when exhausted jungkook is equal to a cranky jungkook but you’re just a simple girl
summary: idol!jk and oc!ash, established relationship, both ash and jungkook are working very hard and they’re exhausted to the point where it feels like they might drop dead soon. kook gets frustrated because ash won’t pay him enough attention but soon she ends up pampering his majesty’s ass anyways. also, there’s a backdrop on ash’s life; she is a musician and a part of iu’s band
genre: pure fluff.
warning: none. go crazy children
word count: 4.5k
notes: I know I know, like, a part of iu’s band? isn’t that a bit too much? nah it’s not. I have enough reality chasing me irl, let me have my fun here. also, I hope ya’ll are doing okay. a new year comes with a lot of expectations and responsibilities so don’t be too hard on yourselves <3 happy 2024 peeps :D
“what. do you want. jeon jungkook.”
“ooh she used the full name, have I been a bad boy?”, the words tumble down your boyfriend’s lips with a dramatic flare, followed by a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, unfazed by the sheer force of your previous sentence, “what do you mean what do I want? attention and affection, of course.”
not that you’re counting, but what you assume to be the nineteenth sigh tonight, leaves your lips. your eyelids were so heavy that you doubted if even a fire in the building could wake you up. exhaustion tore at your limbs and you didn’t have the power to lift your eyelids to shoot a glare at your golden retriever boyfriend, let alone muster enough energy to face him and provide him... what did he say again? attention and affection.
you’ve been tirelessly working throughout the week, barely having time to eat or sleep. almost every day you’re coming back home at four in the morning, when jungkook is sound asleep, and leaving again in three hours, when he is yet to wake up. it’s the first time in quite a few days that you came home at a reasonable hour and were tangled in the bed with a very much awake jungkook. but as much as you want to entertain him, your body does not seem willing to cooperate.
you’re a musician, and boy when you pursued a music career, you never thought it could ever make you tired. music has been your love and your life since you could remember and a very fundamental part of your life. whether it was humming random strings of sounds while having your diaper changed as a baby (your parents’ word) or singing meaningless lyrics to any tune you heard when you started talking (again, your parents’ word), your love for music has always just grown. you’re now a full-blown musician, having the privilege to work with all the a-rated musicians of the world. you are pretty much a regular member of iu’s band— iu being the living legend of korea and the forever-long crush of jungkook’s life— but you still worked with other artists from time to time, sometimes as a producer, sometimes as a composer.
throughout your high school years, you developed a reputation as the person who would randomly start humming during examinations, writing lyrics on her exam papers, and always playing instruments or plainly singing in every single school function. and if that wasn’t a wake-up call, getting scouted as a musician through your personal instagram was certainly one. it happened right during the end of high school when you were preparing for uni, and the single event changed everything in your life. you were scouted by an agency called bighit, and they convinced you to audition, intriguing you enough to skip school one day and show up in a rusty building in the gangnam district of seoul with a guitar hanging on your shoulder. impressed by your skills, they signed you up as a trainee.
it was one of the best things that happened in your life.
ironically, it was also where you met your boyfriend for the first time.
saying your parents weren’t happy when you decided to completely backtrack from uni and focus solely on music would be an understatement. you were always an exceptional student— part of the reason your teachers would always overlook you humming in class or using your projects as a canvas for your musical colors— and were supposed to major in business studies as your parents’ wishes. while it was never something you hated— in fact, you always thought that you’d rather be a super successful businesswoman if you couldn’t be a musician— but having your first choice being handed to you on a silver platter, you'd be a fool not to take it. your parents were enraged, they cut you off from the family entirely, but you were nothing if not stubborn. determined to make it, alone if you have to, you've worked your ass off for all these years to get into the position you’re in now, a place where your name is gold-plated in the music industry.
but success was never truly your goal. your goal was to simply stay immersed in a world of music and you can’t help but take pride of how far all alone. but working like your life depended on it became sort of a habit, sometimes to the point where a singular musical note could make you groan. you don’t sing as much as you used to back in high school, instead, you use up all your time to compose music and play the guitars for iu.
said idol is supposed to be having a comeback very soon, somewhere your boyfriend’s bandmate was also going to star— kim taehyung— and so work has been extra draining lately, with everyone trying to master every single detail and point.
