The first time you met, you were six, sitting alone on the steps outside the school building, watching the rain when he stumbled out of the hallway, red-faced and fuming, muttering curses no six-year-old should’ve known.

He stopped when he saw your curious stare, and offered you half of his candy. “I’m not crying.” he muttered with the stubborn pride of a boy who clearly was. You smiled sweetly and didn't reply, taking the candy anyway.

That was the beginning, years passed like chapters flipping through a book, endless laughter, scraped elbows, shared secrets beneath rooftops and starlit skies. He was your best friend, your safe place, the boy who always showed up, no matter what.

But then came Soojin. She was beautiful, breathtaking in the kind of way that warned you not to get close. All red lips, honeyed lies, and fingernails sharp enough to draw blood from hearts. At first, you tried to be supportive. You smiled when they started dating, pretended not to see the way she wrapped around him like a stormcloud, but it didn’t take long to notice the shift.

Jungkook, who used to laugh easily, who used to tell you everything, started retreating into himself. He got quieter, angrier, snapping at small things, looking like sleep was a stranger.

And you? You watched him disappear behind a smile he didn’t mean, until one night, he showed up at your door. It was late, raining again. You opened the door and he was standing there, soaked to the bone, eyes red-rimmed and fists clenched like he’d punch the universe itself.

“She.” he began, then stopped, running a hand through his drenched hair. “I couldn’t take it anymore. She said I was nothing without her.” You stepped aside without a word, letting him in.

He paced your living room like a caged animal. You watched him, the fury, the pain, the weight of months settle on his shoulders like bricks and confronted him. “Don’t.” he snapped, turning to you. “You don’t know what it’s like.”

You told him how he breaks everytime he came back from her. How she twists him into someone he's not. He looked at you, breathing hard. “You think I don’t know she’s toxic? I just, I can’t let go. I don’t even know who I am without her anymore.” His hands trembled at his sides, you took a step closer.

“Why do you even care so much?” he spat bitterly. “Why does it matter to you what I do or who I date?” he asked. You froze and before you could stop yourself, the truth tumbled out. “Because I love you.” Silence and he blinked once, then again. You had waited, but he didn’t say a word.

Your heart cracked under the weight of his stillness. So you did what any heartbroken coward would do: you ran.

You didn’t pack a lot. Just enough to vanish, you changed your number, your accounts and left the city behind.

Jungkook tried to find you. You heard later, through whispers, that he asked everyone, looked for you everywhere, but you were already long gone.

Years Later

The city hadn’t changed much, maybe it had, but it didn’t feel that way, your new position required relocation for your promotion. It was a Friday night when your friend Hana dragged you to a small rooftop gathering. Nothing fancy, just a few familiar faces.

You were mid-sip of your drink, smiling politely at someone’s boring story, when everything stopped. He was there. Jungkook. He was older, broader shoulders, jaw sharper and eyes darker.

And when his gaze found you across the crowd, he froze and time held its breath. The world disappeared for a moment. And then, he moved, crossed the space like it was nothing, like years hadn’t passed, like you hadn’t broken both your hearts and vanished into silence.

He stopped a foot in front of you and you didn’t breathe, he didn’t either. “You came back.” he said, voice low, unreadable, harsh. “You disappeared.” he added, tone unreadable. “Blocked me out of your life like I never mattered.” His jaw clenched clenched so tightly it hurt. “I... you know what?” he murmured, frowning, tense. “I don't care.” he said coldly, yet inside he didn't mean it, he was just pretending he didn't care.