Chapter 28

“Just hold my hand, it can’t be that difficult,” Jungkook grunts while bending forward, but Hara defiantly shakes her head and reaches for the handles of the wheelchair instead.

“Move, you’re in the way, Jeon.”

“Because you cannot do this yourself,” Jungkook argues, “there’s gonna be too much pressure on your abdomen if you hoist yourself onto here, stop mov-”

“I can do it, let go of m-”

“Hara, don’t be stupid,” Jungkook says, but Hara pushes his hands away and tries reaching for the wheelchair.

“Jungkook, stop being annoying and let me do this.”

“You’ll hurt yourself-”

“I won’t, oh my god, can I have a little trust here or-”

“Yeah, cause we all remember how that went down three weeks ago.”

Hara stops struggling against him and narrows her eyes. Jungkook stubbornly arches an eyebrow, but Hara can tell he kind of regrets saying that. 

“Move.”

“No, let me help you-”

“I said move right now, Je-”

“You’ve been here for three whole weeks, do you really wanna prolong your stay here, Kim?”

“Seolhyun! Jungkook is being a , I need you to throw him ou-”

“Okay, you know what.” 

Jungkook grabs Hara by the hips and quickly but gently lifts her off the bed and places her onto the wheelchair. Hara stares at him for a moment, dumbfounded, and then angrily punches his chest.

“Prick,” she snaps, but Jungkook just shakes his head, biting back a relieved smile as he unhooks the brakes and starts wheeling the chair out of the hospital room. 

“Does Seolhyun usually let you do it by yourself? Or were you being annoying on purpose?” Jungkook asks, maneuvering the wheelchair into the hallway. Hara holds onto the handrests on each side of her and sighs.

“Take a wild guess, Jeon.” 

Jungkook snorts but doesn’t comment any further and continues pushing the wheelchair from hallway to hallway. 

Hara got a good tour through the building last week when Seolhyun decided she could move out of the bed, and damn does she wanna get out of here as fast possible. The place practically reeks of money and Hara just mentally imagines the bill Jungkook must have paid. 

Money reminds her of Yunho and Sora and their reactions when they had found out about the incident. 

Both of them had arrived back from a business meeting abroad a day after she had woken up, but they had already been briefed by Jungkook and the police. Yunho had almost been out of his mind when he had entered the hospital room, Sora had guilt and worry written all over her face, and ever since then both of them had started dropping by every single day just to check up on their daughter. 

Hara hates how warm it made her feel. How loved. How content. 

“Your next meal is in two hours, we can go for a quick trip around the building,” Jungkook suddenly says, breaking Hara out of her train of thoughts. 

“You got my timetable memorised, Jeon?” 

Hara can practically feel Jungkook rolling his eyes, but she can also hear the smile on his face when he responds. “Well, yes, you are kind of a priority right now.” 

Hara ignores the heat that rises to her cheeks and instead focuses on the unnecessary paintings on the pristine walls. 

Jungkook has been quite expressive of his emotions lately, and Hara can’t help but blush and shy away like a stupid school girl from one of those overly watched animes. She blames it on her being incapacitated by her injury. 

“How are the boys? They haven’t dropped by for three days now,” Hara says, clearing . 

“They’re preparing for an important exam, can’t afford to dump a year again.” Jungkook steers the wheelchair over to the huge elevators and parks it before walking over to hit the button. Hara frowns. 

“Wait, don’t we also have to take those exams?” she asks, and Jungkook blinks, slowly nodding. 

“You’re exempt, father talked to the rest of the schoolboard and they agreed to let you off, in fact you’re actually going to be given a medal.” 

“What the hell are you talking about, Jeon?” 

“For your bravery,” Jungkook drawls dramatically, “a medal of honor and valor for your amazing, selfless and inspirational work, Miss Kim.” 

“Never do that again,” Hara says, “also, no, I’m not sitting out any exams, I want to pass this semester.”

Jungkook doesn’t say anything and instead focuses on getting them both inside the elevator before hitting the lobby button. He then turns towards her and leans against the wall behind him. 

“Why?” 

Hara blinks. “What do you mean why, I’ve worked my off this semester, I cannot afford to sit out any exams.”

“But you’re leaving.” Hara feels like she has been punched in the guts. “In December, you know, which is in less than two weeks.” 

Hara averts her gaze and swallows thickly. 

, she completely forgot about that. 

It had been the only thing keeping her going for so long, her plan of running away was the only thing on her mind ever since she moved into this godforsaken town, Hara can’t believe how easy it was for her to just let go of it.

Jungkook clears his throat, and Hara looks up, frowning. 

“You-you’re not leaving, right?” 

