Jungkook was halfway through folding a sweater when Ivory walked back into the room and gasped in horror.
"Why is this folded like a towel from a horror movie?"
"I-I thought it looked fine?"
"You thought wrinkles were a fashion choice?"
In sweet, petty revenge, she gently unzipped his skincare pouch-and dumped the contents.
"HEY. That's organized chaos-!"
She grinned, all teeth and war. "So are your sweaters."
While they bickered over moisturizer order and the ethical way to fold cashmere, Jungkook's eyes caught something in the pile she was sorting-
The yellow dress.
The one she wore to that Coldplay concert in Busan. The one where she danced and sang her heart out.
His hand paused over it.
Then he saw her bikinis. Bright colors, bold cuts, unapologetically her.
"Planning to destroy hearts at the beach?" he murmured to himself.
Then he found her nightgowns-barely-there silk things in ivory, blush, and wine. His brain short-circuited for a moment. He shook his head with a quiet chuckle.
"You, uh... packing light?"
She didn't look up. "I was going to go shopping today but I had... meetings."
"What kind?"
She hesitated. "Just virtual stuff."
(Mentally, she was replaying her Korean tutor saying "Your accent is improving but 'sarcastic' doesn't have a formal tone in Korean.")
Jungkook squinted. "Is this for work?"
"Something like that," she said breezily, then lifted a neon orange bikini and raised an eyebrow. "Wanna vote on swimwear?"
Jungkook's ears pinked.
"No comment."
Later, he quietly moved things around on his calendar, cleared his schedule with his manager, and scooted right next to her in the bed.
"You know what? I'll clear tomorrow's schedule. No interviews, no meetings. No recordings."
She looked surprised. "Really?"
He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. Let's go shopping. Get everything you want. And maybe more nightgowns-just for science."
She snorted. "You're ridiculous."
"I'm in love," he corrected. "There's a difference."
The next day, they were hand-in-hand at a private boutique tucked in a quiet Seoul district. The store assistant was clearly starstruck but composed enough to pretend she wasn't. Ivory tried on a couple of bikinis, each one making JungKook progressively quieter, jaw slightly slack, brain buffering.
"I like the black one," she teased, twirling slightly in front of him, hips swaying.
He nodded dumbly. "I-I like all of them."
"And what about nightwear?" the assistant chimed in cheerfully.
"Oh, I'm more of a pajamas girl," Ivory shrugged, holding up a plush cotton set with tiny bears on it.
"Bears?" JungKook whispered like it was a betrayal.
She smirked and added it to the pile.
-
That night, their bags were packed. The itinerary was confirmed. The bedroom was dim and calm.
JungKook emerged from the bathroom in his grey tee and sweats, towel-drying his hair.
And froze.
Ivory stood by the bed in a black silk nightgown, thin straps sliding off her shoulder, lace dancing over her thighs. Her hair spilled around her like a shadow. She didn't say anything-just tilted her head and smiled.
His towel hit the floor.
"You-" he started, swallowing thickly. "Didn't you say... pajamas?"
She slowly climbed onto the bed, lying on her side, propped on one elbow. "Changed my mind."
"You're evil."
She shrugged innocently. "Scientific curiosity."
He crossed the room like a man possessed and locked the bedroom door behind him.
*****
THE MORNING BEFORE JEJU ISLAND
The sun filtered through the linen curtains, casting soft stripes across the villa's bed. Birds chirped faintly in the background, the island breeze already hinting at salt and adventure.
Ivory shot up in bed with a bright gasp.
"It's Jeju day!"
She flung the covers off, already halfway to her suitcase with sparkly eyes and that signature bounce in her step.
Behind her, a low groan.
JungKook rolled over, face half-buried in the pillow, hair messy, one arm flopped dramatically over his face.
"No, it's recovery day..."
She laughed, pulling out a ivory beach dress and matching sandals. "Come on, sleepyhead. I made us coffee. And you promised."
He peeked at her through his fingers. "I also promised to take it easy on you last night. Look how that turned out."
Ivory choked on her laughter. "That was your doing."
"You wore that night gown. You knew what you were doing. That was a trap."
"I'm innocent."
He groaned again. "You're dangerous. Beautiful and dangerous."
Still half-asleep, he reached blindly for his coffee as she placed it on the bedside table. "This better have extra shots."
She kissed his cheek. "It has."
They packed up, sunglasses on, matching tote bags slung over their shoulders. Ivory practically skipped down the villa steps, her energy a stark contrast to JungKook's slow, groggy saunter.
