ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 9: 평행우주 (ᴘʏᴇᴏɴɢʜᴀᴇɴɢ-ᴜᴊᴜ)- ᴘᴀʀᴀʟʟᴇʟ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ

Yi-Ahn went to the window and removed the curtains, ignorant about the view outside. As the curtain was slowly removed, and things came into her view, she couldn't believe her eyes. 

She couldn't believe anything she was seeing. 

She closed her eyes instantly and blinked a few times, hoping next time she looks, she'll see a completely different sight before her. She was hoping that she was tired and seeing things and it'll all disappear in a blink. 

But it didn't. It was the same thing that she saw moments ago and then it hit her in the head. 

She gasped and screamed at the top of her lungs at the same time her knees gave up and she fell onto the cold floor. 

She was trembling as drops of tears started flowing down her eyes. 

Her ears were still working as she could hear footsteps outside and soon after the door swung open. Footsteps grew closer to her and a feminine voice uttered, "Hey!" worry rushing through her voice. 

She sat on the floor beside her and cupped her face to make her look at her, "What happened? Why are you crying?" 

They were completely worried for her, but the tears won't stop. 

"Oh my God! Please calm down. What do I do?! Hey, do you need anything? Is there any pain? Are you hurt?" She was worried as hell and took her in an embrace. 

The bunny guy was sitting on the other side and her trembling hands were secured tightly into his strong, warm ones. 

That lady pulled away and wiped off the tears from her cheeks, "Calm down, dear. We're here." Her voice was full of sincerity. 

She looked at the guy, "Jungkook, help me to move her on the bed." and he followed. 

He removed his hands from hers and his left arm snaked into her waist while he was grabbing her shoulder with the right one. He pulled her up to stand on her foot but all of her weight was basically over him as she was grabbing into his shirt's collar and leaning into him, her head resting on his firm chest, breathing in his scent. 

If the situation was any better, then she probably would have taken this position so intimidating. But as she was a mess, to begin with, she didn't even notice his proximity. 

Now, she was sitting on the bed and after a lot of effort, they calmed her down and left her there to take some rest and relax. 

After Myeong Jo checked on her in Busan, Jungkook stayed there one day. He was business to deal with there. The whole time Yi-Ahn was unconscious. So, he had no choice other than to bring her to Seoul with him the next day. 

About Myeong Jo, she was more of happy to hear that. They decided that Jungkook would stay home for the day, looking after her while Myeong Jo will go to the hospital. Jungkook worked the whole day at home and checked on her every hour. 

It was at the mid-daniel when he visited her again and she was awake after three days straight. 
"It's brown, deep brown." he memorized the color of her eyes this time as he locked the door of her room. 

Yi-Ahn wasn't asleep. She got up from the bed after both of them left her alone, stood before the window, and removed the curtain again. Jupiter was not there anymore. The sky was under Daniel's control now. 

The only thing that changed now was the azure sky turned into vermeil. She knew it was going to happen. She saw it before, and she remembered it. 

Yeah, she remembered it all...

The memories Rivik was talking about, all of it ... is back now.

Though it still seemed a little surreal, but those memories knew, it was all real and true. 

She took time and stared at the vermeil sky for minutes until she felt her feet numb. Then went back to bed, sighing heavily. 

So, this is what they call a parallel universe? She was certain that it was anything other than Earth. The parallel universe just fitted right with everything. But the only question is, 

Why is she here?  

She tried to remember all the webtoons and K-dramas about the parallel universe to figure out why someone traveled through universes. But, it was in vain... She couldn't remember any solid reason. They just did... and most importantly, in dramas and webtoons, it was all fictional. But things that she was witnessing were definitely not fictional. Her life can't be fictional, right?

All she could manage to figure out with the memories of those stupid fictions was that, when someone traveled through universes, there was always a link between that universe and that person.
So, how was she linked with this universe?     

*Click 

The door opened, cracking through all her thoughts and Myeong Jo entered in the room with a bowl of soup and a glass of water on a tray in her hands. Behind her was Jungkook. 

She dropped the tray on the bedside table and sat at the edge of the bed beside her while Jungkook just kept standing behind her. "How are you feeling now?" Myeong Jo held her hands and asked in a worried tone. 

She smiled a little and nodded, "Better." 

