tataswish

[tataswish]

big bad scary rapline

[tataswish]

the genre is tete 💞

[tataswish]

[BE-LOG] V #뷔로그​ #FlyToMyRoom

[tataswish]

❝   artificial infatuation  /  two.

━  ・  paring:  humanoid robot!namjoon x reader. ━  ・  genre:  fluff, sci-fi, angst, eventual smut (because why not!) ━  ・  word count:  4.4k.   ━  ・  contains:  namjoon being the definition of perfection because he’s literally not human, y/n showcasing signs of depression, and the occasional mention of seggs. ⚠️ WARNING: CUTE SH*T AHEAD ⚠️ ━  ・  summary:  worried about the fate of your love life after the divorce, your best friend jimin decides to surprise you with the perfect solution on your birthday: the ideal [robot] boyfriend.

author’s note:  hi friends long time no update! sorry it’s been a while, i haven’t really found the time to write, but celebrating my birthday last week only reminded me of this fic so i spent the whole weekend writing :-) so, i hope you guys enjoy the chapter! also i’ve made some minor changes with this joon ever since the life goes on (video call ver.) came out... whenever you see joon in this fic imagine that. and thank you for all the interest in this fic, your comments literally make my day. <3 

“Seokjin!”

You felt yourself gasping for air. Sprinting faster than before, you reached your arm out, hoping to catch up to the familiar figure walking away. But the faster you sprinted, the bigger the distance between you two grew. Uncontrollable tears ran wild across your face as you cried for his name one more time, all until your lungs ached, but to no avail. Instead, a strong force pulled you back, causing you to fall to the ground.

“______! ______!”

You woke up gasping for air. For a moment, everything around you went blurry, and all you could see was Namjoon sitting on the edge of your bed, facing you. Your eyes emitted fear. While looking at him your body trembled, and the tears continued to stream down your face.

“Deep breaths,” he instructed softly. You could feel his warmth as he enveloped you into a hug. Soon enough he took one deep breath in, and followed with an exhale.

Even with your body frozen, the way you felt his chest rise onto yours felt oddly comforting. It gave you enough will to follow along to his patterns—breathing in, holding it for a bit, then breathing right out. After a few times, you immediately felt your body relax. Slowly but surely, you brought your arms up to wrap around his broad frame entirely while digging your face onto his clothed shoulder.

For a moment, it was like you almost forgot that he wasn’t human.

“Are you sure you’re a robot?” you joked as a way to lighten the intensity between you two. Maybe if you do this enough, he’ll forget about witnessing you like this. A mess. Raising your head from his shoulder, you let go, adjusting your body until you were sitting up on your bed. “I don’t know if I’m just feeling things, but I could’ve sworn I felt you… actually breathe.”

He laughed as he fixed his posture. “That’s because we can. Well, a little. Our creators programmed us to be as lifelike as possible to give their customers an immersive experience, so that includes breathing,” he explained, retaining his grin. “Would you like to see something? May I have your hand?”

While initially uncertain, you decided to listen to his request anyway. So, you snuck your hand onto his open palm and watched as he placed it flat on his chest.

What you witnessed left you in pure awe. Because aside from the faint whirring of the literal machines working throughout his body, you could feel steady thumps that perfectly mimicked a heartbeat. “Oh my god,” you mused quietly, secretly addicted to the way it beat against your skin. “That’s… that your heart, Namjoon. It feels so real.”

“Yes… that’s my heart,” he repeated, sounding as if the words were foreign to him. There was a faint string of laughter on his end, and you glanced up to look at him, only to see his bashful smile. His eyes matched half-crescent moons, and you could see the excitement shining through. It was adorable.

Time stopped the moment he met your gaze. You could feel a surge of warmth rush into your cheeks, and you weren’t sure if it was because you were still half asleep… but you were certain that the pace of his ‘heart’ began to quicken just like yours.

Realizing that you had your hand on his impressively toned chest for quite some time, you quickly retracted it in embarrassment. You cleared your throat as you repositioned yourself on the bed, fingers entangled to rest on your lap. “...Sorry you had to see that,” you apologized, finally addressing it as a way to switch it up between you two. “I don’t usually wake up in tears...” that was a clear lie. “I was thinking about—”

“Seokjin,” Namjoon finished. The atmosphere around you two grew quiet. “...I heard you.”

Last night was the first time you opened up about your failed marriage to someone who wasn’t your parents or Jimin (Taehyung didn’t count, since, Jimin couldn’t keep his mouth shut around him if he tried). It wasn’t planned, telling Namjoon about Seokjin. Things just kind of spilled out of your mouth while you were in tears. While you didn’t exactly go into great detail about everything that went wrong about your relationship, it was enough for Namjoon to get the gist of it. Or rather, at least understand why you’ve been stuck in this weird emotional rut for so long.

Just the thought of revisiting those memories again was enough to send a quiver to your lips. It was embarrassing—showcasing this side of you to someone who has no other option but to deal with it. It reminded you of the way Seokjin would react whenever you bursted into tears of frustration whenever you tried to get him to communicate; how the tone of his voice was enough to tell that he was fed up with you. Just do whatever you want! his voice would echo through your head. I don’t care! I can’t deal with this anymore!

“I miss him,” you finally said, almost breathless. It didn’t stop the tears that ran down your face, no matter how hard you wanted it to stop. This time, you let it happen.

Eyes filled with worry, Namjoon instantly inched closer to place a comforting hand on the small of your back. He began to rub in slow circles before speaking. “Is that why you haven’t signed the divorce papers yet?”

“...You knew?” The question was hushed. “How?”

“I saw them while I was organizing your mail when you were asleep,” he admitted before shrugging apologetically. “You haven’t even read past the first page.”

Is this what Jimin meant when he said that the robot would do everything for you? You haven’t touched your mail in a while. You were sure that it was only a matter of time before the power at your apartment shuts off, but you just haven’t been in the mood to do anything productive lately. Everything you did reminded you of someone you desperately wanted to forget, which, was really bad now that you thought about it.

He was right, though.

“I don’t know, I just… I like being married,” you began, rubbing your arm. A smile crept across your face at the last word. “I don’t want things to be over yet. A part of me still believes that he’s just going to show up at my door and tell me that he was wrong… that sending those papers was a mistake. That walking away from us was a mistake.” At this point, thinking about it made your heart wrench.

“______....” Namjoon continued to console you. He shifted his position once more to practically sit beside you on your bed, hand never leaving your back. “You haven’t seen him in months. Are you two even really married at this point? It’s unhealthy to hold onto something that may never happen.”

“How would you know?” you snapped at him. Rather than being accepting of the truth, you began to feel anger and frustration instead. In denial. “You’re a robot, you don’t know what it’s like to lose someone you love.”

Silence simmered between the two of you for a while. You didn’t think words could affect a literal  android, but after finally finding the courage to look at him, you could see the change of expression on his face.

Could these robots feel emotions like humans do? No. There was no way. You had to be imagining things.

Just as you were about to break the suffocating silence with an apology, he opened his mouth. “You’re right,” he sighed. “I don’t… and I’m sorry.”

God, you felt like such an asshole.

Taking a deep breath in, you began to massage your temples with the pads of your fingers as a way to regulate the various emotions you were feeling all at once. “No, I’m sorry,” you finally said, trying to fight back the tears that were waiting to fall again. “You’re right. I’m waiting on something that will never happen. I just have to accept it.”

Namjoon didn’t say anything else after. Instead, he moved his hand from your back to the side of your head, and allowed for you to rest it on his shoulder. His fingers gingerly ran through your hair, and it gave you a safe space to begin quietly sobbing.

He didn’t need to say anything. You knew that he was only there to give you as much comfort as you needed.

You hated the fact that he wasn’t wrong; how it was pointless to keep waiting. Throughout the time you and Seokjin stayed separated, he never once checked up on you. No phone call, no text, and he seemed to never be around whenever you stopped by at his restaurant. You needed to come to terms with the fact that it was over. No matter how much it hurt.

“Are you hungry?” he asked amidst the silence.

You shook your head.

“Are you feeling any better?”

You shrugged.

“Can you at least try to get out of bed, mopey? Hm?” He gently squeezed your frame before letting out a laugh. It was enough to make you laugh too. “Why don’t we go for a walk?”

While you planned on sticking to your usual schedule today—sit around at your apartment, sulk, answer a few work emails, sit around again... somehow you found yourself agreeing to going on that walk. For someone who’s spent the past few weeks encased inside your own home, stepping outside to breathe literal fresh air turned into a foreign feeling.

The sun was out too. After being under gloomy skies for the past few months, it was nice to see sunshine again.

It wasn’t just your first time being outside either. You almost forgot for a moment that Namjoon was literally birthed out of the bathtub hours ago. Watching him react to his surroundings was adorable—how amazed he would get over simple things such as a puddle on the floor, or the butterflies that would flutter by his face once in a while. The dimples on his cheek would get more prominent, and his eyes would sparkle under the sunlight.

“Hello little one,” Namjoon mused at the small ladybug making its way across a green leaf. He crouched down to meet its level before offering his index finger for faster transportation. But as soon as the small insect climbed on his finger, it flew out before he could stand up. “Oh...” his lips formed to a pout. “Maybe it had somewhere to be.”

At this point, it was hard to bite back your grin. That pout was bound to become your weakness.

“Look at you,” you beamed, unable to keep your admirable gaze off of him. You were leaning against a nearby tree, arms across your chest. “Making friends with the ladybugs.”

Once he properly stood, he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “It’s different, being able to see it all firsthand. The images I see in my head don't do it justice.”

“I think it’s adorable,” you explained with a shrug, though, trying to mask your rosy-tinted cheeks as much as possible. “Are you able to feel things too? Like, these photos you see… does it show you how things are supposed to feel?”

He nodded. “Kind of. I’m able to feel things, but it’s not at the same intensity that humans do.” His eyes continued to stare at his palms. “Maybe one day—” He smiled before shaking his head. “Never mind.”

You raised an eyebrow at him in piqued interest. “What is it? You can tell me.”

