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"And she's picking you up from my place because...?"

"If she saw my rundown apartment she might think I'm a hood rat with no home training."

Jungkook side-eyed Mara. "Shut the fuck and help me up." She stretched her hand out and he helped her off the couch. Mara grabbed onto the crutch and placed it under her arm.

"You're lucky I still had that from the last time I got injured." Jungkook held onto her hand still. "Remind me why again you won't go to the hospital to get your ankle professionally checked out."

"Have you seen a hospital bill? If I'm dying I don't even want to be taken to the hospital. They'll charge me a fee for even breathing in there." Mara adjusted the crutch to and walked over to the door of Jungkook's home. She looked at the designer heels that were by the door and tried to ignore the uneasy sadness forming in her chest.

"He's a married man." She kept reminding herself. A man that has his life together at the age of twenty-three and a job with an income to support a family. She knew she wouldn't fit anywhere in the picture yet he kept her around. Mara knew her place but she wondered if he knew his.

Where did she place him in her life? Would he ever be more to her in the long run?

"Fuck this."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Mara quickly said. She was thinking out loud again. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off?" He took a step closer to her and looked down at the floor.

"Jungkook I said that I'm fine." Mara sighed and turned around to leave. Jungkook bit his lip, "I'm off today... you know if you wanna do anything. There's this new caribbean restaurant in the suburbs by that school you keep going to."

She paused and turned around, "Wouldn't you want to take your wife instead?"

Jungkook's jaw clenched. Mara saw the way his eye twitched from the question; how it aggravated him every time she mentioned his marriage. Even though they both knew the truth.

"She's currently abroad. She got a part in Paris Fashion Week and probably on the runway right now." He laughed dryly.

"So you want me to be your temporary wife for the week?"

"Yes" is what he wanted to say.

"I haven't seen you since you had that conversation with your mom which I feel partially responsible for but I just want to talk to you. So, I wanted to check on you."

"Wait—What do you mean?" Mara's curiosity was now peaked. She took a closer step to him as his gaze was now on the floor. "Jungkook, what the hell did you tell that woman?" Now Mara was the aggravated one, her hand gripping the crutch that was supporting her sprained ankle. If she could she would have swung the thing at his good-looking face.

"I gave her the suggestion that you two should talk. Now—"

"Are you fucking kidding me!?"

"Now before you even try and swing that crutch at me, I did this with the best intentions that you can have someone besides me in your corner. Mara," Jungkook took hold of her hand and caressed it gently. "I love you...but your heart will grow cold. You've helped me out in times I needed someone the most and now I wanted to do the same."

"By letting the woman who abandoned me, waltz back into my life like she didn't leave me to bury the only family I had left!" Mara's voice shook Jungkook to his core. "You've seen how much shit I went through because of her and you just thought I would welcome her with open fucking arms?!"

"I did it for your own good! Could you please stop running for once." Jungkook's tone sent chills down Mara's spine. Then her phone rang, signaling that Jennie was outside.

"I gotta go." She didn't hesitate to open the door this time, slamming it shut and not even caring about the pain in her leg when she went down the steps. Jungkook stayed inside, cursing under his breath repeatedly before combing through his hair.

"This neighborhood is rich as hell bitch—Oh my god! What happened to your ankle?!"

"Drive please. I'll tell you on my way there."

***

Mara

"Oh my god!"

"I know right."

"That's so romantic." Oh for fucks sake. I rolled my eyes as my lip twitched in disgust from Jennie finding my first date to be romantic. I can't say it wasn't was until towards the end where we both left each other hanging.

"He rescued you in the rain. I'm pretty sure if he had enough time he would have swept you off your feet." She said while stuffing her face with waffle fries. I on the other hand simply played with my food, not having the appetite for this expensive college meal.

And I always have an appetite.

We were on campus today in the dining hall. Jennie wasn't kidding that they use your ID for everything. I couldn't actually go ahead and grab food because that is the only thing you actually need to buy.

"You're not eating? Are you okay? Did you burst your appendix too while you guys ran through the rain?" Jennie noticed it too. There were a lot of things on my mind at the moment.

Jungkook's habit of playing hero hasn't gotten on my nerves until now. It's one of the things I dislike about him and our relation-shit. He treats me like a charity case sometimes only because he saw how poorly my life was at the time. When we first met, despite being older than him, he treated me like I was his younger sister.

It felt nice having someone else treating me to something; to have him close to me made me feel a sense of belonging when I desperately needed it.

Now it was just getting out of hand. Out of all people, my mother was the one person he wanted me to get close to. I have Jennie. I have Jacey and the kids. I have Miss Jackson. I have Hoseok.

I didn't even notice the smile on my face when I thought of his name.

Fuck, I felt my heart squeezing, my stomach turning and the back of my head started to hurt a little. I have Hoseok. The sweetest and funniest guy to actually see me in my natural light. He is so real. Real to me and for me.

"Hellooo?" Jennie snapped her fingers. "Is she done reminiscing?"

"Bitch please. Quit being so weird." I scuffed.

