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sugarushsuga · 2 years

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In Your Own Words - CH. 10

Genre/Au's: Rom-Com, fluff with bits of angst - Coworkers!AU; enemies to lovers; Journalist!AU

Paring: RM x Reader

Words count: 4.453

Rating: 18+

Warnings: Cursing; Mentions of sex; Weight mentions;

Synopsis: After graduating your dream was to become a journalist and work to one of the biggest magazines in the country. But that pretty dream does not translate perfectly to reality. The magazine is on verge of bankruptcy, great journalists are moving the rival magazines and not being replaced, your boss is a jerk who doesn't even know your name. Fate seems to be toying you around to its own pleasure, can you take control of your life and achieve your dreams, or you are going to be carried away by fate's plans?

Author note: This fanfic follows the world of the Brazilian production Procura-se um marido series. I do not own the series or original content.

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Sabrina turns on the couch when she hears you arrive, her hair straight and blond slip down her back, tangling in the collar of her pajamas.

"Finally! I thought you would never come home again." she grumbles, but with an irreverent expression.

"Fixing the whole apartment took longer than I thought." you blush, and her smile widens. Damn it, you can't hide anything from Sabrina. "Hey, you still haven't told me the details of the trip. How is the farm? Did you have fun?" you sit next to her.

"The farm is beautiful, and we had a great time, although I have a serious doubt about you. Why are you not wearing your bra?"

You hide the garment behind your back immediately.

"I- I had borrowed it to Beatriz. I found it in the middle of the mess."

"Funny, I could have sworn Bea was two sizes smaller than you." She clicks her tongue. "Even funnier is you dreaming of having a column about human behavior, Y/n. Sometimes you are so obtuse. but tell me every detail of what happened between you and Mr. Hot Four Eyes. Go, spit it out."

"Fine." you sigh, opening your arms in defeat. "It happened again, but there's nothing to tell…" you press your lips together and go to the kitchen to get something to drink.

Sabrina follows you. "Nothing to tell. Do you want me to believe this? How did it end in Namjoon's bed this time?"

“I…don't know,” you groan. “We were cleaning the house, and at the next moment, we were kissing. I gave up trying to understand, Sa. I think it's better if you do the same."

"And Namjoon? Did he give up too?" she wants to know, slipping through the chair, resting her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands.

"I think so. He didn't look upset." you sit in front of her. "He was even a little too happy for my taste."

Her eyes gleam with excitement. "Really? So is Jungkook gone?"

And with that, you remember the guy who had made your world glow in glitter weeks before and whom you had completely forgotten about until that moment. Including the date, you were supposed to have had the night before.

“Fuck, Sabrina! I forgot about him!" you go around the house looking for your phone, with your friend after you. You find it over the living room TV. "Damn it! Jimin's fiancée showed up and handed me the wedding invitation. I freaked out and chatted with Namjoon on the stairs and then Yeotan—” there were no missed calls or messages. "What do I do now?"

"I'm not sure..." She tilted her head, eyes darting as she comes up with a plan.

You already feel bad about Jungkook for a variety of reasons, you don't need to add one more to the list. Besides, if he is going to explode because you stood him up, it is better to do this over the phone rather than in front of your co-workers. you dial his number.

"Do not do that!" Sabrina yells, trying to snatch the phone from your hand.

“Sabrina, stop it… Ouch,” you groan as she pinches your ribs.

“Hello,” Jungkook answers coolly.

"Hi, it's me, Y/n." you raise your hand to stop your friend, determined to give you a rear naked choke. “Sorry about yesterday."

He is silent for a while, and Sabrina, giving up on depriving you of the right to call whoever you want, comes closer, pressing her head against yours. You move the phone away so she can hear it too.

“I was wondering when you were going to work up the courage to call me."

“I'm sorry, Jungkook. I... had an unforeseen event." you bite your lip and wish for the ground to open under you. What did you hope to achieve by lying to him? A second chance? Peace of mind? A golden star sticker on the forehead?

"What kind of unforeseen event?" he asks, uninterested.

"What type? Hmm..."