“kook, stoooop”, you whine, burying your face in the soft pillow, waterfalls of hair obscuring your vision as you make a feeble attempt to wriggle out of jungkook’s grasp. but he is relentless. he rolls his eyes and manhandles you back into his arms, causing you to let out a small yelp as your back presses against his chest.
jungkook, himself, was tired as hell. while you were coming back at four in the morning, he was coming back at three, working equally hard as you. jungkook is always driven by his passions and he never hesitates to work hard for it, but despite that fact, this week has been particularly challenging, especially with the pressure of working on his own solo album. the lack of food and sleep was almost getting to him, leaving him irritable to the point where he almost snapped at the choreographer. although he apologized quickly, he noticed that he was in the mood where people pick up fights for no reason. he decided to just come back home and get some rest before something else could provoke him, but when he discovered you were at home as well, he couldn’t help but get clingy. after all, you guys haven’t properly talked for weeks.
and he missed you.
“c’mon, I can’t even see your face”, jungkook props himself up on his elbow, his breath gently fanning your face.
“we’ve already established the fact i’m pretty. let me sleep, kook.”
“aren’t pretty faces meant to be looked at?”
jungkook furrows his brows when he gets no answer from you. he blinks furiously to keep his own exhaustion at bay and studies your face to see if you’ve already drifted off to sleep. your eyes are closed, and he can feel the steady rhythm of your heart inside the hoodie of his that you’re wearing. he can also sense you’re not asleep though. not yet anyway.
“babeee”, jungkook lets out a high-pitched whimper and immediately yelps when you elbow him in the ribs but he isn’t sure which one strikes a nerve, the elbow or the words that follow.
“dude, would you please let me sleep? I am tired as fuck and I have to wake up early”, you grit your teeth in clear annoyance, not even bothering to open your eyes, “unlike some people”
jungkook feels a twinge of guilt, but he can also feel a surge of a new emotion. anger? before he can fully comprehend what is going on, inconsiderate words escape his mouth.
“so am I. but you don't see me complaining all the time.”
your eyes fly open. before you can fully discern their meaning of jungkook’s words, he moves away from you, retreating completely to his side of the bed and putting as much space between your bodies as possible. you use your last fragments of remaining energy to prop yourself up into a half-seated position to face him, but jungkook has already turned his back on you.
“what is that supposed to mean?”
silence.
“jungkook, what the hell was that supposed to mean?”
“go to sleep, okay?”, his quiet voice makes you falter and you immediately understand that he is angry. though for what, you don’t quite understand.
“jungkook, i’m sleepy, okay? and—”
“then sleep! no one’s stopping you now.”
“but you’re mad at me for being tired! how is that fair? i’ve been working like crazy—”
“geez, sorry for being unfair, ash”, sarcasm drips from jungkook’s voice and you don’t like that in the slightest, “I also have to wake up early, earlier than you in fact, so please let me sleep.”
an uncomfortable silence follows his sentence.
“alright”, you sigh and drop it after staring at his back for a few seconds. you don’t want to get into an argument now, not when both of you are on the verge of collapsing, prone to say things you don’t mean at all. you’d rather sleep and deal with it in the morning when both of you are well rested and not running on two hours of sleep and a shit ton of caffeine.
it’s not always you get to see this side of jungkook. anyone who knows him knows that the boy is crafted from starry skies and honeyed galaxies alone, always smiling a bit too easily and lighting everyone around him as bright as the evening star.
however, every time you see a crack at his easy, carefree demeanor, you can’t help but feel a sense of helplessness within. jungkook doesn’t get irritated often and certainly not easily, but when he does, his behavior takes a different turn. he doesn’t shout or scream or take his anger out on inanimate objects as you tend to do. instead, he completely shuts himself out of the world. every curt answer feels like a form of silent treatment, every word spoken laces itself with sarcasm, always hitting where it hurts the most. even though he never takes his anger out on you, you don’t like seeing him like this.
if you knew he would react like this, you would have given a little more effort to remain awake in his company. jungkook may be childish but he rarely behaves like this. and you’re just a simple girl, hopelessly in love with the boy who has his back turned to you.
