JUNGKOOK

My head hurts.

It feels like I haven't had water for the past week, and my eyes blearily open as I scramble to untangle myself from the covers. I feel nauseous, dizzy and unfocused.

Then my fingers wrap around something cold, and I immediately bring it to my lips.

It's water.

"First hangover, yeah? That'll teach you to keep your hands off my drink." An amused voice echoes in front of me, and I groan at the dizziness. Now the thirst is gone, but the pounding in my head has gotten worse.

"Y-Yoongi hyung...?"

"It's noon already, kid. You slept through the night."

"Noon?!" I exclaim, but being suddenly so loud hurts my head. All I remember is drinking something that I'd thought was water, and then...

Warm lips.

Vanilla and smoke.

A hot blush covers my entire face, and I can see him raise his eyebrows curiously when I heat up all the way to the tips of my ears. Now I remembered everything.

Jeon Jungkook, you actually did that?

"I'm not even asking." He says, shrugging his shoulders. My eyes glance upwards when he throws me a thick jacket, motioning me to follow him. "Let's go."

"What? Where?"

"The racetracks. Min's there. And I'm not letting you stay alone in my house." He says, and I nod obediently, pushing my arms into the jacket. It's too big for me, but it feels comfortable.

When he sweeps out the door, I hurry to rush after him, rubbing the rest of the sleep from my eyes. He walks so much faster than Min, and I quickly fall into step next to him as I look around.

"What about school?"

"Just don't go." He shrugs, and I swallow, looking down at my feet. Skipping school— for the first time in my life. "It's already past noon anyway, Jungkook."

"Yeah." I mumble back, lifting my head back up. Forget about school— that isn't where I want to be anymore.

"Wow." His eyes widen slightly, lips turning down to a smirk. "What happened to you, huh? You'd usually start panicking."

"I—" But then my eyes flash upwards when I hear the sound of tires tearing across ground. A dark car slides past smoothly into the finish line, and my eyes fix on the driver.

Min.

She has a bored expression on her face, running her fingers through her raven hair as she leans back on the seat. Her wrecked car is gone, replaced by this one.

Then another car soon slides into the white line spray painted on the ground, blue and dirt-spattered everywhere on its body. The driver in there looks furious, his fists clenched on his lap as he curses.

She steps out of the car, and I can't help but flush red when I see her. I almost wanted to hide now, so embarrassed how I'd been last night— completely drunk and stupid.

Then her gray eyes meet mine, and I quickly look downwards as a smile lifts her lips. That's the only thing I can see right now, and I force myself to get a grip.

"Why do you look so shy?"

"I-I'm not!" I protest, and she laughs, tilting her head to the side. My chest feels like it's burning— why did she look so fine? Did I dream up what happened last night?

Then my entire body freezes when she presses her lips against mine. It only lasts a second, but it's more than enough to make me realize it wasn't a dream.

"Back to my shy little baby, hm?" She says softly, noticing the redness in my cheeks. Her hand feels cool when she grazes her fingers across my face. "How was your hangover?"

"I feel— I feel fine now." I say, pushing my thinly-rimmed glasses up. She smiles, but then that sweet smile instantly turns to a frown when I look over her shoulder.

"Can I try?"

"Jungkook, no." She shakes her head, her fingers wrapping around my wrist when the curiosity in my eyes don't go away. "Driving is dangerous. I've done this for a long time."

"But I do want to try something with you."

My eyes widen a bit when she taps at the curve of my ear, her lips tilting back into a grin.

"You know, I've always wondered how good you might look with earrings."

_________________________

"W-Wait." I whisper, my gaze flickering wildly between the silver gun and Min, who's swinging a silver chain earring in her slender fingers.

"Will it hurt?"

"No." She laughs. Earrings look so good on her— silver sparkling against the dark waves of her hair. I touch the untouched curve of my ear, scared and excited at the same time.

"Just hold still." She says, but I can't help but flinch when my right ear's pierced. It stings a bit, and I don't even have time to worry about my left before the man pierces that one too.

"Ow......" I whisper, instinctively touching at my ear. But when I do, there's something cold and metallic there.

"Beautiful." Min says, pulling me to the mirror. When I look at the glass, I see a thin, sparkling chain earring on my right ear— and a circle ring in the other. "Look at yourself. Do you like it?"

My fingers brush the light chain.

"I— like it."

"You should." She says, her arms crossed proudly over her chest as she scans me over. Her glittering gaze makes me feel shy again— it always did.

But pushing the shyness down, I grip her hand and kiss her forehead softly. "Thanks, Min. For bringing me here."

When I pull away hurriedly, there's amused pride in her storm gray eyes. She smiles, tilting her head to the side.

"Too shy to go for the lips yet, hm?"

When I blush and turn my face away, I sense her smile deepening. I suck in a small breath when her fingers touch the line of my jaw.

"We'll get there, baby."

________________________

Happiness comes with punishments.

The moment I come back home, I find my father waiting for me. His eyes are pure fury, and I already know what's going to happen as I stare back.

You're not my father.

"Follow me." He immediately hisses, and I swallow as I nod. I force myself to take deep breaths when he closes the door, metal poker in his hand. I force myself to think I'm not here, but with Min instead.

"Talking back to your mother because of a mere servant. Skipping school. Even now, you're staring back at me." He growls, his expression furious. "Look down!"

I flinch, but I keep staring angrily into his enraged eyes.

He breathes in sharply. The anger in his eyes freeze over into silent fury, and I wish I had Min's hand in mine, telling me that everything would be okay with her quiet, smooth voice.

The first blow comes out of nowhere.

When the metal slashes across my chest, I have to bite down on my tongue so hard that I taste blood. And then I gasp when hot pain tears through my back not even a second later.

"I'm your father." He hisses, and I cry out when he slams his feet into the side of my head. My back hits the wall, and my eyes look up dazed when he cuts again.

"N-No."

"What did you just say?" He says coldly when I cough, dizzy with pain. A soft, agonized cry escapes my lips when he pushes the metal onto my chest. "Repeat that, Jungkook."

"I s-said you're not!" I yell, feeling hot blood run down the side of my face. "You're not my f-father."

Cold, harsh laughter.

"Where did you learn to speak like that, son?"

My eyes go wide when he places the sharp tip of the metal against the corner of my lips.

Min.

Save me.