Only On Paper / JJK

Chapter 13

Namjoon offered to drive you back to your apartment, saying it was too long of a walk with all the groceries, and you weren't going to refuse, but you certainly didn't expect to have been forced into the backseat, listening to Namjoon and Jungkook converse as if they've known each other for years.

You've known Namjoon for months now, and he's barely spoken a word without hitting on you in every sentence. Jungkook spends one night at his apartment and suddenly, they're best of friends. Even though they had just argued the night before. Something feels off.

You eavesdrop on their conversation, picking up details about some movie they watched. Not a second later, you zone them out. Now, you're just staring out the window on the passenger side behind Jungkook, admiring the scenery.

Almost immediately, you recognize the park you'd gone to when you were having trouble finding inspiration. It was the day you had hurried home to draw the man you constantly dreamed of. You haven't dreamt about Jungkook since he appeared.

Thinking back on it, you notice that the trees which had started losing their leaves are entirely bare now. The petals are scattered on the sidewalk and the far right side of the road. They're all fading of color, shriveling up now that they're no longer connected to their life source.

It's kind of sad, you think. It's so beautiful as they fall to the ground, but time spent away from the twisting branches has the beauty disappear. All that's left is a reminder of what they once were. Then next week, or maybe in a couple days, a maintenance crew will sweep the old life in preparation for when fall comes around again.

You sigh, dreading for the cold that comes with winter. You're about to lean your head against the window when Jungkook gasps and shouts at Namjoon to stop the car. Namjoon asks him why, but Jungkook just keeps telling him to stop. His voice sounds frantic.

Namjoon, without much more hesitation, turns on the emergency lights with the press of a button and pulls to the side of the road away from passing traffic. When the car stills, Jungkook opens the door and jumps out onto the sidewalk where the tress are lined up.

You yell at Jungkook, wondering what he's doing, but he doesn't answer. He sprints to the other side of the pathway before he looks back to you. His eyes are wide as he points at something not too far from where he stands. You follow the motion of his finger to see that it's not some thing but some one, an elderly woman. You look back at him in confusion.

Jungkook's lips move, and though try to understand what's best saying, you don't know what he's trying to mouth to you. He does it a couple of more time until it finally clicks.

That's her. The old lady.

Your gaze snaps back to the woman. Before your brain can even process the information, you're mirroring Jungkook's actions until you're standing directly in front of the woman. All you know is that you need answers. You want them, and she's the only one that can give them to you.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" You hope she'll look up from the sidewalk to acknowledge your presence.

And she does, but when her eyes meet yours, she becomes blurry. A soft blue clouds the corners of your vision, and your head slowly starts to pound. It hits you out of nowhere, leaving you weak dizzy. You almost fall, but Jungkook catches you before you face-plant into the cement.

Vaguely, you feel one hand gripping your shoulder and the other trying to prod you up from under your arm. Blue is covering your vision more and more. Your head aches like someone has beat you with a brick. One hard swing right at your temple.

You can't even question what's happening. It all hurts too much. Everything just looks so blue. Everything feels so far away. You swear you hear someone calling to you, but you can't focus.