Jungwon

Beep. Wrong. Beep. Wrong again.

Eyes widening as the door answered with another beep in utter disagreement. Instead of admitting defeat, now deciding to lean beside the wall right next to the door. This is no longer a lockout situation. This is security work now. Important. Someone had to guard the practice room. Someone had to stand here with a bag full of convenience store snacks and suspiciously avoid eye contact with the keypad.

Someone, meaning, apparently her.

fortunately, he caught the edge of a familiar voice just as he was about to pass her.

his bag hit the floor with a dull thud beside the door as he stepped inside, already glancing around for the younger idol. nothing but the noticeably one very specific person. for a second, james just stared before letting out a quiet sigh through his nose.

"seriously?" he dropped onto the floor near the mirrored wall, stretching one leg out in front of himself. "i swear every time i come looking for ni-ki, i end up finding you instead." it wasn't outright rude.

the problem was the way he said it. like he'd shown up to a restaurant craving one thing and gotten handed something else. james reached for his water bottle, twisting the cap loose. "where is he?" before jungwon could answer, he added, "actually, never mind." because his mind was already picturing the worst of him being with a certain someone. he took a drink of the water. "guess you're stuck with me"

james

jungwon didn’t know what about his junior seemed to always get under his skin, maybe he just hadn’t gotten any action in a while, but something about the younger man held his attention.

and the worst part was james could tell.

he saw right through jungwon and it pissed him off to no end. so when james came in, slick comments rolling off the tongue like butter, he rolled his eyes coolly and didn’t look his way. “you claim to be looking for riki, but always find me. sounds like you aren’t trying that hard to find the right person.”

After having sent his hyungs a text, Jeno grins and opens the door to his villa, letting in Karina first before Jungwon and bringing up the rear. "We should have some time to get a little crazy, have some fun, whatever your heart desires~."

Karina, rolling her eyes at the suggestive tone, makes her way to the couch and takes a seat. The woman had worn nothing overly fancy, not really having the chance to change earlier, the black bikini top and jeans mini shorts what she had arrived in, but by the looks she was getting — it didn't seem to matter.

"Might as well take a seat and play a game, right? Never know when the party could end~."

he doesn’t sit right away. he takes his time slipping off his watch, setting it down on the table, dragging the moment out because both of them notice when he moves slowly. “a game?” he repeats, voice light as he finally steps closer. “depends what kind.”

instead of taking the empty chair, he drops onto the arm of the couch beside karina, one leg angled in toward her while his shoulder nearly brushes jeno’s when he leans back. close enough to feel the heat from both sides. close enough to make it inconvenient.

it’s not like he didn’t know how to have a normal platonic friendship. but the young star knew that his reputation proceeded him. of course, he wouldn’t be a fool if she were interested in more, but that was far from his mind ever since he opened up to her.

jungwon: hi noona I think I have the right place

jungwon: there’s a little red dog dish next to the door?

rosie: that would be us yes 😊 rosie: you actually made it!

jungwon: I need a new toy to play with

jungwon: ew its like you don’t even know me! hwa is pretty but i don’t do attachment

jungwon: pretty and funny. no wonder we get along so well.