Stalemate // BTS JIKOOK

Chapter 31 - Solitude (UPDATED)

Memory #4 (2 Years Ago)

After the cherry blossom festival...Jungkook wasn't really himself. He didn't talk to me as much and only occasionally said hi. Whenever he smiled, he did so in an artificial way.

I didn't understand why or what happened to make him change.

"Jungkook!" I yelled, trying to catch up to him in the hallway one day.

He glanced back and simply gave a nod of a head as a greeting.

"Want to go hangout after school?" I asked, walking with him to the next class.

His lips parted, as if he were about to say something but then he changed his mind.

"Actually, I have a lot of homework to do," he said in a quiet voice. "Sorry."

"Oh...," I said, my expression falling into sadness. "T-That's okay. Maybe next time."

"Yeah," he replied, walking into his class while I continued down the hall. "Maybe."

After school was over, I sighed and began to make my way home with nothing else to do. To be honest, I didn't really want to go back to the house. My mom and dad fought endlessly and never had a truce. Everything was messy and loaners often came in demanding repayments. They had already taken most of the things we had.

On my way down the streets, I heard a certain voice and immediately brightened up. 

Jungkook's nearby! 

I walked closer and closer to the voice but as I was about to turn a corner, I heard several other voices. 

"Let's go to the arcade!" I heard a few people say.

I crept around the corner, peering from a distance.

"Yeah," Jungkook said, grinning and laughing.

My eyes widened and I felt my heart drop.

He..was with a group of people. Hanging out without me.

When he said he had homework to do...was that a lie?

They began to head for the arcade and suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned around to see Hyunsoo, a boy who detested me and often ran his mouth about how worthless I was.

He smirked.

"Looks like Jungkook over there doesn't care about you anymore," he said, tightening his grip.

He shoved me against the brick wall and grasped the collar of my shirt, punching me.

"Go on," he said in a mocking tone. "Call Jungkook for help and see if he'll come to you."

I didn't say anything, the corner of my lip bleeding from a cut. Tears formed in my eyes but I blinked them away. 

I turned to my right, seeing Jungkook disappear into the arcade place with a smile on his face. 

What am I...without him?

Hyunsoo scoffed and pushed me onto the ground with force. I winced, feeling abrasions on my head and elbows. 

"Crawl back to him like the small worm you are," he said, letting out a laugh. "You were always a nobody."