<OST: eight - IU PROD. & ft. SUGA>
"Good morning, everybody!"
Hoseok burst into the office at 8.50am the next morning and hurried to his desk at once, the moment he spotted Namjoon standing by Chungha's desk.
"Bujang-nim..." Hoseok waved, trying to take his attention off Chungha. "Good morning!"
"Oh, really?" Namjoon chuckled as he handed Chungha the document in his hands. "Thank you for that. Let's work hard together as usual today, Chungha-ssi."
"Yes, bujang!"
Hoseok spotted the cup of milk tea on Chungha's table and sneered at Namjoon.
"Oh, Hoseok-ssi-" Namjoon finally turned to Hoseok after finishing his conversation with Chungha. "Good morning."
"Good morning, bujang-" Hoseok said once more, after giving Chungha a warning glare. "Did Chungha tell you anything about Jieun-ssi's progress?"
Namjoon frowned. "No, she didn't...?"
"I guess there must be no progress then-" Hoseok smirked. "Meanwhile, I think Hyejin-ssi has been doing rather well, don't you think? She's one of the hardest workers I've seen in my entire four years with the company."
"Right?" Namjoon nodded. "I think so too."
"Oh, bujang!" Chungha got to her feet at once, not willing to lose out to Hoseok. "Jieun-ssi is extremely hardworking as well - she has been working hard to get her hands on a good cover, bujang. She currently even moved in with JK-ssi - I believe you can expect to hear some good news soon."
"Wow, Lee Jieun really is doing all kinds of things, isn't she?" Hoseok scoffed. "Forcing herself into someone's home? Isn't that invasion of privacy?"
"No, because he was the one who invited her in."
"But still-" Hoseok scorned. "She hasn't found any big leads yet, has she? I heard that Hyejin-ssi is halfway through her mission and is about to crack it soon. She might beat Jieun-ssi to it."
"This isn't a competition, Hoseok-ssi-" Namjoon chided. "We're all reporters - out utmost priority is to spread the truth to the entire world. That's all. There's no competition involved."
"Right, but-"
Ring! Ring!
"Yes, Hoseok-ssi-" Chungha grinned as she held up her phone. "It's not a competition, but looks like Jieun-ssi might have found a crucial lead- Bujang-nim, let me take this call. Hello...?"
Chungha was quiet for a while as she listened to Jieun. Hoseok and Namjoon watched on, holding their breaths as Chungha glanced up at them and nodded.
"Okay, I got it, Jieun-ssi. Thank you for the update. Mm. Goodbye."
"What did Jieun-ssi say?" Hoseok asked, his eyes about to pop out of their sockets. "Did she find anything new...?"
Namjoon eyes were wide open, waiting for Chungha's response to Hoseok's question.
"She said JK went out this morning and she was left at home for a while-" Chungha said slowly. "She was looking around the house and found a document in one of the boxes with both Jennie's and JK's signatures on them."
"What?" Hoseok's jaw dropped. "Really? Then what what happened?"
"Mm-" Chungha nodded. "She said she wanted to take a closer peek but at that moment the cleaner lady came into the house, so she had to hurriedly shove it back into the box."
"Ah..." Namjoon sighed disappointedly. "What a miss..."
"She said that based on what she saw, it looked like some contract from their company or something, but she's not sure-" Chungha shrugged. "It could very well be a contract for some advertisement or something, since it was chucked around so carelessly, according to her. She'll keep me updated about her progress when she eventually finds out what it is."
"Wah-" Namjoon nodded slowly. "She's doing a pretty good job though? It's her second day in his house and she already almost uncovered something? That's pretty remarkable. Either that, or JK-ssi is just bad at keeping secrets."
"He seems rather careful to me-" Chungha grinned as she glanced at Hoseok. "So Jieun-ssi must really doing a really good job-"
"Bujang-" Hoseok tried to interrupt. "Hyejin-ssi is doing a pretty great job too-"
"Hold up-" Namjoon held up a hand. "I have no idea what the both of you are up to... but stop it. Get to work!"
Hoseok snarled as Chungha stuck out her tongue in his direction.
-•-•-
Jungkook hiked up the mountain, his mind laden with memories of the past.
This mountain he was climbing was no ordinary mountain. He used to come here often on hiking trips with a very special person in his life, but that was a long, long time ago. And now he was back, but all alone this time.
"Ah! What's that?"
Jungkook looked up and spotted a group of girls chattering away next to him as they pointed at a group of people at a distance.
"What's happening over there?"
"A celebrity? I think I see some cameras!"
"What are they filming!"
"Omo! We're so lucky!"
"Let's go take a look, unnie!"
"Omo! If it's Jeon Jungkook, I will genuinely faint."
