JUNGKOOK

"Birthday boy?" Jin came into the room, hopping slightly with a sweet smile on his face. I was still putting on some cologne when I turned around hearing his voice. "You're wearing this!" He said, swiftly sliding a Piaget Altiplano on my wrist. At first, I didn't really notice, but as soon as my eyes fell on the name of the brand, I took it off.

"Hyung!" I said, a slight waver in my voice. "Something wrong?" He asked me and I just kept looking at the piece of art in my hand. "I can't take this... Too expensive... I just..." I kept stumbling over my words when he smiled, suddenly hugging me out of nowhere.

"It's a gift, Jungkookie~" He said with a genuine tone. "It's for my brother who deserves it" He softly said, not looking at me in the eye after parting and my mouth was still slightly agape. This was one of the very moments of my life I wish I'd bottle up and watch again and again whenever I'm lonely.

I swear I felt the tears coming. Jin hyung never does all this. He never does. It's very rare of him to do that. I held his bicep before he could turn around to leave. "Hmm?" He asked and I smiled very softly. "Thankyou, hyung." I said and he looked up at me, smiling and giving my back a pat. "I'll go to the roof now" He smiled and I nodded.

🌌

Coming up to the rooftop by climbing the stairs was a regular habit. It helped me lessen up my gym time. But who was I kidding? I wasn't even gymming these days. Getting up there, I was busy buttoning up my sleeves when I looked up, my eyes catching a splashing but familiar red.

When I got closer to the little set-up the guys had done, enough for ten people to fit in, a small smile took its place on my lips. The small lights that Taehyung had insisted on having the other day were beautifully hung all around the tent, and everyone sat there, some laughing with each other and some simply setting up the cake.

They were my family.

My everything, my going force. They made me so happy, and I was thankful to spend my day with them. There was, however, a new addition to our small but large pack. The girl in red. The one I had literally spent my whole day with, yesterday. Then, she looked comfy, but right now, she looked different.

But today she looked beautiful. Her eyes met mine and she smiled at me. It was almost in slow motion, her eyebrows raised when I kept staring at her with a small smile. The dress? It was the one I picked. And I knew that she wore it on purpose. 

"Earth To Jungkook?" I heard Hoseok hyung's voice cut me off, bringing me back to real life. "Yeah?" I asked and he grinned. "Hello? Where were you?" He asked and I just smiled. "Getting ready" I shrugged. "Yeah so I was introducing my girl, back to her!" Taru came in with some snacks in her hand.

"Everyone, this is Y/N. I have probably taken her name a thousand times in front of you guys, so yeah, here we go. Finally." She said and I saw you keeping the same sweet smile throughout. "I thought it was just gonna be us" Yoongi softly said to Jimin. "And I know korean" You finally spoke yourself and Jimin gave Yoongi a funny look.

"I'm sorry" Yoongi chuckled, suddenly awkward. "It's fine. And I totally apologize for you know... Entering without a disclaimer" you softly giggled and Namjoon hyung quickly interjected. "Not at all! More the merrier" He smiled and I saw you throw a grin at him.

"Here we meet again Y/N-ah" Jin extended his arm to you and you shook it. "I am more than obliged" you said and a new conversation broke up. It disturbed me a little bit that you weren't exactly paying attention to me. But come on! I was the birthday boy, wasn't I supposed to be a bit selfish?

After about twenty minutes while we were just talking and drinking, some snacks on the table too. "I'll excuse myself" You softly said when your phone rang and Jimin just approved.

It had been a few minutes since you'd returned so I went near Taru, curiosity getting me. "Where's your friend?" I asked and she beamed. "Worried much?" She asked and I frowned. "What's with you? That's just concern for a guest," I said, taking a sip from my bottle while leaning on the table and she chuckled.

"I saw her going towards the railings" She told me and I nodded, moving here and there for a while after grabbing another soju bottle indentical to mine and leaving the scene without anybody knowing, the new talent I had discovered about myself. Disappearing from my own party without anyone noticing.

🌌

You stood near the edge of the decorated cliff, hands resting on the railings. A hand came over to you, a soju bottle in the hold of it's long fingers. You took the bottle and turned your head the other direction, quickly wiping your eyes and turning back at him. He leaned on the railing next to you as well, hands hanging with a bottle of his own.

"You don't look so happy. Is it the call?" He asked and you looked at your phone and nodded. "I just... I was gonna return... I just needed some air" you said. "What are you doing here? Go enjoy" you playfully nudged him, an action unexpected from you but he kept his straight face nonetheless.

"They're busy eating" he shrugged and you chuckled. "Oh..." You took a sip of the liquid, refueling your senses. "Y/N-ah..." He said and you coughed out a little bit soju before wiping yourself. "Hmm?" Was all you could say in reply after clearing your throat. "I still feel like we've met before" He said and you nodded. "Of course we have. We've met four times before this" you stated obliviously and he shook his head.