Namjoon paused for a moment to put some thought in what he was about to say. “Maybe one day, if I try hard enough…” he began, still fixated on his outstretched fingers. “I’ll be able to feel things the way that you do. I don’t know... is that weird of me to say?”

Those words warmed your heart.

Smiling softly, you gently placed both of your hands on top of his. “No, I don’t think it is,” you answered and shook your head, intertwining your fingers together before giving his hands a light squeeze. Judging by Namjoon’s reaction, you could tell that he was slightly confused (but fascinated) by your actions. Still, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you. “I believe in you.”

The two of you continued your stroll down the park, walking side by side and enjoying the afternoon breeze. Once in a while Namjoon would stop to take a closer look at a few flowers and plants, or press his hand against a tree’s bark to ‘remember the feeling.’ You couldn’t blame him, though. In fact, you found everything oddly endearing. He looked like an eager puppy wanting to experience everything all at once.

But after walking for a bit, the two of you decided to settle on a spot in the middle of an open field. Your body was sprawled across the damp, green grass, basking underneath the newfound sunlight and warm air. Namjoon on the other hand sat beside you, legs crossed. In his hand was a piece of wood from a tree’s bark that he found on the ground, and his fingers continued to press around each ridge.

“So what else did you learn about me in the time you’ve spent cleaning?” you asked, hands digging into your pockets as the breeze tickled your skin. While the question was initially there as a joke, you were also kind of curious on what he had to say. Your eyes were focused on the sky above you. “You know, besides the fact that I’m scared of letting things go.”

“For starters, you have a terrible habit of pushing everything underneath your bed,” Namjoon answered almost immediately. He playfully shivered and chuckled. “Honestly, I was surprised you managed to fit all of those things in there. Like, the broken microwave? It’s impressive.”

Your face began to redden out of embarrassment. “Okay, but there’s a story behind that!” you argued, head turned to fully face the taller figure. “Jimin and Taehyung came across a video online of this girl microwaving chip bags. The bags literally shrank in there, like some cool science experiment, and they wanted to try it out themselves.”

Namjoon raised an eyebrow as if he was being judgemental, but it was obvious he was biting back a smile. “And how did that go?”

“Well…” you drawled, “the microwave’s door may have flown across the room but that’s not the point! What matters is that we made a good memory that day.”

At this point he lost it. He bursted into laughter, so much so that it was almost as if he was losing his breath doing it. On your end you were a little confused because you didn’t think you were trying to be funny, but it was a good feeling nonetheless. Watching him laugh, or exude this much happiness was… refreshing. “______, you do realize that I could’ve been that microwave, right? Or it could’ve been my long lost sibling, who knows!” Namjoon explained in a joking manner. “Why did you end up keeping it if it was broken, though?”

“I mean, I thought we went over this already, Namjoon. I can’t let things go. There’s memories in that thing, and I’m scared that they’ll go away if I do.”

“You’re very sentimental, aren’t you?” he pointed out, placing the tree back in his pocket to dig his fingers into the grass. “You like to keep things close to your heart, no matter how trivial things are.”

You shrugged. “It reminds me of all the times in my life when I felt happy.”

“Happy…” the word rolled out of his lips as his eyes glanced up at the clear sky. He then shifted a little, turning his head to fully face you. “Are you happy right now?”

The question threw you off guard. You hadn’t really thought much about it, only because most of your days involved sporadic cry sessions, but that seemed to be the norm in your life. So it was hard to draw the line between your current emotions. You began to think about how you felt right at this moment—lying underneath the sun, surrounded by the crisp air. You thought about the emptiness you felt… but in a good way. Your head wasn’t littered with toxicity, and for once, it refused to even go to that dark space. Instead, you were at peace.

And you knew that you wouldn’t have felt this small feat if it wasn’t for Namjoon.

Humming softly, you allowed for your eyes to flutter shut. “Right now?” Your fingers began to tap rhythmically against your chest. A smile slowly began to form across your lips. “I think I am.”

(1) NEW TEXT MESSAGE.

Jimin: Hey where were you? Tae and I stopped by to check up on you and Optimus Prime but no one answered… Jimin: We waited for like 20 minutes but we got hungry sorry :’(

You: it’s cool! i didn’t have my phone on me anyway :/ joon and i went for a walk lol

Jimin: ...I feel like I missed a few chapters here Jimin: You went OUT??? Like outside??? Jimin: With “JOON”??? Jimin: Why does he get a cute name and not me wtf :(

You: you do have one! You’re my little egg <3

Jimin: [Read at 20:43:00]

You chuckled softly after reading the read receipt before tossing your phone beside you on the couch. Bringing your knees up, you hugged them, and continued to watch the movie that was playing on your TV screen. Behind you was Namjoon working diligently in the kitchen. He offered to make you dinner after your walk, since, he declared that today was the day you would stop eating instant ramen for every meal. At first you tried to protest, but it was hard to stop a giant robot who was determined to make his way into the kitchen.

You wanted to give him a hand too, but he insisted you to sit back and relax while he made your food. So, you spent your leisure time doing what you do best: bingeing romcoms in the comfort of your pajamas.

The aromatic smell that lingered in your apartment was addicting, you had to admit. It reminded you of the way your house would smell whenever you’d come home from work—how you’d come into the kitchen to see Seokjin making dinner while his music played in the background. He’d always stop what he was doing to welcome you home with open arms.

It was times like that you wished would come back. That feeling of domestic bliss.

Glancing back, your eyes travelled to the sight of Namjoon. He was still occupied in his work, delicately chopping something on the chopping board. You made note of how broad his shoulders were—along with the way it complimented his toned build. How nice his chest looked (if that shirt was any tighter, you were sure it was bound to rip in half) and his arm muscles that were perfectly highlighted by the light.

Was he always that… stunning?

And when his eyes met yours across the room, he smiled, and you could’ve sworn you felt your heart stop.

“Sorry, am I taking too long?” he asked, chuckling softly to himself. His hands continued to slowly work its way across the chopping board, exchanging glances from time to time. “I’m almost finished, I just need to put these scallions in.”

“It’s fine! Take your time! I’m not that hungry anyway,” you reassured him, though, it was obvious you were trying to hide the fact that you were just staring at him all googly-eyed. Arms folding across your stomach, you turned back on him again before sinking deeper into the couch. Maybe if you focused on the movie, you’d stop thinking about it.

Minutes have passed, and you were soon interrupted by the sudden shift of weight beside you. It was Namjoon taking a seat, hands occupied with a tray that held a steaming bowl of tofu and kimchi stew—one of your all-time favorite comfort foods. Your eyes grew twice its size, in awe of how delicious it looked, and how the sight of it alone made your mouth water.

“Would you like me to feed you?” He took the silver spoon sitting beside the bowl and used it to swirl the broth inside.

You shook your head in embarrassment. “I can feed myself, it’s okay.” Immediately, you took the tray off of his grip and placed it on your lap. Using the spoon that had been sitting in the bowl, you brought up to your lips after taking a spoonful of the broth. After blowing on it for a few seconds, you put the entire serving in your mouth.

You’ve had many, many bowls of this same dish in your lifetime. But the only ones that were unforgettable were made by your mom, Seokjin, and now—Namjoon.

“How is it?” he asked you, though the answer was pretty obvious. As he watched, you were already stuffing your mouth full and savoring each bite.

“So good,” you mumbled, mouth still full of tofu. The warmth it gave into your body was enough to make you feel like you were floating on a cloud. Taking another spoonful, you offered it towards his direction. “Do you want to try? I don’t want to make it seem like I’m hogging the whole—wait—never mind. I forgot you guys don’t eat. But yeah, this is amazing, Joon. I could literally die right now and be happy.”

Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I’m glad. That’s all I want for you.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “To die?”

He froze in his spot. “No, I meant that I want you to be happy because—”

“I’m just messing with you,” you laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You should’ve seen the look on your face. It was cute.”

Once you finished your meal, you invited Namjoon to finish the movie you’d been currently watching with you. It was a romantic comedy that you’ve been meaning to watch for a while now. You were a fan of films with any sort of romantic plotline; it always reminded you that love like the one people see in the movies were real. That there’s hope out there.

The two main characters shared a passionate kiss on the screen, and sighed dreamily. No matter how many times you’ve watched on-screen couples lock lips, they give you butterflies each time. There was something so intimate about it—the way time would stop and how there was nobody else basking in that moment but them. But when clothes began to fly off both of their bodies, accompanied by the exaggerated moaning, things got a little awkward.

Your eyes flickered over to Namjoon, who was just as fixated on the screen as you were. You could tell that he was curious, and that maybe, he wanted to experience it firsthand himself. 

“Have you and Jimin ever...?” he trailed off.

You almost choked on air the moment you heard his question. “No! Absolutely not,” you could feel the warmth surging within your cheeks the moment you put a stop to his train of that. “Intimate things like that should be saved for someone you’re romantically involved with, you know? You do it because you want to show them that they mean the world to you, and you basically get high off of the way they react to you pleasuring them.”

He slowly nodded, unable to keep his gaze off of the screen. “So you’ve pleasured Seokjin many times?”

“Well yeah, we’re married,” you laughed anxiously. There was something about saying those two words without being so sure of it that made things… unsettling. Because in all honesty, you couldn’t even remember the last time the two of you kissed. It had to be months.

Namjoon must’ve caught onto your slight uneasiness, because he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he shifted his body closer as a way to remind you that he’d be there if (or when) the Seokjin waterworks would begin again.

Despite your interest in romance films, Namjoon was the one out of you both who watched the movie until the end. You on the other hand, took an unexpected cat nap snuggled into something warm and comfortable. Eyes fluttering open, you were met with a dark room, with only the menu screen illuminating the area. Your entire body was leaning against Namjoon’s frame, with his arm securely wrapped around your blanket-covered bodies.

“Hello sleepyhead,” Namjoon looked down at you and grinned. “You missed the ending. The main character and her boyfriend promised to make it work when they go off to different colleges. I thought it was sweet.”

