Seated in the far corner of the library, Chayoung and Haneul spent their lunch break working on their individual homework for the next class. Chayoung rarely ate lunch and if she did, it was never much. Haneul several times tried to convince Chayoung to buy her lunch, but Chayoung always refused to accept the offer. She explained that she wasn't hungry at lunch time yet. That was a lie, obviously, but Haneul could not force the girl to let her pay for her lunch.

The lack of a mid-day snack had its consequences though.

Most days, Chayoung found trouble concentrating in the late classes and even though the girl was used to compromising with food, she often left school with throbbing headaches.

But to excuse her lack of proper attention in school on her eating habits would be a weak attempt of dismissing the real reason.

What mostly weighed on the girl's mind was her job.

The job she was ashamed of and so desperately wanted to get rid off. Chayoung had never been proud of it, but the shame surrounding her job had only grown bigger after attending college and watching other people live totally different lives and if they actually did visit her world, it was for a fun night out. People saw her job as entertainment, and it did not feel good to be the entertainment.

Today however, the distraction from her homework, wasn't negative thoughts about her job. These were positive.

Chayoung had stopped selling sex.

Despite the disadvantage in her income by stopping this, she'd never experienced a bigger relief. It was like the room she'd been so claustrophobically locked up in had grown wider and less suffocating.

And it was partly thanks to Jungkook.

After Jungkook and Chayoung's first time, the girl stopped at an instant.

She never would've guessed that it could be so easy. So easy to just discard it. So easy to escape.

She sometimes found herself wondering if it was too easy to be true. There must be a catch, she thought. She couldn't just escape from the lowest part of her life like that, could she?

But the only catch as of right now, was that she still felt the shamefulness of her actions.

She tried consoling herself, repeating over and over in her head that it had been the only solution for her. She couldn't have done anything else. If she had, she would've never been able to start college this semester anyway.

However a negative part of the choice of stopping with her secret private business was that it resulted in a much lower income which required the girl to take more shifts. Way more.

It was difficult balancing school with her job when she had shifts almost every night, but it was a foregone conclusion to her quitting the sex-selling.

Yet — it was all worth it.

She just couldn't do it to him. She simply couldn't.

Jungkook was a fuck boy. She knew that the moment she saw him wink at passing girls in the cafeteria. On the other hand... Jungkook had shown another side of him during the past week.

To say that the girl had been dazed after the kiss Jungkook had pressed to her temple would be a slight understatement. And besides that, he'd acted a lot sweeter toward the girl.. or maybe he was acting as he always had and Chayoung just seemed to mind his actions more now.

She'd not only grown much more aware of Jungkook's behavior whenever she saw him, but she'd grown significantly more self-conscious around him, more shy and nervous (which she rarely was around men), less reserved and even a tiny bit happier.

She liked being around him, she liked how he made her feel and... she had kind of started to like him.

Which was another reason Chayoung had trouble focusing on the book in front of her.

Jungkook had asked her out on a date tonight.

Good, right?

However, her increased number of shifts after asking her boss for specifically that, caused her to be unable to say no to a shift tonight as well.

Someone had called in sick today and Chayoung just got a call from her boss this morning asking her to step in. It would've been double standard asking for more shifts and then when her boss actually needed her, she wouldn't be available. Not forgetting to mention that speaking to her boss over the phone made it a lot more challenging to say no.

The sound of the school bell interrupted the studying that Haneul was very occupied with and that Chayoung was less occupied with.

Packing up their stuff, Chayoung briefly informed her roommate that she had a shift this evening and then they separated ways, going to each of their classes.

The rest of the school day, Chayoung couldn't shove away the warm bubbling feeling in her stomach, that being a great mix between frustration and anxiousness.

What wouldn't Jungkook say?

She was going to ditch him for a shift at a strip club.

What wouldn't he think?

That she rather wanted to strip in front of random men while getting cash thrown on stage with her than spending time with Jungkook?

That was so far from the truth as possible.

Chayoung was never excited for a shift. Never.

She could've easily said no and risked not being able to pay off this month's installment on her loan or worst case scenario losing her job.

But it was not a risk the stripper could afford to take. She didn't live to work, but she had to work to live. And it barely let her.

The girl drummed her fingers on her desk and tapped her food nervously all throughout the classes until the final school bell rung, indicating the day was over.

