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‘’Hello?’’ I speak into the phone almost in a whisper and watch the steam rise in the air. ‘’Hello?’’
Due to the strong wind drifting, I wasn’t sure if I just couldn’t hear a response or whether no one had responded. Using my other hand to cover my ear, I try to concentrate.
‘’Hello…’’ I try one last time and am about to end the call when a voice finally registers in my ear.

‘’It’s cold, isn’t it?’’ Not a voice I recognize.

‘’Who is it?’’ I ask carefully.

‘’You shouldn’t walk around alone at night.’’ Extremely alarmed and creeped out, I think of hanging up, but somehow I don’t.

‘’Why would you think I am?’’ I inquire vaguely, neither confirming nor denying, not wanting to give away that I was getting anxious.

‘’I can see you.’’ I stop walking and check my surroundings for anyone suspicious.

‘’Do I know you?’’ It probably would have been a good idea to run now but for some odd reason, I don’t. Even though it's an unknown number and a weird sounding voice, I was starting to think it was only altered.

‘’Check for yourself.’’

Nevermind, hanging up sounded like a good idea now. ‘’I don’t think that’s a good idea.’’

‘’Too late, I’m already behind you.’’ Heart jumping into my throat I spin around and bump into someone. A pair of arms wrap around me preventing me from retreating. I look up petrified, fearing for my life and thankfully find Jungkook standing in front of me.

Overwhelmed with emotions, I break one arm free and hit him with all my frozen might. ‘’What the hell?’’ I end up almost screaming at him from exasperation.
Jungkook on the other hand only smiles broadly making it very hard to stay mad at him.
Frustrated at myself, I hold onto his shoulders and rattle him. ‘’Why do you always appear out of nowhere?’’

Exaggeratedly, he bounces his head back and forth in an attempt to make me laugh. Holding onto my pride, I cross my arms and pout, shooting daggers at him with my eyes.

“Ah,” he whines adorably, trying his hand at aegyo. “Don’t be like that.”
My lips pressed together tightly, I try to stop my twitching lips from giving into the temptation of smiling.
“I had a dream,” He clasps my head in between his hands and pulls me closer. “I dreamt of a ghost.”

I’ve seen the video. I cover my face. “Don’t, for real.”

The warmth of his hands leave my face and instead cover my hands pulling them away from my face.
“It was scary.” Eyes squeezed shut, he contorts his face in an attempt to look frightened, but the smile never leaves his face.

Screeching in the back of my throat, I try to pull away from him, but he holds on instead and actually entwines our fingers, so he has a better grip. “You,” I push against his hand. “Are really too much.”

“Wasn’t that cute?”

“I’ve told you that I think you’re cute, Bunny.” I . “But you are really too much,” I say accusingly, for lack of better words.
Jungkook throws his head back and laughs loudly, it warms my heart at once, the sound so familiar and welcome.
“I missed your laugh.” I blurt out and blush immediately when I realize what I just said.

“What did you just say?” He arches an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth lifts playfully.

“I-I-I, nothing?” Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have posed it like that.

He takes a step closer, crowding me in, I retreat a step, feeling heated and flustered. “Are you sure it’s nothing? Because I could have sworn that you said that you missed me?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go to that extent.” I retort. “I only missed your laugh. Now, you on the other hand….”

I couldn’t even finish and he had me encircled in his arms threateningly. “Me on the other hand?” I could feel his hands going to my sides, getting ready to tickle me.

“You, on the other hand,” Finding this situation really funny, I hold onto the little pride I had left. “Can’t compare to Kookie Bear waiting for me at home.”
And of course, hearing this Jungkook tickles my sides, making me squirm and giggle uncontrollably. “Ah, Oppa. Please, stop.”

“No, you’re being really mean to me.”

Breathless and teary from laughing so much, I give in. “Alright, alright. Oppa is the best.”

His hands stop tormenting me. “Can you repeat that?”

“Oppa is the best,” I say cutely and instantly want to kick myself.

I think it shows on my face because Jungkook laughs once again and pulls me close in an embrace affectionately. “This is really funny.”

I wrap my own arms around him, glad that we are over that tickling fest. “What is?”

“You, you’re subconsciously cute but when you try and use aegyo you hate it.”

