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Quite a while later, we finished dyeing Jimin’s hair.  The boys had bantered back and forth for nearly an hour.  Finally, Tae moved on to the last strip of Jimin’s hair, which meant that I was out of a job.  Then things just got awkward.  I was standing there with nothing to do.  Part of me wanted to just sit down and stare at Jungkook for as long as possible.  You understand, right?  But another part desired to flee the room, departing from the strange situation.  Yet another side of my personality was concerned about leaving Sanduni alone for too long.  What if she awoke and came looking for me?

I finally decided to let the two-thirds win.  I’d been staring covertly at Jungkook for several minutes.  He kept looking over and meeting my eyes before glancing back down at Jimin’s head while he clipped his hair up in such a way that the competing colors didn’t touch. 

Finally, I commented, “Thank you all for letting me hang out with you, but I should go check on my friend.”  I turned away as Jimin and Tae both bid me farewell.

Jungkook, on the other hand, stood up taller as his fingers moved faster to fix Jimin’s hair.  He finished quickly as he called after me, “Grace!  Wait!”

I had walked all the way to the door before his voice arrested me.  I turned back towards him.  “What?  What is it?”

“Let me walk you back to your room.”

All the way to my room?  Directly across the hall? 

But, of course, I waited for him.  He was, after all, Jungkook.

He opened the door for me and ushered me out ahead of him, then he closed the door behind us.  And that’s how I came to be in the exact same position I had been in when I had first met Jungkook.  Standing in front of my hotel room door.  With my back to it.  And my front towards Jungkook.  He had followed me.  We were standing about a foot apart now.  My eyes searched his face.  He wasn’t saying anything.  Neither was I.

But eventually, the silence was too much for me.

“Jungkook, you must have several things to do.  Your concert is tomorrow night.”

He nodded.  “I know.”

More silence.  More staring into each other’s eyes.  I leaned back against the door.

Then, suddenly, the wall behind me moved.  It simply disappeared.  And I began to fall backward.  Jungkook lunged for me, reaching out to grab me around the shoulders and pull me up against his hard chest.  I found my face pillowed against his heart.  I must admit that I had no desire whatsoever to move.  So I just relaxed as Sanduni, standing behind me, stared up at Jungkook in awe.  Or at least that what’s I imagined happened.  I couldn’t see it since my nose was pressed against Jungkook’s chest.  My eyes were studying the black shirt he was wearing.

“Hello,” his soft voice sounded in my ear.  “You must be Grace’s friend.”

Reluctantly, I drew myself away from that strong chest.  I didn’t make it very far.  His muscled arms were still surrounding me and pinning me close to his body.  I looked up at his face as he gazed down at me.  His lips quirked in a smile.  Then I watched a rueful expression cross his face as his arms loosened around me.  I stepped back and turned towards Sanduni.

“Jungkook, this is my friend, Sanduni.”

Sanduni stood rooted to the spot, just staring wide-eyed up at Jungkook, her mouth in the shape of an O.  She was speechless.  Then she wasn’t.  She looked around.  “Where’s Jimin?”

I laughed.  So did Jungkook.  I glanced up at him.  So much for keeping his secret.  He sighed.

“Sanduni, can you be trusted?”

Chocolate eyes still wide in her face, she nodded her head.

“I will introduce you to him in a little while, but first you have to promise me one thing.”

“Anything!”

I laughed.  I remembered that had been my response too; although, I hadn’t spoken it aloud.

“You must keep our secret.  Please don’t tell anyone we are staying on this floor.  No one.  If you can keep the secret, you can stay in this room.  And Jimin is,” here Jungkook turned to point at the door across the hall, “staying in that room right across from you.”  Then he turned back towards her, a wide grin on his face as he watched her whole face light up.

“Really?” she squealed.  “I swear, I won’t tell a soul!”

Jungkook nodded sagely.  “Good.”  I watched his shoulders relax and felt the tension leaving his body.  I was still held loosely in his embrace.  Just then Sanduni noticed.

“Uh, Grace.”

I turned towards her, my hands still on Kookie’s chest.  She quirked an eyebrow at me before glancing at Jungkook and then pointedly down at my hands on his chest.  Then her eyes met mine again.  I smiled and turned back towards Kookie.

He was smiling down at me.  “See you in a little while?”

I nodded.

“Would you two,” his gaze moved from me to Sanduni and back again, “like to have dinner with us tonight?”

“Us?” Sanduni piped up.  “As in you and Jimin?”

“As in all of us.  BTS.”

I think Sanduni fainted then because Kookie’s eyes met mine again.  

“We’d love to,” I addressed Kookie.  “Wouldn’t we, Sanduni?”  My eyes still firmly on Jungkook’s, I called to the girl behind me.

I heard nothing.  I turned to look at her.  She was still standing, but her eyes were wide as saucers now in her tanned face.  She simply blinked.  I laughed and turned back to Kookie.  “Just let us know when to be ready.”

“Six o’clock.  I’ll come get you.”

Oh, yes, you will!

He smiled at me before dipping his head a little and saying softly, “Bye for now!”

His mouth was just a few inches from my own.  Yes, I was sighing.  And my heart was racing.  He grinned again, stunning me with the light of his white teeth before he released me and turned to walk back to his room, shutting the door behind him.

“Are we dreaming?” The question came from behind me.

I turned to smile at her.  “I’ve been asking myself that question for the last hour.  But both of us?  I doubt it.  Come on!  We’ve got a date to get ready for!”

“A date with Jimin!” Sanduni squealed.

And Jungkook.