Crimson Park

Chapter 3

"What is it, Jungkook?" you irritatedly asked. He had been eyeing you all morning. Ultimately, you knew it was the incident the night before that had been weighing on his mind, but you were doing your best to pretend as if it didn't happen. Even though it did... a lot.

"What? Nothing," he said as he looked down to the papers strewn in front of him. Lucky for you, he didn't have the courage to bring it up.

"Well, your nothing is driving me nuts."

"Sorry, ma'am," he turned back to his work.

He did his best to keep his eyes trained on the documents before him. He pulled off his jacket, then looked back at the pile to concentrate. When that didn't work, he sighed and pulled at his tie to release its hold on his throat, then tried again to focus. When that didn't work, he sighed again and rolled up his sleeves to the elbows and shuffled in his chair. When that didn't work, he sighed and...

Smack.

Your pen came down on the desk and you peered back at him through narrowed eyes.

"Sorry, ma'am," he apologised, without needing you to say anything.

He stopped the shuffling and the sighing. But now, the silence in the room was deafening and you found yourself unable to concentrate on anything except for the awkwardness Jungkook emitted. You peered at him from across your desk. His hair was a little dishevelled, from him running his fingers through it. It made you think of last night in the car. The collar buttons of his shirt had been undone when he released his tie, and now revealed the slightest tease of his toned upper chest - new territory you hadn't appreciated before. The muscles and veins which rippled across his exposed forearms were another reminder of his strong body.

"What is it, ma'am?" you jumped a little when Jungkook spoke and realised that you had been staring at him. Embarrassed, you didn't reply. Instead, you turned yourself away and opened the desk drawer to your right. From inside, you pulled out a piece of paper and began to scribble an address across it.

"I need you to make a delivery for me," you said.

"Sure."

You stood and walked over to a shelf and plucked from it a small brown package. "This goes to this address," you handed him the paper and package. "Order lunch. Tell them you're picking up for Ms. Park, and when the owner comes out give this to her."

"Am I actually ordering food?"

"Yes. I want the halloumi tacos. Get whatever you want as well, and check with Taesub if he wants anything too."

He nodded, a little giddy at the idea of free lunch.

"Then come back here please, and be ready to work," you cocked your eyebrow at him.

He pursed his lips. "Yes, ma'am."

He left, and you ran your hands through your hair and, this time, you were the one sighing.

⁂

After an awkward couple days between you - in which Jungkook kept his banter to a minimum and walked on eggshells around you as if you were a landmine about to explode - things eventually subsided and returned to a level of new normal. Perhaps too new... After Jungkook realised the other night was far in your rear-view mirror - he seemingly reached a new apex in his comfortability – teasing. Teasing you... about something you had said or done... as if you were long time friends...

You found it confusing and appalling.

It started when you had left him a sticky note on his desk. He picked up the note and informed you that you could transmit state secrets through the regular post if you just wrote all the messages in cursive. You were so stunned that your first impression was that he had asked you to apply to work for government intelligence, so you stared at him in bewilderment. It wasn't until you noticed the amusement in his eyes that you realised, he had actually told you your handwriting was illegible.