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My actual intentions were to walk around the block when I stepped out. I needed peace and comfort for the time being, and when I thought about comfort, only one name came to my mind.

I didn't turn my location on, instead, I switched my phone off. It was already running on low battery so I had an excuse to tell my parents that it died.

I checked my pockets for any cash and luckily found some money that my mom gave me when we returned from the hospital. Debating whether to visit him or not, I reached the end of the road, an icecream parlour catching my eye.

What if i go see him with some ice cream? He would like it, right?

I entered the shop and found various flavours of ice creams. A new one got my attention, which was shaped like a corn. The packaging looked colourful and the shape looked cute to me as well.

"Does this ice cream taste like corn a-as well?" I nervously asked the man behind the counter as he gave me a side eye.

Oh of course it does... I'm so stupid to ask that.

"Yes, it has the taste of sweet corn along with a layer of wafer and the insides consist of chocolate as well." He explained rather politely and I smiled.

"That sounds yummy. I would l-like two please!"

I paid and immediately felt joyful and excited to see Jungkook.

"Let's surprise him before you melt." I whispered to the inanimate plastic bag in my hand, then looked around to check if somebody saw me talking to the ice cream. But no one was too free to get a look at a silly girl on the streets talking to her ice cream, so I sighed contently.

To my surprise, a taxi passed by me and I immediately waved my hand, motioning for it to stop. The driver lowered the window and looked at me.

I told him the address and he studied my face for some time, as if he knew me.

"You've been in my taxi before, aren't you the girl that was sick a few days ago?"

"Oh yes, I went to the hospital with my mom. Y-You remember me?"

The thought of someone remembering me, my face or my habits made me feel so happy. As if someone actually paid attention to me.

"Yes, I do. You even threw up after getting out. Are you okay now, little girl?"

"I'm fine," I smiled and slid into the backseat of the car. The ride to Jungkook's house wasn't long, and with the driver being so talkative and cheerful, the distance seemed to lessen as we talked and laughed. He seemed genuinely nice. A little older with wrinkles accompanying the side of his eyes, but his heart was still childlike. I enjoyed talking to him on my way to Jungkook's apartment.

I paid him and got out, waving goodbye to him as he gave me a hearty smile. People with such good souls were hard to find in this generation, where most people didn't even care about their own ones. But being strangers and still caring for someone meant a lot.

I held the plastic bag to my wrist as I dialled Jungkook's number and waited for him to pick up as I walked upto the building. Though I knew Jungkook wouldn't mind if I suddenly showed up, but I just wanted to inform him just so he would know.

And maybe even put on some clothes...

The tiny voice in my head said and I smiled to myself, remembering the first time I visited Jungkook with Taehyung. The thought of him being shirtless in front of me made me laugh and blush at the same time.

When he didn't pick up, I became unsure. By the time I tried again, I had already walked upto his floor. He lived on the third floor so I hesitated before walking upto his door. To my luck, it was open.

"Jungkook?" I called out in a low voice as I tapped on the surface.

When no one replied, I gulped and pushed the door a little more so I could peek inside. I couldn't find him in the hall or kitchen and so I stepped in, but as soon as I did, a female voice called out his name before I could do, and I quickly stepped back and pulled the door back so it was almost closed.

It didn't sound like a girl, but rather a woman. I looked here and there, and then I came to the conclusion that it could have been his mother.

I frowned, grasping onto the plastic bag tighter.

I can't return now or it'll be a waste of this ice-cream.

Jungkook didn't tell me that his mom was coming. I thought she never visited him...

I fiddled with my phone, my palm suddenly clammy. Even though I had some idea that his parents weren't the best people in his life, as I had already witnessed Jungkook's father's drunk act. So I was feeling more uneasy by the thought of his mother suddenly coming to his house.

What if... she found out Jungkook is dating me and she's here to take him back?

No...it can't be true. Or what if it is...

After the ten minutes long debate in my head, I finally turned back and started to walk away. The ice-cream that I bought with so much excitement felt heavy in my hands as I walked down the stairs and towards the exit.

When I heard my name.

Coming from above.

I squinted, looking up at the balcony of the third floor where I finally spotted Jungkook, my lips immediately erupting into the biggest smile ever.

