i've been wanting to make a writing blog for the longest time, and after spending way too much time daydreaming about this story, i finally decided to stop keeping it in my notes app and actually share it.
i recently rewatched the Spider-Man movies (which definitely reignited my love for character-driven stories), and somehow that spiraled into this idea. no, this isn't a spider-man fic 😭 but it did remind me why i love stories that make you laugh one minute and rip your heart out the next.
i honestly have no idea how big this is going to become—or if it'll go anywhere at all—but i'm really excited to find out.
i'm writing this for fun, because i genuinely missed creating something that felt exciting to me.
so whether one person reads this or a hundred do, thank you for being here. 🤍
i hope you end up loving these characters as much as i already do.
here's to seeing where this story takes us.
(See below for the masterlist :3)
— desi ♡
if only you knew.
jeon jungkook × original female character
Jeon Jungkook wanted one thing the world could never give him: an ordinary life.
Rosie never imagined falling in love with the most famous man on the planet.
But fame has a way of taking everything it touches.
When love becomes dangerous, Jungkook is left with an impossible choice: hold on to the person he loves... or let the entire world forget he ever existed.
Sometimes the greatest act of love is letting yourself be forgotten.
genre: romance • angst • slow burn • idol au
status: completed
thank you for giving my story a chance. i can't wait to share this journey with you all. ♡
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♡ authors note: hiiii!! welcome back!! :') if you made it through If Only You Knew, then welcome to part two: What Comes After. 🥹
i'm sooo excited for this part because there's definitely a LOT more coming. we finally got rosie back, but as you can probably tell... that's not the end of the story. 👀
thank you guys so so much for sticking with me and this story. i genuinely had so much fun writing the first part, and i hope you guys enjoy where this next one takes us. :')
okayyy, grab your popcorn because we're just getting started. 🍿
enjoy!! ♡
The bell above the door chimed as another customer stepped into the ice cream shop, and Jungkook immediately looked up from the register with the same practiced smile he'd been wearing for the better part of the afternoon.
"Hi, welcome in."
He greeted the customer, ringing up their order before handing over their cup and quietly wishing them a good day as they walked back outside.
The shop had been relatively busy that afternoon, but Jungkook found himself distracted more often than usual. Every few minutes, his eyes would wander toward the front door before he'd catch himself and force his attention back toward whatever he was doing.
It had become a habit.
One Yoonhee had apparently noticed.
"You know," She said from behind the register, watching him with an amused expression
"If you keep staring at that door, you're going to burn a hole through it."
Jungkook looked over his shoulder, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"I'm not staring at the door."
Yoonhee raised an eyebrow.
"You've looked at it at least six times."
"I was just checking."
"Checking for what?"
He shrugged, turning his attention back toward the counter as he picked up a cloth and began wiping a spot that had already been cleaned twice.
"Nothing."
Yoonhee let out a quiet laugh.
"Of course."
Jungkook smiled to himself, knowing exactly what she was implying.
He didn't bother arguing.
She'd known him long enough to know when he was lying.
The three girls who had become regulars at the shop were sitting at their usual table by the window. Two of them were quietly talking to each other, occasionally glancing toward the counter with amused smiles whenever Jungkook caught himself looking at the door again.
The third seemed completely uninterested in whatever they were talking about, eating her cookies and cream as if the entire world could disappear around her and she wouldn't notice.
Jungkook glanced toward the clock.
She should be coming soon.
He tried not to smile, but instantly failed.
Yoonhee noticed immediately.
"She'll be here."
Jungkook looked over at her.
"I know."
There was something about saying it out loud that made his chest feel lighter.
He knew she'd come.
And yet, somehow every time he waited for her, there was still that tiny part of him that felt like a teenager waiting to see her for the first time.
After everything they'd been through, he wasn't sure that feeling would ever go away.
And honestly, he didn't want it to.
The bell above the door chimed again, and this time Jungkook didn't even pretend he wasn't looking.
He turned toward the entrance almost immediately.
And there she was.
Rosie stepped inside, but unlike the last time she'd walked through those doors, she wasn't wearing the familiar ice cream shop apron.
Instead, she was dressed in a neatly tailored outfit, her work bag resting over one shoulder as she walked through the shop with a confidence that hadn't been there when she'd first started working with them.
Jungkook's eyes followed her instinctively.
A smile slowly spread across her face as she caught his gaze almost immediately.
