It was tranquil, a piece of oasis in the midst of a bustling city such as Chicago. The sun beat down on the quiet pond, a slight breeze blowing through the bright green trees and long grass nestled at the water's edge. Children could be heard playing at the jungle gym a short walk away, dogs and their owners playing fetch just around the corner. Birds chirped above while ducks quacked and fluttered their wings in the cool water, creating a calm soundtrack for the peaceful scene.
Riley breathed in the semi-fresh air, a hint of the city mixing with the dewy grass and pond. It would have been unpleasant had a gust of wind not kicked up the scent of the flowers blooming in the bushes not from where she stood at that moment. Goosebumps spread over her exposed skin, the wind sending her vibrant blue hair over her shoulder blades, tickling her sun-kissed skin.
Yes, this was definitely an oasis.
She kneeled down on one knee, pulling her camera bag from around her neck, the need to catch this moment the way it was almost overwhelming. The sleek black of her most prized possession contrasted heavily with the bright scene, leaving her nearly shaking in anticipation. Not many things could make her quake quite like photography, a notion she'd come to terms with a long time ago.
Once she'd gotten the camera up and running and the lenses set up the way she liked, she stood from her crouch, holding the camera up to her face. She peered through the eye of the camera and took a few practice shots, the blood in her veins pumping excitedly with every click. Finally, when she was satisfied, she knelt down once more, focusing on the ducks in the pond. Their dark feathers reflected the sun above, eliciting a shocking green that lit up the water they floated in, Wings brushed against the water, kicking droplets over their heads like a wave.
Shifting slightly on her knee, she spanned the scenery stopping to admire the multiple colored flowers nearest her spot. She was lucky enough to catch a few bright yellow bumblebees grazing the pollen, staying far enough away not to scare herself. As much as she loved nature and animals, bees of any kind were not her favorite. Great to shoot, not so great to get close to.
Satisfied with herself, Riley rounded about on her knee, camera raised to continue her mini photoshoot, only to stop dead in her tracks. Blood that had already run excitedly through her veins seemed to slow at an incredible rate, time slowing along with it. Her stomach did an involuntary flip, knocking the breath right out of her lungs and sending a shockwave down her spine. She'd had her breath taken away before, but nothing could compare to this; nothing. Not even the oasis she'd found.
He stood just a few yards away, tall and slim like a prince out of a goddamn fairytale. Beautiful tan skin peeked out from under a pristine form fitted white blazer, the lapel lined with accentuated black. A rather adorable black and white polka dot bow tie was tied around his strong neck, giving off a lighter and more childish feel than a tie would have. His brownish-blonde hair was pushed back from his smooth forehead, a streak of purple setting off the blonde.
Confidence rolled off of him naturally, showcased by the stance and unwavering eyes peering down at his own camera in his hands. When he finally looked up, Riley was taken aback once more, this time by the prominence of his facial profile. He had a sharp jawline, defined and strong, yet soft in a way as it connected to a slightly rounded chin. Pink full lips, the ones every man and woman craved, curved under a straight nose and into a pout, which added to the childlike features. It was very obvious he was Asian; unbelievable mono-lidded brown eyes lined with thick lashes and eyeliner.
Riley found herself chuckling at the ever so perfect liner at the edges of his deep brown almond eyes. She was used to being around men with guyliner, but none pulled it off as well as he did. By the way his cheeks rounded when he smiled at the screen of his camera, she could tell he was young, maybe 19 at the most. That didn't stop her 23-year old self from appreciating his beauty the way it ought to be.
After taking a few more seconds to look at him through the lenses, she lowered the camera, looking down to put it back in the case. It was time to move to another location before she had responsibilities to take care of and got caught up in this guy's beauty. She hoisted the bag over her head as she stood, brushing the remnants of any grass that had attached itself to her jeans. Enough staring at minors, she thought, unable to keep herself from smirking at her own actions.
A sudden shout not far from where the man stood caused her to look up, eyes falling on the sharply dressed man to see that he'd brought his gaze upwards to look at her, a slight tilt to his head. The look he gave her was puzzled, and shockingly enough, not quite as confident as she'd seen seconds before. If she had to describe it in a word, she'd probably say he looked shy, which is not what she expected.
His eyes went wide, sudden realization hitting him that she was now looking at him. Jungkook had been watching her snapping away at the edge of the water, pure happiness written all over her features. She'd caught his attention the second she'd approached the park, completely catching him off guard and sending him into a whirlwind of shot nerves and body sweats. Only a year had passed since the LA version of Boy in Luv had been filmed, when he'd been too nervous to answer simple questions asked by the girls on set. He'd been a ball of nerves then because were all scantily clad in tight fabric and more womanly than any women he'd met before that time.
This was totally different from then. She wasn't scantily clad, she didn't have a busty figure like the girls in LA, and she certainly seemed less aware of the air she gave off. Her long oceanic blue hair brushed her shoulders while she moved, highlighting the pale pigment of her slim neck. She was small, maybe standing just above his shoulders at full height, but the way her skinny jeans clung to her legs made her seem taller. Her frame was slight, hidden underneath a semi-baggy v-neck tee and the camera bag pressed to her middle.
He hadn't meant to take her photo at first. In fact, it was the furthest from his mind when she'd walked across the park towards the pond. He'd been busy fighting off his hyungs and photographing the buildings beyond the pond, wondering if he was actually talented with a camera. But once he'd spotted her crouching near the water and completely losing her in the beautiful scenery, he mindlessly lifted his camera and began a short photoshoot. It was incredible to watch her expressions change every few seconds, from thoughtful to indifferent to excited.
