Promise | J.JK

• eight •

AVERY

I was waiting for Yoongi to come down and have dinner with us, but since he told me he'll put the stuff we bought in the kitchen, there hasn't been a sign of him. But unlike this morning, the table is much more lively. They were all hungry so they just told me to order some korean chicken, tteokbokki, and kimchi to be delivered.

I just watched them laugh over some jokes, and talk about things they missed over the last two years they haven't seen each other. Apparently, they're Jungkook's classmates from Harvard when he went there for college. At this moment, Jungkook seemed happier. His smile never faded since the moment we started to eat, and his laughs are loud. He's completely happy to be with them, unlike being in the same room as Yoongi.

Then I remembered everything Yoongi told me at the grocery store earlier. I actually feel sorry for him. Unlike me, his Dad is still with him. But he never appreciated him, never showed him attention, and considered him as a failure despite the man he has become now. His Dad always made him feel as if he was never enough. It must've been hard for him. He must've suffered so much.

"Hye-jin ssi?" Jimin's voice snapped me back to reality. I must've been staring at Jungkook for so long because he's looking back at me, confused. All of them are staring at me now.

"Oh um, sorry, what is it?" I asked, smiling awkwardly.

"We just asked you where you came from," Namjoon said.

"Um, about that..." I don't know what to tell them. "I ran away, f-from home."

"Where do you live?" Hoseok asked.

"Did your parents hurt you?" Jin asked too. Their attention is all on me, as if they really want to get to know me.

Should I tell them?

"Well..."

~ ••• ~

"So, I ran away. I don't want to go back to that place anymore." I said before taking a sip of strawberry milk. Jimin got me one since I told them I don't drink.

We're in the living room now. I told them I'd tell everything next time, because the story was kinda long, but they insisted. So we finished dinner first, cleaned up the table, then Jimin decided to buy some Soju outside. The rest of us took blankets and pillows from the room and sat together on the floor of the living room. Jungkook was sitting on the couch behind Taehyung. Jimin is laying on Taehyung's lap. Namjoon and Jin are sitting next to each other. Hoseok is seated on the couch behind me, braiding my hair. They're all listening to me, they never showed any lack of interest on my story, and it's strange because we just met... today. I felt like I've known them forever. Like I'm part of their friendship.

But I never told them about my real name. I feel like it's hard for me to be... Avery. All my life, I've been living as Kim Hye-Jin. And accepting the fact that that's not the person I am... seems hard for me.

"Don't come back there, man," Namjoon said. He sounded like he's a bit drunk already. "Just stay here with us, we're your new family."

"That's right! They all lied to you, you don't deserve that." Hoseok said.

Taehyung got up from Jimin's lap. "But, is there any chance you can introduce me to any of your lady friends from that place? They seem... interesting," he said with a smirk. Jimin smacked him again on his arm and we all laugh.

"Hey," Jungkook spoke. "We're uh... sorry about your parents." He said shyly, then looked down. I chuckled at how cute he looked.

"It's okay," I replied. But it's not. It still hurts. The mention of my 'parents' still bring up a heavy feeling inside. I wish I could remember even just a tiny bit of memory from them. I wish I could remember their smiles, their voices, what they were like. But I can't. I can't do anything about it. I never got to see them, never found them, I never will.