EXCESSIVE | ᴋᴏᴏᴋᴠ

20

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Jungkook stood in front of the mirror, buttoning up his white dress shirt with trembling hands. His reflection showed a man who was physically ready but mentally shaken. The idea of going back to the office, facing everyone after all that had happened, made his heart race with anxiety. What would they say? How would they react? But most importantly, what would 'he' do?

Kim Taehyung.

Jungkook couldn’t shake the unease that came with the thought of seeing Taehyung again. Yesterday’s encounter had been unexpected and strange. Taehyung had reinstated his job without much explanation, and Jungkook was left wondering why. Despite his confusion, he knew he had to return to work—he couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. He just hoped it wouldn’t come with the same pressure and stress as before.

With a final glance in the mirror, Jungkook sighed and grabbed his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he headed out the door. The walk to the office was quiet, with only the sound of his footsteps echoing in his mind. Every step felt heavier than the last, but there was no turning back now.

When Jungkook arrived at the office building, his stomach tightened. The familiar towering structure seemed more imposing than ever, but he pushed the feeling aside and stepped through the revolving doors. Inside, everything looked just as it had before he left—the sleek glass walls, the polished floors, the quiet hum of employees working at their desks. But something about it felt different now, like he was walking into unknown territory.

As he made his way to his department, he was greeted with a surprise.

"Jungkook!" Mina’s voice rang out with excitement, and before he could even react, she was standing in front of him, her eyes wide with joy. "You’re back!"

Jungkook forced a smile, grateful to see her but still uneasy about the situation. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Mina’s eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Why the sudden return? You weren’t planning on coming back anytime soon. What happened?"

Jungkook hesitated, not wanting to reveal the truth. Instead, he shrugged, trying to sound casual. "I just thought it was time to get back to work, also first of all, this company has a big name. And honestly... nowhere else offered a better salary."

Mina studied him for a moment, clearly sensing something was off, but she didn’t press further."That’s fair enough. Makes sense and  I’m glad you’re back. The office has been so dull without you."

Jungkook chuckled softly, trying to ease his nerves. "Yeah, I’m sure it was just fine without me."

As he walked further into the office, Jungkook couldn’t help but notice the way people looked at him. Eyes lingered on him longer than usual, whispers floated through the air, but no one said anything directly. He wasn’t sure if they were surprised, curious, or simply confused by his return, but one thing was clear—his presence hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Despite the stares, no one questioned him, and for that, Jungkook was grateful.

He made his way to his desk, half expecting a mountain of files and tasks to be waiting for him. After all, that’s what it was like before—an overwhelming workload that left him barely able to breathe. But to his surprise, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Just the same amount of work as any other employee.

Jungkook blinked in disbelief, glancing around to make sure he wasn’t missing something. It wasn’t the usual treatment he had received before. There were no endless assignments or unreasonable demands. Everything seemed… normal.

Jungkook let out a small breath of relief and got to work. The hours passed smoothly, without the constant stress he had become accustomed to. The tasks were manageable, the atmosphere calm. It was almost too good to be true, but Jungkook wasn’t going to complain.