sᴜʙ ʀᴏsᴀ || ᴊ.ᴊᴋ + ᴋ.ᴛʜ ✔️

fifty-one

Those few days that came before the weekend felt like seconds to Jungkook. He tried to prepare himself, he tried rehearsing an apology of some sort, because he knew that was what he was going to be doing. Apologizing. And yet he doubted that would be enough.

It plagued his mind those seven hours he was forced to spend at school. He couldn't concentrate on anything else. All he could think about, all he could picture and imagine was Taehyung's look of utter betrayal when it was Jungkook he saw standing in front of him at that park. Surely, it would shatter his heart. Taehyung's heart, too. Would he be disappointed? Would the sight of Jungkook crush his expectations and fill him with resentment? Would Taehyung walk away after learning the truth?

He could just hear the words in his head--I trusted you. And he anticipated them. All day. He found himself watching out for Taehyung in the hallways, making sure to go out of his way so that he wouldn't have to see him before the time they scheduled to meet. He didn't know how he would react to that boy looking him in the eye right now.

Jungkook had never experienced anxiety like this before.

"Guk?"

He swung his head around violently. "J-Jihoon." Jungkook let out a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that..."

Jihoon squinted at his friend to the point where his eyes basically disappeared. "Dude. You've...been on edge all day, Guk. Well, I'm not sure 'on edge' is the most accurate way to describe it. Whatever it is, something's up with you."

"I've got an appointment today," Jungkook blurted.

"A dentist appointment? Doctor's appointment?" Jihoon began nodding in understanding. "I get it now. Those kinds of things always give me the heebie-jeebies-"

"No, I mean an appointment with a friend."

The blond paused, then stared at him, but not in surprise. "I know," he soon said, smiling. "I was just kidding about the dentist, doctor thing. The Jungkook I know wouldn't get nervous about something like that. And besides, you've got it written all over your face."

"I...I do?"

"Yup. I mean, obviously I'm not a mind reader so I can't get it down to the last detail, but I've got a funny feeling it's got something to do with that little talk we had last year. You know the one. The one about the boy. And things being complicated. You finally gonna face him?"

"You astound me, Jihoon."

Jihoon beamed with a sense of pride. He didn't need confirmation to know he had hit the nail on the head. "Thanks," he said, and he gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. Well, Jungkook thought it was supposed to be a pat, but Jihoon ended up keeping his hand there. The blond's expression grew softer, and soon he whispered, "I believe in you, Guk. You got this."

"Jihoonieeee!!!"

He leaned to the side. "Just a second, Soonyoung! Ah, listen, Guk, I gotta go but don't forget what I said, alright? Jihoon believes in you. You'll do great. Your friend Jihoon knows you will."

Jungkook chuckled. "Why're you suddenly referring to yourself in the third person-?"

Jihoon didn't answer him, but instead took off down the hall, calling out, "You'll do amazing, sweetie!" before disappearing around the corner. Jungkook couldn't help but smile, though he felt similar to a child trying to ride a bike for the first time without training wheels, and all the adults were backing away as he was left to do it on his own. But their encouragement didn't go unappreciated. Jiyeul's, and now Jihoon's. It was uplifting to know he had people he could run to if things didn't go the way he wanted. And he knew he was being pessimistic about it, but he doubted things would.