Chapter 10

Bianca was up bright and early the next morning with a new sense of purpose. After a 30 minute workout, she makes her way back upstairs to shower and change into her outfit of the day—a cozy, tan sweater that hangs off one shoulder, high waisted stacked jeans, and tan Steve Madden sneakers to match. It doesn't take her long to do a natural makeup look, pull her braids into a half up half up half down style, and pop in her contacts. The vanity in her room certainly made getting ready more efficient than trying to do it in the steamed up bathroom mirror.

After making sure she has her planner, phone, and everything else she needs in her bag, she heads downstairs to start taking inventory of the kitchen. She takes photos of the kitchen essentials that need to be restocked so that she doesn't forget the brands and adds them to the list she'd emailed to herself from the tablet in there. She contemplated switching over to Samsung products as she pulls out her iPad and reorganizes the extensive grocery list.

She searches every inch of the kitchen and pantry, taking note of the appliances they had and ones they didn't before adding a dehydrator, air fryer, cold smoker, and larger rice cooker to the list. She does the same for the cookware and adds a Dutch oven, some racks, and a few other baking dishes to the list.

Feeling accomplished, she gets started on the breakfast they'd discussed last night, and before long, there was a serving platter with a mix of savory and sweet pancakes on the table, homemade honey butter on the side since they didn't have any syrup. She texts Jin, Tae, and Jay in a group chat they'd labeled "Breakfast Club" to let them know that breakfast was ready before calling the number she'd been provided for transportation.

She searches nearby stores and markets on Naver and is quickly overwhelmed with all the options. She's relieved when she hears someone shuffling down the stairs. Whoever it is may have an idea where their previous staff shopped most often.

Turning around in her seat, she smiles, preparing to greet them but the sight she's met with makes her words abandon her. Taehyung stands in the doorway at the bottom of the stairs, picking at something on his very fitted white tank. Loose, gray sweatpants hang around his waist and drape down to his bare feet. Her eyes sweep back up to his messy hair and sleepy expression.

Good lord.

Taehyung's general attractiveness wasn't lost on her by a long shot. You'd have to be blind not to see it, but seeing him like this just elevated it to a whole new level. Has he always been this broad? This sculpted? So this is what's under all those oversized clothes he wears.

"Good morning Noona," he smiles before breezing past her to pour himself a glass of water from the spout on the refrigerator door.

He gulps it down and fills it up again before making his way over and sitting at the table across from her.

Realizing that she hasn't responded, she mentally pulls herself together, hoping she wasn't gaping like a fool.

"Good morning Tae," she says, forcing a smile to her lips.

Before they could say anything further, her phone rings and she snatches it off the table to answer it.

"That's my car, see you later," she says as she stands up from the table, grateful for the interruption. The extra hormones in her system are wreaking havoc this morning.

"Okay, leave your plate. I'll put it up when I finish," he says and she asks if he's sure, to which he just nods and waves her off, making her chuckle.

She shoots him a quick thank you before grabbing her bag and making her way out the door.

"Choi Him-Chan," the driver introduces himself, opening the door for her.

"Bianca Bailey, you can call me Bianca," she smiles, bowing back to him.

She knows she's not expected to introduce herself the traditional way, not to mention how awkward Bailey Bianca sounds.

"Well in that case, you can call me Him-Chan," he smiles, closing the door behind her once she's settled in.

In her experience, Koreans really respect foreigners who have put forth the effort to learn the language and the 90 and up liners are usually very lax when it comes to foreigners using honorifics with them. Him-Chan appears to be either her age or just slightly older than her and she notices he's dressed in plain clothes rather than in a uniform.

"Where to Bianca?" he asks once he's settled in the drivers seat and she meets his gaze with a sheepish one of her own. She'd completely forgotten to ask Taehyung about where they shopped.

"Um, well maybe you can help me out with that. I'm new to this area," she starts and a look of understanding passes between them.

"Ah, that's right. Let me know what you need and I'll recommend some places. Oh—and before I forget, I'm supposed to give you this," he says, opening the glove compartment and pulling out an envelope with her name on it.

