Pandora Unleashed ✔️

What I Am Not

Knots and twists.

Whether it was the uncomfortable car ride back to the city or the aftermath of receiving another letter from Namjoon, your stomach had had enough.
As soon as Seokjin dropped you off at the police station, you ran straight for the bathroom. You scrambled from the dirty marble floor then flushed the content you had eaten for breakfast. A feeling of uneasiness came over you as you rubbed your aching belly while the gut-wrenching conversation you shared with your best friend roamed your mind.

You'd never seen Seokjin be fueled with such discontentment; from the way he clutched onto the steering wheel, going off about how irresponsible you were, and right down to how recklessly he drove. He terrified you at that moment. Despite the heated conversation, a part of you wondered why he reacted as he had. However, when you questioned him about it you weren't prepared for what he would say.

'Am I even your friend?' how could he think that?

You stared at your reflection, gargling the water to rinse your mouth as Seokjin's question lingered.
He wasn't wrong for calling you out. You couldn't do much as you sank deeper into his car seat, feeling smaller than ever while you listened to his blunt comments.
He wasn't wrong about your absence either. You couldn't blame him for feeling neglected, for feeling ignored, and worst of all questioning your friendship.

Jungkook was apparently a far better friend.

You scoffed at the thought, irritation overcoming you as you wondered why on Earth they needed to befriend one another.
When he revealed he'd been hanging out with Jungkook, you couldn't help but feel the jealousy creep in. Whether it was preserved for your friend or your ex, you didn't quite know. All you knew was your stomach turned at the idea of them becoming closer, and it messed with you that somehow you were a topic they had discussed.

Seokjin didn't say much but it pained you to know Jungkook thought of you as selfish too.

Regardless of Seokjin's momentary spitefulness, you couldn't deny his observations.
You had been a shitty friend to him at a time where he needed someone to talk to especially after everything that happened with Namjoon.
He told you as much along with the comment 'you never even bothered checking in' ... and just like you'd been neglecting to talk to Jungkook about the status of your relationship - completely avoiding him altogether - you had managed to repeat the pattern with your best friend.

Perhaps you had taken Doctor Jung's advice too far.

Between your family and your friends, you managed to unintentionally distance yourself. The conversation with Seokjin made it pivotal. You were in your own world, moving to the beat of your own drum with no care about the needs and wants of those you supposedly loved.
Namjoon wasn't ripping you away from them, not any longer. This time, you were the culprit. You were hurting yourself and making yourself more vulnerable to him.

You had no idea what was going on with Jimin, how your Stepmother and Father were doing, hell you hadn't even called your Mother to ask about the dinner date she had with her new boyfriend's kids. And Seokjin too ... he wasn't wrong.

You were selfish.

With a sigh, you reached for the paper towel and wiped your face, collecting yourself briefly before you met with Detective Jisoo about the third letter.

➰ JUNGKOOK ➰

       Rosé returned to the prosecution's table and whispered in his ear, "They trained her well."

He didn't respond, knowing full well the maid who was on the stand would favor the Styles and paint Jackson as a saint. He practically couldn't contain the internal need to laugh at the obscurity.
There was nothing about Mr. Styles he would deem as good. Even his wealth was unearned and passed down from his Father. At best, Jackson Styles was an entitled brat and if he didn't get rid of his ex-wife in favor of his new woman, then someone else did.
But the thought of the Styles being completely innocent - as the email claimed - was nothing short of a mockery of his intelligence.