<OST: Start - Gaho>
"Good afternoon, Jungkook-ssi."
Jungkook smiled and bowed a little at a company staff who greeted him. "Good afternoon!"
The staff walked out of the waiting room, completely shocked by Jungkook's unusual friendly attitude.
"I'm here," Jungkook said, glancing briefly in Jennie's direction as she had her makeup done.
"And?"
"I'm sorry-" Jungkook smiled sheepishly. "For being rude to you that day."
Jennie inhaled deeply, before glancing up at her makeup artist. "Unnie, could you go help me find my favourite cherry lipgloss? I think I left it in the toilet earlier."
"I'm on it!"
Jennie turned to Jungkook as her makeup artist vanished out of the room. "You were saying?"
"Huh?"
"You said you were sorry?"
"Ah, yes-" Jungkook pursed his lips as he sat up straight in his chair. "I'm sorry for taking out my anger on you. I was just struggling with some personal problems, but I definitely shouldn't have let that get the better of me and lash out at you... It was really uncalled for, and I just want to apologise for my tone and the things I said to you that day-"
"Wait, hold up-" Jennie put up a hand, looking confused. "When did this happen again...?"
Jungkook stared at her blankly. "That day when your favourite Unit 105 spoke up for you...?"
"Ah..." Jennie burst into laughter. "That day, of course. I remember now, it's just that... you're rude to me almost all the time I sometimes don't even realise that you're being mean."
"Ya-"
"It's okay, don't worry about it-" Jennie waved her hand in the air, dismissing the matter. "I'm used to it."
"Ya-" Jungkook frowned. "I'm sitting here, offering you my sincerest apologies... can't you at least show some emotion?"
"Oh, sorry-" Jennie wiped the stupid grin off her face at once and nodded. "Okay, I forgive you, Jeon Jungkook-ssi."
Jungkook grumbled under his breath.
"Wait, where's Jieun-ssi?" Jennie looked around the room, spotting only Miyeon and Minnie today. "Is she not on duty today...?"
"Oh-" Jungkook bit his lower lip. "Well, it's a long story... but she's fired."
Jennie's eyes widened. "What?"
Jungkook nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"No, but... why?" Jennie instantly realised her volume was increasing a little by little and made a conscious effort to tune hee volume back down. "I thought you liked her? Why didn't you fight for her to stay? Why-"
"Instead..." Jungkook pursed his lips, glancing up at Jennie carefully. "That brings me to the second thing I need to tell you... or rather, request for your permission."
"What is it?" Jennie's eyes was wide open at this point as she leaned in closer to Jungkook. "Ya, you're scaring me."
"I..." Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled sharply. "I want to ask her out officially... and I need your permission for me to go ahead."
"Well... I don't approve."
Jungkook opened his eyes at once, flashing Jennie an unhappy frown. "Ya, but-"
"Is that really what you expected me to say?" Jennie burst into laughter. "Come on, it's your own life... why are you asking me? You know I'm cool."
"Well-" Jungkook bit his lower lip. "I don't know if you've forgotten because we haven't had any promotion as couple in a while... so let me remind you - we're here today as a couple, and we still gave 5 more months before we end our couple contract, Jennie Kim-ssi."
"Yeah, so?" Jennie frowned. "That doesn't mean I'm allowed to interfere in your dating life. And I, well - I sincerely hope I receive that same treatment from you as well when it comes to my dating life, when the time comes."
"When have I ever interfered?"
"Never, and that's great," Jennie said with a little grin. "Keep it that way. It's nice to know that we're on the same page, Jeon Jungkook-ssi. Let's do whatever we want, without interfering with the other person's well-being, shall we?"
"Deal-" Jungkook agreed. "At least for 5 months... we have to be more careful."
"You're the one who has to be careful," Jennie corrected. "I'm good."
"What do you mean, you're good?" Jungkook scoffed. "This doesn't just include dating explicitly, Jennie-ssi. You've been in several dating scandals over the past 7 months, mind you, Jennie-ssi. And judging from how head-over-heels you are with that producer-neighbour of yours... you better be careful."
"Does it really show?" Jennie blushed. "That I'm head-over-heels for him?"
"Now's definitely not the time for that... but yeah-" Jungkook cringed. "It disgustingly shows, your infatuation and absolute adoration for him. And him too, that day on the phone, he sounded so protective. Does he like you too or what?"
"Mmhmm-" Jennie nodded, grinning like a fool. "He said he does."
"Wait, anyway, back to the main topic-" Jungkook changed the topic abruptly. "So you're okay with it, huh... I know we agreed to be careful, but mistakes do happen, am I right? What happens if one of us gets involved in yet another scandal?"
"What do you mean?" Jennie scoffed, snapping back to reality at once. "The person who breaks the contract settles it, obviously? The contract violation fee also will have to be paid by whoever gets caught, isn't that fair...?"
