A few days later, I was lounging on the sofa where Jungkook usually slept at this hour, scrolling through my phone. The brightness of the screen burned in my eyes despite the lowest setting, but I was too lazy to get up and turn on the lights.
Jungkook was still on the business trip with his father in Indonesia, even though the week he had told me he would be gone for had passed. Apparently things hadn't gone the way they thought they would and they needed to do whatever to seal their deals.
Yoongi had told me this the day before yesterday on the rooftop as we casually stared off into the distance in the evening as usual. "Jungkook and dad will be back next week." he had let out randomly, a puff of white cloud from his cigarette rising into the sky.
I still didn't like the smell, but I'd assured him that he was allowed to violate my lungs if I was allowed to do the same with his privacy every now and then on the rooftop. He'd laughed and since then we'd had unarranged encounters in the darkness and silence of our companionship while he smoked in peace.
"Why?" I had asked after nodding in understanding, just for the sake of having asked.
The smirk on his face had been punch-worthy as I rolled my eyes, but he still answered in a neutral way. "One of the partners is making unanticipated trouble and my father is determined to persuade him."
And so I had the bedroom to myself for longer than initially expected. I didn't miss Jungkook or his presence, but I had to admit against my will that it was a little bland without his remarks about the most bizarre things.
Jolting out of my thoughts as the phone almost slipped out of my hand and fell on my face, I let out a considering sound. Making a decision was harder than I had originally thought so I opened the messaging app and the chat under a specific name.
Me:
1, 2, or 3?
I didn't know what time it was for him right now or if he was busy, so I wasn't expecting an answer anytime soon as I considered the three options, going through all the uploaded images again.
Two Pump Jk:
What's that for?
Me:
Just pick one
Two Pump Jk:
Not until you tell me what those options are
I'm protecting myself here
Me:
1. buy you thongs only
2. shave off your eyebrows while you're sleeping
3. drug you with Viagra pills
Two Pump Jk:
Funny
Me:
I know I am
Two Pump Jk:
Tell me now
Me:
It's something for your mother
Can't choose
So
1,2, or 3?
Two Pump Jk:
1
Because I am first at everything
Me:
First to cum too
Two Pump Jk:
Don't make me fly over there and show you the opposite, Reva.
The laughter gradually subsided as the humor of our conversation diminished in my brain and my thoughts could only focus on the last sentence. I didn't know why my mind could picture exactly in what tone Jungkook would have whispered the words in my ear if he had been here, how my name would have left his lips in a rumble because he was pissed off.
Even so, I completely shook off that notion and finally placed the order by choosing the first option.
The next day, I was doing Pilates exercises on a mat on the bedroom floor, following a trainer on the internet, when loud noises from outside came pouring in through the open window. Curious and waiting for the order, I walked out onto the balcony only to see that indeed my order was being delivered right now.
I jogged down in my leggings and the crop top I had been working out in and met the nice man from whom I had requested the massive plant at the front door.
"Hi, thank you so much for delivering so quickly." I expressed my appreciation as I met him in the middle of the driveway with a handshake.
"No need to thank me, Mrs. Jeon," he said politely, his eyes back on the two strong men who were unloading the tree from the truck. "You made an excellent choice. Our Europa was handled with care and hopefully, she will give you great pleasure in your home."
"I'm sure she will." I smiled, watching the two men set the tree on a rolling platform. I led the way into the entrance and showed them exactly where I wanted the tree.
Today was Mrs. Jeon's birthday and after much thought and consideration of whether I wanted to get her anything at all, I decided to pick out something that I hoped she would enjoy tending.
Knowing her interest and hobby of taking care of plants, it seemed like the best idea to get her an addition that she didn't already have in her existing collection. So I researched good sellers who could provide me with a healthy olive tree and came across Mr. Keip.
He had a wide selection of trees of varying ages and spreading branches, but with Jungkook's random selection, it had ended up being Europa, a 300-year-old olive tree that fit perfectly in the entrance area.
Looking at it, someone might think that the tree was already deceased, its branches and leaves looking lackluster. But it was the beauty of it because it had a history. Each branch was forked with the next, the trunk thick and strong. A symbol of a new step in the relationship between me and my mother-in-law.
Olive trees were valuable, even collectibles in some cases. This one had cost a few thousand dollars and it looked magnificent in its new surroundings. I hoped she would like it and that the maintenance would not be too burdensome.
Thanking Mr. Keip for everything, I stood at the front door until he left with his two colleagues only to be greeted by footsteps.
Turning around, I found Mrs. Jeon approaching, her eyes fixed on the new piece between the two flights of stairs. "What's this?"
"Her name is Europa. An olive tree imported from Greece." I told her as I also stepped closer. We were now both standing in front of the tree. "A little over 300 years old and hopefully something you will enjoy tending."
Her eyes dropped from the tree, which was taller than both of us, to look at me and she stared for a few moments. It was long overdue for one of us to offer a branch of peace and I did not shy away from being the first. Whether she would accept it was, of course, up to her.
Mrs. Jeon seemed surprised and at the same time tongue-tied as she approached and stroked a hand over the rough trunk. "It seems to have been beautifully treated," she murmured to herself, not realizing that I could hear her.
