Over And Over Again [1/2]
Title: Over And Over Again [1/2]
Author: FloweryMisha
Pairing: NamJin
Warning: BoyxBoy Love. Enough said.
Summary: Namjoon knew that Seokjin was the one from the first glance.
Author’s Note: No, this is not a comeback. No, I’m not an Army. No translations allowed. And I’m so sorry, I’m so very rusty T_T
So don’t ever think I need more
I’ve got the one to live for
No else will do
And I’m telling you, just put your heart in my hands
I promise it won’t get broken
We’ll never forget this moment
It will stay brand new
‘cause I’ll love you, over and over again
One lemon tea, two sodas, one green tea less sugar, one chocolate milk.
Namjoon pursed his lips as he solemnly stared at the beverage aisle. He momentarily pondered of which brand to buy before deciding to just choose randomly and tossed the drinks into the basket.
The male also picked one for himself and was about to pick one for Hoseok, when he remembered that he didn't know what the latter would want.
"Oi, Hoseok."
"Just grab me a beer."
"No."
"Iced coffee, then."
Namjoon rolled his eyes as he took a can of coffee. "Remember rule number one: No alcohol on movie night."
"No alcohol on movie night with Namjoon around, because he’s boring."
"It’s nothing boring. Technically, Jimin still is a kid. Jungkook too. Don’t get me started on Taehyung. I have to make sure they’re okay. It’s still weekdays. Wouldn’t want them to get a hangover on a Thursday."
"Yes, that's why you're the leader and we look up to you. But really, the boys aren’t little boys anymore. They can take care of themselves now.”
“Not when I’m around.”
“One of these days, they will host a movie night without inviting you and I bet there’s going to be tons of alcohol.” Hoseok laughed when Namjoon gave him a horrified look. “Just kidding. On second thought, not sure about that though.” He waved a hand when Namjoon opened his mouth to argue more. “Come on, they're waiting for us."
“Ugh. Fine. But you’d better tell me when that day comes.”
Namjoon threw Hoseok a judging look as they walked towards the cashier. He randomly checked the other aisles, wondering if there was anything else he forgot. Hoseok already was in charge of snacks, so he shouldn’t have to worry about that… Namjoon absently looked around before resting his eyes on someone.
Something about the person made Namjoon stop in his tracks.
He seems familiar…ah, Namjoon remembered. He's that HR guy. What's his name…? Jin or something. Namjin. No, Seokjin. Yes, Seokjin.
The person named Seokjin brought a finger to his lips, clearly contemplating the stuff in front of him. It wasn't until a moment later that Namjoon realized that the other male was looking at a variety of medicine.
Is he sick..?
"Hmm.”
Namjoon almost jumped at Hoseok’s sudden voice in his ear. “Dude! Don’t scare me like that.”
“So pretty. Is he a celebrity?"
“H-huh?"
"You were drooling, Namjoon," Hoseok teased as he wiped the imaginary drool on Namjoon's chin. "You weren't moving either. Your eyes were fixated on him."
"Yeah right," Namjoon playfully pushed the other male away. “I was only staring for three seconds.”
"More like ten. Who is he anyway?"
"He's a guy from work."
"Oh,” Hoseok paused thoughtfully. “Do you want to say hi then?"
“What? No. I don’t know him that well. I just…know him, but I don’t know him.”
Hoseok frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“He’s in another department, I just know him. I don’t know him. Ugh, why do I even bother explaining to you? Anyway, come on,” Namjoon waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s just go. Let’s not make the boys wait.”
“You’re the reason we’re so long in this store.”
Namjoon heard Hoseok chuckling as the latter walked away first. He waited for a second before taking his phone out of his pocket in a record time, and snapped a picture of Seokjin without thinking. Namjoon blinked as he realized what he was doing, and was about to delete the picture when Hoseok called out his name for the umpteenth time.
“Coming…”
***
Namjoon didn’t delete the picture.
