"Surprise!"
Mina jumps as Nayeon and Jungkook smile at her. Mina asks, "What's going on? My birthday isn't till March."
Nayeon says, "Well, we originally planned for it to be a movie night but we didn't think you'd come so late. So a friendly dinner would be good." Mina says, "I can eat a midnight snack."
Nayeon fist pumps, "YES!" Jungkook smiles, "So how was the cafe?" Mina says, "It was good. Not a lot of people and the background music is actually soothing. I focus more easily there too."
Nayeon says, "That's good to hear. So you'll actually be leaving the house." Mina nods, "Yeah."
Jungkook asks, "Did you meet anyone?" Mina says, "No, I wasn't trying to." Jimin interrupts, "Let's get to eating, Mina is probably as tired as all of us many even more."
...
The next few days have been the same. Nayeon continued to keep her crush on Jungkook a secret. Jungkook continued to work hard with Jimin while slowly noticing Nayeon's weird attitude. Mina would spend her entire day studying and studying. Jimin would work with Jungkook and smile at the phone calls with Mina late at night. It was all routine and they were back to their daily lives. Nothing interesting happened until...
Nayeon asks, "Is that enough water?" Jungkook glances at the large pot, "Yeah, should be enough. Make sure to keep the heat at medium for now." Nayeon nods as she adjusts the heat.
Jungkook started teaching her how to cook. He said that she had to get better now that she has someone else living with her and Nayeon took the opportunity to learn the life skill. He's teaching her how to make pasta.
Jungkook smiles, "Okay, now we add some salt, not too much then turn the heat up all the way. We want the water to be boiling hot." She turns the heat all the way up and they wait until the water starts rolling. She says, "It looks hot."
Jungkook chuckles and says, "Now we out these pasta stick things and stir it so it doesn't stick on the side." Nayeon asks, "We just put them in?" He nods and she places the thin rods inside.
Jungkook says, "Now stir slowly and wait. You don't have to keep stirring it, maybe check up on it every now and then. Let's keep boiling it for about 6 minutes." Nayeon nods and she starts stirring it quickly. Jungkook says, "Slower."
Nayeon slows down and he says, "Slower."
She does it again and he says, "No, faster."
Nayeon whines and does it faster and Jungkook says, "Slower!"
Nayeon whine, "IT'S HARD!"
Jungkook sighs and moves behind her. She starts to panic. He takes a hold of her hand and says, "Like this."
Nayeon doesn't even notice the pace he's stirring at. She can only feel his presence behind him. His breathing hits the back of her head while his hand covers hers. Their arms are touching by the skin and his legs were close to hers. She started heating up and it wasn't the pasta.
Nayeon says, "I have to go to the bathroom!" She runs off so quickly that her elbow hits the pot.
"AHHH FUCK!"
Nayeon suddenly turns around to see the pot drop to the ground and the boiling water hit Jungkook's leg. She cries, "JUNGKOOK!"
Jungkook curses, "Yah! Stay back! It's slippery!" Nayeon covers her mouth as her eyes start to tear up. Jungkook says, "Go around and h-help me walk."
Nayeon runs around the puddle of boiling water and helps him to the couch. She mutters, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I should've been careful."
Jungkook says, "Nayeon, help me take off my pants." She stutters, "W-what?" He raises his voice, "Hurry!"
She helps him take off the pants drenched in boiling water. She gasps once she sees the marks and almost cries. She repeats, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I was being stupid and-"
Jungkook says, "Shut up, can we treat my leg first before the apologies?" She nods her head and stays quiet. He whispers, "Sorry. Help me walk to the bathroom and we'll run lukewarm water over the leg for a while. You can probably ask Jin for a first aid kit and I'll guide you from there."
Nayeon nods and they quickly get everything done. Now they sat on the shower floor with Jungkook giving instructions on what to do. Once they finished the first aid, they both sat in the living room.
Nayeon already cleaned the mess while Jungkook sat there quietly. He suddenly asks, "Nayeon, what's wrong with you?" Nayeon turns to him in shock as he says, "Look, I didn't want to say anything before but it really got out of hand. For the past week you've been acting so strange and I don't know why."
