27 | THE REVELATION

Jungkook's sketch captured one of the simplest moments between us, but as I experienced it over again, I saw how important such little instances were. At the time, my younger self had grinned and taken the rose from him without a second thought. He was Jungkook, the boy who loved teasing me, only to turn around the next day and hand me some sort of gift. I hadn't realized then that they were tokens of his apology. The rose was my favorite.

The image of Jungkook's red cheeks, bright eyes, and messy hair remained the same even as the environment around him changed. I saw him with me through every memory as they rolled in, and the more they came to me, the more my heart swelled with love for him.

"Finally."

The look Jungkook was currently giving me normally would've sent an ache through my heart, a yearning to know the deeper meaning there. But along with the memories that rushed forth came the gift of understanding. Finally, the glistening in his eyes and the strain beneath his smile made sense. The weight of his suffering was wholly felt by me as I remembered every laugh, hug, cry that we shared, and how each of them was ripped away.

"How did I forget so much? How could I have forgotten how much you mean to me?" I whispered through tears as I cupped his cheek.

Jungkook's eyes delved into mine as he leaned closer, and he placed his hand on top of my own. "It was hell waiting for you to remember."

"But I don't remember anyone except you. I didn't see Hoseok or the third boy."

"What did you see?" he asked softly, bringing our hands down to rest on his lap.

"It was like a dream. Everything was fuzzy and it went by so fast, like I relived it all in a few seconds," I tried to explain, and he waited for me to go on. "We went to different schools, but we met on my way home one day. It was raining and I slipped on the wet sidewalk. I twisted my ankle, but you saw me and came to help."

"You could barely put any weight on it," Jungkook said in a gentle tone. "I let you lean on me and helped you get back home."

I smiled at him, nodding. "And then it just became a routine, the two of us meeting up after school to walk home together. You lived just a couple of streets over."

"Do you... remember our spot?"

I watched the relief sweep over his face when I answered him. "The park behind our neighborhood. There was an old treehouse just a little ways into the woods there."

"We spent so much time there, I'm surprised that thing stayed standing," he laughed, eyes twinkling.

Laughter fell from my mouth, too, as a wave of solace swept over me. "You have no clue how good it feels to finally remember."

The lightness in his expression faded. "I'd say I have an idea," he mumbled. "Waiting so long to be reunited with the person who meant the most to me, then finally seeing her again only to be reminded she forgot who I was... It hasn't been easy on me either, Red."

"I know, I can't imagine how hard it was for you." Squeezing his hand, I held his eyes. "But you don't have to wait anymore."

His brows drew together. "There's still more you have to remember."

"Well, I do remember that you never called me Red back then," I teased in the hopes that his frown would disappear, and it did, replaced with a chuckle.

"You didn't have your hair like this before, but that's not all that's changed." He raised his other hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I never expected to feel this way about you, but seeing you again after so many years—seeing how beautiful you became and how you held onto that same strength I'd always admired—it's not all that surprising."

It would have been a lie to say that his confession didn't affect me. His words sent a skip to my heart, but what I wasn't sure about last night in the rain had become painfully apparent.

"Jungkook..."

He could see it on my face. His features fell at the realization of my feelings, and his hands dropped away from me. The curve of his mouth was bittersweet. "I thought if you remembered how much we meant to each other, you'd realize you feel the same way."

I looked at him sorrowfully. "You still mean a lot to me, Jungkook. But when we were younger—"

"I'm interested in how you feel now. Obviously you feel something for me. Or did I just imagine you telling me to kiss you last night?"

"You're right. We have chemistry, but I should've known better than to say that. I didn't know for sure what I felt and it wasn't fair to you."

His jaw set as he shook his head. "Something happened. I don't believe that those memories would make you feel less for me."

I broke away from his gaze. He was right. While remembering did help me gain a better grasp on my feelings for him, my mind was already made up beforehand. The truth was that the second Hoseok showed me his dance, my heart became his. Maybe it belonged to him even before then.

Whatever reservations I had about Hoseok, even with him still keeping me at a distance, I knew. The chemistry I had with Jungkook could not compete with the inexplicable belonging my soul felt toward his brother. Even if I never got to close the gap between us, even if Hoseok never allowed me into his heart, my feelings for him were not the kind to fade.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, finding his eyes again.

"It's my brother, isn't it?" At my silence, he sighed. "Look, I can... I'll work to accept that you don't return my feelings if that's the truth. It stings, but I'm still glad to have you back even as a friend. But with Hoseok, you have to be careful."

Frowning, Taehyung's warnings echoed in my head. "Why? What do I need to be careful about? You, Jimin, and Taehyung have all told me that now."

"Taehyung said that? That doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, he was all worked up about it and kept saying that I needed to stop trusting him."

Jungkook bit his lip in thought. "We need to mention that to Hoseok tomorrow. It's not a good sign that he seems to know more about Hoseok. But don't listen to Taehyung. You can trust my brother. He wants your good just like I do, but he has reasons for being so closed off, Jangmi. You'll probably only end up hurt the more you try to know him."

