. ˚◞♡ ⃗ 🕊*ೃ༄
. ˚◞♡ ⃗ 🕊*ೃ༄
━━━━┅━━━
CHAPTER THREE
The Goodbyes
━━━━┅━━━
KANG Y/N
I was definitely starting to get nervous as I waited for Jisung to walk in and cry his eyes out. There was no doubt in mind that he was going to be defeated. He would be mad too.
He wouldn't understand, he would ask why I would volunteer for someone I didn't even know. In return, I would not be able to explain the deal to him and that would lead to him being sad again. But better sad than dead.
Jisung was protective of me and he would be again now. Just like he had been this morning when he had said that he wanted to act like the older brother.
A minute passed with me just pacing about the room, thinking about the probability of me returning on the train and not in a body bag.
I basically had zero chances because even Jungkook looked strong AND there were bound to be a lot of volunteers this year. There had to be.
Finally, the door opened and in came... Tuan Jisoo?
I liked Jisoo but I didn't understand why she was here, we had never had a proper conversation before. Maybe she was here to thank me? I had, after all, volunteered for her. So, in other words, I had saved her life.
She walked towards me and I just stared at her, unsure of what to do or say. Without any hesitation, she hugged me tightly and I awkwardly hugged back. She was warm and the hug felt comforting.
"Thank you Unnie, I will repay you with my blood, my sweat, and my tears," Jisoo whispered into the hug and I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Why was I even crying?
I should have gotten to know her, I could have had a friend. She was twelve and I was fifteen, almost sixteen, we could have been best friends.
If only...
I couldn't talk, my throat hurt and my heart ached. I was unable to get out even one single sentence. Deep down, I knew that I would regret this silence of mine soon enough.
I knew how this was going to go. We were going to sit in silence and then when it was time for her to leave, we would remember our words and shout for more time.
I was okay with that. So, I sat with Jisoo, Mark's younger sister as she stroked my back in a form of comfort. Maybe it was because I was in desperate need of affection, but it worked quite well.
Somewhat positive thoughts started fighting against the negative ones as I lost myself in her warmth and comfort.
I was happy that I had volunteered, this girl would have been dead in the first few seconds. Then again, I wasn't really any better off than she would have been.
We stayed like this a little longer, me soaking in the love and attention I knew I desperately needed.
It was perfect until the guards came in and started dragging her out. Immediately, I opened my mouth to protest but nothing came out at first.
"I'll take care of him! We'll take care of Jisung!" Jisoo shouted in the hopes of comforting me and I nodded desperately.
Just before she left I shouted it again. "Take care of my brother!"
Just to make sure.
I needed to say it, I had to be strong and if I wanted help, I needed to ask for it loud and clear.
When the door opened a second time, I was ready to finally leave my inability to speak behind me.
In stumbled a distraught looking Mark, who immediately embraced me in his muscular arms. He didn't even look at me before his arms enveloped me.
"I'm so sorry... I can't even tell you how much I regret dragging you into this." He whispered sadly, confusing me. Why would he be sad? His sister was safe.
Of course, if Mark volunteered for Jisung I would be sad for him, but most of all I would feel relieved that Jisung wasn't going into the arena.
"What do you mean Mark sunbae?" I asked him quickly. "Jisoo is safe," I muttered.
"When I saw you standing on the podium I- I wished that I had made the deal with someone else... Thank you, Y/n." He whispered and I finally understood what he meant, Mark did really see me as a friend. Maybe I saw him as one too.
A guard opened the door yet again in the middle of a heartfelt moment, ready to drag Mark off, just like they had dragged Jisoo away. But no, I wanted him to stay for at least another minute.
"No! One more minute please!" I shouted as they tore my friend away from me.
Please don't leave me here alone. Not alone. Anything but loneliness.
"I will take care of him and if he gets chosen in the years to come, I will volunteer for him." Mark managed to shout before they closed the door in my face. I could still hear the commotion outside. Mark was clearly struggling against the guards, trying to get more time with his friend, me.
I was starting to worry now, where was Jisung? Where was the person I was really going to try to win for?
What if I didn't have any time left? What if I wouldn't see him ever again? What if I died with him still being mad at me?
What if-
There was a loud bang and to my great surprise, Jisung stumbled in, holding something in his closed fist.
At first, we just stared at each other, no one saying anything. He was much taller than me already, I was tiny and almost everyone was taller than me, but still. Jisung was my baby brother.
"Noona you will win this! Promise me that you'll win this!" He shouted as tears ran down both of our cheeks.
I said nothing as he moved closer to me with his fist clenched tightly. He was holding in so many emotions.
I caused him all this pain
My face scrunched up at the thought of Jisung being sad because of me. Because I wasn't good enough as a sister.
Another tear slid down my cheeks, and another one and- I was sobbing again, quietly, but still.
"I-I love you Noona and I don't want you to leave me. Ever." He whispered before engulfing me into one of his comforting hugs. While Jisoo's hug had been comforting, Jisung's was both comforting and familiar.
I buried my face into his shoulder.
Home and safety. I felt at home with my little brother and I felt safe with my little brother.
"I- I'll try b-but I can't p-Promise." I let out another annoying sob, wiping my tears furiously.
"Promise me, Noona!" Jisung shouted and I could see the anger in his eyes. Not directed at me, directed at the capital.
"I promise, little brother." I managed to say without choking. Unblinking, Jisung stared at me for a good minute, as if checking the validity of my promise to him.
Then, he nodded strongly, before handing me a golden necklace, his present from our deceased parents.
He pointed at my watch and I nodded in understanding, taking it off and handing it to him without hesitation.
I took his necklace and he took my watch.
The jewelry was a silent promise that spoke louder than words did.
| JISUNG'S SPECIAL |
_____
I looked at the older boy with little to no emotion in my gaze. Y/n sometimes looked at people like that, but she usually did it on accident when she was zoning out.
He sat there, looking cool, even though I thought him to be the opposite. No one would miss him, okay, maybe the girls would as they liked to giggle about him, but no one of real importance to him would.
Because he had no one and he was no one. He was just Jeon Jungkook, a handsome face in the crowd.
He had no friends and family to see him off, my sister, on the other hand, had me. I needed her and no one needed him.
My sister helped people in her free time, while he was rich and did nothing with his extra money. I hated people like him, but I needed something from him now.
"Take care of my Noona please, she is really worth protecting," I said, looking him straight into the eyes.
You're not as important, I wanted to add, but I held myself back.
He probably knew that already.
"Why would I? Can you just leave?" He waved me off with an annoyed look on his face. That look made me want to punch him.
But I knew better, he was considering my offer and that was all I wanted.
"Because you are no one, " I answered honestly, causing hid eyes to widen slightly.
He hadn't expected me to be honest with him.
"And she's a good person, someone that cares about others, someone that helps others and someone-"
"I get it, " Jungkook cut me off, seemingly emotionless.
He didn't confirm that he was going to help Y/n, but the look in his eyes was thoughtful.
That was all I needed.
Noona was going to come back to me. Y/n was going to come back to our little makeshift family of two and then, we were going to be happy.
Finally.
. ˚◞♡ ⃗ 🕊*ೃ༄