The moment his eyes opened, it was like his head was being impaled with a dozen hot knives. The sunlight filtering into the room felt like it was incinerating his retinas, and he pulled the covers over his head to shield himself. He felt the bed spinning under him. He was definitely in a state between hungover and still intoxicated. He couldn't remember how much he had drunk, he couldn't even remember getting home. The last memory of the night was taking shots with some random girls at the bar and then Namjoon and Jimin telling him to slow down. Everything after that was a mystery.
Jungkook hadn't been feeling too great. Today was his mother's birthday and the weekend leading up to it proved to be too much for him to handle. Memories of their last birthday together came flooding back, making him wish more than ever that they'd done things differently.
Jiae and Jungkook had gone home for her birthday, but halfway through the day, Jimin had called asking Jungkook if he wanted to go out with him. He should've said no. He should have told his friends he was spending time with his mother, but instead, he was rushing through her entire celebration; wanting to sing Happy Birthday earlier than usual and order takeout instead of cooking her favorite meal because it was faster. Had he known she had been diagnosed the week before, had he known she'd be gone weeks later, he would've done everything to make her last birthday special. She had been so gracious about it, too. Telling him he should go out and enjoy himself because there would be other birthdays. Now it was too late, and he had to live with that.
Jungkook snuggled into the pillow, trying to find a comfortable spot so sleep would overtake him again. He knew he'd feel better so long as he slept a little longer. He smiled to himself at the smell of flowers on his pillows, pushing his face deeper into the softness of it, basking in the scent. His pillows never smelled this good.
My pillows never smell this good!
His eyes shot open, and he pushed off of the pillow to look at it. It was pastel yellow. His pillows weren't yellow. They were black. Panic set in as he realized he was not in his bed or his room.
Where the fuck AM I?!
Jungkook quickly rolled over and sat up straight. His vision blurred, and it felt like his brain was rattling in his head. He waited for his vision to settle and started looking around the room.
Bed in the center, dresser across from the bed, door to the right.
The panic washed away, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was in Namjoons room.
Panic came over him again very quickly as he realized that he couldn't be in Namjoon's room because he had moved out of the apartment two months ago. Which meant...
Oh no.
He reluctantly turned his head, fully expecting to see her lying naked beside him because, although God had given him many gifts and attributes; common sense wasn't one of them. He knew himself and he would've without a doubt slept with Raine if that's what she wanted, but to his surprise he was alone. He even dared to peek under the covers to access his situation, his shirt was on and pants were zipped. Everything still seemed intact; he'd surely know if he had sex, right?
What the hell am I doing in here?
Jungkook searched around the bed for his phone, finally finding it on the nightstand beside him. Next to his phone was a glass of water with a napkin and two oblong-shaped pills atop which he immediately recognized as pain killers. Jungkook suddenly realized how thirsty he was and downed the glass of water and pills right way hoping they'd help with the pain and dehydration.
The time on his phone read nine thirty-five, which could explain why he woke up alone. The alarm for his first class of the day was missed, but Raine probably still made it in. He wracked his brain again for any recollection of spending the night with her, but there was none.
He threw the blankets to the side, grunting as he pushed off the bed. Everything hurt. His head, his arms, his legs, his back, his chest. If he did have sex last night, she was probably limping because he must've treated it like an Olympic sport with the way his muscles were aching.
Jungkook rubbed his chest to massage the ache, but it didn't help. Willing himself to ignore it, he head to the bathroom to brush his teeth and empty the bladder that was going to burst at any moment. Even brushing his teeth was a difficult task all on its own. The back-forth movement exhausted him and every time the toothbrush went a little too far back, he was dry heaving from the amount of alcohol in his system threatening to spew out.
I'm never drinking again, Lord. I promise to go to six a.m service every Sunday if you can just let me feel better.
Bargaining with God wasn't a habit of his, but he'd be willing to give his left arm to stop feeling so nauseous. He felt like utter shit. He just wanted to go back to bed and sleep the rest of the fucking day away. Nay, the week. Nay, the month!
