⟨Jɪɱɪŋˈs pøʋ⟩

I was happy that Jungkook didn't reject my offer. I really want to spend some actual, happy time with him.

Mom had gathered all the necessary ingredients by the time Jungkook is done washing his dishes. Now, he's leaning on the counter, palms plopped on the surface, scanning the materials.

I read the ingredients from my phone. But before I start with the ingredients, I'd need a bowl, of course. I instruct Jungkook to get me one and he does while I arrange the ingredients I need so that I won't have to rummage through when I've already started making it.

"Add two eggs."

The recipe read. So I did what put two eggs. I let Jungkook do the next step, which is two put in one-fourth cup of oil. The next step says to add vanilla extract. I swear to god, I've never seen a container tinier than this. Then comes the softened butter. I realized that I'd just forgotten to take it out of the fridge.

Great.

Just as I was about to bang my head on the wall, Mom pushed the stick of butter towards me. Sure she's observant.

"See how much you need me?"

She says and I cringe at that, but of course, I know I need her. I let Jungkook whisk those ingredients together, which he does very passionately. I get started with the dry ingredients.

The first done is brown sugar. We don't have brown sugar, but Mom said the regular one will do the same job. The recipe says to put one and a half cups of it. Then a pinch of baking soda. We used about four spoons of cocoa powder instead of chocolate because Mom said it would taste better.

The next one was what Mom said was self-raising flour and although I don't know what that's supposed to mean, I take the pack that Mom handed me anyways.

The pack was pretty big, and the material was a million times thicker than Mom's patience because I kept pulling on it for more than five minutes and it wouldn't bulge. Now, I tend to get angry easily, but when I get angry, my brain just doesn't work. So forgetting the existence of scissors, I try to tear the pack open with all my might.

"Just pass it over to m-"

And before Mom could finish her sentence, I gained success in what I was doing. So much success that I tore it apart a bit too much, sending small particles of flour all over, and mostly, my face.

I stand there stunt, shocked at my own deed. Jungkook was standing just a few feet away. He took one look at me, and then, the unthinkable happened.

I know I'm exaggerating, but I can't help it.

His eyes crinkled up, his nose scrunching and his mouth spread all over his face, showing almost all thirty-two of his teeth.

He was smiling. No, laughing.

It made me realize that it is the first time have seen Jungkook even smile, let alone laugh. And it's definitely the most adorable thing I've ever heard. It's like a small child's giggle and he leans forward a bit while laughing, another gesture that I find very cute.

Mom joins him and I huff, pretending to be angry when in reality, I feel very happy. Jungkook's laugh might have just become my new favorite thing to listen to.

I go to the sink and wash my face.

"You should laugh more, you know."

He smiles shyly at me, ears turning red. The rest of the baking session went well and we did not burn the cake, thankfully. Jungkook liked it so little too much, so we made him eat two slices, though he hesitated.

After all of that was done, Mom sent us away to our room. It was now 1:00 pm. Jungkook and I took turns showering. Not gonna lie, Jungkook looks better than me in my 'The Beatles' T-shirt.

We sat on the balcony. It was a windy day, so the balcony was an ideal place during the afternoon. I hand Jungkook a book, which is obviously, my favorite, Harry Potter and more specifically, the Chamber of Secrets. It is my favorite one in the series. Jungkook just needs to read it.

I take 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. I've read this one before, but somehow, I can't stop re-reading it. As I flipped through the first hundred pages in an hour, something clicked in my head. Jungkook was immersed in the book, or at least appeared to, but I asked him the question anyways.

"What about school?"

He looks up at me, making sure the question was directed at him, so I closed my book and paid more attention to him.

"You've missed it for two weeks."

My voice trails off when I find my own sentence odd. I've never heard him mention anything about school. He waits a little, looking down at the book. I've realized that he had not read it at all, since he was still on the first page.

"Never went to one."

It broke my heart when he assured me my fear was the truth. But it still sounds so odd. How can a mother be this cruel?

"Never? Not even kindergarten?"

He shook his head as a no. Several thoughts surged through my brain. He's behind on a lot of general knowledge and he's already seventeen. It's too late to start.

He keeps staring at me for a short amount of time before he goes back to his book and pretends to read. I feel like it's wrong. He deserves to learn too. Not only that, but it's what he needs to keep himself alive in this world.

"What do you like the most?"

"I like everything here."

I smiled at the silly yet heartwarming reply. It made me happy that he's liking it here but he misunderstood my question.

"No, I mean what do you like to do?"

He shrugs a little, unsure himself about what he should answer. I feel bad that he had never been exposed to enough stuff to know his hobby.

"I like to draw. Or create things out of old, useless things."

So Jungkook's the creative type. It's good actually. There's so much to learn while being creative. Maybe I can take him to some museum someday, or show him some of the school projects I have kept safe from years earlier.

The second option seems more available. I think I have a small wooden house or something in one of the boxes in the attic.

I'll bring them downstairs tomorrow. I look back at Jungkook. This time, he's reading the book for real. I leave him be and stand up from my chair to get my other chores done.

I think we are doing a better job than his therapist. I believe he'll get better.

(A/N)

I PROMISE THIS IS THE LST CHAPTER OF THE WEEK-

I know I've been updating this one a lot but I've just been really excited to write the events of this chapter. I wanted to make some prominent progress in the characters lacking progress (then it's up to you if you wanna call it progress or not).

But seriously, this is the last update this week. But I hope you enjoy it! Happy reading!