Saved || A Jungkook fanfic

38.

"Why did you chase after me?"

Jungkook exhaled slowly, his fingers flexing against his knees before curling into loose fists. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his thighs as if gathering his thoughts.

"Because you ran away from me," he said, his voice steady, but the slight furrow in his brow betrayed the emotions simmering beneath the surface.

I swallowed hard, gripping the fabric of my sleeves. "But why?" My voice was quieter this time. "Why would you come after me... after everything?"

Jungkook's lips parted slightly, and for a second, he hesitated, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. But then, his gaze locked onto mine, unwavering. "Because I love you."

No hesitation. No embellishment. Just the truth.

Something inside me clenched tight, my stomach flipping at the weight behind his words.

"You still love me after everything I've done to you?" I whispered.

Jungkook inhaled deeply, shifting in his seat before finally leaning back, running a hand through his hair. His fingers tugged at the strands for a moment before falling back to his lap.

"I should have told you from the beginning," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "Instead of shutting you out, instead of making you feel like an outsider..." His jaw clenched for a second before he exhaled. "I thought if you knew the truth about my parents and what they expect from me... you'd leave."

I did want to leave.

As soon as I saw the disappointment in their eyes, I wanted to run. I did run. Like a coward yesterday.

Jungkook sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I hate that you trusted Kai over me," he admitted, his voice tight. "But I understand why you did." He exhaled sharply. "He manipulated you, didn't he? Made it seem like I was the one keeping secrets from you?"

I looked down, guilt pressing against my ribs. He wasn't wrong.

Jungkook let out a quiet chuckle, but it lacked humor. "I guess I was. And I should have seen it coming. He knew exactly how to get between us. And I let it happen."

His fingers twitched before he ran his hands down his thighs again, like he was trying to physically release the frustration building inside him. Then, his touch softened as he gently set my foot back on the floor. "But I don't want to keep looking back at what's already done," he said. "I want to move on. With you."

His warmth shifted closer, and before I could react, his fingers found mine, intertwining them slowly, deliberately. "Neither of us is perfect, and that's what I love about us," he murmured. "I don't need this house. I don't need my family's money. None of that means anything if I don't have you."

His lips brushed over the back of my hand, and my heart skipped.

"I only need you," he continued, his voice softer now, intimate. "I don't want the future they planned for me if it means losing you. And before you say anything—" he smirked when he caught the slight downturn of my lips, "—I've thought this through. For a long time."

I tried to fight the frown, but my heart was racing too fast to focus on anything else. "But your parents already hate me," I whispered. "You're giving up everything for me."

Jungkook tilted his head, his expression shifting into something more determined. "I think you forget," he said, "I've been investing in my own future for years." He scoffed lightly. "You really think I was just sitting around waiting to take over Lègende Gold?"