If Only I'd Met You Earlier♡ •Ot7•

16. Riverside

Areum's POV:

"Jungkook?" I called out to the shuddering crouched silhouette sitting by the edge of the river.

"A-Areum-" he hastily stood up, rubbing the back of his palms to his cheeks harshly before he sniffed loudly.

Reaching for my shoulders, he abruptly withdrew his hands, "W-what are you doing here?"

"I asked Taehyung to get me to you." I answered, but not correctly to what he asked.

"I-" he looked over my shoulders, still sniffing.

"Don't worry, I asked him to go back. Apparently he would do what I asked him to."

"Oh.." His voice trailed off as he looked away, reaching for his pocket, "Please go back. Let me give a call to Taehyung-"

"No-" I placed my hand on his, only to be yanked away. My eyes welled up immediately.

"PLEASE- JUST-" He lifted both his hands in the air to make sure we made no physical contact and stepped back, "DON'T TOUCH ME. You aren't supposed to be here. Go back to where you are needed."

"NEEDED? I-I NEED YOU, J-UNGKOOK!" I choked, again reaching out for him.

He moved behind simultaneously, "No! You don't! This is not correct! Go, please go away."

"I'm not! I'm not going! Jungko- just please-" I walked nearer as he continuosly stepped backwards. I was quick enough to wrap my arms around him and stop him from moving further away, "Please let me hold you-"

"Noo- noo- please-" he reluctantly tried pushing me away by my waist, hardly ACTUALLY forcing me away.

"Stop it now." I cried into his chest while he lightly held the sides of my waist, still with a tiny push.

"Don't do this- to me -Areum, g-go." His voice cracked as trickling drops made their way down the exposed skin on my shoulder.

I caressed his head with one hand while the other rubbed his back, "Shh... Enough...."

It didn't seem to help since he cried even more, repeating the same lines- 'Please go away', 'This is not supposed to happen.'

"Stop crying. Those tears are precious."

"I want to hug you so bad right now." He gently let his forehead touch mine.

"You already are."

"No, Areum- I want to hug you like you're- mine. I want to hug you like you own me." He pulled away, just the second I'd let his waist loose. His tone switched from emotional to serious when he spoke again, "But you aren't. I can't have you even if you yourself want me."

He walked back to where he was sitting earlier, while I stood there- still registering.

"Even though we never thought you would come, he was still waiting for you for very long, Areum. We thought you- died, but seeing you now, I saw how happy it makes him. He thought he'd never find love, but now he did. He is the one for you. Don't cause him pain, go-"

"DON'T- you dare ask me to go back, again!" I snapped, striding towards him, "I HAVE MY CHOICES. I CAN BE WITH THE ONE I WANT!"

"NO. That precisely is the problem is. No, you don't and no you can't! You are betrothed to Namjoon!-"

"THEN WHY- WHY DID YOU KISS ME? YOU KNEW EVERYTHING! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? WHY DID YOU HIDE IT FROM EVERYONE-"

He interrupted, "BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE WITH YOU- AREUM!! DON'T YOU SEE IT? I'VE LET MY HEART OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND TO WHOM? TO MY BROTHER'S BRIDE-?"