CHAPTER XXIV

Jiyeon was so exhausted after spending the whole day at the amusement park with the girls that she falls asleep once she entered the car when they were going back home earlier. V decided not to follow them when seeing Jungkook didn’t move an inch from kneeling in front of the gate with tears flowing on his cheeks silently when they were leaving the house earlier. He couldn’t possibly still waiting there, right? Rosé suddenly thought.

“Can we stop by the convenience store? I wanted to buy snacks for tonight,” Lisa requested.

“Okay,” Jennie responded.

“Lisa-ah, can you buy something for me as well? Just buy anything. Buy varieties of snacks,” Rosé asked Lisa who is sitting beside her at the back seat. Lisa nods.

As they arrived the convenience store, all Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo went inside the store except for Rosé since Jiyeon is sleeping on her lap. After finished buying, they continued driving straight home since all of them were exhausted as well. When they arrived home, Jennie gasped.

“What happened, unnie?” Rosé asked.

“Chaeyoung-ah, he’s still there. In front of the gate,” Jennie told Rosé. Rosé tilt her head and look to the front. She saw Jungkook sitting by the gate while hugging his knees but there is no V there. Probably he had already went home.

“Just park the car into the garage and get inside. I never told him to wait for me,” Rosé said.

Jennie turns looking at Jisoo beside her. Jisoo nods, signalling that Jennie should just listen to what Rosé said. They wouldn’t want to create trouble again with Rosé. Enough with the misunderstanding that occurs.

Rosé lift Jiyeon inside and went straight to Jiyeon’s bedroom to put her on the bed after Jennie parked the car into the garage. After wiping Jiyeon’s body with wet towel and changing her into her pyjamas, Rosé went straight to her bedroom. She took a quick shower and changed into comfortable clothes. As she lays her body on the bed, she heard the thunder boomed. She immediately looks outside the window.

“It’s raining,” she mumbled to herself and sit on her bed again.

Rosé suddenly reminded of Jungkook. She walked again to the window and looked outside since the window in her bedroom are facing the front yard so she can see if Jungkook is still there. He is kneeling in front of the gate now. Rosé suddenly sees a car coming towards him. A while later, she saw V comes out of the car with an umbrella. V open another umbrella and bring it on top of Jungkook but she saw him pushed V away. V probably is persuading him to go back home with him.

(knocks on door)

Rosé looks back at the door. She saw Jisoo tilt her head by the door. She smile to Jisoo. “Can I come in?” Jisoo asked. Rosé nods and walked back towards the bed and took a sit.

“Why are you not sleeping yet?” Rosé asked Jisoo.

“I’m not sleepy yet. And I see your lights still on so I wanted to talk,” Jisoo told her.

“Okay, what do you want to talk about?” Rosé asked.

“I don’t know. Just anything,” Jisoo said.

“Hm,” Rosé think for a while. “When are you getting married?” Rosé teased Jisoo. Jisoo laughed.

“I don’t even have a boyfriend yet,” Jisoo said.

“Do you want me to find you one?” Rosé proposed jokingly.

“Can you? I’d love to if you can,” Rosé giggles. Rosé laughed. “By the way Chae,” Jisoo speaks. “How is it going? The wedding plan? How do you plan to do it?” Jisoo asked.

“Oh- I’ve finished planning. I think it’s great. I don’t know about the couple but I planned it the way I always dreamed of how my wedding would look like if I’m the one getting married,” Rosé told her.

“That’s good! Since you put your heart into it, I believed the bride and groom will like it. My high school friends are not fussy so you don’t have to worry. I believed she’ll love it,” Jisoo said.

“Oh- the bride is your friend?” Rosé asked.

“Yeah, I told you right? It’s my high school friend. But she is too busy so she entrusted this to me. The groom is Jungkook-shi friend,” Jisoo said.

“Yeah I forgot about that,” Rosé mumbled.

“Hm…” Jisoo hesitated.

“What is it, unnie?” Rosé suddenly said.

Jisoo startled. “No, nothing!” she replied instantly. Jisoo pretended to yawn. “I suddenly feel sleepy. I’ll go to bed first,” she excused herself. Rosé nods. Right after Jisoo left her room, Rosé immediately walked up to the window again to see Jungkook still kneeling in front of the gate. V’s car is still there as well but V is nowhere to be seen. Probably waiting in the car.

(phone ringing)

Rosé startled by the sound of her phone ringing by the bedside. She rushed to get her phone and answer the call. “Hello,” she speaks.

“Rosé-shi, it’s V.”

“What do you want?” Rosé asked.

