Can't Be Without You | Jungkook

Part 10

**

It took a few days but Jungkook finally sent you that much-deserved apology, although in an undeserved way because you definitely deserved more than an "I'm so sorry for everything" text message.

It's what he wanted to say but not how he wanted to say it. He is sorry for everything - that seems like a safer way to put it; listing it all down will just cause him panic to realize you have all the reasons to walk away from him and he wouldn't be able to pull out the "best friend card" and ask you to stay.

He shouldn't deserve your forgiveness but you give it anyway. "It's okay, Kook," you replied. "Take care of yourself."

No snide remark, no nagging, no plans to see each other again. No affirming or encouraging message. Why does it seem so final?

After that, there's radio silence on both your ends. You don't message about movie night and haven't been doing your grocery shopping during your usual time; he's stopped showing up at your door, too - beaten up or not.

It was one drunk night when his loose fingers shot you a text - Hey, wanna hang out? He didn't even mean to send you a message but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt him when you didn't reply.

It was a drunken morning though, when he received a message from you of a link to an announcement that applications for this one college have started, and he'd been too bitter, too ashamed to respond. He didn't think he was stable enough for that. You'd definitely be disappointed again, seeing as he's not keeping his word about going back to school. That and because he'd been fighting every week again.

He's just glad he recovers fast so he doesn't lose too many days to get the swelling down, but that also means needing to pick up more shifts at the supermarket. That's when he sees you - Friday after work, with Jin by your side.

You're holding hands, and that's the only confirmation he needs. That's why you haven't been calling, Jungkook concludes. His heart hurts at the sight more than he expected, but he convinces himself that it's just an effect of being away from each other for over two months.

**

"Sure, Jungkook, you just miss her. It totally has nothing to do with the fact that there's this really good, stable guy who's so right for ___ and you're not at all afraid that it might be too late for you," Yoongi points out.

He presses the alcohol-soaked cotton on the cuts near Jungkook's scalp and the younger man winces at the pressure. Yoongi is definitely not gentle like you, in more ways than one. But Jungkook will take it though. His friend is now his designated nurse, seeing as he's too much of a coward to go knocking at your door.

Yoongi doesn't tell him that you still wait every week for Jungkook though, making sure you're still home by at least 10PM even after your dates with Jin. Yoongi doesn't know how Jungkook will take it.

Hearing his fear verbalized doesn't sit well with him so he deflects. "What are you on about, Yoon? ___ and I are just best—"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Jungkook," Yoongi glares at him and proceeds to bandage the remaining cuts on his face.

Jungkook sighs. "It's true, though. You know how hard it was for her during those years. I couldn't just let her go through all that on her own," he says, recalling all the nights he'd had to search for you after you called him crying, telling him you don't know where you are. "And how hard it's been for me, too. It's natural for best friends to be there for each other, you know?" He continues, trying his best to convince the man and himself.

"You seriously think there's nothing more? On either end?" Yoongi asks, partly in shock, partly annoyed. Jungkook is seriously being a pain in his ass, in more ways than one.