-', (chapter twenty seven) ꒱ ↷🦋🥛
JUNGKOOK WASN'T THERE THE NEXT DAY
Or the day after that. Or the day after that. He didn't come to his classes for a week. His desks remained empty day after day and Eden grew more and more worried.
She thought about calling Jungkook or maybe one of his moms. She went to the skatepark after her classes to see if he was there and he never was, just some kids who happened to find it too.
Eden missed Jungkook. She missed his disregard for the rules. She missed his mischievous smiles and sweet laughter. Besides her feelings for him, Eden just wanted him back, as her friend, as someone she cares for deeply.
Her days seemed so long without him there. Like they took days to get through. She felt exhausted at the end of her days and could only focus on getting home and going to bed to sleep in sweet release.
Jungkook refused to go to school for that entire week, no matter how much Jia and Iseul tried to get him up. He just stayed in his room with a stash of banana milk in his mini-fridge and eating uncooked noodles.
He was determined to avoid Eden for the rest of his life, and yes, he realized that it was a stupid idea and that it was physically impossible, but that didn't stop him.
"Look, you just need to go and talk to her. I'm sure she'll understand." Iseul told him, sitting on his bed beside him. He looked rough, dark circles under his eyes, messy hair. He hadn't taken a shower in three days but miraculously didn't smell.
Jungkook avoided his problems like the plague. He preferred not to face them head-on. In reality, Jungkook's lived a privileged life with two parents who love him, who give him everything he could ever want and need. He was in a position where he could just turn his back on his problems without a care. Not everyone was so fortunate.
He slouched in bed. "I don't know...What if she decides she doesn't want to be friends anymore. That it'll be too awkward."
The idea of that seemed ridiculous to Iseul. Nothing could break those two apart, they were meant for each other. She was sure they'd make up eventually, or maybe even date.
She placed her hand on his leg and sighed softly. No mother wanted to see their child in pain, physically, emotionally, etc. But she needed to push him. It was her responsibility to push him to be better.
Plus, he couldn't be missing any more of his classes.
"Go to your classes on Monday, baby. Try to talk to Eden if you think you can." She told him. "Sleep this weekend. You're gonna kill yourself if you stay up like this."
With that, Iseul stands up and leans over to press a kiss on his forehead. "And take a shower. I thought I raised you better." She lightly slapped his arm, a playful grin forming on her lips. She and Jungkook had different smiles. It made Jungkook think that there may be one random person in the world that he just shares random features with.
Ew, creepy.
Iseul left the room and Jungkook stared up at his ceiling, a pathetic sigh escapes his lips. He presumed that he can't run forever. That his lungs will burn and he'll have to stop to take a break and catch his breath. That's when his problems will jump on him all at once.
Jungkook wasn't ready to lose her yet. What would he do without her? Who would be there to put up with and giggle at his silly antics, to nag about the pile of clothes in his corner that he never picks up? Who's going to be there to help him when he falls into the bowl, only for the two of them to get trapped there together for hours.
Who's supposed to be his universe if not Eden?
Jungkook got up out of bed and decided that he'd take a shower and slowly begin to piece his morel back together in hopes that maybe he can work up to talking to her again, though the likelihood of that was astronomically low.
He slept through the weekend pretty much. Catching up on the sleep he missed out on over the week. In the time he was awake, he cleaned up his room as if Eden was there nagging at him.
And on Monday, Jungkook got up early, took a long, hot shower that seemed to burn his skin and turn it red, and as a final boost to wake him up, he quickly turned the water to cold and gasped, jumping at the sudden burst of freezing water that touched his skin.
He got dressed and pulled his hair back into a bun before grabbing his things and heading off downstairs.
Jia went off to work earlier than Jungkook got to class so most of the time they drove in separate cars. On occasion, Jungkook will give his mom a ride and then just ride back home on his skateboard. He didn't mind.
Iseul had just finished making breakfast, pancakes, eggs, and bacon when Jungkook came down. Jia was at the island, drinking her morning coffee, the first of many.
"I'm glad to see you're up and about." Jia smiled, motioning for Jungkook to join them for breakfast. He longed for that sense of normalcy again, to have breakfast with one or both of his moms before heading off to Eden's house to go to campus with her.
Jungkook remains silent for most of breakfast while Jia and Iseul talk to fill the silence for him. He just stared at his food as he ate it, watching silently as the food disappeared piece by piece in his mouth.
Once he was done. He took his plate and washed it out in the sink before putting it on the rack beside the sink. "Alright, I'm off to class," Jungkook spoke loudly. He gave both of his mothers and kiss on the cheek and told them he loved them before rushing out of the front door with his keys.
They both watched the door close and sighed simultaneously.
"They'll be married by 25, I bet on it." Iseul hummed, going to clean up the pans she used, a pleasant smile tugging at her lips.
Jia shook her head, lifting her mug up to her lips. "Even sooner 23." The same smile pulled on her lips as she took another sip of her coffee.
-
Eden sat at her seat with a sigh, setting her bag down beside her as she waited for class to begin. She had stopped expecting Jungkook to show up, there was no point in it anymore.
But today was the worst day to give up that hope, because through the door came her knight, dressed in black, in his thick black boots that stomped against the floor of the room. She looked at him and gasped softly, a sparked excitement flashing through her. "Jungkook."
He came and sat down in his normal seat beside her but didn't say anything to her. Eden didn't know what to say to him. Hi? How are you? Can we just forget the kiss ever happened?
"Hey...where have you been?" Eden manages to say. She hated being this way with him. They should already be laughing about something. Jungkook should be stealing her phone, taking pictures of himself, and sneaking in pictures of Eden herself.
Jungkook glanced at her for a minute. He found her eyes behind the lenses of her geometrical glasses and found solace. He just wanted to hug her. He wanted to apologize and beg for them to go back to normal.
He smiled small, just a twitch. "Home." He said and looked down at the wooden surface of his desk. Jungkook said nothing more. He shut down and closed himself off to her.
And neither of them said anything more. They both wanted to, but they couldn't find the right words. There was so much they wanted to do, hug, kiss. Maybe simply hold hands again. Just once more time to lock their fingers together.
They were still wearing their bracelets, pretty woven bracelets, a symbol of their undying friendship and unbreakable bond.
So much for that.
So they don't talk the entirety of class but they remain entirely and acutely aware of any and all movements made by the other.
They want to make amends. But they don't know how to.
Not yet anyways.
*.✧ Kᴀʏs Eɴᴅɪɴɢ Nᴏᴛᴇs
So I finished writing this book. It ends at 36 chapters plus the epilogue so we have about ten chapters left. Idk if these last few chapters seem to move too fast. I hope not.
Thank you all for reading. I hope you guys enjoyed and I wish you all a wonderful day/night.
사랑해
~Kay ▼・ᴥ・▼