When Jungkook was about to sleep that night, he remembered about the invitation Hoseok gave him to his sister's birthday party. Jungkook was not going to go as he knew Hoseok's sister had a crush on him. Hoseok also knew it and still invited him on behalf of his sister, who had begged him to do it. The elder man knew Jungkook most probably would decline to go, but he told Jungkook that he could bring Chaeyoung along. In that way, maybe his sister's crush on Jungkook will stop once she sees him going with someone.
During the lesson that evening, he was thinking a lot about how to ask Chaeyoung to go with him but he forgot to ask her in the end.
"I'll just text her.", he decided as he could not sleep before resolving the matter at hand. "But it's late. Ugh, whatever. The party's tomorrow night. I should just try.", he picked up his phone and texted her right away.
♡♡♡
Jungkook: Hi, Chaeyoung. I'm sorry if I disturb you this late. I actually wanted to ask you something. My friend, Hobi, who you met at the cafe, invited me to his sister's birthday party. He said I could bring someone and I was thinking of asking you. Do you want to go with me?
Chaeyoung blinked a few times as she read the message on Friday morning. She just woke up and checked her phone as usual in bed. Each of the words slowly registered into her mind.
Hoseok.
Invited to his sister's birthday party.
Do you want to go with me?
"Is this a date?", she asked herself, biting her nail as she read the last sentence again and again. "No, it can't be. Right, Hankie?", she asked Hank, who was sleeping beside her. "It's an invitation to a birthday party for someone I don't know...but I know her brother through Jungkook. What does this exactly mean?", she tried to think before responding to the message.
"It's okay. Let's ask when and where first.", Chaeyoung decided as she started to type a message back to Jungkook.
Chaeyoung: Hi, Jungkook. I'm sorry I already slept when you texted me. Anyway, this party...when and where is it held?
Jungkook: Hi, Chaeyoung. It's okay. You still responded now. About the party, it's tonight at 8PM. It's held at Hobi hyung's bar in Itaewon. Are you free?
Chaeyoung: I think I'm free. Is there a theme or anything we should follow? Oh, how about the birthday gift? 😱 I don't know Hobi oppa's sister, what should I give her?
Jungkook: It's okay. I'll take care of that. You just be ready at 7.30 tonight. Hyung said the theme is Back to Prom.
Chaeyoung: Oh, okay, then..I see you tonight..
Jungkook: See you tonight, Chaeyoung.
"It's just a birthday party. Not a date.", Chaeyoung reminded herself as she double-checked her appearance on the mirror once again before leaving her bedroom.
When the doorbell rang, she quickly headed to the door as she knew who it was waiting for her out there. With a deep breath, she opened the door to greet him.
"Hi..", she smiled as she saw him.
He was stunned. She looked perfect in a chic sky blue mini dress that fell just below her thighs with her hair styled in a graceful half-up, half-down that he had not seen before. She looked like a dream to him.
"Um, Jungkook?", Chaeyoung waved her hand in front of him.
"Uh, yeah..hi...you look...amazing, Chaeyoung.", he spoke while rubbing his nape.
Chaeyoung looked at herself before turning back to look at Jungkook, who was wearing a sophisticated black tuxedo with a bowtie and shiny black shoes.
"No, I'm underdressed. Look at you-"
Jungkook shook his head, "Me? I just...put on my work shirt and this is a tuxedo I borrowed from my friend. You look amazing in blue, trust me."
"Am I? I'm sorry I've never been to a party like this. I just picked what I have in my wardrobe. I don't-"
"You look amazing. Seriously, Chaeyoung. Your dress, your hair, your white shoes, and your purse. They're matching, that's what matters. Oh, and am I seeing makeup on your face? You're beautiful..", he cut her off. "I mean extra...beautiful. You've always been. It's just...extra today.", he added with a smile.
Chaeyoung suddenly felt hot hearing his compliment on her appearance today while Jungkook, on the other hand, felt slightly embarrassed for expressing his feelings like that towards her.
