a drink and fries (jungkook x male reader)

chapter 3

Gripping my suitcase handle, I walked through the terminal of Incheon International Airport on my way to the exit. All around me, people were not speaking in English but in my native Korean, something I was unaccustomed to after a long stay in the US. The giant windows on both sides and the ceiling cast a light on the floor, making it shimmer. I had to look ahead of me, though, because the crowded airport meant that I would quickly get trampled on if I got distracted.

I looked at the directions for the exit, and once finding it, stepped outside into the chilly, early spring air of my homeland. Craning my head in search of a taxi, I found a serious-looking man in a suit holding a sheet of paper with my name on it. I walked over to him.

"Are you y/n l/n?'

"Yes, that's me," I replied.

"Great, step inside," he gestured to a sleek, black car with tinted windows. "I'm to drive you to the hotel to drop off your things, and then straight to your meeting with BTS."

Was I already meeting with them? "Okay," I answered.

As I was being driven down the main road, I gazed out the window at all the high-rise apartment buildings and skyscrapers we passed. There were many more tall buildings than I could remember. The Han River perfectly reflected the sunlight beaming at it, and it was almost blinding to see. Pink spots dotted the river banks, and I realized that those were the cherry blossoms fully in season, adding splashes of color. The whole scene seemed like a dream, and it reminded me of when I first came to Seoul, all those years ago, to start my life as a trainee.

*Flashback*

The last thing my parents told me before I stepped on the bullet train headed to Seoul was, "Don't disappoint us."

Thanks a lot, mom and dad. Not even an "I love you" or a "You've got this?"

Getting off the train onto the platform of Seoul Station, the crowd immediately whisked me away into the station building. My suitcase almost fell out of my hands because the crowd crushed me so much I could barely breathe. When the crowd finally dispersed, I was in the middle of the atrium, surrounded by windows covering what seemed like all sides of the building. The shiny floors also added to the futuristic look, making my surroundings feel like another universe. I found an empty wooden bench and sat down to catch my thoughts. Outside the windows, I could see more skyscrapers than I had ever seen in my life! Seoul was definitely a very different place compared to my hometown.

Someone tapped my shoulder. I looked up and was met by a boy around my age with a pair of large, mesmerizing eyes. "Are you a Big Hit trainee?" he asked me.

"Uhhhh, y-yes I am," I stuttered. Why was I stuttering?

"Great, so am I! Do you know where we should be going, because I'm lost," he smiled at me. I reciprocated, giving him the biggest smile I had ever given anyone. Why was I acting so weird?

"Ummm, yes I have the address." I lifted up my sleeve to show where I had written the address of our trainee dorms on my forearm in pen, just in case I forgot. Holding out my hand to shake his hand, I introduce myself. "I'm y/n."

"I'm Jungkook." Our eyes met again, but this time I couldn't look away. His eyes were just..... so......

"You think my eyes are weird, don't you?" Jungkook asked, breaking eye contact. His face had turned a slight shade of pink. "It's okay, everyone else thinks so."

"U-um no, I just want to...... remember your face. Your eyes are great!" I really wanted to stare into his eyes again.

"Really? Thanks!" Jungkook replied. "Let's find a taxi together."

After successfully hailing a taxi and giving them the address to the dorm, the taxi sped off, carrying Jungkook and me into the next chapter of our lives. I stared at the skyscrapers again. So this is my life now, I thought. I glanced at Jungkook, who was also staring out the window. At that moment, I knew that my new life as a trainee would be anything but disappointing.

*Flashback ends*

The car sped away from the hotel, where I had dropped off my luggage inside my room on the 8th floor. How ironic, I thought. I could've been the 8th member of BTS, if only there was one more spot. Slowing to a stop outside of a nondescript office building, the driver turned to me in the backseat. "Take the elevator up to the 7th floor, and there will be a conference room. Just tell the security at the lobby that you're Mr. L/n, the representative from McDonalds headquarters. They'll understand."

I nodded and after leaving the car, followed his directions. The conference room had a sleek glass table with several swivel chairs around it, as well as a whiteboard in front. It was also completely empty. I guess BTS is running late.

My legs started shaking so I quickly sat down in one of the chairs. In a few moments, I will have to face the very people I've been too scared to face for 9 years. I'm not ready. How am I going to do this? How can I be strong? I stared down at my wristwatch, the same one I've had since I was a kid. I looked at it again, and again, even though a total of just 30 seconds had passed. Finally, after an eternity, I heard several footsteps and voices chatting with each other, getting closer and closer. I stood up from my chair, mentally bracing myself. It's just a meeting, y/n. You'll be okay.

Except I couldn't believe anything I was telling myself.