reputation // jeon jungkook ✔️

chapter twenty-two

the beginning of a fall

shin minseo

the sound of my alarm fills my apartment. jungkook took me home last night because he didn't want to bother me by getting up early for practice. though i told him i wouldn't mind, he insisted on taking me home anyways. i sit up and quickly turn off the blaring alarm. it was 10:30, and today i'm supposed to start reviewing applicants for the school, that is, if any came through.

i slip out of bed and make my way to the kitchen to get started on some breakfast. i decide on scrambled eggs, quick and easy. as i finish pouring the mixture in the pan, i head back to my bed to check my phone. a few follows on the school's social page, bank notifications, most importantly, no text from jungkook. i expected that he would text me when he woke up like he promised he would last night. deciding to ignore it, i place my phone down and make my way back to the kitchen, bringing my laptop with me.

i quickly finish cooking the eggs and plop them onto a plate. i then grab a bottle of water and sit at the counter and begin logging into my application website. much to my surprise there are over twenty applicants. my eyes light up with excitement as i scroll through all the soon-to-be students. as i click through the applications i can't help but smile, this might actually work out. my first thought was to send jungkook a text, whether he wanted to talk to me or not, i had to tell him.

jungkook ;)

over 20 new applicants for the school!! :))

read 10:53 a.m.

-

he must be busy... i think to myself. after all, the both of us are starting new and exciting things, we will both have a lot on our plate very soon, i can't really blame him. but again jimin's words echoed through my head. it was all i could think about last night, especially with jungkook insisting on taking me home. on any other day he would have begged me to stay with him, but things are different now. i know i need to give him space for all of this, i just can't help but feel that something is off about the amount of space he's already taken.

it seems like i was filling a void, and now that he has the band, the band is taking my place. i quickly brush all of the bad thoughts to the back of my mind and sit my phone back down, heading back to my laptop. if he is busy, so am i.

-

it is now 3:15, i emailed all of the applicants that i accepted and informed them of an orientation that i decided will be held tomorrow at the school. so i took a quick walk to the school to start getting everything set up. i decided to match my semesters up with the normal school system, so class will not officially be in session until next week, june fourth for the summer semester. i accepted fifteen of the twenty-four applicants, though i have room for thirty, i decided a smaller class would be a good start.

i grab all the necessities, and fun gadgets i would like to show the students for orientation. scissors, hair dye, their own hair model, and just about everything you can think of. i want them to see all of the different types of things that will be taught here. as i finish up dragging the last stylist box to the last station, i take a step back to check my work. all fifteen stations are equipped with everything they will need.

i even mapped out a small tour route, starting from the front counter, to the stations, to the wash bowls, the storage, bathrooms, and my office. i couldn't help but smile, this was a dream come true. tomorrow, i will have my own class, and i will be prepping them for their first semester of my own hair school. i can't think of a better way to spend my summer. after deciding that my work for the day is done, i decide to grab lunch alone since i still haven't heard from jungkook.

i turn off the lights of the school and lock up. today was a cloudy and windy day, in opposition to my mood, the weather was dreary. i happily walk down the sidewalk, heading to a cafe near my apartment so that i wouldn't have to walk so far when i finished. the walk is peaceful, the sound of the wind shaking the trees, a slight whistle when the wind got faster. rocks crackling under the tires of the cars that drove by.

it has been a while since i took a walk like this. jungkook had driven me everywhere, or sent one of his friends to drive me. i almost forgot how nice a good walk is, getting to pay attention to nature, or the hustle and bustle of the town, it's a different type of relaxing. waves of nostalgia rush over me as i remember my daily walks to the salon. the hours i would spend looking out the salon's windows at the busy students, the occasional client. it was sort of sad to think i would never experience that again, but i know it's for the best.

after some time i arrive to the cafe. i enter the warming atmosphere as i'm greeted by the woman at the front. she is dressed in a soft green dress with gorgeous brown hair that fell just below her shoulders. i give her a warm smile and make my way to a table near the windows. i wait patiently for the waiter to come to my table and take my order.

after i order i decide to pull out my phone. it was now 4:57, still nothing from jungkook. he had told me that practice ends around 5:00, but not to wait up since he had plans to get dinner with the guys after. that didn't bother me, but i at least wanted to get some sort of text from him. i shrug it off seeing as it's his first day practicing to be an idol. i can only imagine how stressful that is. after some time the girl from the front approaches my table.

"you look lonely." she smiles at me.

"just having a day to myself." i laugh. she nods.

"i see..." she trails off. "i hope this isn't weird, but i get off at five thirty, i'm walking home today and i saw that you walked here... i'd like you to join me." she smiles warmly again. "oh, my name's moon!"

"i'm minseo. where are you headed? i'd love to join you!" i admit. i could use the company as today has been rather lonely, and she seems friendly.

"oh i live in the apartments not too far from here, down the road actually." she says.

"shut up! i live there too!" i exclaim. she smiles widely.

"for real? i've never seen you there before."

"i've never seen you either! when did you move in?" i ask.

"about 2 weeks ago! i'm very new here, which is why i approached you this way. just trying to make friends." she admits.

"that's why i haven't seen you. for the past two weeks i've been with my boyfriend helping him audition for a boy band, and opening my cosmetology school."

"what? why is your life already so much cooler than mine." she plops her head in her hand and we share a laugh.

"well i'd love to hear about yours!" as i finish my sentence, the waiter drops my food off. we both tell him thank you.

"only if you share some of your food with me." she laughs, staring at the plate.

"fine." i playfully roll my eyes and pick up a piece of chicken with my fork, i put the fork up to her mouth and she happily takes it. "so tell me." i say, picking up a piece of chicken of my own.