Stars Off The Stage

⊹𝖥𝗈𝗋𝗍y 𝖥𝗈υ𝗋 ⊹

Jungkook's POV

9th January, Tokyo in the afternoon

As I stirred, the morning sunlight filtering through the window felt harsh against my closed eyelids. With a groan, I pushed myself upright, the throbbing ache in my head a relentless reminder of the night before. Blinking against the light, I surveyed the unfamiliar hotel room with a sinking feeling in my chest. How did I end up here?

Fragments of memories flitted through my mind like elusive ghosts, each one tinged with a sense of shame and regret. I remembered the taste of whiskey on my lips, the dimly lit ambiance of the bar, but beyond that, everything was a blur.

A fleeting image flashed before my eyes, the outline of a woman beneath me, our bodies locked in a passionate embrace. The memory was fleeting, slipping through my fingers like sand, leaving me with a sickening sense of dread.

"God, what have I done?" I muttered to myself, the weight of my actions settling heavily upon me. Even if Ariana and I were on a break, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at my conscience.

Dragging myself out of bed, I avoided looking at the rumpled sheets, my skin crawling with revulsion. I quickly gathered my belongings, my hands trembling with a mixture of shame and regret.

As I made my way to the door, the sense of disgust that gnawed at me from within only intensified. I knew I had to face the consequences of my actions, to own up to my mistakes and find a way to make amends.

But as I walked away from the hotel room, a nagging sense of unease lingered in the back of my mind. I couldn't shake the feeling that.

I fumbled for my phone, my fingers trembling as I tried to dial number. But each attempt ended in frustration as the call failed to connect. Panic began to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness, the realization sinking in that I had no idea where she was or what she was doing.

Before I could dwell on my worries any further, my phone buzzed in my hand, startling me out of my thoughts. It was Namjoon hyung calling, his voice urgent as he questioned me about my whereabouts.

"Jungkook, where the hell are you?" His voice crackled through the line, filled with frustration and concern. "We've been trying to reach you all morning. We have practice for the show in less than an hour. Did you forget?"

I hesitated, feeling the weight of guilt press down on me. "I... uh... I needed some time alone, hyung," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be there soon, I promise."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the sound of Namjoon hyung heavy sigh. "Jungkook, we need you here," he said, his voice softer now, tinged with disappointment. "We're a team, remember? You can't just disappear like this, especially not when we have responsibilities."

I swallowed hard, the knot in my stomach tightening with each word. "I know, hyung," I replied, my voice heavy with regret. "I'm sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can."

As I ended the call, a sense of shame washed over me like a tidal wave. I knew I had let my hyungs down.

But as much as I regretted my actions, I couldn't bring myself to face Ariana just yet.

As I stepped into the hotel lobby, the familiar buzz of activity washed over me, mingling with the pounding ache in my head. I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone as I made my way to the front desk to check out.

But even as I tried to remain inconspicuous, I couldn't escape the prying eyes of the people around me. Whispers followed in my wake, and I could feel the weight of their scrutiny bearing down on me like a heavy burden.