Even though it was considered a quick shot, the result of the picture was clear-it wasn’t blurred or anything. Namjoon could see the details of the other male’s face, as if it was meant to be.
Kim Seokjin was beautiful.
Namjoon had already knew that since the first day he stepped into the building.
Seokjin was the one who had arranged his interview, since he was in the HR department. But the male rarely talked unless it was needed. It was strange actually, since people in the HR department usually was loud, friendly and lively, but not Seokjin.
Not that it mattered, though-he was probably the ‘work more talk less’ kind of person.
But there were times when Namjoon felt like he wanted to befriend Seokjin. For someone as pretty as Seokjin, he didn't seem to socialize much. Even on lunch break, Namjoon couldn't recall if the other male ever sat with a colleague. Seokjin was always alone and he was rarely seen in the pantry, so it was hard to do. Especially when Namjoon’s plan was to ‘casually say hi and ask how his day was’. Nope. Not a chance.
Why didn’t I just say hi…?
Maybe Hoseok was right.
Maybe I was really drooling that night.
For days, Namjoon could only stare at the picture on his phone. The more he stared at it, the more he wanted to compliment how artsy Seokjin’s face was. There were times when Namjoon wanted to show Hoseok and tell him all about it, but he changed his mind. For now, it was enough. He didn’t need anyone to know about it and label him as a creep.
It wasn't until a month later that Namjoon really ran into Seokjin.
One of the managers was getting a promotion, so they were hosting a party.
There were a lot of people in the room, but Namjoon was able to spot Seokjin right away. They were sitting on different tables, but fortunately the black-haired male was in his line of sight, so no one would be suspicious if he kept glancing at Seokjin.
Namjoon shifted in his seat. He thought about ways of casually approaching Seokjin, and his stomach jolted with butterflies. A variety of scenes were played in his head, and it must've got him to the point of moving anxiously in his seat that the woman beside him was giving him a look.
"Constipated?"
Namjoon blinked. He let out an awkward chuckle as he turned to her. "Pardon me..."
"Don't be. If you need to go, then go. The food is kind of spicy..."
It was then Namjoon realized that he hadn't touched his food at all, he was too busy ogling over Seokjin. He nodded at her politely with a small smile and grabbed his fork, but quickly put it back down when he saw Seokjin standing up.
The slender male quietly made his way towards the door, and something in Namjoon's brain was screaming at him to get up.
This is your chance, idiot. Move. Your. Legs!
Namjoon abruptly stood up, startling the people in his table. He apologized shortly before quickly went outside. Namjoon looked around, wondering where he went, and caught a glimpse of him before the latter went into the restroom.
Damn.
He forgot the possibility that Seokjin could be just...constipated.
Great, Namjoon. Just great. Now what? Casually walk into the restroom, faking a piss, act cool, ask for his number, go back? Namjoon mentally berated himself. No, you're not a creep. Don't hit anyone in a restroom.
Namjoon sighed.
Guess I'll just wait here then...
Almost fifteen minutes had passed, and Seokjin hadn’t come out from the restroom.
Namjoon only realized this after he pretended the paintings on the hall were interesting, untied his laces, tied them back, checked his phone, ignoring the group chat which had 222 new notifications and he was too distracted to read what Hoseok and the others were talking about.
Should I check on him…?
But what if he’s…just…taking a really bad…dump?
Well, if that’s the case…it wouldn’t hurt just to check.
Namjoon made up his mind.
Right.
Namjoon took a deep breath before going inside the restroom, and what he saw before him made him gasp.
Seokjin was kneeling inside one of the stalls, like he had just thrown up. One of his arms was on the toilet seat, and the door wasn't even properly closed. Namjoon became panicked as he rushed to the black-haired male.
"Are you alright?"
Seokjin weakly lifted up his chin. Their eyes met, and Namjoon felt like he could stare at those orbs forever.
"Can you stand?"
Seokjin pressed the back of his hand against his lips, and it was obvious that he didn't have the strength to do so.
