Face Shift - A Mask You Can't Take Off

Part 6 - When Walls Crumble

Jungkook opened the front door, and Hyuna was still leaning heavily on him for support. His attitude toward her had shifted; his voice was softer, and he was being genuinely helpful.

She sank onto the living room sofa. "Thank you..."

The sun was beginning to rise. Jungkook headed toward the kitchen and called out, "Are you hungry? I'm going to make breakfast."

Hyuna smiled to herself, knowing full well he didn't know how to cook a thing. "Since when do you know how to cook?"

Jungkook stopped at the kitchen doorway and looked at her. "Your leftovers from last night are still here."

He quickly ducked back inside so she wouldn't catch the smile playing on his lips. He placed the containers on the stove and cranked up the heat.

Hyuna carefully stood up, her body still aching from the beating and the lingering fever. She walked to the kitchen and stared at the high flames in shock.

"Turn it doooown! You're going to burn it all that way!"

Jungkook hurried to follow her instructions, looking like a little boy afraid of his mother's scolding. "Sorry... I didn't know."

Hyuna loved this side of him. This change in his behavior gave her hope that her plan was progressing perfectly.

She moved toward the cabinets to set the table, but Jungkook grumbled as he took the plates from her hands.

"Have you forgotten you're sick? Do you want to get me sick too? I'll do it. Go rest."

Her heart fluttered at his kindness. She knew he was just using 'getting sick' as an excuse to look after her. Without protest, she sat at the kitchen table. Jungkook set everything out and sat across from her. He served himself some soup and began to eat, avoiding her gaze.

Hyuna couldn't stop staring at him. What was it about this guy? Why couldn't she take her eyes off his handsome face? Wasn't she supposed to hate all men (except her brother)?

Jungkook felt her intense gaze. He stopped eating and slowly looked up. "Why aren't you eating? Weren't you hungry?"

Even though she knew he had caught her staring, she kept her eyes locked on his kind ones. "I don't have much of an appetite... I think if I sleep, I'll feel better."

He was worried about her. "But you need to take your medicine. The doctor said your fever won't break otherwise."

She stood up from the table. "Nah... it's fine. I'll get better on my own."

Jungkook struggled to swallow his food; Hyuna's tone had suddenly turned jarring and strangely informal.

Realizing his expression had changed, Hyuna quickly added, "Um... I mean, I'll be fine if I just... take care of myself."

Her delicate, bashful voice and those captivating eyes were starting to enchant him. He felt almost mesmerized under her gaze.

Just before she left, Jungkook muttered, "The rules... forget the rules."

He didn't even know why he said it. He just felt pity for her. He wanted to be kind so she wouldn't go wandering out in the cold looking for a house or a dangerous job again. He didn't want Nayun's fate to repeat itself. With effort, he tore his gaze away and stared down at his plate.

Hyuna smiled. She hadn't expected him to soften up this quickly. "I'm going to go rest. I'll make something for us to eat by lunchtime."

Without waiting for a reply, she headed to her room. She felt good, felt valued and important. She was living with people who were technically her enemies, but in reality, they were closer to her than any friend.

After finishing breakfast, Jungkook went to his room. He was exhausted after staying up all night, but the photos and files scattered on his desk pulled him back toward his work.

__________

The impact of the heavy blows had left her weakened. She leaned her hand against the wall, struggling just to stay upright. Her legs were shaking, and she could no longer bear the weight of her own body.

Hearing Hyuna's muffled cries and moans, Jungkook rushed toward her room.

She was gasping for air, clawing at the bedsheets. Her entire body was drenched in sweat. In a state of terror and tears, she kept calling out a name.

"Ji... Jim..."

He sat on the edge of the bed beside her and gently shook her shoulders. Panic began to set in; she was burning up, her body consumed by a high fever. He took her shoulders in both hands and called her name firmly: "Hyuna!"

She jolted awake with a deep, ragged breath. Still disoriented, she found herself staring into two kind, brown eyes. It had all been a dream. A lump formed in her throat.

Jungkook instinctively offered a gentle smile to calm her terrified and disheveled state.

"You were just having a nightmare."

She could still feel his warm, masculine hands wrapped around her arms. Her composure broke, and she burst into heavy sobs. She was scared and felt utterly alone; she desperately needed someone's support and affection.

Seeing her tears, Jungkook's brow furrowed with concern. "Calm down... it's okay. I'm right here with you."

