1 week later

Jungkook's pov~

"Kookie-yah, I'm sure she's fine."

I pulled my palms down my face, sighing heavily as I sat down on our couch at the dorms. "It's been a week hyung. A week and no word from her. I'm just worried."

Seokjin hyung moved about the kitchen, making us both something to eat. We'd just finished recording for an upcoming project and the rest of the members were out doing god knows what.

During the past week, I had come to hate free time because that's when my mind went overboard thinking about the radio silence from my girlfriend. No calls, not even a lousy message and her phone was disconnected. Unfortunately, I didn't know her unnies' numbers.

I could have found out what exactly was going on through some other contacts with YG, I was sure I had two members of Winner's numbers. But I didn't want to make things difficult for Lisa by risking her company finding out.

The urge to just show up at her doorstep was very strong. But I refrained.

"She's usually sending me all kinds of goofy stuff on text all day. Heck, I sent her a shirtless picture last night and she didn't reply-"

"Jungkook!" Seokjin's face burned red. "I don't need to hear about you sexting her. Too much information dude."

I rolled my eyes at his supposed prudishness, betting that he wouldn't mind a shirtless picture of Namjoon hyung on his phone. ( a/n: sorry, I ship namjin too much :p)

"I'll be at the gym.", I told him, going out the door to the gym we had on the floor above. It was a recent addition and I was thankful for it.

Needing to let off some steam I started my reps on the pull up bar.

An hour later I was drenched in sweat, my muscles aching and mind kind of blank from all thoughts of Lisa. Finishing the last of the bench presses, I got up to fetch a hand towel to wipe the sweat off me.

My phone buzzed from one of the side tables and I immediately reached for it, hoping that it was finally her.

So much for not thinking about her.

It was an unknown number. I picked it up regardless. "Hello."

"Jungkook."

That small familiar voice made me feel like I could breath again after a decade underwater.

"Doll?" I ran an agitated hand through my hair. "Are you alright? What happened, why was your phone disconnected? I must have called you a hundred times by now. You had me so worried."

She cleared her throat."I um- can we- I mean can you-"

I frowned at her nervousness."What's wrong? Did your company find out? Is that it?"

"Yeah-I mean- I need to talk to you. Can we meet? Pim unnie's. In an hour." She was speaking very formally, none of the usual fond tone in her voice.

I didn't like it. "Yes of course, I'll be there. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." She took a breath and paused as if she wanted to say more. But I guess she thought better of it. "See you."

She hung up.

~

Lisa's pov~

More than a million scenarios had run through my brain since last week, all culminating in me not breaking up with Jungkook and still stopping Tzuyu somehow. I was afraid if I told him about it, he'd go through with whatever evidence he had against her and she'd retaliate.

Because I knew she would. At some music festival a few days ago she had bumped into me purposefully only to whisper a "clock's ticking" in my ear as she "helped" me get up.

Still I had balked at the mere idea of breaking up with Jungkook, my heart breaking just imagining it. Then an envelope mailed to me had popped up in our mailbox yesterday.

Tzuyu had sent me a detailed statement of her "abuse" on the hands of her boyfriend, along with pictures of bruises and scrapes on her person. To be delivered to the media if I didn't do as she said within the next 24 hours.

Reading the sickening words, I could barely make it to the toilet before nausea had overwhelmed me.

So here I was waiting for the man I loved at a place where we had memories together.

It was a nightmare getting Sangwon unnie to convince the bodyguards to leave me alone for an hour but she had. And now I had an hour to do this before they came looking for me.

An hour to rip my heart out from my chest.

The bell clinked and I looked up.

The breathtaking vision Jungkook made had the rest of the world disappearing around me. I could only focus on him, his windswept hair, black jeans and sweatshirt hugging his muscles just right and that bunny smile he reserved for me.

Standing up, I resisted the urge to run into his arms and kiss him all over.

But he had no such qualms.

"Doll." He pulled me into him, hugging me so tight I lost my breath. "I missed you so much."

Relishing his familiar warmth and scent, I allowed myself to bury deeper into him for a second before pulling back. His lips were on mine as soon as I did and his taste momentarily made me forget what I was here for.

He broke the kiss to look me deep in the eyes. "Why aren't you kissing me back? And why do you look like your cat just died?"

Ever so perceptive. I let out a small smile before stepping back to put some distance between us. Here goes nothing.

"I-I can't do this anymore."

