Afterglow | K.TH

Dark Golden

RIEUL

Finally.

Break time.

My eyes are already half-closed with sleep as I stumble out into the courtyard, where there are patients running in the grass and caregivers busy taking care of them.

It's already noon, and I rub furiously at my eyes when I feel my phone vibrate inside of my pocket.

My voice drags.

"Hello?"

"Noona!" Jungkook's excited tone comes through, and I smile sleepily. "Noona, I heard from Jimin hyung! You're getting his signature for me. Oh gosh, I can't breathe— I can't—"

My eyes widen.

"Jungkook." I say in surprise, but his soft laughter comes through from the other side.

"Noona, I'm fine. I was just messing with you! I'm actually so happy I could fly."

I smile.

"Jungkook, you're being good with Jimin, right? Did you eat breakfast? I left some side dishes in the fridge—"

He suddenly giggles.

"Okay, Noona. So Jimin hyung told me not to tell you this, but he took me out today and bought me that soft fluffy bread from the bakery! He told me not to tell you because he said you'd try and pay him back."

I just can't help but grin.

Jimin. Of course.

"Well, Jungkook—"

But then my voice cuts off when I run straight into someone, phone flying from my grip and landing on the concrete pathway.

I stumble backwards.

But then a cold arm snakes around my waist, and all of my sleepiness disappears into nothing when I look up into a pair of the darkest eyes I'd ever seen in my life.

"Watch where you're going."

And my mind burns.

I instantly break away. My eyes scan the ground frantically for my phone, and I hurry to click it on again.

The call's broken.

And so is my screen.

"That's a pity." The voice comes again, and I look back up to the man. He's let go of my waist, and I feel my cheeks blush with embarrassment as I quickly tuck the ruined phone back into my pocket.

"Sorry. It's my fault I didn't look where I was, uh, going."

Those eyes.

Not wanting to see them again, I avoid his gaze and try to duck to the side. But then he grips my wrist, and I swallow a harsh breath when I'm spun back around.

"Where are you going so quickly?" He says at my expression. "I'm willing to compensate for that."

"W-What.... no, it's fine." I quickly refuse, just wanting to get the heck away from this man. There was something about him— and his eyes were too dark.