The last thing Yein expected while taking stock of the empty classrooms as part of after school cleaning duty was to open the door to find Jungkook sitting in a corner with no one else around. Er, unless the stuffed bear in his lap counted as a living being. 

"What do you say I should do, Harry?" Jungkook is saying, waving the teddy bear's arms around. "Should I -" 

He stops, his back straightening and eyes widening when he finally registers Yein's presence. Yein waves, confused, her eyebrows furrowing. "What is -" Her gaze goes back and forth between Jungkook's face and the bear - Harry, she corrects herself amusedly. 

Jungkook looks like a deer caught in headlights. "Uh, nothing," he says, slowly ping his backpack and easing Harry into the large pocket. "I - I'm going to go now." The words tumble out of his mouth so quickly that she can barely comprehend them, not until he's already long gone, the door swinging behind him. 

Yein merely shrugs. She'll just ask him about it later when she's home - they're next-door neighbors, after all. 

That evening, her family is sitting around the table for dinner when the doorbell rings. Being the youngest, Yein volunteers to get it. When she opens the door, she's greeted by a flustered Jungkook, who holds a plate of kimchi in his hand. "My mother told me to give this to you - I mean, your family," he says.

Yein cracks a smile, graciously taking the plate from him. "Thanks, Jungkook! Your mom always makes the best kimchi." There's a question dying to leave her tongue but she decides against it, noting the way he seems to be sweating at his temples. Does he have a fever or something? 

She starts turning around to close the door and say goodbye when Jungkook grabs the doorknob. "Wait," he says, gulping. Yein raises an eyebrow. "I promised that I would do this," he mumbles under his breath, as if talking to himself. 

"Promised who what?" she asks. 

Jungkook's ears redden. "No one in particular," he says quickly. "The point is," he looks at her now, and it's the first time she's noticed that his eyes have so much depth, as if she could get lost in them. "Yein, I don't know how to say this, but I like you. Like, more than a friend." It looks like he's holding his breath. 

Yein doesn't know when her heart started picking up its pace, but there's no denying it now. "I -" 

"You don't have to answer anything right now," Jungkook cuts in. "I just - wanted you to know..." His voice falters. 

She chews her lower lip, staring at the boy in front of her, her next door neighbor, the one she's grown up with since practically birth. She'd be lying if she said she hasn't noticed the way he towers above her now, his shoulders becoming more broad, his voice deepening - she'd be lying if she hasn't thought about how it must feel for him to hold her hand. "Jungkook, I -" she takes a deep breath. "I think, I like you too," she says softly, still clutching the kimchi plate in her hands. This must be the weirdest confession ever. 

The smile that breaks out on his face is probably the most relieved, brightest smile she's ever seen. "Wow, okay. Wow," is all he says, unsure of what to do now. 

Yein laughs. "Um, who was it that you promised to?" 

Jungkook's eyes shift embarrassedly. "You know Harry? I was asking him whether I should confess to you. Sorry for running out on you like that." 

She almost drops the plate in her laughter. "That's cute," she remarks, after she can muster a straight face again. "Harry must be a good match-maker then." 

"I'm never gonna hear the end of this, am I?" Jungkook groans. 

"What's taking so long, Yein?" her brother Jinyoung shouts from inside. 

Her eyes widen, pointing inside. "I better go," she whispers regretfully. "Call me?" 

Jungkook grins. "Okay." And before she can close the door completely, he leans in and sneaks a kiss on her cheek before running down the street to his own house next door. 

When Yein walks back into the dining room, Jinyoung's wearing a suspicious smile, his eyes crinkling. "Seriously, what took you so long," he nudges her when she returns to her seat next to him. "Your face is as red as the kimchi," he whispers so that their parents don't hear. 

"Shut up," Yein says, kicking him under the table. 

(She wolfs down the meal quickly. She's got a phone call to take care of, after all.)

a/n: because maknaes are always cute and siblings!jr/yein is the best