𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐦𝐞 • 𝐣𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤 ✓

Chapter 1

^^
What Koo looks like

11:07 PM

Jungkook sighs. It doesn't look like his mother will be coming home anytime soon. He'll finish studying tomorrow, he thinks, as he turns the lights of their small studio apartment off. Since there's only one bedroom, he always sleeps on the couch.

As he closes his eyes, the door clicks open, and his eyes shoot open again.

"I'm home!". His mother announces. "How was school?".

"Fine. How was work?".

She shrugs.

"Same as always.".

It's always the same answer. She doesn't want to lie to him and say it was good, but she doesn't want to worry him either. Hence, "same as always". It could mean anything. Fine. Boring. Okay. Good. Terrible. Hard.

Jungkook watches as she turns the lights back on and sits on an armchair.

"Remember when you asked me if we could move out?".

"Yeah...". Before she can answer, he cuts her off quickly. "It's okay, we don't have to. I get that rent's expensive-".

"Mrs. Park offered me a different job.".

Jungkook smiles.

"That's great! What are you doing?".

"She offered that we could live with her. I could work as a live-in housekeeper.".

Jungkook's face falls.

"Oh.".

"It's a large house, you know?".

"But do you really want to live in someone else's house?".

She sighs.

"I think she's lonely, living in that enormous mansion, practically by herself. It'd be easier for us, too.".

She leans across the small coffee table conspiratorially.

"And when she heard you were top of your school and skipped eighth grade, she even said you could go to the school nearby. Cheongdam High.".

"What?!".

Jungkook stares at her.

"No way.".

He's heard of that school already. It's where Seoul's elite goes, only the top of the country, the geniuses and the rich. His childhood friend, Namjoon, got a scholarship there a few years back, and says it's even fancier than he imagined. Even being the worst of your class can get you to college. Because everyone knows that no matter how bad you are, if you got there, you have connections.

His mother smiles gently.

"What do you think?".

"You're joking, right?".

"I'm not.".

"How could I even go, though?".

"Her husband owns the school, Jungkook. I think it's a great opportunity. Her son goes there too.".

"And Mrs. Park's just gonna-".

She laughs.

"Yes. That's the deal. I live there, help out more often, and you go to Cheongdam High.".

"What's in it for her? There's gotta be a catch.".

"You know, I think we're starting to become friends. She's kind, like her son.".