Jennie lifted her hands defensively, "Bitch you're the weird one. You're not eating, spaced out like you just snorted coke, smiling over a man, and got me forging an identity for you." Jennie whispered the last part while she dramatically recalled most of the shit going on right now.

"Can I not enjoy the little fun I'm having?"

"Not if it gets you in trouble and kicked off the campus." She sips her drink loudly. "Fuck you. He's absolutely worth sneaking into this bitch. He's probably the realest person out of everyone here."

"Alright then, if you wanted to be around him so bad then call him and find his ass. I'll eat my food in peace." Jennie turned her back to me while I laughed and rolled my eyes.

That's when it hit me.

"I can't." I paused and looked up. "Hm? Why not."

"I don't have his number."

"Oh my fucking god—Mara!" Jennie looked at me, highly disappointed at me. She gave me that look that said I fumbled the bag.

"YOU FUMBLED THE FUCKING BAG!" She shouted and I had to quickly hush her up.

"Firstly, don't ever say that again. Secondly, it slipped my mind." It really did slip my mind. How am I suppose to contact him now. While Jennie curses me out for being so brain dead I look up and notice the baby blue hair that enters the cafeteria and sits right just a few inches away from us.

"Like be so fucking forreal—"

"Oh my god it's his friend. Bitch don't look—" She looked anyways.

"Who? The blue hair?" She whispered. I nodded and Jennie leaned in to get a closer look. "He's okay. I've seen him before. OHMYGOD!! He's the bisexual guy that dated that girl. She was a bitch."

"Could you be any louder?!" I looked in his direction to see he was sitting alone with his phone and a coffee. He looked up and I quickly looked away before we could make eye contact.

"What are you waiting for? Go ask him for Hoseok's number."

"No. God no. He doesn't like me."

"Say who?"

"The first time we met we really weren't on good terms."

"That's in the past and he can't be that bad of a cock block? Do you want me to ask for you?" Jennie stood up and started walking. I quickly got to my feet and held her back. "No sit back down! Jennie stop!"

"Ok then do it yourself."

Jennie turns around and pushes me forward. I almost trip when I'm by his table. I stop myself as I stand by the chair smiling awkwardly at him.

"Excuse me." I said shyly.

He doesn't look up. Instead his eye brow twitches as he stares down at his phone. I clear my throat, "Hi." I say a little sternly and he looks up. We make eye contact and I'm frozen in my spot. It's as if his gaze turned me into stone and I can't move.

Is he always this cold?

"Is there a problem?"

"No—no definitely no. Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"Sorry I'm busy." He shuts me down and looks away.

"It'll be really quick, one and done and I'll be out your hair." I laugh trying to resist the urge to cuss this man out. Busy? Busy sitting on your ass and pretending to check your fucking emails?

"Whatever you want it's not worth his or your time. I'm not just gonna help some random try to get with my friend."

"Excuse me." Some random? Some fucking-random? I'll show him random.

"Well this random has a fucking name you twit. If your head wasn't so shoved far up your ass you wouldn't be acting like a snob."

"What the fuck did you say to me!?" He stood up and came towards me. I didn't back down, "You heard me." I notice all the eyes looking at us and I feel someone take a hold of my hand.

"When I said do it yourself, I didn't mean cause a problem."

"The only problem here is his busted ass hair dye." His nose flares and I'm about two seconds from taking my earrings out.

"Hi. I'm so sorry about my friend. We just wanted Jung Hoseok's number—" Jennie said nicely.

"Well tell your friend that I'm not giving out his number to some wannabe bratz doll. The real problem here is that she found the audacity to even fucking approach me."

"OH YOU DID NOT JUST—" Jennie quickly came in between us while I push my ways towards him. She's holding me back while I cuss up a storm in this cafeteria. Phones are out and people are staring but I just gave away my last fuck to give.

"Im done here."

"YOU FUCKING BETTER!"

He leaves and I'm back at the table huffing up a storm. "That little—"

"Jimin, what happened? What's going on?" The voice that I hear both aggravates me and gives me relief. I turn around and see Hoseok standing by his friend who's pointing towards me. Hoseok looks up at me and has a weird look on his face. He sighs before rubbing his forehead. The moment he walks over to me I stand up with my arms crossed.

"Mara—"

"Whatever that little baby face fuck told you is a lie. I was trying to be nice and he came at me with an attitude—"

"Mara"

"—and I'm trying to be respectful until he decides to just—"

"Mara! Listen to me." Hoseok's voice is stern and he takes my hand. I don't say anything as he suddenly drags me out do the cafeteria. I turn around to look at Jennie for help and she's already packing our stuff up.

"Ow! Slow the fuck down!" He's still moving as I wince from the pain in my damn ankle.

"Could you—" I wiggle my hand free. "Fucking wait! Ow." I quickly lean against the wall. We're standing by the entrance and I keep it together the best that I can despite the pain and the embarrassment I'm currently experiencing.

Hoseok finally turns around to me with the most serious expression I've ever seen on him.

"We need to talk."

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i did my best limiting myself because this was a lot

hope you enjoyed reading :)