"Hi."
Jungkook's own smile softened.
"Hey."
There was still something almost surreal about seeing her walk toward him.
No matter how many times he saw her, it always felt like the first.
The first time she'd smiled at him.
The first time she'd walked into that piano room.
The first time he'd realized that against everything he'd tried to convince himself of, he was falling in love with her all over again.
Except now, he didn't have to pretend.
Rosie walked toward the counter, setting her bag down before leaning against it.
"How's my favorite employee?"
Jungkook laughed quietly.
"Your favorite employee?"
"Mhm."
She nodded, smiling.
"Definitely."
"I'm actually doing much better now." Jungkook replies, letting out a quick laugh.
He stepped out from behind the counter and met her halfway, barely giving her enough time to say anything before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her lips.
Rosie laughed against him, her hands instinctively finding his arms before she pulled away.
"Jungkook."
He grinned.
"What?"
She glanced around the shop.
"You've got to stop doing that in public."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Doing what?"
"Kissing me whenever you feel like it."
She shook her head, trying not to laugh.
"Especially when you're working."
Jungkook glanced toward the register before waving a hand dismissively.
"Ah. What's she gonna do?"
He nodded toward Yoonhee.
"Fire me?"
A rag suddenly smacked him across the shoulder.
Jungkook jumped, turning around to find Yoonhee standing behind him with her arms crossed.
"Don't tempt me."
Rosie immediately burst into laughter.
Jungkook rubbed his shoulder, looking at Yoonhee with a dramatic frown.
"That actually hurt."
"Good."
Rosie was still laughing as she stepped around the counter and walked toward Yoonhee, opening her arms before pulling her into a hug.
"Hi."
Yoonhee's expression softened immediately as she hugged her back.
"There's my girl."
When they pulled apart, Yoonhee looked her over with an approving smile.
"And how is my favorite CEO doing?"
Rosie laughed.
"I'm not a CEO just yet."
"I know."
Yoonhee waved her off.
"But the more I say it, the more it's bound to come true."
Rosie shook her head, smiling.
"That's not how that works."
"Let an old woman dream."
She winked before turning back toward the register.
Rosie looked over at Jungkook, who was still watching her with that same soft smile.
"What?"
He shook his head.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes playfully.
"You're staring again."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Jungkook laughed, reaching for his apron strings.
"Is it your lunch already?"
Rosie glanced toward the clock and nodded.
"Yeah."
She picked up her bag again.
"Ready?"
Jungkook smiled.
"Always."
He untied his apron and hung it behind the counter before turning toward Yoonhee.
"Yoonhee, we're heading out now!"
Yoonhee waved a hand without looking up.
"Go already!"
Rosie laughed as she followed Jungkook toward the door.
The two stepped outside, leaving Yoonhee to watch them disappear down the sidewalk with a smile on her face.
Their first stop was the convenience store a few blocks away.
Neither of them had bothered to discuss where they were going.
They'd done this enough times that it had become routine.
Jungkook grabbed a sandwich from the refrigerator while Rosie wandered toward the drinks, eventually returning with two strawberry sodas in her hands.
She held one out toward him.
"I got yours."
He smiled as he took it.
"You know me too well."
"I'd hope so."
They paid and continued walking until the familiar trees of the park came into view.
Jungkook's pace naturally slowed.
There was something about this place that still carried a weight he couldn't quite explain.
It wasn't painful anymore.
Not in the way it once had been.
Now, it felt almost comforting.
Rosie walked toward the swings without saying anything, taking her usual place on the left.
Jungkook sat beside her, resting his sandwich in his lap as Rosie twisted the cap off her strawberry soda.
She took a long sip and smiled.
"I could never get tired of this."
Jungkook glanced over, taking a sip out of his.
"I know."
She smiled at him before taking another sip.
For a while, neither of them said anything.
The afternoon sun warmed the grass around them, and the sound of children playing somewhere in the distance filled the silence.
Everything felt normal.
Almost perfect.
Until Rosie finally looked over.
"What about the others?"
Jungkook's smile slowly faded.
He knew exactly what she meant.
He looked down at the sandwich in his hands, turning it over slightly as if suddenly finding the wrapper fascinating.
"The members."
He didn't answer immediately.
"I know you don't like talking about it." Rosie mentions, watching him.
Jungkook finally looked at her.
"But Jungkook..."
Her voice softened.
