CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, ANGST, & MINOR FLUFF
_
I'd gotten pretty good at shadowing my feelings with a false cover, a skill I had grown to adapt over several years of pain. It wasn't a healthy skill but a skill nonetheless. And I had to admit that I was rather good at it. A pained smile blossomed on my powdered face, dolled up for the day with a light amount of makeup that covered up the few scars and bruises that littered my skin. I trotted up the steps to the front door with Nari at my hip, the Shepherd panting from our two-mile walk of the morning, something I'd thought to do as a way to escape the house. Now, I had to return home, hesitantly wrapping my hand around the doorknob as I dreaded walking inside.
Haven't felt this way in a while.
Despite the uneasy shiver that worked its way down my spine, I offered Nari a glance, the dog whining impatiently before I turned and pushed my way inside. I was met with the normal chit-chat of Jimin and Taehyung in the kitchen, working together to cook something for breakfast. I mumbled a cheerful, "I'm home," unhooking Nari from her leash and letting the Shepherd pad out into the living room in search of a place to lie down and nap.
Standing to my full height, a pair of arms looped around my waist, pulling me flush back against a broad chest. Peering up, I found Jimin blinking down at me, a faint smiling tugging at his, rosy, doll-like lips as he bent down and pressed a kiss against my cheek. His touch made a broad grin break out across my face, one that was half genuine, half forced to make it seem as if I were truly, completely at ease.
"Hi, angel," the blonde hummed, trailing a line of kisses down my neck and collar. I spun on my heel, wrapping my arms around his neck and connecting our lips for a slow second. To my surprise, Jimin smiled against me, his fingers gently digging into my hips to pull me closer. It was as if everything were back to normal, even though things we far from it.
"Hyung!" Taehyung scolded playfully, throwing a wide smirk over his shoulder. "Get your cute butt back here and help with breakfast."
Jimin giggled, pressing a rushed kiss against my lips before backing away. "I love you," he murmured, sending butterflies alight in my stomach. I was shocked at the feeling but enjoyed it still.
Footsteps sounded from behind me, drawing my attention away from the blonde to the two brunets entering the kitchen. Yoongi walked in first, offering me a worried glance before Jungkook came up beside him holding Yeontan in his arms, the maknae glancing from his two hyungs at the stove, to Yoongi, to me. We held gazes for a few moments, my body sparking with electricity. And not the good kind. The unsettled look in his once warm, brown eyes made chills coat my skin. I looked away, the heat rising in my cheeks as I took a step away towards the kitchen island.
Yoongi and Jungkook exchanged a few quiet words behind me, Jungkook setting Yeontan down on the tiled floor before stumbling forward to sit beside me. I tried not to grow stiff in his presence, eyeing him over out of the corner of my eye as he leaned forward on his elbows with a sigh. He seemed worn out and tired, but I could still sense the spark of energy radiating off of him like normal. It was almost as if he too were wearing some sort of mask.
"Okay, now that we've got the two children here," Yoongi started, walking over to stand at the edge of the island. His gaze floated knowingly over me and Jungkook and I felt my skin ripple with gooseflesh.
You better not, I hissed in my head, thinking the brunet was going to make Jungkook and I tell them what we knew. But instead, Yoongi turned away, his gaze fixated on the other two at the stove as they bustled back and forth, frying up eggs, bacon, and jasmine rice in a series of stainless steel pans.
A sigh sounded in the mix of popping oil and clanking pans, but it wasn't from me. I turned to find Jungkook hunched forward with his eyes shut in relief, something like a smile tugging the corner of his mouth upward.
I bet you're relieved, you sick-
"Angel, how much do you want?"
"Huh?"
Taehyung looked over his shoulder, gesturing with the spatula at the pan of rice and egg. "How much?"
"Not a lot," I replied, not feeling so hungry despite my long walk. I turned to Jungkook, clearing my face of any agitated look before poking him in the arm. "You should eat a little more than usual. You haven't been eating enough these past few days."
Jungkook turned to me with wide, searching eyes, his head cocked slightly to the side like an intrigued puppy as he looked me all over. "I- Okay." He seemed shocked and I grinned internally at the reaction I'd gotten out of him. For the first normal words I'd spoken to him in days, I'd managed to seem just as calm and caring as I always did.
Maybe if I played nice guy for long enough, he'd confess.
_
IMESSAGE CHAT
𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐬🔥
KIANA
So, how's your little...plan...holding up?
