The Night Changed Everything; 05 | Jungkook
Synopsis: Y/n's life implodes the night she discovers her boyfriend and her best friend in a betrayal she never saw coming. Heartbroken and furious, she ends up at a crowded club determined to forget, just for one night. There she meets a dangerous charming, mysterious stranger whose eyes see right through her pain.
Their chemistry is instant, their night together is unforgettable. She assumes she'll never see him again, but she flies to Korea to visit her brother Taehyung, everything changes.
He introduces her to his best friend Jungkook.
And Jungkook is the same man from the club.
The one she wasn't supposed to see again.
Pairing: Jungkook x Reader
The moment I stepped out of the arrivals gate, I was greeted by the familiar chaos of Incheon Airport.
People stood everywhere, waving signs, calling out names, rushing into hugs, hurried past with luggage in tow, families reunited after long flights.
Announcements echoed overhead while the scent of fresh coffee drifted from a nearby café.
A lot had happened over the last week, but I had done my best to keep myself busy. Packing, finishing work before my trip, making endless checklists.
Anything to stop my thoughts from wandering. It hadn't worked very well, every quiet moment somehow found it's way back to him..
I adjusted the strap of my purse and pulled my suitcase behind me, scanning the crowd, then I spotted him leaning casually against a pillar with his arms crossed was Taehyung.
The second he saw me, he straightened and a wide grin spread across his face and said " There she is. "
I smiled, making my way toward him and said " Hi, Tae. "
He didn't say another word before wrapping me in a hug and said " You're finally here. "
" I told you my flight landed at two. "
" Yeah, but it felt like forever. "
I laughed softly as we pulled apart, I looked at him and said " It's only been eight months. "
" Exactly, * Nod his head as if that proved his point * too long. "
I shook my head, smiling and said " You've always been dramatic. "
" I prefer emotionally expressive. "
His eyes traveled over me for a second before he frowned and said " You look tired. "
" I've been on a plane for almost twelve hours. "
He looked far too proud of himself, he reached for my suitcase and said " I'll take that. "
Before I could protest, he was already rolling it toward the exit and said " I didn't ask. "
I sighed dramatically and said " So bossy. "
" You're staying at my house. * Glanced over his shoulder * That means I make the rules. "
" Rule number one. * Held up one finger * You are not lifting that suitcase. "
I laughed and said " Anything else? "
" Rule number two... * Looked at her with a completely straight face * If you're hungry, tell me. "
" I know, but you're a guest. "
I raised an eyebrow and said " A guest? "
" You know what I mean. "
" I've stayed at your house before. "
" And every single time, you forget to eat when you're jet lagged. "
I didn't say anything and he said " ...See? "
He gave me a look and said " You skipped breakfast the last time you were here because you said you were 'too sleepy.' "
I groaned and said " You remember everything. "
" I have to. * Smirked * You're my little sister. "
He didn't say them often, but when he did... They always meant something.
We reached his car and he loaded my suitcase into the trunk before opening the passenger door.
I stared at him and he said " What? "
" You never open the door. "
I laughed and said " No, you haven't. "
He closed the door after I climbed in before walking around to the driver's seat. The engine started with a soft hum.
The city moved around us as Taehyung drove away from the airport.
Seoul looked exactly how I remembered it.
The tall buildings reaching into the sky.
The familiar signs flashing above shops and restaurants.
I rested my head against the window, letting myself take everything in.
For a little while, I could pretend I wasn't carrying the weight of everything that happened back home.
The music played quietly through the car speakers, and Taehyung drove beside me with a comfortable silence between us.
I already knew that tone.
He smiled slightly, keeping his eyes on the road and said " How are things going between you and Jae-won? "
My chest tightened. For a second, I forgot how to respond because the answer I wanted to give wasn't the one I could say.
I thought about that night, walking into his house.
Seeing something I was never supposed to see.
Standing there silently while my entire relationship changed in a matter of seconds.
But Taehyung didn't know and I wasn't ready for him to know, so I smiled and said " We're doing great. "
The words came out smoothly, too smoothly.
Taehyung nod his head, looked relieved and said " Good. "
I looked at him and said " Good? "
" Yeah. * Smiled * I always thought you two were good together. "
My fingers curled slightly against my purse and said " Really? "
" Yeah. * Shrugged shoulders * From what I saw, he cared about you. "
I looked away and said " He does."
