Chapter 5

Things went downhill between you and Jin. You have never imagined in your life that you would both end up this way. Hurting and hating each other. You have already accepted the fact that things will never go back the way it was before. That you will just be complete strangers towards each other and completely throw away the memories you had once shared.

For a whole month and a half, you devoted yourself in work just to forget the pain that Jin had caused you. You intentionally go home late at night just in time for a quick shower before going to bed and think of work for the following day. You even had less time spending with the boys who missed you terribly, but understood that you need some time off by yourself to recover.

//

It was raining heavily that night and you're already on your way back to your apartment, groceries and paperwork at your arms. It was a bit early than your usual time in arriving home and your mind is already set on just having a nice quiet time. Probably drinking wine and catching a nice movie being shown on cable. You were preoccupied in fishing your phone from your bag that you didn't notice a presence sitting infront of your door. You were startled the moment that you looked up from your purse to see Jungkook sitting in front of your door with his eyes closed, clothes drenched in rainwater.

"Kookie!" You cried as you ran towards the sleeping boy. You set all your things on the floor and embraced Jungkook whom by that time slowly opened his eyes, startled at the presence that engulfed him. You felt him shiver from the cold, but then immediately broke off from your embrace.

"N-noona!" He said as he slowly stood up from where he was sitting, but wobbled for a moment. You immediately punched the code on your door and it instantly unlocked. You helped Jungkook get inside to warm up. Jungkook plopped into your couch and closed his eyes while you ran towards your room and gathered thick blankets and towels and used them to cover the now shivering boy on your couch. You then went to the kitchen and heat up the kettle to boil water to prepare hot tea for the poor boy. Jungkook laid his head on the edge of the couch and closed his eyes. You walked carefully towards him and gently placed your hand on his forehead to feel his temperature and you were not surprised to find that the boy is now running a slight fever. Jungkook's eyes immediately flew open on the sudden contact of your skin on his forehead and instantly sat right up.

"Jungkook, how long have you been out there?" You worriedly asked as you adjust the blanket over his shoulders. Jungkook clenched the blanket even tighter as if he's preventing himself from shivering further. "For an hour." He whispered, his gaze still avoiding yours. You inched your way towards him and crouch down in front of him so that you can see his eyes. He on the other hand, lowered his head, but once in a while glance at you.

"Do your hyungs know where you are?" You queried him. The maknae shook his head slowly. You sighed. You were about to stand up to get your phone when Jungkook grab hold of your wrist making you halt. You looked down at the maknae and saw a sad expression covered his face as if he is pleading you.

"Please don't." He mumbled.

"They might be worried sick looking for you, Jungkook." You gently said. The boy did not peel his gaze away from you nor removed his grasp from your wrist.

"I, I don't want to go home, noona. I don't want to hear or see Cruella for the moment. I'm sick and tired of her whining and bossing me around if Jin hyung is no where near." Jungkook complained. You can't help but feel sorry for the little one. Perhaps Soyeon was getting back at Jungkook for humiliating and ignoring her.

"But you can't stay here, Kookie. You belong with your hyungs." You sadly said as you sat down beside him.

"Why not, noona? Please let me stay. I promise I will go home early, and clean the house, and study. Just please let me stay here." He almost cried as he pleaded you. Your heart was torn into pieces as you saw how forlorn Jungkook looked. It was far different from the strong willed maknae you knew. But you can't just say yes, the others will definitely be worried sick on his whereabouts.

"Fine. You can stay here, but only for a week." You said. The boy already opened his mouth to protest, but you cut him off before he could say anything.

"No but's, Jungkook. One week and that's it, okay? Just doing a little chore would be fine, but your homework is your priority. I'll try to get home early from work to spend time with you, ok? That's the deal." You know you saw on the corner of your eyes that Jungkook pouted for a moment, but eventually agreed on your terms. You stood up from your seat. "Now go and take a hot bath. I've laid some clothes you might be able to use for now on the bed. I'll cook up some soup for you and prepared some hot tea before going to bed." You said and marched back into the kitchen to fix a quick dinner for the both of you. Jungkook on the other hand, obediently followed your instructions and went straight to your room and closed the door.

