red (got7 // jaebum)

•two•

Being the personal assistant to an idol group first seemed like it would be stressful, like they made it seem in the movies. But juggling coffee and waiting on the boys hand and foot hardly seemed like part of the job. They were surprisingly low maintenance, and seemed like they needed someone to talk to more than anything.

They each had their own distinct personalities, all of which I was still trying to figure out. All I knew so far was that Jinyoung was typically short tempered when it came to getting things done right, Bambam and Yugyeom often acted out without much thought behind it and these boys rode the wave of every American dance craze until it made you sick.

But I could say I was getting comfortable with this job fairly quickly, if it weren't for one thing. And it all started over a bottle of water.

It started on one of the rare days the boys actually asked me to do something for them. I almost sensed that they felt bad asking me for things, but I always insisted that it was my job.

The boys had just gotten taken a break after a particularly draining dance practice. I could tell each and everyone of the boys had put more than enough work in today.

After watching them nearly collapse from exhaustion, I decided enough was enough.

"I'm gonna go get you guys something to drink, alright?"

Junior put up a hand to stop me. "We're good. We'll get some ourselves in a few minutes."

They were such hardworking, humble guys, I almost felt bad for insisting anything. "You guys just stay here and rest, okay?"

No one said anything else. They seemed to lethargic to protest any further.

You would think that a dance studio would have water within arms reach at all times, but considering I had to search halfway across the building for a pack of water, that clearly wasn't the case.

They seemed surprised that I managed to lug the entire case back down myself but their expressions soon turned to grateful as I handed bottle out to everyone.

Finally, I came to Jaebum, holding a bottle out to him. He looked from me to my hand apprehensively. I nudged it a little closer to him.

He reluctantly took the bottle and stared at the label for a minute or two. "Spring?"

"Yes.", I said. "Is something wrong?" It was a little difficult to stand my ground when I had to look up at him.

He shrugged. "It's just that I prefer purified. Or artesian. They didn't have Fiji?" He set the bottle down beside him.

Was he serious right now? Suck it up. "You should still drink that." I said, noting the guys on the other end on the room. Half of them had guzzeled down their water in mere seconds. "You don't want to dehydrate yourself."

"I'll be fine.", he said with an amused laugh, which signaled the end of discussion.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to face the rest of the group. In the two weeks since I had started, we hadn't exchanged too many words. I hadn't seen so much as a smile from him. And now here he was, giving me a hard time...over water that he probably should have just drank before he dropped dead from dehydration.

"Guys, I'm going out for my lunch break now.", I said. "Do any of you want anything?"

They shook their heads, probably feeling like they had asked for enough already. But once again, this was my job, and I would rather care for the seven of them than be stuck behind an office desk. I decided I would pick something up for them on the way back. They were going to have to get used to the idea of me doing what I wanted, as long as I felt it was right.

Their expressions when I returned, two boxes of pizza in hand, were priceless. I decided on cheese. I didn't want to run the risk of Jaebum complaining he had an odd number of pepper slices or something like that. Only he wasn't there when I came back, which I was sure to ask Mark about when the rest of the boys moved on to devour the second box.

"He went back to the dorm early.", explained Mark. "Probably to rest. He didn't tell us all that. He's not usually too vocal about those things."

"And another thing.", I went on to ask. "You guys don't have any particular preferences when it comes to anything do you?"

He furrowed his eyebrows slightly and shook his head. "Not that I can think of. I would say we're some easy going guys. Why?"

I sighed. "Well, its just that earlier, Jaebum seemed a little less than thrilled that I had gotten you guys spring water, instead of artesian or whatever he called it."

"Wait.", chimed in Jackson, holding a slice of pizza in each hand. "You mean to tell me Jaebum told you this?"

I nodded.

He laughed. "Him and Bambam are the only ones who will drink the tap water back at the dorm. I doubt he can even taste the difference."

"And he didn't seem to opposed to it anyway.", added Mark. "You missed it when you were gone. He drank the entire thing in under a minute."

"...Seriously?"

He nodded. "Yep." He returned to attacking the pizza with the rest of the boys.

I stood there in shock for a moment. Until today, I thought I had practically figured all seven of them out by now. Despite our little encounter on my first day, I had dismissed him as the reserved time. Hardworking and easily frustrated. He had some nerve considering what a hard time he had given me over something so simple.

I thought back to his first words to me. "Don't get on anybody's bad side and do your job right and you might just last around here, Red."
I had been brushing off his cold attitude for too long but now it was apparent. I knew this game all to well and I wasn't having it. I would last a lot longer here than he ever would've imagined.

•••

i've been over thinking this chapter so much, i feel like it was dumb. oh well, its here now. ive never written about water this much in my life.

pls vote & comment bbs ♥ love u all