YOU WERE ELEVEN WHEN YOU FIRST MET JEON JUNGKOOK.
Growing up in the rural areas of South Korea, you had never imagined a place like Seoul. The forest surrounded the Jeon House on all sides, trees bending together at the tops. The carpet of moss underfoot was so green and soft that you never bothered to put on your shoes wehn you outside.
Late one night, the brightness of the moon woke you. It poured into the room like silk, spilling over the wooden floors.
You were in a mood for exploring.
You slipped through the opened window and began to run. The Jeon Family was still sleeping, and you were just staying with them for the summer. If you didn't cause any trouble, you were fine.
"I am the queen of the forest," you hummed to yourself, twirling around in your ballet slippers. "And you shall bow to me." Your heart started beating when you heard a twig snap from behind you. For some reason, you didn't scream anymore. Nothing really scared you enough to bring more than a quickening of heartbeat. But you ignored it, and kept dancing, trying to block any negative thoughts out.
You didn't really think about the entire scenario until a good ten years later.
And deja vu hit you.
In an attempt to reconnect with your childhood, but also do some renovations and look after Jungkook's siblings' kids, you offered to stay with them again. They immediately trusted you and the summer after you graduated, Jungkook helped you move in.
"Thank you so much," he said, sighing. "I love them and all, but I need a break with my siblings." His voice was light in the warm night air. "I'll see you in a few days," he smiled.
You smiled back.
Later that night, you found yourself wandering through the woods again, nostalgia bringing tears to your eyes. But there was no way you'd pretend to play again.
Your silky nightgown billowed between your legs. The children had been placed to sleep, and the Jeons had left for their family vacation a few hours ago. You wanted to see how far you could go before you fell asleep, and soon you reached an area you'd never seen before.
"What is this place?" You wondered out loud. It was a boarded up shed, and you knew you should immediately get out of there.
There might be a killer, your mind thought, and you started backing up.
Backed up and fell on your back.
For a second, you felt like you were sinking, but you managed to get up without having a heart attack. Run, everything in your body almost screamed at you. And you did, you ran harder and faster than you ever did in your entire life. Run.
And then you realized that the voice wasn't from you but from someone else, which made you run faster. You could see the house up ahead a few hundred yards.
"Y/n?"
You slowed down to see Jungkook in front of you. "Jungkook?" You flinched. "Didn't you leave?"
He didn't respond. "What were you doing?" He interrogated. "Why were you there?"
"The kids were asleep," You replied defensively, and he shook his head. "I don't care about them," he said. "But what were you doing there?"
"I was walking," you said. "Why?"
"Did you go into that shed?"
"No," you stepped away. "I don't understand. Why are you so uptight, Jungkook?" He sighed, "Good."
"Jungkook, you're scaring me," you said. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." And he moved so fast, you almost didn't see him. The world was spinning and out of place and all of the sudden, the sky was the ground and the ground was the sky. Your vision blurred and blackened.
***
"I didn't realize you were such a heavy sleeper," his voice was soft and smooth, waking you up. You didn't remember the last time someone talked to you like that.
"J-Jungkook?"
Your eyes flitted open, slowly, and you gasped. You were laying on a soft bed. "Where, where are we?" You asked, curling up into a ball. "You collapsed," he explained. "I had to pick you up, you've been snoozing for quite a while." Your face reddened, "sorry."
He laughed, "it's ok."
You felt like something was wrong. You saw him knock you out, but you didn't know if he really did. Jungkook wouldn't do something like that. Your head ached and you bit your lip in annoyance that you couldn't remember how you got here.
"I must admit," he said. "Watching you sleep is a pleasure. You're so cute."
"Jungkook!" You almost yelled.
"What?" He said. "I was bored. I drew you too, if you want to see."
He led you to his desk. Jungkook was a good artist, you'd known this since you were a kid. "Creep," you smacked him playfully.
"I know," he said, but there was a dark edge to his voice.
"Jungkook?" You asked softly, your lips felt dry. "Can I go get water?" His eyes were unfocused, "sure." You got up slowly, feeling a little woozy. You opened the door and ran down the steps to the kitchen. "Y/n," he called, and you turned around, eyebrow raised. "I, I'll go get it." You frowned, "I've got it, Jungkook." He squeezed your shoulder, almost painfully and you yelped. "I said," he grit his teeth. "I'll get it."
"No, no, no," you said. "I don't want to trouble you."
"For the love of God," he sighed. "Just let me get it." He beat you to the kitchen counter, and you watched him pour a cup of water. "Here," he handed it to you."
"Thanks."
Something felt wrong. Why didn't he want you to get up? You thought. You were feeling fine, so you pressed him. "Jungkook," you said softly. "I'm fine, okay? I don't know what happened, but I feel fine."
You realized there were curtains drawn around your bed - but this clearly wasn't a hospital, so as he stood up to bring your cup away, you caught sight of a few pictures glued to the walls.
They looked familiar, but he had returned before you could clearly tell what was on the pictures. And the suspicious part is how quickly he draws the curtains. "Y/n?" His fingers run through your hair. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Your stomach is twisting inside out. "You're back now, aren't you?" The memories were hazy, but you felt like he hadn't been gone for much time at all. "So I should get home!" You smiled uneasily, disguising it with a few giggles.
But you see an opening in the curtains - more pictures. "Jungkook?" You pull him closer to you. "Can you open the curtains?"
You saw him hesitating, so you move away.
"What?" You asked him, with the perfect amount of innocence in your voice. His eyes were hazy and his face was flushed. You could see the sweat dripping down his face - the unmistakable face of arousal as he slowly opens the curtains in front of you.
Your throat goes dry when you saw what's inside. Your pictures, plastered on the walls, some of your missing items, even some of your thrown away objects. Then you turned your attention back to him, now standing in a corner, breathing heavily on a a pile of clothes. Your clothes - you can even see your clothes from months and even years ago.
Confusion highlighted your face as you stared at him.
You were scared out of your mind, and silenced with shock.
"I think we were all born with half of us missing," he began. "So when I met you, I knew I had found my other half."
He was insane. And you were nearly hyperventilating as you tried to take in the whole situation.
"Ever since I was a kid, Y/n, I've always loved you."