Jungkook was captivated to say the least.
Now she was looking directly at him, no thanks to Jimin-hyung who'd startled her enough to look in their direction. He'd officially been caught red-handed without much of an escape. What's worse, he could feel his awkward shyness showing on his face. In a panic, he habitually sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, cheeks flaming as the heat became unbearable, his body reacting immediately. If it wasn't his turn for their photoshoot next, his jacket would have been off in a heartbeat.
Thankfully, he was saved from any further embarrassment by Hobie-hyung, the elder swinging his arm around Jungkook's neck to lock him in a chokehold. Jungkook swiftly hid the camera in his coat, letting go of his lip to smile at his hyung. Hopefully the elder wouldn't notice his stiffness and let him out of such an awkward moment.
Always count on Hobie-hyung to do the complete opposite.
"Ya, Jungkookie, loosen up, maaaaan," his hyung said, dragging out the last word in his favorite teasing tone. Jungkook's cheeks went a shade darker, knowing full well Hobie-hyung's voice carried the most out of all the members. There was no possible way she couldn't hear. He hoped with every fiber of his being that she didn't understand Korean. The thought struck him as odd and appalling, considering he loved when others spoke and understood his native language.
"It's nothing, hyung, get off," Jungkook said, doing his best to fake a laugh. Even in his ears, it was cringe worthy, coming out flat and awkward. Hobie-hyung gave him that knowing look, the one he'd perfected over the years he'd known the maknae. He clearly knew something had thrown Jungkook for a loop, and his number one guess was the blue haired woman Jungkook had been sneaking photographs of for the last ten minutes. The poor kid was clueless.
Hobie watched the younger struggle to keep himself from looking too obvious. Jungkook had never been good around women, especially the ones he found attractive. He'd give the younger shit for it if he himself wasn't absolute crap with women. They'd all been cut off from the dating world since before they debuted, giving them less than satisfactory skills when the opposite sex were involved. He didn't want to be rude, but when he thought about it, he didn't consider the makeup artists or stylists as a gender. They were co-workers and therefore had no specific gender in his eyes.
If he had to be honest though, Hobie could see why the maknae had become a mess. The girl was beautiful, and enjoyed the scenery much like Jungkook, if seeing her reactions while taking photos was much of a clue. Hobie wasn't going to tell anyone, much less the nervous ball of Kookie next to him, but he'd had his eye fixed on her as well. He was sure the rest of the members did too, considering she fit at least one of each of their personal ideals.
Hobie glanced between the two, noting how her eyes were practically clued to the younger, who was now chewing and sucking the gloss right off his bottom lip. His fingers fumbled with the camera in his hands, pressing all but the delete button, which he skillfully avoided. Jungkook would later feel compelled to delete the photos, but Hobie knew he'd probably keep one saved elsewhere, hidden from the rest of his hyungs. The kid was almost too easy to figure out with one look.
Riley let out of a huff, quiet but strong, before finally tearing her eyes from the pair. The two were Korean, a language she'd been taught in high school by a friend and her parents. Knowing the language had come in handy when searching for work, the whole tri-lingual thing fairly popular in America. She could see now why the younger had been so put off. His hyung was teasing him. About what, she wasn't positive, but she figured it had something to do with his photography. She understood the frustration of being teased, having gone through it with her older brothers.
She set her camera comfortably at her hip, her heart in her throat as she once again glanced at the two. His hyung was smirking at the younger, giving off a 'I know what you're doing' kind of look, causing the other to fidget with his camera. It didn't matter if he was full of confidence or shy like a child, Riley found him completely and utterly captivating. She almost regretted not snapping a photo of him when she'd had the chance.
The sound of her phone going off in her pocket caused her to jump and immediately she realized she'd gone over her allotted 'me time'. She'd have to make time later in the week to continue her sightseeing before she returned to Seattle.
It was her current boss, Kim Sin Chan. With a quiet sigh, she slid her thumb across the screen. "Hello, Mr. Kim," she said, answering in his native tongue. The looks she received from the pair across the way who'd realized she could speak their language were comical, enough for her to have to hide a laugh behind her hand. She listened while her boss spoke, but kept her eye on the two, watching them both turn a lovely shade of pink. That would have been a moment to capture had Mr. Kim not asked her to get back to the hotel for an immediate meeting.
Once she hung up, her eyes trailed back to the man named Jungkook. His air of confidence had somewhat returned, his face turned to speak to another who'd approached the men. She bit her lip, a sudden boost, or rather push, in her mind had her scrambling for the camera again. One picture wouldn't hurt anyone, right? As swiftly as she could, she set the lenses once more, putting the camera in position.
Her heart stopped, realizing too late that his head had turned in her direction the precise moment her finger pressed the button. Butterflies went wild in her belly, causing a chain reaction of her heart beginning to race and mind halting. The sensation was ridiculous, almost painful in a way. Swallowing hard, she slowly lowered the camera, looking down as she put it away. Now was a good time to escape.
Jungkook nearly collapsed, the air in his lungs desperately fighting to be released as he watched her leave the park in a hurry. He could have sworn she'd taken a photo of him, but he couldn't be sure. She'd left so quickly that he almost didn't see her go, Jimin-hyung distracting him yet again by throwing a plastic grenade at his back. Jungkook bit his upper lip, eyes following her until she disappeared around the trees, walking out of his life forever.
Well. Not forever, he thought, the photos he'd captured earlier floating in his mind.
"Wow," he finally breathed.
"Wow."