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The morning after, was the morning I woke up in my own bed with the sheets wrapped around me tightly. It was also the morning a loud thump echoed inside the room, ripping apart the dream I forgot the moment I woke up.

Luckily enough, my eyes struggle but are able to find the energy to open and I'm greeted with none other than Haru running around the apartment like a headless chicken.

Her brown hair was a mess, tied up in what was supposed to be a ponytail. Dressed in nothing but plain shorts and a white tank top, she wore a single black sock on her left foot, the other one probably hiding somewhere under the bed.

Long huffs were pushed out by her lungs as her hand held her favorite mug with a cute cat drawn on it. Thankfully it was empty, the much-needed coffee now running through her veins instead of being spilled on the carpeted floor.

"What in the world are you doing?" Groggily, I push myself up, having my eyes half opened as I carefully follow her every move.

"Glasses", she says, "I can't find my damn glasses." Her other, free hand, rummages around the clothes left on the very edge of her messy bed.

Pushing the covers away from my body, I glance around the room, sleep still hanging onto me. "Have you checked the drawers? Or the night table?"

"Aha, and it's definitely not there." She immediately responds, throwing things to find her second pair of eyes as fast as humanly possible.

Slowly but steady, I get up, bare feet dragging against the beige rug as I glance around for my small bag. Maybe I've removed the glasses when leaving my things after last night's date.

When I finally reach my destination, I am face to face with an empty table. Pure dread wraps its hands around my body when realization hits me – I haven't brought my bag with me. I have left it at Taehyung's house.

On his very own kitchen counter.

I can see it so vividly, damn. Of course I'd forget about it the moment I had been introduced to his wine cellar and a breathtaking gallery.

"Shit, shit, shit." Haru sings in sync with my thoughts, tugging on her jeans as her other hand grabs a granola bar out of the drawer. "I'm running late."

"Where to?" I ask, my eyes in search for my bag, a small amount of hope dancing in the back of my mind.

She doesn't even look at me as a second granola bar had been squeezed in between her teeth. "Bioloshy clash", she takes out the unwrapped bar out of her mouth to form clear words, "professor Minnie is going to kill me if I don't bring my last week's assignment."

And I stare at the grey clock on her nightstand, ten thirty now ticking slowly.

Gasp.

I am late for class.

But my limbs don't move as the brain I unfortunately owned has a policy of his own – why run now? I'm already late anyway so might as well enjoy the rest of the day and just simply ditch.

"You don't have class today?"

"I'm ditching", it sounds more like an understatement than a decision. "I have something else to do."

Eyes piercing through me, a sly smile form Haru's thin cherry tinted lips and I know she read me like a book. "Is that something else about your mysterious date last night?"

Immediately frozen in place, I share a weak, shy smile as I scratch the back of my hand.

"Ah, not really." I lied. "I need to visit Jungkook today after his practice, as promised."

"C'mon bubs, you can't really be into him? The guy's a total freak."

"How would you know?" Slightly offended, my muscles tense just a tad bit, needing to defend the person very dear to me. "You haven't even seen him!"

"Exactly my point." She explains, buttoning up her blouse while judging me in the process. "You've been together for what now, four months? And he still hasn't introduced himself to me. He doesn't even have facebook or any social media."

"He's just a private person."

"He's sketchy, Erika." Her voice sounds sincere and I know she only wants the best for me. "It's the 21st century, who doesn't have social media? And on top of that, you don't even know if he has siblings, parents or pets, you don't know anything about this guy."

"Those things come with time." I keep looking for a reasonable explanation but fail to do so.

Meeting Jungkook was yet another lucky coincidence in the life of mine.

I still remember seeing him by the river. A mask as black as his hair covered the bottom half of a pale face and the only company he had was a Sony camera held tightly in his hands.

The weather that day was in favor of the sailors so I assumed he was taking pictures, pictures of the calm water or the skylines. But I soon came to realize that he wasn't facing the river, nor the sky, but the objective of the camera was looking right at me.

Poor guy almost tripped over his own feet when he noticed me staring back at him. When the minutes of embarrassment finally came to an end, he came by and apologized for causing an unpleasant feeling underneath my skin.

