When We Return

Chapter 13

Day 4

I had a bad dream.

I just realized that taking a nap is a bad idea.

I remember waking up screaming, crying, and shivering. I can’t breathe, I thought I was going to die. Luckily, I didn’t. Jay was there, as usual, cradling me in his arms while I’m breaking into tears.

It’s hard not to, not when I dreamed about the night I humiliate my father, kissing the guy with a bottle of whiskey in my hand, my father pushing me on the ground and shouting at me. I dreamed about his face masked with anger and disappointment.

I dreamed about how he was glad I was stuck in this place, how his laughter turned into an evil one and ringed into my ears.

It’s painful, I can’t imagine him being happy that I’m here. Stuck and helpless.

“I-I’m sorry! I.. I c-can’t—” my voice broke as I struggled to ask forgiveness to my father. Hoping he could hear me from here. Hoping my plea can reach him.

I won’t do it again! I’m sorry, forgive me. Please.

“For f**k’s sake! When will all of you just shut the f**k up?!” (Korean) I heard Yoongi’s voice in a distance. Maybe my screams angered him again.

More voices entered my ears as they argued, I felt sorry for a brief moment but not enough to make my cries stop.

I had a bad dream. A lot scarier than my dreams the past nights.

His hug tightened, trying to block my ears to the nearby arguments. He slightly rocked me in his arms, as if I’m a baby he can lull back to sleep.

“Who was it?” he asked right above my ear.

“F-father..” I answered back before clutching his shirt to my fist.

My chest hurts from crying, but I didn’t stop. He didn’t ask further and just busied himself in calming me.

“U-unnie…” I slightly looked to my left to the source of the voice. Due to my blurred vision, I can’t make out the face of the person who called me. I know she refers unnie as me. I figured that out because of SinB.

“Is she okay?” (Korean) the voice asked.

Jay nods, “Just a bad dream.” He answered. They exchanged words for a brief moment which I didn’t care much since I can’t understand them and I’m busy trying to get my dream out of my head.

“Kamsahamnida.” Jay gratefully said as he reached out for something. My mind is cloudy I can’t focus on them plus I still can’t calm down from shivering so hard.

“u-um, just please let her drink a sip. I don’t much have left.” (Korean) she said shyly and I felt Jay nod.

“of course.” (Korean) he said.

He made me sit properly on his lap—not literally on his lap, just my legs draped over his lap—and opened a blue water tumbler.

“This is Umji’s, she said just take a sip to calm yourself. Her water is almost empty.” I gratefully took a sip, though I really wanted to drink more, but I’m embarrassed to even try.

“T-thanks” I muttered and looked at Umji. She looks better than the last time I laid my eyes on her. Maybe because she had some time to sleep.

She simply nods, got up and walk away.

Jay went back to rocking me on his lap, leaning his chin at the top of my head as I rest on his chest. My sob already died down, as I just noticed now.

He hummed that made me relax. Now that I think of it, I felt my face heat up as I imagine our position. How tangled we are with each other. My hand trembled as I removed it on his waist and casually putting it on my lap.

I think of ways on how to untangle myself from him when he suddenly pushed me gently to look at my face. I immediately buried my face on both of my hands.

“Hey, what’s wrong this time?” he asked but I just shook my head no. God, this is so embarrassing!

He chose to stay silent that made me dread for words. Is it okay to lift my head now? Sheez, but I’m still blushing!

I peeked through my fingers and saw him look at me weirdly. He already removed his hands from the hug and now is the best chance to move away from him but for some reason, my limbs are frozen and I can’t even lift a foot.

When I already gathered the strength to push myself away, he grabbed my waist to keep me still and earning a yelp from me.

I put a hand on his hard-toned chest to steady myself and to prevent the gap of space from closing between us. Being this close to him will not do good for me.

“Are you embarrassed?” I lift my head, which is a bad idea because our faces are only inches apart. He wears that infamous smirk of his, the one which I hate at first but grown to love.

And I felt all the blood rush up to my cheeks. He’s going to tease me again! Argh!

“O-f course n-not!” I mentally cussed myself for stuttering so much. I slightly push him away but due to his hands on my waist prevents me from making a gap.

“Then why are you blushing?” I instantly covered half of my face with my other hand and tried to look away from him.

“I-I’m not!”

“Then why are you stuttering?”

“Why can’t you let me go?!” I said with a hint of irritation. This guy, seriously!

He laughed but thankfully let go of my waist and I scrambled off from his lap. I put as much space between us. I can’t let him near me now, gosh, my heart is beating so fast.

Now that I calmed myself from crying so much, I need to calm myself again from that guy!

If he keeps being like this I might—

“Well, thank you! For making such disturbance and then flirt after!” (Korean) I turned to see Yoongi, paler than usual, but still carries that dark, dangerous aura that made my insides churn because of fear. He’s directly looking at me—scowling actually—and seems mad.

Is he mad that I woke up from a bad dream and screaming? Is that it?

Jay is on my side, standing and alert as he glared at Yoongi too.

“You’re not the one who woke up from a nightmare.” (Korean) he barked that made Yoongi smirk, it made me want to be a pile of goo.

“Wow, so much for nightmares when she can sit on your lap then. Prostitutes, gods, I hate them.” (Korean)

And for some reason, what Yoongi said made Jay snap and instantly charged towards the guy and punch him straight on the face pushing Yoongi to the ground.

“No!!” I shouted when Yoongi returned the punch.

Namjoon instantly stood between the two, he was holding Yoongi but stopping him on the waist when he was about to charge on Jay too. Namjoon isn’t holding much effort since the guy is small and easy to hold down.

