Map of the Soul 7 Saga Book 3 - Home

Home Chapter 3

After the tour of the building, I was escorted back to my desk and presented with a hefty stack of documents to review and sign. "Please go through these Confidential Disclosure Agreements for all our groups and bands. If you use social media, it's essential to either remove your posts or adjust your privacy settings to restrict access to friends and family only. Additionally, refrain from capturing any images of the interior of this building or its occupants without obtaining prior authorization," instructed my new boss, her expression unwelcoming before she strode away.

Sighing, I delved into the extensive paperwork laid out before me, the weight of the responsibilities settling heavily on my shoulders.

The day was filled with dull paperwork and administrative tasks as I acquired my work ID and phone. As the day drew to a close, my boss reentered my office with yet another stack of papers. Dropping them onto my desk with a brief instruction, she informed me that this would be the client I would be working with as a marketing assistant. Then, without another word, she exited the room, leaving me to ponder the new responsibility that awaited me.

I took a look at the file and almost fell over when I saw the name "Jungkook." I gasped, quickly glancing around to see if anyone had heard me. A wave of fear washed over me, knowing how challenging this was going to be.

Just then, I heard a knock on my cubicle wall. "Hey girl," Mi Hi whispered, peeking in. "Did you get JK?"

I nodded, excitement bubbling up inside me. Mi Hi sighed dramatically. "You're excited now," she explained, "but you are the fourth marketing assistant in the last three months, and he's had six PR professionals quit on him as well."

I looked at her with concern. "Why? Is he mean in real life?"

Mi Hi laughed. "No, he is a sweetheart. It's just that he's very impulsive and does things without consulting the PR team or his marketing assistant. So, if you want to get yelled at a lot by the boss, then this is the job for you. If not, it could be you next." She smiled at me reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will be better than all the other people." She patted my back and turned to leave.

Dropping my head onto the desk, I whined softly. As an ARMY, "I know exactly what she was talking about."

 "Who are you talking to?" I heard a familiar voice, and my head shot up, my eyes widening.

There he stood, leaning against my cubicle wall, in all his glory... JK.

I just stared at him, speechless. He waved his hand at me. "Hello, Ria. Are you there?" he said, amusement dancing in his eyes.

I shook my head to clear it. "Oh, hey, I mean hello, Sir."

He chuckled softly. "How is your son, Holden?"

"Um," was all that came out of my mouth at first. "Oh," I finally said, "Well, wait, you remember us?"

He chuckled again. "How could I forget you guys? Holden was so cute and brave."

My heart raced. He knew I was an ARMY working for him, and panic set in. I began babbling. "Is there anything you need? What can I do for you? Are you okay with me working here? I am ARMY, did you know? Will I get fired? I didn't know I was working for Big Hit until I got here," I mumbled, staring down at the paperwork to avoid my embarrassment.

Jungkook raised his hands in a calming gesture. "I'm just here to say hi, and I knew all that about you, of course. I asked for you to work for me when I saw you were being employed here."

I looked at him in shock. "Really?"

He shrugged casually. "Well, when I met you, I thought you and your son were nice," he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I nodded, my mind racing, not knowing what to say.

My heart skipped a beat as Jungkook's words sank in. "I think Holden is cute, and well, you're cute too," he said with a playful grin, leaning in close. The air between us suddenly felt electric. I blinked rapidly, trying to process what was happening. Was JK, the JK, actually flirting with me? No, that couldn't be right. He was just being nice, wasn't he? I forced my eyes back to the files in front of me, pretending I hadn't heard him. But my racing pulse betrayed my calm facade. Suddenly, he was right there, so close I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His cologne enveloped me, a scent so intoxicating it made my head spin. I fought to keep my breathing steady as he leaned over, his lips nearly brushing my ear.

"Did you hear me?" he whispered, his voice low and husky. "I said I think you're cute."

I looked up, and time seemed to stand still. He was so close, our breaths mingling. I could see every perfect detail of his face, from his deep brown eyes to the curve of his lips. My mouth went dry, and I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure. Just as quickly as the moment had come, it shattered. Jungkook burst into laughter, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "Wow," he chuckled, "you should have seen your face just now."

I rolled my eyes, embarrassment and disappointment warring inside me. Had it all been a joke? I tried to focus on the files again, but my hands were shaking slightly.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said, still grinning. "Too soon? I get it. But you make it too easy."

As I pretended to read, my mind raced. What game was he playing? And more importantly, why did I want him to keep playing it? This was dangerous territory, but part of me couldn't help hoping there was some truth behind his teasing.

Annoyed, I looked at him with a scolding expression. "Mr. Jeon," I said in a calm, cold voice, "let's try to keep it professional, shall we?"

He stood up straight and saluted me like a soldier. "Yes, ma'am," he said in a loud voice.

I glanced around to see people giggling at his antics. I shushed him, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "Sir, you're making people stare," I said, trying to keep my tone serious.

He leaned in closer, a playful glint in his eyes. "People always stare at BTS, after all," he said, laughing as he stepped back. He tried to calm himself, still chuckling. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. Sorry."

I looked at him with a bit of a pout, but I said nothing. He smiled and started to leave. Just as he was about to walk away, he turned back and said, "See you later, cutie," before giggling as he walked off.

As soon as he disappeared from my line of sight, I released a long-held breath, unaware until now that I had been holding it in. I slumped over the desk and let out a low whine, the tension finally escaping my body.

The day finally came to an end, and I was relieved to go pick up my son from daycare. "How was your day, Holden?" I asked as we sat on the bus on our way home.

"It was great, Mommy!" Holden said with a bright smile. "I got to speak a lot of Korean."

As we made our way home, I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, me too," I said, enjoying our conversation in English as we shared stories about our day. I opened up about work, though I refrained from mentioning specific details about my workplace or JK, despite my wish to do so.

Upon arriving home, Holden excitedly jumped onto the couch, grabbed the remote, and tuned the TV to BT21.

"Mommy," he said, "can we get Canadian YouTube here?"

I looked at the TV. "Well, let me see what I can do. I'm sure there's a way." We settled in together, spending the night cuddling and watching TV, enjoying the comfort of our new home.

But as I watched the screen, my thoughts kept drifting back to Jungkook. The way he smiled, the playful banter, and how effortlessly he had turned my world upside down in just a matter of hours. This was only the beginning, I thought—of a new job, a new life in Korea, and perhaps something more unexpected.