Sabrina detaches her head from yours and begins to shake her body in front of you, waving her arms and hands frantically, and you consider having to put her in a hospice. She keeps squirming and tossing you distressed looks. Your friend wants to tell you something. But what? She stops at you incomprehension, huffing in annoyance, and takes your free hand, running her index finger across her palm like a rom... Ah!

"I went to visit my grandmother! She lives in the countryside."

Sabrina lifts her thumbs and stretches out her arm, making sweeping movements back-and-forth with clenched fists. Suddenly she stopped with a theatrical grimace of astonishment and twists one of her fists, muttering a nhem-nhem-nhem-nhemnhem.

"Then my car broke down!" you tell Jungkook excitedly.

Sabrina jumps up and down in celebration, then goes back to mime. She puts one hand to the ear, thumb and little finger stretched out, and slides the finger of the other through the throat, sticking out the tongue.

"Then I got a death threat!"

"What?" Jungkook and Sabrina asks at the same time.

Your friend looks at you, putting her hands to her head, unable to believe. You open your arms, shrugging, and hiss, “I just said what you sent.” She rolls her eyes, putting her ear back to the back of the phone.

"Why would someone give you a death threat?" Jungkook asks, and you really, really, really, want to ask your friend the same question.

"Who knows. There are crazy people about everything." You forced a laugh. "Are you mad?"

He ends up laughing. “Well, I was. I was quite upset when I realized that you weren't going to show up, but I kept you waiting once, so..."

"Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose," I mutter, your face all hot.

"It's all right. If you took the trouble to invent a death threat, it's because you feel bad for leaving me standing there waiting for you."

"Bad enough." And not just for standing you up you want to add.

"Excellent! Can we erase what happened and try again one of these days." But his suggestion sounds like a question, which you don't know how to answer.

"Hmm... Jungkook, listen, I don't...

"We meet during the week. Bye!" he hurries, noticing you hesitation, and hangs up.

You let out a long sigh.

"Death threat, Y/n? Where were you with your head?" Sabrina grumbles, annoyed.

"Huh. You were the one who mimed! By the way, I need to teach you a few steps of Romani dance. I thought you were having a heart attack."

"You were supposed to say you had no signal!" She stomps her foot, ignoring your comment.

"Oh! That would make more sense."

She rolls her eyes, huffing. "Well, it looks like it all worked out in the end," she says.

But then why do you feel so miserable?

"I'm worthless, Sá," you mutter, lowering you head. "I just got out of Namjoon's bed and here I am, calling Jungkook."

"I disagree, although I think you're doing a terrible mistake. You need to open those little eyes of yours and see the wonder right before your nose. In fact, in the front apartment."

“Namjoon isn't the right guy for me,” you point out, plopping down on the couch.

“We don't always need the right guy." She jumps besides you lying on her stomach, knees bent, feet dangling in the air. "Sometimes it's the wrong guy who will turn your life upside down and make it all count. You are not seeing things very clearly. Namjoon is the perfect guy for you, in a wrong way."

“In what dimension would he be the perfect man for me, Sabrina? Why, in the one we live in, it cannot be. Namjoon is the opposite of me in almost everything. We're like... Kendall Jenner and chocolate mousse. Incompatible!" why doesn’t she see that?

"Exactly! He is everything you are not and vice versa. you complete each other."

"Oh, for God's sake! Have you been watching Jerry Maguire again?" Sabrina thinks the movie starring Tom Cruise is more than pure entertainment, it is an oracle of wisdom. If things go wrong at work, you can see her in front of the mirror saying, “Accept the punches of today, tomorrow is another day,” or screaming like a madwoman “Show me the money!” And of course, she looks for that “you complete me” in every relationship. And not only in hers.

"I'm outside and I have a broader view of everything," she counters.

"How was the trip?" you ask, wanting to change the subject.

It works.

"Excellent! Seokjin is a prince. You know when a guy makes you feel like if you are the only woman on earth?"

"I Know." Although nothing in the world will force you to confess that only Namjoon makes you feel this way.

"We were stuck together all the time, he told me a little about his family, then we stuffed ourselves with champagne and made love a dozen times before we were interrupted by a phone call from one of his partners. we had to cut the trip short because of a damn last-minute meeting."

She sighs, her gaze lost. “I think I love Seokjin. Now all you need is to tell Namjoon that you're in love with him to make everything look beautiful."