After introducing himself to me, I couldn't help but accept the offer of a warm drink that day, just to soothe the previous uneasiness. And before I knew, a few months already passed by and we no longer spent a day without seeing one another.

"Besides,'' I continue with a breath of fresh air, ''These things don't make a relationship work. You can still know all of that, and be unhappy. As long as he, as my boyfriend, is treating me with respect, loyalty and love, it's all alright."

"All I'm saying is that he's weird. That's all." Furrowing her eyebrows, Haru drops both granola bars at the bottom of her bag.

A balanced diet is a granola bar in each hand, is what she would say.

A long heavy sigh leaves her lips, causing me to let out a small chuckle. "I guess I'll just have to be blind for the rest of the day." After zipping up her bag, she hoists it on the shoulders and gives a warm smile. "See ya!"

The door clicks.

The silence kicks in.

And I was left standing barefoot in pajamas,  still planning on getting my purse back.

It would've been simple if it was just about the black purse, but the universe likes to toy around with me, so of course, I have left not only my phone but my wallet, my ID and credit cards that are probably all squished together at the very bottom of the it.

I shudder at the thought of Taehyung going through my belongings but I quickly manage to shake it off once I'm dressed in a pair of mom jeans and a simple white shirt.

Fast forward to a few hours later, after hours of anxiety and long walks around the area, followed by a few cups of coffee down my throat, my hands finally turn the knob of a door, it making a loud screeching sound when I push inside.

It was just as bright on the inside as it was on the outside, the walls made of nothing but glass with a bright red circle logo glued across – Gyms4You it said, when a strong smell, a mixture of sweat and cheap perfume, slaps me on the face.

Wiggling my way through the machines and people getting their afternoon exercise in, I look for the door leading to another part of the gym, a part made of dark colored floor with punching bags hovering above.

Struggling to find the person I was here for, my eyes scan the area, enjoying the sight of way too many bare-chested boys.

Loud grunts and moans fill the entire room each time their hands mercilessly hit the punching bags.

Only a madman would choose to start a beef with any of these boys.

Some had bodies covered in tattoos, each having a story of their own. The others had pride and ego dressing them fully, showing off the amount of testosterone they had by a simple roll of shoulders, which causes my eyes to do the same.

A guy snorts dryly at my entrance, wrapping his hands around the grey bag as if to stop it from moving around. His forearm wipes away the drops of sweat running down his forehead before he starts removing the red cushioned gloves that were protecting his hands against heavy strikes and possible injuries.

''Please don't tell me you're one of those feminists trying to learn a new way to defend themselves.'' Mockingly, he sticks out his tongue, licking the bottom lip that looked a bit swollen, as if someone hit him in the face before I had the chance to do it.

''Actually'', I start, fake confidence getting the best of me, ''I don't need to learn kickboxing when I have my boyfriend who's here to kick your ass. Don't wanna ruin my nails anyway.''

Eyes furrowed and lips forming a small o, he throws his arms in the air as a sign of defense, though I knew he was only doing it to tease me even more.

''You're a tough one, I see.'' He glances around before returning his view back to me, a dimpled smile appearing on his face. ''Let me guess, you're Jungkook's girl, correct?''

''How do you-''

''Sweetie, it's obvious.''

Oh, so he's one of those guys.

Before I can crush his attitude, he smiles. A smile so sincere that it takes a whole minute for me to gather my thoughts.

The duality of this man strikes me completely when I find myself staring at his face for a bit too long. A pair of doe-like eyes create such a warm aura around him, a massive contrast to what his personality seemed to be. His hair was a rainbow, each strand dyed in colorful highlights, his whole appearance being something I've never seen before.

There's no doubt.

He's gorgeous.

''I'm just toying with you.'' He smiles cheerfully before reaching out a sweaty hand, waiting for me to squeeze it. ''I'm Hoseok.''

And I blush, unable to tell him my name when I hear it coming from the distance.

''Erika!''

