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Teaser Thursday | JJK | Hooked
🕑 Added 2023-09-14 12:58:40 +0000 UTC
Part two of chaper one! Read part one first! <3
WC: 4K.
You were scrolling through your phone after having checked Taehyung’s Instagram story where he was clearly drinking alone and singing along to an old jazz song. At least you couldn’t say that was a rare occurrence.
“The street cat left you alone, little mouse?”
The words were delivered to your ear, so damn close you could feel the warm, heavy breath on your skin, making your soul jump out and your body follow after it two seconds too late. You stumbled on your high shoes, head whipping so fast you heard a small crack on your neck.
You had wide eyes as you turned to face and stare at Wonho, so surprised about being ambushed in the middle of the practically empty parking lot that you didn’t have the mind to keep up the groupie act.
“No, he–”
“She’s not alone, is she?” another voice came from behind you again, still too close, belonging to the man you remember being called Kihyun.
“Listen, I’m not looking for trouble–”
You felt like prey, stuck in between two predators. You wondered just how many times the two men had cornered girls like this as they seemed to know what they were doing. With your attempts to get away from the invasion of your personal space, you ended up standing in between Hoseok's and Yoongi’s cars again, but Wonho was in front of you and Kihyun was behind you.
Unless you crawled under one of the cars, which already didn’t give you high chances of escaping, you had nowhere to run.
“I’m offended you think we are looking for trouble.” the strong man in front of you forced a frown, hands over his heart and a crooked head tilt.
“We just wanna talk.” Kihyun continued.
In hindsight, you should really learn to bite your tongue. “Do the two of you always complete each other's sentences?”
You knew you shouldn’t provoke them, you were terribly outnumbered, but your words had the bad habit of going through your lips and not your brain most of the time. Wonho’s jaw clicked as his expression hardened, but his eyes got filled with something you couldn’t quite place.
“Someone is mouthy.” Wonho scoffed.
“We can put it to good use.” Kihyun said from behind you.
“You’re doing it again.” you pointed out, throwing a look over your shoulder to assess how close the second man was to you.
You were trying to gain time, stalling whatever this was until Jeongguk –or someone– saw the three of you and could do something. A fact the two men didn’t realize or didn’t really care about and the latter worried you most.
“You really got some nerves there, little mouse.” Wonho had a mistakenly calm temper, but you could recognize the little twitches that told you things easily got under his skin; the tensing and relaxing of his jaw, the cracking of knuckles as his fist flexed and closed, the subtle change on his blinking.
He was building up, feeding on his own annoyance and thinly veiled anger and once he built up enough momentum, he would explode. No doubt about it.
You had seen it before, this kind of reaction. But you didn’t know this man enough to guess how far you could push him and you weren’t interested in finding out.
“What’s your line, then?” you asked Kihyun, who wasn’t as composed as his friend.
“Alright, I’m done with you–”
The slightly smaller man looked like he was about to pounce and you flinched, but the unlocking beep coming from one of the cars next to you made him pause and look around. You didn’t think twice about pulling the door of Yoongi’s car open, hard enough to hit Kihyun’s middle and knock the air out of him.
You ducked inside the car on instinct, trying to make it to the door on the other side so you could run and get away, but hands grabbed your legs and pulled you back. You started kicking and screaming, but the hold on your calves was so strong you couldn’t get a single proper hit in.
Your blood was rushing to your head so fast your ears were buzzing and there wasn’t much you could hear. A lot of things happened at the same time, blurry figures that you couldn’t quite identify until Wonho was pulled away from you when he was halfway inside the car already.
Jeongguk had him pinned against the floor in a second, you could hear heavy thumps of something hitting the dirt floor, a new squeal leaving your lips when the door in front of you was closed shut and Kihyun advanced on Jeongguk too. Two against one wasn’t fucking fair and you were about to open the door again, to join the men on the floor, pull them away from Guk, but someone was grabbing your arms from behind.
