radiant | jung hoseok | ✓

chapter twenty-five | the fun flask

(This chapter is brought to you by boredom in my Business Law class. Who cares about corporate law, anyway. I also apologize for the shifts in writing quality, it's been rough keeping things consistent.)

The apartment complex is alive with the gentle hum of chattering boys and the sizzle of the griddle. The scent of fresh scrambled eggs and crunchy toast wafts through the air and draws me out from underneath the covers. I sit up in bed and stretch my arms out in front of me, yawning as I do so. The Snoopy stuffed animal has tucked itself into the corner of the bed with his floppy ears shielding his face.

A rectangular space of sunshine laid down on the ground and the rising sun illuminates the cozy room. The crystal glasses on his bartending cart glisten like diamonds and their stained-glass colors appear glowing.

Hoseok's room has become as familiar as my own room.

It has been a week since I left my apartment and started staying with my boyfriend.

My stomach flutters at the thought of calling Hoseok my boyfriend. We are dating, and it feels like things are going extremely well. To call him my boyfriend is a large step, and I can't believe I have already come to this conclusion.

It's a welcome change.

I notice that I'm smiling softly at the thought. The thought of moving forward in our relationship. It feels natural and better than I could have ever imagined.

I decide to get out of bed, hoping to get a taste of that wonderful breakfast downstairs. I leave the warmth of the thick blankets. I kneel beside my suitcase and pick out an outfit for the day.

Today is a special day.

We are going to head into the forest for a picnic. An entire day was spent with Hobi and his friends. Not only that, I am going to see what they look like in their werewolf form in broad daylight.

I only saw glimpses of Yoongi and Namjoon in their werewolf form during the bursts of lightning. Through the misty and dark storm, I saw the hulking shape of their bodies as they attacked the kidnappers. I am forever grateful for that.

Furthermore, I will never reveal their secret to anybody. They revealed it to me accidentally, and I will never break their trust.

My heart aches to think of breaking up with Hobi, but even in the event of a breakup, I will never share their secret. I will take their werewolf identities to my grave.

I dress in skinny jeans and a long sleeve shirt to start the day. Then I fix my hair using the camera on my phone. The dark circles underneath my eyes appear darker than before. I frown at my image for a moment before blaming it on the lighting and angle of the phone. I might not be sleeping well but I couldn't possibly look that tired. 

I head downstairs and find the apartment wide-awake. There is a happy symphony of noise in the air. The sound of the sizzling eggs, the popping of the toaster, the slide of socks against the hardwood floor, the excited chatter of Jimin's voice, and Hobi's endearing laugh.

Jungkook is laying on the couch, half-asleep, while Taehyung leans on his side. They are watching the TV intently as it shows the morning news. Taking up another section of the couch is Namjoon. He is wearing his prescription glasses while focusing on his book. There is lingering sleepiness on his expression but he seems to be enjoying his book.

I enter the kitchen, having escaped the notice of the boys on the couch, and poke my head in.

"What all are you putting in there?" Jimin asks curiously, leaning against Hobi's back. He rests his head on Hobi's shoulder while Hoseok focuses on something on the counter.