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7.
[Jeon Jungkook]
I helped her back in her room after Sunhee had dropped us off back in our dorms at 1 am, when everyone else was probably fast asleep.
I supported her waist as we walked towards her room, careful to not make any sound as the house was already quiet.
This was not the first time I was sleeping on her bed again, apart from last night. We used to do game nights in her room or sometimes in my place and crash at each others beds, of course with the permission of the other. It has become a habit ever since the car crash last year.
She really went out of her way and did a lot to help me recover, or at least cope at the initial trauma. Maybe that's why my small crush on her when she first joined the label deepened as we spent more time together.
Hyemi sat in her bed as I looked around her room again. It was remarkably cleaner than yesterday, and Hyejin's bouquet now sat on a large vase on the nightstand beside her bed, the pink roses looking a bit dried and garbled on one side.
"Do you need anything?" I watch her as she removes her make up and began settling down.
"Umm, actually..." Hyemi said sheepishly, setting down the make up wipes and opening her knapsack. "I know you have your questions so why don't you sit down so we could talk and eat the rice cakes I brought."
She takes out the plastic from her knapsack and opens the sweet rice cakes for sharing.
I smiled a bit, sitting down beside her and relaxing. I took a piece for myself and ate, swallowing before I began speaking.
"I mean, I was confused..." I started. "Who was he?"
She tensed a bit, but took another rice cake from the pack.
"Yoonjae was a senior trainee of mine, he was nineteen when I was seventeen." She explained. "At the time, we used to work together since he was diligent and hardworking too, and we practiced together a lot for monthly evaluations and bought me snacks sometimes. That was until he tried asking me out."
Her gaze shifted on the bouquet as her leg began shaking up and down again.
"I rejected, thinking that I don't need any distractions from studying and being a trainee but he was persistent to get in my pants. He almost did. If it wasn't for Avery finding me being harassed by that bastard at the back of the building, I would have been raped, or killed."
I held my breath in shock, taking it all in.
Hyejin did mention that she quit being a trainee for a year back then. Even her sister couldn't tell why she did so, but she gave her a little nudge and got her signed in our label. It was probably the best thing she'd done. She was happy when she started working at Bighit compared to when we first saw each other when Hyejin brought her to eat dinner with us.
"I-Is that why you quit being a trainee before?"
She nodded solemnly. "I was afraid to go back and face the prospect of seeing him again daily and working alongside him that I chickened out and quit the dream that I desperately wanted, breached the contract and even transferred schools. I was miserable, yes, but at least I'm out of his radar when I'm in Gwangju with my parents."
I look at her quietly as she spoke. I noticed that while talking about that bastard she absentmindedly rubs her neck as if trying to remove something. My heart broke at the sight of her so vulnerable and afraid.
She never looked like this to anyone. She never showed any weakness when she was so afraid everytime she leaves the house.
"Maybe that's why I don't show too much skinship. Maybe that's why I'm too afraid of commitments." She said to herself, blinking away tears. "I'm sorry..."
"No you don't have to apologize for something beyond your control, Mi." I said, almost hesitantly. "Can I hug you?"
She blinks, looking up with surprise. She looked flattered that I asked for her permission that she broke into a wide smile, leaning closer and rested her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on hers.
"I don't know what else to say, so I'll just hug you until you tell me to stop." I told her, and she broke into a fit of giggles.
"Well, you're not stopping anytime then." She breathed slowly, and I felt her relaxing in my hold.
She held on to me tight as my back rested on her headboard, her breaths starting to slow down. I absentmindedly played with her hair and sang quietly.
I appreciated moments like this with her. It was as if we had no care about what goes on outside. But I was troubled as well.
Was it just enough that he only got a restraining order? What if he comes back and terrorizes her again? What if he gets her and I couldn't be there to protect her?
Her soft voice broke the comfortable silence that engulfed us as I finished the song not long ago.
"I know we both have singing careers, but has anyone told you that your voice is so soothing?" She yawned. "Added that you're playing with my hair like that... It's.. It's like a lullaby."
"Well," I rubbed the back of my neck in a flustered manner. "Not as of late..."
I breathed, trying to calm my heartbeat down as I continued the notion. She liked it when I'm playing with her hair, so I kept doing it.
All of a sudden, she looked up at me with a smirk. Her chin rested on my chest as she looked at me through her lashes.
"What's wrong?"
"Wow, you're so red, Jungkook... We're you really flattered by my compliment?" She chuckled.
I turned my head away, but my face still betrayed me as I blushed harder.
I grabbed one of my ears and rubbed them a bit, feeling how hot my whole face, especially my ears, are.
"Oh, you are! Kookie doesn't get too much compliments from friends?"
"Well you're the one that's complimenting me out of the blue. Do you think that's good for my heart?!" I push her off playful, making her laugh as I made a face.