“Don’t even fucking think about it.” hearing Yoongi’s voice was a bittersweet feeling; relief from knowing more of your friends must be close, and dread because if Yoongi was near, then–
The older man pulled you out of his car through the driver’s side door, helping you stand up steadily. Yoongi tried to check up on you, make sure you were alright, as if you couldn’t hear grunts and curse words just from the other side of the vehicle. You had to bat his hands away as you circled the car; you needed to see.
You needed to know Jeongguk was alright.
The first thing you noticed was how things were escalating quickly, a group of people creating a circle around the cars, whispering and shouting, bottles falling to the floor and breaking with loud noises. Two random dudes started fighting each other in a situation completely unrelated to this one, just because.
The second thing you noticed was how Jeongguk and Wonho weren’t on the floor anymore, they weren’t even near each other. Wonho was being held back by Kihyun and the third guy that was with them back at the bar.
“Bro, chill!” you heard the new guy saying to Wonho as the latter grunted and tried to reach Jeongguk again. “Leave it for the circle. Not here!”
“Dude, come on, let’s go.” Kihyun seemed to agree with whatever their friend was saying, wobbling as holding Wonho back was clearly a hard task.
The third thing you noticed, and perhaps the one you wished you had noticed first, was that Namjoon was the one holding Jeongguk back.
JUNE 5TH | 03:34
The living room never felt as claustrophobic as it did right now, as you waited for your brother to come home. You just knew Namjoon was pissed when he could barely look at your face as he asked Guk to drive you home on his motorbike; something he always complained about, complete with statistics of road accidents involving bikes, all because he didn’t want to be in the same car as you on the long drive back into the city.
Having Jeongguk sitting so far away from you on the couch, after your shared kiss just a couple of hours ago, was also not how you imagined tonight would end. There was only one seat cushion between the two of you, but it felt like it stretched for miles. At least he was still speaking to you, had answered all of your questions about how he was doing after getting into a physical fight for you.
He said he was okay, that Wonho hadn’t gotten him enough to cause any major bruises, but you still saw him wince and place a hand over his left ribs whenever he took a deep breath.
The both of you were obviously too scared of what would happen when Namjoon got home, for completely unrelated reasons, so that kiss couldn’t be your biggest worry right now.
You couldn’t talk about it. You weren’t even sure you wanted to talk about the kiss.
Because letting it go for the time being hurt a lot less than hearing Jeongguk say it was a mistake. You hoped he didn’t regret kissing you. You definitely didn’t regret kissing him.
If you focused on it too much, you’d grow even more anxious than you already felt. So you chose to focus on your surroundings instead; on the cream color of the walls, the softness of the gray couch under you, the many books lining the shelves in the corner of the room, the small trinkets that cluttered the otherwise minimalist living space.
You almost wanted Bam to be in the room with you, just so you would have something to do with your hands, just so you could look into his innocent, sweet caramel eyes, and feel a little more comforted.
“Yn, I–” Jeongguk’s words were cut off by the sound coming from the front door.
The night was so quiet that you could hear everything; from the locking of the front door, the slipping off of shoes and the swish of a jacket being pulled off, to the heavy steps you recognized too well.
Namjoon haltered as he walked by the entrance of the living room; hair a mess, clothes too edgy to be casual. He walked into the room and while you stared at him, Jeongguk kept his head down.
“Oppa, let me explain–”
Your brother lifted a finger, looking at his friend even though his words were aimed at you: “I’ll deal with you in a minute.”
“Hyung, I’m sorry.” Jeongguk finally faced the older man, voice meek and shoulders slumped. Not at all like the man you saw on stage.
“The others told me you went searching for Yn after your set, thank you for looking after her.”
Namjoon said and there were a few things you paid attention to in that sentence: Your friends had snitched on you at some point, but you couldn’t really blame them for, not after the way the night ended; and secondly, Jeongguk went actively searching for you, instead of watching Cypher’s concert, instead of basking on the success of his first solo stage.
Yeah, you were guilty about that.
