Bookshop Romance - a Jungkook BTS story

MC Escher - Chapter 1

Jungkook put on his coat, pulled up the hood, and slipped on a mask. The early morning hour meant people were still warm in their beds. A few cars moved silently on the roads, the early commuters sipping coffee on their way to work. He slipped into his car and set the gps for a little bookstore on the outskirts of town. 

Shopping in Seoul would certainly get him spotted, but an unknown shop without a single google review, first thing in the morning meant there was a good chance he would be the only customer. Sure, he could just buy a book online, but he wanted to make the extra effort and pick out something himself for Namjoon's birthday. 

He drove through the streets, wondering when the last time he'd actually spent time alone was. He undulated between the sense of stillness and freedom and wishing he'd invited someone to tag along. 

He parked the car and took a deep breath. Without his friends or bodyguards, getting caught would be a disaster. He looked in the rear view mirror. No one would recognize him.  

He found the shop amongst a strip of small store fronts. A bell jingled above his head as he opened the door. 

The store looked more like an antique shop or an overcrowded garage than a book store. Books lines the walls all the way to the ceiling, boxes of unpacked merchandise cluttered the floor and piles of books filled every counter top space and chair. It smelled like a museum and ink.

He was right. He was the only customer. After a moment, he wondered if he wasn't just the only customer, but the only human.

He glanced at the counter and down the aisles. No one. He began to wander down the first aisle. 

He wondered what type of book to get. Namjoon read everything. Jungkook really didn't know if he had a type. His bookshelves were filled with fiction and nonfiction alike, autobiographies, novels, history, and art. Namjoon's mind simply needed to be filled. He was a devourer. 

Jungkook froze as he heard a small voice behind him, "May I help you find something?"

He turned around and looked at the girl standing in front of him. She drew in a breath and her eyes got big, but just as quickly as he saw it, her face softened and she continued, "Are you looking for yourself or someone else?"

"Someone else. A birthday present for a friend."

"What does your friend like?" She asked.

Jungkook ran his fingers along the book bindings as he walked down the aisle, turning his body to obscure his face even more. "He tries so hard to understand the world, but I think what he really wants is to understand himself."

The girl responded, "I think I know a book."

Jungkook stopped. How did she already have a recommendation with so little information? She turned and walked away and he found himself following her. 

At the front of the store, she stooped down in front of an opened box. She pulled out a book with a black and white sketch across the front.  She gave it a loving pat with her hands and reached her arm out to hand it to him, "I immediately thought of RM when I saw this book, I think he would love it."

Jungkook's hand stopped midreach and he looked into her eyes, "Wha...what?"

The girl blushed, "It's his birthday next week, so I just assumed.....was I mistaken?"

He took the book from her hands and asked with trepidation, "You know who I am?"

The girl looked down and began twisting her hands together. "You're Jeon Jungkook."