The boy next door

Chapter 43

I sighed hooking my thumbs into the straps of my backpack while slowly strolling home.

It was a long day of school since I had to prepare a project for the end of my first and penultimate semester in high school before I'd graduate.

It was a lot of work to do so I had to stay longer and by the time I left the school premises it was almost completely dark outside.

I let out another deep sigh. One of my habits when I'm either stressed or distraught. The cold breeze piercing through my clothes didn't lift my mood either.

"Why do you keep sighing like that?", a voice suddenly sounded behind me and an arm was looped around my shoulder.

It startled me so badly that I was almost knocked out of my shoes.

"Jesus Christ, are you insane?", I said loudly with a pounding heart, "I almost died of a heart failure!"

"Relax", Jungkook said a smile curling his lips which made his eyes turn into two small crescents adorned by small, adorable laugh lines.

"Hmpf", I snorted in response and pushed him off of me even though I didn't want to.

This was the first time after four long months that we actually were properly talking to each other and had skin contact.

I didn't know why he was approaching me right now but the dark circles under his eyes had almost completely disappeared and he seemed to be a lot better.

And I didn't mind him being close to me again. On the contrary, I enjoyed it a little too much the way he was holding me tightly and his familiar scent enveloping me in a soft, padded cloud of assurance and peace.

"So what's wrong?", he asked stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans as we both walked home together, "why do you sigh as if there was a contest to win?"

"I don't know... school?", I mumbled but my thoughts said something different.

My relationship. Jimin. You.

"You're stressing yourself too much. The project isn't that important", he said looking into the distance.

"You're one to talk. You're literally good at anything", I huffed.

"No, that's not true. You had to help me with English, remember?", he asked nudging me playfully in an attempt to cheer me up.

That was before everything went downhill. I tried so hard to be happy after starting a new life but it just seems like maybe I was trying to hard.

"Whatever", I said grumpily.

"Come on. Let's do something fun together", he suggested, "we haven't done anything together in ages."

Yea because I told you to stay away from me.

How can he be so fine after all that happened? Or is he just pretending to make me feel better? Maybe he's hurting on the inside just like me.

Or not. And he's back to his old ways. Fvcking the pain away.

"Let's celebrate that there's only one day of school left till it's the weekend", he insisted after I didn't answer.

"You have some serious problems", I said but chuckled so he achieved his aim.

"I know you want to", he said smirking at me.