I quietly peeked into the hotel's luxury fitness room and saw two familiar faces inside. The room was pretty much vacant except for the two people who were engaging in a conversation while focusing on strengthening their muscles.

One of them, who was lifting the tiny two kilograms dumbbells in a serious manner noticed me and he lifted up a brow. I quickly put a 'shush' finger on my lips and gave him the silent signals that I needed to talk to the other guy who was still unaware of our soundless conversation. He let out a knowing smile and nodded.

"Jungkook-ah, I gotta go," Jin said and grabbed his towel on the chair. "Namjoon just texted me, saying he just broke something and needs my help."

"Ah, hyung!" the younger man whined out a little. "You said you will finish this training with me." He grunted as he released the stack of weights down and looked at Jin with a frown.

"There's just a few more reps, Jungkook. I will see you later." Jin just waved him off with his back on him and walked towards me. I smiled at him and high-fived him heartily, and he did the same. "He's such a baby." The eldest commented before he walked off to the guest elevator.

I held back my laughter so that Jungkook couldn't hear me. For a few minutes, I just continued spying on him. If anyone saw me, they'd probably thought that I was a stalker clad in black. I wanted to approach him, but somehow I felt nervous.

For the fact that, not only did I break his heart back in New York, but I broke his precious Iron Man toy too. Everyone knew how much Jungkook cherished his toy, and to the point of him bringing it for his concert tour, it probably meant so much more than we could understand.

I tried to come up with a plan in my little head while watching Jungkook silently from afar. But for the love of God, I couldn't think of anything when there was such a welcoming distraction in front of me. On top of that—his upper body was naked. Sweat ran in rivulets down his gym-toned physique as his muscles flexed at each of his movements.

I unintentionally gulped at the wonderful sight of the youngest doing his daily fitness. When he was done, he glided across the room with athletic grace, and suddenly his sharp gaze caught mine through the reflection in the mirror. A hint of surprise flickered across his eyes for a fraction of second before he hung his head low.

In a swift motion, he put on his black sleeveless top and sat on the chair. But through the mirror, I could see blush bloomed pink across his face, underneath each sweetly bunny cheek.

"Noona," he called out as he grabbed a towel and ruffled his black hair, "It's rude to stare, you know."

I stepped out from behind the wall and chuckled when he used the words back against me. "Well, you left the door open, Jungkook-ah. I just walked in and wanted to take a look."

"Do you need anything from me?" Jungkook was avoiding my eyes while gathering all his things and shoved it into his sports bag. As always, he didn't waste any time to escape from facing me.

"Yeah. Do you want to have dinner with me?" I asked, trying to sound brazen, even though my heart tightened a little in pain to hear the icy cold of his voice.

He slung the strap of his PUMA bag crosswise over his body before he sauntered his way towards me. "Thanks for the invitation, noona. But I'm on diet." He looked at me over his dark locks and gave me a stiff nod. "I will see you at rehearsals tomorrow."

"Jungkook-ah," I called out softly, grabbing onto his arm when he was about to brush past me. "I know that you are mad at me for a lot of things. But please, let me make it up to you, hm?" I pleaded and stood in front of him again. "Dinner? As bunny buddies."

It seemed like something I had said pulled the heartstrings in him, because he finally looked at me, and there was a gentle warmth swirled in his ebony eyes. He pursed his lips in, considering for a minute.

"Okay, as bunny buddies," Jungkook finally conceded, his face looked like he was trying to stifle back a smile. "I'll see you in an hour, noona. I gotta take a quick shower."

My heart jumped with joy at hearing his reply. "Sure, I will wait in front of your room!" I waved him off happily while Jungkook just shook his head at seeing my excitement.

● ● ●

"Can I come along?" Taehyung asked as soon as he opened the door to his shared room with Jungkook. "I promise I won't bother you, I will just stick with Jin hyung."

"Yah, Taehyung. I didn't say I will go out. I just want to rest all night. We have a rehearsal tomorrow, in case you forgot," Jin shouted from inside the room. It sounded like he was munching on something in between his words.

"You heard the man," I smiled at Taehyung and shrugged off while leaning against the wall outside. "Where's Jungkook?"

"Noona, give me a minute!" That sweet voice made me smile for no reason, but I quickly dropped my smile when Taehyung was giving me a look. His expression wrapped in nothing but pure jealousy.

