The Forbidden Love - between a fangirl and idol (Jungkookff)

Chapter 9: Crossing Boundaries

Y/N sat in her apartment, staring at the half-finished designs on her screen, but her mind was miles away. The night she had spent with Jungkook lingered like a soft haze in her thoughts. The memory of their conversations, his laughter, the way he made her feel seen—it all swirled around in her head, making it hard to focus on anything else.

It wasn't just that they had connected. It was the fact that it felt so natural, so easy. And now, that ease was complicating everything.

She knew she couldn't let herself get too attached. She had come to Seoul for her career, for a new life and opportunities, not to get swept up in emotions for someone who lived in a world so far removed from hers. Jungkook was kind, down-to-earth, but he was also a global superstar, and that world came with pressures she couldn't even imagine.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her reverie. It was a message from Adhi.

Adhi: "How's Seoul treating you? Missed our chai talks back home!"

Y/N smiled. Adhi had been one of her closest friends in India, a fellow designer who always knew how to lighten her mood. They had spent countless evenings discussing their projects over cups of chai, laughing and sharing their dreams. She had told him about the BTS project when she first got the job but left out the part about Jungkook. That seemed... too personal, too complicated to explain.

Y/N: "I miss our chai talks too! Seoul's great, but intense. Working on a huge project, so it's been a lot. How's everything on your end?"

Adhi replied quickly, talking about a new design project he had taken on and how busy things had been at the company. As Y/N read his messages, she felt a pang of homesickness. The familiarity of her life in India seemed so far away, and while she was excited to be living her dream in Seoul, it also felt lonely at times.

With a sigh, she put her phone down and returned to her work. The deadline for the next phase of designs was approaching, and she couldn't afford to be distracted. But as she clicked through her sketches, her thoughts wandered back to Jungkook.

She hadn't heard from him since their coffee meeting, and a part of her was relieved. The space gave her time to process, to regain her focus. But another part of her missed the ease of their conversation, the connection they had shared. It was dangerous, she knew, to let herself think too much about it.

A few days later, she found herself back at BigHit for another round of meetings. The team had liked her first set of designs, but there were still revisions to be made. She walked into the conference room, bracing herself for another intense session of feedback.

Jungkook wasn't there this time. It was just the creative team and a few BTS members. She was grateful for the distance—being around him had started to make her feel things she wasn't sure she should be feeling. She needed to keep this professional.

The meeting went well, and Y/N left feeling satisfied with the direction the project was heading. But as she was about to leave the building, she heard someone call her name.

"Y/N!"

She turned to see Taehyung walking towards her, a bright smile on his face. He had been one of the most welcoming members of BTS, always friendly and easy to talk to.

"Hey, Tae!" she greeted, smiling.

"Heading out?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"Yeah, just finished the meeting. Heading back to finish up some more designs."

Taehyung nodded. "You're doing a great job, by the way. Everyone's really impressed with your work."

Y/N felt a warmth in her chest. Coming from Taehyung, it meant a lot. "Thanks, that means a lot. It's been a lot of pressure, but I'm glad it's going well."

They walked together through the halls, and as they reached the entrance, Taehyung paused. "You know, some of us are grabbing dinner later tonight. Just a casual thing. You should come."

Y/N hesitated. Part of her wanted to say yes—she had been working nonstop, and the idea of relaxing for a while sounded appealing. But she also knew that Jungkook might be there, and after the last time, she wasn't sure she was ready for another round of blurred lines.

"Uh, I don't know..." she began, but Taehyung cut her off.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Just some food, some laughs. No work talk, I promise."

Y/N smiled at his persistence. "Okay, fine. I'll come."

That evening, she found herself at a cozy restaurant with Taehyung, Namjoon, Jimin, and a couple of their staff members. Jungkook hadn't shown up yet, and Y/N felt a mix of relief and disappointment. She wasn't sure how she would feel seeing him again after their last conversation.

The dinner was lively, filled with laughter and jokes, and for a while, Y/N felt her stress melt away. Namjoon was as thoughtful as ever, offering insights into their creative process, while Jimin's playful teasing kept everyone entertained. Taehyung, true to his word, made sure the conversation stayed light and fun, avoiding any work-related topics.

Just as she was starting to fully relax, the door to the restaurant opened, and Jungkook walked in.

He scanned the room and his eyes immediately found her. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he made his way to the table. Y/N's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't prepared herself for this, for the wave of emotions that seeing him would bring.

Jungkook slid into the seat across from her, greeting everyone casually. His presence filled the room, even though he was quiet at first, listening to the conversation rather than leading it. Y/N couldn't help but steal glances at him, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't quite sort out.

As the night went on, the group thinned out, with some of the staff leaving early. Soon, it was just Y/N, Jungkook, and Taehyung left at the table. Taehyung, ever the social butterfly, was chatting animatedly about some random topic, but Y/N found herself growing more and more aware of Jungkook's presence.

At one point, Taehyung excused himself to take a call, leaving the two of them alone.

Jungkook looked over at her, his gaze soft but intense. "It's nice to see you again," he said quietly.

Y/N smiled, though her heart was racing. "Yeah, it's been a busy few days."

"You've been doing amazing work," he continued, his voice sincere. "Everyone's really impressed."

"Thanks," she said, her voice quieter than she intended. There was a pause, a tension in the air that neither of them acknowledged but both of them felt.

Jungkook leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking onto hers. "I've been thinking about the other night," he said, his voice low. "It felt... different. Like we weren't just colleagues anymore."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat. She didn't know how to respond. Part of her wanted to tell him that she felt it too, that something had shifted between them. But another part of her knew that this was dangerous, that letting herself get too close to him would only complicate things further.

Before she could say anything, Taehyung returned, breaking the moment. "Alright, I'm back! What did I miss?"

Y/N and Jungkook both straightened up, the tension dissolving as quickly as it had come. The rest of the evening passed without incident, but as Y/N left the restaurant that night, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing between them—something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

As she walked back to her apartment, her mind buzzed with thoughts of Jungkook, of the line they were both toeing but hadn't yet crossed. The boundaries between professional and personal were growing blurrier by the day, and she wasn't sure how much longer they could keep pretending there was nothing more beneath the surface.