He sounds a little scared, there’s both worry and panic in his tone, and despite being good at masking his emotions, Jungkook isn’t doing a particularly good job right now because Hara can see right through him. 

“I don’t know,” she whispers, because it’s true, she doesn’t know what to do. 

On one side, she has actually found a home here, miraculously, she has found amazing friends, an amazing brother-like figure in Yoongi, and two parents who actually care for her. On top of that - she’s got Jungkook.

“Has he ever called you?” Jungkook’s jaw clenches, Hara can tell he’s trying to keep his emotions at bay. “Has your father ever checked up on you?” 

“He’s busy,” Hara whispers, feeling clog up. He hasn’t called. Not even once. 

Jungkook pushes his tongue against the inside of his cheek. Hara shakes her head slightly, ridding her mind of doubtful thoughts. 

“He’s got a realtor firm to take care of, it’s a lot of work, especially around this time. Christmas is nearing and all, maybe he’s got more clients than he can hand-”

“He’s going bankrupt, Hara,” Jungkook grits out through clenched teeth. “He has signed a deal with the bank, there is no clientele to tend to because he has resigned.”

Hara feels her heart skip a beat. 

“What-what do you mean?” 

Jungkook doesn’t answer because the doors open, and he moves the wheelchair out, politely nodding at the nurses and doctors they pass as they move towards the lobby. Hara can’t help but feel worry eating her up from the inside, and once they’re out in the cold November air she twists in the chair and frowns up at Jungkook. 

“What the hell do you mean he has resigned?” 

“Hey, don’t do that, you’re gonna strain the-”

“Answer the ing question, Jeon,” Hara snaps, angry tears slowly but surely blurring up her vision. Jungkook’s jaw clenches, but he doesn’t say anything and instead turns on his heel and enters the hospital. 

Hara is speechless and she blinks a couple of times, wondering why on earth he would abandon her out in the cold, but the boy returns a minute later with a bunch of thin blankets. 

Hara’s cheeks are bright pink as Jungkook starts wrapping her up, and she quietly lets him, averting her gaze when the boy crouches down in front of her. 

He doesn’t move though, even after he is done mummifying her. 

“Two of his co-workers quit because he didn’t pay them for their work, in addition to that he tweaked up the price for two apartments and took the extra cash for himself.” 

Jungkook sighs and reaches for her hands, digging them out from underneath all the soft layers of wool, and Hara flinches a little at the coldness of his skin. Jungkook’s eyes are sad, genuine and almost imploring. 

“There is no future for you with him if you leave, Hara,” he says, arching both eyebrows, “he’s got a court meeting soon, for fraud.” 

“Did you do this?” Hara whispers, voice caught in , and Jungkook closes his eyes and shakes his head. 

“I had nothing to do with it.”

“How-how can I trust you?” Hara drags in a shaky breath, heart shattered to pieces because her dad does not deserve this . But then again, there was always a flaw in his character, always a wish for more than he had at his disposal. A sense of greed. Always so discontent with his life.  

Hara hates that she’s finally starting to see the reasons why her mother left him. 

“I don’t know,” Jungkook says, sighing. “I don’t know how to make you trust me, but , don’t even for a second think I’d do anything, and I mean anything, to harm you or your loved ones.” 

Jungkook suddenly leans in and places his forehead against Hara’s, hands moving to clutch her shoulders. Hara’s eyes are wide in surprise, and she holds her breath, waiting for the boy to say something. 

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, I’ve made stupid choices that not only affected me but those around me as well.”

He drags in a shaky breath and leans back a little to look Hara directly in the eyes. 

“But this, Hara, this will be the biggest mistake of my life.” 

Hara can feel her heart pounding against her chest, throat clogging up, and she blinks away the tears blurring her visions, frowning at Jungkook because she isn’t sure what he’s referring to.

Jungkook decides to elaborate. “I can’t force you into anything, Hara. But-but please, just think about it. You’ve made such progress here, there’s so much good here for you, and you know that. Just-please, just don’t leave.”

Jungkook stops talking and swallows thickly. Hara’s chest rises with each breath, and she keeps staring at the boy, taking in the sincerity in his eyes, the hope in the arch of his eyebrows. His familiar cologne tingles her senses and she feels at home. 

. 

“I’m cold.” Jungkook blinks, and Hara quickly looks away. “Can we get done with this trip already, I feel like I’m getting fricking hypothermia.” 

Jungkook’s jaw clenches, but he nods, obeying her, and he stands up and starts pushing the wheelchair down the clean cut path surrounding the hospital. 

No other words are spoken during the trip, but there’s no need for them because both Hara and Jungkook are deep in thought. 

Hara, thinking about how she found her home in a place she would rather have burned down, and Jungkook, wondering how on earth he’ll manage without the stubborn girl sitting in the wheelchair.