"JK-ssi, Jennie-ssi! Please be on standby!"
Jennie and Jungkook looked up. "We're coming!"
"Deal, whoever gets caught takes full responsibility-" Jungkook grinned as he got to his feet and reached out a hand. "Wow, I never really realised this... but Jennie Kim, you're actually kinda cool."
"You just realised?" Jennie snorted as she took Jungkook's hand and got to her feet. "I've always been cool, JK. You just never really knew me."
Jungkook chuckled as he shook Jennie's hand firmly, before gesturing towards the door. "Now, shall we?"
"Mm, let's go."
-•-•-
"Chungha-ya..." Hoseok smiled sweetly at Chungha as he placed a huge piece of meat on her plate. "Eat a lot."
Chungha smiled back sweetly as she picked up her chopsticks and ate the piece of meat in one bite. "Thanks, oppa."
"You have something on your lips," Hoseok said as he picked up a piece of tissue and helped her wiped her mouth. "There we go... Ah, you're so clumsy."
Chungha giggled as she made a little lettuce wrap for Hoseok and lifted it towards his mouth. "Ah..."
Hoseok let out a shy giggle as he opened his mouth and allowed Chungha to feed him. "Ah..."
"Ah, really, I can't stand them anymore-" Jisoo, who sat opposite Hoseok and Chungha, pretended to puke as she turned to Chaeyoung. "I told them that since it's after work they could be as comfortable as they wanted and behave how they normally would, but this really wasn't what I had in mind at all..."
Chaeyoung covered her eyes, her body completely turned away from them. "I regret shipping them so hard from the beginning. Someone please take them away... I feel so painfully single right now."
"Sorry?" Hoseok turned to the two with a clueless smile. "What did y'all say?"
Chaeyoung let out an exasperated sigh. "Forget we even said anything, sunbae-nim."
Jisoo turned to Namjoon with a small pout. "Bujang-nim, do something!"
"Ya-" Namjoon pointed at the couple with his chopsticks. "Just because I approved of the two of you, it doesn't mean that you can constantly rub yourselves in my face, you hear me! If you're eating, focus on eating! What are you doing, holding each other's hands under the table and feeding each other in front of the rest of us..."
"Ah..." Hoseok hurriedly let go of Chungha's hand and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, our bad. We'll keep a lower profile from now, when you single pringles are around."
"Single pringles?" Jisoo wheezed. "Well, you didn't have to attack us like that..."
"Damn, that hit really hard..." Chaeyoung sized as she turned to Hyejin. "Am I right, Hyejin-ssi?"
Hyejin wasn't even listening, as she was focusing on grilling the meat. As everyone at the table turned to look at her for her opinion, she was just placing all the meat the had just grilled on Namjoon's plate.
"Bujang-" Hyejin said with a smile. "Here you go."
"Oh, thank you, Hyejin-ssi-" Namjoon smiled back at Hyejin as he transferred some of the meat from his plate onto Hyejin's. "You should have some too."
"No, I've had a lot-" Hyejin rejected politely as she transferred the meat back onto Namjoon's plate. "I've had a lot. I grilled this for you because you looked like you didn't eat much, bujang. Please eat some more, you need energy to work, don't you...?"
Namjoon smiled gratefully. "I'll accept it politely then, Hyejin-ssi. Thank you so much."
Hyejin scrunched her nose and smiled right back.
Jisoo nudged Chaeyoung in the side as she watched them both with her mouth hanging open. "Ya, Chaeyoung-ah, what's happening between the two of them? Is it just me? Why do I feel like I'm interrupting something?"
"I don't think it's just you, Jisoo-unnie-" Chaeyoung pouted as she watched them both too, in utter jealousy. "Has our office officially become a dating ground? Is there no space for forever singles like us anymore?"
Jisoo cringed as she turned to Hoseok and Chungha. "Chungha sunbae-nim, what do you thi-"
Jisoo stopped short as she saw Hoseok and Chungha back at it again, despite their promise just five minutes ago.
Jisoo fearfully glanced at Chaeyoung. "I'm never having a meal with these four ever again."
Chaeyoung shivered. "Me too."
Jisoo flashed Chaeyoung a pathetic crying face. "I only have you from now, Chaeyoung-ah..."
The two exchanged a consoling embrace, as the other two 'couples' continued to exist in their own worlds.
"Jisoo-unnie...!"
"Chaeyoung-ah...!"
-•-•-
"And that wraps up our radio show segment with everyone's favourite JKJK couple! Thanks for tuning in! See you tomorrow night at 8pm!"
"Thank you, everyone!" Jennie took off her headphones and bowed a few times. "You've worked hard!"
Jungkook, who was right next to her, followed suit. "Thank you for your time! Please go home safely!"
