Shameless | JJK

xvi. Secret

THE REST OF the trip went smoothly. After the group had woken up mid-morning the next day, their plan to sled was in order, therefore, set out on the bright afternoon to the hill by the cabin where the six would sled, still mildly fighting a hangover.

Of course, none of these activities could erase the moments of the night before from Soyeon and Jungkook's minds. The night before, when the two shared kisses under the stars until Jungkook walked her back to her bedroom, across from his, planting a kiss on her lips goodnight. Soyeon had woken up with a smile the next morning from the warm memories—and from the revelation that her relationship with Jungkook had escalated immensely. Yet she welcomed this escalation with excitement, for nothing made her as happy as Jungkook did.

Still, this abrupt change in their relationship must be kept a secret from the others—along with the rest of the world, for obvious reasons. Soyeon was still in a relationship with someone else, but this would be a notion she would continuously push to the back of her mind everytime it would buzz around her thoughts like an annoying insect. Jungkook was all she could focus on.

The road trip home started at around three in the afternoon, after a lunch break at a nearby restaurant, where Soyeon and Jungkook consistently played their imaginary footsie from across the table, sharing glances at each other as though they were a pair of innocent teenagers.

Exhausted, those in the car were silent, even Taehyung and Eunjin in the very front seat, with the former driving. The air would have been filled with their nonstop bickering if it not had been for their collective exhaustion that had Jimin and Horang passed out in the middle seats, with Horang's temple on the shoulder of the boy beside her, sleeping as well with his body leaned on the mountain of bags.

Jungkook, in the very back with Soyeon, also had his eyes closed, his head pressed against the headrest. Soyeon couldn't help but sneak glances at him, the way his nose would crinkle sporadically and how he would press his lips together everytime his jaw would unintentionally slack open.

She quietly admired him. Her heart was set alight just from his proximity, but also with anticipation and longing to be closer to him, to possibly lay her head on his shoulder like Horang in front of her, but that wasn't possible in her eyes. Taehyung could see from the rear view mirror.

Instead, her eyes found solace only admiring him, traveling over his features and down his exposed arm, his blasphemous black short sleeve revealing his array of tattoos. She wanted to study them, to know each of their meanings, and she now knew that she could, she could know all of Jungkook's quirks and intimacies—and it made a smile appear on her lips. Never had she felt so enamored over someone else, and she was glad that it was Jungkook who had stolen her heart entirely.

"What are you looking at?" Jungkook mumbled, his words practically a whisper under the deep rumbling of the car. Soyeon shot her eyes back up to his, caught red-handed as her cheeks heated. A smirk crept onto his lips at the realization that she was watching him sleep—how adorable.

Slowly, he lifted his right arm and placed it between them, and opened to reveal his palm. He then sent her a warm smile, nudging her thigh with his finger. She looked down at it, heart racing as she realized what he meant.

Soyeon placed her hand on top of his, letting him secretly intertwine their fingers, hidden behind the seats, and from anyone in the front. It was a moment exclusive to them, intimate and romantic—Soyeon's heart squeezed in utter glee with her hand in Jungkook's, as though that were the only place it should ever be.

Jungkook closed his eyes once more, only a tranquil smile on his lips this time, his hand still holding hers diligently.

Soyeon bit back her smile as she looked out of the window, observing the mountains in the silence of the car.