❝chapter two;
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                                   SAY NO; SO I WON'T GO

It felt natural.

 

I felt like I’ve lived with Woobin and Hyori even before the accident; being loved, being cared for, being pampered like a princess. It seems like my life had always been this way, the only difference was the fact that I, still couldn’t speak. Hence, I couldn’t call them the way I’ve wanted to; Dad, Mum.

 

Being silent was not too bad actually, I’ve became more observant since all I did was listen. I’ve learnt that Uncle Soohyun was Jungkook’s stepfather, though he acted more like an older brother to him since he was in fact younger than Auntie Jihyun. Uncle Soohyun would tease Jungkook whenever he could, while Jungkook would run and complain to his mum that he’s annoying. Auntie Jihyun would just laugh at them, while pretending to punish Uncle Soohyun to keep Jungkook satisfied.

 

Hyori and Auntie Jihyun were friends even before they became neighbours, she was the one that helped Jihyun escape her abusive husband and supported her, until she found Uncle Soohyun as her permanent shelter.

 

Hyori and Woobin must have loved each other a lot, so much that even their cheesy moments were not too cringe worthy to watch. I had always believe that the love they have in them is so great that it still overflows after sharing it with everyone. I’ve always watched them in admiration, the way they treated people, the way they respect even the homeless man that comes by every now and then, the way they would communicate with each other even with conflict in interest. I’ve never seen them scream at each other, unless in excitement when we’re playing mario kart together. I would want to grow up to have a love like theirs.

 

Since I couldn’t speak, it was always hard for me to express my appreciation and gratitude. I might be young then, but I am aware that they didn’t have to adopt me when we were in Jeju island. They didn’t need to treat me with kindness, but they did. Even when I couldn’t mutter a single syllable. How hard must it have been for them?

 

Everybody around me was patient with me, and had always tried to help though to no avail. Auntie Jihyun would always try to make me laugh, but all I ever did was grin to the point where I thought my lips would tear. Uncle Soohyun always pull pranks on me, but that evident disappointment on his face when I didn’t scream.. didn’t make him stop. Hyori would teach me the things children my age were learning until the start of next year when they will enroll me into the same elementary school Jungkook is in. Woobin would be at work most of the time, but he always read me bedtime stories before I sleep. Then, there was Jungkook..

 

“Jiyeon! Jiyeon!”

 

His small fist banged onto my wooden bedroom door. Closing my book and putting it beside me, I climbed out of the bed hastily to open the door, staring at him wide eyed out of curiosity, and was returned with a huge grin.

 

Not that toothless anymore, since his new tooth was growing out.

 

“Say ‘no’ if you don’t want to go to the playground with me!”

 

I stared at him even longer, blinking my long lashes slowly, while his grin turned into a sly smirk.

 

“Say ‘no’ if you don’t want me to hold your hand!”

 

So I thought my eyes couldn’t grow any wider, there was nothing but confusion written all over my face. What was he even talking about?

 

“Alright! Let’s go to the playground then!”

 

And with that he just grabbed my hand and dragged me to the playground.

 

The second time he use this, was not too much of a pleasant one.

 

The kids laughed when I was pushed off the swing, my face, hands and knees dirtied with the sand. I fought with Jungkook the day before because he insisted that I can only be the seeker since I’m always too quiet when I hide, but I would rather be the hider. Hence I stormed off to the playground on my own before he come over as usual to pick me up.

 

It was today then I realised that playing at the playground was fun because Jungkook always played with me. It was today then I realised that he could have played with the other kids, but he didn’t. It was today then I realised that, without Jungkook by my side, I was just a target waiting to be bullied.

 

Like how the kids are laughing while kicking sand in my face.

 

“Say something! Jiyeon! Hahahahha~”

 

“Do you want us to stop?”

 

“You just need to ask you know?”

 

“Jungkook stopped playing with us because of you huh! Stupid girl!”

 

“Stupid girl!”

 

“Stupid girl that cannot talk! Let’s feed you with sand!”

 

“Hahahahha~”

 

I kept my mouth shut tightly, my small palms trying to protect my face from the assault. I just need to be strong, when they are bored, they will leave me alone.. right? It was not my fault that I can’t speak.. right? I’m not stupid….    right..?

 

“Hey! Let’s bury her and build a sandcastle on her!”

 

“Oh yeah! That sounds fun!”

 

“Since she can’t speak, nobody will be able to find her! Hahhaha~”

 

I gasped for air when the sand attack stopped momentarily, only to tremble in fear when the two older boys, namely Zitao and Kris started to drag me by my arm, pulling me aside as the rest of the kids started to dig for a hole. I tried struggling, I wanted to protect myself, by my strength could not compare with that of two boys.