"You look good too. I mean...you look gorgeous in the suit. It's different from your usual style and you look charming in all black.", Chaeyoung's words left him speechless.
They were gazing at each other until the sound of the elevator interrupted them. Jungkook was the first to look away as he cleared his throat and pretended to check the time on his silver watch.
"I think we should go now, right?", he asked awkwardly.
"Yeah, sure.", Chaeyoung replied as she closed the door behind her.
♡♡♡
A birthday party with a prom night theme. Jungkook had a hard time thinking how to ask Chaeyoung to come with him because of the theme. He knew she might decline it but she still said okay and that was all he needed to know.
He was quite excited about going to the party with her and so, he asked his friends to borrow a tuxedo for the night. He did not even care about the birthday girl or anything else, but thanks to Chaeyoung, he prepared a decent birthday gift for Hoseok's sister.
"That's the gift?", Chaeyoung asked as Jungkook took a white wrapped box from the dashboard of his car before he put it in the backseat.
"Mhm.."
Chaeyoung took the box and inspected it, "Just a plain white box?"
Jungkook slowly nodded, "Is it wrong?"
"No but...this is too plain. Do you have a ribbon or something that can tie the box?", she asked him.
"Uh...no."
"No? Then, we need to buy it.", she told him.
He chuckled, "Really? I don't think we need to do that.."
Chaeyoung nodded, "You should. This is a birthday gift, Jungkook. Wrapped in white alone seems too plain for a girl."
Jungkook did not think that far, "Okay but before that, you should know why I didn't think of it like that."
"Because you're a guy?", she asked him.
He laughed as he started his car, "No, I just...didn't think I should do that much for her. Actually I don't want to do...too much because she likes me. Like...she has a crush on me and I don't like her like that so."
Chaeyoung burst into laughter at his words.
"Chaeyoung, I'm serious. Eunha, she...is quite vocal about her crush on me. She doesn't hide it and when you see her, you'll know for yourself.", Jungkook tried to tell her even though it was embarrassing for himself.
"Eunha? That's her name?", she asked.
"Yeah."
Chaeyoung cleared her throat, trying to stop laughing at him, "But still, you should show some effort as a friend."
"I did. I give her a clock so that hyung will stop complaining about having to wake her up every morning.", Jungkook replied with a chuckle.
Chaeyoung was laughing along as they began the journey to the party.
♡♡♡
When the two of them arrived at the bar, the party had already started as they heard booming music and people cheering as they entered.
"Oh, it's Jungkook and Chaeyoung.", Jimin saw them first.
Chaeyoung and him quickly turned to the direction of Jimin's voice before they walked over to the corner that seemed to be a photo booth section.
"Ayo, JK!", Hoseok gave a high five to Jungkook as he and Chaeyoung approached the six gentlemen at the photo booth.
"Whoa, you actually made it here.", Yoongi said to Jungkook.
"Hobi hyung forced me.", he replied.
Hoseok just laughed in return, "Well, at least I let you bring a partner, bro. Hi, Chaeyoung."
"Are you guys dating already?", Taehyung asked, a bit surprised to be fearing of missing out on the news.
Both Jungkook and Chaeyoung quickly shook their heads.
"We're just friends, hyung..", Jungkook gritted his teeth, punching Taehyung's arm lightly for asking that question.
Six of them looked at each other before sharing a laughter at him.
"You came hand in hand and just friends?", Namjoon took his turn to tease the youngest man.
Chaeyoung quickly removed her hand that was holding Jungkook's arm while Jungkook explained the situation.
"I told Chaeyoung to hold my arm in case it'll get crowded in here. You know just..to make sure she's not alone and lost."
Chaeyoung nodded before trying to help, "Yeah, actually I told Jungkook that I'm not used to this kind of party so I need to be careful not to get lost in here."
Seokjin was the one to break the bullying cycle in their group, he opened his arms wide between Chaeyoung and Jungkook before standing in between them.
