~Jungkook~
Seeing Miyoung with Jimin hurts. What hurts even more was the fact that he knew he was going to have to let her go. Why? Because he loves Jimin more. Their brotherhood meant more to him than any woman does. That's what sucks because Jungkook likes Miyoung. A lot.
"Jungkook-ah."
Jungkook looked over his shoulders at Namjoon who was standing by his door. It's been three days since that incident. When Namjoon received a phone call from Minseo, he rushed out of there- forgetting the fact that he was supposed to help Jungkook with one of the songs. He considered staying out of their business but when he remembered the anger on Namjoon's face, he didn't think twice and rushed out of there.
He got lost though. Went to the wrong police station.
When Jungkook finally arrived, he saw that Jihye looked pale. He saw how protective Namjoon was of her and that made him smile.
She's his, Jungkook thought to himself as Namjoon examined Jihye who was trying to remove herself from him. And he's hers.
"What's up?" Jungkook said.
Namjoon sat on the edge of Jungkook's bed and hesitated. This got Jungkook's attention.
"Thank you," Namjoon said with a smile. "For not... mentioning that to the other members."
"We're a family," Jungkook reminded him. "I don't like keeping things quiet but I respect your reasons why."
Namjoon nodded, solemnly. "I know... I'm sorry, I shouldn't even be asking you to—"
Jungkook held up a hand to stop him from talking. It worked.
"If you're really sorry then help me out with this part," Jungkook said, handing him the notebook with his lyrics on them.
Namjoon grinned at that, shuffling back on the bed, crossing his legs and then patted to the empty spot across from him. "Sit."
Jungkook moved towards the bed and sat down.
"Where's Yumi by the way?" Jungkook asked, yawning. "Miyoung is with Jimin and both Seokjin and Yumi are not here."
"Yumi said something about going to see her father," Namjoon answered, reaching for one of Jungkook's pens. "Seokjin? I'm not too sure."
Jungkook pressed a hand to his stomach, frowning at the uneasiness he was getting from this.
"This part is good," Namjoon said, bringing his attention back to Namjoon. "You did well."
Jungkook forced a smile, "Thanks."
Turning his attention towards the windows, Jungkook's eyes narrowed and he silently pray that this wasn't a sign that something's about to happen.
***
~Yumi~
He slapped me so hard that I was on the floor. This wasn't something new.
I glared up at my father from the ground, "Is that all you've got? My, father, you used to hit me until I passed out and couldn't go to school, didn't you? What, you afraid that people will question why I look like this?"
It was a bad idea to rile him up but I couldn't help it. I was tired of all the abuse from this man. Now that I finally found a man worth holding onto... I won't let him ruin me even more. Not when Seokjin loves me. Especially not when I love him too.
Maybe it was a bad idea to provoke my father when he mentioned Seokjin. I only just found out that Seokjin's been using me, dangling me in front of my father to get him to back off. Somehow, I just knew that he knows about the abuse that occurs between my father and I. It scared me more than anything—the fact that Seokjin knew. And that he wasn't going to let it go.
"Yumi, you little—" my father took a step towards me and just as I waited for another blow, the door suddenly opened.
Both our eyes went towards the door and to my horror, Seokjin was standing there. For once, he wore a blank expression.
"Seokjin," my father said, nervously.
Seokjin smiled but it didn't touch his eyes. "I'm here to get my wife. She left without a word."
I looked away from him as his eyes came towards me. Did he hear everything? Does he now know how twisted my father is? That I'm the daughter of a twisted man like him? It disgusts me. So. Much.
"I didn't expect to see her on the floor though."
"I learnt that Yumi's been misbehaving and not acting like a proper wife," my father apologised. "I felt the need to discipline her. It's nothing big, so you don't need to worry."
"Says who?"
Before I know it, Seokjin had pulled me up like I weighed nothing at all. My whole body was sore and I felt like crying. I don't cry—especially when my father hits me. I've learnt that tears made him hit me even more. He thrives on it.
"Yumi's the best wife any one can ever ask for," Seokjin told my father before saying, "We'll be leaving now."
Then he dragged me out of my father's office and down the hallway towards where the entrance was. Before I could even ask him why he was here, Seokjin took off his hoodie and slipped it over me, pulling the hood up. No doubt it was to hide the bruises on my face.
I didn't say a single word as Seokjin drove us back towards the dorms. When he parked the car, I got out of the car and walked towards the house, ready to go to my room and cry. The humiliation and frustration I felt was too much for me to keep pretending that it's not affecting me.
I didn't make it far into the house before Seokjin grabbed my elbow and pulled me towards him.
"Let go!" I yelled.
"Not a chance," he muttered before dragging me towards the lounge and forcing me to sit on the couch, facing him.
"Let go," I snapped, using my free hand to shove his hand off me. It didn't work.
"Are you going to sit still if I let go?"
"Yes." No. No freaking way.
Seokjin's eyes studied mine for a few seconds and then he let go. I waited for a few seconds before leaping off the couch and ran towards my room. I didn't think I'd beat Seokjin but I tried anyways. Seokjin easily grabbed hold of me and before I could even blink, I was suddenly lifted and on his shoulder.
Seokjin made his way towards the fridge and I heard him open and closed it as he was grabbing for something. I couldn't see what it was.
I hit his back as Seokjin turned around and began walking away from the kitchen, hissing, "What are you doing?"
That's when I saw the members rounding the corner and I saw their eyes wide as they took us in. I kept trying to push myself off Seokjin even though that wasn't working at all.
I heard a door opening and then I glanced over Seokjin's head to see that we were heading into his room.