"You look like you got hit by a love truck," she teased.
"I did," he muttered, grabbing her suitcase. "It was in black silk and had legs."
She laughed so hard, she nearly tripped over her sandals.
*
*
*
*
The soft ocean breeze swept through the open-air foyer of the private villa as Ivory stepped out of the car, adjusting her oversized sunglasses with a one-handed grace that made Jungkook genuinely forget how to breathe for a second.
She wore a sheer white beach dress that swayed like silk in the breeze, but it was the bikini beneath it-the one that had been teasing him from her suitcase-that caught his attention like a sucker punch to the soul. Sunshine-yellow, barely-there straps, the kind of bold confidence that came naturally to her but hit him square in the chest like a summer storm.
He blinked.
Twice.
"Why do you look like you're seeing a ghost?" she asked, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, revealing a mischievous glint in those glacier-blue eyes.
"Not a ghost," Jungkook muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "Just... someone very determined to test my self-control."
Ivory grinned, brushing past him toward the villa doors with a purposeful sway of her hips. "We said we're eating first, remember?"
"That was before I saw the bikini in 4K," he deadpanned under his breath, following her like a puppy who had just accepted his fate.
Inside, the villa was even more luxurious than the photos-a perfect blend of modern architecture and warm coastal wood tones, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the ocean like a painting.
As they entered, Ivory kicked off her sandals and padded barefoot across the cool tiles.
"Pick a room, any room," she said, twirling slightly before glancing at him. "Unless you want to share."
Jungkook arched a brow. "Are you flirting with me or trying to kill me?"
She gave a playful shrug. "Whichever gets me to the beach faster."
The chef arrived shortly after with fresh abalone, grilled sea bass, and handmade side dishes that made Ivory's eyes light up. They ate on the open terrace, the view stretching out in infinite blue.
At one point, Ivory leaned back in her chair, the breeze catching the ends of her dress just right, legs stretched out lazily as she sipped from a chilled glass of wine.
Jungkook couldn't stop staring.
She caught him.
"See something you like?" she asked, half-laughing.
"I think I saw heaven," he replied, completely serious.
Ivory blinked, caught off guard for a beat.
Then: "Well, enjoy the appetizer, Jake. The main course is the ocean-and I plan on swimming right after this."
She stood and winked, slow and sultry, leaving Jungkook groaning into his wine glass.
***
They made it down to the villa's private beach just as the sun began its slow descent, casting golden hues across the water. The sky was painted in pastels, the waves lapping gently at the shore.
Jungkook was toweling off after kicking water at her ankles like a child when Ivory turned her back to him, fingers tugging at the ties of her white beach dress.
He glanced over absently-until the dress slipped down her arms and pooled at her feet.
And there it was.
The yellow bikini.
In all its sun-soaked, godforsaken glory.
His towel hit the sand.
His brain? Gone. Completely fried.
The sun glinted off her skin like she'd been carved from golden light, legs long and toned, the bikini somehow both demure and deadly. It wasn't even that revealing, but on her? On Ivory?
Dangerous.
His mouth might've been slightly open. He wasn't sure.
She turned her head, sensing the silence.
"You good?" she asked, amused, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Jungkook blinked. "Yeah. Totally. I'm just... processing."
"Processing what?" she tilted her head innocently.
"That I might actually die here."
She laughed, throwing her head back as she walked toward the water, the movement of her hips making him seriously reconsider every spiritual belief he'd ever held.
"You coming in or are you going to pass out on the sand like a dehydrated sea lion?"
"Give me a second," he said, voice rough. "I need to... recalibrate."
Ivory laughed again, and he swore it was the most beautiful sound on earth.
She dove into the water with graceful ease, surfacing with a smile, calling out, "I'm swimming with or without you, Jake!"
Jake exhaled hard, muttering to himself as he finally moved to join her.
"This trip was supposed to be relaxing..."
The sun dipped lower, and the water shimmered like liquid gold.
Ivory splashed Jake mercilessly, her laugh echoing across the private cove. He retaliated like a five-year-old, flinging water back at her, both of them soaked and breathless with laughter.
"You're terrible!" she shouted, blinking through the water droplets.
"You started it!" he laughed, lunging toward her with a wave of his arms.
She squealed, dodging him easily, but he was fast. Too fast. He caught her wrist underwater, pulling her closer. The laughter slowed, fading into a quieter moment as their bodies came close in the gently shifting tide.
