Chapter 5: Saturday 3:30 PM
"Oh come on! You mean to tell me you never once talked to her in that time? After all that? What kind of friend are you, huh?" Jungkook yelled at the screen to Helen's amusement.
Helen laughed merrily. It was Saturday again, and they were ending their weekly binge of the kdrama they began one month earlier. It was now the last episode and although emotions were meant to be high as the storyline was wrapping up, Jungkook still provided endless entertainment as an unpaid but very enthusiastic commentator. She picked up a small handful of popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth as he cursed in Korean at the ex boyfriend in the next scene.
They were still on the same couch, but this time Helen and Jungkook's posture was more informal. The two sat close to each other, with Jungkook's arm hanging around Helen's shoulder and Helen's hair fanned out on top of it. Jungkook's feet were up on the coffee table in front of them with snacks on it. Helen was curled up next to him with a blanket over her legs, cradling a bag of caramel glazed popcorn.
"Ooh what's that one? I like it," Jungkook said after finishing the bite.
Helen showed him the bag with a satisfied grin. "Told you you'd like it."
"Yeah yeah whatever just put it on the snack list, Hely."
Helen chuckled, taking his phone off the coffee table in front of them and unlocking it with the password that he so graciously allowed her to know just last week. Swiping to his notes app, she quickly added the popcorn and put the phone back down so she wouldn't miss anything else.
After the ending credits rolled on the screen, Jungkook and Helen stretched leisurely, chatting about the ending and drama as a whole.
"This was cheesy and kinda dramatic as usual for kdramas but I'm glad they got together in the end, and she was finally able to move on from that jerk," Jungkook said.
Helen nodded in agreement. "Right, I'm so glad she eventually broke it off when they got back together. He's a snake," Helen replied.
"It was actually a really good idea, her friend making date ideas for her to get over her ex. Which reminds me, it's really nice outside so why don't we go for a walk?"
Helen looked over at Jungkook quizzically, wondering what he was getting at. She had noticed that Jungkook would convince her to do things with him every weekend since they met, like going to museums, walking in the park, and going out to eat. She couldn't help feeling like he was taking her on friend dates much like the leads in the drama they had watched. On the other hand, she truly enjoyed his company and had fun wherever he took her, even when he took her to the beach after work sometimes when she'd had a bad day.
"No, stop overthinking it," she thought to herself.
"Okay! I've been cooped up all weekend, might as well get some fresh air," she replied as she helped him clear away the snacks. "We could also go to Leo's for ice cream later, and come back to make some actual food to pretend we're functioning adults."
Jungkook cheered adorably, causing Helen to laugh. He loved going to Leo's ever since she showed him her favorite little ice cream shop a couple weeks ago. The owner was kind, the prices great, and he had a personal project to try every single type the shop had to offer.
"Let me get changed into something other than sweats then," he said, walking down the hallway.
"And what about me? You're gonna look nicer than me," Helen pouted, folding the blanket she used and tossing it on the corner of the couch.
"No I won't, you're hot enough for the both of us," Jungkook replied, making Helen blush. "Besides, you're wearing a black skirt, that's easy enough to dress up."
"Yeah but I know you, you're gonna wear something classy and I've got a stain on my shirt from when you threw the Cheetos at me!"
"Just pick one of my dress shirts then, you'll be fine," Jungkook said, taking her arm and walking her to his bedroom.
Helen rolled her eyes. They always had this conversation when they went out unexpectedly, so much that she wasn't sure how many of Jungkook's shirts she had in her apartment by now. She followed him inside and stood next to him, both of them studying his closet carefully. Suddenly she furrowed her brows in confusion, pulling out a shirt and holding it up to him. It was a simple airy light blue off-shoulder cotton shirt with the tags still on it.
Jungkook smiled. "Surprise! You keep taking my stuff and not giving it back so I bought you a few things and kept it here for times like now. Aren't I a good friend?"
"More like a boyfriend," Helen thought to herself, her face heating up. "Thank you, Kookie," she said out loud. It was just her style, simple but elegant.
She disappeared into the ensuite bathroom to change her shirt and tucked the front casually into her skirt, marveling at how well it fit. Jungkook clearly paid attention when they went shopping together 3 weeks ago, and it warmed her heart. Jungkook spoiled her, and while she enjoyed it, a small part of her felt scared, scared that if he got a girlfriend, they could never be this easy and casual with each other.
Helen stepped out of the bathroom after changing to find Jungkook taking his T-shirt off, his back to her. Her breath hitched. His broad back rippled slightly with his movements as he picked up another shirt to put on. Hearing Helen closing the bathroom door, he turned around after putting on a button down shirt. All the buttons still unbuttoned, she could see his chest and abs. Her heartbeat quickened. She knew Jungkook was hot, but she tried to ignore it most of the time. However, this very moment reminded her of what she felt the night they met, and she simply couldn't ignore it this time.
