“They’re big and that’s probably the first thing anybody notices amongst the amalgam of striking features on his face. Full and rounded making them look almost animated at times especially in the way he expresses himself. Those orbs have a rich brown that still keeps its dark undertones even in the sun. They’re to drown in and it’s no wonder so many get distracted by them. It's so natural. You’ve got to wonder if he knows he’s doing it when he lets them linger onto another pair never breaking the gaze. I personally end up tearing myself away because the comfort he brings can only last so long. I wished they’d keep looking at me and sometimes I catch a glimpse of something I can't describe because it wouldn’t be true it simply couldn’t be. Yearning, eagerness, the part of me swept away by fantasy and dreams sees those things in him when he looks at me the way the light reflects off his brown marbles making it seem as if they’re twinkling. Twinkling just for me. I’ve said to myself that someday these silly stories I make up will come true and the audacity I’ve had to continuously feed myself these delusions is admirable. However I know he can’t and in fact he won't.”
“His eyes don’t just show the harmony and magic I feel whenever they meet my own. They sting of loyalty and promise whenever they lock with hers. My eyes burn watching the way his gaze longs for hers even when she doesn’t reciprocate that compassion he shows it, unconditionally. He’s loved and continues to love her and his eyes serve as a twisted reminder that the truth lies in front of me each time he’s near. When he looks at me he doesn’t see the pink filtered shades of fuzzy warm feelings he seems to feel whenever he looks at her. His look to me is transparent which should be sending warning signals to me but I can’t help myself. To be looked at even in comparison to the way he does her you can’t judge me for what I’ve seen and felt. It felt so real every lingering look even the fastest of blinks made me feel as though I was ascending and that I could stay in the comfort I desired so badly. I’ve let myself lie for so long allowing myself to wonder when my turn would come which was funny since I never had a chance to begin with. Then again those doe eyes made you believe almost anything. Could you blame me for trusting what I thought I saw Doc?”
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
Author's Note➹: Of course I have another sappy oneshot for you guys as a way to get back into writing. I’ve missed you all so and working on Don't Fall in Love and I’m so excited to get back into regular updates and working on the series along with other stories I cannot wait to share with you all. I hope you all enjoy this piece and don't worry chapter 3 of DFL is the total opposite vibe and will be out so so soon. - ♡ Vynnie
SUMMARY: Once upon a time, Jungkook and you were everything. Best friends who shared every moment, every secret—except one: you were in love with him. But life changed. High school ended, real life began, and slowly, you drifted apart, the distance between you growing too wide to cross.
The end. Except it isn't.
One day, after a long day at work, you open your email to find a message from 13 years ago—written by your younger self. A letter you’d forgotten, sent by a service you paid to remind you of your youth, your love for him. As the emails keep on coming and you keep reading, the flood of memories hits you, and you realize something heartbreaking: you never stopped loving him.
But now, it’s too late. Jungkook is about to marry someone else. Or is he?
estranged childhood best friends-to-friends-to-lovers?
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death of a loved one, grief, childhood trauma, emotional vulnerability, mentions of smoking, mentions of hospitals, funeral themes, themes of loss, nostalgia, emotional dependency, performance anxiety, fear of failure, complicated parent-child relationship
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— previous chapter // next chapter (pending...)
wc: 6,3k // date: 28th of April
CHAPTER EIGHT — Fifteen Years and a Pinky; happy reading my gummies...
AN: hi gummies, how are you? here’s the ch 08. now, i know i told you this chapter is supposed to be 9k long and you may be surprised that it’s only 6.3k, but—listen. this chapter was originally supposed to include the night at the house too, but when i reread it i realized that three (3!!!) separate scenes would be like throwing your feelings into a blender and then stepping on it. and because the scene before the house night is raw (like steak tartare levels of raw) i didn’t want to ruin the flow. so here we are. soft. emotional. holding pinkies and sobbing.
this chapter is a bit heavy and personal for me, so if you’re thinking about sending hate asks or comments... respectfully, go touch grass. and maybe hug your grandma too while you're at it.
anyways, note goal for this chapter is 420 notes. if we hit it, you get chapter 9 which is lowkey spicey but not really but like... i sprinkled some ✨specs✨ of something in there okay. patience is a virtue, babes. see you soon.
The music at The House is doing exactly what it’s supposed to — vibing in the background like a low, steady heartbeat, not blasting your eardrums into oblivion like most places would. It's early, but a few brave locals are already perched at the bar, clutching their coffees like lifelines and pretending to be scandalized by Alex’s latest story. Honestly, half the chaos is in the fact that it’s barely 9 a.m. and he’s already causing a scene.
You can’t help but love mornings like this. Especially when the playlist is this good — Jezebel by Sade melts through the speakers, smooth and rich, and you bob your head to the beat as you sip your espresso like you’re in some cheap movie.
You and Jungkook had smartly claimed a booth instead of the bar. The bar is for nights when you need bad decisions and worse tequila. The booth? That’s strictly reserved for existential crises over coffee. Classy.
It’s almost funny how most people don’t even realize The House runs in the mornings too — it’s like an unspoken VIP pass to a secret world. Mornings here feel untouched, sacred, like you’re living inside a memory.
The place hasn’t changed.
The boy next to you — sprawled out, looking entirely too comfortable for someone with a cappuccino in hand — hasn’t either.
But you? Him? You’re not the same kids who used to think the world owed you something.
And maybe that’s the magic of it.
Or maybe it’s just the espresso talking.
“Vicky literally wanted to murder me yesterday,” Jungkook sighs, taking a small sip of his coffee.
“I think she did,” you agree, leaning back in your seat like the weight of the whole performance exhausted you. “Honestly, it’s a miracle you made it out alive.”
“She gave me a death glare that could’ve set the entire room on fire,” he says, laughing under his breath. “I think my soul left my body for a second.”
“She’s just... passionate,” you say, trying not to snicker.
“Passionate about hating me?”
You shrug, a mischievous glint in your eyes. “Well, maybe don’t exist so loudly next time.”
Jungkook presses a hand to his heart, pretending to be wounded. “Brutal. Betrayed by my own favorite.”
You smile into your coffee cup, trying to hide the way your heart trips over itself at his words.
Jungkook tilts his head to the side, and you hear a loud crack echo from his neck. He winces, rubbing the spot.
"Jesus," he mutters, "I don’t know if I’m just getting old or what, but my neck’s been killing me lately. Like, constantly."
You snort into your coffee. "Join the club. For me, it’s the shoulders. Doesn’t even matter how I sleep—on my side, my back, curled up like a shrimp—bam, wake up feeling like someone beat me up in my dreams."
He chuckles under his breath, nudging your foot under the table. "We’re literally falling apart and it’s not even noon."
"Speak for yourself. I’m thriving. Pain is my lifestyle choice now," you say, dramatically stretching your arms and instantly regretting it when a sharp pinch runs through your shoulder.
"Yeah," Jungkook smirks, raising an eyebrow. "Looks like you're thriving real hard over there.”
"So, Mr. Neck Pain," you tease, swirling your coffee, "what’s next now that you’re all settled back in town?"
Jungkook groans, slouching deeper into the booth. "Ugh, don’t even ask. Nina’s on this mission to redecorate my mom’s house. I can barely keep up with everything anymore."
"Redecorate?" you blink.
"Yeah, why?" he asks, eyeing you curiously.
You shrug, playing it off. "Nothing. I just always thought you loved that house the way it was."
"I do," he says, running a hand through his hair, "but we want it to be, you know, a good place if we ever start a family."
Your brows knit together, something tugging at your chest. "But we—I mean, you—grew up there. It's already a good place."
He smiles a little sadly. "True. But you know how Nina is—she loves the latest trends, new aesthetics, all that HGTV bullshit."
You force a chuckle, but your heart isn't in it. "Yeah... I know." You pause, tracing the rim of your cup. "I just thought… there were too many good memories there for you to change it."
Jungkook’s expression softens, and he leans forward, elbows resting on the table. "We're not tearing it down, just giving it a facelift. Besides..." he trails off for a second, choosing his words carefully, "there were a lot of bad memories there too, you know."
You gulp, regret washing over you in waves.
As much as you loved that house, the memories, the time you spent there with Jungkook, you know better now. When you left, he stayed. They all stayed behind. In there.
"Shit, Kook, I’m sorry," you mumble, your voice quieter than you intend. "I wasn’t thinking."
Jungkook glances at you, his expression neutral, but you can see the tiredness in his eyes. "It’s okay," he says, but it doesn’t sound as reassuring as it should. "Really. You didn’t say anything wrong."
You shake your head, frustration bubbling up. "Still... I always run my mouth before thinking."
"It’s fine," he repeats, more firmly this time, though it doesn't quite ease the tension between you. He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply like he’s been holding his breath for too long. He seems like he wants to move on, but you can tell the weight of the conversation hasn’t shifted for him.
There’s a pause as he stares down at his coffee cup, swirling the contents absentmindedly. "Speaking of the devil… He called me last night."
Your stomach sinks, a tight knot forming in your chest. "How does he even know you’re back in town?"
Jungkook shrugs, looking like he’s trying to make light of it, but the slight crease in his brow gives him away. "Maybe a neighbor mentioned something. You know how it is. Small town, everyone talks."
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. "He said he misses me. Wants to see me."
You take a breath, your heart pounding a little faster than usual. "Kook..." Your voice softens, and you try to hold his gaze, willing him to understand. "You don’t have to go see him. You don’t owe him anything."
