I press my lips together as I walk towards the end of the pier, digging in my bag for my car keys. I'm hoping to find a gym or pool that I can pay admission to use the shower and get cleaned up in. It's the best I've been able to come up with since I left Busan, and so far, it works, but it won't last.

I have to find some arrangement before I plan to stay a little longer.

Thankfully, there's a gym not too far from the beach, and with a five-dollar admission fee—I have full reign of all their facilities. After working out for an hour, I take a long hot shower, letting the water soak my skin.

It feels good to just close my eyes and catch my breath for a second before I have to struggle to breathe again. When I open my eyes again, a gasp falls from my lips as the water bleeds red into a puddle near the drain.

My legs giving out as I stumble back into the shower wall and sink to the floor, my hands shaking as my gaze shifts to my wrists, and I immediately exhale when I realize there is no blood. It was only my imagination, a signal to get out of the shower and back to some kind of reality.

I quickly rinse out my hair using one of my towels to dry off. It's not long until I'm dressed and outside again, the air fresh in my lungs as I climb into my car. I drive along the water until I find a new place to park for the night and climb into the backseat.

It feels like I've been awake for days, and the exhaustion hits me as soon as I lean into the backseat. My chest suddenly tight, anxiety running over my skin as I reach into my bag for my phone.

For the last few days, I've been avoiding the inevitable. I left my family with nothing, and they've been trying to call me until they eventually got the message, I wasn't interested in talking.

They made it hard.

My mom has been nothing but concerned, and her worry felt like a ton of bricks sitting on my chest.

And Yoongi hyung, he tried—he did—but I couldn't talk to either of them without feeling like I was crazy. I wanted things to be easy, and leaving seemed like my only option, but as I look at my phone screen, and the photo of Yoongi hyung and I together on the back of our friend's boat—I know I can't leave them in the dark forever.

I dialled his number. After two rings it was picked up.

"Jungkook-ah, Where are you? Oh my god!."

"Hi hyungie," I whisper as I lay down, resting my head on my pillow as I pull the covers up to my shoulder. "I miss you."

"You miss me?" He exhales. "Where are you?"

"It doesn't matter Hyung." And really, it doesn't. "I just... I needed to leave and I know you don't understand why, but I promise I'm okay."

"We thought you might be..."

"De@d... No hyung I am fine...and...I'm sorry."

"Please come back home."

"I can't." I shake my head and force the tears down. "I just wanted to call and tell you I'm okay, and I love you."

"Ggukie, you–"

"I'm sorry," is all I can muster out before ending the call and immediately powering my phone down, holding it to my chest. The longer I stare at the ceiling of my car, the harder it is to breathe.

I left for me, and no one else.

I needed to do this for myself, and until I feel like myself or find some version of myself that feels better than this, I can't go home.

It was hard leaving them, but I can't go back now.

Not yet—and maybe never.

                               ~~~///~~~///~~~///~~~///~~~

A small sigh falls from my lips as I tilt my head back, closing my eyes to the bright sun before leaning onto my elbows and running my fingertips over my jaw. I woke up a little later this morning than the day before, and after jogging and getting ready for my first day at Love Maze, I found the perfect place to settle and just be.

The picnic table sits directly on the beach, allowing me to dig my feet in the warm sand as my journal sits on the splintered wood. It's clear that this table has been used by the people in this town and aged by the years of memories carved into it.

Just like all my memories are written in my journal. Every piece I can remember of Yugyeom—every feeling, every day without him—it's all here.

Running the tips of my fingers over the sheet, I line the words and exhale as I shut the book and tuck it into the pocket of my bag. I pull my phone out of the front pocket, turning it on to check the time to see I have almost exactly an hour before the start of my new job, and the perfect time to show up.

When I get to Love Maze, the parking lot before the pier is packed and I struggle to find parking. The water looks perfect today and the further I get down the pier, the clearer it becomes the parking lot is packed because of the people on the beach, whom I'm sure will make their way up to the restaurant later in the day.

As soon as I step inside, I nervously make my way through the crowded restaurant toward the bar in search of someone to get me started and can't help the twist of sadness in the pit of my stomach when I find a bubble gum haired man instead of Taehyung and his annoyingly charming smile.

The knot grows bigger when I realize I had hoped to see him today. I was looking forward to it and whatever piece of my heart is leftover breaks a little further, knowing I'll only be racked with guilt for feeling this way.

It's not fair.

To me or to Yugyeom.

Burying that feeling, I stand a little taller and approach the little boy who is looking more than frustrated with the crowd and what appears to be a lack of staff.

His hair are ruffled around his forehead directly falling into his eyes. I am just an inch or two longer than him so when I clear my throat to get his attention, an aggravated look washes over his features.

"Hi, sorry, I'­m–"

"Just find a seat anywhere, I'll be right with you," he tells me as he cuts across the room to his other table. Unsure what else to do, I follow him, keeping with his pace.

"No, sorry, I was actually hired yesterday," I explain. "I'm supposed to start today."

He sets the plates on his tray down on the table before turning to me, his skin warm from the sun as he tucks the tray under his arm to rest against his side.

"Taeri never mentioned a new hire."

"Taehyung hired me."

A small sigh falls from his lips as he pinches the space between his perfectly tailored brows and offers me a tight lip smile.