“goodnight”, you draw closer to him and drape an arm around his waist hesitantly. when he doesn’t stir or reply, a dejected sigh escapes your lips. nonetheless, you tenderly wrap the blanket around him and nestle your face at the nape of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of fresh linen and mint.
despite the fatigue draping your limbs, despite jungkook starting to softly snore within minutes, it takes you an entire hour to fall asleep.
you let out yet another groan as memories from last night come flooding back into your mind. it has been like that all day, the memories coming and going as they pleased, striking you with a sense of disappointment every time they do. jungkook was already gone when you woke up in the morning and despite knowing he had an early schedule, you couldn't help but feel downhearted.
you immediately checked your phone back then, hoping to find a message from him but much to your disappointment, there was none. both you and jungkook had quite hectic schedules, but it became an unspoken agreement in the house to update each other about your days ever since you moved in together. jungkook would always leave little neon post-its on the fridge with messages— reminder to eat something before you get coffee!!! and call me after you wake up, let’s get lunch together??? — whenever he left the house before you were up and vice versa. soon, the post-its turned into text messages because it was always easier in the rush of the mornings. jungkook would always wake up to texts from you— before you get mad, I did kiss you before leaving but you wouldn’t budge— and he would instantly call you to check if your schedules aligned and if he could pick you up after work.
but having no text from jungkook this morning could mean only one thing.
he is still mad.
despite being agitated because of your lack of basic human activities, you pushed aside those emotions and called him immediately. you got more worried when jungkook didn’t pick the phone up because you knew he wasn’t one to hold petty grudges. you reluctantly dragged yourself out of bed then, brushing and getting ready to face the day. now that you’ve had gained a few hours of rest, you realized how tired jungkook looked last night. you could almost hear the constant grumbles from his stomach that pointed out how hungry he was. But he kept saying that he didn’t have the energy to eat. you could see the swollen eyelids and the purple hue outlining it more clearly, how he walked unsteadily as if he was drunk.
jungkook called you back while you were on your way to work. you weren’t really surprised but it still dissipated some of your nerves. he explained that his phone was on silent and he didn’t see your call but his voice still sounded distant and his responses were short. he also mentioned that he might not come home tonight, hoping to squeeze in some extra practice hours.
he didn’t call you once for the rest of the day.
very un-jungkook of him.
and you were too busy to call him.
it is nearly midnight now. you find yourself inside your car, driving through the dimly lit streets of seoul. despite the hour, the city is bustling, alive with people and emotions. driving through the city always puts you at ease; you hated crowds but you loved observing people, the multitudes of emotions they go through every moment, making every one so much different than another but still intricately woven within love and life.
after the long day, you yearned for the warmth and comfort of your bed, considering skipping the shower part because that’s how drained you were. you didn’t eat anything all day, something that has become a routine now, save for the apple you grabbed while leaving the house in the morning. minus the seven-something cups of coffee.
yet you find yourself driving in the direction of the hybe studios.
you’re almost near the building when a sudden realization makes you click your tongue in annoyance. should have gotten some flowers. why did I not think of that before?
you park your car and make your way inside the extravagant building. the staff knew you well by now, both from your days as a trainee and your frequent visits to your boyfriend and his bandmates. you ascend to the top floor of the establishment, going straight toward one of the empty practice rooms jungkook loves to use whenever he is rehearsing on his own.
pushing the door open, you enter the room. the space is slightly dark, only illuminated with neon purple lights, ridiculously confirming your boyfriend’s presence to you. call it jungkook being jungkook, but your boyfriend hates harsh lights. you don’t doubt that he would happily reside in the darkness for the rest of his life if he was asked to.
