𝐵𝓁𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝑀𝑒

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 24

Giving a statement to the police wasn't as tough as I thought it was going to be. A nice police officer sat me down in a small room with no windows, offered me something to drink, and then asked a few questions about my relationship with Ben, and especially on what had happened on that night.
It only took about twenty minutes, then she escorted me back outside, where jungkook was waiting for me.

Now he's driving toward my apartment, the car slowed down by the traffic, his right hand on my knee. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah" I reply softly. "It wasn't easy to relive it, but it's over. I'm fine." I run my fingers over his hand. "Thanks for taking me. How was your day?"

"Stressful" he sighs, eyes on the road ahead. "I'm dealing with a tough company acquisition and it's driving me insane." He briefly turns to me, his lips pointing upwards in a mischievous grin. "Now I'm better,though."

"I'm glad."

"What about you?" he then asks, as he squeezes my knee. "How was your day?"

This is the perfect chance to tell him about the trip. "All good. Class was okay, and I had lunch with my friends. They're eager to meet you." I clear my throat, biting the inside of my cheek. "Speaking of them... In a few days it will be Pilly's birthday. Her mom gifted her a mini trip to New York, and I'm going, too."

"New York?" he repeats after me, giving me a quick glance.
"It's a nice gift."

"It is" I agree, a small smile blooming on my lips. "And I'm glad to be spending some time with my friends. We've been kind of drifting apart because of busy schedules and such, so it's a good opportunity to reconnect."

jungkook drums his fingers on the steering wheel, staring thoughtfully ahead. "I see. Where will you be staying?"

"Oh, uhm..." I dig up my phone from the bag and check Pilly's last email, containing my plane tickets and a copy of the hotel reservation. "It's a youth hostel. Nothing fancy, but we'll be out exploring the city most of the time, so it's great."

"A youth hostel?" he asks, a dubious edge to his voice.

"One of those cheap places you book when you're young, broke and eager to travel" I explain, trying to hold back a laugh. "You often share rooms and bathrooms to save some money."

There's a moment of silence before he says, "I'll upgrade your accommodation."

"What?" This time I don't even try to hide my laughter. "No.
There's no need."

"There is" he replies, not as amused as I am. "I don't like the idea of you sharing a room with strangers. Or a bathroom" he adds, slowly articulating each letter. "Something could happen to you."

"Something could happen to me anywhere, at any given time" I reply, arching an eyebrow. "Even now. Besides, I'm only sharing the room with my friends. Pilly's mom booked a triple room just for the three of us."

He looks at me for a moment, but he averts his eyes so quickly I can't read his stare. "You'd be putting yourself in a dangerous situation. A perfectly avoidable one, too."

"Just because a place is cheap, it doesn't mean it's dangerous" I try to reason with him, ignoring the irritation surging up in my chest. "I'll be okay."

It's like I haven't spoken, because he goes on, "I'm upgrading your accommodation. End of story."

"You're upgrading absolutely nothing" I reply, a laughter of disbelief hidden behind my words. "This is a gift from my best friend's mom, and she was kind enough to include me as well, paying for me. You're not going to offend her or embarrass me, okay?"

Jungkook cocks an eyebrow. "How would it offend her?"

"You'd be basically saying what she was able to afford is not good enough" I explain, trying to stay calm in front of his arrogant obliviousness.
"I'm not letting you. I'll stay in that youth hostel, whether you like it or not."

"Let's think this through" he insists, stopping at a red light. "What if I talked to your friend's mom? I could tell her this upgrade is a good thing for the three of you. You'd be staying in a nicer, safer hotel. How does the Waldorf-Astoria sound? It's on Park Avenue. You'd be well connected to safely explore the city."

I shake my head. "No. You'd offend her." He restarts the car as soon as the light turns green, his big hands gripping the wheel.

"You don't know. She could be happy about it."

"Maybe" I blurt out, fed up with his insistence. "Maybe not. You're absolutely right, I don't know. What I do know is that I don't want you to upgrade the fucking hotel. Is that clear?"

He doesn't look at me, but I see him clenching his jaw. "I'm not letting you stay somewhere unsafe."

"jungkook, you're not my father" I articulate. "I've never had one, and I certainly don't need one now. Stop trying to boss me around."

"I just want you to be safe" he replies, a frustrated edge to his words. "How is that me trying to boss you around?" I take a deep breath, trying to ease the rage burning inside me.

Throwing a tantrum wouldn't help. "I've been looking after myself ever since my mom died, and I've been doing a damn good job, if you ask me."

"y/n, please." jungkook takes a deep breath, eyes on the road unrolling in front of the car. The traffic is finally starting to clear up. "I've never said you can't look after yourself."

"You're implying it" I point out. "It's obvious. Don't try to deny it."

The car finally comes to a stop in front of my apartment building, and jungkook turns to properly face me. "You've had a tough life, baby. Is it such an awful thing that I want to take care of you?"

I'm slightly taken aback by the tenderness in his voice and eyes, but I don't let it get to me. "There are many ways to take care of people, jungkook. Ordering them around is not part of it."

"God" he groans, running his hands through his dark hair. "Why can't you just listen? This is for your own good." He peers at me through his long eyelashes. "You saw what happened last time you didn't listen to me."

For a solid second I find myself unable to say anything, shocked by his words. "You can't be serious right now."

"I most certainly am" he replies, not a hint of hesitation in his tone.

"You're not holding what happened against me" I murmur, my voice unsteady. "I know you're not."

His stare is grave and heavy on me. "It's the truth. I almost lost you because you didn't want to listen."

"I was barely scratched." I let out an incredulous laugh. "And it's not the point. I made a mistake, yes, but this doesn't mean I'm uncapable of deciding for myself."

"y/n-"

"No" I interrupt him, unwilling to listen to his foolishness. "No. You're not my father and I refuse to let you dictate my life. We're..." I wave my hands, struggling to find the right word. "We're dating, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me what to do."

Softness dusts his eyes, but I can still see the frustration hiding just beneath. "I want to protect you." "You shouldn't be doing that" I reply in a small voice. "You should support me and be there for me, and you're amazing at it, but it isn't your job to protect me. See you when you stop being so controlling, jungkook."

He tries to argue with my logic, but I don't give him the chance: I quickly grab my stuff and hop off the car, running to my apartment building.I'm going to need some time.