Far Cry | JJK x OC

Chapter 59 // The break

Both Jungkook and Leah managed to get a couple more hours in before waking up before dawn and getting ready. They weren't sure if they'd have time to eat later, so they did that quietly too. Every step they took felt important, filled with purpose, but at the same time slow and disturbing. Like they were on a train, seeing the stops pass them by and just waiting for the right one.

Leah was verifying the things in her backpack when Jungkook crouched down to check his own and felt something in his pocket. The necklaces, he had forgotten.

"What's that?" Leah kept taking mental notes of what she had while waiting for his response.

"It's Namjoon's..."

She immediately stopped and turned to him. She followed his eyes to the light green stone and took it gently. She thought too late Jungkook might see that gesture as an aggression, but he stayed still and calm. He trusted her.

She raised her eyes with a soft smile and reached to tie the necklace around his neck. Maybe he should have stopped her, but he didn't want to. Even if he didn't deserve it or had the right to wear it, he truly wanted a piece of his hyung with him forever. It felt right, no matter how selfish it was.

"There. Now he'll be with you and look after you," she said, pressing her hand over the stone on his heart.

He had tears in his eyes and he swallowed them, nodding quietly. She turned to grab her things and he cleared his voice.

"I have something for you."

She turned to him again with a furrowed brow and her eyes quickly glanced down: the only thing still in his hand was the aquamarine necklace.

She frowned, "It's for you. Apparently, it has this whole meaning to it."

"I know, Citra told me." He quieted down while looking at the stones for a moment. "They stand for letting go and trusting," he finally said, grabbing the necklace with both hands to put it around her neck.

"Kook..."

"She said the Goddess would protect whoever wears them," he added, brushing her hair behind her shoulders so the stones could shine proudly over her cleavage. "I trust you, Leah. I'm not a believer, but if it can protect you somehow then—"

"Then you should have them with you."

He smiled, "No, Namjoon will watch over me. I'll watch over you."

"We'll be watching over each other."

She touched one of the stones with her fingers, they shone beautifully under the lamp's light. She felt the prick of anxiousness: those stones would outlast them. They were there before they were born and they'd linger long after they died and turned to dust. It was imminent. They didn't know the outcome, everything could work out great or go totally to shit. She was clenching her jaw in apprehension.

She looked up and found his shiny eyes focused on her expression. A roll of thoughts passed through her mind, but nothing felt worth saying out loud. She didn't want to disturb him, she just... hoped they'd make it. She hoped they'd survive it, come out unharmed, find his friends, and leave that place. She hoped they'd see each other again.

He raised his hand and brushed her cheek in a feather-like touch, his crown tattoo facing him and leading his brow to furrow. He didn't feel like a king at that moment, he felt...

He looked at her, whose glistening eyes reflected the same type of emotion, and the lines sunk further along his face. There was so much he wanted to say but couldn't. He didn't even know where to start. It wasn't just the pain of the loss, the fear of the future, the terror of failing, or the anger at himself for being stupid and letting everything else consume him. No, it was the weight on his heart for knowing he hurt her, disappointed her, and almost lost everything.