FREYA
She can't hold out for too long without kicking
some ass😌
FREYA
I guarantee it
KIANA
Well, I wasn't asking you😪
FREYA
Alright, Miss Bitchy💀
FREYA
This is what no dick does to a girl👀
KIANA
Stfu!!😤
FREYA
Make me! With your dry ass pussy!
KIANA
It's on sight, Freya🔪
YUMIN
Are y'all good over there?🤨
FREYA
Depends👀
FREYA
You still plan on being a bitch, Ki?
KIANA
Yes
FREYA
There's your answer then💀
YUMIN
Okay, while y'all try and settle your love-fest
YUMIN
I spoke to Jungkook this morning
YUMIN
Briefly, not too long
YUMIN
Just so I'm on his good side :)
FREYA
I still say you tell him you already know where
he was that night and then kick his ass🥰
YUMIN
Although much deserved, I'm gonna play
nice guy a little bit longer
FREYA
Whyyy?
KIANA
Cause not everything is about VIOLENCE, Freya
FREYA
And you don't always have to be a bitch but that's
a conversation for another time🙄
KIANA
Istfg👀
YUMIN
I'm gonna wait it out so he can come forward
on his own
YUMIN
I wanna see the guilty look on his face when
he has to admit where he was and what he
did in front of everyone😌
YUMIN
Just to get my money's worth
FREYA
Y'know when I think of "evil gf" I think of
burning his clothes, cursing him out, looking
through his phone, sabotaging relationships
FREYA
But, you've chosen the guilt route
FREYA
You took a softer approach to "evil gf"
YUMIN
What can I say?🤷🏽♀️
YUMIN
I don't like confrontation :)
_
IMESSAGE CHAT
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐲𝐬🥴
JIMIN
Has anyone noticed how...normal...Yumin has
been acting these past few days?
YOONGI
You noticed it too?
JIMIN
How could I not?
JIMIN
She talked to Jungkook calmly for the first
time in like what?
JIMIN
Two weeks!?
JUNGKOOK
So, I didn't imagine that?👀
TAEHYUNG
No, I heard it too
TAEHYUNG
I thought she hated you💀
JUNGKOOK
So did I
JUNGKOOK
I don't know what she found out about that night
JUNGKOOK
But, it's obvious she thinks I did something wrong
JIMIN
Did you??
JIMIN
Because if you did, you can understand why Yumin
would be upset with you
JUNGKOOK
I didn't do anything wrong, hyung
JUNGKOOK
Trust me
JUNGKOOK
Nothing happened that night
JIMIN
Then why would Yumin be so upset??
JIMIN
If "nothing happened"??
JUNGKOOK
I don't know, but it's not important
YOONGI
Not important?
YOONGI
Jungkook, whatever Yumin found that night reduced
her to tears and excessive drinking
YOONGI
So much that she was bedridden for an entire day
YOONGI
I find that pretty fucking important
TAEHYUNG
Hey, okay, let's not go off the rails again
TAEHYUNG
Hyung, calm down
JIMIN
Koo, you know we're only trying to help right?
JIMIN
If something happened that night, we're not going
to get upset with you if you just tell us :/
JUNGKOOK
Can we drop it!?
JUNGKOOK
I thought we were talking about Yumin?
YOONGI
There's not much to talk about
YOONGI
She's doing better and she's starting to get out
of the house again
YOONGI
That's what's important
JIMIN
I'm still going to keep an eye on her for a while
just to make sure she's doing alright
JIMIN
Something's not sitting right with me
JUNGKOOK
You do you, hyung
JUNGKOOK
I'm going to try and not get my head bitten off
_
IMESSAGE CHAT
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞🥵
YOONGI added JUNGKOOK to the chat
JUNGKOOK
Why was I removed?👀
TAEHYUNG
Reasons👀
YUMIN
I'm assuming all of us need to hear what
you've got to say if we're adding him back
JUNGKOOK
You don't have to sound so happy to have
me back, doll🥴
YUMIN
Oh, but I do🥴
YOONGI
Hey, love birds👀
YOONGI
I'm glad y'all are cool now, but I got something
important to announce
TAEHYUNG
You're pregnant!!
TAEHYUNG
Finally,😩 I've been waiting for years
YOONGI
I-
YOONGI
WHAT!?
YOONGI
NO, YOU DORK!!💀
YOONGI
Seokjin arrives home next week!!
TAEHYUNG
😳
JIMIN
Wait, really!?😳
YUMIN
Seokjin?
YUMIN
That's your guys' hyung, right?