you spot jungkook in the farthest corner of the room— hybe practice rooms are scarily huge— a blur of black sweats and bobbing hair, vigorously throwing hooks and uppercuts at the gray punching bag hanging in front of him. even from a distance you can see that he is completely absorbed in his own world, a side of him that you have come to know well over the years. this jungkook is full of energy and passion. this jungkook is the golden maknae of bts, putting his heart and soul into whatever he was working on, squeezing every last drop of capability, and surpassing every single one of his limits every minute. this is the boy who keeps on giving birth to beauty, elegance, and unparalleled talent.
you didn’t like to disrupt jungkook’s concentration when he was working so you decide to sit silently until he noticed your himself. however, concern washes over you when you see the lack of gloves in his hand. instead, his hands are wrapped with gauze and tape as he mercilessly throws jabs at the punching bag, and you can notice the blood seeping through the rips of the cloth around his knuckles.
“are you trying to piss me off on purpose?”, you hiss softly, walking towards him and putting your palm on his shoulder so as not to scare him. but jungkook yelps in shock anyways, bambi eyes wide and startled like a deer caught in front of headlights.
“ash?”
“why are you not wearing gloves?”, you take his hands into your own, flinching when you get a good look at it. his knuckles were visible through the torn cloth, red and angry, blood seeping through the gashes on his skin.
“sorry—”, jungkook throws you a sheepish glance, recovering from the initial shock, “—when did you come here? wait, why are you here?”
“to kick your ass”, you say, exasperated, “seriously jungkook, how hard is it to wear a glove? you just take the damn thing and squeeze your hand insi—”
“I did! but then it tore somehow”
you scowled.
“it’s true! look! I threw it on the ground when it ripped. it’s still there!”
“then don’t punch so hard!”
“but I have to train!”, jungkook pouted, hoping his cute facial expression would calm you down. you scowled more.
you huff, releasing his hands and making your way toward the line of closets in the back of the room. it’s where the first aid kits are usually kept. you know every practice room in the entire building has one or two of these because this is where most of the accidents happens. you can sense jungkook’s gaze following you but he remains mute.
getting what you need, you take a seat on the furnished floor and pat it, urging jungkook to do the same. he falls silent once again, any surprise from your unexpected arrival which urged him to talk normally wore off and the tension was back.
jungkook complies and sits down in front of you. he takes a good few seconds to stare at your outstretched palms before sighing in defeat and offering you his hands when he notices your enraged glare. He doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of your rage. and doesn’t matter he says, he would be lying if he said his hands didn’t throb from the pain.
you carefully remove the white gauges from his hands, wincing when more blood oozes out. looking at red cuts and bruises across his skin almost physically pains you, but jungkook stays completely silent, eyes drinking you in. he recalls being mad at you but he can’t quite recall the reason. it’s not because he can't remember now, especially with you here, tending to his wounds in such a delicate manner that you fear you would hurt him. as if something as gentle as your touch could ever cause him harm. not because you look like you were put on this earth to solely heal his hands. and not because you showed up here unannounced. because he genuinely can’t remember what made him so mad at you last night, literally out of thin air, and now he feels embarrassed at his own immaturity.
he just couldn’t figure out how to approach you after being a total jerk.
weird how humans tend to hurt the ones they love the most, almost always for no particular reason at all.
you finish your work wordlessly, putting band-aids around his knuckles and ointment on the cuts peppering his fingers. letting his hands fall onto his lap, you gather the bloodied materials from the floor and rise up to throw them in the waste paper box. jungkook follows your suit, standing up cluelessly.
“you’re gonna start throwing punches again?”
“hmm? uh no— I think I will practice the choreographies now”
“okay”, you sigh.
jungkook looks like hell, you realize. his messy hair is messier than usual, sticking out wildly at all angles, eyes droopy and rimmed with circles darker than you remember seeing last night. sweat glistened on his hunched figure tired from the physical exertion, soaking his sweatshirt.
you know you look just as worn out as him. you can feel it by the way he looks at you.
“uh so— are you gonna drive ho—”
“come with me.”
jungkook’s eyes widen as you wrap your arms around his torso, hiding your head on his chest. while a sweaty jungkook usually makes you giggle out a gross and maneuver far away, you hug him with gentle ardor, more so than usual.
you just want him to come home tonight.
