CHAPTER XXVII

Rosé looks at Jiyeon and Jungkook playing around and joking with each other. She admit that she has never seen Jiyeon being extra fun and extra friendly with other people except with Jennie, Lisa and Jisoo. She’s not even acting that way with her family in Australia.

“Mommy, mommy,” Jiyeon called Rosé, bringing her out of her day dreaming.

“Hm,” Rosé replied.

“Daddy said when you were in high school, you were so quiet. Why you like to nag now?” Jiyeon asked her. Rosé glares at Jungkook who is laughing.

“Eat,” Rosé put the clams on Jiyeon’s plate angrily while glaring at Jungkook.

“You eat a lot too, okay,” Jungkook also put clams on Rosé’s plate. Rosé looks at Jungkook. He smiles.

“Where are we going after this?” Rosé asked.

“Hm I don’t know. Too bad it’s just a one day trip. We might do something even fun if we stayed here a night or two. But since we’re not, I was just thinking, do you want to go to the museum? After that we can go to the market before going back. Maybe you want to buy something or fresh seafood for the girls? Is it okay?” Jungkook asked back.

Jiyeon nods.

“What about you?” Jungkook looked at Rosé.

“Okay,” she replied. “But, aren’t you tired? Do you want me to drive? I slept along the way after all,” Rosé said. Jungkook smiles again.

“It’s okay. I feel re-energized when I see Jiyeon and you,” he said.

Rosé rolled her eyes.

“By the way,” Jungkook speak. “After the wedding is settle, are you going back to Australia?” he asked.

Rosé nods slightly.

“Can’t you…” Jungkook stutters. “...can’t you just stay and work here?” he asked again.

“Why?”

Jungkook left out a heavy breath. And smiles again. He shook his head.

“Never mind. Let’s not talk about this now,” he said.

Jungkook continues to entertain Jiyeon eating. Rosé stares at him quietly. Her inner feelings are fighting to either give this man in front of her another chance or to protect her feelings at all cost. She knew that either way, there will be consequences of her actions. She is confused as to either she is being too selfish towards her daughter’s need or she was just too afraid to get hurt again.

“Why are you not eating, Mommy?” Jiyeon asked. Rosé startled. She turns to look at Jiyeon and smiles.

“Is it not good? Do you want to eat something else?” Jungkook asked, concern.

She shook her head.

“No, it’s good. It’s very delicious,” she told him sincerely.

Jungkook smiles.

“I’m glad you like it.”

***

Jiyeon was too tired getting hyped up and playing at the museum earlier that she fall asleep as soon as she enters the car. She has been laughing all the time getting teased by Jungkook. Rosé never realized how their relationship grows all this while. She only knew that they has been meeting up behind her.

“Jiyeon’s asleep. Do you still want to go to the market?” Jungkook asked as he buckled up his seat belt.

Rosé think.

“I don’t mind if we’re not going. But I feel like buying something for the girls. Can you stop by somewhere?” Rosé requested.

Jungkook nods.

“About what we were talking about just now,” Jungkook speaks. Rosé looks at him beside her. “I never gave up on you, you know? Okay, maybe once. But I changed my mind in a minute. Because I was reminded that I’m always so excited to hear about you from Jiyeon everytime we met or video called. I always asked for updates from your friends but they always refused to talk to me. The only information that I get from them was Jiyeon’s school and how to communicate with her,” Jungkook said.

“How long have you been communicating?” Rosé asked.

“6 months after you left,” he said. “It’s not easy either to get that information from your friends. They were being very protective of you. I envy your relationships with them. Sometimes I hope I can be protective of you too. But, you don’t let me protect you,” he giggles.

“Will you let me protect you if I did what you did to me?” Rosé said. She know it sounds mean, but that just blurted out from her lips.

Jungkook smile to himself.

“I know right. I wouldn't accept myself either if I were you. At least, not that easy. That’s why I never gave up on you. I wanted to try for as long as I can. No. I wanted to try forever,” he told her.

Rosé silent for a while.

“How can you be sure that you can wait for me that long?” Rosé asked. She is curious. Very very curious.

“I’m not sure. But I believe,” he said.

“Can I ask you something personal?” Rosé asked. Jungkook nods. “Why do you like to hook up with girls? Is it satisfying to hang out or change woman like changing your clothes?” she asked bluntly.

Jungkook grins.

“I must admit that I do change woman regularly. But did you know?” he asked.

“What?”

“I never slept with them,” he said.

Rosé‘s eyes widened.

“Just like how I didn’t sleep with you when we hook up, it’s the same with the others. I have only sleep with one person. That person was you, when we were finishing high school,” he told Rosé. “That was the first and last for me,” he said again.

“Then, how do you explain your back pain the other day? I heard in the toilet you were partying with the receptionist lady and went to the hotel afterwards. You even called her by name. Looking so close,” Rosé mumbled and pouted.

Jungkook frowned. Thinking about which back pain Rosé was talking about. He laughed hard after that.

“Yah, she is my cousin okay? We went to the hotel because we actually just missed the family dinner that night. We totally forgot about that. Didn’t I tell you I got the bruises from hitting the table edge? You don’t believe me?” Jungkook asked. “Can’t believe you still remember about that. Woman’s memory is something else, huh?”

Rosé looked outside the window. Ignoring what Jungkook had said.

“Do you want to know why I like to hook up with girls at the bar?”