You were almost done setting the table when Junngkook emreged from the bathroom and is now towel drying his hair. He's wearing your oversized blue hoodie that miraculously fit him over your pink unicorn pajama pants. He went straight to the dining room table and took a seat. You don't know, but you find it funny but ridiculously cute. You fight back your laughter as you laid down a glass of water in front of him together with his medicines. You were about to take a seat when the doorbell rang. Jungkook looked at the clock on the wall and his eyebrows furrowed in wonder who would visit you in this hour. He was about to stand up but you beat him to it and walked straight towards the door. He sat back but he didn't remove his gaze from you. The moment the door swung open, Yoongi's head popped in the door way. Hints of rainwater was evident on his clothes.

"Hey, Yoongi!" You greeted him as he slowly walked into your apartment. He flashed his gorgeous pearly whites in greeting before he proceeded into the dining room to join Jungkook who is still speechless. Probably already anticipating that the elder will start scolding him. But to much of his surprise, he didn't. He just smiled at him, ruffled his hair and took a seat on the unoccupied chair on the dining and waited for you to sit down with them.

"Nice pajamas, squirt." He teased Jungkook who turned red in embarassment. You on the other hand gathered extra utensils for Yoongi to use for dinner.

"I hope you don't mind me calling Yoongi, Kookie. I told him that you're with me and will be staying here for a week. And since you need a change of clothes, he volunteered to bring it over immediately." You confessed to Jungkook as you laid the utensils in front of Yoongi. Jungkook was looking at you and then towards his hyung, but didn't say anything and just nodded his head instead. Yoongi handed Jungkook a duffle bag containing all his clothes and stuff that he would need while he stays with you. Jungkook smiled a little and mumbled "thanks" to his hyung.

The three of you ate in silence and as expected, Jungkook finished his meal first and diligently drank the medicine you have prepared for him. He waved to his hyung and kissedyour forehead goodnight before grabbing the duffle bag Yoongi brought over and headed off to your bedroom to get some sleep.

The moment the door closed, Yoongi turned back his attention to you. "He's getting your bedroom tonight?" He queried. You just smiled at him.

"The couch isn't that bad to be in for a few nights, and besides, the room is much warmer. Since he has a slight fever, he can stay there for the meantime, but I will be kicking him out to the living room once he feels a bit better." You joked, earning a loud laugh from Yoongi. But as the laughter slowly died down, Yoongi's facial expression became slightly serious.

"Thanks for taking him in for now, noona. Jungkook has been a bit rebellious for the past few weeks after you and Jin hyung had that spat. He's been going home late most especially if he knows that Soyeon would be in the dorm. He would also talk back to her and well, mostly to Jin hyung. He basically ignores him and doesn't eat dinner with him." Yoongi recounted as he heaved a sigh as he took a sip of the hot tea in his cup. You just can't help but listen to the boy's sorrow about the teenager. "He's a good kid. He just needs time to understand the situation, I guess." He sighed. You gently placed a hand over Yoongi's arm.

"It's not a problem, Yoongi. Jungkook is my little brother and I'm happy I can look after him." You comforted him. "He will be fine. He just needs to take a time off from Soyeon and Jin for now." You just shrugged and removed your hand from his arm and wrapped it around your drinking cup. "He may not yet understand things yet, but I hope he will soon. I just don't want him to hate Jin." You said sadly as you stare at the cup on your hand.

//

It's already 5:30 pm and you have decided to call it a day. You are already fixing your stuff, ready to go home when you received a text message from Jungkook, asking you to buy a copy of the textbook he lost the day before since examinations are approaching fastly. Good thing there is a bookstore just a few blocks away from your office. You smiled and texted him back that you will pass by the store the moment you step off from work.

After your work, you hurried towards the bookstore to get the book that Jungkook requested and paid for it. As you stepped out of the bookstore on your way to pick up some take outs for you and Jungkook, your eyes unexpectedly fell on a familiar figure sitting near the window of a coffee shop nearby. You thought your eyes might be failing you so you halted for a moment to get a better look of the person just to make sure of what you saw. You gasped as you confirmed that indeed it was Soyeon sitting on the coffee shop, having a good laugh, but not with Jin, but with another guy. They seem so cozy with each other that they are oblivious of their surrounding. You watched as Soyeon flashed her famous eye smile whenever she smiles and carefully placed her hand on his cheeks. "What the hell is she doing?" You asked yourself. You wanted to take your eyes off Soyeon and pretend that you saw nothing, but your thoughts now wander off to Jin. You know by this time he is slaving himself with work, while she on the other hand is out here having coffee and flirting with someone else. You felt both anger and sadness as you continue to watch her sip her coffee and act cutely infront of her 'date'. You took one last glance on Soyeon before you hurriedly took off.

