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In today's episode, the steak came out without spit. A great act of generosity, considering how inclined you were to douse it with cyanide. You didn't, and that's a testament to your surviving morals— well, of the few that were actually still in existence. There weren't many, considering what you do for a living and how far you were willing to go to remove the danger that threatened your life, namely the man sitting across from you, but hey, baby steps.
"I would've taken offense at the fact that you never invited me to your home if I didn't know how demanding your job can be." Seokjin raised his glass of merlot in salute. An action that your husband reciprocated after wiping his mouth with the white linen napkin. You brought out your finest china and silverware for this dinner against your heart and its desire. Hell, the whole dinner was against your wishes, but that goes without saying. In the center of the table sat a candlestick that mocked your patience as much as the smirk Seokjin kept throwing at you. You regarded it and considered —many times that you were one thought away from acting upon your thoughts—to drop it on the white tablecloth and watch the entire shit burn. You expected it to go up in flames quickly. After all, there were many hazardous elements. Linen and alcohol are the worst combinations with fire, or the best if passion is your source of intrigue because surely shit will burn with extra passion on the side.
"I know I didn't keep in close contact after I got married," Jungkook offered with a smile. His hand clasped yours openly across the table. He squeezed it, intertwining your fingers and boring his eyes into your face as he took a generous sip of wine. You kept your eyes where there was no risk: On the wine glass you were clutching so tightly you almost broke it. "But I figured my mother was trying to make up for my shortcomings when it came to how absent I was from our circle. Not to mention that," Jungkook turned his full attention to you, caressing your shoulder that was exposed in the mono-shoulder red dress you chose to wear tonight. His touch was feather light — barely there but burning nonetheless. "It seems my wife is doing her best too. I'm really grateful that the people around me maintain my social circle entertained when I'm busy with work and life."
And the sting of his touch now joined the stab he'd delivered to your chest. A dull blade, you'd argue. Slowly, very fucking slowly, he cut into your flesh. Jungkook was going at it at a steady pace. Confrontational, but not too much. Reaching for your wine glass, you drank it down in one gulp and returned his smile. As you reached for the bottle to pour yourself more courage to face tonight's jazz, Seokjin's hand was on the bottle too. His fingers touched yours and you wondered if the steak knives were sharp enough to amputate a hand. The threatening look you threw his way only added to his amusement. He smiled as he looked at your hands' placement, and subtly, yet challengedly, dared to look at Jungkook. "Please, let me pour you a glass, Cassandra."
"I actually didn't know Kim Seokjin was a family friend," you said with a smile that failed miserably to reach your eyes as you took your hands off the bottle. You looked at Seokjin as he poured you your glass, and the man did his best to avoid your gaze as he listened to the words you uttered. He knew what you were up to. You wanted to create a shared version of how you met. You wanted to stop him from saying the kind of shit that would, in effect, force you to shut his mouth in an unorthodox way. But he clearly wanted to hear none of it by the way he kept pouring wine into your glass even though he was over the ethical dose. This seemed to pique Jungkook's interest, as his eyes fixed on the glass while he sipped his wine with a grin. It was all so fake and managed to turn your stomach despite worrying about Seokjin's inexplicable recklessness. What the hell was going on in his head, really? Bringing your past to light wouldn't do anyone any good. Was he so thick-headed to understand the level of trouble you'd be in if he kept warranting Jungkook's doubt?
