Yours (COMPLETED)

chapter thirty-two: your mess

Chaeyoung had just finished checking her tutoring schedule when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Lisa standing there, a wide grin on her face and a small bag of pastries in hand.

"Morning!", Lisa greeted brightly. "Brought you some breakfast. I figured you’d need it after yesterday."

Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow, "Yesterday?"

Lisa pulled out her phone, showing Chaeyoung the now-viral photos of her and Jungkook together from yesterday. "I bet you haven't checked your phone for this, hm?"

Chaeyoung blinked in surprise. The picture showed her and Jungkook standing close together between the book shelves, both smiling at each other, clearly enjoying the moment. Another picture showed them walking hand in hand towards the cinema direction. The caption read: Local influencer AquariusRose seen with mysterious hunk—are they more than friends?

Chaeyoung sighed, "I didn't think people would take pictures of us."

Lisa sat next to her, eyes practically sparkling with excitement. "Oh, come on. You're a social media influencer. Of course, you'll be trending, girl! There are already articles speculating about you and Jungkook. People are calling you the new 'it' couple on the block. It’s kind of a big deal!"

Chaeyoung sank onto the couch, her brows furrowed. "Wait— they don't know it's Jungkook, right?"

Lisa shook her head, clearly enjoying the moment. "Nope. Everyone’s trying to figure it out. There’s all kinds of speculation online, but nothing solid yet. You’ve got them guessing."

Chaeyoung let out a deep breath, visibly relieved. "Okay..that's a bit relieving to know."

Lisa sat beside her, eyes twinkling. "Soon they'll find out too. Anyway, you know I'm here to get details. So, spill. What happened yesterday? You went out with him? It was a date, wasn’t it?"

Chaeyoung hesitated, a slow smile forming despite herself. "Yeah. It was our first date."

Lisa gasped, nearly bouncing on the couch. "I knew it! So what happened? Come on—don’t leave me hanging!"

Chaeyoung gave a soft laugh, cheeks pink. "We went to the bookstore, he bought toys for Haneul, we had lunch and then, we watched a movie. That's all."

Lisa leaned in, eyes wide. "And? Anything more?"

Chaeyoung got even shyer, then nodded. "He stayed for dinner here and we ended the day with a kiss."

Lisa let out a little squeal and immediately wrapped her in a hug. "Chaeng, I’m so happy for you! You deserve this kind of love."

Chaeyoung returned the hug, her voice quieter, "Thanks, Lisa. But I'm still...a little scared."

Lisa pulled back, hands on Chaeyoung's shoulders. "Then, take your time until that scary feeling disappears. Just know I’m totally rooting for you."

Chaeyoung smiled, feeling just a little steadier. "Thank you again, Lis. That means a lot to me."

♡♡♡

That same morning, Jungkook wiped his hands on a dish towel and set down a tray of freshly plated breakfast orders on the pass. The scent of butter and toasted sourdough still lingered in the air, and the quiet hum of the café out front gave him a brief moment of peace.

Until the kitchen door burst open.

"There he is!", Jimin's voice boomed through the room as all five of Jungkook's best friends came piling in like a pack of overgrown children.

Jungkook did not even flinch. He just raised an eyebrow, already weary. "This is not a good sign."

"That’s because IT IS not a good sign.", Seokjin grinned, waving his phone in the air. "Care to explain this little piece of gold trending on the internet right now?"