Chapter 5
"My head is killing me," Grace moaned the next morning as she untangled herself from the blankets she didn't remember climbing under. Joon was standing above her, glass in hand as he looked down at her sympathetically.
"Take these, you'll feel a little better," he said, handing her the water and tablets.
"I'm going to be late for work aren't I," she asked, popping the tablets in and swallowing with a grimace, dry mouth feeling disgusting as she smacked her lips a few times, running hands through her hair.
"Not too much if you get up and shower now but you won't have time to go home and change."
Grace looked down at her rumpled clothes, checking for marks and stains in case she spilled something on them last night. She really didn't remember everything so it was very possible.
"Go on, take a shower, I can iron them for you if you pass them to me," Namjoon said, reaching for her hand and tugging her to standing as he pushed her lightly in the general direction of the bathroom. "Go, go, just call out when you want me to come get the things to iron."
"You don't have to do that Joonie," she said, yawning as she rubbed her face and squinted at the light coming through the open curtains. She'd definitely be showering without the light on, she thought with a grimace the light to much for her head.
"Yes I do, everyone will notice if you turn up looking like, ah, that."
She turned, glaring at him. "I don't look that bad," and then she walked past the hallway mirror and shied away in horror from the sight she'd glimpsed. "OK, yeah, if you don't mind," she said, thinking she should travel with spare clothes in her car for times like this. Not that she was ever going to drink again on a work night, this just wasn't worth it.
He grinned at her and she glared again. "Why do you look so cheerful, you were drinking too."
"Yes but I stopped well before you. You were, well, do you remember?" They'd paused at the bathroom door and she stopped as she pushed it open.
"Remember what? I was a bit weepy because, well, I'm entitled to be at the moment."
"Oh, yes, yes, of course you are," he hurried to reassure her.
"Sorry if I was embarrassing, I'm assuming I said some soppy stuff." She looked a little concerned, frowning as she tried to remember particulars of the night but most of it, especially before she went to sleep, was a big blur.
"Nah, it's all good. Shower now, you're gross," he said, lightening the mood. "Just pass me your clothes and I'll put them back outside the door when I'm done."
"Thank you Joon, try not to burn them though OK, I have nothing else to wear," she said laughing and then clutching her head. Ouch, that was stupid.
"You deserve that, I'm trying to be nice, now hurry up, it's getting late," he said, leaning on the wall in the hallway as she closed the door and stripped herself of her clothes, passing her top and pants through the small crack she made before he heard the water turn on.
Quickly reaching for the iron that was barely ever used but his mother had bought for him just in case, he turned it on low and set about taking out the creases for her. She had been right to be concerned, he had burned a few things and this fabric of her top was really light. He held up the label to see what temperature it said he should do it on and caught a whiff of scent, the perfume she'd been wearing last night maybe. He held it closer to his face to check and then dropped it like he'd scolded his fingers. WTF was he doing? Why was he smelling her clothes? He needed to shake out of it, her words last night effecting him more than he realised, putting ideas in his head. He remembered clearly but she didn't seem to and he was glad for that. It would've been very awkward if she did, the embarrassment at the thought making his cheeks heat up as he gingerly pressed the iron over the creases of her top before draping it over a chair and doing the same to her pants.
'I hope she realised I wouldn't do this for just anyone', he thought as he sucked the tip of his finger, catching it on the iron as he went to turn it off. Only because she was one of his best friends would be put himself through this, knowing he burnt himself everytime he tried. One of the reasons he barely ever used it, buying clothes he didn't need to iron instead. But she'd been in a bind this morning and had looked so needy, sleepy and cute that he had offered without thinking. Wait. Did he just call her cute? What was his brain doing to him!
"Are they ready Joonie," Grace called, finishing quicker than he thought she would, striding over to the bathroom door. Her arm snaked through the gap she pulled open, a couple of droplets of water dripping to the floor before she took the clothes from his hand and disappeared behind the closed door again and he blinked away the image of her creamy skin as he went to the kitchen to quickly make some toast for her to eat on her way out.
"Thank you," she said, coming out of the bathroom, tucking her top into her pants and quickly twisting her hair into a bun out of the way as he handed her the slices he'd buttered and stacked on a napkin for her to run out the door with. "You're the best," she called as she raced to the entrance, throwing her shoes on and running out the door.
And the house was instantly quiet, leaving Namjoon with a messy kitchen, a burnt finger and too many thoughts.
"Sooooooo, hot date last night," a voice and warm breath came close to her ear and she looked up from her computer to find Jungkook moving away from her face and perching back against her desk, crossing his arms with a smug look on his face. Her heart raced a little at how good he was looking today, black short sleeved button up showing off the tattoos that curled up the length of one whole arm.