His eyes dart to yours, but they don’t hold the same certainty you’re used to. There’s a flicker of something there—maybe guilt, maybe doubt. "I know," he says, the words thick with hesitation. "But he’s still my dad."
You lean forward, putting your hands on the table as if grounding yourself, trying to find the right words. "Jungkook, I get that. I do. But look at what he did to you. To your family. You don’t owe him a damn thing. Not after everything he’s done."
A flash of pain crosses his face, but he quickly masks it with a forced shrug. "Maybe he’s changed." His voice is small now, as if he’s trying to convince himself more than you.
You feel a pang in your chest as you watch him. His words sound like a plea, a hope that hasn’t faded, despite everything. "Maybe," you say, your voice quieter than before. "But... Kook, you’ve given him so many chances. How many more does he need to mess up before you stop waiting for him to change?"
Jungkook doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he stares at the table, his jaw clenched. His hands are folded together, knuckles white from the pressure. The silence stretches between you like a tension-filled rope, and you hate how long it lingers.
Finally, he lets out a long, slow breath, his voice almost inaudible. "I just... I don’t know. Part of me keeps thinking that maybe one day, he’ll realize what he lost. That he’ll finally see everything I’ve done for myself. But I’m still his son, you know? I still want him to be proud of me."
Your heart aches for him, and you find yourself reaching across the table without thinking, your hand brushing against his. "Kook..." You pause, unsure how to say what you want. "You don’t need his approval. You never have. You’ve made your own path, your own life. You don’t need him to recognize that."
He meets your eyes then, and for a moment, the world outside fades into the background. He’s so tired, and it’s not just the physical exhaustion. It’s the emotional weight he carries, the years of longing for something from his father that he may never get. "I don’t know if I can just let it go," he admits quietly.
You squeeze his hand, offering him a small but sincere smile. "I know it is. But you’ve been carrying this for so long. You deserve peace, Kook. You deserve to stop wondering if he’s going to come around."
He nods slowly, but the doubt still lingers in his eyes. "I’m just... not ready to give up on him yet. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to let go. But not now."
You nod in understanding, even though you wish he didn’t feel this way. You’re not sure if he’ll ever let go of the hope that his father might change, but you’ll be here for him—whether he wants to see his dad or not.
Because even if he can’t yet walk away from that, you’ll be the one to catch him if he falls.
"So..." Jungkook leans back, stretching like he’s trying to shake off the whole conversation. "You want another coffee or what?"
You huff out a laugh, sensing the way he’s desperate to change the subject. You’ll let him. For now.
"Sure. Let’s drown our trauma in caffeine," you say, clapping your hands once.
"Aki!" you yell across the room like a drunk girl at a party.
Alex's head snaps up from behind the bar, his expression pure chaos. "I KNOW you are not hollering at me from across the damn room at 9 AM!"
You press your palms together in mock prayer, batting your lashes at him.
He points a threatening finger your way, but he's already stomping toward the coffee machine. "You better be glad you're cute. And that you called me Aki. Otherwise? I'd be filing a noise complaint on your ass."
Jungkook cackles next to you, throwing his arm over the back of the booth lazily. "Don’t blame her. She’s been a menace since birth."
"And YOU!" Alex spins dramatically toward Jungkook. "Mr. Ex-Drummer-Wannabe over there—you even THINK about ordering like that and I’m dragging you out by your sad little hair bun."
"I cut my hair," Jungkook defends, laughing so hard he almost spills his cappuccino.
"Good. One less handle for me to grab when I throw hands," Alex fires back without missing a beat.
You’re crying with laughter now, doubled over in the booth as Alex aggressively slams the espresso shots into the machine like he’s personally offended by your existence.
"Two coffees! Extra espresso! And a prayer for your broken souls!" he yells over the sound of the steamer.
You wipe a tear from your eye. Jungkook’s cheeks are flushed pink from laughing.
The tension between you? Gone. Completely obliterated by the unholy spirit of Alex at 9 in the morning.
When Alex brings over your coffees, he doesn’t just drop them off and head back to the bar like a normal person. No, of course not. Alex being Alex means he slams the mugs down with a dramatic flourish, making a few drops slosh over the rims—and then, without so much as a warning, slides right into the booth beside you like he owns the damn place.
You blink at him. "Aren’t you supposed to be, I don’t know, working?" you deadpan, scooting over an inch, not that it does anything to deter him.
"Babe, I am working," Alex says, fake-fanning himself like he’s starring in some bad soap opera. "Quality customer service. Mingling with the clientele. Boosting morale." He flashes you a smile so wide it’s practically criminal.
"You call this customer service?" you snort, narrowing your eyes.
"I call this excellence," he corrects, snapping his fingers in the air.
Jungkook leans back, grinning. "Remind me again why George hasn't kicked your ass to the curb yet?"
"Because," Alex says, stretching out his arms along the back of the booth like a king surveying his kingdom, "nobody else is stupid enough to work as a barista, bartender, waiter, and unofficial therapist at the same time."
"Unofficial therapist," you cough, laughing into your cup.
"I’ve seen things, alright?" Alex says gravely, glancing around the café like someone might overhear. "The shit people cry about at two in the morning over whiskey shots would make your hair fall out."
"You mean like that one girl who thought her cat was psychic and warning her about her cheating boyfriend?" Jungkook grins.
Alex gasps. "That girl was a treasure. And honestly, her cat probably was psychic. Men ain’t shit."
You and Jungkook crack up, nearly spilling your coffees.
"But seriously, why are you still here, Alex? You could probably have an actual desk job by now."
Alex sighs dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "Because I love this place. And because I love the poor lost souls who stumble through that door looking like they need either a double shot of espresso or an exorcism."
"You saying you love us?" Jungkook teases, winking.
Alex points straight at you without missing a beat. "Yeah. But I love her more."
He leans his full weight against you, feigning a swoon.
You shove him half-heartedly, laughing. "Jesus Christ, get off me."
"Can’t," Alex hums. "We’re bonded for life now. Future spouses. Bar booth besties. Trauma buddies."
You shake your head, hiding your smile behind your coffee cup. No matter how loud or outrageous Alex could be, moments like this reminded you why you kept coming back to The House. Why it still felt like home, even when everything else around you had changed.
Jungkook watches the two of you with amusement flickering in his eyes. For a second, the weight on his shoulders seems lighter. His smile less forced. You catch the way he lingers, looking around at the chipped wood tables, the battered jukebox, the dusty light pouring through the windows—and you realize it’s not just you clinging to the past.
“So,” you start, drumming your nails against the scratched surface of the table, “anyone interesting playing tonight?”
Alex perks up immediately, a sly smile curling his lips. “Why, you guys thinking about stopping by?”
“Don’t answer my question with a question,” you groan, tossing your head back dramatically against the seat, earning a low chuckle from both Alex and Jungkook.
“Still so easy to rile you up,” Alex teases, nudging your arm with his elbow. "But fine. Yes, there’s someone playing tonight. Some high school senior band. New kids. Pretty decent."
He glances toward Jungkook, a flicker of something unreadable flashing in his blue eyes. “You’d love them if you came to watch. Especially the drummer.”
Jungkook quirks an eyebrow, his mug pausing halfway to his mouth. “Yeah? They any good?” He phrases it like a question but there's a lightness there—something almost hopeful.
Alex leans back against the booth, arms crossed, grinning. “Real good. Their drummer reminds me a lot of you, actually. It’s crazy."
For a moment, something shifts in the air between them—some old memory or unspoken thing passing by. You catch it, the way Alex's voice softens at the edges, the way his posture straightens just slightly when he says it.
Jungkook doesn’t respond right away. He just hums, a quiet sound, before taking a slow sip of his cappuccino. When he sets the cup down again, there’s a faint, almost reluctant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"You were amazing, you know," Alex says suddenly, voice lower, more serious now as he turns his head, eyes drifting toward the small stage at the front of the café. "Everyone loved seeing you up there."
"I was nothing special," Jungkook mutters, shrugging like he's trying to make himself smaller. He rolls his shoulders, like the memory sits a little too heavy on them.
"You were," Alex insists, almost stubbornly.
You stay quiet, just watching Jungkook carefully, feeling your chest tighten a little.
He was special. He is special. But you know he struggles to see it sometimes.
“Well," Jungkook says after a beat, laughing under his breath, "thank God we have new generations now. I’m way too rusty these days anyway."
"Rusty?" Alex scoffs like it's the dumbest thing he’s ever heard. "You could still kill it. I bet you could pick up a pair of sticks right now and blow everyone’s mind."
Jungkook laughs again, but this time it’s softer, almost bashful, his fingers idly tracing the rim of his coffee cup. "Nah, man. Really. I can’t even remember the last time I touched a drum kit."
"Doesn’t matter," Alex shrugs. "Some things you don’t forget. It’s in you, y’know? Like breathing."
You smile a little into your coffee, feeling something warm bloom in your chest as you watch them.
Because you see it—that flicker of pride, of something almost childlike—lighting up behind Jungkook’s eyes.
No matter how much he tries to brush it off, no matter how much he plays it down…
There’s a part of him that still holds onto that love.
That part hasn’t rusted at all.
“Wanna bet?” Alex leans forward, elbows on the table, a wild grin spreading across his face. “If you come by tonight, get on that stage, and play like you used to, you owe me the fattest tip The House has ever seen. I’m talking, like, a thousand bucks.”
