SURREAL THINGS

{39}

Jungkook

The room was blanketed in darkness. No moon hung low in the sky to drip light onto the bed and the lump that lay underneath dozens of blankets groaned as a loud clanging rang clear through the room. A hand retracted from the warmth and flipped the comforter over the ears of a brown haired boy. There were a few moments more of the agonizing clang before the sheets were chucked from the bed and a pair of long legs were placed onto the floor, steadying themselves before striding across the frigid ground to the object guilty of the noise.

After silencing the annoying instrument, Jungkook stretched, forgetting the alarm quickly. His stomach groaned in protest and he yawned, padding towards the door and opening it to reveal the pitch black hall. He stumbled forwards, his shoulder brushing the wall of the slim area. He reached the small kitchen and grabbed a bowl, filling it with the first cereal his hand brushed and slouching onto a chair, hearing it whine under his weight.

He slid the pad of his foot over the cold tile floor of his apartment and he slumped his head into his hand, pressing his palm lightly into his eye. He had to work that day that he knew might change his entire existence. Though at that early hour, Jungkook hadn't enough energy to recall that fact.

He shoveled the cold milk and sugary cereal into his mouth as he opened his phone, squinting into the bright light that glowed through the heavy atmosphere. A picture glared back at him, a smug expression painted across the features of another male, one with silver hair and soft lips. He smiled at the photograph of his idol, falling into the order of every other morning of his life. He flipped through apps and laughed at fan posts he just couldn't help feeling connected to.

After chucking his newly emptied bowl into the sink he shrugged back to the small room at the end of the hall, throwing on an outfit of only black to correspond with his required work attire then returned to his living room, snatching his keys from the table and clutching them in his hand before heading into the frigid November air.

~~

The sun had finally risen once he arrived to the small café hidden at the end of the road, staining the sky pink and orange and plunging the world in a lilac shadow. He wiped the last table for dust once more before approaching the locked glass door and flipping the small sign that hung low on the window to open, clicking the lock of the small door. He was alone in the barren restaurant, his only companions the chair that were waiting for occupants. He encountered few people when working the morning shift so he approached a large booth beside the register and within vision of the door, clutching his novel and leaning back onto the cushion, his mind scurrying through the words.

He continued this way for an hour, accompanied by silence, sometimes speaking just to break the dense atmosphere and ignore the unspoken words that hung in the air. A small jingle broke the silence just seconds before he would have. His head snapped up and he stood carefully, placing his worn book onto the clean table.

"Hello?" A deep voiced called longingly into the stillness. Jungkook peeked his head up before calling.

"How may I help you?" scurrying from behind the tall counter and smiling brightly to the masked figure. Sunglasses hung low on a rather slim nose and the boy's large hand removed the surgical mask the lay over his mouth. Jungkook knew him. "I'm sorry? he said slightly questioningly, "Have we met?" His brow furrowed and his mouth was downturned as he studied the slightly shorter boy.

"I'm afraid not," he replied and once again, Jungkook knew that voice. He had light orange hair, slightly faded from wear and it hung loosely over his forehead, "But I believe you've met my friends," he grinned.

~~

Standing there with one of the few people he'd looked up to since he was in high school caused his head to spin. His mind flashed over his features and he recalled where he'd be later that day. The Jung Hoseok stood in front of him, sunshine smile and all.

"You're Jungkook?" he asked with a slight smirk, enjoying the taller boy's shock and admiration.

"Yeah..." he hesitated watching the idol carefully, "Um, why?" his voice was raspy and he felt the sudden need for water, his throat dry from the shock.

"No reason," he simply stated, his face pinched into a pained expression as he held back a loud burst of laughter, "It's just that..." he mulled over a choice of words, his playful demeanor wavering slightly, "we'd heard of you before on Instagram..." he stopped once more his eyes dancing across the younger's face, "Jin said you were pretty cool and made good coffee so, when I said I wanted some he recommended here and now..." he gestured to the walls of the shop, "I've arrived," he chuckled slightly and Jungkook nodded ferociously.

"Well, can I get you something...?"

"Whatever you like," Hoseok simply stated and Jungkook nodded, turning and rushing away to the kitchen shouting a quick "seat yourself wherever" as he disappeared. His hands shook as he prepared his favorite drink and he stopped for a moment, pushing his coffee bean dusted palms into the back of his eyes and breathing deeply.

He was here, now, alone in a coffee shop covered in ground beans with one of the people who had helped him get through college. And that one person knew his face. And his fan account.

He approached the seated hero once more, pottery clattering as he drew near the slouched boy and gently set down the cup. The liquid tremored alongside him, just as his voice did as he asked, "Did you want any cake?" The other shook his head before gesturing to the seat in front of him and Jungkook raised his eyebrows, slowly pulling out the chair and resting his palms flat on the table.

"So, you're a fan right?" he received a nod for answer, "You'll be at the concert?" he asked casually. Though he knew the answer already, Yoongi had occasionally updated Hoseok on the young boy's Instagram, speaking of the cute boy and mentioning that he'd be at their performance and meet n' greet. Hoseok was the only friend of Yoongi's that was kept updated with his new obsession after Jin had warned him he was venturing into bad territory. Yoongi knew that he was dumb to like a fan, he barely looked at the account now, realizing that he was someone who he'd never met and that there were 5 million other people who had accounts just as this boy did, that having someone obsess over him wasn't new or special in any way.

"Uh, yeah," Jungkook was hesitant, convinced that this was just the idol being kind to a fan for good publicity. His eyes flew around his café, hesitant to rest on the famous boy's features.

"That's cool, be sure to say hi at the meet up."

Jungkook nodded fiercely, his face marred in confusion as the other stood, smiling widely.

"Well, I'll be going. It was nice meeting you, coffee boy," Hoseok winked and Jungkook remained still, his eyes following the boy's back as he slid from his seat and left the warm restaurant.

Jungkook had quite an agonizing day ahead of him