"Thank you for answering." I said warmly. I blushed a bit as I said those words, but I felt like I needed to get it out. After all, how many nights had I sat on this very dock, wishing to myself that Jungkook, or ANYONE for that matter, would show up and stop the tears? Now that someone had finally rescued me, even if it was only for a little while, I was undeniably grateful, and I wanted to make sure Taehyung knew that. I looked at him earnestly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Thank you for calling." He answered, and chuckled to himself, a tinge of red appearing on his face. I smiled at his reply and continued my speech, "seriously, it's been forever since I've been able to laugh, or even communicate comfortably with another human being." He just looked blankly at me for a few moments, as though he were trying to process what had just happened between us, and as he was doing so, every emotion he experienced was readable on his face. Suddenly, he burst out, saying, "why are you here? Why were you crying?" 

'Well he's not one for subtlties.' I thought to myself, but explained, as best I could, the events of the past 5 months. 

~~~FLASHBACK~~~

"WHAT AZALEA?" Jungkook stared at me with fire in his eyes, clothes, books, and other personal belongings were recklessly thrown about his room. "Jungkook, please, I-" "NO, AZALEA, I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THE SAME ING AGAIN." This always happened after they hit him. Always. He'd call me over to his house, furious and seeing only red. 'Why did they have to be so mean?' I thought, staring at Jungkook's bloody, bruised, and enraged face. After the gang would beat him up, he'd limp back home, or even to my house if his parents weren't drunk enough to not ask questions. Soon after, he'd explode with rage. Taking it out on anyone around him, me, his friends, anyone. He'd be so pissed that he couldn't fight back, or that he hadn't been able to avoid them. Next, he'd sob. He'd sob for me, for watching him suffer, for his parents, for their choice to make such a 'ed up child' as he would say, and lastly, he'd sob for himself. He sobbed for himself because he was tired. So, so, SO tired. Exhausted even. All the emotions he dealt with on a daily basis, all of the fights, all of the suffering; it wore him out. Some days, he'd get to my house or out to the dock, and just collapse, falling asleep right on the spot. But even when he slept he wasn't safe, he'd have nightmares of the gang, of himself, or even, of losing me. Because of all that, he cried in his sleep. Pathetic, I know, but he wouldn't be able to help it. His cheeks would be wet when he woke up and, until then, I would just cradle his head in my lap and watch as he slept. I was thinking back to all of these memories when I heard soft sobbing. I turned my attention back to Jungkook, the real Jungkook standing in front of me now. He had started to cry. However, he didn't only cry, he WAILED. I hurried over to him as his knees hit the ground, falling over in despair. "Jungkook..." I began, trying to silence his wails, but I knew it wouldn't make any difference. His fingers tangled around my shirt, my hair, my shoulder, anything he could reach. It was as though he was hanging on for dear life and, in that moment, I believe he truly was. 

Jungkook was not depressed. No, he was not in a constant state of sadness. There was no dark cloud that hung over him, he just, his mind would get so tired from all that was happening, he would cry. As he sobbed that night, I let him cling onto me, his head resting against my bone, wet tears staining my gray t-shirt. This lasted 10 minutes or so, and then he finally calmed down, trying to catch his breath. "Jungkook," I began, gently pushing him off of me so I could look him in the eyes. "You can leave all of this, you know." He looked at me blankly, as though he was searchiing for a hidden answer in my eyes. "You don't deserve to sob, to yell in anger, and you certaintly don't deserve the abuse the rest of the world gives you." I continued, taking his hands in mine. "Let's leave, Jungkook." I said finally, gaugin his face for any sign of emotion. He looked...shocked. "No." He said, and released my hands. "I can't make you do that." He continued, standing up on his feet, leaving me sitting alone on the floor of his bedroom. "You have a LIFE to live, Azzie."  He said, using the nickname he gave me while gesturing around him. "This, you don't need any of this. You don't need me. I'll only weigh you down." Istared at him in shock as he said these words, watching him tug on a pair of converse, a beanie, and a leather jacket. Finally, I imploded, releasing all of my pent up emotions. "JEON JUNGKOOK I DO NEED YOU. AND I NEED YOU BADLY. WITHOUT YOU, I'D...well...I'd be...lost." I finished softly, looking back up at him. He held his hand out to help me up, not responding yet, and I took it. As I stood up, he wouldn't release my hand. "Jungkook let me-" I was interrupted by his lips crashing into mine. My head spun and my toes tingled, but, somehow, it wasn't "magical". You know how they describe kisses in fairytales? The, lifting your right leg up, floating on air type ? I didn't feel any of that. Sure my heart pounded, and my toes tingled, but it didn't feel, 'right'. He pulled away from my face, and I noticed that tears had fallen from his eyes and onto his cheeks. He looked at my lips again, before looking straight into my eyes, inches away from my face, and said, "I'm...sorry." And with that, he released my hand. 

One finger gone.

Two fingers gone.

Three.

Four.

Five.

I noted the disappearance of warmth in my plam when finally, his fingertips left mine. I watched him walk down the stairs and out of his front door, leaving me paralyzed and standing in his bedroom. Slowly,I sat down on the floor, trying to calm my racing heart. I was in so much shock, and I still felt his lips against mine. I treasured the feeling until it vanished, leaving nothing but a lonely girl sitting on the floor her first love left her on. 

Missing.

~~~END FLASHBACK~~~