AFTERGLOW| JJK

"Here, let me help you with that," a sweet voice offered to take boxes out of your arms. You were moving into your new apartment, and as you stared up at the stairs in defeat, body weighing down from the luggage in your arms, you spin around to greet the stranger with gratefulness.

"Hi?", you looked at the stranger in curiosity, though still very shocked by the adonis of a man who had suddenly walked up behind you.

He cleared his throat and shook his head as if rebuffing himself to speak again, "Fuck, okay, that was such an uncool first impression. What I meant to say was 'Welcome to the neighborhood,'

"You just caught me off guard. Sorry. Erm thank you I guess"

His eyes narrowed, irritated that you weren't giving him a chance. He didn't say anything as he picked up your boxes and made his way up the stairs in front of you.

He climbed the stairs with ease, the boxes seeming to weigh nothing as his arms and back flexed under his tight white shirt. God, he had a nice back. You didn't even notice he was at the top of the staircase until he called you, "Are you gonna come up and unlock your door or are you just gonna stare at me?"

You picked up any remaining bags and stumbled up the stairs, a flush climbing up your neck, embarrassed at being called out. Once you reached the door, you said nothing as you slipped the key in. He followed you as you stepped inside, staring at the barren space that would now become your home. You looked for the bedroom, trying to find a place to set down your belongings.

He followed you around the house quietly and set down the boxes in his arms where you told him. He looked around the empty house; there was no furniture, no nothing, just plain white walls and shabby carpet. The floor in the small kitchen was linoleum, surrounding a small island and an oven with a stove on top. It was extremely barren. "You don't have any furniture? Not even a bed?" he had a bit of concern in his voice.

"It's all at our house my dad said he'll help me bring it all in" you sighed, making a mental note to call  your dad and see if he got lost ."But you can go now. I don't need anything else."

The person in front that was in front of you ? A sight to behold. Tall, killer smile, numerous piercings, and a forearm adorned in tattoos. Yeah. You don't think starstruck would fit for this occurrence, but what you do know is that they've gotten you tongue tied.

You don't give yourself another second to study his expression once the door shuts behind you. Were you a bitch for kicking your new neighbour out even after he helped you ? Sure. Will you regret this? Well, the cringe is already seeping in. You're probably branded as the weird girl now ... whatever.

What's done is done.

But fuck, he's hot.

It was through that very short interaction that you first met your neighbor, Jungkook. Despite how odd he had seemed, he carried a charm that intrigued you (though his pretty appearance also drew you in).

The next day, the sun peeks through the clouds as you, your dad, and your friend Mina gather outside your new house, ready to tackle the moving day. Your dad pulls up in the truck, and you can see the excitement in Mina's eyes as she hops out.

"Alright, team! Let's get this place set up!" your dad says, a grin stretching across his face. "What's first on the agenda?"

You look at the mountain of boxes in the truck. "How about we start with the kitchen? I need my snacks!" you laugh.

"Good plan! Snacks are essential," Mina agrees, grabbing the first box labeled "Kitchen." "I can't wait to see what kind of snacks you have!"

As you all unload the boxes, your dad picks up a particularly heavy one. "Whoa, what do you have in here? A bag of potatoes?" he jokes, struggling a bit.

"Maybe! Or just my entire collection of baking supplies," you reply, rolling your eyes. "I can't let you down when it comes to cookies!"

Mina giggles, "I'm here for the cookies, so you better deliver!"

Once the heavy box is down, you all take a moment to catch your breath. "I love this place already," Mina says, looking around. "It has such a cozy vibe!"

"Thanks! I'm really excited to make it feel like home," you reply, feeling a wave of happiness.

Your dad chimes in, "You know, when I was your age, I helped my parents move a lot. It was a pain at the time, but I look back at those memories fondly."

"Really? Tell us a story!" Mina encourages, plopping down on a nearby box.

"Alright," your dad begins, chuckling. "Once, we moved into a house that had a secret attic. We found old toys and even some weird stuff like a mannequin!"

You and Mina burst into laughter. "A mannequin? That's creepy!" you exclaim.

"Yeah, we thought it was haunted for a while," he laughs. "But it turned out to just be a prop from the previous owner's theater days."

As you continue unpacking, Mina helps you set up your room. "Let's make it super cute! Fairy lights and posters everywhere!" she says, her eyes sparkling with ideas.

"Definitely! I want it to be a place where we can hang out," you reply, feeling grateful for her enthusiasm.

Your dad walks in, holding a box of decorations. "What's this? A party room?" he teases.

"Just the coolest hangout spot ever!" you say, and Mina nods in agreement.

As you and Mina are unpacking in your new house, the sound of weights clanging outside catches your attention. You glance out the window and spot your neighbor, working out in his backyard, shirtless and glistening with sweat under the sun. You can't help but feel a little flustered.

"Y/n look!" she whispers, trying to keep her voice down but unable to hide her excitement.

Mina leans over and gasps, her eyes widening. "Your neighbor is a total snack! Look at those abs!" she teases, nudging you playfully. "You've hit the jackpot with this one!"

You roll your eyes, a smile creeping onto your face. "Okay, okay! I get it! He's definitely in shape."

"Definitely? More like he's a walking fitness model!" Mina laughs, her voice a mix of admiration and mischief. "You should go say hi or something! Invite him over for a workout session!"

"Yeah, right! Like I could just walk up to him while he's flexing like that," you reply, feeling your cheeks heat up. "I'd probably just trip over my words."

Mina smirks, clearly enjoying this. "Come on! What's the worst that could happen? You'd get to know him better, and who knows? Maybe he's just as charming as he is hot!"

You can't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "You're ridiculous! Mino remember."

As Jungkook finishes his set and wipes his brow, he glances in your direction, and you quickly duck away from the window, heart racing. Mina bursts into giggles. "Did he just catch you staring? You're in deep trouble now!"

"Shut up!" you say, laughing along. "This is so embarrassing!"

Mina leans back, still chuckling. "He might have a girlfriend a man like him definitely has a girlfriend"

With that, the two of you burst into laughter, the teasing lightening the mood as you continue unpacking.

The house was alive with laughter and the smell of food as your friends gathered to celebrate your new place. You had spent days preparing, and now, with the music playing and the lights dimmed just right, everything felt perfect.

Your friends were enjoying themselves, and you felt a wave of happiness wash over you. You stepped outside drink in house enjoying the breeze escape the toxic smell of alcohol

Suddenly, Mina, who was sitting next to you, leaned in and whispered, "Look!" You turned to see your neighbor, Jungkook, the charming guy everyone talked about, standing at his door with a girl.

You watched as they exchanged flirty glances before leaning in for a kiss. It felt so out of place, especially with your party in full swing.

"Seriously? Right now?" you said, feeling a mix of disbelief and disgust. It was hard to focus on the fun when your neighbor was putting on such a show.

Mina rolled her eyes, clearly as unimpressed as you were. "How tacky can you get?" she replied, shaking her head.

You both turned back to the party, determined not to let Jungkook's antics ruin your night. "Let's just enjoy ourselves," you said, grabbing a drink and joining the laughter of your friends. Mina stayed close, and together you focused on the good vibes, sharing stories and creating memories in your new home, leaving the drama next door behind.