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"Stop fidgeting already!" hissed a low voice.

Jungkook glared at his friend. "You know I hate three-piece suits!"

Taehyung rolled his eyes, leaning back against the bathroom counter before reaching out to adjust Jungkook's tie with deft fingers. "Suck it up, big boy. You gotta look the part."

Jungkook glanced at himself in the ridiculously posh mirror. He looked sharp; even his piercings and peeking tattoos didn't seem out of place. Taehyung then stuck an earbud into his ear.

"Okay, you're all set, JK. We'll be able to hear each other."

"Testing, testing. Do you read me?" Jungkook said, mimicking a spy checking his comms.

"Yes, I hear you alright. You don't need to speak into your lapel," Taehyung responded with a laugh.

Jungkook gave him a stare and tugged at the sleeves of his shirt. "You know, Tae, this reminds me of Prague."

His friend snorted a laugh. "Let's hope we won't burn this restaurant down as well."

Jungkook chuckled and looked around the bathroom with amusement.

"Thinking about bringing a date here, JK?"

"Where? To Le Chêne?"

"Yeah, or is it too fancy for your hookups?"

Jungkook chose to ignore his friend's jab and checked his watch. "Degas is gonna be here in five."

"It's Degas."

"That's what I said."

"You said Degas with an 's.' I told you the 's' is silent, you dummy," Taehyung scoffed.

"Why have an 's' if it's silent?"

"'Cause it's French."

"Whatever." Jungkook looked in the mirror and moved a loose strand of hair from his forehead. He took a deep breath, thinking about the preparation that had led to this moment. Failure wasn't an option if he wanted his plan to work. "I'm off."

"I'll be at the corner table," Taehyung called after him.

Jungkook marched confidently out of the bathroom and toward a cute hostess in a black dress. He smirked as she looked at him, all flustered.
"How may I help you, sir?"

"I'm meeting someone. Name's Yoo Degas."

"Certainly, sir. Let me escort you to your table. Your party hasn't arrived yet."

She swayed her hips as she led him into an extravagant dining room. The sparkling of fine china, the murmur of conversation, and the aroma of gourmet food hit him all at once, abusing his senses.

Don't get distracted now, JK. If you screw this up, all those months of planning will be for nothing.

Seated at his table, Jungkook ordered sparkling water and scanned the room. He scrunched his nose at the poshly dressed people and noted Taehyung at a small table in the corner by a large window.

Okay, everything's going according to plan. Just don't fuck it up now.

"Did you say something?" Taehyung's voice came through the earbud, hidden under Jungkook's hair.

"I was talking to myself, Tae."

"Try not to, 'cause you seem unhinged. And also, stop leaning into your lapel! You look like a spy in a cheap movie."

Jungkook gave his friend a pointed look but didn't have time to respond. A man approached his table.

"Mr. John Cook?"

"Yes, very nice to meet you, Mr. Degas," Jungkook stood and shook the man's hand. The businessman was tall and lean, with an air of pretentiousness that matched his tailor-made suit. Jungkook nearly choked at his small, neatly styled mustache.

That's one vain douche if I ever saw one.

They sat, and a waiter brought menus. Jungkook froze.

Fuck, it's all in French.

"I'll have the escargot and the cassoulet," Degas ordered smoothly, tapping his fingers on the table.

Jungkook rolled his eyes internally, struggling to make sense of the menu.

Do I go with Pieds de porc? That's pork, right? Safe choice. Or maybe Couilles de mouton. That sounds fancy. Degas will surely be impressed.

"How about you, sir?" the waiter asked Jungkook.

Panicked, he scanned the menu again. "Everything looks so good. What would you recommend?"

"For the entrée, I recommend la salade niçoise. For the main course, la cervelle de veau is a delicacy."

"Great, I'll have that," Jungkook said, gulping his water.

I really should've paid more attention in French class.

He remembered that time in Paris when Taehyung had to bail him out of trouble because he couldn't read the street signs.

Hopefully, I won't need saving this time.

As soon as the waiter left, the businessman leaned back in his chair. The continued tapping was starting to get on Jungkook's nerves. "You have an impressive resume, John. Is it okay if I call you John?"

Jungkook put on his brightest smile. "Of course, sir, and thank you. It would be an honor to work for you."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I have a few more candidates to interview. My assistant, however, gave you a glowing review, so I have high expectations for you, John."

Jungkook smirked. He had flirted his socks off with that woman to secure the meeting.

If charming assistants was an Olympic sport, I'd be a gold medalist.

"Tell me, John," Degas continued, "what's your favorite piece from the Baroque period?"

Jungkook paused, listening intently to Taehyung's whispered guidance. "Tell him it's The Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio. And mention the chiaroscuro."

"I'd have to say Caravaggio's 'The Calling of Saint Matthew.' The use of chiaroscuro is simply masterful."

"Excellent choice," Degas nodded approvingly. "And who would you consider the most underrated artist of that era?"

Jungkook hesitated for a moment, then repeated Taehyung's prompt, "I'd say Artemisia Gentileschi. Her work is powerful and often overlooked compared to her male counterparts."

The businessman seemed pleased with the answer.

Their entrées were served, and there was a pause in the conversation as Degas dug into his escargot. Jungkook shuddered internally at the sight of the snails. Then Degas resumed the interview.

"So, John, tell me more about your experience as a buyer for the downtown gallery," he said, taking a sip of his water.

Jungkook smiled confidently. "I've been fortunate to work with some incredible artists and collectors. My focus has always been on discovering emerging talents and securing pieces that not only hold aesthetic value but also promise significant returns on investment."

He paused, listening to Taehyung's whisper, "Mention Sarah Kim!"

"One of my notable achievements was acquiring an early work by Sarah Kim, which tripled in value within a couple months."

"Impressive," Degas remarked, clearly intrigued.

Ugh, not the tapping again.

The main courses arrived. Jungkook's looked absolutely disgusting. Degas's phone rang, and he excused himself. Jungkook looked at his dish in horror. "Tae, what the fuck is this?"

"I believe you ordered cow brain, my friend," Taehyung answered through the earbud, stifling his laughter.

Jungkook fought off a wave of nausea and looked around. He noticed a large napkin on the table next to theirs, grabbed it, and discreetly dumped his dish onto it. He wrapped the napkin and stashed it behind a flower arrangement.

"Jungkook! What are you doing?"

"I can't eat that. Degas will never hire me if he sees me gagging on some brain. And then we'll be back to square one."

Degas returned to the table. "I'm sorry, John, but I have to go. Something came up. My assistant will contact you in the next few days."

Jungkook stood and shook Degas's hand. "Thank you for your time, sir."

With a nod, Degas left. Jungkook looked at his friend and shrugged. "Seems like the interview went well."

"You aced it, man. Now let's go."

Jungkook walked to the hostess. "I'd like the bill, please."

The hostess smiled brightly, giving him a flirty look. "The gentleman you were with has already closed the tab."

"Great, thanks."

As Jungkook headed for the door, a high-pitched shriek reached his ears. "They've found the brains," Jungkook thought, chuckling as he walked out of the restaurant. "Well, that's one way to leave an impression."

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A/n
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