Jungkook hurriedly pulled his cap over his head once more and trudged along, trying to focus on working out instead of preoccupying himself with such useless thoughts.
"Ah-"
Jungkook lowered his head as he was swarmed from all directions, by curious onlookers wondering what was going on. He had no choice but to be pushed along, not wanting to draw any attention to himself.
"Kim Taehyung-ssi! It's a nice day today! Congratulations on releasing your album a few days ago!"
The sound of the name made Jungkook freeze in his tracks. He peeked out under his cap and caught glimpse of the familiar face he least wanted to see. Jungkook wish he could teleport elsewhere in that very moment... but he simply couldn't. At the moment, Jungkook was just focusing on filtering out the screams of the fangirls surrounding him.
"Ah, thank you-" Taehyung let out a chuckle. "Please listen to it! 'Inner Child' is out now on all music platforms."
"We'll definitely listen to it for sure." The emcee who was walking alongside Taehyung flashed him a pretentious smile. "Now back to our Guerrilla Date today, Taehyung-ssi. We asked you to pick a location that has a special meaning to you, why did you choose to come here, of all places?"
Jungkook held his breath.
"Ah, it's a very meaningful place to me indeed-" Taehyung smiled. "You see, this mountain was a place I used to come often to hike back in my trainee days, with a very, very good friend of mine. In fact, he was the one who inspired me when I wrote 'Inner Child', my title song."
Jungkook froze.
"Oh-" The emcee smirked. "Girl or boy...? Don't tell me - your girlfriend...?"
"No, no, no-" Taehyung laughed as he shook his head and waved his hands. "I mean, if you listened to my song, it says 'my boy' - it's address to my best friend prior to debuting. He was a very special friend of mine - we lived together, we trained together, we were intending to debut together too- but things just didn't work out the way we wanted it to."
And that's on you, Jungkook thought as he balled his fists at his sides, his breath quickening.
"Oh, I see..." The emcee frowned. "That's such a pity... But I'm sure your friend must be proud of you now, that you debuted as a soloist, am I right? Many people fail to achieve their dreams, but end up with something even better along the way. I'm sure your friend must be happy for your successes as well."
Taehyung let out an awkward laugh as he walked along, not answering the emcee's question.
"Do you still keep in contact with your friend of yours?" The emcee carried on. "You must be busy."
"No, not really-" Taehyung shook his head. "I'm busy, he's busy. We meet now and then, but too much has changed from before. A lot of things has happened, a lot of misunderstandings, and now, we're walking our own paths. I am regretful, but at the same time, I'm also happy for him."
"Wow, that sounds deep-" The emcee let out an inappropriate chuckle. "It sounds like the both of you aren't on very good terms now... is there anything you would like to say to him?"
"Mm..." Taehyung laughed as he glanced into the main camera. "He probably won't even watch my interview, so there isn't really a point. But if he so happens to see this, I would like to thank him - he is someone I owe a lot to for who I am today. If there ever is a chance, I would like to treat him to a meal or something and relieve our old days together. Yeah, that's it."
Jungkook's blood was boiling with anger. Taehyung had summarised their friendship to have drifted due to many mishaps and misunderstandings, but that was so far from the truth. He was obviously trying to use the friendship they once had to gain popularity, just like the master manipulator he had always been. And Jungkook had seen enough.
He turned to leave.
"Ya!" The girl next to him yelled. "Don't push, stop pushing!"
"Can you not push?" Another girl shouted. "We're all trying to move off, please be more patient!"
"Taehyung-oppa! Look at me!"
"Stop pushing! Wait patiently for everyone to leave slowly!"
Jungkook groaned as he turned back around, annoyed by the crowd around him. And that's when he locked eyes with Taehyung for two whole seconds. Jungkook hurriedly pulled his cap back down, but it was too late - he knew that Taehyung had already seen him.
"Is there any last words you would like to say to that friend of yours as well as your fans?"
"I know you're listening," Taehyung carried on, and Jungkook had no choice but to listen in. "I came here because I still value our friendship. I held these words in for so many years and finally, I have the chance to express it today. To my fans, I hope you will think of someone you have missed for a long time - whether it is a family member, or a friend, or a lover, or just a very important person in your life - I hope my lyrics speak to you. Thank you."
You liar.
Jungkook spun around and amidst the loud yelling, he pushed his way through and ran off. Away from the crowd, away from the cameras, away from the traitor he once called his best friend.
-•-•-
It was one of Seokjin's rare off-days.
"I'm telling you-" Byulyi glared at Seokjin with a murderous look on her face. "You better not try anything funny while you're living here. I won't set rules like Jeon Jungkook did for Lee Jieun, but you better not talk to me unnecessarily - I have no idea what I'll do to you."