"Fine. I'm almost out of my lunch break, so I'll have to leave soon. We'll talk a lot when I come back at night." She smiled back gently, "Oh, and eat the soup while it is hot. Jungkook will be here and take the dishes once you finish." 

Yi-Ahn nodded and thanked her. And shortly after that, Myeong Jo left leaving them both frozen in their place. 

Jungkook was the first one to move. He sat on the edge of the bed where Myeong Jo was sitting a while ago and suddenly Yi-Ahn was reminded of the time she held his shirt in her grip and was totally leaning over him. She remembered how he smelled. 

Petrichor. He smelled like Petrichor.  

"Finish it all," her thoughts were cut off by his voice. He gave her the spoon and set the tray before her on the overbed table. 

She silently obeyed, ignoring the proximity she was feeling. 

"Good," he uttered, as she finished all the soup. Well, telling the truth, she was kinda hungry and the soup tasted great. 

"Excuse me for a moment," he suddenly said leaving her confused. While he grabbed some napkins from the table and moved closer than he already was. 

Yi-Ahn couldn't help but hold her breath in with the sudden move. He slowly moved his hands against her skin, cleaning her mouth. 

She flinched as his hands touched her lips briefly before he moved away. 

She then finally breathed out, securely and smiled awkwardly. Jungkook didn't even look at her twice as he left the room with the dishes instantly. 

And now she was left there dumbfounded at what just happened.

'✵•.¸,✵°✵.｡.✰ _ ✰.｡.✵°✵,¸.•✵'

Jungkook 

I rushed back downstairs to the kitchen, dropped the tray on the sink and leaned against the counter, and finally breathed out. 

God! I was inches apart from kissing her! What the hell have I been thinking?! 

My hands reached to my mouth as I was breathing heavily dropping my head backward. I didn't know what happened to me... Whenever I am with her, I lose control over myself. Those deep brown eyes captivated me every time they looked into mine. 

The first day when I found her in the sea when she looked at me for the first time, I knew she was dangerous. Not in a bad way, but in a bad way for me. And now I am certain about that. 

It doesn't make sense for me to be attracted this much to a mere human being. But, it doesn't help at all...

 I did the dishes and then started cleaning the kitchen. Though there was not much to do, I just wanted to keep myself busy to remove her thoughts from my mind. Though it helped a little, still I was constantly reminded of her. 

The way my fingertips touched against her rosy lips, I wonder how soft and savory they'd taste against my lips... 

"N-no, no, Jungkook! Come to your sense!" I mind-yelled as i was rinsing the dishes. I left the dishes to air dry then before heading back upstairs.

Well, in a quick description, the second floor had 4 rooms in total. 2 on the left and 2 on the right. The first room on the left side was my room until three days ago before an unwanted guest who seems to do things with my heart claimed it. The second room on the left side is where I reside now...

Noona stays in the master bedroom downstairs and about the others, you'll know gradually. It's no fun telling everything from the beginning, right?

So what was I at? Yeah, at the stairs while I was heading to my room.

Shit.

Call of habit. I barged into her room totally forgetting that I was supposed to move even further, to the next room. And yeah... It had to happen. 

The most common scene of any romance-fantasy movie. 

She was nothing but in her towel, hair still damp evidencing the freshness from a not-too-long-ago shower.

Drops of water were falling down her wet hair as we both stood there shocked. She seemed puzzled for a while. Maybe she was debating if she should shout or not.

But in the end, she didn't.

As the same goes for me... Though I had no reason to do that in the first place.

"You should dry your hair if you don't wish to catch a cold." was all I managed to say. "The hair drier is on the 2nd cabinet for your kind information." I tried to sound as much as unwavering as possible since I didn't want her to find out the weakness going on inside me.

You should keep your distance from this one particular person. I reminded myself.

I turned to leave the room instantly after giving her the instructions but was halted by her hesitant voice.

"Umm... I was wondering if I could get something to change into..." she said from behind, nervousness clear in her voice.

"Grab anything you like from the closet on your left." I shrugged. Normally I'd never allow anyone to touch my belongings, especially, my closet. No, actually I hated it.

But for some reason unknown, I seemed extremely fine with this particular person. I would've asked noona to give her something to wear. But since she was not home, there was nothing else to do anyway. Finding clothes for a mere stranger in Noona's closet is the last thing I'd ever do.

I didn't wait a minute after giving her permission to touch my closet and left the room in a blink.

I should ask noona to give her some clothes later. I noted it in my mind.