“A thousand?” you splutter, nearly choking on your coffee. Your eyes whip between Jungkook and Alex like you’re watching a live tennis match. “Are you insane?”
Alex just shrugs, looking completely unbothered, like he didn’t just casually ask for a month’s rent.
Jungkook’s tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, the way it always does when he's considering something reckless.
You can practically see it happening—the slow spark, the glint of mischief flickering to life behind his eyes.
“Yeah?” Jungkook says, voice low, teasing, almost daring. “And what if I suck? What if I’m absolutely terrible?”
Alex grins wider, if that’s even possible. “Then I’ll cover all your drinks. You, anyone you drag in here with you, free tabs for the next three months. No questions asked.”
Jungkook snorts, shaking his head. “What if I’m bad on purpose?”
“You can’t be bad on purpose, Jungkook,” Alex says, voice almost affectionate, like he’s stating a universal truth. “You don’t know how. It’s not in your DNA.”
You laugh under your breath because, honestly, Alex isn’t wrong. Jungkook could try his absolute hardest to mess up and somehow still end up being stupidly good at it.
And now you see it happening, right there in front of you—the battle playing out in Jungkook’s head.
Because no matter how calm or grown-up he pretends to be these days, underneath it all, Jeon Jungkook has never met a challenge he didn’t want to destroy.
His fingers tap restlessly against the mug, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. He’s thinking about it. Seriously thinking about it.
For a second, you think he might laugh it off.
For a second, you think he might shake his head and say, “Nah, not tonight.”
But there’s a part of you—quiet, selfish—that hopes he doesn’t.
Because seeing Jungkook now, here, with the stage in the background and the hum of The House around you, feels so strange it almost aches.
Like a part of your life that belonged to someone else entirely.
And yet, it did happen.
Right here, between these old walls and scratched tables and buzzing neon lights—Jungkook was alive once.
So alive, it made your chest hurt just watching him.
You swallow around the lump forming in your throat, forcing a smile onto your lips.
You want to see that Jungkook again.
Just for one night.
Just for a song.
Maybe, just maybe… you’re not the only one who wants that too.
“Okay,” Jungkook says, crossing his arms lazily behind his head, his body slumping back into the booth like he couldn't care less.
You and Alex whip your heads toward him at the same time.
“Okay?” you both blurt out, voices overlapping in pure disbelief.
Alex’s jaw actually drops a little. His whole face lights up like someone just handed him front row tickets to his favorite band.
You swear you see sparkles in his eyes.
“Yeah,” Jungkook says with a casual shrug, sipping his coffee like he didn’t just agree to revisit an entire part of himself he’s been quietly avoiding for years. “Game’s on. Don’t get too excited about it.”
You can’t help it.
You squeal.
Loud.
Like a literal teenager seeing her One Direction live.
“Oh my god, you’re really playing tonight?” you practically shout, bouncing in your seat.
Jungkook raises an eyebrow at you over the rim of his mug, hiding a small grin.
“Yeah. Only for the free drinks though. Because I know I’ll be terrible.”
Alex shoots you a look across the table—the look that screams I'm so winning this bet and you better remember this moment forever.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, pretty boy,” Alex sing-songs, leaning back with a smirk. “I’m getting that one grand tip tonight. You’re gonna play like an angel and you know it.”
Jungkook snorts, setting his coffee down with a loud clink. “Dream about it, Alex. I’m washed up. I’m bad.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night,” Alex says, waving him off. “We’ll see who’s laughing when I’m bathing in bills later.”
You shake your head, heart thudding against your ribs, still trying to wrap your mind around it.
Jungkook is playing tonight.
In this place.
On that stage.
The same one where he used to tear the house down with nothing but drumsticks and a grin.
You steal a glance at him—at the way he tries to act unfazed, too cool to care.
But you see it.
The way his fingers twitch slightly on the table.
The way his knee starts bouncing under it.
He’s excited.
Terrified maybe.
But excited.
And somehow, you feel like you're about to see a version of Jungkook tonight that’s been hiding for a long, long time.
You smile into your coffee cup, letting the warmth seep into your chest.
Tonight’s gonna be special.
You can feel it.
"Alright," Jungkook says, pulling out his wallet and flipping it open with a lazy flick of his wrist.
"You don’t have to pay me yet, you know," Alex grins, lounging back in his seat like he’s the king of the damn world. "Everyone knows I’m winning this anyway, but still—appreciate the enthusiasm."
"Bold of you to assume that," Jungkook mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes with a small smirk. He peels a few bills from his wallet and hands them over. "This is for the coffees. Nothing more. Don’t get your hopes up."
Alex whistles low under his breath, dramatically tucking the money into the pocket of his apron like it’s sacred treasure. "Coffees are on me, but I'm keeping this. Just so you know, when you lose tonight, this is going straight into my ‘Victory Drinks’ fund."
"Dream on," Jungkook says, already pushing his chair back.
You laugh, grabbing your jacket and slinging it over your shoulders. "We’re heading out before you two start slapping each other with money."
"Already?!" Alex pouts dramatically, sticking out his bottom lip like a child about to throw a tantrum. "But this was just starting to get fun!"
"We’ll see you tonight, babe," you tease, leaning in slightly as you adjust your jacket. "Try not to miss us too much."
"Wouldn’t dream of it," Alex calls after you, tossing a mock salute your way as he saunters back behind the bar, already chatting up a new group of customers like the social butterfly he is.
You glance over your shoulder once before stepping outside, the cold air nipping at your cheeks.
The door swings shut behind you, cutting off the warm hum of The House.
And as you and Jungkook walk down the sidewalk, shoulders brushing every few steps, you can’t help but smile to yourself.
"I can’t believe I’ll see you on the stage tonight," you say, your voice soft, almost quiet.
The city moves around you — the low chatter of couples at outdoor tables, the distant barking of a dog, the steady thrum of cars in the background — but right now, it feels like it's just you and Jungkook, walking side by side.
He kicks a small pebble along the sidewalk with the toe of his boot, the rhythm of his steps syncing perfectly with yours.
"Me either," he says, chuckling under his breath. "I’m gonna suck."
He tries to brush it off with a joke, but you catch it — that slight dip in his voice, the way his shoulders curl inward, the way his teeth sink into his lower lip like he’s trying to keep the doubt from slipping out louder.
"Kook," you whisper, reaching out without thinking, your fingers wrapping gently around his elbow, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze. "There’s no way in hell you’re gonna suck."
He looks at you then, really looks at you, like he’s searching for something — maybe faith, maybe reassurance, maybe just a familiar face who remembers who he used to be.
"I literally bet against myself," he mutters, half-laughing, half-defeated. "I’m pretty sure I know what’s coming."
You shake your head, smiling so much it almost hurts. "I’m with Alex on this one. You’ll be great. You’ll be better than great."
Jungkook scoffs, looking away as a faint blush creeps onto his cheeks. "I’ll embarrass myself," he says, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket.
"You could trip and fall flat on your face and people would still cheer for you," you say, bumping your shoulder against his lightly. "You have that thing, you know? That... energy. People just wanna root for you."
He laughs — a real one this time, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep, somewhere maybe he thought he buried a long time ago.
"You’re dangerous," he says, shaking his head, but there’s a smile tugging at his lips now, one he can’t quite hide. "You’re making me think I can actually do this."
"You can actually do this," you say simply.
For a moment, he just stares ahead, the sunlight catching in his hair, painting gold into the brown strands.
And you realize — he’s not scared of being bad.
He’s scared of remembering how much he loved it.
And maybe, deep down, he's scared of wanting it again.
"C'mon, let's go eat something," you say, grabbing a fistful of Jungkook’s jacket like a child dragging their favorite toy behind them.
Your steps turn rushed, half-skipping across the street, and you hear him laugh behind you — that soft, warm laugh that makes your chest bloom.
"Okay, okay, you don’t have to pull me," he chuckles, letting himself be tugged along, the heels of his boots scraping the sidewalk.
"You’re too slow and I’m too hungry," you shoot back, ignoring the string of playful complaints he tosses about you destroying his ‘new, very expensive, limited edition jacket.’
He doesn't actually try to break free though. He just follows, like he always does when it’s you.
You pull him into a small, tucked-away restaurant, the kind where the air smells like fresh bread and melted cheese, where the noise is low and comfortable.
Without even asking, Jungkook lets you choose the table — a cozy little booth by the window.
And somehow, as you both sit down, flipping open the greasy menus, it feels like nothing ever changed.
Not the years that passed. Not the hard things you both carried inside your chests.
Sitting across from him now feels exactly like it did when you were both younger, less guarded, less afraid.
The food comes quickly — baskets of fries and sandwiches stacked high — and you both agree without saying it that tonight's performance is off-limits, at least for now.
It’s a silent pact sealed with the clink of your water glasses.
"So you’re working tomorrow, and what after that?" Jungkook asks, stuffing a fistful of fries into his mouth, looking so casual you almost forget how his nerves had been rattling earlier.
"I think I’m gonna go to the cemetery after," you say lightly, twirling a fry between your fingers.
You don’t say it like it’s heavy.
Because it isn’t anymore.
It’s a routine. Like brushing your teeth. Like calling your mom.
It’s just something you do.
His chewing slows a little. "Nana?" he asks gently, voice dipping lower like he’s trying not to make the air around you heavier.
"Yeah," you smile a little, taking a sip of your drink. "Tomorrow’s the 15-year anniversary. Gotta go and visit her."