You reached the door and took a deep breath before giving it a gentle knock. You had second thoughts on continuing with your decision or to just simply walk away and don't get involved with other people's business. You decided on the latter and was about to walk away, when you heard the door being unlocked. "Please not Jin! Please not Jin! Please not Jin!" You chanted silently like a mantra as you stepped back and waited for the door to open. But like most prayers, it is not answered and your heart almost stopped beating when Jin's face greeted you the moment the door swung open. With the chopstick still on his right hand, you know you have interrupted his early dinner.

"H-hi..." You stammered. A bit of disappointment washed over you as he just stared at you with a blank expression and did not say anything. You took another deep breath befor continuing.

"Uhm, do you have a moment to spare? I, uh, I just want to talk to you about something." You said awkwardly. Jin just looked at you and shrugged his shoulders but didn't say anything. He made a gesture for you to come in and he walked away first from the door leaving you behind to close it behind. You slowly walked towards the living room and painfully looked at Jin who is now sitting at the dining room eating his meal. You straightened your shirt and fidgeted for a moment thinking how to begin.

"So what do you want to talk about?" He said after a long period of silence. His voice flat but still has a hint of curiosity in it. He didn't bother to look at you though as he finished his food.

"Uhm, what?" You didn't catch his words as you were too troubled thinking of how to start the conversation with someone you haven't spoken to for months due to the painful event that transpired between the two of you. Jin slowly looked at your way and you just bit your lower lip uncomfortably as you just looked at him.

"(Y/N), you said you wanted to talk about something." He said. This time, he didn't take his eyes off you.

"Oh, yeah right." You said as you slowly stepped towards where he is, but then immediately stopped. You licked your lips and exhaled.

"Uhm, Jin, I know you made things clear about your relationship with your girlfriend. And I don't want to meddle on anything between the two of you, but..." You stopped your rambling and took another deep breath as Jin listens intently on what you are saying.

"This is difficult for me to say, but Soyeon..." You didn't finish your sentence as Jin's phone started ringing. He looked at it and was about to pick up his phone when you stopped him. He just looked at you with a puzzled expression on his face.

"P-please, Jin. Listen to me first." You begged. He looked one last time at the phone sitting on the table and returned his gaze at you. He decided not to answer the call.

"Ok, so what are you saying about Soyeon?" He curiously asked you.

"I was on my way home from the bookstore and I saw Soyeon at the coffee shop... with some guy." You finished your sentence in almost a murmur that you thought Jin didn't understand. You hang your head down low to avoid looking at Jin. He stood up from where he was sitting.

"Is this some kind of joke?" He almost shouted and took big steps towards where you were standing. He gripped you on both your shoulders tightly and stared into your eyes. His action caught you off guard that you didn't have time to react at all. You saw the fury bury in his eyes.

"W-what?" You just stammered.

"Tell me you're just joking." He hissed at you and shook you fiercely.

"Ow! Jin, you're hurting me!" You cried as you tried to break free from his grip. Jin immediately let you go, but the anger is too evident in his actions. You hugged yourself as you slowly backed away from him. You didn't realize that tears were already falling from your eyes.

"I don't know what kind of sick joke you want to pull off here. I let you in because I thought you wanted to talk about fixing our friendship, but I never realized you were too pathetic to even accuse my girlfriend of cheating for you to win me." He scoffed.

Your mouth agaped on what he just accused you. You never expected to be humiliated even more when all you wanted to do was be a good friend.

In the heat of your argument, both of you didn't notice that Jimin came home and heard Jin shout at you. He was standing near the doorway watching you silently.

"What the! Oh my god, Jin! I never realized that after all these years, and after everything that we've been through, how can you think so low of me?! I would never do to that." You cried. Jin snatched his phone from the table and walked towards his room and you followed him.

"I came here in good faith and as a friend, Seokjin because I was worried about you. I didn't come here to ruin your relationship." You finished your sentence. Jin just turned and faced you.

"Then be that good friend you're saying and stop whatever you're doing, okay? I can live my life without your help. So just leave US alone." With that, he slammed the door shut on your face. "Fine!" You shouted before you broke down. Your heart once again broke into a million pieces and you just can't help but cry. Jimin just ran to your rescue ad enveloped you in a hug. "Shhh, I'm here, noona. Stop crying." He consoled you. You just collapsed into his arms and as you cried your heart out, you mentally swore to yourself that you don't want to involve yourself any longer with Jin - this time, it's for real. You decided that it's better for you to just let it all go and be strangers with each other than to be near him and get damage over and over again.