roses [jungkook]

38. a burden lifted

It's been a couple days since I avoided Taehyung. Even at school, we moved our desks apart and I didn't know if that was childish, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to him. I guess Taehyung understood that I wasn't ready yet. There was only a couple days left until we graduate.

I leaned on my desk, wondering what to do with my life. Everything turned out a mess. I sighed to myself when the bell rang. School was over for today. I got out of class and walked to the bus, listening to music to refresh my mind and soul. I was graduating soon so I had to be positive. Maybe it was best to get everything off my chest before graduating.

After I got off the bus, Jungkook kicked my backpack from behind and I glared at him. "What do you want," I muttered.

"Ramen," He replied. "I want some ramen noodles,"

"I'm broke," I replied and he shrugged.

"I'll pay for you,"
"Well, okay then,"

Free food? Why not?

When we got to the store, we picked our bowls and payed before eating it. I stared out the window, whilst I slurped my ramen. I was pretty surprised Jungkook wanted to eat Ramen with me since we haven't talked after he cleaned my knee for me. I mean, we talked then and there, but it wasn't really how it used to be.

Of course, I felt that my feelings for him didn't quite go away yet, but I had to push that aside. And being able to act like this around each other made it better than avoiding each other.

We ate in silence and I actually liked it. As long as he was by my side, it was great.

"Jungkook, I wanted to ask," I began. "I saw you ripping up something in front of Mijin the day we got back from the field trip. What did you rip up?"

He looked over at me with his mouth full and swallowed. "They were photographs," he replied. I raised my brows.

"Photographs?" I asked. He got quiet for a while and I nudged him. "What is it?"

"I'm not going to hide this from you, Aera," He said, facing me. "Mijin had pictures of Jin rejecting Ari and she also had pictures of Ari—Uh—changing—I swear I didn't like keep them as souvenirs or whatever—I also never really looked at them—I'm not a pervert or anything I just—Mijin threatened to show you these—um, and I also heard from Seungjoon that these photos were leaked around the school back then—sorry, I just—I wanted to get rid of them because I didn't want you to see them."

What?

I stared out the window, feeling so many different emotions. Ari was treated so horribly and I never knew. I blamed her for being suicidal.

My eyes began to well up as I shoved ramen in my mouth. I accidentally made eye contact with Mijin the bitch when I saw her drive by. She immediately braked and I choked on my noodle.

"Aish, Aera," Jungkook groaned, hitting my back whilst I painfully coughed. He handed me his water and I gulped it down.

"Jeon Jungkook," I heard Mijin say, walking inside the store.

I looked back and forth between Jungkook and her whilst I uncomfortable shifted in my seat.

"Why are you here?" She asked and Jungkook looked away, continuing to eat his ramen. I looked at Mijin who shot lasers through her glare at me.

"Oh Aera, I told you to stay away from him," she muttered and I slightly chuckled.

"You're one to talk," I stated. Just looking at her made me angry. She bullied Ari. The things she did to Ari, I didn't want to imagine.

She rolled her eyes. "Follow me," She remarked, walking out of the store. I looked at Jungkook before getting off the stool.

"You're going?" He asked, his face full of worry.

"I can handle it," I replied before walking out. I followed her to the side of the building when she turned around, looking like she was ready to swing.

"I told you to stay away from Jungkook! This is probably why he keeps pushing me away! Because of you!" She exclaimed all of a sudden.

I stared at her, confused to why she was blaming me. "Kim Mijin," I muttered, getting real tired of her bullshit. "Why can't you just accept the fact that Jungkook doesn't like you?"

"Why wouldn't he like me!? I'm the one for him! It's all because of you! Because you keep doing stuff to him—,"

"What are you talking about!? Why're you blaming me for someone else's feelings? I have nothing to do with this,"

"Stop lying—,"

"Mijin. You really don't understand it do you? Jungkook fucking hates you, because you told a lie, blamed his brother and cause him to commit suicide!" I exclaimed, rolling my hands up in fists. "You did that horrible thing and you still blame others—wow, you have no heart. I thought I was heartless, but you're even worst!"

I sucked in a shaky breath, anger rising up in my body. "And, you, what the hell did you do to my sister?"

Her eyes widen and she let out a shaky chuckle. "Your sister was basically my pet," she replied, glaring at me.

"Your pet?" I scoffed, stepping closer to her. "You're fucking disgusting. You're still fucking heartless till the end. The only one left that you got by your side is Taehyung. The people who fucking loved and supported you, has disappeared by your side. You hurt Jungkook's brother for your own selfish acts. Jungkook never liked you, nor did he ever like you now. You drove his brother to commit suicide, and yet you're still lingering out him like nothing was your fault!"

"Why you—," she raised her hand up and I caught her wrist before she was able to do anything more. I tightened my grip as I jerked her backwards, my eyes welling up.

"And, Kim Mijin! You pretended to be friends with Ari! You fucking took pictures of her—you took pictures of her changing!—you even sent them around school! You're such a heartless bitch—what did she do to deserve that?" I shouted, my face burning red with tears. "And you're over here calling her your pet!? You're such a low human being. And to think even Taehyung kept that away from me—he's probably just like you,"

I pushed her away from me and her back hit the wall, her face full of shock. "I want you to stay the hell away from me. Don't you dare ever show up in front of me ever again, because if you do, I seriously will kill you," I muttered angrily before turning away.

I wiped my blurring tears as I walked to the store when I found myself breaking down into tears. Why did I feel so much pain? Why did everything go down like this? How much more pain was I going to have to go through?

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