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CHAPTER THREE—PURPLE
[ "The sky is already purple; the first few stars have appeared, suddenly, as if someone had thrown a handful of silver across the edge of the world." - Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth ]
Jungkook was expecting to come home from his job and hop right into the shower to wash the dirt from his body before slipping under the covers. He wanted to be able to sleep off all of the annoyance and pain he was in, but a certain phone call stopped him in his tracks. The call was from none-other-than Kim Seokjin himself. Jungkook tried to hide the brewing anger as he picked up the phone and held it to his ear.
"Hello?" he said with little avidity in his voice.
"Jungkook," Seokjin spoke slowly, "I was wondering something."
"Is it something you can look up on Google? If so, please don't bother me for the rest of the night."
Seokjin laughed, something that made Jungkook want to smile. The man's laugh was quite interesting. It either was a loud cackle that actually sounded like 'ha ha ha' or it was a series of squeaks, resembling the sound of rubbing something against a window. "No, it's more personal."
Jungkook sat down on his old couch, trying to rest his feet from running around and standing all day. "Can it wait? I'm trying to relax because I had a terrible day at work. I'm in pain."
"Oh, trust me. This will ease any pain that you have. I'll be there in a bit." Before Jungkook could protest, Seokjin hung up and left the younger to huff around as he changed his clothing. He wanted to wash up a bit but he knew he wouldn't have any time so he decided on slipping into comfy blacj joggers and a loose white tee, hiding his hair under a black beanie on his head. He charged his phone a bit until he got a text message from Seokjin telling him he was outside.
With another annoyed groan and a few curses mumbled under his breath Jungkook left his apartment, locking the door behind him before he descended the stairwell (the elevator was yet again broken). He walked out of the front door of his complex, looking for the brown haired man. He searched until he looked right in front of him, seeing Seokjin smiling at him as he stood next to a sleek black car. He was a bit surprised by how nice it was, even the inside which was a rich burgundy colored leather. Jungkook slid in with ease and Seokjin closed his door for him. He watched as Seokjin climbed into the driver's seat and started the car, pulling away from the curb and getting out onto the road.
It was quiet in the car as the only sound was the radio at a low volume and the wind blowing from the open window. Jungkook kept his eyes on the scenery that passed by in the setting sun. For some reason the water glistened nicely in the dim light, causing a smile to grow on Jungkook's lips. It was beautiful out and he was already feeling more relaxed than he did when he first got home. Eventually the signs started to get unfamiliar; Seokjin was taking him somewhere he's never been before. Jungkook turned to look at the older man who glanced at him before smiling. Soon they were pulling into a parking lot and once they got out Jungkook couldn't believe his eyes.
Seokjin had taken him to the beach, a place Jungkook usually avoided because he thought it was weird to go to the beach without someone with you. He walked forward and stepped on the sand, bending down to grab some in his hands. It felt cool against his skin and he drained it out before standing up. He heard a whistle and turned to see Seokjin holding a blanket and issuing him over to a spot close to the water. He followed and sat down once the blanket was set up, sitting comfortably next to Seokjin. His eyes traveled up and he saw how the setting sun turned the sky into a very beautiful blueish purple color, a very warm color that made the smile on his face grow every second.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Seokjin said.
Jungkook nodded. "It's insane. I've never seen this before. I've never even been to the beach."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he answered, shifting his position a bit. He leaned forward and grabbed onto his knees, staring at the pebbles that were scattered in the sand. "Jimin never wanted to go out and do things with me. I guess he was embarrassed to be seen with me or something."
The quietude around them grew thick as the mood changed from a relaxed state to a sad one. Three minutes of Jungkook sulking and Seokjin keeping to himself had passed before the elder of the two said anything.
"When you first mentioned him, you seemed like you really loved him." Jungkook gave a curt nod, not looking up from one brown rock that he found interest in. "But the way you speak now makes me think he wasn't as good as you once believed."
"Maybe." Jungkook laconic reply flew right over Seokjin's head as he continued on, not caring if Jungkook didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"Jungkook, you shouldn't have to sit down and take that sort of attention—or lack there of."
"Well good thing we aren't together anymore, right?" Jungkook eyed Seokjin with an irritable look on his face. Seokjin gave him a more compassionate one, not minding the anger he created.
"All I'm saying is that no one deserves to be in the situation you were in. I feel like you're the type to blame it on yourself and I want you to know that no, it's not your fault. Jimin, or whatever his name is, obviously never wanted to be with you in the first place yet he played with you, turned you into a toy, until he got bored. And I'm sorry."
Jungkook sighed and leaned back, letting his body collide with the blanket underneath him. He stared up at the sky and noticed a few stars starting to poke out. They were very faint but there, and he found some sort of calmness to it. "So what's your whole point? What do you want to get from this?"
Jungkook saw Seokjin lean down so he was at eye level with him, keeping his gaze locked. "I'm trying to say you don't need to stay stuck on someone who doesn't even care for you. Jungkook, you have to have faith in people, though. Not everyone is out to get you and not everyone is here to break your heart. You need to just move on and find someone new. I'm not saying right away, that could end badly or maybe not, but you have to gradually let yourself remember that people are loving and people will care. Trust people even if they give you no reasons to be trusted."
"Yeah?" he asked, genuinely touched by his words. He didn't understand why Seokjin could say things and make them a hundred tims better but he could. He could be saying the worst things possible but make it better because he made it sound poetic.
Seokjin gave a grin, it stretching to his ears, and he laughed a bit. "Yeah. Life is hard but you go in head first. You have to. If you get hurt then you heal and remember what exactly went wrong so the next time you don't let it happen again."
"And if it happens again... then what?"
"You keep getting up and trying again."
He stood up then, reaching his hand out for Jungkook to grab. He did and then he saw Seokjin grab the blanket and shake it out before folding it. He was led back to Seokjin's car, the door was held open for him as he slid in, and Seokjin got into the driver's seat. He turned the car on and drove Jungkook back home. He made his way into the front of the building, up the rickety stairwell and made it to his door. Unlocking it and slipping off his shoes he made no effort into washing up and went straight to his bed.
He's never had a night quite like this. He's never felt more rejuvenated and so... intoxicated by the feeling of happiness. It was something he wasn't sure if he could get used to. Definitely was something very new to him. He let a smile play across his lips as he closed his eyes, letting sleep do its job.