“You’re the one to talk. Your entire being is a big mass of aegyo.”

Pulling away from me he curls two fists and places them against his jaw. “Like so?”

Before he can do anything, I squeeze my eyes shut, cover my ears and turn the other way. “Lalalala, I can’t hear a thing!”
My hands are lowered from my ears. I open my lids slightly peeking through them. “You’re in your normal state, right?”

“Eoh.” He chuckles, amused.

I open my eyes wholly and glare at him. “Don’t do that again.”

“But you seemed to like it the last time.” Taking one of my hand casually, he begins to lead me somewhere, the opposite direction of my way home.
My heart beats wildly. We’ve held hands before but this feels different.

Concentrating hard on the conversation, I try to come up with an acceptable answer. Of course, I liked it. But if he does it all the time I might collapse. “Of course, I like it. But if you do it all the time, you’re too much to handle.” I phrase a little differently than in my head.

Grinning at me, satisfied by my response, Jungkook covers the back of my hand with his other one. “Your hands are cold.”

“Yeah, I don’t know why. But I get cold really easily.” I had already shoved my other hand deep into the pocket of my hoodie.

“You’re also wearing so little.”

Sheepishly, I look up at him. “I didn’t know it was going to get so cold at night since the sun has been out a lot. And don’t even think about giving me your jacket. I’ll survive.” I’m sure he was only wearing a T-shirt underneath his jacket.

Frowning disapprovingly, he resorts to slipping our joined hands into the pocket of his jacket. “Don’t forget to bring something warmer next time.” He chastises gently.

I can’t help but laugh at that. “I won’t. Now get that frown out of your face, it doesn’t suit you.” The frown drops, his eyes wander over my face, unreadable.

“What is it?” I ask timidly, feeling self-conscious with the way he kept looking at me.

Jungkook squeezes my hand and brings us to a stop in front of a small diner. “I really wish I could see your pretty laugh every day.” His face stays serious, he wasn’t teasing me or joking around.

The air gets stuck in my throat at his sweet words. Blinking in awe, I can’t help but get all tingly inside as the butterflies turn into overdrive.
All I can see is him and his handsome face. All I can hear is my heart, drumming in my head. It’s amazing how one person can make you feel such things.

“Speechless?” His amused voice brings me out of my thoughts and my cheeks warm up from his accuracy.
I look away coyly trying to hide my face, he laughs softly and takes our hands out of his pocket as he opens the door to the diner and urges me inside.

The comforting warmth blasts into my face making me shudder from the contrast. Joining me, Jungkook takes the lead again and guides me towards the back of the diner where I can see familiar faces already seated at a roundtable.

Surprised at the sudden situation I was put in, I want to let go of his hand, a little bit embarrassed to have his Hyungs see that.
Jungkook looks over his shoulder when he notices my uncertain expression, he raises and drops his eyebrows in a wink, as reassurance. All the while firmly grasping my hand.

As we near them, one of them locks their eyes with mine, Taehyung. “________, hi!”

“Hello.” I bow at them all in general, feeling shy.

All their heads pop up focusing on me, I probably looked like a scared animal. At once, all of them shuffle to their feet, the chairs scraping across the floor as they bow back.
Taehyung looks at them all, smiling. “Should we do the greeting?”

My eyebrows raised, I look at Jungkook in question. Didn’t they just greet me?

“Our greeting as a group.” He explains, pulling me closer to the front. All eyes drop to our hands, and it takes everything in me not to hide behind him. All of them smile and grin at the sight, one of them even hits Taehyung excitedly.
Seokjin who gives me a welcoming eye smile, motion for Jungkook to join them. “We have to do this the right way.”

Reluctantly, Jungkook looks at me once more to make sure I was alright and when I give him a reassuring nod, he let’s go of my hand and goes to stand next to Taehyung.

“2,3, BANG!” The tallest start off, giving me a small shock. Then all of them raise their fingers, like a gun and continue together. “TAN! Hello, we are Bangtan Sonyeondan!”

The tiniest bit intimidated by their powerful greeting, I stutter when I introduce myself the same way. “Oh, hello, I'm ________.” They all clap encouragingly and chuckle amusedly at me following their lead.

