Wish (Jung Hoseok)

Twenty Four

Riley shivered on the corner of the street by the airport, her breath fogged in the cold air.

The sun had set almost minutes after Namjoon said he'd pick her up, chilling the air around her as the warmth of the sun vanished behind the mountains.

Riley huffed, wondering where the hell Namjoon could be.

Then her phone started to ring.

"Riley! I'm so sorry. I got held up in traffic and there's this huge crash cause of the weather. Are you okay? Do you think you could walk if you had to?" Namjoon sounded guilty to ask the last question, but Riley knew they had no choice.

She laughed a bit. "I'm okay, I promise. I'll be over there within the hour, just stay safe." She said.

Riley said her goodbyes to the frantic man and started the walk to Bangtan.

It was freezing, but she knew vendors along the way must be selling some hot chocolate or coffee.

-
Somewhere in Seoul
-

Jungkook groaned, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hand like a child waking from a really good dream.

When really, Jungkook was hungover and freezing.

"Jeez, how much did I drink?" He mumbled, looking around at his room. His head ached, like he'd been hit with a hammer in his sleep.

But then, Jungkook's heart sank. This was definitely not his room.

As the boy looked around for any clue as to what happened the night before, he about had a heart attack when his eyes met a nest of red hair practically buried under the blankets beside him. Jungkook almost shrieked.

But he knew it was Sarah. The reason for her being in his bed though was what terrified him.

The room seemed to be an inn, long burgundy curtains were closed to block out any light, and the walls seemed to be aging as the paint was chipping in some corners.

He stood, feet hitting plush carpet.

When he looked in the mirror hung on the wall across the bed, he noted how he was indeed dressed, but his hair was messy and he even had a bruise forming on his forehead.

And he was missing an earring?

"Aish..." He groaned, his hand against his head as that solved the headache mystery.

Sarah stirred, causing Jungkook to jump. Why are you so afraid of the fact that something may have happened? Don't you like her? He scolded himself as she turned, finally waking up.

He smiled sheepishly.
Her eyes widened.

"I don't know either! I just woke up too but we're both dressed and I'm missing an earring somehow? What the hell is this?" He asked, pointing to the bruise on his head.

Sarah only laughed.

"I don't know."

-

Riley pushed her way through a crowd of shoppers, noting the strip mall her and Hoseok had been to before.

Her fingertips started to numb, and when she looked down at them they had a blueish hue.

"Oh dear." She mumbled.

Riley turned abruptly, right into a coffee shop. Eh~ it's so expensive. Whatever, I'm dying here.

Riley bought the hottest macchiato she could, plopping down to wait for it.

Sure, it was almost 8:00 in the evening, but it was so cold she didn't care how late she drank coffee.

Once the beautifully warm drink was placed on her table, Riley began guzzling it before she lost much more time.

That was when she felt like she was being watched.

Riley set the cup down with a few glances around the cafe. Then, she spotted a very much older woman watching her from the table across from Riley's.

How silly she'd been right in front of her that entire time.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" She asked. Or at least, the Korean equivalent of it.

The woman suddenly flushed in embarrassment as she was caught.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry! You just look like someone I know... do I know you?"

Riley giggled a bit and finished her macchiato. "I'm Riley Clarence from KMagz Korea, I interviewed BTS a while ago." She said. Riley stood to throw away the cup, but the woman stopped her.

"Wait, that's where?" The lady trailed off before a laugh passed her lips, like the fact Riley was a KPop magazine writer was hard to believe.

But, in the end, Riley knew that's where she saw her. The KMagz clips would be aired all over Seoul.

"Are you very close to that band?" The woman asked, sipping her coffee knowingly as Riley's face was quite readable.

Riley sat in front of the woman like she was attending a therapy session.

"I am, actually. They're my best friends. I'm glad to be back, I just can't get there without a car."

"Are they really just your best friends? Surely out of the seven one of them has your attention."

Riley flushed but didn't admit it, wishing she had her coffee to hide her stinging cheeks behind.

The lady smiled.

"I see... have you told this one?"

The younger only shook her head.

"And why not?" The lady was obviously teasing, but Riley couldn't help to flinch at the thought of telling Hoseok her feelings.

"I'm scared I'll mess it up, honestly. I know he loves me, but I don't know to what extent. I could always just say 'Hoseok I love you' and if he takes it as a friend I'd be happy with that. But to be so brave and just... tell him I love him romantically is terrifying."

"What about the others? Do they know?"

"Oh, they definitely know."