Never Not [Taekook]

NN 12

Taehyung.

I woke up to the blaring sound of the alarm clock, its intrusive beams penetrating my room. I groaned, subconsciously rubbing my eyes.

Slowly opening my eyes, I quickly shut them again; the searing pain felt like needles stabbing into my eyes. Is this the aftermath of a night spent crying? I wondered, empathizing with crybabies who endure such discomfort.

Yawning, I sat up and stretched my arms, glancing at my phone to check if Jisoo had sent me any messages about the gallery. With no schedule today, I found myself with ample free time. The renovation is still scheduled for next week, and over the weekend, I have a convention in Busan for the gallery, along with a meeting with the hosts of the auction in the upcoming month.

Jisoo:

Mr. Kim, your art pieces, as usual, are sold out.

Mr. Kim:

That's good news, Jisoo.

Don't worry, I'll ensure you all receive the bonus you deserve.

Jisoo:

Thank you, Mr. Kim.

Have a nice day.

Mr. Kim:

You too.

I stood up and jumped a few times before grabbing my towel and entering the bathroom to start my morning routine.

With nothing planned, I considered staying here or, better yet, in my gallery. However, my mood doesn't align with being in a noisy place today. Battling a headache and sore eyes from last night's heavy crying – I stayed up late and slept after 3 hours, if I'm not mistaken.

I hope Jungkook is free today. Despite the success of his growing company, I want to talk to him and apologize. I couldn't bring myself to do it last night, and to ease this pain, an apology is necessary. It's beneficial for both of us; I don't want this strained situation to linger forever, after all.

After an eternity in the bath, I emerged from my room, clad in a pair of Tata sleepwear. Today called for comfortable clothes.

I sprayed some perfume and walked downstairs, leaving my hair dripping wet and messy. The enticing aroma of breakfast greeted me.

In the dining room, there he was – the man I needed to talk to. Shirtless but wearing an apron, Jungkook still had on sweatpants, suggesting he might have been out for a run. His back was turned to me as he stood in front of the stove, resembling a perfect chef.

I couldn't help but gawk at his figure. Every movement revealed the reflexes of his muscles, and the sweat trickling down from his neck to his lower back made him irresistibly attractive. I gulped and fixated on his biceps – a sight too enticing to resist. I yearned to touch and bite into them.

Before I realized it, Jungkook glanced back at me, and his expression shifted to surprise. I offered an awkward smile, my cheeks turning a dark shade of red. The urge to fan my face surged, but I resisted to avoid looking like a complete fool.

I bit my lip and took a seat, deliberately avoiding looking at him this time. The last thing I needed was to drool over him – definitely not in front of him.

Jessie is undeniably fortunate. She'll get to experience this every morning of her life. Envy suddenly crept over me. Seriously?! This mighty Jeon Jungkook, with his sculpted body, cooking for you – now that's romantic. But it would be even more romantic if he were cooking for me.

Suddenly, the atmosphere grew heavier as I pondered this scenario after their wedding. Jessie would sleep beside him, embrace and cuddle with him, and wake up to the sight of shirtless Jungkook. I didn't want to cry so early in the day, so I diverted my gaze to the ceiling, counting the lizards. I might have looked like a complete idiot, but I didn't care. I was tired of crying and needed a break too.

I snapped back to reality when his familiar voice filled my ears. "Tae? You okay?"

I looked at him, offering an awkward smile, and nodded, fiddling with my fingers. The mistake I made was coming here without my phone. Where was I supposed to direct my attention? To this bunny-hot chef in front of me?

"Tae!" he yelled.

Innocently, I looked up at him. He furrowed his eyebrows while scrutinizing me. "Why?" I stuttered.

"You keep whispering words. Are you sure you're okay?" he said, still confused.

I stared at him dumbfounded. "Whispering words? Me? Really?" I dumbly responded. Jungkook creased his forehead.

I didn't know that. Me? Whispering? Is this what I get for crying overnight? A side effect of secretly loving Jungkook? Am I a crazy person from a mental institute? Do I look like it?

"Tae..."

I'm too good and handsome to be a mental patient.

"Taehyung..."

Or maybe I'm just tired since I slept late and woke up early.

"Kim Taehyung..."

Or perhaps I'm just hungry? Jeez, I am really hungry, but seeing this bunny in a shirtless situation, I'm already full—

"Kim fucking Taehyung!" Jungkook shouted at the top of his lungs, startling me.

I gazed at him intently. "Why?" I inquired. His eyes met mine, and he sighed.

"I've been calling you so many times now," he stated, a touch of sulking in his tone. A smile played on my lips, hidden from his view as I chuckled softly.

He pouted and returned to arranging the dishes on the table. My laughter lingered quietly, appreciating the adorable spectacle before me.

In that moment, I wondered, Yoongi-hyung, Jiminie, how could I possibly resist such an irresistibly charming man like him?

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