Broken | jjk

3. like the tides to the moon

You did not want to see what you were about to see and that pulled a scream out of your throat as you took your bear head off.

He seemed startled and embarrassed. You felt that it was strange, the amount of embarrassment his face displayed, for a person who makes out in public.

"I'm really sorry. I thought you were a guy", he began apologizing multiple times as he began to dress himself as appropriately as he could. "S-Sorry, Kim Eunha"

You were surprised he knew your name.

There was silence in the lift and you began feeling the irritation due to your suit again.

"Why don't you just remove your Eskimo suit?", Jungkook questioned.

He was right. You had clothes underneath anyways. You began trying to unzip the back of your costume. It was nearly impossible for you to get a grip of the zip with your bear hands.

You felt a hand tap your shoulder. "May I?", Jungkook asked and you nodded.

You needed to be out of this stupid costume.

He began trying to unzip and the zipper seemed to be stuck.

"Please be quick", you said causing him to almost yank it.

You heard your blouse tear and your shoulder was exposed. Shit.

The lift began to function and as soon as it opened, you ran to a corner of the library and began removing your costume and putting your sweater on. You hadn't noticed but Jungkook had followed you.

You looked at him behind you and raised your eyebrows as though asking for a cause.

"Your head", he said.

What?

"The bear head, I mean", he corrected himself. "You left it there in the lift"

He sounded nice and polite, unlike the many indecent first impressions he had left on you and literally everyone resident of the apartment.

You mumbled a thanks and turned your back to him going to work desk.

"Listen please", he said, gaining your attention. "Book.."

"What?", you asked, confused.

"Could you recommend a book?", he asked.

"What kind of book are you looking for?"

"If a person has come from jail after 8 years, what is the kind of book should he read?", he asked seeming very genuine.

So, it was true. He was a murderer. Behind this polite and nice demeanor, he was a convicted criminal.

You stumbled a few steps back and began doing your job, ignoring what you had learnt about him just now. You handed a book to him.

"The Catcher in the Rye", he read the title and immediately left without a word.

-

Every morning you had your sister commenting rudely on your style and when you tried to style yourself a little better or when she herself would suggest an attire, you would receive your father's disapproving looks.

You were torn.

At work, the story was not very different. Days went almost as usual. Jinsun and her girls were finally over the big bear incident and were looking for a new way to bring your self-esteem lower than it already was. You spent your day admiring Jimin as he was busy noticing and complimenting every girl, except for you. He was not someone you could have, you thought to yourself. He was meant to only be admired by you. You couldn't have his attention for more than five minutes, let alone him.

Jungkook had been borrowing and returning books. He was polite. That was all you noticed about him.

What you did not know was that his library visits were frequent only because he would want to see you. Though he would not speak more than a line or two with you, the fact that he would be reading the words you chose for him was enough for his satisfaction. What else you never noticed was the notes scribbled behind the subscription card of each book asking you out for just a coffee or asking for your number. He even took the risk of writing his own number on the card which was public. Whether it was love or not he did not know, but he was drawn to you, like the tides were to the moon.