Empty Space | Jeon Jungkook

Part 20

**

"Did he do anything to you?" Is the first thing Jungkook asks when you open the door.

You notice him gripping the sleeves of his jacket, perhaps to stop himself from touching you.

"No, he uhm, I just kept seeing him everywhere I went," you say.

You go on to explain the man in the navy jacket and the more Jungkook prods, the more you recall mundane things from the past few weeks. It's always a specific article of clothing that you remember seeing more than once in a day - a maroon baseball cap, a grey sweatshirt, a black bucket hat - and then seeing it again a few days later.

And then there's the call that you were too scared to pick up.

The rest of the afternoon is spent with him coordinating with Busan PD. Young-il needs to speak with you, Jungkook relays, but neither man wants you to go back.

Jungkook thinks this is connected to the man who's been trailing you, now even convinced that the attack at the cafe was separate from the gang disturbances happening in the next neighborhood. The more he thinks about this, the angrier he feels. That man was out to hurt you. If he'd been trailing you all this time, even in broad daylight and all the way to your home, no one can tell what he can do.

Jungkook could've caught him. He was right there, and if Jungkook had been stronger, he could've caught the guy, then he wouldn't be following you, making you anxious, and making you scared.

You realize this, too, but it gives you a sense of relief that Jungkook had been adamant about looking out for you when he did because who knows what would've happened if he wasn't there that night to chase the man away. You could've seriously been hurt.

You try to say this to him but you're disrupted by his phone ringing. It's a long call and you take this time to make dinner for the both of you. This catches him off-guard and you stand there with a shy smile on your face, knowing how worried and preoccupied he is with your safety.

Your last moment was a tough one; you ended it by telling him you can't do this again. But at the first sign of trouble, he goes to you, no questions asked.

"I arranged for a video call tomorrow morning," he says, and you answer with a nod.

"I'm not gonna ask for your permission but I'm staying here tonight. I'm not leaving you."

You nod again. Somehow you're incapable of words, and this carries over to dinner. He's often on the phone, asking an officer in Busan PD to pull up some files and trying to piece things together.

Jungkook doesn't want to waste time; he'll try to figure this out as soon as he can. As much as he wants to, he can't detail you everyday, so he needs to figure this out now. He can't put you in danger again.

You let him do as much work as he can from here, and you watch him from your door at how decisive and analytical he is. He's observant, pays attention to detail, and can piece together things in creative ways.

You know that's why he was tasked with that undercover mission. Yeonjun said - because they'd talked that much - that Jungkook got other groups exposed based on the information he was getting when the group members would talk. Even when they would talk in code.

He's good at this; you think he always was. And you're missing out on something, on someone so good because you're scared.

He couldn't be with you then, for obvious reasons. But what about now?

You believe him that what you had - most of it, at least - was real. What about now?

It's another ring from his phone that pulls you out of your thoughts. You get him a towel, a toothbrush, and an oversized shirt that you place on the table.

"Get some rest," you urge him. "We'll get our answers tomorrow."

**

The drive to the station is quiet, save for the soft music from the radio. You're nervous but you're not sure over what exactly - seeing Young-il again, or learning he's put you in danger once more.

An inspector and Jungkook stay with you in the room. Upon Young-il's realization that Jungkook is with you, Young-il asks to see the man. It's been a while for them, too.

Jungkook is given the liberty to take the lead and ask questions, and the answers are enough to prove his theory. Turns out, Young-il has angered several members of a gang who think he's ratting them out and giving information. He got into a fight with them a few weeks back, with one of them claiming he knows where you and Yeonjun live, further injuring the man and earning Young-il some isolation time.

"I meant to call you sooner but I just got out. I'm so sorry, but I'm not a rat. I'd never put you and Yeonjun in danger like that again."

You nod. By now, you don't really know how to feel about it. It's bordering on indifference. You're just glad that Yeonjun isn't here, that way you'll only need to worry about yourself.

"Please take care of her, Jungkook. I know I don't deserve it but you have to promise me you're going to protect her and my brother," he says, causing you to look at the man whom you once considered family. "They're all I have left, please."

"You don't need to ask that of me. I'll die before I let anybody hurt her," he says before ending the call.

There's an anger, a fierceness in his eyes you've never seen before. He's determined, and if there's anybody you would trust with your life at this moment, it would be him.

**