The 𝕸𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖆𝖌𝖊 Dilemma ║ 🄹🄹🄺

Chapter 33

"Why did you do that?" you finally asked, about twenty-five minutes after Taehyung left to visit another part of the exposition, but not before you two exchanged numbers and agreed to keep in touch. 

"It was the least I could do. I promised you a perfect date but couldn't keep my word, so after it went down the drain I thought I might make up for it."

"Thanks."

He smiled a little and then changed the subject because talking with your fake husband about people you were interested in wasn't exactly the most comfortable topic.

Jungkook proved that he was not only less arrogant than you thought, but also more considerate. 

When you came back to the hotel and Jungkook went downstairs to ask something, you thought about what just happened: Jungkook wing-manned you (after he cockblocked you, but those were just minor details).

Maybe one day, after this whole marriage dilemma was over, you could meet up with Taehyung and get to know him better. Because right now the press and rumors made it impossible. 

And maybe you could have an actual relationship. 

You wondered why the thought made you so uneasy. 

***

In the afternoon, you went back home and arrived late in the evening. The weather in Seoul was significantly worse than in Busan and though it was summer and it wasn't supposed to get dark until ten, the clouds made it look like it was almost midnight. 

You spent Monday like all the other days when Jungkook wasn't there: in his living room, reading a book, or watching Netflix. You knew that he had to work a lot, especially after he took so much time off to spend it with you. Still, you were starting to get anxious when he didn't show up at nine. And not at ten. And not even at eleven. 

It wasn't your business to ask him what he was doing, and you knew it would be weird if you did so, but you couldn't go to sleep without making sure he was still alive. You might not be an actual couple - hell, you weren't even friends -, but it didn't matter who he was. You just wanted to go sleep without feeling like it was your fault in case he's actually been kidnapped (not that anyone would keep Jungkook willingly; it took a huge sum of money, after all, to even get someone to marry him).

But how would you go about and text him? 

After typing and deleting a few unsent messages, you decided that 'Hi, is everything alright?' shouldn't be too weird. 

Or would it? 

Too late, you already hit send. 

Ten minutes later he answered with 'Yes. I'm going to be late.' 

You didn't reply. 

Instead, you went to sleep. 

Loud thunder rumbles in the middle of the night woke you up, and though you've always enjoyed the sound, at that moment it was annoying because you wanted to sleep. Fifteen minutes later, it didn't sound like it was going to stop any soon. Quite the opposite actually: you could hear the rain hitting the window surface, the sound so loud that it sounded like the glass could shatter. 

You mumbled something incoherent and got up without turning the light on. Maybe after you drank some cold water you could go to sleep unbothered by the sound. 

It took you by surprise that you weren't the only one who didn't like thunders in the middle of the night. 

Jungkook was snuggled up in a blanket in the living room and some movie was being played on the TV but he wasn't paying attention to it. The storm was much quieter here. Only after you said hi to him and he didn't respond did you realize that he was asleep. He was frowning but you couldn't see the lower part of his face because of the blanket. While you filled a cup of cold water from the fridge, he mumbled something that sounded like 'Go away'.

You peeked into the room again to see if he was awake after all, but his eyes were scrunched up like he was in pain. 

Jungkook was having a nightmare.

You waited for a little to see if he was about to say something else. The light from the kitchen was throwing faint yellowish rays, but you could still see that he wasn't exactly in the happiest place.

"Y/N."

You almost jumped when he said your name. 

"Jungkook wake up," you whispered, careful not to scare him. He showed no reaction. 

You put your cup away and got closer to him. "Wake up," you said, this time firmer. You shook his shoulder. 

If you got everything right judging by the things he said, he was probably dreaming about you and wanted you gone. 

That little son of a-

A few moments later, as if he was realizing in his dream that it wasn't real, he opened his eyes. The drowsy expression looked helpless and confused. 

"It was just a nightmare, it's okay," you said through gritted teeth, ready to get your cup and go back upstairs. 

"Please stay. Just for a little while, until the storm is over."

Now he wanted you to stay? 

If you ever hear Hoseok again saying that you're complicated, he should have a look at Jungkook's behavior.

"Fine."

If it meant that you got to stay in a room that was quieter than your own, then why not? You could stay awake until you got sleepy and the storm was over and then you could go right back upstairs and get some sleep. 

You awkwardly sat down next to Jungkook, grateful that he was almost asleep again. 

"Why are you not sleeping?" he asked, not really present, only to make light conversation. 

"The storm woke me up. What about you?"

"I can't stand that sound."

"Which sound?", you asked, reaching for the remote to turn the volume down.

"The storm. It's annoying."

"Is that why you were having a nightmare?" You looked at him from the corner of your eye, just in time to catch the twitch of his cheek. 

"I don't remember what I dreamt."

An utter blatant lie.

"What were you dreaming about?" you dug deeper.

"Nothing."

So he was remembering.

He probably didn't want to admit how much he wanted this whole marriage thing to finally end. 

Still, as Jungkook fell asleep, you couldn't help but wonder why he asked you to stay then. And why did he say your name in that tone back then? It sounded so... helpless.

You were itching to know.