💫
"like a river flows, surely to the sea
darling, so it goes..."
•••

Jungkook was lying—bored out of his wits, on his bed that Saturday afternoon. Since it wasn't comeback month, all he does is play video games and if inspired, tweak his mixtape.

But he's actually doing neither because... well, just because. Procrastination is a part of every human being's basic activities. And that human being is him. Also, it's quite boring to play alone.

I wonder if hyung isn't busy...

He got up and went straight out of his apartment hoping Hoseok—his bandmate, is at home. But as soon as he opened his door, he was surprised to see the one and only Lisa Manoban standing in front of his door.

"Lisa!" He exclaimed at the same time the girl's eyes grew wide and mouth fell open. He just then realized he was barefoot and only hearing his spongebob boxers. "Oh fuck."

He got so used of having only his hyungs as his neighbors that he forgot he had a new one and that it was a girl. A girl who happens to be a friend who's not actually a friend that borderlines between possibly hating or tolerating him.

"Wow. So you do cuss," Lisa just said—still looking at him with judgement written all over face. "Here I thought you're a good little boy."

Lisa's prying eyes landed on him. He felt really self conscious at that very moment.

"Wha...What are you doing here?" He asked while trying to shield himself. "Do you need anything?"

"Oh wow. It looks so different up close," the girl commented not even bothering to answer his question. "Can I touch it?"

Jungkook froze at Lisa's boldness.

Touch... touch what?

He gulped and just stayed still. His heart pounding inside his chest like he was in a marathon or something.

Lisa walked closer to him with here eyes glued to her body. He wanted to take a step back but he couldn't move. Again, he gulped. Then closed his eyes.

Is this a dream? Did he doze off while lying in bed?

"Wow," he heard Lisa say. Then he felt her finger poke his arm. "Is this a lily? It's so realistic!"

He instantly opened his eyes only to see Lisa examining his tattooed arm. Particularly the tiger lily one.

"I've been thinking of getting one for myself," she said nonchalantly that made him let go of the air he'd been keeping of a few seconds now. "Not this much but maybe a few."

Get a grip, Jeon. What the hell were you even thinking?!

"Uh... I-I can recommend a good artist," he stuttered. His heart was still erratic and he felt like his head was about to burst.

The one up on his shoulders.

"Nah. I'm scared of needles. Maybe a henna would do."

Lisa chuckled before she lifted her head and their eyes met. He immediately looked away as he felt his whole face—maybe even his body, heat up.

"Uh... Um... is... Is there anything you need?" He asked. The heat he was feeling on the particular region of his cheeks intensified.

"Oh, right!" The girl clasped her hands together as she remembered why she was talking to him in the first place. "Bambam called saying Jaehyun wanted the '97 liners to meet up. He said he couldn't contact your because your phone was off or something so he asked me to tell you."

"O-Oh! Okay!" he immediately said and stepped out of his place.

As he was about to close the door, Lisa stopped him.

"Ya, Jeon," she said touching his arm again sending volts of electricity across his body. "Aren't you... forgetting something?"

"H-Huh? What do you mean?"

Lisa chuckled before her eyes travelled south.

"Pants," she simply said before laughing. "You can't go out in public not wearing any pants, Kook."

•••

"We already know you two are dating. Stop fu—reakin' rubbing it in!"

Lisa joked after Jaehyun had told everyone—the guys mainly, about his relationship with Chaeyoung being official. It's not like the two were being subtle about it either so none of the people present were shocked.

"And why's Chaeyoung not even here? It's your relationship being celebrated here."

"She forgot she has a photoshoot for Tiffany and Co. after asking me to call the guys," Jaehyun said sounding a bit disappointed. "Man, it's hard dating a world renowned idol."

"That's rich coming from a world renowned idol too," Mingyu spat from the guy's side. "He's basically bragging after his avenger group just promoted in the US."

"I'm not in that group, dumbass," the guy immediately corrected before swatting the former's head. "My group is NCT."

