❝𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘. ── 𝗞.𝗡𝗝✔️

iv

╰─▸ ❝ @[chapter four] has

. . . . logged on

ROSE GROANED AS SHE ENTERED THEOUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF HER HOME. Or rather, the old, rundown apartment she was living in until she graduated. Her feet burned and ached as her fatigued body finally decided to relax. She had forced herself to stay awake while Namjoon drive her to the subway station and the ride home despite being exhausted.

Her clothes stuck to her skin in ways that made her feel disgusting. All she needed was a shower and some sleep so she could get to class on time tomorrow.

She shuffled her way back to her bedroom, taking off her jacket and pulling out her phone to call Candy before she went to bed. It had taken a lot of money for her to get one of those new touch screen phones, the HTC Touch Diamond. Was she able to contact people easier? Yes. But did that make it harder to pay her rent this month? Of course.

When Candy didn't pick up, Rose simply left a voice message telling her she was okay and that she got home safe and that she should call her back as soon as possible. With that, she hung up the phone and plugged it up to her charger before walking off to the bathroom to take a shower.

Her bathroom was old and broken down. The shower head was rusty, the wallpaper was beginning to peel as the water kissed the glue that made it stick. The mirror remained dirty no matter many times she's tried to clean it. She poured gallons of bleach in the tub along with copious amounts of other cleaning products in order to even begin feeling like she was actually getting clean when taking a shower.

It wasn't an ideal place to live. Of course, she didn't like living in some small, trashy apartment. But she tried to make the most of it. She cleaned and scrubbed every surface of the place to disinfect anything that could've possibly been used to have sex on, do drugs on, or just do generally gross stuff.

She twisted the knobs of her shower and out came the water in a short burst of sudden pressure that quickly subsided. The water pressure was decent at least, though the water couldn't get very hot, just a little above lukewarm

Rose stripped herself of all her clothes and stood under the water, running her hands over her neck as she let out a sigh. It was hard to relax these days. She constantly had to be on edge, to be aware of everything going on around her.

Even in a place where she was supposed to be safe, she felt like she was going to be attacked. Maybe because she had never really had the option to be safe in what was meant to be her "safe space".

Rose thought about Namjoon, who had treated her for dinner. She couldn't trust him as far as she could throw him, which wasn't very far considering she probably wouldn't be able to pick him up at all.

He seemed sweet, cute even. He was quiet, soft-spoken. He got flustered easily, but that could all be an act. Rose has never met anyone who could blush on demand without looking constipated but there's a first time for everything.

Namjoon wanted to be her friend. He wanted to become close to her and Rose simply couldn't let that happen. Men like Namjoon we're devils in disguise. They give you sweet smiles and treat you good, the moment you think you can trust them, that's when you lose. That's when they pull you in and soon your wrists are in their hands and you're unable to move. You cry and you scream and you beg for someone to help you but everyone turns a blind eye. "You're a prostitute, just do your job." "You asked for this, flaunting your body like that." "Well, what did you expect?"

Rose jumps, gasping softly as she comes out of her mind, her thoughts, her memories. She had been standing under the water for far too long. Her fingers were beginning to prune. She quickly washes herself and steps out of the shower, taking her towel to wrap around herself.

Her apartment is cold, the heater doesn't work but she tolerates it because she wants to avoid her landlord at all times. He was some odd 50 years old, tall and lanky and creepy. He's aware of Rose's job description, often using it against her. You better believe he's always there at her door when she's even a day late to her rent.

Rose dried herself off and went into her drawer to grab some pajamas to wear. After a long day of work, all she wanted was to sleep her struggles away. If she could live in her dreams forever, in a world where all she had to worry about was getting her homework done. Where she didn't have to stand in the cold on the corner, where she didn't have to get into cars with random men, having to let them use her body for her to survive.

It was easier to dream.

-

Namjoon wasn't hanging out around Rose to humble himself. To make himself realize he had it good. Though it was a side effect of his venture to become close to her. He had a good-paying job, he lived in a skyrise apartment that overlooked the city.

Namjoon lived a life of comfort. He never had to worry about how he was going to pay his bills, how he was going to put food on his table.

He knew absolutely nothing about Rose's life. Who she was beyond the skimpy clothes and flirtatious smiles. She always tapped his chin when she left him and his made his face burn and his heart race in his chest. She had such a hold on him and he knew jackshit about her.

"You've gotta earn that title." She told him when he mentioned he wanted to be her friend. In her eyes, Namjoon could see the weariness, the mistrust. It was righteous. Why should she trust him? She has no reason to.

Namjoon took off his shoes and placed them back into his closet. He pulled his button up out of his pants and began unbuttoning them. He thought if even his efforts could work on the untrusting woman. She's not closed off for no reason.

What even would happen if she began to trust him? How do you progress from that? Even if they were to be in a relationship, and as supportive as he would be, how could he possibly get over the fact that she sleeps with other people on a daily? He understands that it's simply a job but that doesn't change that fact.

Maybe he should just abandon ship. Maybe it wasn't worth it. A crush is a crush at the end of the day, not a committed relationship.

But he already said that he'd earn her trust, her friendship. Just abandoning her now will show that he was never serious about her. That he wasn't willing to go that deep. And he was. He wanted to stay.

So Namjoon decided that he'd stick around, that he'd cross the bridge some other time, preferably while holding her hand. It would be difficult but hopefully not enough to deter him from his mission.

*.✧ Kᴀʏs Eɴᴅɪɴɢ Nᴏᴛᴇs

Now before y'all hop on Namjoon's dick about him having second thoughts, would y'all not feel some sort of way if your s/o was performing sexual acts on someone else? Yes, it is a job but still. It's natural to feel some sort of way about that.

Thank you all for reading. I hope you guys enjoyed and I wish you all a wonderful day/night.

사랑해

~Kay (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧*。