You knew that you needed to sit up, but the way you were positioned, leaning against his body and feeling the way his chest rose with your head was soothing. But, you knew that it had to stop soon, otherwise the situation could be awkward for the both of you. “Really? He came back for her?.” you asked groggily before slowly standing up and stifling a yawn. “I should probably head to bed, though. It’s late.”

“Can I give you something before you go?”

You stopped from walking away entirely, and you were met with Namjoon, who was up too. Despite being slightly unsure of what to expect, you still agreed. Besides, you’d feel bad for denying and hurting his feelings. “Yeah, okay,” you smiled at him warmly. “What is it?”

Namjoon began to fish for something in his pockets, only to pull out a handful of yellow daffodils, which you assumed were from the area you had that walk in. Granted the petals were slightly disfigured from the way it sat in his pants, the gesture was sweet nonetheless. “Remember when you told me that you liked to keep things because of the memories tied to it?”

You nodded. At this point, you were grinning uncontrollably.

He laughed softly and resumed. “I picked these for you as something to remember today by. Daffodils represent rebirth, new beginnings, and good fortune. It also represents joy.” The fistful of flowers were offered towards your direction. “So whenever you look at these… please remember all the happiness that you felt today. Because from now on, I want to make sure that everyday is going to feel like that.”

TAG LIST: @4evahevah @thefandomelifeishard @namjin-fangirling-again (if you want to be tagged, please let me know!

[tataswish]

it’s tae’s fond smile for me 🥺

[tataswish]

he’s boyfriend shaped 🥺

[tataswish]

❝   artificial infatuation  /  one.

━  ・  paring:  humanoid robot!namjoon x reader. ━  ・  genre:  fluff, sci-fi, angst, eventual smut (because why not!) ━  ・  word count:  4.0k.   ━  ・  contains:  namjoon being the definition of perfection because he’s literally not human, y/n showcasing signs of depression, and the occasional mention of seggs. also y/n and friends see robot pp for the first time. ━  ・  summary:  worried about the fate of your love life after the divorce, your best friend jimin decides to surprise you with the perfect solution on your birthday: the ideal [robot] boyfriend.

author’s note:  happy friday! sorry i took a little longer than expected, but i hope you guys enjoy the chapter. OH and if you’re wondering what robot!joon looks like, i based him off of his 2020 grammy’s red carpet look. enjoy! ♡ 

As you were about to open the box, there was another knock on your door.

“Surprise!”

There were two figures that stood in front of you once you answered. Amidst the falling rain accompanied by the gloomy sky, you still knew exactly who stopped by. Even with the hood of his rain jacket hovered over his eyes, you could see the bright smile that adorned Jimin’s lips. He was holding pastel-colored balloons in one hand, and a bottle of wine in the other. His roommate Taehyung was beside him, hands occupied with a large box that you knew was from your favorite local bakery.

And the longer you looked, you also noticed that the two wore matching (and now soggy) cone-shaped party hats over their heads.

The surprise left you speechless. You haven’t seen them in weeks—all for your own selfish reasons too. You were at your lowest point after the divorce, and you didn’t want to spread all of the sadness that you were feeling. That you were embarrassed of the way you let yourself change into someone they’d be disgusted with. So, you ghosted for a while. Calls and texts were purposely ignored. You practically erased your existence from the world, which, wasn’t healthy now that you’ve thought about it.

That didn’t stop them from trying to keep in contact, though. Jimin would text you good morning every day. Taehyung would send you memes he found funny on social media every few hours. You’d get voicemails in the middle of the night that consisted of them being high off of their minds, but still providing words of encouragement. Deep down, you were grateful that they didn’t give up on you. Because it reminded you that you weren’t alone.

Your eyes began to brim with hot tears as you continued to stand still, and Jimin took it as his cue to reach in for a warm (and much needed) embrace. “Listen, I know... that you wanted some space, but… we weren’t going to let you be on your own on your birthday,” he said softly before reaching up to plant a small kiss on the top of your head.

A few moments later, you felt another hand gently pat your back. “Plus, we needed an excuse to see you again,” Taehyung added. “Jimin was going crazy. He’s been carrying around this pillow at our place pretending that it’s you.” His words only earned him a playful shove in the stomach by his roommate, and he groaned in pain.

“Well, you guys came right on time,” you murmured against your best friend’s chest, practically melted into his touch. You weren’t planning on letting go anytime soon, even if he was soaked from the rain. Living in isolation these past few months practically made you touch starved. Now that these two were here, you were going to do whatever it took to fill that void. “Chim’s birthday present just came in. I was about to open it.”

The three of you finally decided to step inside to dry off from the rain. Jimin and Taehyung set their belongings down and stripped out of their rain jackets, while you ran to your bedroom to quickly change into a new set of clothes. Once you walked back out, you saw that the two were pouring wine onto glasses by the counter, joking about god knows what in the process. When Jimin’s eyes finally landed on you, he grinned, offering out a half-filled glass.

Then, the three of you made your way towards the living room to sit by the box. You sat on your knees, fingers anxiously drumming on them while you pondered on what could be inside. The first thing that came to mind was a one of those refrigerators that have built-in TVs. Then you thought about a portable air conditioner, since, you and Jimin always complained about how your apartment felt like the literal pits of hell during the summer months. A dog would’ve been possible too. Judging by the way the box had no holes puncturing through though, the dog would’ve been in serious trouble.

“Don’t be scared,” Jimin chuckled softly. He set his wine glass down on the nearby coffee table and slung an arm around your shoulders. “You’ll love it, I promise.”

You weren’t sure why your chest was pounding in anticipation, but it was definitely loud enough to be heard in the room. Your shaky fingers alone were enough to give away the fact that you were anxious. Maybe it was out of fear or excitement—it was undetermined. Still, you took one large sip of your wine, exhaled deeply, and slowly removed the top of the box.

The sight made you scream.

Not out of excitement, but out of sheer fear.

“Park Jimin, what the fuck was that?!” you cried, now far far away from the box itself. You’ve managed to sprint all the way to the other side of the room with palms over your eyes, refusing to look at what was inside a second time. “Please tell me you did not send me a fucking dead body, I swear to god I will—”

“_______, relax!” Jimin interjected. “It’s not what you think, I can explain—”

“Then what is it, huh? Because I could’ve sworn I saw a bald man’s head covered in plastic wrap and his limbs next to it!” God, even thinking about it made your skin crawl.

“He hasn’t been activated yet! You have to activate him!” As much as you loved him, he really knew how to push your buttons sometimes. Arguing with him sometimes felt like a competition of who could out yell each other.

Eyes still covered, you slightly jump at a sudden sense of someone else’s presence behind you, but instantly relaxed upon hearing a quiet ‘it’s okay, it’s me’ by Taehyung. “Did you get a text message with an activation link today?” he asked, hands now resting on both of your shoulders to provide extra comfort.

“Yeah, but I thought it was spam,” you sighed, rubbing your eyes with your palms. Once you released them, you spotted his open palm out in front of you.

“Let me see your phone.”

It took almost an hour of going back and forth for you to finally agree to keeping the gift. While Jimin swore that it would be “the solution to all of your problems”—the fact that he still wouldn’t tell you what it actually was concerned you. But, you trusted him. He just wanted you to see it for yourself. Taehyung tried to explain the importance of the activation process, too. But with his excessive use of scientific terms that you didn’t even know existed in the dictionary, his words went in one ear and out the other.

“So it says here you’re supposed to submerge the body under warm water to remove the protective gel,” Taehyung read aloud, flipping through the small manual that came in the box. He bit his lower lip in thought. “Is that what it was? Thought it was lube.”

“It does kinda smell like strawberries...” Jimin admitted. He brought his fingers up to his nose for another whiff before shuddering. “Do you think I’d get sick if I lick it?”

“You’re disgusting,” Taehyung snickered, setting the manual down to the ground. He took a deep breath. You’ve always admired how smart Taehyung was. He and Jimin were complete opposites—Taehyung was expected to attain his master’s degree this year, and Jimin? Still uses his fingers to add single digit numbers. But you guess it’s the reason why they mesh together so well. “Help me take it out of the box, Jimin. ______, do you mind running warm water in your bathtub?”

Snapping out of your train of thought, you nodded quietly, and stood up to head towards your bathroom.

Once you were inside, you sat next to the empty tub, and reached over to turn it on at the right temperature. You rested your elbow on the edge, eyes watching the water run. At this point, the two were more excited about the gift than you were. But you didn’t care. You were thankful for the company anyway, so you tried to be as open-minded as possible.

“This thing’s heavier than the two of us combined,” you heard Jimin’s voice from afar. “Walk faster, walk faster, my arms are giving out—”

Head perking up, you turned around to see Taehyung’s back coming through the door and Jimin not too long after. Your eyes widened at what they were carrying.

It looked like an actual human being. It kind of resembled a life-size ken doll that had no face. Shivers ran down your spine the longer you stared, since, it definitely looked like a scene from a sci-fi horror film. “Something about this feels illegal to me.” Your voice was low and almost inaudible.

“I promise you it’s not bad,” Jimin reiterated—almost the fifth time tonight. He and Taehyung began a small countdown before dropping the body in the tub full of warm water. You carefully watched as the body slowly sank down to the bottom, until its face (or lack thereof) couldn’t be seen any longer.

It all felt too ominous.

“Holy shit,” Taehyung breathed, raking his fingers through his hair. He plopped himself on the tiled floor right beside you.

“Jesus Christ, I’m covered in lube—” Jimin hissed, continually making an attempt to wipe down the wet spots on his sweater. He then decided it’d be easier to just get rid of it altogether, so he pulled it over his head, only leaving his white t-shirt underneath. He then tossed his sweater into the laundry basket by the door before sitting in front of you. “That’s it, right? We’re done?”

Retrieving the small pamphlet that was in his knitted cardigan, Taehyung flipped to the page where he last left off. “I think we’re supposed to sprinkle this over the water,” he replied. Attached to the back of the booklet was a plastic bag that matched it’s size marked electrolytes. Adjusting the glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose, he carefully removed the packet and held it up in front of you with a smile. “Birthday girl should do the honors.”