Jungkook, on the other hand, looks at me with an unreadable expression, it was positive but I couldn’t place it. I look away coyly and notice the other people in the diner looking at us interested. I lower my head in an attempt to apologize for the commotion.

“Sit down, sit down.” I focus back to Seokjin who motions for me to take a seat on the empty chair right in front.
I wait till they’re all seated and slide into the chair. My lips are pressed together feeling incredibly small around all of them.

“Did you just get off from work?” I nod timidly at Taehyung as he tries to break the awkward silence. “That’s pretty late. Have you eaten, yet?”

I fiddle with my fingers on my lap. “No, I haven’t yet, I was planning to eat something at home.”

“Good timing, then, we haven’t had dinner as well. Let’s eat together.” The one who had hit Taehyung concludes enthusiastically.

“What do you want to eat?” I look at Jungkook who had tilted his head in my direction.

“I’m not sure, I’m not that hungry.” I was still a little overrun by meeting all of them at once.

He eyes my hands that I had placed underneath my thighs to warm them. “Should I order for you?” I nod at him gratefully and look around as they place their order.

“You’ve already met the two of them right?” The one from before refers to Seokjin and Taehyung. When I nod he asks me whether I knew the rest of them or not.

I shake my head. “Actually I don’t, I know your voices from listening to your songs but I don’t know who is who.”

“Wuah, you could recognize us by our voices, even though we haven’t met before?” The one with cute cheeks and deep smiling eyes, asks astounded, I know who he is in an instant.

“Yes, ever since I was small I’ve been very attuned to sounds.”

“Try it with me.”

“You’re the one I talked to on the phone that night, right?”

“Was that me, I can’t remember?” I smile when I realize that he was prolonging this as much as possible, not wanting to back down.

“Hyung.” All eyes, including my own shoot to Jungkook. I find it sweet and endearing that he was watching out for me as soon as there is something that might make me feel uncomfortable.

But this was actually fun and refreshing. I place my hand on his arm softly. “Oppa, it’s OK.”

The funny one, who reminds me of Joon, jumps into action again hitting Taehyung. “She said ‘Oppa’.”

I think of a line that would make it undeniably clear. “The song 'Fun Boys’,” All eyes focus on me once more in anticipation, I close my eyes in concentration and move my index finger to the rhythm. “'The moment the music flows, I think I’ll go crazy, hey’, that’s your line, right?”

The two sitting next to Jungkook make an 'oh’ sound and clap, impressed.

Joon 2.0, on the other hand, looks around at us confused. “Is that your line?”

“It’s his line.” Once more Jungkook interferes, giving my challenger a warning look.

He only grins at Jungkook’s reaction and looks at me, while holding his hand out. “He’s right. Nice to meet you, I’m Jimin.”

I stand up from my seat and accept his hand with both of mine. “Nice to meet you.”

We shake hands for a moment longer than normal and then Jimin and Joon 2.0 burst out laughing. “Look at his face.”
I turn to Jungkook to see him half glaring at Jimin, probably from holding onto my hand for so long.

“Try me, try me.” Joon 2.0 requests and I have to think a little bit longer than with Jimin.

“The same song after Taehyung-ssi’s line—” Before I can even finish he is already clapping happily.

“Yes, yes, that’s correct.” He puts his hand out as well. “J-Hope is my stage name, Hoseok works, too.” I smile warmly already liking him a lot and accept his hand.

“What about them?” Taehyung points at the two sitting next to Jungkook.

“Ya, guys, give her a break.” This time it’s not Jungkook stepping in but Seokjin.

“No, it’s alright. It’s fun.” Turning to them both I ask them to say something.

“'Converse, converse, I really hate converse’.” I motion to the one seated right next to Jungkook and then facing the tallest one, I recite my favorite line of his. “'Welcome, it’s your first time with Bangtan, right?’”

Suddenly Taehyung, sitting next to me, starts to sing. “'Ayo, ladies and gentlemen, if you’re ready then let’s go'.”
I laugh at his funny expression and high five him when he holds his hand out. They introduce themselves, one of them being the leader.

“This is really fascinating,” Seokjin says, always making me feel welcome. “You must be good at remembering things.”

I nod but elaborate more. “But only if I really focus and actually try to take in the information, if not my brain is no good.”