You joke about it, the same way you always do when you talk about it out loud. Not because it’s funny.
But because if you don’t laugh about it, it might feel too real. Too much.
Jungkook doesn’t prod.
Doesn’t tilt his head and give you the pity look.
Doesn’t say I’m sorry like everyone else does.
He just nods, tearing off a piece of his sandwich.
Because he knows.
He knows you visit her grave every month like clockwork. Knows you sit by the little marble headstone and tell her everything you can’t tell anyone else.
Knows that, as weird as it sounds, it’s almost comforting now.
Like a monthly check-in with someone who’s still somehow listening.
"It’s weird," you say suddenly, voice quieter, like you’re not sure why you’re even saying it. "Fifteen years sounds like forever. But it still feels like she’s... close. Sometimes."
Jungkook’s eyes lift to meet yours, soft and full of understanding.
"That’s because she is," he says simply.
You just smile, a real one this time. One that makes your nose crinkle.
And Jungkook smiles back, pushing the basket of fries toward you like he’s offering something bigger than food — like he’s offering comfort without making a big deal out of it.
And in that small, simple moment, you’re grateful.
Grateful that some people in your life — no matter how much time passes, no matter how much hurt sneaks in around the edges — always just get it.
"You know," you say, a small smirk playing on your lips, "I think I’m gonna bring her a pack of ciggies tomorrow. She’d be happy."
Jungkook laughs under his breath. "She’d be thrilled. I can already picture her up there in the sky, chanting, 'Smoke one for me!'"
"Literally," you snort, "that’s so her."
"Bring her some coffee too," he adds, nudging your foot gently under the table. "She only ever smoked when she had coffee."
"Maybe you can bring her the coffee," you tease.
His face softens, the teasing moment slipping into something gentler.
"You’d want me to come with you?"
You glance down, fiddling with the hem of your sleeve.
"Yeah... Only if you want to. No pressure."
"Of course I would," he says instantly. Then his smile fades just a little. "I just didn’t think you’d be comfortable with that. We haven’t gone there together in... ages."
"Yeah..." you trail off, the memory of old visits brushing against your mind like a ghost. Then you pause, the realization creeping up your spine. You lift your head slowly.
"Wait," you say, squinting at him, "are you saying you’ve gone to visit my Nana’s grave... alone?"
The air between you shifts — heavier, thicker.
He gulps. His shoulders tense slightly, but he doesn't back down.
"Yeah," Jungkook admits, voice smaller than before. "Whenever I came back here to visit... I’d stop by and see her too."
You blink at him, stunned.
Your heartbeat violently pulses in your ribcage — not from anger, not even from sadness, but from a fierce, overwhelming surprise.
"You..." you start, then falter. "Why?"
He fiddles with a paper napkin, his fingers slow, deliberate.
His voice is rough when he answers.
"Because you loved her so much. And because she’s the only one I ever trusted to keep an eye on you when..."
There’s a crack in his voice that he doesn’t bother hiding.
It splinters something deep inside you.
"And because..." he clears his throat, like the words are caught there, too heavy to say. "Because I miss her too, you know."
You don’t realize you’re crying until your vision blurs and a tear slides down your cheek.
You wipe it away quickly, embarrassed, but Jungkook just gives you the softest look — patient and understanding — like he knew you would.
"I think," you say, voice shaking despite yourself, "I think she'd be really happy you still visit her."
Jungkook lifts his eyes to meet yours — and for a moment, the busy restaurant, the cold food between you, the people outside — all of it disappears.
"I think she'd be happy about a lot of things," he says quietly.
You don't ask what he means.
You don’t have to.
Instead, you reach across the table and brush your pinky against his — tentative, testing.
He smiles and hooks his pinky around yours without hesitation.
It’s small.
It’s quiet.
But it feels like something sacred.
"Then let’s make her happy tomorrow," you whisper.
"Deal," Jungkook smiles, and you feel a rush of emotions flooding you all at once — a tidal wave you don't even try to fight.
"You know..." you start, gently smiling at him, "I never got to thank you."
His smile falters just a little, confusion slipping onto his face. His eyes lock onto yours — steady, unwavering — and you feel yourself shrink a little under the weight of his gaze.
"For what?" he asks, voice low.
"For being there for me," you say, heart pounding, "when she died."
He shakes his head immediately, brows knitting together.
"Nonsense. You don't thank me for that. Ever."
"I have to, Kook," you whisper, feeling the lump build in your throat.
"No," he insists, voice firm but gentle. "You don't."
But you remember that day like it was yesterday.
You were still in middle school. Barely thirteen.
It was lunchtime, and you sat with your friends, Jungkook included — laughing, pretending everything was normal.
You'd told them how your Nana was sick. How you’d overheard your parents whispering late at night that the doctor said she didn’t have much time left. That it was only a matter of days.
You remembered the way everyone had reassured you.
How they promised she’d pull through.
How they smiled too big and said she was strong. That she would be fine.
You remembered coming home from school that day.
The house had felt... too quiet.
Only Leah and Vicky were there, small and scared, faces pale with something they didn’t fully understand.
Your youngest brother was at the neighbor’s house.
You remembered asking them — what's going on?
You remembered how tiny Vicky’s voice was when she said it.
"Mom said... Nana died."
You remembered standing there, rooted to the floor, unable to breathe.
You remembered the way the world cracked open under your feet.
And you remembered calling Jungkook.
Hands shaking. Voice breaking.
The only person you could think of to call.
He had answered before the first ring even finished.
And he had come over immediately, sneakers barely tied, hair a mess, face open with worry.
No questions. No hesitations.
Just him.
Just Jungkook.
Sitting with you on the cold kitchen floor.
Letting you cry into his chest until your sobs turned into hiccups.
Until your whole body hurt from it.
Until it hurt a little less.
You remember Jungkook holding you, Leah, and Vicky — small arms trying to wrap around all three of you at once.
He was just a kid too.
He loved Nana just as much.
You remember him hiding his own tears, trying so hard to be strong for you.
You remember him picking up your little brother from the neighbor’s house, walking all of you to the corner store, and buying you ice cream — like it could somehow patch up the hole inside your chest.
You remember falling asleep that night with your face buried in his shirt, your sobs wrecking your body until you were too exhausted to cry anymore — and him just holding you through it.
You remember the funeral, too.
How your hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
How the world felt too big and too loud and too empty without her.
And how, without saying a single word, Jungkook hooked his pinky around yours — small and trembling — and didn’t let go the entire time.
Back then, it felt like a promise.
Like even when everything else disappeared, he wouldn't.
Now, sitting here with him years later, pinkies still finding each other without thinking, it feels like the same thing.
Maybe it was always the same thing.
"As I said," Jungkook’s voice cuts through your memories, pulling you gently back to him, "nonsense."
His tone is soft but steady, his eyes kind.
"We’re family. I’d always do that."
And without thinking, without meaning to, you tighten your pinky just a little around his.
Just to make sure he’s still there.
"I remember everything, Kook," you whisper, voice shaking.
"And you don’t even realize how much that meant to me."
He doesn’t say anything at first. Just watches you, the softness in his eyes enough to pull the air from your lungs.
"I’m glad I was there," he finally says, voice thick. "I’m glad you called me."
ˏˋ°•\*⁀➷ Summary: A bright young girl witnesses her lover being killed by her very own brother. Nothing out of the ordinary for a family with too many connections with the wrong people. Now she locks herself away in her room refusing to talk to anyone in the family. Or she walks out to visit the corner store owned by the same old man to buy the only things she’ll eat nowadays when one day she has a fateful encounter with the old man’s grandson.
ꕥ Warnings CH2! - bloody murder! (flashbacks/nightmares), blood, profanity, fighting, brief mention of drugs, graphic nightmares, panic attacks, self-harm, scars, (some interesting decision making I do not recommend)
ꕥ Word Count - 6.5k
Chapter 1
‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿
The bright lights illuminated the city streets as you made your way back longing to feel the comfort of the sanctuary. As you neared the house you saw how the amount of cars in the driveway were less than usual and how silent the house seemed even from the outside. Hoping no one would be home upon your entry back you hit the code entering the house. As you walked through the dark hall the light of a lamp flickered as a voice began to question,
“Where have you been all day?” Yoongi said, arching his eyebrow, still surprised you had left even your room let alone the house gates. Barely acknowledging the elder you shoved your hands in your pocket making your way upstairs when you were stopped again.
“I want to know for your safety you shouldn’t be out all day and coming back at this hour. You know it’s not safe for people like us.” He tried to reason as you scoffed, chuckling a bit at the claims he had just made.
“Yes I’m so scared for my safety when my brother killed my boyfriend. Or the fact that anyone close to me receives bribes to stay away from me. Yes, I am shaking in my boots at the thought of leaving this shit hole.” you taunted as he watched, taking the time to find his words wisely this time.
“That has nothing to do with this and you know it doesn't,” he said sternly clearing his throat to begin again,
“You won’t be leaving this house without guards whenever you feel like it because if you get your ass scoped I’ll be the one getting all the shit cause you wanted to take a trip to hell and not come back.” He said in a louder tone staring at you with those dark eyes you hated seeing paint his face. Knowing he was serious about his words you were just as determined to make sure his rules weren’t obeyed. Hoping you’d get under his skin just as much, you looked back at him just as sternly and gave your response,
“I’d love to see what could possibly stop me from leaving this shitshow you and him love calling a home.” you said turning to leave before stopping in your tracks once more,
“Oh and believe me I know the big guy won’t let me go down there till he decides to drag you down to hell too.” you said scrunching your face up in disgust while Yoongi only scoffed as you finally made your way up the stairs.
