𝙐𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 ❤ (𝙹𝚒𝚔𝚘𝚘𝚔 💜)

17) Signs He Refused to Read

Author's pov

It's a Saturday evening. After completing his class and taking care of grandpa as usual.

Grandpa was exceptionally happy that his plans are finally working out. He clearly saw the way Jungkook came up with the little idea of making grandpa the bait for Jimin to shift back. Grandpa knew this all along. But he didn't show it up. He helped silently and now it's working all fine.

Jimin folded his t-shirts with robotic precision, fingers working mechanically as his mind drifted far, far away from the hospital’s resting quarters. His backpack was already half-stuffed, a small pile of worn notebooks and a laptop charger peeking out. Every time he looked at them, he felt like they were mocking him — like they knew he was walking into the lion’s den.

Shifting in with Jeon Jungkook.

What kind of twisted rom-com script was the universe working on?

He exhaled shakily and glanced around the small cubicle that had been his makeshift home for the past weeks. The metal bed. The buzzing ceiling fan. The chipped mug he drank instant coffee from at midnight. He should be happy to leave this place.

But it didn’t feel like a win.

Not when it meant being around him.

Still, he’d made his decision. For Grandpa. For peace. For survival. He just had to make it through tomorrow. Just survive.

.

.

.

.

Sunday morning arrived with golden sunlight filtering through the blinds, warming the marble floors of Jungkook’s apartment. It was too early. Yet Jungkook had been awake for hours.

Not because he cared.

Obviously not.

He just had… things to do.

Right.

The place was already spotless. It always was. But today, for some reason, the shelves didn’t feel aligned enough, the sink had a smudge that only he could see, and the cushions on the sofa — well, they suddenly needed fluffing. Twice.

He even went into the second bedroom — Jimin’s room — and stared at it for a full ten minutes before moving.

The sheets were already clean. Still, he changed them again. A soft grey-blue set, the only one that didn’t scream bachelor or soulless hotel.

Then he wiped the desk, cleaned the inside of the closet, adjusted the curtains for better sunlight, and vacuumed the corners twice — even though the vacuum hadn’t picked up a single speck.

He even bought an extra phone charger.

Why?

No reason. Just in case. He might forget his, maybe. Whatever.

Jungkook stood in the doorway afterward, arms folded, staring at the room like it was some unsolvable riddle. Something twisted beneath his ribs, uncomfortable and too warm.

This wasn’t for Jimin.

Of course not.

He was just… being decent.

Just helping Grandpa.

Just returning the favour.

Just—

Just lying to himself.

He shook his head quickly, annoyed. With himself. With the silence. With how fast his heart had sped up for no logical reason.