"Ummmm, no, why," she replied, turning in her chair a little to look at him. They had a good relationship at work, both efficient at their jobs, working on projects together from time to time and always comfortable banter but they never really asked about relationship stuff, not crossing the line into super personal questions. Although she knew from office gossip that there had been a lot of those to discuss with him if they had been those kind of friends. Apparently he was quite the player which didn't surprise her at all. He was super hot. The kind of hot that had you salivating, just a little when he flexed his arms. Even now the muscles on his arms were bulging where they were crossed, distracting her but he spoke, bringing her back to the question she'd asked.
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong but I think you were wearing those clothes yesterday?" He was grinning at her as she flushed, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
"I hung out with a friend, we got drunk, I fell asleep and didn't want to be late so had to wear the same thing. No hot date," making it very clear so he wouldn't think she had a boyfriend. Not that there would be anything between them. She was notorious for falling for the bad boys which he seemed to be but she couldn't date anyone she worked with even if there was any kind of mutual attraction there. That would get too mucky when it inevitably ended.
"Ah, that would've been a fun night. I've seen you when you've been drinking at work functions, you get very chatty. Invite me to join in next time, if your friend would be OK with that." He reached for one of the mints she kept on her desk and popped it in his mouth, grinning at her again.
"Have you been watching me Kook," she asked, staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Always, who wouldn't," he said, staring back with a grin as the mint crunched between his teeth and she swallowed a little and looked away.
"Well, I can invite you to drinks next time it's at my place. Last night was at Joonie's although I'm sure you two would get along."
"Joonie?"
"Ah yeah, Namjoon, I don't think you guys would've met before but he's really sweet so I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
Jungkook uncrossed his arms, putting them up in submission. "I wouldn't dream of stepping on any other guys toes. Despite what people think of me. I might be a player but I adhere to the bro code."
"Bro code, what has that got to do with anything," I asked and now it was me with my arms crossed.
"Just you and a guy at his place drinking and you slept over? I'm not even touching that."
"We're just friends," Grace laughed. "He's one of my best friends actually."
"Yeah, I've heard that one before and met guy 'best friends'. I'm not going to third wheel that one."
"You don't know what you're talking about Jungkook," Grace said, swinging her chair back to her computer, pivoting her eyes away from him. As attractive as he looked right now, she was feeling irritated. "It's possible for guys and girls to be friends without it meaning anything."
"Ah, no it's not," he shot back, shaking his head at her.
"Maybe it's not possible for you but lots of people I know are friends without it leading to anything more."
"Maybe but only because it never makes it off the starting blocks. That doesn't mean feelings aren't there from one side or the other. The question is," he said, stopping talking for a moment to lean in a little closer, "is it you or this 'Joonie' or both of you that have feelings?"
"Don't you have work to do, places to be, other people to bother," Grace asked, frowning at the converation. It was like a repeat of Sara's the other week and she hadn't liked it much then either.
"Ah but you're so much more fun to bother. If you ask me, which I know you won't so I'll tell you anyway, I think he does for sure because you're really sexy so why wouldn't he be attracted to you. You just have to ask yourself if you like him back," and with that he grinned and sauntered away, likely to wreck havoc with someone else's morning.
Staring at the screen blankly for a few minutes, wondering why he would throw the word sexy at her and mess with her brain, she tried to remember what she was doing before she was interupted, giving up and heading to the kitchen to make herself a coffee. Her head wasn't feeling as horrible now but she had a feeling it was going to be a long day. As she made the drink, stirring some extra sugar into it because she desperately needed it, she dropped the spoon on the bench with a start, covering her mouth with her hand. Images and flashes of last night were coming back thick and fast and all of a sudden she remembered exactly what she had said just before she fell asleep, hitting herself in the head with a groan. Did she really ask Namjoon to treasure her body?
"Why did I drink so much," Grace muttered under her breath. But then again, he hadn't mentioned it so maybe he didn't remember either and he'd seemed fine that morning, not awkward at all. Maybe she was remembering it wrong. She could live in hope anyway as she really didn't want to confuse their friendship by saying something stupid like that.
But Sara's words, Jungkook's words and her own remembered words haunted Grace for the rest of the day and through to where she lay tossing and turning in her bed that night.
Namjoon Diary Entry
She doesn't remember what she said before she fell asleep and I'm relieved. Although part of me wonders. They say there's always partial truths in things that are said even in jest but she was drunk so not thinking before she spoke. Which doesn't really help me at all try to work out what she's really thinking. Maybe I should just worry about what I'm thinking since I don't seem to be able to shake her from my mind these days and that sounds like a disaster on so many levels, our friendship is too important to mess up with these weird feelings.