Watching a maid scurry out of one of the rooms on the second floor adjusting her apron and wiping her smudged lipstick you simply nodded before opening the sanctuary door leaving her frozen on the other side of the corridor.
As you closed the door behind you the nostalgic scent filled your nose as your mind drifted to all the memories the same room held. All the times he’d sneak through the now patched window and greet you with a passionate kiss all to stop you from scolding him over him sneaking in again as well as show his love for you. Or the times he’d bring something new for you two to “try” together knowing very well he was quite the expert and just wanted to teach you which was his way of showing his love. Helping you through things even if they were as silly as making crocheted bunnies.
What you loved most was the chemistry you two shared, the togetherness between you two even when not together, how you would always have him in mind and he would you too. When together whether in silence or in chaos there was always comfort and a loving aura that beamed when you two were together and the satisfaction that always came when everyone else around you both would notice it. Blinking out of your trance the blooming peace lily that you kept next to the shiny necklace with a blade that was the center of the design caught your eye and had you remembering you needed to water the plant. Although your drowsiness threatened to take over you reluctantly found a spray bottle and spritzed the plant as mist fell onto it. You couldn’t afford to let this plant die or any of them for that matter knowing that the guilt of letting him die already weighed down on your everyday life. The least you could do was keep him in your thoughts even though you couldn’t help but think even that was shameless and selfish of you. Knowing you didn’t deserve him after everything that had happened but the fact that you knew you’d always be too selfish to let him go always fed into your guilt.
Flopping onto the cold bed you let out a sigh rolling over to watch the moonlight that seeped through the sanctuary from the patched window. Drifting off to sleep you curled up becoming slightly overwhelmed at the thought of him being right next to you. Imagining the way you’d lay your head on his chest listening to the calming beat of his heart and how his soft hand that laid on your lower back would slowly pull you closer and closer to his warm body.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Laughter erupting from the 1st level caused you to groan as you suddenly woke up sprawled out lazily on your bed. Rubbing your eyes, your mood had already turned slightly sour knowing that everyone you despised was downstairs going on with their daily “business”. Feeling around the nightstand for your phone you ultimately gave up almost falling out of the bed.
“Look at you waking up at a decent time in the morning.” Yoongi teased once again leaning on the door of the sanctuary. Eyes still more shut than open, you stood up to rush over to the door almost falling down as the room started to spin and seeing too many colors of the rainbow. Yoongi, watching you almost fall knitted his eyebrows seeing you barely catch yourself.
“You're not taking your pills again are you? They can’t be that hard to swallow.” Yoongi said, watching you sharply. Grabbing a hold of your head you tried pacing yourself as you walked slowly over to the elder.
“I’m not taking those shit filled pills.” You barked low still trying to take in your surroundings.
“Those shit filled pills are what keep you from walking like a drunkard. You barely eat either which just makes things worse.” He said mostly to himself, straightening his stance at the door. Finally facing the elder you watched the concern plastered on his face that made your blood boil.
“Does taking a pill really affect anything going on down there?”
“Y/N-”
“You could probably sell those pills if you're looking for consumers so much.” You taunted turning on your heel. Clearing his throat the boy begin to speak again,
“Anyways I came here to revisit what we talked about yesterday. If you wanna leave the house, fine by me but with guards.” He spoke in that soft but stern voice most common with you nowadays. To that you chuckled, shaking your head as his eyebrows furrowed again.
“Y/N I’m serious it's not saf-”
“And I seriously don’t care.” You said roughly cutting off the elder who huffed loudly showing his frustration.
“God what would you do anyways lock me up in this chicken coop?” You continued laughing at your own scenarios. Walking up to the boy he stepped back now outside of the sanctuary as you gripped the door.
“Oh and don't forget the windows wouldn’t want me to get out now would we?” Letting your laughter settle as you let the door shut in Yoongi’s face. Leaving the boy in shock he crossed his arms now lost in deep thought until he was interrupted by calls from the 1st level.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
You had never regretted bullshitting the way you did this morning more than ever. In your defense you didn’t think he’d actually follow through with your jokes, you were just teasing. But here you were now staring at the wooden planks that were nailed to the windows on the 1st level and the door that was locked from the outside with a different pin.
“Damn windows.” You murmured as one of the two guards sitting on the couches walked up to you.
“Ms. Y/N is there anywhere you would like to go, we would be glad to accompany you.” He offered a little too enthusiastic for your liking yet you felt slight guilt for insulting him the day prior.
“No that would be quite all right thank you, Yoongi does have some interesting ways of showing lessons. I'll just have to find some interesting solutions.” You said smiling widely up at the guard who laughed nervously scratching his nape as he looked back to the other guard. Letting his nervousness be your queue to leave you turned, letting that fake smile of yours drop as you headed up to the sanctuary.
Finding a way to leave the house wouldn’t be easy knowing how stubborn and calculated the elder was but it wasn’t something you couldn’t handle. Walking back down you begged for the two guards to buy you some made up feminine product from the stores and as they left you cursed in frustration not seeing the pin. Huffing you now walked back and forth amongst the windows that were nailed shut. Knowing there wouldn’t be anything you could do, you again walked up to the sanctuary slamming the door. Your eyes landed on the patched window as your thoughts began to run. Examining the window and looking down at the low and freshly cut grass you smiled,
“You fucking lunatic.” You said to yourself as you opened the rusty window resting your foot on the bottom. Wanting to chicken out judging by the fact you’d be jumping from the second floor you heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.
You were now right outside the sanctuary standing on the ledge as you stared in closing the patched window. Staring at the green grass knowing those two idiots would come up any second you closed your eyes and jumped. Your body hitting the grass with a thud you rolled straight into the green bushes as you repeatedly cursed. Spitting the grass out of your mouth you groaned getting up and out of the bushes. Walking against the house you watched the two men bicker as they walked towards the house.
“How was I supposed to know what a coochie controller was? I even asked around and just got weird looks that one lady slapped me with her bag!” The guard whined as you stifled your laughter nearing the front of the house.
Waiting for them to enter the house you jumped the black gates and rested your head against the gates breathing heavily. Looking around you just to be safe seeing the road seemed pretty empty you shoved your hands in your loose pockets and skipped along the streets disappearing into the busy city.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
The old man hummed an old korean trot as he dusted down the tables and benches outside the corner store. Not many customers on the sunny sunday as school students were the most popular but some would still come and go. Walking around the streets in a haze you almost flinched when you saw the old man as you walked with your head down not wanting to converse yet again.
Of course he just had to use his old instincts because once you tried walking away he called from behind.
“Y/N-ie is that you?” He said, watching your figure from behind with wide eyes. Thinking that you could keep walking was quite the tempting option but you sighed turning to face the old man with a smile.
“Yes it’s me Mr. Li, I didn't see you there.” You said politely grinning as you took in the old man’s features. How his old age somehow enhanced the softness that was always on his face even from when you were younger. He smiled back, setting the rag on the bench as you walked closer to the shop.
“It better have been that, thought you were ignoring me.” He said smirking lightly as the guilt settled in your smile thinned as you questioned,
“Mr. Li why would you think that?” eyebrows knitted as he chuckled softly.
“You know I haven’t seen you in awhile Y/N-ie and stop calling me Mr.Li before I call you Bubbles again.” He said pouting as you almost choked hearing that ridiculous nickname that you just couldn’t escape.
“Yah Lili let’s be mature you know it was a one time thing.” You said biting your cheek refusing to look at the old man as he erupted with laughter.
“The puddle of soaps you slipped in cause you wanted to perfect your science volcano caused me a lot of money brat. Poor Yoongi got a head full of glittery soap too.”
Looking back at your youngerself’s desire to be good at everything you shook your head trying not to cringe too much.
“How is Yoongi? I don't see too much of him these days either, especially after you forced him to stop walking you down here. “ He smiled at the fond memories he had of your loving older brother who was just a little too overprotective. You replied dryly with a simple “He’s good” half lying your way through the question.
“Ah and Minho how is he you two still together you know that boy was always my favorite he was so modest and kin-”
“He moved away last year; he wasn't well and had to move to the States.” you cut Mr.Li off not wanting to stay on the topic of him too long before you cried in front of the old man. His gaze softened seeing how your whole demeanor had changed. Meeting his gaze you saw his expression, the pity in his eyes and how silent he was and you immediately regretted even coming here.
“I'm sorry I hope he’s doing better I know how much you loved that boy-”
“Halbeoji, the suppliers aren’t here. It's past 12 and we can always reschedule.” The familiar raven haired boy said coming out of the store facing the old man.
“Jungkook-ah you're not going to that race, if that's your plan you’ll be waiting right here until they come. Yah and what did I tell you about interrupting conversations.” The old man scolded as the boy pouted looking over to find you standing watching him with bored eyes. He huffed, bowing as he muttered an apology to you that the old man slapped the back of his head for.
“Aish whenever you come here your manners always leave now don’t they. Y/N-ie this is my grandson Jungkook.” He said, pushing the boy's head down making him bow lightly while you nodded.
“Old man Li-”
“Ah ok sorry Jungkook this is Y/N a friend you could say, better Y/N-ie?” He said facing you with a cheeky smile as you bit your cheek, arms crossed as you burned with embarrassment.
