𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 ( 𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬)

•19•

"I don't know," she stated, leaving him in shock.

"I know you're under a lot of shock and stress, little one. Let me take you home," he offered.

She allowed him to lead her, seeing no other choice but to take this opportunity to escape.

He settled her in a cafe and ordered something for her to eat. "Where have you been all this time, bun? Do you know how worried we all were for you? And who did that to your beautiful face? The mark across your lip..." He trailed off, his voice dropping.

Seeing his little sister engrossed in her food, he couldn't help but smile at the sight. Yet, the horrible mark on her face fueled his anger. He burned with the desire to destroy whoever had dared to hurt his sister.

He gently touched her hand across the table, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow. "You're safe now, okay? We'll figure everything out."

She nodded weakly, grateful for his comforting presence in the chaos swirling in her mind. The warmth of the cafe and his words made her feel better.

She was too engrossed in eating that she didn't notice him watching her closely, his protective instincts on high alert. He couldn't shake the image of cut mark on her lips that trailed to get cheeks and the fear in her eyes when he had found her. Anger simmered beneath his calm exterior, a fierce determination to ensure justice for his sister.

After a moment of silence, he spoke softly, "We'll deal with this together, okay? You're not alone in this."

He reached across the table, gently squeezing her hand in reassurance. "Don't worry about that right now. Your safety is the most important thing."

Tears welled up in her eyes, reflecting her confusion and fear. "I don't have any money to pay you back, and I don't even remember myself," she murmured softly, her voice trembling.

His heart ached for her. He leaned closer, his voice soothing. "You don't owe me anything, okay? Money doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here, and we'll figure everything out together."

"Wh..at is y.our na.m..e?" she murmured softly still scared.

"Jungkook... you used to call me Kook," he replied.

"Kook?" She tilted her head slightly and repeated softly. Jungkook's heart swells with warmth at the sound of his nickname on her lips, even if she doesn't seem to fully remember it yet. He gives her a small, encouraging smile. "Yes, Kook. That's me."

He looks at her, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes as he takes in the state she's in. The cafe's warm lights reflect in the tears glistening in her eyes, making them sparkle like delicate gems.

Jungkook gently wipes away a stray tear that has escaped her eye, his expression filled with concern and love. He takes a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure as he takes in the severity of her situation.

"Kook," she repeats softly, her voice barely above a whisper. The cafe's warm lights reflect in the tears glistening in her eyes, making them sparkle like delicate gems. Jungkook gently wipes away a stray tear that has escaped her eye, his expression filled with concern and love. He takes a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure as he takes in the severity of her situation.

"Kook," she repeats softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Jungkook squeezes her hand reassuringly, "Yes, it's me, Kook. I'm here for you now." He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts.

"We need to get you some help, figure out what happened to you. Do you remember anything at all?" He asks gently, his eyes searching her face for any signs of recognition or recollection.

Jungkook squeezes her hand reassuringly, she shakes her head slowly. "I'm sorry, I don't remember anything. It's all just... blank."

He nods, understanding the pain and confusion she's going through. He takes a deep breath, trying to think of their next steps. He squeezes her hand again, offering her a small, reassuring smile.

"It's okay, you don't have to remember right now. We'll take it one step at a time. how about I take you home?" He squeezes her hand again, offering her a small, reassuring smile.

"Ho..me? I hav..e a h.om.e?" she asked all confused.

"Of course," he murmured reassuringly as he paid for the food and gestured for her to follow him to his car.

She hesitated, unsure whether to trust him, but being around him warmed her heart, a familiar feeling.

"Are you okay?" he asked kindly, noticing her hesitation. "Don't be scared, hon," he added with a reassuring smile.

She took a deep breath, trying to quell the uncertainty bubbling within her. His familiar smile eased some of her doubts, reminding her of a time when things were simpler, safer.

"I... I don't even know where 'home' is anymore," she admitted softly, her voice tinged with sadness and confusion.

He nodded understandingly, his eyes reflecting empathy. "It's okay. I'll help you, we'll help you," he said gently, offering her a comforting hand.

With a mixture of hope, she placed her hand in his, feeling a sense of belonging she hadn't felt in a long time. As they walked towards the car, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she was finally on her way back home.

Her real home...

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