playing by the rules || j.jk

XIV

Ji-Young's POV:

My breath was laboured as I woke up in a panicked state. The nightmare grew worse around this time of year. Near the anniversary.

The clock next to me read 00.00 and the date below read 18th September 2017.

"Happy Birthday to me." I sang in a hushed voice, my cheeks growing wet with warm tears. "I love you Dad, I love you baby brother." I whispered, reminiscing on my father's hugs and wise words and my mother's baby bump and the ultrasounds of my little brother, which I kept on my wall. Everything went black around the edges and I fell back to sleep, though this time, it was dreamless.

-

Sunlight started to pour through a crack in my curtains. It was a golden, orange sunlight that was reserved for late September only. I squinted, letting my eyes adjust before walking to the bathroom and washing my face.

Gazing up, the image in the mirror frightened me. My bones stuck out in ways they shouldn't and the dark circles under my eyes were prominent. My skin was slightly sallow, little pink in my cheeks. I looked unhealthy. Yet, despite how horrified I was, this felt right. I still felt fat. I needed to lose weight. Perhaps I'll binge today and work out every day this week to burn it off. With another splash of warm water, my cheeks revived and colour entered my face again.

I scurried around for my uniform and found my shirt, blazer and tie yet my skirt was no where to be found. After a five-minute search I gave up, settling on a pair of black, high waisted skinny jeans instead. I proceeded to dry and straighten my hair, turning on some music as I did. In the end, I was dancing more than I was doing my hair.

Jungkook's POV:

I'd woken up early today due to the special occasion. Leaving Jisoo at an early morning club, I walked down to the other side of town, past the school, past the supermarket and only stopped when I reached her house. Jin spotted me before I could even knock and pulled me in with a sense of desperation.

"Why are you here then?" He questioned, sitting me down at the kitchen bar as he put finishing touches on a double layered chocolate cake. Even the smell was heavenly, not just the presentation.

"Thought I'd walk her to school. She may want to walk with a friend."

"Then she'd walk with Mina." Jin scoffed, not even looking up from the corner he was decorating.

"Oh, well- " I stuttered but Jin raised his hand, signalling me to shut up. He looked up and acknowledged me, placing his weird baking tools aside.

"Jungkook, I know when you're lying. Not only that, but I know you like Ji-Young." He smiled, his demeanour completely serene and calm. I opened my mouth to speak, only to close it again, looking like a fish. "Aww my Jungkookie is in love. I ship it."

He's not wrong. I'm completely whipped. But I've never been in love, so I'm not quite sure how it feels. But this light, bubbly, heart clenching feeling I have around her is unnatural and I guess that to be love.

I began to stand up, "You know you're a shitty brother. You should be all protective. I would interrogate any boy who liked Jisoo. By the way, where is the bathroom?"

"LANGUAGE! Anyway, she's six so it's different. Upstairs, end door." Jin chuckled as I began up the stairs, hearing the faint hum of a twice song.

The second door on the left was cracked open, to reveal a white walled room with a large double bed and a large desk to the left of the bed, which displayed an iMac upon various stationary and books. Natural light streamed in from the window on the far wall, which was brick yet painted over in a pale grey tone, so pale it was almost white. The right side of the window, the side closest to the desk, was partially covered with various photos and polaroid's. Some I could tell showed Ji-Young and Mina, some with other friends, some with Jin, some of who I guessed were their parents and finally there were two ultrasounds, which I was increasingly interested about. The rest of the room was hidden behind the crème panel door.