Enthralled || Liskook

Chapter 54

Darkness pressed against the window, the only fightback a sliver of moonlight or perhaps the soft glow of street lamps struggling through a gap in the curtains. The fabric billowed slightly, pinned to the wall by the night wind, revealing the faint outline of the windowpane. 

Leaning against his arm, she tilted her head up. Her gaze traced the sharp angle of her own jaw, then flicked to the telltale bob of his Adam's apple, a physical reminder of the man beside her. 

A sudden, jarring image surfaced in her mind the glint of a razor blade in the bathroom cabinet, its thin edge a sliver of danger. The memory clashed with the decadent reality of his unshaven beard, a dark shadow that whispered of secrets and hidden desires. 

His birthday. Washington D.C. The billiard 

hall is abuzz with anticipation. She'd snuck him in, a secret held close. 

When Jungkook emerged from the elevator, he was a mess, hair disheveled, clothes rumpled, a shadow of stubble gracing his jaw. It looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks. 

The sight had ignited playful chaos. Everyone had insisted on a celebratory kiss, a public display to match the joy of their star falling from the sky. 

The teasing had backfired, resulting in a playful retaliation from Jungkook for each insistent voice. 

He wasn't one for grand displays. Even in that room overflowing with laughter, there had been no grand gesture, no sweeping hug. 

Yet, in the quiet space between them, she'd seen a happiness that radiated from hum like warmth from a hidden fire. 

"Jisoo unnie, talked to me once during the training camp,” Lisa said, and she thought about Jisoo. 

Jisoo knew Jungkook and Lisa were inexperienced, placing blind faith in flashy tricks that could jeopardize the World Championships. 

Jisoo had confided in her, revealing a past deception. Lisa's hand instinctively reached for the teapot, a nervous habit, as the news sparked a flicker of gossip in her mind. 

Lisa turned the corner and asked, “Has she ever liked anyone else? Except my brother, of course.” 

Jungkook leaned against the head of the bed and shook his head. "It shouldn't be." 

Although there was no connection in the past, looking at the atmosphere between Jisoo and Yoongi that day, from what he knew about Jisoo, she should still like Yoongi. 

Jisoo has been making decisions since she was a child. 

"You said my brother has been out of the state for more than a year, will it be related to emotional problems?” 

“No.” He knew that his old rival wouldn't be so vulnerable. "Since he was 19 years old, he was directly promoted to the Open and never played in the qualifiers. But the European Masters Cup fell out of the top 16 and went to the qualifiers. I heard that it took a toll on him for weeks.” 

Lisa was brought into the industry by Yoongi. Although the relationship is not usually close due to Yoongi’s character, he has a very deep loyalty to him. When it comes to Yoongi's low period, she is very worried. 

Jungkook reached for a strand of her hair, gently tucking it behind her ear. "It will pass, trust me.” 

"He's younger than you,” Lisa pressed, a tremor in her voice. "He should still have time to turn it around, right? If his career goes downhill I don't think he could handle it.” 

Yoongi started playing at seven, a prodigy who'd always outshone his peers. For over a decade, Yoongi had been snooker royalty, his name synonymous with clutch victories and impossible trick shots. The idea of him retiring, of that life ending, was simply unbearable.