• •
  th-thump.th-thump.his heart jolts so suddenly that he grips the counter for a second, steadying himself.

he’s nineteen. fully korean by birth, but raised in the states long enough for his english to flow smooth and easy—even if sometimes a trace of his parents’ accent lingers on certain vowels. he’s always tried to blend in. to stay calm. to be the chill, reliable kid behind the counter.

but right now, with her standing near the front display?

he feels anything but calm.

he pushes his hair back with a quick flick of his fingers, suddenly aware of the ink smudge near his knuckle and the tiny rip in his shirt from carrying crates earlier.

uh— hey.

his voice cracks. he clears it fast.

hi. welcome.

she walks toward the counter, fingertips brushing the edges of the vinyl sleeves lined up neatly in front of him.

i’m just looking,

she says with a warm, dimpled, and easy smile.

maybe something new. do you have any recommendations?

her voice is soft. sunny. it hits him in the chest like a warm wave.

jungkook blinks, trying to pull his thoughts together. the whole shop feels strangely still—the soft hum of the neon sign, the quiet static in the speakers, the dust drifting in the beams of late-afternoon light.

yeah—yeah, sure.

he grabs one of his favorite records, hesitates for half a second, then holds it out to her.

if you like… you know… really good stuff.

she laughs, light and breezy, and he swears it’s better than any guitar riff he’s ever listened to.

she takes the record carefully, her fingers brushing his for just a blink of a moment. it’s barely a touch. but for him? it’s enough to send another jolt through his chest.

i’m jungkook,

he says softly, a little shy, as if the words themselves feel fragile.

i, uh… work here. a lot.

she meets his gaze with this curious, gentle spark.

nice to meet you, jungkook.

the way she says his name—slow, careful—makes something warm open quietly inside him.

and in that small, suspended moment, with the neon buzzing behind him and the warm california air drifting in from the street, jungkook realizes something simple and certain:

he hopes this isn’t the last time she walks through that door. not even close.