YOUTH. | JK | COMPLETE

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PAINKILLER
RUEL

'Cause you're my painkiller
When my brain gets bitter
You keep me close
When I've been miserable
And it takes forever
To let my brain get better
You keep me close
You keep me close

"Ah!" Jeongguk gasps himself awake for the umpteenth consecutive night. He breathes heavily for a few moments, mind racing as he realizes that Jimin who haunts his dreams is only a dream. A sweet, welcome dream in Jeongguk's sleep, a nightmare when he wakes up and realizes that he's gone. When he's finally awake and calm enough to process that he's sweat soaked and shaking, he gets out of bed and walks unsteadily to the bedside table, collecting a towel and his phone for some music while he takes his nightly shower. The clock reads 3:25.

The bathroom lights hurt his eyes as he strips himself of his clothing. His eyes go to his face, searching for a fine line beginning to form, but his skin is still smooth as satin and clear as glass. Not a single wrinkle to be found. He sighs and turns on his phone, only to squint at the screen when he sees small text that isn't normally there. His jaw drops when he realizes that he got a text, a notification from the dating app.

5 NEW MESSAGES FROM: choihaneul

Jeongguk hesitantly navigates his way to the app, struggling to find the messaging section, but when he finally does, Haneul's awful spelling and grammar practically slaps him across the face.

wow hhh hi did u mean to swipe right on me

because it is NOT fair that you can take a photo from that angle and still look that good

i think the half of your face that's in your profile photo is more attractive than my entire body, so

oop i'm spam texting you now

don't mind me i'll um let myself outtt

"Out of where?" Jeongguk mumbles, struggling to decipher her messages, but smiling a little when he thinks he realizes what she means. Cute, he thinks to himself, before trying his best not to make any typos as he responds.

I definitely intended to swipe right.

Feeling satisfied with his response, he thinks of Jimin. He wonders if he's proud of him. Sure, he's not certain about Haneul yet, but he's trying to move on. After decades of not looking, he's searching for his person, even though it pains him to know that Jimin can't be that person. He takes his shower with that and one other thought on his mind—the other being the girl with freckles and the bright smile and lack of capitalization. He towels himself dry when the sweat from his nightmare has flowed off his body and down the drain in rivulets. He throws on a pair of underwear and sweatpants before walking to his bed and slipping underneath the covers. He slides his wire glasses onto his nose.

The light from his phone hurts his eyes, but he prioritizes responding to Haneul, who texted back while he was in the shower—several times.

OH

U DID?

PLOT TWIST

let's start over since my first couple messages were um weird

hi jungkook good day to u