There's a company issued credit card with her name on it and a stack of crisp bills inside along with a note from Sungwon inside explaining that the card had no limit and that the paper money allowance was for any markets or venders she may come across that don't accept cards; and to let him know if she needed more.

"I have to get some kitchen appliances and cookware, but I'm also grocery shopping. I don't mind going to different places for it; I prefer it actually," she says, placing the envelope in her purse for safe keeping.

"Okay then, there's an appliance store not far from here where we can start," he says looking back at her expectantly.

"Perfect," she confirms and he nods, starting the truck and backing out of the driveway.

On the way there, Him-Chan asks where she's from originally, noting that her Korean sounds native. She explains that Kev, who was born in Itaewon, taught her and that she's from Alabama, USA—which he'd unsurprisingly never heard of. Koreans tend to know the bigger tourist destinations like California, New York, and Florida. In turn, he tells her that he's originally from Canada, but can no longer speak English very well because he'd been young when he moved to Seoul.

The ride isn't long enough for her to fully feel him out, but he seems cool enough so far.

"Alright, we're here," he announces as he parks in a space and turns the truck off, coming around to her side to let her out.

"Thank you," she says, pulling out her iPad and using her stylus to scroll down to the section with the appliances.

It isn't until he opens the door for her that she realizes that Him-Chan is still with her.

"Thank you, I didn't know you were coming with," she says grabbing a large buggy by the door.

"Oh, yeah, think of me as your assistant. I'm here to do the heavy lifting and to make sure you don't get swindled pretty much," he shrugs, his already bored tone making her laugh.

"Well, okay then assistant. Know anything about appliances?" she asks as they head towards a display of rice cookers.

"I usually just buy the most expensive ones," he shrugs again, making her shake her head. This is going to be an interesting trip.

~2 hours later~

Bianca grabs some milk, the last item on her list and she and Him-Chan make their way up to the checkout lines, him pushing the buggy this time.

Their last two stops had been to two different local markets that sold everything from fruit to fresh seafood. Him-Chan had actually been a big help there, advising her to get fruit at one and veggies at another not only because of price, but also quality. She even found a good deal on the ducks she needed for Jimin's requested dinner. They didn't explore the entirety of either market but she definitely wants to come back on her own time to do so soon.

"Are you sure that's everything?" Him Chan asks and she nods, scratching milk off with her stylus.

"It shouldn't be this much next week, I promise," she chuckles, noting the barely hidden hope and exasperation in his voice. She's convinced that the vast majority of men hate shopping.

For her, it isn't the shopping itself. It's the waiting in lines like these that irk her. There's four registers open, but there are so many people in this store that it doesn't make a difference. Plus, it's a bulk store so everyone either has a basket that's chock full or multiple baskets, slowing down the checkout process down even more.

"Is it always this packed in here?" she asks Him-Chan and he shrugs, his favorite thing to do apparently.

"Not when I come at night," he says, resting his forearms on the handle of the basket.

A cry sounds from behind them, making everyone look in that direction. A woman in line behind them has a basket full of baby items and is holding onto the squirming baby while digging around in the diaper bag, her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder. To say she looks distressed is an understatement and the people in line around them aren't helping with their barely whispered complaints and dirty looks. The woman's cheeks flush with embarrassment and the more frantically she digs, the louder the baby gets in her arms. Bianca knows it's probably not normal to do here, but she can't just stand by without offering help.

"Excuse me," she approaches just as the woman's grip slips on the diaper bag.

"Here you go," Bianca says, catching it and placing it back in her hand.

"My name is Bianca and I wanted to offer to help. I can hold him while you search for whatever it is you're looking for—or you can hold him and I can help you look," she says and the woman blinks at her through tired, watery eyes.

"Thank you," she says after a few beats and passes the baby over.

He squirms and cries, stretching in her arms. Placing him on her shoulder, she gently strokes and pats his back in what she hopes are soothing movements for him. After a few moments of rocking side to side, his cries taper off to little gasps, his little body shaking as he calms.

