Chapter Text
Silence was normal. Exactly the way Jeon Jeongukk preferred it.
No unnecessary conversations. No distractions. No unpredictability. Everything had its place. Everything followed a pattern.
Most of the time... atleast.
“Sir?”
Jeongukk didn't look up. “Hmm.”
Hajun was standing across from his desk, tablet in his hand, expression carefully neutral, but concerned. Trying to gain Jeongukk's attention.
“Sir, you have signed the same document three times.”
Jeongukk's pen paused mid-stroke. Face showing no change in expression. Blank as ever. "It required confirmation.”
Hajun blinked. Confused. “It required one signature, sir."
Jeongukk looked at the paper on the desk. There was in fact, three identical signatures. Stacked under each other. Looking like organised mess. He set the pen down. Sliding the paper aside like it never existed.
“Next.”
Hajun didn't move. Rather just stared at Jeongukk, who finally looked up at him.
“Is there a problem?”
“No.” Hajun said quickly, but after a pause...
“Actually There is.”
Jeongukk leaned back slightly in his chair, gaze steady. “Then say it.”
Hajun gulped once, slow. Mustering up the courage. “You’ve asked me to rescheduled the same meeting twice. Have cancelled lunch with Senior sir. Have ignored two vedio conference calls. And..."
Hajun glanced at his tablet, scared he was saying too much. "You’ve been staring at your phone today, cumulatively. You seem distracted. Sir."
Silence.
Jeongukk's gaze shifted from his phone resting near his hand, to Hajun standing in front of him. Looking scared to even look at him in the eyes.
"Sorry sir."
Jeongukk didn’t respond for a while, neither dismiss Hajun. Who was sweating from his back.
“I was thinking.”
Hajun looked up, slowly and nodded.
“Is it worrisome?”
Jeongukk didn’t answer immediately. Which in itself was an answer.
In the same room, at the far end corner, two of his men exchanged glance in between them.
“Sir has been like this for last three days." one of them muttered under his breath. “Exactly three, i counted.”
“You counted?”
“It's my duty, to look after.”
“You need a hobby.”
“I have one. This.”
“That’s not a hobby."
Jeongukk heard them. Ofcourse. His voice cutting through.
“Everyone out."
No words came after. Just sound of hurried footsteps existing the room.
The room settled again. Empty, with controlled rhythm. Normal.
It should have felt normal. But it didn’t.
Jeongukk's thumb brushed, against the side of his phone. Still nothing.
Day one, it didn’t matter because Jimin had asked for time. And Jeongukk had given it.
Simple.
Day two, he noticed. Not consciously.
On day three, which meant today, Jeongukk had glanced at his phone more than needed. More than he have collectively done in thirty two years of his life.
He sighed heavily, reaching for a file and flipping it open. Trying to concentrate in work.
There was a knock on the door, Hajun walked in, holding a file in his hand. Jeongukk closed one in his hand, setting it aside.
Hajun was informing him about some drug shipment, which has arrived. Then...
“He talks to objects.” The words left before Jeongukk decide to say them. And the room stilled.
“…I’m sorry?”
“He talks to objects.”
Silence.
“…Objects?”
“Yes.”
“Like... chairs?”
“Not chairs.”
“Tables?”
Jeongukk exhaled sharply. "Vases.”
A pause.
"Paintings, sunlight."
“That's... specific." Hajun murmured.
Jeongukk nodded once. “It helps him think.”
Hajun didn’t ask, how he knew that, or if he needed to weigh in. He wasn’t brave enough. He cleared his throat before speaking and changing the topic.
"We need to leave for warehouse, sir."
Jeongukk leaned back, gaze unfocused for half a second. “No.”
Hajun, didn't say anything. Didn’t try to convince him, or question him.
For the next hour, Jeongukk did nothing. Didn’t even check his phone. Tried to keep himself busy in work, and waited.
Not impatiently. Just… waited. Like he said he would.
“Sir." Hajun said standing by the door. “We’re heading out.”
Jeongukk nodded, attention on the documents in front of him. It was 6:30 in evening. All of the men were done with 'office' work.
“Mm.”
Hajun lingered. "You’re staying?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want me to..."
“No.”
Hajun exhaled quietly. “Alright.” and left. The door shutting behind him. Silence setting fully this time.
Heavy and complete.
Jeongukk finished the document in front of him. Signing it once. Correctly.
It was around 8 PM when his phone rang. The screen lighting up a name.
Jimin.
Jeongukk looked at it for half a second. Then picking it up before the second ring.
He will, always going to.
__________________________________________________________
Jimin burned the egg. Not slightly overcooked. Not salvageable.
Burnt.
He stared at it like it had personally offended him, spatula hanging useless in his hand as a thin trail of smoke curled towards the ceiling.
“Great.”
The pan sizzled loudly, like it’s mocking. He turned off the stove a second too late. Again.
This was third time this week.
The third time he had forgotten what he was doing halfway through it.
The third time his mind has drifted somewhere it shouldn’t.
Jimin exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair before nudging the pan away.
“Unbelievable,” he muttered, grabbing a plate and then stopping mid-motion. “I’m not even hungry.”
But he was, five minutes ago. Now there was that same irritation sitting under his skin. Restless, persistent and impossible to ignore.
He cursed under his breath, setting everything down harder than necessary.
Focus. He needed to focus.
But instead... A voice.
"I’m not asking you to fit into my world. I’m asking to be part of yours too.”
Jimin bit his lip, annoyed at himself.
“This is all his fault.” he told the small cactus plant on his window. Tone accusing. “I was all just fine, and then suddenly... no, let’s disrupt my entire routine, why don’t we?”
