Jungkook-hyung! || Jinkook

10. Scars

With a fresh bandage around his arm, Jungkook returns to the table with a stuffy nose. He still looks very sad from what happened earlier. I thank the restaurant owner for his help and he gives me a casual thumbs-up before leaving. Apparently it's common for people to burn themselves here. I just wish this hadn't happened when I'm the only adult around to take responsibility. My mom is going to fucking kill me for letting Jungkook get burned. 

"You have to be more careful," Seokjin scolds Jungkook as he sits down.

"I was just happy to see you," he mumbles in response.

"That's cute, but I don't want you to get hurt just because you're happy to see me. You're lucky the other Jungkook was here to help, otherwise it would've been a lot worse."

"Yeah, yeah. Thank you, mister Jungkook."

"Uh, you're welcome," I say while scratching my head. I don't feel like I did much to help. 

What puzzles me is how this could happen in the first place. I was starting to think that no matter what I do here, it won't change the future. For example, me saving Jungkook from bullies was something that has already happened in my past. I remember a guy looking like me saving me from the bullies. Also, I remember making the thank-you card that Jungkook gave me. But clearly he ended up burning himself (and me too for that matter). But why is that? It wasn't necessarily my fault that he got burned, so where did things change? Is it because I brought him here in the first place? Have I said something stupid? I don't get it. But considering I got hurt too, that must mean the past can change somehow. I have to be careful.

Namjoon remains silent the whole time. He hasn't said a word since Jungkook got burned. I'm convinced he's figured it out by now. He probably saw what happened to my arm, and he's not stupid. We have the same name, the same looks and the same allergies. He knows I'm Jungkook. The question is just if he really believes it. Seeing your childhood friend as a grown-up, all while being in the same room as one another, must be pretty hard to grasp. I hope his sense of realism makes him doubt himself. 

"I must say, I'm surprised to run into the three of you here," Seokjin suddenly says. "You make for quite the odd trio."

"I'm just bringing my cousin and his friend out for some food," I explain. "Nothing strange about that."

"Can I have some more meat?" Jungkook intercepts. 

"I'll cook it for you," I say right away. Don't want him burning himself yet again. That would only solidity Namjoon's suspicions. 

"But like... don't you have anything better to do?" Seokjin continues. "You know, like a job or something?"

"It's Saturday."

"But still. You choose to spend your Saturday hanging out with kids?"

"Hey, I'm not a kid," Namjoon says, slightly hurt. 

"Close enough."

"You're also a kid," I say, and once again, Seokjin furrows his eyebrows at it.

"I'm not a kid."

"You called Namjoon a kid and you're only two years apart. That means you're a kid too."

"I'm sixteen!"

"That just proves my point."

Seokjin huffs and crosses his arms in anger. It's almost funny how mad he gets over this. I just need to make sure he stays away from me now that I know for sure that I can fuck things up if I do things I'm not supposed to. 

"Besides, what are you doing here all by yourself?" I ask. "Were you gonna meet up with someone?"

"Nah, I just needed something to eat. I've been studying all day and I need some fuel to keep going."