YOONGI
Yeah :)
YOONGI
He's flying in next Thursday, and we need to
be at the airport by one to pick him up
TAEHYUNG
1 AM!?
TAEHYUNG
Oh, hell no
TAEHYUNG
I love Jin hyung, but I'm not getting my ass
up at 1 AM just to pick him up at the airport
TAEHYUNG
He can find his way home on a bus💀
JUNGKOOK
Damn, you're rude
TAEHYUNG
Am not
YOONGI
I never said 1 AM, I just said one
YOONGI
I meant 1 PM :)
YUMIN
You seem happy, Yoongi :)
YUMIN
You must've missed Seokjin a lot
YOONGI
Yeah, I have
JIMIN
I think we've all miss him
JIMIN
It has been two years since we last saw him
YUMIN
Sounds like he left around the time Yoongi and
I met
YOONGI
I met you the day he left, actually
YOONGI
The only reason I was out in public was because
I didn't know what to do after he left
YOONGI
I didn't know where Tae, Jimin, and Koo were at
the time
YOONGI
And Joon and Hobi had already left a few days before :/
YOONGI
So, I decided to take a walk
JUNGKOOK
And, low and behold you come upon little Yumin sitting
at a bus stop👀
YUMIN
Hey, it's not my fault that xenophobic, fat,
old man didn't want me on the bus😤
YUMIN
I would've smacked him, but I didn't feel
like getting put in cuffs😒
TAEHYUNG
You're not saying that anymore😏
YUMIN
👀
JIMIN
Which airline is Jin flying in from?
YOONGI
Why don't you ask him yourself? :)
JUNGKOOK
What?
YOONGI added SEOKJIN to the chat
SEOKJIN
Hello, queers🥰
SEOKJIN
Hi, Yumin :)
YUMIN
Hi😁
JUNGKOOK
Hyung??😳
SEOKJIN
I'm not your hyung, I'm fucking Santa Claus
SEOKJIN
Get it right😤
YOONGI
Same Seokjin, same energy
SEOKJIN
You know it✨
JIMIN
You're coming home!!
JIMIN
Already??
SEOKJIN
Okay, why do you all make it seem as if I'm coming
home too soon?💀
SEOKJIN
Do you hate me?
SEOKJIN
Or are you planning a surprise "Welcome Home
Seokjin!!" party??👀
TAEHYUNG
Um...
TAEHYUNG
Who's gonna tell him?👀
YOONGI
It's a no to both, hyung
JIMIN
We're just surprised because you weren't supposed
to come home for another two months or so
JUNGKOOK
But, now it's two weeks and we gotta get the house
together💀
SEOKJIN
Did a tornado come through and wreck the place?🤨
YUMIN
No, we're just...settling things
SEOKJIN
I heard💀
YUMIN
I-
JUNGKOOK
Yoongi👀
YOONGI
What?
TAEHYUNG changed the chat name to 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞🥵
JIMIN
What-
YUMIN
I am genuinely terrified
SEOKJIN
I don't know what that means, but I like it :)
JUNGKOOK
What the hell is a "sextuple"?
TAEHYUNG
A group of six, generally used for something musical
TAEHYUNG
I would expect you guys to know this terminology
TAEHYUNG
I bet you understood right away, didn't you Yoongi?😌
YOONGI left the chat
YUMIN
Living in a house a six...
YUMIN
Fuck💀
SEOKJIN
*Fun🥰
_
I couldn't help but smile at my phone, watching the others interact with their hyung for the first time in years. My heart twanged with a feeling as if I'd lost something, but I ignored it, letting my eyes roam aimlessly over my screen as the newly named chat flooded with heartwarming, joking messages. Seokjin seemed like a fun-loving person, and I had the feeling we'd get along just fine. There was nothing between us, nothing against the other, for we hardly knew each other, only hearing snippets about each other through the others. Yoongi had spoken so fondly of him for years I felt as if I'd known him almost as long. But I knew that Seokjin and the others had a history together that I could never match.
My mattress dipped behind me, but I brushed it off as Nari hopping up on my bed for attention. I didn't mind her ruffling up my sheets, unlike the others, so her presence didn't bother me one bit. Folding my arm behind my back, I snapped a couple of times to grab her attention, wanting to offer her a few affectionate head pats while I watched over the group chat.
"I'm not the dog, Yumin, you don't have to snap to get my attention."
With a startled yelp, I slipped off the side of the bed, glaring up at the owner of the voice with wide eyes. To my surprise, Jungkook sat staring back at me, a smirk toying at his lips as he lay down against my bed. He hung his arms and legs over the edge, shaking his head at me as he offered his hand. I slapped it away, pushing myself to my feet and chucking my phone on my nightstand.
"Have you ever heard of knocking?" I snapped, eyeing the brunet heatedly.
