𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒│𝐉𝐉𝐊

e i g h t

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Which color do you like, Jiwoo" I asked, looking through the packet of balloons to find the perfect theme for her birthday celebration.

"Yellow!" she chimed, twirling around in her pristine white dress, a radiant smile lighting up her face. As the younger sister of Kim Namjoon, Jane's boyfriend, Jiwoo had just turned nine this year.

We had gathered to assist Namjoon and his parents in preparing for Jiwoo's birthday bash. I fondly recalled the days when I used to cradle her in my arms shortly after she was born; it felt like just yesterday, though I was merely ten years old at the time.

A sigh escaped my lips as I surveyed the contents of the packet, realizing there were barely ten yellow balloons amidst a sea of multiple colors. It was Jungkook who was given the task of procuring a packet of yellow balloons by Jiwoo's mother.

Typical of him to mess up.

As I approached Jiwoo's mom, who was busy decorating the wall, I hesitated before speaking up. "Mrs. Kim, I think we need another packet of balloons," I said, trying to sound as polite as possible.

She turned towards me, her brow arched in curiosity. "Didn't Gguk go to fetch them?" she asked.

"He brought the wrong ones," I replied, feeling a hint of frustration creeping in.

"Then kindly ask him to make amends," she said dismissively, returning to her task. Just as I turned to relay the message to Jungkook, she called out to me again. "And perhaps you could accompany him this time to ensure things go smoothly. While you're out, don't forget to pick up a birthday cake. Is that fine with you?"

Hell, no.

I'll never be fine to go with him.

But this was Namjoon's mom I was talking to, and I couldn't refuse her. So the only thought that came to me was to ask Jane and Namjoon for help.

I rushed to the kitchen where Jane was teaching Namjoon how to cook - or attempting to, at least.

As I entered, my eyes widened at the sight of Jane sitting on the kitchen counter with Namjoon between her legs, both of them sucking at each other faces.

I quickly averted my gaze, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment. They probably hadn't even noticed me entering the kitchen, but I was seriously grossed out by the display.

Great!

Now I have no choice other than asking him.

I reluctantly made my way over to Jungkook, who was engrossed in his phone call. With an exasperated sigh, I tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to turn around with a curious expression. engrossed in a phone call.

"What now?" he asked, annoyance evident in his voice as he pocketed his phone.

"Mrs. Kim wants us to go buy more balloons and a cake," I replied tersely, trying to keep my irritation in check.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation, his irritation evident in the way he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's get it done," he muttered, his tone lacking its usual nonchalant edge.

Jungkook's unexpected behavior of agreeing to go easily stemmed from his deep respect for Mrs. Kim. Despite her strict demeanor, she showered us all with love, particularly Jungkook. While he might rebel against his own parents, he wouldn't dare disobey Mrs. Kim. Her influence over him was undeniable, making it easier to persuade him to accompany me on the errand.

I rolled my eyes when he went back to the call again. I wasn't the least bit interested in who he was talking to; instead, I plopped down on the nearby couch, waiting for his call to end.

I grabbed the remote from the table and started flipping through the channels until I found my favorite cartoon. As the familiar theme song played, I couldn't help but sing along with it.

Another day I'm back at school,
I think about him he's cool.

I was too lost in it but then I felt a pat on my shoulder. Turning around, still singing loudly, I faced Jungkook, who looked at me with an amused expression, his arms folded over his chest.

"Sounds like a dying goat." He chuckled probably at my office key rendition.

On a normal Tuesday, I would have snapped at him for calling me that. But today, as I glanced at his easy grin and remembered his smooth, melodious voice, I found myself at a loss for a comeback. He was a nice singer, after all, and I couldn't deny it.

"Pfft, thanks for the reminder," I shot back, tossing a playful glare his way.

He grinned, his dimples deepening as he leaned against the wall. "No problem. Someone's gotta keep you humble, Yena."

"Ah, of course, Mr. Perfect Singer," I said turning the TV off, rising from the couch I had been sitting on for the last few minutes.

"Not my fault I was blessed with golden vocal cords."

Rolling my eyes, I retorted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Jungkook."

He paused mid-step, turning back to face me with a smirk playing on his lips, his lip piercing catching the light. "Go out with me," I blurted out, immediately regretting the words as they escaped my mouth.

The hell I just said.

His eyebrow arched in amusement. "Can't resist my charms, huh?"

I flushed, shaking my head frantically. "I did not mean it in that way," I hurriedly clarified, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

"Sure you didn't," he replied, his tone teasing.

"No, seriously!" I insisted, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I meant... because of your mistake, we have to go to the market to buy supplies and a cake too. I didn't mean to go out as in going on a date. I meant it as in going out to buy stu-"

"Chill, I got it," he interrupted, irritation evident in his tone.

I'm so dumb sometimes, but I swear he is dumber.

I huffed, crossing my arms defensively. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

Ground swallow me.

As we left the room, I couldn't help but feel dissatisfied as I did not get the Last word in our exchange.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