Another lie, or maybe it wasn't.
That was the part that made everything harder because there were moments when Jae-won really did make me feel loved.
Moments when I thought I knew him.
Moments when I never imagined he could hurt me like that.
Taehyung glanced over and said " You guys still doing that thing where you argue about what movie to watch for an hour and then end up watching something neither of you picked? "
A small laugh escaped me and said " Yeah. "
He smiled and said " I remember. "
" Of course. You both took forever to choose a movie. I thought you were going to spend the entire night arguing. "
I smiled faintly and said " We weren't arguing. "
I laughed quietly. For a moment, it felt easy, like nothing had changed.
Taehyung smiled at my reaction before looking back at the road and said " That's what I like about him. "
I looked over and said " What? "
The smile on my face slowly faded. Taehyung continued " You don't do that with everyone. "
I looked down and said " I guess. "
The words made my throat tighten and he said " You always try to handle everything yourself. You pretend you're fine even when you're exhausted. "
I stayed quiet and he continued " And with him... * Smiled slightly * You seemed comfortable. "
I forced myself to smile and said " Yeah. "
A few seconds passed, then Taehyung reached over, lightly tapped my shoulder and said " Anyway, enough serious talk. "
I looked at him and said " Serious talk? "
" You asked me about my boyfriend. "
" Exactly. Very serious. "
I laughed, he smiled, satisfied that he got a reaction from me and said " Now, I need to know something more important. "
" What food are you craving? "
I stared at him and said " That's your important question? "
I shook my head, smiled and said " You're weird. "
" And you're staying at my house, so you have to deal with it. "
I laughed softly as he continued driving.
For the first time since I left home, my chest felt a little lighter, but even while I smiled...
A small part of me knew I was still hiding something.
Something that would eventually have to come out.
We walked inside the restaurant and the warm smell of food immediately filled the air.
It wasn't overly crowded, but there was enough noise to make it feel alive. People talked around us, dishes clinked against tables, and soft music played in the background.
Taehyung greeted the staff before leading me to a table near the window. I sat down across from him, looking at the menu.
I looked at him and said " You already know what you want, don't you? "
He looked offended and said " Why would you assume that? "
" Because you've been here before. "
" That doesn't mean anything. "
I stared at him, a few seconds passed, he sighed and said " Okay, yes. "
I laughed and said " You're predictable. "
" That's the same thing. "
He smiled as he picked up the menu. For the next few minutes, we debated what to order or rather, Taehyung suggested things while I rejected half of them.
" You always do this. " He said.
" Say you don't know what you want, then reject everything I suggest. "
I smiled innocently and said " Maybe you just have bad suggestions. "
He placed a hand over his chest dramatically and said " I'm hurt. "
" Wow, after I picked you up from the airport. "
" You're being dramatic again. "
" I prefer emotionally expressive. "
I laughed, shaking my head.
Some things really never changed.
When the food arrived, our conversation moved easily from one topic to another.
We talked about my flight, his work, places I wanted to visit while I was in Korea, and all the things he wanted to show me during my stay.
" So, * Took a sip of his drink * a whole month, right? "
I nod my head and said " Yeah, I thought I could use a break. "
He smiled and said " Good. I'm actually glad you're staying longer this time."
" Because usually you come here and before I know it, you're already leaving. "
I smiled softly and said " I know. I usually don't stay very long. "
" Exactly. * Pointed his chopsticks at her * I barely get used to having you around before you're packing your suitcase again. "
I laughed quietly and said " I didn't know you were keeping track. "
He smiled before taking another bite of his food and said " This time's different, though. "
I nod my head and said " A whole month. "
He leaned back in his chair and said " That means I actually have time to show you around instead of trying to fit everything into three days. "
I smiled and said " I remember last time. "
He groaned dramatically and said " Don't remind me. "
" You tried to take me to six places in one day. "
" It was five and a half. "
I laughed and said " How does a place count as half? "
" We only stayed there for fifteen minutes. "
I shook my head and said " You're unbelievable. "
" I was trying to make the most of your trip. "
He smiled and said " And this time, I don't have to. "
I looked at him curiously and said " No? "
He shook his head and said " We've got plenty of time. "
For some reason, hearing him say that made me relax.