Turning around, my breath hitches when the first thing I see aren't thin lips forming a smile around the bunny-like teeth sticking in front. It's not even the pitch-black hair or the earring hanging on his left ear – it's the bare chest completely covered in sweat.

Each droplet perfectly outlining every edge of his muscles, the light above giving it a soft shine as a cherry on top. His hands are wrapped in bandages, his breathing is shallow and I blush even more, trying to avert my eyes. I'm a grown woman, need to start acting like one.

''Something's telling me you've already met my girl.'' Sharing a proud smile, Junkook's hand rests on my lower back, giving it a gentle stroke and I feel my stomach drop beneath me.

''Hyung, this is Erika. Erika, this is Hobi-hyung.''

''It was nice to meet you.'' Once again, Hoseok gifts me one of his bright smiles as his eyes squint sweetly. ''I gotta run though, need to get a few things done back at the shop. I'll see you tonight?''

''Yeah, I'll catch up with you later.'' Says Jungkook, waving at Hoseok who now left us standing in between what seemed like an army of punching bags.

''What's tonight?'' I ask but Jungkook completely ignores my question when his fingers wrap around my wrist, pushing me aside a bit too strongly.

''What are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet after my practice?''

''Am I not allowed to see my boyfriend?'' I mimic his voice and he sighs.

''Have you ditched class again?''

I almost yell, ''No?'' and his eyebrows furrow. ''Maybe?''

His judgment is almost palpable in the heavy air so I decided to tell the truth. ''Look, I'm sorry, okay. But I really need your help. Are you free for maybe a half an hour? I would love it if you could drop me off to somewhere.''

''Really now?'' He sounds annoyed, as if something else is bothering him aside from me acting like a five year old kid because his shoulders tensed, and he huffs out a strong cloud of air, as if it was sitting inside of his lungs since the day he was born.

"Dad said he needed the car after my practice."

There it is.

"Something came up at the company and it seems like some lunatic decided to buy the Golden Boy Industries without personally discussing it with my dad. And of course, my father is losing his shit.''

A lump in my throat prevents me from speaking more. That can't be the same company Taehyung bought a few days ago now, can it?

At the obvious disappointment in my eyes, Jungkook releases another long exasperated sigh before bringing his fingers up to his temples. ''Fine then. I guess I could drive you to wherever that is you want. But you owe me, babygirl.''

Almost clapping with both my hands and feet, happiness overwhelms me as I follow Jungkook back in the changing room.

After wiping away the sweat with a towel, his hands reach inside the backpack he owned, pulling out a phone and swiping across it.

''Weird.'' He remarks and I share a confused look. ''I have three missed calls from you.''

Feeling my face going pale, a cold breeze entangles with my limbs, the theory I feared of now becoming reality.

Taehyung has been going through my things.

And I act dumb, shrugging my shoulders as if to show Jungkook that I have nothing to do with what was happening, though what happens next has my heart jumping out of my chest.

The phone rings again.

And Jungkook's eyes widen as he stares at the ID on the screen, my name written across it. Without hesitation, the boy swipes again, letting the caller talk on speaker.

''Hello?'' His voice says carefully, causing the person on the other line to sigh.

''Ah, finally. The contact name 'babe' with a heart attached next to it has the decency to answer. I've been calling the whole day.''

I shudder when my brain recognizes to whom the voice belonged.

It's him. It's Taehyung.

''I'm guessing you're the boyfriend she's been dating for a while now. What a pain in the ass it was to try to get in contact with you. But I'm guessing the poor girl is having it worse than I am.''

Fists clenched and lips pursed in a thin line, it took everything in Jungkook not to start acting like a crazy jealous person.

''Anyway, your girl left her things last night at my place. You're more than welcome to come and pick it up at any time. I'll message you the address.''

When the line goes dead, Jungkook lowers his hand and straightens up his spine.

Slowly, he turns around to face me and I realize I'm in big trouble yet again.

A/N

funfact: gyms4you is an actual gym here in croatia :') lmao. i hope you enjoyed this chapter. if you have any criticism and things you think i should change and do better, please let me know. have a nice day.

i love you & thank you for reading. ♥️