The Auntie of this diner brings us our food and I watch them devour it deliciously, smiling at them being like little kids.
“She could actually be smarter than you, Monie-Hyung.” Jimin provokes him making Namjoon look at him exasperated from across the table.

“Ya, why am I getting pulled into this?”

“Hold on, but it could be possible.” Taehyung half munches on his last bite while talking. “Jungkookie said that she can do pretty much everything.”

My eyes move to Jungkook, who was sheepishly smiling while looking down at his food.
I nudge him lightly by his leg, wanting to have his attention. His head turns to me with his eyebrows raised in question.
Leaning into his ear slightly, he also bends down a bit so I don’t have to strain too much. “So, you talk about me.”

From the corner of my eye, I see him breaking out into a smile. “Don’t worry it was just once.”

Taken aback, I slap his arm jokingly. “What did you say?” I still whisper, not wanting to disturb the rest of them as they banter.

“There isn’t much to talk about anyway.” My jaw drops and I move to slap him again, this time harder, but Jungkook while laughing entertained, catches my hand.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just your face is so adorable when you’re upset.”

“You like my upset face? I’ll show you upset.” I glare at him while muttering under my breath, but he still heard and laughs even more, squeezing his eyes tight as it gets funnier and funnier for him.

After a moment of letting him laugh it out, he finally calms down and looks at my still glaring eyes. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry, I’ll stop laughing now.” Contrary to his words, his chest was still heaving from some inner chuckle.
Seeing my face, he lifts a hand and places it on the back of my head. “I’ll stop now.”

Not believing a word of it, I return to eating my food and am aware that they were all looking at us.

“I never thought I’d see the day when he would stop laughing at something.” Hoseok states, astounded.

“Is he usually not like that?”

“One thing he’s very good at is making fun of us, our evil maknae.” It was said in an affectionate way.

“Doesn’t he listen well?” Finding sudden amusement in making them talk about him, I question more.

“Sometimes, I don’t think he has ears,” Namjoon says, articulating with his hands. “For real, it used to be even worse.”
I giggle at that, if it used to be worse I’m sure it must have been a funny sight to see their frustration.

I peer at Jungkook, who looks a little bit displeased at the situation with the way his lips were pursed. He had moved his hand to the back of my chair, eyes focused on one spot, listening attentively. “I didn’t know, hearing this, it seems like he really is the maknae.”

“Oh trust me, he is really loud and too energetic sometimes.” Yoongi now joins our conversation as well.
Taking in this new information, it makes me a bit worried that he wasn’t his true self with me, that maybe he felt the need to act differently around me.

“But it’s good to see him like this with you,” I look up at Seokjin. “Seems like he’s finally growing up.” 
It seems like he knew what I had been worrying about, thinking back to the many times he’s talked to me, I feel like his role in the group is to hold everyone together in a parental way.

“It’s said that men will feel protective around women, it’s an instinct.” Namjoon muses loudly, I hear someone snicker.

“Our makdongie is becoming a man.” Seokjin teases him.

Amused, I see Jungkook swaying back and forth, a smile lingering on his lips, but his eyes were showing disbelief. I poke my index finger against the side of his leg to get his attention. When I smile his eyes stop and linger on my lips, then he too smiles, and at least I don’t have to worry that he was bothered by their teasing.

~ ~ ~

“Oppa?” I whisper into the phone, keeping back so I don’t disturb Bangtan as they talk among themselves.

“________-ah, you’re not home, yet.” He could probably tell from the wind.

“No, not yet.”

“Why?” He sounds worried, so as not to have him think too much, I explain. “Ah, that’s how it is. That’s good. At least he takes care of you.”

I bite my lip, suppressing a smile. I hadn’t even said his name, but my brother knew. “Who?” I could imagine him rolling his eye at my feeble attempt.

“Your boyfriend.”

I keep chewing on my lips. “He’s not my boyfriend.” My heart drops at my own declaration. I know that we weren’t just simple friends but since he hadn’t said a thing, I wasn’t sure if he even considered it more.

“No? Maybe I should have a talk with him…”

I groan loudly and cover my mouth when Jungkook turns back to see what caused it. “Oppa, don’t even think about it. You probably know idols more than I do, you know how it is.”