"Hana! Why are you here? Everything okay?" He said in a moderately low tone and I couldn't hear him properly because of the distance between us. Even the clouds had cleared and the sun was peeking out as soon as Jungkook said my name, as if even the sky was happy to see him.

"I can't hear you properly, Jungkook!" I shouted, not being able to clearly hear nor see him because of the sunlight blocking my sight. But I was suddenly feeling euphoric after just having him in front of me that I couldn't stop smiling. I placed my palm above my eyes and stood on my tiptoes, as if it would help me hear him better.

"Wait!" He said and signalled a phone with his hand as he went in. I sighed and looked around, when my phone rang.

"Jungkook." I said into the phone, my voice coming out surprisingly rough.

"God, Hana. Your voice sounds so..." He whispered into the phone, which immediately made my cheeks burn.

"I came to meet you but I didn't know you had visitors. So I was going back." I said and looked up again, watching him lean over the railing. He was wearing a white shirt and his hair was messily pushed back. I wondered if he just came out after taking a shower.

"Yeah, uh, my parents are here for some days. But don't worry, they'll leave tomorrow." He told me, to which, I felt double emotions.

"Oh, then...no worries! I'll visit you some other time."

"You better do." He said, my overthinking mind suddenly telling me he's mad by the tone of his voice.

"Then... I'll g-go back. Have a great time with your parents, Jungkook."

"Yes, you too." He said and before I could say goodbye, he hung up. I glanced at his balcony to find him gone already.

Why did he sound frustrated...or angry? Was it because of me? Is he mad at me for showing up all of a sudden? He didn't even say bye and I couldn't even see his face properly to figure out if he was actually upset.

Feeling tears pricking my eyes, I looked to my left, the dustbin near the gate catching my eye. I looked down at the bag and started to walk towards it.

If I can't eat this with Jungkook, I'm not eating it. I'll just throw this away...it was probably a waste.

I abruptly stopped two steps away from the bin, my heart and body feeling physically heavier. As I was about to throw it away, I was pulled back with a sudden force and I stumbled back, crashing straight into someone's chest.

Well, not someone's.

It was Jungkook.

He kept on grasping onto my wrist lightly and I immediately identified his scent without even opening my eyes, as my body clinged onto him like glue. My head pressed against his chest and his other hand wrapped around the small of my back. The bag of ice-cream started to slip away from my grip as I wanted to hug him with both my hands. I decided to let go of it and brought my hands up to Jungkook's neck, wrapping them around him as if I had met him after years.

"Aye, what happened baby?"

"Mhm, nothing." I mumbled against his chest as I shook my head side to side.

"What's this cold thing? You got something for us?" His voice boomed against my ear and I looked to my left to where he was holding the bag that I had let go of.

"Oh... it's just... I was having a bad day. W-Well not now, but I just thought if I see you and we eat ice-cream together... it would feel nice."

"Oh, Hana, you're the sweetest girl I know."

"How many other sweet girls do you know?" I blurted out before I could stop the words and covered my face in embarrassment as I detached myself from his form, my knees weak.

Even though he is my boyfriend... he still makes me feel this way... it's so strange, like I'm talking to a movie star or something...

"Ah, is that jealousy I smell?" He teased, ruffling my hair, "you're the only girl ever, Hana. And you're the best I'll ever have."

"It's just... I didn't mean to ask that-"

"It's alright! You have the right to say or ask anything to me without feeling scared. After all, I'm yours."

Mine.

I finally looked up to meet his eyes, making eye contact for the first time ever since we started talking. He was so good-looking, I doubted if he was even real.

"Wait, what is that...on your head, Jungkook?" My smile dropped as soon as I focused my gaze on the band-aid sticking to the side of his head. As if by some invisible force, my hand reached out to lightly touch his forehead. I swiped his now a little longer hair to the side to reveal the full bandage, my eyes widening in horror.

"What happened?! This looks like a fresh bruise."

"Erm, I hit my head on the side of the cabinet's door because I wasn't paying attention. It's nothing big, Hana." He tried to reassure me.

"You should be careful. Accidental blows are the worst."

