Generations Expectation's | 8th member of BTS

51

Ae Cha's POV

"These sessions seemed to be really paying off." my physical therapist says as we wrap up yet another session, it has felt endless after all this time but today was one of my last appointments. Im remission from all my healing pains from my traumatic ordeal.

My stomach lining has recovered from the poison too, it will always be scarred but they are seeing leaps and bounds.
No longer am I as shivered and deformed when I first returned back to Korea.

My body still aches in the cold and rain and some days I get phantom pains as if Im still in Bongseon's basement but as my scars and bruises faded and healed so did the rest of my body. It was a relief for sure. On top of all the countless tasks and work I had with BigHit and school, this was something I could remove from my schedule. I dry off my face with the towel, I wouldn't miss the back-breaking physical therapy pool sessions at all.

I head to the locker room to change, feeling lighter than I have in months. As I pull on my clothes, my phone buzzes with a text from Jungkook. He's asking if I can meet him for dinner. Most of the other members are busy with school, practice, or other idol-related tasks, so a meal with Jungkook sounds perfect. Not because I secretly enjoy staring at him shamelessly and have a suppressed crush—no, not at all.

I text him back that I can make it. These days, with our group's fame growing, our manager Hobeom is needed for more important tasks than just driving us around. It's both exciting and daunting, this slowly growing popularity. I hail a cab as I tie up my damp and drying hair.

A few minutes later, I'm dropped off at the restaurant we decided on, a quaint mom-and-pop noodle shop that requires a lot of care and upkeep but serves the best food. Jungkook is already there, tucked in the back, with our orders on the small, crammed table. I smile as I join him.

"Hey." Jungkook greets me with a bright smile. "How was therapy?"

"Good." I reply, sliding into the seat across from him. "One of my last sessions, finally."

"That's awesome." he says, his eyes twinkling with genuine happiness for me. "You've worked so hard. Sit, sit - we don't have to meet up with the others till 7 so we got some time to kill"
We dig into our food, the warmth of the noodles and the comforting atmosphere of the small restaurant make me feel more relaxed. As we eat, we talk about everything and nothing.

It's been so long since Jungkook and I have hung out alone. Nowadays, with our packed schedules, there is barely any time for any of us to have alone time for ourselves. As I sit and eat, it reminds me a lot of our old days, living together in LA.
I feel like I can feel the heat tickling my skin. The sounds of waves crashing and seagull songs. The sizzling charge of the fireworks we watched on the 4th, the way he carried me that night is engraved into my dreams.

I try to hide the growing and fluttering heat of thoughts about Jungkook. I had sworn, with everything that had occurred with Jimin and Jungkook, to keep my feelings buried and under wraps, pushing them so the light of them is never seen again. But no matter how much I deny them, I feel guilty for these romantic feelings I have for him.
But, for our career, for our friendship, and for my boys I try my best.
As we eat, I notice his matching shell bracelet on his wrist. I wonder if he knew how much that made me feel. His eyes catch mine and he continues joking, chatting with me, unaware as always.

Jungkook's laughter is infectious, and for a moment, all the weight of my recent struggles feels lighter.
"I miss these moments...-" I admit, stirring my noodles. "It feels like we barely get to just hang out anymore."

"Yeah." Jungkook agrees, nodding. "Life has gotten pretty crazy, huh? But hey, we're here now and hopefully we will be able to hang out with the others soon"

I smile, hiding the small ache of him mentioning the others. As we chat, my gaze drifts to his wrist again, where the shell bracelet catches the light. It's identical to the one I wear, a silent reminder of the one summer we shared. I wonder if he remembers the day we got them, strolling along the boardwalk, my family and Hobeom spending an amazing-filled day together. It felt, like, so much more than the life we live now full of constant work and image maintenance.