You had never thought that offering something was hard.

Yes, you had in mind that you would simply offer and everything would turn out how you wanted. But no, things had to be difficult, especially with your ever-so-low confidence.

You cursed at yourself, where was the confidence you had when you were barking at Jieun last night?

You glared at Jungkook who was leaning against the wall built on the left side of your bed as it was placed in the middle of your room, sending him a message quietly through your eyes.

Talk to her.

You talk to her, it is your house, not mine.

Dumbhead, you are closer to her.

It would mean more if you offer her because once again, it is your house.

The strange yet aggressive telepathy with Jungkook was not gone unnoticed by Jieun who had enough of the tension between you two.

The room had suddenly gone quiet with a heavy tension dancing in the air. It was then that Jieun looked up to witness you and Jungkook having intense eye contact.

It left her in pure confusion at first as she thought you were having childish fights with him but when it did not stop, she could not help but voice out her confusion.

"What's wrong?" Jieun's confused stare switched from you to Jungkook and back to you. Your lips formed an instant tight-lipped smile, your cheeks lifting as you did so, your eyes squinting a little -- one of your habits when you were lying.

"Nothing," you uttered in the most fake sweet voice you could muster, not wanting her to doubt anything. Jungkook snickered at your attempt to lie, he had lived with you enough to know and understand every little action of yours. "Nothing important."

Jieun blinked a few times as she registered your words. She wanted to nod and be understanding towards your closed nature —obviously, she knew you were hiding something which was not something she should be bothered about. After all, she was not the one to meddle in other's business and was a stranger to you on top of that.

She understood your every reason but before she could voice it out, Jungkook interrupted, "She is lying." You slightly widened your eyes at him, quietly signalling him to shut his mouth but not paying any heed to it, he directed his words to Jieun, "Noona, she wants to talk to you."

"About what?" Jieun managed to inquire after a few seconds of silence —just after her mind had processed every piece of information and organised her thoughts.

The pair of soft cushions were parted to speak out the words of truth but then, Jungkook forced them to meet before any sound could break free. He was not the owner of those words, someone else was; someone who was reluctant to own them.

Through the never-ending telepathy, he sent his message over to you and silently encouraged you, and it worked when you nodded your head. A sudden wave of bravery hit you like a roaring train, a long exhale followed by a shake of your head.

I can do this!

Why am I being so dramatic?

I just have to convince her to stay with me.

It's not a big deal.

Gathering all of the energy and courage left in your body, with an ever so confident tone which surprised you too, you found yourself forming the sentence you were so nervous about before, "Jieun-ssi, would you like to stay with us in this apartment? Till you find peace?"

That confidence which had struck your body with courage that left you speechless was now evaporated into thin air as soon as the last word was exposed to the ears of the two scarred souls.

You let your eyelids close, waiting for her answer but it never came. Therefore, inevitably, you opened your eyes slowly as if you were afraid to face her, though you were not so sure of the reason.

You were expecting either an apologetic smile refusing your offer or a bright smile accepting your humble abode. However, you encountered a 'confused with a slight hint of a shocked' face.

"I don't know what to say... This is so sudden," she let out a nervous chuckle, maybe because she was taken aback by your unexpected offer. "I...would love to spend more time with you while at the same time, I don't want to burden you."

Taking her hands in yours, you disagreed with her, "You won't. There is enough space in this bed and Jungkook can sleep on the floor-"

You were interrupted by none other than Jungkook who thought it was the right time to complain, "What?! Why would I sleep on—" but just one glare of yours made him shut his mouth tight. Your murderous gaze could even kill him if he was not dead already, he thought.

"As I was saying, you can live comfortably here with me till you finally get the justice you deserve." You had a big smile on your lips trying your best to convince her with your words and smile.

Jieun chewed the corner of her mouth, and countless scenarios ran through her mind. She was not sure about this idea, knowing that she could and would be the burden on a nineteen-year-old whose selfless yet bright contagious energy showered every being around her.

You were an embodiment of such a dazzling vibe that Jieun found herself very much envied.

