Not So Cinderella ► T.K

Chapter Four

❛ Three copper coins.❜

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In Jungkook's long and unfortunate list of market mishaps, staring at a stranger's smile and pouting when it's gone ranked somewhere between accidentally petting a goat that wasn't a goat and falling upside down into a watermelon cart that one time in front of an entire group of pretty girls, however that didn't make this calamity of a situation even remotely better, no—this was new, this was horrible, this was the absolute worst.

Jungkook briefly considered throwing himself into the nearest well—if only he weren't terrified of water, mud, small spaces, large spaces and fungus—all in that order.

The cloaked man—still holding the tiny thief like she weighed less than a loaf of bread, gave a small chuckle, "Are you alright back there?"

Jungkook, steaming behind his hands, nodded his head twice, "Yes, I am great I am just having an allergic reaction."

"Hmm? To what?"

"Embarrassment.", his reply was meek at best as it faded into a little whisper, "B-but just so you know!", he removed his hands and raised his voice, eyes tightly shut and face completely covered in a shade of dark pink, "I don't always stare at people with pretty smiles okay?! I am not a creep, i-i-it was an accident so forget about it okay?"

"Pretty smile huh?", the stranger mused, his voice smooth and playful, causing shivers to run down Jungkook's spine.

Is he flirting in broad daylight?!

"Boogeyman, why are you both as red as tomatoes?", the little girl asked a question, but Jungkook didn't know who it was directed to. He opened his one eye ever so slightly to dare peek at the sight in front of him—the strange man's cloak had risen up to reveal his high nose and perfect jawline—all dusted with a cute shade of pink and lips parted in a devilish smile to reveal a white set of almost perfect teeth with the canines sharp and slightly sticking out. The man was blushing, oh he was blushing hard. Jungkook's eyes immediately went wide—with one hand over his mouth and the other wrapped around his stomach—he had to stop himself from physically squealing.

This man is adorable.

The stranger cleared his throat again as he let the little girl down—Jungkook could practically hear the amusement in his voice, "The cold weather, even makes grown men look like tomatoes.", he touched her little nose with his index finger.

"I like tomatoes.", the little girl crinkled her nose at his touch and smiled full fledged, her missing tooth melted Jungkook's heart.

"Me too.", the stranger giggled, causing butterflies to erupt in his stomach at the stupid sound. He hated admitting to himself that he could listen to those deep giggles all day, everyday.

"But do you also like apologizing?", Jungkook spoke with his hands on his waist, "Apologize to me for stealing my things.", his expression was that of soft anger, the blush almost gone, but the shadow of it still lingered along the bridge of his nose and the tip of his ears.

The girl pouted, playing with the hem of the dress she wore over grey pants, "It was just some firewood.", she looked at him from under her lashes.

"You made me run halfway across the market, do you have any idea how weird I looked chasing around a little girl? You even threw the wood at me.", his voice may not have been loud, but his tone was strict. He was indeed irritated because if he is late to the house, Keres will use it as an opportunity to make him do extra work—and he was still hungry as hell, now that he had run around unnecessarily.