The Raven Hotel | Jikook |

Chapter 45: Home

       The breeze of the outside brushed his hair back as the warm rays of the sun welcomed him with gentle kisses on his skin. Jungkook took a deep breath of the fresh aid filling his lungs that were so used to breathing in the inside smell of the old hotel. Jungkook smiled to himself as he escaped and raced out of the hotel's property. Away from the hotel, and away from Jimin for now.

      As Jungkook raced out of the hotel, Jimin watched over him with a glare fixed onto the running boy. He hid behind his mask and stood out in an open balcony that was always boarded up to prevent people from jumping out of it. Jimin stood on that lonely balcony and latched onto the rails. Staring at Jungkook and tightening his grip onto the rail he held onto in pain.

       "You... you promised me..." Jimin hissed to himself as the tears his right eye made, kept racing down his face underneath that plague doctor mask he always hid behind like it was part of him. "I should... I should stop you right now.. But... I can't chase you when you chose to leave," Jimin continued to mutter through his tears before he continued to watch Jungkook until he was out of his sight. "But after everything we shared... how could you do this to me again, Hyunwon?"

       Jungkook managed to memorize his way back to Namjoon's place; a place he no longer wanted to call home now. For him, he didn't feel wanted before in such a place, now, he began to grow used to the hotel housing over his soul with Jimin standing right by his side every second. Home no longer felt as if it fit the name now, home for the human was the hotel itself with Jimin most importantly. Jungkook began to fall deeply in love with his partner to the point where he couldn't help but to think about Jimin as he sped down the empty streets.

      Those vacant streets played his quick footsteps back to him in small echoes hitting against the walls of many houses far away. Jungkook looked around and still noted how eerie the houses looked in broad daylight. It was as if time stood still for this street; not a sound of cars from a mile away, not even a chirp of a bird flying by. Jungkook slowed down as he began to pick up a sense of familiarity, soon leading him back to where he escaped from in the first place.

    The lamb was no longer lost nor helpless. He walked with determination along with many things running on in his mind when it came to confronting Namjoon first. But of course, he wasn't going to run away like he used to. Jungkook's mind played his partner's caring words of advice as he kept walking forward. No doubt seemed to haunt his mind now.

      Jungkook kept walking along the familiar path until his eyes locked onto the house he used to live in, just sitting up ahead. Jungkook has dreamt of this house; he has dreamt of it in ways that sent shivers down his spine. The fact that he was finally returning to this place, made him swallow his last bit of fear that began to crawl up his throat anxiously. Jungkook kept walking until he was within the property. There were no second thoughts now, Jungkook was finally 'home'.

     His trembling hand raised up to the doorbell of the house as he closed his eyes and pictured Jimin standing right by him. He would have wanted the man to accompany him in this big moment of his own life, but he knew better not to push Jimin when the man only feared himself and what he could do to others. It was a shame that Jimin couldn't see himself the way Jungkook did. If he managed to see himself the way his partner did, Jimin would have found it easier to trust his Jungkook, and move on from those who didn't return his embrace the way Jungkook did.

       The doorbell finally rang and Jungkook stood with his heart pounding out of his chest like drums. "I can do this..." Jungkook spoke to himself to ease his anxiety. But before he knew it, footsteps beyond the door was heard and his body longed to turn away, but there he stood. Ready to confront Namjoon and soon his own parents.