Exposed Truth | Jeon Jungkook

Chapter 22

Nari || Tuesday, June 23

I wake up to the sun's rays shining through the translucent blinds. I rub my eyes and squint as I stretch my worn-out body. I look around and frown in confusion when I realise this isn't my room. As soon as I sit up, a twinge of pain shoots through my entire body and my sore cheeks throb when I move my jaw. At that moment, I remember being held in Jungkook's arms as he carried me here, then like a typhoon, memories from last night instantly hit me and I recall everything.

I curl up into a ball and hug my legs tightly under the warm blanket as I feel hot tears stream down my face. I shudder when distressing images from last night intrude my mind. I beg myself to forget about what happened and I wish I could stop replaying the way the man's dirty hands touched my body, yet it's not that easy,

I cannot forget the monstrous expression on his face when he held me down on the sofa and touched me illicitly, nor can I forget the rage on his vicious face when he slapped and kicked me. I so badly want to wipe my mind clean of the horrid memories from last night, yet they just keep attacking my mind.

I close my eyes and control my rapid breathing as I will myself to rid my mind of the awful thoughts. Although I believe that nobody deserves to die, no matter how grave a mistake they have made, I can't lie and say that I'm not relieved that he can no longer hurt me anymore. I'm so grateful that Jimin, Jungkook, and Lisa came to my rescue before the gang leader could harm me further. I cannot imagine what more could've happened or the state I'll be in if they hadn't come in time to save me. I could be dead already if they came any later.

A light knock on the door breaks me out of my thoughts and my head jerks up to the sound of the door opening slowly. Jungkook peeks through the gap of the door before fully entering the room when he sees that I'm awake.

"Hey..." he says and hesitantly sits down on the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?"

I look at him and he stares back at me with a worried expression as his caring eyes skim over my features.

I give him a small smile and nod, "I'm fine."

"Don't lie," he says as he reaches his hand out to my injured cheek and examines the bruises. "Does it hurt?"

I flinch when his fingers graze my cheeks and he retracts his hand as he looks at me apologetically with sad puppy eyes, but I shake my head and do my best to look at him with a bright smile.

"It doesn't hurt as much as it did last night," I reply.

He sighs and takes my hand to massage it soothingly. He seems frustrated when he spots the hickeys on my neck, then his expression turns sorrow and I notice a hint of regret in his glossy eyes as he continues to scan the rest of my body for injuries. His lips parting as if wanting to say something whenever his eyes land on a bruise on my arms and legs.

"I'm okay," I say to convince him and he looks up into my eyes. "Really."

"No, you're not," he says as he shakes his head and lets go of my hand. "You're lying... Look at all those bruises. I know you're hurt. You don't have to pretend to be strong, you don't have to lie to me."

I shake my head and sigh as I look into his sad and pitiful eyes. I know he won't believe me no matter how much I insist that I'm okay. I know how much he cares for me by the way he's looking at me.

I'm about to say something, but he doesn't let me when he says, "I'm sorry... this is all my fault. I shouldn't have ever let you go meet him alone. I'm so stupid for letting you be alone with him. I should've stayed by your side to protect you. I'm so sorry... you must be really disappointed in me... I promised I would never let you get hurt again... but I..."

Tears begin to well up in his eyes and they drip down his face one by one. He lowers his head and his hands clench as he sobs. I hate to see him this way. I hate seeing him so upset and so burdened. I feel tears in my own eyes when I watch the tears run down his face.

I lift his head up and gently wipe away his tears with my fingers. He sniffles as he keeps repeating how sorry he is, and I keep shaking my head to dismiss his apologies.

"You don't need to be sorry for anything," I say as I force him to look into my eyes. "I'm not upset or angry at you. On the contrary, I'm actually really happy and relieved that you came, with Jimin and Lisa as well, to save me."

I want him to know that I'm thankful that he came to save me, I don't want him to be upset over not being able to protect me; I don't blame him because none of this was his fault. I agreed to the plan anyway. I saw it coming; I knew something like that was bound to happen.

Before he can say anything else to protest and insist that what happened was his fault, I wrap my arms around his quivering body. I rest my head on his shoulder and shut my eyes.

"Shh..." I whisper. "I'm telling the truth. I'm really okay."

He eventually gives in and he keeps quiet as he rests his head on my shoulder. His body relaxes in my embrace and his arms wrap around my waist. We remain this way for quite a while, before pulling away and wiping away each other's tears with smiles on our faces.

---

Jungkook and I leave his bedroom to see Lisa sitting on the sofa in the living room. She lifts her head up from the piles of documents on the table when she sees us and gives us a warm smile.

"Hey," she says and we go over to her.

My mouth waters and I gulp when I catch a whiff of a delicious  aroma coming from the kitchen. I spot Jimin cooking with an apron around his waist.

"Good morning," he says with an unexpected enthusiasm in his voice as he pops his head out from the kitchen. "I'm just making us some breakfast. It'll be ready in a few minutes."

Jungkook and I take a seat beside Lisa on the sofa. I peak at the files laid out on the table, my eyes skimming the information and I frown when I spot a photo of a tough-looking man that looks to be in his twenties. My eyes are immediately drawn to the excessive tattoos on his neck and the piercings in his face.

"That's the client we're looking for," Jungkook says as I examine the photo. "Jay Choi."

I nod and read the details below the photo. Jungkook tells me about the rest of the information he found and I feel so repulsed and nauseous from the things he tells me about Suga; he really is a disgusting man who does sickening things for his own pleasure. I feel so much hatred for him. I'm glad nobody will ever be used or harmed by him anymore.

Lisa also tells me about her findings that include more information on the client, and she shows me her notebook of the important details that are worth noting.

I'm shocked by how much documents Jimin and Jungkook managed to steal, and I'm even more astonished that Jungkook, Lisa, and Jimin stayed up to read all of this information and processed all of this. They could've left some documents for me to read, but they  didn't and worked on this on their own whilst I was asleep.

Jimin soon comes out of the kitchen with four plates of sausages and eggs. My stomach grumbles at the smell and sight of the appealing breakfast. I breathe in the steaming aroma and lick my lips before taking a bite of the food and easing my hunger.

Once everyone is comfortably seated on the sofa and have begun stuffing ourselves with the flavourful food, Lisa flips to the last page of her notebook, then looks at us with a certain glint of thrill in her eyes as she says, "So... you guys ready to hear the plan?"

I nod and we listen carefully to everything she says next as we devour the delicious breakfast.