Nayeon asks, "What do you mean?" He says, "We barely fight anymore. You're always backing away from me when I try to play jokes on you. You always get offended from my light flirtations. Somethings wrong and I know it but I don't know what's wrong. You know you can talk to me, right? We're close enough for that."
Nayeon stays quiet. How can I tell you that I like you? Jungkook asks, "Did I do anything wrong? Did I go too far for a joke?" Nayeon shakes her head as Jungkook says a bit more frustrated, "I can't fucking help you if you don't talk to me!" Nayeon bites her lip as Jungkook continues to glare at her.
He says, "Look, I respect your privacy because I know you respect mine. But when something is happening to you and you're acting so weird, I get fucking worried. Friends shouldn't keep these type of things from each other! Nayeon I want to help you get over this."
Nayeon looks away and he stands up furiously. He says, "Fine, be like this." Nayeon says concerned, "Hey, your leg. Let me help you walk-"
Jungkook says, "No. If I can't help you get over whatever you're having problems with, then you can't help me walk." He limps towards the door and Nayeon can only clench her fist and bring up the courage.
Once Jungkook was out the door, she yelled, "I FUCKING LOVE YOU, JEON JUNGKOOK!"
Jungkook stops in his tracks and turns around with widened eyes. Nayeon runs up to the front door and cries, "I love you, okay! And no, not just the friend way. I fucking love you and I can't bring myself to confess to you! I didn't want to lose a friend but I also didn't want to lose you but I couldn't tell you... I was too scared and I didn't know how I should act or what to do. I couldn't live normally with you anymore because I fucking love you! OKAY! Now let me walk you home, you brat!"
Jungkook chuckles, "Come on Nayeon, stop joking. You don't have to do this if you don't want to tell me."
Nayeon stays quiet biting her lip tears forming in her eyes. He chuckles again, "Nayeon, for real, you don't need to joke around like this. I get it, you don't want to talk."
Nayeon closes her eyes and the tears start to flow. Jungkook feels a pang in in heart and Nayeon shuts the door on his face.
...
Later on the night, Jimin waited on his bed with his eyes glued to his phone. It was almost that time of the day where he'd get his daily phone call from Mina. He smiled as he thought of several would you rather questions to keep her satisfied.
He smiled as he continued to glance at his phone with full expectations.
One hours later...
Jimin started to get worried. It was so late at night and she isn't calling. He quickly dials her phone number but it's goes to voicemail after several rings. He calls her again and again but no answer. He curses and quickly runs out the apartment and towards her apartment. Maybe her phone died, she's probably home by now.
As he sprinted down the apartment, his eyes landed on a figure. It was Mina but she wasn't alone.
A man taller than her with similar clothing and glasses stood by her side. Jimin quickly found a place to hide as the two stop in front of Mina's door.
He eavesdrops into the conversation.
Mina smiles, "It's really nice seeing another person studying pharmacy." The guy chuckles, "It's interesting, you can't blame me."
She giggles and says, "It really is but I'm gonna have to say bye. This is my apartment."
The guy smiles, "It was a good walk, do you usually study at the cafe?" Mina nods her head and the guy says, "If you want, I can walk you home every night. I'm usually studying in the first floor and we get out the same time."
Mina says, "Oh..."
Jimin's heart stops as he repeats to himself, "Reject him. Reject him."
Mina says, "Yeah, I'd like that." The guy smiles, "Really? Then it's a deal. I'll walk you home every night and you buy me dinner every now and then."
Mina giggles, "Hey, I only treated you tonight because you helped me out! Don't make this an everyday thing."
Jimin's heart stopped. She treated him to dinner.
The guy smiles, "Well, I tried. Anyway, good night Mina. See you tomorrow." Mina smiles, "Likewise, travel safe Wonwoo!"
Mina goes in her apartment and the guy leaves.
Jimin can't help but slump down with his back on the wall. Of course. She liked people like her. She liked people interested in what she was interested in. I'm not a genius. I'm no rich. I'm not like her. Why did I even think I had a chance?
To be continued...