Chayoung packed up her things rapidly, heading out of the classroom and down the hallway. She felt like crying, which was an abnormal feeling for her.

She just was so regretful of having to turn down Jungkook on their first date after... you know.

She liked him. She so badly wanted to spend time with him. And she was so afraid of disappointing him.

"Chayoung?" As if she manifested his presence by thinking of him, Chayoung stopped at the voice and right in front of the black-haired boy.

She looked up at the figure towering over her, immediately feeling a sense of calmness envelope her. Before she remembered what she needed to tell him.

"Hi Jungkook." She breathed out somewhat hesitantly.

Jungkook chuckled, "Hey, are you alright? Elevated by my presence?"

Chayoung would've normally chuckled and maybe even rolled her eyes. The smirk played on his lips, told her he was cocky about what seemed to be her being breathless and speechless.

"Kind of... Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure." Jungkook leant his shoulder against the wall, crossing his one leg over the other which carried his whole body. Chayoung couldn't help but to briefly take in his looks. He wore black sweatpants and a grey t-shirt. His muscles were prominent as he folded his arms across his chest, making it hard not to stare at them for a bit longer. His hair was wavy and slightly messy. She speculated shortly if he just woke up and skipped school judging by his outfit, but the bag swung over his shoulder told her he was probably heading to practice.

He was hella attracting as he stood, waiting for her to speak. Chayoung had to gulp down the saliva that had formed in her mouth before speaking, "Not here." She grabbed him by his arm, immediately feeling heated at the touch of her hand on his skin, before dragging him with her.

"In a rush now, are we?" Jungkook laughed but willingly followed along with the girl in front of her.

Chayoung pulled him inside the nearest empty classroom she could find. She couldn't just talk about this freely. No one but Jungkook and Haneul knew about her being a stripper.

"Close the door." Chayoung asked softly.

"Woah, what are we doing?" Jungkook's face gathered in a smirk as he obeyed and closed the door behind him, leaving him and Chayoung in a completely empty classroom.

Chayoung immediately noticed the change in Jungkook's demeanor, "Geez, do you ever think about anything but sex?"

Jungkook shrugged, his gaze running up and down her body in a slow manner.

"Don't answer that." Chayoung let out a sigh, but she couldn't hide the blush on her cheeks.

"I won't then." Jungkook nodded and pulled his right hand to his lips, pretending to zip up his mouth and throw away the key. It made Chayoung giggle shortly, before she sighed deeply, gathering the courage to admit what she'd done.

"About our date tonight..." She breathed.

"Our date? Oh, so you see this as a date." Jungkook smiled at the girl.

"I- oh.. what is it? A hangout? I mean you asked me out..." Chayoung blushed out of embarrassment. Wasn't it a date?

"I'm fucking with you." Jungkook laughed at the girl's nervous reaction. Chayoung's lips collected in a tight-lipped smile and squinted her eyes. Not funny.

"So what about our date?"

"Yeah about that... something came up. I can't tonight."

Chayoung immediately tucked her lower lip in between her teeth, biting on it to relieve the uneasy feeling inside her.

Jungkook's expression shifted into a perplexed one, his eyebrows collecting in a frown, "What?"

"I'm sorry Jungkook, I can't go out with you tonight." Chayoung regretfully repeated.

"Wait, why? What came up" He questioned, his voice wasn't as soft and sweet like before, but rather raspy and sounding slightly agitated. But before getting annoyed or mad, he wanted to give her a chance to explain it.

But when the girl's head hung low, breaking their eye contact and failed to give an answer, Jungkook couldn't help his initial frustration anymore.

"It's because of your job isn't it?" The boy scoffed, throwing his head to the right. The girl before him remained silent, which only annoyed him more. Because then he knew he was right.

But when he turned his head to look at her again, he couldn't bring himself stay angry.

Jungkook had noticed that recently she had quite many shifts. He didn't know why. He knew she didn't like it. So why didn't she just get another job?

Her eyes had lowered to the ground, she was biting her lips nervously and Jungkook didn't miss her uncomfortable position. He saw the discouraged look on her face. The humiliation she might've felt in that moment, reached Jungkook and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Why didn't you just say no?" His voice had softened significantly. The words came out very weakly and less strained as minutes earlier. Still, Chayoung could easily tell the disappointed in his voice and she felt so ashamed.

Because I'm poor. Because of my student loan. Because of my habitual way of life. Because of my reduced income, due to having ceased to sell sex... for you.