"You know what I am talking about," he said as a matter of fact and you smiled. "We have, haven't we?" He softly said again and you nodded, looking the other way again. "What was it? A concert? Fansign?" He asked and you shook your head, still not looking at him. He sighed softly, waiting for you to speak. After a moment of silence, you finally turned your head towards him.

"We should talk" You said and he raised an eyebrow. "I wanted to wait until you were comfortable with me but you keep asking me..." You said. " I know that you're not that comfortable with me cause you like... just met me and you probably don't even-"
"Y/N?" He cut your sentence. "Talk" he bluntly said and you sighed.

"Is there something wrong these days?" You asked and when he didn't react, probably didn't understand, you continued. "Like... I mean... Is there something bothering you?" You asked and he looked at you with big eyes. "About you?" He asked and you shook your head. "Not about me." You added and he didn't say anything again, just looked away towards the buildings.

FLASHBACK

4th August 2021
12:30 pm

I sat with some ramen on the table, outside the general store, a family and some couples on the nearby tables. I looked up at the trees, the leaves swaying along with the wind. My mind wandered to several different thoughts that were all around the place, in short words. I had been given information about how I will be restarting my story like a stupid manga character. In the history of all marvel movies I had watched in my lifetime, never had I considered "time travel" to be real. My thoughts sounded absurd when spoken out loud, so all I could do was think endlessly. All I could think of was how weirdly my life was leading into an unknown ridiculous fantasy.

"I'm sorry" I looked up, snapping out of my thoughts to see a man with a mask and a black shirt, bowing to some lady who apparently had some stain on her shirt. Probably coffee. I couldn't see the man's face even though he was standing so close to me, repeatedly bowing to the lady who was standing in front of him rambling about her super expensive shirt or something.

"Bloody drunkard! Do you even how much this costs? Why do you bastards keep interfering in others' lives when you have nothing to do but drink? I cannot believe you-" "I'm sorry, ma'am!" He said again and your head snapped up, trying to recognise his face but it was completely hidden by the mask and the rest of it by his bangs.

"I'll buy some... T-tissues for you" He slurred and you frowned, recognising the voice too well. "Now don't try to make up! Why the hell did you do this? I'll report you to the police for moving around drunk in the middle of the day-" She kept on rambling as he stood there with a packet in his hand. "Oppa!" I ran to him, taking hold of his arm. This was something I did when I realised there were about ten to eleven eyes on him, and that was not healthy for his reputation or the sake of his profession.

"Oppa...?" I heard him murmur when I suddenly threw myself on him. "Let's go!!" I cheerfully said and the lady looked at my face. "Isn't he drunk? But you seem conscious!?" She said and I smiled brightly. "He's..... Uh... a little slow. Please forgive him. He's not drunk" I normally said, making up a big fat lie.

"Oh," She let out, guilt written all over her face. "I'm very sorry" the woman's facial expression changed instantly and I shook my head, internally giggling at my own excuse. All for a good cause. "Let's go, oppa" I smiled at the man trying to fight his arms away from my grip with sleepy eyes, the only body part of his that I could see.

I took him towards the footpath and kept walking until we were at a good distance from the store. I pulled him into a short alley before anyone could see me "Jungkook-ssi?" I softly said, looking back and then looking at him, a worried frown on my face. "Are you okay?" I asked, softly reaching out for his mask.

He retracted his face at first but then I looked at him politely and slowly took off his mask. And of course, I was right. "Why are you here? You could've exposed yourself!" I exclaimed softly and he kept gulping, unable to look straight. I frowned, looking at him. He tilted his head adorably, probably trying to figure out my identity.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" I asked and he was the one who frowned this time. He didn't speak for the first two minutes and I sighed. After all, he had the freedom to be wherever he wanted at whatever time. But his job restricted him from doing so, and that left me a little concerned.

"Thank you..." He spoke softly after a little while, looking at me and I nodded with a smile. I quickly put his mask back on his face and took him back to the footpath. Calling out for a taxi, I talked to the driver and told him quickly the address. "Ahjussi I don't know the exact place but he'll help you out if you ask him to," I told the taxi driver and he kindly agreed.

I helped Jungkook get inside the car, closing the door. It was hard to manage him because of his weight, but he helped himself quite a bit. Before the car could leave, he peeked out the window. "I realise I was almost busted there. H-how am I supposed to thank you?" He asked when he probably saw me give money to the driver. I smiled again, looking at him with assurance and carefully pushed his hand inside the car. "I believe you will get a lot of chances to pay me back. But for now," I tried giving a bright grin.

"Just get home safe."