Begin (JJK) BTS 2026 series Book 3 (COMPLETED)

Light Of Day

The light coming through the half drawn curtain warms the spot on the pillow where Jungkook's head lies. He squeezes his eyes shut a little more tightly at the bright light invading his slumber. He turns his face toward the other pillow, and opens his eyes to see her, smiling as his heavy lids struggle to open. His eyes focus on the crisp white sheet laying across from him and he frowns, not finding her. He lifts his head to look down at the bed, which is empty. He sits up, leaning back against the headboard and he looks around the room. All is still.

"Binna?" he calls toward the open bathroom door. Silence punctuates the pause as he listens for sounds of her. He rises up, leaning toward the foot of the bed where he striped her of the robe, but he sees nothing on the floor. He frowns, unsure. He lifts himself from the bed, and puts on his pants, lifting them up over him but leaving them unbuttoned as he walks out into the hallway, looking in both directions for her. When he gets to the living room he sees nothing out of place, no sign of her or Mrs. Park and he picks up his phone from a side table to see that it's nearly 7am already.

He opens the door to the kitchen but finds no one. He frowns again as he wonders what's happened. She is not in the house. He looks back at his phone and sees there are no missed calls, no messages. She's gone without so much as a note or a text goodbye, or waking him to explain. He shakes his head feeling angry and confused. Last night, he thought how nice it would be to wake up with her next to him, which seemed like something important to him; that she be there, that he let her still be there, and that he would be happy, was important. But she's gone. His head hangs lower. Her battle must be reengaged, he thinks. She's at war with herself, over what they have, what they are to each other, but she hasn't bothered to discuss her thoughts with him. His eyes narrow as his lips form a pout.

Lifting his phone, he dials her number right away, thinking that there is no reason to let her prolong this, she has to face this, she has to face him. The voicemail picks up and his brow furrows in disappointment. He's not going to let her hide from this. They are working together, and they have work to do. He's not going to let her drop out of the music video, and he's not going to let her avoid him. Whatever she's going through, she needs to just be honest with him about it. They're both too old to play games. He hangs up, and sends a text;

Jungkook: call me

He stares at the screen as he walks back to the bedroom to shower and get dressed.

***

Binna lies in her bed, wide awake, still flushed from her run home which took nearly an hour because she wouldn't let herself stop and go inside, she kept running, until she'd run a circuit around her neighborhood, drawing ever tightening circles until at last she had no where to go but her own doorstep. She laid down fully dressed, and had been starring at the wall wondering what to do next for the last few hours. She has to find a way to sort the video in Bang PDs safe, but she also has to reschedule the music video for the following day. She needs to be at the office, but if she goes to the office, Jungkook will surely find her. He's going to want to know why she keeps doing this; giving herself to him so willingly and then shutting him out the next morning. It must seem like a stupid game to him, and he's use to winning games.

The phone next to her rings, and she sees Jungkook's name on the screen. She turns away from the phone, fighting the temptation to answer it, to speak to him, or just to hear his voice again. She resists her needs, letting it go to voicemail. She hears a text alert and she throws the duvet over her head exasperated. She hears a second alert a few moments later and she removes the duvet and looks over at the phone on the nightstand. Losing her resolve, she reaches for the phone. She holds the screen up to read the messages.

Jungkook: call me

Jungkook: or I'm coming over

Her eyes grow wide and she sits up in bed, looking around her small apartment, panicking in the moment thinking of him coming into her messy space; books and papers everywhere, dishes piled in the sink because she's never home to do them, and no one ever comes over. She looks back at the message, wondering if he actually does remember where she lives, and she dials his number. His voicemail answers and she frowns hoping he isn't already on his way to her apartment.

"Jungkook, I can't see you right now. I can't explain, I just, I don't want to upset anyone, there's more I haven't told you. I will, but, I need to sort it first." She hangs up the phone, grimacing, wondering if he's already in the car. She throws the covers off of her and rushes to get into the shower. She has to get to HYBE first thing. She has to try to see Bang PD nim and explain, and once she's sorted the footage, she can relax and focus on getting the crew and the members booked for the shoot the following day. She's got a lot of calls to make, and she can take care of it all from her office. After it's done, she will figure out what to say to Jungkook.

***

Jungkook steps out of his en-suite, dressed and ready. He picks up his phone to see the voicemail, and he smiles, thinking a voicemail means she wanted to speak to him, that she isn't avoiding him, and this early in the morning, he knows it's from her. He listens to the voicemail as he makes his way into the kitchen to get a drink and his expression slowly changes from one of relief to a frown. He sits down at his counter as he listens to her explain that she can't see him, that there is more she hasn't told him, and he wonders what she could mean. What could be worse than having a recording at HYBE with the sounds of them making love on it?!

He plays the voicemail again. It sounded like she'd been awake for a while, maybe since she left. He doesn't know what time she left, but it must have been before light. He considers sticking with his original plan and just getting in the car and driving to her house, but, the truth is he has very little memory of where she actually lives, and, they have to get the video arranged today, regardless of what's happening between them. He hears Mrs. Park come in the front door, loudly, as if to alert someone in the house that she is there. He laughs at her as she hum sings her way around the corner into the kitchen and she gasps when she see him, startled.

"You are up?!" she says surprised, clearly looking around the room for Binna. He smiles at her.

"I have a lot of work to do today," he explains. She raises her eyebrow at him.

"Oh? Do you have any help?" He knows this is her way of asking where Binna is. He chuckles at the idea. She's never much bothered about who is here or who his overnight guests are. It feels a little like she's decided she likes Binna. He remembers what she told him about 'mom-types' liking her and it makes him smile. Mrs. Park regards him.

"Yes, I think so. I'm going to be in and out today I think." He gets up from the counter.

"Will you want any lunch? or dinner? for two?" she tries to get more information as he walks out of the room.

"I'll see you later Mrs. Park," he calls behind him, ignoring her questions. He smiles, thinking about going straight to Binna's apartment to find out what exactly she thinks she's still got to tell him.