He sighs on the other line. “I’m just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I don’t think there is any going back with the way I feel.” I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with my brother while having Jungkook literally right in front of me.

“You’re mature enough to judge the situation on your own. However, I’d still like to meet him.”

I close my eyes, trying to keep my calm and not to groan or sigh. “Oppa, I said he’s not my boyfriend. You meeting him would be weird.”

“Did you see the way he didn’t back down that time? If he doesn’t consider himself your boyfriend, then I don’t know.” Then under his breath, he mutters something that sounded like 'that little rascal’.

I shake my head, he was still hung up on that. “Oppa, I’m hanging up.”

“________-ie, you know I only want the best for you, right?” Even after all the hardships he has had to go through, and the way he had to fight for our existence, he always put me as his top priority.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m extremely tired, or if it’s because of the biting wind, but my eyes start to sting. “I know.”

“This is just me looking out for you.” He explains in a caring voice.

I take a deep shaky breath, holding back my emotions. “I know.”

“Good, I love you, our little flower.” I stop walking at hearing the nickname my mother used to call me with all the time, my vision getting blurry as my heart tightens painfully.

“I love you, too,” I say in a calm voice, contrary to how I felt on the inside.

“Get home safe, I’ll see you soon.” Sniffling quietly, I lower my phone and stare at it for a while, drifting off into the past.

“________, is everything all right with your brother?”

My head snaps up, coming face to face with Jungkook, who was gripping my shoulder gently. “Huh?” I ask befuddled, not fully grasping why he looks so worried.

“Is everything OK? Your brother?” His eyes scan my face.

“What?” I brush at my own face, thinking that tears had fallen. “No, I mean, yes. Nothing happened.”

Cradling my face, he shifts it so I have no other choice but to look him in the eyes. “Your mother?” I blink as more tears start to well up. He sighs sadly and steps closer, bringing my head onto his shoulder, so I could lean on him.

Hesitantly, I lift my hands and hold onto the side of his coat. The warmth of him circles around me, creating a protective barrier.
Taking deep, steady breaths, a sudden calm settles into me as Jungkook starts my hair comfortingly.

“Do you see your mother often?” I blurt out.

“Mhm, not really. I’m from Busan, so it’s hard to travel back and forth even when I don’t have any schedule.” My heart hurts for him. “Then there’s school I have to catch up on, things like that.”

“When was the last time you saw your family?” I pull away so I can see his face, the moonlight illuminating his features in a mysterious way, his bone structure appeared sharper, more masculine.

“I had a break a few months ago, that’s when.” Taking my hand into his, he interlaces our fingers and just as before slips our hands into his pocket. “My brother is still in the military but he will be released later this year.”

“You have a brother?” I don’t even know why I was so surprised to hear that, but I am nonetheless.

Smiling at my reaction he nods his head.

“Oh, there is an older version of Jungkook out there, your Noona fans must be ecstatic.”

He arches an eyebrow playfully and juts his chin out. “Isn’t the original version better?”

“Of course, you would think that.” I tap my chin teasingly. “If I was older I’d probably…. Ah, nothing.” I laugh and play it off, leaving it as it is.

Jungkook tightens his hold on my hand momentarily, indicating that he knew what I was doing.

“Just joking,” I giggle and pat his arm. “Oppa is the best.”
He just keeps looking at me with his eyebrow raised in that attractive way, making me feel nervous. “Stop looking at me like that.” I can’t help and blurt out when I can’t take it anymore. I avert my eyes and see that we were nearing a familiar black van.

“Why?”

“Just,… Don’t.”

“What if I don’t want to?” Taken aback, I return my eyes to him and find him smirking at me. That’s even worse.

My heart jumps into my throat as I blush and quickly turn my head away. “T-then I won’t look at you.” I could feel him moving his head closer.

Don’t look. Don’t look. I close my eyes and pray for my health.

“But I want you to.” I jump startled at him speaking lowly into my ear. Squirming, I try not to give in. Using his hand, he touched my opposite cheek not to turn my face in his direction but to push it closer.
Before I know it, he brushes his lips against my cheek briefly, making my jaw drop as I jerk back, taken by surprise.

I look at him with my eyes wide. “Why all of a sudden?”

Jungkook looks down sheepishly then peeks at me mischievously. “Because you’re just so cute.”

