<OST: Sleepless Night - Crush ft. Punch>
"You want to move back in with me?"
"Mm-" Jieun nodded earnestly. "That is... if you want me to."
"Of course, I do-" Jungkook said without hesitation. "Seeing you everyday and every waking minute of my life... why wouldn't I want it? But... I'm not sure if that's the best thing for me to do..."
"Why?"
"I... I really want to get better, Jieun-ah."
Jieun pouted. "Your sleep? Is it getting worse these days or..."
"It ain't getting better, that's for sure."
"And you're afraid that if I'm there..." Jieun thought for a while. "You're gonna rely on me too much and never get better."
Jungkook nodded quietly.
"But if I'm not with you... will you be able to get better at all?" Jieun frowned. "What did your doctor say? Has he found new information about your condition lately?"
Jungkook shook his head.
"Could it be that you're too stressed out?" Jieun suggested. "Or maybe that you've too much on your plate? Sometimes... things like this can make you unable to fall asleep too."
"But to the extent of insomnia...?" Jungkook frowned and shook his head. "I don't think so."
Jieun pouted. "It really frustrates me to see you like that... If I could do anything - and I really mean anything - to help you get better... I'd do it."
Jungkook smiled as he gave Jieun's hand a gentle squeeze. "I really appreciate that, Jieun-ah. But making you stay with me is just a short term situation - in the long term, I'll need much more."
Jieun pouted as she reached out and touched Jungkook's face gently. "I wish I could see you everyday, too."
Jungkook couldn't hide the joy on his face. "Who says you can't? You can come by anytime you want. And when I need short afternoon naps in the afternoon, I'll call you over. We're dating now, Jieun-ah. You can see me anytime you want."
Jieun stared into Jungkook's eyes for a long while, a dazed smile on her face.
Jungkook watched her fondly. "Why...? Is there something on your mind?"
"Mm-" Jieun closed her eyes and shook her head, as she took a deep breath. "I just... can't believe this is real, that this is all happening."
"What?"
"That I'm sitting right here, next to you, talking to you again-" Jieun said shyly. "Ever since you found out about my true identity... I thought... I really thought I'd never be able to see you or talk to you again."
"Me too," Jungkook said quietly. "I... I really, really missed you. I thought about you all the time, but thinking about what you did to me... it made me so mad."
"What about now?" Jieun blinked a few times. "You don't get mad anymore?"
"How can I possibly?" Jungkook smiled fondly as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I like you way too much to get mad at you anymore..."
The corners of Jieun's lips curled upwards.
"But promise me - no secrets from now, okay?"
"No secrets at all from now," Jieun put out her little pinkie. "I promise."
Jungkook smiled as he reached out and hooked his little pinkie around hers. "I promise."
Then he tugged her closer to him and pressed his lips against hers briefly.
"Ya-" Jieun gasped as her hand flew over her mouth in surprise. "What was that for...?"
"Pinky promise, sealed with a kiss, haven't you heard?" Jungkook grinned as he leaned back in his seat, avoiding Jieun's eyes and biting his lower lip. "I thought that's what you wanted."
"Ya, that really wasn't what I meant-"
"Oh, it wasn't?" Jungkook glanced at Jieun and wriggled his eyebrows. "In that case, I'll return it to you."
Jungkook grabbed Jieun's hand and moved it out of the way, before planting another peck on Jieun's lips.
Jieun was blushing and extremely flustered at this point. "Ya! Jeon Jungkook, you- you-"
Jungkook couldn't wipe the smug grin from his face. "Why are you acting so surprised? It's not like we haven't done it before-"
"It's embarrassing-" Jieun covered her face, as she blushed furiously. "Back then at my house, and even now... it makes my heart beat like, I don't know - a million times per second? And I hate to admit it... but that day, that kiss... that was my first kiss."
"Oh, what a coincidence-" Jungkook's finger fiddled with his lips mindlessly. "That was my first kiss too."
"Liar-" Jieun narrowed her eyes and glared at Jungkook. "You're obviously so good at it, how can it be your first kiss!"
"I don't know..." Jungkook grinned. "Maybe... from watching movies?"
"I don't believe you," Jieun huffed. "Jeon Jungkook, tell me honestly... you're actually a player, aren't you?"
"A player...?" Jungkook scoffed. "Who was the one who kissed me first-"
"Ya!"
Jungkook placed Jieun's hand on his left chest and glanced up to look at her. "Can you feel it? Exactly how fast my heart is beating right now? Not just my heart - my stomach, too, always has a thousand mini little butterflies all the time. This is how nervous I feel whenever I look at you, talk to you and hold your hand, Lee Jieun. I'm no player at all... I'm just a man who's crazy about you."
Jieun melted on the spot.
-•-•-
Hyejin yawned loudly as she glanced up at the clock on the wall.
12am, and she was still sitting at her computer at home, doing some research on the topic she was going to interview a doctor about the next day. Empty cups of coffee rested on the table next to her as she typed away, her eyelids heavy but her mind still extremely focused.
