masquerade//pjm

twenty-six

"No way."

"I just need--"

"Jung."

"Oh, please, Lina." Hoseok took the hand of another kid next to him. "I'll-- I'll work for free for a week."

"Are you kidding me?" Your boss rubbed her forehead as a little child grabbed your hand with sticky fingers. You looked down and she giggled up at you, jumping. You looked back at Hoseok and the dozen or so kids around him.

"Y/N will work free for a week too," Hoseok pitched in for you. Your jaw dropped and he gave you a smile. "Please, Lina?"

"Both of you-- no pay for a week." You rolled your eyes but nodded alongside Hoseok. "Fine-- their parents better be buying when they pick them up."

Hoseok laughed and clapped his hands. "Alright guys, can you help y/n over there move the tables and chairs to the sides?" he asked the kids around him. Lina disappeared out back and you walked up to Hobi as his students helped clear out the room.

"What happened to where you normally hold dance classes?" He sighed.

"There was a fire at the community centre." Your eyes widened and he nodded. "We're working on a piece right now-- I think we'll have them perform it when the centre opens up."

"That'll be cute-- was anyone hurt?" He shook his head and the children spun around on the makeshift dance floor. Your once small bakery had officially become Jung Hoseok's dance studio.

"Okay-- can everyone get ready to stretch?" The little kids all lined up in a straight line in front of your coworker and you propped yourself on the counter before turning the sign on the door to closed.

"What about mirrors!" someone asked. "We can't see, Hobi!"

"I know but we'll just have to make do, okay?" They all let out a sigh and Hoseok turned back to you. You gave him a smile and he got on the floor and they all began to stretch.

You watched Hoseok's dance class take place before quickly getting bored. They were cute and having great fun but just watching was wasting your time quite a bit. You headed out back to look for Lina and found her rolling out some dough.

"Cookies?" you asked, rolling your sleeves up. She nodded and gestured to the sink. You went to wash your hands and then walked back over to her. She'd loosened up a little around you after hearing what you'd try to do for Jimin at court. If there was anyone she was a softie for, it was her nephew. And anyone associated with him, apparently.

"They're for a baby shower," she said quietly. You smiled as she gestured to the icing she'd prepared. You added the blue food colouring in and turned the mixer on.

"Are the cookies the gender reveal?" She nodded and you smiled as the icing turned a pretty pale blue.

"There are some in the oven that are done baking," she said. You went over to get them, setting them on the rack to cool. You took a cooling tray of cookies and held them up. She nodded and you set them down to begin to ice.

"Lina?"

"Mhm?"

"When'd you open this bakery?" She tilted her head back for a moment and thought.

"A few months before Jiminie was born, actually." You nodded. "I was just getting out of school with my degree and the-- it's funny, I made these same sugar cookies for my sister's shower when she was pregnant with him and they were a hit. And so I thought I'd start a business."

"Wow."

"Mhm." She fell quiet after that and you worked in silence. She didn't even scold you for the air bubble that had released when you were in the middle of icing a cookie and that had you speaking again.