No trying to squeeze everything into a weekend.
" So, what have you been doing while I've been gone? "
He shrugged his shoulders and said " Working. "
Taehyung took another bite before I looked at him again and said " So... besides work? "
He smiled, already knowing what I meant and said " You already know the answer. "
I laughed softly and said " I do. "
" If I'm not working, I'm probably with the guys. "
He shrugged his shoulders and said " Not much has changed. "
" I wouldn't expect it to. "
His friend group had always been close. Whenever everyone finally had a day off at the same time, they'd end up together somehow.
Whether it was dinner, renting out a karaoke room, staying up too late playing games, or simply sitting around talking for hours, they always found something to do.
I'd spent enough time around them during my visits to know their routine almost by heart.
" They still argue over where to eat? " I asked.
Taehyung let out a laugh and said " Every single time. "
" And it still takes forever? "
" Longer than it should."
I smiled and said " I'm not surprised. "
" Last week we spent twenty minutes deciding. "
" We ended up at the same barbecue place we always go to. "
I laughed and said " Of course you did. "
" You could've just gone there from the beginning. "
" We tried explaining that. "
" The reasonable people. "
I raised an eyebrow and said " So... not you? "
He placed a hand against his chest and said " I'm always reasonable. "
I gave him a look, he broke into a grin and said " Okay, maybe not always. "
I shook my head, smiled and said " Some things never change. "
A comfortable silence settled between us as we continued eating. It was strange how easy this felt, there wasn't any pressure to keep the conversation going.
We could talk for hours, or sit quietly, and neither of us minded.
Taehyung looked up again and said " The guys will probably be happy to know you're here. "
" I'll see them eventually. "
I smiled and said " It'll be nice catching up with everyone. "
He nod his head and said " They've all been doing well. "
Even after months apart, I knew seeing them again would feel familiar. Not because everything stayed the same... but because every time I came to Korea, they welcomed me back like I had never left.
After finishing unpacking, I took one last look around the guest bedroom.
The empty suitcase had been tucked away inside the closet, my clothes were folded neatly into the dresser, and the few things I'd brought from home now rested around the room as if they'd always belonged there.
A small smile crossed my face.
It felt nice not having to live out of a suitcase for once.
I stretched my arms above my head before letting out a quiet sigh. The flight had exhausted me, but unpacking had helped me feel settled.
Maybe now I could actually start enjoying my vacation.
I slipped my phone into my pocket, walked out of my bedroom, down the hallway to the living room, and saw Taehyung talking with someone on the couch.
I couldn't see who it was because the back of their head was facing me.
" Oh, I didn't realize you had company. "
Taehyung turned toward me with an easy smile, stood up and said " Hey, Y/n. * Motioned for her to come closer * Come here. "
I walked over, stopping beside the couch, the man stood and turned toward me.
His features were unfamiliar...
Yet something about him made me pause.
Taehyung smiled as he looked between us.
" Y/n, this is my friend Jungkook. Jungkook, this is Y/n, my- "
The sound of the doorbell echoed through the house.
Taehyung glanced toward the front door before letting out a quiet sigh, looked at us and said " Excuse me. "
Without another word, he walked toward the front entrance, leaving the two of us alone.
The house suddenly felt much quieter. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. We sat down on the couch, Jungkook across from me.
He reached toward the coffee table, picked up a glass of water, and took a slow drink.
As he lowered the glass, my eyes unintentionally drifted to the hand wrapped around it.
Dark ink stretched across the back of his hand and disappeared beneath the sleeve of his leather jacket.
I stared for only a moment.
A strange feeling settled in my chest.
My mind instinctively searched for the memory.
I'd seen that tattoo before.
I was almost certain of it, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember where.
It was frustrating, like trying to recall a face from a dream that disappeared the second I woke up.
Realizing I'd been looking a little too long, I quickly lifted my gaze, Jungkook had already noticed, his eyes met mine.
For a brief second, neither of us said anything, then he glanced down at his own hand before looking back at me and said " My tattoos? "
I blinked, feeling a little embarrassed and said " Oh... * Nervous smile crossed her face * Sorry. I didn't mean to stare. "
His voice was calm, without even a hint of annoyance.
