1 hour later

My eyes avert from the screen to the man sprawled next to me on the couch while he absorbs the vision of The Lord of the Rings playing on the huge screen, completely oblivious of the swooping feeling that his fingertips circling on my shoulder blade cause in my chest.

I've come to realise that jungkook is an extremely physical person, he's constantly grazing my back or stroking my shoulder whenever I'm close to him and damn me if I don't love every time he summons softness inside me. It's like my body convulses helplessly on his touches and I'm constantly reminded of the state he brought me down to, a few days back. Actually, I take it back, he didn't bring me down, he had awoken my senses to a new high, an incredible state that had engraved pleasure and heat on every inch of my body. I've never succumbed so easily to someone but the ease with which he charms me into admitting his effect and voicing my needs, he introduces me to a different side of mine, the one I never thought of discovering until a few weeks ago.

"What is that sexy brain of yours thinking?",He leans in close, nuzzling my neck in his scent which is cruelly addicting."Is this about the wish that I granted you?",he repeats it again with a hazy gaze and I'm starting to think he might be teasing me with a hidden notion behind the word 'wish'. I don't answer him, still confused about what I have in my mind because of the pressure it may bring and the changes it can cause between us.

"Maybe. I'm not sure if I want to demand it right now…it's just kind of scary.",I release a sharp breath and his deep brown eyes bore into mine, concerned from my hesistance."What is it, pocky? Is something bothering you?",He closes the space between us, his arm wrapping around my back and he adjusts on the leather seat to have a complete look on me before he strokes a soothing thumb on my arm which earns a squeal from Donghyun.

"God, what in the world is happening here?Are you two fucking each other?",He distracts everyone by reverting their faces at us and giving us an interrogative stare."Shut the hell up, dude. Keep your language out of my house, junghee is still here.",Jungkook doesn't care to explain anything about us and this piques curiosity in my mind. Seriously, what are we doing here? It clearly isn't a normal friendship with the instances where we've felt the chemistry between us. No matter how good it feels when we're close or spending time in his room, this doesn't mean I'm going to slip into this cycle without knowing the limits. I've changed my decision to talk about the wish, I think I need to address this relationship between us first.

"So what are you guys doing if you're not fucking each other?",Junghee air-quotes the latter part and I scowl at her. Traitor. Before I can respond, the tender touch laying on my spine leaves my body and jungkook gives her a stoic stare."It's none of your business and you use the f-word in front of me again, I'm going to tear all the poste—",I leap between them to not let it bubble intensely between them and occupy the space before the patio where the rest of the boys are sitting."Jesus, are you guys just gonna eat pizza and popcorn? Why don't I make you all white sauce pasta?",All of them display alarmed expressions and there is a beat of silence before jaesung shifts on his seat.

"Please save me from this shitload, girlie. I'm on my knees.",He lets out a dramatic gasp and collapses on the arm of the sofa and I take the cue to work in the kitchen but a cry halts me in my tracks."I told you to bring the cheese one, you wanted pepperoni. Not my fault that you're eating shit.",Mingyu slaps this poor boy's arm and they holler at each other over the pizza that has been sitting almost untouched on the table before us so I don't bother to waste my time and pass across the living room.

"Hey, do you have parmesan cheese?",I throw a look behind and realise that  jungkook joins me in the living room as I saunter on the kitchen island."Yeah, it's on the top shelf. Let me help you.",he opens the topmost section of the refrigerator that's fitted into the ceiling but I make a beeline for him."Wait, I'll get it myself. I really want to make something for all of you and you're not helping me. I'm doing it alone.",I feel like I'll be restless until I express my gratitude properly and making my favourite dish is the only thing I'm expert at so I'm not leaving the opportunity.

"Are you sure? These guys eat like pigs. It would be a lot to make.",His eyes throw me a warning but I don't switch my attention from the cabinet as I retrieve the pan to make béchamel sauce.

"Yup. I really want to do something for you guys and trust me, I've made it a lot of times. I'll be okay.",I look at the tenacious man standing across the counter and there's a hint of a smile on the corners of his mouth. I lock our eyes in an eye-contact and he's staring at me so intently as if his pupils are reading a story imprinted on my face. My gaze sweeps over his hair, eyes that mesmerise me every time and his luscious lips and this is all it takes for my toes to curl in my crocs to act on my rapid heartbeat. I hadn't expected the shiny glint in his eyes which is a mixture of lust and admiration but he succeeds in increasing the temperature of my body with his tempting stare.

