Temptation [ Min Yoongi | ENG ]

F I F T Y

Jaap shoved an open packet of kruidnoten in front of my face, blocking my view of my screen. I looked at him doubtfully about his intentions and he shrugged, telling me that now that Sinterklaas was gone and Christmas was over, we had little time with those delights. I didn't agree with him, purely because it wasn't true, but I understood what he meant.

The year-end mood was almost over. It was already December 27th, a Friday, and we had no recess because we worked with news, but even so, the mood at that time is different. When studios and productions return to normal in early January, the days come as the force of nature that time is.

"Are you going to join the team party at the new year's eve?" He asked me, his voice muffled by the cookies he ate.

"No."

"Ah! Why not?"

"I don't want to take the risk with Theo..." my voice was barely audible.

"Um... ok."

"What about you?"

"I don't know, now that I know you're not going... everyone who confirmed their presence is a little old..." he said, his pouting little visible behind his beard and I laughed.

"Don't you have any other plans?"

"Not really. Some friends in Utrecht are going to get together, maybe I'll go there."

"Um..." I wasn't paying much attention, lost in an idea. "Are you going to do something after work today?"

"No, why?"

"Do you want to go have a drink with me?" His eyes widened when he heard my proposal.

"It could be nice, yes." He said, trying to maintain a casual tone. "PH?"

"No... I was thinking about that pub you took me to in the summer, remember? There's food there, right?"

"Ah yes!" He answered me excitedly, but I could see behind his eyes that he was confused.

"Jaapje." I called out his name and he met my gaze.

"Roosje..."

"I'm ready." I smiled at him and he returned mine with a big smile of his own that showed his teeth and squeezed his eyes.

After I digested the conversation with my father, I was able to understand what he meant. Maybe I would judge what Yoongi made unforgivable forever, but I couldn't live with that on me forever. I had been brooding over this for a while and had not been able to process anything until the day of Sinterklaas, when my father said those words to me.

I wasn't ready to get involved with Yoongi at first either, but I gave him a chance. Maybe I could do the same for Jaap... give him a chance.

When work finally ended, I smoked a cigarette waiting for Jaap.

He drove to the bar, my bicycle on his car rack. The journey was not long and we talked about some things we had going on at work.

"You can leave the bike there." He told me when he saw me walking to the back of his car, thinking he would get my bike for me. I looked at him confused, but said nothing. "I will take you home after here."

Jaap chose a corner booth, with its cushioned bench surrounding the table. I took a seat in the back so I could get an overview of the room and didn't stop Jaap when he sat next to me.