"Sabrina, please!" you plead, getting to your feet, and heading to your room.

You almost scream as you turn on the light. A waterfall drips from the ceiling gracefully over your bed.

"Not again!" you moan helplessly.

"Problems with the building's water tank on a Sunday? no one will go up there to fix it until Monday."

"I know," you mutter.

She smiles.

“You're going to have to stay with me again."

“Or make up on the couch,” You try hopeful.

“With me, as usual,” she emphasizes.

“Yeah… as usual." Which means you won’t sleep a single second.

Sabrina looks like a pancake frying on the mattress, tossing, and turning all night. And that on good nights! In the bad ones, she will kick you and mutter a lot of incomprehensible things. It is for this reason that you insisted on a two-bedroom apartment instead of the studio you rented right after finishing college.

You make room for the leak, supporting the mattress on the wardrobe and placing a bucket on the bed frame.

As night fell, you discover that Sabrina hasn't changed her nocturnal habits since you last shared a bed.

As soon as the first rays of sunlight filter through the cracks in the window, you get up and go to the kitchen to make breakfast. You intend to go straight to the bathroom, but you are starving and decide to prepare some toasted breads. While they toast, you read a little, sipping of a mug of steaming coffee with milk. Twenty minutes later, the toasted breads are ready, and the smell make your stomach twist with anticipation.

You take out the roasting pan let them cool. dressing the bathrobe over your pajamas you go down to the lobby to talk to the landlord about the

leak in your room, watching the black bike through the front door glass, parked a few meters away. Namjoon is still at home.

Of course, he is. It is too early to go anywhere but the shower. After speaking with the landlord, you return home and cast a glance at the apartment door opposite yours, without really knowing why, you find yourself trying to hear the sounds coming from there. You shake your head, scolding yourself.

The door behind you opens as you enter your house.

“Good morning, Y/n,” he greets with a wry smile.

"Good morning."

"Are you okay?" He looks at you carefully, looking worried.

"Sure. Very good. Why wouldn't I be?"

“Not at all, just… You look a little tired." He shrugs.

You notice that he is already ready for work. Today's tie is a classic. Green with intricate gray lines and dots, just like a computer.

“I slept with Sabrina,” you explain. "Which is the same as sleeping with a UFC fighter."

He lets out a long sigh, looking relieved. His mood changes immediately.

“You know how to spark a man's imagination." and crosses his arms, leaning back against the doorframe a mocking expression on his face. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

“No, I'll do it now."

"Me too. I would invite you to accompany me, but I think you're not going to like my delicious instant coffee that tastes like dirty water."

You laugh. “I don't think so. Good luck with that." You close the door and wait.

The door on the other side slams a minute later, which is followed with a sad sigh. You intend to go to the bathroom, but hunger stops you. You make another mug of latte and takes the toasts out of the baking sheet, placing them in a little braided wicker basket Grandma has made for you.

You take a toast and brings it to your mouth, but you stop before biting into it.

"Shit!" you grumble annoyed, picking up another mug and filling it with coffee until it almost overflows.

On a plate, you place half a dozen of the still-warm toast, the coffee and crosses the hall, heading to the apartment in front. you knock at the door once. Yeotan barks somewhere inside. Twenty seconds later, Namjoon opens the door. seeming surprised by seeing you again.

You push the plate towards him, and he takes it without realizing what he is doing.

"The coffee isn't sweetened," You warn and turns away from him.

“Hey, wait a minute." He reaches for you elbow, stopping you, making you turn around until you are facing him. Namjoon is smiling a little dumbly. "Did you bring me breakfast?"

"With the chef's compliments." you bow exaggeratedly.

His forehead creases, his brows almost knitted together. “But you don't share food."

“You don't have to keep reminding me of that either."

"Then why...?" he wants to know, looking amazed, as if you have given him the Pulitzer of the Century, not toasted bread and coffee.

You lock eyes with his and blurt out the first thing you can think of.

"Nobody deserves to start their Monday with instant coffee. What kind of expectations can you have if you start the week drinking that for breakfast?"