"What?",I give him an amused smile and his lips break into a chuckle.

"Nothing. I'm right across the kitchen. Call me if you need anything, okay?",he licks his lips and reassures me before giving me space to start cooking. I take attempts to compose my chest and pulse, my eyes finding their way to his back as he turns around to disappear out of my sight. Once I move my focus onto the pan, excitement rushes in my veins and I don't wait to put my skills to work.

25 minutes later

"I think you just brought heaven to us, babygirl.",Jaesung exclaims, the spoon in his hold striding a desperate amount of pasta so I wait for all of them to take the first morsel. The moment they close their lips around the cutlery, their pupils shoot at me and although I'm confident of my cooking skills, their silence puts me in apprehension and my heartbeat lives in my throat."Oh my god, pocky, this is the best fucking pasta I've ever had. What did you even put into this?",The man who flared a warning to not swear lets out a gasp at me, washing my face with happiness and pride and I break into an evident laughter.

"Come on now, we were preaching some good manners earlier.",Mingyu pounces sharply at the man sitting beside me who's engrossed enough to not pay heed to the backlash. The sight of everyone digging into the meal with amazement satisfies me and my eyes fling back to jungkook who hasn't muttered a word except complimenting him.

His mouth lets out a moan when he shuts his eyes to experience the flavours in his mouth, telling me he's indeed a foodie and this triggers a memory of him eating lunch two days back. I was unable to recover from the daze that enveloped his face when he devoured the meal, like it relieved his body of everything heavy and miserable, like it filled his bones with contentment and his face is dipped in the same hue right now. If he asked me the same question now,nothing would hold me back to agree that him enjoying his food is a turn on, a huge one.

"I'm glad you guys like it. It's been my favourite growing up and I figured you would love it too.",I roll my tongue over my lips to lick the sauce which satiates my taste buds. I'm so thankful and proud that it turned out to be better than I had expected.

"We worship this y/n, do you even know how many nights I have spent munching on snacks at midnight? If I knew you make this incredible thing over here, I wouldn't let you sleep a wink.",The youngest one confesses her decision and snickers as she takes the serving from the casserole before we engage in different conversations at the table, the aroma of the sauce filling the living room with a delicious smell.

30 minutes later

I take another sip from the can, the cold beverage refreshing my throat and senses after an appetising meal when Donghyun walks from the living room to sit next to me. I put my phone on the couch out of courtesy since he looks like he came with the motive of a conversation."Hey, girlie.",He calls me with a new name that he has invented for me so I press my back on the cushion to reciprocate the greeting."So I've been meaning to ask you this…",He steals a look at the living room where the rest of us are playing a board game and propels his elbow on the couch to hold his beer,"Is something going on between you and kook?",He debates the frown on my face that appeared as quickly as he discreetly punched the question in the air. These guys are incorrigible.

"What makes you guys think there is?",I shake my head in dismay. Is this the first thing that knocks their mind when they see jungkook with a girl? That he's going to fuck his way through everything? I guess that makes sense since his history of encounters with girls that he revised to me but I'm starting to believe everyone prefers stereotypes rather than a different perception.

"It's just…",He remains adamant to veil his thoughts so I wait for him to falter and his lips twitch into an amused smile."I've never seen him like this. He has come a long way to do things which he has never done. He wrecked joonsu's face for talking shit about you, cancelled our game twice which I suppose was to spend time with you and you already saw the show we put on. Don't take me wrong, he was right when he punched that bastard and supported you but it's been long since I saw this side of this. And you? Well, you should see yourself when you two are together, you smile like he hung up some sort of galaxy for you in the sky.",He informs me confidently, his observations leaving me utterly lost.

I think about the moments we have spent since summer break ended and the constant bickering transitioned to intense touches, eye-contacts , tease and hours of conversations. My heart starts to tingle at this revelation,my mind finding it almost impossible to brace myself to address the butterflies that he causes in my body. The following seconds, I attempt to digest the uncertainty pricking my body. Ofcourse, I'm not falling for him, I cannot fall for anybody right now, when my past relationship is still haunting my courage but donghyun's words cause a knot to form in my chest. There's no denying that I'm attracted to him, so much that every time he touches my body, I pray for the time to pace slower and halt when he looks at me with a haughty desire in his brown orbs.Perhaps it's been too long since someone showed me this kind of attention but that doesn't justify that I couldn't care less about anyone else except him nowadays.

