Hoseok, clutching his clipboard in his hug, stood beside Jungkook’s desk. He cogitated the traces of stupor hanging over his face, that reflected his rampant thoughts, with quick, intermittent glances.
He cleared his throat in an attempt to grasp his attention, but he perceived no changes. He brought his fist to his mouth and coughed pointedly, only to be met with the same reaction, which was nonexistent. “Um, Jungkook?”
The said man carried on gazing at an empty spot in the air with a sheen of haziness in his eyes. “What?”
“We have... Well, you have to choose now. We’ve been here for twenty minutes, and you’re just staring into space for some reason I don’t know again.”
Jungkook’s body sank an inch deeper into his plush chair with the efflux of air that tumbled out of him. “I want Jimin and Taehyung. Obviously.”
“Speaking of which,” Hoseok said with a half chuckle. “How did he know?”
Jungkook’s eyes slewed to meet his. “What?”
“About the three of diamonds.”
Jungkook positioned his view ahead again. “I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“Because he won,” he snapped back, a seething edge clinging to his timbre that was unusual of him. “He won my attention. He won my interest. He won. And I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of feeling more victorious with my questioning.”
“Wow,” Hoseok breathed out as he tipped closer to his face. “You seem truly pissed. It’s the first time I actually see fury in your face.”
Jungkook’s umber eyes darted to him and cut like a knife. He lurched back with a swing of his chair, making Hoseok squirm and flinch away. He forced the tight muscles of his countenance to relax, luring back his detachment. “I’m not pissed. I’m surprised. And curious. I hate that I’m curious. Make it go away.”
Hoseok was aware of Jungkook’s difficulty in expressing his feelings naturally or overall. He could pick up on that since day one, but it still amazed him how proficient he was in guarding his feelings. It was like he was a locked shell and someone had tossed the one-of-a-kind key to the depths of the ocean, rendering it impossible to unlatch it.
There were a few rare times — like this — when Jungkook’s facade fractured and his emotions showed on his face. But he veiled them again so quickly, as if he had an on and off button. It was bizarre. Unreal, even. And so fascinating at the same time.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do anything about that. Only Taehyung can make it go away. You just have to ask him.”
Jungkook’s eye spasmed in a moment’s discontent. “I don’t care that much.”
“Fine. Should I go inform them?”
“Yes.”
“Who would you like to see first?”
Jungkook drew his hand up to his necklace and tinkered with the key, caressing its outline. He preserved his silence, something he did often when unsolicited thoughts haunted his mind. “Taehyung.”
“Okay. I’ll ask Saerin to prepare the red room for you.”
“No, not the red room.”
Hoseok’s brows dropped low over his eyes. “You always used the red room for the testing process.”
Jungkook slid the key between his fingers absently now, still staring into space. “Colors distract me.”
“I don’t understand. Why did you—”
YOU ARE READING
Royal Ace Lounge
Fanfiction●Business owner Jeon Jungkook, an inexpressive man, with a heart as cold as steel, recruits new employees for his host and hostess bar. He falls upon a shrewd, ravishing man --- an angel and a menace at the same time, and he knows at first glance; h...
