Jungkook gazed at the floor with his back glued to the wall. He stood next to her door with food in his hands. They had been eating take-outs more than they used to and more than they liked but it was something that neither of them could avoid as their work began to pile up with each day passed. Chaeyoung had been busying herself with the final stage of her work and Jungkook himself was busy with his own.

There were soft sounds of heels clacking against the floor and Jungkook straightened himself, a smile appeared even before it met the person who was meant to get the smile. When Chaeyoung finally came to his view, his smile broadened on his face, waiting for her to look up at him as she walked with her head down.

She lifted her head up when they were a couple steps away and Jungkook could feel his eyes crinkled even more with his lips stretching into a wider grin when her slightly startled expression replaced with a slow sweet smile of hers.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Jungkook said, lifting the plastic bag higher to the level of his chest.

Chaeyoung breathed in softly as she stood next to him while opening the door to her house. “That smells nice.”

He nodded his head with a soft bite on his cheek, trying to stop himself from smiling further. “Yeah, it’s your favorite food from your favorite restaurant.”

He sat across her and waited for her to get her first bite before he started to dig in for himself. There was something so relaxing about that moment, like nothing had ever gone wrong in the past. It felt amazing to be feeling that way and he wasn’t so sure what the reason or reasons could be.

Perhaps it was because of how easily her smile had slipped for him these days. He could have just thrown her a small smile and she’d return it just as quick as a heartbeat.

Perhaps it could be that she was finally able to accept the reality of all that had happened and had learned how to let go.

Perhaps, it was caused by something that happened between her and Taehyung on the day she went to visit the latter. After that very day, Jungkook couldn’t help but notice the positive changes on her.

Chaeyoung began to stop ignoring her own health. Although she wasn’t always eating like before, at least, Jungkook was glad that she filled herself in without the need for him to tell her to do so. She could finally sleep well without having a company or sleeping on his bed. Despite being sad over it, Jungkook was also glad because it meant that her sleeping pattern would no longer be affected. Sometimes, she talked about her past memories with Taehyung’s mother but instead of making it a sad situation, she chose to reminisce it in all the good ways.

No longer did she talk and focus about the downside of the lady leaving and instead, she talked about all the nice things and the very great memories of them. It made him smile when she smiled. Although at times, her voice became slightly wobbly and her eyes got a little teary, but it all were rid with a chuckle.

Despite all these, though, there was something that kept him from being a hundred percent grateful and calm and feel at ease.

Chaeyoung sometimes would stare into space, though briefly, and when he asked her what was bothering her, she would just brush it off with a smile and tell him not to worry about it. The thing was he always caught the slight discomfort or worry that painted her countenance every single time after she told him that it was nothing to be worried about.

He knew there was something, there was definitely something that had probably inhabited her mind, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Trying to crack his brain for an answer had always resulted in nothing. He just couldn’t think of any reason that would be close to being logic given the current situation of her.

Jungkook lifted his gaze from the almost clean plate in front of his and let his gaze settle on Chaeyoung. That moment was the exact example of what he was thinking of. Chaeyoung was staring blankly into the food. She had eaten half of it, which was good, but instead of trying to finish the food she had on her plate, she pushed the food around in small movement, making indefinite shape.

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Jungkook reached forward with his own spoon and scooped the food off her plate before lifting the spoon up to the level of . Chaeyoung looked up at him in surprise, her beautiful eyes widening slightly as confusion masking her face.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Trying to feed you.”

“I can do it myself,” she forced a smile, he noticed.

“I know,” he nodded with a blank face. “But you’re not doing it so I’m trying to help you.”

She sighed, looking away for a brief moment before she hesitantly opened but before Jungkook could move the spoon forward, she gently took it from him and fed herself.

“What’s bothering you?” Jungkook asked straightaway, couldn’t even hide his curiosity when she began to make that deep-in-thoughts face again.

Chaeyoung blinked up at him, forced another small smile as she shook her head before her eyes downcast, and Jungkook didn’t miss the subtle sigh that escaped her. He chose to remain silent then, knowing that forcing her to unleash her inner thoughts would only cause her to fight to have them remained locked inside.

“Jungkook…” she began a few seconds later and he immediately settled his eyes on her.

“Hm?”

“I…” She chewed her lip, hesitancy was forcing her to forget her intention to speak to him about something but Jungkook was glad when she continued. “I need to know…something.”

By the sound of it, he knew that it would probably be something serious, at least to her. Jungkook straightened up on the seat, pushing the empty plate forward to make space for his arm to rest on the table. “What is it?”

Her fingers fidgeted against each other before they stopped and she looked up at him, and Jungkook’s heart felt a slight twinge upon seeing the soft frown hanging on her face. She took a deep breath before releasing a long one, eyes never leaving his.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked softly. “Why are you… still here? Why are you always here taking care for me?”

Jungkook gazed into Chaeyoung’s eyes intently, hoping to see the reason why she blurted out this type of questions.

“Why?” her voice cracked a little as she repeated this.

He was unsure if she was totally oblivious to all the reasons there was that could be the definite answers to all her questions she threw at him earlier or she actually knew, but needed to hear it from him.

Jungkook scoffed lightly, finally breaking the long intense gaze as he turned his head to the side, looking at whatever. “I’m surprised you still feel the need to ask why.” When he looked at her in the eyes again, Jungkook creased his forehead with a slight tilt of his head. “Is it not obvious enough, Chaeyoung?”

She didn’t tear her eyes away from his, holding his gaze firmly, her eyes never once blinked –he realized – and her frown, it just deepened as she waited for his answer. Instead of answering his question, Chaeyoung repeated again, “Why?” which made Jungkook let another scoff escape him albeit softer.

“Because I care you about you. I really do. I care about you too much. I care about you a hell lot. I have no power to stop myself from doing that, because I love you too damn much, Chaeyoung. That’s why.”

*

“How do you feel about me?” Chaeyoung kept her eyes fixated on the cactus, finger grazing the thorn cautiously.