LET ME KNOW || JJK

prologue

⊱ ──── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ──── ⊰

The first time you broke Jungkook's heart, he was fifteen minutes away from stepping into an interview smiling for a camera.

His makeup artist was standing in front of him with a small brush in her hand, trying to fix the soft crease under his eye where exhaustion had started to show, and his manager was near the door, checking the schedule for the third time that afternoon. There were too many people in the dressing room, too many voices, too many lights reflected in the mirror, but Jungkook had stopped listening to all of it the moment your name appeared on his phone.

you: hey

He smiled before he could stop himself.

It was small, almost embarrassing, the kind of smile he only got when it was you. Not the one people took pictures of, not the one he used when someone told him to look happy, but the real one, the one that made him look younger than he was and softer than he should have been with so many people watching him.

kookie<3: hey baby
kookie<3: you okay?

Across the city, you stared at the message until your eyes burned.

That was the problem with Jungkook, he always asked that first. Not what you wanted, not why you were texting him so suddenly, not whether you knew he was busy. Just whether you were okay, like your feelings still came before the interview, before the group, before the career everyone around him was trying so hard to protect. That made your phone felt heavy in your hand.

On the table beside you was the envelope they had given you, full of printed photos you wished you had never seen. You and Jungkook leaving the same building. Jungkook looking down at you in the parking lot with his hoodie pulled low. His hand around your wrist. Your face turned toward his chest because you had been laughing at something he whispered.

Proof

That was what they called it.

Not memories, not moments, and most definitely not love.

You swallowed, but your throat still hurt.

you: i need to tell u something

His reply came almost immediately.

kookie<3: okay
kookie<3: what happened?
kookie<3: did someone say something to you?

You closed your eyes. He already knew something was wrong, of course he did, he knew you better than anyone by now.

you: are u busy?
you: i know this is probably a bad time

In the dressing room, Jungkook glanced at the clock.

Fifteen minutes

He had fifteen minutes before he had to walk into an interview and act like he was fine, like he had slept enough, like his whole life was not being pulled in ten different directions at once.

Still, he texted you back.

kookie<3: i have an interview in 15
kookie<3: but i can talk
kookie<3: what is it?
kookie<3: we can meet after if it's serious

Your fingers trembled, and for one stupid second, you almost said yes.

You almost let yourself believe there could be an after. That you could meet him later, hear his voice, look at his face, and somehow he would fix this the way he always tried to fix everything between you. He would tell you not to be scared, that the company didn't get to decide who he loved. He would probably get angry, reckless, emotional, and young in the way he still was when it came to you.