Blurred Lens

Anger

Oh.

OH!

Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t.

'Are you sure?' you whispered, hyper-aware of your mam staring questionably at you both with her eyebrows raised.

Jungkook looked at you in disbelief. 'What? Yes, of course,' he hissed, squirming in his seat.

'Is everything ok?' Mam asked, pushing her tongue against her cheek.

'Uh... yes. I'm just gunna check -' you began to push your chair back before dad stormed in the room. You instantly turned to stone and felt fear prickle in your stomach.

'I found it! You must have forgotten about it, Jungkook,' Dad said, pointing at a crinkled newspaper covered in small specs of sawdust. 'It says "Jungkook and Bong-Cha news," continued on page 11.'

You should have jumped up and yanked it out of his hands. You should have ripped it apart and made some lame excuse, praying he'd let go of it.

But you sat, still in motion. Your legs stuck to the chair, awaiting the inevitable. Jungkook was staring at you with desperate eyes, waiting for you to do something.

But you sat there and watched your dad shuffle to the right page and scan to find the specific article. You sat there and watched his entire face drop and turn a dark shade of crimson. You sat there as he opened his mouth in fury, as if in slow motion.

'What the hell is this?' his eyes darted to you, then quickly to Jungkook as he pointed viciously at the paper.

Silence filled the room as he stared at you both, as if waiting for one of you to jump up and reveal it was a prank.

But you both sat there deep in your chairs like two toddlers being punished.

'Huh?! Is this some sick joke?!' he yelled, throwing his hand up.

'Calm down, sweetheart. What is it?' Mam asked kindly, standing up and approaching dad.

'Oh, nothing much - just Jungkook here -' he pointed aggressively at Jungkook and you saw him flinch. 'Is engaged to some women! He's treating Y/N like some mistress or something!'

Mam's mouth created an oval shape as she quickly scanned the article, as if she didn't believe what she was hearing and reading. 'Is this true?' She spoke calmly.

You and Jungkook still sat there, terrified to speak.

'Is this true?!' Mam shrieked, losing her cool and demanding a response.

'Yes! Yes it is, but -' you quivered, losing all confidence. Your parents hadn't yelled at you in years and it was so unnatural.

'You!' Dad pointed again at Jungkook, his finger holding so much anger. 'Explain - now!'

'Ok! Ok,' Jungkook sat up, he seemed like he was trying to regain some confidence. 'I'm being set up in an arranged marriage with that woman there, Bong-Cha.'

He paused, daring to glance up at your red-faced parents. 'I swear, I never meant to drag your daughter into this. I... I shouldn't have ever got her involved and I'm so, so sorry.'

Your dad let out a puff of angered laughter. 'Wh - What...' he couldn't form a sentence in his fury. 'So what's the plan, huh, Jungkook? You get everything out on Y/N for one last fling before married life?! You leave her heart-broken and go live with your wife?!'

He turned to you, you felt terror and sunk lower in your chair. Dad took a deep breath and lowered his volume a little, the anger was still there, but worse, disappointment had also been mixed in. 'Y/N why would you ever have put yourself in this position?'

'Because I -' you tried to reply, but his words had rattled you. Everything that had spilled out his mouth were your greatest fears. That Jungkook was just dragging you out for a ride before settling down with Bong-Cha.

He looked at you and shook his head. 'I think it's best you both left - right now.'

You looked at mam. She avoided eye contact and stared down at the paper that was now hanging in her hands.

You looked at Jungkook and stood up, nodding your head at the door. He sighed and followed you to the front door before turning around quickly, not brave enough to meet your parents' eyes.

'I'm so sorry - I don't -' he stopped, knowing the damage had been done. You yanked his arm gently and led him back to the car, closing the door on your way out.

You sat down on the car seats in silence, absorbing what had just happened.

'Well that could have gone better,' Jungkook muttered, turning the engine on and driving away from the massacre.

'I'm really sorry you had to experience -' you began, feeling a little embarrassed at how cruel your parents had been to him.

'Don't Y/N,' Jungkook blurted, his eyes not leaving the road. 'I am actually so sorry about - everything.'

You looked at him with protruding eyes. You saw his down turned eyes and colourless face, being lit up by passing traffic lights.

You suddenly felt the urge to scream at him and ask what on earth was he doing? What were either of you doing? Was he going to get married? Where would that leave you? Why... why had you never talked about it?

But you were still trembling from the argument with your parents and Jungkook's sad eyes drew pity from your blood. It wasn't the right time.

You sat back in your seat and crossed your arms, thinking of how you would make it up to your parents - or try to explain.

'Why didn't you tell me your photography hasn't been going too well?' Jungkook said amidst the deathly silence.

You looked at him surprised his mind had so quickly turned to that.

'What?'

'Why didn't you say anything?'

It didn't seem like a big surprise, you'd thought maybe Jungkook had put two and two together by now, considering your suspicious amount of free time.

'Because I knew you'd try to help, and my pride just won't allow that,' you explained, knowing it was a fatal flaw of yours to hate being aided.

He sighed and shook his head lightly. 'Please swallow that pride and let me help - just a little bit. Give you a small push of sorts.'

Your bank statement and overwhelming rent flashed into mind and you almost felt embarrassed that you'd failed being an independent photographer. In your early teens you'd hear story's of these people who tried to start small businesses and crumble quickly. You'd always scoffed, your inexperienced mind thinking it couldn't be too hard. Yet, there you were looking at your future, if things carried on this way, another failed attempt would be added to the scrapbook.

'It doesn't mean you're a failure,' Jungkook added, as if he had a flashlight pointed inside your head. 'We all need help sometimes. Come to my office tomorrow and we'll get started on a small plan.'

'Your office?' You repeated, shocked. 'What if I see your family?'

'So? You'll just be a client of mine - it's no big deal.'

You paused, considering the offer, knowing it was either accept help or bankruptcy.

'Ok.'

'Ok?' Jungkook sounded pleased and shocked he'd got through. 'Great! Come to my office by... 10?'

'Will do.'

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