hello again! here's a note before the chapter starts, which is a little different from the norm. guess what i started shipping. jungri... please send help. this was the easiest chapter for me to write and somehow ended up being the longest. i feel like they'd be such a fun pair. there's barely any seulmin in here but i had a few planned before this timeline-wise. this just happened to become a thing first u__u i'm so glad rv's promoting for one last week so they really will stand on the same stage, not that i expect anything to happen but yeah. i can totally live with the cheapshipping moments. i'll also be p sad if rookie doesn't get 10 wins but then there's bts who's only promoting on a few shows, the multifandom struggle is real.

Yah Jungkook.

What.

Tell oppa to take better care of his girlfriend.

Why?

She's been coming on to our sisters lately.

[pic]

It's of Seulgi putting the moves on Wendy. He snorts.

--

Jungkook doesn't know why he gives her the time of the day. She bugs him all the damn time over the most trivial things. Sometimes to rant, sometimes to brag, but mainly just to comment on the most random, pointless issues (if they are at all an issue).

"I don't know why I bother with you."

"You should be thankful. I'm the only reason you even wake up in the morning."

She's not exactly wrong. 

He set her ringtone to be the loudest, most obnoxious part in Not Today. And unfortunately his volume is set up to the highest tick so his alarm would wake him up in time. It's just that she calls a little earlier before then. Not that they talk or anything, she just thought it'd be fun to disrupt his sleep because she promptly hangs up seconds later. These days he doesn't even bother picking up, but he doesn't quite do anything to prevent it either.

"Honestly, if you really didn't want it happening, wouldn't you have blocked me already?"

He did consider it once, if only Jimin would've let him. But his hyung pleaded to him to keep Yeri as a contact in case anything happened to his beloved Seulgibear (ugh), and after those puppy eyes bore into his weary soul, how could he refuse?

"You know how much I'd love to if I could."

That's actually a bit of a lie.

He'd never admit it, but Jungkook is surprisingly quite fond of her. Past those rants and mundane daily stories (which aren't all that mundane, strangely he doesn't mind), she has her fair share of better moments. Sometimes she can be so bearable that he almost wants her to stick around, at least before coming to his senses.

He's never really bothered with girls after debuting; didn't think they were worth the trouble when he weighed in the consequences. He didn't really know how to converse with them, anyway, and the ones who approached him all seemed to get the hint. He wanted to be left alone, so they left him alone, albeit spitefully because they all seemed to glare daggers at him afterwards (he's used to it). Yeri's the exception because, as his hyung's girlfriend's dongsaeng and close friend, she doesn't fit into the category to begin with. Also, she's the only one who didn't get the memo (or maybe she did, but ignored it). Whatever.

At first he thought he'd be annoyed by it. Yet months later, now almost a year, he finds his patience still hasn't worn thin. One other thing he'd hate to admit? He's pretty thankful for her sometimes.

Truthfully, there were some nights where he forgot to set the alarm, and his hyungs weren't always around to notice. He knows she totally doesn't have to give him a wake up call every day, but she does. Never misses a beat.

--

Honestly? As someone who strove so hard to be a competent, dependable maknae (even earning his title of the Golden Maknae), he used to assume Yeri wasn't doing enough. Not like he knew her personally at all then, but her progress seemed subpar.

He's also pretty sure this is why she's been pestering him ever since they became forcibly acquainted, as some kind of passive-aggressive (well, not passive at all) act of revenge. He once casually voiced his sincere (but unkind) opinion of her and she'd probably heard it somehow, because every time they made eye contact after, she'd give him the glare.

He couldn't help feeling horribly guilty down the line when he realized what she'd gone through. It was after they had made their peace-- one night, instead of the usual rant, she broke down.

Goddamn it, he knew girls weren't worth the trouble.

Hm? But she doesn't fall into that category.

...But wait, since he's so worried by it, then doesn't that mean she actually--

.

