Stranger | Jikook/Kookmin

9 | Molt Icebergs

Jungkook has got to give him a hand, so he calls out for him.

"Hey!"

The kid stops in the middle of the road to look at the direction of the voice, noticing Jungkook a couple steps away. What he doesn't see coming is the sudden car accelerating towards him.

No.

Everything suddenly falls into slow motion stream, from the crawling wind that raises his soft bangs to the falling droplets from the tree leaves, the lights of the car to the horn that echoes noisily in the air and the pleading blinks of the little boy that stare deep into Jungkook's eyes. Box long fallen on the ground and his heart pounding on his chest in fear, Jungkook makes the most instinctual run of his life, launching himself to the road at the little boy who presses his eyes shut in a soundless cry.

For a couple beats Jungkook hears nothing but his panting voices, feels nothing but the adrenaline circulating through his veins, his protruding forearm muscles.

Then comes everything rushing in like a thunderstorm.

He is lying next to the trashcan with the little boy nestled securely in his arms as the dust of the car breezes into the distance.

Fucking asshole!

Jungkook is about to run after it when he notices the soundly whimpers of the boy in his arms.

"Oh shoot, hey, hey, are you okay?" he buckles the kid and sits him on his lap, forgetting his own pain as he checks him for any damage. The boy doesn't say a word, lower lip tucked painfully under his upper one as he stares at Jungkook with tears in his eyes. "It's okay, you're safe little one," Jungkook presses him to his chest, hugging him and running a hand on his back to calm him down, though he hears muffled sounds of crying.

He stares at the end of the street furiously, still can't believe that the rude bastard drove off like that. The worst is that he didn't even catch his license plate to make a proper complaint.

The little boy seems to have calmed down a little now, able to make eye contact when Jungkook pulls him back on his knee.

He is such a cutie, flushed cheeks and glossy brown doe eyes, sniffling in his adorable baby voice.

Jungkook caresses his cheek, slowly smiling at him.

"Hi. What's your name?"

The little boy waits for a while before answering him, shy from the interaction after such a heavy incident. He squeezes his shoulders, cheeks puffing in the meantime.

"Byeongie."

Jungkook hums lovingly, relieved that he was able to save him before anything happened. He'd hate himself in such case, because if he hadn't called out to Byeongie when he was in the middle of the street the boy wouldn't have stopped his moves.

"You are such a cute boy, Byeongie," he says gently, "And I'm Jungkook, nice to meet you."

Byeongie doesn't reply, still looking hazy.

"Do you feel anywhere hurting?" Jungkook checks around his body with his eyes, the boy following suit. He shows him his hand, the side of his palm scratched a little from the sudden ground fall.

Jungkook's heart breaks at the injured skin, but of course he is not going to show that to the kid who needs a little encouragement.

"It doesn't look that bad now. We'll get it cleaned and patch it up with one of those cute band aids, how's that sound?"

Byeongie finally seems to be smiling. He nods too, hair fluffing against the wind. Gosh it's so soft Jungkook can't help but brush his fingers through it. He smells so baby-like and sweet that it's making Jungkook's heart flutter with care and wonder. There is just something natural about Byeongie that makes him giddy inside.