♠︎ five

CHAPTER FIVE

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♠︎ YOU

Three days later, in the middle of a sparkling blue infinity pool, on an idyllic island resort in the middle of an azure sea, Kim Namjoon eyed you in annoyance.

"But..." he complained, as he stood resolutely in the deeper end of the pool. "Hear me out-"

"No."

Namjoon pouted a little. "Can't you just let me score one point without you interfering?" he whined. "We've been at this for hours."

You laughed, flicking water at Namjoon across the pool. "It's been ten minutes, Joon. And besides, if you didn't want to lose, you shouldn't have challenged me."

Namjoon grinned back, his dimples making him seem far more innocent than you knew him to be. "You've changed, you know," he pretended to complain. "You used to be fun."

Quirking an eyebrow, you placed a hand on your hip, standing your ground in the shallow end of the pool to mark your territory. "Oh? So it's my fault now that you're shit at volleyball?"

"Yes," Namjoon nodded solemnly, with fake seriousness. "You're distracting me with your womanly wiles."

"My womanly wiles," you repeated sarcastically, looking down at your bikini top and back up again. "These, you mean?"

He smirked, playing along. "Precisely. How am I supposed to get anything done with those out on display?"

"Aw, poor Joon the misogynist. Can't look anywhere but at a woman's chest. Submit your complaint to the Minster for Gender Equality, buddy," you threw the ball high in the air, casually tossing it over the net for Namjoon to volley back. "Now remember, the ball goes over the net to score a point."

Namjoon rolled his eyes at your comeback, but you could see the amusement shining behind his eyes. This was all fun and games between you, you both knew that. He was the furthest thing from a misogynist that you knew, but you loved to tease him. Something about yours and Namjoon's friendship meant you couldn't help a little harmless flirtation.

And sure, that had... led places before. But that was years ago, and entirely casual. Now, you just enjoyed beating him at volleyball.

"Like I said," Namjoon pointed out now as the ball went sailing past him, as if you were only proving his point. "No fun."

He turned to the pool side, catching the attention of Yoongi, who was curled up in a pool lounger, scrolling through his phone. He was wearing a dark hoodie pulled up over his head, blowing out puffs of bored air that ruffled his long fringe.

"Remind me why we invited her again?" Namjoon indicated to you with his thumb.

Yoongi barely looked up from his phone. "She's writing an article on us."

"Yeah right," Namjoon scoffed. "Without my knowledge? I don't fucking think so."

He turned to you now, dipping under the net you had put up and emerging on the other side, his raven hair sticking to his forehead. "Tell me the real reason," he asked, looming above you now that you were standing on equal ground.

You glanced at Yoongi.

Since you were in school, you and Yoongi had been thick as thieves. By the time he moved to Seoul to pursue music, your friendship was strong enough to survive you being in different cities. Which was handy, considering for the first few years after his debut, Yoongi was so busy that you barely saw him once a year.

But Yoongi wasn't the kind of friend that required effort. He required loyalty, and respect, and a mutual outlook on life - all three of which you both had. It had been a match made in heaven, especially when you pursued your dream of becoming a journalist, and got to write about the waves your friend was making in the music industry. 

You were fiercely proud of him and everything he had become. Not that you'd ever tell the grumpy fucker that in person.

Other than your best friend Nia, who lived with you in Daegu, Yoongi remained your closest friend even in adulthood. If it had been anyone else who had called you so late that night a few weeks ago, you would have refused to pick up the phone.

Not Yoongi. 

So now, you needed to know whether he wanted to stick to the plan of not telling anyone why you were really here, gatecrashing the band's vacation plans. You weren't sure if Jungkook would want Namjoon to know. But Yoongi barely glanced up from his phone for long enough to shrug, as if to say - tell him. I don't care.

"You can't tell anyone else," you warned Namjoon, and he nodded seriously. You knew him well enough to know he wouldn't.

"I'm here to help Jungkook with something," you shrugged, trying to downplay it a little. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Yoongi's lips curl into a smirk. "Something... delicate."

Namjoon's eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

"Jungkookie wants to learn how to become more dominant in bed," Yoongi muttered matter-of-factly from his lounger, seemingly impatient, though he still didn't look up from his phone. "She's gonna help."

Namjoon whistled low, clearly not expecting this to be the answer. "Damn, seriously?"

Your stomach clenched a little as Namjoon said it. 

Truthfully, you weren't really sure if you had thought this plan through. Yes, the vacation was nice - you had just finished working on a long editorial piece, and your boss was happy for you to work freelance on some smaller pieces over the summer, which you could do from here. You were free to go on vacation if you pleased. But you hadn't realised it would literally just be some of the guys from Bangtan, and you.

And you certain weren't sure what you were in for, when it came to Jungkook. 

You had met Jungkook before, years ago, when you did an interview with the group on their latest album at the time. He was undeniably handsome; but reclusive, and unwilling to give answers unless they were coaxed from him. The impression you gained was that he was talented and interesting, but extremely insular, and shy around new people.

But that was certainly not the Jungkook you had spoken to on the phone the other day. 

Had that really happened? You'd had to take several deep breaths when you hung up, even if you had exuded a nonchalant tone on the line with him and Yoongi. It was all part of the act. Deep down, you were wondering why you had agreed to it. 

Not that you were afraid of losing. Of course not. The fluffy bunny didn't stand a chance.

But rather - you were nervous, of the responsibility. Was this going to be some weird immersive form of sex education? And if so, wouldn't it be weird to live here alongside him and his friends while it took place, hiding the true nature of your visit from most of them?

And yet, these concerns were nearly doubly drowned out by something else, deep in the pit of your stomach. 

Anticipation. 

There was excitement there, buzzing through you like a drug. It was the kind of buzz you got when you were hot on the trail of an interesting story at work. Yoongi had suggested you fly out to the island as soon as possible, which you did, considering your lull in any journalistic work coming your way. What it meant was being here before Jungkook got here.

Before the games began. 

You internally smiled a little at the chaos you were about to inflict, in spite of how nervous it made you. And the thought of a competition was what excited you the most.

After all - you really did love a challenge.

"So, hang on," Namjoon was saying now, dragging you back to the present. "Jungkook gets that ass, and I can't even look at those?"

You slapped him hard on the arm this time as he pointed at your bikini top and Namjoon ducked under the water, coughing and spluttering as he resurfaced.

"This fucking asshole-" you started, but Namjoon was bounding away from you, laughing deeply. 

"This is gonna be interesting," Namjoon said, dipping down and resurfacing on the other side of the net again, out of arm's reach. "You're both super competitive people. It's not gonna be easy, you know that right?"

"Yeah - for him. I hope he's bringing his big boy diapers," you said confidently, entirely unworried about the threat that Namjoon's shyest friend posed. You chucked the ball effortlessly back to Namjoon, who twirled it in his hand, and smiled knowingly.

"Let me give you some advice," he said, raising his arms to line up a shot. "You should never, ever underestimate Jungkook."

You pondered Namjoon's words for a long moment, something clenching in your stomach as you considered for the first time the possibility that maybe, you were in over your head.

But you forgot it shortly after.

Because Namjoon had taken shot, missed horribly, and whacked Yoongi in the face by mistake. 

You watched your oldest friend sit up slowly from the pool lounger, with a face like thunder.

Oh boy.

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