𝔸𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕔| ᴊɪᴋᴏᴏᴋ

ᵀʷᵒ

Evergreen Café was given it's name for a reason. Aesthetic light features and fake plants coated almost every surface, giving the café the impression of an overgrown garden that sells coffee.

Jiyeon and Jungkook sat at a small wooden table by the window, thoroughly immersed in their paper conversation.
~ Jungkook, I haven't seen you speak at all. Most people would have said something by now, even though I can't hear them. You aren't wearing a hearing aid, but I can't help but wonder if you're deaf too? ~
- I can hear just fine, I just... no matter how hard I try I can't force myself to say anything. I know how to speak, I just... It's something I don't talk about. -
~ I'm sorry for asking such a personal question. ~
- don't beat yourself up over it. -
~ shall we change the subject? ~
- that would be nice. -
~ do you have any siblings? ~
- I don't know. -
~ oh... I won't probe for an explanation, then... I have a brother who's one year older than me. His name is Jimin, he takes sign language lessons at Yonsei for me. ~
- Jimin? -
~ yes, do you know him? ~
- I met a Jimin earlier today, actually. He has bleach blonde hair? -
~ sounds like him. ~
- yeah he seems nice. -

They sat for a while, neither knowing what to write next, when Jiyeon's phone began flashing. She checked the screen and scribbled a quick note before answering her phone.

~ brother. Face time. Worried. ~

Jungkook gave her a thumbs up.

'Jiyeon, where are you? You said you'd be back early today, I came over to cook you dinner.' Came Jimin's voice. Jiyeon has propped her phone against her empty Latte mug so her hands were free, and Jungkook caught a glimpse of the familiar face from earlier, signing the words as he said them.
' I'm at Evergreen with a friend' Jiyeon mouthed, signing back.
'You told me you didn't have friends.'
'A NEW friend.'
'Well... then I'm proud of you.'
Jiyeon smiled at this.
'Dinner will be ready in half an hour, why don't you bring your friend?' Jimin asked.
Jiyeon tilted her head to Jungkook enquiringly, and he nodded.
Jiyeon gave her brother a thumbs up and a 'see you in ten'.

- shall we go then? -
Jungkook slid the paper over to her.

~ yes, I think so.. ~
- lead the way. -

Jiyeon unlocked the door of the white lit up house five doors down from the end of the posh road in suburban Seoul.
'Jiyeon!' A voice came from within, and Jungkook glimpsed a hand waving from around the corner at the end of the corridor left of a subtly winding staircase. Jiyeon waved him in, walking in further down the corridor to meet Jimin.
Jiyeon had left her keys in the door, so Jungkook pulled them out, shutting the door behind him. Jimin was asking animatedly about what sort of friend Jiyeon had made today.
'Is your friend a girl?'
'No'
'Oooh a boy? Or?'
'A boy.'
'Is he cute?'
'Really cute.'
'Is our Jiyeon getting a cruuushhhh?!'
'nOoooo'
She gave her brother a playful push and turned back to put her coat on the rack by the door. She tilted her head when she saw Jungkook still standing awkwardly by the door, shoes still on. She pointed to his shoes and mouthed 'off'. He took them off and gave her the keys. She put them in a bowl by the door, removing her coat and bag, and retrieving the notebook they had been using at the café, and two pens, which she held up to Jungkook, smiling. He followed her to the kitchen dining room, where Jimin was just setting the food on the table.
'Oh! Jungkook? What are you doing here?' Jimin exclaimed.
'He's my friend, Jimin.' Jiyeon told him.
'Oh...' Jimin blushed in embarrassment at the comments he had made earlier, knowing Jungkook would've heard him. Jungkook looked down to his feet, and Jiyeon pulled out her chair, giving her brother a look that simply said 'really?'.
'A-anyway, Jungkook, have a seat. Make yourself at home.' Jimin told him, sitting opposite the empty chair beside Jiyeon.
Jiyeon patted the empty seat, and Jungkook sat down.

It turned out Jimin could really cook, the table was set out with a practical buffet of an array of different foods: Japchae, Bibimbap, Jajangmyeon, Tangsuyuk, Tteok-bokki. 'Let's eat!' Jimin said, beginning to fill his plate with a bit of each dish, Jiyeon doing the same. Awkwardly, Jungkook put a small portion of Japchae on his plate.
'Aren't you going to eat more?' Jimin asked.
'He gets told he has a stomach the size of a walnut.' Jiyeon explained, laughing. Jungkook smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
'How old are you, Jungkook?'
'He's 24' Jiyeon answered for him again.
'Jiyeon! Let him answer his own questions!' Jimin scolded her.
'He's shy.'
'So shy that he won't speak?'

Jiyeon shrugged her shoulders.
Jungkook tapped her on the shoulder, tracing 'bathroom' on the back of her hand with his finger. She pointed the way, and he got up, smiling apologetically.
He grabbed his bags, not ever having owned a coat, pulled on his shoes without tying up the laces, and unlocked the door, leaving the key in the lock and shutting the door soundlessly behind him.

Jungkook took off down the street, it had begun raining, so he let it soak his clothes. When he was a suitable distance away, he stopped to tie his laces, trying to remember the way Jiyeon had led him from Yonsei to the house. He retraced their earlier steps, and from the university, made his way back to his little apartment. He unlocked the small door beside the Estate Agents, locking it behind him and wiping his feet on the mat. He removed his shoes and carried them with him up the carpeted stairs to a creme door with a brass handle, unlocking it and dropping his shoes, closing and locking his door.
He dropped his bags on the sofa and lay down on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, still in his wet clothes.

The Yonsei autumn term had ended that day, so he didn't really care about catching a cold. He stared up at the blank ceiling, trying to think of nothing. Most forms of social interaction wore him out. He closed his eyes, and gave up to the wandering embrace of unconsciousness.