Now his mouth was as dry as the Sahara again, which meant he had to walk to the kitchen for ice water. Crying was not beneath him. He would've done it if he didn't think it would take too much energy.
He dragged himself out of the bathroom and into the hallway.
Was the hallway always six miles long?
He couldn't remember, but he was sure it must've lengthened overnight. Jungkook leaned his hand on one of the walls to steady himself as he walked into the living room.
That's when he saw her. Laying on her stomach with one leg bent and the other outstretched, arms under a couch cushion as she slept on the couch. Jungkook tip-toed around the couch to look at her. His eyes landed on the tight pair of biker shorts that left nothing to the imagination. If he had slept with her, then he hoped he got those memories back soon.
You're ogling her while she sleeps!? Get a grip, you fucking pervert.
Six a.m Sunday mass was beginning to sound more necessary by the second.
The fact that she was asleep on that couch reassured him that maybe he hadn't slept with her after all. He wasn't sure how he got into her bed, but she had slept in a whole other room.
It looked like they were both going to be missing classes today. He bent over slightly and shook her shoulder. "Raine." He whispered, partly because his throat was so dry he couldn't speak properly. He cleared his throat and shook her again. "Raine."
Raine stirred in her sleep and hugged the pillow tighter. "Hey, you're going to miss the rest of your classes." Still nothing.
Jungkook crouched down beside her and grinned at the way her lips pouted while she slept. His hand involuntarily came forward and smooth out the hair that had fallen onto her forehead. "Raine." He rubbed her head gently, the action finally rousing her from her sleep.
Her eyes fluttered open and widened when she saw him. She pulled away from him, quickly sitting up on her knees. "Morning." Jungkook braced himself on the seat of the couch, trying to steady the still spinning room.
"Morning," Raine replied, trying and failing to fix her hair a bit. Realizing it wasn't working, she blushed and pulled her hoodie over her head.
Jungkook smiled at her attempt to look somewhat presentable to him. "Did you- did you sleep out here?" Raine responded with a nod. "How did I-?" He trailed on, pointing his thumb towards the hallway.
Raine followed the pointing and stared in that direction. She couldn't embarrass him by telling him what had happened if he didn't remember. Today was already going to be a hard enough day for him without the reminder of his neediness for her. "You got confused. You thought my room was yours and we didn't want to move you."
Kill me.
"Were you already in bed?"
"No." Raine lied. "I was catching up on some shows when you got home." She gestured towards the TV that was now off.
He was honestly relieved he hadn't slept with her. "I'm sorry. I don't even remember getting home."
"I know." The gloom in her eyes and the way she bit the inside of her bottom lip told him things hadn't been as simple as him just falling asleep in her bed.
Jungkook looked away and picked at the fabric of the couch, feeling dread wash over him. "What did I do?" She didn't answer right away, and he let out a sarcastic chortle. "That bad, huh?"
"You should call Namjoon." Raine finally answered.
"Why?"
"You owe him an apology."
Jungkook closed his eyes and dropped his head onto the couch. "Did I hit him?"
"Something like that."
Why did he always have to turn into this person? Why did he always have to hurt people?
"He must hate me right now."
"If you think that, then you don't know your friends very well." She got up from the couch and began walking in the direction of the rooms. She stopped once she reached the hallway, turning her head to call over her shoulder. "Call him." She repeated.
Jungkook did as he was told, even though he was afraid to do so. He hoped things weren't as bad as he was imagining them.
The phone rang four agonizing times before Namjoon answered, sounding exhausted and defeated.
"What's up?" He answered blandly.
"Hey, I just wanted to call- I'm not sure- Raine said I," Jungkook pushed off the couch and stood up. "Actually, I'm not sure what happened, but I'm sorry."
"You tossed me around like a fucking rag doll is what happened."
"Oh God, I'm so sorry Hyung."
"You need to get it together."
"I know, I'm sorr-"
"Don't be sorry, be better."
