Rita POV:
"I miss you..."
Astra smiled and tilted her head to one side, as I studied her face on the laptop screen. Her hair had grown a bit longer, and healthy highlights naturally were placed throughout. Her face glowed happily, her cheeks flushed a rosy shade, complimenting with her green eyes that seemed to sparkle in a way I had not seen in a while. They glistened, looking like the whole world could amaze her. She leaned back on her chair, still smiling as I pouted, my eyes filling with tears.
"I miss you too, I'll be back before you know it" she leaned her elbow on her desk, her chin resting against the palm of her hand "also how is he, you know..." she paused and took a deep breath.
I knew exactly who she meant "jungkook?" I asked finishing off her sentence.
"Yes, is he okay?" She hesitated as she asked the question, as if she wasn't sure whether to even say anything in the first place.
"He's fine" I smiled closing my eyes.
He was fine. Yes he was. But that's only because he had found someone. He had met her at Taehyung's work-do, where in a matter of minutes they had got on like a house of fire. It wasn't long before she had slowly but surely weaved her way into the dynamics of our friendship. It stung a little, to know how easily she had been almost a replacement for Astra, and it was almost as we didn't expect the sudden change as we were convincing ourselves he was hung up on the whole situation that had under gone between both himself and her. Yet there, the girl, Ella, stood with a hand on hip, blonde, wavy hair almost down to her waist, immaculately perfect. He was happy. That was all that mattered. Right?
I averted my gaze back up to the screen of the computer as Astra sat silently waiting for my next words. I shifted on my seat, feeling uncomfortable with the fact I couldn't bring myself to tell her what had changed.
"Well I..." she ran her fingers through her hair scrunching her nose "...I met this guy"
My face obviously showed immediate shock as she quickly followed with a "but I've only seen him a few times at the restaurant he works for. Nothing more" her hand went down to the necklace she had on, the one Jungkook had gifted her, her fingers fiddling with the charm on the end.
"Jungkook, hasn't perhaps moved on has he?" She said, as if reading my exact thoughts "and please tell me the honest truth..."
—🫶🏼—
"...and dumplings" I added, as I struggled to read the menu that was written on the back wall of the restaurant, wishing that for my sake I was wearing my glasses.
"so is your kitchen currently being renovated or?"
The cashier guy. Yes. Well no, he wasn't called 'the cashier guy' he hasn't actually told me his name but let's just refer to him as that for now. Was this the same guy I saw the first time I had come here? Yes. Was this the guy I had so supposedly 'met' yes. Was this the guy I kept coming back to the restaurant for? Absolutely. He passed my receipt back over the counter, his fingers fractionally brushing against mine.
"No..."
"Its just...you come here most days, I was just wondering what brought you back. The food? The customer service? I'm sure my boss would love to know..." he tilted his head to one side, a cheeky look in his eye
A small crush thats all it is. I kept telling myself that up until the conversation with Rita the night before. Did it feel right to be talking to other men? No. But my mind kept thinking back to how I was told Jungkook had moved on. To say I wasn't hurt was an understatement, but yet my heart melted knowing he must be happy. So now, as I stood staring at 'The cashier guy' in-front of me, his hair messily arranged, his smirk that just made me weak, I got rid of feeling that I owed him.
"The customer service is impeccable I must say" I teased him slightly as his mouth curved upwards "but I can't possibly give a review without a name"
"Kim Min Jae" he said, as the bell rang indicating an order was ready his "and you?"
He turned his back, grabbing the brown paper bag off the side and muttering a quick word to one of the chefs through the hatch.
"Astra Kim" I whispered, as he then turned back towards me,
"Well Astra..." he handed the bag over towards me before resting his hands on the counter, so that his body leaned slightly forwards me "do you want to meet for lunch sometime, so you no longer have to keep up the regular review visits?"
"Is this a way of you asking me on a date Mr Kim?" I prodded him, as I watched his eyes glinting at mine,
"Not a date, just a friendly lunch with just a friend. As its clearly obvious this is no more that just a mutual thing" he smirked.
"That is very true, I admire you have been listening" I replied, biting my lip "so how about this Friday?"
"Friday sounds perfect" he grabbed a business card from besides him scribbling his number down "text me when you're on your way"
Grabbing the card from his hands a gave him a quick nod before heading back out through the small door. I mere 20 minutes later and I eventually was making my way back up the stairs to reach the door of Bronte's house. Shoving the spare key into the door and pushed it away from me before instantly then falling face first into my brother-in-laws chest.
