Once Again

22

Jin carried the empty dish into the house and placed it in the kitchen sink. There were already a few dirty dishes there so he decided to wash them before they piled up. He rolled up his sleeves and began humming to himself as he soaped up the dishes and rinsed them.

"You like the band Mate?" A voice asked from behind him.

Jin jumped and the plate in his hand slipped. He watched, as if in slow-motion, as the plate tumbled to the ground and closed his eyes, fully expecting to feel the sting on his feet as broken shards flew everywhere.

But the sound of breaking glass never came. Instead he felt a strong arm brace itself against the kitchen sink, right by his left hip, and a hushed breath brush against his right ear.

"Got it," the same voice whispered followed by the sound of the plate being placed in the sink.

Jin opened his eyes. Jungkook stood very close to him. He immediately shuffled back to put some distance between them, forgetting that Jungkook's other arm was behind him. He stumbled and Jungkook immediately held his waist with both hands to steady him.

"Careful," Jungkook said as he looked into Jin's eyes.

"Jungkook-san, what are you doing here?" Jin deftly twisted out of Jungkook's hold and went around him to put the kitchen counter between them.

"I came to get more beer. They ran out."

"Oh, they're in the fridge."

Jin opened the fridge door and pulled out several cans, setting them on the counter. He then waited for Jungkook to pick them up and leave, but the other man remained standing by the sink and continued looking at him. It made Jin feel strange. It wasn't a bad strange like fear or nerves, but more of an unsettling vibe, like there was something familiar just out of reach.

"So do you like the band Mate?" Jungkook asked again.

Jin frowned, not understanding the question.

"The song you were humming. It's called I Love You by Mate," Jungkook explained.

"Oh!" Jin's furrowed eyebrows cleared up. "No, I've never heard of Mate."

"Then how do you know the song?"

"I don't know."

"Have you heard it before?"

"I don't think so," Jin frowned again. He doesn't know how he knows the song, but he'd always hummed it.

Jungkook gave a sad smile. Seeing it made Jin feel a pinch in his heart.

"It was my boyfriend's favourite song. He used to sing it all the time. I miss it," Jungkook said softly before picking up the cans of beer and leaving the kitchen.

Jin looked at his retreating back and heaved a sigh of relief when he had the kitchen all to himself again. There was something about the man that was perplexing.