𝘖𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 | JJK |

17 pt. 3

"Heiran."

"Jungkook, where are you?!" Heiran all but yelled into her phone, overcome with relief and anxious to know what the hell had happened. 

"Ran, I came to your apartment and you aren't here and I thought something happened to you because it's so late but Yoongi hyung told me that you went out. Please, where are you? You shouldn't be out this late. Are you alright?"

Why would he ask me that?

Jungkook was rambling like a kid who did something he knew he shouldn't have. There was panic in his voice. It was so unlike him. The worry and unimaginable anxiousness in that voice made her apprehensions rise. She locked his apartment door and rushed towards her car.

"Jungkook, don't go anywhere. Stay right there. I'm coming to you right now."

Hanging up the call, she turned on her engine. The radio came on, some news anchor mentioned something about gun violence in South Korea. With a huff of frustration, Heiran reached out to turn it off when she heard the name of the incident location being mentioned and paused, a feeling of uneasiness encasing her bones.

"Park Haneul, a teenage boy of fifteen, was shot in Itaewon-dong today at around 9 pm. Police officials state that the victim had passed away before their arrival due to severe injury to the lungs and blood loss. The culprit remains yet to be caught. Witnesses confirm—"

She pressed a hand to her lips in shock, the sudden realization dawning on her.

"No way..."

* * *

Punching in the passcode to her apartment, Heiran breezed inside, calling out his name in urgency. She found him sitting on the sofa, a drowsy Yoongi beside him trying to see what the matter was with him, as he barely took a sip of the tea Yoongi had probably made him. Jungkook looked as if he had gone through hell. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale. She felt the distress in her grow a hundred times fold. At her voice, he sprung from the couch, his tea abandoned.

"Heiran!"

Before she could ask him any questions, he hurried forward and wrapped her in a hug so intense she felt the air get pushed out of her lungs. "Oof, Jungkoo—"

His face buried into the crook of her neck as he whispered in immense relief. "You're okay. Thank God."

Heiran froze, startled at his relief. He'd been worried about her. But why? For what? Slowly recovering from the surprise, she patted the back of his shoulders hesitantly, so many questions for him running inside her mind. She didn't know which ones to ask first, so she let him hold her against him in silence. Yoongi took that as the cue to slip back into his room, although she didn't miss the concerned look on his face. It made sense for him to be concerned. Jungkook looked like an absolute mess and he was acting weird.

They must have stayed that way for five minutes or maybe ten. He still didn't let go of her, hugging her like he was holding onto his dear life. She could feel his heartbeat on her palm on his back. They were thumping unusually fast, though it seemed to calm down as time passed. Slowly, she pushed him back and made him look into her eyes.

"Jungkook, what's going on?" She asked.

He blinked dazedly as if he were just coming out of a very bad dream. He shook his head, trying to force a smile into his face. "Oh, nothing. I just..." he swallowed,  his hand moving to caress her face. "I just missed you. That's all."

Heiran grabbed a hold of his wrist, catching sight of the sloppily worn dressing in his hand. There were bloodstains all over them as if he had tried to do it by himself. At her notice, he shoved his hands into his pockets.