"Yes, I'll be okay. Should we eat the ice-cream before it melts to puddles?" He lifted the bag up high and I nodded, the previous smile which dropped from my lips pasted on again.

"On that bench?" He started walking, the grip of his warm hand never leaving my palm as I followed him step by step.

We reached one bench, the brown-grey rotted leaves still cluttered on it, alongside dust.

"The sweepers here are so lazy. Here, hold this." He moved the bag towards me as I held it confusedly. Jungkook took out a pack of tissues from his trousers and I smiled.

"You carry cleansing tissues around?"

"No, I needed these in the morning because I was blee-"

He stopped, all of a sudden, his body following but he shook his head.

"I just happened to have these because I have a runny nose."

"Then you shouldn't be having ice-cream!" I insisted.

"Not when you brought it with so much love." He winked at me, to which I blushed, watching him lean down and wipe the dirt off the surface of the bench. He seemed experienced and well-mannered in every way possible, which only made me like him more.

Oh God, how did I get so lucky...what did I ever do for you to send the most perfect boy in my life? I can never thank you enough.

"Hah, easy peasy lemon squeezy."

"You're the cutest." I said, sitting down on the freshly cleaned bench, pinching Jungkook's cheek softly.

"You might think I'm a kitty when in reality I'm a lion." He said, eyeing me playfully. He tore both the packets, handing me the ice-cream first, along with a tissue.

"You might be a brave lion for everyone, but for me, you're just a harmless, fluffy feline."

"Because you haven't seen that side of mine, yet." He mumbled to himself and I heard him, but decided not to comment. He might mean something else and I didn't want to trigger any of his sentiments.

I took a bite into the corn shaped ice-cream, my teeth clattering at it. Alongside me, Jungkook licked his own, his brows knitted together and his facial expression kind of off.

"You...look mad. Is it bad?"

"This is the yummiest ice-cream I've ever tasted."

"Then why do you look mad! You should smile." I said, nudging him.

He sucked the cream flowing by his hand and shrugged. "I don't know, I don't know how to function yet."

I laughed at his silliness, bringing my napkin close to his face as I spotted the stain at the corner of his lips, at the same time Jungkook turned to me and our eyes locked.

I froze because he was sitting so close to me, his dark brown eyes staring into my soul. This reminded me of the first time we kissed and I shook my head, trying to get that thought off my mind.

"Y-You have some on your lips. Let me clean." I said, avoiding eye contact as I focused on his lips, pink as ever. It didn't help much because it was an even worse idea to look at his lips rather than his eyes. My head turned foggy but I wiped it off nevertheless, turning to face the front again, with an unsteady heartbeat.

"You have some on your lips too." He whispered beside me.

"Where?" I turned to him but before I could sense anything he pressed his lips against mine and stole a quick kiss.

"Jungkook! We're in public!" I squealed, suddenly shocked and embarrassed as I looked around to see if anyone saw us. But luckily, since it was late afternoon, there were barely any people in that area.

"Yours tastes sweeter than mine." He made a face, somewhere between a teaseful smirk and a silly look.

"B-But I bought the same one for the both of us."

"Really? Is it your lips then?" He whispered and I felt my cheeks lighten up.

Gosh, he's so smooth...

"You're getting red...do you feel hot?"

I tried to shove that tingling feeling off my neck and cheeks, shaking my head and finishing the whole icecream in one go.

"It's...a little hot today."

"Yes," he leaned back on the bench, in a relaxing way. I noticed his bulge biceps and couldn't help but stare for a good five seconds.

"I want to take you on a date soon." He said, standing up. I stood along with him, "next week, probably? Are you free?"

"Oh... I almost forgot to tell you. My father talked to me and we agreed on me leaving med school. It was hard for me and very tough for my liking. He asked me what I had wanted for the very first time and I told him that I wanted to try fashion designing for a long time. And you know what? He agreed! I'm going to attend a fashion designing school after two months!"

He listened carefully, and immediately engulfed me in a tight hug when I finished.

"That's great, Hana! I'm so proud of you!" His voice practically sounded excited, as if he was even happier on my behalf.

