Ice-heart

Ch-6 Hardass

Jungkook's pov

"One week done," Jimin says and raises his glass to mine. "Only five more to go."

"Before I'm fully employed, yes. Can you picture it? A full-time contract... I think I'll frame it. Hang it on my wall at home."

Jimin grins at me. "Get it tattooed."

"Forever the property of Kim Taehyung." I roll my eyes. "No thank you. I'll gladly take the salary and the workload-but I don't need more of the man."

"Is he really that bad?"

I look over at my friend, who handles creeps regularly in his job as a bartender. "No," I say honestly. "It's not that he's bad, exactly. He's more... unnerving. He has high standards, and they're difficult to live up to. Plus, the man never smiles."

Jimin nods. "So he's like the alpha version of you."

"What!"

"Come on, Kookie," he laughs. "You're the most ambitious person I know."

"Well, sure, we have that in common. But that's the only thing. I smile."

"You both love architecture, and you both have high standards."

"But I don't have unreasonably high standards for people around me. Don't look at me like that, Jimin. I don't."

"Remember the last guy you went on a date with? You complained about his table manners. Not to mention your last boyfriend."

I don't want to be reminded of Dong-wook. "Yes, well, I guess we're similar in some ways. But Taehyung-sshi's scary, and I'm not. I can tell that others at work are afraid of him.

"Afraid?"

"Well, maybe I'm exaggerating. They're not cowering in the corners or anything. But I've noticed that they push themselves very hard to meet his deadlines. And no one shows up to a meeting with him without being very prepared."

"But you're scared of him?"

I think of the staring contest we had in his office, or when he called and introduced himself as the old stooge. "No. He's intimidating sometimes, but never scary."

"Well, I think he's scary," Jimin says. "Hiring you based on that cover letter means he's clearly a psychopath."

I laugh at him, and he joins in. "You're probably right about that, actually. I still can't believe he did."

"Me neither, but whatever works, honey." He pushes his red died hair up. "Have you thought more about my text?"

I bury my head in my hands. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."

"Oh, no I haven't. What do you think? Do you want to have drinks next week with Tae-ho? It would be good for you. Just a little drink, with a cute and interesting guy."

I resist the impulse to roll my eyes. "If he's that amazing, why haven't you snatched him up for yourself?"

"Me?" Jimin puts a hand to his chest, the picture of innocence. "You know I would never date a co-worker. It's unethical."

"Sure."

"Plus, I've already called dibs on a delivery guy. He has bulging arms, just my type. But we're not talking about me. We're talking about you- and Tae-ho."

"Fine, fine. You're probably right, anyway." I take another sip of my wine. "I've been out of the game for too long."

"Yes! I'll set it up. Next week, all right?"

"I'll be there. As long as it doesn't interfere with my work for Mr. Hardass, that is."

"No, God forbid. You have to make it five more weeks."