Looking at the cup filled with hot tea, a smile formed on Yeri's lips and she gladly accepted the drink as Jungkook sat down next to her. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, zapping through Netflix hoping that there would be a decent show they could watch together. It has been Jungkook's third month of work, the paying was, as expected, on top and the longer he got to spend time with Yeri, the more he liked the younger.
She was different, weird actually, and carefree. While other girls waited in line to get the newest makeup and shoe release, Yeri was in her room, playing Overwatch next to Jungkook. Instead of going out to party like her same-aged peers, Yeri stayed at home, grabbing her guitar and little notebook to write down melodies and lyrics. Jungkook always wanted to know what Yeri was writing in her notebook, but the younger always hid it, making a big fuss about it and how Jungkook was not allowed to read it.
"So, what do you want to do on break? Holidays are around the corner." Jungkook asked before he checked the time. It was getting late again, his "shift" was long over, but he liked the company of the girl next to him. Yeri hummed, pulling her legs to her chest as she snuffled on her green tea. She always liked the smell of green tea, it was refreshing and it reminded her of fall, her favorite season. "I am not sure, yet. Usually, my father and I always go to the Jeju islands and spend some time together. But he seems really busy lately so we might as well stay at home. How about you? What are you planning to do?"
Jungkook leaned back in his seat, humming. "I was thinking of going back home to visit my family in Busan. But once my mother finds out that I quit university, she will quit my life." Yeri's eyes widened. "Would she really? But it's your life! If you don't like studying law, why would she force you?" The boy looked at Yeri and smiled at how cute she looked when she was worried and slightly fed up. He chuckled and placed his cup on the table, shifting closer to Yeri. "Mothers always want the best for their kids. They secretly don't want to hurt them, but for their own sake, they hope that their kids get a good job so they won't struggle in life as they did."
Yeri nodded slowly, putting her cup on the table as well before she stood up and walked to her drawer. She tried to blink away the tears that formed in her eyes, hiding from Jungkook but the elder already noticed. He followed the younger and stood behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I am sorry." Yeri quickly wiped her tears with her sleeves and shook her head, turning around to face Jungkook. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything?"
Jungkook stepped closer, cupping her cheeks with his big hands. They looked at each other in silence until Jungkook slowly breathed in and out. "I know you don't want to talk about it yet. But I can already tell that the topic of a mother is still a hard one for you. I should have thought about it before and not mentioned it. I am sorry." He smiled slightly down at the girl who had tears burning in her eyes again. Yeri wrapped her arms around Jungkook's torso tightly, her face pressed against his chest.
When Jungkook heard soft sniffling, he also wrapped his arms around Yeri's petite figure, resting his chin on her head. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her scent and rubbed her back soothingly, hoping that she wouldn't be sad anymore.
It hurt him.
For some reason, Jungkook felt a sharp pain in his chest whenever he saw her cry or upset. He couldn't explain how attached he grew to Yeri in the time being her personal babysitter. Jungkook was not the type to grow attached to people. He thought that friends are just a waste of time. After his only friend in High School ditched him for another group, he decided not to trust and befriend anyone anymore. Why bother with friendships when it's only him putting an effort in it, just to be replaced at the end anyway. Sooner or later, your so-called friends will leave you for someone better.
"Jungkook?"
The boy hummed, his hand softly caressing Yeri's back, up and down. Parting from his body slowly, looking up with a red nose, Yeri sniffed and took a shaky breath. "My mom, she left us. My father says that she fell in love with another man when I was little and now has a new family. I met her once or twice. I don't hate her, no. I just... I just don't like how she got herself a new family she now loves when she had us... Are we not good enough? I mean, my father works hard so that I can have a nice life. I am thankful and I pray to God every day that he stays healthy and returns home safely. Why couldn't she? Why did she drop us just to have a new family? It's all my fault! If I wasn't born, maybe then she could've stayed with my dad... And he could be happy and not just pretend to be just to make me smile," The girl was crying now, tears rolling down her cheeks, her hands shaking.
Jungkook froze on his spot. He didn't know what to say since he lived through a similar story himself. What was he supposed to say? His hands automatically reached out to cup her head. "Hey," he tried to stop her crying. She was breathing hard, trying to catch some air as the tears didn't want to stop. "Yeri, calm the fuck down. I know this isn't easy to swallow. But you got to move on and accept it. People... they can change. It's not in their power to control their changing feelings. You have to pray and be thankful for what you have. I am sure your father wouldn't be happy to see you like this. So calm down okay? It's not your fault that she left. Sometimes we got to let go of people if we want it, or not..."
Yeri seemed to block everything that Jungkook said and just closed her eyes, letting out all the anger and sadness she had bottled up over the years. "Don't leave me, Jungkook. Be my babysitter forever okay?" Instinctively, Jungkook pulled her back against his chest, holding her tight. "Everything is going to be alright. I won't leave you. I will always be by your side," he whispered as he felt Yeri's hands tightly holding onto his sweater on his back. For the first time in years, he didn't want to let go. He wanted to stay and show her that she can trust him.
