In Seven Days

Thursday; 7: 26 PM

The cold water cascaded down on the skin of Jin's back, stripping him of dirt and sweat. It was a welcome feeling, soothing his muscles that were sore from the day's gardening activities. There was a sense of peace to be found as he stood under the water with his thoughts, the rhythmic drumming of the water entering his ears.

His thoughts roamed around in his mind again, a thing that he noticed was becoming more often since Monday. Then again, only one of two things occupied his mind as of late.

He thought back to earlier in the afternoon about Seokmin calling him appa—or rather about the one where he didn't. He tried not to dwell in it. Yet it entered his mind unwelcomed all the same.

Byulyi meant no harm earlier—and even if she did, who could blame her?—when she was urging Seokmin to join Jin and not appa. It was a small tiny little miniscule moment that should have occupied a small tiny little miniscule space in his mind.

It should.

Jin lifted his head so that the water landed on his face.

In Byulyi's defense, it was a complicated situation that even he was still trying to figure out himself.

As of the moment, she seemed neutral of his presence. While she wasn't begging him to stay—quite the opposite actually since she threatened to kick him out days prior—, neither was she refusing any help from him.

But they met 4 days ago. Surely that was enough to garner the title appa?

He almost laughed at the absurdity of his thoughts had they not represented what he genuinely felt.

Was it because Byulyi was thinking of saving the title for another man?

One that'd actually stay with them?

One that didn't take days to make such an obvious decision?

One that would have noticed her earlier symptoms because he wasn't a fucking workaholic who couldn't make an obvious fucking deci—

Jin turned the knob off. He'd been in the shower for too long. His mind was beginning to think stupid things.

With a sigh, Jin dried himself with the towel. He'd just nearly finished dressing up when he discovered that he left his shirt in his room. With a shrug, he hung the towel on his neck so that it caught the drops of water from his hair as well as covered his torso, and went out.

When he opened the guest room, he came face to face with Byulyi's back. She stood on her tiptoes, one hand braced on the lower level of the cabinet while the other outstretched above her, her fingers just barely grazing the top-most level of the cabinet where an assortment of animal-themed crocheted blankets.

She turned around at the sound of the door, her hair swishing at the abrupt movement. Her eyes widened slightly before she quickly averted them.

"Jesus Jin put a shirt on," she muttered, voice straining from the effort of extending herself as high as she could.

"I would have but somebody barged into my room," Jin retorted, taking the towel off his shoulder to hang it behind the door and depositing his other things on the floor near his bag.

Byulyi scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry for barging into your room. That's in my house."

"What are you getting riled up for? Not like you haven't seen me naked before."

"I'm not riled up," she snapped, obviously riled up. "You're being indecent." She kept her back to him but Jin could see even the tip of her ears turning red.