The Unexpected (Namkook)

Part 16

Checking the reply from Jungkook, he put the phone into his pocket before entering the next class with the unstoppable smile on his face. Namjoon has always been sincere when it comes to his academics but today his focus was on the time which was passing too slow to his liking. Sometimes, his fingers will touch the lips unknowingly to revisit yesterday's kiss, bringing an ocean of joy to his soul.

Every ounce of his existence sought for the moment when he would get a glance of Jungkook. On the other part of the city, a devastated man sitting inside the police van with two papers in his hands. The carbon copy of the invoice with Namjoon's signature in one and a bank statement of the credit card used in the other. The account was verified to be someone's  named Kim Namjoon and from the pictorial archives, Jungkook confirmed it to be the Namjoon he is crazy about.

There could be multiple explanations of being a family friend or an acquaintance to the Lee family but his number wasn't found in the call list. Any link to the Lees might sound suspicious but that doesn't prove anything about Namjoon being a witness to the crime, let alone being involved in it. Coming up with some logical reasoning, Jungkook thought of delaying the process of evidence submission to his superiors. This might buy him more time for the investigation in a desperate attempt to clear off Namjoon's name from the case.

********

A raised up hand in front of the cafe was spotted when Jungkook walked towards the source. The steps became slower and heavier due to the overburdening tension. An intense heat was set off at the scary assumptions about Namjoon but seeing the cute smiling face from distance, Jungkook convinced himself of the younger's innocence. There can never be any possibility that Namjoon will be dragged into the mess.

With few more steps closer to each other, Namjoon's smile grew wider while Jungkook's became narrower. He felt being hit by a heavy object once his eyes fell on Namjoon's neck. It was the same blue coloured ribbon that the cop found in his initial investigation from Lee residence, only difference being the one around Namjoon's neck looked new.

"Where did you get this?"

Namjoon was left shook at the sudden of behaviour in the elder. There was no greeting, no smile, just a straightforward question on an unimportant thing like his ID card band.

"This?" He asked holding up the ribbon.
"Yes. Where did you get this?" Jungkook's face turned more fierce at each additional question. Namjoon pulled his ID card that was kept inside his shirt pocket to show the ribbon like structure was hooked to his university ID.

"Your ID?" Namjoon frowned at the other but took off the card and handed to Jungkook.
"Yeah, from my university."
"But this looks very new, Namjoon."
"Because I requested for a new one last month." Jungkook raised his eyes at him with knitted brows and lips parted in confusion.
"I lost it somewhere, so issued a new one." He added.

"Is it okay if I take this ribbon with me? I had a shirt in this colour which got ruined in the dry cleaners' so I want to buy a fabric of this same colour." He came up with an instant fake excuse trying to avoid stutters.
"Really?" Namjoon's smile that brightens up his day, is now losing its shine to Jungkook. He wants to scream out in pain to hit himself for doubting the man he has feelings for but being a slave of law, he has to unravel the truth.

"It's okay, you keep it. Just give me my ID back, it has access to the library." Jungkook unhooked the card and gave it back to Namjoon.
"Thanks!" He put the folded ribbon inside his pocket.
"Shall we go inside?" Namjoon asked putting his hands behind his back to hide the nervous shaking.
"I'm sorry, Namjoon. I need to get back to work due to some unavoidable circumstances." Jungkook was about to spill the real reason staring at the eyes he was so fond of but composing himself in a second, he turned back and walked towards his car with rushed steps.

He seemed like a stranger to Namjoon who just arrived and left like a blow of wind. He could sense something wrong from the elder's face but it pained more to feel dejected before even expressing his feelings for Jungkook. He has been waiting the whole day only to be left alone in front of the cafe like a poor boy being dumped by his boyfriend.

He fisted on the sides of his jeans to wipe off the sweat, head lowered to let the tears fall off his eyes directly into the ground instead of streaming down the cheeks to avoid embarrassment in the public place.

His shadow started mocking him for counting on this person to fight the world. He was determined to face his parents if they don't accept this relationship. Holding Jungkook's hand could have been the lifelong decision for him yet he is standing all alone, heartbroken and shattered.

What urgency could have been there that he couldn't wait for a minute to talk even though he came all the way to meet him. Was it a passive act to convey his disinterest in the younger or a silent word taking back the confession from the previous day.

********

Driving half way to the bureau, Jungkook stopped the car at roadside. He hit on the steering wheel in frustration recalling Namjoon's gloomy face. His heart was breaking and blood was boiling at the entire situation he has gotten himself into. He doesn't want to proceed with the investigation but he has to. He doesn't want to leave Namjoon's side but he needs to know the truth.

Taking a deep breath, he turned his head to look at the evidence box lying on the backseat. While picking it up to check one last time, his eyes fell on something on the floor of his car. He switched on this light and bent to pick up a cloth which reminded him of the first kiss with Namjoon. It was his jacket that was thrown off. As he brought it closer to his chest, a pungent smell hit his olfactory system.

He clearly remembers the soothing scent of the younger when they got close. Sniffing the jacket closely, he identified the source of the stink. He traced along the place to find some negligible sticky patches on one of the sleeves. Lighting up the torch in his phone, he checked the region again. It wasn't an easy one to conclude, but judging the texture of the patches, Jungkook couldn't come up with a word other than 'blood'.