Namjoon offered his hand, and Seokjin hesitated before taking it.
Dear God.
Talking should've been enough for Namjoon's plan, but staring and holding hands? Way too fast.
He inwardly scolded himself for thinking such thoughts at the moment.
Seokjin leaned to him weakly, and Namjoon almost died.
Get a grip, dammit. Now's not the time to be grateful.
"Thank you," Seokjin whispered. He gave Namjoon a small smile. "I should be alright now…"
"Should I call someone? Can you walk to your car?"
"I don't…I don’t have a car. I'll just take a taxi…"
“Taxi?”
Seokjin looked at him nonchalantly. “Yes…”
“I-”
Namjoon gulped. He was about to make the biggest decision of his life.
"Can I take you home, then?"
It only came in a totally wrong sentence.
Seokjin stiffened.
"N-no, I mean…I-I didn't mean it like that. I mean," Namjoon cleared his throat, wanting to actually bury himself right now. "I have a car, and I don't feel like staying anyway. Also, the party should be over soon, so it should be alright if we disappear together. I-I mean, go home.”
Seokjin still seemed unsure (no wonder, Namjoon must’ve sound like a total creep), but his eyes softened.
Namjoon knew this was their first ‘real’ encounter and he didn't mean it to go so fast, but he felt like it was a chance he shouldn't throw away. That was, as long as Seokjin didn't mind.
"I promise I'm not gonna do anything weird.”
Namjoon could feel Seokjin’s stare on him, and he dared himself to stare back.
“I just want to get you home safely."
Seokjin was the first one between them to break their eye contact. He said nothing but to nod softly.
Namjoon almost punched the air in excitement.
***
They didn't talk much in the car.
Seokjin entered his address on the GPS, and as much as Namjoon wanted to initiate a conversation or two, the former didn't seem to be in a good condition.
Namjoon’s heartbeat couldn’t slow down the whole time. Though the air conditioning was on, he felt like he was sweating nervously from Seokjin being a few feet apart from him.
When they arrived, Seokjin made it clear that it was where they bid goodbye. Namjoon took it well, after all, they were still strangers and he kept his words, that he just wanted to just get him safely home. Namjoon finally left when he was certain Seokjin had already entered the apartment.
And Namjoon forgot to ask for his number.
Idiot.
But at least he knew where Seokjin lived.
It wasn't until next Friday that they met again.
Namjoon was about to turn off his computer when he saw Seokjin standing by his cubicle. His heart suddenly palpitated like it was about to fail. It almost stopped working for good when Seokjin gave him a small smile.
“Hey…”
"Hey," Namjoon said coolly and he clicked restart instead of shutdown.
Dammit.
"I’m sorry I haven’t properly introduced myself,” Seokjin said quietly. “Last week, I was in a bad condition…”
“Ah.”
Seokjin was right. They really didn’t say their names.
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t introduced myself, too.”
“You’re Kim Namjoon. I read your file.”
Namjoon’s mouth formed a small ‘o’. Since Seokjin was in HR Department, it wasn’t strange if he read employee’s files.
What else did you read?
Do you know that I’m single?
“And you’re Kim Seokjin,” Namjoon retorted coolly. “I…read your nametag. Somewhere.”
WTF Namjoon?
What if he thinks you’re stupid?
Namjoon felt like strangling himself, but fortunately Seokjin let out a soft chuckle. It made him want to cry because the sound of Seokjin chuckling was like music to his ears. “I guess we’re even now.”
“Yeah, I guess…” Seokjin fell silent. His eyes were on Namjoon’s bag, and he looked like he was thinking. “Do you…have plans…?”
“Do I…what?”
“I mean, right now…after work, if you’re free… I would like to repay your kindness…”
“Repay my kindness?"
"Well, you've helped me the other day…although I'm sure you would've helped everyone, and not just me," Seokjin hastily added. "So I just want to…you know, buy you something."
“Something like…?”
“Are you okay? You’ve been…repeating what I said.”