“Ah, you can’t say things like that and expect me to be OK.”

“Why?”

I glare straight ahead and mutter under my breath. “Aside from the fact that it feels like my heart is going to jump right out of my chest, nothing much.” Next to me, Jungkook cackles cutely.

We stop in front of the van and it opens from the inside. “You kids finally made it.” Hoseok teases us, his eyebrows wiggling up and down. I hide my face when I realize that they probably saw.

“Hyung, give me my scarf,” Jungkook tells him ignoring his comment.

Probably being used to it, Hoseok takes it lightly and reaches behind him for said scarf and hands it to Jungkook. Just like that night, he grabs the handle and slides the door shut and again like that night a loud laugh and excited clapping can be heard from the other side. This must be really exciting for them.

“I can’t bring you to the bus station.” I return my attention back to him as he explains with regret. “I need to be at the studio.”

“That’s OK, don’t worry, it’s not that far.” He sighs lowly, stepping closer he reaches behind me and wraps his scarf around my neck up to even my mouth.

“What? You don’t want me to talk?” I joke causing his regretful expression to crack into a soft grin.

Reaching up, he tugs the fabric down so it is only covering my chin. “Take care, ________-ie.” He says his eyes staring into mine. I frown at his choice of words.
He then sighs again. “Because of the concert I will be busy, I don’t think I’ll be able to meet you for a while.” I look down at the ground a little bit disappointed.
“Even if you’re tired, make sure you eat breakfast and lunch. Then I’ll compliment you later.”

Slowly, my eyes trail up to his. “That’s weird. I think I’ve heard that somewhere before.”

He smiles affectionately and pinches one of my cheeks. “It’s a song actually, I’ll sing it to you next time.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Once more we just keep looking into each other eyes. “Oppa?” I finally say after I don’t know how long.

“Hm?” His voice was softer almost like a whisper.

“Don’t work too hard, I know you love your fans but your health is more important.” Not giving an instant reaction, I wonder if I might have offended him in any way, but when I see him smile slowly, I realize that he was just in one of his thinking zones.

“Don’t worry,” he gives me one of those arrogant, raised eyebrow and sharp face looks. “These muscles will save me.”

I roll my eyes and push at his chest. “Get inside the car, then, Muscle Pig.”

Not being able to stay any different for long he returns to his signature smiling face. “Go, before you miss your bus.”

“I still have to say goodbye.” I say softly while motioning my chin toward the van.

He looks taken aback for a second, probably surprised that I even bothered. I knock on the door and not a moment later it slides open with Hoseok looking at us suspiciously. “You guys done?”

Since nothing much happened, my cheeks stay calm. “Yes, I just wanted to say goodbye. I’ll be leaving, then.” Leaning in a little bit, I see that some of them had already fallen asleep.

“Oh, alright. Get home safely.” He gives me a warm smile and turns to Seokjin, who was in the driver’s seat, to pat his shoulder.

Jin jumps, startled, and turns around while taking his earphone out. “Oh, ________ are you going?”

“Yes, thank you for the dinner.” I face Hoseok. “And it was nice to meet you all.”

“Yeah, we’re all happy that we finally got to meet you.” His eyes briefly focus on Jungkook then back at me. “Thanks to you we got to see a different maknae.”

Not knowing what to say I just return the smile. At last, I face Jungkook, whose lips were slightly upturned. I wave at him and mouth a goodbye. “Bangtan Oppa’s hwaiting.” I throw up my hands into fists to show them my support and bow politely. “I’m going now, goodbye.”

They all wave at me, I turn and rush to my bus station probably already late. But even then, I still fall into temptation and look over my shoulder to see that Hoseok had retreated further into the van so Jungkook could enter.

But instead of doing so, he was still standing on the same spot looking after my retreating form. I wave once more and lift the scarf higher so it covers up to my nose. He motions for me to go and I show him a thumbs up telling that I will and wave one last time before I face forward again and start jogging.

I wasn’t even gone yet and I already felt a stark void in my heart. How am I going to survive three weeks until the concert?



~~~
I meant to update yesterday but.... hehe the teasers kinda killed me.. Jin... JIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!! WHY DO THEY ALL LOOK SO GOOOD?