It was Jungkookie's elder brother, Junghyun-ssi. We promptly got up from our stools as he greeted us with a bow which we returned with ours.

He couldn't visit as frequently as his parents due to his work which wouldn't allow him too many offs. But he made sure to drop by every weekend traveling all the way to Seoul from Busan.

I went to Taehyung's side as Junghyun-ssi walked over to Jungkook in mine. He stared at his little brother with wistful eyes for a while before looking at us.

JUNGHYUN : Our parents might have left already.

V : Yes, they left an hour ago.

JUNGHYUN : I see. (-looking back at Jungkook-) Doctors.. (-looking at us-) Did the doctors update anything about him? Like, is he getting any better?

ME : Sadly no, but they say atleast it's good that he is stable. His conditions aren't getting worse.

JUNGHYUN : Ah... That's a relief. (-placing his hand on Jungkook's-) Wake up soon, little Guk. Eomma, Appa are sick worried for you.

Although he tough coated himself, evidently it was no less hard seeing his little patner in crimes fighting for life.

JUNGHYUN : I am sorry that I am not able to stay by your side everyday. (-holds his emotions back-) Don't be lonely, I will come again. Okay?

He, with a hurtful stare, patted Kookie's hand lightly before withdrawing his hand back.

V : Are you going back to Busan already?

JUNGHYUN : Deh, I need to drive back although I wanted to be with him for a little longer. (-looking at Jungkook-)

ME : (-after a silence-)  I am sorry, it might be a little out of my say but if it's okay please do check on your parents once. Your mom seemed a little emotionally distressed today. The mere presence of family beside solaces one more than thousands of empty consoling words.

JUNGHYUN : (-agreeing politely-) Deh, thank you for letting me know. Also, please take good care of him.

V : Don't worry at all, we are here. (-assuring-)

JUNGHYUN : I'll take off then. (-bows-)

We greeted back and he left.

There was again a long silence in the room.

V : (-looking at the unconscious Kookie-) Yah! Are you having fun seeing us all worried to death for you? (-angry tone-)

ME : Taehyung-ah.

V : No hyung, he needs a scolding. I mean it's already been over a month now. When are you going to open your eyes, huh?

I could feel his harshness directed towards his own negativity that he was trying to press down. No matter how giggly he presented himself, he was also consoling his heart every minute, every second that counted.

ME : (-placing my hand on his shoulder-) Taehyu-

I was cut off by his silent cry.

V : You are going to wake up, right? Tell me you're absolutely fine. (-sniffles-)  Please, just tell me even if it's hurting. Kook-ah, we are all sorry, we promise we would never leave you again. Just please come back to your hyungs. Chepal~ (-slight pause-) Okay, not for us, at least come back for your family, onh? What are you making them suffer for? (-in tears-)

ME : (-hugging him by side-) Taehyung-ah, Jimin at the dorms and now if you too break like this, how am I gonna hang in there? It hurts me to see my little ones having a hard time and breaking like this. (-holds my tears in-) Kookie will come back soon, we just need to let him take his time. (-securing my grip on him-) 

V : (-controlling himself nodding to my words with a few more sniffles-) I am sorry hyung. I suddenly had an outburst.

ME : It's okay. Let's just stay strong until he wakes up.

V : (-nods-) Deh, hyung. He will wake up soon. (-hopeful-)

Few moments later, as we were back to the earlier setting before Junghyun-ssi came, Taehyung swiftly spoke into the silence earning my attention.

V : Onh, what did you say? (-leans his ears to Kookie-) Repeat it again.

This man in his early twenties really confused me sometimes. I wondered what he was trying to do by putting up all the act.

V : Ah, you want to? (-sits back straight while looking at me-)

ME : Just, what is happening?

V : He wanted to tell me something.

ME : And that is?

V : He wants you to continue your KAR story.

ME : Car story?

V : Not car. K A R, Kim Ae Ra.

ME : (-chuckles-) You are one curious child.

V : (-not taking my comment-) Not me, he wants to listen!

ME : (-intentional polite tone-) Ye ye, I get it.

V : (-grins-) So, what happened next? Did you meet her again?

ME : I did.

V : (-gets excited-) Where, this time?

ME : A park.

V : A park? I feel like I am listening to a Kdrama or something. (-laughs-) But, it's fun. So then, did you meet her there by coincidence?

ME : Kind of. I read about that park alot in her diary and so out of curiosity, one evening I went there.

V : (-anticipating-) And you saw her there?

ME : Hmm.. I found her crying silent tears staring at the lake.