My eyes widened. "What the—"
Seokjin threw something onto the nightstand and then closed the door and locked it before throwing me off his shoulder and onto his bed, following me down as he covered his body with mine.
I shoved hard at his chest, "What are you doing?!"
"Talking."
"This isn't talking!" I shouted. "People who talk don't—"
"You could have avoided this if you sat on the couch earlier," Seokjin reminded me.
I continued shoving, yelling, "Get off! Get off!"
Why was I angry? Well, Seokjin barged into my father's office and saw it. It. The abuse. Something I never want him to know. I wanted to hide this disgusting part of me. I didn't want his pity nor the fake promises to end the abuse. He can't save me. No one can.
"You keep squirming like that and we can forget about talking."
I stopped shoving immediately as his words sank in. Instead, my eyes grew wide as I stared at him, stunned by what he'd said. "You're kidding," I whispered.
Seokjin stroked my cheek with his thumb, eyes locked on mine. "No."
I swatted his hand away from my face and glared away from him. I felt Seokjin leaned over me and reached for something. I didn't look at him as I tried to process what was happening right now. That's when I felt something cold touched my cheek and I winced and looked back at Seokjin.
"Wha..." I glanced up at Seokjin and saw his eyes were filled with worry. He pressed the icepack to my cheek where my father had hit me and that's when I knew that he really did know about it.
I closed my eyes. Just what I wanted to avoid. Telling him about the abuse was one thing but having him see it was another.
"Yumi."
I opened my eyes and glanced away from him.
"How long?"
I didn't answer him even though I knew what he was talking about. It was better for the two of us to never be in the same room like this. It was better if my problem was mine alone. I didn't need Seokjin prying into my life.
Seokjin shake me gently, "Yumi, how long?"
"You don't need to know," I replied, coldly as I pushed the icepack away from my cheek. "I need space."
"Why, so you can cry yourself to sleep? Be in pain and suffer alone?" he shot back.
I looked at him, confused. "What?"
"I heard you," Seokjin said, eyes roaming my face. "Some nights. I know you hate the rain and get sick and anxious because some bad things happened. I know you got scars on your back and that you hide them really well. I know that while your father was living a luxurious life, you were working multiple jobs trying to feed yourself. I now know," his voice deepened, "that your father beat you senseless. If what I heard was correct then it's been happening for a long time."
I felt tears rolling down my face and I covered my face with my hands.
"Yumi—"
"Leave me alone!" I screamed. The last thing I needed was someone like Seokjin to try and understand my situation. The last thing I needed was his pity and those eyes looking at me like I was some broken person. I didn't want to be looked at like that. The girls... if they knew, they'll look at me like I'm some sort of broken person. The members too. They'll want to protect me and I hate that! You can't protect because there's nothing left to protect.
"Since marrying me, your father hasn't laid a finger on you, has he? Well... if I'm correct then it's twice now."
"Shut up!" I yelled, trying to stop the tears. It wasn't working at all. I was sobbing before I knew it and I felt Seokjin shift around and laid down beside me, pulling me against his chest. His arms turned steel as he held me against him. I felt him stroking my back and I cried harder at that.
"He won't hurt you anymore," Seokjin said softly. "I promise."
I shook my head, knowing that it was a promise that's bound to be broken. That's how fragile promises are.
Seokjin's hold on me tightened, "I'm sorry." He dropped his lips to my ear and said, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from your father."
I couldn't stop crying after hearing him say that. Those were what my mother have said to me countless times leading up to her death. Hearing Seokjin say them now was hurting me more than ever.
I gripped on his shirt, burying my face into his chest, wanting to start a new life. A life with no father. A life with no pain. A life that is only filled with happiness and laughter.
After what seems like ages, I whispered, "Seokjin."
I felt his arms tightened around me and knew that he was still awake. It's been hours since we laid like this. I was exhausted by crying so much. So exhausted I'm about to collapse and sleep forever.
I felt my eyelids getting heavier by the second but still, I whispered, "If... if I didn't live the life that I've lived...would I—do you think I would be a better me today?"
I didn't hear his answer because the darkness already took me.
~Seokjin~
Seokjin blinked away the tears that formed when he heard the brokenness in Yumi's voice at her question. When he felt her limp body and heard the steady rhythm of her breathing, he knew she was asleep. That's when he turned her over and shifted so that he could see her properly.
His chest tightened at the sight of her. Exhaustion outlined her features and her eyes were swollen from her crying. Seeing the bruise on her face... it made him want to hit her father over and over again. The sight of Yumi like this broke him.
Placing his hand behind the back of her head, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering, "I don't do 'what ifs', Shortcake." He glanced down at her sleepy face, "Although I hate knowing what's happened to you, it brought you to me."
If Yumi had a loving and adoring father, their paths would never cross like it did. The thought of not knowing or meeting Yumi was something Seokjin didn't want to imagine. Even though he hated Yumi's father for the way he treated Yumi, he couldn't help but be a little thankful that her twisted father brought the two together because in all honesty, Seokjin never wanted to marry. He didn't believe in that ever-lasting love.
"I'll protect you from now on," he murmured, pulling her against his chest and watched as she nuzzled against him in her sleep. "You're not alone anymore."
If Seokjin told the members about Yumi's past, they'll be mad. Really mad. So mad to the point where they'd want to do something about it. Seokjin's not a fan of wanting people to know his business, especially his precious members. He knew that they will suspect it but he won't confirm anything. If the members knew, they'll be out for blood. Why? Because they're a family. Having Yumi—no, keeping Yumi in his life meant that she was also part of their family too. And family protect each other.