Siren Song | KNJ ✅

Chp. 41: Jungkook's English is so Cute -Wah!

Ari's POV 🌸

I feel Joon snake his arm around my waist while standing in the bar area of Ha-Kun's restaurant. Every time he touches me, it feels like the first time all over again, and my heart wants to burst.

"We're so proud of you, Namjoon-Hyung," Tae smiles, his eyes lighting up when he sees Joon's arm around my waist.

"Thanks, Tae. I'm pleased with how the album is charting," Joon humbly takes Tae's compliment.

"No, I meant about you making a move on Ari," Tae's tone is devilish, and he wiggles his eyebrows at us before sauntering away.

I can't help but giggle at Tae's audacity. He is such a character, and I love having him in my life.

"I think these fashion shows and modeling contracts he's been taking on the side in Paris are starting to go to his head," Joon mutters under his breath to me with a sly smile, but the light in his eyes shows that he's pleased to have me on his arm and it makes me beam with pride.

We make our way around the gathering, greeting our friends and chatting with them. Lily sits down at the piano and plays some jazz standards, which attracts both Tae and Hobi to her side.

Yoongi, Jungkook, and Jae are in a semi-circle talking about Yoongi's new producing project. Jungkook asks all kinds of questions about Yoongi's approach to reaching out to work with other artists outside their label, as he has some ideas about future collaborations for himself as well.

While Joon joins the conversation offering a few tidbits of insight into the collaborative process, I suddenly feel Jae's eyes on me and realize I've been staring at Jungkook this entire time.

She scrunches her eyebrows together, and I look down at my feet, embarrassed, worried she may have the wrong impression. I have already decided that I will need to talk to Joon about this situation. I'm hoping Joon will sit down and talk to Jungkook and Jae with me about my situation, but I'm trying to figure out the best time to do it, and a party is definitely not the right time.

I squeeze Joon around his waist and then slip away to talk to Jimin for a little while and make sure Jimin is doing okay being in the room with Ha-Kun since their awkward encounter.

"I'm okay; I feel bad that our friendship doesn't feel the same, but Ha-Kun is never anything less than gracious. I know eventually, we will feel more relaxed in each other's company, but I'm giving him a little distance right now. It's the least I can do," Jimin explains while he takes a sip of champagne from a lovely fluted glass.

"Well, I'm here if you need me, Jimin-Angel," I offer, and Jimin gives me a quick hug.

"I'm no angel," he replies, looking sad for a moment.

"Of course you are. You've saved me plenty of times," I remind him, and he smiles. "I'm going to stop and talk to Hana and Jin. Do you want to come with me?"

"Nah, I think I'm going to go try and trick Tae out of his seat. He can't bogart Lily all damn night!" he chuckles and then glides over to the piano to execute his plan.

I walk over to the small table Jin and Hana are sitting at, "Hi, do you mind if I join you?"

"Ari! Of course not, have a seat!" Hana replies with a broad smile that makes me feel welcome.

"How are you two doing this evening?" I ask one of my favorite couples.

"Great, how is it going over at the studio I heard Lily had some scary threats. Are you guys doing okay over there?" Hana asks.

"It was pretty bad at first, but Yoongi hired a security detail, which quickly backed off the crowd, and they have finally stopped showing up every day trying to snap pictures of her. He's had a guard on her night and day, though, and I can tell she feels awkward about it," I answer honestly. "I can't help but feel bad that Lily is taking all this heat when I'm the one that is actually with Joon. Yoongi must be unhappy about it as well."