Sunshine in her Shadows (Rosekook AU)

12

Chaeyoung POV:
I was terrified, never did I expect this sunshine of a human to react so calmly to my bruises. He instead turned into my nurse. Every time I come to school in pain, he is the one who heals me, helps me cover up, and makes me smile. Sometimes I think my mom sent him to me as a guardian angel.
After school, we head straight to the restaurant. While I’m in the booth singing, he’s out there serving tables, but I can feel his eyes on me. It’s like he’s watching over me, making sure I’m okay. It’s sweet, but it makes me nervous. I don’t want him to see too much, to figure out what’s really going on.

I finish my set, my voice carrying over the quiet hum of the restaurant. Singing used to be something I loved, but now it’s just a way to drown out the noise in my head. It’s the only time I can forget, even for a little while, about the bruises, the pain, the constant fear.

After my set, I catch Jungkook’s eye as he waves at me from across the room. I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. It’s like a reflex now, something I do automatically when I see him. He doesn’t know it, but that little smile is the only real one I’ve got left.

When our shift ends, we sit in the lounge, waiting for the others to leave. I’m tired—so tired—but I can’t let it show. Not to him. He’s already worried enough. But I can tell he sees through me anyway. He always does.

“Chaeyoung, are you okay?” he asks as we walk toward the bus stop.

I nod, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just tired.”

He doesn’t believe me. I can see it in his eyes, but he doesn’t push. He never does. And I’m grateful for that.

The next day, I’m even more exhausted. The bruises on my side throb with every step, and I can barely keep my eyes open. But I have to keep going. I can’t afford to take a break, not when there’s so much that needs to be done.

After our shift, as we’re getting ready to leave, Jungkook hands me a small envelope. His face is lit up with that sunny smile of his, the one that usually makes me feel a little lighter.

“What’s this?” I ask, taking the envelope from him.

“My salary, I saved every bit of it from the last six months,” he says, almost beaming. “I wanted to treat you to something, but…”

I can’t help the flare of annoyance that rises in me. “But what?”

“But I figured you might need it more than me,” he says, his voice gentle.

For a moment, I just stare at him. And then the anger bubbles up, hot and uncontrollable. I shove the envelope back at him, my voice trembling with rage. “I don’t need your pity, Jungkook!”

He looks shocked like he doesn’t understand why I’m so upset. “Pity? Chaeyoung, that’s not what this is.”

“Oh really? Then what is it?” I snap, my voice rising. “You think I’m some kind of charity case? That I can’t take care of myself?”

His expression softens, and he takes the envelope from me, his voice calm. “Hey hey now firecracker calm down. You should say I pity you if I know why you need the money. I don’t know why you need it, but I do know that I want to give it to you. Not because I pity you, but because I care about you. And because I can.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. The anger drains out of me, replaced by something else—something I don’t want to feel. My throat tightens, and I have to blink back the tears that suddenly spring to my eyes.

“Kook…”

He steps closer, his voice soft. “My parents don’t care what I do with the money. They’ve got plenty, and I don’t need it for anything. But you… You work so hard, Chaeyoung. You deserve a break, even just a small one.”

That’s it. The last straw. I can’t keep up the act anymore. All the walls I’ve built around myself come crashing down, and before I can stop myself, I throw my arms around him, hugging him tight.

“Thank you, but I cannot accept this, it is a lot of money... Your hard-earned money. I saw how much you toiled these six months to earn this. I cannot keep it,” I whisper, my voice breaking.

He is startled at first but hugs me back tight, his embrace warm and comforting. A hug that is protective and caring, one I haven't felt in years. “You don’t have to thank me,” he says softly. “But I insist you keep the money, it would make me sleep better at night knowing I can do something for you.”

I hold on to him, crying and burying my head into his chest, mostly because I still don't want him to see me cry, feeling a mix of relief and fear. I’ve been trying so hard to handle everything on my own, to keep everyone out, but now… Now I don’t feel so alone.

I know I can’t keep this to myself any longer. The weight of it is too much. The guilt of not telling this guy who cares for me so deeply is too much. I take a deep breath and look at him with eyes still red from the crying. "We need to find someplace quiet Kook, I want to tell you something."