 

“Stop squirming! Stupid girl!”

 

“Dig faster!”

 

By now my tears were evident in my eyes, drenching my cheeks that were covered in sand. I wanted to scream for help, for Jungkook, but damn this world.. I just needed to make a sound, but.. I can’t.. I tried, but I just can’t.

 

Help..

 

Help me..

 

Help..

 

I’m sorry.. Please..

 

Please help me..

 

Help..

 

Help..

 

H..

 

“YAH! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!”

 

With a loud growl, the smaller boy charged towards Zitao and tackled him to the ground. With a cowardly attack of covering his face with sand quickly, Jungkook turned to tackled Kris next in order to free me from their hold.

 

“Jiyeon! Run!! Faster!!”

 

Eyes wide in both fear and nervousness, I hesitated as I watched the group stop digging, getting up to Zitao’s and Kris’ aid. How could I leave Jungkook alone with this group of kids? But he insisted.

 

“If you don’t run! I’m not being your friend anymore! FASTER!!”

 

My heart pounded as my body acted before my head, scrambling to my feet and running back towards my house. I need to get help, I need to call for help. I ran with all my might without turning back. Jungkook.. Jungkook wait for me..

 

The screams were distracting, but I have to be focused. I need to find help.

 

My eyes glistened with hope when I saw the familiar highschooler riding his bike home with his earphones on. Waving my hands frantically, I ran in front of him in order to catch his attention, calling his name frantically, though inaudible.

 

Oppa..

 

Luhan Oppa..

 

His bike came into an abrupt halt when he saw me, his deer like orbs expanded in shock behind his brown rims.

 

“Yah.. Jiyeon ah.. why are you like this.. look at all the sand.. wait.. are you crying..?”

 

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hands that were covered with sand as well, I quickly ran to his side and tugged onto his shirt, asking him to follow me.

 

“Huh..? What..?”

 

My face scrunched up in worry and quickly pointed to the playground, hoping that he would understand, while tugging onto his uniform so hard that I might tear it.

 

“Woah woah woah calm down.. you want me to go somewhere with you..?”

 

Nodding with all my might, I pulled his shirt, making him get off his bike before grabbing his hand and running towards the playground. I need to save Jungkook, I need him to save Jungkook.

 

Luhan pushed up his round glasses while stumbling after me, asking non stop about where were we going. There was no time for me to explain, how could a mute explain anyway? I’ll let the situation explain itself. His face fell when he saw the very sight amidst the flying sand.

 

Jungkook, in my place, was getting buried instead.

 

“Hey! Kids! What do you think you are doing? Zitao.. is that you? Yah! COME BACK!”

 

Luhan oppa let go of my hand and ran ahead. The kids snapped their heads up when they heard his voice, screaming and scrambling on their feet then running away from the crime scene. Luhan did not slow down and chased after them, while I quickly made my way to Jungkook, pulling him up from the sand.

 

My brows were creased in worry as I hastily dusted away the sand on him, crying my silent tears as always.

 

“I told you.. didn’t I..” He started off barely in a whisper, coughing from the lack of air. His short arms reaching for his sleeve, pulling them up to check on his wounds, before turning his gaze back at me.

 

His gaze was not his usual caring, patient ones. He was angry, no, he was mad, he was furious. If looks can kill I would have already been dead.

 

“I TOLD YOU DIDN’T I!” Jungkook screamed in my face, holding both of my wrist to stop me from moving. I stared at him, lips trembling as I gulped, tasting the sand on my tongue. Yes, it was my fault.. I was the one that brought this unto him. He must have hated me now.. it’s all my fault.

 

“I TOLD YOU! OVER AND OVER AGAIN!”

 

There was a crack in his voice as he shook me, hard, and my eyes were just blurry from the tears. There’s no way he would forgive me now.. He must have not want to be my friend anymore..

 

“Say ‘no”.. when you don’t want something to happen to you..”

 

By now, I could hear him sniffing, but I didn’t dare to look up at him. I just kept my gaze fixed on his shoes, wiping my tears with my dirtied sleeves.

 

“Say ‘no’ when the kids are bullying you.. don’t just stay there and do nothing..”

 

His voice was shaking, and I could hear him crying as he shook me again, gentler this time round.

 

“What if I didn’t come here in time..? What if I’m not here to protect you? I-I..” His sniffs was getting more evident, the shortness of breath getting the better of him. I raised my gaze up at him slowly, wanting to apologise so bad.