Jennie turned to Jungkook, waving goodbye to him in a slipshod fashion before hurrying off towards the door. "In that case, I'll make a move-"
"Ya-" Jungkook grabbed onto Jennie's arm, holding her back. "Are you in a rush or something?"
Jennie brushed Jungkook's hand off her, dusting her shirt a little as she flashed him a smug smile. "Mm. A date."
Jungkook's jaw dropped. "Wait, you serious?"
"I wish-" Jennie laughed. "The webdrama I told you about... I'm meeting him tonight again to discuss that."
Jungkook pursed his lips and looked away. "Oh..."
"You sure you don't wanna try out acting?" Jennie offered. "The main role is taken, but there are still many slots available for the supporting roles. It'll be interesting, watching the reporters go berserk with their articles on us."
"That's true..." Jungkook hesitated. "But I wanna focus on my singing career first. I'm hardly even an established singer - I wanna make a mark in the music industry first, before exploring different fields I might be interested in. Thanks for the offer though, Jennie Kim."
"Ah..." Jennie shrugged as she muttered to herself under her breath. "I guess you really are different from him, huh."
"Who?"
"Huh?" Jennie bit her lower lip, wondering whether or not to tell Jungkook the truth. "Well, you see..."
Jungkook read the atmosphere. "It's about Kim Taehyung, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah-" Jennie held up her hands, trying to explain things fully to Jungkook before he completely shut her down. "Taehyung-oppa... he's confirmed as my costar. I admit that I did have a say in the casting - but before you get mad, I just wanna say that I didn't pick him simply because he's a friend of mine, neither did I purposely pick him to trigger you despite knowing the two of you have some beef going on-"
"Why are you explaining all this to me?" Jungkook let out a little chuckle as he glanced at Jennie. "You don't have to explain to me. It's just a drama you'll be participating in, and he just so happens to be your costar. It's as simple as that."
"I'm surprised though?" Jennie furrowed her eyebrows. "Just a month ago, your hatred for him seemed to be way more than that. Did the Love House shoot make y'all a little closer?"
Jungkook recalled the apology and explanation Taehyung had finally given him after hiding it from him for the past 7+ years. Did he believe him? Could he really believe him...?
"I don't hate him," Jungkook said with a little shrug. "Not now, at least. It's actually exhausting, to stay mad at someone for nearly 8 years... We did speak more during the filming, like you said, but we never really reconciled yet."
"Do you intend to...?"
Jungkook thought for a while. "I'll have to think a little longer about that. But in the meantime, I'll still agree to your request first."
"What request?"
"Didn't you tell me you needed me to give your webdrama a little shoutout or something...?" Jungkook recalled. "I'll do it."
Jennie squealed as she opened her arms, ready to give Jungkook a hug, but pulling away before she did so. "Ahhhhh! I can't believe it! Thank you, Jeon Jungkook! You're seriously the best."
Jungkook folded his arms and eyed Jennie with a suspicious little grin. "You never asked me for this favour in all of your previous dramas... You're going all out this time only because it's your Unit 105's debut drama, isn't it?"
"Yeah, so...?" Jennie rolled her eyes. "It's not like I've ever denied that before."
"Wow... you're really something." Jungkook nodded in acknowledgement. "Anyway, I'm actually surprised that someone as money-minded as Yang sajang-nim would entrust someone with as comparatively little experience as Unit 105 with you. Ultimately, what he cares about is revenue. How did you even manage to persuade him?"
"What?" Jennie let out an awkward laugh. "You see... Actually, I haven't really spoken to sajang-nim about this before..."
"You're actually insane, aren't you? Jungkook couldn't believe his ears. "All this while, you've been going about actively preparing for the drama, helping to cast people, even asking people to help with promotions... Yet, all this time, you haven't even gotten sajang-nim's permission? Are you in the right mind, Jennie Kim?"
"Hm-" Jennie scratched the back of her neck nervously. "Don't put it like that. I was just too busy that I forgot to tell him. But don't worry, I will get my way this time. I am sick and tired of constantly being such a pushover. I will get my hands on this role... watch me."
"Well, I'll be rooting for you from the sidelines," Jungkook said with a defeated shrug. "Let me know if you need anything."
"You let me know if you have anything you want sajang-nim to know about," Jennie said. "Since I'm meeting him tomorrow, shall I very conveniently take the chance to tell him not to promote us so much as a couple? Like this kind of radio show segments, aren't you sick and tired of them too?"
"Why?" Jungkook raised his eyebrows. "You find it boring and a waste of time too?"
"No, it's just-" Jennie shrugged. "I'm afraid that a certain person may listen in and get jealous."
Jungkook stared at Jennie for a few seconds with his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
Jennie laughed. "What?"
"You're asking me?" Jungkook pretended to puke. "Please kindly get out of my face right now, thank you very much."
Jennie grinned as she patted Jungkook on the shoulder on her way to the door. "Right on it, pal."