"They were a huge part of your life."
She paused.
"Way before me."
Jungkook looked back toward the trees.
"I know."
His voice was quiet as his thoughts began to get loud.
"I already went through hell trying to brush aside the fact that you might never remember me."
He let out a slow breath, his fingers tightening slightly around the sandwich.
"I can't go through the same thing with them. It'll hurt too much."
He took a bite of his sandwich, chewing for a moment before looking down again.
"What if the procedure only failed with you?"
Rosie stayed quiet.
"What if they're really gone, and they may actually never remember me?"
His voice cracked slightly.
"I don't want to get my hopes up."
He shook his head.
"I can't."
Rosie reached over and gently touched his arm.
"Baby."
Jungkook looked at her as she smiled softly.
"Slow down." She sighs, rubbing her hand up and down gently.
"I know you're scared."
He looked away before meeting eyes again as she continued.
"But you're not alone anymore."
For a moment, Jungkook didn't respond.
Those words had once been something he'd wished for without even realizing it.
Someone beside him.
Someone who wouldn't let him carry everything alone.
He finally looked at her again and let out a quiet sigh.
"Okay."
Rosie smiled.
"Okay?"
He nodded.
"Okay."
He leaned back against the swing.
"But even if we do try to find them..."
His eyebrows pulled together.
"How would we?"
Rosie thought for a moment, tapping her fingers lightly against her sandwich.
"You do realize Namjoon is literally just a phone call away, right? Him and Callie still live together. I could just call her and—"
"I don't want to take that risk."
The words came out quickly enough that Rosie stopped mid-sentence.
Jungkook kept his eyes on his sandwich, picking at the edge of the wrapper with his thumb as he tried to explain what he couldn't quite put into words.
"Especially with them." He added quietly. "I just... I don't know. Maybe this whole 'celebrity thing not existing anymore' is for the best."
Rosie's eyebrows pulled together.
"So what you're saying is, you don't want to talk to them because you think they'd be better off normal? You think they'd be better off not being noticed?"
Jungkook gave a small shrug, taking another bite of his sandwich as he stared ahead.
"Maybe."
Rosie studied him for a moment, her head slowly tilting to the side as that familiar knowing smile began to form.
"You do realize you're doing the thing again, right?"
Jungkook stopped chewing.
He turned toward her, already knowing exactly what she meant.
"What thing?"
"The thing where you decide what's best for someone without actually asking them what they want."
For a second, Jungkook just stared at her.
Then he looked away with a quiet sigh, because there really wasn't much he could say to that.
Rosie smiled to herself, watching him squirm.
"Are you going to keep using that against me?"
She laughed softly, nudging his shoulder with hers.
"If you do something as crazy as wiping out my entire memory of you again? Yeah. Absolutely."
Jungkook let out a laugh, shaking his head as he looked down at his sandwich.
"Okay, fair."
He took another bite before glancing back at her, his expression becoming more serious.
"But what if he's genuinely happy?"
"Namjoon?" Rosie asks
"Mhm."
Rosie shrugged, resting her elbows against her knees.
"He complains to me and Callie all the time about how he wishes he had a better job."
Jungkook's eyebrows lifted.
"Really?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "And, by the way, he does ask about you."
Jungkook's expression softened almost immediately.
"He does?"
Rosie nodded.
"Mhm. Both Callie and Namjoon have been dying to finally meet the amazing 'Peter' I've apparently been dating for a year."
Jungkook laughed under his breath.
"One year?"
"Well..." Rosie glanced at him, her smile turning playful. "That's what they think."
He shook his head, looking down for a moment before a small smile crept across his face.
"Best three..."
He paused, his eyes finding hers again.
"And what could've been four years of my life."
Rosie's expression softened.
"Yeah."
She leaned closer, her fingers brushing against his hand.
"Those too."
Before he could say anything else, she leaned over and kissed him.
Jungkook didn't hesitate.
His hand found hers as he kissed her back, the familiar warmth settling over him as he let himself forget, even if only for a moment, about everything waiting for them beyond the park.
When they finally pulled apart, Rosie stayed close, her forehead resting lightly against his.
"You know," She murmured "You don't have to be afraid of anything anymore."
Jungkook smiled faintly.
"I know."
"You have me now."
His fingers tightened gently around hers.
"I know."
"And I'm not going anywhere."
That made him laugh softly.
"You're really not letting me have the last word today, are you?"
