Caged and Guarded (BTS Jungkook Fanfiction)

Chapter 49

Jungkook was looking up at the night sky, before he turned to face Hyunsoo. It was dark and the stars were not so bright - it was blurrier than anything else, but the atmosphere felt nice. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. There was some wind, but not enough to make the pair feel the cold night. It was just right.

They were both silent for a long while, just taking in their surroundings. Hyunsoo felt too afraid to speak. In case Jungkook suddenly decided not to talk to her. Until now, Hyunsoo felt like she was the only one causing problems, having to talk about them and then solving it or getting through them. Though for the first time, she was about to listen to someone else talk.

Jungkook sighed deeply and said, "It all feels too perfect right now. I wish it was real..."

Hyunsoo wasn't sure what he meant by this, so kept quiet. She kept glancing to her side to take in Jungkook's profile. The usual cold aura around him was gone, replaced by a sort of warmer yet enclosed and isolated one.

Jungkook looked back and caught Hyunsoo's eyes, who quickly looked away embarrassed.

He chuckled. "You look so much happier nowadays, and free."

Hyunsoo thought about this comment properly before answering. Was she happy? Was she free? "I guess I am... thanks to you."

"You will help me too then?"

Hyunsoo nodded, not knowing what to expect.

"You can't"

Hyunsoo tilted her head. "Why not?"

"It's different and complicated," he said, shaking his head, "You can only listen."

Hyunsoo was about to reply, wanting to say that that wasn't true. Wanting to show how much she wanted to make him feel as happy and free as she looked. But before Hyunsoo could even begin to open her mouth, Jungkook looked up at the sky again and began talking.

"I hardly ever see my parents. In fact, I don't see them. Not because I can't, but because they don't want to see me, and now that I've grown accustomed to this, I don't want to see them." He looked at Hyunsoo, as if studying her face for reaction. "They both work in the police force and are quite up the rank, so they're busy all the time. Me and grandma live together here, and we both hate my parents. They're extremely strict, bossy, rude and spoilt adults. They call me up, not to check on me, but to scold me for things I have no control over."

Hyunsoo's shocked face seemed to have overwhelmed Jungkook, so he looked away, hiding the pain in his face. Hyunsoo could tell that he wanted to finish talking, but he didn't want to show himself weakened. He wanted to be strong.

"Grandma and I stress so much over the things my parents call me about. Sometimes... we can't help but just hug each other and cry... until we forget that our family sucks." Jungkook was shaking his head then, closing his eyes. "People don't want to understand my situation. Because... because they see me as a spoilt arrogant brat from a rich family. Do you even see me living the rich life?" He looked at Hyunsoo again, not caring anymore what kind of emotion his face gave away. Hyunsoo was out of words. "I chose to live with my grandma. I wanted to be as far away as possible from that spoilt life... that dumb fake life I could have been living."

Hyunsoo felt her arms move on their own accord. They moved up to Jungkook's shoulder and hugged them, making her lean against his side.

"I don't care anymore though," Jungkook continued, keeping his posture and voice calm. "I just need to surround myself with people who do care about me. I guess that's why I'm so... that's why I..."

He couldn't make himself finish the sentence, so he let it hang, knowing fully well that Hyunsoo understood what he was getting at.

They were silent once more. This time, letting Jungkook's words sink in. Hyunsoo felt extremely sad upon hearing his story. She couldn't make herself do anything to comfort him, as she herself wasn't sure what she was supposed to do or wasn't ever in a situation when a friend needed her like this.

However, it was Jungkook who broke the silence again. "I'm lucky to have everyone." He looked down at Hyunsoo, who sat back up to lean against the wall.

"Everyone?"

"Hoseok, some of my seniors like Yoongi and Seokjin, Jimin, some past people I won't mention now," he said, chuckling slightly, "And you. It's because of you that I've started coming out of my cold shell. There was a point in time when I was so rude and arrogant... exactly as how you first met me, but then... slowly, I changed."

Hyunsoo gazed at his face, not saying anything. Jungkook was also looking down at Hyunsoo's eyes, not blinking away.

"I felt some motivation to become a different person because of you..."

He was leaning down very slowly, as if letting his head move to lean against something; to rest on something.

"What did I do?"

Hyunsoo couldn't do anything except listen to her heart race and feel her skin tingle as Jungkook moved closer towards her. She was completely mesmerised and couldn't move her eyes away from his.

"I'm still trying to figure that out to be honest."

He closed his eyes as he said this, letting his lips fall on top of Hyunsoo's. They wrapped each other in an embrace, as they felt their stomach full of fireworks. The world disappeared from their sight and all they could see was each other. They were happy and free.