In a few minutes, Jungkook popped out, sported in a black turtleneck and smiled at me. "I'm ready, let's go. I'm so hungry, noona."

"Jungkook-ah, take care of my girl, alright?" Taehyung managed to say at the door, sounded like a concerned parent sending their kids off with their date.

"Don't worry, hyung. I have more muscles than you, so I surely can protect my noona better. Bye!" Jungkook teased before he grabbed my hand and led me to run along the hallway.

"You brat!" Taehyung yelled, his deep voice echoed and we guffawed at seeing his reaction.

● ● ●

"They say this restaurant offers the best grilled mutton, should we try it?" I asked Jungkook as we were seated at one of the tables in the restaurant named Genghis Khan.

"Anything would be good now, noona. I'm starving." Jungkook bit his lips as he eyed the waiter who served the meats to other customers with watery mouth.

I ordered the meals sufficed for two persons and smiled at the waiter. When the waiter walked away, I looked at Jungkook and perked up a brow. "I thought someone said he's on diet."

Jungkook snapped his head at me in surprise. Then his hands went up and rubbed the back of his neck in an apologetic stance. "That's partially true, noona. We have a big day tomorrow, so I want to be in good shape to meet our fans."

"I know you are worried if your face gets bloated," I said while drinking a glass of water, "but Jungkook-ah, no matter how you look, your fans will always love you. So, cut yourself some slack."

Jungkook was quiet for a few minutes, then he smiled at me, his black eyes glinted meaningfully. "Noona, you always do that."

"Do what?"

He gave me a casual shrug and slid down his black mask. "You always say a few magical words, and then the weights on my shoulders will be poof, gone. I can finally breathe, like really breathing without any constraint."

I just looked at Jungkook as he acted out whatever he was saying. "You are pressured with all the concerts and comeback, aren't you?"

Jungkook just let out a strained smile, and that was enough to answer me. Our orders arrived and we let the waiter set everything up before we began to eat. A comfortable silence wrapped around us and we enjoyed the taste of the grilled mutton melted in our mouth. Jungkook kept grilling and filling his stomach as we conversed occasionally in between the meals.

"So, is it true?" I asked, finally putting down my chopsticks and drinking my beer, while Jungkook was having his third plate.

"About what?" He didn't even spare me a glance as he put a big lettuce wrap into his mouth and drank his beer.

"That I stole your first kiss?"

And that made Jungkook cough out loud. He patted his chest a few times, trying to recover from the shock.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly when his face turned red. I wasn't sure if it was because he nearly choked on his drink or he was blushing because of the said topic.

"Noona, why'd you mention that all of sudden? God." He sent me a look, as if saying 'I can't believe you', and huffed out a sigh to calm his nerve down.

"Well, you mentioned it when we had our date in New York, and you didn't exactly explain what happened. So I'm just curious." I pursed my lips in, suddenly feeling guilty for saying something I shouldn't. "I'm sorry."

When Jungkook did not say anything, I grabbed my beer and was about to drink it. But he suddenly pulled the glass away. My brow creased in confusion.

"Tae hyung said you can't drink much, noona. It's already your second glass," he reminded with a stern look, and I could only sigh in helplessness. I guessed this was what Taehyung meant to take care of me.

"Fine. Let's go then. I feel a bit stuffy inside here." I grabbed my bag and went to the cashier to pay, but Jungkook stopped me again and he ended up paying for our meals.

The nightlife in Sapporo was mesmerizing. Jungkook and I casually strolled down the Susukino district, walking past restaurants, bars, clubs, and hotels. The dazzling neon lights from the majestically dressed buildings downtown made the night seem festive and alive.

"Why did you end up paying? I said I will make it up to you," I said with a frown, but Jungkook only grinned at me with an innocent look, as though he tried to let this pass without any argument.

"Jinhee noona," Jungkook called out and stopped at the middle of the sidewalk. I looked up at him questioningly, because it seemed like it was the first time he ever called my name since our last date.

"Can I hold your hand?"

My eyes slightly widened in surprise at hearing his words. Jungkook approached me closer and locked gazes with me sincerely. I couldn't read his expression as he had put his black mask and cap on to hide his identity. But deep in his kohl-black eyes, I could see he meant to say something else.

