Part 22
Thank God it's Friday again.
This past week has been so stressful for me, so I left work earlier than usual today. We have a project going on right now and I run it, so I have to put more responsibility and effort into it. We are about to hand over the project to a construction company so all the final retouching has to be done. For me, this means less sleeping and more working for the next three weeks until the deadline.
I couldn't really spend any time with Jungkook or Nora. It's not a big deal with Nora, because she is familiar with this from former projects, where I was also project manager. But it is new for Jungkook. We are new and therefore it was difficult for me to find time for him. But luckily we could see each other every evening, even if it wasn't that long.
Currently, I'm walking home from the train station, which fortunately is not so far away from my apartment. Sometimes I wish I had a car because that way I wouldn't have to take these crowded subways every day. But then I would have to endure the traffic jams every day and that means getting up earlier, which is not an option for me. Lost in my thoughts, I look into the store windows that I walk past every day, but still, find interesting how they always display new things. And that's when my cell phone rings tearing me out of my observation.
"Hey, Nora," I answer the phone.
"Hey, sweetie. What are you doing right now? I hope I'm not disturbing you at work," she asks and I can hear loud noises like music and people talking in the background, which is why I assume that she is out right now.
"I'm already out of work, so don't worry. I will be home soon. Why?"
"Ah perfect! I have a date with Alex today." she giggles and I hum smirking although she can't see me right now. "Yeah, we're going to that amusement park that just opened up."
"How cute. It reminds me of our high school days." I laugh.
"Right? Hey, listen, I actually called to ask if you'd like to come along with Jungkook. We could double date and Alex could meet Jungkook." I listen to her offer with enthusiasm. I haven't been to the amusement park for a long time and this way the two guys could also get to know each other. Nora and Alex are not officially together yet, but I can already see how things are going in this direction. And that's why it wouldn't hurt if the two got to know each other, we will definitely be spending a lot more time together in the future.
"That sounds fun, but I have to ask Jungkook first if he has time and feels like it. I'll call you right back, okay?"
"Okay," she sings and we both hang up.
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"They're over there."
After Jungkook agreed to go to the amusement park with Nora and Alex, we headed off. We agreed to meet here and after a little search through the crowded stands and people, we finally found them. To be honest, I had to drag Jungkook here a bit in the beginning, because he just woke up from a little nap when I called him and was apparently still tired, but on the way, the excitement overcame him. He literally raced over here.
"Hey, you two." I greet them both as I give Nora a hug.
"Hey, man, I'm Alex." I see Alex extending his hand in the direction of Jungkook for a shake. Jungkook responds with a smile, taking his hand and also introducing himself with his name. The handshake takes a little longer than normal, but Jungkook finally pulls his hand back. He turns to me and looks at me questioningly but I shrug my shoulders and smile at him.
"What do you guys want to do first?" Nora asks excitedly, looking at us all.
"Let's walk through the stands and if something catches our eye, we can do it," Alex suggests, his eyebrows raised and his shoulders shrugging.
We all agree with his idea and make our way through the full stands. Since it has already gotten dark, the lights of the food stalls and the lanes look much nicer. My eyes are looking at all possible colors of the shining lights, how they are constantly changing and the loud music is adapting to them.
We walk slowly together to be able to see and recognize everything so that we don't miss any attraction that we can try out. I watch as Nora and Alex walk a few steps in front of us, holding hands, talking about different things, and laughing as they look around them. It makes me happy to see them so happy. They are not official, but I feel that this will happen soon.
I watch little kids riding and laughing loudly on the little roller coasters that are extra slow, while their parents watch them from outside and record with their cell phones. Lost in thought I look at my surroundings until I feel a hand touching mine.
I look to my left side and see how Jungkook is already looking down at me and it doesn't take him long until he puts my hand into his. He intertwines our fingers and gives me a gentle smile. It's been a long time since someone held my hand like this and it's also the first time Jungkook does it in public. I grasp his hand more firmly and reflect the same smile on my lips, my cheeks a little blushing. I suddenly become very shy looking down at the floor. Jungkook's light laughter is audible over all the loud music and I can swear that it is the most beautiful thing I have heard tonight.
"How about the haunted house?" Nora turns to us and points with a finger at a creepily designed building, from which screaming and laughter can be heard at the same time.
"I don't know, horror isn't really my thing," I say uncertainly. I'm a person who can be scared easily and that's why I don't watch horror movies and get scared when I hear noises in my apartment at night.