I was about to say something but Taehyung walked back into the living room carrying a small takeout bag in his hands.
The familiar smile on his face immediately told me he was proud of whatever was inside.
" Before anyone says anything, * Placed the bag on the coffee table * I ordered dessert. "
I looked at him, laughed softly and said " Of course you did. "
He looked offended and said " What does that mean? "
" It means you always order dessert. "
" Because dessert is important. "
Jungkook, who was sitting across from me, let out a quiet laugh, Taehyung pointed at him and said " See? He understands. "
I shook my head, smiling.
Some things about Taehyung really never changed.
My eyes briefly moved toward my bag sitting nearby, and then I remembered something and said " Oh, wait. "
Taehyung looked over and said " Hm? "
" I forgot to bring my laptop charger. "
He raised an eyebrow and said " You forgot it? "
I gave him a small smile and said " Yeah. "
I already knew that tone.
" You packed for a month, made a checklist, and somehow forgot the charger? "
I crossed my arms and said " I was busy. "
" Busy forgetting the most important thing? "
I rolled my eyes playfully and said " Do you have an extra one or not? "
He laughed before shaking his head and said " Yes, I do. "
" Yeah. There's one in my room. It's on my desk. "
I nod my head and said " Thank you."
I stood from the couch, looked between them and said " I'll be right back. "
Taehyung nod his head while opening the dessert bag and said " Take your time. "
I walked down the hallway toward his bedroom, the conversation behind me fading as I stepped away.
His room looked exactly how I remembered it.
I walked toward his desk and spotted the charger sitting beside his laptop and I said " Found it.."
I picked it up and walked back out, closing the door behind me.
Instead of returning immediately to the living room, I headed toward the guest bedroom where my things were.
Once inside, I closed the door quietly behind me, placed the charger beside my laptop on the desk, but I didn't sit down, I just stood there because my mind wasn't focused on the charger anymore.
It was focused on Jungkook.
It was him, the stranger from Los Angeles. The man I'd spent the night with.
A slow breath escaped my lips, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside my chest.
Of all the people in the world...
How could he be Taehyung's friend?
I closed my eyes, and before I could stop it, the memories came rushing back.
Not just of Jungkook... but of the reason I'd met him in the first place.
Jae-won hadn't cheated on me with a stranger, he cheated on me with Monica.
Someone I'd laughed with.
The betrayal hadn't come from one person, it had come from both of them.
I wrapped my arms around myself.
I had spent days asking myself what I'd done wrong.
Wondering if I wasn't enough.
If I'd missed signs that everyone else had seen, but no matter how many times I replayed it in my head...
And somehow... they had destroyed both of those things in one night.
A tear threatened to fall, but I blinked it away.
" No... " I whispered to myself.
I wasn't going to cry, not again. Then my thoughts drifted back to Jungkook.
After leaving Jae-won's house, I hadn't wanted to think.
I just wanted the pain to stop, even if it was only for a few hours, and somehow... a stranger had noticed I wasn't okay.
He'd stayed with me, made me laugh, treated me with kindness when I felt completely shattered.
One thing had led to another... and I'd ended up spending the night with him.
The next morning, I'd left before he woke up. I convinced myself it had been a mistake.
Something that would stay in Los Angeles forever, but now... he was here, in Taehyung's house.
A nervous breath escaped me.
The question refused to leave my mind.
I replayed every second in the living room.
The way he'd looked at me.
The brief pause after Taehyung introduced us.
The calm expression on his face.
If he remembered... he hid it well, or maybe... maybe he didn't remember me at all.
After all... it had only been one night, maybe I was just another face he'd met.
The thought stung more than I expected. I frowned and said " Why does that bother me...? * Covered face with her hands for a second * What am I supposed to do? "
Would Taehyung find out that only a week ago, I'd spent the night with one of his closest friends?
The thought made my stomach knot.
I wasn't ashamed of Jungkook.
I was ashamed of how everything had happened.
I never planned for any of it.
I never imagined my relationship would end with Jae-won and Monica betraying me.
I never imagined I'd seek comfort in the arms of someone I'd just met, and I certainly never imagined I'd see him again.
The silence around me only made my thoughts louder.
Without meaning to, my eyes drifted toward my phone resting on the desk.
