Egotistic - J.JK.

Ten

I gulped down a few chugs of water, sweat soaking my forehead. My body still shook a little, my skin feeling cold and frostbitten. Despite my jacket protecting me from the cold air of the night, it had grabbed some of the sweat dripping off my body. That made everything much colder rather than going without a jacket.

Jungkook sat on the seat beside me, his hand placed on my shoulder gently. The bus bounced around, it seeming to numb my body. No one was around us, everyone retiring back to their homes for the rest of the night. That just left us in the back of the bus while the bus driver kept their speed normal and had their music blaring in the front.

Through the silence since we had gotten on the bus, Jungkook asked quietly, "You doing better now?"

I took another sip of my water, swallowing bringing a shiver to course down my spine. I looked at the plastic bottle, the sides chilling. "What the hell just happened?"

"I . . . I feel like I'm just as lost as you."

I looked behind my hunched body to Jungkook, his eyes glossed over from the panic we had just endured. I shook off his hand from my shoulder, turning fully to face him. "Why didn't you tell me who you really are?"

He stared at me blankly for a second. He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing escaped. After a few seconds, he closed his mouth, peering down at his lap like he was a little ashamed.

"Is it because we've been at each other's throats for years?" I whispered that time, my voice straining a bit. "Because you finally saw my 'true colors'? You were so kind to me when we met up for the first time. Now you just see me as the bad guy that you've been chasing all along. Did you just hide yourself because you were ashamed?"

"I think we should just focus on finding a safe location to hide out in until we figure out a plan," Jungkook said absently, not daring to look me in the eyes. Instead, he looked at the road ahead of us.

"My apartment," I answered his question. "They haven't kicked me out yet because rent isn't due for another week. You hid, though, from me. Do you not like me anymore because I'm that villain in your mind?"

He clenched his jaw for a second, then gave a small sigh. He reached a hand up to his hair, running it through. "I don't like you anymore. After what you've done in the past and how you put up that persona at that restaurant, I don't know whether to trust you or not."

I leaned back into my chair again, crossing my arms over my chest while putting my bottle of water between my thighs to hold it. A bit of anger flared up in me, but it seemed so minimal without the energy of the compound overwhelming me. "Typical," I scoffed.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I would like to remind you that you're the Ego here," Jungkook hissed a little with a growl to it. "Dating an Ego is not on my bucket list."

"Just shut the hell up," I argued back, my voice raising a bit. "Just days ago we hit it off, and now you're letting it go all down the drain? Because I'm the 'scary villain' that was most wanted at the Services? I can't believe this."

"How do I know that you're not a sociopath?" his voice reaching the volume that mine was at, his eyes widening. I saw a flame ignite in him.

"Excuse me?" I exclaimed. The fire started in me, too, but it wasn't the kind that came when I was ready to explode with energy. "I'm a what now?"

"For all I know, you could be tricking me!" he cried out. "You're still the same person who I caught!"

"I can't believe this," I growled to myself, placing a palm against my forehead. "Let's get this straight; I'm not a sociopath. I'm not a psychopath. I'm not the villain you make me out to be in your ignorant brain. Everyone is entitled to their own past and my past is allowed to have whatever trauma and pain that is in it. You don't know a damn thing about me."

"Yeah," he nodded his head, his eyes going dark, "I only know how many people you've hurt and killed."

I stood up from my seat, pushed past Jungkook and made my way to the front of the bus. The cold in me disappeared, leaving the fury to reign. "Driver, I would like to get off here."

The bus started to come to a halt, but Jungkook's feet started up behind me, making his way towards me. "Y/N, wait."

Once the bus came to a stop and the door opened, I was already out and speeding down the sidewalk towards my apartment with angered feet that stomped on the concrete.

Jungkook jogged up behind me to try and catch up, only for his hand to spin me around to face him. With this, I smacked his hand away as I backed up but met his eyes in the streetlights, the anger in them disappearing while mine still continued.

"I can't have you go," he said, keeping a safe distance away from me. "You're still a part of Bangtan Services. You can't just disappear and expect me not to find you."

"I don't belong in that place!" I screamed at him fully that time, my fists shaking down at my sides. I could start to feel the anger flood through my veins like the fire that would take over me. "Everyone stares at me like I'm some ticking time bomb that is ready to explode at any second! I'm the evil that they think I am! Why can't I just leave them behind if I'm already an outcast?!"

"You signed the contract."

"Oh, to hell with that!" I yelled at him, swiping my hand through the air. The strength suddenly pulsated through me, ready to use. "If your precious little base already broke, why does that even matter?"

"I'm sorry!" Jungkook finally let out his anger in a roar. "I'm sorry that you seen different than the others or that you got attacked by Jimin, but you're the person we need the most right now! Namjoon is right about you being such a mastermind! If, though, you help out, you may be able to change around your image!"

I stared at him for a second, the fire in my veins calming just a little. "How?" my voice lowered as I spoke.

"Saving the compound with me may give the image of you being the hero that you were never thought of being," Jungkook started to calm down, too, a heavy breath escaping him. "If we work together, then you can gain that title and you wouldn't be seen as an Ego anymore."

I bit down on my lip for a second. If that happened, I would still be able to retire after two years and be free to go. I wouldn't be hunted down ever again. I would be able to change my life around, regain a new title for myself and everything would be perfect.

I slowly nodded my head at the thought of being considered an equal for once. "Fine. Let's keep going to my apartment. We're almost there."

"One last thing," Jungkook said before we started off again, "we're not together."