You playfully rolled your eyes and took the packet from him. “If something happens to me, I’m haunting you both in your sleep.” They both laughed.

You took a deep breath before ripping the top part of the packet off. And carefully, you sprinkled its contents all over the tub, fingers dipping into the water to spread it evenly. As you were doing so, your fingers accidentally brushed against the body, and your heart had stopped. It felt like actual human skin.

“Look at them, Tae,” Jimin sighed dreamily. “Already going second base.”

Quickly withdrawing your hand from the water, you coughed, a quick attempt to mask the heat radiating your cheeks. “Shut up,” you sneered. You then playfully cupped Jimin’s cheek with the hand that was wet, and brushed it across his lips. Jimin spat in disgust, and you and Taehyung burst into a fit of laughter. “How are we supposed to know it’s done?”

Taehyung shrugged. “I guess we’ll wait and see.”

“Great!” Jimin clasped his hands together. “Now let’s order some food, I’m starving.”

A few hours have passed, and there’s still no progress with the thing that’s been brewing in your bathroom. Every ten minutes or so either Jimin or Taehyung would take a quick peek, but you weren’t even the slightest interested. To pass the time, the three of you decided to play catch up over food from your favorite sushi place. The three of you sat on the couch side by side, while some random movie Jimin picked out played on your TV’s screen.

“Have you heard from Seokjin?” Jimin asked, shoving another spicy tuna roll into his mouth before turning to you.

You shook your head, swirling the wine in your glass. “Not since we moved out.”

“Really?” Taehyung murmured, sinking deeper into his spot. He folded his arms across his chest. “He hasn’t asked for the signed divorce papers yet?”

“You know him, he hates confrontation,” you scoffed, followed by a small laugh. Silence simmered in the room for a brief moment. The memory of your last meeting replayed in your head—the crying, the yelling, the way the two of you looked at each other as if you were strangers... it made your eyes misty and heart heavy. “And he hates me.”

Jimin was quick to provide comfort. “Don’t say that. You guys have been together since your first year of university—it doesn’t take two months to get over something like that,” he reassured, wrapping an arm around you. “He probably feels bad for hurting you. Or seeing you again might open up some wounds, who knows? Stuff like this isn’t easy for anyone.”

“He was kind of a dick anyway,” Taehyung shrugged.

Jimin shot him a look. “I’m not saying I agree with Tae, but he did mail divorce papers to you without telling you that he wanted one…” And Taehyung smiled in satisfaction.

The tears were unstoppable at this point. You could feel them stream down your face, and you bit your lip as an attempt to keep them in, but failed. You haven’t talked about your ex or the divorce in months. Being open about it like this was a bittersweet feeling; it was good to relieve pent up emotions, but at the cost of reliving the memories that caused nothing but pain.

A part of you still loved Seokjin. That part of you refused to let you move on, because it longed for another happy ending. Your mom would always tell you that marriage isn't easy. So you’ve always wondered: Why was it easy for him to walk out on you?

“I just don’t think I’m cut out for this,” you sniffled, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand.

Resting his head onto yours, Jimin sighed. “You just need someone who’ll give you the world. And they’re out there, I promise. They could be closer than you think.”

Those words alone lifted a heavy weight in your chest. Lips curling slowly into a small smile, you took a deep breath. “Maybe it’s one of your work friends. I’ve always thought Hoseok was cute.”

“Hoseok?” Both Jimin and Taehyung said in disbelief.

You raised an eyebrow at them. “Remember when you guys had game night at your place? We talked on the rooftop for a while. He said he found my laugh adorable.”

Jimin shivered. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” you challenged.

“Because he talks too much! You’ll get tired of him by the time you get to the second date, ______,” your best friend explained, sitting up straight to directly look at you. “My friends? They’re not good enough for you. The only decent one out of all of them is Tae, but the thought of you guys having sex in my apartment physically makes me sick.”

Taehyung broke out into a coughing fit.

“You know I have my own place, right?” you argued. “If Taehyung and I wanted to have sex, we would’ve done it here.”

“I’m going to the bathroom.” With that, Taehyung stood up from his spot and left.

“Okay, okay, you win,” Jimin laughed, which was contagious enough for you to start laughing too. “Let’s not talk about this ever again.”

A few minutes had passed, and Jimin scooted himself off of the couch. You watched him with a confused expression. “Where are you going?”

“It’s almost midnight. You have to make your wish.”

It didn’t take long for both Taehyung and Jimin to return. They surprised you by rewearing the party hats that they had on when you first saw them, with Taehyung holding onto a lit up birthday cake. Your eyes glistened at the sight as your jaw stayed open, palms covering the blush spread across your cheeks.

“Happy Birthday to you…” The two began to sing, bright smiles illuminated under the light. They slowly made your way towards you on the couch and sat on either of your sides. “Happy Birthday to you… Happy Birthday dear, sunshine…. Happy Birthday to you~”

At that moment, all you could feel was warmth. Just when you thought you were done crying for today, the waterworks were starting up again. But this time, they were tears filled with happiness. When the cake was presented before you, you could almost feel your heart practically bursting out the seams. “Look at all the little stars,” you gushed, though, still a sobbing mess. “It’s so pretty.”

“Hurry up and make a wish!” Jimin urged. “The day’s almost over!”

Closing your eyes, you intertwined your fingers and made you wish. Then, you blew the candles out after.

All you wished for was to find eternal sunshine.

Upon opening eyes, you’ve noticed that the atmosphere around you grew quiet. You glanced at both Taehyung and Jimin, and it seemed as if they were staring at something behind you in complete shock. Eyebrows furrowed, you quickly turn to see what they could possibly be staring at, and your reaction was more or less the same.

It was a man.

Not just any man—a tall, and incredibly handsome, wet, naked man. Not to mention, his larger-than-average penis was practically at your eye level.

“Hello,” he greeted with a smile, dimples prominent in each cheek.

You continued to blink rapidly in disbelief.

Taehyung was the first to say something. “Hi,” he waved cautiously, still wide-eyed. “Did you just come from the bathroom…? Like, are you… the…?”

He laughed. “The robot you just activated? I am.”

“Robot?” you blurted out a little too loud.

Did Jimin give you a robot for your birthday? You honestly were sure that you got one of those weird toys that changes its appearance if you leave it in water. Catching yourself, you instantly cup your mouth with your hand, but it was too late. It—he was already looking back at you.

Why was there this fluttering feeling in the pit of your stomach?

Taehyung stood up from his spot. “Let’s go get you some clothes,” he instructed, motioning the robot to follow him to your bedroom. The robot complied, and followed suit until they were both out of your sight.

“You thought a robot was going to be the solution to all my problems?” you whispered to Jimin, leaning into him as if you could be heard from a mile away. “You know an air conditioner would’ve had the same effect! He looks too real to be a machine—”

“______,” It was Jimin’s attempt to calm you down. His eyes stayed on yours. “He’s programmed to help you. Help you with stuff around the house, work, run errands—everything that Seokjin always said he was  too busy to ever do. I’m not not expecting you guys to fall in love or anything, but…” He looked down at the floor. “He’s programmed to do other things just in case.” The last words flew by quickly.

You blinked. “Other things like what, Jimin?” There was a pause. It took you a moment, but it finally hit you. “Oh my god, is that why he had a penis?! What the fuck!” You reached over to shove him on the shoulder.

“That’s why I said just in case! He’s supposed to be really good at it! Didn’t you see how big it was?”

“Do you even hear what you’re saying right now?!” you told him. “Are you really trying to convince me that this robot is good at sex?!”

His hand found its way onto your shoulder. “I mean this in the nicest way possible… but you haven’t gotten laid in months. At least this guy can actually make you finish, unlike Seokjin.”

You hated the fact that he might have a point. So you stayed quiet.

You later learned that Jimin came across an ad for this company that built lifelike robots for humans. What was special about them, is that applicants were required to fill out a questionnaire regarding things like their preferences, home life, needs, etc. Its purpose was to give the developers an idea to design a system that perfectly matches the customer. According to Jimin, he and Taehyung were able to choose its appearance too.

As much as you still felt weird around the idea, you couldn’t deny that Jimin knew your type very well. Because as crazy as it sounded, you kind of… found this machine attractive.  

Moments later, Taehyung returned with a fully-clothed robot. You noticed that he was wearing one of Seokjin’s old outfits—an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts, blond hair still damp from sitting in the tub. You continued to be amazed at how lifelike he was. If you weren’t told that he was a robot, you could’ve easily thought he was one of Taehyung’s friends from university.

Then there was that smile. That charming, dimpled smile. You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol pooling in your brain that was making you feel this way, but if Jimin really swears by this robot’s ability to pleasure you… the idea didn’t sound too bad.

“So, what do we call you, Mr. Robot?” Jimin stood up from where he was sitting to stand by Taehyung, hands kept into his pockets. “Do you have a name?”

“Namjoon,” he responded with a smile. “And you?”

“Jimin,” he answered, standing a little straighter. He was tiny compared to Namjoon, you noted. “That’s Taehyung, and over there—” His head motioned over to your direction. “Is ______. You’re staying with her.”

Quickly, you stumbled out of the couch to meet with the other three. “Hi,” you greeted shyly, offering out a hand for him to take.

He stared at it blankly. “What’s this?” he asked.

You froze. “You’re uh, supposed to shake it.” A string of nervous laughter left your lips. “Humans do it when they greet someone new.”

Namjoon made an ‘o’ with his mouth and nodded slowly. Reaching out, he gently took your hand to shake it. You gasped quietly, fascinated by how real he felt. His skin was smooth and soft to the touch, just like human flesh.

It took you a while to realize that you had been shaking Namjoon’s hand for a good minute or two. You only broke free from his grip at the sound of violent coughing from Jimin. “Glad that we’re all acquainted now,” his words hinted at slight sarcasm. “Who wants cake?”