"Guys, let's not tease them anymore. Chaeyoung, I'm so sorry on behalf of these five gentlemen here. Jungkook, I'm so sorry you're taking too long, brother.", he turned down his voice just enough for Jungkook to hear the last sentence alone. "Alright, all of us are finally here, so let's take a group picture...", he added after that.
The seven boys- nope, the seven gentlemen took some group pictures together before asking Chaeyoung to join them. After that, they all stepped down from the photo booth, leaving Jungkook and Chaeyoung to take a picture together. Even though the two of them were hesitant and tried to refuse, the six big brothers of Jungkook managed to make them stay and take some pictures for themselves, too.
Once they were done at the photo booth, Hoseok brought them to the lounge area while showing each area of the bar that he had turned specially for his sister's birthday party tonight.
"The food station is over there, the drinks and desserts at each side of the buffet table. If you guys need alcohol, head over to the bar counter, and last but not least, the dance floor at the centre, of course.", he told them before a certain familiar voice entered his ears.
"Oppa!!", Eunha walked up to greet them.
"Here she comes...", Yoongi said quietly.
Hoseok hit him lightly before Eunha stood beside him.
"Hi, oppa, oppa, oppa, oppa, oppa and...hi, Jungkook..", she spoke in a singsong manner before standing in front of Jungkook with a big smile on her face.
"Oh, hi, Eunha. Um...Chaeyoung, the gift?", Jungkook looked at Chaeyoung beside him as she was holding the gift box with her.
"Here."
Jungkook took it and gave it to Eunha, "Eunha, for you. Happy birthday."
Eunha gasped softly as she took the gift box wrapped in white and pink ribbon in her hand. She jumped a little as she shook the box excitedly.
"Jungkook, you didn't have to...thank you anyway. Oppa, please..", she turned to Hoseok and gave the box to him to put it at the gift section for her.
Hoseok sighed as he took the box and excused himself from his friends.
"Jungkook, who...is this woman beside you?", Eunha questioned as she looked at Chaeyoung from the top to the bottom.
"Oh, let me introduce you two. Eunha, this is Chaeyoung. Park Chaeyoung or you might know her as AquariusRose?"
Eunha scrutinised Chaeyoung's face, "AquariusRose...the name seems familiar...wait, are you the influencer that went viral from the animal shelter video?"
Chaeyoung nodded with a shy smile before extending her hand, "Yeah. Hi..."
"I'm Jung Eunha, Hoseok oppa's little sister. Just call me Eunha.", Eunha accepted the handshake but quickly pulled away before pointing her finger at Jungkook's face. "Jungkook?", she called his name while he was surprised with how her finger was too close and almost poking him in the nose.
"Yes."
"Is she a friend?", Eunha asked, totally ignoring Chaeyoung beside Jungkook.
Jungkook turned to look at Chaeyoung but Eunha quickly moved his face to stay on hers, "Uh..yeah. She's my friend and my next-door neighbour."
"Oh. Friend and next-door neighbour. Just that?", Eunha added while eyeing both of them.
They nodded in sync.
"Just that.", both of them said to her.
The other five who witnessed the scene supported the two neighbours with the same words, trying to convince Eunha about them.
"Okay!", Eunha clapped her hands before smiling brightly in front of them.
Even though she was a bit creepy in their eyes, especially with her obvious crush on Jungkook, they had to pretend to like her because she was Hoseok's sister.
"Jungkook, what do you think of me?", Eunha asked as she twirled in front of him while showing off her milky thigh through her satin red slit dress.
Jimin and Taehyung were already hiding their laughter while Seokjin was covering Namjoon's eyes. Yoongi, on the far side, already looked away from her. Jungkook was trying to look elsewhere, too, before Eunha pushed Chaeyoung aside to stand beside him.
Chaeyoung was almost separated from them if not for Hoseok coming back and pulled her to stand beside him.
"Jungkook, tell me...", Eunha was busy trying to get Jungkook's attention.