Jhope, on the hand, struggled to keep Jay to his feet. He was scrambling forward whenever Jay advances and he needs to step back just to pull Jay backward again.

If this is not just so serious, I would have laughed looking at Jhope getting tired on holding Jay and how his face contort. But this is no time for jokes and I’m already panicking.

Jungkook was helping too, compared to Jhope, he’s more lean and muscular and was holding to Jay’s shoulder to stop him from advancing. 

I saw Yerin running towards the boys and shouting at them, trying to stop them too.

Eunha and Umji are at the corner, hugging each other and looking at the guys with such horror in their eyes.

The three casualties just simply sat at their usual spot, Jimin and Taehyung badly wanted to help too but because of their injuries, they can’t afford to have new ones.

“You piece of s**t! You did not call her that!!” (Korean) Jay angrily barked at Yoongi and tried to advance again.

“Call her what? A p********e?!” (Korean) he responded in more harsher tone that clicked Jay to the core. He looked like he definitely wants to kill Yoongi.

I’ve never seen him like that before.

And I’m starting to get afraid of him.

Ignoring my growing fear, I step up behind him, and pulled his shirt. I don’t know what made him so angry but I need to stop him before I change my perception about him.

I don’t want to cry, not after I just cried a while ago, but stupid tears for I can’t control it. I don’t want Jay to change, I don’t want him to be like that in front of me.

I’m scared.

“J-jay.” 

He froze and looked at me from behind. Jhope and Jungkook let out a sigh of relief after Jay stopped struggling from their hold.

“Stop.” Is all I could say.

He looked at me intensely, pain and anger mixed together clouded his eyes. And then he breathed out. Jhope and Jungkook released him. Yoongi violently removed Namjoon’s hands from him and wiped the blood from his lips, but he didn’t attack and just walk away muttering words I couldn’t decipher.

Without a word, Jay passed me by. I tried to catch his arm but Yerin grabs my arm before I could. “Let him be first.” She said in broken English.

“Is he mad at me?” she shakes her head.

“Cool down.” She responded which I quickly understand.

I guess he needs that, after unleashing his bad side in front of me. I can’t seem to face him without remembering how scary he looked like earlier.

“Don’t worry, he’s okay.” Jhope said slowly and patted my shoulder and smiled, his usual bright smile radiating the room.

After spending some time together, they learned that I can’t speak much Korean, but thanks to Jay I learned some during the long run. But not enough to understand the whole conversation.

So, they try their best to speak English for me but I guess it’s difficult for them too. Some of them avoids getting into a conversation with me. Well, except for Umji and Namjoon, they’re quite fluent with the language.

I offered him my genuine smile but I still don’t feel uplifted. Me and Jhope sat on the ground beside Umji and Eunha, who’s still currently shaken up with the commotion.

“Unnie, gwenchana?” Eunha asked as soon as I settled down on the cold ground. I looked at her, confused.

“She asks if you’re okay.” Umji translated for me. I smiled a little, and nod. But I don’t think so, though.

Maybe they can tell that I’m not really, but they didn’t further push me to it. Jhope is well, as usual, loud. He tells stories about him to the three of us—or four, including Jungkook—and tries his best to speak it in English but Umji helps him too.

There are some parts in his story that we laughed, or just them, since I don’t get the pun he says. But still, I’m grateful for the distraction.

If only Jhope exists in my world, if only he was with me when I’m at my worst, then maybe my life wouldn’t be so sad. Maybe there would still be a reason for me to smile, and not faking it.

I don’t know how many minutes or hours has it been since Jay left, and hasn’t been back since. I’m a little worried, what if something happened to him?

“Noona..” Jungkook called and I looked at him. We’ve been attending our casualties, cleaning their wounds and such. But due to the lack of food and water, they seem to become weak instead of better. Yuju though, is starting to heal from her fever, and Taehyung can interact with us now, Jimin just chose to be silent.

“Yes?”

“You’re Lee Sojung, right?” he asked without meeting my eyes, he just stared down at the ground.

My eyebrows shot up, clearly surprised he knows me knowing that I didn’t even told them my real name. I just introduced myself as Sowon.

“How did you know me?”

He smiled, the cute, innocent kind of way.

“Popular.” What made it cute is the way he communicates with me. He’s not fluent in English but he can understand. And he talks to me with broken English which would compose to one to three words only but I could understand what he meant.

“Oh? I’m popular?” I tilted my head back as he said that. How am I popular here? I could understand if it’s in Canada, but in the field of business alone, as the daughter of one of the most succeeded businessman, and also the heiress. But here in Korea? I’m surprised.

He nodded and plays with his fingers.

“You’re joking, aren’t you?”

He lifted his head and shakes his head in the most adorable way. His mouth slightly open.

“I’m not close to popular, so tell me. How did you know me?” he looked up to the sky and his lips curled to the side as if thinking of words to explain.

He’s too adorable I want to pinch his cheeks.

“Party.. Business.. Lee Seungkwan..” he said, careful on his words. What made me stir is him saying my father’s name.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Don’t tell me—

“What’s your last name?” it took seconds before he responds because he didn’t catch the question.

“Jeon. Jeon Jungkook.”

Ha!

I fell on my butt with what he said. Seriously?

“Y-you—” I pointed a shaky finger at him while my other hand traveled to my mouth, trying to cover it.

He nodded.

What the hell?

I gape at him, my mouth open and eyes bulging. I can’t believe this. No, no, no!!

“Sowon.” I turned my back to look at the person who called me.

“J-jay.” I look at Jungkook again.

No way…