FLASHBACK

Hana walked down the quiet road, her hand clutching the strap of her bag tightly. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple. The faint sound of her footsteps echoed in the stillness, but it wasn’t long before she noticed an extra set of footsteps behind her. She sighed, her pace steady but her irritation evident.

"You really have no other things to do, huh?" she asked without turning around, already knowing who it was.

A familiar voice responded, light and teasing. "Why? Just admit it. You like me following you around. If you didn’t, you’d have made me stop by now. But you never do."

Hana halted abruptly, her annoyance bubbling to the surface. She spun on her heel to face him—Jaykay, with his signature smug grin and a casual swagger that never failed to get under her skin. "Oh really?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Without warning, she bent down, slipped off one of her shoes, and aimed it directly at him.

Jaykay’s eyes widened in sheer panic as he threw his hands up defensively. "Yah! I was joking! Put it back on, crazy woman!"

Hana smirked at his reaction, the sight of him fumbling to dodge her nonexistent throw oddly satisfying. She shook her head in mock disbelief as she slipped the shoe back on.

"God," he muttered under his breath as he approached her cautiously. "Girls are seriously scary sometimes. You could’ve actually thrown that, you know."

"And I might, next time," Hana shot back, though her tone was lighter now, a small, unbidden smile playing on her lips.

Jaykay noticed it, of course. He always did. His grin grew wider as he walked beside her again, his hands casually shoved into his pockets.

"You’re smiling. You can deny it all you want, but you enjoy having me around," he said, a teasing lilt in his voice.

"Enjoy?" Hana scoffed, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "More like tolerate. There’s a difference."

Jaykay clutched his chest dramatically. "Ouch. That hurts, Hana. Really, it does. Here I am, dedicating my time to you, and you call it tolerating?"

Hana rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a chuckle. "Maybe if you weren’t so annoying, I wouldn’t have to tolerate you at all."

He laughed, his voice warm and genuine, and for a brief moment, the two walked in companionable silence, the earlier irritation fading into something unspoken yet familiar.

As much as she hated to admit it, there was something about Jaykay’s relentless presence that made her feel... less alone. But she’d never tell him that. Not in a million years.

Suddenly, the sound of few other footsteps echoed from behind, breaking the playful atmosphere. Both Hana and Jaykay turned around, their expressions shifting from lightheartedness to curiosity.

"Isn’t that Minho and his gang?" Hana asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

Jaykay groaned, his annoyance palpable. "Oh god, why are they even here?"

"Should have thought about this before picking a fight with them," Hana muttered, crossing her arms. "Didn’t I warn you?"

Jaykay glanced at her defensively. "Oh, come on! What was I supposed to do? Stand there and let him irritate my girl?"

Hana shot him a glare, her cheeks heating up at his choice of words. "Your girl? Seriously, Jaykay?"

He smirked at her reaction, though it quickly faded when the gang started closing in. "Hey, don’t give me that look. I’m good at fighting, you know?"

"Yeah, so good that you ended up in the hospital two weeks ago," Hana shot back, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Jaykay pouted dramatically, but the urgency of the situation cut their banter short. Minho and his gang were getting closer, their smug grins and confident strides making it clear they weren’t here for a friendly chat.

"I’ve got a better idea," Jaykay said suddenly, his eyes lighting up with mischief.

"Wha— Yah!" Hana barely had time to react before Jaykay grabbed her hand, pulling her along as he bolted in the opposite direction.

"Jaykay, what are you doing?!" she yelled, her feet struggling to keep up.

"Saving us, obviously!" he shouted over his shoulder, his grip on her hand firm as the sound of Minho’s gang chasing after them grew louder.

"By running?!"

"Hey, I could’ve stayed and fought, but someone said I shouldn’t get into trouble again!"

"This isn’t what I meant!"

Jaykay glanced back, his grin undeterred even as they dashed through the narrow streets. "Trust me, Hana. I’ve got this under control."

"Control?!" she hissed, her frustration mixing with adrenaline. "You’re dragging me into your mess, you idiot!"

"Hey, I told you. You’re my girl. It’s only fair you’re part of my adventures!"

"Jaykay!"