Her heart skipped a beat. That last sentence, it played with all her thoughts and emotions. She pulled herself up into a sitting position. Jungkook's hands let go of her, but their eyes remained locked. In a moment of vulnerability, Hyuna threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. She was terrified of what she was doing, and even more afraid of how he might react, but she needed to be in his arms. There was no plan this time. The real Hyuna just wanted Kookie there to quiet the storm inside her.

Jungkook was stunned by her sudden movement. The poor girl had sought refuge in his arms, trembling and weeping. He could practically feel the pain and agony she had endured.

Involuntarily, his hand moved toward her soft hair, stroking it gently. He hesitated, afraid he might overstep or cause her discomfort. He didn't know how to comfort her.

Feeling his fingers caressing her hair, Hyuna found new courage and let herself drown in the embrace.

The sound of her grief was agonizing to him. He struggled to find words of comfort; he wished his mother were there. The heat from her feverish body radiated against him, and his own heart began to beat harder against his will. He placed his hand gently on her shoulders.

Hyuna understood the gesture. Her heart wasn't ready to leave that safe haven, but she reluctantly pulled back, filled with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to."

Jungkook stood up abruptly from the bed. He rubbed the back of his neck, his voice slightly shaky as he spoke. "It's... it's okay. I understand."

She noticed his nervousness and anxiety. Wiping the tears from her face, she watched him as he carefully avoided her gaze.

He licked his lips and muttered, "I'm going out... I have some things to take care of. See you later."

He grabbed his clothes from the rack, his heart still pounding from the intimacy of the moment before. He couldn't believe he had actually reached out to stroke her hair. Just as he was putting on his jacket, the doorbell rang. He paused and checked the intercom.

"Yes? Oh, Jin, it's you? Come on in."

‌

Jin kicked off his shoes and hurried into the house. Seeing Jungkook standing by the door ready to go, the smile on his face faltered.

"Oh, Kook... were you heading out somewhere?"

Inside the room, Hyuna heard the door. She quickly lay back down, not wanting to intrude on their conversation.

She could hear Jungkook's light laughter, and an involuntary smile spread across her lips. His deep, captivating voice still seemed to echo in her ears. His embrace had been so warm and secure; a part of her regretted pulling away, wishing she could have stayed in his arms just a little longer.

Jungkook stole a glance toward Hyuna's room before turning to Jin, who was busy flipping through TV channels. "How about we go out for a bit?"

Jin looked at him in disbelief. He couldn't believe Jungkook was actually suggesting it. For the past two days, he had struggled to keep himself away from this house, terrified that he might let his true feelings slip.

"Yeah, that sounds great. Where to?"

Jungkook hesitated; he hadn't told Jin about Hyuna yet. He wasn't sure if Hyuna even wanted anyone to know she was staying there. "Hold on a second, I'll be right back."

Jin watched him with a puzzled expression as Jungkook headed toward his parents' bedroom. From the moment he'd walked in, he could tell something was different about Jungkook's mood.

Jungkook closed the bedroom door quietly. Hyuna was lying with her back to him. He thought that perhaps getting out of the house might do her some good. He sat gently on the edge of the bed. He hesitated to call her name, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "H-Hyuna..."

Hyuna, who had drifted off again amidst her pain and sorrow, turned toward him. Finding Jungkook's face just inches from her own, she looked at him in surprise. "What is it?"

Startled by the sudden proximity, Jungkook stood up abruptly. "Nothing... my friend Jin is here. We were thinking of going out. Do you want to come along? He... he doesn't know you're here yet. I thought maybe..."

A knock at the door interrupted him. Before they could react, Jin pushed the door open. He froze at the sight of Hyuna on the bed, his hand slipping from the doorknob. Hyuna forced herself up, walked toward him, and extended her hand.

"Hello... my name is Hyuna."

Jungkook shot a playful smile at Jin. "Man, don't leave her hanging. Her hand's going cold."

All Jin could see was a wounded girl with messy, yet beautifully colored hair. Who was she? While he had spent his nights dreaming of being by Jungkook's side, had this girl taken his place?

Unsettled by Jin's intense staring, Hyuna withdrew her hand. "I won't get in the way of your plans."

She glanced at Jungkook, who looked just as bewildered by his friend's reaction.

A lump formed in Jin's throat as he turned and bolted from the room. Jungkook hurried after him.

"Jin! Wait, Jin, what happened?"

Jin stopped halfway and turned around. He was hurt, but he knew Jungkook wasn't to blame, he had no idea what Jin's heart truly desired. Forcing a fake smile, he placed a hand on Jungkook's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I just remembered I have something urgent to take care of. I completely forgot. You two go ahead without me."