Jungkook raised his head now facing you observing the contrast from the first time you two had met as he greeted you,
“Y/N it's nice to meet you even if it is the second time.” He said trying to ease your embarrassment to which he was met with a slight nod from you. The old man watched you both as he spoke now facing his grandson,
“Yah what are you still doing here go wait for those suppliers before I ship you back to your mother.” He threatened lightly as the boy groaned at his grandfather who shook his head. Before going back inside the boy gave you a small bow that you returned with a nod before walking back inside.
“That delinquent.” Old man Li muttered and smiled as he looked back at you before breaking into a coughing fit. Your faint smile dropped again as you watched with your eyebrows furrowed offering to get him water.
“No no ah it's just my age I’d probably choke on the water if I did take it.” He tried to joke as you grew more concerned.
“Y/N-ie don’t look at me like that I'm fine.” He smiled brightly, his heart melting knowing you were concerned even if you tried not to show it.
“Go to the doctor I’ll take if you don’t go. I'm warning you, you're old but you're so careless. Who’ll run the corner store if you don't hm?” You let out surprised you talked so informally while the elder walked up embracing you as you stood frozen.
“Y/N I'm fine, don't stress over an old man like me, I’ll go to the doctor if it’ll make you happy, ok?” he said, still smiling so brightly and you only wondered how he did it all the time.
Releasing you from the warm hug he walked in the store only to quickly come out with a bag of snacks that made you want to deny but he shoved the bag in your hands. Finally on your way back to the house you felt lighter, a way you hadn’t felt in a while. Not too surprised the old man always had a way with people from his smile to his way with words you were always jealous of.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
“How did she even leave the house with you two still here?” Yoongi barked from the first level as the two guards hung their heads down.
“Sir she wanted a product from the store and so we went ahead to buy the product.” One of the guards explained tripping on his words as he went on.
“What product?” Yoongi questioned looking over at the other guard who raised his head only to put it back down shaking it.
“Well- it was a feminine product that Ms. Y/N wanted-”
“What product was all I asked for?” Yoongi cut off the guard, growing impatient as the man sighed, bracing himself for Yoongi’s response.
“It was a um a well a co-”
“Coochie controller?” Your voice rang through the 1st level as you skipped downstairs. The man nodded and placed his head back down as Yoongi gritted his teeth. Watching as you grinned widely he dismissed the two guards with a “we’ll figure you two out later.”
“These are very sturdy aren’t they who put them up.” You questioned playing with one of the planks that covered the windows.
“So I try to compromise with you for your safety and you go ahead and trick other people and leave the house without telling anyone?!” He roared and you could feel his narrowed eyes burning in the back of your head. You turned slowly looking back at the elder who was running his hand through his black locks.
“The compromise didn’t fit my interest so why would I abide, and it's not trickery if they don’t have the mental capacity to think on their own.” You said calmly but your nonchalant persona only made Yoongi more angry with you.
“How did you leave?” Yoongi asked, seeming a little calmer than before.
“A magician never reveals their secrets but I’ll be willing to negotiate if it sparks my interest.” You pushed watching the elder rubbing his eyebrows in frustration.
“What exactly would that compromise be Y/N.”
“Well Yoongi, maybe we could start small like planks on the windows!” You suggested sarcastically as the boy only shook his head.
“Fine they aren’t so hard to take down anyways so how’d you get out?” He questioned listening carefully waiting for your response. Walking up to the boy and passing him as you made your way up the stairs you replied,
“A magician never reveals their secrets Yoongi,” you paused as Yoongi called your name in frustration.
“But, you might as well change the pin back to the first one; those guards are quite gullible.” you lied making your way up to the sanctuary.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
You sat on the fresh green grass gazing at the summer sky humming to the tune of the song you and Minho had just learned on guitar. Blushing simply thinking of the silly boy you dusted your white flowery dress making your way back into the house. As you made your way back up to your room you heard a faint crash come from the basement. Puzzled, you walked down, going closer and closer to the noise.
“HELP! HELP.” The awfully familiar voice yelled from one of the rooms on the farther side of the basement. You felt a pit grow in your stomach as you slowly made your way towards the door. You sighed, taking a deep breath before opening the door knowing it wouldn’t be anything good on the other side. Tied against a chair in a dull green room you could barely make out who was struggling to get out. Though they suddenly stopped looking up to see who it was that opened the door. In shock yourself all you wanted to do was vomit seeing him in this state. A bloody red nose, busted lip and swollen eyes but you’d recognize him in any state.
“M-Minho!” You practically screeched running over to him cupping his face in your hands.
“What happened what’s going on who did this to you how did this happ-”
“Y/N you need to leave now it’s not safe I’m fine.” Minho said cutting you off from all the frantic questions you were asking.
“No you need medical attention, we can leave, I can get you out of here.” You suggested as the worry started to overtake you, you worked on untying his hands as he struggled trying to reason the situation out with you.
“Minho tell me who did this even if I can’t help, I'll have Yoongi take care of it.” You pleaded as Minho rapidly shook his head, not even making eye-contact with you.
“If you don’t want to tell me then let’s leave your injuries, you need treatment and-“ You decided to grab his arm to lead him out of the dark room.
“Y/n, stop.” You cut you off once again now looking you directly in the eyes and you just knew something had gone terribly wrong. As he pulled his hand away you held onto him tightly as he struggled to get away from your grip.
“Y/n get away from him.” Yoongi called from the door leaving you to sigh in relief as Minho frantically pulled his arm away from you. Looking back at Minho you saw the way he gulped at Yoongi who stared him down with his dark narrowed orbs.
“Yoon help his injuries are getting worse and worse and I don’t know who locked him up in this room but we need to get out.” You said out of breath letting your thoughts just come out.
“Well this makes getting rid of him ten times easier.” Yoongi muttered getting closer to you and Minho keeping his eyes on Minho. Watching Yoongi pull the firearm out of his pocket you watched in confusion not knowing what your brother’s next move would be and that scared you.
“Y-Yoon what are you doing?”
“My job Y/n-ie now you need to go upstairs okay it’s much safer up there for you then here.” Yoongi said calmly, nearing you patting your head softly as you shook your head disobeying his request.
“No, no no Y-Y/n please you need to go upstairs it-“
“No I’m not leaving you unless you come up with me and I’m going to find out what happened.” You said grabbing a hold of Minho’s arm trying to pull him along towards the door when Yoongi stopped your motion shoving Minho to the ground. Near the boy you watched Yoongi pull the firearm aiming it at the boy when you pounced in front of the fire-arm as Yoongi yelled at your recklessness.
“You're not going to kill him, you can't, he's the only one Yoon stop this he didn’t do anything!” You tried pleading with the elder who only scoffed yelling for you to move out of the way while you only held onto Minho tighter trying to shield him with your whole body.
“Y/N MOVE AWAY FROM HIM NOW!” Yoongi barked, grabbing the side pistol he had tucked under his shirt leaving you and Minho to gasp as he pointed the gun straight at Minho.
“YOONGI PUT IT DOWN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” You screeched as he stepped closer to you both keeping his gaze specifically on Minho.
“Y/n I’m only going to repeat myself one more time, go upstairs you don’t have any business in this.” Yoongi said, still glaring at Minho who laid there as well in complete silence.
“No I’m no-“
Your words were cut off by Yoongi who shoved you off of the boy now standing right above him and in front of you. You watched in complete silence as he cocked the gun back aiming it down at the boy. Hearing the gunshot you sat frozen as you let the first shot ring through your ear ignoring the other two that came after. Letting the third shot free you from the shock you pathetically crawled over to Minho who laid limp in a sea of blood.
“Mi-Min hey it’s me I - I got you the hospital I-isn’t far we still have time l-let’s go ok?” You babbled on as the shock of it all really started kicking as you saw your hands, his waist, the floor, and your white dress all covered in his blood.
“Y/n stop-
“N-no it’s fine really I can drive or we can get one of the better drivers as long as we ask nicely we should be fi-“
“Y/N stop it.” Minho cut you off going into a sudden coughing fit as you watched him cough up heaps of blood you swallowed still not wanting to accept the situation.
“What went wrong things were g-going to be so nice today for me and you it was going to be lovely don’t you think?” He said in almost a whisper as you nodded slowly as you were thinking about just the same thing and how guilty you felt now. Your thoughts were interrupted by the boy’s chuckling, your eyebrows knitted as you watched him run his hand down his waist passing his hand up and down the pool of blood.
“Do you see all of this Y/n?” The boy questioned keeping his gaze on his bloody hand to which you nodded slowly yet confused.
“Maybe if I hadn’t come today this wouldn’t have happened, don't you wonder about that?” He asked again and you only responded with a nod not quite following his thinking he then grabbed your face running his red hand over your cheek with a look you couldn’t (didn’t want to) described.
“If I hadn’t come here for you none of this would have happened you understand that too don’t you Y/n?” You gulped hearing the way he called your name with such disgust in it.
“B-but Min it wasn’t like you knew it was going to happen.” You tried to reason as he shook his head the more you went on.
“I’m bleeding here in this cold, dull room because of you, I’m on my death bed because of you, I can’t go home to my sister and the rest of my family because of you.” He spoke fast, getting louder and louder while you only shook your head trying to get your wrist out of his grip.
“Min it wasn’t me I didn’t know anything about this, I-I would never hurt you I love you.” You let out sounding so small and weak as he only held on tighter dragging you closer to him.
