I MET YOU IN FALL | jungri

PROLOGUE

SEPTEMBER 2017

-

IT WAS FALL. Leaves shed themselves from their trees, and the weather was undoubtedly getting colder every day.

Jeongguk sat alone at one of the smaller tables in the bookshop cafe down the street from his apartment, looking out the window right beside him with eyes that screamed loneliness. He averted his gaze to his phone's lockscreen, and he breathed out a long and heavy sigh after he laid his eyes on that day's date.

It's been a year.

SEPTEMBER 2016

"Sorry that I'm late, Yeo Reum."

Yeo Reum, his girlfriend, looked up from that bookshop cafe's menu and her lips turn into a slight smile as she observed Jeongguk settling down in his seat across the table. Jeongguk shot her a split-second glance, and even with that he could tell that something was off about her and her smile. That was an insincere smile she put on whenever she was in situations she rather avoid, and that fact bothered Jeongguk.

"It's okay, I was just too early," Yeo Reum replies with a soft voice.

Jungkook sincerely smiled at her words, then looked at the menu in front of him. "What should we order? Coffee?"

Yeo Reum did not respond but instead she stared at Jeongguk, who was flipping the laminated pages of the menu. He paused as he realised that she was staying silent and averted his gaze to her, then his eyes suddenly turned weary and his smile faded immediately.

He let out a sigh under his breath. He might have already mentally and emotionally prepared himself for this day ever since he had accidentally seen his girlfriend meeting regularly with her new work colleague outside office hours and  would have sworn to be ready to receive the emotional impact, but no one's ever ready to get broken up with, and Jeongguk's no exception. 

Jeongguk have felt him and Yeo Reum drifting for a while now and how foolish of him to think that that problem would be solved just by going on dates to respark the excitement in their relationship. They have been together for around five years and although it might hurt to admit it, but Jeongguk knew that the spark has been long gone three and a half years into their relationship.

Jeongguk takes a deep breath and says the words that he would have never thought to roll off his tongue when it comes to his relationship with Yeo Reum. "Tell me, I know. Why do you want to break up with me?"

Yeo Reum immediately avoided his desperate eyes looking straight into hers. "I'm sorry. Work has been affecting me a lot, and you're slowly making your life all about me. I'm always worrying if you are focusing on your music career, I don't want a man like that. Jeongguk, I'm really-"

He looked down at the menu once again. He did not want to look at the girl in front of him who was speaking words that hurt more than he had ever expected. He shut his eyes. "No, Yeo Reum, This is just a rough patch of our relationship, we can get through this, please?" He said so softly that only Yeo Reum could hear him, as his breath hitched in his throat.

Yeo Reum sighed silently under her breath before replying. "Jeongguk. If I have to forget about this, it means that we have to start this misery again." She pauses. "And I don't want that."

At that very moment, Jeongguk felt his stomach drop and a physical chest pain slowly creeps up on him. 

This must be the pain people talk about when they see or hear something that really hurts their feelings, Jeongguk thought.

And on that very day, Jeongguk remembered hearing his heart shattering and going home with a new hole in his heart.

PRESENT

"Sir?"

Jeongguk was pulled back into reality, by the voice of a young lady right next to him. He turned his head to his left, and right in front of his eyes was one of the cafe's baristas whom he recognised.

"Sir, here is your Hot Americano. I'd called your name a few times, but you didn't answer," she said in a slight annoyed tone, and placed the paper cup on his table with a rather strong force which eventually produced a loud sound. Then she walked away, without even glancing at her customer's face or waiting for a response.

Jeongguk raised his eyebrows as he looked at her back while she was walking back to the coffee bar.

He just did not know that she was that one girl he could never, ever get over with.