"You're beautiful.", he said.
"Hobi oppa, may I know where's the toilet?", Chaeyoung asked Hoseok.
The elder man told her while pointing to where the toilet would be located. Jungkook saw that she was leaving and quickly took her left hand, leaving Eunha unhappy to see it.
"I'll take you there.", he said to Chaeyoung.
"No, Jungkook. It's okay. You should stay here with Eunha and the rest.", she replied with a small smile on her face, her right hand tapped his hand before slowly removing it from holding her hand.
Jungkook looked at her in concern, "Are you sure?"
Chaeyoung assured him with a nod, "I'll be fine. It's not going to be long. Don't worry."
"Okay.", he let her go, but his eyes stayed on her retreating figure.
"Jungkook~~", Eunha pulled his hand roughly, interrupting him from watching Chaeyoung.
After using the toilet, Chaeyoung walked out and looked from afar that Jungkook was already getting dragged by Eunha to the dance floor. She smiled at how he was seen forced with Eunha's actions while his friends laughed at his unlucky fate. Chaeyoung smiled a little before looking away to the buffet table where the desserts are.
"I should bring some food for them.", she went to the food station after realizing that the guys had not touched anything except a glass of beer at the lounge area.
As she reached the table full of delectable dishes and desserts, she picked an empty plate before eyeing each dish to bring to them.
"This..this..and this..."
"Park Chaeyoung?", someone called her name as she was busy filling her plate.
She turned around and was shocked to see a familiar but long forgotten face in the birthday party.
"Bae- Bae- Baekhyun oppa?", she stuttered as she recalled his face from her past memory.
The man in light blue velvet suit chuckled as she remembered his name, "I thought you forgot my name already."
Chaeyoung suddenly became wary as she looked to her left and right in the crowded space.
"Hey..are you okay?", Baekhyun asked her.
She looked at him with worry, "O- oppa, y- you- you come here alone, do you?"
Baekhyun smiled, "Do you see anyone else with me?"
Chaeyoung became anxious even though she knew Baekhyun was just trying to have a light conversation with her.
"I'm sorry, oppa. I need to go.", she told him.
"Hey, wait.", he touched her arm, stopping her from leaving. "It's been a while, Chaeyoung. How are you? And what are you doing here at my friend's party?", he asked.
So, Eunbi was his friend too.
"Chaeyoung, I know you're shocked to see me but I just wanted to know how you're doing now. We haven't met for like...eight years, is it? How are you doing now?", he said.
Chaeyoung tried to stay calm in front of him. She knew that his intention was good. He was always good with her. She almost fell for him when they first met eight years ago.
"Are you doing okay now? I know...a lot had happened to you-"
"Is he here?", she could not help from asking.
Baekhyun frowned before realizing who she was asking about, "Are you asking about your baby daddy?"
Chaeyoung quickly covered his mouth, shutting him down. Baekhyun smiled before touching her hand and putting it down.
"After all he's done to you, you're still looking for him?", he asked, his eyes began to stare wickedly at her.
"Oppa, let me go.", Chaeyoung gritted her teeth, her wrist was hurting by his firm hold.
"Tell me, Chaeyoung. Why do you still choose him over-"
"Oppa!", she managed to free herself after slapping him with her right hand. "I'm sorry I didn't choose you but I heard you're still his friend even after I dated him. I'm looking for him now not because I want to see him. I don't want to see him. Never again.", she told him as he had misunderstood her.
Baekhyun felt bad for it, "Chaeyoung, I'm sorry."
"Now, tell me. Is he here?", she asked him.
He shook his head, "No, I haven't seen him for years since I found out what he did to you."
Chaeyoung felt relieved to hear it.
"Chaeyoung, I'm sorry."
"Don't. Touch. Me.", she warned him.
He nodded, "Okay."
"And don't look for me again.", she added before walking away, leaving her plate on the buffet table.
♡♡♡
It's a baaaad invitation, Chaeyoung shouldn't come to the party. Right, guys?