Jungkook waited patiently for the doctor to be done with Y/n. Joonwoo had looked after his family, and after all the Bangtan members for decades. He was the same one that looked after his father after he was shot, and who looked after his health until the very end.
His stomach straightened when he remembered the way her eyes closed while her body collapsed, close to falling to the ground if he hadn't been fast enough to pick her up before that could happen. He carried her all the way from the main door to what was her room, hurrying Yejun to call Joonwoo and get him to his house as soon as possible. And he made sure not to leave her side. At least until his doctor asked him to wait outside, so he could work better. She was in good hands after all.
He waited, sitting on the first step of the stairs, glancing every once in a while over his shoulder, hopeful that Joonwoo would come out with good news. Although he was caught off guard when that happened, surprised by him being mid way towards the stairs. Jungkook tried to read his expression before he spoke, looking for any glimpse of worry to go a step ahead of what he was going to say, but he just was neutral.
—She is okay —he assured, placing his glasses over the bridge of his nose with his middle finger—. She had a vasovagal syncope. If she lived a triggering event, it's normal that her heart rate dropped and caused her to faint. She'll recover from it.
—So, she's okay? —he asked again, needing a second confirmation.
—She is —Joonwoon nodded—. But she seems to be in an early stage of malnutrition. Could be that also caused her to pass out —moving his briefcase from one hand to the other, he continued—. She has several bruises and wounds on her body, but it doesn't seem like anything is fractured or could've led to a more serious condition. So if you're worried about that being the cause, it's not. Just let her rest, make her eat and make sure she's in a relaxed environment.
—Thank you.
Shrugging, Joonwoon said all he needed to say without words. The Jeon family had been protecting his family for years, giving them all the good treats that they could think of and also paid him for his work. There was nothing to be thankful for, because that was what he needed to do.
Jungkook looked at Yejun, who instantly walked from her door to his boss as soon as he was aware.
—Tell everyone to leave. Or, at least, tell them I don't want them inside the house.
Yejun didn't bother to know why. He didn't really need to. He understood Y/n would need to be calm, and seeing the house filled with men dressed with expensive suits, watching her every move, wouldn't work out.
✸ ✸ ✸
Y/n woke up suddenly, sitting fast on the bed as she managed to find out where she was. Last time she passed out, she woke up in the hospital, tied to a whistling noise from a machine and being told that she almost died in the middle of the street. And she would have if Jorge hadn't found her and taken her to the hospital.
Brushing those memories aside, and moving her hand away from her belly,
she looked around, trying to tell the figures of the furniture apart in the dark. Her heart was beating fast, and she thought she'd be close to collapsing again at the idea of everything being just a dream. She was scared of turning the light on, unable to think of what she'd do if she actually was back in the room she had spent the last three weeks in.
She breathed deeply, and regained some control when the LED lights showed her the place she never thought she'd miss. It looked the exact same way it did before she left.
Her body felt funny as she dragged it over the mattress, leaving her feet hanging on one side as she tried to encourage herself to stand up. It just took her a minute. And even then, she stumbled at the first step she took.
The golden knob of the door fell in her fingers, followed by the wood opening completely when she pulled from it. She stood there, opening and closing the door a few times, confused at her own surprise every single time she was able to open it.
She dragged her clothed feet over the floor, hugging herself tight. She was finally aware of the new clothes. She was wearing a gray hoodie she had never seen before, and she was genuinely wondering if it belonged to Jungkook by how big it looked on her.
It wasn't like she genuinely expected to find him there, while she struggled to go downstairs; but at the same time, she was hopeful he'd be there. Although there were no signs of him, he was nowhere to be seen when she finally reached the final step and got to the living room. She kept walking though, making her way to the library.
But he wasn't there either.
—You shouldn't be here —his tone was serious.
His expression wasn't in sync with the tone of his voice. He sounded annoyed, but he was looking concerned as his eyes wandered over her carefully.
—The doctor said you should get some rest —Jungkook informed her.
—I... I couldn't stay in there —he let him know, eyes dropping to his white socks.
She had known Jungkook for a few months already, but she had always seen him in expensive suits, or well dressed, with his hair always perfectly slicked to his sides. So it was weird to see him in comfortable clothes, with an oversized gray t-shirt and cozy shorts, with his hair completely done, his bangs hiding his forehead -and part of his eyebrow piercing- from her. His eyes softened at the mention of her being unable to stay inside her room, looking at her delicately.
—Well... —he sighed— He also said I should make you eat. So let's try that.
—Isn't it a bit too late to get some food delivered?
—Delivered? —he raised his eyebrow— You don't think I can cook?
Shaking her hands in the air, she tried to explain herself. But Jungkook cut her off before she found any justification to her words. It wasn't like he needed them, he understood what she tried to say.
—Shall we eat in the garden? —he suggested.
Reminded of how she didn't even want to stay inside her room, Jungkook thought that it'd be good for her to just get some fresh air. And it was worth it when he saw the way her eyes shined with his suggestion.
—Is it...? —she stopped for a second after she found herself stumbling her own words— Can we?
—Sure —he nodded—. I'll prepare something, and you can wait outside meanwhile.
Soon that brightness in her eyes was combined with a wide smile, wasting no time as she opened the big sliding door in the kitchen that led to the garden. She had always seen it, looking at it curiously while she had breakfast or lunch, convinced that she'd never experience just hanging out there.