“I’m okay. Come again? Something like…?”
“Like food?”
“Oh.”
OH.
OH???
WTF BRAIN CAN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING ELSE-
”But if you’re busy…”
“No, no. I’m not busy,” Namjoon nervously ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep his cool. “But…but really, you don’t have to. I mean it. I didn’t help you to get something in return.”
But wait, waiiit, probably just your number.
“I see…”
"But since I'm starving, how about we have dinner?"
Namjoon was kind of proud and embarrassed at the same time because it was smooth, so smooth.
"You don't have to buy me. We'll split the check."
Okay maybe not that smooth.
Just why, brain, tongue? It doesn't matter who pays-as long as I get to have dinner with him.
Seokjin looked like he was holding back a smile, probably because Namjoon was acting funny. "…alright then."
Namjoon blinked. “Alright?”
“I said alright. Stop repeating what I said,” Seokjin chuckled and motioned the door with his head. “I’ll be waiting for you, then.”
The blond-haired male rolled his fingers into a fist and silently screamed ‘yes’. He managed to gather his things in a record of time and this time, he successfully clicked shutdown.
***
They ended up at a western restaurant because Seokjin said Namjoon should decide what to eat.
And Namjoon actually couldn't decide because usually Jimin was the one who took care of that whenever they all went out.
So when the black-haired male ordered something simple like soup, Namjoon thought he had made a wrong decision.
"Uh, we can go if you prefer to eat somewhere else-"
"No!" Seokjin's voice was loud, and it startled the both of them. The male covered his mouth in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Here is okay."
Namjoon smiled apologetically. "Okay then.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to eat anything else, but…I can’t.”
Namjoon frowned.
“I…” Seokjin closed his eyes momentarily. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
“No,” Namjoon said almost sternly. “Please continue. I want to know.”
Seokjin bit his lower lip. He still looked doubtful at first, but he finally said something. “I have…acute gastritis." Seeing Namjoon raising his eyebrows, he quickly continued. "Usually people would say that it's normal, that it happens to almost every worker, but I don't know if it affects them as much as it affects me… Remember last week, when you took me home?"
Namjoon merely nodded.
"The food was spicy that night…my stomach reacted badly, and I threw up. I only took a few bites and it affected me that much..." Seokjin tapped on his glass awkwardly. "So, uh…I guess that's why I don't go out much. I can't eat certain food, and I can't drink alcohol... I'm no fun to hang out with. But since you've helped me, I just want to return the favor…so please, don't feel bad about what I eat…"
Namjoon's mind went back to the time he saw Seokjin in the convenient store, where he stood in front of the medicine aisle. "Have you gone to the doctor? Do you have to take medication?"
"Only when it gets really bad. Other than that, I just have to maintain what I eat…"
"I see…we have to take really care of what you eat, then."
"Yes, we really have to-" Seokjin stopped abruptly. "Excuse me?"
"I’ll be sure to keep that in mind," Namjoon said casually. “Wouldn’t want you to throw up again.”
Certainly I won’t make this our last dinner.
“What do you-"
What Seokjin was about to say got swallowed back when the waitress came with their food. Neither of them said a word after that, and Namjoon cleared his throat to break the tension.
“Let’s eat then.”
Seokjin nodded and smiled when Namjoon handed him his spoon.
"Yeah, let's eat..."
***
Namjoon spent the weekend with Hoseok and the others, but his mind was somewhere else. After dinner last night, he took Seokjin home, and he finally gathered his courage to ask for the latter's number.
He got it.
And did nothing with it.
Namjoon must've been staring at his screen for way too long that he got a smack on his shoulder.
"Oi, Hyung!"
Namjoon snapped out of his reverie and turned his head to five pairs of inquisitive gazes. "Hm?"
"Grab his phone!" Taehyung exclaimed and Jungkook leaped out of his chair with a laugh. Namjoon was not ready at the sudden attack and his phone soon was tossed to Hoseok, who glanced at the screen with a sly grin.
