**
Jungkook sits opposite you. The hard bench of the chain restaurant stopping you from getting comfortable- not that there was any chance of that in the first place.
The silence stretches between you for an uncomfortable amount of time. You both sit and you swear Jungkook's gaze doesn't leave your face for a second.
A part of you cares about your dirty appearance and overall look- but that part annoys you so you ignore it and resolutely don't think about the last time you properly washed.
When it seems you could be sitting here all night, not that you have anywhere to be, you lean forwards and start spreading the food out, pulling your burger towards yourself.
'Look,' you start, flicking your eyes across to the confusing man in front of you, 'you're lucky I'm giving you the time of day when your ass left me back then.' May as well start with the hard stuff you think sarcastically.
Jungkook sighs and runs a hand through his dark hair, for the first time since he pulled you to sit down his eyes leave your face. Looking down he mumbles out awkwardly, 'I'm sorry okay-'
Knowing where he was going you interrupt, 'I don't want to hear it', and it's true, you don't. You honestly don't need his explanation. At the time you were angry at him for turning his back on you. But you had escaped and you were free, still weeks later.
So no, you held no grudge.
Jungkook doesn't look so sure, he fiddles with the napkin on the table and looks up at you.
'But,' again you interrupt him. Inside you know it's probably because you hate talking about emotions. Living in the Mob does stuff like that to you. Turns you cold- apathetic.
You try to explain to him without going into your uncomfortableness with any form of emotion.
'Honestly, I'm only here right now because I can't remember the last full meal I ate, so whether I like you or not doesn't matter, oh and by the way- I don't.'
That small, very persistent voice chooses this time to pipe up and laugh at your words that are oh so untrue.
Because yes, he let you down. But so has everyone your whole life, no big deal, and right now, as he sat opposite you, you were finding it increasingly harder to ignore the attraction you felt. A small pit of lust was warming your stomach and you weren't sure what looked tastier out of him and the food.
Laughing at your predicament you started digging into your food, and you almost groan out loud, embarrassingly. You're glad you didn't because Jungkook kept looking at you with some sort of mix of curiosity, guilt, and pity- you hated pity.
Seeing the pity in his eyes sparks something. You don't need it nor do you want it. You begin to get up from the seat. Silent anger as your hand grips onto the edge of the table.
Jungkook doesn't say anything at first. He reaches a hand across and places it across your tense hand. Letting you breathe and collect yourself he says quietly, 'sit down, let's talk'.
You sink into your chair, after all, there was more food left and you weren't stupid. 'What do you want to talk about?'
'You.' Is the simple reply left in the cold air.
'There's nothing to say,' you reply and instantly he looks like he doesn't believe you, he's right.
'I'm sure there's a lot to say,' when you don't reply he carries on, 'I saw you on the news, you're a criminal, what did they say now?' He pretends to be thinking, a comical hand on his chin, 'Oh yes, crimes, drugs, weapons... did I miss anything?'
'I don't need to answer to you.'
'But I'm not asking you to, because I know it's not true, so why don't you care about what they're saying about you?' He seems genuinely confused and you could laugh if you weren't so tired.
'I can't do anything to change it so what's the point getting upset over it?' Is your simple answer.
'But it's putting you in danger, the police will be looking for you'.
'Jungkook, It will die down after a while, I know how the police work, besides I'm only a petty case on their long list of 'People To Catch'... and I'm really good at avoiding them,' you add as an afterthought as if it's no big deal.
Jungkook grits his teeth at your casualness, 'The more I speak to you the more confused I get, every answer only creates ten more questions. God, it's frustrating.'
You take pity on the handsome and oh so serious boy sitting in front of you. After all the burger was damn good.
'Okay detective, three questions, make them good.'
He looks at you surprised and you bite the inside of your cheeks as his mouth comically opens twice but no sound comes out.
'Three questions?' He asks.
'Yes, do you need me to explain what a question is too?' Jungkook's not so amused gaze makes your muscles squeeze and you resolutely don't let your mind wander to visions of his dark gaze looking somewhere else... nope.
'Okay, let me think, and you'll answer anything?'
You go to say yes when he yells into the night, 'Wait! That wasn't a question don't answer it.'
Laughing for real now you let him continue.
'How old are you?'
Really? That's what he wants to know? Clearly seeing your look he adds, 'I've got two more still, I just want to know'.
'Well then, twenty'. Same as him you know.
'What happened at the airport?'
Whoop, there it is, straight in, not even bothering to discuss the previous answer. He obviously has a lot of questions ready, you think of how to word an answer.
'I can't answer that in one night, too much to say,' that would have to do, take it or leave in Jungkook, and he looks like he wants to argue but wisely he doesn't and carries on with a new question.
'Why are you being listed as a criminal when you're not?'
