STRAY // JJK x HYBRID (bunny)✔️ Re-Writing

CHAPTER 73

BO-YOUNG 

"Admit it," Jungkook demands persistently. He's been pestering me for almost 5 minutes straight now. I ignore him, turning my attention to the book I've been trying to read. My eyes pass over the sentence, not retaining any of the words I read.

"C'mon, Bo-youngie~" Jungkook says with a shit-eating grin on his face.

He finally stops looming over my shoulder like an ominous parrot and throws himself onto the armchair beside me, launching dust from the surface to float through the air. His accosting, though, continues as he leans towards me, his eyes boring into me as I still refuse to look at him.

"I know you're not actually reading. It's been over 5 minutes, and you haven't flipped the page," he tells me, the smile evident in his voice.

I heave a heavy sigh and place the book on my lap, finally looking at him.

"Guess whose fault that is, Sherlock," I say, deadpan. This, though, doesn't seem to deter him.

"After the hissyfit you threw after finding out about the pot, I think I deserve to hear you verbally admit that I was right to take it along," he says. I huff, knowing that I'm being both stubborn and petty.

"How was I to know that the moving trucks wouldn't make it until late tomorrow?" I whine. A childish part of me wants to avoid admitting defeat, though I know he's right. "Sure, the pot is a godsend now, but only because of the delay with the trucks, which I'm sure you didn't foresee."

Jungkook tilts his head. "See, what I'm hearing is that you're grateful that I brought that pot, but you're just salty that you had to carry it. Is this right?"

"...Fine, you're right," I admit, subconsciously massaging the hand in which I carried the god-forsakenly heavy bag.

Had Jungkook not overpacked, we'd be living much less comfortably for the next day or so. Thanks to him and his cumbersome bags, we have the necessary cooking utensils to make soup for this chilly winter evening.

Due to no one living here, the house has been left without the heating being turned on. The walls are no barrier to the December cold that's seeped into Jungkook's childhood home, which is made clear by the fact that the windows are not only covered by frost on the outside, bus also the inside.

I watch my breath in the freezing air, my mind lingering on the passing thought of soup that I had. Soup would be great right now. Jungkook and I have survived the day with only the cold train sandwiches we'd purchased, along with a few other cold snacks. I would kill for anything warm right about now.

With that thought, my eyes flicker on Jungkook, narrowing with the mock--idea of trading his soul for a bowl of soup. Only when his eyes meet mine, and I notice something akin to nervousness in them, do I realize how long I've been staring while practically frothing at the mouth like all of the Donner Party combined. I quickly shake my head, chuckling slightly at my own ridiculousness.

I see Jungkook's mouth open as if to say something, but before a single syllable leaves his lips, I stand up and discard my book.

"I'll run by the store and grab some ingredients for soup, which I'm suddenly craving. Let's make some before it gets too late," I suggest as I make my way to the door. Jungkook nods, handing me a bit of money for the shop run. I push it open and walk out, both Jungkook and I having made the decision to keep our winter clothes on until the heating makes the temperature bearable.

It's noticeably darker now, though it's barely been half an hour since our arrival. The tracks Jungkook and I made walking towards the house are still visible, though they're swiftly being covered by the new layer of powder-like snow raining down.

I make new prints in the snow as I walk down the path lined with trees towards the town, which shines like a warm-hued beacon in the dark of the evening.

I walk down the vaguely familiar streets of the town, tracing my steps from my last visit to the store when Jungkook and I first visited here, quickly arriving at the town square, where I see the familiar quaint store I'll soon take my first shift at.

I hug my jacket to me, trying to keep the heat in as I take hurried steps to the store in the hopes of escaping the cold. I slow as I see a familiar figure through the windows of the store. Jimin stands inside, re-stocking the magazine stand with his back turned towards me. I smile fondly.

I walk in, hearing a small bell ring pleasantly. I can't remember if it was there on my first visit. Jimin doesn't pay me any mind as he continues to meddle with the magazine stand.

He doesn't even turn to face me as he mutters: "Sorry, we'll be closing in just a sec. Come back tomorrow."

"It's really cold out," I remark, expecting him to recognize my voice. To my dismay, Jimin doesn't.

"That tends to happen when it's winter," he says snarkily. "Come back tomorrow – I'm already late with closing the store."

I sign before tapping his shoulder. I see him tense up before turning around, a look of both tiredness and disdain on his face. His demeanour flips to surprised when he sees it's me.

"Oh!" he exclaims as he instinctively takes a couple of steps back. "Bo-young!"

I smile. "Hi, Jimin."