"I know...this is the first time in so long when sometimes is actually going my way and how I like it. Things are getting better, Jungkook. And I hope it stays that way." I said softly, smiling against his chest as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"It will, of course. And now this gives us an occasion to enjoy our first date out. Does 6th sound okay? What time should I pick you up?"

"I will have to ask my mom..."

His excitement seemed to vanish at my words but he knew how my family was. If we were to stay together, we had to understand the dynamics of each other's family and life.

"Fine. Tell me whenever you want. I'm just a phone call away." He patted my head in the gentlest way possible.

"I'll go now. It's almost been an hour since I was gone and my parents must be worried. Please take care of yourself and let this scar heal quickly. There's an antiseptic cream I know, I don't remember the name but I'll send you a picture when I'll get home. When I used to... you know...my mother used to put it on my scars and they'd vanish quickly."

"Thank you, Hana. It'll get better." He said, touching his head.

"It has to." I smiled brightly, giving him one last hug before bidding him goodbye, and walking out of sight.

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*Jungkook's POV*

I had woken up to the voice of my father shouting vague words out in the living room.

I didn't even have time to completely open my eyes to look around for my hoodie. Almost falling face first on the carpet, I managed to run out of my room in a hurry, bumping my shoulder in the door frame as I did. It didn't hurt at the sudden impact but by the time I reached the kitchen, where my parents were present, I was clutching onto my right shoulder, the pain erupting from that spot into my whole arm.

Rubbing my eyes and standing outside, I flinched when my father picked up a wine bottle, which he bought himself last night and smashed it down the floor with such great force that it shattered into a million pieces. The thick, maroon coloured liquid spilled like blood, flowing on the white marble floor.

"Before we leave tomorrow evening, we all will have a drink together." He had said yesterday.

I didn't have the courage to ask him 'what had happened' because I knew it surely had to be something serious that got him so pissed. He would easily get irritated or mad and I had learnt to stay quiet or hide from him as a kid, whenever he used to lose his temper.

It must be related to his work. Or maybe he drank too much again.

My mother stepped around the counter and touched him on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down but instead he jerked her hand away, a trail of bad words spilling from his mouth. I quickly sprinted up to them in case he did something unexpected, because he used to act like a psycho and wouldn't see who was standing in front of him.

Who would know it better than me?

And he did that.

He pushed my mother forcefully and she hit the side of her waist on the very sharp corner of the counter. I reached over and grabbed her from the back to refrain her from plummeting down into the mess that he created earlier. And I almost succeeded in doing so, before I realised I had stepped on a piece of broken shard. To save myself, I moved back only to tramp into the wine and my foot slipped, resulting in me falling down.

The thud was unexpected. I wanted to save my mother from the mess and I happened to fall into the same havoc. The side of my head hit the counter and I landed on my back, but thankfully, on the opposite side, where there was only wine and no glass shards.

The liquid soaked through my shirt and I squeezed my eyes shut, hissing and almost feeling numb with the growing ache in my head and my arm. I was still very conscious and I heard my mother scream my name before she crouched down beside me, delicately touching my cheeks.

"Jungkook... Jungkook! Are you okay? Oh my God, what have you done, you asshole!" She chanted my name and I almost wanted to cry because I hadn't heard my real name from her mouth for... years. She used to call me Jeon, and we didn't even talk that much to even hear her call me by my surname.

My father stopped abruptly and I could hear everyone's breathing in the silence. I exhaled and inhaled a few times, before reaching down and touching my shirt, now soaking wet with the wine.

If someone had witnessed us then, they would've concluded that my father must have tried to kill me. Because it looked like I was laying in the pool of my blood. Ironic, because I indeed felt like my father had killed me.

"I'm...fine."

"Really? Should I call the doctor?"

"No, it's okay. I'm not very hurt," I touched the part of my head which was throbbing, "there's just a little blood."

"Where do you put the bandages?" She asked and I tried to get up, but slipped again, ending up landing on her lap.

"I'll get them myself..." I blurted out awkwardly, only for her to touch my scar with her hand, ever so lightly. I opened my eyes to look up at her. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she angrily turned her head to where my father was standing.

"Leave this room before you cause any more chaos."

"Honey, but I'm-" he tried to speak but she shut him up.

"I said leave!"