"Which one, though?" Bambam joined in on the teasing forcing Jaehyun to throw his chopsticks at the guy.

"I still don't know why I'm here though," Lisa interjected. "Last time I remember, I don't have a dick."

"You sure about that Manobutt?" Jungkook teased earning a head swat from the her. But the guy did have amazing reflexes that prevented her from inflicting harm on the golden boy.

"You're one to talk, Jerkook," she spat back. "Do you even have one?"

"Oho. You just want to see, don't you?" the guy tutted making the girl roll her eyes at him. "Such bold moves you have there. Didn't know that Blackpink's maknae was su h a pervert."

Lisa's eyes squinted at the guy. "Yeah well at least I don't go offering girls I've just met to use my hot tub. Who even does that?"

Jungkook momentarily froze as if he just now realized how nasty that sounded.

"Well... well that was a deal with only pure intentions," he countered. "You're the one adding malice to it. As if I'd ever peak. You don't even have big boo—"

"O... kay!" Bambam then interjected stoping him from securing a death sentence. "How about we just go back and congratulate Jaehyun on his triumph, hm?"

Jungkook stopped and grabbed his glass of beer while Lisa just scoffed before grabbing hers.

"Whatever. I'll head over to the ladies' room. Don't even dare following me, Jeon."

"Sure you're not heading to the men's room, Manoban?"

The girl answered him with the finger before marching away. This earned a few ooh's and ahh's from the other guys.

"What?" Jungkook spat making them look away and continue drinking.

"It's weird to see Jungkook be so himself around a girl," Eunwoo whispered towards Mingyu. "I mean, he's always so quiet when there are girls."

"Yeah," the guy's forehead drew a soft crease. "And what's weird is they were just agreeing with how tasty the skewers were a while ago. Now they're arguing like an old married couple."

"Hey. Stop talking as if I'm not even here," Jungkook said pouting. "And no, we're not a couple."

"We never said you were," Mingyu mentioned grinning. "Or do you wish you were?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Hah. As if."

"As if... what?" Yugyeom joined in on the fun. "Come on, Kook. You're as transparent as water. You like her."

"I do not!"

"Really now? And yet you offered her your hot tub."

"It was for a deal!" Jungkook exclaimed frustratedly. "I get to use her balcony and she'd use my hot tub!"

"But you have your own balcony, you dumb shit."

"But it wasn't facing Han River!" The guys all looked at him as if he had a wiener sticking out his forehead.  "What?"

"You fucking dumb, Kook," Yugyeom concluded. "So much for being the golden fucking maknae."

"Huh?" He was confused. "What's so dumb about wanting to get a good view of Han River?"

"Your bal—"

Yugyeom stopped Mingyu by shoving a spoonful of tteokbokki in his mouth.

"Let him figure it out on his own, Gyu," the guy said with a grin. "He's either a real dumbass for not realizing it or a whole ass genius for coming up with that fucking excuse."

Halfway in, Chaeyoung arrived and immediately sat next to Jaehyun. The girl even kissed the guy on his cheek that made almost all the guys puke.

"You're all just jealous," the girl joking spat. "So, what did I miss?"

"Other than Lisa and Jungkook's banters? Nothing much," Bambam supplied. This made Eunwoo elbow the guy a bit. "Ow! What was that for—oh... I uh... he... he..."

"Oh come on," Chaeyoung rolled her eyes. "I'm already with Jaehyun. Stop making it seem like I still like Jungkook 'coz I'm already over him. I didn't even notice him here since he's like a ghost."

"Oooh burn!" Yugyeom laughed while looking at Jungkook who immediately averted his gaze. "This is why I like you, Chaeng. Always the one to hit the nail straight on its head."

"Say, Yugyeom, you have insurance, right?" Jaehyun—who was holding his fork a little disturbingly, asked. "Or maybe a saving's account?"

Yugyeom immediately got the guy's threat making him raise his both arms up.