"Come on, Elaine. It'll be fun" she claps her hands cheerfully as she jumps up and down.
I give everyone an insecure smile, but Jungkook already pulls me with his hand towards the haunted house. Bringing his lips to my ear, he whispers. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Before I can even register, we are already standing in line after the two men have gotten the tickets for us. My rising anxiety overwhelms me and I unconsciously start playing with my fingers until Jungkook stops me and gives me a reassuring smile as he takes my hand in his.
We are buckled into a wagon after Nora and Alex and a man gives us instructions not to stretch out our arms and legs or, in case of an emergency, to press a button on the left. The wagon starts to move and we are led through the dark house, where cobwebs and disgusting slimy stuff are hanging from the walls everywhere.
I look to my right side and see Jungkook already wiggling with excitement in his seat. His eyes sparkle and his mouth is formed into a big smile, with all his pearly white teeth shining out in the darkness. I don't understand how he can have fun while I almost pee myself.
The wagon makes a right turn and my heart starts beating faster as this area is darker and we are pulled further into the tunnel. I grab the first thing next to me that happens to be Jungkook's hand. I squeeze it tight as a big plastic spider almost falls into our face from above us and a little scream leaves my mouth.
"I would like to have my hand back safe and sound when we get out of here," Jungkook says laughing and I glare at him. "Just relax, I'm here."
We are driven through different stations and I twitch every time something unexpected comes up and Jungkook keeps laughing at me. I'm glad he's spending the time of his life, but I want to get out of here as soon as possible. I close my eyes and wait until the ride is over.
"We're done."
When I open my eyes, the bright lights outside hit me and I'm relieved that this spooky moment is finally over. Jungkook helps me to unfasten my seatbelt and we walk over to Nora and Alex, who are already waiting for us. Then we casually stroll through the stalls until we reach a cotton candy stand.
"Do you want one?" Jungkook asks.
"I'd love to." I smile.
The man who reminds me of my grandpa turns on his machine and pink colored strings accumulate in the drum, which he then shapes into a pretty big flower on a long stick. He hands it to me and I tear off some of the cloud-like softness, which I then put into my mouth, where it dissolves because of my saliva. I tear off another piece and bring it to Jungkook's face. Opening his mouth he takes in the candy before he gives my finger a little lick, his gaze not leaving my eyes, making me blush.
Ignoring his intense gaze, I run ahead and he follows me with quick steps, where we meet up with the other two afterward. We ride the whole evening through a variety of attractions, from roller coasters to Ferris wheels, from gondolas to boxcars. The laughter never left our faces, so that tears flowed from our eyes and our cheeks almost went into convulsions.
Today is an evening that I never want to forget because we had more fun together than ever before. To have my best friend and my boyfriend by my side is and remains the greatest gift. Nothing in this world would I exchange for this blessing.
"Jungkook, what do you think about us both winning something small for our ladies," Alex asks with a certain challenge in his voice lingering. "You against me. The better one makes a lady happy."
An arrogant expression looks down on Jungkook as the two men face each other. Alex is physically a bit taller than Jungkook, but the two men's confidence seems to fight for victory against each other. All evening long I didn't hear Alex talking much. Maybe it was his nature, his personality, but he seems to have deviated a little from Nora's stories. Alex seems, for whatever reason, to be in some kind of self-invented challenge with Jungkook.
"Challenge accepted," Jungkook replies with the same exuberance. I know that he doesn't ease off that easily because he is a bad loser and loves to suppress the competitor. The two face each other and despite the difference in height, Jungkook rolls his slightly wider shoulders back, his chest sticking out further, nose a little higher so that he almost comes close to Alex's height.
We search for a booth where you can win souvenirs, like stuffed animals, and Nora and I look at each other with a giggle, because we think that this exaggeration of competition is a bit overdone but still amusing for both of us. I mean, who wouldn't want their boyfriend to battle it out with another man to win something for you. Well, I do.
Arriving at a shooting range, Alex is just about to put some money in the hand of the stand owner, but Jungkook beats in the fast lane and takes over the action. The stand owner pushes a plastic gun into the hands of each of the two men, and they line up at the designated mark in front of the counter.