"How on Earth did you manage to do that?" the woman asks, pausing her search when it occurs to her that he's not crying anymore.

"It's probably because I'm calm," she replies, rubbing his little hand that has her shirt in a death grip.

"Make sense. I'm sorry, my name is Miriam and this is my nephew, Seong-Su. It's my first time taking care of a baby by myself. His father is in the military and my sister had an emergency overseas she had to take care of," she explains.

"No apologies necessary, you're a good aunt for trying. It's not as easy as it seems," Bianca sympathizes.

"Thank you, I really needed to hear that. Um, I can't find his pacifier. He had it when we came in, or maybe I left it in the car. I just bought a new pack but they need to be boiled before I give them to him" she stresses, her fingers massaging her temples.

"Okay, well you'll just have to keep him calm until then, which starts with you. Take a moment to breathe. It's not the end of the world. Mistakes happen. Check the bag, your purse, and the car seat again once you're calm," Bianca encourages gently, motioning for Him-Chan to put the groceries on the conveyor belt when it's their turn to check out.

Careful not to jostle the now sleeping baby, she takes the card out of her purse and swipes it once they're finished, the cashier smiling at the sight of the baby in her arms.

"If not already, you're going to be a great mother," she says and though Bianca's heart sinks a little inside, she manages to muster up a smile.

She and Him-Chan wait off to the side while Miriam checks out Bianca instructs him to go ahead and start loading the car while she walks with Miriam to hers.

"Here it is!" Miriam exclaims, slapping her hand over her mouth as she checks to see if her nephew had stirred awake from her outburst. She holds up not one, but two pacifiers she'd found on the backseat. Bianca clamps her lips shut, resisting the urge to laugh.

"I can't thank you enough. You're the nicest person ever," Miriam whispers gratefully as Bianca places little Seong-Su in his car seat and buckles him in.

"It was no problem. Good luck with him," Bianca smiles, looking down at his sweet face once more before making her way over to the truck where Him-Chan was waiting for her leaning against her door.

"That was nice of you," he says as she slides into the back seat.

"It was human of me," she replies, before he closes the door.

To think that this is the same world where people once had a "village mentality"—where people worked together to help one another, had compassion, and a strong sense of community—is almost unfathomable now. It costs absolutely nothing to be kind to others, yet people withhold kind words and good deeds as if they could cash them out for personal gain later. Inherently selfish is just one of the terms scientists use to describe humankind, but she's determined not to fit that mold. In a world of darkness, she will always choose to be a light—even if it may dim from time to time—because no matter how determined she is, even she can't escape the inevitable woes of life.

The drive back was quiet, her mind replaying that moment at the checkout line on a continuous loop. Her emotions are bittersweet. She would be a great mother, but the question that remains is if she could. That thought alone gets her hands trembling and she closes her eyes, focusing on the sounds of her surroundings to aid in pushing that wave of emotion back onto the back-burner to simmer until she was able to lift the lid and let the steam escape later in the privacy of her room.

This job is definitely just as much a distraction as she hoped it would be. From putting away all the items she'd brought to immediately starting on lunch and dinner, she was able to slip into that blissful space she inhabits when she cooks. The kitchen is the only place these days where she trusts her judgement completely. There's no need for stress, for overthinking, or any other unwelcome nuisance here—just the utmost confidence and skill.

After some time, she puts on some music that relaxes both her mind and body. She was in the zone as some would say when Namjoon and Jungkook come in, the first looking like he'd just finished showering and the youngest looking like he'd just finished a workout.

"Hey Noona," they both greet and she shoots them a smile and quick greeting before returning her attention to the counter full of dumplings in front of her.

She welcomes the distraction because she knows just by the flash of what she saw in her peripheral that looking at Jungkook right now would be a mistake. She has to admit that when she took this job, she didn't really think about the fact that she'd be surrounded with some of the most attractive men on the planet while her hormones were quite literally already working in overdrive.

"Lunch will be ready in a few minutes," she says, washing her hands before grabbing the lettuce she'd set aside and washing it as well, patting it dry with paper towels.

