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04.
IT'S already been two weeks since Jennie started to live in the house of Jungkook Jeon, the man with fluffy black hair and light hazel eyes. Jennie noticed many things about him and the place.
There aren't any photos of him or anyone apart from the paintings. Jennie discovers that Jungkook works to pay off the debt he has on the university, of why he looked for a housemate. They're the same age, but Jungkook repeated a year because of personal reasons. After flunking his last school semester, he came back with tons of debt to pay off.
He's smart; that's what Jennie knew when she caught him sleeping at the kitchen table while working on his statistics. Jungkook hasn't done anything harmful to her, like how she heard from other students.
They said he's popular with the girls and a playboy since his first years. Jennie doesn't even know about that. Are they that invisible to each other? Maybe. Jungkook doesn't look like he's breaking women's hearts now, or he's just busy working and paying off his mortgage.
Either way, he looks like a quiet and lonely man living in his house. They're not friends to try and talk about why he's living alone or why he doesn't mention other things. People have their secrets like her. She wouldn't tell her whole life story to anyone too.
"You're going to the campus now?" Jungkook asks when he sees the woman with her bag going to the door.
Jennie smiles. "Yes. Got to work to give you the pay for next month."
Jungkook realizes that Jennie is similar to her. They both need to work to get by, but Jennie doesn't have any obligation to pay for other expenses.
"Okay, take care," Jungkook says, waving at Jennie. She waved back, stepping out of the house, and left.
Jungkook notices how Jennie is acting weird these days. She's getting weirder and weirder, but not in a negative way. She's getting sick every day. Jennie just doesn't show, but Jungkook hears her sometimes puking her guts out, gets dizzy frequently, and paler. He heard from Jimin that got the information from Rosé that Jennie doesn't want to bother her friends or parents anymore. She wants to be independent and prepare herself for something big in the future. He doesn't understand, and he's not in the position to ask.
"We aren't friends yet... Right?" Jungkook doesn't know if they're on a friendly basis now. Yes, they greet and smile at each other, but that doesn't mean they're friends now.
He's just worried that Jennie's going through a severe illness and doesn't want to tell anyone. In his free time today at the restaurant, he researches about her condition. She might be anemic or something worse. He doesn't know the context behind everything she's experiencing.
"Boss, I'm taking an early leave. I'll work overtime tomorrow." Jungkook asks permission from his manager. He wants to go and meet with Jennie to clear things out.
Fortunately, he's a good employee, therefore, is why his request is accepted. Right now, he's on the way back to the university while texting Jennie to meet up. His senior agrees, though asking what the meeting is for.
The two housemates are transparent with each other's schedules. Jungkook knows Jennie's still in school despite the time, and she knows his off time is by eight in the evening.
"So, what's up, Jungkook?" Jennie's sitting at their meet-up place. She greets him with a wave while on the outside of the little cafe truck near their university. "You're out early."
Jungkook takes a seat, smiling at the woman who has had ordered coffee, he thinks. Jennie says he doesn't know if he would want one and waits for him.
"No, it's alright, Jennie." Jungkook declines her offer of buying him a drink. He doesn't know if he should interfere with her life, though he is Jennie's landlord and only housemate.
Jennie waits for Jungkook to speak up. The man is quite wary of invading Jennie's personal life. She watches him agitate and turn serious on his seat. It takes a few gulps of saliva before Jungkook asks Jennie if she's sick.
"Huh?" Jennie is stunned. "What do you mean?"
Jungkook told her about what he observed from her. He's worried that it might be something serious that will put her life in danger. His concerns make Jennie annoyed. It makes her feel like Jungkook watched her every move without her consent.
"That's not part of your job as my landlord." Jennie's eye sharpens. She doesn't want an acquaintance like him to feel free to question her. They're not close for him to be worried for her.
"I'm just worried that you're going through⏤" Jungkook is cut off by Jennie snapping at him.
"I don't need anyone to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I absolutely don't want you to be concerned." Jennie's eyebrows crease together, making her look like an angry cat.
Jungkook's startled to see Jennie get angry and hostile for the first time. She's right. He shouldn't meddle in her business, but can you blame him? Jennie is his tenant. If something happens to her, he'll be responsible for it. What if she dies in her house? That would cost a lot of damage and make him seem like a murderer.
"I don't have to, but I care about the person living in my home. At least spare me a bit of understanding." He almost snaps back at Jennie.
She's not the only one facing difficulties. Jungkook cares about her only because she's living with him. If not, he wouldn't even give a damn about her.
"Why would you care? We're not friends. Keep it professional and don't pry about my life." Jennie glares at him, fuming with anger.
She doesn't want Jungkook to sympathize or pity her. She's able to take care of herself. She can do it by herself, and no one will help her if they know the truth. Jennie's been hiding everything inside her heart. She's just trying to control her emotions not until Jungkook talks like they're siblings to mind about her.
She poured her emotions into Jungkook that had nothing to do with her problems. Maybe it's too much to keep it in. It's been a month since after knowing her condition. It still makes her feel weak and helpless. A trait she's not fond of being.
She stands up from the chair, about to step away from her seat, but she turns her head back to look at him. "I don't need you to care about me. Just leave me alone."
"Jennie!" Jungkook calls out. He gets up, going to follow her. It's not what he meant to tell or show to her. She thought of his intentions wrongly. He wished to fix it, but he didn't anticipate something shocking.
Jennie's emotion overflows and overwhelms her. Her plan to cover up her secret is slowly revealed and by Jungkook in only a few days. What will he think of her now? Will he be like one of those people who will judge her and mistreat her? She's lost enough already. She might lose her quiet life and home.
Her tears stream down her face. At first, she doesn't seem to notice until it drops on her neck and clothes. Why would she cry? There are so many things she doesn't understand. Now she's back on feeling weak. What she hates the most is being vulnerable in front of others.
You're such a fool, Jennie.
She wipes her tears every time it keeps running down her cheeks. Her visions turn blurry as her heart swells painfully. And like that, her body shuts down from the burdens she's carrying.
