The next morning, Jungkook woke up with a pounding headache. His temples throbbed from the alcohol he had consumed the night before, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he felt the weight of the previous night's emotions settle over him once again. He groaned, rubbing his forehead as the light from the window made his head hurt even more.
But it wasn't just the hangover that bothered him. The anger was still there, bubbling just beneath the surface. The image of his ex-girlfriend, smiling and carefree with someone else, flashed in his mind, making his stomach twist with resentment and hurt.
Jungkook sat up slowly, wincing as the pain in his head intensified. He tried to push the thoughts away, but they lingered, clawing at him. His fists clenched, the frustration of it all still gnawing at him.
Why did it still bother him so much? Why couldn't he just forget about her?
He got out of bed, running a hand through his messy hair. As he looked around the room, the memories of last night's events came flooding back—J-Hope finding him at the club, Taehyung and Jimin dragging him home, the concerned faces of his friends when he had stormed off to his room without saying a word.
Despite their efforts, he had refused to talk to anyone. He didn't want to admit how much seeing that photo had hurt him, or how it had reopened old wounds he thought had healed long ago.
His stomach churned with guilt. He knew his friends only wanted to help, but he hadn't been ready to open up. Now, in the quiet of the morning, the anger and the hurt mixed together, leaving him feeling emotionally drained.
Jungkook shifted in bed, feeling the weight of his phone still in his pocket where he had left it. He hadn't bothered to check it since last night; he couldn't bring himself to. Not after what had sparked his anger. He knew if he opened it, he'd see that photo again, the one that had thrown him into this spiral.
There was a knock on the door, and he flinched slightly. He wasn't ready to face anyone, especially not after how he had acted last night. He debated ignoring it, but after a moment, he heard Jimin's voice, gentle but firm.
"Kook, can I come in?"
Jungkook sighed. He knew he couldn't avoid his friends forever. "Yeah, come in."
Jimin entered the room cautiously, giving Jungkook a soft smile. "How are you feeling?"
Jungkook shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've felt better," he muttered, avoiding Jimin's gaze.
Jimin nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I figured. You were pretty upset last night. Want to talk about it?"
Jungkook shook his head, his jaw tightening. "Not really. I just... I don't know, man. I don't even want to think about it."
Jimin's eyes softened as he studied Jungkook's expression. He hesitated for a moment before asking gently, "Is it about her?"
Jungkook's jaw tensed, and he looked away, not responding. The question hit too close to home, and even though Jimin hadn't mentioned her name, Jungkook knew exactly who he was talking about. The last thing he wanted was to dive into that mess of emotions right now.
Jimin, sensing Jungkook's reluctance, didn't press further. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he said softly. "But I've known you long enough to know when something's really bothering you."
Jungkook exhaled slowly, leaning back against the headboard. The anger still swirled inside him, and as much as he wanted to brush it off, he couldn't escape the fact that the photo had hurt him deeply. But he wasn't ready to talk about it—not yet.
