CHAPTER THREE

The following weekend resolved all of Jungkook’s complains, regarding his neighbor, once and for all.

It was a fine Saturday Morning. Jungkook woke up way before he intended to but he was exceptionally happy after finalizing and getting a green signal once he submitted his project a couple of days ago. Just yesterday his boss had called in to express his delightfulness and appreciation in the appropriate manner.

He hummed under his breath while brewing some fresh coffee. The mere aroma of coffee was successful in thoroughly waking Jungkook’s mind. The summer has arrived with its beautiful clear sky and ever green trees all around, Jungkook appreciated as he walked toward his back porch, the cup of coffee secured in his hand.

It was only after two minutes that Jungkook became aware of the possibility that even at 8am on a fine Saturday morning; he was not the only one awake in the whole neighborhood. He watched with fascination when Rose gave a happy shriek while building some sort of sand castle in the tiny sand box, which was perch in one corner of her backyard. The poor child has to get up early every morning for school, thus she naturally wakes up early on weekends as well, Jungkook concluded. He could sympathies because he was just like her as well, in his childhood.

With another happy giggle, Rose leaped to her feet and ran inside her house to get something. Jungkook smiled unintentionally before taking the last sip of his coffee. Just when he turned around to head inside the house, with half a mind to call up his mother to let her know he would be spending the weekend with them, he heard a loud thud before a scream broke the peaceful silence of the area. He whirled around at the neck breaking speed and, to his horror; found Rose sprawled in the flowerbed of his backyard, near the fence that divided their houses.

“Rose,” Jungkook shouted while running toward the crying girl, who supported a blood gushing wound on her right arm. “How many times I have asked you not to jump over the fence?”

“J-Jung-k-kook O-Oppa…” The girl sobbed with her face contracted in a pained expression.

“Heaven Forbids!” Jungkook mumbled under his breath, going pale when he remembered that Rose was anemic and obviously losing so much blood wouldn’t play well in her favor.

Without pausing to think even for a second, Jungkook gathered the girl in his arms and ran to his car. Panicking and trying his best to sooth the crying girl, Jungkook drove with only half concentration but thankfully the roads were mostly clear of any traffic. Seeing how the pale yellow piece of cloth, Jungkook found in his car and wrapped around Rose’s bleeding arm, looked more red than yellow he took the girl to the nearest clinic he found for immediate action. He kept shouting how the girl was anemic and needed urgent care, as soon as he flashed inside the small clean building. The staff of the place was active and took immediate measurements to stop the bleeding within a couple of minutes. A doctor was called; Rose’s arm was stitched up, bandaged and forced in a sling in less than an hour. Jungkook took a sigh of relief once Rose’s rocking sobs changed to light sniffles.

Once whole ordeal was dealt with, the nurse called Jungkook to fill up some forms and that’s when he was forced to remind that he was neither girl’s father nor a guardian.

“Rose,” Jungkook started in a soft manner. “I need your father’s number so I can inform him where we are. Do you think you would be able to remember the number?”

Eyes still glistering with tears, the girl nodded with a pout before reciting the number, she most probably had learnt by heart. Jungkook gulped before channeling enough strength to hit the call button… because heaven forbids!! He was calling the guy he had seen twice by now.

It ranged for utmost 4 times before a panting and heaving voice was heard from the other side of the call. There was a clear note of panic in the sound that said a broken ‘H-hello?’

“Mr. Park Jimin?” Jungkook asked testily.

“Yes, Mr. Jeon?” The voice responded after it had gathered some breath to talk but his next words were full of desperation. “Please tell me you called to inform that Rose is with you.”

“Yes, she is,” Jungkook informed in a hurried manner, realization of his own stupidity crashing on him at that exact moment. Of course the man’s daughter was missing so he must be going out of his mind searching for her and Jungkook was calling him nearly an hour after the accident. “She fell and I panicked and drove her to medic care as soon as possible… I am so sorry for not informing you right away.”

“Oh Lord!” The voice exclaimed. “Did she hurt herself that bad? Where are you? I would be there right away.”

“I drove her to the nearby clinic,” Jungkook told him. “You know about that child specialist, Dr. Kim Seokjin? His clinic is a couple of blocks from our lane.”

“Yes, I know that place,” Now the voice sounded relieved and grateful at the same time. “I would be there in a couple of minutes since I am nearby. I just assumed Rose might have run off to the ice-cream shop she frequents and I am standing outside it now. Dr. Kim’s clinic is just a street away.”

After a couple of assurance of being no burden or problem, Jungkook was able to shake off the profusely thanking father. True to his words, Jimin came running in the clinic after just a few minutes. He directly went to the curtained bed, currently occupied by his daughter, starting fusing over the girl’s condition. Jungkook watched the line of worries disappearing once he himself had made sure his daughter would get to live after this. Of course the news of Rose’s arm attaining a hair thin fracture was alarming but Jimin took in the news with a brave face, while continuously telling his daughter that it was only a small fracture and she would be up and about in no time. Jungkook was fascinated at the positivity Jimin radiated just for the sake of small child.

“Can I take her home?” Jimin inquired after sometime.

“No,” The nurse replied with a grim face. “We need to run a few tests first. If you can wait outside the curtain, then we would appreciate it.”

Face filled with confusion and lips full of questions, Jimin was kicked out of curtained area without getting a single response. A frown sitting between his pretty brows, Jimin turned around and first time noticed Jungkook’s presence.

“Mr. Jeon,” He started with a pleased and grateful expression plastered on his face. “I can’t thank you enough for your kindness. It’s like God sent you as Rose’s guarding angel.”

“I wouldn’t go so far if I was you,” Jungkook chuckled in embarrassment. “And if truth be told she fell while jumping over the fence when she saw that I was standing on the porch. So I think it’s partially my fault.”

“No, trust me it’s not,” Jimin denied quickly but a smile was kept in its place. “Rose has always been a handful. Besides, she is super clumsy just like me so she tends to fall at least once every month… I am pretty use to it and I am sure you would get used to it as well.”

Jungkook was aware of the fact that the smile sitting on his lips was pretty goofy but for some weird reason just standing there and looking at his neighbor’s youthful face and smile, made him quite soft.

“I heard her scream and when I came out I only saw her toys scattered in the yard,” Jimin shook his head at the memory. “I honestly thought someone kidnapped her. Then I went to your house and knocked a few times but I noticed your car was not in the driveway so I assumed you might be away for the weekend… because even if you and Rose go for ice-cream you two go on foot so I thought she might not be with you or I would have called you immediately. God! I have never been so scared in my life. I truly thought I lost her and I would never be able to forgive myself-”

“You are an awesome dad,” Jungkook interrupted out of blue, gaining Jimin’s wide eyes stare. “I am gonna be honest… there was a time when I di