the relationship [sequel]

jackson

The walls of Jackson's office didn't seem so menacing the second time I stepped into his office. All those months ago when I had sat in the same position with tear stained cheeks, I had no idea what was going to hit me. And yet here I was, about to open a savings account.

The life I had once known - scrambling cash together just to survive - seemed a world away now.

"You're looking well [Y/N]," Jackson noted, sitting across me and seeming so professional that it made me want to laugh, "Your savings account will be set up in the next few days and so you will be able to transfer money in and out of it."

"Thanks for getting me such a speedy appointment Jackson. I had a mini-meltdown about how insecure my financial future is, and so I decided to be an adult and try and start saving," I replied, smiling over at the man who I could now call a friend.

"Always a good idea," he commented with a cheeky grin, passing me some paperwork to sign, "How have you been, by the way? I feel like I haven't heard from you in forever."

"I'm doing good, I'm back on my feet now," I stuck my tongue out as I signed my name a ridiculous number of times, "I'm actually dating Namjoon now, how crazy is that?! And there are all these tedious rules-"

I was cut off by the fall of his smile on his face which was replaced by a cold form of anger. Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked at him with a cocked head, wondering if maybe he had remembered something completely unrelated which had ruined his mood.

"You've gone back to him?" Jackson asked curtly, almost snatching the bank documents back from me.

"It's crazy how the world works," I said lightly, trying my best to lift the tone of the conversation.

"After all he did to you, and you've forgiven him?" he stood up and began pacing around the room, "He broke your heart, treated like you shit, made you homeless and unemployed - he ruined your life. And you've taken him back?"

The air in the room seemed to still as we stared at each other - him glaring and me looking at him in bewilderment. Where had this sudden outburst come from?

"He's apologised and moved on Jackson-"

"He will hurt you again," Jackson cut me off, looking out the window of his office to avoid my gaze.

"You don't know that-"

"I know," he replied, clenching his fists slightly, "And even after that you will still forgive him again."

Stunned into silence, I tried my best to process Jackson's words. The way he spoke appeared as though had had access to some kind of information that I did not. Putting my coat on, I stood up abruptly, no longer wanting to be in a room filled with so much tension.

"[Y/N] don't go like this," he finally turned around, and I saw intense sadness in his eyes, "Let us talk this out. I'm sorry for snapping at you, I'm just looking out for you-"

"I look forward to my savings account being opened in a few days," I said bitterly, making a performance of walking out the room.

However, the minute I left the room I found myself gasping for air. Why had his words affected me so much? Was it because they hit a little too close to my own fears?

Ignoring the calls and texts he sent that night, I lay in bed and tried to block his poisonous words from my mind. But no matter how hard I tried, it was almost impossible to see the truth in Jackson's words.

It was like there were two Namjoons. The one I loved with all my heart who was sensitive and caring, and the other who shut people out by hurting them. Could I really risk not knowing which one I was going to end up with?

There were days when the past would seem like a distant dream, one that I could forget and recall whenever I wanted. But there were the other times when it absorbed my whole being. The pain still felt very real.

My phone buzzing was enough to break me out of my trance, and I was surprised to see that it was a message from Namjoon rather than Jackson.

joonie: look at the stars tonight.

me: are you forgetting about the light pollution?

joonie: just look.

Huffing, I forced myself out of bed and pulled open the curtains and looked into the black sky. As predicted, it was full of clouds of smog rather than stars.

me: i can't see any stars you idiot.

joonie: it seems as though they've fallen to the ground today.

Scrunching my brow in confusion, my eyes slowly trailed down to the streets outside. I nearly got a stitch from laughing when I did.

Because there was Namjoon, in a black tracksuit with stick on glow in the dark stars stuck all over his body. He looked absolutely ridiculous. But it also made my heart soar.

Buzzing him up to my apartment, he was practically out of breath when he finally walked inside.

"Lift...was...broken...I...just...ran...up...twelve...flights...of...stairs...to...do...this," before I could comprehend his words he had already crashed our lips together in a messy kiss.

Pulling away with the widest smile on his face, he noticed my puzzled look at his attire.

"You hold the universe in your eyes, so I thought perhaps you'd need some stars to expand your galaxy."

"You're so cheesy," I teased him, before pulling him back into a kiss.

It was like Jackson's words melted away.

-

what is Jackson's deal?

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