I stand on the left side of Jungkook and Nora stands on the opposite side next to Alex. You could clearly see that both of them were taking what was supposed to be fun a little too seriously because the concentration could be seen in the sparkling orbs I knew so well as well as in the sea-blue irises of Alex. Eyebrows wrinkled, the gun leaning against the shoulder of the shooting arm, waiting for a command from the man on the other side of the counter.
"You have three rounds to go. Whoever wins two rounds first is the winner. You have to hit the target in front of you and when the little lamp above you lights up, it means you have hit the exact center. Good luck." the man explains before moving to the side and out of the field of fire. A woman's voice, sounding through the speakers, signals that they can start and Jungkook's eyes meet mine before he shoots, giving me a wink.
The two of them aim at the target and one after the other there is a slight banging of the small plastic balls that hit the target at a distance that is not too great. The center of the target is painted in a bright yellow so that you can't miss it when you strike it. Nora and I watch in great excitement as the small balls hit the circle around the yellow center of red and white outlines one after the other and I jump up and down slightly, encouraging Jungkook and cheering for him. I have to admit that this little challenge gives me even more excitement, adrenalin, and heartbeat than all the attractions we rode tonight.
"Come on, baby, you can do it," Nora shouts, also cheering for Alex. All the joy and amusement is written on our faces, while the two men try with full concentration to make the little lamp light up.
Not long after that, more colorful lamps light up around the stand and a little cheering music plays from the speakers, showing that one of the players has hit the golden center. Looking up at the lamps above us, I notice that Alex's is the one that glows and Nora throws her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
When I look up to Jungkook, he is already watching Alex with an annoyed look. His tongue slides over the inside of his cheek and one eyebrow jumps up in agitation. I could almost say that his right eye has twitched. His competitive nature is no joke because the next thing I notice is his nose flaring up and his tongue sweeping across his lower lip.
"That was only the first round. Come on, don't do any happy dances here," Jungkook growls in an irritated mood, rolling his shoulders back and cracking the bones in his neck with jerky movements.
Both of them standing on the mark again in full concentration, the visor of the gun held to one eye, I give Nora a cautious look and she shrugs her shoulders and laughs as she forms a soundless 'they are children' with her mouth, making me laugh as well. The second round begins and both try to hit their target with quick shots. This time Jungkook is the lucky winner of this round because after only four shots he hits the middle. An overconfident smile falls on his lips as he gives Alex a triumphant look before he turns to me and without warning he kisses me hard on the lips. Due to the unexpected impact, I grab his shirt to avoid falling backward and kiss him back before he pulls back giving me a smile.
"I'm going to win this," he states, before turning to the front again to prepare for the third and final round because this is the decisive round.
As the final round begins with the sound of the female voice through the speakers, the plastic balls bounce against the target at the end of the stand. Both of them try to hit it first while remaining fully concentrated and precise. I see a drop of sweat rolling down Jungkook's temple and it makes me wonder why he takes it all so seriously. Is it to impress me, to satisfy his competitive nature, or to teach Alex a lesson not to compete with him anymore? I don't know.
After a few minutes, the music starts to play, which was now a bit different than the rest, and we all look up at the same time to see who fired the successful last shot. But before I can see the light, Jungkook throws himself on me, grabs me by my waist, lifting me up and spinning me through the air. His laughter resounds in my ear and after he puts me down on the floor, he cups my face with both hands, kissing my lips.
"I won," he calls joyfully after he has pulled back from the kiss.
"You have won." I laugh and cup his face rising on my tiptoes and kiss him again. I'm very happy that he won, although it was just a game to have fun. I have to admit that I noticed how competitive I actually am too because inside I almost died of nervousness when they were playing and I might have been disappointed if he had lost.
"Good game, dude," Alex comments as he extends his hand to finish the game honorably.
"Thanks." is the response of Jungkook as he grabs his hand firmly. There is a certain heavy air between the two of them, which I have not been able to resolve yet where it comes from. Because it is not jealousy or protection that I feel, but something completely different. But it is not important as long as the two get along and we can have a good time together.
Once I picked a stuffed animal as a prize, which is a little bunny with big eyes and floppy ears, because it reminded me of Jungkook, we strolled around a little before we said goodbye to Nora and Alex, because they got tired and wanted to go home. Arriving at Jungkook's car, I fasten my seatbelt to get ready before Jungkook turns to me and looks at me with sparkling eyes as if he had gotten an idea.
"What about some ice cream if you're not tired yet?"
You can always win me over with ice cream.
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A/N: Elaine is such a mood because I love ice cream
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