“You don’t kill the people you love Y/n-“
“No, no I didn’t do this Min I didn’t know I would never!” You screamed, shaking your head violently as he chanted the word murderer repeatedly.
“NO!” You screamed as you almost jumped out of the bed, hyperventilating you locked eyes with the necklace that laid near the peace lily you had watered earlier. Still breathing hard you got up from the bed, grabbed the necklace and rushed into the bathroom.
Staring at the necklace your thoughts, those thoughts started to fight and you knew you would lose but it wasn’t that you didn’t try to fight back. You always did but your fighting was never good enough, you were pathetically weak. Scrunching up the necklace so that only the accented part stuck out you rolled up your sleeves running your fingers across the warm flesh. Letting out a deep sigh you lined the small blade up as you thought back to what you just dreamed about, think about Minho gripping your wrist and holding it up. Running your hand up and down you bit down on your lip as you now let the blade run along your wrist. Letting the blood drip it soothed you in a way hoping even maybe that you reprimanding yourself would free you of your guilt and the anger of the past. Except, it never did, it wasn’t like you didn’t know things would end up like this every time but ignorance was so much sweeter than believing the truth.
Looking at yourself in the mirror those tired and dark eye bags that painted your face or your puffy nose and the pool of tears that accompanied them you saw how pathetic and helpless you looked. How it disgusted you and made you despise yourself even more than you thought to originally be possible. For some reason you laughed watching your face seeing how weak you look but as you looked down at the blood flowing out of your arms the laughter stopped and the pain started to take over. It was always like this. It's only fun for a minute, sometimes that minutes is longer but rarely is that the case and then the minute is over and you're left looking at the blood covering you and your sanctuary. The regret sinking in as you started breathing too fast running out of the room rushing over to your drawers. Throwing the contents on the shelves and in the drawers out frantically you looked for the ointments that were nowhere to be found until you looked over to the garbage can near your desk. Emptied and buried under white sheets of paper. Your breathing only got quicker and heavier as you rushed into the bathroom and just as quickly out being met with the blood in there as well.
Rushing down the stairs as quietly as possible you hurried over to the front door not even taking the thought of guards being near as you punched in the old pin praying Yoongi had fallen for your lies. A red error sign appeared on the tiny screen as you cursed your luck rushing back up the stairs.
“Think, think, think.” You said pacing around the sanctuary when you looked out of the patched window. Sighing you opened the window looking down at the same old low grass and the tall bushes you cringed jumping down. Rolling into the bushes you harshly shaked and groaned at the impact that felt a hundred times worse because of your current bleeding. Limping towards the front of the house you scanned for any guards before making your way over to the black gate.
Today of all days might have been the worst day for you to have that nightmare, for you to let your thoughts swallow you and to be impulsive at 11 o’clock at night. Thinking about all of Yoongi’s ways to scare you and make you stay at home, you thought about the stories he told you about him having business after 12. Jogging as fast as you could, you made your way to the corner store even though you probably shouldn’t have because all of your energy was drained and it made the bleeding worse. Feeling the blood hug your baggy clothes you cringed before limping into the corner store.
“Sorry were closin-“ The raven haired boy stopped in his tracks looking up to see you limping into the store. Getting up from his chair and throwing the car magazine he was reading to the side he walked around looking at you with knitted eyebrows.
“Y/n are you okay, is there anything I can get you?” He questioned as you tried to avoid speaking to him as you made your way over to an aisle. Looking around you were getting more agitated as your drowsiness and low energy fought to take over.
“You look a little out of it, it’s fine I can get you what you need and-“
“Jungkook I don’t need your hel-'' Curse your low iron because once you turned to face the boy the room just had to start spinning causing you to fall backwards. Awaiting your impact with the floor Jungkook had moved swiftly and caught you holding your back and wrist firmly.
“Easy, you're okay.” He said as he brought you up to stand watching you take in your surroundings again. Looking now at your wrist he frowned as he watched the blood trickle through the fabric and down to your hand.
“Y/n you're bleeding?” He stated yet confused of course of the how when you pulled your wrist away beginning to limp again down the aisle.
“It’s in your other arm too I can treat them for you-“
“I already told you, I don’t need your help Jungkook-“
“I don’t care about how or why you're bleeding because it’s none of my business and I can respect your privacy but you are bleeding in my store after hours which is something my grandpa would definitely kill me for. He seems to take a liking to so let’s do each other a solid?” The boy said as he walked up to you staring down at you with a faint smile. You scoffed walking out of the store only to stop and sit at one of the tables leaving Jungkook to only watch.
“Are you going to stop my bleeding or what?” You asked, growing impatient as the boy nodded, disappearing into one of the aisles to get what he would need. Quickly walking out with the needed materials he sat down across you laying them on the table. Gesturing for you to bring your arm you held on to your sleeve looking down before rolling up your sleeve and extending it to him. HIs gaze softened taking in the different scars that painted your arm in silence as you only looked away, taking away your arm rolling down the sleeve.
“Hey it’s ok don’t worry about it.” Jungkook said, holding out his hand waiting for your arm as you rolled your sleeve back up, extending your arm to him once again. Dipping the cloth into the ointment you looked at the brands that were foreign to you and wondered if they would hurt as much as the ones you normally used.
“Grandpa always used this ointment when I was little. He says it’s the best of the best.” Jungkook smiled, beginning to imitate his grandpa’s raspy voice. As he applied the ointment you winced in pain feeling the cold cloth hit your skin. Jungkook uttered soft “im sorrys” as he continued to dab the ointment over your cuts. With not much to do in the unwanted situation you paid attention to how focused and cautious he was applying the ointments. Thinking back to the first time you met the boy and how strange it is whenever you two run into each other, how you’re somehow always in need of help.
“Aaand done.” He said after passing the cloth against the last bloody cut which also stopped your thinking.
“Oh,” Jungkook said, turning over to his left rummaging through the box stifling his laughter before showing a selection of band-aids to you. You rolled your eyes looking at the different kiddy-like designs the boy laid out for you to pick from.
“I personally would take the Hello kitty one. She's quite popular nowadays.” The boy teased as you glared at him getting ready to leave when he took a hold of the tips of your fingers causing you to stop.
“They aren’t necessary, it's a waste of time and money.” You muttered pulling your fingers back when he moved to the end of the seat and closer to where you were standing.
“Just this once they’ll heal twice as fast. Please?” He almost begged looking up into your eyes as his dark orbs twinkled with some sort of innocence or in the way he held onto the tiny packs. Sighing you skimmed at the options and tapped on the spider man covered band-aids taking a seat once again.
“Quiet the fitting choice for a tough cookie huh?” He teased again, smiling brightly to counter the narrowing of your eyes towards him.
“Ok champ your all set.” The boy grinned letting go of your arm again now leaving you to roll your sleeves down as he walked back into the store. Nodding and shoving your hands into your pockets you turned facing the dark road. Before you had the chance to leave you were again stopped by the boy who called out your name while hurrying out of the shop causing you to sigh again as your drowsiness was at its peak.
Holding a small black bag to you, you looked down and back up letting your eyebrows show your confusion.
“Uh ointments just in case you need any.” He said scratching his nape with his free hand as you stood there feeling your pockets for any money when you were interrupted by the boy who took your hand softly and placed the black bag in your hand. Looking up at him to meet his dark orbs silence rung through the area leaving you both to just look back at each other.
“Right it’s pretty late, you should get home soon and safely.” He said letting go of your hand only to find the back of his neck again. Nodding your head slowly you shoved your hand back into your pocket turning to leave when you turned back to the boy giving him a small bow. Shaking his head slowly the boy waved walking back into the store after collecting the contents left on the table.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
After sneaking through the black gates and practically rock climbing the side of the house to land back into the sanctuary you let out a heavy sigh. Changing out of the stained sweater and into a fresh hoodie and shorts you noticed that the spider-man band-aid had peeled off probably when you took the sweater off. Grabbing the black bag you walked into the bathroom looking over to the mirror. Finding much more than ointments in the bag you bit your cheek looking at the hello kitty band-aids Jungkook threw in the bag. Opening the package you peeled the band-aid covering off and laid it where the Spider-Man band-aid previously was.
・❥・
Chapter 3
Author's Note➹: Hope chapter 2 is feeling much more lengthy and carries the volume I intended but here she is! I want to thank you guys for all the love and support you guys have been giving the series when it’s just gotten started. There was a slight delay with releasing chapter 2, so I ended up having to move the release day to Friday, but I hope the chapter was worth the wait. As always, any suggestions or ideas you guys have for the series or any future fics you want to read my asks are always open as well as comments! Let me know your hot takes on chapter 2 in the comments and I’ll see you guys in chapter 3! - ♡ Vynnie
: ̗̀➛ CH2 Drop : Hey guys I know it's been a while since chapter 1 of DFL came out but I wanted to let you guys know chapter 2 drops next Friday (2/24/23)! Writing the story line for chapter 2 took a bit longer because of school and its length but I promise it’s much longer and waaaay more interesting than chapter 1. I am working on finishing up and editing the chapter for the Friday release, but I hope you guys really enjoy the chapter.
: ̗̀➛ Taglist : If you guys want to be added to the taglist for the series give the announcement a comment or go over to the taglist page and like that post.
