Beastly Beauty ✓

21. The Forgotten

21 | THE FORGOTTEN

"You've got to be joking."

"Why would I be joking?" Jungkook asked lightly while I took in his full appearance.

His onyx hair was styled away from his face, leaving a small section on the side to curl over his forehead. Two sets of silver hoops dangled from each of his ears. The short sleeves of his black shirt clung to his biceps, and his round collar dipped just enough to reveal a silver chain around his neck. The deep blue jeans that stretched tight over his thighs were ripped at the knees and the bottoms were rolled up to sit just above his black combat boots.

"You're the epitome of a cliché bad boy," I said, unable to keep myself from laughing. Our eyes met and I found him smiling along with my laughter.

"Guess I just have to hope that bad boys are your type," he teased, still resting his arms on the handlebars.

I caught myself relaxing around him yet again, overly aware of how he continued to charm me. There was a hint of chemistry there that I couldn't deny, and it was all too easy to fall into that playful banter with him, but I was still hesitant. If not for Jimin's words, I would not have considered hopping onto a motorcycle with him. But Jimin had never led me astray before, and he was the sole person that was entirely trustworthy to me. Going with Jungkook was not out of faith in him but out of faith in my best friend.

Eyeing the bandage on his arm and hand, I asked, "Are you sure you're good to be driving like that? Doesn't it hurt?"

He shrugged. "My arm is fine when I drive since it's covered, and I'm not setting my palm on the handle." Jungkook sat up and smirked. "So are you down or are you too scared?"

This is your opportunity to get answers out of him.

I let out a faint breath of amusement, crossing my arms. "I'm not scared. Seokjin had a motorcycle too while we dated, so this is nothing new to me."

His lips pursed while his ego visibly deflated. Brushing it off, he leaned back to grab the two black helmets that hung on the tail end of the bike, handing one to me. Taking it from him, I glanced over his features a final time before putting the helmet on. Though the face shield tinted my vision a shade darker, Jungkook's satisfied smirk still caught my attention. He easily brought the kickstand up with a swift motion of his foot, then placed his boot on the asphalt to keep the bike steady for me.

Rolling my eyes at the way his confidence so quickly returned, I went to sit behind him on the small seat. My feet naturally went to the footholds, bringing my thighs flush with his. Just as the engine revved up, I wrapped my arms around his waist, and my chest pressed against his back.

Before I could reevaluate my decision, he threw his helmet on and peeled out of the parking lot, swiftly merging onto the main road. As soon as traffic spread out, Jungkook gassed it and we were speeding off, weaving through the scattered cars.

It was true that Seokjin had taken me on his motorcycle a few times while we dated, although it was rare. He'd always been hesitant to let me ride it, and the few times I did, he was sure to drive cautiously, which made more sense after he explained why he was so afraid of losing me. Riding with Jungkook was an entirely different experience, though, to the point where it did feel new to me.

The wind was cold on my bare skin as it blew back the hair that hung out of the helmet. Prompted by the darkening sky, the buildings around us lit up and turned to streaks of golden yellow as we whizzed by.

My heart raced with excitement, veins igniting with life. The demand to hone in on the present and just absorb all that was around me - the strong wind, the bustling city and its bright lights, the dwindling splash of sunset, the warmth of Jungkook's body - was enough to free me of the incessant feeling that I was suffocating.