"Yeah, sure-" Seokjin said nonchalantly as he scrolled through his phone. "Whatever."
He had been lying on the couch in the living room, reading online novels for the past hour. As Byulyi turned back to face her computer, an idea struck him like lightning. With a mischievous smile playing at his lips, Seokjin opened his chat Author Moon and began typing quickly.
- - -
kayesjay1992
Hey! I just finished 10 more chapters of TTS!
I really, really love how the storyline is going.
How are you today, Moon Author-nim?
- - -
Ding!
Seokjin grinned as his message popped up at the corner of Byulyi's computer screen. To his surprise, he replied him immediately.
- - -
moonstarsandsun
feel like shit
- - -
Seokjin pursed his lips, trying not to burst into laughter as he hurriedly typed out his reply.
- - -
kayesjay1992
Why? :O
moonstarsandsun
in a shitty situation right now,
that's why i feel like shit
kayesjay1992
Oh, man... I wonder what could possibly
have happened? I hope you're okay :(
moonstarsandsun
i'm not... it's hard to explain but somehow
within a day my best friend moved out and
some freak moved into her room i'm so mad
- - -
Seokjin frowned as he glared at Byulyi from behind. Freak?!
- - -
kayesjay1992
In what way is he a freak?
moonstarsandsun
he arm-locked me from behind the
first time we met and accused me of
kidnapping a guy i don't even know...
- - -
Seokjin gritted his teeth. He had a good reason to suspect her, she was so violent on the phone with him...
- - -
kayesjay1992
That's insane!
moonstarsandsun
that's not it, he also stole my tomatoes
once and tried to peek at me when i was
showering... he's a freak isn't he
- - -
Peek at her when she was showering?! Seokjin fought back the urge to confront Byulyi as he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and respond in a civil manner. Besides, the tomatoes weren't even hers - what on earth did she mean by 'stole'?
- - -
kayesjay1992
Wow... he sounds like a nightmare
to me... Is there any way I can help?
moonstarsandsun
not that i can think of... but i really
appreciate your kind words, kayesjay-nim.
it comforts me to know that not all men
on this earth are scumbags. it warms my
heart to know that such a good guy like
you actually exists, unlike the new housemate
- - -
Seokjin choked on his saliva as he finished reading the message.
Byulyi turned around briefly and glared at him. "What did I say? Can you not make unnecessary noise? I'm working over here."
"I was just coughing!" Seokjin frowned. "I can't even cough like a normal human being now?!"
Byulyi glared at Seokjin as she turned back to face her computer.
Seokjin continued typing into his phone once more.
- - -
kayesjay1992
I know how horrible some housemates
can be, Moon author-nim... It's actually
such a coincidence, because I just moved
into a new house recently as well.
And my new housemate is no joke!
moonstarsandsun
oh... really? what did they do!
- - -
Seokjin pursed his lips as he looked up at Byulyi with a cheeky smile.
- - -
kayesjay1992
Well, firstly, the first time we spoke, she
yelled at me over the phone. I had no idea
why she was doing that since I had never
seen her before, perhaps she was drunk or
something... But she yelled and cussed me
out... I got the fright of my life...
moonstarsandsun
wow... she sounds like a psycho
kayesjay1992
Yeah, I'm glad you agree with me. But
that's not the worst thing she has done.
moonstarsandsun
really?!
kayesjay1992
We had a whole bunch of encounters
before I moved in that already proved
her to be slightly out of her mind, but
I still moved in anyway. And guess what?
I'm not allowed to breathe around her
because apparently my breathing is too
loud or something. She hates noise.
moonstarsandsun
what?! you're kidding! she must
be a crazy woman or something!
- - -
Seokjin tried his best to hold in his laughter, but Byulyi still heard him anyway. She turned around and glared at him. "What's so funny? Can you just be silent if you wanna be here?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be silent-" Seokjin pursed his lips as he muttered under his breath. "You crazy woman."
- - -
moonstarsandsun
anyway, i'm so glad that someone like
you has had similar experiences to me...
i feel so much better now knowing that
i'm not alone. i hope your housemate
becomes less crazy as time passes,
kayesjay-nim. looking forward to your
next update when you read some more
kayesjay1992
Looking forward to your new book as well!
We can expect that soon, I hope?
- - -
Seokjin glanced up at Byulyi, who stared blankly at her computer screen for ten whole seconds. She buried her head in her hands, ruffling her hair around. Then she finally looked up and began typing at her keyboard. Seokjin hurriedly looked down to see what her response was.
- - -
moonstarsandsun
i sure hope so too
- - -