Namjoon had never spoken to him that way before. Although he'd always try to steer Jungkook in the right direction, he'd never been so short with him. "I will."
"And say thank you to Raine. You put her in a very uncomfortable situation last night."
"Yeah, I thought her bedroom was mine. She slept on the couch."
Namjoon let out a chuckle. "Is that what she said?"
"Yes? Is that not what happened?"
"Jungkook, you held on to that girl like Rose did the fucking door on The Titanic. You begged her to let you sleep in bed with her because you didn't want to be alone. And do you know what she did? She sat you on that bed, took your fucking shoes off, and tucked you in like a toddler. While the rest of us couldn't do anything to control you, she did and then proceeded to take care of you. Making sure you had water and were laying on your side just in case, so you wouldn't choke on your own fucking throw up."
Jungkook flinched at the harshness and tone of Namjoon's voice and stood in stunned silence. Why would he ever do something like that with her? He barely knew her. He'd also let his friends down again, but he didn't know how else to deal with the pain he was feeling and now he felt more alone than ever.
"Hyung, I'm sor-" Jungkook's eyes burned with the sting of tears he refused to shed.
"Jungkook," the softness had returned to Namjoon's voice. "I love you, but be better. Okay?"
"Okay." Jungkook choked out.
"I'll talk to you later."
With that, he disconnected the call. Jungkook took a deep breath. This day couldn't possibly get any worse.
"Are you hungry?" Raine came into the living room, this time with her hair neat and a freshly washed face.
All Jungkook could do was stare at her. He was embarrassed, humiliated....grateful to her for de-escalating the situation.
"It doesn't matter." She waved him off. "Go take a shower. You need to get out of those clothes. I'll make something to suck up all that liquor."
"You don't have to do that." The way she was still trying to take care of him caused a warm sensation to creep into his chest.
"No, it's fine. I'm pretty hungry, anyway." She was lying. He could tell, but he didn't care because a part of him enjoyed how she was treating him.
Jungkook nodded. "Is my sister home?" He asked before leaving.
Raine gave him a sympathetic smile. "No, she left with Jin last night after you got home. She said she'll be back later tonight."
Jiae was upset with him as well. So much so that she'd let him spend today alone. He was a hundred percent sure that no one would come to be with him today. He'd pushed his friends to their limits this weekend. Maybe he deserved to spend this hurtful day by himself after all he'd done.
"Thanks, Raine."
Jungkook finished his third bowl of bean sprout soup, finally surfeited, and thoroughly full. Raine was right. Eating made him feel better. Although his head and body still ached, at least the nausea and dizziness were gone.
Raine collected their bowls to place them in the sink. "Thank you, that was great." He said as she put the plates down. "I feel better."
"It was no problem." She waved off.
"I'm sorry you missed classes."
Raine smiled warmly. "Eh, I needed the day off, anyway. I had some errands I wanted to run."
Jungkook perked up at the opportunity to repay her for what she'd done. "I can take you. Where do you need to go?"
"Well," Raine stood on the other side of the counter, biting her lip. "I was thinking of going to the hardware store and getting some paint for my bedroom."
"You want to paint today?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow. "On a Tuesday? That's more of a weekend job, don't you think?"
"Well, yeah but-"
"It doesn't even matter. Go get dressed. We'll go now."
"Are you sure? I can go alone." She really hoped he didn't tell her to go alone. It was going to be a long trudge back from the hardware store with materials. Plus, she had ulterior motives when it came to painting, anyway.
"Go get dressed." He repeated, hoping the smile he mustered was enough to convince her that he was feeling well enough to take her. He wasn't feeling that great, but he wanted to do for her as she'd done for him.
They drove to the hardware store where Raine picked a color that was so similar to what was already on the wall that Jungkook almost questioned if she was serious. He mentioned in passing that it was white, but she insisted that it was more of alabaster.
Whatever the hell that meant.
He wasn't going to argue with her. He'll if she wanted to paint the room in clear paint, he'd let her so long as she was content. The permanent smile plastered on her face on the way back home was all he needed to know that his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.
