friday, june 3, 2016 | 1:00 pm
jungkook entered the seoul anime convention feeling very elated, despite his best friend being unable to come with him. his hair was dyed dark than usual in a shade of jet black just like kageyama tobio. there was no need to wear a wig with his outfit since hair could be styled easily. he wore kageyama's karasuno high jersey with the number nine, ordered from japan especially for this day. his makeup was done in a way that would portray kageyama's looks and special touches like a volleyball and water bottle were added to complete the look.
the convention center was just as gigantic as it had looked from the outside. the ceiling was very high and the walls were tall and white. all around the place were booths set up with activities and prizes, games and food, and tables filled with merchandise for the fans. in the center of the entire building was a stage set up with a table and sound equipment. panels would be held there through out the day.
jungkook's eyes were lit up with sheer excitement as he took in all the sights. everyone around him was dressed up in either their own fandom's merch or in a costume. before he could even reach a haikyuu booth, several people had stopped him and asked for pictures. dressed as kageyama tobio, he felt like a celebrity, evidently more comfortable in someone else's skin. his phone in his short's pocket was buzzing as he took a couple selfies with fellow haikyuu fans. they were texts from sungeun who couldn't make it because her graduation party was today.
"i know the anime con just started, but i hope you're have fun. just not too much fun without me" she had texted him.
"so much fun already." jungkook texted back, unable to keep the grin off his face. "wish you were here tho. you'd love it"
with a skip in his step, jungkook made his way to a haikyuu booth near some other sports related anime booths in one section of the building. after buying some merch and listening at a couple random panels of youtuber anime fans, he was stopped on his way back to the center stage.
"excuse me," a girl had grabbed onto his shoulder and held him from walking away. she had a mic on her and was wearing an ID that indicated she worked for the convention. "would you mind joining a contest that will be taking place in a few minutes at the stage in the front?"
jungkook scratched his head before answering. he seemed more confident in his costume and obliged.
"wait," the girl had stopped him again, "did you come with a friend or partner perhaps in costume as well? you need a companion for the contest."
jungkook shook his head, "i came alone. is that okay?" he looked worriedly at the girl, as she kept her placid posture.
"that's alright, i'm sure we could find someone else dressed in a haikyuu costume to be your partner for the contest. go head on stage, we're starting in just a few minutes." she gave jungkook a smile and a pat on the back as she sent him off before heading in the opposite direction to continue her search.
after being stopped a few times to take more pictures, jungkook had finally reached the center stage. he stood there amongst several other cosplayers with his hands clasped behind his back. a crowd had already gathered in front of the stage and people were chattering amongst themselves and pointing towards the characters on stage. the girl who had summoned him to join soon arrived by herself, and recognized jungkook.
"ah, today's kageyama tobio!" she smiled when she greeted him. "unfortunately i could not find anyone when i searched near the haikyuu stands. let's hope someone shows up before we start."
jungkook nodded in agreement, feeling a bit awkward that he was the only one standing on stage without a partner. the other cosplayers that were standing there next to him were all in pairs of two.
"before we start our game, if there is anyone cosplaying as a haikyuu character today and would like to participate, could they please make their way up here and join mr. kageyama tobio?" the lady spoke into her mic and faced the crowd. the people in the crowd suddenly murmured as they began to talk to eachother.
"i saw someone dressed as hinata shoyo!" a girl towards the side had called out, earning everyone's attention. "i don't know the person but i saw them walking near the haikyuu booths in the back. i'll get them right now!"
jungkook stood there fidgeting with his fingers and awkwardly kept moving on his feet. he was about to be partnered with a total stranger, and he wasn't sure if his costume could give him confidence any longer. if this partner would be a boy, it might be awkward between them for certain games. and the thought of a girl working with him, absolutely horrified him.
soon enough the girl came running back holding someone's hand and dragging them along with her. the person was short. shorter than hinata's actual height. it must be a girl, jungkook thought to himself.
hinata shoyo was pushed onto the stage and looked around unwillingly. as the person neared jungkook, they refused to look up at him.
it seemed like it took all the strength in him, but jungkook forced himself to introduce himself to the person. however, despite his effort, the person continued to face the crowd and ignored him.
"i will begin to introduce our contestants!" the staff member who recruited jungkook announced into the mic. "when i give the mic to you, state your real name, who you're dressed as and what anime you're cosplaying from." the lady smiled and proceeded to hand the mic to jungkook first.
"uh, hello." he spoke, his voice slightly wavering. "my name is jeon jungkook. i am dressed as kageyama tobio from the anime haikyuu. nice to meet you all."
the tiny person next to jungkook gasped as he did his introduction. he knew it. grabbing her shoulders, he turned the person to face him. those same eyes that he saw on his laptop screen just a couple weeks ago that cried over a stupid anime episode and sparkled when she laughed. it was sungeun.
"what are you doing here?" he asked in a booming voice, making sungeun retreat backwards a couple steps.
she didn't know how else to react but simply laugh. jungkook wasn't surprised. that was a reaction he could expect from his best friend.