He lets go of your elbow, but his hand creeps up your arm, roaming through your shoulders, neck, until he reaches your flushed face and caress your cheek with a tenderness you haven't known before.

"Thank you, angel. I am very... touched by the thought of my well-being."

"Oh... I..." you clear your throat. “I wasn't thinking about your well-being. I was thinking about mine. Today is Monday, and as if that isn't already bad enough, having the boss pissed off during the agenda meeting because he didn't eat right seems to me an unpleasant prospect."

He nods, smiling, not seeming to believe a single word of what you say. His fingers bury themselves in your hair and his face gets closer. That smell of spice and Namjoon cloud your senses. You raise your head to make things easier.

Yeotan barks inside the apartment, making you jump. Almost bump on the plate Namjoon is holding.

“Well…” He drops his arm, disappointed. To be honest, you feel that way too, even though you know you shouldn't. "I think I better eat then and be in a good mood for the rest of the week."

"It would be great!" you take a step back. "See you at the newsroom."

"Aren't you going to ride with me?" He frowns.

"Sabrina is going to the dentist. We'll split a cab."

"Oh. Sure." But despite the polite smile, he looks disappointed.

"See you later."

“You're being ridiculous,” Sabrina mutters from the backseat of the taxi, looking out the window. “You can't run from Namjoon, no matter how hard you try. You work together!"

“I'll be able to keep some distance if my car is ready soon. I'm going call Mr. Nicolao as soon as I get to the magazine. And as for avoiding Namjoon during working hours... well, I really can't, but that's not why I'm not going to try, right?"

She shakes out her blonde hair, laughing, and turns to look at you.

“I bet your grandmother predicted all this."

"My grandmother predicted that I would meet a guy who would make me very happy. I don't believe in such things, you know that, but if I did, I would see this guy as Jungkook. You saw how understanding he was with me..."

"Would it make sense?" She arches her brow, adjusting her black bag on her lap. "How so?"

“I already knew Namjoon. How could I meet someone who I already know?"

She wrinkles her upturned nose, seeing the logic of it, but still insists on the matter.

“You won't be able to stay away from him, Y/n. and not because you are forced to co-live in the work environment. You just can't."

But you do. You did your best to be in his presence only when strictly necessary. During the agenda meeting, you sit in the furthest corner away from him, hiding behind Julia (who looks pale and a little distracted) whenever the dark eyes behind the hideous glasses seek yours. And even when he speaks to you, asking if you have prepared the column — and you haven't, of course, but you lie with an impressive confidence—and you are forced to look at him, you don't see the Namjoon who almost kissed you in the hallway of your building that morning. That serious man

pragmatic is the leader and leaves no doubt as to his position, especially for you. Or himself, you aren't sure.

After that it is easy to get off your radar, get busy with the layout of the advertiser’s section, which you are still in charge, and respond to e-mails from readers who believe that Liz is a kind of prophet, knower of the secrets of the universe. You take a break to call the mechanic just before lunch.

"Only on Wednesday, Mr. Nicolao?" you cry in the phone. "It's not possible to a little earlier?"

"I can't, Y/n. I found a radiator in a junkyard, but it was still in the car. Will dismantle today. Then it takes another day to assemble and

test. I'll call you as soon as your car is ready."

You are upset for a moment, but then your mood changes. On Wednesday you can finally get your car back, and then Namjoon can’t offer you a ride anymore!

Grandma calls you in the afternoon, and only then you do remember Sarah's wedding that weekend. You call Sabrina, asking her to meet you at the mall after hours, and you use that as an excuse when Namjoon offers to drive you home at the end of the day. It takes you a while to tidy up in the magazine's bathroom, because everyone knows salesgirls aren’t helpful with poorly dressed, disheveled people—and that leads you to think about what Namjoon did on those occasions—and without makeup.

Sabrina is waiting for you at the food court, and you try to convince her to eat something first.

“You always take too long to choose an outfit,” she explains, dragging you away from the cafeterias. "Stores close at ten, we can eat later."

"But I'm starving!"

“You're always starving."

You stop, placing a hand over your stomach. "Sa, don't you think I should... like... eat less and lose a few kilos?"

"That again, Y/n? Why are you so…” She studies your face carefully, before widening her eyes and frowning. "Oh! You're wanting to please Namjoon!"

