════ ❁ ════

THE clock read 7:30 am, and seulgi knew she didn't have to work today; at least not until later that afternoon.

which was why she was repeatedly questioning herself as to why she was up so early on a day that was clearly permitting her to sleep in for at least another three hours.

as she stepped into the kitchen, she examined herself. it hadn't even occurred  her how awkward looking her bangs looked. as she tied her hair up in a bun above her head, looking at her reflection by the rice cooker, she thought they looked weird, falling to the center of her forehead. she raised an eyebrow, but sighed.

too bad, she thought. i don't plan on getting a haircut anytime soon.

she yawned herself awake, trying her best not to fall asleep in the kitchen again. she put the kettle on the stove and massaged her temples. she wasn't feeling her best today; her head hurt from lack of sleep, and the fact that she couldn't get coffee yet because she had to wait for the water to actually boil is just making it worse.

she wondered if she'd ask jimin to pitch in for a small coffee maker, but 1) she was a bit late on paying the two months worth of rent jimin had shouldered for her, and 2) jimin was still tuckered out in the sofa.

seulgi leaned her arms by the kitchen counter, massaging her temples slowly. it wasn't hard to forget what had happened last night, especially since she had her drunken roommate still snoozing his way in the sofa.

and why she did it, too, well, that was completely out of the question.

she almost considered herself crazy - rushing over to him at half past midnight because of a drunken call, almost convinced that he wasn't getting home safely. maybe it was because of the whole feeling-sorry-for-him thing, since even his friends felt sorry for themselves (they even somehow managed to soften joy's heart), but even she knew it wasn't because of that. it clearly wasn't.

and now she's awake at seven in the morning because there was absolutely no way she was going to sleep peacefully after that.

snap out of it, seulgi, she said to herself yet again. you're acting as if you still have feelings for the guy. stop being stupid, for crying out loud.

she stared at the kettle, waiting for the water to boil. but she then turned towards the living room, and sighed. she figured jimin would need something to help him overcome that head-beating hangover later. grabbing a glass and filling it with water, then taking a small pill of aspirin from the small pot where she keeps her vitamins, she walked over to him, and placed the items on the small table by the couch. she rolled her eyes at herself.

she couldn't really help it, but she stared at him. well, not really stared; more like, observed.

jimin was still easily a tummy sleeper; he was laying down by his front, legs sprawled by the end of the sofa, his cheeks squished as he slept. his hair was askew, and he snored lightly. he was still wearing the same white shirt and blue jeans he wore the night before; his leather jacket and shoes have been discarded somewhere by door.

yes, she was gawking at him again. and she never gawks.

she thought of him last night; how drunk he sounded, how he almost puked. he wouldn't stop blabbering about the studio, and how he looked forward to seeing it again.

that studio was perfect, seulgi. i'm telling you, it has like huge, huge walls for mirrors and beautiful floors and – just – oh my goodness.

yes, i'm sure it did, jimin.

i think i'm gonna go practice that flip taehyung told me to practice–

jimin–

seulgi folded her arms and pouted her lips at him. his face looked angelic as fuck - like nothing could ever disturb his peaceful sleep, not even the hangover that was coming to beat his head open like a bat. he looked calm for someone who was terribly hungover.

she didn't even notice the small smile creeping up her face. she definitely had to give it to him - park jimin had the most unexpected ways to make her smile, even if she didn't want to.

then, she sighed.

she thought she was going crazy. it wasn't because she was feeling something she knew she shouldn't be feeling - hell, she knew something was up the moment he showed up - it was because she had absolutely no idea why she was feeling it.

and it was annoying her.

at first, she thought it was lingering feelings; she blamed their lack of closure for this, and when jimin had the guts to clear the air between the two of them, she thought they'd disappear, like they wouldn't really matter anymore. but when she's still smiling unexpectedly on the morning after saving his ass from the probability of sleeping in a bar because he was deadbeat drunk, that definitely wasn't lingering anymore. she knew going through all that trouble wasn't normal - at least, not for someone who doesn't care.

she hoped this day wouldn't come. she hoped this wouldn't happen at all - but for every wrong reason, it did.

kang seulgi was falling for him again.

it wasn't anything deep yet; more like a crush that pranced its way back. Which was a good thing; it's not like she actually wanted to fall for him again. again. goodness, this was park jimin - the guy who winks at girls for breakfast and eat their hearts for lunch. he was a girl magnet - every girl loved him, no doubt of that - and falling for a guy like him was definitely a wrong move.

but she's done it twice now, so that's two wrong moves.

she massaged her temples again. she was too tired to think of what she was feeling right now - both of which is his fault. she just wanted to sleep.

she kept on smiling at him. wait, no. snap out of it. it was still a feeling she was getting used to, and she hoped she didn't have to think about it enough.

then, her phone started ringing. it was all the way back in the kitchen table, but the shrill ringing was still audible. she looked back at him, taking note how it didn't seem to matter to him at all, and went for the kitchen, picking the ringing phone on the way.