"Look, I understand if you're not sure yet but I'm just here to give you a heads-up. Maybe you guys should take it out before having second thoughts or misunderstanding each other. You know I would never wish bad to y'all.",His words punch a deep realisation in my gut. I force myself to reach out to speak to not fall weak before him."Thank you. I really appreciate you talking to me about this. I never expected us to become close and we still haven't talked properly after the match ended so I'll probably talk to him later.",The mere thought of addressing this tension between us makes me queasy and I steal a glance at the living room to catch the said man coming in our direction.

He thrashes the can in hold at the boy next to me, empty packets of chips cradled in his hands as everyone is about to leave."How many times do I need to remind you of the rules?No trash anywhere except a dustbin.",He revises his friend who arches an eyebrow at the indignation and spits out a frazzled curse."Did you just call me a dustbin?",My face turns to him at the misinterpreted idea that he took of jungkook's words but jungkook doesn't retort.

"I didn't mean that.. but if the crown fits you, then wear it princess.",He gives a smug smile that leaves us momentarily startled before I crack into a laugh and donghyun bounces from the seat to jump over him, the two of them fighting each other off playfully around the hall.

I take the task of putting the empty pizza boxes away that mingyu made jaesung gooble for his choices and reach at the corner of the kitchen island. My eyes catch him and junghee gathered around the island and she looks hassled and unaffected simultaneously."So what's your age again?",He twinkles at her, smiling amiably at her but she's in no mood to entertain him and snaps back the moment he enquires her."I'm a minor and I'm already into someone else.",She makes the smile on his face drop instantaneously, all the gleam in his face pooling away and it takes all the self-control in my body to hide my snort.

"Stop hitting on his sister, dude. Do you want to get beaten by jungkook?",Mingyu jostles behind him and slaps his back and he widens his pupils in defence and wanders off murmuring inaudible words. Even as he protests, I can see him flustered because of her answer as he takes his jacket off from the couch and waves us goodbye, dragging Donghyun along with him who gives me a warm smile. I didn't take them to be welcoming but their personalities certainly live upto the hype.

"Alright, it's time for me to go, too. Thank you for the food, chef.",Mingyu gives me a swift hug and although he's as tall as jungkook, his arms offer a different kind of warmth, it's filled with comfort and a rather less affection.His arms rub my back for a fleeting second so I clasp him properly to break the hug after few seconds and he switches his attention at his friend.

From my peripheral vision, I see a glimmer of vexation spurring on his face. His chiseled features are twisted into a feral and exasperated look and this sends mingyu into a frenzy before he shrugs after receiving a plain response from his friend. I'm contemplating a thought that sounds insane in my mind. My guess is he's jealous after watching us sharing a hug but to feel that emotion, he needs to be attached to me which is barely true. I don't know anymore, my mind is a mess at this point so I step outside the kitchen to relax on the patio after junghee retires to her room.

I already texted my dad about the competition so he readily agreed when I said I'll be home late. I don't need to worry about mom because dad makes sure to tell some lies about my whereabouts which are usually group-study sessions in the library. I ease myself onto the soft cover of the sofa, a moan slipping from my mouth when jungkook emerges from the back to occupy a seat beside me."Are you tired?",This time, there's no tension imprinted on his face, it's an amazing sense of care that pounds my heart irrevocably. Why is that incident affecting me so much and why am I nodding at his question?

"Come on. Let's go upstairs.",He leads my hands to intertwine with his, this little gesture bursting fizzy sparks down my spine as we take the stairs to enter his room."Come here.",We sit ourselves on his bed, a number of pillows providing a soft place.He wraps his arm across my back to pull me closer, his masculine scent devouring a firm place in my chest and my face scoots in his neck and shoulder. I can feel my heartbeat fluttering everytime our bodies come in contact, his fingers trail on the back of my palm and his lips plant a chaste kiss on my temple. These feelings are so overwhelming that I can feel them wrenching my control from my nerves.

"Why did you look at mingyu like that?", I'm distracted by his body against mine but I manage to gather courage to swivel my head to look at him."Like what?",He furrows his eyebrow at me, pleading innocent but something about his face is already dipped into a knowing shrug.

"Like you were jealous when he hugged me.",I shift next to him so that his gaze slides down my whole body as soon as these words escape from my mouth.His sight lingers on my face, sparking tingles of heat between my legs, the same that he ignited with his fingers and the memory tosses every sense in my mind away but I keep my expression taut.

There's five seconds of silence which he breaks my sweeping his tongue inside his mouth and parting his lips."What if I was?".