"Hely? Earth to Helen? You're drooling," Jungkook said, trying to get her attention since she had clearly zoned out.
Helen's hand snapped to the corner of her mouth immediately, before realising when Jungkook laughed that he was messing with her. Glaring playfully as her cheeks burned at being caught, she walked over and smacked him gently on the arm.
"You play too much!"
"And you keep falling for it," Jungkook said, still laughing while he buttoned up his shirt.
"Why're you wearing the same color as me?" Helen asked. His button down was also a cotton light blue shirt.
He rolled up the sleeves to show off his forearms, his tattoo sleeve slowly being revealed with each fold. "Why not?"
"I mean...it makes it look like we're..." Helen trailed off, not sure how to say that they looked like a couple. "Nevermind."
Jungkook smiled cheekily, knowing exactly what she wanted to say. He intentionally bought her several clothes that matched his, she just didn't know it yet. He wasn't her boyfriend, but he was going to act like one for as long as she was single, especially since she didn't seem to mind.
He turned to his accessories to put on a black watch and swapped his black studs out for tiny silver hoop earrings. Helen liked dressing up a little, and Jungkook enjoyed that about her because he also liked looking nice when going out, and their aesthetics were pretty similar. He casually tucked his shirt into his black jeans before running his hand through his curly hair and shaking it out in the full length mirror next to his closet.
Helen never admitted it, but Jungkook looked hot with curly obsidian hair. The front of his hair hung down in curly bangs that framed his face while the longer curls in the back swept the base of his neck and skimmed the tips of his ears. She watched Jungkook give himself one last glance in the mirror before focusing on her behind him and winking at her. Helen rolled her eyes and made a silly face at him, walking out of his bedroom.
He followed her out to the door and they put their shoes on. She wore black wedges so he opted for simple black loafers.
"Ready?" he asked.
Helen nodded, and they stepped out into the July air. Jungkook drove them to a nearby park that they frequented, and they got out, walking leisurely around. There were couples and families also enjoying the weekend sunshine like them, and kids were playing happily. In the distance, there was a basketball court where a few teenagers were playing a casual pickup game. Jungkook and Helen walked toward them, watching the teenagers as they chatted lightly. They stood along the sidelines, watching the boys until their short game ended.
"Hey man, you want a turn?" one of the boys asked Jungkook, tossing him the basketball.
Helen raised an eyebrow, waiting for Jungkook's reply.
He turned to her. "You want to see me take a shot? I won't play a full game cause I don't want to sweat, so don't worry about me abandoning you."
"You play?" Helen asked, surprised.
"Occasionally, whenever Raúl and Kevin are around," Jungkook replied, referring to the 2 friends who were with him that night they first met.
"This I've gotta see," she said, walking over to a nearby bench and taking a seat.
Jungkook grinned, taking out his phone, wallet and keys. He placed them in her lap, winked, and entered the court, bouncing the ball. He immediately sidestepped a boy who ran to swipe the ball and passed it to the boy who invited him over. The boy passed it back after dribbling for a few seconds without getting any opening. Jungkook dribbled quickly, turned around to sidestep another boy, stepped back behind the line, and took a shot.
Swish!
Helen stood up and cheered. The other 2 boys on his team cheered as well. He immediately swiped the ball away from an opponent and circled back, driving into the paint and scoring a layup. He kept going for 3 more shots, making each one before finally leaving the game, a bright boyish grin on his slightly flushed face.
"Come back anytime man, I want you on my team! 5 shots, and you didn't even need a rebound! Wow!" the boy who invited him over exclaimed, impressed.
Jungkook nodded before making his way over to Helen. Standing on the sidelines, he could see her eyes shining with excitement. She glowed despite standing in the shade of a tree, the little pockets of sunlight peeking through the leaves lighting up her beauty even more. It felt like time slowed as he walked toward her, his heart accelerating.
"How was it?" he asked when he got to her, taking his things from her hands.
"You were amazing!" Helen gushed enthusiastically, hugging him in her excitement.
Jungkook immediately wrapped his arms around her waist in pleasant surprise. He could feel the warm softness of her body pressed against his, the contact sending his heart into somersaults and his skin tingling where they touched.
Helen was also surprised at her action and felt her face flush. Shy, she pulled away gently. She looked up at him, joy tempered by bashfulness glittering in her brown eyes when she found him smiling tenderly at her.
"I'm glad you liked it," he said softly, brushing away a lock of hair from her face.
Helen nearly combusted. She almost touched her face, sure it would be hot to the touch but cleared her throat and looked away instead.
"Um...I think now's a good time for that ice cream," she said.
Jungkook's eyes twinkled. "Sounds good to me, let's go."
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top