"hello?" she said as soon as she pressed 'accept', tucking a strand of hair back.

"ah! hello, this is kang seulgi, i believe?" said a shrill female voice on the other line. whoever it was, she sounded enthusiastic.

seulgi blinked. "yes, it is. forgive me, but who is this?"

"it's sunny lee."

she raised an eyebrow. "sunny lee?"

"yes, dear. from sm talent agency. i facilitated your audition the other week, for the upcoming song hyekyo drama." she spoke undeniably fast.

seulgi's eyes widened. "oh, good morning sunbae-nim!"

"no need for the formalities, dear, that's really unnecessary." sunny lee cleared her throat from the other side of the line.

"okay, so what should i call you then?"

"ma'am."

seulgi blinked. "oh, okay."

"well, anyway, let me begin. this isn't a call for a role, just to make it clear. no need for you to expect too much."

she bit her lip. "y-yes, ma'am."

"now, we showed the producers of this drama your audition tape, the one we filmed last week, right? they loved you, dear. the director and writers were around the same area."

seulgi smiled. that was definitely a confidence booster. "wow, thank you."

"yes, yes, they thought you embodied seo hanmi perfectly, you know, the way she was written and all that." she cleared her throat again. "so that's why the drama's director wanted me to call you."

"me?"

"he's not offering you a role. not yet, at least. but he'd love it if you were to participate in a callback."

seulgi felt her heart cut through her throat. she brought the phone to her chest and looked up. she was almost going to cry; she felt so unreal.

she might be in a drama.

this was probably the best thing that has happened in her whole acting career - she'd never been cast in what's more than mediocre commercials that air at most four times, so a callback for a drama?

this was big shit.

she let out a muffled laugh, and a chuckle. she was so happy she could fart; but sunny was still on the line. "hello? seulgi? darling?"

"wha–oh, thank you, ma'am! thank you, miss sunny!"

"yes, well, you have the director to thank for that." seulgi let out a sharp scream of delight. "yah! kang seulgi!" sunny squealed. "okay, i get it you're happy, but there's no need to scream at me, dear!"

seulgi stopped after realizing what she had done. "oh, wait, no–that was our, uh, kettle. sorry–"

"well, okay. you're going to be doing the audition with an actor this time, mhm? producers' request. just so they can properly see how you can adapt to having an on-screen partner."

she was nodding, eyes wide. a what now? "y-yes, ma'am."

"alright, we'll be expecting you at the studio by this time next week? does that sound fine?"

"yeah–" the kettle with boiling water started whistling, and seulgi's proximity made the sound audible at her distance. "sorry–"

"what was that?"

"that was our, uh, other kettle." seulgi palmed her forehead.

"okay, well, whatever." sunny didn't sound convinced. "be sure to show yourself, okay? non-appearance means we'll be replacing you."

"yes, ma'am. i'll be there." she picked up the kettle and felt the hot handle, wincing in pain before letting it go abruptly.

"alright, hun. see you then!" sunny did a light chuckle before ending the call, leaving seulgi with her mouth hung wide open, still her shirt and sleeping shorts, standing there, uncomprehending.

she was going to be in a drama. She had to repeat that for a few times to make sure it was real, and it most probably was.

she put down the phone and let out a scream, and started jumping up and down. she was so excited, she had no idea what to do next, so she did the first thing that popped into her head: lose it.

a male voice screamed along with her. jimin popped his head up from the couch, screaming back, startling the both of them. "jimi-"

"seulgi, what the hell?" jimin said, eyes squinting. "was that you? go-"

"sorry, sorry! that was me, it was me-"

"what's wrong? is something wrong?" he tried standing up, clutching on to the couch for support. "wow, when did it get so brig-"

"nothing's wrong, i'm sorry, jimin, i'm sorry," she said, partly chuckling, walking over to him.

"you have got to stop–" he winced from the pain in his head, "–screaming so early in the morning!"

"i'm sorry, i shouldn't ha-"

"what's happening, anyway?" he asked, still squinting. "you almost gave me an aneurysm, seul-"

"nothing, really." seulgi couldn't contain the smile in her face.

"you were sreaming because of nothing?"

"no, i wasn't–okay, there was something-"

"i bet there was," noted jimin, sighing through his nostrils.

"there is." seulgi blinked. "i'm being called back for a role in a drama."

jimin's eyes went from squinted to wide. "what?"

"i'm being called back for a drama, jimin."

jimin's eyes twinkled, even though they were barely open, and he smiled brightly. "shut up."

seulgi raised an eyebrow, confused. "what?"

"shut up!" jimin clamped a hand over his mouth in surprise and pulled her over for a hug.

