"Shattered Reflections"

Jungkook’s fingers dug into his bedsheets as he replayed that night over and over in his mind. Everything felt like a blur, but one thing stood out clear as day: the stranger who had convinced him to go to the party in the first place.

It had been a regular afternoon, the kind of day where Jungkook’s thoughts were clouded by the constant pressure to be someone he wasn’t. That day, a guy from school—Sungmin—had cornered him in the hallway. Sungmin wasn’t particularly popular, but he knew how to get people’s attention. He was the kind of guy who got into trouble with a smile, using his charm to get what he wanted.

“Hey, Jungkook, you coming to David’s party tonight or what?” Sungmin asked, leaning casually against the locker. He was one of those guys who always seemed to have an easy answer to everything, but his eyes—those eyes—were always calculating, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Jungkook had been about to refuse, the usual instinct taking over. He wasn’t into parties, especially the kind where people got drunk and behaved recklessly. But Sungmin wasn’t having it. “Oh come on, don’t tell me you’re too scared to show up? Everyone will be there, and you know what? It’ll be the perfect way to get out of that boring nerdy routine of yours.”

The words hit harder than they should have. He hated when people called him boring, when they said he didn’t belong, that he was just another quiet kid lost in his books. But what really made his blood boil was the way Sungmin had said it—like it was a challenge, a dare he couldn’t resist.

“You know, Jungkook,” Sungmin had continued with a smirk, “you’re just like a puppy. All quiet and alone, following people around like you’ve got no backbone. Why don’t you finally grow some, show us you’re not just a boring little puppy, and actually do something for once?”

Jungkook froze. He hadn’t heard anything new—he’d been called a lot of things in the past, but something about the way Sungmin had said it... it felt like a direct hit. As if he had just insulted everything Jungkook had been trying to protect—his way of keeping quiet, his refusal to get caught up in the same stupid games everyone else played.

The words stung, and in that moment, something inside Jungkook broke. He didn’t want to be the puppy anymore. He didn’t want to be the weak one, the one who just sat quietly on the sidelines. Maybe this was his chance to prove he wasn’t like everyone said. Maybe he could do something daring for once, something that would make people stop underestimating him.

Before he knew it, he’d found himself texting Haeun. She had always been his best friend, the one person who never judged him, who never saw him as the “boring nerd.” But that was exactly why he had called her. He needed someone to go with him, to take the edge off the discomfort he felt about the party, to make sure he didn’t end up being the weird loner in the corner.

“Haeun, you should come tonight. There’s a party at David’s place. Trust me, it’s gonna be a lot of fun. You can leave early if you don’t like it. Just… don’t stay in your room all night. I don’t want you to miss out.”

Haeun had always been a good friend, but she wasn’t much of a party-goer. She had her reasons, which she rarely spoke about. She preferred quiet nights, maybe a movie or studying together. But this time, when she replied, her message was different.

“I don’t know, Jungkook… I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. You know what kind of people are gonna be there. Last time, it got kind of out of hand.”

Jungkook understood her hesitation. He’d heard all the stories too—the wild parties where people drank too much, said too much, and did things they regretted. But he didn’t want to hear the “no” from her. Not this time. He needed her there with him, for his own sake.

He wasn’t going to let anyone think he was weak. So, he pushed.

“Please, just come. You’ll be fine. I’ll be there with you. And… well, it’s just one night. We can leave when we want. I promise you it’s gonna be different. You don’t have to stay the whole time if you don’t like it.”

She hesitated for a while, and Jungkook could almost hear the debate in her mind, but eventually, she relented. “Alright, alright. I’ll come with you, but I’m not staying long. And don’t drag me into any trouble.”

Jungkook felt a surge of relief. She was coming. He wouldn’t have to go alone. For once, he wasn’t going to be the kid sitting on the outside looking in.

What he hadn’t expected, though, was the way everything would unfold that night. Haeun hadn’t wanted to stay long, but once they arrived at David’s, she seemed even more distant than usual. Jungkook tried to make the best of it, but the party was overwhelming. The noise, the flashing lights, and the energy of people who only cared about getting drunk—it all felt like a blur. Haeun stuck close to him for a while, but as the night went on, she became quieter. Jungkook noticed her pulling away, retreating to the back of the house, and he told himself it was fine. She was probably just tired, or maybe she needed a break from the crowd.

But when he turned around and couldn’t find her, panic set in. He tried to push through the crowd, calling out her name. Where was she? Where had she gone?

And then, he found her.

She was outside, hidden away in the shadows, her body bruised, eyes wide with fear. The stranger, the one who had taken her into the yard, had been the one who caused her pain. He had come up to her when she was vulnerable, alone in the chaos, and led her outside.

Jungkook’s heart had dropped when he saw the state Haeun was in. Her clothes torn, her face battered, tears in her eyes. The guilt hit him like a ton of bricks. If he hadn’t been so focused on proving himself, if he hadn’t been so desperate to show he wasn’t just a “puppy,” maybe this never would have happened.

He had promised to protect her. He had asked her to come along to the party, to be there with him. And now, she was hurt—worse than he could have ever imagined...

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