Chapter Text
"Shut the fuck up, you disgusting shit!!!" is the first thing Y/N hears in the morning, immediately following her loud-but-doesn't-bring-cardiac-arrest level alarm. Waking up from her barely-there sleep to go to work was not something she enjoyed. And she definitely didn't enjoy waking up to the downstairs aunt going berserk on the plumber who was here so early - because Mrs.Fetcher is so good at making people work at unconventional hours. But the thing is, Mrs.Fetcher does not believe in reasonable wages. Her ability to bargain both shocked and surprised Y/N, because her bargaining skills were... non-existent basically. That one time she tried it at the nearby store when she wanted to buy her mom a nice handbag, she looked like she was about to cry because the shopkeeper's "No, Ma'am. You can leave it there" sounded too much like "If you can't afford it, just scramble away!"
"Y/N ah! You still haven't showered?! You'll be skipping breakfast like you do on late mornings, huh?" Her mom's voice brings her back to reality, and the fact that she has exactly 1 hour to leave the house for work. She rushes to the bathroom, thanking herself for taking out her clothes the previous night itself, and is ready in time as she planned. Uhh... Excluding the fact that her mom is currently blow-drying her hair when she's eating the omelette and gravy-rice as fast as she can without choking to death. Spritzing her recently bought vanilla perfume that was too... contradictory to her personality as she likes to imagine, she jets off in her modest car, kissing goodbye to her mom.
Y/N's life was... normal by all means. A loving mom, an elder sister she gradually drifted apart from excluding the laughs they share with mom, a modest cozy home with the memories of her dad uttered every day in ANY way - can be the fact that he used to hate cabbages but never told mom until few days before he passed away, or how he liked Y/N's head massages, or how he loved watching the News all day. A good job that needed her to study for years after University - pays her well enough, respected by the society and feeds her 'I need to do different things' hunger all well. Her academic prowess throughout school and university was something she was always proud of, to the point that she always thought it was her identity.
She enters the office after an okay-ish parking effort - she is new to driving after all, to see Mr.Elwin wiping his spectacles with all the dedication he had. "Good morning, Ms.Lim" he greets, to her surprise. All pleasantries exchanged, work starts for Y/N. Documents looked into, a meeting with the Planning team finally over - she sits for lunch with her mom's carefully packed meal.
Ding.
A notification pops up - a message from her mom.
"Y/N ah, had your lunch? Don't forget the meeting with the Jeon family! I've picked a nice dress for you to wear 😘. Do you think I can bring my homemade sweets though?"
Hah. Thoughtful as always, Y/N thinks. And types out a "I'm having my lunch, ma. I remember the meeting, of course 😐. I'll be there at 5. And you can definitely bring your delicious honey biscuits. His parents would appreciate it!"
Keeping her phone down, Y/N tries to push back all the things that happened... in the last few days.
A few days back, at Y/N's office:
Jeon Jungkook, founder and CEO of the Haengbok Construction, is very much bitter at the fact that he has to co-operate with the local bio-Sciences firm for his permit, that too with an almost-newbie management department head. Like... What's the need for field surveys and all? A report signed by her would be more than enough. But fate is a stupid game at times - now he has to walk in the sweltering heat across the city, counting trees or what? He hopes not. Entering her cabin, he's welcomed by the very normal-looking cabin with a set of filled-to-the-brim-with-documents shelves and a very empty seat where she's supposed to be. Empty??? He looks around, hoping to get this done as soon as possible. He hears a cracking sound, and turns to the door to see a woman looking 25-ish, frameless glasses and formal clothes, hair pinned away from her face. Might be 5'4". Might look small beside his 5'10" frame. Calm eyes, he notes. She rushes to where he's standing, extending a hand, "Lim Y/N. It's nice to meet you, Mr.Jeon. I hope you didn't have to wait for long?"
They talk for an hour or so, he thinks. About the project, the complications, need for external audit so there's no problem in the future. She's... Professional. Confident. But calm and humble. He never thought it was a possibility. He was popular for his looks, and he was quite used to attention from the opposite gender. It's not like he's never met women who don't swoon over him, but she's... she's impressive at her work. "Quite deserving, huh" he thinks to himself.
Back to present, at Haengbok Construction:
The first meeting went well, he thinks. She was polite, had a neutral tone, was a good listener, and her eyes looked expressive when she explained things. As if she loved her job.
"Jungkook-ah, Did you go meet her? Ms.Lim?" Namjoon entered with a coffee for the younger. "Of course I did. Since someone decided to bail out at the last moment". Namjoon looked sheepish at that, and went "You know how she gets... She's about to deliver our baby in 2 months. Wanted me to take her to the aquarium!!! And you know what she wanted? An Orca plushie. She looked like a literal kid - smiling as if I got her the moon and the stars. And... Thanks Jungkook-ah. You saved the day!"
Jungkook had to admit - Namjoon was the best husband he's ever seen. Married his girlfriend Dami after 2 years of dating, and is always a doting partner. Mentions her atleast twice in personal conversations, takes her to places, and literally cried with happiness when he told the friend group that he was about to become a dad, after 3 years into the marriage. Joined his firm with qualifications much more than necessary - "I wish to work in a place I like, with someone who shares my values". Is a board member too, the most influential one - even more than Jungkook himself. Jungkook has always admired him for the person he is - since the time he was 10 and met the 12 year old boy - the only son of his parents' closest friends. He used to wish for a love like his - deep, respectful, innocent, and something that resembles utter devotion. Only until reality crashed on his head full speed. What happened 2 years ago is too fresh in his mind - too fresh to give love another chance.