 

Do you know how frustrating it is, when you want to speak but no words come out from your lips? How stuffy to be unable to express your most sincere feelings. Trapped inside my own body, the voice that I’ve lost from the accident, how much I want it back. They say it was a kind of self protection from the trauma, a kind of wall that I’ve built to prevent myself from hurting, to keep people out. But..

 

But I don’t want to keep Jungkook out.

 

He was my only friend ever since the accident. He took care of me kindly despite my handicap, he treated me like anyone else, he protected me when other kids teased me. He was the boy that brought me out of my tower.

 

Yet here I am, staring at him.

 

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Jiyeon.. I promised.. I promised I’ll take care of you..”

 

After a loud bawl, the boy engulfed me in his embrace. We just held onto each other tight, sobbing sadly both in physical pain, in shock, and in fear. I know he was scared. I was scared.

 

Still, it’s okay, as long as we have each other.

 

And this trick didn’t just stop here.

 

A few weeks later, we were playing at the playground again, when all of a sudden it started pouring heavily. Startled, Jungkook quickly shouted at me while pointing to the little orange tunnel in the playground.

 

“Jiyeon! Quickly! Here!”

 

Scrambling off the swing, I ran towards him as fast as I could, only to trip and fall face flat on the floor, scraping my knees. Biting my lips trying not to cry, I climbed back onto my feet and ran towards him, hiding in the small tunnel together. At first he didn’t notice my bleeding knees, so I just crouched beside him hugging my legs together, sniffing softly. When his gaze fell upon me and the crimson blood that was flowing, he gasped loudly while panicking, unsure of what to do.

 

“No! Jiyeon.. what happened..?” He quickly leaned forward to look at my wound, glad that it was not a deep cut, before blowing onto it furiously. While he used the edge of his shirt to clean up the blood, my tears started to roll down my cheeks involuntarily, making the boy froze on his spot, hesitant of what to do next.

 

“J-Jiyeon.. d-d-don’t cry..”

 

He chewed on his bottom lips while glancing at the pouring rain, wondering how long will they be trapped here.

 

“D-don’t cry.. please..” he whispered, his fist clenched around the edge of his own shirt, “s-say ‘no’ if you don’t want me to hug you.”

 

He waited for 5 seconds exactly before wrapping his small arms around me, patting my head lightly to shush me.

 

“Don’t cry.. our parents will come to get us soon..hmm?”

 

I tried, I really tried to stop crying, but the tears wouldn’t stop. My whole body was trembling, both from the crying and the cold. Jungkook pulled away slightly to look at me worriedly, before whispering again.

 

“Say ‘no’.. if you don’t want me to kiss you..”

 

I was not really listening to him anymore, why would he kiss me anyway. However, this time round he counted to 10, before leaning in to press his thin lips onto mine.

 

I froze. My eyes widen, little by little, until I came to full realisation that..

 

..this bastard stole my first kiss!

 

I was only eight. EIGHT!

 

My tiny palms found his chest before giving him a light shove, effectively pushing him away to me. My dad Woobin had always told me not to let guys take advantage of me, at times like this I must push them away.

 

My brows were creased, but Jungkook widened his smile instead, with his teeth showing and all.

 

“I knew it was effective! See! You’re not crying anymore!”

 

I couldn’t possibly count how many times had I blinked, so he continued.

 

“Everytimes mummy cries, Soohyun will kiss her, and she will stop crying. So it proves to be true!” the boy chuckled merrily, before wiping away my tears messily.

 

I must have been an idiot then, because I just let him off like that.

 

Well, perhaps because of the fact that he piggybacked me home after that.

 

 

 

However.. the very last time he used that broke me apart.

 

With tear stained cheeks, he stood at the bottom of my room’s window after throwing pebbles on it.

 

“Say ‘no’ if you don’t want me to go to America.”

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✉(A/N).

6 | JULY | 2015 } I'M DONE WITH CHAPTER 3 LIKE FINALLY, THIS STORY AIN'T GAINING BUT LOVE BUT IT'S OKAY(: FOR ONCE, I REALLY WANT TO SEE THIS STORY THROUGH, SECOND FAIRYTALE CHARACTER WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.

I'VE CHANGED THE OC NAME TO JIYEON SINCE IT'S MORE COMMON AND EASIER TO PRONOUCE. SHOULD JUNGKOOK FLY TO AMERICA? OR SHOULD HE STAY? WHAT ABOUT JIYEON'S PAST? WILL IT COME BACK TO HAUNT HER, OR WOULD SHE BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SEARCH FOR IT AS SHE GROWS OLDER?

PLEASE COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE AND UPVOTE PLEASE<3 KAMSA MUCH.

+ preview for chapter 3 would be posted on the foreword ^^
 

( h a r l e q u i n. )