Loving The JEON

CHAPTER 122:-

Holy fuck... Jungkook. He's alive. I gaze numbly at him, trying to work out if I'm hallucinating or if he's really here.

His expression is one of utter bewilderment. He deposits his jacket and shoes on the floor in time to catch Scarllet, who throws her arms around his neck and kisses him hard on the cheek.

"Mom?"

Jungkook gazes down at her, completely at a loss.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Scarllet whispers, voicing our collective fear.

"Mom, I'm here." I hear the consternation in his voice.

"I died a thousand deaths today," she whispers, her voice barely audible, echoing my thoughts. She gasps and sobs, no longer able to hold back her tears. Jungkook frowns, horrified or mortified - I don't know which - then after a beat, envelops her in a huge hug, holding her close.

"Oh, Jungkook," she chokes, wrapping her arms around him, weeping into his neck - all self-restraint forgotten - and Jungkook doesn't balk. He just holds her, rocking to and fro, comforting her. Scalding tears pool in my eyes. Chris hollers from the hallway.

"He's alive! Shit - you're here!" He appears from Taylor's office, clutching his cell phone, and embraces both of them, his eyes closed in sweet relief.

"Dad?"

Somi squeals something unintelligible from beside me, then she's up, running, joining her parents, hugging all of them, too.

Finally the tears start to cascade down my cheeks. He's here, he's fine. But I cannot move.

Chris is the first to pull away, wiping his eyes and clapping Jungkook on the shoulder.

Somi releases them and Scarllet steps back.

"Sorry," she mumbles.

"Hey, Mom - it's okay," Jungkook says, consternation still evident on his face.

"Where were you? What happened?" Scarllet cries and puts her head in her hands.

"Mom," Jungkook mutters. He draws her into his arms again and kisses the top of her head. "I'm here. I'm good. It's just taken me a hell of a long time to get back from Portland. What's with the welcoming committee?" He looks up and scans the room until his eyes lock with mine.

He blinks and glances briefly at Bambam, who lets go of my hand. Jungkook's mouth tightens. I drink in the sight of him and relief courses through me, leaving me spent, exhausted, and completely elated. Yet my tears don't stop. Jungkook turns his attention back to his mother.

"Mom, I'm good. What's wrong?" Jungkook says reassuringly. She places her hands on either side of his face.

"Jungkook, you've been missing. Your flight plan - you never made it to Seattle. Why didn't you contact us?"

Jungkook's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "I didn't think it would take this long."

"Why didn't you call?"

"No power in my cell."

"You didn't stop... call collect?"

"Mom - it's a long story."

"Oh, Jungkook! Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you understand?" she half shouts at him.

"Yes, Mom." He wipes her tears away with his thumb and hugs her once more. When she composes herself, he releases her to hug Somi, who slaps him hard on the chest.

"You had us so worried!" she blurts out, and she, too, is in tears.

"I'm here now, for heaven's sake," Jungkook mutters.

As Jimin comes forward, Jungkook relinquishes Somi to Chris, who already has one arm around his wife. He curls the other around his daughter. Jimin hugs Jungkook briefly, much to Jungkook's surprise, and slaps him hard on the back.

"Great to see you." Jimin says loudly, if a little gruffly, trying to hide his emotion.

As the tears stream down my face, I can see it all. The great room is bathed in it - unconditional love. He has it in spades; he's just never accepted it before, and even now he's at a total loss.

Look, Jungkook, all these people love you! Perhaps now you'll start believing it.

Rose is standing behind me - she must have left the TV room - and she gently strokes my hair.

"He's really here, Lisa," she murmurs comfortingly.

"I'm going to say hi to my girl now," Jungkook tells his parents. Both nod, smile, and step aside.

He moves toward me, gray eyes bright though weary and still bemused. From somewhere deep inside, I find the strength to stagger to my feet and bolt into his open arms.

"Jungkook!" I sob.

"Hush," he says and holds me, burying his face in my hair and inhaling deeply. I raise my tear-stained face to his, and he kisses me far too briefly.

"Hi," he murmurs.

"Hi," I whisper back, the lump in the back of my throat burning.

"Miss me?"

"A bit."

He grins. "I can tell." And with a gentle touch of his hand, he wipes away the tears that refuse to stop running down my cheeks.

"I thought... I thought - " I choke.

"I can see. Hush... I'm here. I'm sorry. Later," he murmurs and kisses me chastely again.

"Are you okay?" I ask, releasing him and touching his chest, his arms, his waist - oh, the feel of this warm, vital, sensual man beneath my fingers - reassures me that he's here, standing in front of me. He's back. He doesn't so much as flinch. He just regards me intently.

"I'm okay. I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh, thank God," I clasp him round his waist again, and he hugs me once more. "Are you hungry? Do you need something to drink?"

"Yes."

I step back to fetch him something, but he doesn't let me go. He tucks me under his arm and extends a hand to Bambam.

"Mr. Jeon," says Bambam evenly.

Jungkook snorts. "Jungkook, please," he says.

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