“ash, sweetheart, i’m sweating”, jungkook tries to pry himself away from you but you just hold him tighter.
“don’t care. please come home.”
jungkook goes limp in your clutch for a few seconds before he’s softly hugging you back. of course, he would go home if you wanted him to, you didn’t need to ask him twice. who the heck is he to deny you? always a prisoner to your wishes, always prisoner to your love, and gladly so. how could he not? he rests his chin on your head and sways your body from side to side in a rhythm.
“okay”
“really?”
“really.”
the drive back home was short.
you drove, as jungkook was all out of it. he didn’t have the physical and mental coordination to walk down the building to the car, how the boy was gonna rehearse overnight, you had no idea.
“whoops, babe how were you gonna dance?” you supported his weight leaning down on you while you were walking, steading yourself before both of you fell on the ground, one arm wrapped around his torso, his figure hunched and head resting on your neck.
“I can walk. I am just choosing not to since you’re here”, he flashed you a grin with his eyes closed.
after arriving home, jungkook went straight to the shower and for a few seconds, you contemplated joining him. however, recalling how jungkook’s grumbling tummy throughout the whole ride, made you change your decision. he mentioned that he didn’t eat anything fulfilling all day. that is why you told him to freshen up and made a beeline towards the kitchen to make some instant ramen, not very healthy but quick and easy, and always gratifying.
so here you are now, serving ramen into two bowls with the leftover kimchi you guys had in the fridge. sleepiness makes your eyelids droop and you feel like prying them open with scotch tapes.
like tom, you snort to yourself, from tom and jerry.
man, you loved that cartoon during your childhood.
after all these years, you still don’t know if you’re team tom or team jerry.
hearing a faint clicking sound, you turn around and see jungkook approaching you, shirtless and clad in sweatpants. the shower had done marvels because he looks as attractive as he always does, with the water dripping down his damp hair onto the well-defined muscles in his chest. feeling a blush creep in, you quickly avert your eyes.
both of you are tired enough without resorting to er— any other activities for the night.
“what are you doing in the kitchen?” jungkook stares at you with confused doe eyes.
“putting food on the table like the dutiful girlfriend I am.”
“pretty sure that’s wife material”, jungkook whispers as he works his way into your arms, tugging your waist flushed with his.
“kook, you need to dry your hair properly! you’ll catch a cold”, you scold him softly, feeling greasy when you see him so fresh and glowy. you card a hand through his locks, feeling it to be more sopping than it seemed. you break free from his grasp to grab a towel from the washroom, ignoring the loud protests.
“sit”, you command, gesturing for jungkook to sit on one of the stools lining the kitchen island. when he complies, you gently massage his head with the towel, squeezing every last drop of remaining water from his hair. jungkook prefers to air dry his hair when he is at home, allowing it to get some rest from all the heat and styling he has to do on a regular basis, but he also religiously manages to forget at least soaking the water out.
he grabs you closer by pulling your waist. you stand between his thighs and continue massaging his scalp while he muffles his face on your chest, desperately seeking your warmth and comfort. a smile stretches across your face watching jungkook moan in satisfaction.
“how are the hands?”
“mmm good. need to put more band-aids”, his voice comes out hoarse being squished in your chest, “you didn’t need to cook. I know you are tired.”
“but i’m hungry too”
“oh. let’s eat then! it smells so fucking good!”
and jungkook’s sudden burst of enthusiasm prompts a hearty laugh from you, endeared to your core, just as you always find yourself enamored by his every action.
“what. do you want. jeon jungkook.”
jungkook’s soft laughter echoes inside the room in response to the aggression in your tone. he pulls you closer to himself, wrapping an arm tightly around your torso once your back is secured against his chest. after finishing your meal, jungkook volunteered to clean the dishes while we waited for you to take a shower. now that both of you are clean and full, you find yourselves tangled together in bed once again; your usual routine, you trying to sleep and jungkook trying to keep you awake.
“I want you to eat well. I want you to sleep well. you. I want you. always you”, he presses his face in your hair, taking in the aroma of wood and wild berries.