I heard his footsteps fading away as he stomped out of the kitchen. My head was still resting in my mother's lap, and I couldn't help but wipe away the tear that accidentally escaped my eye and rolled down my jaw.

"Jungkook, try to get up. Are you hurt? Is your foot okay?"

"I-It hurts, eomma..."

Shit.

My voice cracked and I forced myself to stand up, with my aching arm and throbbing head. This wasn't how I expected today to go. I thought my parents would come and leave peacefully, but I should've known that I wasn't very lucky.

"Tell me, tell eomma where does it hurt. I will put some ointment...and bandages. Get up from the floor first, it's so cold." Worry reflected from her voice and I tried my best to get up as she held my arm very carefully, trying to pull up my weight.

"He's losing his temper too easily these days...the meeting wasn't very successful and the other party got the project. And he thought it was because his proposal wasn't good." She kept mumbling, and I hissed when I stumbled across the room towards the sofa, my head hurting like hell.

"That's something to be mad about," I said as I plopped down on the sofa, "but this habit of his, causing such chaos and making his own family afraid of his anger...this is wrong. So wrong."

"This is the first time I've seen him in this form. He does not like to lose and this meeting was important. We both prepared so much for this day, but..." She shook her head, "leave that. Tell me, where are the bandages?"

"In the left drawers of my wardrobe."

"I'll be back in a minute."

She hurried towards my room and I rested my back against the sofa, clutching the cushion to my stomach. But then I remembered those were the same drawers where I used to put my notes. My diary with all the songs written in it. And the song I was currently working on, it was on the top.

Oh no. No. No. No.

She can't see that... I've been hiding this fact for so many years.

Too late. She exited my room and shut the door with the first aid kit in her hands. I couldn't look her in the eyes. I was too sure that she had seen them, along with my guitar and headsets.

She's going to be so mad at the fact that I am still living with music by my side.

The memories of my father cutting off the strings of my first guitar that I bought with my own money, along with my mother throwing away my notebooks with all the song lyrics I memorised when I was 15 came back to my mind. My grip on the cushion tightened, my veins almost popping out of my hands.

But she didn't look pissed. She calmly sat down beside me and started to dab the cotton on my head lightly, but I couldn't look at her. I kept staring at my own hands, fiddling with my fingers.

She put a small band-aid to the scar, and then covered it with another square shaped bandage. I felt dizzy at that moment but we both didn't say a word. Then she put some antibiotic on my heel, and covered it with a sterile bandage too.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"N-No."

"Okay, I'll go clean up this mess-"

"I'll do it eomma," I blabbered before I could stop, but then I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe, "I mean, I will do it, you don't have to step in the kitchen. It's dangerous."

"You're not in the condition to clean, Jungkook."

She said my name again? Why would she do it over and over?

"I'll do it later. Please call dad and make sure he's okay out there."

I can't believe I still call him dad. After all the times he has hurt me. Cursed at me. He did nothing but look down at everything I loved, and he destroyed it all.

But I still can't hate him...if anything, I just feel pity for him. How we could be a normal family but his bad habits of drinking and taking out his anger on his family ruined it all.

As for my mother, she just followed my father's steps in order to become a perfect spouse. And they didn't pay any attention to me, because they knew I was the perfect child, thus I never needed any attention.

My older brother, Jung Hyun, who too was almost invisible until he got a job in Canada and has been away for 5 years since. In my parents' eyes, he was the better one, always.

I had lost any hope of connection with my own blood. I was on my own.

"He's not picking up."

I blinked at the floor, poking my inner cheek. "He will come back anyway, it's not like he has anywhere else to go."

My mother looked worried. Even though my father never physically abused any of us in his sober state, but he did abuse her verbally while we were kids. She was still dedicated to him, like the good wife she was.

"Don't panic. I'm sure he'll be okay."

I sighed, dragging my feet towards the kitchen, but before that, I decided to brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. Maybe even order something for me and my mother, knowing we both were hungry, yet still full.

A/N

It has been so long. My apologies😭
I can't promise I'll be regular to update but I'm not going to leave this story unfinished! I promise I'll try my best to be consistent.

Thank you for all your love and support.

Unns💗