HELLO, DARLING | JIKOOK ✔

05 || ARE YOU AFRAID YET?

Needless to say, Iseul is shocked the moment she spots Jimin walking through the front door of the salon simply after one day off. Her small eyes are blown out and her small lips are popped ajar. She rounds the front desk, immediately stumbling to Jimin's side.

"Are you okay? You look kind of stiff." She places a hand on his back and he restrains a hiss, pulling on his bottom lip.

"I'm fine. I just needed to get out of the house after staying in bed all day yesterday. Were some of the other ladies capable of covering my appointments?" Jimin is walking down the employee corridor while he questions her.

Iseul nods her head. "They were. I told them that you couldn't come in and they understood completely. You aren't pushing yourself right now, are you?"

Jimin admires her caring nature but sometimes, it's overbearing. In all honesty he'd rather be getting ready by himself. His head is crowded with enough contemplation and voices as is. He doesn't need her cloying concern added onto his intangible whirl of thoughts.

"I said I'm fine, Iseul. We'll be opening soon. You should go back to the front." Jimin puts his belongings inside of his locker. He can almost feel her breathing down his neck and it's driving him to the brink of insanity.

"You're right. Okay. Yeah, sure. Um, I guess I'll be out there." Iseul tucks her hair behind her ear awkwardly, talking to the man's back. She leaves the staff room and returns to the floor.

The door closes and finally, Jimin feels as though he can breathe. His head dips downward slightly as he releases an exhale. He just needs to get through the day and he's off for the weekend. He keeps this tranquilizing thought in mind as he finishes packing his things away into his locker. He reaches for his apron and makes a quick stop in the bathroom to inspect the color correcter applied on his arms and his eye. It's still there and should hold out for the prolongation of his shift.

Jimin makes his way to the floor and organizes his station for his first appointment. A hair coloring and cut. He manages to put everything into place and by then it's been thirty minutes. His client is walking through the front door, conversing with Iseul. She leads him to the waiting area and shortly Jimin approaches him.

"Hi, you must be Won-Shik?" Jimin extends his hand outward to greet him, however the older man simply stares at him with naturally narrow and brooding eyes - at least that's what the ravenette assumes.

"Alright, then. Uh... this way, please." Jimin feigns a smile, walking toward his station. He gestures toward the seat kindly and the man slumps into the chair with a weighted exhale. His lips smack against one another while he chews on his gum.

Jimin has no idea what to make of him. They say to never judge a book by it's cover but based off of this man's beastly mannerisms and his disheveled appearance, the hairdresser is giving himself a free pass to think just exactly what he wants. It's not like he's going to voice his opinions.

"So what are we looking to do, specifically?" Jimin asks while he stands behind the chair, looking at the man through the reflection in the mirror.

He lifts a brow. "I already told you what I wanted done over the phone. Are you telling me you can't do your job?" His gum is visible between his thin lips while he speaks hoarsely.

Jimin does his best to keep his bite internalized as this man's attitude frets his patience. He breaks into another half-assed smile. "I know you did, Sir. I was just wondering what you wanted done specifically. I know you want a cut and colour but it helps to know what kind of style as well as what colour you're looking for. I don't want you leaving the salon dissatisfied."

Won-Shik rolls his eyes. "I need you to touch up my graying hair and trim it. Sound easy enough or do I need to talk to somebody else?" he prods curtly.