The tremble in my voice betrayed my emotions. I tried my best to avoid looking at him but ultimately failed.

He looked like he'd been shot through the heart. "Wh-what are you-" he swallowed before chuckling. "I hate these kind of jokes Lisa."

Steeling my heart against his torn expression, I willed my voice to sound stronger this time. "I'm not joking, Jungkook. My company found out and I can't do this with you anymore."

Tilting his head, he observed me like I was a bug under a microscope. He was too smart for his own good. "That's not a good enough reason, doll and you know it. Let me talk to them."

"No!", I exclaimed before I could stop myself and he raised an eyebrow at my behaviour. "I don't-" Taking a deep breath, I lied with a straight face. "I can't risk my career over you anymore."

Unwanted tears welled up in my eyes and I did nothing to stop them. I couldn't. I was growing numb with each word."There's years ahead of us, heck we just debuted. I'm not going to be the reason we fail. Frankly speaking, you're a risk Jungkook. A risk I'm not willing to take anymore."

My voice broke at the last sentence. He was looking at me like I was a stranger, I had never seen such pain in his eyes before. All I wanted to do was pull him into my arms.

He took a shuddering breath, shoving his hands in his pockets, a gesture I recognised. He was feeling helpless. But still his voice held the same warmth and affection he usually reserved for me, even though I was breaking his heart.

"Lisa. All of that applies to me too. And although I know you're more vulnerable to the public, I thought we had something here. Something stronger than all of this."

As if he couldn't hold himself back anymore, he reached out to cup my face, pulling me closer till my forehead rested against his. I could see the unshed tears in his eyes."You promised me, baby. You promised you wouldn't leave me. Why are you doing this to me?"

Sobs tore out of me as I pulled away from him, not being able to look at his stricken face anymore. My resolve was crumbling at his pleading tone. But that letter and those pictures flashed before my mind and I persevered.

"Jungkook, don't make this more difficult for me. I-I can't alright. I'm not strong enough to deal with the repercussions that come with being your girlfriend.", I lied through my teeth.

His desperation morphed into anger and his words were like sharp knives. "And you're just figuring that out?! After all this time?! After you creeped into my heart and made me fall in love with you."

My breath escaped me in a rush. "What?"

Burning eyes stared me down before he suddenly moved in to grasp my shoulders roughly, smashing me against his hard chest."Is that it?! Is that what you want to hear, baby?"

He grasped my chin and jerked my head up, before crushing his lips against mine. He pulled back after a second, leaving me disoriented."I love you! I love you, I love you. Please don't leave me."

What was left of my heart shattered into a million pieces and I hated myself with a passion at that moment. He was giving me the words I had longed to hear for so long and I couldn't do anything about it.

Wiping my cheeks with his thumbs, his shaking breath mixed with mine as his frantic eyes searched mine for something. "I love you, doll. Please say something."

I was sure a special place in hell was reserved just for me for what I did to him then. "I'm sorry."

He stumbled back at my words, a hollow laugh escaping him, contrasting with the tears that finally rolled down his cheeks. "Wow. I never thought you were capable of such cruelty, Lisa."

Suddenly he stood up straight, wiping away his tears. His eyes turned ice cold and I was suddenly reminded of the moment I'd first seen him.

An impenetrable mask, a sneer on his handsome face. No sign of any emotion peeking through. It was as if I was a stranger, the stranger he'd just met in an elevator for the first time. The fondness and the ready smile he reserved for me usually had been extinguished at my heartlessness.

I had no one to blame but myself, silent tears rolling down my eyes at what I'd just done to the best thing that ever happened to me. Even the reminder that it was all for his own good did nothing to assuage my misery."Jungk-"

"Alright." He spoke so impassively, so detached. I would have preferred hatred in his voice than complete apathy." You chose this, Lisa. Now even if you come crawling on your hands and knees, I'm not going to take you back. Just a reminder, I'm not a forgiving person."

Turning his back to me, he paid no attention to the sobbing mess I was as he headed for the door of the empty restaurant.

"Congratulations, enjoy your risk free life."

With that parting shot he was gone, leaving me to collapse on the ground with my world crumbling apart all around me.

~•~•~

I'm bawling my eyes out. I'm sorry guys. But trust me the ending is going to be so much more rewarding.

Yes, this book is gonna come to an end soon. But don't worry, I don't write sad endings. Liskook babies will have their happily ever after.

And vote vote vote for bp and bts for mama!!