Jieun was aware of the fact that you had a dark painful story judging by your spoken sentences from last night but she was also fascinated by the art of deceit you had very well adapted to distract the ones around you from your aching heart.

Maybe this is all fate's work to help us heal each other.

Jieun let her actions deliver the unspoken words as she nodded her head in agreement with your offer. A breeze of happiness blew through your cheeks, your hands moving around her in excitement, enveloping her in your firm embrace.

Words of gratitude abandoned your lips countless times. You faced Jungkook letting him see the intensity of contentment and joy taking over you. Jungkook could not help but smile gleefully as he felt and loved the blissful waves radiating off you.

________

Today was different. Everything was different today, the air was different, the weather was different, and people were different —maybe happy due to the clean and heavenly surroundings caused by the rain. It was the beauty of rain, washing the entire earth by crying its heart out, cleaning up the dirt and sins of humans by tearing down its existence.

However, at least for you, rain was not the cause for the slight change. And you acknowledged the real cause too.

All these years, after your grandma passed away, you were alone. Too alone for your liking.

You despised loneliness; it was your biggest enemy, always managing to win over you. And to hide the obvious silence of your abode, you would smile and joke around...with yourself. You would treat your heart as your friend who was there to listen to your rants.

You did not know why you never tried to make friends. Maybe you did not want anyone to know about your wounded heart, maybe you did not want anyone to pity you, or maybe it was just fear gnawing your heart; fear of losing your loved ones.

Whoever you had in your life, they were snatched away from you like mere toys getting snatched away from kids. Your grandparents, your parents and your sister. No one managed to live with you without fate getting offended by the love you were receiving.

Love, you feared this word. You did not want anyone so close to you, you did not want to love anymore until this danger of heartbreak and loneliness was still hovering over you.

Even Taehyung was only a crush for you, maybe you were a bit selfish that you decided to let these feelings bloom inside your heart knowing very well you had no chance with him, and thus he would not be taken away from you. You were confident that these little feelings would not transform into love. You would never allow them.

Only if Jungkook knew that there was no foundation for this supposed deal to start with. You were helping him just because you wanted to, as a friend, as a companion, as a roommate.

With Jungkook and Jieun, something in you made you fearless. It just urged you to forget your insecurities and let them in your heart. And for the first time, you made friends.

Ironic, that your friends were already on the verge of leaving this earth, leaving you behind but you also knew that you would do anything to help them. There is no place for selfish desires in friendship, you thought. So you would let go of them for their happiness.

Your eyes went to the girl sleeping beside you and then to Jungkook who was peacefully snoring on a mattress you borrowed from your neighbours. They were kind enough to lend you a spare one.

You flinched a bit when a familiar ringtone intruded into the silence of your room. It was your phone, someone was calling you. It was new for you, only Seo Ah had your number and she rarely called you. Nonetheless, you picked up your phone before it could disturb your friends' sleep.

Raising your eyebrows at the caller ID, you realized that there was one more person who had your number; Taehyung. Your heart pounded in your chest when your brain completely registered the words displayed on your screen.

Why is he calling me this early in the morning? Isn't school going to start soon?

Pursing your lips, you attended the call, not wanting to await him longer.

"Hello," You gulped hearing his voice. He was your crush after all, everything about him, everything he did, everything he said would make you a nervous wreck.

"Hi, Taehyung," you responded keeping your feelings at bay. "Is everything alright?"

"Hm, of course, everything's good," Taehyung replied immediately. You hummed waiting for him to proceed but only silence followed after. You doubted he was still on the line because of the pin-drop-silence it had become, causing you to check your screen. The call was still ongoing.

Maybe he was waiting for you to speak, but what would you even say? You started getting nervous as moments passed by, patiently searching for anything in your head that you could ask. But it was as if your brain decided to shut off right at that point. However, your worries soon subsided after hearing Taehyung's question, "Are you already in school?"

"No. I won't be able to take classes today." You bit your lips, your mind wandered off to the reasons behind his question. Was he waiting for you? But why? Did he want to tell you something?