Once they returned home, they took the paint and rollers to her room where he planned on letting her be so he could rest. One look at the unkempt bed he'd slept in completely changed his plan. The guilt gnawed at his chest and he decided that just taking her to the hardware store wasn't nearly enough.
She set her paint can down and started to pry it open with the opener they were given at the store. "You need help?"
"Uh," Raine glanced around the room. "Maybe just moving the dresser and bed out of the way?" And so he helped her move her furniture aside, leaving her ample space to paint. "Thanks. You can go rest now."
"I mean, I might as well help you paint, right? We can probably get it done before your shift tonight." Jungkook did a quick turn in the middle of the floor, assessing the work before them.
"I don't work tonight." She said quietly and then turned away to pour paint into a tray.
Jungkook found that odd. She worked Sunday through Thursday night and she was always up for working. He only knew that because whenever Jiae wanted to go out with Jin, she'd call Raine to cover her shift. Raine never said no even if it was so last minute, like an hour before.
"You called out?"
"Mhm." She said nothing else and proceeded to roll her brush into the alabaster liquid. He opted not to press any further, as it was clear she didn't want to elaborate. The truth was that after Jiae left, Raine felt too guilty to leave Jungkook alone on his mother's birthday. The first one since her death at that. It just didn't feel right. Even if he had slept the entire day away, she wanted him to wake up and see someone, anyone, there. So she called out and coerced him into taking her to the hardware store, even hoping he'd offer his help. Just so she could help him preoccupy his mind with something else. Luckily, everything turned out in her favor.
Jungkook had an entire wall painted and trimmed rather quickly. They worked silently other than the occasional grunts that came from them. Him from the soreness he was already experiencing and her from the struggle to reach the top of the wall. Jungkook smiled to himself, watching her jump on her tippy toes to reach higher.
Raines' phone started to ring somewhere in the room. She put her roller down and retrieved it. A huge grin appeared on her face as she read the name on the screen.
"Hello?" she answered happily, clicking the speaker button so she could continue painting.
"Hey, big momma." Jungkook almost dropped his roller at the sound of the man on the other side of the phone.
"Hey, big poppa!" She replied with even more enthusiasm.
"Oh, I love it when you call me big poppa!"
CRINGE.
The voice was deep and sultry and it caused a reaction the Jungkook didn't like. A reaction in both him and Raine that made him upset. It was almost compared to the way he felt that night at the party when Raine and Jimin had gotten too close. He wanted to snatch the phone away to toss it across the room, and he hated himself for that. He gripped his roller tighter and continued to work through the uncomfortable feeling that had attached itself to his chest.
"Are you back now?" He heard Raine say hopefully.
"Yes, ma'am, I got back yesterday." He answered. "I posted it on Instagram, but I guess you didn't see me or you would've surely called your best friend, right?"
Best friend?
He remembered the picture from Raine's desk of the guy with the fluffy hair.
"Yes, Tae. I would've called. I haven't been on lately, you know that."
"Yeah, there's actually something I needed to tell you." His playful banter was now gone, replaced by a more serious tone. "He came by the studio this morning."
The silence in the room was deafening. Neither one of them spoke a single word after that, and it almost made Jungkook wonder who he was.
"He wanted me to tell him what school you transferred t-"
"Tae!" Raine interjected. "I can't talk about that right now. You're on speaker." She didn't want to talk about it at all.
"Shit, sorry. I thought you were alone."
"No, I'm painting my room with my roommate."
"You can paint dorm rooms now?" He asked, changing the conversation much to her salvation.
"I moved out of the dorm and in with some friends."
"What?! Does that mean I can come stay over now?!"
No.
"I don't see why not." Raine shrugged.
"Can your roommate hear me?"
"Yes, Taehyung." She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Taehyung cleared his throat. "Hey, there sweet thing." His voice dropped in octaves, trying to sound seductive. It immediately earned a shriek from Raine who was laughing hysterically.
"What's up?" Jungkook answered with a smirk.