"I'm so sorry" I gasped, stepping aside as he gave me a small shrug,
"Don't apologise...seems like you're in a better mood than when you left" he remarked "something good happen?"
"Yes, well, I have made my first friend" I began "with the guy from the Korean BBQ"
"Finally..."he exhaled "Bronte has been waiting for you to ask him out on a date for weeks on end"
"It's not a date" I scoffed, crossing my arms as he gave me a knowing look that clearly made it obvious I was completely covering up that it did feel like one,
"Good luck on the date Astra" he said in a sing-song tone, making his way down the stairs and out onto the street,
"It's not a date..." I repeated in a whisper that was not loud enough for him to hear "but it does feel like one"
—🫶🏼—
Rita POV:
"What is a dog doing in here?"
I looked up and over the sofa as I saw Ella, Jungkook's girlfriend strut into the open room in Namjoon's apartment. I rolled my eyes and sighed as I took my attention back towards the television. I patted the space besides me as the small Japanese Spitz jumped and sat down.
The Japanese Spitz belonged to Jin's parents. They were away on a business trip for 3 weeks and now we were both currently looking after their dog Joon Su, who was a bundle of joy. I scoffed as I now looked back over at Ella who had thrown her bag and herself onto Namjoon's arm chair.
I stood up off the sofa and started prepping the food for later that evening. The air hung thick and filled with tension, as the television with the news blared away.
"So" I cleared my throat, chopping the zucchini into small slices "how are Jungkook and you?"
What more could I say? This was probably the only topic of conversation that was relevant and in common with the both of us. She slowly turned her head to look in my direction before pursing her lips.
"Good" she spoke, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear "he is definitely a keeper"
"He really is...everyone who meets him tends to say that" I replied throwing the zucchini into the nearest salad bowl "no differences yet then?"
"Oh we are SO different" Ella leaned forwards on the armchair, leaning her elbow against her knee "but he will make it work, make a change, you know?"
"You barely even know him, he won't change for you" I said now dropping the chopping knife on the side and looking her up and down.
"I do know him!" She gasped, almost offended by my comment.
"Please, Ella, you've known him what? A few weeks?" I sarcastically laughed as I pulled a packet of pasta out the cupboard, Joon Su now begging for food at my feet.
"I really thought you were the nicest one" she replied,
"Excuse you?" I said now looking over at her, nothing but a feeling of hatred when I hardly knew her.
"I mean" she began "baring in mind you are the best friend of his ex. Astra her name? He kept reminding me about how well you took it all, after what happened. Now I'm not so sure" she got herself up from couch heading over towards me, her glare making me slowly step backwards.
"Ella you haven't even met his parents. I'm not being horrible, it's just an assumption that you don't know him yet, fully"
"I know him very well" she smugly replied
I just had this sudden vision of Astra. That point where she wasn't even sure how well she knew Jungkook even after knowing him for over 2 months back in University. The way she had a full breakdown in the dorm room.
"It took Astra a long time to figure that out" the words just escaped my lips.
"I'm not her though am I?" she placed one hand on my shoulder as I backed against the kitchen cupboards "I'm much better than that...not much to say now?"
That hurt. I shut my mouth forcing myself not to say something that I would definitely regret.
"RACHEL?" The sound of Jin's voice caused Ella to take her hands off my shoulders, a sigh of relief leaving my lips.
I stared over at Jin as he walked into the room, his hands occupied with shopping bags and looking down at Joon Su who wagged his tail happily at him.
"I bought a few more groceries" he lifted the bags placing them up on the side as I gave him a small smile, Ella still looking at me from the other side of the room "you okay?"
"Fine yeah, I'll just be a second" I said giving him a small kiss on the cheek and walking out the room.
I bit my lip badly as I stopped myself from bursting into tears. I didn't want him to see me like that, at a possible low moment. I made my way towards the bathroom before accidentally hitting my arm against Jungkook.
"Rita?" He said as I looked up and him, the bathroom door right there "you okay?"
I swallowed my tears away as I gave him one look before replying with something I probably shouldn't have "ask your girlfriend"
I pushed past him before shutting the bathroom door behind me. Now in the safety of the room I sighed before taking one look in the mirror. No matter how much I wanted not to cry, I lost it. It wasn't even tears for myself. More for Astra who I almost felt like I failed to protect. I gave my face a quick wash before opening the door slowly. Jungkook still stood frozen, his car keys in hand. It hit me tben. Did Jungkook really truly love her or was it just to hide the fact that he couldn't get the girl he wanted.