Book 1: The Magic Shop | A Jeon Jeongguk BTS Fan Fiction (Completed)

Truth Be Told

Jeongguk walked with his head low. It was broad daylight and the sidewalk was crowded. He was surprised to find the door of the cafe locked. He stepped back and was surprised to see the closed signage. He peered inside and all the lights were closed. He stepped back and looked at the facade. It really looked different during the day. 

"Jake." Her voice called out to him. He turned and saw Nira a few feet away walking towards him in a white dress with grocery bags. Her hair was usually up in a messy bun, but it was flowing free now in the breeze. 

He was rooted to the ground, watching her walk up to him. When she was standing in front of him. He sheepishly said hi. She adjusted the bags in her arms. 

"Oh, let me help you." he said reaching for the bags and took them before she could react. She smiled gratefully.

"I'm closed on Mondays." She pointed to the cafe. "I didn't expect you to come this early." She did mention that before. Seconds of silence passed. A group of girls was coming near and when Jeongguk noticed. he quickly looked away. Catching this, Nira thought that was interesting. 

"Would you like to go inside?" she asked.

"Uh... yes. Yes please." Jeongguk replied. He turned to head towards the cafe door, but she said, "No, not there." She pointed to another door on the other side of the cafe window. A door he never really noticed before. 

The door opened to a stairwell. Nira led him up the stairs into a sunny apartment. She took her shoes off and Jeongguk followed. She took the bags from him and settled them on the kitchen counter. When she returned he was holding up the stuffed animal Jin bought at the airport.

"For you. Jin hyung realized I didn't have time to get anything for you and he thought you would like it." he admitted. Jeongguk counted days to get back to Seoul to see her. He thought about how he was going to bring up right where they left off with his spontaneous confession. He told her he liked her, and she didn't get to respond. Nevertheless, he replayed every second of the moment in his head. She lowered his head to meet his kiss. That's what's giving him the courage to press on.

She took the stuffed rabbit from him and nuzzled its nose. "This is cute. Thank you and please thank him too."

Jeongguk took a deep breath. "Nira..." he started. "The last time..."

She lowered the rabbit and waited for what he had to say. He scratched the back of his neck.

He looked uneasy. "Did you want to take it back?" she asked.

"What? No... no."

"Oh.."

"It's just that there's something I have to say and I don't want to scare you off." 

Nira frowned. Maybe, she thought, he was already in a relationship. She steeled herself.

"Are you going to tell me you are already in a relationship?"

"Well, sort of. But it's not what you think. I don't have a girlfriend, but I have an A.R.M.Y."

Her head tilted to the side in confusion. "Oh, you have enlisted already?"

He smiled. It was so cute that she knew nothing about his world. "No, not yet. Nira, what I'm trying to say is that I'm also a part of Bangtan Sonyeondan... as one of the idols... like Jimin."

Jeongguk couldn't read her face as she digested this revelation so he persevered. "I wanted to tell you in person because I had not been able to confess properly the last time. I intended to, but we were interrupted."

"So..." she said a moment later, "I don't really know what you're trying to say, Jake."

"Jeongguk."

"What?" she blinked.

"My name is Jeon Jeongguk. That's my real name."

"Jeon Jeongguk..."

He smiled, pleased that his real name touched her lips. 

Jeongguk closed the distance and reached out for her hand. "What I wanted to say was that it's not going to be easy, but if you will have me..."

He watched her face nervously as she took in his confession. It explained why he looked away from the girls on the sidewalk. He must be hiding from getting attention to himself. She wasn't sure what it all means or the consequences of it just yet, but she could only imagine. What does not being easy truly mean? 

It was not difficult to like someone like Jake, but before Nira stood another person. Jeon Jeongguk. Jeon Jeongguk the idol.

It just didn't make sense that out of the blue, someone like him would walking into the cafe one day and she would find herself slowly, little by little, falling in love with him.

Did it matter that he was an idol and there were complications that went with that? In this man was Jake. The Jake who filled her thoughts and somewhat made up for all the loneliness she had been feeling for a very long time. Will it matter? she asked herself.

Nira looked at his hopeful expression. Sincerely Jeongguk said. "I want to make it work with you."

Jeongguk meant it. At nights on tour, when he was back in his hotel room, he reflected on his past relationships and thought about his shortcomings. He quit easily. He ended relationships when it got too difficult. He was the first to break up because he had lost interest and he did lose it fast. Later on, he felt then that he didn't want complications on top of his already very challenging focus with the Bangtan boys to succeed. When their growing success afforded him more freedom, he ended relationships because it just didn't seem like he was with the right person. 

He always did feel though that there was something missing. He pursued many interests, picked up many hobbies, and tried to improve himself all the time, searching for what he was good at, but none of it stuck.

He had been asking himself often what he was doing with his life. It was not like they didn't go through hardships making it to where they are. It just still felt like there should be more... and he could be more. 

With Nira, he already knew how difficult it will be - and yet he wanted nothing more. Nira made him feel complete when he didn't really even know she was who he needed in his life.  With Nira, he was discovering that he was capable of other things and able to be his own person without being a Bangtan boy. There were possibilities with her he never thought about before, and heaven knows he wasn't going to take no for an answer. He was prepared to convince her.

"Jake... Jeongguk..." she said, stepping back. 

He clutched her hand tighter. Jeongguk held his breath. 

"I should say no." was her answer as if she had read his mind. "But I liked you..." she smiled. "... even before I knew you."

Relieved, Jeongguk pulled her close and hugged her tightly.