HIGHSCHOOL AU
Kang Byeol gets a new obnoxious neighbour who thinks way too highly of himself. Unable to stand being in almost the same living space as him, she set herself on one mission: to dethrone the king.
warning: some swearing and other mature...
The ride was painfully silent at the start, yet both minds racing with a million things to say.
Flower boy grips the steering wheel tightly trying to hold himself together. One day he had to face up to this, and that it'll be painful.
"I've always known, Kang..." he begins softly.
She looks to him innocently, eyes sparkling. "W-what?"
"It's always been him, hasn't it?" He laughs bitterly. Jungkook's longing stares towards Byeol, the hidden emotions behind her feigned annoyed looks. Hell, he probably knew how she felt before she even did.
When he saw how broken the guy had left her he knew he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity out of a bystander in their relationship. She needed someone to show her care constantly, not someone who comes and goes as he pleases.
Now he's bringing the girl of his dreams home as she falls for another man that isn't him.
"I'm so sorry, Kyeongso," is all she could let out without breaking down.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Kang. You said you were only trying things out with me, and I couldn't be more grateful that you actually tried. It's all I ever ask of you," he smiles. However his heart can't help but feel hurt that she couldn't reciprocate his feelings.
"How can you still think of me like this? I know I've hurt you, Kyeongso. Please stop sacrificing yourself. Be mad at me please, I deserve it more than anything," a lonely tear falls from the corner of her eye. He looks away from the road for a second, wiping the tear away from her naturally blushed cheeks. "Don't cry, Kang. You can't control how you feel, and I just wasn't the one for you."
"But I think it's only fair that you let me be the one to end things between us, hm?" He chuckles silently, though the emotion doesn't reach his eyes.
She sniffles her nose nodding as she looks away. "You really knew how to treat me right, Kyeongso. I'm sorry things turned out this way, whoever you end up with in the future is going to be so lucky. I really mean it," she attempts to smile.
He sighs shakily, trying his best not to cry in front of her. When will he be able to be selfish? All his life, he's been giving. Too giving of himself, yet never receiving back. The times he spent with Kang Byeol allowed him to feel different for a euphoric period of time, claiming her for himself even if he knew she was never his to begin with.
He pulls up to her driveway, unlocking the car door. "Give me sometime away from you, okay Kang? I need time to take care of myself, and being around you will only prolong things." She nods her head. "This is hard for me too. You're still a really good friend to me. I hope things will get better and we can go back to h-hanging out," she shifts her gaze to him warily.
"If you'd like me to act mad now I'd say don't expect me to come back so soon. In the meantime stay the fuck away from me," he grins mischievously. At least he was able to humour her a little, hearing her beautiful laugh one more time.
"I think that's the first time you've ever cursed at me, flower boy," her eyes sparkle in the moonlight. His heart clenches as he finally releases her from him. "Yeah well you deserve it."
He opens the car door for her, looking past her figure. "You're welcome," the male says grimly before finally letting himself go.
She turns around confused, only to be met with familiar soft brown eyes. "H-hi," Jungkook breathes out.
"Hi," she speaks calmly, the complete opposite of her beating heart.
"Let's go in, it's getting cold out here," on his mouth dances a small smile.
She pulls her jacket off and stacks it on the kitchen counter, the same counter they shared their last kiss on. Her cheeks blush instantly at the memory of it, and now he's so close to her once more.
"Are you mad at me?"
His question throws her off-guard. "N-no I'm not, Jungkook. What happened at the bowling alley wasn't your fault."
"I failed you, so early into my promise," he mumbles quietly. In this moment he wants nothing but to crash his lips on hers, but his heart races with fear. He might lose her forever in this moment, and nothing scares him more than this possibility.
"You didn't fail me, Jungkook." She gently holds the side of his face, looking innocently into his downcasted orbs. "Tonight was a disaster, but it showed me you were willing to fight back for me."
"God, I missed you so much," he whispers, pressing his forehead against hers desperately. "The past week was torture, being able to look at you but not touch you or tell you how much I think of you."
Butterflies rise in her stomach, feeling just as desperate for his touch. "I-is this okay, now?" she questions him softly.
He draws away from her reluctantly, cupping her cheeks. "It's going to take a lot more reasoning for her, Kang Byeol. But it's a start," he sighs disappointedly.
She looks away exasperated. How many times have they played this game back and forth? Oh how she sacrificed an amazing guy for him, how she's always at the expense of him. Will she ever receive the same effort back? At this point she knows there's more to the story he presents.
His eyes look saddened and empty, knowing she's at her limit with his bullshit. How he wished things were just as easy for him. "Jungkook..." her pleading voice tightening around his heart.
"Something's bothering you and you're suffering. I'm sorry I never saw it before, but there's clearly something wrong with you Jungkook. I-I'm ready to forgive you, just please stop doing this to yourself."
He looks back surprised, unable to say a word. Conflict flashes across his beautiful face, eyes staring into hers speaking a million words at once. He draws a long breath collecting himself, wiping away the pained tears. Byeol has never ever seen Jungkook cry before, this must really be bothering for him to let himself go in front of another person.
"I-I'm ready to tell you why I can't leave her so easily," he lets out shakily. Byeol softens at his crumbling figure, holding his arm tenderly as she waits for him to continue.
