Thank God, the devil is not here, Jungkook thinks with a sigh of relief. He smiles as he takes in the empty room. Methodically, he begins to clean, starting with the dusting of every surface. He changes the flowers, replacing the old ones with fresh blooms that fill the air with a delicate fragrance. After wiping down the glass windows until they sparkle, he steps back to admire his work. Satisfied, he heads to his room.
Jungkook usually waits for Taehyung's orders around this time, but tonight, there is nothing. He glances at the clock on the wall. 11 PM. Typically, Taehyung would have called for water, tea, or coffee by now. His absence is unusual. Curious, Jungkook quietly approaches Taehyung's door and peeks inside. The room is empty. Where could he have gone?
Perplexed, Jungkook returns to his chair, his mind racing with possibilities. He tells himself that Taehyung will probably show up by the afternoon. The clock ticks on, and as 4:45 approaches, there is still no sign of Taehyung. Jungkook tries to quell his nervousness.
Resolving to stay calm, Jungkook packs his belongings and watches the clock, waiting for it to strike five. As soon as it does, he swiftly leaves the room, eager to put the day's uncertainties behind him.
"I'll give you 10 minutes. Get ready," Mingyu said to Jungkook.
"Why?" Jungkook frowned.
"Shopping, outing, eating," Mingyu announced.
Jungkook's face lit up. He loved going outside. In a flash, he got ready, and within five seconds, he was at the door. They walked down the street, chatting about various things, and then headed to the subway, enjoying some street food along the way.
"Kooki, let's go shopping. I need to buy some shirts," Mingyu said. They walked into a large mall. Jungkook gulped as he saw the escalator.
"Let's take the elevator," he suggested, heading toward it.
Once inside the store, Jungkook noticed Mingyu picking out shirts in his size. "Mingyu, why are you selecting shirts in my size?" he asked, glaring.
"You can't wear my size," Mingyu replied with a shrug.
"What? Did my sister call you?" Jungkook stared at him. He remembered giving Mingyu's number to Jain last time.
"No, my sister called me. Her name is Jain. She's worried about her brother," Mingyu said.
"Min..."
"Just shut up, Kooki. You work hard to earn money, so please live for yourself too. Come with me." Mingyu selected two shirts and two pairs of pants for him.
"This is so expensive," Jungkook's eyes widened as he saw the price tag: 1,000 won for each piece of clothing.
"Jungkook," Mingyu called. "Good clothes give you more comfort and confidence. So just shut up and pay the bill. Then come with me." Jungkook pouted cutely and followed Mingyu, calculating his family budget in his head.
"What? Let's go eat street food," Jungkook said, standing up after seeing the restaurant prices.
Mingyu showed him a fork. "Sit down and stay calm, or I will stab you," he said, widening his eyes for emphasis. Jungkook gulped and sat back down. "I'll cover this bill. I got my raise." Mingyu said.
"Oh, but—"
"Shut up," Mingyu interrupted, smiling at Jungkook. "Poor Kooki." Jungkook ate everything on his plate, appreciating every bite. He knew the value of good food.
"Do you want to go somewhere else?" Mingyu asked.
"No, we have work tomorrow. Let's go back to the room."
