✔️ Unconditionally [Book 2] | Jeon Jungkook

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Hyun-Ji looked straight ahead out of the car's windshield, eyes unfocused as she held the phone to her ear and listened to Rose on the other end.

Why now?
Why at all?

Why at such a difficult and fragile time in her and Jungkook's relationship did Sujin have to reappear?

"She works there?" Hyun-Ji repeated.

"Yes," Rose said, her voice slow and careful. "She's not a full employee, she's not even there throughout the entire year, but she does work there sometimes."

Hyun-Ji let out a short sigh of disbelief. Of course, she does. Because out of twenty local rehabilitation facilities, Sujin had to work at the best one.

"Did you know this from the beginning?" Hyun-Ji asked.

Rose, while not directly involved with Jungkook's recovery, had been Hyun-Ji's confidante throughout. She had cried to Rose when Jungkook didn't remember her. She had vented her frustrations with trying to juggle school and caring for Hyori while also being there for Jungkook and feeling like she was failing miserably at all three.

And she knew?

Rose hesitated. "Yes. I knew."

Hyun-Ji's voice was barely above a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to exclude Rainbow as an option because of your history with her. Jungkook's care matters more than Sujin. I knew Rainbow was a great choice for him because she talks about it so much when she's working there. She tells me about how great people recover after being there.

"I know what this looks like, Ji," Rose continued. "But I did not know Sujin was working there again until today. The last I heard, she was working with her mother managing the hotel chain, then she tells me she's back at Rainbow out of nowhere.

"I just didn't want to add any more stress to your life by telling you when she may not have even been there at all. You have so much on your shoulders right now that I don't even know how you're still functioning under the pressure.

"I didn't want you to worry."

Hyun-Ji fell silent. She wanted to be angry at Rose, but Rose had no control over Sujin being there.

Rose's reason was accurate. Hyun-Ji would have stressed over the possibility of running into Sujin. Hyun-Ji would never dream of objecting to Jungkook receiving treatment there, she wasn't selfish, but the knowledge would have swayed her opinion of the facility.

All of those days she visited Jungkook would have been jaded. All of the moments they spent bonding as a family would have been overshadowed by her anxiety and insecurity. She would have been constantly distracted by her wandering imagination, wondering what could have been happening between them while she was away. Or worse: asking him what was happening between them.

The last thing Jungkook needed was to be in the center of a feud when he should be focusing on recovering.

"I'm sorry, Ji," Rose said softly. "I was just trying to be a good friend and not cause you more stress."