*~*Chapter 21*~*

I watched as Jung Kook continued to watch RM in awe as we all ate out of the Baskin Robbins pint of ice cream.

“I can’t remember the last time I saw you like this,” Jung Kook commented, eyes dazed.

RM brushed it aside.

“It has to be at least over a year,” he mumbled.

RM continued to disregard anything his friend said as he ate in silence.

Jung Kook looked at me. “How did this happen?” he asked.

“I think it has something to do with last night after I came home,” I explained.

“What happened?” 

My face flushed at the question. Memories of my bloodstained pants drifted back to mind. “Let’s just say he thought I was seriously hurt, and he went outside to get help.”

Jung Kook looked at RM in surprise. “You went outside?!” he exclaimed.

RM shrugged like it was no big deal.

Jung Kook looked back at me. “And then?” he asked.

“And then I woke up to this new RM,” I replied nonchalantly.

Jung Kook looked back at his friend with an incredulous laugh. “Was it really that simple?” he asked in disbelief. “All this time, I could’ve just shoved you outside of your house?”

I laughed. “I’m sure it wasn’t that simple, but RM took a big step when he decided to go outside to help me.”

Jung Kook beamed with pride as he gazed at his friend. He looked back at me with a big smile. “Thank you, Kyungi. All of this wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you.”

I blushed. “Well, I really didn’t do anything. Don’t forget, I accidentally pissed him off first.”

Jung Kook’s grin widened. “Well, whatever you did, it worked.” He looked back at RM, still grinning. “So what do we do now?”

RM set down his spoon. “I’m going to sleep,” he announced and stood up.

“But…your room…” I called after him, remembering he had thrown everything out.

“I’ll just sleep on the floor,” he said as he made his way to the stairs. “Night.”

Jung Kook and I listened as he ascended the steps. Once we heard his bedroom door close behind him, he leaned in close to me and whispered, “So what happened when you met Yubi yesterday?”

“She was there for just a couple of minutes,” I whispered back. “After you told me what really happened between her and RM, I was really angry, so I lied that RM was getting married in two months. Once she heard that, she left.”

Jung Kook sneered in contempt. “Good. So what happened between you and RM when you got back?”

“Well…” My sentence drifted off as I contemplated telling him the embarrassing story.

“Well?” he asked.

“RM apologized for hurting me,” I said. I unconsciously touched my bandaged arm. My fingers toyed with the frayed end. “He, um, he finally confessed that it was Yubi…”

Jung Kook nodded as he listened intently. 

“He cried, and then after that, I helped bandage up his knees. And then when I turned to leave, he noticed blood on my pants…” My face grew hot. “...He thought I was seriously hurt and wanted to call me an ambulance, but it turned out just to be my period.” My ears burned as I spoke the last sentence. I was pretty sure my face looked as red as a tomato now. “I was mortified, so I locked myself in the bathroom. That was when he went out to buy me some pads…” My voice drifted off. I glanced at Jung Kook.

He sat back in his chair, nodding as if he understood everything. “He must’ve gotten a pretty big shock when he went out in that condition.”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod. “He told me people stared and whispered about how he smelled.”

Jung Kook continued nodding knowingly. Finally, he looked at me with a smile. “Thank you, Kyungi,” he whispered and leaned over, stopping his face just a mere inch from mine.

My heart lurched into my throat. 

His eyes gazed into mine, sending my heart deeper into a panicked frenzy. I gulped. He was so close, I could see my reflection in them. What if I just kissed him now? Would he pull away, or would he kiss me back?

But before I could find out the answer to that question, he stood up. “I have to get up early tomorrow for shooting, so I should go now. But thank you for everything you’ve done so far.”

My hand fluttered to my chest. My face burned as my mind tried to regain control of my racing heart. I nodded dumbly. 

“I’ll go say bye to RM.”

“Okay,” I squeaked. As he went to bid farewell to his friend, I finally managed to pull to my feet and started clearing the table. A couple of minutes later, he returned.

“Good night,” he called from the hallway.

“Night.”

He opened the front door, paused, and then came to where I stood in the kitchen.

“Did you forget somethin—” But before I could finish my sentence, he planted a gentle kiss on my lips. My heart shot out of my chest. My eyes bulged in surprise as I looked at him.