The line went quiet as Taehyung processed what was happening. "Is that a dude?" He was deadpanned.
"Yes!" Raine laughed even harder, making Jungkook laugh as well.
"You're living with a guy?!" He asked incredulously. "Is he a roommate or a" Taehyung started imitating bed spring noises. "Roommate."
Jungkook guffawed. Raine felt her face burn with embarrassment.
"Ew. No."
Ew?!
"Ew!?" Jungkook exclaimed, pausing his painting. "You would be so lucky!"
"Lucky?!" Raine turned to him, dropping her roller onto the tray. "For what? Some drunk second-hand dick?"
That was a clear dig at what had happened at the party.
Second-hand dick? She's just hurting feelings left and right now.
"Have you ever had drunk dick?! It's spectacular!" He made an okay sign with his fingers. "Spectacular!" He repeated for emphases. At least thats what the girls he'd slept with told him.
"Is he good-looking at least?" Taehyung interrupted.
Good looking? The man is absolutely scrumptious.
Raine couldn't say that, though.
"I like to think I am." Jungkook replied.
"He's not lacking delusional confidence. I'll tell you that." She muttered, picking up her roller again.
Jungkook stood there with his hands on his hips. Had she just called him ugly?
"You see me standing right here, right!?"
"I don't see much." She shot back.
"One month." Taehyung cut in again.
"One month what?" Raine asked.
"Before," he repeated the same bed spring noises.
Rained rolled her eyes, but secretly, the thought enticed her. "Okay bye Tae!"
"Bye, call me back later. I really need to talk to you."
Raine agreed, but the fact that he had brought up Daehyun made her not want to. She didn't care what he had to say to her. She wanted to hate him now. She didn't want to think about him or even speak about him, but she couldn't deny being curious as to why he cared what school she was attending now. Why did it even matter? He had a wife and kids and that's what he should've been focused on.
"Your friend is pretty funny," Jungkook said, breaking through their silence. The energy had shifted and he could feel the tension building in the room.
"Oh yeah, a real comedian."
Thankfully, the room was done, and they finished rather quickly. He trimmed the rest of the edges and they moved all the furniture back.
"Thanks for the help." She said, putting the lid on the paint can.
Jungkook shrugged. "It's the least I can do after last night."
Raine stopped what she was doing for a millisecond, but quickly recovered. "You got the rooms mixed up. It wasn't that serious." She dismissed.
"Raine c'mon." Jungkook sat on the bed in front of her. In the crouching position she was in, it reminded her of helping him take his shoes off. How he caressed her face and called her pretty. She knew he was drunk and that he definitely made very impulsive decisions when under the influence, but she couldn't help but feel some type of rush about it.
"What?" She looked up at him, quickly realizing he knew what had happened. "Jungkook, you were drunk. It's fine."
He glued his eyes to his lap. "Did I scare you?" Raine was quiet at first and then sat back on the floor.
"Yes." If he knew the truth, then he deserved all of it.
Jungkook felt like his heart was being gripped in a vise.
Raine, noticing his demeanor, decided to elaborate. "You were going through a lot up there last night," she tapped her temple. "And you asked me for help. So I helped you."
Jungkook didn't say anything back. There was nothing he could say that wouldn't make him feel even more ashamed of himself. He didn't want to tell her what today was or why it was such a difficult day to get through for him."It won't happen again." He prayed that wasn't a lie.
Raine gave him a soft smile. She knew it was a lie. Today, being his mother's birthday, meant that it was likely he would be leaving in a couple of hours and returning a different person.
He got up off the bed and extended his hand out to her to help her get up. This time she had no problem lying taking it. They were softer than she had imagined and she missed their warmness the moment he pulled it away.
"Are you hungry?" He asked, checking the time. It's almost dinner time.
"Yeah, a bit."
They walked out of the room and into the living room. "Sit," He pointed to the couch. "I'll heat the food from earlier."
Raine wanted to protest, but the unnecessary painting had tired her out. She was only trying to fill the day with things that he could help her do so that he wouldn't be stuck in his head so much. Maybe if he was busy painting, he wouldn't become so volatile.
