The Scent of Miracles [ Jikook ]

Chapter 14

It would be so easy.
If he just found the courage, Jungkook would be able to crush his skull or break his neck. Maybe, after he gave him what he deserved, the rage and unbearable pain he felt would finally start to fade. Jitae's last desperate expression would finally be wiped from his mind.

As if in trance, he grabbed a stone the size of his head. This wasn't like him, not at all. He felt his stomach twist and turn, felt the urge to throw up, to choke out the emotions that still fought and clashed inside of his chest, battling to get the upper hand.

He stood like that for what must've been minutes, awkwardly frozen with his eyes trained on the fox and the stone held high, ready to strike.
Yet, he just couldn't move.
It was the same a few years ago, when he was supposed to take revenge for his Dad. He knew exactly what he was expected to do but, like the worst son in the world, he just couldn't. It didn't feel right to him.
Did this make him a traitor? Did his poor slaughtered father really look down on him with disgust and despair, just like his all powerful leader claimed?

The thought alone made him want to die.

Before he could work himself any deeper into this frenzy, a high-pitched groan reached his ears and made them twitch. It was followed by a whimper, a whine. Next thing he knew, the tiny fox in front of him was bawling his eyes out like there's no tomorrow.

It startled Jungkook so much that he jumped backwards to bring some distance between them before eventually hiding behind a nearby bush.
But even then, with him being completely out of sight, that spoiled brat just kept on crying without looking up or at least rolling around to save his face from sinking deeper into the mud.
Such a weak pup, Jungkook thought as he scrunched his nose, hands pressed on his ears to drown that damn noise.
Someone like him would never survive in his pack. Never.

Just when the thought crossed his mind, a memory suddenly flashed in front of his eyes. A short scene of himself crying outside of their family's cave until Jitae finally came running. Jungkook barely saw him through the veil of his tears but he felt the fox's heart race when the slender male pressed him comfortingly against his chest.
"Oh Jungkookie…" Jitae sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you that climbing down by yourself is dangerous, huh?! What if your father had found you like that…? He would've been so worried."

When the child was only crying harder, the fox shook his head in defeat, heart already melting, expression growing soft.
"Shh… don't cry, baby. I'm here now. I'll make sure you're okay."
Jitae reached behind himself, revealing a few flowers he had picked on his secret trip to the forest.
It worked like a charm. Jungkook quieted down in an instant, eyes growing huge as he sniffed and touched the soft petals, amazed by their beauty as much as their fragile nature and will to survive even after being ripped out of the earth.

With that moment in mind, Jungkook watched the pink miracle cry and, for the first time since initially seeing him, he felt bad. All rage was drowned in pity, maybe even sympathy as he looked around the place until finding a nearby flower bed and picking some he would then hold in front of the other pup's nose.
The fox fell silent in an instant. His huge, fearful eyes flickered up, lashes fluttering to blink the tears away, flinching when he heard Jungkook speak.

"Pretty."

"Huh...? Me…?"

"Nope. I'm talking about the flowers, Stupid."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You… Jimin paused, finger shaking and thoughts racing while he tried to process Jungkook's words. Memories came flooding back but they didn't seem as sweet as he always thought they were. It felt like betrayal.
So Taehyung wasn't lying? You really thought about killing me when we first met? It has always been like this? You always felt that kind of hatred when following me around?