Every reason she tried to come up with seemed derisory, almost laughable. And even if they didn't sound uttermost ridiculous, she just couldn't tell him.

"Jungkook I'm really sorry... If I could, I would. I'd rather spend the evening with you." The girl dodged his question that had no reasonable answer.

Jungkook let out a sigh, taking a step closer to the girl, "I'd rather have you being with me too." He admitted and didn't seem to stop walking as he slowly got to the point of closing the gap between their bodies.

Chayoung's breath hitched at his confession, but even more at the closing proximity between them. She started backing up, feeling that the tension was too tense for her to stand close to him right now.

She didn't know how he switched up so fast. From being upset about her cancelling their date to being almost understandable that she did and to now approaching her continuously until she came to a halt as her butt touched the teacher's desk and she couldn't get further.

Chayoung grabbed the edge of the desk with her hands, holding onto it as if it would help anything. But her clenched fists softened as Jungkook's hand placed on top of them, as he leaned down and came to an eye level with the girl.

"I'd rather want you with me, in my bed, privately." Jungkook's voice was low and raspy. His eyes lowered from hers and to her lips, before raising them again to meet her gaze. Her pupils were dilated, and eyes wide. A faint blush painted her cheeks. Jungkook was close enough to hear her breathing, which was slow and heavy. It amused him.

He leaned even closer to her face, their faces less than inches apart. His hot breath fanned the girl's ear as he leant closer, pulling his hand up and tucking some hair behind her ear.

"I hate the thought of guys staring at you, watching you strip and without me there." The words were intense. It made Chayoung gulp.

"I'm not your girl." She breathed out. The words weren't confident and not even near convincing, which made Jungkook chuckle. The raspy sound of his low chuckle sent shivers down her spine. His hand that had tucked her hair back was tracing down up and down her arm leaving goosebumps wherever he touched.

"You're not, yet." Jungkook's left hand left Chayoung's as it travelled up her side, stopping at her jaw and cupping it, "But do you want to be?"

Jungkook's words made Chayoung pull back from his hand. Her eyes widened and she felt her heart might jump out of her chest soon if he didn't stop teasing her.

"W-what?" She stuttered out. Jungkook pulled a bit back, making their eyes meet again. Chayoung watched a smile from on his lips. It wasn't a smirk, but it wasn't a completely innocent one either.

"If this is one of your stupid attempts to make me flustered, it's not funny Jungkook." Chayoung laid her arms over her chest in a cross, as if it would protect her hard from exploding out of her chest.

Jungkook let out a chuckle, "It's not." He assured her, which made Chayoung hold her breath.

His hand yet again moved to cup her cheek, this time Chayoung let it. Pulling closer to her, Jungkook watched the hesitance on her face, but decided that he rather wanted to be rejected trying than to not try at all. Chayoung's lips were close enough for him to only lean a bit forward and connect them in a desperate kiss. Her breaths were heavy, her eyes flickered between each of his, her eyelids fluttering shut and open. She was flustered, nervous and perplexed, obviously. But there must be a reason she didn't pull away and instead parted her lips.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Jungkook whispered against her parted lips.

Instead of replying, Chayoung closed her eyes and leaned forward, connecting her lips with Jungkook's. The kiss was less intense than it was last time they kissed. It was more passionate and held more sincerity. Jungkook responded to the kiss but let Chayoung decide the heat of it. He still didn't get an answer.

Chayoung's hands moved around Jungkook's neck, holding it and squeezing it tight as she pressed his lips harder onto her, before pulling away.

"Was that a yes?" Jungkook questioned, looking down at the girl whose lips spread into a big smile, "Yes!" She exclaimed, jumping up and clinging her arms around Jungkook's neck.

Jungkook caught the girl, slightly startled by her joyful reaction and let out a chuckle. Chayoung clenched her legs around the boy's waist, holding her arms tightly around his neck and burying her head in his neck.

Jungkook hugged her tightly, laughing at the squealing sounds that left Chayoung, his girlfriend's, mouth. His girlfriend. He got a fucking girlfriend. Was he sick?

Taehyung and Jimin would not believe it.

Chayoung pulled back her head and leant forward, pressing a big kiss onto Jungkook's lips.

"Does that mean you'll quit your shift tonight? And maybe even your job?" Jungkook laughed, but the smile on his lips quickly faded as he watched Chayoung's expression change. She relaxed her legs around his waist and Jungkook let her slide down slowly until she stood on the ground.

