The boy next door

Chapter 22

I went upstairs to my room and put the bag with the books on the chair in front of my desk. I sighed deeply and let myself fall back on my bed. I stared at the ceiling and just let all my thoughts flow.

How did I end up here?, I asked myself. It all started when I changed schools and moved here. Within six months everything changed, including myself, and soon I'd turn seventeen. I'm wondering what Eun is up to these days. If she still even remembers me? She might not even recognize me after everything I went through.

I chuckled remembering how my mum warned me of fuckboys and how fate wanted me to meet my crush again. Ironically I fell deeply in love with him and he hasn't changed at all. And now I'm trying to handle all those emotions and breakup after breakup.

I sighed again and rubbed my forehead. What am I going to do? I looked to the side and saw my phone lying next to me. Time to call Eunnie, it has been long enough anyway.

I dialled her number which I still knew by heart and after three beeps she picked up.

"Y/N?", she asked not really believing that I actually called her.

"Yes, it's me", I said laughing and she screeched on the other end of the line.

"I can't believe it!", she said happily, "I haven't heard from you in months. How are you? What has been going on in your life? It's not too bad there without me, is it?"

"Woah, take it slow, Eun", I tried to calm her down after she bombarded me with questions, "I'm-"

"Y/Nnnnnn", I was interrupted by my little brother bursting into my room. He ran through my room yodeling and jumped next to me on my bed.

"Who are you talking to?", he asked out of breath.

"Is that Wook next to you?", Eun asked before I could answer him, "I miss this cutie so much."

"Yes, it's him", I told her and then turned to him, "I'm talking to Eun."

"Euniiiie", he called out, "I miss her. Why doesn't she come to see us anymore?"

I laughed and patted his head. "He says he misses you", I said to Eun on the phone.

"Aw, he's so cute", she cooed.

"Can you ask her to come visit us?", he asked whining.

"He wants you to visit us some time", I told her on the phone, "I think that's a good idea. I miss you too. I can tell you about everything that has happened here. You'll like it."

"Yes, sure. I'd love to see the place where you live. And I miss you, too", she agreed laughing, "and Wook too, of course."

"She'll visit us", I said to Wook making him smile brightly.

"Yes!!", he yelled and left my room dancing.

"I think he still likes you a lot", I said chuckling.

"Yea, I think so too", she said, "so when should I come?"

After we set a date for her visit, we talked a little longer and then hung up. It was good to hear her voice again and it'd be great to see her face again, just to bring back a little normality. I was taken back to the time when I was scared of being called out for being a virgin and how I almost hooked up with Jimin.

A small smile appeared on my lips when I thought about everything that has happened to me. Yes, I had to endure a lot of pain because of Jungkook but I also met so many great people and made good friends. I knew it would all get better.

A loud knock on my window made me snap out of my thoughts. Thinking of the devil...

Jungkook was standing on my balcony and sheepishly grinning at me. I rolled my eyes and got up from my bed to open the window.

"What do you want?", I asked a bit more rude than I wanted to sound.

"Hey to you too", he said rolling his eyes smiling at my attitude, "I just wanted to check up on you. And I wanted to show you something."

"I'm fine, thanks", I informed him dryly, "what do you want to show me?"

He smiled and placed his hands on my shoulders. "I think, you never noticed this since you've been out almost every weekend, but at this time of the year the sunsets on this balcony are the best", he said and gently turned me to the side.

The golden light of the setting sun made me squint my eyes when I fully faced the sunset. How did I never notice that I could watch something so beautiful from my balcony? I was probably to busy trying to get over Jungkook and ruin my own life.

"It's so beautiful", I whispered trying to take in the whole glowing skyline, "thank you for showing me."

Jungkook stood behind me and regarded me how I watched the sunset. I looked up into the sky and let my head fall back. I stumbled a few steps backwards and hit against him. I was so amazed by the different shades of the colours that I didn't care how close we were and supported my head against his chest.

"How are your hands?", he asked in a low voice and hugged me from behind to take my hands in his. And I let him.

When he softly brushed his fingers over my cuts I realised how close he was to me. In that moment I perceived everything ten times more intensely, his sweet and familiar scent, his heartbeat against my back and the feeling of safety just by being in his arms.

"They're better", I whispered. My heart was pounding in my chest and my head was spinning. No, no, no, I let him get too close to me again. He's just playing with me and my feelings, just like with every other girl.

But I couldn't turn away and escape his embrace. My head was screaming to run from him but my heart wanted to stay. And my feet listened to my heart.