MY WORLD

CHAPTER 24

They had been searching for Jungkook for the past ten minutes, but he was nowhere to be found. Taehyung and Yoongi hurried to the nearest park, where Tae spotted him and yelled, "JUNGKOOK!" Yoongi looked in the same direction and saw Jungkook sitting on a bench, his face red as if he had been crying.

"Kook," they both called as they rushed over to him. Jungkook stood up when he saw them. Tae's worry transformed into anger as he shouted, "WHY ARE YOU HERE, HUH? CAN'T YOU STAY IN ONE PLACE? ARE YOU CRAZY, JUNGKOOK?" Jungkook flinched at Tae's outburst and looked down, mumbling, "S-sorry."

Yoongi smacked Tae's shoulder. "Idiot, don't shout at him." He turned to Jungkook, his tone softening. "Kook, why did you come here?"

"I was alone there, and no one was around. That dark place felt suffocating, so I walked here. But while coming, I accidentally dropped my phone, and it broke. I didn't mean to scare you. I just felt very suffocated there. I'm sorry," Jungkook said quietly, looking down.

Yoongi hugged him, patting his head. "It's okay, Kookie. We're sorry we were a little late. Don't be sad. Tae was scared and worried for you, that's why he shouted, hmm?" Jungkook nodded, hugging Yoongi back and snuggling his head into Yoongi's neck. Yoongi continued to pat his back, noticing the sorrow on Jungkook's face.

"Hyungie, I was scared," Jungkook said.

"Why, baby?" Yoongi asked softly.

"I felt like someone was watching me," Jungkook said, breaking the hug.

"Where, Kook?" Tae asked.

"In the alley," Jungkook replied. Yoongi and Tae exchanged worried glances, silently deciding to discuss this later.

"Kook, tell me exactly what happened," Yoongi asked.

"When I was coming, I felt like someone was watching me, and I heard footsteps. When I turned around, I saw two men standing there in black clothes. So I walked faster while trying to call you, but my phone fell and broke," Jungkook explained.

"Black clothes? Any other identifying marks?" Yoongi and Tae asked.

"There was an eagle symbol on the back of their clothes," Jungkook said. Both of them gasped, recognizing the symbol.

Yoongi made Jungkook sit on the bench. "Kookie, don't be scared. We're here, and we'll make sure that won't happen again. Where were the guards?"

"I didn't see any guards," Jungkook said.

"Okay, here, drink some water," Tae said, handing him a bottle from Jungkook's bag. Jungkook gladly accepted it and drank. Yoongi sat beside him, lost in thought.

Jungkook looked at the sky. "Hyungie, why do I always feel like the moon?"

Yoongi snapped out of his thoughts. "Why, Kook?"

"See, the moon has many stars around it, but it's still lonely up there. I feel the same. Even though I have my hyungies and others, I feel the same," Jungkook said.

Tae immediately hugged him. "Why are you feeling like this, Kook?"

"I don't know. I miss them a lot. Today, when I saw that noona, I felt Jieun noona's presence. When I see other parents pampering their children, I feel so lonely. I remember our eomma and appa. Why did they leave me? It was my fault—" Jungkook stopped when Tae broke the hug.

"It was not your fault, Kookie. Please don't blame yourself," Tae said. Jungkook nodded and looked down, but in a second, he was in Yoongi's embrace.

"Kookie, look at the moon," Yoongi said, pointing at it. Jungkook looked up. "See, there are so many stars around the moon, right? The moon is absolutely alone because there's no other moon. But even though there's only one moon, it has so many stars. Just like you, Kook. When you feel lonely, we're here for you. Don't make yourself lonely."