"Are you alright? Is everything fine?" His worry and concern for your health and safety melted your heart. You should not be blushing right now but why do you feel your cheeks heating up and blood rushing to your face?

"Y-Yeah, I am good. Don't need to worry, my foot just sprained a little but I will be back to school tomorrow," you informed him of the reason for your absence as you continued gnawing on your lower lip.

"You should rest then. I apologise for disturbing your sleep—"

You cut him off, "No, no, you didn't disturb me. I was not sleeping at all, I was awake the whole time and then you called so you didn't disturb—"

Now it was your turn to be cut off by his sweet chuckle. You did not realize you were speaking too fast. It made you giggle with him too as you hit your head with your palm at your stupidity. "You are cute, Y/N." His words caused you to blush again with your idiot heart beating fast.

You could not respond to his compliment, and you were far too overwhelmed to act rationally.

He bid you goodbye soon after since classes were to start soon. You were still smiling stupidly recalling your conversation and his compliment. It was too good to be true, your crush had noticed you and he even called you.

What a dream you were living. You giggled unknowingly, unaware of the male gawking at you as if you were a demonic entity.

Jungkook had woken up in the middle of your conversation with Taehyung. He saw you blush, he heard your giggles, he witnessed you smiling even after the call ended and he watched you zoning out to maybe your fantasy world where Taehyung was a father of your five kids.

You did not wake up from your daydream even when he had stood up and sat just beside you on your side of the bed.

He continued observing your features as if he was memorising them. Your soft and long hair, your thin eyebrows, your small nose, your thin lips, a little mole on your nose, everything about you attracted him.

He could not help but feel himself leaning more toward you as if he was hypnotised by you. Why was this happening to him? Why did he feel strange whenever he was with you? Why did it hurt him when you were in pain?

He did not have answers to the questions rising in his head, but he was certain about one thing. That he would do anything for you. Anything.

He did not know what overtook him but he could not resist the powerful urge to kiss you. And so he did.

You snapped out of your dreams when you felt a pair of lips. On your cheek. It was so sudden that it startled you but you relaxed when you realised it was Jungkook.

His lips soon left your cheek as he backed away, diving into your eyes. There was something in his eyes that you could not decipher, he never looked at you with those eyes before.

Something clicked, he blinked his eyes and then looked away instantly. He refused to meet your eyes, not even once he glanced up at you the whole time you were staring at him. He was acting very weird and it worried you.

"Jungkook?" You softly garnered his attention, his eyes meeting you once again.

"Nothing," He shook his head. Get a hold of yourself, Jungkook. What were you even thinking? You have to come up with an excuse for your dumb action right at this moment.

His brain obeyed his command and he found himself smirking mischievously at you, "Nothing. I was trying to bring you back to earth but you didn't so I kissed your cheek to get back at you for kissing me without my consent."

You rolled your eyes at his dramatic tone and choice of words, "I just pecked your nose, dummy."

You had pecked his nose yesterday while cooking your dinner. He looked too cute while trying to cut the vegetables you had given him, so without any self-control you had pecked his adorable button nose.

But he began teasing you, "Oh. You weren't speaking like this with him. How was it again? No, no, you didn't disturb me, Tae." He mocked you with his high-pitched voice to mimic you.

"Yah. Dumbhead, I don't talk like that." You took your pillow hitting him continuously as he defended himself with his arms while laughing out loud causing you to laugh with him too.

You both were having fun with your pillow fight not caring about the girl who woke up due to noise. But she smiled as soon as she saw your and Jungkook's wide smiles.

"Ouch!" But it was wiped off when she heard you whimpering in pain. Jungkook leaned lower —completely forgetting your swollen foot— and slightly brushed his elbow during the attempt of dodging your attack.

And before you could hit him to avenge your poor foot, he backed off while standing up and teleported somewhere. "Yah! Come back here! I swear I will abandon you if you don't return this instant!"

And Jieun giggled again, taking humour in witnessing you yelling at the wall in vain.

"I AM NOT KIDDING, JEON JUNGKOOK!"

To be continued.

A/N

I am back 🙂

Stay safe and healthy

Signing off,
Kim Luna