From Reluctance to Desire: A Mafia Story [JJK]

✨THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED✨

But before I could even try to say anything, the door creaked open. Taehyung stepped in, his face unreadable.

He glanced between me and Jungkook, and then his gaze softened when he saw me. "Y/N," he said quietly, voice calm. "Come outside. You need some air."

I wanted to protest. Wanted to say something, but the weight of Jungkook's fury still hung in the air. I couldn't take it anymore. I just nodded, my throat tight, and let Taehyung guide me out of the room.

The moment I stepped outside, the cool air hit me like a slap. It felt so sharp, like a reality check I didn't want. The fog rolled in thick, and the trees loomed over us like silent watchers. We didn't talk at first. Taehyung let me stew in the silence, letting the guilt and shame drown me. I had no idea how to fix this. How to fix us.

After a long time, Taehyung spoke up, his voice still steady. "You need to give him time, Y/N."

"I never meant to hurt him," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I didn't know. I didn't remember. I thought—"

"I know," Taehyung cut in gently, stopping me. "But right now, he's not going to hear you. You need to give him space."

I bit my lip and nodded, unable to speak. My heart was still pounding in my chest, and the feeling of losing Jungkook—of him hating me—was a weight I couldn't escape.

We stood there, the sound of the wind and the rustling trees the only noise. Everything felt too loud, like the world was pressing in on me.

And then, out of nowhere, I heard footsteps. I turned around, expecting it to be Taehyung, but instead, the girl who helped me appeared. She had this quiet, strong presence. Her black hair fell down her back in waves, and there was something about her that screamed confidence.

She stopped in front of me, her eyes scanning me and Taehyung, and then she smiled, like she knew exactly what was happening.

"Hi," she said, her voice calm and reassuring. "I'm Jiwon Park." She gave me a small, knowing smile. "I'm Alex's girlfriend."

I froze. "Alex... has a girlfriend?" I stuttered, completely caught off guard. My mind couldn't keep up with what she was saying. Alex, the one person I thought I knew, had kept this from me?

"Yes," she said, her voice still steady. "He's been keeping it a secret for a while now. Not many people know. Only a few people even know this place."

My mind was still reeling. "Why the secrecy?"

Jiwon glanced at Taehyung before looking back at me. "It was safer that way. With everything going on, Alex didn't want anyone to know where I was. And honestly, it's better that way. Only a few people know this place—You, Jungkook, Jimin, Taehyung, Luca, Alex... and me."

I blinked, stunned. "I never knew."

"Nobody did," Jiwon replied, her voice softening slightly. "Alex kept it that way for our safety."

My head was spinning. Everything I thought I knew about Alex, about all of this—it was all a lie. I didn't know who I could trust anymore.

Jiwon gave me a small smile. "Come inside," she said, her hand resting gently on my arm. "It's better if we go inside and talk. You need rest. You can't keep beating yourself up like this."