Jungkook's POV
It had been my everyday ritual to drive to Seomyeon to grab my coffee fix at Kim Daily, a local gem I stumbled upon years ago through Sana.
Recently, I befriended the owner, Kim Namjoon, which led to an exciting partnership. Ever since then, we've been running successful cross-promotions with Kim Daily at our restaurant.
With my latte in hand, I got into my car and headed straight to the restaurant.
Lately, we've been dealing with some supply issues, and since Yoongi hyung jetted off to London for personal reasons he didn't want to disclose, it has fallen on me to handle all the restaurant duties.
That was why he kept telling me to come home immediately days ago while I was in Seoul.
Before I make my way down to the loading dock to check on the inventory and supplies, I'd have to make a pit stop at the restaurant. It's part of the daily drill, making sure everything's ticking along smoothly.
Just as I stepped in the hotel elevator, a buzz tickled my pocket. I fished out my phone to find a message from Rosé. It simply read: "Meet me later tonight?"
My thumb hovered over the reply, ready to type a quick "Sure, your place?" But then, I suddenly remembered that tonight was the big dinner ― a chance to meet with a potential investor for opening a new restaurant in Seoul. There was no way I could miss it.
The elevator dinged. I was now at the third floor of the hotel.
I typed out a quick message to her as I was walking inside the restaurant, the staff greeting me as I entered. I managed to greet them back while I was tapping onto my phone screen:
"I can't. Got an important meeting later."
Just as I slipped my phone back into my pocket, a voice cut through the air, calling my name.
"Jungkook?"
I spun around, searching for the source. There, a woman stood bathed in the warm glow of the restaurant lights. Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders and her face framed with a pair of rectangular eyeglasses. I furrowed my brow, squinting slightly as I tried to recognize her face.
Do I know her?
As if on cue, she removed her glasses, the smile widening. A soft giggle escaped her lips at my continued blank expression. "It's Sooyoung," she said, her voice tinged with amusement.
That name rings a bell. Sooyoung... Where have I heard that before?
"From The Lily, remember?" she asked, her eyes sparkling as she widened them playfully.
Oh, I know now.
She was Sana's co-worker before, the other manager from The Lily.
"Oh, yeah! Sooyoung!" I blurted out, sheepishly chuckling at myself. "Wow, sorry about that. I didn't recognize you with the glasses."
Sooyoung's laugh filled the air, warm and friendly. "No worries at all," she said. "Oh, are you meeting someone here? Sorry, I just couldn't resist saying hi ― I recognized you right away!"
"Ah, actually no," I said. "I work here."
Sooyoung's eyes widened further, "wow, really? That's amazing!" she exclaimed. "So, what do you do here?"
"Yep," I grinned. "One of the owners, actually." Her jaw dropped, and she gasped, instinctively covering her mouth with one hand.
"Seriously? No wonder the place looks so good," she stammered, eyes scanning the restaurant. "This is actually my first time here.
My heart warmed at the compliment. My cousin and I really worked hard to build this place and make it look great.
Pausing for a moment, she hesitantly asked, "Are you super busy? Any chance you could join me for a bit?"
I took a quick glance at my watch to confirm I had some free time, mentally calculating the time. "Sure," I smiled. "I think I can spare a few minutes to chat."
I wasn't quite sure what we were going to talk about, considering we were just old acquaintances, but I went along with it anyway.
"So, how have you been?" She asked a soon as we settled into the table.
"I'm doing alright," I replied casually, leaning back in the seat. "Life's pretty much been all about the restaurant lately, keeping things running smoothly. It's always busy, but it's rewarding."
Sooyoung chuckled. "Sounds like a really hardworking man!"
"What about you?" I asked mirroring her interest and leaning a little closer to hear her story.
"Actually, I live in Seoul now," she revealed, excitement bubbling in her voice. "I landed a nice job as a stylist for a few idols. I'm just here visiting for a couple of weeks, catching up with family and friends."
"Really? That's amazing! I hope you enjoy your vacation here," I exclaimed.