As much as he wants to deny it, she did tug on his heartstrings somewhat. Whatever the case, he spent that night absorbing every word she'd said with his fullest attention even though he was dead tired.

And he was moved. A bit. Also gave her some advice and motivational words.

It was her life, not his, and he couldn't care less (at least that's what he told himself), but he felt happy when he heard she'd applied them.

--

She's sitting near the riverbank, her arms wrapped around her legs, head resting on her knees, teary-eyed. Bad day, he guesses. She decided to call him in the dead of the night and drag him out here. Her bad days come once in a blue moon, but this is a first. Good thing it's a weekend.

After her depressing monologue and a pause, she sighs. In the most feeble voice--

"Seriously, why do you put up with me? Aren't you tired of it by now?"

"You're pretty annoying."

"Exactly, that's been my goal. To annoy you. I hated you. So why are you still here?"

He pokes her on the forehead, with an expression that seemed to say as if it isn't obvious enough. "Well, you don't hate me anymore, do you?"

"...No."

"Then isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not. You didn't answer the question."

He rolls his eyes.

"Well," he begins. "I used to think life was pretty alright the way it was. But it's more fun with you around."

"What?"

"I mean I could probably go back to the old ways, but it wouldn't be the same."

"That's not what you said."

He takes a deep breath, prepared to speed through his lines. "I'm saying it wouldn't be as fun as it is now, with you. I also appreciate the morning calls, you actually saved me a dozen times. Got it all? I'm not repeating myself."

He thought it'd cheer her up, but now she's sobbing. And smiling. Is she sad or happy, which one is it? God, how does Jimin deal with this? Or is this some kind of Yeri-only thing? Probably the latter--only Yeri could reach this level of pettiness (which only seemed to be reserved for him). Also, why is he still sane? He's pretty sure he was supposed to go off on her a long while ago.

--

They just had a heated argument over God knows what because it was probably petty, except neither of them wanted to back down, when he decides he's had it.

"Alright, that's it. You drive me ing crazy."

"Yeah? Well you had plenty of chances to cut me off, so why didn't you?"

He's not sure if he's been dumb all this time because in that moment, he suddenly realizes why he stuck around, and instinctively, rather forcefully pulls her in for a kiss. Her eyes widen. Oh god, it's a scene from one of Seulgi's K-dramas, she mentally, half-heartedly jokes because it's all she can do to keep herself from going into shock.

He pulls away a moment later, his eyes as huge as... one of his recognizably shocked deer-in-headlights expressions she always makes fun of, and instead of saying anything, he's speechless. He just turns and starts hastily, awkwardly walking away.

"Jungkook, what the hell?"

No response.

She runs after him and yanks him by the collar, crying out You, come, back, here! in between short breaths while he struggles to escape but fails.

"No one just does that and leaves without an explanation! What the hell was that?!" she yells once he stops resisting.

He's still in a daze.

"Wait, that was my first goddamn kiss so how the heck am I getting it back? Give it back," she cries frantically. She's literally shaking him at this point and now he's wondering whether he wants to align with his feelings or not. The remainder of his logical thoughts tells him to forget it altogether, that it'd be the worst mistake he'd make, but right now he can't help feeling bothered by how she'd rather pick a fight over a lousy first kiss rather than the fact that he had just kissed her.

He finally snaps out of it and says something. "After all this, all you're worried about is getting your stupid first kiss back?"

"Well what else am I supposed to assume if you just leave like that? I'm sure you've stolen plenty of them but that was MY first one, and it's sacred! How dare you--"

"Seriously, Yeri? Do I have to spell it out for you?"

Her eyes widen a little more and this time they shine, and suddenly she's bashful, even cute, her hands daintily covering her slight gasp while her cheeks turn an apple red. "You mean-- Really?"

(also!! i love Not Today so that "obnoxious part" doesn't exist, but as far as setting it as your ringtone goes, imagine it being the part you'd least like to hear when waking up ;;;)