He didn't wait for Jungkook's answer and hurried out of the house. His heart was racing, a whirlwind of thoughts consuming him. Why didn't he tell me? he wondered. (Jungkook was never good with people, especially girls... so how? They must have been together last night... how did they even meet?)

His heart beat painfully against his ribs. He pulled the car over to the curb, and involuntarily, tears began to stream down his face. It was hard. He had always feared this day would come. He felt a deep sense of betrayal, not just as a lover from afar, but as a best friend. Jungkook hadn't said a word about his relationship to Jin.

His phone rang again. It was Jungkook, calling for the third or fourth time, but Jin let it ring, unanswered.

Back at the house, Jungkook was paced the living room, worried sick. He knew how sensitive and fragile Jin could be. He deeply regretted not mentioning Hyuna sooner. He kept dialing Jin's number over and over. (Does he think we're... oh God, of course he does. He thinks I've been hiding things from him. Please answer, Jin. Please.)

Hyuna stood by the doorway, watching his anxious behavior in silence. "Think... where would he go?"

Jungkook stopped in his tracks. Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? Whenever Jin was sad or hurt, he always went to the Han River. He threw on his jacket in a hurry. "I'll be right back!"

At the river, a young couple was sitting on "their" usual bench. The sight reminded him of Jungkook and that girl, and once again, a lump formed in his throat.

It was midday and he was hungry, but finding his friend was the only thing that mattered. Finally, he spotted Jin by the water's edge. He rushed to his side, panting for breath.

"Jin! You idiot... why did you turn off your phone?"

Jin looked at him, startled. There was a storm of emotions inside him, but he tried to remain composed. "Just leave me alone."

Jungkook placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've got it all wrong. I don't even know that girl."

Jin let out a bitter scoff and stared back at the river. Jungkook turned Jin toward him so they were eye-to-eye.

"I'm talking to you! You know I don't lie. That girl has been staying at our house for over a week. She lost her mother, she's homeless, she has no one. She's completely alone."

She had been in their house for over a week, and Jin had no idea.

"Jin... believe me, I didn't think it was important enough to mention."

Angrily, Jin brushed Jungkook's hand off his shoulder. "Not important? You really think that? A girl stays in your house for over a week and you say it's not important? Ah, Jungkook... since when did I become such a stranger to you? What are you afraid of? Don't you trust me?"

Jungkook listened with his mouth slightly open, stunned. He couldn't believe this would upset Jin so much. "It's not like that, Jin. You're overthinking it. I don't even know her well enough to care about her, which is why I didn't think her being there was worth bringing up."

Jin struggled to swallow his anger and the lump in his throat. "That's unlike you, Senior Officer Jeon Jungkook. How can you let someone you don't even know into your home?"

Jungkook offered a small smile. "Don't be so sensitive, Jin. She's just a helpless girl, that's all. She was assaulted last night... beaten up. I felt the same way you did at first, but she's truly harmless and alone. If you see her, please don't bring it up."

Hearing Jungkook defend her made Jin's heart ache even more. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for the poor girl. So those bruises and wounds were from an assault...

Jungkook saw Jin's expression soften and knew he had won him over. He grabbed his arm and said with a laugh, "It's freezing out here. Come on, let's go have lunch at our place. Sometimes you act like such a child, I find it hard to believe you're twenty-seven."

Jin allowed himself to be pulled along. Jungkook's words had mostly calmed him down, but his heart still felt unsettled. He had judged too quickly, but he was still terrified of those two being alone in a house together. He knew Jungkook struggled with intimacy, but what if that brown-eyed girl found a way to pull Jungkook toward her?

___________

She remembered Jin now, he was the same guy who had saved her from Jungkook's grip that night at the bar. She was lucky he didn't seem to recognize her, but what if his memory returned? Their eyes had locked for only a brief moment back then. Could Jin's strange behavior be because he knew who she was?

Feeling frail and disoriented, she forced herself to cook. She hadn't eaten since morning and was famished. When she heard the door open and Jungkook's voice, a wave of panic hit her. She didn't know how he would react, so she stepped out of the kitchen to meet them.

Jungkook smiled, his hand resting casually on Jin's back. "I went and brought back my thin-skinned friend."

Hyuna forced a fake smile and offered a small bow. "Welcome. I'll serve lunch right away."

