Beastly Beauty ✓

21. The Forgotten

The farther we went from the hospital and from the university, the more my shoulders lightened and my lungs truly breathed. It became painfully apparent that the one place I'd dreamt of attending for so many years turned out to be the place I most needed to escape.

Despite Jungkook's brazen driving, my muscles slowly relaxed, all the pent-up tension vanishing to be replaced by a much-needed sense of freedom.

Soon enough, we were off the main road and slowed down as we navigated tighter, windier streets. Jungkook brought us to a town near the ocean, driving until we made it to a long stretch of road. Both sides were lined with a variety of vendors that stood at food stands and booths with hand-crafted items. The street wasn't overly crowded but still lively.

Jungkook pulled the bike to the side of the road just before the booths began, killing the engine and bringing the kickstand out. I easily dismounted and took off my helmet, placing it in his outstretched hand. After he hung both helmets on the bike, he got off and sent me a smile.

"So what do you think?" he asked as he gestured to the line of vendors.

"Too soon to say. I haven't had the food yet," I replied.

He chuckled. "That's fair."

As we started walking down the street, I said, "I have to admit, I'm relieved that you took me here instead of some fancy restaurant."

He kept his eyes trained ahead, but his lips pulled back in a grin. "Did you think I was going to wine and dine you?"

"With how flirty you are, I wouldn't put it past you."

While following Jungkook, I quickly sent a text to Jimin letting him know who I was with and that I would be back later that night.

As we continued walking down the street and weaving through the small crowd, savory scents wafted through the air and met my nose, making my mouth water and my stomach growl.

"Is it okay if I order for us?" Jungkook asked as we came up to one of the stands.

"Go ahead. I'm hungry enough that I'll be happy with anything."

He nodded. After waiting for the person ahead of him to get their food, Jungkook began speaking kindly to the vendor, asking for an order of tteokbokki and eomuk. It was odd to see him with such a polite demeanor after growing used to his bold attitude.

Once he paid and received the bag with our food, he turned to me and smiled. "Alright, let's go."

My brows furrowed. "Go where?"

"I know the perfect place to eat. Now come on," he said, finding my wrist to pull me along.

A short while later, I was hopping off the motorcycle and staring in awe at our surroundings. He had driven us up a dirt road to a cliff with a wonderful vantage point of both the ocean and the city - one a sea of endless, swelling blues, the other a galaxy of glowing neon colors. Where emerald grass met the dirt path were three wooden picnic tables that overlooked the view. The moon and the streetlights below illuminated the area in a bluish hue.

"Wow," I breathed, gazing up at the silver stars in the night sky. Finally, I turned to face Jungkook and found him walking toward me with the bag of food in his hand.

"I know it's beautiful, but you should really close that mouth of yours before you swallow a fly," he teased as he came up to place his fingers under my chin, softly closing my previously gaping mouth. Instinctively, I whacked his arm away, and he laughed while lifting his hands in surrender.

Something about the exchange was strangely comforting when normally it would have made me uneasy. I considered that perhaps Jungkook really had grown on me, or maybe I was used to those sort of actions from Jimin.