"If I knocked, would you have let me in?"
"Probably not."
"Exactly." Jungkook pushed himself up into a sitting position, crossing his legs and staring up at me with a serious expression.
I felt my heart sink, thinking that this was the moment I'd been waiting for all this time. Confess, my thoughts murmured, Confess now and I'll stop bothering you. I just want to hear you admit it.
"Yumin?"
"Hmm?"
Jungkook shifted back, patting the space on the bed beside him with a hopeful smirk. "Sit down. I wanna talk to you for a minute."
When I didn't react, he sighed, lowering his head as he folded his hands carefully in his lap. He looked tired and distraught, but despite the aching in my heart, I remained emotionless in his presence. "Angel, please?"
I'm not your angel, was all I could think, settling beside him on my bed and bringing my knees to my chest. "What is it?"
"I think you already know."
"Depends on what we're talking about."
"Don't get smart with me, Yumin."
I narrowed my eyes at Jungkook, grinding my teeth impatiently as I waited for him to start talking. With another sigh, he brushed his bangs away from his face, facing me full-on with a gaze as hard and as dark as steel.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for snapping at you last week and acting like such an ass for the past couple of days. I know you're upset; we all are, but I shouldn't have talked to you like that."
"That's it?"
What the fuck? I thought Jungkook had come to apologize for cheating, for lying, for hiding from us the fact that he had slept over at Rachel's the night he'd disappeared, but no. He'd only come to apologize for raising his voice at me when I'd gotten caught snooping around his phone. I furrowed my brow in disbelief, holding my tongue to prevent myself from chewing him out. Nice guy. I quickly threw on a relieved face, mixed in with one that flushed with shame as I bowed my head pliantly.
"I- I'm sorry, too, Koo. I'm sorry I invaded your privacy. I shouldn't have done that."
Bingo. Jungkook frowned, shifting closer to wrap his arm around my shoulder. My stomach felt empty at his touch, but I remained pliant, leaning into his embrace until my head rested in the crook of his shoulder. His other arm folded around my front, tugging me closer until he could nuzzle against the top of my head, exhaling almost in relief as he offered me a squeeze. The brunet's touch felt sickly unfamiliar and almost toxic as if any skin-to-skin contact would result in burning us like acid.
"I forgive you, angel. I know you were only trying to help."
I hummed in response, not sure what words to speak to keep my cover of innocence, letting Jungkook hold me close for a few moments longer before pulling away. His eyes sparkled hopefully, forcing a pained grin on my face. The look on his face made me want to cry; how could he look so happy knowing what he'd done behind our backs? How could he appear so cheery knowing that if we found out, his infidelity would eat us all from the inside out? His cherubic face made me feel sick all over again.
"Do you want to hang out tonight? Just the two of us?"
I felt cornered by the offer, but it sparked another opportunity to get him to confess. With a warm gaze, I nodded, leaning forward to press a quick kiss against the tip of his nose. Jungkook flushed, his cheeks painted a rosy pink as he flashed his iconic bunny-like smile.
Oh, how badly I wanted to sock the look of innocence off his guilty face.
_
I counted off each member in my head, making my way hesitantly downstairs. The lights were off in the kitchen and living room, leaving the TV alone to illuminate Jungkook's languid form seated on the couch. Yoongi was on a call with Seokjin, gushing like a schoolgirl as he prepared for his hyung's arrival to Seoul next week. Jimin and Taehyung had disappeared into the upstairs bathroom almost an hour ago, and without question, everyone knew just to use the downstairs one.
Tossing a heap of extra blankets on Jungkook's head, I playfully smothered the maknae before hopping over the back of the couch to sit beside him. He peeked through the blankets at me, flashing a grin before wrapping me up with him. Despite the agitation that pounded about my head, I curled up against his chest. My heart began to ache as I ran my hand up and down his toned abdomen, forcing my tears to dry before they could run rampant down my face.
I was getting tired of wearing the same old mask over and over again. All I wanted was his confession, for him to apologize for throwing his relationship with his hyungs down the drain all for the affection and pleasure of my abuser. A sigh slipped past my lips as I hid in the crook of Jungkook's neck, the maknae peering down at me as he drug a hand across the side of my face. I didn't want his affection, but deep down I knew I was craving it.
"You alright, angel?" he murmured, shifting further down the couch so that he laid at my side, holding me against his chest. I nodded, pressing a chaste kiss along the underside of his chin before turning to the television, not wanting to make small talk for fear I'd burst into tears. Thankfully, the brunet accepted my silence, grabbing for the remote and choosing a movie at random from his Netflix library.
