𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 || 𝐉𝐉𝐊 [HIATUS]

Stranded

Y/N

"No, Jon, you keep the rabbit further away from the fire so it doesn't burn!"

"Shut up, Jane. I know what I'm doing!"

"Says the one who can't even remember my name! Here, let me do it, you idiot."

You bury your face into your warm hands to stifle an irritated groan.

The two fools have been going at it since you set up  camp.

You have no idea where you are, surrounding you are just thick groups of trees and more trees overlooking you from every possible direction. Every time you had felt like you've reached the familiarity of civilization once again, you're only hit by a pang of immense disappointment right after. It's like a never-ending, entwining maze that boggles with your mind and plays with your sanity like a child handles dice.

The fact that Jin and Jennie won't stop bickering back and forth, while a now fully clothed Jungkook and surprisingly, Haechan, are acting stranger than ever, makes everything ten times worse.

It's been days. Not two. Not three. A lot more than that. It's becoming difficult trying to remember how many times the sun has risen up into the bland sky, only to drop down, out of sight, and bounce back up again. It's a cycle that just seems to roll on and on, hitting you with the realization of how much time a day actually consists of. It's actual torture.

"Y/N."

You spin around at the sound of a voice behind you to meet a pair of dark, curious eyes staring back at you. It makes your heart thump faster against your chest for some reason, the erratic rhythm threatening to bust your poor heart out of it's usual resting place. It's annoying as hell.

The moment lasts for a second too long before Jungkook quickly breaks the intense eye contact and steps over the long log holding you up, elegantly taking a seat beside you.

"I wanted to talk about something with you," Jungkook slowly says in an all too serious way. It's like the Jungkook from when you were brutally imprisoned slowly washed away as your days in this thick forest rushed by, only leaving behind this Jungkook. Someone who has definitely shown closeness and someone who seems to care about you, but at the same time doesn't. If you were to say that the cold Jungkook from  when you first arrived at your new segment had a baby with the caring, sweet, defensive Jungkook from the prison, it would be ridiculously accurate.

You pull off a small smile despite your current, terrible condition. "Sure, what is it?"

Jungkook shifts uncomfortably in his seat before scanning you intensely, his doe eyes seem to soften a little.

"Have you thought about... your parents at all?" he asks hesitantly, eyeing you carefully.

The sudden question takes you aback and leaves you at a loss for words. Indeed, you have thought about them, even throughout all this chaos. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you decided to run away. Part of the plan was to actually find your parents, but that, unfortunately, never happened. You pray everyday that Kim was just bluffing when he threatened, you pray everyday that they're alright.

Choosing all the young agents of your organisation instead of your own parents does leave you in a deep pool of regret. But when were your parents really... parents? All they did was train you, punish you, lecture you, day and night. Never did you have the chance to catch a ball thrown by your dad. Never have you gotten a sincere, loving caress from your mom. Never have you had the chance to live like you did with these people.

Of course, every second of every minute you wish to start sprinting blindly into the forest until you're blanketed in the arms of your parents, assured that they're safe and okay. You wish to show up in front of Kim and wave your arms wildly into the air, telling hin that you're there and that there's no need to touch your parents. But it's too late for that.

The thought causes a tear to escape your glistening eye.

"Yes," you answer simply. Because it is simple. Your parents are your parents, and nothing's ever going to change that.

You suddenly feel a warm hand caressing your back, that being the cause to your frozen, shocked figure.

You only start to relax after a few seconds pass by.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry. It's just... I know that your parents are pretty important to you, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. Your well-being means everythi-" he pauses, suddenly, leaving you both shocked at what he was just about to say.

Jungkook clears his throat with burning cheeks before continuing.

"I was going to say that your well-being means everything to your parents, obviously. Just know that you did the right thing, we need to do something to stop that son of a bitch. It's not like we can do that if we're dead. Right?" Jungkook asks with an extremely embarrassed and shy expression, conpletely rivaling with his persona from just minutes ago. You notice him doing everything in his power to avoid your confused eyes.

You clear your throat this time, the awkwardness is strong and clearly visible between the two of you.

"Right," you manage to say weakly, but your mind and your heart is racing.

Did Jungkook just imply that he cares about me? You think. Does he? What does he think of me? Does his heart thump violently in his chest louder than the sound of a giant's monstrous footsteps every time our skin comes in contact? Every time our gazes lock? Does he ever look at me and find me the least bit attractive?

Does he perhaps... like me? Even better, do I like him?

What does "like" mean exactly?

Do I even want to know?

[Severely unedited]