"Smells good Noona, I'm gonna go shower," Jungkook says, slightly peeking over her shoulder in passing on his way out.

He leaves a trail of his scent behind—vanilla and the bittersweet, musky tang of sweat. She sighs and resists the urge to inhale again. He could bottle that and sell it.

"Anything I can do to help?" Namjoon asks, making her look up at him, hands on her hips as she searches for a task.

"Maybe set the table," she says and he nods, his dimples showing as he smiles and salutes her.

"On it," he grins and when his back is turned, she releases a breath she's been holding for too long.

What the fuck has she gotten herself into?

Shaking her head, she grabs 2 serving dishes for the beef and pork she prepared for the lettuce wraps they're having for lunch. She divides the rest equally into containers for Jin, Tae, and Jay, placing the ingredients in separate compartments. Oh how she loves containers with compartments. She reminds herself to get some small containers for sauces as she resorts to having to put theirs on their meat now and placing the top on the container so that the steam inside would help ensure the meat would stay moist.

Namjoon moves the ingredients over to the table as she sets them up on the island, almost dropping the sauce at one point and scaring them both before sheepishly apologizing. It comes back to her that he is the clumsy one in the group and Jimin came in at that very moment, teasing him for it.

"Anything I can help carry to the table? We want the food to actually make it there," he says, shooting another teasing look at Namjoon before turning his attention to her.

"This is the last thing," she chuckles, gesturing to the platter of lettuce and perilla leaves on the counter.

He's dressed casually in a black, fitted, long sleeved compression shirt, matching joggers, and boots. It's an almost militant look that definitely works for him—although she can't imagine any styles that wouldn't work for him. From what she's noticed, Park Jimin wears clothes. They don't wear him.

Jungkook idles in just seconds later, his oversized hoodie and sweats nearly matching Namjoon's attire for the day. His set is a dark olive green and Namjoon's is an off white color, and both are wearing beanies that match. It's a good look for both men, but again—she can't think of anything that wouldn't be.

"You're not eating with us Noona?" he asks, making Namjoon and Jimin turn to look at her as well.

"Not today. I ate while I was cooking and I want to finish these dumplings," she says, gesturing to the counter behind her.

"That's a lot of dumplings. I wish I could stay and help," he says with a pout as he sits down next to Jimin.

"That's sweet of you, but I'll be done in no time," she assures him with a wave of her hand before going back to her tasks. It was a lot of dumplings, but she had plans to freeze them so she wouldn't have to make anymore any time soon.

"Are you the only one that'll be working through dinner Namjoon?" she asks and he nods.

"I think so. Hoba went in early, so he should be back, but I'll text him and ask him," he says, picking up his phone from the table.

She goes back to folding dumplings while she waits and soon he's confirmed that Jay will be home for dinner tonight.

"Alright then, I have lunch for him, Jin, and Tae; and I have your dinner in here too. I had to put it all in this bag I found, but I'll go and get you separate lunch boxes tomorrow," she says, making sure everything they need is inside the insulated tote she found in the pantry.

"We have our own break room so you don't have to get us separate lunch boxes—and thank you for the dinner. You didn't have to," he says after he's placed his plate and chopsticks in the dish washer.

"No thanks necessary, just doing my job," she smiles, moving past him to get back to the last of the dumplings on the counter.

"Lunch was delicious by the way," he says as he grabs the bag, placing it on his shoulder.

"It really was," Jimin agrees, his cheeks stuffed adorably as he puts his dishes away.

"Agreed, thanks Noona," Jungkook says, flashing her a smile as he does the same.

"That's our car," Namjoon says after checking a notification that came to his phone.

"See you later!" Jimin calls over his shoulder, rushing to the door to put his shoes on she assumes.

"See you all later," she calls, her shoulders losing some of their tenseness in their absence.

Why hadn't she realized before how much space they occupy in a room?

"It's just the hormones. It'll calm down over time," she mumbles, turning her music back up.

She is wound way too tight today, probably due to her busy morning, she tells herself as she slips into focus once more.

A/N: Who's gonna tell her? 👀