"As a friend," he corrected. "Sheesh. Pipe down, lover boy. It was just a fucking compliment."

"Where's Lisa, by the way? I thought she was here? She kept pestering me to finish my shoot early to come."

It was quite fascinating how the girl can talk straight while mixing herself a bottle of beer and a shot of soju.

"I'm here," Lisa said as she took the empty spot next to Jungkook's. "The line's always too long for the girls."

"Aww, and here I was thinking of heading there myself. I need to pee."

"I'll come with you and we'll talk there."

As the two girls disappeared from the group, Jungkook mumbled.

"What's with girls going to restrooms in pairs? It's really weird."

"Look at our darling little Kookie. Sad because your Lili's gone again?" Yugyeom was really on fire tonight. "Don't worry. Your girl will be back soon."

"Shut up," he spat before drinking his beer. "I was just curious. Stop giving meaning to every damn thing."

"Oooooh! Jungkook is cursing now," Bambam taunted even more. "I'm telling your hyungs."

Bambam fished his phone out from his pocket and was about to call someone when his forehead suddenly creased. Eunwoo noticed this and tried to peak at the former's phone as well.

"Shit," the guy chuckled. "Mina must've found out you're drinking with us tonight."

"What do you take me for, Cha Eunwoo?" the guy holding his phone spat. "Of course I asked for my girlfriend's permission first before going. I don't want to have a death sentence."

"Then why do you have ten missed calls from you?"

"I don't know," the guy looked somewhat scared and bothered. "Hello, babe?"

Jungkook heard muffled yelling that made everyone in the table curious. Also, worried. Of all the girls of the '97 line, Mina was the calmest and nicest one.

"Calm down, babe. Yes, I'm with them. And Lisa's here with us," the guy replied to his girlfriend. "Yes. Chaeng's here too. Why? You're scaring me—what the fuck?!"

Good thing they were inside a private room or else everyone in the restaurant would have been looking at them.

"I see. I see. Don't worry babe, we'll take care of her here. No. You don't have to come. I know you're busy for your comeback. Yup. I promise. I'll pass on your hug, I promise."

As soon as Bambam ended the phone call, Jungkook couldn't help but satiate his curiosity.

"What happened, Bam?" He asked. "You mentioned Lisa?"

The guy heaved a sigh before slipping his phone back inside his pocket.

"It's Sehun," Bambam stated. "He confirmed his relationship with the stylist and that they've been dating for years now."

"That fucker," Jungkook muttered under his breath. Yugyeom turned to him curiously before finally turning towards his bandmate.

"They've broken up, right? Maybe it's for the better," Yugyeom said trying to contain the growing tension between the group. They all seem to have murder in their eyes and are ready to march towards a certain idol's place and confront him. "Besides, Lisa dodged a bullet. Sehun confirming his relationship with that stylist saved her from the guy's rabid fans."

"I don't think so," Mingyu interjected as he was reading something on his phone. Jungkook took a quick peak only to see that he was on twitter. "Some EXO fans are posting racial slurs against Lis. Some even saying that Sehun better off with a pretty girl like his stylist than... I can't even say it."

"Just say it, Gyu." It was Lisa. Apparently she heard the whole thing. "It's not like I haven't heard stuff like that before."

"Um... I uh..." Mingyu cleared his throat before taking a deep breath. "A white-washed SEA monkey."

The phrase earned collective gasps from the group. Jungkook clenched his fists on top of the table.

"Monkeys are cute, you know," the girl even tried to crack a joke. "Hey, can we order more skewers? We're already running out."

Jungkook couldn't help but look at the drunk girl who now sat next to Chaeyoung. Eunwoo transferred seats to give way.

How can people be so mean? How can they even sleep at night knowing they're judging people without even getting to know who they really are? He knows that that's a price to pay for being a public figure but, do they really deserve such accusations and racist remarks?

Being part of BTS gave him his fair share of hate comments and hurtful slurs. He even received racist comments form different online trolls. So he knows how hard and how painful it is.