Their voices faded into the sound of pounding footsteps, and frustrated shouts from Minho’s gang as the two disappeared into the labyrinth of streets, leaving chaos—and a peculiar sense of thrill—in their wake.

Jaykay ran fast, his grip on Hana’s hand firm, guiding her through the dimly lit streets. Rain began to fall in gentle drops, quickly escalating into a steady downpour. Their feet splashed through puddles as they hurriedly ducked behind a parked car. Hana crouched low, her breath coming in quick pants, while Jaykay peered over the edge, watching Minho and his gang sprint past them, oblivious to their hiding spot.

A small sigh of relief escaped Jaykay’s lips as he turned back to Hana. "Safe for now," he whispered, though his voice carried a hint of triumph.

She glared at him, her chest heaving. "You call this safe?"

But before she could launch into a full tirade, Jaykay stood and extended his hand to her, still grinning. "Come on, Princess. Let’s keep moving before they double back."

Hana hesitated for a moment, but his teasing smile was infectious. She rolled her eyes, placed her hand in his, and let him pull her to her feet.

As they started walking again, the rain grew heavier. Jaykay groaned, tugging her along. "We’re going to catch colds at this rate," he muttered, though his pace didn’t slow.

Hana followed without complaint, an unexpected smile tugging at her lips as the rain soaked through her clothes. The chaos, the thrill, and even Jaykay’s ridiculous antics—everything felt surreal, almost... fun.

Soon, they stopped under the shelter of a large tree. The leaves above provided little relief from the rain, but neither of them seemed to care. Hana leaned against the trunk, her eyes wandering to Jaykay. He stood a few steps away, his hair plastered to his forehead and water dripping down his face. Even drenched, his confident smirk never wavered.

He turned to her, catching her staring. His smile widened knowingly. "You’re staring," he said, his tone light and teasing.

Hana blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Huh?" she stammered, quickly looking away, her cheeks warming despite the chill in the air.

Jaykay chuckled, stepping closer. "Someone’s falling for me, huh?"

Hana shot him a glare, though the heat in her face betrayed her. "In your dreams," she muttered, but the way she avoided his gaze made her denial less convincing.

Jaykay only laughed, shaking his head. They stood there a moment longer, letting the rain ease. When the downpour finally stopped, the two began walking again, their footsteps slower, quieter, as if neither wanted the moment to end.

As they approached Hana’s house, the tension between them grew. She stopped a few feet from the front gate, turning to face him. "You better go home now," she said, her voice firm but soft. "If my father sees you, you’re dead."

Jaykay smirked, leaning slightly closer. "So... you care if I die?"

Hana rolled her eyes, pushing him lightly. "Shut up and leave already."

"Alright, alright," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He began walking away, his steps slow, almost reluctant. Hana stood there, watching his retreating figure, her heart suddenly heavy.

"Jay?" she called out impulsively, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

He stopped immediately, turning around with a curious smile. "Yeah?"

For a moment, Hana froze, her thoughts racing. She wanted to say something—anything—to let him know what she was feeling. Her heart screamed at her to be honest, to tell him the truth.

But fear held her back.

"Never mind," she said softly, forcing a smile. "See you tomorrow."

Jaykay looked at her, confused, but he didn’t push. He gave her a small wave before turning and disappearing into the distance.

Hana stood there for a long time, staring at the empty street where he had been. If only she had known... If she had known that this was the last chance she’d ever have to tell him how she truly felt... Would she have said it out loud?

~

Hana shoved her books into her bag, her movements sharp and unsteady, when Jungkook approached her, his expression unreadable but determined.

"Hey, can we talk?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual, almost cautious.

"I’m busy, Jungkook. Leave me alone," she replied coldly, her tone laced with exhaustion as she brushed past him. The memory of Jaykay’s lies, the revelation that his affection was nothing more than a ploy to get to her father, still loomed heavily over her.

Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair before following her. "Just listen, Hana. You don’t know the whole story yet. Maybe—"

"Just shut up, okay?" she snapped, spinning on her heels to face him. Her eyes, filled with unshed tears, burned with anger. "I’m done. Done with both of you."

Turning back to her locker, she inserted the key, her hands trembling slightly.