V : Eh? Why was she crying? Did you ask?

ME : (-shakes head-) I knew too much about her from the magical book I had of her. (-grins-) I recalled it was the same date as the one when she had broken up with her boyfriend, the previous year.

V : Ah~ She was missing her boyfriend.

ME : (-nods-) Probably.

V : But, why did they break up? Did she not mention about it in her journal?

ME : She didn't get the chance to know the reason because the same day, her boyfriend died in a car accident.

V : (-dumbfounded-) REallY? That's so unfortunate.

ME : It is. I could see the hurt in her watery eyes but couldn't do anything about it since I was only a stranger.

V : Why? Hyung, you are The Handsome Jin, what can there possibly be which you can't do?

ME : (-flattered-) Ay, that's true though. (-confident cocky smile-)

V : (-chuckles-) You know I was kidding, right?

ME : YAH! You disrespectful jerk.

He giggled followed by a sad smile which made me a little worried if my words came around in the wrong way.

ME : Yah, what's wrong?

V : Nothing, it's just. (-hesitates-) It-... It has been quite long since we talked so comfortably, where I would pull your leg freely followed by you calling me names. (-nostalgic stare in the space-)

ME : (-getting emotional-) Taehyung-ah~

V : (-suddenly changes mood-) But like, didn't you talk to her at all?

ME : (-totally lost for a moment-) Yah, are you having mood swings lately?

V : (-giggles-) Maybe. Don't change the topic.
What was your pickup line on her?

ME : (-gives up with a laugh-) Do you think, I was trying to make a move on her?

V : (-without hesitation-) Of course!

ME : Yah, are you done? I ain't so desperate.

V : (-battle winning expression-) That means you do have interest on her. Admit it. I caught you.

ME : What will you take to shut that nonsense down?

V : It's not nonsense thou, but okay. I won't tease you, if you tell the rest and how you still have her diary when you should've returned it before coming back.

ME : Alright then. But instead, promise me that you won't bring her up ever again. Okay? (-serious yet a hint of sadness-)

V : Eh? What's with that expression? (-continues after a pause-) Alright hyung. I won't, if it's uncomfortable for you.

{... Not uncomfortable, I just don't think I will ever meet her again.. and it makes me sad for god knows what reasons...}

As I sensed him not giving up before I tell the rest, I began to word my memories of her once again for him to picture it in his mind.

.

.

On the evening I went to that park

.

.

I stared at the lake standing from the tree near it, wondering what was so great that she wrote so highly about the park.

Well, indeed the lake cornering it was beautiful.

{...But, aren't all clean lakes so?...}

While casually roaming my eyes around, I noticed a girl on the bench under the big tree on my left.

I slowly walked towards her and recognized her to be Ae Ra-ssi- soft breeze gently blowing her side bangs.

A mysterious smile planted on my face but soon got cut off when I saw a tear drop escape from her right eye and descend down by her slightly plum tinted cheeks.

I quietly went and sat on the other edge of the bench showing no bother to her- listening to her sniffle inaudible cries.

After a while as her tears dried out, she started searching for something in her sling bag.

AE RA : (-talking to herself-) Where did it go? (-trying to think-)

I was tempted to talk to her but unsure of my first words, I blurted something vague.

ME : (-very politely in English-) Looking for something?

She seemed startled, her expressions, thou a poker one, telling me she didn't even realize someone was seated on the same bench as hers all these time.

AE RA : Yes, but nevermind.

She, as expected from her, stood up and was about to leave when I spoke in Korean- still calmly seated with both of my hands tucked in my pant's pockets and back leaned to the bench.

ME : You can do it, just believe in yourself.

She turned around and gave me absolutely no expressions, however I knew her well so I could tell what she was thinking.

ME : Why? You know korean, right?

AE RA : (-replies in korean-) And how do you know that?

It was then, unfortunately quite late, when I realized that I was in trouble.

My inside in complete mayhem at the alarmed situation, I was perplexed to come honest—that I read her personal diary, let alone I had it for the past few days.

Cold sweat freezing my spine, I kept a straight face and went with something obvious. The best I could squeeze out of myself.

ME : (-panicking inside-) Uh-...

_________

Will he get caught?
How will she react if she finds out he has her personal diary which was not meant to be read by anyone except for her? 😜

A/N : Occupation of Jungkook's elder brother is unknown so I just wrote that part arbitrarily. Please don't take it seriously. Everything is only a work of fiction.
Hope you are enjoying the plot so far! ^^

Your Author
~MeherJin