ꕥ I also want to express how surprised and grateful I am for all the likes and attention chapter 1 has gotten and all the new followers from the fic just dropping. I hope you guys continue to enjoy the fic and if you guys have anything you guys would want to read, asks are always on and please let me know! - Ღ Vynnie
ˏˋ°•\*⁀➷ Summary: A bright young girl witnesses her lover being killed by her very own brother. Nothing out of the ordinary for a family with too many connections with the wrong people. Now she locks herself away in her room refusing to talk to anyone in the family. Or she walks out to visit the corner store owned by the same old man to buy the only things she’ll eat nowadays when one day she has a fateful encounter with the old man’s grandson.
ꕥ Warnings! - death mentioned, dark thoughts, scars (implications of self-harm), self-hating, homegirl has some interesting eating habits, cemetery visit?
ꕥ Word Count - 1.5k
‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿‿
Your eyes fluttered open at the feeling of the sun blazing on your eyes. You rubbed your now slightly opened eyes as your eyebrows knitted at the fact that your curtains were opened. As you get up from the bed to close the curtains that kept the hot sun away a voice called softly,
“Leave 'em open it’s always so gloomy in here,” the voice said as you slowly turned your head to the door. He leaned against the door frame one leg over the other arms crossed with a slight smile. With not the slightest of a reaction you turned back to shut the curtains when he continued to speak.
“Especially if you want to keep these plants alive, they’re his aren't they?” he questioned, his voice softening at the mention of him. Your figure turned rather sharply as you watched him touching one of your peace lilies.
“What would matter if they were his, he’s dead now isn’t he?” you questioned back calmly even though you wanted nothing more than to be angry but you didn’t have the energy to do so. The boy struggled to look for words to reply with but ultimately nothing came out. He simply stared back as the new found silence filled the room uncomfortably until the sound of footsteps were getting closer and closer to the room.
“Yoongi.” the voice to which the footsteps belonged to called peering into the room as you turned back to close the curtains.
“There’s a meeting we should be heading to soon don’t wanna keep this deal waiting now do we?” The boy chuckled as Yoongi only nodded looking back watching the way you gripped the curtains even though they were already closed.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Silence. You're used to it now somehow, so much so that when it’s interrupted it messes with something inside you. Your peace, your comfort in this world you’ve been forced to live in a world without him. The chatter and laughter that filled the floor below your sanctuary made you blood boil. How those men were able to talk about such horrid things so casually not caring who they hurt as long as the deal was made. The disgust and regret that engulfed you was enough to make you want to disappear completely knowing this was the life you were born into.
As you hopped into the tub your thoughts began to wander, taking over again as you let your head dip into the lukewarm water letting it engulf every part of your body. You felt safe, the peace and quiet that rang was all you could ask for. Gasping loudly as you let yourself up from the water you sat there again questioning everything as you do now more than you probably should.
Shivering as you step out of the bath, drying off your body when you let the towel drop looking back at the person in the mirror. Judgment was what was painted on your face as you analyzed everything possible. From the large eyebags that were now your most prominent feature because of how much they contrasted your round face. To the marks that trailed across your thighs and forearms grimacing at the thought of having to apply ointment to the fresher marks.
Yet blaming the voice inside your head for creating these marks in the first place.
Finally dressed in a dull grey sweater that drowned most of your figure and a pair of dark joggers that did just the same, an idea lingered in your mind that part of you was saying you might end up regretting. Letting that part of you fall into the back of your head you made your way to the door, stopping questioning the silence that also seemed to even lead outside your room to the downstairs as well. Making your way down the stairs and to the front door a voice comes from behind you that you barely let falter your steps,
“Where are we off to Mrs. Y/N?” a guard asks, increasing his pace trying to meet you at the door. As he holds the door open you walk out replying with a sly,
“Places I don’t think my father pays you enough to worry so much about.”
Leaving the man to fall into silence bowing while quickly repeating a, “Yes ma’am sorry ma’am” while all you could was lightly smirk at how apologetic the man seemed.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
As you strolled down the cool city streets you came across so many different people you wondered if something was going on in the city. To be fair you hadn’t been out of the sanctuary for so long that such normal everyday things became foreign. Seeing school girls giggling and gossiping about all the school drama as you passed a popular boba place made you shake your head mostly because of the way they talked so loudly about personal things. However, watching the way couples posed for cute photos or fed each other smiling brightly made your stomach twist and all you could do was roll your eyes signaling your new found sour mood as you walked down the streets faster. Until you finally reached the corner store you walked a good 20 minutes to get to.
Looking exactly the same you sighed slowly pushing the door open as the nostalgic, “Hello, welcome!” rang out of the fluffy bear. Looking around for the old man that was nowhere to be found a sigh of relief escaping your mouth as you weren’t quite in the mood for taking anyways. Disappearing into one of the isles you looked around, eyebrows knitting at how everything seemed to be moved around.
Finally stumbling across what you had been looking for it just had to be on the highest shelf of the aisle. Groaning softly you reach one arm to grab onto one of the lower shelves to steady yourself as you reach for the bag missing it by a hair each time. Looking down to fix your posture to reach again you’re interrupted by a questioning voice.
“Can I help you get the bag?”
Looking up you found a raven haired boy scratching the back of his head looking back down at you.
Watching the boy who stared down at you with lazy eyes you analyzed him from the frame of him you could see. The contrasts in his face and physique irked you as you had never seen anyone look like so. How his big brown eyes showed the utmost expression but were a dark pool you could also get lost in. Or how his bangs hung below his eyebrows that you probably would struggle to see his eyes with him standing straight.
“Itt’s uh no problem I can just take each one and you can tell which one you’d like.” the boy continued after being lost in the uncomfortable silence as you still hadn’t replied.
Slightly moving to the side you watched as he grabbed the different flavors with no effort before presenting them in front of you. Your eyebrow arches slightly as you watch the way the boy smiled lightly before opening his mouth once again, Thinking how pathetic it was to let this boy explain things you didn’t want to stop to listen to but you did let him go on.
“I always loved the green apple. I think it has the perfect contrast between sweet and sour. Ah but the mango was always-” Not wanting to hear the boy go on about his love for each flavor you grab a product rushing past him over to the counter. Almost as if it was just your luck the same boy was the one working the counter.
“Will this be all?” he questioned as he scanned the small packages while you looked behind him seeing if you could find a glimpse of the old man. Your gaze had the raven haired boy knitting his eyebrows looking behind himself as well as he questioned if there was something you’d want from the shelves behind him to which you simply drop your gaze. The boy finished bagging your products as he handed you your receipt.
“Jungkook- ah what did I tell you about taking ice cream from the freezers.” a familiar voice called out to the raven haired boy as you were on your way out of the corner store. Walking slowly out you heard the boy named Jungkook reply to the old man,
“Halabeoji I always put money back into the register and aren’t you supposed to be at the counter anyways!” he yelled back, chuckling slightly.
Puzzled then when you first entered the familiar store you now walked along the quiet cemetery until you stumbled across the stone with the name “Cho Minho” sighing softly as you took a seat next to him. Reaching into the bag you picked out the tiny package letting it rest next to him while you took out a treat of your own.
“I went outside today,” you started looking off into the distance, “ It was pretty boring without you but at least I did you know?”
Opening the green apple flavored package, you continued telling him about your day as the sun fell somewhere into the night sky.
You're his best friend, he needs you, he's your best friend you need him. But he needs you a little more, to clean up after him and fix his messes. It's always been like that even when you were kids, so you're used to it. You’d never get tired of helping him because it was him after all, you loved him with all your heart, and you'd do anything for him. But he was always getting hurt and falling in and out of love with everyone except you. You were okay because even if you couldn’t have him, he’d always run back to you for help, to pick up the broken pieces. It’s selfish of you and you know it is but you just hoped he’d fall in love with you even a little so you could feel what they felt even if you’d get your heartbroken in the end. You just hated how you could never run to him about your problems because all of them lead back to him. The jealousy you felt because every other girl could break the heart you wanted to have so bad. The heart you’d never break because all you’d ever want was for him to be happy for him to know his worth. Or how they got to feel his touch and the vulnerability that came with it. How you only watched from the other side of the bar as he’d disappear onto the dance floor with some girl who caught his eye. How thoughtful he was even if they clearly didn’t deserve him. You wanted to feel it, but you were stuck being his best friend and even like he said, “There’s no one like you, you always pick up my pieces and never ask for anything in return. Y/n you know I love you for that I’m lucky to have someone as selfless as you by my side.” He loved you but you know he didn’t love you like he loved her, and it sucked cause you did everything you could to be just like her but that never mattered. Your job was to pick up his broken pieces so he could be the happy boy you loved to another girl, but the girl would never be you.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
Short little sad oneshot before we dive into Don't Fall in Love and to also make up for pushing the release date back. Don't Fall in Love comes out January 17th stay tuned and ask away for anything you guys want me to write! Hope this isn't too sappy promise I'll hop on the fluff train soon enough lol. ♡ Vynnie
ˏˋ°•\*⁀➷ Summary: A bright young girl witnesses her lover being killed by her very own brother. Nothing out of the ordinary for a family with too many connections with the wrong people. Now she locks herself away in her room refusing to talk to anyone in the family. Or she walks out to visit the corner store owned by the same old man to buy the only things she’ll eat nowadays when one day she has a fateful encounter with the old man’s son.
ꕥ Warnings! - bloody murder! (flashbacks), profanity, kissing, fighting, mentions of drugs, graphic nightmares, panic attacks, self-harm, mentions of attempted suicide (flashbacks), dysfunctional family, Jungkook getting his shit rocked (free my boy fr) (tbh its mostly pg 15 worst things i can think of above ^)
