/My Secret Crush / Jikook~

44

The time the car passes the supermarket, Jungkook gets out of the car and goes inside to buy the dried squids and orange juice from the same brands that Jimin likes. He returns home and places the snacks and drinks in their spots. Then he sits on the sofa and cleans up the trash.

The apartment returns to its usual state, but Jungkook can still sense Jimin's lingering scent.

Jungkook stays in the living room for a moment, then he takes something out of his pocket. It's the lighter Jimin gave him for his birthday. He takes out a cigarette, bites it, but doesn't light it. After a couple of seconds, he sets it down and chuckles.

Leaning back in his seat, Jungkook runs his fingers over his lips, smiling happily and alluringly.

After a while, he gets up and heads to his bedroom. On his bedside table, there's a photo of him and Jimin from years ago, alongside a moon-shaped 3D sleeping light also from Jimin.

He turns off the bedroom light and switches on the 3D sleeping light. The room becomes peaceful and quiet, with a soft glow from the light.

Jungkook still has a message from Taehyung on his phone. Thinking about how emotional Seo Joon was upon hearing about his relationship with Jimin, Jungkook can anticipate Taehyung's reaction. He ponders for a moment and replies: [I'll be heading back to Seoul soon. Let's talk in person.]

Then he sends a message to Jimin: [Are you asleep?]

When Jimin doesn't reply to his message right away, Jungkook finds himself tossing and turning, unable to drift off to sleep. Feeling restless, he decides to get out of bed and head over to his desk to tackle the remaining tasks he has pending.

Just then, his phone rings abruptly, breaking the silence of the night. Jungkook glances at the screen, which displays an unfamiliar number. As he hesitates about answering the call, a memory of Jimin's words from earlier flashes through his mind, causing a subtle shift in his expression as his smile fades momentarily.

Recalling a similar scenario involving Lisa from the past, Jungkook reflects on instances where his boss had introduced him to various individuals. Despite being focused on work after graduating from university, Jungkook didn't want to disregard the goodwill of his boss. Although he had gone on several blind dates where the women seemed interested initially, they eventually drifted away without providing any reasons for their sudden exits.

Engaging in conversations through WeChat, Jungkook learned from one woman that Lisa had been searching for her and had shared something with her. Connecting the dots, Jungkook swiftly deduced that it was Lisa who had reached out. Consequently, when his boss attempted to set him up with someone new, Jungkook began crafting excuses to politely decline, indirectly sidestepping his boss's well-intentioned offers.

Lisa's disclosure about Jungkook's family didn't have a significant impact, and Jungkook didn't pay much attention to it. Over time, he even forgot about Lisa's actions. Unexpectedly, Lisa took the initiative to reach out to Jimin, catching Jungkook off guard.

As Jungkook calmly answered the call, a subtle hint of impatience lingered in his demeanor.

Lisa was surprised when Jungkook answered her call. She hesitated and said, "Jungkook?"

Jungkook asked her directly, "Did you go to the university today?"

Lisa teased him back, "Why? Did your little boyfriend tell you about it? It seems like you're always running to him, giving him a lot of attention."

Jungkook stayed quiet, playing with his lighter.

Lisa continued, "If you know college students are easily misled, shouldn't you have found him sooner? Are you happy now? That college student seems brainwashed. Have you two been fucking?"