"Jungkook..." She said, "I can't just quit my job."

Without daring to look up, Chayoung could still feel the disappointed seeping into Jungkook's body. Maybe it was because of the lack of a response. Maybe it was because of the deep breath falling from his lips that almost sounded like a sigh.

The girl bit the inside of her cheek, feeling conflicted. But at last she swallowed thickly and cleared her throat. She had to confront her life, not matter how much she wanted to conceal it.

"My life has not always been the most rewarding..." She started. Looking up, her hunch was confirmed as she faced Jungkook's disappointed expression. However, he listened. "I grew up in a single parent relationship. My father left before I was born. He was scared of getting a kid, he never even wanted one so as soon as my mother told him that she was pregnant, he ran."

An 'oh' left Jungkook's mouth. His face had softened, but Chayoung didn't mind anything as she continued.

"After that, my mother started working as a stripper. I don't believe she ever told me the full story, but I know that the main reason was the money. She didn't have a lot prior to her breakup with her boyfriend and without an academic degree or any sort of education, it was hard to find a job that would cover the costs of both a home and a child. I don't remember from when I was a baby, but I know I had a baby sitter once when my mother was out every night, which also demanded money. But that was only for a year or two as it wasn't affordable. All in all, we never had a lot of money and when I grew older and slightly more aware of how much my mother had struggled and still did, I decided to help her..." The girl came to a halt, a lump forming in her throat. She missed her mother so much. She wish she could've helped her get a better life.

"...by becoming a stripper." Jungkook finished her sentence. Having someone else say it, made a shiver run up Chayoung's spine. It wasn't the way he said it. He didn't even sound disgusted, which would've normally baffled the girl but her mind was nowhere near what Jungkook thought of her right now. It was the words that made her skin crawl in the most awful way ever.

"My mother was the best mother I could ever ask for. She... she never showed me anything but love and passion. She cared for me, bought me birthday gifts even though she couldn't afford to spend money on such insignificant things. But to her, I meant the world. She never wanted me to become a stripper. She always encouraged me to do good in life, walk a finer road than her and find someone who'd love me as much as she did... It just so happened to be that growing up with a mother who desperately chose to strip to survive... I never knew otherwise. I don't blame her, I won't ever blame her for anything. I could've chosen to not start, but we needed money so I got the job as a stripper, just before I turned 17."

"That's so young." Jungkook breathed. Chayoung nodded.

"I didn't tell my mother of course. I wouldn't want her to be disappointed in me."

"Chayoung, if anything I'm sure she will be proud of the strength and kindness you hold within you. Hearing how much she cares about you, I know she'll never be disappointed in you. By what you've told, she sounds lovely." Jungkook's voice went straight into the girl's heart. If life hadn't told her already that tears did no change, she would've broken into them right then. But she held them back.

"She was."

Jungkook held his breath for a while, letting the words and realization sink into him. Watching Chayoung's wistful smile, he wanted nothing but to step forward and hug her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and make her feel safe. But he stayed in his place.

"She died just after I turned 18. There was not much she left behind, because she didn't have much more than me. And I didn't have a lot more than her. A few months ago, almost half a year, I decided to change my life. She always told me, under pressure you either crumble or make a diamond. Even though how tough things are, it's always your choice. And I chose to start college, to hopefully make her proud. You know how expensive college is and being that I also had an apartment to pay for, I couldn't just live on the streets, I never got the chance to escape my job. And I still can't."

Feeling like a weight lifted off her chest, Chayoung let out a deep breath. She hadn't even realized for how long she had been talking when she stopped. And all throughout, Jungkook just listened.

She realized she'd never had anyone listen to her before starting college. And she would've never guessed that it felt so good.

"I just wished you would've gotten a less demeaning job." Jungkook spoke.

Somehow, the words made something inside Chayoung sizzle.

"I was 14 when I first started thinking about helping my mother with getting a job. I was excluded in school because of rumors that I was poor, which was true. I never had friends to influence me. I only ever had my mother and thereby I was naive enough to think that stripping was the only and best way of raising money. I felt like I had no other option. I was 14 at that time when it first hit me that stripping might be my only successful path. I was a child! What did you want me to do Jungkook?" Chayoung had raised her voice, her lips trembling as she pushed out her words. 

