Secrets | BTS ✓

10

Flashback - August 2017

Jungkook continues to walk down the sidewalk, sweaty after dance practice. It also doesn't help that it's the middle of summer, so at this point, Jungkook is basically panting. He can't afford to take the bus, so he has to walk from his apartment to his dance classes and back.

He doesn't mind it though; he likes the exercise and he would also do anything to be able to dance, so walking to and from his classes is a small price to pay for his happiness. Thankfully, because he is so advanced in his dancing skills, he also gets paid to teach beginner classes, so he has money to afford his rent. He doesn't have much extra money to spend, but he knows that all of this hard work will pay off in the long run when he can finally become a professional dancer.

Jungkook sighs and pushes his dampened hair off of his forehead, wishing that he hadn't drunk his water so fast. He still has two more miles to walk before he is home, and he is finding it to be extra strenuous today because of how hard he practiced at the dance studio today.

Suddenly, a small red car pulls up next to him and the window rolls down, revealing a brightly-grinning woman.

"You're hot," she comments and Jungkook's eyes widen.

"Uh, thank you," he mumbles, his cheeks tinting pink.

The woman laughs and puts her hand on her forehead. "Well, I actually meant 'hot' as in you're sweating," she says through her laughter.

Jungkook's jaw drops and his cheeks turn redder. "Oh."

"Where are you headed to? I can drop you off if it's not far," she suggests and Jungkook bites his lip in contemplation.

"Come on," she says, gesturing him to open the car door. "I won't kidnap you!"

Jungkook smiles and nods before getting into the car. "Sorry if I stink; I just came back from dance practice."

"I just came back from a party, so I probably stink too," she says, laughing. "Where to?"

"Two miles this way," he says, pointing towards the direction he was walking.

"Got it," she says, and she takes off after Jungkook buckles his seatbelt. "What's your name?"

"Jungkook," he says, smiling gratefully at the woman as the air conditioning in the car cools him down quickly. "What's your name?"

"Nari," she says, turning her face towards Jungkook's for a moment, and he immediately smells the alcohol on her breath.

He frowns slightly. "So you just came back from a party?"

"Yeah," she says, shrugging. "It was lame so I ditched early."

"Are you fine to drive?" He asks nervously, watching the road and realizing just how much Nari is speeding and swerving.

"I do this all the time," she says dismissively. "It's-"

Suddenly, Jungkook yells out as he realizes that Nari has veered off the side of the road and is heading straight for the corner of a large brick building.

Before he can form any words of warning, Nari slams into the building, the full impact being on Jungkook's side.

Jungkook screams in pain and glances down at his legs, which are completely crushed underneath the dashboard from the impact.

"Fuck!" Jungkook yells, glancing over at Nari in a panic, who is just staring blankly at the building.

In just a few moments, a cop car pulls up, a deputy rushing towards the scene while on the phone to call an ambulance.

"Is everyone okay?" the officer asks, helping Nari out of the car before going over to Jungkook's side to assess the damage.

"I'm trapped," Jungkook says through gritted teeth. "She was fucking drunk and wrecked!"

The cop frowns and turns to Nari, who is completely uninjured. She shrugs. "All I did was give this guy a ride and he's accusing me of such a thing?"

"You don't know each other then," the cop confirms and Nari shakes her head.

The policeman can see Nari visibly swaying, so he begins to grow suspicious.

"Have you been drinking tonight?" He asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

Nari scoffs. "Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!" The cop yells back as Jungkook grits his teeth in pain, struggling to stay conscious as he hears the ambulance sirens in the background. "You've really injured this poor man!"

"Listen," Jungkook hears Nari say in a flirty voice. "How about we just say that this was an accident, huh?"

"Why would I do that?" The cops snarls. Jungkook tries to turn his head but his vision is beginning to darken and he knows he's going to pass out soon.

"I can give you some money," Nari says. "A lot of money. I just need a little time to get it."

The officer is silent for a moment before Jungkook hears a barely audible "okay" come from him.

Jungkook tries to focus, but the pain in his legs is becoming overwhelming, and he can feel his consciousness slipping away.

"It'll be okay," the policeman says suddenly as he reaches in through the broken window and holds Jungkook's neck steady as the ambulance approaches. "The paramedics will get to you in just a second. I'm just holding your neck steady just in case you have a spinal cord injury."

Jungkook tries to speak about what he just overheard, but everything is fading in and out of darkness. He finally gives in, and slips out of consciousness.

~

"Jeon Jungkook?" the doctor asks, and Jungkook's eyes flutter open slowly. He can see his parents seated next to his hospital bed, and can see that his legs are both a mess of metal and casting and stitches.

"What...?" he asks.

"You were in an accident, Jungkook. Your legs were both shattered from the impact," the doctor explains.

All of the memories of the accident flood back into Jungkook's mind, and he tries to sit up but groans in pain. "The girl, Nari... did she get arrested for driving under the influence?"

The doctor frowns. "There was no alcohol involved, Jungkook. The officer did a breathalyzer test on her and there was no alcohol in her system. It was just an unfortunate accident."

Jungkook shakes his head. "No! She was-"

"Kookie, honey," Jungkook's mother says through her tears. "Just listen to the doctor."

The doctor clears his throat. "I've been told that you're an avid dancer."

"Yes, I am," Jungkook says, a lump forming in his throat. "How long until I can dance again?"

The doctor sighs and gives Jungkook a sympathetic look. "With these injuries, Jungkook, I really don't think you will ever be able to dance again. You'll be lucky if you can even walk."