unfair play // jjk

18 // mama

I stared at the soup, and the bowl began to burn my hands.
The heat soaked through the porcelain dish and my skin was beginning to tingle.
I placed the bowl down and let the heat soak the counter instead.
——
[15 years ago]

"Eomma!" I yelled out my room door.

"What, Hyemi?" she yelled back, her voice sounding distant as it echoed through the long hall.

I collected some air before gaining the energy to yell again. "What's for dinner?"

She didn't reply for a moment. "Surprise."

I smiled and tucked myself back into my room, shutting the door quietly.

A few minutes later, my mom called me again. 

"Hyemi-ah!"

I flung the door open wide and slid down the hall, sliding everywhere on the slippery floors and in my socks. 

She placed a pot on the table with steam flying off the top, and I watched as the hot steam disappeared into the air.
I smiled and ran to the table, grabbing the bowl from in front of my chair.
I held my bowl out, far in front of me for my mother to dish me my dinner.

She smiled, and grabbed the spoon from inside the soup. When she pulled it up, I saw green leaves pull out of the broth.

"You made me seaweed soup?" I smiled wide and danced anxiously.

She flipped the spoon over, pouring it into my bowl. "You'll have to taste it."

I waited patiently for her to dish me a full bowl. By the time the bowl was full, the heat started to burn through the thin bottom of the bowl.

I flinched and placed the bowl down quickly, as my hands burned from the heat. When the burning faded, it left behind a unique tingle that fell through my fingers and resonated in my palms.
——
[Present day]

I found my mind lost in thought and blinked out of my distracted state.
I stared at my hands for a while until I couldn't feel my palms tingle anymore. My hands were an intense shade of red, and I sighed at the sight.

"Burn yourself?"

I snapped my head up and looked at Jungkook, who has switched sides of the room and now had transferred to the opposite wall.

I blinked for a while. "Maybe."

He sighed and put his bowl on the counter. He took my hands and flipped them for him to see.

I winced slightly at his touch as he ran his eyes up and down each finger.

He grabbed my wrists and slid me off the counter, pulling me to the kitchen sink and turning on the water.

"Why are you turning on the water?" I asked, my one wrist still controlled by his grip.

He ran his other hand under the water, checking the temperature before pulling my hands under it.

"Keep them there for a while." He dried his hands off and I stared at my hands, relieved of pain under the cool water.

I furrowed my brows at the silver inside of the sink. "How do you know this?"

"It's simple first-aid. If you don't know it, I would consider you a fool."

I bit my tongue and smiled. "I guess I'm a fool then."

"You seriously didn't know that?" He sounded hurt by my foolishness.

I stayed silent and moved my hands around under the pouring tap.

He stayed silent, but I could hear him moving around behind me.

I kept my hands under the water and turned to see him, placing a towel under my bowl so that the heat wouldn't burn me again.

He turned to look at me. "Are your hands under the water?"

"Are you blind?" I asked, tilting my head at him, and my eyes squinted slightly.

He shook his head. "You're unbelievable. Why do I choose to help you?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Maybe it's my charm."

He burst into laughter. "Charm? That's hilarious. You have none of that."

I glared at him, and turned back to my hands hovering in the sink. "Whatever."

He stopped laughing. "I think 'whatever' is something we should stop saying."

"No. 'Cause you're whatever."

He sighed. "Brat."

I mocked him. "Brat."

He laughed slightly. "Take your hands out. And while you're at it, take yourself out of my apartment too."

I pulled my hands out of the water and dried my hands off. The burning subsided, and my hands felt much better; but my mouth was burning to speak.

I turned around and looked at Jungkook again. "That's awfully rude."

"There's only so much nice I can give in one night." He smiled in the fakest way.

"Whatever." I nearly smacked myself for saying it again.

He smiled slightly and I walked out of the kitchen, slipping my sandals back on and pulling my key out of my pocket.

"Thanks, I guess." I said, before unlocking the door and leaving. Jungkook didn't say anything.
-
[Jungkook's POV]

Hyemi closed the door and I locked it behind her. 

"You're welcome."