"Woah, I didn't mean it like that." Jungkook had been startled by the girl's reaction to what he said. He didn't know what caused her to react like that. Did he say something wrong?

No, he didn't. The temper rising inside the girl had nothing to do with Jungkook. She was upset, but not at him... but at herself.

"I hate that you felt like that. I hate that you ever had to go through all that alone. But now hopefully... you have me?" Stepping forward, Jungkook grabbed Chayoung's forearms gently. A warmth immediately shot through the girl, but a different warmth than the sizzling feeling in her stomach.

"You deserve respect Chayoung. You deserve to be respected, your strength does, your story does... Your body deserves to be respected and not thrown cash upon." Jungkook winced as the words left his mouth. Jungkook shook away the flashback of his mother that imposed itself upon him. "You don't deserve any of that."

"Maybe I don't, but I once made a choice and I can't undo it. I'm whirled up in this world now and in order to escape my job, I have to complete it first. I have to pay off my student loan. I promise I'll quit my job as soon as that is possible... but right now, I need the money Jungkook. I'm sorry about tonight." Her face fell, their eye contact breaking. She couldn't look into his eyes. She was scared, as though if he looked long enough he would see her true self. The broken, poor, lonely girl. And maybe even the prostitute.

"Fuck tonight. Don't apologize okay?" His hands went to cup Chayoung's face, forcing her to look up at him. With a rueful expression on her face, she nodded.

"What's your student loan at? I can help you."

"No!" Chayoung shook her head free of his hands, "I don't want you to pity me Jungkook. Why do you think no one knows? Because I don't want people's pity. I'm no abandoned puppy. I'm fine, I can do it myself."

Jungkook watched the girl for a while as she stared back at him, a fierce look in her eyes. It amazed him how strong she could be. Jungkook went through a lot, but compared to her he almost had it easy. He regretted all the times he felt like leaving his family, home and his mother.

"Okay." Jungkook breathed. It surprised Chayoung that he was so quick to surrender. But it relieved her because she meant it. She would feel like shit having Jungkook paying for her loan. No. She didn't even want to think about it.

"Your resilience is inspiring."

Her eyes darted to his at his words. She felt like her lungs punctured. She'd never had anyone tell her that. Not even her mother, despite the endless comforting and encouraging words she came up with. She never really knew how much Chayoung was struggling, cause she didn't want it to burden her mother.

"Your fortitude, determination, your generosity... You're really made of steel, aren't you?"

The words led Chayoung to chuckle. It surprised her that she was able to laugh after everything. It surprised her that Jungkook made her laugh. She wondered why he was even still here?

Why would he still be here, in this classroom with her, after listening to her harrowing and miserable story. Why was he looking at her like he was before, but now with even more affection?  Why was he not running away? She was a poor. She was alone. She was stripper. No one would want a stripper, would they?

"Do you really still want me to be your girlfriend?"

The words coming from the girl across from him, caused a pang in Jungkook's heart. Her gaze lowered, resting at his chest, her pupils dilating as she spaced out.

How could she even question that. He'd never heard a more stupid question. It was a ridiculous question. Nothing would ever change about how he felt for her. And he'd only known her for a month. Maybe, he was ridiculous.

"Of course I want you to be my girlfriend.. It's not your fault life is fighting against you. I'll be here to help now." 

That couldn't be true. He wanted to support her? How didn't he despise her? It was just so difficult to believe that anyone would ever care for her, by choice.

Hesitantly lifting her gaze again Chayoung met his eyes.

"I promise." He reassured her and Chayoung's hesitation melted away immediately at that. Stepping forward, Chayoung was enveloped into Jungkook's arms that squeezed her body tight into him. Jungkook rested his chin on her shoulder and the girl was surrounded by him.

Jungkook started nippling on her earlobe which made Chayoung stiffen. "I know I'm the only one who can make you scream my name anyways." He rasped, his breath fanning her neck and voice reaching way beyond her stapedius.

"Jungkook!" Chayoung whined, pulling away and hitting his chest, something he'd found to be a habit of hers whenever he made her flustered.

"Exactly, but a slightly more needy and dark." Jungkook rectified as though she was trying to scream his name like she wanted. Chayoung felt the blood rush to her cheeks and before the redness painting her cheeks would become too evident, she buried her face in Jungkook's chest to hide — and possibly to take a deep inhale of the cologne he was wearing, hell, it smelled divine.

"You're mine and only mine."