The cactus plant, luckily, didn't offer any defense for Jeongukk.
Jimin huffed, dropping his hands. The realization dawning on him, quiet but sharp.
Jeon Jeongukk, who barely says anything, who doesn’t push, who doesn’t linger unnecessarily. Has somehow stayed in his head. And Jimin didn’t like it. Or maybe, he didn't like that he didn't hate it enough.
Jimin decided to meditate, and as he turned to move towards his sofa, he stubbed his foot against the edge of a table.
“Fuck...”
Jimin hopped once, twice, grabbing onto the nearest surface. Face scrunching in pain.
“Okay, that’s it.” Decision was made suddenly.
He straightened, limping his way to the table to grab his phone. He didn’t give himself time to overthink this.
The number sitting there, simple. Not at all like the person it belonged to.
Jimin stared at it for exactly four seconds. Then presses call.
It rang once. Then... He picked up.
“You called.”
Jeongukk's, hopeful voice rang through Jimin’s whole body. His grip tightening around his phone.
“Do you always answer that fast?”
“I will, to you.”
That shouldn’t have done anything, but it did.
'What a flirt.'
Jimin cleared his throat, shifting his weight. “Right. Well. Don’t get used to it.”
“I won’t.”
Jimin hated this. How Jungkook sounded exactly the same as he did three days ago. Unaffected.
While Jimin.. he had burned dozen of eggs.
“So..” Jeongukk asked.
Jimin focused and narrowed his eyes slightly, even though they couldn't see each other.
“You said you like me.”
“I do.” No hesitation.
A quiet hum left Jimin's lips. On the other end there was silent acknowledgement.
“I still have doubts. On this, and... on... on you."
“Fair enough.”
“You’re very consistent and i don’t like that."
There was faint shift on the other line. Almost like amusement, barely noticeable.
“I’ve been told.”
Silence stretched for few seconds. Then Jimin spoke again, slower this time. “I’ve been thinking.”
“I know.”
Jimin rolled his eyes instantly.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Act like you already know everything I’m going to say.”
“I don’t know everything.”
Jimin didn’t respond to that. He just pressed his lips together, going through what he had decided.
“I’m not saying yes. But... I’m not saying no either.”
Jimin inhaled, gaze dropping to the floor at his foot. Which he had stumped half n hour ago.
“I don’t understand you Mr. Jeon. And I don’t like things I don’t understand.”
“Then unfold me all you want.” Jeongukk's answer came simple and direct.
“No. I’m not going to just… fall into whatever this is because you decided something in a week.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“I know.” Jimin snapped lightly. “That’s the problem.”
Another pause, but it was softer this time. Jimin’s voice dropped when he said the next words.
“I’m going to observe you, like you did me. I’m going to take my time." Jimin continued. “And figure out what this is. What you are. And if I don’t like what I see..."
“Then you walk away.”
Jimin halted “…Yeah.”
There was no argument, no persuasion. Just acceptance. And somehow, that made it feel more serious than anything else.
Jimin swallowed lightly, then added "And you don’t get to rush me.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t… do anything weird.”
Jimin said without thinking much, and the pause from Jeongukk's side felt... suffocating.
“Define weird.”
Jimin's eyes bulged out, as he face palmed himself. “You... you know what I'm saying.”
Silence settled again. Something unspoken locking into place between them.
“Alright.”
Jimin exhales slowly. "Okay.”
“Okay,” Jeongukk repeated.
Jimin pulled the phone away slightly. Hesitation lingering. "Mr. Jeon.”
“Yes.”
“You... really don’t think this is strange?”
“It is.”
Jimin blinked. That was an unexpected answer.
“Then why...”
“Because I still like you.”
Simple truth. Jimin looked away, something in his chest shifting in a way he didn’t want to name.
“Right. I’ll call you.”
“Whenever you want.”
Jimin scoffed. "Don’t wait around.”
“I will be waiting.”
That again. That definite tone. Jimin didn’t know whether to be annoyed with it or... something else.
“Bye!
He ended the call abruptly. Too embarrassed. His face too red.
________________________________________________________
The line went dead. Yet, Jeongukk didn’t lower the phone.
“Observe me?”
He stared at the screen like it might correct itself.
The call had ended. Jimin has ended it, after saying that.
Jeongukk slowly pulled the phone away from his ear. Replaying it all.
'I’m not saying yes. But... I’m not saying no either.'
'I’m going to observe you.'
The whole conversation felt disbelieving. He was not offended. Not annoyed either. Just, genuinely caught off guard.
He has been threatened before. Challenged even. People have tried to negotiate with him, lie to him, impress him, but no one has ever evaluated him.
So casually and confidently.
Park Jimin.
Who talks to random things, trips over his own foot. Calling Jeongukk and telling, with full certainty that he’s going to observe him and, take his time too.
Jeongukk's hand dragged through his lower lip. A habit of interest.
“And you don’t get to rush me.” He repeated Jimin’s words. Eyes narrowing slightly in thought.
Jimin told him it all, as if they were contractual rules between them. Like Jeon Jeongukk would follow it.
Like he... a pause.
Jeongukk tilted his head just a fraction. "Expect me to listen.”
But the shocking thing was, that he did. And also agreed to it all. Without argument.
Jeongukk lets out a quiet breath. A small, incredulous scoff escaping him. Not mocking, rather impressed.
Jeongukk looked down at his phone again.
“You’re strange." he said quietly. "And think I am too.”
Jeongukk leaned back, gaze settling forward again. Calm returning piece by piece.
“Fine. Let's be strange together."