Ding!
Hyejin closed her eyes and stretched a little, before picking up her phone.
- - -
kim namjoon bujang-nim
Hyejin-ssi, you can't possibly
still be up at this hour, can you?
- - -
Hyejin smiled sheepishly as she hurriedly replied Namjoon.
- - -
You
oops...
- - -
Hyejin drummed her long nails against the table, impatiently waiting for Namjoon to reply.
- - -
kim namjoon bujang-nim
I knew it.
You
but you're awake too, bujang
kim namjoon bujang-nim
That's different, I have work to do.
You
i have work to do too
kim namjoon bujang-nim
I saw you - you've been preparing
all day for the interview tomorrow.
What you're doing now is not work...
You
i just take pride in my work, that's all.
kim namjoon bujang-nim
You're really that nervous
for the interview tomorrow?
- - -
Hyejin hesitated a little.
- - -
You
yeah
kim namjoon bujang-nim
That's normal... it is your first
solo interview after all. But I
just want to let you know that
if I chose you, you definitely
have more than the skills you
need to ace the interview.
You
thank you, bujang.
kim namjoon bujang-nim
If you weren't good enough, I
wouldn't have picked you. I'd
have picked Hoseok-ssi... or
Chungha-ssi... or one of sunbaes.
But you, Hyejin-ssi... you're
special. You're a gem to this
company. I see a potential in
you to fly really high - even
beyond where Hoseok-ssi is
right now. You know I'm not one
to sugarcoat such things, right?
- - -
Hyejin glanced up at her screen for a while, smiling a little, before looking down at her phone once more.
- - -
You
mm i know.
kim namjoon bujang-nim
I have faith that you'll do well.
Don't be stressed but instead,
go with confidence tomorrow.
All you need right now is a
good night's rest... okay?
You
thank you for your encouragement,
bujang. i'm going to sleep now.
kim namjoon bujang-nim
Fighting, our ace Hyejin-ssi!
- - -
With a happy smile on her face, Hyejin turned off the monitor on her desk and went to bed.
-•-•-
"Ya-" Seokjin turned off the television and looked up as Jungkook finally returned home later that night. "It's already 1am, where did you go?"
Jungkook tried to hide his smile. "Nowhere, just to throw some rubbish."
Seokjin's eyes darted towards the bags of garbage near the door. "Really now?"
Jungkook glanced briefly at the bags of trash and ruffled his hair with a sheepish smile. "Well..."
"If you were going down to meet Lee Jieun, you could have at least taken the trash with you-" Seokjin rolled his eyes. "So senseless."
"Ya, who are you? My mom?" Jungkook scoffed as he took off his shoes and took a seat next to Seokjin on the couch. "Besides, this is my house and you're not even paying rent - why are you scolding me for not taking out the trash? Isn't that something you should be doing? Wah, while I lived with Lee Jieun, she helped out a lot at home... unlike somebody."
Seokjin stared at Jungkook for a few seconds, weighing the pros and cons of snapping back at him. Finally, he put on a smile as he massaged Jungkook's arms.
"I was kidding!" Seokjin laughed awkwardly, fearing that he'd get kicked out by his landlord. "It was funny, wasn't it? You fell for the joke, didn't you! Ha, ha, ha."
"Forget it-" Jungkook got up from the couch. "It's late, hyung. I'm going to sleep."
"Wait, so fast...?" Seokjin frowned. "You haven't even told me what you and Lee Jieun talked about."
"Why?" Jungkook raised his eyebrows. "Am I supposed to tell you anything...?"
"Um, yeah-" Seokjin furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Jungkook with a but-of-course look on his face. "I'm your manager, so you're supposed to tell me what's happening between you and Lee Jieun from now."
Jungkook frowned but took a seat on the couch once more, tentatively. "Well... so obviously we're dating now..."
"And?"
"But we decided she's not gonna be moving in with me," Jungkook continued. "It's both for her sake and mine... so that's what we decided. We also will be keeping our relationship secret from the public, clearly, and well - I already got Jennie Kim's permission and approval."
"What else?"
"What do you mean what else?" Jungkook blinked. "That's all."
"You were downstairs for one whole hour and that's all you talked about...?" Seokjin's jaw dropped. "Or were you two too busy doing something else-"
"S-Shut up."
"Why are you stuttering and why's your face red?" Seokjin burst into laughter. "What are you even thinking of, Jeon Jungkook? I didn't even say anything."
"I'm just saying-" Jungkook looked away, hiding his red cheeks from Seokjin. "That's all we talked about pertaining to our public lives that you need to hear about. The rest... obviously, is for her and I to know only, okay?"
"Chill, I told you I was just kidding."
"You sure are in a joking mood today, huh."
"Mm-" Seokjin snorted. "But JK- I'm just saying, bur you really should have pushed for Lee Jieun to move in with you."
"I was the one who said no though? She offered to come move back in with me to help me with my sleep."
"Ya!" Seokjin jumped up from the couch. "Then you should have accepted it nicely! Why didn't you?"