The night flew by after that. After spending another two hours chatting over cake, Taehyung and Jimin went home. Taehyung had class in a few hours, and Jimin couldn’t afford getting yelled at by his boss for oversleeping again. You both hugged them goodbye after saying thank you, and sent them off in the rain. Namjoon stayed with you of course, and he volunteered to clean up the mess that was made in your apartment while you got some rest.

At 3 AM you found yourself in bed, but wide awake. Your eyes continued to absentmindedly stare at the ceiling over you, mind wandering to different places all at once. You thought about your future. Most importantly, you thought about Seokjin. 

You couldn’t erase his existence, no matter how much you tried. Even if thinking about him only made you cry.

Your bedroom door slowly creaked open, which caused you to sit up in shock. It was Namjoon walking in, but the minute he noticed you were still awake, he was quick to apologize. “Sorry, I thought I heard something—”

“It’s okay!” you waved it off like it wasn’t a big deal. You immediately wiped your puffy eyes. “I just... can’t sleep.”

“You’re crying,” Namjoon pointed out. Not wasting another moment he approached you, only to lean in and cup your cheek with one hand. His thumb gingerly swept across your falling tears, and you could feel yourself breaking down even harder.

Only because out of all the years you’ve been together, Seokjin never held you like this.

[tataswish]

❝   artificial infatuation  /  teaser.

━  ・  paring:  humanoid robot!namjoon x reader. ━  ・  genre:  fluff, sci-fi, angst, eventual smut (because why not!) ━  ・  word count:  492.    ━  ・  contains:  namjoon being the definition of perfection because he’s literally not human. also y/n showcasing signs of depression. ━  ・  summary:  worried about the fate of your love life after the divorce, your best friend jimin decides to surprise you with the perfect solution on your birthday: the ideal [robot] boyfriend.

author’s note:  inspired by the film her and the black mirror episode, be right back. let me live out my robot joon dreams because sometimes i be wondering if he’s actually human or not ... and then he starts to break things on accident. first part should be up today or tomorrow! 

You couldn’t remember the last time you’ve stepped outside.

Aside from the occasional trip to the lobby for your mail, it’d been a good while since you’ve breathed fresh air. Instead, you were perfectly content with staying in the confinements of your own apartment, away from anything or anyone that could ever hurt you. It was better that way. Sure, you might have let go of yourself a little and couldn’t remember the last time you’ve actually taken a shower—it was fine. Getting up each morning was more than enough.

Letting out a soft hum, your eyes continued to admire the way the rain pattered across your window. Not too long after though, you were snapped out of your small daze by the buzzing of your phone against the wooden table. 

(3) TEXT MESSAGES.

Mom: Happy Birthday, buttercup! Wishing you a birthday as bright as your smile. :) Your dad and I miss you so much, don’t hesitate to give us a call anytime if you need us. Also, there should be a package coming your way soon! Love you!

Taehyung: Jimin told me to tell you that he lost his phone so if you need to talk to him, you’d have to call me lol… also happy birthday :)

Unknown Number: Your information has been registered. Once you’ve received your product, click the link below to begin activation. Text HELP for further assistance.

It was as if timing couldn’t be any better. Just as you were about to type up a reply to the first two messages, there was a knock on your front door. So, you slid your phone into your pocket, stood up from your seat, and opened it.

“______?” You were greeted by an unfamiliar voice. There were two delivery men who were holding a giant box (which you assumed was the birthday gift your mom was talking about) on opposite ends.

“That’s me,” you answered with a nod, stepping aside to make room for the two workers to come in. “You can just leave it right next to the couch over there, thanks.”

Once the package was securely placed on the ground, you signed some paper before sending the two off. The size of the box alone was almost… intimidating. Like, big enough to fit an actual human being intimidating. 

Taking a deep breath, you sat on your knees before the white styrofoam container, fingers already tearing away at the gray paper that wrapped around it. Once fully removed, it revealed a small card titled HAPPY BIRTHDAY! taped onto the actual box itself. You picked it up to see what it had to say inside. ______, I know things have been rough since you and Seokjin separated, but, I want you to always remember that you deserve the best. Like, someone who’s perfect in literally every single way. I hope this will help you find eternal sunshine. Happy birthday!

Love, Jimin.

[tataswish]

he can pull off any glasses and will always look gorgeous

[tataswish]

impressing everyone with his skills

[tataswish]

isn’t he the most adorable person on earth

[tataswish]

❝   at the rooftop  /  myg.

━   ・  paring:  aspiring rapper!min yoongi x reader. ━   ・ genre:  neighbors au, smut, fluff, with a pinch of angst. ━   ・ word count:  5.0k.   ━   ・  contains:  mutual pining, dirty talk, unprotective sex (wrap it before you tap it!), rooftop sex, and a little bit of sadness at the end. ━   ・  summary:  in which you look back at the memories you’ve made with yoongi, the neighbor who you once fell in love with. heavily inspired by the song ‘the one that got away.’

author’s note:  i had a dream about this so... here it is. LMAO. it’s been i while since i last wrote so excuse my rambling but happy reading! i thought about making a mini series out of this but... we’ll see. <3

The day you first met Min Yoongi was a memory you always looked fondly back at.

It happened one gloomy afternoon. After another tiresome day at work, you decided to find solace on your apartment building’s rooftop—a place that easily became your go-to whenever you wanted to spend time in solitude. No one ever really was up there (with the exception of the parties thrown by residents from time to time), so it was always strange seeing someone else who wasn’t you up there.

There was something about that place that brings you so much comfort. Maybe it was the string lights that hang perfectly across the ledges, the mixture of house plants displayed around the area, or the inviting smell of vanilla greeting your nose from the candles on almost every surface—it was nice. If the chance presented itself, you would be there for hours on end doing nothing and be content with it.

Making your way towards the rattan sofa that sat right beside the ledge, your tracks were suddenly put to a stop upon seeing an unfamiliar face sitting at that very same spot. He was leaning back on one side of  the off-white cushion, legs slightly spread apart, chilled bottle of beer in hand as his eyes gaze absentmindedly at the view of the city skyline beside him. He must’ve been so lost in thought, because even with you standing in front of him, he didn’t move.

“Is that seat taken?” you asked amidst the silence while feigning a warm smile.

That was enough for him to finally snap out of his trance, because you could see him jump from his spot and immediately straighten his posture. You couldn’t help but stifle a soft laugh. “No—no, yeah, no. It’s not. I was getting ready to leave anyway, so—” he was already beginning to stand from where he was sitting, obviously flustered at the situation he’s been put in.

“I don’t mind sharing!” you interjected before impulsively placing a hand on the stranger’s arm as some sort of reassurance. At the realization, your eyes began to grow two times its size, and you retracted it at an instant with your cheeks flushed.

It was silent for a moment. Between you trying to gage how he felt about the sudden contact and him wondering what the fuck just happened, it clearly triggered some sort of fight of flight response. Your mind was scrambling, trying to find the right thing to say, but before you could even open your mouth—

He laughed. It was a low, yet bubbly laugh—one that you never thought would eventually fall in love with. As the lights above perfectly illuminated his features, that moment was also the first time you saw him smile. There was something stirring up within you, a feeling that gave you so much warmth from merely watching this stranger express happiness, even if it was for a brief moment.

In fact, it was so contagious that you began to laugh too.

You didn’t think you’d enjoy being comfortable with silence until you met Yoongi. Despite the fact that you spent a majority of that evening sitting in silence, it didn’t bother you at all. In most instances with others, you almost always felt obligated to say something, anything after a while but you didn’t feel that pressure with him—this stranger that you’ve only met three hours ago.

Still, you basked in the moment. The two of you sat together on that large couch, sharing the view. You were sitting with your legs criss-crossed, both arms resting over them, while Yoongi relaxed by sinking deeper into the cushion, one arm resting on the couch’s back—which was also right behind yours. You immediately learned that he, unlike yourself, wasn’t much of a talker. In the few hours you’ve spent with him on the rooftop, you’ve only learned: his name, age, and the fact that he moved into this building just today. Why? That was a mystery you’ve yet to discover. You also didn’t want to be that person who practically interrogates the new guy, trying to discover his whole life story in the span of one night. If he was living in the same building, you were confident you’d see him around from time to time anyway. Besides, it was evident that the two of you were already comfortable with each other’s presence.

“What kind of music do you listen to?” The question took you by surprise. From staring at the skyline, he then glanced back at you, eyebrow slightly cocked.

It took you a minute to think of something. If Yoongi was the type of person who took people’s music tastes seriously, you wanted to make sure you’d give a solid response—but then again, you wanted to avoid an obvious copout answer either. Truth be told, your music taste was all over the place. Shuffling any of your Spotify playlists was a dangerous game, because it could jump from contrasting genres that wouldn’t make any sense.

So you kind of… panicked.

“I like anything,” you blurted out, already regretting your choice of words. Deep inside, you were cringing, because it left a bad taste in your mouth.

You knew he was going to be disapproving of that answer, but he surprised you with a different reaction instead. Instead, he let out a small chuckle. “Anything, huh? What about rap? I have something I want you to listen to.”

Intrigued, you adjusted your position on the couch, eyes watching him as he shuffled to get his phone out of his pocket. The black, chunky headphones that hugged his neck were then offered to you, and you flashed a small grin upon taking it before putting it on yourself. At this point you were curious. So, your prying set of eyes continued to watch his phone’s screen as he scrolled through a list of what seemed to be recordings until selecting a file that was named Trivia 轉: Seesaw.

You weren’t sure what to expect. Initially, you thought this was some random song recommendation that he wanted to share with you, but it was much more than that. The moment you heard the artist of this track begin to sing the first verse, you were left in shock. “Is this you?” you mouthed quietly over to him, who to your surprise, was now sitting incredibly close to you. It took you a minute to notice the way that your knees were pressed against one another, faces inches apart.

He smiled bashfully with a nod. Truth be told, you didn’t expect it. Yet, you were sitting there, head nodding to the beat as the melody graced your ears. Despite only knowing him for only three hours, you knew that there was something about this song that… suited him so well. You weren’t sure if it was the eloquent rapping or the deep lyrics behind it, it all screamed Yoongi.

