"I love you, Kim Taehyung. Forever and always. Rest In Peace."
-JJK
"I love you, Jeon Jungkook. Forever and always. Move on."
-KTH
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[Listen to Would I by Maggie Lindemann]
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Two Years Later.
The Year 2022. March 23rd.
"How are you doing these days?" MoonByul's voice rung through Jungkook's phone. The sweet flow of her voice singing like a long lost lullaby.
"I'm alright." Jungkook answers simply.
"Can you believe it's been two years already?" Jungkook's distant friend mentioned.
Two years. Had it already been that long? The life he used to live seems like a distant dream now, but—Jungkook must've not realized how much time had past since then.
Since he lost him.
"Not really." A dry chuckle. Humorless and emotion-lacking.
A sigh came from the other line. "How are you..." She trailed, "—How are the flashbacks? Better?"
The flashbacks. Ah, yes...those. Well, how were they? Jungkook had to think about that one.
It had been almost two weeks since his last flashback. Since the last painful—aching, memory of him. He could barely mention his name now. Even after two years.
So many sorrowful nights. So many times did he wake up suddenly, in a cold sweat and sobbing, due to memories of him. Flashes of him dying.
They hadn't even found his body. Not even now. Everyone just assumed it was burned to ash during the explosion. But Jungkook somehow still had a sliver of hope that he was still alive...even though there was no way he was.
"They..." It was his turn to trail off. Jungkook cleared his throat, attempting to erase the lumb from his throat. "It's been two weeks since I last had one. So that's...progress."
"It is, Jungkook." MoonByul said sweetly, he could almost see the smile that she most definitely was sporting as she uttered those words. "That's good. How's counseling going? Alright?"
What is this? A interrogation? Jungkook thought you himself. He had become much more distant than he was two years ago. More closed off—emotionless. He had to be...to survive.
He had been going to counseling for a year now. Though, it did help to talk about what happened, he did have to fib a bit to keep his real past a secret.
"He died in a fire...it was an accident." He would lie. But it allowed him to talk about his once-lover's death, without revealing his illegal identity.
"Good. It's been helping, though it still hurts." Jungkook opened up, surprising himself a bit. However, it used to be normal for him to talk to MoonByul in this way. Maybe it was a force of old habit.
It had been four months since they officially talked. Seeing as MoonByul had a job as a interior designer for big fashion companies, plus keeping up with her always traveling model girlfriend. Who just so happened to be none other then Ahn HyeJin.
Yeah, a surprise. But, they seemed to just click after the big incident. Theh had officially started dating about a year ago.
And then there was Jungkook. He was currently employed as a manager at BigHit Entertainment. A big idol company.
He had first started as a intern but quickly climbed the latter to a high manager position in the last year or so. That is, after he got a new identity and started to move on with his life.
Something he found to be one of the most difficult things he had ever done. But he did...and now he was here, at his penthouse, on the phone with his more distant friend—catching up on their lives.
"I would expect it to be..." MoonByul said softly, more in a whisper. More airy and sorrowful. "He...Taehyung meant a lot to us all...even though we didn't connect to much. He meant a lot—"
"Means a lot. He still..." Jungkook tried to swallow the sour taste in his mouth, ignoring the uncomfortable twisting of his stomach. "He still means a lot to me."
MoonByul sighed again, she understood. "Yes, of course. He means a lot to you. So, he means a lot to us." She corrected. Although, it didn't settle Jungkook's hurt.
"Thank you." Jungkook said. She had done so much for him, checking on him every week or so. Making sure he was doing alright and hadn't—well, tried to leave again.
"Yeah." She paused. "So I heard you're coming to America in a few days."
Hoseok must had told her that. He also worked for BigHit Ent., but as a choreographer. He wasn't as high up as Jungkook was but they did run into each other sometimes.
They were friendly, especially after what happened. They both cared deeply for him and they both respected each other. That was the main reason they didn't separate completely.
As for Jimin—well...it took him a while. A while to accept that Jungkook wasn't the cause for his friends death. But, after a few months of persuasion from Hoseok and some time apart from Jungkook and the life they used to live—he realized that Jungkook was also hurting...and that he cared for him as well.
That Jungkook didn't want what happened to him to happen.
"I am, yeah." Jungkook put it simply.
MoonByul clicked her tongue. "Where are you staying when you get here? HyeJin has a photo shoot in New York in a few days, so if you're going there then we should meet up."
Jungkook smiled softly. He hadn't seen them in at least six months. "I am. That sounds nice. Let me know when you are free and I will put it on my schedule."
MoonByul cheered softly. "Yay! Okay. Sounds good. I'll see you in a few days then!"
Jungkook felt the sick feeling from earlier fade, instead replaced with giddiness. He would be seeing his friend again. He was grateful for that.
"Yup! See you then." Jungkook smiled more.
They hung up and Jungkook let his phone shut off. He had a lot of work to do before the meeting being held in America.
B.H. was having a huge meeting with their associates to discuss their upcoming fame and production process. Just a routine check up to make sure everything was going well.
Nothing Jungkook wasn't prepared for.
Although, what he would be met with in America was something he would never be prepared for.
-
THE SEQUEL IS OOOOUUUTT!!!
I actually am writing this after I posted chapter twentY fouR, and don't know exactly when this will come out but I'm hyped for it.
What do you think is waiting for Jungkook?
How do you feel about this chapter?
All the members moving on with their lives?
I hope you enjoyed!
Xoxo,
- Min ;)
Jungkook looks kinda like this now...^