“You still should have told me she was there, but I know you did your best to keep an eye on her.” your brother continued and you hated to be talked about as if you weren’t there.
“Of course, hyung. I didn’t want this to happen, those guys–”
“I know, Guk. We’ll talk more later.” Namjoon’s tone let the both of you know the conversation between them was over and Jeongguk could go. He didn’t move, however, looking at you with sorrowful eyes. “Please, Guk, this is a talk we need to have alone.”
Only after your small, almost imperceptive nod, Jeongguk dragged his feet out of the living room. Instead of breathing easier, now that it was just you and your brother, someone you knew how to deal with, the air grew stiffer and you almost wished Jeongguk had stayed behind. Moral support and all that.
Namjoon didn’t take his place on the couch, didn’t sit on any of the armchairs in the room either. He stayed tall and intimidating, pacing from one side to the other, pressing his fingers to his temple.
“I know what you’re gonna say.” you started, not wanting to drag on the silence anymore.
“Do you, now?”
“Yeah. You think what I did was irresponsible and stupid.”
It was then that Namjoon looked at you for the first time, snapping: “Wasn’t it?!”
“I didn’t mean to get in trouble, okay? Everything would have been fine if those two hadn’t shown up.” you stressed, holding his eye contact.
“Who were they? Do you know them?” a question you weren’t expecting and that had the power to disarm you.
“Of course I don’t. They were just weird dudes looking for trouble.” you decided to keep out the details about them apparently knowing Jeongguk.
“And of course they found it when you were alone in the parking lot.” Namjoon poked, exasperated. “Why were you even there tonight?”
“You know why.” you whined. “I wanted to watch Guk.”
“I’m sure Sohee or Minsu would film it for you–” your brother said as if it was obvious, hand running through his long, brown hair. You liked that length on him, made him seem younger, less worried.
“It’s not the same damn thing and you know that.”
Namjoon never liked it when you cursed, knew you did it to get a reaction out of him. You weren’t looking for a fight, you’ve had enough for a night, but you wanted this to just be over already. You’ve been through a lot, your head was hurting, you wanted a shower and your bed.
And you couldn’t get any of that until you both said what was stuck in your throats.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming, then? I would have–”
“You would have stopped me from going!” you yelped, scooting forward on the couch, body unable to stay put. “You would lock me in the house if you had to.”
“Because I knew it would be dangerous, it’s an underground location for a reason! There’s no security, all kinds of drugs, people like those fucking guys wanting to stir shit up, just because they think it’s fun!” Namjoon snapped back; he never raised his tone at you, never screamed, but his voice was booming nonetheless. “Do you have any idea what they could have done–, what they would have done to you if Guk hadn’t shown up?!”
“Yes, okay?!” you finally got up, body trembling with pent up emotion, heart racing with the thought of exactly what Wonho and Kihyun had planned. “Of course I know, I only look stupid, but I’m not!”
Something in Namjoon’s stance broke, faltered. He sighed: “You don’t look stupid.”
“Then stop treating me like I am! Stop treating me like I have no fucking clue what I’m doing, like I was stuck between those two because I wasn’t careful enough, not because they were looking for trouble regardless of what I did!” your voice trembled and you hated how weak it made you feel inside. But this was Namjoon, it was okay to cry, it was okay to show your feelings. So when your eyes filled with water, you didn’t try to stop it.
“Dove, I’m not– I’m not blaming you, that’s not what this is.” your brother hardly ever let his guard down, but at the sight of your teary eyes, he couldn’t help himself. You were his weak spot and you both knew it. Everyone knew it. “I’m so fucking glad you’re okay, I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you.”
“I know, oppa. I know. I’m sorry I made you worry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” you sniffed, shoulders downcast as you reached for the bracelet on your left wrist in pure instinct. Namjoon followed the action, reading your ticks, knowing your telltale movements as if they were his own. “But I’m not sorry I was there tonight. I’m glad I could support my friend.”
