Come to my Place

Frozen, I stare at him. What..what did he just say?

My reaction makes him roll his eyes. "Come on now, don't act like I'm about to kidnap you. My apartment is big, you'll be able to work in peace.

And if you have a question, you can just ask me directly instead of texting. Win-win situation. Besides," he says, suddenly more pensively, "I really don't think you should be alone right now."

The slight concern in his voice makes me feel self-conscious. Do I really appear to be in such a bad state that even my egocentric boss is worried about me? I bite my lips as I consider his offer. Do I want to spend more time in Hajun's presence than needed? Absolutely not.

However, what other options do I even have? I can't go home, my parents think I'm in New Zealand, and explaining my situation to any of my other friends right now would be too complicated and gruelling. The only other choice I have is to go to a café, but hanging out alone there around all these cute couples while drinking overpriced coffee does not sound like a great evening either.

As I'm taking too long to answer, it's like something dawns on Hajun, and he narrows his eyes at me. "Wait, why am I even giving you a choice? I'm your boss, you should do as I say anyways. Come on now, Rose-ah."

Ah, such a wonderful, diplomatic person. I have to remind myself once again that this is Hajun's attempt of caring, even if it is a rather poor attempt. Considering the fact that he could usually not last longer than five minutes without scowling at me, his current behaviour is already tremendous progress.

Reluctantly, I get up from my chair. "Fine," I say. "But only because objectively, this really is the best option for me right now."

A smile is tugging at the corners of Hajun's lips, obviously aware of the inner battle I'm having with myself. "Sure."

"Why don't you live with your parents anymore?" Hajun asks me as we're sitting in the car, being driven home.

Ha. Well, that's a long story, my friend. One that I'll hopefully never have to tell you. "No particular reason. As I'm an adult now, I just figured it would be time for me to move out."

His eyes are piercing into mine. "You don't get along with them?"

I wish the explanation was this simple. "What?" I laugh awkwardly. "Of course I get along with them, I get along with them perfectly fine."

"Alright." The tone of his voice tells me he doesn't buy it, but luckily, he doesn't keep digging. Knowing Hajun, he's probably already lost interest. I'm surprised he even asked this many questions about me in the first place.

We finally arrive at his place, and I hesitantly follow him into the apartment. Once we enter, I stop breathing for a while, that's how in awe I am.

Don't get me wrong. I knew Hajun was rich. However, I hadn't realized he was this rich. We're at the top of a building in Gangnam, Seoul's wealthiest neighbourhood, and the view we've got over the entire city of Seoul is simply astounding. The furniture in the apartment looks expensive, modern, and beautiful, but there's still something here that makes me feel uncomfortable, something I can't quite put on my finger just yet.

And then I understand: the apartment looks new, too new. There are no plants, no photos, no knick-knacks spread out. It feels... empty. Soulless.

"When did buy this apartment?", I ask him as we both take off our shoes and coats.

His eyes follow me. "About a year ago. Why?"

Hmm. How can I tell him in a non-offensive way that his apartment looks like something straight out of an Ikea-catalogue? "It's just, umm... it's very tidy.", I cough.

Hajun seems to see straight through that euphemism. "Well, I don't spend much time here. Whenever we're working, it's more convenient for me to sleep at the BTS dorms, and..."

"And you're always working," I finish the sentence for him. This much I've understood about Hajun now.

My boss smiles sadly at that. "Exactly."

He leads me into the living room, which is more spacious than Eun's entire apartment. "You can work here. I'll be in my studio if you need me."

I have absolutely no intention of searching for Hajun in his studio of course. The plan is to finish my work and then to leave as quickly as possible. I'm not supposed to be here, in my boss's home. Everything about it feels wrong. When I see Hajun at work, it's easy for me to demonize him and pretend he's the villain of my life, responsible for all my problems. However, by letting me discover his private space and showing kindness towards me without having any reason to, I can't help but see he's just a person and that is deeply confusing as I've got no clue where it leaves me. It's so much easier to hate Hajun when I perceive him as a tired, young man instead of my arrogant and selfish celebrity boss.

Said young man's already exiting the living room as he turns around one last time, staring me down, his eyes suddenly wary. "I didn't see you in the cafeteria today."

"Okay?" I respond slowly, intending to sound innocent.

Of course, I wasn't the cafeteria today. After seeing the body, I lost all appetite. Alone the thought of eating makes me want to throw up. I'm aware that going all day without having any food is probably not my brightest idea, but I'll survive. I'll try to eat some breakfast tomorrow.

However, Hajun has other plans for me. Apparently, letting me make my own choices is a foreign concept to him. "When was the last time you've eaten, Rose?"

"What does it matter? I'm not hungry, I've lost all appetite since this morning,", I answer, really wishing he'd drop the topic.

A scoff escapes his lips, and he starts reprimanding me. "Having no appetite doesn't mean that your body doesn't need food, stupid. Stay here, I'll be right back."

Great. After the day I've had, there's nothing I enjoy more than being called stupid by my boss. Even though he's maybe just a little bit right.

Hajun reappears with a plate full of cookies and banana milk. "There you go. Eat these."

These nourishment choices are so essentially him - as he's obsessed with both- that it almost makes me laugh, and I cringe at myself for finding the gesture endearing and... cute. Did I really just call An Hanjun cute? "Thank you, oppa." I smile sweetly, hoping he'll finally leave if I do so. Obviously, I have no intention of eating those cookies, but I'll put them in my purse and give them to a homeless man on my way home. At least that way, they won't be a waste.

Unfortunately, Hajun sees right into my little game. "Eat these, Rose, I really mean it. I'll go work in my studio for a while, when I return, I expect all of these cookies to be in your belly."

Suddenly, I'm filled with annoyance. I really dislike being ordered around and treated like a child. At the end of the day, I'm an adult, and I still know what's best for myself.

Why does Hajun think he gets to control my life like this? Actually, why does he always have to be so damn irritating? "Why are you always so bossy?"

Shit.

As soon as the sentence escapes my lips, I regret it, and I start blaming the scientists who still haven't invented time travelling. Because if I could turn back time, I definitely would right now.

Jungkook goes rigid, and he slowly raises an eyebrow at me as I gulp, feeling like I can't breathe. "What did you just say?"

Uh-oh. The room temperature has suddenly turned 10 degrees colder.

"Nothing," I immediately respond.

"That's what I thought." He shakes his head at me. "See you later. Eat up, Rose."

As soon as he disappears, a relieved sigh escapes my lips. That was close.

I almost got murdered by my boss in his billion-dollar apartment in Gangnam, and to be honest, that's now exactly how I imagined my ideal death.

In the next couple of hours, I struggle to focus on my work. I'm just too exhausted, this day has been very, very long. The only productive thing I manage to do is finish the cookies, as I'm too scared of Hajun's reaction if he finds out I didn't eat them.

However, despite all my efforts to stay awake, the desperate need for sleep catches up with me, and I soon fall into a deep slumber in the middle of my boss's living room.