𝑬𝑵𝑺𝑵𝑨𝑹𝑬𝑫 | JUNGKOOK

31. Wounds

Alba's POV

You bolted from the break room, your emotions a chaotic storm threatening to consume you. You needed to escape, to find a place where you could be alone with your thoughts. Your feet moved on their own, carrying you toward the rooftop.

The elevator ride felt like an eternity, and when the doors finally opened, you dashed out, finding yourself on the rooftop garden. The night air was cool, offering a brief respite from the heated turmoil within you.

The rooftop, offered a stunning view. A large lawn spread out, dotted with a few benches, and glass walls lined the edges, allowing a clear view of the skyline. The city lights twinkled below, a sea of illumination that seemed distant and unimportant. You barely noticed the beauty around you as you walked unsteadily to the center of the lawn.

Dropping to your knees, you felt the soft grass beneath your hands, unlike the harshness you felt inside. Tears welled up in your eyes as memories you buried deep inside you surged back- the financial ruin that followed your mother's cold abandonment, your father's untimely death and the crushing weight of your lost dreams. All the memories played in your mind like a movie.

You sobbed harder, the weight of your suppressed emotions finally breaking free. Your mother had left without a word, chasing a new life, a richer life, leaving you and your father. The memory of your father's exhausted face, his health failing under the stress, was too much to bear. You had clung to Aina's family for support, but even their kindness couldn't fill the void left by your parents.

And then there was B, your first and ex-boyfriend. He had seemed perfect-charming, attentive, everything you thought you wanted. But it had all been a façade. He had used you, manipulated your feelings, and left you broken. The heartbreak had been devastating, leaving you wary of love and convinced you were unworthy of it. You had sworn off relationships, too afraid of being hurt again.

Your mind drifted to the recent events, to the jerk who had treated you with such disdain. Just like B, he had seen you as nothing more than a plaything, something to use and discard. But what hurt the most was Aina's comment in the break room, a harsh reminder of how little she thought of your experiences and feelings. The words cut deeper than you wanted to admit, confirming your darkest fears-that you were unloved, unwanted, and utterly alone.

A raw scream tore from your throat, filled with years of pain and frustration you never knew you had buried down deep. You yanked off your heels, feeling the cool grass against your bare feet, and ran toward the glass walls.

Heights terrified you, but at that moment, the fear was nothing compared to the anguish you felt. You pressed your palms against the glass, leaning your forehead against the cool surface, and let the tears flow freely as you slumped down. Your cries echoed in the still night air, a heartbreaking sound of pure despair.

Lost in your sorrow, you didn't hear the footsteps approaching behind you. It wasn't until a voice broke through your sobs that you realized you weren't alone.

"Are you okay?"

Startled, you lifted your head and turned your red eyes puffy from crying. Jimin stood before you, his expression filled with concern. His confident demeanor was suddenly replaced with softness as he knelt in front of you, his hands gently cupping your cheeks, forcing you to look at him. His eyes, usually so mischievous and bright, were dark.

The touch of his hands on your cheeks sent a shiver down your spine. His gaze locked onto yours, his eyes filled with concern and compassion.

He wiped away your tears with his thumb, his touch surprisingly soft and tender. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.