“He won’t move a bit. He’s been waiting in front of the gate since you left. He has not even eaten yet. I’m not trying to gain your sympathy for him, but please. I beg you. Please persuade him to go back home. I don’t know for how much longer he’ll stay there. I bet his knees already numb,” V sounds very pitiful to her ears.

“I’ll hang up now,” Rosé said and ended the call.

***

Jungkook’s heart felt so heavy. He knew just by waiting for her in front of the gate is nothing compared to what Rosé had faced all this while. But also, knowing that Rosé didn’t even taking a glance towards him when she entered the house earlier really breaks his heart. He finally understands now how broken hearted was Rosé when he didn’t even took a glance back then for her.

“Get up and go home,” Jungkook doesn’t feel the rain hitting his face anymore. He looks up to see Rosé standing in front of him with an umbrella shading him from the rain. “Don’t try to gain sympathy by doing this,” Rosé added.

Jungkook tried to get up but his legs trembled and he almost fell. But Rosé’s react fast, holding onto him and helping him to stand up. Jungkook holding on tight to her arm and look into her eyes. He shed tears. Every single time he had to face her, his heart felt very heavy. He hugs her slowly and cry on her shoulder. Sobbing hard. Very hard. He didn’t say anything. He only cried so hard.

“Why are you making me look bad?” Rosé said silently. Jungkook hugs her harder.

“Chaeyoung-ah,” he called her. His voice sounded hoarse. He buried his face into her shoulder. Rosé closed her eyes. Her heart felt so heavy. Jungkook broke the hug and hold her face softly. His face is wet. Wet of tears and rains. But Rosé could still tell that he is crying. He her face softly and trying to pull a smile. “In this lifetime,” he sobs. “If we are not meant to be together, it was all because of me,” he said. “In the next life, if we are still not meant to be together, it is still because of me.”

As Rosé looked away, her tears flows out from her eyes. Jungkook walked three steps backwards.

“But whether it is in this lifetime, or the next life, I will still and always love you,” he said. Rosé tears flows heavily. She wipes away her tears harshly. She throws the umbrella towards Jungkook and turns back to walked back inside the house.

Bap!

Rosé heard a fall. Her eyes widened. She turned back to see Jungkook has already fainted, “Jungkook-ah!!!” and V’s shouting his name. Rosé falls sitting on the ground.

***

“Jungkook-ah, you’re awake?” Chairman Jeon who sat beside Jungkook’s hospital bed speaks to him as he saw Jungkook opening his eyes slowly.

“Why am I here?” he asked silently, referring to the hospital room. His voice sounded hoarse even worse.

“You fainted. V brings you here,” Chairman Jeon said.

Jungkook look so pale but it becomes worse when Rosé isn’t the one to bring him. He can already guess that there is no way Rosé would bring him to the hospital personally but he actually puts his hope high that Rosé might do so.

“Where’s V?” Jungkook asked again.

“He left for a while. He said he needs to send someone home. Probably the one who sent you here with him. But I didn’t manage to see her. I just arrived,” Chairman Jeon told him. “Do you want to eat anything? I heard you haven’t eaten anything yet,” his dad asked.

“Her?” Jungkook ignoring his dad’s question. “Can you get my phone? I wanted to call V,” he rushed his dad. Chairman Jeon took Jungkook’s phone in the drawer beside his bed and pass it to him.

“Why are you in a rush? He said he’ll come again later,” Chairman Jeon said while taking his seat back on the chair beside the bed.

Jungkook still ignored his dad and immediately called V.

***

(phone ringing)

V took out his phone from his pocket. He take a look at the caller and turns to look at Rosé sitting on the passenger seat beside him. He showed the phone screen to Rosé. Rosé nods, signalling him to just answer the call.

“You’re awake?” V asked as he answered the call.

“Who’s with you?” Jungkook asked over the line.

“What do you mean?” V pretended to not understand.

“My dad said you’re sending someone home. Who is it? Is it Chaeyoung?” Jungkook asked again. V turned to looked at Rosé again. He mouthed to Rosé that Jungkook asked about her. She shook her head.

“No,” V shortly replied.

“Don’t lie,” Jungkook sounds like threatening him.

“Wake up, Jungkook. She’s not going to send you. You also know that. It’s Jisoo. You want to talk to her?,” V lied and provoking him. He know he will disappoint Jungkook with his answer but he also have respect for Rosé. After seeing how worried Rosé was, he knew it was just a matter of time between them. Which is why he respected Rosé’s decision.

“I know right,” Jungkook sighed. “Never mind. Thanked her for me. Be careful,” Jungkook said and ended the call.

“Thanks,” Rosé said.

“No problem.”