"Of course, he did," he says with the shake of his head as his pink hair shake a little with the nod.

He ushers me towards the bar again. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Taehyung doesn't have the authority to hire people."

My stomach drops at the realization that Taehyung truly was, just messing with me. I don't actually have a job here, and that puts my intentions of staying in Daecheon back to square one with little to nothing to my name, and no idea where I'm going to end up.

"Just wait here, okay? I'll grab Taeri." He touches my arm for a second before setting the tray on the counter of the bar and heading for the kitchen.

I chew my bottom lip as I adjust the strap to my bag, turning to press my back into the top of the bar as my eyes shift around the room—taking it all in.

"Hi, sorry, did you see where the waiter went?"

I turn my head when I realize the customer is talking to me, and I immediately straighten my stance. "He just went into the back to get something. Is there something you need?"

"Just a refill on our waters. That's it."

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the pitcher of water behind the bar and turn to her with a smile.

"No problem. Let me just grab the pitcher and I'll be right over to your table."

"Thank you."

I nod my head and round to the other side of the bar, taking the pitcher by the handle before resting my free hand on the cold condensation of the plastic. I find the woman in the crowd and approach her table, filling up all the empty water glasses before placing my best smile on my lips.

"Is there anything else I can get you guys?"

"No, that will be all."

"Cool," I say, stepping back from the table with the pitcher held to my torso. "Just let me know if you need anything else."

My lips stay turned up until the clearing of a throat gets my attention, causing me to turn to the same pink haired waiter from before who now stands at the bar with an aged woman.

The corners of her eyes crinkled with lines, and her black hair rests against her shoulders. Her eyes a sparkling blue that pull you in.

"Hi," I swallow and extend the pitcher out to the pink haired boy to take. "I'm sorry. She came over and asked for more water. I saw the pitcher and thought I'd help."

He hums and goes back to work, leaving me with whom I can only assume is Taeri.

"Jimin tells me you've met my son."

"Uh, Taehyung?"

She nods and extends her hand out. "Kim Taeri."

"Jeon Jungkook." I step forward and take her hand, giving it a firm shake. "I'm sorry about all of this. When I came in to apply yesterday, Taehyung kind of just took over and I didn't think anything of it..."

"It's alright." She chuckles, waving for me to follow her into the back. "It sounds like he was trying to impress you, but you seem very capable and we do need somebody, so I'll take you on."

"Really?" I gasp. "That's great. Thank you so much."

"Of course, dear, there are just a few things we need to get taken care of before you can start," she explains as she opens the door to her office and ushers me inside first. "I can't let you work until we get all your information."

"Yeah, I figured you were going to need that, so I got all of it together before I came," I explain and reach into my bag, pulling out the sheet of paper from my journal with everything I could think of.

"Social insurance number, direct deposit, phone number, and all that stuff. I don't have a permanent address at the moment, but as soon as I do, I will let you know."

"Perfect." She holds her hand out and takes the paper from me before turning to her computer. The screen comes to life with the shake of the mouse and she opens a new employee file for me. "So, what brought you to Daecheon?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Fresh air, I guess."

"Fresh air, huh?" She hums gently. "Where are you from originally?"

"Busan."

"You can't be more than twenty years old." She eyes me. "And you needed fresh air?"

"Twenty-two," I correct. "And I've lived in the same small town my entire life. I guess, I just wanted something new? Something different."

"You'll definitely get that here."

A weak laugh falls from my lips. "Promise?"

The corners of her lips curl up as she finishes type everything into the computer system, before grabbing a label maker from the top drawer of her desk with a name-tag. She types out my name and presses the sticker to the top before extending it to me.

"Your temporary name-tag until I can get you a permanent one."

I take it from her and attach it to the white long sleeve cardigan I'm wearing.

"Is this okay? Taehyung wasn't very helpful when I asked him about the dress code."

"It's perfect." She nods and ushers me back towards the door, guiding me through to another room with a wall of lockers and a small table I can only assume is for breaks. "You'll learn to appreciate Taehyung's quirks. He's a bit of a mystery that one."

"Isn't he your son?" I laugh.

She smiles, but again doesn't answer, as she uses the latch, pulling open an empty locker for me to drop my bag into. "Well, since you came so prepared, we can get you started today. I'll have you work alongside Jimin to get to know how we operate around here, but first I'm going to take it that Taehyung didn't talk to you about your availability."

"Nope." I shake my head. "But I don't have any restrictions, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Great," she says as we step back on the floor, and her hand goes to rest on my bicep. "Then welcome to the Love Maze, Jungkook."

A genuine smile crosses my lips as we step back onto the restaurant floor. It feels like I'm dreaming because things are feeling normal again, like I'm finding a new purpose in life.

It's not perfect, and it's never going to be, but it'll get to some kind of state that maybe I can manage. Even if it feels like my lungs are on fire and the world is burning to the ground.

It's only the beginning of a new promise.

A promise to never forget, even if life moves on.

To hold on for dear life, and to never lose hope in the steadiness of the waves, and the clouds in the sky. If I can hold on to that, then maybe I can have the opposite with Yugyeom.

He isn't rational, but I need him, and I promised to never let go so, I won't.

Not now.

Not in a few days.

Not in a few years.

Not ever.

AN:- Hope you are enjoying this story....trust me its Endgame Taekook