She beamed. "Yeah, it's pretty incredible," she admitted, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Hey, I've seen you on TV recently," she blurted out suddenly, her eyes widening. "You look so good! You could totally be an actor, you know. Hire me as your stylist if that ever happens," she babbled.
I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Thanks, that's really kind of you to say," I replied, shaking my head with a smile. "But I'm afraid cooking is the only thing I'm truly good at."
I instinctively glanced at my watch to check the time, as if there were an internal timer in my mind nudging me. It was time to check on the kitchen crew.
"Hey, Sooyoung. I need to head into the kitchen now. I've got work waiting for me," I said, rising from my seat. "Enjoy your meal, alright?"
Sooyoung's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, of course," she said. "But wait, before you go..." She hesitated for a moment, then held out her palm. "Can I borrow your phone for a second? I'll give you my number."
A knowing smile played on my lips.
I retrieved my phone from my pocket and placed it in her hand. Her fingers danced across the screen, quickly inputting her number. "There you go."
"If you ever need a stylist with an eye for turning chefs into models, you know who to call," she said, her voice laced with playful confidence.
"I'll keep that in mind. See you," returning her smile, I pushed myself away from the table.
Just then, a familiar weight settled on my shoulder. I turned to find Jimin, a mischievous glint in his eye, standing beside me.
"Whoa there," he whispered, his voice barely audible as we navigated the back hallway towards the office. "Who was that woman you were sitting with?"
"None of your business," I simply responded.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaning casually against the wall. "Going back to the old ways now? I thought the Rosé train was your long-term ride."
A sigh escaped my lips, "That woman is just an old acquaintance and Rosé is just my friend," I started, meeting his gaze before continuing, "When are you gonna give it a rest with the matchmaking, man? It feels like every woman I talk to for two seconds becomes my 'girlfriend candidate' in your head."
Jimin's playful grin faltered slightly. "Hey, I'm just looking out for you. Your nose is practically glued to work for years. Romance doesn't even have a room in your life anymore, except for having Rosé in your bed every now and then."
"That's because I'm not interested in romance," I muttered, turning my attention to the computer screen, scrolling through the latest inventory reports from the previous day.
After checking the reports, I pulled myself up from the chair and finally made our way into the kitchen through the gleaming silver doors.
After the dinner with the investor, Rosé messaged me, saying she'd be waiting for me at her place.
I already informed her that I couldn't meet up. What was going on with her?
Despite the confusion, I made a U-turn and headed straight for her apartment building.
In a matter of minutes, I was already at her door, pressing the buzzer. The door practically flew open before I could finish the second ring.
"What's up?" I greeted as I slipped off my shoes and made my way to her couch, settling in lazily.
"Come here," she said, her voice barely a whisper as she walked past me towards the bedroom. With a sigh escaping my lips, I pushed myself off the couch and followed her.
"Just wait here for a sec, okay?" she said, her voice strained.
Confusion creased my brow as I watched her walk towards the bathroom. She shut the door almost all the way, leaving a sliver of space cracked open. Through that gap, I could see the faint outline of her legs as she sat down on the toilet.
Reaching for the top buttons of my shirt, I unfastened them one by one and sank onto the plushness of the bed, eyelids already beginning to flutter shut.
Today had been exhausting, to say the least.
Just as sleep started to win me over, a muffled shout jolted me awake.
"Don't fall asleep!" Rosé's voice echoed from behind the bathroom door.
A groan escaped my lips in response.
Moments later, the bathroom door flew open. The mattress dipped beside me, and I felt a light tap on my lap.
"Get up," she ordered.
Confused, I sat up fully. My eyes fluttered open to meet her serious gaze. "What's going on?" I managed to ask.
Rosé didn't offer any explanation, just handing me a small, white plastic stick. Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy.
I got more and more confused now.
"Wh-" She cut me off before I could voice out a question.
"Two lines if it's positive and one line if it isn't," she mumbled with a blank expression. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them tightly.
She simply averted her gaze, staring intently at the wall across the room.
"Just wait for it to appear and then tell me what you see," she added.
A surge of nervousness shot me awake. All of a sudden, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind.
My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the small plastic stick in my hand, the two clear lines beginning to appear.