife?" Yoongi said, looking at him with a frown.
A smile formed on Seokjin's face. "If your name is Min Yoonji, I would have purposed to you."
The room fell silent for a minute, with Yoongi staring blankly at the older and Seokjin staring back at him with innocence. After some time, Yoongi broke it by sighing through his nose. He said, "wait here."
"Thanks, Yoongi!" Seokjin snickered.
The mentioned man did not respond.
"I suggest naming your future daughter Min Yoonji!" Seokjin shouted when Yoongi was already outside the room.
And again, the younger one ignored him. However, after a long time since he left to prepare ramen, Yoongi ran back. With a puzzled expression on his face, Seokjin looked up.
Yoongi burst into the door and cried, "Namjoon and Hoseok return!"
Seokjin became tense. "Oh." He leaped from his seat and snatched a large, maroon cloth from the floor. The chairs were pushed under the table and covered with cloth. He moved the red stool to the corner of the room, placing an artificial plant on it before leaving. After turning off the lights, he dashed out of the room, straightening his shirt, and behaved as if nothing happened. He whispered, "phew!"
He ran into Namjoon in the corridor, where he had gone to look for him. "Here's your coffee and candy," said Namjoon.
Seokjin folded the little cover of the polystyrene cup and inserted it into a small, square hole. Grabbing the white plastic enclosing a packet of caramel candy, he took a sip. They walked out of the area together side by side.
Namjoon was curious. "How's the interview going?"
"First day. Hell!" The older one sighed.
Namjoon joked, "I bet you found some cute ones among the people you interviewed." He merely smirked as he peered at the man beside him.
"I have no time to admire anyone's cuteness."
Namjoon shrugged, sipping on his Iced Americano.
"How about you? How is your day with Hoseok?"
Namjoon slid the clear straw away from his lips and pushed his spectacles with the back of his hand. He said, "he didn't say much at all. Busy with his sketch, and I was just reading my book."
"With his hoodie on?"
Namjoon nodded and said, "with his hoodie on."
Seokjin exhaled a soft breath.
"You know what, hyung? It's best to leave him alone. He'll change someday," Namjoon said. "Or maybe not? It's entirely up to him. We don't have the power to alter him, in my opinion. Or perhaps we'll have to wait for the right person to come along and change or even better him. Then, he might be able to change his own."
"Amber wants him to quit wearing hoodies," he said slowly.
"Because of what? Because he's the boss of Bejiwoo boutique?" Namjoon asked calmly. "Hoseok told me, but it didn't turn into a deep conversation. Oh, I was sneaking glances at him to check how his sketches were coming along."
Seokjin remained silent to listen.
"Wanna know who is his model for the sketch?"
Seokjin gave a small jerk of his head.
"He doesn't draw the facial features. You know, like obvious nose, eyes, lips. Just some distinct line. I thought of boss Jiwoo at first glance."
"How do you know that's Jiwoo? You've never met her."
They happened to walk past Jiwoo's office. Namjoon pointed to several framed photographs of Jiwoo on the diagonal glass wall.
"Right," sighed Seokjin.
"I understand Hoseok's feelings as someone who has a sister. It's only the changes he makes in himself that I don't understand. For all we know, we can presume he always wears a hoodie because of his sister, and that's all we can do."
Seokjin kept quiet.
"I was nervous thinking of revealing what I have in mind after hanging out with Hoseok," Namjoon said, chuckling and scratching his head. "I was going to tell Yoongi hyung about it, but it seems like my mouth just slipped for you."
Seokjin let out a chuckle. "You are free to tell me anything. It's fine with me."
Namjoon shared a chuckle. "Thanks, hyung," he said.
"But, what do you believe are the reasons why he changes into someone who always wears a hoodie?"
The younger young man with dark brown hair shrugged. "I don't want to make any assumptions. It's not my style to speculate on other people's reasons for loving, hating, and living."
Seokjin rolled his eyes amusingly. "Sure, Namjoon."
**********
The noises coming from his employees did not bother the boss. He sat at the counter, still working on his sketch. The sketch's essential darkness was delicately handled by the slender finger. When the darkness did not come out as well as he hoped, he sighed. He picked a green eraser and rubbed the mistake with its sharp corner.
Then, he resumed drawing.
"Hoseok hyung!" Hoseok raised his head to Jimin's voice. "Do you want some glazed donuts?"
Hoseok shook his head without looking.
"Hoseok," Seokjin called.
Hoseok raised his head, but this time, with a frown.
Seokjin made a big bite of the glazed donut. He closed his eyes as he bit. "Hmmm! Warm, sweet, and delicious."
Hoseok gulped his saliva hard.
"You'll regret not eating one, boy."
Hoseok stuttered, "I-I won't regret."
Seokjin smirked. "Tsk. Suit yourself."
Jimin then spoke, "Come on, Hoseok hyung!"
"I'm on diet," Hoseok said.
"Quit the diet! Take one and eat!" Seokjin scolded. Nonetheless, Hoseok feigned an unbothered, shaking his head.
Yoongi took action this time. He picked a donut and a brown napkin, then walked towards Hoseok. When he presented them to the younger, the latter was perplexed.
"Eating one is not a sin."
"I just –"
Yoongi was oblivious. He snatched the mechanical pencil from the boss's grip and placed it next to the sketchbook, putting the donut and napkin on his palm. He then returned to the table and grabbed a plastic cup. "Black coffee. Here are the sugar packs and the spoon." He slid two small blue sugar packs and a small plastic spoon.
Hoseok hesitantly accepted them as Yoongi returned to his seat.
He was fortunate that the counter table's edge had a higher cover. As he stared at the donut in his palm, he began to wonder why he felt like crying. He swallowed his saliva hard as his nose began to sting, attempting to bear the pain inside.
Regardless, he chewed the donut slowly. His right hand drew incessantly. It appeared that chewing assisted his unhappy mind in channeling to a happier place. Maybe it was the sugary donut that did it. Maybe it was his staff's warmth and sweet care that moved him, and he began to recognize the good in them.
Seokjin cast a glance at Yoongi. Yoongi noticed his stare and looked up from his phone.
Yoongi stretched his neck to check on Hoseok as a result of this. He was chewing and sucking the tips of his index and middle fingers.
In response, Yoongi bobbed his head up and down and smiled at Seokjin.
They both knew what they wanted for Hoseok. To maintain his quality of life while waiting for his sister's homecoming.