And you were in love with it. It became one of your favorite things to listen to.

“I can’t believe…” you trailed off once the song finished, gently lifting the headphones off of you to give them back. “I went on with my life without being blessed by this song until now. Yoongi, that was fucking amazing. If I knew you longer, I would’ve started crying but… I spared you the misery tonight.”

He rolled his eyes with a smile, flattered—but feeling shy at the same time. “Relax, ____, you don’t have to kiss my ass. I can take criticism. It hasn’t even been released yet; I just wanted to get your opinion on it.” Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he looked at you expectantly. “Tell me the truth.”

“I’m serious, Yoongi. I swear on my life,” you assured softly, a smile growing across your lips as your hand raises to swear by it. “It’s definitely one of those songs that people are going to play on repeat. Everyone’s going to love it.”

“Yeah?” he asked, attempting to hide his widening grin.

At this point your gazes were locked with one another, and you could’ve sworn he could hear the rampant beating of your heart. “Yeah,” you confidently answered back.

Later that night was the time you discovered that Min Yoongi was actually your newfound neighbor. It all happened by accident—the two of you meant to part ways after leaving the rooftop, but ended up taking the same flight of stairs down, walking through the same hallway, and stopping right next to each other after saying “bye” at the same time upon reaching both of your doors.

“Stalking me already? Really?” you quipped playfully, looking back after opening your door.

“How do I know you’re not stalking me first?” he joked in return, suggestively raising an eyebrow. He finished unlocking his own door too.

“I mean, I lived here first, so… pack it up Joe from You.” And your answer was enough for the two of you to fall into a giggling fit after.

Yoongi was the first to say goodbye. He continued to stand before his door, hand on the knob despite not wanting to step inside any time soon. “Thanks for letting me crash your alone time today... and for listening to my shitty music. It was nice.”

“Of course,” you replied warmly. “I won’t argue with you, but know that as of today, I’ve become Suga’s #1 fan. Expect me to be in the front row of your shows from now on.”

Even with the roll of his eyes, you could clearly tell that he was amused. “Night, _____. Just don’t fall in love with me, alright? I don’t date fans.”

“Sweet dreams, neighbor. And don’t worry, I don’t plan on falling in love with you any time soon.”

Yet somewhere along the way, you found yourself falling in love.

He’d been your neighbor for a few months now, and the two of you practically became attached to the hip. You later learned that when he first moved into the city, he didn’t expect to make any sort of friends. Yoongi only planned on making music 24/7—hoping to kickstart his music career after some time. Apparently, before he moved into your building, he was working in some financial firm crunching numbers for eight hours straight. He was engaged too. But, when he revealed to his fiancée (now ex fiancée) that he wanted to quit his job and pursue music… she didn’t take it very well. So, they later separated and Yoongi searched for a new beginning in a city miles away from everything he once knew.

Unlike his ex, you strove to become extremely supportive of his music career. In fact, he was supportive of your teaching career too. On Wednesday mornings, he would always volunteer to come into your classroom and sing a few songs in front of your kindergarten students during circle time. He’d also stay to read a book or two before heading out to get lunch—only to wait for your break so that the two of you could eat together. Then on Friday nights, you would be standing front row in his shows. While his venues were mostly at nightclubs and the city nightlife wasn’t your thing, you were still there—singing along to his music and at times making the best attempt to rap as fast as he could. You’d wait for him by the back after his set, and it became a tradition to head to the nearest convenience store to fill up on ramen, alcohol, and shrimp chips (a staple for every night in).

It was hard not to fall for someone like Yoongi. There was just something about him that you absolutely adored, and even though you were sure he didn’t reciprocate those feelings in that way, you were okay with that. Having him be a part of your life was enough.

The two of you always joked about it though, how you were each other’s soulmates. How one would always complete the other; plus, sharing this sort of mutual understanding that doesn’t need to be talked about. You’ve never felt this strong pull with anyone else, and he’s admitted it too.

“There she is,” you heard the familiar voice coo from afar. Looking up from your phone, you spotted Yoongi leaving through the back door of the nightclub, approaching as if you were the one who just finished performing a show. Still, the grin on your lips couldn’t stop spreading at the sight of him.

“Oh my god, Suga! I’m like, your biggest fan! Can I get a picture?!” you shrieked, attempting to put on your best impression of the teenage girls who’ve been approaching him often lately. Even with all of his shows taking place in venues that only allowed people over the age of twenty, he still harbored a lot of young fans. While they weren’t allowed to watch his shows, they showed their support in other ways.

He rolled his eyes but attained the beaming smile swept across his lips. In all the time you’ve known him, you’ve discovered that Yoongi was never really one to crack a smile with others. But with you? You were the only exception to that.

His skin was glistening from the beads of sweat that trickled down after performing, and you took it upon yourself to gingerly sweep his coffee-colored bangs off of his face with your fingers. He was staring at you at this point, and you were desperately trying to keep it together without melting into putty in his hands. Because one thing’s for sure—the way he looks at you will always be your weakness. “What?” you challenged, now using a tissue you pulled from your bag to lightly dab his facial features. Your voice was faint, quiet enough to still be heard with your faces only inches apart.

“Nothing,” he replied lowly, stifling a small laugh. “I like looking at you.”

After another successful trip to the convenience store, you and Yoongi went back home to change into more comfortable clothes before meeting back up at the rooftop. It was nearing midnight, so the city was getting ready to turn in. The buildings gradually began to turn their lights off, which only made the stars littered across the night sky shine brighter than before. The rooftop was well-lit thanks to the string lights and candles around you, and even with the cool December breeze sweeping through, you were comfy underneath the plush blanket that wrapped around both of your bodies.

It was nights like this that you held special to your heart.

“Be honest with me,” Yoongi brought up amidst the comfortable silence. He placed the plastic bowl that held his ramen onto the coffee table in front of him before looking back at you. “Do you think I made a mistake? You know… leaving everything in my old life behind to do this? I mean—don’t get me wrong, I love it, I just… feel guilty. There’s always this voice in the back of my head that’s yelling at me for being selfish. My life was fine before, you know? I screwed it all up.”

You blinked slowly. It wasn’t the first time he’d shared his doubts with you, but it was always concerning how much it lingered in his head. At the end of the day, what’s done is done. No matter how many times he feels guilty, he shouldn’t look back anymore. This was his life now.

But how could you put it into words that’ll make him understand?

Finishing your food after setting your own bowl down, you took a moment to process everything and think of an answer. You knew very well that you weren’t some licensed therapist capable of giving credited advice, but you were fairly decent at providing comfort to others. “I don’t think so,” you finally replied, keeping your gaze on him steady. “You have to think about it this way, Yoongi. Yeah you were fine before, but… were you happy? Like, actually happy? And are you happy now?”

Those questions left Yoongi speechless. He really took the time to ponder on it, chewing on his bottom lip in thought. You tried to read his expressions, though, it wasn’t any help. It was quiet. Aside from the soft music playing in the background from the small bluetooth speaker that sat on the ledge, the silence that simmered between you two was piercing.

“I guess I wasn’t,” he breathed after a short sigh. “I was miserable.”

You felt his pain at that moment. There was something about the way he said it—how it made your heart wrench and your stomach churn. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay, it’s not your fault,” he waved it off, and you could sense the slight frustration in his tone. “If anything, meeting you made everything better.”

Biting back a smile, you instantly began to feel the heat rush through your cheeks. Your chest was pounding and your head was dizzy—shocked at how those little words could make your head go haywire. Still, you did your very best in keeping it collected. “Yeah?” you asked, sounding hopeful. Your glistening eyes met his, shifting your body a bit to fully face his.

“Yeah,” he reassured, unable to keep his smile any longer.

That very night was the night Yoongi decided to be bold. He brought a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind ear, only to lessen the distance between both of your faces. Even with your head spinning, you were still able to admire his soft features—the way his eyes literally sparkled when they looked at you, the way his rosy cheeks from the alcohol became more prominent. “You make me so fucking happy, ____. I thought you were just going to be another face I’d see from time to time when we met that night, but… you became more than that. I think I’m in love with you.”

And at that moment, it felt like time had stopped between you two. That nothing else mattered in the world aside from the fact that Min Yoongi—the neighbor you fell in love with—felt the same way.

“Be honest with me,” you decided to match his boldness by using a free hand to gently sweep his bangs off of his face. They were trembling a little, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes kept its focus on you and you only, feigning that same look that always makes you crumble.

He nodded, egging you to continue.

“Would you kiss me right now if I asked?”

Your lips were immediately met by his. It was sweet, and you could taste the hint of ramen broth and beer that lingered. The way his lips felt matched the way that he kissed you—soft, and tender. His hands found their way on your hips beneath the blanket your bodies shared, while yours rested perfectly on both sides of his jaw. With chests pressed against one another, you noticed that his heart was pounding too. And that only made you smile in between kisses.

At this point, neither one of you wanted to pull apart. Instead, your lips were roughly colliding in full-force, the intensity of the kiss amplifying. Yoongi’s hand began to trail down further until his fingers reached the inside of your thigh. Your breath hitched at his touch, desperately wanting him to explore further. But he chose to stop. “Yoongi,” you said his name in an unintentional soft whine after pulling away, practically begging for more friction.

Rational thinking was thrown out of the window tonight. You were riding from the high of Yoongi practically confessing his love for you, and all you wanted to do was have him. All of him.

“Hm?” he let out a quiet hum, fingers dancing closer and closer. His lips continued to wander across your skin, peppering kisses all over your neck and down to your exposed collar bones.

“Touch me,” you whispered into his ear. “Please.”

He didn’t waste another moment. He reached over to slide your pajama pants down in one quick pull and you assisted in kicking them out of the way. It gave him leeway to use the pads of his fingers to gently massage your clothed core, pressing just enough to provide pressure that had your lips leaving quiet moans that were thankfully, still masked by the music in the background. “Take this off and spread your legs for me,” he demanded lowly.

