His pov
"No one seems to know anything about Jungkook. What about you, Mingyu? Do you have any insights or ideas?"
"No, I'm sorry. I share your concerns. You know how I've always felt a sense of responsibility for Jungkook," I replied, my voice tinged with worry as I observed the director's downcast expression. He sat behind his desk, absentmindedly twirling a pen between his fingers, clearly lost in his thoughts.
"Alright," Jin said softly, but the frustration in his demeanor was palpable. He ran his fingers through his hair in a gesture of exasperation, as if trying to comb away the anxiety that clouded our situation.
The gravity of what Jungkook had faced in prison weighed heavily on my mind. Someone had inflicted harm on him, and the reality was both chilling and heartbreaking.
As I watched Jin's troubled expression, a chilling thought echoed in my mind. How could anyone be so cruel? Who could have provided him drugs and chocolate as a means of control or manipulation?
"Please, Y/N, you need to uncover something. You're my last hope," Mingyu urged, his voice a blend of desperation and hope. "You can connect with Jungkook in a way that no one else can. He wouldn't shy away from you like he does with me."
I recalled how often Jin had visited my brother during Jungkook's childhood. The way he looked at Jungkook back then was unsettling-an intensity that made my stomach churn. At the time, I brushed it off, believing it was merely fondness or concern for a troubled boy. Who would ever suspect that someone could stoop to such depths of depravity?
But Jungkook was undeniably captivating as a child-full of charm and intelligence. Even I found myself mesmerized by him at times, marveling at his innocence and brilliance. It was purely admiration. I never would have imagined that such a vile and scandalous fate awaited him.
Yet now I found myself grappling with a horrific possibility: could it be true? Could Jin have crossed a line so unforgivable? Jungkook was so young when he entered this world-was he subjected to repeated abuse all this time? What if those drugs he was given were a way to keep him subdued and compliant? It was horrifying to think about how my careful interventions could have been rendered futile if they were compounded by Jin's malevolence.
The combination of my medication with any illicit drugs he might have been forced to take would likely have been a cocktail of chaos and despair. How could I have allowed this to happen, thinking I was making progress, when Jungkook was trapped in a cycle of pain and manipulation?
As I sat there, I could feel the familiar sting of tears welling up in my eyes, a bitter reminder of the gravity of the situation. Damn it. The realization hit me with a heaviness that was almost suffocating. If what I suspected was true, then Jungkook stood no chance of ever healing from the wounds of his past. Sixteen years of relentless abuse? It felt impossible to fathom how someone could endure such torment and still find a way to move forward.
I knew I had to act quickly. Y/N needed to be warned-she had to understand the potential danger lurking in Jungkook's shadows. The thought of her getting too close to him sent a chill down my spine. I feared that if things couldn't be controlled, he might end up hurting her. I couldn't allow that to happen. The stakes were too high, and I wasn't willing to gamble with her safety. After all, it was about more than just feelings; it was about protecting a life from a darkness I could barely comprehend.
***
You were lavishing kisses on every part of his face, your laughter intertwining with his as you playfully invaded his personal space. Jungkook squirmed beneath you, the sensation ticklish and overwhelming, prompting him to push you away in a desperate bid for freedom. Yet, you were relentless, stubbornly pinning him against the mattress and showering him with even more affectionate kisses, determined to keep him at your mercy.
A smile broke across your lips as you watched him become utterly defenseless, lost in this moment of pure intimacy. But then you felt the warm, unexpected touch of his tears mingling with your own cheeks where your lips had landed. That gentle reminder swept through you, whispering of the complexities that lay hidden within this confusing boy. You knew there were two sides to him-one that was cold, aloof, and reminiscent of a heartbreaker, and another that radiated warmth and vulnerability, capable of spilling tears in your embrace. Somewhere deep inside, you had willingly surrendered your heart to him a long time ago, even before the realization hit you like a wave.
In that moment, you knew you were in love with him.
Your kisses traveled from his cheeks to his nose, and finally to his forehead, each one bringing a glimmer of joy to his dark, expressive eyes. As your fingers wandered along his sides, gently teasing him, you couldn't help but giggle at the way his laughter erupted, only to be interrupted by soft, breathless gasps. You tickled him with abandon, watching as the laughter morphed into cries of delight, tears bubbling at the corners of his eyes.
Even amid this joyful chaos, a thread of caution tugged at you. You couldn't let yourself become too lost in this blissful moment. You were acutely aware that at any second, yhe "bad boy" persona might awaken. The memory of him waking in fright at the hospital haunted you, the echoes of his cries and pleas piercing through the laughter that now filled the air. You desperately wished to avoid that heart-wrenching scenario again, to see the panic etched across his features as he begged you for mercy.
The pain of recalling those moments pressed heavily in your chest. You remembered well how terrified he had been, how adrift in his own tumultuous sea of emotions. You felt helpless then, unable to reach his heart during those panic attacks, and the thought of that helplessness still stung.
Meanwhile, Jungkook's heart was a wildfire within his chest, warmth spreading like rays of sunlight as he laughed, his pulse quickening under your affectionate onslaught. Despite the laughter, the urgent need to distance himself from you flickered behind his playful resistance; he wanted to push you away yet feared hurting you in the process. So, he surrendered, allowing your tickles to continue, even as he wrestled with the thin line between enjoyment and the brink of unconsciousness.