“and I am sorry”, he adds quietly.
you stir when you hear his words, turning around in his hold to face him. you know what he is apologizing for.
“well, you should be.”
“I really am.”
“i'm kidding, kook. you don’t need to be sorry. you were tired and—”
“but see, that’s the thing! every time I tell you that i’m tired and just want to sleep, you make damn sure I get some actual rest but I—”, he gestures at himself, looking at you with utmost concentration, “start acting like a spoiled child when I don’t get absolutely one hundred percent of your attention.”
“can't really disagree with that.”
“hey!”
“your words, not mine!”, you let out a squeal as jungkook tries to tickle you, holding him tighter in an attempt to make him stop, “love, that’s a part of you. and I adore that. that you feel comfortable enough to get mad at me for nothing. I don’t want you all smiley and cheery, without the bad things. I love you. and I want you as... you.”
“however annoying you may be”, you add as an afterthought.
jungkook scrunches his nose, “I am pretty annoying from time to time, aren’t I?”
“oh boy, you have no idea.”
“wow. am I imagining things or does everyone feel like you’re in a mood to constantly attack me tonight?”, he hugs you tighter if possible, shrugging, “my fault for loving you so much, I guess.”
“well, I am very lovable.”
“...oh boy, you have no idea.”
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wide-eyed | jjk
summary: i think you should come live with me, and we can be pirates, then you won’t have to cry.
> angst!!! fluff / wc: 1.4k
> warnings: oc’s father is abusive— mentions of alcoholism and physical abuse, bruises, blood, wounds. please be mindful of these before reading.
note: hi it’s me and my occasional short heavy angst most often sparked in the middle of listening to music, specifically seven by tswift this time.
—
“have a baby? get married? and work several jobs? at our age?” you almost scream through tears, eyes so blurry you can only make out the outline of jungkook’s figure kneeling infront of you on the edge of his twin-sized bed. the faint orange light of his dying desk lamp illuminates the wretched scene unfolding in the eerie quiet of the night— of two lovers trying to navigate the untold horrors of life with an extreme sandstorm blindsiding them.
“my father won’t kill us, but poverty will. and i am not using an innocent child as an escape just to give it that kind of life. i won’t, jungkook. i won’t. the guilt won’t allow me to live with myself.”
“then let’s just run away. we don’t have to make up a reason and have a baby. let’s just-” he swallows down the ever growing lump in his throat, and it’s almost laughable, how it makes his heart heavier in turn. “let’s just leave this fucking place.”
“we’re seventeen.” you say the words as if it’s a curse. to be old enough to differentiate right from wrong; to be old enough to want to fight against the cruelty you’re being unreasonably subjected to— but not old enough to do that just yet. but still, still old enough to know that running away will only string along more problems that will reduce your being into a speck of dust that can only be seen through sunlight. unseen. unheard. lifeless. floating aimlessly. so small, miniscule- it’s untouchable.
if it’s only you, it doesn’t sound too bad to exist without meaning. in truth, there is liberating bliss emerging from your veins when you think about it extensively. but, jungkook- your sweet and bright jungkook. he has a beautiful future ahead of him, and your stomach turns at the thought of him tarnishing that in the name of love, and regretting it years later once he outgrows you.
for now, the thought of running away will remain tempting until you develop the ability to walk away. for now, your father will continue to chug down alcohol, and you will be there to catch his fist when he comes home. for now, this is where you belong. for now, this is painful, but it should be enough. you, and jungkook, his personalized first-aid kit, and the crescent moon outside his half-opened window.