"jim–" he hugged her gently before she could even protest, not strong enough to agitate the pain in his head, and she froze. he was right in front of her - a weird, nauseating smell of cologne and alcohol, and he had his arms wrapped around her.

instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him, too.

"a drama? that's so cool, seulgi," he said through the hug.

"yeah, well, they thought i was cool, so." jimin pulled back, and looked at her eyes sincerely, still smiling.

"congratulations, kang seulgi. You need a–" he winced from the sharp pain in his head again, "–celebration. sorry about that."

she giggled. "yes, and you need to lie back down." she helped him sit down on the couch again and drape his arm over his eyes. "there's some aspirin and water by your left, you need to drink up."

"i'm fine, i'm fine."

"no, you're not, jimin. if i recall correctly, you don't handle hangovers well. so just drink the aspirin, will you?"

"it's been almost a year and you still know i get hungover easily."

seulgi mentally thumped herself for nagging. "i'll go get you some noodles."

"nood-?"

"no arguing, just close your eyes." seulgi got up, brushing her palms to her thighs, when jimin called.

"ya, seulgi?"

she turned back. "Hm?"

"you still care a lot for me, you know," he said, audibly but still a bit softly. "glad to know that hasn't changed."

seulgi smiled as she turned to go to the kitchen to get him a cup of instant noodles. she knew it wasn't much - nobody really wants to eat a cup of preservatives for breakfast - but it was better than nothing, to be honest. he needed something to make him feel better.

she laughed at herself mentally. she knew partially in her own mind why she was doing this - even though she could never admit it to herself - but she was continuously convincing herself that she was doing this as a friend.

as a roommate.

because after all, it's cool to do something nice for people every once in a while, you know?

"here," seulgi said, appraoaching him. jimin had laid his head on the couch now, and his feet were on top of the arm rest opposite his head. "i'll just put this here."

"thanks, seul," he said. she looked at him; 'seul' had a different ring to it, she figured. It was different from the usual 'sweet cheeks'.

"yeah, sure." she sat down on the chair beside him and folded her legs, looking at him. he looked peaceful, yet she knew he was thinking of something. jimin had his eyes covered, but he always thinned his lips when something was crossing his mind - something she'd learned from seeing him every day.

"you know, you don't have to pretend that nothing's bothering you, jimin."

he looked up, one eye closed, forehead crinkled. "what?"

"i know about the studio," seulgi said. "your friends told me. plus you wouldn't stop blabbering about it last night–"

"last night?"

"yeah, i kinda picked you up from that bar and drove you home."

"really? did sungwoon call you? i knew i was troub–"

"no, actually you did." jimin looked at her. "you called me pretty, too."

jimin sighed and plopped his head back down. "i did?" seulgi nodded. "so i guess it's no use hiding it, huh?"

seulgi nodded again. "you kind of didn't need to hide it though."

"i didn't want to be of any trouble," he admitted. "i thought i could-"

"handle this on your own, we know, jimin." seulgi felt bad for him. she knew how he was feeling; at least, she understood. "still, a little help couldn't have hurt, right?"

"i know, i know, it was a wrong move." he sighed, sitting up. "i should've told them. hoseok hyung, namjoon hyung, taehyungie. i should've told you, too."

seulgi looked at him. his eyes stared distantly forward, and his lips were thinned.

"i didn't want them to worry. you were struggling to pay your own rent–"

"hey–"

"no, i don't mean it like that," he raised his hands in defense. "i didn't want the children to worry, so i felt like it was my responsibility to handle. it was partly mine, and i should've done more to save it." he hung his head. "that studio is important to us. and to the children."

"i don't know what to do anymore."

seulgi sighed back. "jim-"

"i'm sorry, seulgi. you didn't need to hear this." he looked up; his face was grim. "i fucked up bad and i shouldn't have involved you."

"no, no, don't apologize," she said. she tried to offer him a smile. "it's happened, jimin. but whether or not you saved the studio or not, it wouldn't make a difference, nobody's going to hate you for trying to save it."

"but i–"

"don't be so mad at yourself, jimin. that's only going to consume you." she saw him look at her. "it's just a bad day, okay? everything will get better soon. it always does."

and, as expected, there it was again. the silence.

but, unexpectedly, it was jimin who broke it this time around. "thanks, seulgi."

seulgi smiled. "yeah, well, i tend to do good from time to time, you know?"

jimin shook his head. "no, really. i appreciated this."

she nodded. "yeah, well, just don't keep reminding me that i was once kind to you." he nodded, smiling. "it'll be better soon."

seulgi knew that what she has done for him wasn't much; it was probably her role as a roommate, but seeing him smile at her genuinely, just after one of his worst moments, made her heart leap.

she was falling for him. big time.

jimin nodded. "i won't."

anything to be with you.

· · ─────── ·· ─────── · ·

this is soooo overdue, sorry guys i've been having some rough times huhu hope this is good

- nayeonsbunny -