But amidst his playful struggles, his gaze remained locked onto yours, a soft yearning evident in his expression. He cherished your smile, wanting nothing more than to see it light up your face at all times. In the quiet corners of his heart, he longed to be the reason behind your laughter-the source of your joy-always seeking ways to create moments just like this one.
You are so stupid. Stop fooling around. Look at you how weak you became because of a stupid girl.
Once again, Jungkook found himself entrenched in a cacophony of voices that echoed relentlessly in his mind. He attempted to push them away, to silence the disturbing whispers that invaded his thoughts, but they grew steadily louder, gnawing at the edges of his sanity.
"You forgot that you can't trust anyone, didn't you?" one voice taunted, dripping with malice. "She would hurt you just like the rest. All of them are out to fuck you over. She acts so sweetly to your face, but it's all just a ploy to weaken you, a strategy to bend you to her will."
In an instant, Jungkook's radiant smile-his trademark-vanished, replaced by a cloud of turmoil. You noticed the dramatic shift in his demeanor; a creeping dread washed over you like a cold wave. Urgently, you rose to your feet, instinctively putting some distance between you, wanting to give him some space.
Desperation clawed at Jungkook's mind, the voices clawing even deeper. His head felt like it was going to crack open under the pressure; the anguish intensified, leaving him gasping for clarity. In a moment of utter despair, he sank to the floor, pulling his knees tightly against his chest, a posture of vulnerability as he begged you to make the noise stop. The plea hung in the air, desperate and raw, but you barely had time to process the overwhelming emotion before you swiftly acted.
With a quick motion, you injected the serum into his neck, a decision born from a mix of urgency and fear for his well-being. The moment the needle pricked his skin, you saw the light dim in his eyes as he succumbed to the weight of unconsciousness, the voices receding into silence.
The moment he slumped against the floor, you instinctively gathered him into your arms, cradling him as if he were the most precious thing in the world. The reality of the situation hit you like a tidal wave, and tears sprang to your eyes, hot and relentless.
"I'm so sorry," a thought echoed in your mind, reverberating against the walls of your heart. "Did I do something wrong? Is this my fault?" As you held him tightly, you could only wonder why such a beautiful laugh had to be overshadowed by this torment. Would this torment ever pass? Would he ever truly be free from the shackles of his tortured mind?
***
An hour slipped by in agonizing silence, the heaviness of despair still enveloping the room. You finally managed to stop the torrent of tears that had been cascading down your cheeks, but the weight of Jungkook's unconscious body remained firmly nestled in your arms. Although the numbness had begun to creep into your limbs, the thought of letting him go was unfathomable. Your heart ached for him as you cradled him close, the warmth of his presence a fragile comfort in an uncertain moment.
Gently, you ran your fingers through his tousled hair, letting the silky strands slip between your fingers. Leaning down, you pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, feeling the warmth of his skin against your lips. As you lingered there, a mixture of hope and desperation filled your heart, and you began to whisper tender words, each syllable laced with emotion.
"I don't care who you are," you murmured, your breath warm against his skin. "You make my heart race like nothing else ever has. I cherish every single side of you, every quirk, every flaw; I adore all of you. Can you hear me, Jungkook? Just give me a chance. Let me in, let me close. I promise you that my intentions are pure, and I will never bring pain to your heart." With that, you pressed a gentle kiss onto his cheek, feeling the softness of his skin beneath your lips, before burying your face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the faint scent of him.
...
Meanwhile, in the nearby security room, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Taehyung and Jimin stepped inside, the flickering lights casting shadows on their worried faces. Jimin eyed his friend curiously, a hint of concern knitting his brows together.
"You seem off, Tae. Did you find anything about Jungkook?" Jimin asked, his voice low and cautious.
"Yes," Taehyung replied, his tone grave. "But it must remain a secret." He turned his attention to the array of recorded tapes sprawled before him, sifting through them with focused intensity.
"What are these...?" Jimin queried, his confusion evident as he watched Taehyung's determined movements.
"These are the recordings from just before Jungkook's escape," Taehyung explained, a serious look crossing his features.
"What?" Jimin's confusion deepened, unable to grasp the implications of his friend's words.
"We need to determine if anyone else accessed his cell apart from Y/N," Taehyung stated resolutely, his eyes scanning the screens for any clue that could reveal the truth.
***
Back at your home, a soft knock on the front door pulled you from your thoughts. You opened it to find Mingyu standing there, the tension in his expression causing a pang of anxiety to settle in your chest. Relief washed over you briefly as you smiled at him.
"Thank you for coming," you said, your voice trembling slightly.
Mingyu returned your smile, though his blue eyes were clouded with emotion, a hint of sorrow marring his handsome features. "Thank you for taking care of Jungkook," he said, his voice sincere. But then, the shadows deepened in his gaze, and the worry in your heart intensified.
"I came to talk to you, Y/N. I'm afraid I have some troubling news. Jungkook... the situation is dire. There is little chance for him to recover, and I fear his condition will only worsen. It may be for the best if you distance yourself from him," he warned, his expression a mix of concern and regret.
The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, wrapping around you like a shroud, as you processed the gravity of what he was saying.