Stranger | Jikook/Kookmin

19 | Imposter

It only makes sense to feel the void of someone who occupies your couch for an entire week. It's ultimately easy to get used to a presence — even when you aren't handling them well. You only realize how apprehensive you were of their existence after they've left. Be it quarreling, getting along peacefully... they have booked a room in your brain and when they aren't there to walk in anymore, you realize you need to learn how to live alone all over again.

With that said, Kim Taehyung's departure is depressing. 

But Jungkook doesn't have the guts to settle into said depression because he is getting ready for a nasty fight: the midterms. 

As soon as Taehyung packs his stuff and leaves, Jungkook does too. Dokyeom and him have a pact to study until they can't no more (they weren't this into it before deciding to turn this into an actual challenge: very suitable for Jungkook's personality), so they spend the weekend at the school library, camping. Sleeping bags, snacks and flashlights sort of thing. 

Result of his rigorous studying, Jungkook is rewarded in the exams with confidence and pay-off: no question remains unanswered and Jungkook is always one of the firsts to leave the hall. He carries an indescribable joy from knowing he has done good in school with his own persistence, a feeling that re-connects him to his department and studies. 

And now that he has given his last exam, he can stretch his bones contently and jump to the street with a lollipop rolling around his tongue. Fridays were always a favorite, more so when he was a child since regular school had fixed hours of attendance. Now that he is in university, he only has to attend classes maximum three hours per day — a feeling he's yet trying to get used to as a freshman. Still, he thinks as he drags his sandals through the concrete, I love a good Friday.

The sun is setting behind the buildings but the neighborhood is lively. He lives near the university and the demographic in the area remains young; youngsters find life in the night. More so in the warmth of the spring weather, which Jungkook is enjoying a lot as well. He likes feeling carefree like this and he is craving for a cold soft-drink. The combination just goes well.

He drops in the next convenience store on his way.

Humming a song to himself, he sucks the lollipop to his right cheek and heads to the rectangular freezer at the back. When he takes an aisle turn, he notices a familiar figure scanning through the long shelf in a contemplative manner. She is half-bent over the rack to be in maximum closeness with the noodle packages like she forgot to bring her glasses and now she has to do this in front of the market audience.

"Hey!" Jungkook calls, and Adora twists her head to his direction. 

Jungkook finds it funnier than he usually would. Because he is in a good mood? Or maybe it's the lollipop putting him in a bratty character. He grins, and she stands straight, pleased to see him.

"Hi, loser," she looks around, one package of noodles dangling from her hand. "You live near?"

"Three-four blocks away. What about you? I'm assuming you're not returning from the uni?"

Both their eyes fall to Adora's attire of choice, probably not of deliberate interest: grey elastic waist sports pants, half-unzipped white tracksuit top with a bit of her sleeveless black top showing, and flip flops. Rainbow glittered flip-flops. Jungkook is amused, least to say.

He raises his eyebrows at her as if pointing, who's the loser here?

"I live upstairs, okay?" Adora rolls her eyes at him, a mindless smile on her lips as she brushes past him. "You hungry?" she turns as she walks backwards. Jungkook shakes his head. "Cool, then keep me company."