When the weekend finally arrived, Jangmi felt relieved. The week had been extremely exhausting for her. Getting to university was a struggle in its own with that cast on her ankle and with all the assignments she had to keep track of, Jangmi was really pushing her limits. Her group members had still not gotten in touch with her for the research project they had to do, which Jangmi thought was frustrating. Not wanting to worry too much about it yet, she focused on her other courses and did her best at work. Mr. Lee insisted that she took some time off work until her ankle got better but Jangmi managed to convince him otherwise, reassuring that she was fine. Jangmi stubbornly refused to be weak. She allowed herself no excuses to be miserable.
But when she got back home from work late in the evening on Friday, she felt all the exhaustion of the week hit her like a brick in the face. Her limbs felt heavy and she felt drained. Without bothering to remove her makeup, she changed into a sleeping shirt and went to bed immediately.
In the morning she laid in bed for hours after waking up. Her mind was blank as she laid on her side, staring into empty air. It was a peaceful morning, sunshine falling through the slit between her light curtains. The silence of the morning hours felt comforting, allowing her to clear her mind. Her body still felt heavy and tired. It wasn't hard to tell that she wasn't at her best health.
Her mother would be very disappointed if she knew. She would scold her telling her to take better care of herself. Jangmi never knew how hard it could be to take care of oneself. For a moment she longed for her mother's affection and cuddles. It had been so long since someone had hugged her. Feeling melancholic, she sighed into her pillow.
And then out of nowhere Yoongi crossed her mind.
She tried to imagine what he was up to in the apartment next door. He was probably knocked out still. Jangmi wanted to pay him back for helping her out the other day. She still wondered how he knew she was in trouble. He had just appeared out of nowhere at the right time.
Dragging herself out of bed, she headed to the bathroom to get ready. She wanted to prepare lunch for Yoongi as a thank you. Knowing that he wouldn't be getting up until afternoon, she had plenty of time to go grocery shopping to get the necessary ingredients and cook. Jangmi struggled to carry the heavy grocery shopping bags to her apartment but she managed somehow. For hours, she was in the kitchen, trying to cook something decent. She wasn't the best cook, to say the least. When it was approaching 2 pm she was finally finished. Packing the food in tupperware, she put them in a paper bag. Writing "thank you" on a yellow sticky note, she added a smiley face and put the note on the bag.
Knocking on his door, she patiently waited on him. Yoongi was out on his balcony smoking as Jangmi knocked on his door. He didn't hear it at first but when she knocked again, he glanced at the front door in confusion. Waiting to hear the knock again, he moved inside. Was it Jangmi?, he wondered.
Opening the door he was met with no other than her.
Yoongi froze when he saw the paper bag she was holding with a yellow sticky note stuck on it.
Thank you :)
Hid eyes met with hers. She shyly held out the bag for him to take. He could see the faint blush on her cheeks.
"What is this?" he coldly asked.
Jangmi felt discouraged, but she didn't want it to show. Her face not faltering a bit, she gave him a small smile. Yoongi felt confused as he looked at her.
"I made lunch for you as a thank you for helping me out recently" she calmly explained. Her voice was soothing, calm and gentle. "I am truly grateful" she added.
Yoongi didn't know how to react. He remembered the scene, images of your tear-stained face, disheveled wet hair, and bare legs flashed in his mind. His eyes fell on the cast on your ankle. He wanted to ask whether it still hurt, but he couldn't bring himself to. Something was blocking him from doing so.
Jangmi once again motioned for him to take the bag.
"I don't know what you like to eat and I am also not the best cook but I tried my best to make something delicious, I hope you will eat a lot," she said.
"There's no need to thank me," he told her, "You don't have to do anything in return. It's fine."
Jangmi felt disappointed. Why wasn't he just accepting it? It was so hard to communicate with him.
"Can you please take it? I will feel more at ease when I did something for you in return" she urged him.
Yoongi was very stubborn. He felt uncomfortable taking something from her in return for doing such a minor thing for her. But he could tell by the helpless look in her eyes that she really wanted to show her gratitude.
He felt indecisive. A part of him wanted to give in just this once, but on the other side, he didn't want to allow you to cross the boundaries. There was no need for this back and forth. He had been foolish enough to barge into her private life once out of worry and he felt uneasy about that as it is. Simply, he didn't want their lives to mingle more than that.
"Have it yourself, you are not indebted to me" he said, closing the door.
Jangmi stood there baffled. She had cooked for hours for him and he wasn't even accepting it out of pity? He could have tossed the food out for all she cared, but he should have at least taken it. She couldn't believe how rude he truly was. Even though she should be used to it by now, she still was shocked every time by his cold attitude.
Too tired to pick a fight, Jangmi placed the bag at his doorstep, retreating back into her apartment.
Yoongi stood at the door, listening to her apartment door close. Surprisingly, he found himself having to shake off the feeling of remorse for his rude reaction. It wouldn't have killed him to just accept the food, but something inside of him was reluctant to give into her. He felt afraid to show any sort of softness and weakness. He didn't want to be weak. He didn't want to be weak for her.
Trying to distract himself, he went to take a shower. Getting dressed afterward, he planned to head outside to grab some food. But when he opened his door, his eyes immediately landed on the bag. Halting dead in his tracks, he looked at the bag and then at her door. Heaving a sigh, he picked up the bag and went back inside.
Sitting at his kitchen table he unpacked the food. Staring at it for a good while he hesitantly took a bite of the gimbap she had made. His appetite was unleashed within that first bite and soon enough he found himself digging in the food. It had been forever since he last had a home-cooked meal.
He felt oddly emotional as he ate the food you had made him. Memories of his childhood came up in him and remembered his mother. It hurt to think of her. He missed her.
Then he thought of the girl who broke his heart. She used to cook for him too occasionally. The food she made always tasted bland, but he would always pretend it was his best meal. It made her happy and that's all he wanted.
Jangmi was not a terrible cook though, Yoongi decided. She had done a good job. He had finished everything and felt full.
Washing the dishes, he dried the tupperware and put them back in the paper bag. He removed the yellow sticky note, putting it on his fridge. Staring at it for a while in silence, he sighed.
Moving to his desk, he rummaged in his drawer until he found a set of sticky notes.
You really aren't a great cook... he wrote on it, sticking it on the paper bag. Quietly leaving his apartment, he left the bag at her doorstep.
When Jangmi was heading out to get her mail the next day, she found the paper bag with her empty tupperware. Smiling to herself, she read the note.
"Asshole" she mumbled, "So you did eat the food in the end."
*A/N I am treating you guys with a double update because I left you waiting for too long XD FORGIVE ME
