31. The Sigh of the Sea

1.5K 183 159
                                    

Jungkook had forgotten what the ocean felt like.

When he was a kid, it was routine for his small family to visit the beach every Saturday evening. He would cling to his father the minute he stepped into the house — dressed in a star-white lab coat and smelling like the sweet-scented beakers of ethyl ethanoate — and beg him to take them to the beach. Dr Jeon would then smile radiantly at his son, ignore his exhaustion and sleeplessness and ask his wife to prepare the picnic basket.

Their happy family party would sing songs along the way, excitement pumping through their veins as they sprinted towards the ocean, splashing the salty water at each other without mercy. Jubilant giggles would ring in the ocean air as Jungkook and his father dragged a scared Mrs Jeon into the water, whispered assurances of it's okay, it's not too deep combining with her shrieks the moment the water brushed her feet.

Although it all changed after Dr Jeon's death, this place always remained close to his heart, for it was here that Jungkook spent the best moments of his life with his father.

Funny how Jungkook chose this very place so he could forget about him, if only for a while.

"Flunking your assignments again?"

Jungkook jumped at the familiar sound coming from his side, bracing his palm against the picnic mat he had laid on the sandy beach soil.

Petra stood a few feet away from him, dressed in a plain white T-shirt and denim jeans, chocolate brown hair tied in a loose ponytail. He almost cried with relief.

How long has it been since I last saw you, he asked to himself as his heart beat erratically against his ribs as it did whenever around her. But when the initial surprise at her visit wore off the slightest bit, he registered her question and glanced down at his phone sitting between his palms, a few notifications flashing on the screen.

From Petra

JK, JK, where are you

can we meet up for discussing the research project at seven tonight? it's already the last day of August & i really think prof lee will mark us a 0 if we keep ditching it lol

The messages were sent three hours ago.

"How did you know I was here?" he asked instead.

Petra simply walked towards him and, dropping her backpack on the mat, sat down with a sigh. "I asked the guys where you were but they had no idea whatsoever. Funnily enough, it was Ava who told me you were here, but not before weaseling out my ulterior motives to meet you," she said, gesturing with finger quotations in the air.

Jungkook chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry about that."

Petra shook her head, then dove her hand into her backpack to rummage through it. She removed a steel tiffin box from inside with silver foil paper peeking from the edges.

"What's this?" he asked, taking the box from her and gently opening the lid. A rich, flavourful aroma wafted into his nostrils as a hot lump of cashew rice sat steaming in the tiffin, staring at him expectantly. He gaped at the girl, jaw hanging open as though she had just bought him a million-dollar duplex and sports car to match, but it might as well have been the same thing to him. "God, you're a life saver. Not kidding."

Dark Matter | JJKWhere stories live. Discover now