You’ve never seen this side of him before—but god he knew how to turn you on. If the blanket wasn’t over you right now, you would’ve felt exposed from the wetness pooling in between your thighs. But you did as you were told without any hesitation, sliding your panties down until they hugged your ankles, kicking them off entirely, leaving your bottom half bare beneath the warm fabric.

Yoongi took it as a cue to slide his fingers between your legs and prying them apart. You’ve never felt more vulnerable than at this moment. Even with the blanket hovered securely over your body, the way his gaze was on you was more than enough to make you feel like he owned you tonight. And you were okay with that. Slender fingers dipping into your dripping core, he used it as a way to collect the overflown juices before using it as a lubricant to massage your throbbing clit. His pace was agonizingly slow, but it still made your back arch off of the couch in pleasure.

The sight only made him mumble profanities under his breath.

“Do you think about me when you touch yourself, ____?” he asked, dark eyes still locked on yours. He was still close, and you could feel his hot breath tickle your skin at each word. Slowly inserting two fingers on the get-go, your eyes impulsively roll back at the way they stretched your walls in the best possible way. His pace soon began to quicken without a fair warning, and you couldn’t help but whimper each time they pump into your g-spot. “Do you think about me fucking you like this?”

Your headspace was such a euphoric state that you couldn’t even find the right words for an answer. Rather than saying anything, you only nodded feverishly to let him know that he was doing everything right. The thought of having Yoongi’s fingers fucking tirelessly inside you was more than enough to rile you up and near your orgasm.

You’ve thought about it multiple times before. Every time you see him on that stage, swiping the sweat off of the back of his neck that left his fingers glistening, your mind begins to wander into dangerous places. It was hot—there’s no denying it.

You were close. But as soon as you were about to finish, the momentum was put to a stop, because you took it upon yourself to remove his fingers out of you on your own. Confused, Yoongi began to look at you as if he’s done something wrong, though, you hoped he’d get the hint the minute your hand found its way to palm his hardening erection through his sweatpants. “I wanna finish inside you,” you breathed, planting kisses that began from his neck and worked its way up to his lips.

“Then do it.”

Using both of your hands to pull both his sweatpants and boxer briefs down, allowing for his length to spring free. After he successfully kicked them both off of him, you stood from your previous position to straddle him, putting both hands on his shoulders to support yourself. His eyes carefully watched you as you slowly unzipped your hoodie, revealing that you wore nothing underneath.

He was mesmerized. And it was all for him—with the blanket still covering both of your bare bodies, he was the only one who could see you like this. No one else.

A devilish grin laced your lips at the sight of him speechless as you helped remove his sweatshirt. Slowly but surely, you lifted yourself up slightly to line Yoongi’s erection up before sinking in.

The two of you both let out a satisfied moan in unison, and Yoongi’s hands began to wander around your warm body—hands stopping at your ass to dig his fingers into your flesh as you rocked your hips at a steady pace. His mouth on the other hand was busy with your breasts, tongue flicking against each hardened nipple even as they bounced.

“Do you think about me fucking you like this?” you mimicked him in a playful yet sultry tone, using both of your hands to lift his face up in order to make full-on eye contact with you while you continued to ride him. He threw his head back in response, all while still keeping his gaze on yours. From his expression alone, you could tell that he was wrapped around your fingers.

But instead of giving you any sort of real answer, he rolled his eyes and pulled you in for a kiss, satisfying his craving for your lips once more. Before you knew it, your positions had switched, and you were fully lying down on the couch with Yoongi on top of you. The blanket had been partially discarded since Yoongi couldn’t care less about it, only draping over the bottom half of your bodies. You let out a small shiver as you felt the cold air, but it all seemed to disappear the minute you felt his length fill you up once more.

“You’re my weakness, _____,” you heard him say softly once your foreheads touch, his lips brushing against yours. His thrusts were at a slow pace, but it was still enough to hit your g-spot each time. “After meeting you that night, I knew I was fucked.”

It was unfair—how Min Yoongi knew how to tug your heartstrings in any situation (literally). There was nothing more intimate than this, though. The two of you were left vulnerable, and he found the perfect moment to say it. “I feel the same way,” you whispered, hands lifted up to cup his flushed cheeks. “Because I think I’m in love with you too.”

Yoongi began to pick up the pace upon hearing you confess. With one hand gripping tightly on the couch’s arm rest until his knuckles turn white, another snuck in between your bodies to have his thumb rub your clit, matching the intensity of his thrusts.

“Yoongi, I’m so close—” you whined quietly into his ear while he continued to fuck you senselessly, walls fluttering and tightening around him. There was that familiar feeling building up inside you, and you were so close to coming undone. Yoongi continued to snap his hips into yours while tracing quick circles around your sensitive bundle of nerves until you felt yourself let go. Your body jolted as you cried in please, and even then, he didn’t stop. He milked every last drop of the wave of pleasure he’d given you that left you out of breath. There was this buzzing that refused to leave your ears, and your eyes were watery from the overwhelming feeling.

Smirking in satisfaction, each thrust became more sloppy and erratic. It didn’t take long for him to follow suit, pulling out to finish on you. He groaned as you felt his warmth spill across your frame, panting from the intense session the two of you just shared.

“Damn, I made a mess,” he said playfully after reaching out for a napkin on the table to wipe your body clean, which earned a soft slap on his end. He only laughed once you were able to sit back up, leaning in to steal a quick kiss on the lips.

Once the two of you were finished getting dressed and cleaning the area, you both decided to stay on the rooftop for a few more minutes. Both of you were nuzzled against one another for warmth, your back pressed against Yoongi while he had an arm wrapped around you. SUGAR by BROCKHAMPTON was playing in the background, and Yoongi was singing softly to the chorus while you quietly admired his small performance.  

“Remember when you said you wouldn’t fall in love with a fan?” the words left your lips with a smile, recalling the memory like it was only yesterday. At this point, you were just there to tease him. “Tsk. Can’t believe I’m into a hypocrite.”

He laughed, nose digging into your hair. “You’re different. I’d do anything for you.”

↳   PRESENT DAY.

“Ready to go, babe?”

You’ve spent the past hour sitting on the rooftop’s sofa in solitude, admiring the blue sky in front of you. You were quietly humming to Suga’s Trivia 轉: Seesaw to yourself as you watched the view, until you were interrupted by the familiar voice entering your ears. The smile on your face widened as he approached you, offering a hand to help you up.

It’d been months since you’ve last heard from Yoongi. He was off doing bigger, better things—and you were proud of him for that. After spending hours and hours of going back and forth with one another one night, the two of you had the realization that the long-term goals you both had didn’t align. He was asked to commit to a world tour for the next year and a half, and you wanted to stay where your life was. Here.

Yoongi was more than willing to drop his entire career to be with you, but you knew it wasn’t right. So, no matter how painful it felt, you had to let go. He’s made so many sacrifices to get to where he was, and you refused to be the reason why he couldn’t live his dreams. No matter how much you both loved each other.

Deep inside, you’ve always hoped that he’d come home. That one night you’d find him sitting in that very same spot on the rooftop, legs sprawled apart, absentmindedly staring at the night sky. But it’s been months. No calls, no texts—only a meek dial tone at the end of the line.

It was a hard pill to swallow, but Min Yoongi was simply the right person you’ve met at the wrong time.

“Yeah,” you answered Jungkook softly before taking his hand to lift yourself from the seat. A quiet giggle left your lips once your boyfriend pulled you closer to pepper kisses on your cheek, and the two of you began your walk out of the building. “Let’s get out of here.”

[tataswish]

i am in love  🥺

[tataswish]

❝   familiarity  /  one.

━   ♡ ・  paring:  kim taehyung x reader. ━   ♡ ・  genre:  soulmate!au, non idol!au, fluff (with a little angst!). ━   ♡ ・  word count:  2.7k.   ━   ♡ ・  summary:  you didn’t believe in soulmates. once. that all changed when you met yours; all thanks to one little drawing.

author’s note:  hi! i haven’t written in a while so excuse the small mistakes, but i hope you enjoy! if you’ve played bts world before, some of the stuff in this chapter might seem a little... familiar (no pun intented). i also plan to have the reader be connected to every member somehow in this fic, so they will come soon! hope you all enjoy, feedback is always appreciated. <3

“Shit,” you murmured under your breath, glancing at the rows of baked dough that were left in the oven for a little too long. Rather than its usual glossy, golden brown finish—it was dull, and… sad.

It’s been almost a year since you’ve been miraculously hired as the pastry chef’s assistant at Hotel Mudrin. You say miraculously, because even without any sort of culinary knowledge outside of cooking shows, you still managed to land the job. The chef was somehow impressed by the basic strawberry pancake dish you presented during your interview, and instantly saw growth potential in you.

That was also when you met your best friend, Seokjin. He was a newly hired intern at the time, and with the two of you being the only staff members in the hotel within the same age bracket, it didn’t take that much time for a bond to form. Seokjin was always getting into trouble by his boss Mr. Im, because to him, this intern could never do anything right. But with you there, you were able to lend a helping hand when tasks got a little too overwhelming—and things got a little easier from there. You and Seokjin began to spend time together on and off the clock since.

You weren’t sure if it was the adrenaline or the mixture of raging hormones from being together, but the two of you decided to give dating a shot not too long after. It lasted for a solid two months—and while it had to come to an end, you both concluded that you were happier as friends.

And it was true. You and Seokjin have been inseparable since.

“____,” you heard the head chef call out your name, which instantly reeled you back to reality. Glancing down at the burnt dough on the tray, you felt a surge of warmth rush through your cheeks, knowing that you were about to be scolded at any second. “Are you okay? Ever since you came back from your lunch break, something’s been off.”

“No chef, nothing’s wrong,” you lied, walking over to the nearby garbage can to throw the current batch of dough away. A reassuring smile soon formed across your lips. “Just tired.”

If it wasn’t for you spiraling during your lunch break after Seokjin had left, maybe you would be in a better head space. But of course, spending the last ten minutes of break thinking about what went wrong in all of your relationships didn’t exactly help anyone at all.