"Kim Seokjin," he read loudly. "Oh, he's online. Shall I type something?"
"He could be my boss!" Namjoon shrieked as he tried to grab his phone back. "Don't you dare-"
Yoongi and Jungkook playfully held Namjoon back.
Hoseok squinted his eyes. "He seemed familiar…where have I seen him...ah!" His eyes widened with realization. "He was the one in the convenient store, the one you said 'just a guy from work'!"
"He-he is really just a guy from work."
"Hm, and why are you stuttering? Just a guy from work-whose profile picture you cannot stop staring."
Jimin turned to Namjoon. "You have a crush on him, Hyung!"
Namjoon opened his mouth to deny, but then he hesitated. His expression made it clear that he himself wasn't sure.
“Wow, he’s not sure himself,” Hoseok raised his brows. The mood to tease their beloved leader soon changed into empathy. "So do you like him as friends, or do you want to be more? Do you want to talk about it?"
Namjoon made a face. "Can we just talk about something else? I'm really not comfortable talking about this. Besides, it’s only been a day, and I haven’t figured out what to say to him. Unless ‘hey’. Perhaps."
Hoseok flashed a grin before typing something on Namjoon's phone.
“Hey it is, then.”
***
Hey back at you.
Thankfully, Hoseok only typed one word. And such a casual one as that.
The mood to kill Hoseok was soon dissipated because within minutes, Seokjin had already replied.
He was online, sure he replied quickly, was what Namjoon told himself, as if not wanting to get his hopes up. But it was all the push Namjoon needed to initiate a conversation. Soon enough, the blond-haired male secluded himself in the corner, replying texts, with a meaningful smile on his face.
The boys let Namjoon had his moments.
It was next Friday when Seokjin showed up again by Namjoon's cubicle.
They had been texting for the whole week, but Namjoon didn’t want to rush things. He didn’t want to force Seokjin to meet every day, even though he was dying to see the pretty male every minute if he could. But their online conversations were enough for now, and he couldn’t help but feel content about it.
“Hey,” Seokjin shyly greeted.
“Hey back at you,” Namjoon grinned. His heart skipped a beat upon seeing the other male, Seokjin always looked dazzling to him no matter what. “Are you done?”
“Yeah. Thought I’d say hi in person.”
“Want to grab a bite with me?”
Seokjin beamed. “Sure.”
“You pick the place this time.”
Namjoon didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but Seokjin looked like he was in a good mood that night. The pretty male picked a Japanese restaurant, and Namjoon made sure once again that the food they ordered was acceptable for Seokjin’s stomach. While waiting for their food, the conversation went between how was work, how was their week, what their jobs were, their bosses. Namjoon mentally facepalmed at how work related it was.
"So," Namjoon cleared his throat. "Do you ever hang out with anyone from work?"
Seokjin looked awkward for a moment. "Oh. Uh... You're the first person."
"I am?"
Seokjin nodded as he played with the straw in his glass. "You must think I'm weird."
"No. if that’s weird, then I am too. I don't hang out with my colleagues, either. You're also the first person."
Namjoon's heart skipped a beat when Seokjin gave him a warm smile.
“You just say that to make me feel better.”
“I do not. Why won’t you trust me?”
Seokjin laughed softly. “Alright then. I trust you.”
Namjoon fought the blush that was starting to show and faked a cough. "Has it always been that bad? Your gastritis."
Seokjin’s expression turned sad for a split second, and Namjoon acknowledged it.
“I’m sorry. If it makes you uncomfortable, let’s not talk about it. Anyway, look, it’s going to be Jungkook’s birthday soon, so me and the boys are going to get him this,” Namjoon tried to talk about something else as he showed Seokjin a picture of a jacket. “What do you think? By the way, this is Jungkook…and this is Hoseok…”
It brought a smile back to Seokjin’s face as he commented. Their conversation went on like nothing happened, and Namjoon felt grateful.
He never wanted to make Seokjin sad.
[2]