❝and there it is. the answer to my prayers. a house. not just any old house. it's an abandoned mansion. a perfect escape of reality standing tall, yet slightly dishevelled in the middle of the woods. it is breath-taking. i feel my legs subconsciousl...
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We spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other more. I learnt that Taehyung rescued Yeontan from a burning building and Jimin was relaying his version of events in the most dramatic way possible, making Jungkook and I collapse in laughter while Taehyung blushed.
Jungkook had been the last one to escape the house before I did. I still can't believe that I had no idea that anyone else was going through the same thing as I was, let alone that one of them was of my own blood. After the conversation of Jungkook's escape, he became quiet and I feel like there was something more to it that he wasn't telling us.
This thought is keeping me awake and I feel the need to make sure he's okay.
"Taehyung?" I call, checking to see if he's asleep. When there's no response, not even a shift in his movements, I stand up from my mattress on the floor, tiptoeing towards the door. I crack the door open, just enough to push my head out between the gap and peak into the hallway. All of the doors that run along the perimeter of the corridor are closed, telling me that everyone else is either asleep, or tucked away in their rooms.
I allow my feet to move me towards Jungkook's bedroom after closing the door to mine and Taehyung's. I knock on the door, listening out for a signal to enter, but when I don't hear one, I decide to open the door a fraction anyway, just to check I hadn't missed any sound.
When I hear Jungkook's body shifting in his bed in the pitch blackness, I know I must've. A light then switches on from the bedside table and Jungkook's sleepy state is revealed. His eyes are half closed and he is squinting in my direction, presumably trying to make out the figure stood in his doorway.
"Jimin?" Jungkook's raspy voice calls.
"Uh," I fumble for words, "no it's me."
"Oh Hana," I see him sit up and push his body back against the headboard, "are you okay?"
"I," I suddenly realise I don't really know why I'm here, apart from the fact I want to ask him about his past, but I can't let on that it's been keeping me up. That certainly wouldn't make for a good conversation starter. "I couldn't sleep."
"Come in," he says, patting the spot on the bed beside him. I close the door behind me and turn on the main light when he switches the night light off. I take up his offer and perch beside him against the headboard. "Was Taehyung asleep?" He asks, turning to me with a smile on his face.
I nod. "Yeontan was curled up in his arms. It was a heartwarming sight," I chuckle.
"I'm guessing Jimin was asleep too and that's why you're here?"
No. As a matter of fact, it hadn't even crossed my mind to go to Jimin's room. I am still trying to get used to having a brother. As amazing and comforting as it is to know I have family with me, it's easy to forget after being on my own for almost all my life.
"No, actually- well, I don't know, but, I actually wanted to come here," I admit.
"Oh," Jungkook looks away momentarily before turning back to me with a concerned expression. "Is everything okay?"
"I should be asking you that," I say with an awkward laugh, elaborating when I see his confused face. "I got worried earlier when you went quiet after Jimin started talking about your escape. You looked really affected by having all those memories be spoken about so I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
He smiles and rubs a hand up and down my upper arm. "You're definitely Jimin's sister aren't you? So sweet and caring." He moves a bit closer. "I'm okay, you don't need to worry about me. I'm strong and if I'm not, I have seven strong people around me who make me feel instantly indestructible."
I laugh softly. "Seven? I think you mean six, I'm useless when it comes to strength."
Jungkook quickly shakes his head. "Not true. You're stronger than you think. You were just six months old when your parents began their experiments. That means you've been going through that torture for nearly twenty-one years. It may have made you physically weakened, but mentally? You're just about the strongest person there is."
I can do nothing except smile at the words Jungkook is telling me. It's like I can't speak anymore as all the words I had planned to say to reassure him have vanished into thin air. I look down at my hands - which seem a lot more intriguing than they ever have before - for a few seconds as I try to piece together my next question.
"Jungkook," I look up to find him already staring at me with a certain fondness. "What's your power?"
****
i was going to reveal why jungkook went all quiet in this chapter but i don't want to reveal too much too soon so i'm making you wait a little longer ;)
according to my chapter plans that i make in my notes on my phone, this book is going to be the longest i've written, with a total of 38 chapters. that may not seem long to some of you but for me that's a big achievement because i'll be honest, i struggled to write the english teacher and that has 31 chapters lmao. they were much longer chapters though so maybe that had something to do with it
