BO-YOUNG
"Hi, Jimin."
He quickly recovers, his trademark eye-smile returning to his face.
"You know," I begin, "seeing as most of our conversations have been over the phone, I am surprised that you didn't recognize my voice."
Jimin smiles guiltily.
"Sorry, it's been a really long day," he admits.
He looks different. Since the Christmas get-together, he's become less lively. Dark circles line the bottom of his usually happy eyes, and his hair is uncharacteristically unkempt with small strands out of place and even a minor cow-lick at the back.
"I can see that," I tell him, still eyeing his condition. "It looks like you could really use a second pair of hands here."
Jimin nods agreeably.
"It's the same every year. The Christmas rush doesn't die down until January, and now add onto that New Years, and the foot traffic here becomes never-ending," he explains but quickly stops himself. "Anyways, enough about that. What are you looking for? I'll help you find it right after I flip the sign to 'Closed.'"
I stand in place as he makes the short trip to the front doors of the store.
"I just need some ingredients for soup. Jungkook and I are making some to warm ourselves. Feel free to join us if you want," I offer as he quickly flips the sign, soon making his way back towards me.
"Thanks for the invitation, but I've got to get home," he says. "I've got someone waiting for me there."
"Ah, okay. I won't keep you for long then," I say before we begin down the aisles in search of soup ingredients.
After I was done paying, Jimin took off in a hurry, locking the doors and swiftly making his way through the town square in the opposite direction, barely having time to say goodbye.
I hold the moderately heavy bag in my gloved hand with a small smile on my face. Inside is a surprise I got for Jungkook. The small canister of cocoa powder sticks out slightly, almost threatening to fall out of the bag brimming with fresh ingredients.
The walk back is short and dimly lit, the streetlights soon becoming few and far between as I leave the central part of the town, down towards the wooden house that's only visible in the dark thanks to the distant light shining through one of its windows.
It's strange to think that this is my new home. Not only is it a home, but it's the backdrop to my life, one which I now will be sharing with Jungkook for god-knows how long.
I open the door and take refuge from the increasingly heavy snowfall. I shake off the snow from my boots and jacket, but I do not take them off. During my shopping trip, the house only warmed a little bit, but not nearly enough for me to take my winter gear off.
"Welcome back," Jungkook calls out from the kitchen, where I find him leaning against the counter, charging his phone with the pot already set next to the stove. He stops what he's doing when I place the heavy bag onto the table.
"After all this heavy lifting, my arms will soon be as buff as yours," I joke as I begin to unload the bag. It doesn't take long for Jungkook to notice the cocoa powder. Pure joy graces his face as he picks it up, inspecting it closer.
"Bo-young, you-" he begins, but he struggles to find the right words. "You shouldn't have!"
His reaction is almost comical in how over-dramatic it is. I chuckle, watching him hold the cocoa powder up in delight.
"Good, good, I'm glad you like it, now help me with the bag," I say. I turn to face away from him right as I see him purse his lips slightly and place the cocoa powder down.
"Aw, Bo-young. Are you jealous again? We've been over this before. I can hold you up too Simba-style should you simply ask," he teases, nudging me playfully. I snort dismissively, but I can't hold back the small smile that tugs at my lips.
I take out the ingredients I bought, placing those that we'll be using onto the countertop and those we won't either into the fridge or into a cabinet.
Suddenly, I feel the ground beneath me fall as I'm lifted into the air. Jungkook holds me up with nearly no effort evident on his face.
"Jungkook! Put me down, you goblin!" I demand, knowing better than to struggle lest I fall.
"Was Jimin working the evening shift?" he asks, still holding me up like a ragdoll and ignoring my demands.
"He was. I invited him to join us, but he was busy," I reluctantly answer. "Now put me down."
"Busy with what?" he asks, ignoring me again. I can't imagine holding me up is too comfortable for him, yet he shows nothing but mischief on his face.
"He didn't say anything more than that he had someone waiting for him at home," I answer. "Now for god's sake, put me down, or I won't make any soup for you."
My threat quickly sinks in, and he puts me down onto the ground. In retaliation, I lightly kick him in the shin.
He doubles over, massaging his shin as he laughs.
"I guess I deserved that," he says.
Jungkook and I sit at the dinner table, still wearing our jackets. We eat our steaming-hot bowls of soup in content silence. It's sombre in contrast to the chaotic cooking that had just taken place in the kitchen, where the hefty pot of soup is still simmering with enough left for tomorrow.
I smile.
"Penny for your thoughts," Jungkook says, breaking the silence.
"You don't have a penny," I point out.
"Fair enough. Can you tell me anyway?" Jungkook asks. I hum a yes.
"I wasn't thinking of anything much. Nothing that I haven't told you before, at least. I was enjoying the moment, thinking about how much more alive I feel – not in a thrilling way, but in an everyday way. I was thinking about being content. I was also thinking about how incredibly dorky you can be," I ramble, trying to put my thoughts into words. Jungkook smiles.
"I was thinking the same," he reveals. "You know, I didn't feel too alive before I found you either. With a back-breaking 9 to 5 desk job, a colourless life in the city, I was barely able to will myself to leave my bed in the morning. Then you came along. Don't neglect to give yourself the same amount of credit you give me."
"We're such a cliché," I chuckle.
"That's not a bad thing," he says. "Clichés usually lead to a happy ending."
(AN: This chapter is a bit of a mess – oops.)
(I keep saying that the story will soon be coming to an end, but this time I really mean it. I keep accidentally adding filler. Maybe I'm stalling.)