𝓑𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮 (𝓙𝓲𝓴𝓸𝓸𝓴)

chapter 4

Jungkook's POV

The piercing sound of the alarm jolted me awake. I groaned, shifting slightly to turn it off without waking Jimin. As the silence filled the room, the weight on my chest returned, even heavier than the night before. Today was the day everything would fall apart. No matter how much I wished to avoid it, I had to face her. The guilt twisted inside me like a knife.

I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jimin as he slept peacefully. He had no idea about the storm I was about to bring into our lives. A part of me wished he could stay in this blissful ignorance forever, far from the mess I had created.

I forced myself to get up, dragging my heavy legs towards the bathroom to freshen up. Each step felt like a journey through quicksand. The reflection in the mirror seemed foreign to me—haunted eyes, a hollow expression. How did I let things get this far? After dressing in my usual office attire, I headed to the kitchen and poured some cereal. The thought of food repulsed me, but I had to make sure Jimin would eat before I left.

With the cereal prepared, I walked back to the bedroom to wake him. "Jimin-ah, wake up," I whispered gently, shaking his shoulder. He whined, turning away from me, his messy hair covering his eyes. I sighed. This was always the hardest part—getting him out of bed.

Resorting to my usual tactic, I tickled him until he burst into giggles, sitting up with that bright smile I adored so much. “Good morning, hyung,” he greeted me, pulling me into a tight hug. His warmth only made the ache in my chest worse.

“Good morning, Jimin-ah,” I murmured, patting his back gently. "Hyung has to go to work now."

The change in his demeanor was immediate. His face fell, and he pouted at me with his signature puppy eyes, making my heart clench. “Can’t you stay a little longer?” he asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

I shook my head, forcing a smile. “I can’t, Jimin. I’ve already prepared breakfast for you. Get fresh, eat, and watch some TV, okay? Just don’t go outside. You’re not familiar with the area, and I don’t want you to get lost.”

He nodded obediently, though I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I knelt down to his level, patting his head gently. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

"But can't I come with you today, hyung?" he asked hopefully, his eyes sparkling. “I won’t be any trouble, I promise.”

I hated having to say no, but I couldn’t risk it. Not today. “Another time, Jimin. Today, just stay here and relax, okay?”

His face fell again, but he nodded without protesting further. “Alright, hyung. But come home fast. I’ll miss you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced another smile. “I’ll miss you too.” With that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. He followed me, giving me one last hug before I left.

The moment I got into my car, my hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I couldn’t afford to break down, not now. Not when I still had to face Ava.

The drive to the office felt both endless and too short at the same time. My thoughts raced, guilt gnawing at me with every passing minute. How was I supposed to look Ava in the eyes and tell her the truth? The truth that I had married someone else. That I had betrayed her.

By the time I reached the office, my heart was pounding so hard that I could hear it in my ears. I stepped into the lobby, trying to calm my breathing, but my chest felt like it was being crushed.

As I made my way to the elevator, I felt a sudden, familiar warmth wrap around me. A back hug. Her back hug.

“Jungkook! You’re finally back!” Ava’s voice was filled with relief and happiness, making the weight in my heart even heavier. I turned to face her, forcing a smile as she cupped my face lovingly.

“I was so worried about you,” she murmured, her thumb brushing my cheek. “You didn’t call or text. I thought something terrible had happened.”

I stood there, speechless, unable to move or speak. Ava’s eyes were filled with nothing but love and concern. How could I break her heart?

Before I could gather myself, Olivia, Ava’s best friend, appeared beside us. "Oh, the loverboy is back," she teased, winking at me. I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt.

Clearing my throat, I finally found my voice. “Ava, can we…talk after work? In the parking lot?”

Ava frowned slightly but nodded. “Of course. Is everything okay?”

I couldn’t bring myself to hold eye contact. “Yeah…yeah. We’ll talk later.”

I hurried away, unable to bear the guilt any longer. My chest felt like it was going to explode. How could I tell her the truth? She didn’t deserve this. Jimin didn’t deserve this. How had I managed to ruin both of their lives?

As soon as I stepped into my office, I collapsed into my chair, my face buried in my hands. I didn’t realize that Suga was already there, watching me with concern.

“Hey, JK,” he said softly, walking over to me. “You okay? You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice cracking slightly.

Suga didn’t buy it. He placed a hand on my shoulder, his eyes filled with worry. “You don’t have to lie to me, Jungkook. What’s going on?”

That was all it took. The dam broke, and I began to sob uncontrollably. Suga wrapped his arms around me, not saying anything, just letting me cry. After a few moments, he handed me a glass of water, waiting patiently for me to calm down.

“Talk to me, JK,” he urged gently. “What’s going on?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. “It’s a long story, hyung…”

“I’ve got time,” he said with a small smile. “Start from the beginning.”

And so, I did. I told him everything.

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What actually happened will be revealed in the next chapter! Stay tuned, lovelies, for the twists and turns ahead. Your support means the world to me, so don’t forget to vote and comment your thoughts! I love hearing from you all, and your feedback keeps me going.

See you in the next update!