Smoke Me.

Chapter 64: Poker (Special)

AN: Surprise! I've finished it sooner, but the next chapter will, hopefully, be done in two or three weeks. Until then, enjoy the chaos:

Jungkook's perspective:

The painting of a sinking boat. The flowery covers. And the mundane view from the wide window. They were driving me insane. That, and the narrow space. The crying baby. And the passive-aggressive snide comments that have been thrown in my face during every single breakfast or dinner.

I was counting down the minutes until my brother would get home. Counting down the minutes until he'd leave. But schedule changes do occur. And this was the day when he caught me on the way out since he made it home early.

Only so he could hear me ask in a high-pitched tone, like a spoiled child: "Excuse me?"
"You're not leaving this house!" Jung shouted, standing in the doorway with his back flat against the wooden surface.

I scoffed and crossed my arms.
"Do I need your permission to go to the bathroom too?"

"I told you that if you want freedom, then you must tell me what happened before you..."

I used my fingers to mimic a mouth yapping and sarcastically went: "Blah, blah, I need to know everything, blah, blah." while he was getting redder in the face. A vein popped out from all the others and pulsated on the right temple.

"This is it! Go to your room!"
"Don't tell me what to do," I said somberly.

"Or what? What can you do? Drop uni? Or disappear?"

I took one step forwards. So close to him that I could feel him breathing. I didn't blink, nor move another muscle besides my mouth because if I've learned anything from the time I've spent behind bars was that what was not showing across one's face was far worse than any other obvious expression.

And whispered: "I don't know if you're aware of it so I'll spell it out for you."
"Mhm. What is that?"
"You have to go to work tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. And the day after that too. So, whatever you're trying to pull right now goes out the window when the sun comes up."
"My wife is..."
"Your wife?" I scoffed again and then lowered my voice further: "The second the baby starts crying, I'll know exactly where she'll be."
His body was visibly stiffer, fists on each side and the flush of his cheeks, gone.

Jung's voice matched my own when he asked: "Do you want to have a place to come back to? Cause I can lock you out if that's what I have to do. And you don't have a job, prospects or..."
"We both know you can't do that or our parents will never forgive you."

I shrugged.

He cracked a smile.
"I might convince them that I had no other choice."

"You might...but we both know you'll fail."
"Jungkook."

Jung let the back of his head hit the door as he looked down with his head still up. And went on: "You don't want to tell me until it's too late? Agreed. That's your deal. But you have to tell me where you're going at least."
"No, Jung. I don't have to."
I smiled, triumphantly. Turned around and went right out the back door.

As soon as my feet made it outside, I allowed myself to breathe as panicked as I truly was.

Cause as much as I liked to play my cards as if I wasn't attached to any of them, I still knew that I was bluffing.

I only had one card left and Jung was a King. I couldn't lose him. But I couldn't let him know that either.

The life I'd have to live if he decided to kick me out was something I didn't want to live through.