"Hana, wait—"

"Was it fun?" she interrupted, her voice cracking as she turned around to face him again. Tears threatened to spill over, and her chest heaved with the weight of her pain. "What did I ever do to you two? Huh?"

Jungkook froze, guilt flashing in his eyes, but she didn’t let him speak.

"Alright, I get it. The whole mess between our parents. The drama, the rivalry—whatever. But why me?" Her voice broke further, and she raised a trembling hand to wipe at her cheeks. "At least you’re honest. You hate me, and you show it. But your brother..." Her lips quivered as her voice fell to a whisper. "Your brother pretended to love me. Used me. Lied to me in the cruelest way."

"Hana, it’s not that simple," Jungkook said quietly, his voice almost pleading.

"Not that simple?" she echoed, her voice rising as she pointed to herself. "And what do I get in return, huh? Pain? And the title of ‘murderer’?" Her breath hitched, and the tears that had been threatening finally fell.

Jungkook flinched as her words struck him.

Hana turned back to her locker, yanking the door open. Inside, her books were buried under a pile of papers and notes scrawled with hateful words. The sight of them made her pause for a moment, her jaw tightening. Slowly, she gathered the hurtful letters and crumpled notes, her fingers trembling as she added them to the weight of her pain.

She slammed the locker shut and turned toward the trash bin in the corner of the hallway. Her steps were firm, resolute, as she marched toward it, Jungkook following closely behind.

"Hana," he said softly, his voice filled with something between regret and helplessness.

Without a word, she dropped the papers into the bin, the sound of them landing echoing in the quiet corridor. She stood there for a moment, her breathing uneven, before finally turning to look at Jungkook.

"I don’t care what you or your family have to say anymore," she said, her tone low but heavy with emotion. "I’m done trying to understand. Done letting you all hurt me."

Jungkook opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Hana walked briskly down the hallway, her steps echoing against the cold tiles, as Jungkook trailed behind her, his voice firm yet laden with frustration.

"Hana... I understand your anger," he said, his tone softening, though his pace quickened to match hers. "But just listen to me—"

She didn’t stop. She didn’t even glance back, her silence cutting sharper than any words.

Jungkook’s frustration boiled over. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and spun her around, pushing her gently but firmly against the locker. The metallic clang reverberated through the empty hallway as he trapped her there, one arm on either side of her, creating a cage—but leaving enough space not to overwhelm her.

"Stay there and fucking listen for a damn minute!" he snapped, his voice a mix of exasperation and desperation.

Hana froze, startled by his sudden intensity, her tear-filled eyes locking with his.

"He loved you, okay?" Jungkook said, his voice shaking slightly as he searched her expression for any sign of understanding. "I don’t know about the whole thing with your father or whatever mess this is... But he loved you. I saw it."

Her breath hitched, but she said nothing, her eyes widening.

"That stupid smile he had every damn time he looked at you? That wasn’t fake," Jungkook continued, his tone softening, though the edge of frustration still lingered. "Maybe it didn’t start that way. Maybe it wasn’t intentional. But by the end? He was in love with you. Believe it or not, that’s the truth."

Hana’s lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. Her tears, which she had been fighting to hold back, slid silently down her cheeks.

Jungkook sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, his own frustration melting into something more vulnerable. "I hated you," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I hated everything about you. But not him. Never him."

His dark eyes bore into hers, filled with sincerity and something close to desperation. "If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t have called you just before he died. Think about that, Hana. It has to mean something. It has to."

Hana shook her head slightly, tears spilling freely now, but her words remained trapped in her throat.

"Look," Jungkook said, his voice breaking, "I still hate you. I don’t trust you, and honestly, I wish I didn’t have to be here." His tone cracked with raw emotion, his vulnerability stark against his usual brashness. "But Jay wanted us in this together. He knew something was going to happen to him. He wanted us to figure out who killed him."

His voice dropped lower, filled with a pleading note. "So, for god’s sake, just... help me. Please."

Hana blinked up at him, her heart pounding, her chest tight with a whirlwind of emotions. For the first time, she saw something more than hostility in Jungkook’s eyes—a raw, unguarded need for her to understand.

-

A/N

Next chapter is out. Do vote and comment about how you feel about this chapter. Thankyou for reading. Have a great day. Love you all.