opposites attract | gotpink [new version]

. fights and punches .

Tragic backstories and height differences.

That was how fate drew Jaebum and Jennie's love story before breaking them apart with another tragedy, and on a cold night past midnight, the cruel fate tested their longing and broken promises with déjà vu-s.

Jaebum tried to change their destiny, pouring his unwelcome feelings onto his paintings while avoiding the girl he once loved for good. It made his heart ache less whenever his mind dived into a parallel world where he could lose himself in waves of emotions and thoughts with colors on his canvas paradise.

But It was impossible to run away forever.

At the end of a late walk, he was enjoying the dim streetlights on the quiet, empty streets. Jaebum's stomach growled from the skipped meals he forgot to eat. The green neon light of the 7-Eleven convenience store lit the end of the street like a savior in disguise.

The automatic door welcomed him with wide arms open as he stepped into the supermarket, only to freeze at the scene of her in the green uniform three-pocket shirt with her black hair tied in a ponytail like their first meeting, but with sorrow, not a flicker of excitement, pain with butterflies in the stomachs, yearning for each other as they stayed away from each other.

Jaebum could hear the sound of his heart's whimpers as he tried not to lock their gazes longer, but his body was failing him—narrow eyes tinged red, rigid breath, heart aching so much that he couldn't help but flee.

He found himself trapped between aisles full of biscuits and protein bars, his least favorite foods. His fingers grabbed a chocolate protein bar impulsively while his dry throat begged him for a drink. He scanned the display fridge with colored cans aligned by brand.

His emotions took over his mind, and he stuck back at the girl standing by the counter instead of picking up a drink. With a little head shake, he took another deep breath in before letting it out after counting to ten to ease the heavy feelings and dissipate the longing.

A loud shout made his head snap in her direction. A drunk, tall man in his thirties in crumbling, dirty clothes, barely keeping his balance, was in front of her. Jaebum could see her trembling behind her professional act as she tried to handle the rude customer.

"I'm sorry. You need to pay for your drinks, sir."

"Don't tell me what to do, whore. Give me the drinks if you don't want to die!" The man slurred aggressively, his large hand banging the counter to show off his violence. Jennie flinched, hands clasped tightly to keep it together in hopes he would go away at some point, but the man didn't. Instead, he held one of the soju bottles, hitting it on the edge. The green glass shuttered loudly, with a sharp piece still in the man's hold.

Jennie's façade broke as she stumbled back in terror, adding fuel to Jaebum's rage. All he saw was red, kicking the man to the ground, jabbing the hand that held the sharp object as it fell, smashed into glittering fragments.

Before the man could attack, Jaebum was on top of him, punching the sides of his face nonstop, brutally, with no sign to stop, as if his mind wasn't hearing the man's pained cries. Jennie's pleading voice took feather steps to his ear, slowly wiping the smoke from his eyes.

"Enough, please... Jaebum, please. I'm scared,"

Jennie's slender arms wrapped around his waist, her chest glued to his back in a tight hug to calm his heart and the adrenaline rush. Her tears put off his fire as he closed his eyes as he got off the guy, fighting against gravity and his habit of leaning against her or holding her hands.

Their intertwined fates were playing a cruel game of rewind with sorrow and other thousand problems blocking their ways of being together, slipping into each other's arms to find peace.

Jaebum bit the insides of his cheek, standing up with coldness the second her arms slipped. He looked down at her, still sobbing and shaking from the whole scene she witnessed. He resisted the urge to embrace her and snatch the fear away.

"Call your manager. You are quitting this job."

"I can't. I n-need it." She stammered between her choking sobs as she wiped her flowing tears.

Jaebum clicked his tongue, ruffling his hair in frustration as he watched her struggle to stand up. "Don't live here, if you can't afford it." He regretted what he said the second he saw how her lips quivered and the hurt evident on her face.

"Fuck you, Jaebum. I'm striving to make our dream of studying and living together come true."

Jaebum grimaced, remembering their dreamy promises that he broke without mercy instead of fighting for both. He found himself blaming fate again for making him a monster who couldn't commit to their relationship and making the only girl he loved suffer.

"There isn't a together for us; there is no us."

He could taste the bitterness of his own words on his tongue, stabbing both of their broken hearts for good. "I have another safer job; call your manager, and I will wait for you outside."

With that, he left the suffocating store, sitting on one of the red chairs in front. He rested his bruised hands on the matching red table, and his bloody fingers swiped the screen unlocked to send a text.

"Evening BamBam, can someone else take over my job? She is better than me." - Jaebum.

"Out of sudden? Talk to you tomorrow," - BamBam.

Jaebum bit his lips, ignoring his stomach growls while tapping his feet on the ground, impatient as his anxiety was rising with the fear of Jennie's possibility of getting hurt if he hadn't been there on time.

A warm breeze touched his clenched cheek before hitting the rest of his face as the two Gomtang Mandu stews were placed on the table. Jennie hesitantly pulled the chair opposite him, putting the trapped strawberry milk bottles between her arm and her waist on the table.

His aching heart found warmth in how her memory still had his favorite snacks somewhere there.

"I'm not hungry, let's go." He swallowed, avoiding her lingering gaze.

"I know you are hungry after missing your meals."

"I'm not,"

"Fine, you can leave me here because I will enjoy my meal first."

Jaebum's glare softened, unable to defeat the girl's determination. He let out a sigh, grabbing the wooden chopsticks with his injured hand. "You are still stubborn."

"You are still hot-tempered."

Jaebum stopped twirling the noodles with his wooden sticks, eyes cast down. "I'm not a troublemaker anymore. He a-almost hurt you; he deserved every punch."

He could feel her approaching closer as her hand reached his bloody knuckles like a light feather that tickled his heart, making him weak from a simple touch.

"You got hurt because of me again; I'm sorry."

She said it with a sad smile, caressing the injured hand as Jaebum resisted putting his hand over hers or enveloping her in a warm, tight hug with a reassuring mantra that he would do everything for her to make her safe and happy, but her happiness's key was her being away from him for good. That's why he put on his cold face, pushing her away without turning back.