Cookie monster pt. II .15.

Cookie.

I should have known better. Of course it was Jungkook. But I was in far too much shock to scold my brain for not finding even the least bit suspicion in Suga’s cookie declaration. In fact, even after the odd silence we shared thereafter upon staring at one another like gaping anchovies, eventually, I was forced to invite him to the table with us.

Jungkook – unlike Taehyung or Hoseok – was surprisingly a really well-mannered kid. I somehow imagined him to be like the others considering he was constantly in their company, however the first thing he did when he neared the table was bow curtly at Suga, and then sit beside me; his hands clasped together under the table.

‘Wow, um…,’ he rubbed the back of his neck in this boyishly coy way. ‘I hope I’m not intruding or anything, I mean, I can go…’

Actually, Jungkook was the one member who was rarely with the rest, so I knew him the least.

‘No, not at all,’ I laughed nervously, throwing Suga a few distressed glances however he had already returned to feasting on the pancakes. ‘Oh, unless you’re busy or something…’ I added sheepishly, throwing a kick at Suga’s shin under the table and he squeaked.

Help me out here or else, I glared at him, and finally acknowledging the situation, he smiled at Jungkook who still had his eyes focused on the table as if it were some expensive painting.

‘Uh—sorry for shouting something so embarrassing earlier,’ he laughed pleasantly.

‘Yoongi hasn’t told me your name yet though, so…’

‘Ah, don’t sweat it…!’ Jungkook quickly looked up; his squirrel eyes zoning in on Suga innocently. ‘Sorry for this kind of introduction. Jeon Jungkook,’ he beamed that lady-killer squirrel smile, and I could immediately tell that this guy was probably the -dropper of whatever school he attended.

Suga smiled warmly; the chocolate still there on his cheek; but judging by Jungkook’s genuinely focused expression, I doubt he noticed that.

‘Ito Momoe. It’s nice to meet you.’

‘The…,’ he looked like he zoned out for a moment, and I watched this in some otherworldly slow motion. ‘The pleasure is all mine.’

An incredibly weird silence fell over us on the table, but I was more concentrated on trying to figure out what just happened a few seconds ago. The first time I met Jungkook was also the first time I’d seen Suga’s apartment. The second time was that awfully tragic Eminem comparison he pulled off, but that somehow ended up saving my . Other than those two times – from which we barely interacted – Jungkook was as a good as a stranger to me.

Hmm. Cookie, huh? I was certain that was spelt not with a C, but with a K. Well I had to hand it to him, he was somewhat deserving of the pet name. Man, this guy was cute, but not in the least in that aegyo way. He had the kind of cuteness that looked natural… in fact, there was no other better word to describe him than squirrel. He was just… incredibly squirrel-like. Any other comparison would have been a disgrace.

‘So what are you doing around here, Kookie?’

I stared flatly at Suga on noticing Jungkook tense up slightly by the issued nickname, and heeding the look I gave him after a moment’s silence, he mumbled a small fake apology to the youth.

‘Ah, sorry…,’ Suga cooed expertly, and the way he used my voice suddenly irked me in ways I could not believe.

‘It’s a bad habit I picked off Yoongi.’

Jungkook grinned sheepishly; a bright, sunshine-oozing smile that suddenly painted a rainbow and fluffs of cotton candy in the background. ‘No, no, he calls me that all the time! I don’t blame you.’

‘Oh my, really?’ Suga feigned surprise; one finger curled against his lips, and eyes widening. ‘Well it’s very fitting. How clever of you, Yoongi.’

‘Oh, thank you,’ Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment; his cheeks gaining a little bit of colour, however he looked up and his eyes widened at the thing in Suga’s box.

‘Uwa, is that the ‘chocolate n sea salt’ pancakes from X store!?’

‘Hmm? Oh yeah, this stuff is so good. You like it too? Want a bite?’

‘Oh, no thank you. I actually just ordered it myself! That combination is so good. I love how the salt really cuts through the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate. That smoked nutty taste gives it an overall great balance—oops, I’m rambling, hah.’

