new york ~ london is lonely

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"I know where the heating switches are, Kook

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"I know where the heating switches are, Kook. I've been here a million times," you say with a tight-lipped smile, arms folded securely over your chest. It's not like his apartment is cold—he's had the ondol on all morning—but yet your arms refuse to budge.

It's always cold this time of year, but his apartment is never really affected by the outside unless his windows are open. Perks of a modern apartment. Your place is an igloo these days, February particularly unkind this year.

You're dressed in a slouchy grey jumper and a pair of yoga pants, hair up in a claw clip. Strands of hair frame your face, and your makeup is understated. After all, there's no one here to impress. Just Bam, who is curled up on his bed in front of the TV unit, and Jungkook, who hasn't been able to look you in the eye since you arrived.

"Right," he nods, looking around the room as if he's checking to see if he's forgotten anything.

He hasn't.

He just really doesn't know how to look at you when you're dressed like that and he's feeling the way that he is.

"It's just been a while," he adds with a shrug. Mutters, "Wasn't sure if you were used to someone else's heating by now."

The mumble of a statement that felt more like an accusation rumbles in your ears. It's uncomfortable, like a small avalanche of jagged rocks scraping against your skin. It cuts and it bruises—but he doesn't look at you, so he doesn't see the hurt in your eyes, just like your pain deafens the hurt in his voice.

It's been a difficult few months. Things between you shifted like the breeze of cold air rushing in. It was sudden and it was abrupt and it was entirely out of the blue. One minute he was kissing you, and the next he was out of the office at every possible opportunity.

Every email you sent to him would be replied to with other people CC'd in, and the meetings you used to have about upcoming projects were always attended by other people. It was as if Jungkook was using other people to bloat the distance between you even further, as if his cold shoulder wasn't bad enough.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You scoff, but it falls on deaf ears as Jungkook goes to say goodbye to Bam.

You don't ask for further clarification. The sooner he leaves, the better. You like it when it's just you and Bam.

In all honesty, you wish you could see him more, but Jungkook doesn't invite you back on his lunch breaks any more. Doesn't ask you to come for walks. Doesn't ask anything of you, really.

Well, technically, that's a lie. He asked you to watch Bam on New Year's Eve.

You could have done it. Could have tried crossing what was left of the bridge between you. Could have taken some nails and a little hammer and repaired it along the way.

But he was asking you to sacrifice your New Year's Eve so that he could go out without you. Come midnight, he'd be kissing God knows who. Replacing the lingering memory of your lips, if he hadn't already.

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