"I don't want to rely so much on her anymore, why?" Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at Seokjin. "Why are you getting so worked up for, hyung?"
"Huh?" Seokjin blinked a few times before sitting down quickly. "Oh- I mean, of course- of course it's because I want to see you get better! Ya- why don't you call her and tell her you changed your mind right now-"
"Hold on..." Jungkook narrowed his eyes. "This isn't about me getting better, is it-"
"What are you saying?" Seokjin scorned. "Wow, this is so ridiculous- Jeon Jungkook, are you saying I may have other ulterior motives of wanting Lee Jieun to move in? Is that what you're saying, huh? Is our five year friendship really worth that little?"
"Okay, tell me then-" Jungkook folded his arms as he rose to his feet as well. "When Jieun moves in, where are you gonna go?"
"Where am I gonna go?" Seokjin rolled his eyes. "Of course I'll just swap places with Lee Jieun-"
Jungkook nodded. "Mmhmm."
"Excuse me?" Seokjin's eyes widened as he pointed to himself. "Are you... Are you suspecting me right now?"
Jungkook shrugged. "I dunno."
"Wow, you're seriously so ridiculous, Jeon Jungkook-" Seokjin rolled his eyes. "That's just an unexpected plus."
Jungkook grinned. "Oh, really."
"Don't look at me with that sickening look-" Seokjin glared at Jungkook. "I already said the main reason is that I wanted you to-"
"Okay, fine. I believe you."
"Ya!"
Jungkook was poking fun of Seokjin at this point. "I said I believed you, what do you want me to do?"
"I can't be bothered to talk to you anymore-" Seokjin sneered as he stormed towards his door. "Goodnight! No- badnight!"
Bang!
Jungkook slumped down on the couch, thoroughly amused.
-•-•-
"I wonder how Jieun-ssi is doing."
"Me too," Chungha said with a loud sigh as she leaned against the coffee machine in the office pantry the next morning. "I haven't heard from her in a few days now... Do you think she and JK-ssi are okay? I keep feeling like I need ro do something to help..."
"Me too..." Hoseok frowned. "Especially after that call to JK... I messed things up..."
"I'm glad you realised that."
Hoseok and Chungha spun around and their jaws dropped.
"Ya!" Chungha squealed as she ran towards Jieun and gave her a big hug. "Jieun-ssi...!"
"Jieun-ssi!" Hoseok gasped as he ran up to Jieun with his arms wide open, jam-breaking only after seeing Chungha give him a side-eye. "You're back!"
"Chungha sunbae-nim! Hoseok sunbae-nim!" Jieun beamed at the two. "Yes, I'm back..."
"You..." Chungha eyed Jieun carefully. "You look... You look happy."
"Mm-" Jieun nodded and smiled brightly. "That's because I am happy."
Hoseok raised his eyebrows. "So you and JK-ssi..."
"We settled it all."
Hoseok and Chungha let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness-" Hoseok patted himself on the chest. "I thought I messed things up with what I did."
"To be honest... it did make him more mad-" Jieun laughed. "But it also did play a part in getting him to talk to me - at that time, he was beginning to ignore me, you see. So after all... you did help us out a little."
"I did?" Hoseok burst into laughter. "Wow, you have no idea how relieved I feel right now."
"Me too-" Chungha chuckled. "I was the one who made the call after all. Wow, I'm not kidding when I tell you I was trembling the whole time. Why is he so scary?"
"He's pretty scary when he's angry, indeed-" Jieun giggled. "But he's really soft and nice when he isn't."
"Ya... what's this vibe I'm getting...?" Chungha pushed Jieun in the shoulder slightly. "Are you two...?"
"Mm-" Jieun lowered her head and smiled shyly. "We're dating."
Hoseok and Chungha let out the most ear-piercing screams Jieun had ever heard.
"Ya- tone it down a little!" Jieun chuckled. "Everyone outside is gonna hear you guys."
"Daebak..." Hoseok was in disbelief. "You two are dating? How is even possible-"
"In secret, so keep it a secret for me-" Jieun put her finger to her lips. "I know you both are reporters, but more than that-"
"We're your friends, we know-" Chungha smiled as she gave Jieun a pat on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Jieun-ssi - we were rooting for you both as well. We'll keep this little secret of yours."
"In other news..." Hoseok grinned as he slid his hand around Chungha's shoulders. "Kim Chungha and I are dating too."
Jieun stared blankly at them. "No, no way."
"What do you mean no way!" Hoseok pouted. "I chased her non-stop and we're finally together, shouldn't you be happy for us?"
"Wait, you're serious?"
"Why? Is it that hard to believe?" Chungha burst into laughter. "Oh, right - I forgot we didn't even tell Jieun-ssi about us... she was in such a bad mood during that time we got together..."
"I'm happy for you both, obviously!" Jieun pouted. "But I wished I found out earlier... It's all my fault that I missed out on so many things while I was crying about my own love life..."
Chungha smiled. "Well, at least all is well now."