My lungs tightened, but I willed a smile onto my face. "If he doesn't want to let me in, I won't make him."

He spent time reading my face before he spoke again, soft and tempting. "The way I feel about you isn't going to just disappear, and I still think we could have something special, so I'll be here when you change your mind."

My brow lifted. "When?"

His lips stretched into a grin. "When."

~

Jungkook accompanied me on the walk back to my dorm soon after, assuring me that he'd distract me from the fear of being followed. We were discussing the time we found a stray dog at the park and bickered over who would keep it, only for its owner to show up a minute later with a broken leash.

"I definitely would have convinced you to let me keep him," I said.

He scoffed. "Not a chance. You were so forgetful, you would have lost that dog the very next day."

"Jangmi."

We both stopped to look ahead. At the top of the cement stairs leading to my dorm, Hoseok sat with his elbows on his knees. The glare he sent our way was untamed, like a feral dog raged within.

"I called. Where were you?" he asked as he stood, and his height only fed the intensity of his presence.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, finding that it wouldn't turn on. "My phone must've died."

"She was with me, don't worry," Jungkook said, but Hoseok's glare didn't ease up. Jungkook turned to me and spoke into my ear, "I'll leave you to tell him about your memory. Goodnight, Red."

"Goodnight," I replied, watching after him as he left.

With a deep breath, I turned back to face Hoseok. My feet carried me up the stairs until I stood before him, and he stared down at me with blazing eyes.

"Come with me." Taking his gloved hand in my own, I led him through the building until we made it to my door. Quickly unlocking it, I stepped inside with Hoseok in tow, then closed the door behind him. Flicking the lights on, I peeked at his face.

The previous hardness in his gaze dimmed as he stilled and looked around the room. "Why did you bring me here? We could have talked outside."

My arms crossed over my chest. "I just... it's warmer in here."

"Jangmi, tell me what happened. How did you end up with Jungkook when you left with Taehyung?"

I sighed, leaning back against the door. "Taehyung was acting weird. He kept asking about why I took the necklace off, and then he told me not to trust you." I paused to take in his reaction, but he remained unmoving. "He was freaking me out so I told him to leave, and then..." 

"And then what?" he pressed.

"After he left, someone started chasing me. It was him, Hoseok. He had the same cloak that he wears in my nightmares."

"DAMMIT!" Hoseok bellowed, making me flinch. He raked a hand through his hair. "This is exactly why Jungkook and I told you to always stay with one of us. If you hadn't accepted Taehyung's offer—"

"Do you honestly believe a lecture is what I need right now?!" I yelled as I stomped up to him.

"Well, it was stupid. I was ready to bring you back, so how could you possibly have thought it was a good idea to let him—"

"I did it for you." My voice lowered but the words still rang clear.

His head shook slightly. "What?"

I swallowed. "He watches everything I do. He waits to find out who I trust, who I'm close to. He found out that I was telling Jimin about him, and Jimin ended up hurt. I was afraid if I made it too obvious that I only trust you, you'd become his next target."

"It was still stupid," he said at a quieter volume. "I don't care if I get hurt or not."

"But I do!"

"Why? Tell me, Jangmi, why do you care what happens to me?" He stepped closer, and those amber irises glinted as they locked onto me. "Because you hardly know a thing about me? Because I've been so open and honest with you? What keeps you from believing Taehyung and realizing that I haven't given you a reason to trust me?"

I clenched my teeth before whispering, "Why are you being this way?"

"Because I don't understand you."

Searching the few features of his that I could see, my heart ached at what I found. "You can't accept that I care about you. You don't know how."

Hoseok pulled his hand back when I tried to reach for it. "I don't deserve it."

"That's not true. You have to learn to accept that someone could find you worthy, because I do, Hoseok. And I don't just care about you," I said as I took the last step between us. "I have feelings for you."

He shut his eyes as my hand came to rest on his chest. His heart was pounding beneath my palm, and he latched his gloved hand around my wrist.

"I don't believe you."

"Then let me show you."

The second my hands went to the nape of his neck, an invisible flame flared out, and Hoseok felt it too. A growl tore from deep within his chest as he gripped my waist and pressed me against the door, his other hand slamming down on the wood beside my head.

My entire body burned from the heat that radiated from him, but the shining of his eyes made me freeze.

They were glowing the same fiery orange that haunted me in my sleep.

• • •

Oh, shit. Didn't see that one coming. Anyone else?

Hope you guys are ready because things will, for the most part, keep accelerating after this point. I would love to know your reactions! What are you thinking?  Does this put a dent in your theory or does it strengthen it? Have you given up entirely?

Thank you as always for sticking around! Excited to see you guys again next week ;)

Also, here is the stunning cover/edit done by NAMJOONIST- ! Please show it some appreciation!

Your maniacally-laughing author,
Kat 💜

December 14, 2020