graveyard shift // pjm [completed]

unknown energy drink

Jimin found himself antsy on this Saturday night.

He was waiting for her to show up.

He craved her long hair, just to see if it was thrown into some updo, or settled down the middle of her back. He wanted to study the curves of her face, an opportunity missed the previous two visits. Most of all, he wanted to hear the tone of her voice. Gentle sarcasm rolled off her tongue with ease, a trait not common to Jimin's ears but nevertheless his mind begged for it. The highs and lows of her pitch kept Jimin entranced. He wanted her to talk forever.
He wasn't really sure why that was.

All he needed was a name for her.

He waited expectantly through two hours of his shift, constantly checking the door. The time dragged on even more so than usual.

Within the last hour of his shift, the doorbell jingled, and he looked up excitedly. His heart was beating crazily, hoping it was the person who he desperately wanted it to be.
His eyes met a middle aged man.
He sighed to himself in defeat.
The man bought a few candy bars and left.
Jimin checked his watch.
20 minutes left until closing.
He collapsed onto the counter and put his head in his hands.

20 minutes had passed quickly, and it was nearing the end of his 2am shift.

With his legs feeling numb from standing in one place for so long, he walked slowly over to the door to switch the sign from Open to Closed. He flipped the sign, and as he was walking away, a feathery knock sounded at the door.
Jimin jumped and turned around.
It was her.
His felt his insides swarm with butterflies when he looked her up and down.

She was wearing polka dot pajama pants and a baggy black hoodie. Her hair was up in a ponytail and he saw her chest rising and falling hard with heavy breaths. She was in shambles, but still looked effortlessly pretty.
Jimin didn't really understand how that was even possible.

He jogged to the door, trying to hide his excitement, but failing miserably as he bolted the door open frantically, almost like his mind had no control over what his body was telling him to do.

"You weren't planning on locking me out, were you?" She said coolly, a thin but genuine smile written on her face.

"Well, it is 2 minutes past closing." He grinned due to his new found elation, and the girl looked at him strangely.

"Maybe you could make an exception?" She shrugged hopefully.

Jimin looked at her for a moment, before he nodded and held the door open for her to walk in. She disappeared immediately into the back to fetch an item.

"Any reason you were late tonight?" He called after her, trying to hold on to the conversation like it was a lifeline.

There was no response. He assumed she couldn't hear him. He pushed himself to follow her and met her in the drink aisle. He repeated his question.
"Why were you late tonight?" Jimin suddenly felt like he was interrogating her, but there was so much to ask her.
There was so much to know about her.

"Oh, I didn't know you were expecting me." She raised her eyebrow at him.

He could feel himself flush as he mumbled, "Well, you said last night that you would see me tomorrow, and it's tomorrow, so...I think I had the right to expect you."

"That's valid." She was looking at the row of energy drinks.
Anyone would have looked at this situation and would've thought that she was completely bored and uninterested, but Jimin knew this wasn't the case. Her tone seemed real and present in the conversation.
Another one of her tricks that had him wrapped around her finger.

"You also called me Jimin last night." He said pointedly, and oddly feeling proud of himself.

"Is that not your name?" She asked, confused, cocking her head to the side.

"No, it is! I was just gonna say, you know my name, when will I know yours? I mean you've been here three times, I feel like I need to address you by your name." Jimin was now blabbering, he was very nervous.
He didn't know why.

"I'll tell you at the counter." She said, grabbing a colorful energy drink and skipping to the front of the store.

"You still never told me why you were late, by the way." Jimin said while sliding behind the counter.

"Oh, my boyfriend was over." She said plainly.

Jimin was expecting her to laugh, and say she was just joking, but she didn't. Jimin didn't say anything.
Neither did she.
He broke eye contact with her as the heavy silence settled around them.

He handed her the energy drink and all of a sudden couldn't look her in the eye. He couldn't study the curves of her face any longer. He felt his blood go cold.
They just met, but he was hurt.
But for what reason?

She turned to leave, and he followed her to lock the door behind her.

She walked out the door, and he started to close it, when she pressed her hand against it. Jimin looked up at her.

"My name's Nari. See you tomorrow."

With a smile and a slight wave, she left Jimin feeling indifferent as he locked up for the night, his emotions swirling around like a tornado beginning to strike.