Namjoon rushed into the Bakery, excitedly waving a flyer around. “Guys! Guys, look!”

                Hoseok laughed, confused. “Joonie, we can’t see when you’re waving the paper around like that!”

                He blushed, holding the flyer still and reading it aloud.

                “Seoul’s Fifth Annual Dining Contest: Win Title Best Bakery In Korea! Any Places Serving Food Welcome To Enter.”

                Yoongi and I entered with Jimin and Yoongi trailing behind as Namjoon read the flyer aloud. They seemed tense, but their expressions lightened up as Namjoon continued to read.

                “Guys, there’s a prize of 100 Million Won! That’s enough to open up a whole new shop!”

                Seokjin, who had stayed quiet up until then, gasped. “Wait, no way! Really?”

                Namjoon nodded, grinning and practically jumping up and down. “Guys, can we enter?”

                Yoongi nodded in gruff agreement as Taehyung, Jimin, and I squealed in excitement.

                “Can we, hyung? Can we, can we?” Taehyung bounced up and down, grinning and grabbing Jimin’s hands excitedly. “Jiminnie, this will be fun!” He giggled with excitement before Namjoon had answered, already anticipating him agreeing.

                Namjoon grinned. “Great! I entered us already, I hope you don’t mind. But I knew you guys would like it, I just forgot to tell you.” He laughed.

                I smiled, looking over at Yoongi. “Aren’t you excited, baby?”

                Yoongi looked away, grumbling. “Don’t call me baby, Jungkook. I’m older than you.”

                I looked at him, feeling a sharp pang in my heart at his words. “Yoongi, what’s wrong?”

                He shook his head and moved further away from me. I frowned, itching to reach for his hand.

                Instead, I looked up at Namjoon-hyung. “When is it?”

                “Ah,” He said, smiling sheepishly. “I- It’s actually today, for the first round.”

                “What?!”

-+-

                We all rushed around to prepare the Bakery. Seokjin cleaned the seating area, polishing every single table until they sparkled so bright that it could blind you to look at it. Taehyung was assigned to help around with cleaning up after customers when they left, while Hoseok and I manned the two registers at the counter. Jimin was running around frantically, arranging the pastries that Yoongi was bringing out, with Seokjin to join him soon.

                Namjoon grinned. “See, you guys? I told you we’d be fine! We still have 15 minutes until the panel of judges is supposed to show up. I’m sure we’ll do great!”

                I nodded, walking into the kitchen to see Yoongi finishing up the decoration on a batch of chocolate crepes, drizzling Nutella on top of them and placing small strawberries on the side of the plates.

                I walked over and began helping with the strawberry arranging, glancing up at Yoongi from time to time. “Yoongi, I-“

                “Don’t.” He warned. “Not now, okay?”

                “Please, just tell me what’s going on?”

                “You should know,” Yoongi growled, glaring down at a crepe with the intensity of any fire in the world.

                “I- I don’t know. Please, just tell me?”

                “Figure it out for yourself, .”

                I stared at him, taken aback. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him. “Y- You… You don’t mean that, do you?”

                He didn’t meet my gaze. “Let’s go, the panel should be here soon.” He picked up the tray and walked right past me, calling out to Jimin. “Hey, arrange these quickly, okay?”

                I held back tears and took my place at the register. I didn’t understand. Yoongi and I had been so happy, so why was he acting so distant now? What did I do to make him call me an ? I didn’t understand…

                Unless…

                “Hey, Jungkookie, snap out of it!” I felt Hoseok’s hand connect with the back of my head, shocking me out of my thoughts.
                I looked up at him, eyes wide. “Wh- What?”

                Hoseok laughed. “Ah, you need to stop spacing out so much, Jungkook. But you need to pay attention, okay?”

                I nodded.

                I wouldn’t let myself be distracted by Yoongi and risk ruining the chance for Bangtan to be recognized in all of Korea.

                But the panel wasn’t like anything I had expecte