"i'm here to surprise you, dumbass. why else would i travel all the way to the convention in seoul i knew you'd be at?" she pushed his shoulder back in a flirting manner.
just then the lady intervened and had asked "would you two know each other?"
"of course." sungeun butted in immediately replying to the staff. "and we're not going to play your game. excuse us." she said, taking jungkook's hand, and pulling him off the stage.
"sungeun!" jungkook tripped behind her, his insides twisting. "what are you doing?"
"we've finally met!" she shrieked, stopping near an empty section of the convention. "can we talk properly? i can't believe this is happening right now. do you know how long i've been looking forward to seeing you all day?"
"how come you didn't find me sooner?" jungkook asked as he leaned back against a tall column, crossing his arms across his chest. a couple people walked by and stared at the two friends since no one else was in this area, and were crowded near the stage instead.
"i was kinda just hoping i'd run into at one point. and if i couldn't find you by the end of the day, i would resort to texting to." sungeun, realizing it didn't skin like much of a plan began to blush. she looked over at her best friend and he was looking at her every movement diligently. "will you stop?" sungeun said, rearranging the wig on her head.
"stop what?" jungkook smiled, knowing exactly what she had meant. every time she spoke to him, however made butterflies flutter around in his stomach. he didn't know what to expect from her, and that made him a little scared, yet he anticipated everything.
"you're so predictable. you're just what i had always thought you'd be like." sungeun carried the conversation after she had stood next to jungkook, and joined him, leaning against the column. their bodies touched, and it wasn't shoulder to shoulder. with jungkook's height, it was almost head to shoulder. whenever sungeun spoke, jungkook would look down at her which made sungeun want to turn away from embarrassment. they were in a close proximity and didn't expect him to be so bold in his actions.
"this is weird." sungeun said, looking up at him, and jungkook never failing to not look at her. "i, i don't know what to say or do."
"me neither." he added, as sungeun paused to think. their hands brushed against each other, making jungkook's heart thump and sungeun's stomach lurch. is that what they call fireworks?
"like there's no time to make up a mean, stupid comeback whenever you're an asshole. and there's no way i'd make fun of you in person with that cute face of yours." sungeun had slipped up and rambled a little, causing jungkook to perk up.
"you think i'm cute?" he asked standing taller, and nudging her side. sungeun slapped his arm playful with a scrunched up nose and protested.
"that hurts! didn't you know i was injured from volleyball?"
jungkook's eyes immediately widened and he apologized quickly earning a bitter laugh from sungeun.
"i was just kidding!" she said, laughing again.
"you think i'm cute~" jungkook resisted the urge to reach over and pinch her cheeks.
"okay, yes we established this already. i said we'd make a hot couple." sungeun mumbled looking away.
"kagehina. we're literally kagehina right now." as they let their hands fall back down to their sides, their hands brushed against each other again. this time, jungkook didn't waste the chance and held her hand in his. sungeun looked up at him in horror, but jungkook kept his face forward, pretending not to see her or be bothered by his action despite his heart rate going to about one thousand.
"this isn't a virtual reality anymore. somewhere where we only spoke through a phone screen or saw each other through a laptop screen. i can touch you bow. both physically and mentally. god, you know me. probably better than myself and that's so odd," jungkook looked down and shook his head. his voice quivered. "i may seem confident, but look at this! my other hand is shaking. the only confidence i had today was because of my costume. because i am kageyama tobio. so i was thinking, as kageyama tobio, i should ask you, eun, would you, would you be my partner? my hinata shoyo, the one who brings the better out of my asshole-ness, and be my girlfriend?"
sungeun gasped, and a couple tears had fallen onto her face.
"oh!" jungkook quickly let go of her hand, flustered. "um, I am so sorry for making you cry. uh, i take back everything i said if you don't want to be my girlfriend. i mean i still have feelings for you, but if you don't want me to, i'll push them aside. eun, don't cry. cmon stop, i'm terrible at consoling people." he awkwardly laid his hand on her back as he finished talking at the speed of light, and gently patted her back in a rhythmic fashion.
"you dumbass!" sungeun choked on her tears, her voice cracking. "i love you, too you fucking dumbass!" and in one swift motion, she launched forward and engulfed jungkook in a hug. wrapping her arms tightly around his torso and resting her head against his chest, she finished her sobbing fit. jungkook stiffly wrapped his arms around her too, and continued to pat her back?
"you like me too?" he asked.
"dumbass, why would i stick with you for so long?you're boring as hell, yet you make me happier than anyone else ever has." sungeun stood upright and faced him. "don't laugh at me. fuck you, you probably ruined my makeup, and this took me hours to perfect the hinata shoyo look. we're both terrible at conveying emotions. we're both stubborn as hell, ironically like kageyama and hinata, but that's not the point. we'll be a better duo. a real life duo. we're gonna rock this reality."