"Nope."
She smiled.
"Definitely not."
Jungkook laughed again, shaking his head as he looked down at their intertwined hands.
For the first time since getting Rosie back, the thought of finding the others didn't feel quite as terrifying.
Maybe it was because she was sitting beside him.
Maybe it was because, unlike before, he wasn't going to make the decision for anyone else.
Whatever happened next, they'd face it together.
And for the first time, Jungkook wasn't trying to figure out how to live with what he'd lost.
He was finally figuring out what to do with what he'd gotten back.
♡ authors note: hii! this is officially the last chapter of this series. :') if you made it this far—thank you so so much!! i had a lot of fun making it. 🥹
also—pls don't think this is the end.. hehe. i will see you all for part two: What Comes After. :')
grab your popcorn y'all.. this one's gonna be LOOONG. 🍿
okie bye!! ♡
The next morning, Jungkook stood behind the counter, staring at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time.
Rosie wasn't there.
He glanced toward the front door again, almost expecting the bell to chime.
Nothing.
He picked up the cloth beside the register and began wiping down the counter, even though he'd already cleaned it twice.
After a few seconds, he finally looked toward Yoonhee.
"Is it just us today?"
Yoonhee looked up from the register.
"For now." She shrugged.
"She said she'd come in later. Sounded like she had some things to take care of."
Jungkook nodded slowly.
"Oh."
He looked back toward the door.
"Right."
He tried to convince himself it wasn't bothering him.
Maybe she really did have something to take care of.
Maybe she'd just slept in.
Maybe—
She's probably figuring out how to quit.
His hand slowed against the counter.
After everything he'd told her last night, why would she even want to come back?
Why would she?
He'd finally told her the truth, only to remind her of everything he'd taken away from her.
Maybe she'd decided that Peter was someone she didn't want to know anymore.
Maybe she didn't want anything to do with Jungkook either.
He sighed quietly.
I put her through all of this just to end up hurting her again.
"So..."
The voice of Yoonhee snapped him out of his thoughts as she leaned against the counter.
"How did you do it?"
Jungkook blinked.
"Do what?"
Yoonhee raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, please." She gave him a knowing look.
"I'm old, not stupid- remember, Peter?" She laughs, slapping his shoulder.
Something about the way she said the name made his stomach twist.
Then her smile widened.
"Or should I say..."
She paused, tilting her head.
"Jungkook?"
The cloth slipped slightly from his hand as his eyes widened.
"What?"
Yoonhee laughed.
"How did you—"
He looked around the shop before lowering his voice.
"When?"
"Why?"
"How do you know my—"
"Slow down!" She waved him off, letting out another laugh.
"I've been alive for a long time."
She walked around the counter.
"And I have never met someone as afraid as you."
Jungkook's eyebrows pulled together.
"I'm not afraid."
Yoonhee gave him a look.
"You're right." She nods.
"You're terrified."
Jungkook opened his mouth to argue, but she continued.
"I noticed it the day you decided to play with your fate."
His expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
"I was on my way to get more inventory from another local parlor."
She folded her arms.
"And I noticed a very familiar face."
Jungkook stared at her as she smiles.
"You."
"I didn't think much of it." She shrugged.
"People come and go."
"But then I saw you again at the park."
Jungkook's breath caught as Yoonhee continued.
"You were with Rosie."
"And then I saw you again at a crosswalk."
Her expression remained.
"You were driving toward the clinic."
Jungkook just continued to remain quiet as a million thoughts were now rushing through his mind.
"Once?"
She held up one finger.
"Doesn't mean much."
"Twice?"
Another finger.
"Could be a coincidence."
Then she held up three.
"But three times?"
She laughed softly.
"That's when I started paying attention."
Jungkook didn't say anything.
"Korea is a big place." Yoonhee shrugged.
"If you see the same face consistently..."
She looked at him.
"Maybe you're meant to be in that person's life."
Something in Jungkook's chest loosened.
For the first time in years, someone was looking at him and seeing Jungkook.
Not Peter.
Not the person he'd pretended to be.
Not the celebrity he'd spent years trying to bury.
Him.
His eyes suddenly burned.
He quickly looked away, wiping beneath one eye with the back of his hand.
Yoonhee noticed but didn't comment.
Jungkook took a shaky breath.
"But the procedure..." His voice cracked.
Yoonhee sighed.
