chapter 1

Y/N POV

9AM in History Class

“Dumbass” Jungkook muttered under his breath, trying hard to choke in the laughter. I was caught sleeping by our teacher and now I’m suddenly asked to answer his question.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know the answer.” He just sighed and made me sit down, appreciating my honesty.

Jungkook sneaked a teasing glance and I threw my eraser at him without even looking at him.

Jungkook has been my best friend since fifth grade. He was too quiet for a guy and always got teased while I wasn’t too girly for my girl classmates. I guess you can say we were both outcasts as kids. Being the manly me, when I caught the bullying, I stood up and hit the pig once, protecting the cowering Jungkook. I got hit twice after when suddenly Jungkook stood in front of me, readying himself to get the punch on my behalf. Thankfully the teacher got in time to reprimand the bully. We both looked at each other and smiled and chuckled at our beaten up faces.

“Idiot.” I called him, asking why he would let that guy beat him up.

“Dumbass.” He retorted, asking why I would step in if all I could do was hit the bully once and those nicknames stuck. Ever since that incident, we’ve always been around each other and even went to the same middle school and high school.

Puberty hit us hard, but I wasn’t hit as hard as Jungkook did. Damn that kid grew up to be such a heartthrob, but of course, I’ll never tell him that. Multiple girls flock around him but he’d always escape and find me in the rooftop for our lunch.

“Give me a bite.” Jungkook leaned in and took a bite of my chicken sandwich without me agreeing.

“You took all the meat!” I complained and he smiled mischievously, pinching my cheek.

“Thanks, dumbass. I love you.” He playfully says and I rolled my eyes at him, convincing myself not to blush because I know he didn’t mean it the way I hope he did.

We had our backs leaning against the wall beside the rooftop door, my head leaning onto his shoulder as I read my book while he scrolls through his phone.

“Hey, dumbass?” Jungkook calls out.

I hummed in response, turning the page of my book.

“I want to confess to someone.” I froze for a split second, trying to hide the shattering of my heart.

“Well what’s the problem, Mr. every-girl-in-this-campus-always-follows-you?” I sit up properly, feigning ignorance as I flip through the next page, forgetting to read it.

“I don’t know. What if she doesn’t feel the same?” I now looked at him before laughing loudly, in fact, it was too loud. I wiped my “happy” tears before managing to get the words out of my mouth.

“You really are an idiot. Can’t you see you can have any girl that you’d want? They’re basically swooning over you every time you pass by.” I stood up and playfully kicked his unnecessarily long legs. “Don’t be a coward and just spit it out. In the ever slight chance that she says no, I’ll lend you my shoulders and buy you some banana milk.” I winked at him, about to leave the rooftop when I received a call from my mom.

The news I received had the blood drain from my face. Jungkook was quick to notice, about to stand up when I bolted down to the classroom to get my bag and head out to the gates.

There were multiple shouts vaguely sounding like my name but nothing was registering. All I know is that I need to head to the hospital, ASAP.

“You’re dad got into an accident and I know you’re in the middle of the class but I don’t know what to do, y/n.” 

My mom’s cracking voice as she chokes in her sobs left my mind blank. 

Dad. Please, please be okay. Please, dad. Please be okay.

Jungkook’s POV

I’ve always been around y/n and I can confidently say I’ve seen all of her expressions. Happy? Sad? Mad? Disgusted? You name it. I’ve seen it all. But in the 7 years of our friendship, I have never seen this face before.

She was terrified.

Before I could stand up, she had already bolted out to the door and ran as if her life depended on it. I ran after her, but her adrenaline was kicking in that I wasn’t able to catch up.

Nevertheless, I kept running, disregarding the shouts of the teachers, asking us to stop running in the hallway. I saw y/n, already outside the gates, running by the sidewalk ‘til she tripped which allowed me to catch up to her.

“Are you okay?!” I frantically searched her for injuries before cupping her face. She was cold, pale, and in tears.

My heart breaks seeing her like this.

“Jungkook” she snaps out of her trance, holding my arms. “I have to get to the hospital, now.” She starts standing up, about to run when I yanked her back to me before holding both her shoulders.

“Let’s ride a cab, okay? It’ll be faster than running.” I try to stay as calm as I could. I’ve never seen her so panicked, and I’m sure even if I ask her to explain, she won’t say anything cohesive so I held her hand as tightly as I could, wanting to remind her that no matter what, I’m with her.

As soon as we got to the emergency wing of the hospital, we were greeted by a sobbing woman on the bedside of a man lying as the heart rate monitor showed a straight line.

“No.” Y/N fell to the ground as she sobbed.

I couldn’t believe what was in front of my eyes until I closed my eyes and opened them once more, now the information registering. The woman sobbing has been the same woman who welcomes me to their home when I run away from mine, while the man lying on the bed has been the man always treated me as his own.

My breath hitched, tears silently fall as I stand in front of Y/N, taking her into my arms.

“I’m so sorry.” It was all I was able to mutter as I felt multiple stabbing sensations in my chest. Uncle has always been like a second father and the pain I’m feeling is already indescribable. I can’t fathom the pain Y/N’s going through.

Until Uncle’s body was cremated, I never left Y/N’s and Auntie’s side. With my parents always fighting, I’ve spent most of my childhood in their house and I’ve never been treated as an outsider. I can argue that I’m a family member of the deceased. While aunt takes care of the preparation for uncle’s funeral, Y/N clutches onto uncle’s urn as silent tears continue to fall from her eyes.

There were no words I could utter. Instead, take her in my arms and rest my chin on top of her head.

“Jungkook?” She finally speaks after hours of not talking.

“Yeah?” My voice cracking from the hours of silence. 

“Promise not to leave my side?” Her voice was shaking, and so was her whole body.

“Dumbass. I’m not going anywhere.”

3AM in Jungkook’s house

“Where have you been?” My father was in the living room with the lampshade beside him as the only source of light in the house.

“I was with Y/N.” I answered, dead tired from everything that happened.

“You kids have been inseparable since your fifth grade.” He smiles, the wrinkles in his face getting more defined. If I was tired about today, my dad has been tired of his life. “I hope that kid’s doing well.”

“What’s wrong dad?” I ask, wary with the tone of his voice.

“I’m sorry son. I really tried to make it work, but forgive me. I filed a divorce with your mom.” I knew this was coming. I wasn’t even surprised when he told me about this. I never really liked her anyway. The reason why I always hang out in Y/N’s home was that her voice made it so unbearable to stay.

“Where is she now?” I ask, sitting beside my father.

“With the man she’s been cheating on me with for 3 years already.”

“What a b*tch,” I mumbled, shaking my head. “I’m happy you finally divorced her dad.” I tell him, giving him a sincere smile. He’d always been the one trying with the relationship. He had always been the one who stood as my parent. Mom may have been too young when she got pregnant with me, but it wasn’t all my father’s fault. Yet, my father took everything. And if this divorce would mean happiness for my dad then so be it.

“If you find a girlfriend, don’t be shy and introduce her to me.” I stood up, patting his knee before heading to my room.

“Thank you, son.” My father’s voice broke as he chokes in his tears. I gave him a smile before turning my back on him, allowing him to cry. What father would want his son to see him cry, right?

*****

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