Autumn Serendipity |Jeon Jungkook|

33: Echoes of You

Jungkook's POV:

The next day, we headed to Glattzentrum, the most popular mall in Zurich. I tried to forget Aurelia because thinking about her only brought me more pain. 

How could I let her go when every part of me still wanted her? But I knew if I let my thoughts drift to her, I'd hurt even more. So, I pushed those feelings aside.

We wandered into a few stores, joking around. Jin was arguing with the sales boy about a pink shirt. "I'm telling you, pink is not just for girls!" Jin insisted, crossing his arms.

The sales boy looked nervous. "Sir, I understand, but maybe you'd like to try a different colour?"

"Are you saying I can't pull off pink?" Jin huffed.

Namjoon rolled his eyes. "Hyung, it's just a shirt. Let it go!"

Taehyung wasn't much help. "I only shop at Gucci, you peasants. If it's not Gucci, I don't want it," he said, flipping his imaginary hair with dramatic flair.

Hoseok grinned and patted Taehyung on the back. "I agree, Gucci is the way to go, my friend. We have standards, unlike some people here," he teased, pointing at Jin.

Jimin and Suga were in their little world, bickering about what to do after shopping. "Let's go eat ice cream!" Jimin suggested with a smile.

Suga shook his head. "No, let's find a coffee shop. I need caffeine, not sugar."

"Hyung, you always need caffeine," Jimin laughed.

As we laughed and joked, the soft music in the store caught my attention. The song was "Back to December" by Taylor Swift. I'd heard it a few times back in college, but hearing it now felt different. The lyrics echoed in my mind like they were meant just for me.

"Standin' in front of you sayin' I'm sorry for that night And I go back to December It turns out freedom ain't nothin' but missin' you Wishin' I'd realized what I had when you were mine I'd go back to December, turn around and make it alright."

Each word felt like a punch to my chest. The song described my life, my regrets, and my pain. I stood there, feeling my throat tighten as the memories of Aurelia washed over me. The image of her face, the sound of her laughter—all of it came rushing back.

I found myself in the section with trench coats. I remembered how Aurelia would wear them to the office on cold days. She almost lived in those coats. A small, sad chuckle escaped my lips. I reached out and picked up a coat, imagining her wearing it. Even now, when I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't help but think of her.

Jin was still arguing with the sales boy. "I don't care what you say! This pink sweatshirt is mine!" 

Namjoon groaned. "Hyung, can we please move on before I lose my mind over this ridiculous pink debate?"

Ignoring the chaos, I quietly pulled out my wallet and paid for the trench coat. I wasn't sure why I bought it—maybe it was my way of holding on to a piece of her.

As I turned to join my friends, Jin finally won his battle. He held up the pink sweatshirt triumphantly. "Victory!" he shouted.

"Wow, Jin-hyung, you really went to war for a pink sweatshirt," Jimin teased, shaking his head in disbelief.

We visited a few more stores before grabbing lunch. The meal was great—a proper Swiss dish that made us all feel content. After lunch, we headed back to our hotel. In Suga's room, we started planning our next adventure: skiing tomorrow. The idea sounded fun, and I was always up for such activities.

Suga wanted to sleep right away, but we wouldn't let him. We all ended up in his room even though he demanded a single suite. "Why are you guys always invading my space?" he grumbled, pretending to be annoyed.