He pulled away, brushed his thumb lightly over my lips where he had kissed me, and whispered, “I’ll message you tomorrow.”

I nodded like a moron, unable to find my voice. I watched after him as he left, rooted to the spot for a couple more minutes until my pounding heart finally returned to normal. I finally managed to clear the table before retrieving a spare pillow and a couple of blankets from my room. 

I clutched them close to my chest as I made my way to RM’s room.

“RM?” I called once I reached the top of the landing. “I’m coming in!”

I let myself in. Once inside, I noticed RM standing by the window, staring out at the driveway. I was sure he had just watched Jung Kook leave.

“I brought these for you,” I announced.

He finally looked at me, eyes trailing from my face down to the pillow and blankets clutched close to my chest.

“Do you really like him that much?” he asked with a pang of sorrow in his voice.

“What?” I asked, completely thrown off guard by the question.

“Do you really like Jung Kook that much?” he repeated.

I cleared my throat and looked away. “We’re just friends...” I set the bedding on the floor. “These are for you. Use these tonight until you get your own, okay?”

I turned to leave when he suddenly called my name. I looked over my shoulder at him. RM’s eyes lowered to the ground.

“Can you stay here with me…for just a little bit?” he asked timidly. 

“Sure,” I said after a moment’s hesitation. I picked up the bedding and brought them inside his room. RM helped me set up his makeshift bed. After we were done, he gestured for me to sit down. I obliged, resting my back against the wall as I sat. RM took a seat beside me. Darkness settled around us. 

I don’t think I’ll ever understand his desire to just constantly stay in the dark like some kind of vampire.

“Can you tell me…about her?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, the softness in his voice gently breaking the silence.

Yubi, right?

I refrained from saying her name out loud as I looked at him. I watched as shadows danced across his face. 

“Sure,” I said, “what do you want to know?”

“How is she these days?”

“Doing well, I guess,” I said. “She became really famous after filming Heart of Stone.”

A shadow fell across his face.

I hesitated, afraid I might cross the line without knowing it. But when he didn’t react any further, I continued. “She’s shooting a drama now with Jung Kook, as you know.”

“Does she ask about me?”

I looked at him in surprise. “Actually, she did. Twice.”

He met my eyes for a brief second before quickly looking away again.

“You saw her when she came here that one time, right?”

He nodded.

“Sh—She wanted to see you that night…”

“Why would she?”

“Well…I’m guessing it’s because she misses you too and wants to see how you’re doing.” I looked at him as I spoke. 

He stared down at his feet. “Thanks for not bringing her inside then. I’m sure I would’ve scared her that day…you know, the way I was…”

I nodded. “I understand; I would’ve never brought her that day if I had known your history together. I actually didn’t find out until yesterday when Jung Kook finally told me.”

RM finally looked up at me, catching me off guard. My face flushed as he studied me, his eyes gazing deep into mine. 

“You’re a good person, Kyungi,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I hope you never get hurt by love.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I knew he was speaking those words from the scars deep within his heart. I really hope that one day, those scars will heal, and he’ll be able to find love again.

“I’ll try not to,” I replied, trying to give him a confident smile. “Besides, there isn’t anyone who likes me anyways,” I joked, half-heartedly wishing it wasn’t true.

He studied me for a while, as if contemplating to say what was on his mind, before he finally averted his eyes. “I’m tired, so I’m going to go to sleep now,” he said at last.

“Sure, good night,” I said and pulled to my feet.

“Good night, Kyungi.”

I smiled at the sound of my name on his lips. My heart seems to swell every time he says it, and I’m pretty sure it’s because he never once said my name before even though we had lived together for over a month.

After I washed up and changed, I crawled into my bed. As I laid down, I stared up at the shadows dancing across the ceiling, my mind drifting back to my first night here. I remembered the way RM snuck into my room that night to bring me a throw pillow and how terrified I was mistakenly believing that he was going to me that night.

I chuckled as I reminisced about my out-of-control thoughts. 

God, I know I never pray, but if there really is a God out there, please—PLEASE—send someone to mend RM’s broken heart. I know he might not be the most approachable person, but he has a good heart, and he truly deserves someone who will cherish him as much as he cherishes her.

I closed my eyes and mouthed the words ‘Amen’ before I drifted off into sleep, filled with dreams full of love and joy.