Proceed with Caution (jikook/kookmin)

6. slow dancin'

Jimin's mowing the lawn in a white tank and dark suspended slacks when Jungkook arrives.

He decided on this color block, patched pocket corduroy long sleeve with a plain white crew neck, blue jeans, and white sneakers. He debated something fancier but it was Sunday and his mom was washing late after church.

Jimin doesn't seem to note him until he's walking up — or at least he pretends not to. He doesn't even look at Jungkook when he says, his voice a little eerie, "Just go inside, they're expecting you."

Jungkook chews the inside of his cheek as he nods, his hands holding two sets of bouquets as he makes his way to the door.

"Oh! Jungkook-ssi!" Mrs. Park exclaims when he enters, her eyes lighting up in surprise when he holds out the mixed bouquet for her.

"Oh my! How sweet! You didn't have to!" She gushes, leaning up to kiss his cheek before pulling him along.

Jungkook just smiles, trying not to step on the back of her long layered dress. "I heard you were taking a break from the kitchen today?" He mentions.

She looks back with a funny expression, her hair pulled back in a tight bun and round glasses on her face. "Yes... I'm letting Suji cook tonight, wish us luck."

Jungkook hears Suji whine from where she is in the kitchen. "Hey! I can hear you!"

Mrs. Park and he share a quiet laugh as they make their way over.

Suji is wearing this knee-length, orange-toned floral dress with a ruched bust and her hair flowing, free and wavy. She wears light makeup and a pretty smile.

"Hello Jungkook-ah," she greets and Jungkook bows, handing her the bouquet of lilies with a smile that he can't quite force to reach his eyes. "You look handsome."

Jungkook shies away, complementing her as well as she sniffs the flowers with a blush. "And you look lovely, it smells great in here," he adds, Mrs. Park saying something about finishing laundry and leaving them alone.

"I'm so sorry about my brother's behavior and him hitting you, oh my gosh," she holds the flowers in the corner of her arm to hide behind her hands in anguish. "I was so embarrassed I'm shocked you're even here right now and with flowers? God knows I don't deserve them."

Jungkook chuckles, disagreeing quickly. "It's fine. I get it, he's just being a big brother."

If that was only the case this time around.

"He's too impulsive," she says once more, suddenly dancing around the kitchen for something. Jungkook watches her regrettably, the way her dress flows and the way she pushes her soft hair behind her ear as she finds what she's looking for.

She places the bouquet in a vase with an unconscious smile, her eyes quickly returning to Jungkook's and her cheeks pink anew.

They catch up then, Jungkook hiding his guilt by asking her how she's been. She rants about school and Miko and he listens, helping out with whatever she needs while she cooks.

It's like they're on the phone again, conversation light and easy as it always is with her. He doesn't think about her brother or the fact that they kissed when Suji's joking about the old man she met on the bus Friday. No, he's thinking about her and her beautiful smile and wittiness and how he's so thwarted and ashamed that his stomach doesn't swoop with fondness and affection like it once did.

His heart races out of pure convenience now, the idea of such a pretty girl flirting with him and liking him despite what she doesn't quite know about him.

He thinks if Suji knew, if she was aware of the truth, of the way he lusts after her brother then she'd never look at him again.

And that's just a thought that's too difficult to handle. Sweet, pure-hearted Suji being repulsed by him — he couldn't take that. She didn't deserve that.