Fight for You | JJK

28

In what feels unfamiliar, there's a face that brings Jungkook some comfort.

"Mr. Sim!" He greets, approaching the man who's taking his coffee at the staff common area. "It's nice to see you again."

He doesn't miss the tinge of sadness in the older man's face this time. The smile isn't the usual tender one, and this causes a pang on Jungkook's chest.

"Hi, Jungkook. It's good to see you're back at work. I'm glad you've recovered."

"Me, too. It's nice to finally be out."

Mr. Sim merely hums and it's the uncomfortable silence with the gentlest man that Jungkook's ever met that the reality of his relationship with you hits him again.

"How... uh, how is she?"

The older man sighs, a battle forming in his head of how he wants to approach this. It's not like him, but his heart hurts for you.

"Honestly, Jungkook, I've never seen her cry so much since her parents missed her 13th birthday," Mr. Sim says, the pain in his voice unmissable. "Not even the kids at the orphanage or her best friends can make her feel better."

Much as Jungkook wants to walk to the dining hall where you are and beg you to listen to him, he knows he can't, and the thought of you crying again revives his anger towards himself.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt her," he croaks.

"I know, Jungkook, that's why Mrs. Hwang and I also find this difficult," he sighs again. "We want to tell ___ to just forget you and move on but... You've come to mean so much to her."

Jungkook wants to say that you've come to mean so much to him, too, more than he expected, but another voice calls out his name. This one is pointed, a little more bitter.

"Namjoon," he turns around to greet the man with furrowed brows.

"That's Mr. Kim for you," he corrects.

Jungkook apologizes and follows to the room with the rest of the security team that will join Mrs. Lee. After instructions on logistics and other plans are given, he tails Namjoon out to the courtyard.

"Did ___ really go against me joining her father's security team for Europe?" Jungkook asks.

"She didn't go against it, Jungkook. She suggested it and Mr. Han and I agreed. Mrs. Lee will be staying in one resort in Japan but Mr. Lee has a busier schedule," Namjoon explains. "You just got back and we need to ease you in slowly."

"Do you think you could—"

"No, I don't think I could, Jungkook," Namjoon huffs. "Look, she's upset and she doesn't want to be around you. Respect that, at least, if you can't respect her for anything else."

Jungkook peers at Namjoon with a defeated look on his face. "I just want to apologize and tell her everything."

"Well, I can't do anything if she doesn't want to hear from you. Whatever it is that happened, it hurt her. You may have saved her life but she's the one in pain now."

At that, Jungkook has no words.

"Namjoon," you say from several feet away.

Jungkook looks at you, desperate for any bit of you he can have, but you're turned towards the door, away from him.

"I'd like to go home now." And with that, you walk out the door, and Jungkook is rooted in place just like the last time.

**

Jungkook didn't know what else to do. You've been so near yet so far the past few days - at your parents' house, during one of the meetings he escorted your father to, even at the office cafeteria. But you never look his way and he knows you won't want him to make a scene, which is why he's standing here, at the music store, his last resort.

Hoseok is cross armed with furrowed eyebrows and Jungkook has never seen him this angry, while Yoongi, well, is expressing the most emotion he has in months.

"This is a fucking expensive piece but I'll smash it on your face if I have to," the blond-haired man threatens as he holds a guitar over his head. "I'm not scared of you, even with your bulky arms and eight-pack abs. We'll take you on."

"You're free to do whatever you want, I deserve it," Jungkook sighs. "Just help me talk to her, please."

There's a beat of silence before Hoseok speaks. "What really happened, Jungkook?"

"Well, I..." Jungkook stammers.

"What happened?" Yoongi now drags the words. "What made her so upset that she can't bring herself to talk about it?"

So Jungkook tells them, leaving out some of the details but sharing the most important things - that it's just been you and no one else, that he cares about you and wants to be able to tell you that he's sorry.

Your friends are a lot more willing to listen. They hear the desperation in his voice and see that he just needs someone to hear him out and tell him what to do because for the first time, he doesn't know. He's unable to assess, process, and act. You're all he can think about but he can't figure out how else he can get to you.

Hoseok and Yoongi don't say much, the latter not letting go of the guitar until Jungkook's out the door. They'll talk to you, they say, see if you want to listen. But they can't promise anything.

You're leaving for Europe in 2 days and you'll be away for 2 weeks - that's enough time for you to think about talking to him.

"I'm sorry," Hoseok says as they stand by the door.

"I'm not," Yoongi says. "I still want to hit you but my best effort might not even make a dent so I won't waste this precious guitar but..." He eyes his friend, as he slightly gives in.

"She's like this because she cares about you. She's had guys put her through shit but she gets over it in a day and moves on but you..."

"She's been putting a brave face on since you rejected her that night at her house and well," Hoseok continues, "this one's a pretty hard hit so it'll take her a while."

Jungkook sighs as if in resignation, knowing that he doesn't have a choice but to listen to your friends.

But as he walks out the door and down the steps of the music store, he spots you in front, still clad in your indigo dress from earlier, the same smile that's not genuine fading all at once.