ONE

Running through the street, that's what she was doing. Nari wanted to get to her job, the bus had taken a few more minutes to arrive to the station. The convenience store she worked at had opened already.

"Good morning, sorry I'm late." she calls as she opening the door. She was met with an old friend.

He chuckled, "Good morning, Miss Yun."

She jumped startled at the known voice. It was her best friend, Jimin who had applied to the job with her and both got picked. The boy she learned was her childhood friend three years ago now had grown up into a man. He had light brown hair now, instead of the orange hair that she was used to see him with. It was nice to have him there with her, to see a known face.

"Don't scare me like that," she whines, "you work today?"

Jimin ran a hand through his  hair, as he trailed behind her to their break room, "No, but Piper called me in to work."

Nari nodded and let out a small chuckle, "Because of me. I'm sorry Jimin."

"It's okay, don't worry. It means I can save up more money for an apartment." he told her as she put on her blazer as part of her uniform.

"How everything with your parents?" she asked him, settling in behind the register.

Jimin sighed, taking a box from the storage room and walking to the front aisle, "They're letting me work here, but they kicked me out of the house." He put a packet of ramen on the top shelf.

Nari widened her eyes, "They kicked you out?"

Jimin nodded, continuing his job.

"Do you have a place to stay? I could talk to Eun and we could let you stay in the guest room." she reasoned with him.

"Thank you, I talked with Yoongi and he's letting me stay with him for the time being." Jimin told her calmly.

Nari nodded. Jimin's parents wanted him to work at the family company once he graduated. He didn't want to work there, he had told Nari once that he wanted to figure himself first and then plan his future. That had included him not working at the company. He had broken the news to them, and let's just say that they didn't take it lightly.

Out of nowhere he stopped arranging the shelves. Jimin began playing with his hands, a sign that he was nervous.

"I hate to ask you this, since it's a sensitive subject but," he sighed, before continuing his train of thought, "have you talked to him?"

No she hasn't.

She hasn't spoken to him, even if she wants to.

She shook her head, "No, the second time I called him," she arranged the items behind the register in an attempt to distract herself, "the second time I tried, he just hung up and sent me a text that said to not call him ever again."

"It's been three years Nari–" Jimin begun to speak but Nari interrupted him.

Three years since he was shot by Suk in the back of the van.

Three years since that day that she felt a part of her almost die.

Three years where she hasn't seen him.

Three years where they don't know what he's doing or where he is.

Three whole years.

Turning around abruptly to see her friend, her voice croaked, "You think I haven't realized that, Jimin? I  didn't do anything wrong and somehow he decides to leave all of us without a good bye."

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows walking to her to hug her tight, "I know. I know, Nari," he responded, "I just want to know if he's okay, every time any one of us call him he doesn't answer; he seems to answer only to you."

She had heard the boys who were now a part of her family say that Jungkook didn't answer them at all. The calls always went straight to voicemail. Meanwhile, the two times she's called, he answers for a few minutes but tells her the same thing; not to call him again. Jungkook hasn't spoken to them and to his family in three years, that wasn't something he used to do.

"He answers to tell me the same thing over again." she responded with her head on his chest, he was running his hands through her arms as he tried to soothe her.

Just as Jimin was about to respond to her, the break room bursted open. Piper, the manager, had appeared.

"Piper. Is everything alright?" Nari greeted as she left Jimin's embrace.

"Someone left these for you yesterday." Piper said, hiding something behind her back.

Nari furrowed her eyebrows.

"Who?" Jimin and Nari said at the same time which caused the both of them to look at each other before chuckling.

The petite, blue haired girl responded, "Jaebum."

She gave her the flowers she had hidden behind her back.

They were lilac colored tulips. Lilac was Nari's favorite color.

Jimin scoffed, "I'll take these with me." he took the flowers, walked to the door, opened it and chucked the flowers with such force that they ended up on the other side of the street.

Piper laughed.

"Jimin!" Nari hit his shoulder.

Jimin shrugged, "We aren't accepting any flowers given by douches who break hearts, not in this house."

"You need to stop," Nari sighed, pushing her red hair to the side, "how am I going to explain to him what happened with the tulips?!"

"Tell him a dog ate them, or better yet," Jimin sounded like he was getting aggravated, "tell him the truth; tell him that I threw the tulips away and see how he takes it!"

Nari rolled her eyes at her best friend, "Listen, just because he got off on the wrong foot with you once in the night shift, doesn't mean that you can be harsh on him." she tried reasoning.

The boy turned to Nari and began, "It's not just that, he's trying to win you over and don't get me wrong," he paused, "you have every right to love someone again; you deserve to love again, but there's just something that's off."

Nari sighed, "I already love someone."

Jungkook.

"But, remember what you told me?" He asked her.

The tears were about to fall from her eyes at the thought. She knew what he was going to say.

She just didn't want to hear it.

"Jungkook told you the first time you called him to move on, to live your life," Jimin told her, "and he told you to tell us the same thing. I know it hurts, Nari. That boy is like my little brother, and I wish he was here right now or at least I wish to know if he's okay. But for some reason, he wishes us to live our lives without him; he wishes for you to find love again. I know he does."

"That's the thing, Jimin," she feels the tears on her eyes, "I can't move on; because I still love him, because he's a part of my life and he means everything to me." she let out before putting her head on her hands.

Her heart belongs to him. She knows it. There's no way that she can move on.

She hasn't moved on, and she doesn't plan to.

"Back to work!" Piper warned them both. Nari composed herself and began her job once the first customer walked in.

-

"Jungkook!"

"Jungkook, no!"

"Please, let me go to him—"

"Please! I need to know if he's okay!"

"I've fulfilled my mission, Nari. I finally got my revenge on all of you, specifically him."

"It's a shame he turned you into one of them."

She sits up rapidly, the covers of her bed let the breeze sweep in, giving her goosebumps. Her heart thumps in her chest. She needs to call him.

Taking the phone, she puts it on speaker. It rings once, it rings twice.

At the third ring, his melodic voice fills her ears.

"Hello?"

"I just wanted to know if you are okay."

"who–Nari? I thought I told you–"

"Not to call you again, I know. I just needed to hear your voice this once."

"Nari, you had that nightmare again?"

"Yeah, but knowing you're okay calms me."

Silence invaded their call. It wasn't like this. Their calls would never be this awkward. This was their new reality.

"Well, is that's all–"

"Did you find him?"

"No."

"Where are you now?"

"Not telling you."

"It's been three years, everyone's been asking about you."

"I'm aware that it's been three years, Nari."

"Jungkook–"

"Don't expect me to go to Busan ever again; I'll put everyone in danger. It's better this way and you know it."

"But–"

"No. This is something that I need to settle by myself. I should go."

"Wait, please. We weren't like this."

"There isn't a 'we' anymore, it's for the best. Say hi to the hyungs and my family for me. Good night."

Just like that, her tears started falling from her eyes again. Three years. He has disappeared for three years, no one knows where he is. Not even Nari.

But if there's something she learned through the boys, it was to never give up.

She wasn't giving up on finding him. She'll keep trying, no matter how many years it might take. Nari will find Jungkook.