Perfect Strangers | jjk ff

Fated Expedition

~ A Few Days Later ~

"Got your backpack?"

"Yes."

"Got your phone?"

"Yesss."

"Got your baby wipes?"

"Mom!"

Witnessing Jungkook get flustered by his mother's humiliating interrogation in front of everyone, I couldn't help but smirk in pure satisfaction.

His entire family, Jimin, grandma, and I were currently at the only bus stop in this rural town, loading luggages and belongings onto the vehicle which was headed to the prominent city of Seoul.

Right as Jungkook concluded exchanging his farewells with his relatives and grandma, a teary-eyed Jimin immediately ambushed him with a forceful embrace.

"Don't leaveeee Jungkoookieee!" he wailed despondently, having difficulty accepting the saddening truth that his beloved boyfriend was leaving.

"Dude stop, you're so gay." Jungkook grumbled and attempted to escape from Jimin's hold, but the little baby persisted to rub his wet face on his best friend's sweatshirt.

While the two were busy with whatever they were doing, grandma lightly slid her tiny hand into mine and caught my attention.

"Do I still a get a kiss on the cheek like how seven-year-old Hana used to?" she requested as she gazed up at me with her natural puppy eyes, and I smilingly nodded my head and knelt down to her eye level.

Planting a tender and delicate peck on her left cheek, I wiped her cascading tear with my thumb and reassured, "I'll come back again grandma. I love you."

After receiving a nod of acknowledgment, I headed over to Jimin next, who still had his clingy arms locked around Jungkook's waist while Jungkook rhythmically patted his head and had seemed to have given up.

"Hey, don't forget about your goodbye for me you jerk. I'll miss you okay?" I said as I gently stabbed my cousin's spongy cheek, since it seemed pretty impossible to get a hug from him at this moment.

"I-I'll miss you too Hana. Promise me you'll visit again?" he formed a dismal pout, and I lightheartedly chuckled at his baby-like temperament.

"Promise."

"The bus will be leaving in two minutes!" the driver generously notified us, apperceiving that we were just about done saying our last goodbyes.

"Alright, let's go." I said with a tone full of enthusiasm, my happiness of getting back service on my phone overpowering the sadness of leaving this town.

Climbing the four steps of stairs leading into bus, I was taken by surprise by the very rare sight of a passenger already on this bus.

It was an elderly gentleman attired in a stained and disheveled outfit, resembling a homeless that you would find on the side of the street.

But I didn't want to possess a critical mindset, so I situated myself on a vacant seat behind the man while Jungkook sat in the seat across from me.

Don't judge a book by its cover, right?

Soon enough, the bus driver indolently announced the conventional things that all bus drivers say before the transportation, and began to drive off.

It truly stung my heart to see Jimin balling his eyes out and grandma waving her hand with all her power like she had forgotten about her bad back.

I did shed an uncontainable tear, but quickly wiped it away with the palm of my hand.

But right as my butt was getting comfortable in the rocklike seat, I heard a raspy voice speak to me from in front of me.

"Pssst, hey."

I uplifted my gaze to the owner of the voice, only to see the homeless-looking man beaming at me with a toothless smile.

"Y-Yes?" I gave a polite smile, although I was filled with anxiousness internally.

"Just wondering, but how old are you beautiful?"

I almost puked not only due to his flirtatious question, but also because of his bad breath that reeked of days worth of not brushing his teeth.

But at the perfect timing, Jungkook called out my name.

"Hana, there's a really cute puppy running outside.  Check it out." he invitingly beckoned me over with his hand.

Genuinely excited to see the dog, I hurriedly scurried over to his seat while repeatedly asking, "Where? Where?"

"Sit on the window side so you can see better." Jungkook advised, sacrificing his leg room and creating a passageway for me to move over.

Even though I scrutinized through the rural landscape outside the window, I didn't spot a single puppy anywhere.

"Where is it? I can't find it." I frowned, gawking out the window like a little girl eyeballing the fishes in an aquarium.

"Oh well, guess you lost it." Jungkook sounded like he couldn't care less, not even offering me help to find it.

I angrily turned around and shot daggers at him, but he was already laying back in his seat with his eyes shut and his earphones plugged into his ears.

His unfairly long legs were now blocking my pathway, so I was technically stuck here next to him.

Releasing a petulant groan, I returned my focus onto the breathtaking scenery outside so I could at least enjoy the rest of my crappy trip back home.

＊　＊　＊

~ Jungkook's POV ~

Even though I tried my best to disregard it, I was awoken by this provoking sensation of some hard object hitting my shoulder from time-to-time.

Taking a peek to my left side, I noticed Hana drooling with her mouth agape and her head slowly revolving from the little movements of the bus, resembling a broken propeller of a helicopter.

After silently snickering at her for a good minute and making sure I took a snap of her horrifying sleeping face to blackmail her later on in life, I contemplated on what to do with her head before she eventually broke her neck.

Although very, very unwilling, I resentfully sighed at my next decision.

Deliberately reaching my hand over behind her shifting head, I lightly placed my palm on the side of her head and guided it to my left shoulder, securing it so her neck was in a comfortable position.

Ugh, now I have to sanitize my shoulder later on.

I folded my arms in agitation and attempted to go back to sleep once again so I could return to my fulfilling dream of performing on a humungous stage as a globally famous K-pop star.

"Hana better be thankful for this," I thought to myself, and soon enough, I was off to my wonderful dreamland.