inseparable︱𝐉𝐉𝐊

❥ 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

꧁‿︵‿︵♥‿︵‿︵꧂

JJ - 17

Working as a mechanic wasn't just a job; it was a passion. The smell of motor oil, the feel of tools in my hands, and the satisfaction of fixing something that seemed beyond repair—made me feel important. My father had pulled some strings to get me this job at a local garage, and I'd been working there for six months now.

That night, I was working late on my own car. Dad had bought it for me as a reward, and I decided to get it running perfectly. The garage was quiet except for the occasional clink of metal and the radio in the background. I was so engrossed in my work that I didn't notice Jieun until she spoke.

"Working hard, bro?"

I looked up, surprised to see her standing there in her pajamas—a pair of shorts and a tank top. She looked out of place in the gritty garage, but at the same time, she looked... well, she looked good.

Ever since that almost-kiss in her room, it was like a switch had flipped, and suddenly, I couldn't stop noticing every little thing about her—how her hair was getting longer, the way her lips were so full, and how her eyes followed me when I was around.

It was confusing and so unsettling that I started to get scared and sometimes even considered therapy.

For the past three days after it happened, we have avoided each other as much as possible. It wasn't intentional, at least not on my part, but it seemed like we both needed some time to process. When we did interact, it was extremely uncomfortable, like something hovering in the air that hadn't been there before, and it made simple conversations feel loaded with awkwardness.

Gadually, we started to find our way back to some semblance of normality. It wasn't the same as before, but sometimes, we could talk without feeling like the room was closing in on us.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get this baby running," I replied, wiping my hands on a rag and giving her a smile. "What are you doing in here? It's past your bedtime."

She rolled her eyes and walked closer to inspect the car. "Wanted to see what you were up to. You're really dedicated, huh?"

"You could say that," I said, returning to my work. "It's fun, actually. You learn a lot about how things work, how to fix them when they're broken."

Jieun leaned against the workbench, watching me. "Like what?"

I hummed, grabbing a wrench and tightening a bolt, "I've picked up how to change oil, replace brake pads, and rebuild an engine. Sounds hard when I say it, but it's kinda easy."

"I doubt that," she frowned. "You finally found your playground because I bet you love getting all... smelly."

I laughed. "Yeah, it's part of the job. Want to give it a try?"

She made a face. "No thanks. I'll leave the dirty work to you."

That night, we talked about school and our mutual friends, particularly about Taehyung, who had been hanging out with different people now we were in junior year.

"I miss his talks... he has been acting so distant lately," Jieun said, wrinkling her nose. "Probably got a crush on someone and forgot about us."

I chuckled. "He's always got a crush on someone, Jieun."

"It's different this time. He's all secretive about it."

I glanced at her, noticing how she was being extra careful not to touch anything greasy or being too close to me. "What is it? Are you afraid of getting dirty?"

"What? No!" she protested defiantly, but backed away soon after, a retreat betraying her words.

I grinned, a devilish idea forming inside my head. "The grease is not going to bite you, you know?"

"Stop it, Jungkook," she said. "I know what you're thinking."

I saw my chance and took it. Grabbing a dirty rag, I waved it at her. "Come on, sis. Embrace the grease."

Her eyes widened in horror, and she took another step back. "Don't you dare..."

I laughed and started to chase her. She squealed and tried to dodge me, but the space was too small for her to keep running. We ran around the car a few times until I finally cornered her against the wall of the garage, trapping her with my arms.

"Jungkook, please!" she pleaded with genuine fear. "I just took a shower!"

I smirked. "Too bad. You need to get a little dirty to understand the job."

"No, I get it! I get it!" she squeezed her eyes shut, moving her face away. My grin only widened at that, and I lifted my finger up. With a quick, mischievous move, I smeared a bit of grease on her cheek, tracing a long line. She whined in protest before slowly opening her eyes.

The memory from that night in her room came back instantly. We stood there, frozen, staring at each other. The teasing, the playful chase, even the smile I had on my face, it all seemed to disappear. The rush of guilt was sudden and tightened in my throat as I looked down at her. Every fiber of my being, every nerve and tendon, called out to me to just reach for her. Touch her. Feel her. They begged to do something, and I was terrified of their pleas.

This wasn't normal. These urges weren't normal.

Jieun reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against my bare chest. The grease and grime clung to her hand, but she didn't seem to mind. I watched her, surprised at how she no longer cared about getting dirty, not when it was her. The simple act of her touch made everything else feel different for me.

Her fingers lingered on my skin, and I could see the shock in her eyes as she felt the rapid thump of my heart beneath her hands. There was curiosity in them and she seemed taken aback by how it pounded so fast under her fingertips. Her eyes met mine, wide as if she hadn't expected to have such an effect on me.

Our faces were closer than ever before, and the space between us started to shrink. I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say or do. The urge to lean in and close the gap was so strong I prayed she could stop me instead. Yet, it wasn't her who did it, and if the sound of the garage door creaking open hadn't snapped us out of it, I wonder what would have happened.

"Jungkook! Are you still in there?" Dad's voice called out.

I stepped back quickly, lowering my arms down. "Yeah, Dad! Just finishing up!"

Jieun let out a breath and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, staring at me. "You're an idiot..." she muttered.

I grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah. You love it."

She rolled her eyes and turned to leave. "Good night, Jungkook."

I returned to my car with just one thing on my mind, now much clearer than before: things between me and my sister would never be the same again. We both knew exactly why.