Jungkook watched Raine sitting there and was thankful for her companionship tonight. Today was a rough day for him and would've been a lot worse if he had spent it alone. He probably would've been drunk and disoriented or passed out somewhere by now.
He came back to the couch with a bowl of leftover soup for her and another for himself. She had turned on the tv and was scrolling through Netflix. He handed her the bowl and sat on the opposite side of the couch, still putting some distance between them.
She finally found what she was looking for and started the show. In the intro, a paper fortune teller was opening and closing with drawings attached to names of actors and actresses.
"What is this?" He asked, pointing to the TV. Raine did a double-take between him and the TV.
"You've never watched Community?" She asked incredulously. He shook his head, not understanding what the big deal was. "This is my third time watching it." He sat back and started to watch the show with her. An hour later, it was clear why it was her favorite show. He was enjoying every episode that played.
They made themselves comfortable on their sides of the couch as they watched. He didn't know how much time had passed, but they were well into eight or nine episodes by then.
"So, does Britta end up with Jeff?" Jungkook asked.
Raine rolled her eyes. "Just watch the show."
"God, I hope not." He made himself more comfortable on the couch. "He's an asshole."
Just then, the keys to the front door were heard and Jiae made her way in.
She gave Jungkook an apologetic smile, and he returned it. He didn't blame her for leaving with Jin, but he didn't know just how guilty she felt about leaving him alone.
Jiae took in the sight before her. Both of them sat quietly, watching a show with bowls in front of them like they'd eaten dinner together. "Did you two eat together?" She asked slowly, walking up to them as if they were some type of rarity.
"What were we supposed to do? Starve?" Jungkook shot back teasingly.
"I made bean sprout soup this morning. It was the leftovers. I think there should be some left if you're hungry." Raine offered.
"No, I'm okay. I'm just shocked you two ate a meal together." Jungkook and Raine looked at each other and shrugged. "And you're watching tv together?"
"Are we supposed to be throwing grenades at each other from opposite sides of the room or-"
"No, stupid." She pushed his head. "It's just odd is all, but I'm glad you're getting along." She ruffled his hair and wrapped her arm around his shoulder to pull him to her. Jungkook wrapped his arm around her waist and embraced her back. "I love you, kid." She said softly and kissed the top of his head before dropping herself between them on the couch.
Raine felt like a third wheel in their moment and decided to retreat to her room for the night, but before she could get up Jiae threw her head on Raines lap and her legs over Jungkooks.
Ten minutes is all she lasted before she started to question the show. "That's stupid. Why are they doing that?"
"Because they're Troy and Abed." Raine and Jungkook answered at the same time, eerily similar to what the characters often did on the show.
"Okay, but why are they acting like ten-year-olds?
"Because they're Troy and Abed!" Jungkook snapped. "Just watch the show. "
"Yeah, no, this is stupid. I'm going to bed." She rolled herself off the couch and said goodnight before leaving for her room.
They were left alone, teetering somewhere between comfort and discomfort with each other. Another episode ended and Raine decided that she needed to go to bed because she had to be up early for classes the next day. She had already missed a day of classes. She could not afford another. "I'm going to bed." She announced, looking over at Jungkook. To her surprise, he was curled up with his head on the armrest, already fast asleep.
She couldn't help but love that he looked so innocent when he slept. He transformed from his usual demon self into an angel in his sleep. He was beautiful and welcoming, his features were soft and enticing, and she just wanted to touch his cheek to see if it was as soft as it seemed.
Raine grabbed the blanket that Jiae had put as decoration on the couch and rose to cover him. He instinctively stretched his legs out and snuggled his face into the armrest in his deep sleep.
She'd start looking for a room tomorrow morning.
She knew herself and she needed to leave.
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A/N: Updating today only because these chapters were already pre-written and are just sitting there. 🙃
Wanted to clarify Community is literally less than 25 minutes an episode 🤣 Just realized how bad 8 or 9 episodes can sound lol