Never ever || jjk FF

Part 14

Chapter 14 – The Truth Revealed

The days after graduation passed in a daze.

Haejin buried herself in preparations for Stanford—a dream she had chased relentlessly, sacrificing sleep, weekends, and distractions. And now, the acceptance letter sat on her desk like a prize she no longer wanted.

Instead of excitement, there was only silence. A hollow, aching silence that followed her everywhere.

Jungkook's absence, Jimin's strange behaviour, and a thousand unspoken questions gnawed at her. But she refused to look back. Her decision was made.

She was leaving.

Until Jimin shattered everything.

One afternoon, when the sun was bright shining on the school, and there she was standing in the front of the main door. She had come to the school one last time to relive the memories and meet her teachers before her departure.

That's when he found her.

"I was looking for you," Jimin said, his voice quiet, unsure.

Haejin didn't turn. "If it's about Jungkook. I don't want to hear it."

"It's not just about him," he replied. "It's about you. About us."

At that, she turned, brow furrowed. He looked serious as if he wanted to tell something very turning. The usual teasing glint in his eyes was gone. In its place, hesitation, Regret was there.

"I need to tell you something," he said. "And I know you're going to hate me for it. But I can't keep it to myself anymore."

"Then say it," she said, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

Jimin inhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Haejin, I know we have been friends for years now and that we were distant for a phase, I hope you still consider me a good friend of yours."

She looked at him with confusion "Yeah, Jimin, why would you bring this up suddenly and ofcourse, you are still a good friend of mine. Just tell me what happened."

"Haejin, I like you, I like you a lot." He said his lips were trembling.

Haejin was frozen for a split second. "Jimin, I still think of you as a good friend, and I appreciate your courage to confess, but I like--"

"Jungkook, I know Haejin. That's why I am here to tell you something."

His next words were strained. Almost ashamed.

"You were a bet, Haejin."

The world slowed.

"A bet? What do you mean, Jimin? Who did such a bet?"  Haejin asked all at once.

Jimin looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "It was meant to be Jisoo. Jungkook thought your name was on the list. We stupidly made a game out of it. You were never the bet, but he misunderstood Haejin, and he fell for you."

"Wait Jimin, I don't understand, why was Jisoo the bet and why was her name there and why would Jungkook do that, I..I don't understand."

"Haejin, it was a bet to make Jisoo fall for Jungkook before graduation, and he thought I was talking about you and not Jisoo. He was with you on purpose, but he eventually-"

"So everything... everything he did, everything he said... it was just because of a bet?"

"No," Jimin said quickly. "Not everything. He fell for you. I know he did. It stopped being a game a long time ago."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. It came out broken, more sob than sound. "And you just let that happen? You didn't even stop him?"

"Haejin, it was not like I could stop Jungkook from falling for you., I know it's selfish of me to tell you this now, but I wanted you to know the truth before you confessed to Jungkook about your feelings."

Her chest ached with betrayal. She had been ready to tell Jungkook thetruth about  how deeply she felt, how much he meant to her.
But now?

It had all been built on a lie.

"You should've kept it to yourself," she whispered, tears finally spilling over. "It would've hurt less."

Jimin looked stricken. But she didn't wait to hear what else he had to say.

She turned and walked away, ignoring his calling, her tears blurring the path ahead.

That night, she packed her bags.

She was going to Stanford.

And she was leaving all of it—them—behind.