Into The Shadows 🖤

f o r t y - t h r e e

Jungkook

Y/n has been on edge for a while now. Hell, she has been on edge from the moment she saw tears forming in my eyes.

I should have never let her see them.
I should have not had them in the first place.
I'm better than this.

Tears are a weakness. I'm not letting my guard down until I find who is behind this menace.

Crossing my leg over the other, I see my Angel glancing out of the window of the plane with curiosity.

I did not miss the expression on her face when I told her that we are flying private. It was a shock mixed with her sparkling excitement. Her mouth fell agape when we boarded our family's private jet. Her eyes shined with eager excitement. She walked the entire length of the plane inspecting every corner before we took off.

Has she never been on a plane before?
Not that the Lees are poor.

Very carefully, I ask her, "Angel, which countries have you been to before? And is there any specific country you'd love to visit?"

She looks away from the window at me.
Her smile falls.
And I get the answer to my questions.

"If given a chance, I'd like to see this beautiful world," her eyes saddened. "I haven't gone out of Korea, the far I went was Jeju when my grandparents lived there after handing over the business to my dad. So we used to visit my grandparents occasionally."

Y/n grandparents lived in Jeju after her dad took over the Lee family. Our families were enemies and I had no clue that Mafia Lee lived in Jeju?

Which means…

"Mafia Lee had no idea how your dad treated your mom and you?" I hold her palm in mine and rub fine circles with my thumb over her skin.

This is a sensitive issue in her life and I need to handle it with utmost care without triggering her.

She goes silent.
Doesn't say a word.

I don't want her to dive back into those traumatic memories. "I'm sorry for asking about it out of nowhere, Y/n, look at me."

Her breathing turns erratic. She inhales deeply as if there's no air passing into her lungs. "Angel, no. Don't give up on me."

I cup her cheeks and make her look into my eyes. "Let's count to five, okay?"

She nods frantically. Breathing heavily. Tears in her beautiful eyes.

She stutters while counting, inhaling deeply for every number.

I regret asking her about her past. What the hell is wrong with me? Maybe I need the answers to heal her fears. To heal her soul.

This trip is a vacation for her to unwind and let go of the brutal memories, so I need to know, just for once.

"Angel, I'm sorry but I need to know if anyone ever tried to help you out of that situation. Just nod or shake your head, okay? I'll ask a few more questions and then we will never talk about it. We will bury the past in a sand castle we will make at a beach in Tuscany and watch the waves wash it away until nothing is left of it. Sounds like a plan?"

There goes that look on her.
That look tells me that I have given her the entire world.

"I love you," she whispers and reaches across her seat, and presses her lips into mine. I take her in, tracing my tongue against the seam of her lips. I suck her lips sensually, unraveling in demons I'm trying to shatter.

"I love you more, Angel."

I take her hands in mine and hold them tight. "Did your grandfather know about the abuse?"