'Because the media channels are run by my boss- technically now my ex-boss.' You say the last bit with a strong derision and your mouth naturally sneers at the thought of him. Now in the position you were in earlier Jungkook tries not to get distracted by your devilish look and dangerously tempting aura.
He seems to struggle for a second until he looks at you with intense thought.
'Who's your boss?' He asks virtually like a challenge as if he knows you can't answer it, but just maybe he can goad you into answering with that note of challenge in his voice.
Too bad it doesn't work.
'I won't answer that, don't ask me again.' You say with a note of finality.
'Okay.' Jungkook agrees, 'But,' here it comes, 'your other answer told me enough... let me help you'. Jungkook offers without a second care, and the fact that he doesn't even know you is all you can think about. Suddenly you don't feel like talking any longer.
Avoiding having to answer, you argue back, 'I don't even know you.'
'Hi, I'm Jungkook.'
You glare at him, muttering 'Stupid.'
He grins back at you, 'Stupid? Funny name, I thought it was Y/N.'
You give him a look, not amused for a second and he gets slightly more serious.
'Okay, what would you like to know about me to feel more comfortable? You can ask more than three questions and I'll answer anything,' he jokes, carrying on, 'my hopes and dreams, my deepest fears, favourite colour... wildest fantasies?'
You try not to react at the end and keep your mind strictly away from those images,.
He was joking with you and had also tricked you into the conversation, and strangely you both weren't killing each other, you were almost enjoying his company. Remembering you hadn't replied you flick back to reality and quip, 'maybe not the last one for a first date but hey, I'll remember it another time'.
Of course, he picks up on your joke. 'This is a date?'
Not losing face you retort, 'You wish I know I'm looking ravishing right now', not quite remembering how you actually look- the streets don't exactly have three stars.
Jungkook laughs and replies, 'Not that I was going to, but now you mention it, can I ask about the appearance?'
And with that, your bad mood returns. You stumble over your words and decide to not even bother with an answer. Back to square one.
'It's late I should go.'
He senses the change, 'Y/N wait, please talk to me', Jungkook asks.
'What, you want to hear my story, so you can feel bad and fix it?' Your voice doesn't rise, it doesn't need to with you sitting so close, but it gains a hard edge that Jungkook can't miss.
'Well guess what. It's my life and it doesn't need fixing- okay. I escaped, I'm free, my father is gone, Kang Sun is gone, I can live...'
You trail off, realising in anger you gave too much away. Maybe that was his plan since you hadn't given him his answer to question three. You seal your lips and glare at Jungkook daring him to make a comment on what you just revealed.
Anyone would recognise that name... Kang Sun.
'You're free, I'm glad for you, that's one of my dreams too.'
Your surprised and can only whisper, 'you're not free?'
'Maybe in a different way to you, but yeah.'
You lean forward in your seat naturally, across the table Jungkook mirrors you. 'That's sad that you don't think you are.'
Jungkook looks at you and admits, 'I have an amazing life, my fans, my hyungs, family, success, but along the way... I think I lost a part of myself.'
You're momentarily flawed at his honestly, at the fact he showed you a part of him that wasn't pretty. He exposed a vulnerable bit of himself and it confused you. You weren't used to this. You knew how to hide the truth, show no weakness and share nothing.
Unsure what to do you reciprocate his willingness to share and tell him something you have never spoken about. You're not sure what makes you, and you know you will regret it after- being weak in front of a stranger. But once you open your mouth you find can't stop.
Something about the late night cafe, moonlit and eerily quiet air seems compelling.
'My father sold me to someone for his own gain. To show me my new life, and how I no longer had any say in it, that same night three men broke into my home and killed my mother and sister, whilst my dad left me to them. They made sure I knew it was him who sent them. The one who now owned my life- That's why I needed to escape.'
You carry on, not ready to see Jungkook's expression yet.
'The last thing I heard was my mother's screams, and I had to live on knowing it was my fault. They died as a lesson to me'.
Your breath softly broke the silence. You stared into your hands, scared of his reaction. You noticed your knuckles had a small drop of liquid trickling into your palm, you realise you had cried at some point.
Looking up into his gaze expecting fear, you only feel an assuring calm. The connection between the two of you at that moment seems to heal a small part of you.
Maybe the action of sharing, from both of you, spoken over cold hands and drawn breath, began the start of something you had never known before. Trust. But when you looked into his eyes you felt emotions you did not understand. The attraction far outweighed at that moment by a feeling of comfort and empathy, and it was Jungkook who gave you that.
Without speaking, you both rose and began to make your way to the exit.
You're glad Jungkook didn't say anything. You can't believe you even shared that. But also you can't ignore the weight that disappeared at that moment.
Jungkook's silence says more than his words ever could, and when you walk he stands closer to your side than he did before.
**