“I’m sure Guk appreciated it. I just wish…” his sigh was deep, tired. “That’s not a place for you, dove.”
You were both exhausted, a tear finally rolled down your cheek as you asked: “Then where is the place for me, oppa? Is it with eomma? With appa? Because apparently it isn't with you.”
“Of course it's with me.” Namjoon’s eyes widened for a second, eyebrows creasing, something akin to desperation morphing his face.
“Except when you're in certain places I can’t go to? How does that work?”
Namjoon didn’t have an answer for you, he knew you had a point. Both of your walls were crumbling, your eyes were letting go of unshed tears, your brother couldn’t hold your stare for too long.
You took a step closer to him, but stopped when you weren't sure what to do. Your brother wasn't the kind for physical touch most days, wasn't as cuddly as Taehyung or affectionate like Hoseok. He was a words of affirmation kind of guy.
“I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t come back to make this hard for you. I know it already is–" you broke down a little more, cried a little harder.
"Come here." Namjoon was the one to open an arm for you, to initiate it, so you went to him with a wobbly lip and a heavy heart. "Please understand I don’t mean to be like appa, I don’t want you to feel like you have to sneak out. I’m just scared. I’m always so fucking scared something is gonna happen to you.”
“I know, oppa, but we can't continue like this.” your tiny arms barely made all the way around Namjoon’s torso as you hid your face on his chest. He smelled like home, which was a feeling you hadn’t felt in ages. “I only came back because I thought things were better.”
“They are. I am.”
“Then you can't keep trying to control me.”
Namjoon’s hand was cradling the back of your head as your tears wet his shirt. “I'm not trying to control you, I'm trying to protect you.”
“You can't always protect me.”
“You're all I have left. After…” your brother’s chest rumbled, his words were choked. The last time you saw Namjoon cry was eight years ago and you wondered if he’d change that tonight. “The divorce didn't just split mom and dad, we haven't seen them in years. Yeah, they call on birthdays but it's not the same fucking thing. Then you're gone for two fucking years, and I get why you left, I really do. But I just got you back.”
“And I’m not going anywhere. I promise you.” you sniffed.
“You can’t know that.”
“Oppa, please. I’ll be more careful next time. I’ll tell you if I’m planning on going somewhere like this again, I’ll stay close to our friends. Just–” you pushed away from him, wiping your eyes and nose at the back of your hands. Joon’s eyes were red but dry. “Please, don’t try to stop me. Don’t be mad at me for wanting to live. That’s what I have left.”
JUNE 5TH | 05:01
A coral pink, fluffy towel was wrapped around your body as you made your way out of the ensuite bathroom of your room, feet dragging as the warm shower wasn’t enough to completely relax you.
So much happened tonight, too much. From watching Guk on stage, then kissing him, being attacked by two strangers and the heavy conversation you had with your brother. You’d sleep all day, that was your only plan for Sunday.
After changing into comforting pajamas, you picked your phone up from the wireless charger and checked the notifications. The group chat was blowing up with your friends wanting to know everyone had made home safely, Taehyung was asking what the fuck happened tonight, but neither Jeongguk or Namjoon were answering.
You doubted either of them had fallen asleep yet, and you needed to make sure of something before you even tried to get some sleep yourself.
The typing bubble showed and disappeared a couple times, enough for your already anxiety filled brain to overthink even more. You tucked yourself into your bed, pulling the covers all the way up to your chin. Reaching out to the light switch of the lamp on your nightstand, you let the darkness swallow you. You could see a little of the soft light from the sunrise peeking through the cracks of your heavy curtains, reminding you of how late it actually was.
Did he really not know how much trouble you were already in because of him? And you almost told him so, as you stared at your phone while thinking about how to reply to him. But that was an admittance that would force you to talk about it, to find out what the kiss meant to the two of you. And your overworked brain was not in the right space for that.
You didn’t need to come up with a reply, as Jeongguk’s new message popped up on the fastly darkening screen. Simple words, really, no need for your heart to leap in the way that it did.
