Caramel Macchiato (Jungkook's perspective)

Chapter 26

(A/N: Depressy days are gone now! Have fun with the new energy!)

It's Hoseok hyung, the human form of bright sunshine.

"Hope right here!" he yells, his signature greeting blasting through the quiet air, and for the first time in days, I feel a shift inside me. His energy is contagious, like it always is, and I can't help but smile, even if it's just a little.

"Hobi hyung... You were in the military." I mumble, stepping aside as he bounces into the apartment.

He plops down on the couch like he owns the place, arms spread wide, taking in the dull atmosphere of my apartment. "Took a break- Namjoonie told me you were looking off. Man, this place feels like a graveyard," he jokes, but his eyes flick to me, serious underneath the brightness. "What's going on with you, Jungkook? Namjoon didn't seem to be kidding about your situation."

I sit down across from him, my fingers curling around my mug, still not drinking it. How do I even start?

I can't hold it in anymore. I tell him everything.

It starts slow, with me just mentioning her name. But once I open up, it's like a flood. All the pain, all the confusion, all the sleepless nights and the regret come pouring out. I tell him about Minseo- how she came into my life like a storm and disappeared just as quickly. I tell him how I never got her number, how I've been searching, waiting, hoping... and how every day feels worse than the one before.

I'm crying now, not even realizing it. Tears just spill down my face, and I hate it. I hate that I'm like this.

How did I let myself get this weak?

Hoseok hyung listens quietly, his usual loudness toned down as he lets me spill everything. He doesn't interrupt. He doesn't make a joke. He just... listens.

When I'm done, the silence hangs in the air between us. I wipe my face with the back of my hand, feeling drained.

And then, in true Hoseok fashion, he claps his hands, standing up suddenly, "Alright, enough of this! Up your level, man!"

I blink, confused. "What?"

"Crying over her won't bring her back!" he says, his voice loud and full of that infectious energy that makes you want to move, even when you feel like you can't. "Do something! Do something, man! Sitting here, moping, staring at your coffee? What's that gonna do? Nothing!"

His hands flail as he talks, his excitement filling the room like sunshine breaking through a storm. "You want her to come back, right?"

"Of course I do," I mutter, the weight of it still heavy on my chest.

"Then stop crying and start acting!" Hobi hyung leans in closer, his voice dropping just a bit but still intense. "Write a song. Make a show. Do something so that she sees it! Show her what she's missing. Show her you."

His words hit me like a slap in the face, and suddenly, something inside me stirs. He's right. I've been sitting here, wallowing in my own misery, waiting for something to happen. But that's not how it works, is it?

Minseo isn't just going to magically show up.

I have to do something.

I sit up a little straighter, the fog in my mind starting to clear. Hyung clearly sees the shift in me and grins, slapping me on the shoulder. "There you go! That's the Jungkook I know. Now, what are you gonna do about it?"

I think about it for a second. My heart still hurts- God, it hurts so bad- but Hobi hyung's right. I can't just sit here, waiting. I need to channel this pain, this longing, into something that'll reach her. Something real.

"I'm going to write a song," I say, my voice stronger now.

Hoseok hyung claps his hands again, a bright laugh escaping him. "Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about! A song... but make it real."

Make it real.

The thought sinks in deeper. Yeah. This isn't going to be some cute, lighthearted song. No, this one's going to be raw. Explicit. It's going to be everything I feel right now- how much I want her, how much I need her. How losing her is tearing me apart inside.

It's gonna be for her.

A way for her to feel how much she's still a part of me, even if she's gone.

Hyung grins, seeing the determination growing in my eyes. "That's what I'm talking about! Now, get up, and let's make this happen. You've got the whole world waiting to hear what you've got."

I stand up, a sense of purpose finally filling me again. I'm not fixed. The pain is still there, deep in my chest, but now... now I'm going to do something about it.

"Thanks, hyung," I say, my voice quiet but sincere.

He pats me on the back, all smiles. "No problem, man. Now go show the world what Jungkook's made of."

As I watch Hoseok hyung leave, his brightness lingering in the room even after the door closes, I sit back down and grab a notebook. I stare at the blank page for a moment, the words already swirling in my head.

This song... it's going to be different.

It's going to be about her. About us. About everything I want to say but can't. And it's not going to hold back. No more hiding how much I want her. No more pretending like I'm okay.

If this is the only way I can reach her, then I'll make sure she hears every word.

I put the pen to the paper and start writing, my heart pouring out onto the page.

It's time to rise up. It's time to let her know just how much she means to me. And if she's out there, if she's watching, she'll hear it.

She'll know.