"I'm not!" You reply immediately. "Why are you saying that? have you been Talking to him? Did he say anything about preferring scrawny women? Did he mention something about my weight?"

You friend laughs.

"Wake up, Y/n! It doesn't take a genius to know you're insecure. His ex is practically a walking skeleton."

"I know!" you agreed, desperate. "I calculated my BMI on a diet website and I'm within the healthy range, but..."

"You're. Beautiful!" She interrupts you. "A beautiful, healthy woman with no extra weight. If anyone should do something about the weight

it's Alexia. It's not natural to be so thin. I bet if she takes off her clothes, you can see her internal organs through the skin of her stomach. Just like those freezers beer."

You laugh even though you want to cry. You also want to be a beer freezer.

You start going in and out of stores without finding something suitable for Sarah's wedding. Of course, you won't wear traditional Romani clothes,

like most of the guests. You are not a Romani. You are the daughter and granddaughter of Romanies, knows the basics of the culture, just that much, but does not experience it. It looks disrespectful to dress like one of them. However, you don't want to hurt grandma appearing at the ceremony in a short, low-cut dress. it doesn't hurt to follow the customs at least once.

Sabrina tries on a few pieces and ends up choosing a violet at the knees dress —because grandma will never say anything to her—with only one shoulder. The light hair comes to life in contrast to the purple fabric, and the blue eyes seems larger and more expressive.

The saleswoman at the twelfth store you enter is super helpful with you and drop the entire stock onto the counter, but nothing fits the Romani rules. When you are already hopeless, she finds a summer dress from last collection. The printed silk is beautiful. yellow with large blue, brown-stemmed roses, triangle-shaped cutouts of a yellow so pale it is almost white, long skirt, giving lightness and movement to the piece. The straight and square bust modeling not only balances the silhouette but also make you look taller and thinner. The wide band of blue gemstones in the shape of tears just below tells you that it is the right dress.

"That's the most spectacular dress I've ever seen!" Sabrina exclaims, smiling. "That shade of yellow is perfect on your skin!"

you admire yourself in the mirror one last time, smoothing the skirt and smiling.

“Namjoon would annoy me if he saw me now."

"Really?" she asks casually. "Why?"

"Because of the blue of the flowers. He has issues with that tone" you explain. There were other colors in the dress, but you can bet he would stick to blue.

"I don't understand." Sabrina tilts her head to the side.

"Forget it." You laugh. “Oh, by the way, I need a new bra. can you get it for me, Sa? White... No, white, no. Blue. and panties matching."

"All right." She looks at you out of the corner of her eye. "You are so weird today." And goes out to look for the saleswoman.

“I know,” you whisper as you close the dressing room.

You have dinner at a food court and then you go to the movies. Sabrina seems to pay no attention to the plot, as she spent the whole time with her phone in her hand, waiting for Seokjin to respond to her messages.

"That's weird. He always responds as soon as he gets it,” she complains when the credits go up on the screen.

“Maybe he's in a meeting."

"Yes, it could be. Seokjin has meetings at the most odd times. even on Saturday nights." She frowns, her gaze lost, but shakes her head seconds later. "So, have you done your weekly zodiac yet?"

“Please Sabrina, don't do this to me. You know Liz is a fake!" The room is emptier now, so you get up, picking up the empty popcorn bag and soda cup.

“I just want to… to be ready." She follows you down the carpeted stairs, lit by tiny yellow lamps.

"Do you really believe that what I write will happen? Really, Sa? You're smart, for God's sake!"

“You haven't missed one so far, Y/n, so of course I believe it!"

You roll your eyes, tossing the trash into the trash can next to the exit door. "If it was really true, I'd be with Jungkook by my side, not with you snoring on my neck."

"Hey, I don't snore!" she protests. "Maybe it doesn't work for you, but it has worked for me. And with all the women in the office, too." She clasps her hands together and looks at you in that pleading way, like a puppy. "Please, Y/n, say you'll let me read it before you leave to the magazine..."

“Okay,” you give in grudgingly. "But you have to promise me that you won't do anything stupid, like schedule your weekend based on what you read"

"Promise!" Even she doesn't believe what she just said.