As the movie started, Jungkook pulled on my stiff form, forcing me onto his lap as he bundled us both in the pile of blankets I'd brought from my room. I sucked in my breath, not knowing where to turn or shift in his embrace.
"Just relax," he murmured, a smirk pulling at his lips. I looked him in the eye, feeling the whole room melt away as I got lost in their warmth. I felt at home wrapped up in Jungkook's arms, but there was a lingering sense of danger around every corner of that home. After an unsteady deep breath, I relaxed against his chest, eyes trained on the TV as he traced circles against my hip bone, threatening to lull me to sleep. It was as if Rachel no longer bothered me and I could finally relax for a moment's peace without her lurking somewhere in the shadows. A sleepy smile blossomed on my face as I shut my eyes, listening to the movie play out before me.
By the middle of the movie, I could hear Jungkook's stomach gurgle beneath me, begging for just a morsel of food for the night before the day ended. With a chuckle, I sat up, peering down at the brunet through narrowed eyes as I jabbed a finger against his chest.
"What?"
"Do you wanna, y'know, eat?"
"I'm fine."
Gurgle.
I looked up at the brunet, locking eyes as I shook my head at him. "Liar."
I sat up, pulling Jungkook into a sitting position and pointing at the kitchen. "Go get food." He stared down at me with his brow cocked, hints of humor sparkling in his eyes. Pushing against his shoulder, I got him on his feet, urging him to go get something to ease his stomach's growling before we finished the movie.
"Do you want anything to drink?" he offered with a smirk, ruffling his hair back into a presentable look.
"Just water."
"Okay." The maknae stooped low to press a kiss against my forehead before stepping into the kitchen, moseying about as he pried through cabinets in search of something to eat. I watched him for a moment before settling back against the couch, clutching the remote and a loose blanket to my chest as I stared up at the stilled TV screen. A flicker of light caught my eye to my right, bringing my attention down to Jungkook's phone on the edge of the coffee table. The screen lit up with an incoming text message, the urge to lean over and check it making my stomach do flips.
Leave it alone, I grumbled to myself, not wanting to spoil the surprisingly nice night I was having. I'd come to watch a movie with Jungkook with the intent of getting him to confess, but now all I wanted was to bask in his gaze and affection until the sun rose up the next morning.
Turning back to the TV, I forced down the urge to look through Jungkook's messages, only for the phone to light up with another incoming text. Glancing at the screen, I saw a series of texts flood in and then come to an abrupt stop. What the fuck? My curiosity got the better of me, forcing me to lean over the screen as my eyes scanned over each individual text one at a time. They were from Kakao Talk, an app I was familiar with, but never used. Looking up towards the kitchen, I monitored Jungkook for a brief second as he stuck his head in the fridge before unlocking his phone and opening the messages.
Three new messages from Choi Rachel.
I read over the Kakao Talk notification over and over before my anger forced me to open their chat, taking in Rachel's texts as I forced myself not to chuck the device across the room.
"Jungkook-ah?🥺" "Baby, answer me please?" "I'm sorry for what I did, just answer me please?"
I dropped the phone on the coffee table just as Jungkook stepped back into the living room, pushing myself to my feet as tears blurred my vision. Pushing my way past him, I stomped upstairs and locked myself in my room, the maknae's voice calling up to me worriedly with each step I took.
How could I be so fucking stupid?
_
Jungkook gripped a bag of chips and Yumin's water bottle in separate hands, staring up the stairs as Yumin vanished heatedly around a corner and slammed herself shut in her room. She'd left out of nowhere, making his heartbeat nervously in his chest as he turned and stared down at his phone. She'd gone through it again. Her apology meant nothing that morning, a snarl turning his lips upward.
Chucking the food on the couch, Jungkook picked up his phone and unlocked it, taking in the last thing Yumin saw before storming upstairs. Gradually, his snarl faded away, replaced with a gaping mouth as tears stung the corners of his eyes. She'd seen Rachel's texts; her manipulative, begging texts that waited on open for him to reply to. Rachel must've unblocked him solely to fuck with him some more, knowing that he would stay quiet for fear of more trouble. All she wanted was to make his life a living hell and she was succeeding at it, even from afar.
Jungkook blinked rapidly as tears blurred his vision, dripping onto his phone screen. He smeared the liquid across the device's screen, clicking out of the Kakao Talk app and staring out where Yumin had vanished only moments before.
"I'm so sorry, angel."
_
_
Sorry for such a late update. I had school and work immediately after, and then homework on top of that, and I didn't get home until after dark. But, here's today's chapter and I'll have more content for you guys next week. <3