UnPretty Thoughts: The Leader [ Namjoon x Reader ]

He Knows

Dinner was finished and Namjoon stood up from the table first. Dishes weren't much of an issue since the upscale apartment had a dishwasher. It was however an issue of when those dishes found their way to the dishwasher. When they had first debuted they hadn't had a dishwasher. Just one tiny little leaky sink. Strange how he almost enjoyed the memories of doing dishes and trading off that chore with the others.

It was always strange to think about the things he missed when they hadn't been so famous. Going to the store to get food and snacks, going to the bookstore to find something to read or get another textbook, or even just going to a park to have fun. Now he couldn't go anywhere without gaining a crowd or camera following him.

As a famous idol group they didn't get to go many places anymore. When they were in other countries they had a little better of time, but such tight schedules hardly lent time to sight seeing. During award shows when they weren't guided in the event, they were holed up in the hotel for idols. During leisure time in Korea it was far more difficult. He had risked being seen every time he went out.

That had made every normal conversation at the cafe and in the park all the more meaningful. Namjoon enjoyed those little boring moments of everyday life. He savored them and the freedom the brought. Normal people craved the adoration fame brought, but the famous craved the privacy and anonymity normalcy brought.

Every moment he spent with his personal sun had granted him that craved feeling of freedom in being normal. She didn't fall all over him or go in to tearful screaming fits, though he didn't get as much of the mad-fan attention that the younger members did.

Still. He started to take up finished dishes and his hand bumped into another doing the same thing. She had stood and was taking up used dishes from the table. Their hands met clumsily and both drew back from the accident.

"Ah, please, allow me," she smiled brightly and it made his stomach knot with nervousness. He felt a smile lift at the corners of his mouth.

"Together then," he insisted, eyes unable to break contact with hers. She was the first to surrender and cleared her throat, nodding in agreement. Namjoon's smile just grew. He didn't often make her shy, at least not that he had seen.

But something had changed. That confidence she had when they had just been easy friends was replaced with an uncertainty now that they were in a closer space. He had felt it in the car. He had been certain of it in the bedroom.

She could be convinced. It made him impatient. Taking a few deeper breaths he glanced at his fellow members casually. Jin was eating contently. Jungkook and Tae were playfully bickering with Hobi over how much meat was too much meat to eat. And Yoongi was staring at him. That cat-like stare almost made him jump. Yoongi was a quick and very observant guy when he had a full night's sleep.

Yoongi glanced at their new housekeeper then quickly met Namjoon's eyes. Namjoon held his breath. Yoongi halted in eating, gave the leader a knowing smirk and went back to eating. AH that guy! He saw everything... He was sure to tease him about this.

Yoongi could have a cold way of coming off to people he didn't know or didn't know him, but he was far more forgiving than others knew. He had anxiety about the group and success to the point he couldn't sleep some nights, but he had lived with Namjoon for years even before the group had debuted.

That smile probably had been a type of acceptance and blessing from his long time friend. He had been seen through. That observant guy had obviously had suspicions as soon as Namjoon had sprung this sudden job position on them. That was probably why he had insisted they all be called by their stage names. Well at least he'd have Yoongi to talk to about this new situation he was getting himself into. He'd probably also get an hour long lecture.

At least this also meant he had an ally. It had been a long time since Namjoon had tried to get close to a girl. And with their fame... Well, he'd take all the help in this that he could get.

He was just so tired of being alone. He was five years away from being thirty, a full fledged adult! What an embarrassment he'd be falling all over himself trying to get the attention of this young woman, who was the first fresh breath of air he had been granted since winning their first major award and being validated as successful group.

"Since you have to call us by our stage names, why don't we give you a code name too?" Namjoon said smiling. She looked up at him from the dishwasher where she was reorganizing their dish placement inside of the machine.

"Hah? Code name?" she asked, "Do I need one?" He shrugged but grinned still, handing her another plate to place.

"Just in case word leaks out that an unmarried girl is our new housekeeper," he explained, though he was completely coming up with this on the spot, "It should protect you a little more, especially if we have to call you while away."

"Ah! Good idea," Hobi cheered from the table, "Let's make our housekeeper feel at home! A nickname!"

"Maybe 'Shortcake'?" Tae's mischievous side showed as he impishly chuckled with Jungkook.

"Where do you come up with this stuff, Tae?" Jin scoffed, "You want to call her 'Wife-nim' too?" The eldest still grinned, enjoying getting the second youngest to blush a little. Too bad the golden maknae was present.

"No, no, no, that is your nickname, Mama Jin!" Jungkook grinned cheekily, making Tae, Jimin and Hobi laugh. It even got a chuckle from Yoongi. Namjoon smiled and then looked down.

"How about 'Sunshine'?" he offered.

"Hah? 'Sunshine'?" Hobi raised a brow, "Is she funny?"

"Namjoon knows her best," Jin offered, "He'd be better at choosing a codename. 'Sunshine' isn't bad."

"Agreed," Yoongi spoke up, "Let Namjoon pick it out since he got us a housekeeper. Let him do the work of covering up her unmarried status." The cat-like member grinned almost teasingly at their leader and the knowing edge in that smile made Namjoon turn red. He knew that Yoongi would tease him! Danngit Yoongi!

"'Sunshine' it is then," Jimin agreed softly, smiling gently, "She does seem like she'd smile a lot." Ah, ever the peaceful one. Namjoon was relieved the uneasy tension had lessened. It made it easier to feel secure in his decision with his members behind him, though not all of them knew his intentions.

Something he felt slightly guilty about, withholding such information from both his friends and his...well, Sunshine. He could at least tell his members tonight. Jin would want to discuss the suddenness of gaining a housekeeper since Namjoon had promised an explanation after getting her settled. 

"Alright then," she stood and closed the dishwasher, her face a little rosy most likely from being the center topic of the conversation. "Sunshine it is, I guess," she wore a smile, probably also feeling a bit more easy with the comfortable atmosphere, "Anything else?"

"Ah, one more thing," Jin said suddenly a bit more serious, "Will everyone join me in the living room please?"

And just like that, the tension was back. Namjoon sighed and steeled himself. If they could all make this work tonight, he'd be set. He sincerely hoped everything remained calm. It was all hanging on what Jin wanted to talk about now...