Her skin was slick and warm, chest rising and falling with the remnants of their laughter. He was looking at her lips now. Definitely her lips.
She noticed. "Jake..."
"Hmm?"
"You're holding me like you're about to kiss me."
"Am I?" he murmured, voice dipping, eyes now locked to hers.
The teasing glint in her eye didn't match the way her voice dipped, soft and a little breathless. The kind that made his skin prickle.
Jake opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
Because in that moment-she shifted.
Just enough that her body brushed his. Her breast, soft and warm, barely grazing his chest as the tide swayed them together. The curve of it caught the dying sun, glinting golden droplets over her skin like temptation sculpted in light.
He felt it-everywhere.
His body tensed so hard he nearly forgot to breathe. Every ounce of control he possessed suddenly summoned to the surface. His jaw clenched, his hands gripped the water, and he refused to move.
Ivory, oblivious-or maybe not-didn't back away. She stayed close, blinking up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"Jake?" she asked, voice lower now, almost innocent. "You okay?"
He swallowed. Hard.
His voice dropped an octave, husky with restraint. "You have no idea."
She tilted her head. "What don't I know?"
He leaned in just slightly, their lips almost touching-almost.
"Uhh-" he cleared his throat and leaned back just a bit. "I, uh... I think I need to stay in the water for a bit."
Ivory narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
Jungkook refused to meet her gaze. "No reason. Just really... chillin'. The water's nice. Super nice."
That made her lips part. Barely. Her eyes flicked down, then up again. "Did the water suddenly get cold, or did it get awkward?"
He groaned and dunked his head under like a man defeated.
Ivory was already laughing before he resurfaced, covering her face.
Jungkook's breath hitched.
She let it hang in the air-sweet, shameless, a little dangerous.
And then she smirked.
Before he could do anything, she kicked off the sand and swam away like nothing happened.
"You're evil!" he shouted after her, groaning like a man on the verge of spiritual collapse.
She just laughed, flashing him a wink over her shoulder. "And yet, you're still in love with me."
"I hate you."
He definitely didn't. But he also wasn't getting out of the water any time soon.
***
Jeju Beach Club - Lights, Music, and Moonlit Mischief
The ocean hummed in the distance, its rhythm barely louder than the bass spilling from the beach club speakers. Torches lined the sand, flickering with the breeze, casting gold and amber onto glowing faces. Strung lights tangled through palm trees, swaying like lazy stars.
Ivory stepped in beside Jungkook, her hand tightly woven with his, warm from the drinks, the dancing, and him. They had just ordered their second round of cocktails-soju mixed with calamansi and grapefruit-and were stepping toward the shore again when it happened.
The next beat hit. Different. Familiar.
A deep, sensual echo of synth and bass.
Then-his voice.
"Weight of the world on your shoulders..."
Ivory paused mid-step, head snapping toward the speakers. Her brows lifted, lips parting.
Jake looked sideways at her, that mischievous smirk tugging his mouth.
"That's you?" she asked, stunned.
"That's me," he nodded, cocky. "Explicit version, by the way," he added, wiggling his eyebrows.
Before she could react, he pulled her into the crowd-his arms sliding around her waist as the beat rolled in. They moved like they'd been made to dance together. She gasped as he leaned in close, his voice low in her ear, not singing anymore-whispering.
"Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday..."
Each word a soft stroke of sound against her skin.
"Saturday, Sunday-
Every hour, every minute, every second.
You know night after night.
I'll be fuckin' you right, seven days a week."
She laughed-a breathless, dizzy kind of joy-and he smiled against her shoulder like he'd just won a game no one else knew they were playing.
Then the song shifted. The next verse came in smoother, gentler. The chorus glided out of the speakers, but he wasn't lip-syncing anymore.
"Just the perfect song." He mutters,
Jungkook sang it-live-just for her.
"'Cause I love you, yeah, I love you
Oh, I love you, love the way you are
Please, please don't change..."
The lyrics lingered in the space between them. He looked at her like she was the only girl in the galaxy. Like he'd memorized every freckle on her face and still found something new to love each time.
Ivory didn't speak. She just wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed with him-under the lights, to his song, to his voice. To his love.
No one cared who they were. No cameras, no spotlights, no screams.
Just two souls melting into each other, laughing, spinning, and falling deeper with every beat.
For once, Jungkook wasn't a global icon.
And Ivory wasn't the heiress.
They were just Jake and Ivory-the boy who disappeared, and the girl who made him want to stay.
And for the first time in years, neither of them was dancing alone.