➳The Wolf Hour ¦ jjk #wattys2018

019

❝ The mother held her child's shoulders tightly, the grip she held crinkling the girl's favorite shirt. "You must never cross the border of the forest, understand? That path is dangerous—the zeros feed there. Got it?" The older woman spoke, it was like fear are her, found her. It spoke to her in its cackling voice. It told her legs to go weak, her stomach to lurch and her heart to ache. But regardless of the girl's mother fear—her curiosity drew her to the lush forest.

She knew of the zeros, but she didn't know how dangerous they were. Once her mother and father left the mansion, leaving their precious daughter alone—the girl pounced into the forest. ❞

<j.jk pov>

Her body slowly sagged from my lips—an itching scratching bit at my arms as she fell onto my arms. I managed to hold her limp body as I feel her damp, burning skin. "Chae?" My throat felt heavy as it burned a ticklish feeling into my throat. Her skin felt like a pot boiling over high heat slowly fitting hotter by the second. "Chae"

<Chae pov>

Though my eyes are open I can't think of why; my heart is pounding, mind empty. It's as if a hypodermic of adrenaline has been emptied into my carotid. I strain into the utter darkness, breathing rate beginning to steady. But as the fuzziness of sickness started to fade out a migraine struck, it felt as I was it's prisoner, quite helpless in a cage of pain. I was blinded with flashing colorful spots and craved darkness, quite and stillness. "Chae? Are you okay?" Jungkook asked, his face towering over me as his hands reached out to dust away the hairs that blinded my eyes. The way his eyes softly stared at me reminded me of the old barn door, flecks of deep brown married with lighter hues, so much strength remaining despite the years of weathering, so much life. "Thank god you're okay" his head dipped deeply and strands of hair hanged off his head. A uneasily the corner of my lips curved up to reassure the trembling man. "I'm ok" I reassured, my voice rough around the edges—though my arm numb and heavy I reached out to his face, cupping his well defined jawline. His head tilted, his soft locks of hazelnut hair leaning against my hand. "I love you" his big hand cupped mine—his long slender fingers curling grasp mine in its hold. A little squeak, whine slipped through my parted hands as I felt my heart knocked against my chest. It felt as someone was trying to hammer a stubbed nail into a damp piece of wood–it didn't hurt, it felt wonderful. "I love you too"