It was chilly outside, although not enough to make her feel cold. And she was sure she'd be able to handle it that day. Even if it was freezing, she was sure that not even that would force her to step back inside. Soon after, she was taking off the long black socks, holding them in her fingers while she felt short grass tickling on the sole of her foot and in between her toes. Probably a bit too into the feeling, to the point of getting lost in it and losing any right perception of time.
Y/n thought it had been seconds since she stepped inside, when it had been twenty minutes since she did. At first, Jungkook looked through the window, her back facing the door, while she stared down at her feet drawing invisible lines on the grass. And he couldn't help but feel guilty. That was the type of freedom she had always talked about, that was the type of freedom she had always aimed for. and not only he took it away from her once, but twice. Although that was probably the most freedom she had ever experienced in her life.
He didn't even want to call her for dinner because he knew that'd interrupt whatever she was doing. But he might've been looking at her too intensely, because she turned to him with a smile, finally giving him the sign he needed to get the bowls and two pairs of chopsticks to head outside.
—Grab the chopsticks like this —he showed her the position of his fingers, picking up some noodles with them right after—, and slurp.
She unconsciously smiled when she saw him eating loudly. She also tried to hold the chopsticks properly, while holding her bowl with her left hand; but the noodles just slipped away at every attempt she made, having her huffing after the sixth try.
Jungkook stopped eating, concentrating on her for a while after it seemed like she almost had it, but the noodle slid through the small space in between her chopsticks until it sank back in the soup. He just giggled, leaving her bowl on the grass before he was walking on her back, squatting behind her. Y/n was surprised by his sudden proximity, but couldn't make herself be bothered by it, even less when his chest was against her back as his hand covered hers, positioning her fingers properly. She could even feel his breathing moving some of the locks near her neck. But if she had any thoughts, those were soon replaced when Jungkook made her lift her hand, making her aware that she finally made it to catch some noodles successfully.
—Now slurp —he whispered.
Turning her head to him, she was surprised by how close he actually was and how he managed to keep his eyes on her all the time. He moved away only when she had her cheeks full of food, munching on it, and after he made sure to clean the drop of soup rolling down her cheek with his thumb.
Soon after they were both done with food, both of their bowls rested together on the side while they just hung out outside. Y/n kept playing with the grass, while Jungkook just stared at her.
—There was a girl with me there —she mentioned out of nowhere—. Did she get to the car?
Jungkook nodded, finally getting the final confirmation that Y/n was the one that sent that girl to where he was.
—She is Jihu's daughter —she let him know.
—I know —he sighed—. One of the guards that were with her recognized her, and told me who she was. Sanhyuk used her to manipulate Jihu.
—What will happen to them?
—They'll be okay —he assured her—. They'll be sent somewhere else. Everything is ready to send them to Thailand over the weekend. Jihu messed it all up, but he was always loyal to my father; and we all mess it up when something we care about is in danger.
Y/n looked away when his black eyes landed on her while he said that. She didn't want to totally delude herself into thinking she was important to him at all. It was probably his pride acting up that made him make the decisions he did.
—Where is your father? I don't think I've ever seen him in either of all those gangsters conventions —she joked.
—He died —the sudden drop of her smile, and the guilt on her face made him speak faster—. It's okay. It comes with the business, I guess. Some people will respect you, and some others will try to kill you to get that same respect.
Y/n could see where he was coming from. She was able to tell there wasn't a single lie in all those words. Especially not after everything they both went through those weeks.
—What about your parents?
—Hmm —she sighed—. It's complicated.
Mainly, because she didn't know if they were dead or alive. She hadn't heard anything from them since she was kicked out of home when she was eighteen. It wasn't like she wanted to go on deeper with that part of the story, and he didn't want to force her to, but his eyes were craving for more information.
—They kicked me out when I was younger, and I haven't heard anything from them ever since —she just shrugged—. And it's not like I'd want to either —her eyebrows slightly frowned at the thought of seeing them again—. They're my parents on paper, but in reality they're just strangers as of now.
While Jungkook knew there was probably more to it, he controlled his curiosity. A lot of things had happened in the last few days, the last thing she needed was to remember the past she clearly didn't want to think about.
—You should go to sleep —he suggested—. It's too cold here, and you've barely got some rest these weeks.
She agreed to it, although she ended up leaving her room and going back downstairs the second she heard Jungkook's door closing. Dragging her pillow to the living room, she made the couch her new bed. She laid in her bed for only five minutes, and she thought that the air was escaping her lungs with every second, the walls kept closing around her. The only thing she could think about was escaping.
Jungkook, who was closed inside his room, but couldn't find a way to put himself to sleep, thought about checking on Y/n a few times as he rolled on his bed, but every single time he scolded himself for it. He ended up doing it anyway, opening the door carefully, trying not to wake her up.
All of his thoughts went from nothing to thinking about absolutely every possible situation that put Y/n in the worst of the dangers. He hurried, walking downstairs and getting mentally prepared for the worst, while he tried to think about the orders he was going to give to his men in case they hadn't seen her. But a figure made him stop on his tracks.
Through the corner of his eyes, he saw a bulk on his couch -and her clothes also stood out over the light colors of the sofa.
His heart beat lowered at the sight of her, peacefully sleeping while she hugged herself. He could do nothing but scoff at the way she was sleeping. Y/n bothered to bring the pillow with her, but forgot about the blanket.
Unable to sleep on a whole different floor from her, Jungkook also picked up his pillow along with the blanket, setting it all on the floor next to the couch. His eyes were lost on her relaxed expression for a few seconds, finally getting out of the trance when she puckered her lips in her sleep.
Jungkook covered them both with the blanket, checking on her one last time before he finally laid on the floor and tried to put an end to such a hectic day.