"Can I?" he asked again, tugging on the hem of my wine red sweater.

I let out a warm smile and laced his fingers together with mine. "Is there something you want to tell me?" I turned to look at him as we were walking side by side.

He did not look at me, but in his silence, he ran his other hand into his soft midnight hair, as though he was considering something in his head.

"I dreamed about you yesterday, noona." He began to tell his story. "It's not a good one." He drew out a breath and his eyes darkened a little.

I smiled and gave his hand a little squeeze. "That's why you were all grumpy this morning?"

"I'm sorry." Jungkook cast me a glance, so tender that I could melt.

I didn't know what kind of dream he had, but I know it affected him so much. Because Jungkook had never looked this distracted and gloomy for the two months that we had worked together. No matter how much he was so upset with me, he was never the one to ignore me. He'd listen and speak only when he felt he needed to.

"Noona, it's raining." Jungkook threw back his head to feel the rain on his face for confirmation. He flinched a little when a bead of rain hit his face. "Let's run." He put his black cap on me before leading me in a direction.

I quickened my pace to catch up with Jungkook's long ones, and after a while, we took shelter under a red canopy of a closed restaurant. It was almost midnight. We should head back before Taehyung showered us with his beautiful nags of worries.

"The taxi will arrive in 15," Jungkook said while tapping on his phone. I just hummed in response.

I could see people running for cover and umbrellas were opened as the rainfall became heavier. Beside me, Jungkook looked worried as he still clasped onto my hand. He stood a few feet forward, as though he was guarding me against any danger.

"Jungkook-ah," I called him quietly. I thought he wouldn't be able to hear me because of the heavy rain, but miraculously he did, his doe eyes stared back at me with full of wonder.

"Will you give me another chance?" I spoke louder and pulled him closer. "This time, I really want to remember all about you."

For a long moment, Jungkook just stayed still, he continued looking at me in disbelief.

"I will do anything. Just tell me. Oh! I will buy you a new Iron Man toy. I can take care of you, I can–"

"Noona," he let out a faint chuckle and shook his head, "you don't need to take care of me."

I looked up at him over the cap and bit my lip. I wasn't sure how to react when Jungkook was pushing me away again. But I was sure my heart dropped a little to hear his answer.

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"You've done more than enough, noona. Let me take care of you instead." Jungkook let out an appreciative smile and patted my head gently. "I'm not mad about the toy at all. I can just buy another one. But you, I can't replace you with anything, noona."

I was too awestruck to say anything because to see Jungkook smiling happily, and to see tears welled up in the corner of his eyes, it only broke my heart into a thousand pieces.

"J-Jungkook-ah, why are you crying?" I cupped his face out of panic and tears began to trickle down my cheeks as well.

I couldn't decipher what made me so easily to break down in front of Jungkook, but in the corner of my heart, I knew I had a specially reserved space for him. A space colored with deep affection and warmth—a profound connection with Jeon Jungkook.

Jungkook quickly rubbed his eyes and laughed a little. "It's the rain." He was still smiling as he held onto my hands that were cupping his face. "I'm so happy to hear that you are willing to accept us back into your life. You don't know how much you mean to me, noona."

For a long moment, we just stared at each other, each pair of eyes sparkled genuinely. Under the drizzling rain, we wiped each other's tears and pearls of laughter echoed into the airy night.

"Noona, can you keep a secret?" Jungkook asked after we had recovered from our heartfelt conversation.

"Of course. What–"

The world seemed to stop moving. My mind spinning in bewilderment when Jungkook suddenly leaned in and pressed his warm lips against mine.

I couldn't keep track of the time, but all I was aware of was that when Jungkook pulled away, the edges of his lips curved into an enigmatic smile as he said something. It echoed in my head like a broken radio.

"It's true, noona. You were my first kiss."

A U T H O R ' S N O T E

okay, just in case you guys feel confused, this is still a BTS fanfic and Taehyung is the boyfriend, and Jungkook is just a baby, lol.

I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter, I think I still have a lot to improve, so I might edit this again in the future.

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thank you for reading, lovelies!
🌹

Much love,
ℓynie

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T E A S E R

"You are perfect, Jiminie. You, just being you, is perfect enough."