Last summer - Jihope & Taekook ✅

Chapter 61 - The truth

IN YENA'S CAR

"Hi Jackson! You have a boyfriend!" his cousin commented while chuckling and hitting him lightly on the thigh. 

"Hi Yena! Well, yeah, I have a date at least." Jackson said, with some pride, smiling back.

"Who is that guy? It seems I've seen him before." 

"Ah, that's Jimin. He's still in high school, the same I used to go to." 

"Jimin, huh? It rings a bell." Yena said, furrowing her eyebrows.

Jackson looked at her with a scrutinising gaze. How could she know Jimin?

Then he saw her raise her eyebrows as if she suddenly remembered something. She gave him a quick glance and looked back out onto the road, looking a bit uncomfortable. 

"What is it, Yena?" Jackson asked. 

"Nothing, Jackson. It's nothing." she said in a serious tone that didn't convince Jackson at all.

"Yena? Tell me. Do you know Jimin?" Jackson asked, now getting slightly worried. 

"Sorry Jackson, I can't. I don't think I can tell you." she said, at the same time as she drove the car into their aunt's driveway and stopped.

Jackson took her by the wrist. Not hard, but hard enough to make her stay in her seat.

"Cousin, you're not leaving this car until you tell me what it is that you know about Jimin." Jackson said in a demanding tone.

"You... you really like him, don't you?" she asked. 

"Yes, Yena, I like him a lot. So you're making me quite worried right now."

Yena sighed.

"Okay, Jackson. I'll tell you. I remember Jimin because... he used to be... together with someone I know." 

"J-Hope. You know J-Hope, I guess." Jackson mumbled, looking down. 

She nodded. 

"Yes. I know Hope, since... since he used to be my lover." she continued. 

Jackson stared at her. 

"Your lover?" 

"Yeah. Until... he fell for... your Jimin." 

"Yena, I knew already that Jimin used to be with J-Hope. He told me. It's not that big of a deal. There's something more to this, isn't there?"

She drew a deep breath. 

"I think I broke them up. Not intentionally, really. I thought he was just some other casual lover of Hope's." Yena said. 

She had felt bad about it afterwards and had tried to erase the memory from her mind. Now it all came back.

Jackson stared at her with his mouth half open.

"Wha... what do you mean you broke them up?" he asked, beginning to feel cold inside. 

"Well, so... like this... I was at a restaurant with friends. Hope was there. With Jimin. I flirted with Hope, like I always did when we met, the way I knew he liked it. This time, though, I got no response. He tried to make me leave. I was annoyed, I wanted to tease him. When Jimin was in the bathroom I played a trick on Hope. He pulled me onto his lap, thinking I was Jimin. I kissed him. And Jimin saw us. He yelled at Hope that it was over and ran out. Hope pushed me away and ran after him. But Jimin was gone. Hope panicked. He was... totally devastated."

Jackson felt the coldness spreading in his chest. 

So this was the truth about what broke up Jimin's and J-Hope's relationship. It was one of Yena's dirty tricks that had made Jimin so miserable for such a long time. J-Hope hadn't cheated on him.

"Yena... what you did, it was... just... I don't know." Jackson said, shaking his head, looking down.

"I know, Jackson, I know. I didn't know... that Hope was in love with him for real. I mean, how could I know? Hope's not the kind of guy who falls in love, really."

Jackson stared out of the window, not knowing what to say anymore.

"Thanks for telling me this." Jackson said slowly. 

"I'm glad Jimin found you, anyway." Yena said, seeing Jackson looking so thoughtful.

"Yeah. I am, too..."

Jackson didn't know what to do. 

He wanted to keep Jimin so badly. He was falling for him hard. But he wanted Jimin to be happy, too. And what if he would be happier with J-Hope, the one he used to love, the one he wasn't over yet? 

"You are a much better boyfriend than Hope, Jackson." she said decisively.

"I am, aren't I?" Jackson said, smiling a half smile. 

Jackson remembered Jimin telling him that J-Hope hurt him many times, also before that date where Yena interfered. Jimin was surely better off with Jackson, who wouldn't hurt him.

"Definitely." Yena continued. "I used to feel a bit bad about breaking them up, but I'm actually happy now that I did. It was only for the better."

"He's something special, you know. Jimin. He's... just so adorable, cute, hot, fun, everything you could wish." Jackson said, absentmindedly.

Except that he doesn't love me.

Jackson pushed that thought away. He would make Jimin love him in the end. 

"Oh, you're falling in love, cousin! That's so sweet." Yena said, smiling and patting Jackson's shoulder. 

She didn't tell Jackson about the gift that was left on the table. The gift that she had pocketed afterwards, with the note and everything. The gift that had made her understand that this had been something more, not only a casual love affair. The gift that had made her feel bad about what she did. 

She had thought to give it back to Hope, but had been too embarrassed about it all.

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