The head chef could see through your lies too. And rather than questioning it, he only continued piping cream on the freshly cooled pastries on his side of the counter. “Maybe you need some fresh air,” he added with a shrug of his shoulders, eyes concentrated on his work. It was evident he was still invested in the conversation with you, though. “There should be a shipment of mangoes coming in in about twenty minutes, do you mind bringing those boxes in here? Take all the time you need. I’ll work on making another batch of dough.”

“I can make the dough, chef!” you tried to protest, mostly as a way to convince your boss that you weren’t feeling too off (when in reality, you were). “It’s okay, the mangoes can wait.”

As you were about to reach for the measuring cups in a nearby counter top, you were met with a look from the chef that clearly said: Go get some fresh air. Now.

So, rather than questioning it, you did.

After washing your hands and hanging your apron by the door, you made your way outside of the kitchen and into the main hallways of the hotel. It was emptier than usual—mostly because it was a weekday afternoon, and the guests who were staying at the hotel were out. It was also the midst of October, and the influx of guests don’t usually start to come in until around Christmas-time. Which was fine, because you weren’t met with the stress of having to make hundreds of fruit tarts in a span of an hour. Instead, you were able to step out and take a small stroll, which was always nice.

Upon exiting the area where the stairs were (staff weren’t allowed to use the elevators, per Mr. Im’s orders), you finally arrived at the ground floor. You always felt so out of place in the main lobby, with or without your work uniform. With the spacious area matched with gray marble flooring and sleek interior design, it was never a place you imagined yourself staying in. Only the richest of the rich could afford even one night in this place, and you? Couldn’t even afford a proper meal for dinner on some days. Hotel Mudrin was known to be a hub for millionaires, celebrities, or rich families alike—not for struggling university graduates like yourself.

But sometimes, it was nice to dream.

Quietly humming to a tune of a song you heard in the radio earlier this morning, you casually strolled through the floor, making your way towards the back door where the shipments would be. The subtle smell of lemon from the newly mopped floors was an odd favorite of yours. From time to time you’d flash a friendly smile towards the guests or staff members you’d pass by. But before you could exit through the back and meet with the shipment truck, you decided to take a small pit stop to the front desk and say hi to your best friend.

“Dude,” you began the minute you saw Seokjin behind the front desk. His eyes were on the computer screen in front of him, typing and clicking away, but you knew him well enough to know that he was probably playing a game of Minesweeper like he always does. Crossed arms resting on the desk, you then rest your chin on them as your eyes look up to your friend on the other side of the counter. “Remember when I wanted to cry because I realized I’ll probably be single and alone forever? Well my boss—”

As you continued to ramble on, Seokjin’s eyes finally met with yours. They weren’t eyes that meant he was ready to listen to you vent, no… they were wide. Like he was in a state of shock.

He quickly began to shake his head, which caused you to raise an eyebrow in slight confusion. Did he want you to stop talking? Shut up? Right as you were about to say something though, his lips began to mouth the words ‘I’m busy’ over and over again.

That was when you knew, you fucked up.

The truth was, Seokjin was still busy tending to a guest, and you interrupted him actually working. Turning around, you briefly spotted the guest he’s been helping, and god—it was obvious by the look of your face that you had just embarrassed yourself into the next century.

“Sorry sir!” you apologized quickly, heat beginning to rush through your cheeks while you bowed for the hundredth time in the span of thirty seconds. Rather than making proper eye contact like any normal person would, your view was glued to the floor. “I honestly didn’t see you, and I know I should’ve, but—”

“It’s okay! Don’t worry about it,” he soon interrupted by providing reassurance. Once you heard a string of laughter from his end, you knew that he was understanding enough of the situation. “I get it.”

While you still couldn’t find the strength to really look him in the eye, you only returned with a sheepish laugh. It wasn’t every day you found yourself acting like a complete fool in front of a hotel guest (that was more of Seokjin’s speed in all honesty), so you didn’t exactly know how to fix the situation. Instead, you ended up sitting there in silence until Seokjin rescued the conversation.

“Alright!” he chimed in with the clasp of his hands, which was obviously your cue to slowly walk away. “You’re all checked in until the 31st, Mr. Kim. Let me grab your bags and take you to your suite.”

As you were about to leave, of course, you couldn’t go without embarrassing yourself one last time. Just as you were about to make a beeline towards the break room—also known as the place you were going to scream in—you managed to bump into this guest in full force.  

Looking up, you finally had the chance to take a good glimpse of the person in front of you. He was tall, muscular, with ash blond hair that was parted in the center. His almond eyes were practically gleaming behind his silver frames, and it paired well with the two dimples perfectly placed on each cheek.

In other words, he was gorgeous. And completely out of your league. Which is probably another reason why you were feeling flustered beyond belief at this very moment.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly. It felt like a movie—with both of his hands gently placed on each of your arms to provide support, gentle eyes locked on yours. You could’ve sworn you felt your heart stop, whether if it’s from being embarrassed or… swooned, even.

Swallowing thickly, you managed to let out a small “yeah,” before fixing your stance. He eventually let go, and the two of you were able to laugh it off for a little. “But are you okay, sir?”

“Didn’t even hurt,” he reassured, flashing that smile that accentuated his dimples really well. An open then was reached out as an offer. “You can call me Namjoon. Do you work here?”

But before you could even keep the conversation going, of course, Seokjin had to butt in. Literally. “Let me help you with that, Mr. Kim,” he urged with a friendly, yet painful smile as he walked in between you and Namjoon. He then reached down to pick up the leather suitcase that was sitting right beside the guest’s leg. Eventually, Namjoon had to retract his hand.

You took it as your cue to leave, so you excused yourself from the two without saying goodbye.

Thankfully there wasn’t anyone in the break room to look at you quietly take a moment to freak out over what just happened. If Namjoon wasn’t so good-looking and one hundred percent your type on paper, maybe you would’ve shrugged the interaction off by now. But you kept thinking over and over about how you were going to run into him again in one way or another—especially since he plans on staying at the hotel for over three weeks. All he had to do is walk into the hotel’s dining area to have dinner, and you’d be there. Not even as you off the job, but you in that stupid apron and chef’s hat.

Head dug into your arms as you leaned on the table, you tried to think of something—anything to get your mind off of what just happened. Letting out a deep exhale, you decided to take your phone out of your pocket and scroll through your e-mails. The first thing that caught your attention was an opened one, the one you received from that psychic about your soulmate.

Your soulmate is a man who is hard-working and bright, he will constantly continue to prove that he can be trusted and counted on by your friends and family…

Your eyes continued to read through the reading the photo was attached to, which was oddly comforting. To know that there was someone out there who could potentially be everything you’re looking for.

He is understanding, forgiving and respectful, even when you sometimes make mistakes…

Deciding to skim through the rest of the reading, you opened up that picture once again. You couldn’t help but notice something you didn’t the first time you saw it, and that was the small details on his facial features. He has three beauty marks: one sitting on the bottom of his eye, on his cheek, and one placed perfectly on the tip of his nose. You could’ve sworn those weren’t there before.

“And I thought I was the one who’s always the embarrassment at work,” you heard the familiar voice barge inside the break room, which obviously belonged to Seokjin. He walked over to where you were sitting and rested his chin on the top of your head, arms dangling from each side of your shoulders. “Jesus Christ bubs, you were a mess out there.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” you murmured grumpily, placing your phone back in your pocket. “Do you think he’s going to tell Mr. Im? I can’t be blacklisted from this place, I need my job.”

Seokjin only laughed. “Stop being so dramatic. He seems too nice to do that.” Shaking his head, he sighed. “Plus, I’m eighty-five percent sure he was hitting on you.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” you retorted while rolling your eyes. “As if he found my dirty uniform and the flour in my hair sexy.”

“You’re right, there’s nothing sexy about you,” he playfully joked back, which made you elbow him in the stomach. And all he did was laugh after. “What are you doing out here, anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be helping Chef Seong making those pies for tonight’s desserts?”

You sighed, nodding your head in response. “I’m supposed to be bringing a shipment of mangoes in from the back. Are you on your break? Do you want to come help me?”

With your best friend agreeing to accompany you to your trip to get the mangoes, the two of you head out of the break room and towards the back entrance of the hotel. As you opened the door to go outside, you noticed that the truck was already parked in front, with a few boxes of mangoes neatly stacked on top of one another. So, you decided to get to work and grabbed the first two boxes you see.

“Are these all of it?” you heard Seokjin ask (possibly the driver of the truck). You couldn’t really see, because the boxes were obstructing your view.

“There’s two more left,” the other person, who sounded like a man, replied. “Let me get those out.”

You made about two rounds in and out of the hotel before all of the boxes outside were brought in. Seokjin had to do the absolutely most as usual bringing way more boxes in than he could carry, and while he tried to play it cool as much as possible, you could tell he was struggling. His trembling arms were a clear tell that he could drop everything at given moment.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” you asked him, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling inside you.

“Does it look like I need your help?” Seokjin scoffed, which only made it harder to keep your laughter in. He couldn’t even look at you as he tried walking inside, because he was far too concentrated in keeping all of the mangoes inside these boxes. “Go away, you’re distracting me and my strength.”

As he continued to carry the boxes inside, you watched a couple of mangoes fall out and roll on the ground in front of you. He didn’t even seem to notice, because he kept walking. You only shook your head before bending down to quickly pick them up before they get too dirty.

Assuming that you’ve picked everything off the ground, you stood up and tried to catch up to Seokjin, who was already by the door. But rather than joining him, you were stopped. “Excuse me, miss!” you heard the foreign voice enter your ears. “You forgot these!”

You turned around to grab the mangoes out of the driver’s hands. “Thank you,” you replied with a soft smile. “Sorry about my friend, he’s—”

When you looked up to meet his gaze, it was as if what you were about to say next was thrown at the window. The person standing in front of you looked familiar. Even with the brim of his large straw hat hovering over his eyes, you could clearly see the prominent beauty marks on his features that resembled the ones of your soulmate in that one drawing.

It was him. It had to be.