I picked up the phone, staring at his name for several long seconds before unlocking it.
Jae-won: How's Korea? Did Tae pick you up okay?
Another message sat just beneath it.
Jae-won: Send me pictures when you get settled.
Jae-won: I miss you already.
He had absolutely no idea.
He didn't know I'd gone to his house that night.
He didn't know I'd seen him kissing Monica.
He didn't know I'd watched the two people I trusted most destroy everything we'd built together.
To him... everything was normal, he probably thought I was just busy getting settled after a long flight.
He probably expected me to text him back like I always did, to tell him I missed him too.
A bitter laugh escaped me and said " I can't believe you... "
My thumb hovered over the conversation. The last week flashed through my mind.
I'd answered, not because I believed him anymore, not because I'd forgiven him, because I wasn't ready.
I wasn't ready to tell him I knew.
I wasn't ready to hear him deny it or worse... try to justify it.
Because once I did... there was no going back.
I stared at his name on my screen for a few more seconds before locking my phone and setting it down.
I didn't know what I was waiting for.
Maybe some kind of sign that would make everything hurt less.
But I knew there wasn't one.
The truth was already there.
I had seen it with my own eyes.
A quiet knock on the door pulled me away from my thoughts.
I looked toward the door.
I quickly straightened up and took a breath before answering " Yeah? "
The question made my chest tighten, not because I was upset that he asked, because I knew Taehyung.
If I sounded different...
He would notice and I wasn't ready for that.
A small pause followed, then he asked " What are you doing? "
My eyes moved around the room.
My suitcase was already empty.
My clothes were already folded neatly into the dresser.
Everything I brought with me was already put away.
There was nothing left to do, but I still said
" I'm just finishing unpacking. "
A small one, but a lie. Not because I didn't trust him, because I knew if I told him the truth, he would ask what was wrong and I didn't know how to answer that without everything spilling out.
" Oh. * Voice softened * Okay. "
I swallowed and said " I'll be right there. "
His footsteps moved away from the door.
I waited until I couldn't hear him anymore before letting out the breath I had been holding.
Taehyung had always been one of the few people I could be completely comfortable around, but how could I explain this?
How could I tell him that the person sitting in his living room wasn't just a friend I had never met before?
That I had met Jungkook in Los Angeles.
That I had spent a night with him when my entire world had fallen apart.
That the reason I was hiding in this room wasn't because I was unpacking...
It was because I was trying to prepare myself to see him again.
I looked at the closed door.
No matter how much I wanted to avoid it...
I was going to have to face Jungkook again and that thought scared me more than I wanted to admit because I didn't know what would happen when we were finally alone.
Would he act like nothing happened?
Or worse... would I realize that the only reason I was afraid was because I didn't want that night to mean nothing?
I looked away, shaking the thought from my head.
That wasn't something I could think about right now.
I walked toward the door, reaching for the handle.
I couldn't hide in this room forever, eventually I had to walk back out there, eventually I had to face him.
I kept my hand on the doorknob, but I didn't open it. I stood there quietly, staring at the door in front of me.
It was strange how something so simple felt so difficult.
A few steps, that was all it was, just walking back into the living room, but my mind was filled with thoughts I couldn't organize.
I didn't expect today to turn out like this.
Coming back to Korea was supposed to be easy.
A month away from my normal routine.
A chance to spend time with Taehyung and enjoy the things I always loved about being here.
I didn't expect my past and present to suddenly cross paths, especially not like this.
I looked at the door in front of me for a moment, I thought about opening it. Just walking back out there.
Sitting on the couch, pretending everything was normal, but my feet wouldn't move because I knew the second I saw Jungkook again, I couldn't pretend he was just someone Taehyung introduced me to.
He was a memory I thought I had left behind in Los Angeles.
A memory that suddenly had a name, a face, and a place in my life.
I stared at the doorknob for another moment before finally tightening my grip.
I couldn't stay in here forever.
No matter how nervous I was... eventually, I'd have to face him.
I took a slow breath and opened the door. The sound of quiet conversation drifted down the hallway.
Jungkook said something I couldn't quite make out.
For a brief second, I closed my eyes, then I forced my feet to move.
Somehow, I had a feeling that meeting Jungkook again wasn't a coincidence and whether I was ready or not...
Something had already begun to change.
