Viola (비올라)

Chapter 7- Unmasked

Hannah's POV

It took a little over an hour for the test to come back. Negative of course.

She'd barely seen anyone since her last test so that wasn't expecting a different result. But that didn't keep her from being low-key anxious about the other week when she itched her nose with her unwashed hands after putting away her groceries the other day. Thankfully she didn't have to worry as much about masses of people in the countryside. Not that Hannah had no time or inclination to sight-see outside of work when she was in Seoul. The only trips out where the initial grocery store visit and a quick stop at a bookstore to get reading material for the train ride here

NYC had gone from too crowded for her liking, to a ghost town overnight when the virus hit the states. Hannah had actually enjoyed a break from the bustling subway commute at first, but nothing good lasted. Now instead of her carefully curated solitude, she was inundated by requests from casual friends for remote game nights, work virtual happy hours, and unwanted, lengthy, checkups from family.

She had declined as many of those invitations as possible without seeming rude. That number had gone down since she strategically set her social media statuses to 'Things are crazy busy with work right now, what free time?' She probably would have gotten an earful from someone if she'd gone and deleted her accounts instead. She was still somewhat tempted to do so.

Based on what people were posting, frankly she was safer here than in the states. Korea had managed their COVID outbreak methodically so in many ways everything was back to normal here. But at least here everyone was masked and social distance was practically baked into the culture. Americans acted like not shaking hands or giving hugs was sacrilege. But then still refused to wear masks or take a pandemic seriously.

She'd never understand.

The time spent waiting for her test result was surprisingly enjoyable. Shu was easy to follow around at an appropriate distance. He wasn't talkative. The first time he talked to no one, Hannah almost responded before realizing he had a headset that was likely connected to the other cameramen. Shu could actually be loud when asking for a re-shoot of some touching moment.

The guys seemed to be used to all this. Retelling a funny joke or running across the lawn to do another entrance. Hannah returned a wave to Jimin as he and Jungkook stood around the punching bag. Jungkook had been showing him some boxing moves, with little success it seemed. She almost wondered if Jimin wasn't trying on purpose. They went back at it as the camera folks repositioned themselves.

She also watched Hoseok, and one of the guys she hadn't met yet, as they were trying to get a wind-up airplane to work. Taehyung had tried to describe the rest of the group she'd be meeting on their walk. She'd forgotten their names already. This was vacation, not a business meeting.

They were always laughing or joking. She had to admit the joy was infectious as she found herself smiling again behind her mask.

In no time there was a call for an hour break. Before they made it all the way back to the staff quarters Shu also gave her the 'all clear'. So she was left alone awkwardly standing around the upper house.

Hannah didn't know what to do, fiddling with a mask strap and looked around. She didn't stand there long as the door to the house opened and Taehyung walked out. As she approached, he started to riffle in his pocket, probably for a mark. She shook her head and quickly took her own off.

"joneun jal jinaeyo [I'm good.]" She explained.

She closed the gap. Well mostly, leaving the roughly 6 foot buffer she'd grown used to. But, both mask-less, there was also something strangely intimate about being this close to another person.