But Lisa... Lisa just smiled and shrugged it off as if they were nothing. True enough, those bigoted comments from internet trolls means nothing but it would be a lie if he were to say it didn't affect him in any way. He watched his hyungs get attacked too and he saw how some of them suffered and broke.

She has gone through so much. He wonders how those fan girls would react when they find out that this "oppa" they put so high up on a pedestal is a cheater. A two-timing bastard that doesn't deserve someone as good as Lisa.

Though he sometimes forget that these fan girls are blind. That even if their idol commits murder, they'd find a way to make it seem like he was the victim. Or as twisted as it may sound, find it hot or whatever.

It was already night time and Chaeyoung was already drunk. Same with Mingyu and Eunwoo. The only ones sober was him—he didn't drink much because he was driving, Jaehyun, Yugyeom and Bambam—for the same reasons. Lisa, however, he did not know as she was still chugging alcohol quietly.

"I'll take her home," Jaehyun said pertaining to his girlfriend who's almost close to passing out. "This one's already done for the night."

"I'll drive Eunwoo," Yugyeom volunteered. "His place is just a block away from mine."

"Then I'll take this one," Bambam said pointing at the now passed out Mingyu. Then he turned towards Jungkook. "You can handle Lisa, right?"

"Sure," he answered. "She doesn't look drunk so how hard could it be?"

Bambam raised an eyebrow before turning towards Yugyeom who just chuckled.

"I guess so," the guy shrugged. "Just don't lose your shit, okay Kook? We need to get going. Auntie might get mad at us for overstaying."

As the guys already left, Jungkook struggled to get Lisa to stand up and leave. He felt a bit irritated but Auntie May, the owner of the place understood and was willing to delay closing a little bit more.

"Come on, Manobutt," he said while pulling her up. "We have to go. Auntie May needs to go home too."

"Nice try, Jerkook. Auntie May lives right upstairs."

This made him groan in frustration. Lisa's really testing his patience right now and he silently wished he just took Mingyu instead.

"Still, the place needs to close!"

"But I want to drink!"

"Then drink in your apartment!"

Lisa momentarily stopped. Then the girl bolted up.

"Right!" she exclaimed and immediately ran put of the place through the back door.

"Ya! Lisa!" he called while running after her. Of course he didn't forget to pay respect to the owner before dashing off to follow the now clearly drunk girl. "Where are you going?! The car's parked over there!"

"I'm going to buy some alcohol," she said slurring a bit. Yup, she was indeed drunk. Her face had this drunken blush on and she was smiling sweetly at him. "You want one too, Kookie? Or do you want me to just buy you some banana milk since you're a big baby?"

"Hey!" he spat taking full offense. "I am not a baby. Liking banana milk doesn't make you a baby!"

"No, it does!" Lisa even stuck her tongue out at him. "Funny how the guy who's all tough and sexy on stage is a big ass baby off—whoops!"

Lisa should that her lucky stars that Jungkook had great reflexes. Else she's be scolded again for having grazed her elbow from falling on the paved sidewalk.

"You should be more careful!" Jungkook scolded the drunken girl who was laughing like a maniac while trying to find her balance. "Sheesh! You owe me big time—"

Lisa head tilted up and their gazes met. The girl smiled widely at him as if she wasn't going through something. The streetlights were a bit dim but he could clearly see her face from the brightness she herself exudes.

He felt the same erratic heartbeat again. They were standing so close to each other and their faces were just a few centimeters apart. He cleared his throat.

"We need to get you home—"

Jungkook was unable to finish as Lisa pulled him closer and their lips met. The world stilled on his feet and everything around him became a blur. Her lips moved and so did his. A little over a minute passed and the girl finally let him breathe.

"Mmm. You taste nice, Jeon."

Then she passes out. Jungkook was close to almost doing so too.

•••
"...some things are meant to be."
💫

05 - 18 - 2021

i dunno what i'm doing 🤣