She is the Storm | Jeon Jungkook

~Fourteen~

Rowan~
Holding hands, we walked along through the forest toward the waterfall. All the way, Jungkook kept up a steady stream of conversation. He told me about his family, his childhood in Busan, his trainee days, and the other members that I hadn't met yet. I was glad he was talkative because I didn't have much to offer to the conversation. My life hadn't been the same kind of fairytale his had been.

"You ok?" he asked, stopping to look at me. "You're awful quiet."

I smiled at him, "I'm fine. I just like listening to you talk." I don't know why, but it just now hit me how different we were. It made me nervous.

"You think I don't know you well enough already to know when something is bothering you?" he said, putting his finger under my chin, tipping my head back so I was looking up at him. "Tell me."

"I just realized how very different our lives have been, that's all," I said, shrugging. "It kind of separates us. I suddenly don't feel like we're on a level playing field."

Frowning, he said, "Aw baby, you are so much more than your past. I wish you could see what I see when I look at you. You have a spirit and an independent streak that I'm so proud of. You could have let the evil around you change you into someone who was bitter and broken, but you didn't. If we're not on a level playing field, it's because you are so much stronger than I am."

I dropped my head, resting it on his chest, fighting to control my emotions. I didn't want to cry on the only date I'd ever been on. But then he opened his mouth again and ruined my efforts. "I love you, Rowan," he whispered into my ear.

Tears slid down my face and I was quiet for a few moments before I said, "No one, not even my mother, ever said that to me before. Can you say it one more time?"

He tugged on my braid, lifting my face up toward his, softly kissing me as he said over and over, "I love you. I love you. I love you."

I closed my eyes and savored this moment. I knew he didn't realize it, but he had just given me something no one else ever had... one moment of pure bliss. I could die happy now.

Laughing, he poked me. "Hey, what about me?"

I opened my eyes and saw his pouty face and I grinned, "I love you too... so much!"

"This is getting way too intense," he said, turning around. "Jump up; I'll give you a piggyback ride the rest of the way." We could already hear the waterfall from where we were, so I jumped on and wrapped my arms and legs around him.

Just a few minutes later, we came out of the trees into the clearing. It was just as magical as I remembered it. I was almost afraid I'd dreamed up the whole thing, but there it was... a shimmering waterfall covered with rainbow mist, falling into an aqua blue pool.

"Ooh, hold on. Selca time," he said, pulling out his phone and snapping a few pictures of us. "Now that we're here, what do we do?" he asked, looking around.

"We could swim maybe. I don't think it's very deep, but it looks deep enough to swim," I sat down at the edge of the water and unlaced my boots, pulling them off. Sticking my feet into the water, I sighed at how cool and clear it was. I looked up at him and raised my eyebrows, "What do you think?"

He looked all around the area. "I think we should walk around it once, just to be sure there aren't any surprises."

I put my boots back on and took the hand he offered me. We couldn't walk all the way around, because there were cliffs on the far side where the waterfall came out. After he thoroughly checked out the area, Jungkook seemed satisfied that it was safe enough.

He looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed, "How are we going to do this? Just jump in with our clothes on?"

I chuckled, "You're cute." I reached over to him and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. I couldn't help my eyes traveling down the length of his torso. I slept next to this man every night, but I will never get over how beautiful his body is.