always | jikook ✔

chapter seventeen

Chapter 17: I fear that the worst is yet to come. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The two parted their lips away after a while and Jungkook felt out of breath. He leaned his forehead against Jimin's and whispered. "Jimin, I love you."

Jimin looked up at Jungkook, his blue eyes staring into his. He stared at his eyes deeply, almost as if looking deep into his soul. After awhile he broke eye contact and Jimin parted a bit from Jungkook and shook his head repeatedly.

"Y-You can't." Jimin stuttered as he backed away from him.

Jungkook felt like crying but he held it in. He has cried enough today and he wasn't going to break down in front of Jimin who seemed afraid of him. "Jimin..." Jungkook slowly walked closer to Jimin who kept shaking his head.

"Stay away from me!" Jimin shouted, scaring Jungkook at his sudden outburst. He had never seen Jimin so angry and afraid. His bright blue eyes replaced by a dark, brown shade. Afraid, that's what he was. He was so afraid of something his eye color changed and Jungkook was going to find out what it was.

"Jungkook," He warned the boy. "Don't come any closer or I-I'll hurt you."

Jungkook lifted his hands up in defense and stopped following Jimin. Jimin breathed out a thank you and shot him a sad smile. "What are you so afraid of Jimin?" Jungkook suddenly asked him. "Why are you so scared? What exactly are you afraid of?"

Jimin took a deep breath and looked at him with glossy eyes. "Y-You. I'm afraid of you, Jeon Jungkook."

"Me?" Jungkook pointed at himself in disbelief. "Why am I so scary? Tell me, please."

Jimin shook his head, "I-I can't tell you that. It's best if we stay as far away from me."

"No!" Jungkook protested and walked closer to Jimin who was in the brim of tears. "What can't you tell me? I'm not leaving until you give me a reason."

"You can't love me Jungkook!" Jimin suddenly shouted and bitterly started crying. "I'm afraid of you ending up heartbroken because of me!"

Jungkook's face softened when he heard these words come out from Jimin. He was afraid of breaking his heart. Jimin wasn't the only one afraid of that too, he was as well. Jungkook walked closer to Jimin and stopped when they were a few meters away. Jimin stood there, waiting to see what Jungkook was going to do next.

Jungkook slowly walked closer to Jimin and saw that he just stood there, so he took this as a sign to keep getting closer to him. He stopped when their faces were a few inches apart and Jungkook placed his hand on Jimin's face.

"Jimin, I don't fucking care if I getting heartbroken by you." Jungkook softly said as he wiped Jimin's tears away with his sleeve. "In fact, it'll be a pleasure to have my heart broken by you."

"B-But you'll die if a mermaid breaks your heart." He hiccuped and his eyes filled with tears once more. "I don't want you to die because of me."

"I'm willing to take the risk." He shrugged. "I don't think I'll die. I may be sad and angry for a few months though."

"But please don't cry Jimin." Jungkook planted a kiss on his forehead and stroked his cheek with his thumb. "Your tears are too precious for you to be wasting them on me."

"I just don't want you to get hurt." Jimin sniffled and wrapped his arms around Jungkook.

"Because I love you too, Jungkook." He mumbled. "I've loved you since the first day I met you. The moment you walked into the room, I knew it was you. I knew you were the one that was going to save me."

Jungkook softly smiled at Jimin and he snuggled his face on the crook of Jungkook's neck. "I love you too. I want like this with you forever. I don't ever want to let you go." Jungkook whispered and stroked the boy's hair.

The two said nothing and just held one another in each other's arm, enjoying the peaceful scenery in front of them. Jungkook was unsure of how long they had been standing there but the sun was ready to set. He parted away from Jimin and said, "Jimin, we have to go. It's almost sunset."

"I don't want to." Jimin pouted in disappointment. "I want to stay like this a bit longer."

"I'm sorry but we can't." Jungkook shook his head apologetically. "We have to go before the sun sets."

Jimin sighed in defeat, "Fine. But you have to bring me back here again. Promise?"

Jungkook nodded. "I promise."

Jungkook extended his hand out to Jimin who gladly took it. The two intertwined their hands and started the way back to Taehyung's house. Sometime between the walk home Jimin stopped and stared at Jungkook. "Jungkook, carry me. I'm tired."

"Fine." Jimin beamed in excitement and ran towards Jungkook.

Jungkook kneeled down for Jimin who quickly jumped on his back. Jimin wrapped his arms around his neck and wrapped his legs around his waist. The pink haired boy leaned his head on his back and breathed out a low, "I love you." to Jungkook, causing the boy to blush and smile at himself.

"I love you too." Jungkook told Jimin who was now fast asleep in Jungkook's back.

As they walked home, Jungkook couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and feel like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. Initially he was frightened that Jimin was going to reject his feelings but in the end, it all worked out. Jungkook hoped that this was the beginning of a happy ending for both of them but he knew that nothing in this life is picture perfect.

Jungkook knew that the worst was about to come. He had a gut feeling that something huge and tragic was bound to happen soon. The feeling was strong but he ignored it, digging it deep within his thoughts. All Jungkook wanted to focus on was Jimin and enjoy the few time the two had left together.

To be quite honest, Jungkook was scared of what was to come - it made him uneasy; and he knew that no matter how hard he tried to ignore the feeling, it would always resurface back to his thoughts. And truthfully, he was more afraid of losing Jimin than losing himself.

But he had to be strong for both. He needed to stop worrying about the future and just enjoy the present.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── 

This was a filler chapter because I wanted to save the best for the last. Yes, the end of this book is almost here :( We have about 9 chapters left before the end. This book will have about 25 chapters + the epilogue. It sucks that it will be so short but I never intended this book to be longer than 30 chapters.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please let me know what you thought. Your votes and comments mean the world to me :)) See you on the next chapter!