They sat down to eat the meal Hyuna had prepared. Jin's eyes never left the stranger. The bruises and cuts on her face were unpleasant to look at, but he didn't care about her well-being. His peace had been shattered, and he had a bad gut feeling about her.

Hyuna felt suffocated by Jin's intense staring. She tried to avoid eye contact at all costs, her appetite vanishing instantly. When she stood up from the table, Jungkook asked in surprise, "Why are you getting up? You've barely touched your food."

Jin continued to watch her like a hawk, his eyes filled with curiosity and suspicion.

She stole a quick glance at Jin; she could read the resentment and hostility in his eyes. With a forced smile toward Jungkook, she said, "I'm not feeling very well. I think I should rest."

Before she could leave, Jungkook called out urgently, "Hyuna..."

She paused, struck by how softly he said her name. As she turned back, she noticed the veins in Jin's neck bulging with tension.

"Yes?"

Jungkook offered a subtle smile. "I wanted to... never mind. Thanks for lunch."

He had thought about asking her to go for a walk, thinking it might lift her spirits, but he decided she truly did need the rest.

.

.

.

After lunch, Jungkook led Jin into his room. "Jina... come look at what I've discovered."

Jin was a mess inside. The presence of a girl alone with the man he loved made him incredibly anxious. He barely listened to Jungkook's words; his mind was consumed by thoughts of the two of them in this house... at lunch... the way Jungkook stole glances at her... even the way he had said her name.

Jungkook excitedly spread the photos on the desk. "What do you think? Isn't this level of proximity to them amazing? And get this, Hyuna ended up in this state because of this gang."

Jin stared at Jungkook's happy face in horror. "What do you mean?"

Jungkook took a step closer and lowered his voice. "Hyuna used to work at that bar... for the money and stuff. And Jin, can you believe it? She went back to that hellhole just to help me with the case."

Jin listened, stunned and speechless. The tone Jungkook used was so full of compassion and care, it cut Jin deep.

Jungkook placed a hand on Jin's broad shoulders. "I want to trust her. I'm sure she has leads and information that can help us."

After a short pause, Jin stared back at his friend's satisfied face. Jungkook frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jin forced his gaze back to the photos in his hand. "You said you know his name too?"

Excited again, Jungkook dug through more files. "Yeah, Jin! Look, this is the same bar. I'm sure they'll go back there. I've listened to the recordings ten times. I noticed they keep repeating code words like 'seat,' 'under,' and 'game.' But no matter what I do, I can't make sense of those three words."

Jin studied one of the photos closely. "This guy... he's the one from that night at the bar. Jimin?!"

Jungkook stood up and went to his desk drawer. "Yeah, that's him. Heh, you should have seen his face when he lost."

Jin managed a small smile. "You never told me how you actually won that night."

The smile on Jungkook's face vanished. He remembered that night vividly, his mind was still haunted by the image of that unknown girl. He found himself visualizing her body every night. He was skilled at sketching, and that very night, he had drawn a picture of the girl's back on a piece of paper.

Jin noticed the shift in his mood. "Kook... you okay? What did you just remember?"

Jungkook quickly busied himself searching through papers. "Nothing... I was just trying to remember where I put my notes."

Jin was curious; he wanted to know more about that night and that mystery girl. But before he could ask, a loud crash came from the kitchen. Jungkook bolted out of the room, and a confused Jin followed close behind.

Hyuna was clutching her finger, pressing down hard.

Seeing the blood, Jungkook immediately grabbed sterile supplies. "Sit down on the chair. I'll fix it, don't worry. What were you doing?"

It was a deep cut. She could feel the sharp pain of the glass shard right down to the bone.

Jin stood at the doorway, watching the two of them. He couldn't stand the sight of Jungkook touching this suspicious girl. He pushed forward and knelt down. "Move aside... I've had the training, I know what to do."

Jungkook stood up, flustered, trusting his friend's expertise.

Hyuna was pale. The illness combined with the throbbing pain in her finger had left her utterly drained. Jungkook stared at her face, noticing how beautiful every single one of her features was, even as she winced in pain.

As Jin squeezed her finger, she let out a sharp gasp of pain.

Jin turned to him. "Kook... give me a clean cloth. If the bleeding doesn't stop, we'll have to..."

He caught Jungkook staring intensely at Hyuna. Infuriated by his fixation, he snapped, "I'm talking to you!"

Jungkook scrambled to search the kitchen drawers until he finally found a clean towel. Jin skillfully cleaned and bandaged the wound. "Try not to let your hand hang down."

