radiant | jung hoseok | ✓

chapter twenty-three | dark moon

"Welcome to Bangtan Chicken and Brewery, how many are in your party tonight?"

The old woman looks over her shoulder at the rest of her group and squints as she counts them off. "Uhh... there should be seven of us. Right, Gail?"

The woman standing beside her nods and her dangling earrings sparkle in the light. "Yes, seven including us."

I look down at my map of the restaurant and feel a distant flicker of worry. There aren't any tables open for seven people. But if we pull a few together, there could be. I would have to leave the podium for that, and the rush of people is only getting stronger. But the moment of torn feelings ends when my mind snaps back into focus, reminding me to be efficient and calm.

A few minutes of waiting isn't the end of the world. 

I smile kindly at the group of elderly women. "We can have a table ready for you in a moment. I need to pull a few tables together. If you would give me a minute..."

The two women nod in satisfaction. "Thank you," Gail says before they withdraw from the podium and regather with their group. One of the women cackles with laughter, interrupting the thrum of noise around me.

With quick steps, I leave the podium and weave through the full tables and laughing guests. I keep my eyes on the cluster of four-person tables and make it there without issue. The last time I came into the "battlefield", Jungkook and I almost crashed into each other. I pull the polished wood tables together, shoving their individual chairs aside with my foot, and readjust the seating arrangement. Thankfully they are already clean; Taehyung does quick work.

I move back to the front of the restaurant and swiftly grab menus from underneath the podium. I count seven before tucking them under my arm. "Alright, if you would follow me, please..."

I lead the group of women back to their table and set out their menus for them. Before they could start asking me about drinks or taking their order, I interject, "Your server will be with you in a moment."

With that, I scurry back to the podium to greet another wave of incoming guests. Some come in pairs, others come as a large family. Occasionally, a family with children will come through with fussy toddlers but the parents appear calm as ever while asking for a kid's menu.

In the corner of my eye, I watch as the boys move around tables and chattering guests like the water of a stream. With dazzling smiles on their handsome faces, they take orders efficiently and make polite small talk if they have a moment to spare. In the back of the restaurant, Hoseok thrives in his element with bottles between his fingers and surrounded by crystalline glasses.

The sight of his glowing expression is a shot of happy juice in my veins.

My boyfriend, I think warmly to myself. 

Another group of people enters the restaurant.

The first one to the podium, a young woman with pouty lips, stops short and gives me a strange look. I continue to hold my positive demeanor, uncaring of her reaction, and bow my head respectfully. "Welcome to Bangtan Chicken and Brewery. How many are in your party?"

She continues to stare at me as if I had offended her. Then she looks around the restaurant as if she were searching for something. "We have six."

"Actually, we have a reservation!" One of the girls shoves her way to the front of her tightly-knit group and flashes me a tense smile. "It's by the bar section. We requested it earlier."

"Oh..." I glance down at my map of tables and my stomach flips. There are no sections available in that area. There are no reservations due until nine o'clock and these girls certainly don't look like they're the Men's Golf Club Retirement Party for eleven.