When It Comes To You |j.k

39: 沈默

———Third Person's

Something's off, Jungkook thinks to himself.

Hands on the steering wheel, his head spins into overdrive as they head towards the orphanage.

Aera's been buying time, dragging time so that the newly reunited couple get to the orphanage slower.

Refusing to get out of bed. Refusing to change. 'Losing' her phone in Jungkook's house, which he was sure was on the bed. She insisted to search the entire mansion. When they reached Jungkook's car she went back into the house because she felt she was 'forgetting something'.

Jungkook knew she wasn't buying time to stay with him longer. She was buying time to stay away from the orphanage longer.

The two reached a red light and Jungkook slows down the car, averting his gaze to Aera.

She doesn't look happy, he sighs.

"Is everything alright?"

She jolts, looking to him with her eyes zoned out, "Yeah. All fine."

"Really?" The concerned boyfriend raises a brow, "If something's wrong you can tell me."

"It's nothing," Aera sighs and drops her shoulders, hands tangled. "It's just that it's been hard at the orphanage."

"Why?" He talks slowly, not trying to sound pushy, "Lana is there, I'm sure that's a good thing?"

She shakes her head, "It's not that, I do love to see her. Axl and I haven't been on good terms lately."

The light goes green and Jungkook turns his eyes back on the road, taking a left turn down the street.

"Axl?" He asks, eyes on the road and mind all on Aera.

"Another social worker at the orphanage."

Ah. I remember him. The one that was giving me that glare, Jungkook huffs, not wanting to believe that that man has ties with his own girlfriend.

"He's my friend."

Jungkook looks at her, then back at the road, "What's making it difficult?"

She shrugs, then mumbles so quietly that his face scrunches as he attempted to understand her, "I don't know if i'm supposed to tell you."

"You don't know if you're supposed to tell me? The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I think you might have to tell me now." They take a turn and slow the car down, parking it on the side. Aera glances out the window and watches Jungkook drive them away from the center of the road. She sighs as she regrets ever opening her mouth in the first place.

"Well," She sighs again, seeing that Jungkook had no plans to avoid the topic.

"Axl..has feelings for me."

Jungkook feels himself tensing up. But he hides it with his jaw clenched as he tried to breathe even breaths.

"It's been going on for a while now. He doesn't expect me to feel the same or anything...but he's very possessive of me and it gets uncomfortable. I told him about you and now he's upset with me."

"So he knows we're together?"

"Yeah."

"And he's still bothering you?"

"I wouldn't say that he's bothering me-"

"But you feel bothered by it, don't you?"

Jungkook turns to look at her, and she nods, slowly.

"Do I have to do something about him for you?"

Her eyes immediately jolt wider and she shakes her hands in panic, "No no, you don't have to touch him, he's my best friend, he's fine, i'm just being paranoid."

She was so quick to defend him, it made Jungkook's heart twist, not in a good way.

Jungkook was frustrated.

Frustrated in Aera as she couldn't seem to understand that this was as much of a worry for him as it is for her. She's his girlfriend, and there's another person at work that has their eyes on her. After that night at Aera's flat, he'd thought this was it. Just him and Aera for the rest of time, peacefully, happily. He didn't expect that there'd be someone else in the story, and today it adds one more stone on his shoulders.

It didn't help to know that they've been around each other on the daily for three years. The same three years in which he and Aera were separated.

He was aware that Aera's love was all for him, but it didn't stop him from worrying.
He was just as vulnerable and insecure as everyone else after all, if not more.

And then there was the issue that Axl was making it difficult for Aera. He'd do anything to stop him. But in the same time, Axl is Aera's best friend, or so she says. If Jungkook hurts him, he's also hurting the girl sitting next to him.

Intimidate him with his social status. Take him out of his job. Make him move away. He could do all that. He was Jeon Jungkook anyway. He had the upper hand against Axl in every aspect.

But then he'd be no different from his own late father.

He didn't want to abuse his power the way his father had done.

So he ends it with a heavy exhale, then a nod as he accepted the situation.

"If he does anything to you, just make sure to let me know. I won't hurt him, if he doesn't hurt you."

Aera nods with a smile, relieved knowing that her boyfriend was the type to be protective in a way that wouldn't suffocate her.

Jungkook forces a small grin, stretching his lips, and leans in to kiss her cheek. He sits back and adjusts his seatbelt.

Jungkook's discomfort goes unnoticed when they drive in silence towards the orphanage, when they part, and even when she heads inside the building with Axl waiting behind the door.

———
A/N: late and unedited. I apologize.