Hyuna weakly licked her lips and stood up. Jungkook stepped closer. "Are you feeling better?"

Before Jungkook could do anything, Jin grabbed Hyuna's arm. "You should go to the room and rest."

He turned to Jungkook. "And you, clean up this broken glass. I'll be back to help you."

Hyuna leaned her weight on Jin, too exhausted to even speak or thank him. He sat her down on the bed and glanced back to make sure Jungkook wasn't coming. He knelt in front of her and whispered in a low, dangerous voice,

"Listen to me carefully..."

Hyuna frowned, confused and unsettled. She hadn't expected such a harsh, aggressive look from Jin.

"You are not allowed to get close to him. Do you hear me?"

Hyuna ignored his threat and lay back on the bed. Seething with rage, Jin gripped her arm.

"If you're planning to worm your way into his heart... let me tell you, you'll never succeed. Because he's already in love with someone else."

Hyuna let out a cold smirk. "Let me guess... you? Right?"

Jin was staggered. This girl was sharper and more perceptive than he had ever imagined.

"I'll find out who you really are eventually," he hissed.

Hyuna's heart began to pound with fear, but she wasn't the type to back down. "Jungkook doesn't know you love him, does he?"

Jin stared at her defiant, hazel eyes in pure terror. He was afraid of his own confession... afraid of anything that might push Jungkook away from him.

Hyuna saw the fear in his eyes and knew she had won this round. "So he doesn't know... maybe I should tell him. Maybe..."

Jin gripped her jaw tightly between his fingers. "Shut up. Just shut up. You won't say a word. Remember what I said."

He stood up angrily and stormed out of the room.

In the kitchen, Jungkook was still picking up the shards of glass. He had been worried about him hurting himself, but Jin's sudden need to speak with the "brazen" girl had forced him to stay behind.

Jungkook emptied the last of the glass shards into the trash. The sudden sound of the front door slamming caught his attention. He rushed to the hallway to call out for Jin, but he was already gone.

He stole a glance toward Hyuna's room. She was lying on the bed with her back to him.

Just as he was about to close the door, Hyuna turned toward him. "Wait..."

Jungkook felt a wave of nervousness, but he turned back with a small smile. "I thought... maybe... you might need something."

Hyuna sat up on the bed. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

He was surprised, but he knew he needed to understand her better. He sat gently on the edge of the bed. "Are you in pain?"

Hyuna gave him a kind smile and shook her head.

Jungkook felt awkward staring at her, waiting for her to speak first. He lowered his gaze to his own fingers to give her some space.

Hyuna hesitated, but she felt this approach might finally work. Slowly, she placed her hands over his large, masculine ones.

He hadn't expected this gesture. His eyes widened as he looked at her tired, sorrowful face. His heart began to race at the unexpected contact.

Finding a new surge of courage, Hyuna began to stroke his hands with a gentle, caressing motion.

Their eyes locked. "I want to help you," she whispered softly. "Will you trust me?"

Jungkook remained mesmerized by her enchanting eyes. The tone of her voice, the warmth of her touch, the way she looked at him, it felt overwhelming. For the first time, he felt his heart tremble. It was a sweet sensation, yet entirely foreign and strange to him.

Hyuna squeezed his hands, waiting for an answer. She was satisfied with the progress; she was reaching her goal. But something felt different, the way Jungkook looked at her seemed to stroke her own heart. She didn't want to admit it, but she liked the feeling of touching his hands.

Suddenly, Jungkook pulled his hands away. He was terrified she might hear the frantic thumping of his heart. He stood up abruptly.

"Now... now isn't a good time. We should sleep. We'll talk... in the morning."

He hurried out of the room, still feeling the phantom sensation of her fingers on his skin. He had never been in a relationship; these feelings and physical contacts were entirely new to him. He lay down on his bed, his mind a whirlpool. Trusting is hard, he thought, but her eyes looked so sincere. He needed more time to think. (You got hurt because of me... how can I not trust you? You have nothing to lose, so why would you lie?)

He tossed and turned, trying to organize his thoughts. (What's wrong with you, Kook? Why is your heart racing? Is this the first time you've talked to a girl?)

Hyuna was just as restless as he was. (I shouldn't have grabbed his hands. I moved too fast and messed it up. Ugh... now you have to start all over again, Hyuna. Well done...)

He got out of bed, frustrated. He sat at his desk and pulled the photos and documents out of a folder. Kwang-soo's smug, smiling face in the pictures made her blood boil. He was willing to do anything to take him down, even... trust again.