Saved || A Jungkook fanfic

34.

"There's another woman."

That was the only hint Kai gave me in exchange for something I wished I could erase from my mind.

Maybe I would have been better off not knowing. Maybe then, my heart wouldn't feel like it was fracturing, crumbling piece by piece every time I tried to untangle the life Jungkook kept hidden from me.

Kai hadn't been generous with details. He said if I wanted more, I'd have to pay a higher price—one I refused to entertain.

But even without knowing the full story, the damage was already done.

No word existed to describe the guilt suffocating me. How could I look Jungkook in the eyes, knowing I had kissed his brother to learn more about him?

What the hell was I thinking?

The curiosity that had consumed me, the gnawing desperation to understand Jungkook beyond the boundaries he had set—it had driven me to make a mistake I could never take back.

Kai got what he wanted. And now he wants more.

If Jungkook found out, he'd leave me. Hate me. Or maybe he wouldn't even care. Not if Kai was telling the truth. Not if Jungkook already had someone else.

But it didn't make sense. Jungkook looked at me like I was his entire world. He held me like he never wanted to let go.

Was he that good of a liar?

A deep voice shattered my spiraling thoughts.

"Ails."

I jolted, my hands slamming against the white linen tablecloth, causing the silverware to clatter. Heads turned in our direction, eyes full of curiosity and judgment. I shrank into my seat.

Jungkook didn't seem to notice anyone else. His brows were drawn together, his dark brown eyes scanning my face with growing concern.

"Ails," he murmured again, reaching across the table to take my hands in his. His fingers brushed against mine, gentle yet firm, rubbing circles over my knuckles.

"What's gotten into you recently, hm?" His voice was soft, coaxing. "You've been so jumpy, and you barely say anything anymore. Usually, I can't get you to shut up." He smiled, expecting a playful retort, a whiny protest—anything to ease his worry.

But I couldn't.

Because I did something that could destroy us. Knew something that would only make matters worse.

Jungkook had taken me out tonight under the pretense that we hadn't spent enough time together. That things had been too busy, too chaotic. But I couldn't ignore the fact that maybe—just maybe—he was trying to make up for something.

And I couldn't even look him in the eye.

Not after what I'd done. Not after what I'd found out.

My emotions waged war within me.

I was furious, torn apart by the idea that there could be someone else in his life. And yet, I was equally disgusted by what I had done to uncover the truth.

How am I any better than him at this point?

We were both hiding secrets. Locking them away in the corners of our minds, pretending they didn't exist.

"Please, Ailene. Tell me what I did wrong."

His voice was nearly drowned out by the soft murmurs of other guests, but I could still hear the sincerity in it. The quiet plea laced in his words.