‘Ha-ha, don’t sweat it. I totally agree. Oh, and the little bitterness in the cherries is so good? Together it’s like…’

Jungkook grinned. ‘A flavour bomb?’

Suga slammed his hand on the table. ‘Yes!’

I watched the rest of this foodie conversation with wide eyes, leaning back in my chair when things seemingly took an incredibly critical turn into the anatomy of Dobos Torte. Man, was Suga always this dessert-crazed?

I was certain his favourite thing was meat – considering his friends all claimed to know this well and I’d also witnessed his affinity for it – but seeing him in this state was beyond me. I didn’t know what it was that had gotten into him, but watching he and Jungkook merrily discuss all kinds of food as the invisible awkward barrier melted away, I couldn’t help but notice something else…

More than his newly-acquired love for sweet things, it was beyond me how remarkably comfortable Suga looked being female. For a moment, I actually felt a bit of worry worm itself into my belly. Not because of how easily he seemed to handle Jungkook, but mostly because of how adequately he utilized the feminine charms that I ignored ever since Jiho’s betrayal. Those twinkling eyes, smiling pink lips, fluttering eyelashes, unbelievably messy brown hair, that forsaken chocolate stained cheek—

‘Yah, I can’t take it…!’ I grabbed my napkin and reached over the table. ‘Hold still.’

I pressed the serviette against his cheek, rubbing gently and pulled it away as I scowled into the irritating little chocolate sauce on the napkin.

‘Aish, can you at least make me look decent?’

Suga grinned at me impishly, and I cringed at the sight of chocolate sauce smeared all over his teeth. I swatted at him with the same napkin like a fly. The tricks this chap pulled off every once in a while always caught me off guard, and was something I most likely would never get used to.

The two of us shared a silent little battle before I sighed irritably, and fell back in my seat. I crumpled up the tissue, tossing it into my emptied plate, and remained like that for a while longer, reviewing the events of the past few hours. Man, today was a crazy day.

In fact, the last few days were so emotionally draining that I had no idea how I was still alive and functioning. Over the past week, I’d been practically holed up in Suga’s apartment trying to get my head around the grueling tale of the guy’s past I learned about from Hoseok, as well as trying to compile something ridiculous for Namjoon… thinking back on the poems though, Namjoon took my claim so seriously that it was a little frightening. Me? Writing a poem about revenge? Yeah right; the closest thing I’d get to would be Genji storming into Nobunaga’s palace for the peach princess he swore to protect if not my own personal bitterness towards Jiho and that office disaster.

Apart from that though, I’d also lost my own place, got the life beaten out of me by an awfully gangster-like side of Suga, probably experienced the closest thing to a punch in the face that I never expected, went out on a grueling shopping experience with the chap, and I couldn’t wait for the first week of January when the theatre would reopen and we could finally get our bodies back. I had also learned that the two of us would be accommodating my parents for Chris…

Wait a minute.

‘Wait, did you just say we’re…’

I stopped mid-sentence and stared blankly at Suga, who stared blankly at Jungkook, who was staring blankly at me. I was so caught up recalling the ridiculous number of things that happened up until now, that I hadn’t realized how quiet the two were. The friendly chatter they held just seconds ago was suddenly nonexistent, and the discomfort his wide eyes stirred in me could only mean one thing: he must have found out. I am so dead.

How could I have been so mindless!? I was so used to acting like myself with Suga that I’d completely forgotten Jungkook was in our midst, and I immediately felt the discomfort transform into cold sweat forming on my forehead. The steak I’d eaten stirred around in my stomach in a bit of a sickening way, and I gulped dryly; the sound surprisingly loud despite the food hall clatter.

‘Wh… what’s up, Kookie…?’ I laughed nervously, poking him awkwardly on the shoulder but cringed inwardly at the pretend skinship.

‘Looking at me like I’m cra—’

‘Hyung,’ he said so seriously that I felt my bladder go nuts. ‘Can we talk for a minu