3rd Year | Jeon Jungkook

16 • Was it Really?

This chapter has a soundtrack.
—∗✩) ☘︎ (✩∗—

"What was it like growing up here?" Dahlia asked.

Jungkook's eyes met hers before he looked away as he pondered. The question was simple but the answer was complex and one he normally didn't get into unless it was with his therapist. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the virtual isolation forced upon them, or maybe even the unexpected teamwork they'd shown they were capable of, but what came out of his mouth was something he didn't anticipate sharing before today.

"It was... ok?" He began.

The slight cringe on his face was a dead giveaway that there was more to it than that. Tucking her knees to her chest, she rested her chin on her folded arms and peered into him deeper, telling him that her attention on him was undivided.

"Was it really?" She asked softly.

There was no condescending edge in her voice, and the sincerity of her question made his gaze drop to the floor again as he pondered the truth. Moistening his lower lip with his tongue, he sat their empty bowl on the coffee table and exhaled a sad chuckle.

"It was shit," he said, his smile soon falling. "I was 7 when we moved here. It had its good moments but..."

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"I was born in France, a small town south of Paris. I don't really consider myself French since I was so young when we moved here. I didn't have a lot of time to really absorb the culture there. I speak the language but that's all I have left of it."

"Were you treated better there or here?" She asked.

"That's another complex answer," he chuckled. "My grandfather took my mother and grandmother there when my mother was young. He might not look like it to some but he has French heritage. He already spoke the language so they left to try and make a better life. I don't remember many bad experiences there but I think it was because they shielded us from a lot of it. We were home schooled and didn't have a reason nor the money to go out often.

"I'm told things were good for a while but as more and more hybrids began immigrating, humans started to resent us being there and the government became more strict, especially with immigration and citizenship. Eventually, they wanted all of us out. Even though I was born there, because my parents were US and not French citizens, I was considered a US citizen born abroad. So when I was 7 and Giselle was 4, we were deported."

"They deported your whole family? That's awful," she frowned. "How could they do that? That's where you were born."

"Just like that," he said, chuckling sadly. "My parents and grandparents tried to go through the proper channels to get naturalized but that process was set up for us to fail. At least we were all together. Not everyone had that luxury."

Thinking back on that day, he could still hear the quiet sniffles of the boy sitting next to him on the plane. He had been separated from his family under circumstances that Jungkook was too young to remember or understand. Because they looked to be about the same age, grand-mère insisted they sit beside each other during the flight. Perhaps she felt that him being beside someone his age would bring the boy some semblance of comfort.

He couldn't remember his name but he remembered the boy crying for half of the flight. For the other half, he had fallen asleep with his tear-streaked cheek resting against Jungkook's shoulder. Had he not been in a state of shock, Jungkook would have been crying too. Instead, he sat there with a dry face so that Giselle wouldn't be scared, seeing how strong and calm her big brother was.