BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 99: farewells aren't easy

Yoongi had a knowing smile and a twinkle in his eye as he shook his head, reaching out and ruffling Jennie's hair a little. "I don't think you ever will."

-•-•-

Jungkook was determined to get better.

But determination alone couldn't make anything a reality. As he lay in bed that night, tossing and turning and unable to get any sleep, Jungkook found himself thinking over his life decisions. How difficult it was getting over her, how easy it was to just pick up the phone and tell her, 'I don't care if you used me, I'll let you use me all over again.' That's what his heart told him to do, anyway. But his mind said no - and listening to his mind was his only way of protecting himself.

Frustrated, Jungkook kicked the blankets off him and roamed out into his dimly lit living room. He found himself subconsciously wandering towards the room on his left, carefully twisting the doorknob and opening the door to what used to be Jieun's room.

Loud snoring greeted Jungkook's ears. In the dark, Jungkook saw Seokjin's lanky figure sprawled across the bed, in deep slumber. As Jungkook carefully crept closer, Seokjin stirred a little in his sleep, scratching his neck and mumbling something incomprehensible that really sounded like 'cheeseburgers', before everything was still once again. Jungkook took a seat by Seokjin's bed, watching the older sleeping peacefully like a baby.

Jungkook reached out, pulling the blanket over Seokjin and tucking him in snugly. Seokjin stirred again, muttering something inaudible this time. Jungkook sat by the bed for a few moments, not saying a word, not doing anything. It was nice, having company.

Seokjin had moved into his home very naturally, without any hiccups, without any permission - after Jieun had left. Jungkook wasn't complaining though - he hadn't realised it, but living with Jieun for over a month had made Jungkook accustomed to having someone else around at home all the time. Jungkook had always been used to living alone. At first, living together with someone else had been hard to get used to. But over time, he had slowly developed a liking for it.

Coming home, stepping through the doors and seeing someone in the kitchen, whipping up a meal for you, or just sitting on the couch, looking up with a smile and asking you how was your day after a long day at work. It was something Jungkook hadn't had for years, ever since moving out from his parents' home almost a decade ago, and it was an unfamiliar yet pleasant feeling.

A feeling that Jungkook thought he would lose the moment he drove Jieun out of his life.

Jungkook watched a snoring Seokjin who lay in the bed Jieun used to sleep in. In a certain way, Seokjin had very conveniently taken the place of Jieun in his home, without much problem. Jieun's place in his life could very easily be replaced by other people - soon, new makeup artists would join the company and take over her role. But what about the place in his heart...?

That was, perhaps, the only thing no one would be able to fill, for a very long time.

Jungkook sighed as he crouched in the corner of Seokjin's room, hugging his legs tightly to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut and willing himself to fall asleep.

-•-•-

Byulyi hesitated for a long while before she spoke.

"Jieun-ah..." Byulyi looked across the living room at Jieun who lay on the couch the next morning. "Can I tell you something...?"