From Reluctance to Desire: A Mafia Story [JJK]

✨COOKING UP CONNECTION✨

I woke up in Jungkook's room, the sheets still faintly carrying his warmth, but he was nowhere to be found. The memories of last night drifted in—his arms trapping me against the bed as he tickled me mercilessly, his laughter blending with my shrieks of protest. His teasing words echoed in my mind, making my lips twitch into an involuntary smile. He was impossible.

Sighing, I got out of bed, refreshed myself, and made my way downstairs, expecting to see the usual morning bustle—the maids tidying up, the faint chatter of the kitchen staff, maybe the distant murmurs of the guards stationed outside. But the house was eerily silent.

Frowning, I walked through the empty hallways. The lack of movement, the absence of people—it was unsettling. Jungkook's house was never this quiet. Something felt off.

The unease followed me into the dining area, where I finally spotted him—seated at the long table, casually scrolling through his laptop. The glow from the screen illuminated his sharp features, his dark eyes flicking over lines of text, brows furrowed in concentration. His presence in the house during daylight hours was a rarity.

"Why is there no one here?" I asked, stepping closer. My voice broke the eerie stillness.

Without looking up, Jungkook answered in his typical nonchalant tone, "I'm sitting right here, sweetheart. How can you say no one's here?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean. The staff—the maids, the guards. Where did they all go?"

He typed something on his keyboard before finally closing the laptop with a soft click. "I told them to leave for the day. Your breakfast is ready. Eat."

I glanced at the table, surprised to find a neatly arranged breakfast waiting for me. Jungkook was a man of habits—this wasn't one of them. He didn't just dismiss the staff without reason. It felt deliberate. Why?

As I sat down, I tried to sound casual. "Aren't you going out today? Handling your... mafia business?"

There was a brief pause, then, in a tone that made my stomach flip, he said, "No. I'll be here."

I nearly choked on my toast. "You never stay home," I blurted. "You're always either out late or sometimes... you don't come home at all."

His response was immediate, slicing through my words like a blade. "Are you asking me to leave, sweetheart?"

My cheeks burned. "No! Of course not. I just—" I faltered, suddenly feeling small under his gaze. "I was just curious."

Jungkook smirked, clearly amused by my flustered state. But he didn't say anything more.

The air between us remained heavy with unspoken words.

—---

Later in the day, I wandered aimlessly through the mansion, my attempts at reading failing miserably. The silence gnawed at me. No background chatter, no distant clinking of plates—nothing but the sound of my own footsteps.

Eventually, my curiosity got the best of me, and I found myself drifting toward Jungkook's makeshift office, leaning against the doorframe.

"You know, this house could use a TV or something. It's getting boring," I remarked, hoping to drag him into a conversation.

Jungkook didn't even glance up from his work, but I noticed the corner of his lips twitching. "We'll see about that."

I sighed dramatically, turning to leave when I saw him stand up. My gaze followed him as he walked toward a door I'd never seen open before. His office.