“i will endure. let’s make something of ourselves first, and i will endure until then. i can’t-” you hiccup, wiping away your tears with heel of your palm. “i can’t lose my education. it’s the only hope i have for myself. and you- you have a good life. i won’t let you drop everything for me. i love you. i won’t- i won’t let you do that.”
jungkook tightly grips the tube of ointment in his closed fist, the egdes of it digging into the skin of his palm. it stings, but it is nothing compared to the pain you experience on a regular basis.
he drags his fingernails upwards to desperately squeeze out some more ointment from the thin and crumpled tube. it’s not too long ago, the last time he bought it. and that realization triggered something in him to convince you with his irrational ideas to save you from the hell you call home, the monster you call a father.
he anchors himself using his knees, straightening himself up to press a soft kiss on the fresh bruise on your cheek. “i’m sorry. i wasn’t thinking straight again. i was too angry. and scared. i’m sorry. i’m sorry. shh-shhh, i love you.” his index finger replaces his lips, spreading the ointment on the red bruise blossoming on your skin. it hurts him to see any bruise or wound, but when it’s your face, it doesn’t only feel like a punch in the gut- it’s his heart being brutally snatched out of his chest.
“i’ll work even harder. maybe i’ll find a way to get you out of there sooner without sacrificing your studies.” he blows on it lightly, lips forming a perfect ‘o’. “uh, we should try applying for scholarships. then we can take it from there.”
“scholarship,” you mumble quietly, eyes still unfocused. your sobbing has stopped, and your boyfriend brushes away your stray tears. “we should. our grades are high, there’s a chance. i’ll work harder too.”
he unconsciously watches your lips move as you speak, and his jaw clenches when his eyes fixate on the cut on your lower lip, inflicted only two days ago.
“will you come live with me then?”
“jungkook-”
“my mother adores you.” he interrupts, and his words verge on an anguished prayer. “and i think she knows, but she just doesn’t want to cross her boundaries. she will be happy to have you.”
your tongue darts out to wet your lips, biting your lower lip as a mannerism. the familiar metallic taste touches the tip of your tongue before it spreads, and you swallow it down unwittingly. “if we get a scholarship?”
“you, or me, or both.” he replies, comfortingly squeezing your hands in his. “we’ll make it work no matter what.”
it sounds like a plan. it sounds like you’re only convincing yourselves. it sounds optimistic in pure jungkook fashion. the word if dies down on your tongue, but it dances inside your head. if. only if.
despite of this, it’s still worth living for. the two-letter word carrying the weight of flickering hope from two worlds apart. and so, you meet his eyes with devotion swimming in yours.
“okay.”
—
once again, you awake at dawn. the dark night sky has turned a recognizable blue, and as usual, your day begins earlier than the others’. you need to rush home and pretend to be asleep on your mattress before your father wakes up looking for you. if he doesn’t find you in the house, he’d drive around the entire town with a hangover. if he catches you awake, you’d have to prepare breakfast while hearing him spew out more of his infamous backhanded apologies that your mother had more than her fair share of. you just never understood the reason why you had to be the one to take her place— ‘because your father hates to be alone.’
but you are your parents’ child, after all.
because jungkook is asleep with a halo over his head, basking in the temporary peace of knowing that there is nothing in this room that could harm you. he is steadily breathing against your neck, arm loosely wrapped around your waist. you embrace him tightly as you give his temple a soft kiss, so feather-light your lips almost only ghost over his skin.
over and over again, you leave behind the person you treasure the most.
you carefully move jungkook’s head over his pillow, before replacing your torso with the pillow you used. the one enveloped in the pillowcase adorned with the little twin stars that you claimed to be rightfully yours. he shifts and swallows to remedy his dry mouth, burying his face into the pillow as if it’s still your neck he is nuzzling in.
just like yesterday’s morning scene, you ponder between the door and the window with bated breath. but when you hear his brother stumbling through the front door from another rager, you find yourself barefoot on the roof.
you don’t look back to steal one last loving glance, because you know that you’ll come back tonight, craving to be held in his arms again.
because just like your father, you, too, hate to be alone.
but jungkook does. he flips to the other side, still embracing your pillow, to watch you leave. his eyes flutter open and shut, trying his damn hardest to make out your figure with his teary vision before you completely disappear. the only traces of you lie on his bed, and the blood on the gauze, and the ripped packages of band-aids on his desk. sometimes he can’t bear to throw them away because he’s scared shitless that you might not come back. there are so many reasons for you not to- fuck, to not be able to.
he makes his wish to the remaining visible stars hanging on the sky, before falling back into the rabbit hole of dreamland, where all is good and well and fears do not eat you alive.
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