"I tried to be sure of that." I nodded back, meeting her gaze again. There was something hidden in her eyes that I hadn't seen before. Appreciation or gratitude, perhaps.
I always tried to pick gifts that people could actually use, and not just for the sake of having something given. Buying gifts was my way of saying that I remembered that person and they held a certain place in my life even if Mrs. Jeon and I never really resonated on the same wavelength.
I had been nervous all morning because I couldn't gauge what her reaction would be to something like this. Her being mad at anything was always an option but I couldn't see anything similar to that in her attitude right now.
I also didn't expect her to magically start liking me or treating me like her own daughter after this present, the latter being something I didn't want anyway, but I no longer wanted tension between us. Jungkook and I had been married for almost a whole year and would stay that way for quite some time, so we had to dwell on mutual respect.
"I hope it's something to your liking," I added. "Have a great birthday, Mrs. Jeon."
I gave her one last look and decided to leave her and her new plant alone. As I was climbing the stairs, she stopped me. "Reva?"
I turned to her. "Yes?"
Pressing her lips together at first, she seemed to be searching for the right words. She opened her mouth and closed it again as I waited patiently for her. Then she straightened up and nodded at me. "I appreciate it."
I nodded back and for the first time, I walked away from our conversation with a small smile on my face and the weight on my shoulders lifted.
─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────
Jungkook
Exiting the airport, I was greeted by the cool night air, the likes of which I hadn't experienced in days. I liked Indonesia and my visits there had always been pleasant, but the weather was unbearable at times.
The airport was bustling even at this hour, people rushing around with their heavy suitcases to catch their flights. Father and I made our way to his car, which was already parked at the entrance waiting for us, his driver holding the back door open.
After about an hour of watching streetlights flash by or looking at my phone, we pulled into the driveway. The lights of the house were mostly dimmed, but the entryway was fully lit and Dimitri stood guard in front of it.
He greeted us and opened the door before I was met with a massive tree towering between the two flights of stairs. The tree loomed in the entrance area, its shadow from all the overhead lights falling on the marble floor. I had no idea what kind of tree it was, but I certainly knew where it came from.
I shook my head as a corner of my mouth curled up. Reva had wanted me to pick a random number, but I'd imagined something smaller, compact when she'd mentioned it was for my mother. Not a whole tree.
But I guessed it was at least fancier and more fitting than the most expensive watch I could find in Indonesia, which was just lingering in my carry-on luggage that the driver was carrying in. The watch would find its place with the dozen others, but the tree was like a greeting upon entering the Jeon family.
My eyes lingered on the tree as I climbed the stairs, desperate for a shower. I hated flights like the plague because they consumed time I could be investing in other matters and it felt like millions of germs were crawling on my skin despite flying first class.
It was just four in the morning and I didn't expect anyone to be awake at this hour, except maybe Yoongi, who could fight me for first place of insomnia. We shared more than we realized, but neither of us ever talked about it.
Opening the bedroom door quietly, the familiar scent of Reva's shampoo hit me, indicating that she had showered before bed as usual. The room was so dimly lit that I had to find my way with my phone's flashlight to avoid dealing with her fussy mood if she awoke.
Her figure lay relaxed on the bed and although she had the whole space to herself, she slept on the very edge. With one leg thrown over the blanket, her sleep shorts rode up her thigh as she stirred but continued to sleep.
I didn't know how she wasn't feeling hot as she hugged the blanket tightly, but I guessed that the exposed skin of her leg gave her the chill she needed. Despite the dim lighting, I could make out her neutral features and the curve of her hip. I lowered my eyes and made my way to the bathroom.
The light above the mirror actually blinded me as I turned on the warm water to take a quick shower. And I almost chuckled at the sight of her pink toy sitting on the shampoo rack. Reva probably hadn't expected me to be back tonight.
Thinking about putting the thing away in the drawer where I knew she was keeping it because I had accidentally found it there, I decided against it. The anticipation of seeing her cheeks red in anger and annoyance as I teased her about it was just too awesome. Maybe she'd get a little embarrassed, too.
Stepping out of the shower, I quickly changed into my underwear and a pair of shorts, my eyes now growing heavy. Jet lag was always maddening and it would take days for me to get used to my normal routine again, but the flight had actually made me tired.
Reva was still in the same position as I'd left her, and I groused to myself about how soft the bed must be right now, so I accidentally bumped into the small coffee table in front of the sofa.
"Jungkook?"
Her sleepy voice filled my ears and I looked over at her. Her eyes were fixed on me, but she seemed to be returning to her dream world any second. "It's me."
"You're back," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. She scratched her bare stomach because her top had ridden up. Honestly, what battle was she fighting while she slept?
Pushing back a sarcastic reply because her sleepy brain wouldn't get the joke about me still being on the airplane, I sighed, laying down on the sofa. "I am. Go back to sleep."
Reva said something else under her breath that I didn't understand, but it didn't matter as I chuckled and soon we were drifting off to different worlds before I had to wake up again in a few hours.
_________________
A/N: hey guys!! Sorry for not updating sooner but I hope you liked this chapter even if it's really short🥲 the next chapter is already written so it won't take that long to post it and let me tell you... it's spicy hehe