"It didn't work the way you thought."
Jungkook looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"I've done my fair share of research." She replies
"I couldn't find anything about the specific procedure you went through."
She pauses, glancing away- trying to remember.
"I'm not even sure that clinic is still there."
Jungkook's eyebrows furrowed.
"But it must've worked." His voice softened.
"She doesn't remember me."
Yoonhee shook her head.
"It's not that she doesn't remember you."
She looks at him.
"It's just..."
She paused.
"The memories are buried, not forgotten."
"What?" Jungkook scoffs, and before Yoonhee could explain, the bell above the front door chimed.
Both of them turned to see Rosie standing just inside the entrance.
Jungkook's heart immediately jumped into his throat.
She looked between them before smiling awkwardly.
"Oh..." She laughs lightly.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Yoonhee's expression immediately brightened.
"Oh, never, dear!" She waved Rosie over, immediately switching her energy.
"Come."
Rosie smiled and walked toward the counter.
Her eyes immediately found Jungkook.
"Can I talk to you?"
She hesitated.
"Peter?"
Jungkook glanced toward Yoonhee, who did nothing but simply motion toward the back door.
Jungkook sends her a smile, sending her a nod before turning back toward Rosie.
"Yeah."
The back of the shop was quiet.
Rosie stood a few feet away, her arms folded loosely across her chest.
Jungkook stayed where he was.
He didn't want to get too close.
Not after everything that happened.
Rosie looked down at the ground for a few seconds before meeting eyes.
"I've been having these weird dreams." She confesses.
Jungkook's eyebrows pulled together.
"What kind of dreams?"
"The park." She answers, now avoiding eye contact.
His heart skipped.
"The swings."
She rubbed her palms together.
"And sometimes I'll have like these weird flashbacks of places I've never been."
She gave a nervous laugh.
"At least, I don't think I've been there."
Jungkook remained quiet.
"At first, I thought it was just bad déjà vu from my childhood or something?"
She lets out a nervous breath, now meeting eyes.
She pauses.
"But then I started noticing something."
She steps forward.
"The feeling gets stronger whenever I'm around you."
Jungkook's chest tightened, feeling his heart beat fast.
"And after yesterday-" She took a slow breath.
"After stepping into your apartment-"
Her voice became quieter.
"I don't know how to explain it." She shakes her head.
"It just felt..."
She pauses again, trying to find the right word.
"Familiar."
Jungkook's heart began beating faster.
"Like I'd been there before." She continues. "And I knew where everything was."
She lets out another scoff.
"And I know that doesn't make any sense, but I know what I felt."
Jungkook took a small step closer as Rosie watches him.
"It scares me." She admits quietly.
She looked down again.
"It hurts me to know that I may never be able to know how I truly feel about you."
His heart sank.
"I wish you didn't go through with it."
She swallowed.
Jungkook nodded, keeping his eyes on her.
"Me too." He says, trying to catch her gaze.
"I'm sorry."
Rosie looked at him for a long moment before slowly nodding.
"Yeah."
The two stood in silence.
Neither seemed to know what to say next.
Then Rosie's eyes dropped toward his hand.
Jungkook noticed as she was the one to now step forward.
She hesitated before slowly reaching for his hand.
Jungkook watched them, unable to move.
He was almost afraid that if he did, he'd scare her away.
Her fingertips brushed against his palm.
His breath caught.
Slowly, he turned his hand over, happily letting her fingers slip into his.
The second their hands connected, something shifted across Rosie's face.
Her eyes widened.
She sucked in a sharp breath.
Jungkook immediately looked at her.
"Rosie?"
She pulled her hand away and Jungkook noticed her breathing had quickened.
She stared at him as if she were looking through him.
Like there was something behind his face she was trying desperately to reach.
"What did you see?"
Rosie shook her head.
"I..."
She looked down at her hand.
"I don't know."
Then she looked back at him.
Something had changed.
She stepped forward again.
Jungkook's heart pounded.
"Rosie..."
She stopped directly in front of him.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then she leaned forward, her lips meeting his.
Jungkook froze for only a second, when instinct took over.
His hand found her waist as he kissed her back.
Somehow it didn't feel like their first kiss.
It felt familiar.
Natural.
Like his body remembered something his mind as spent years mourning.
Rosie's fingers curled into the front of his shirt as Jungkook closed his eyes.
For a moment, there was no clinic.
No procedure.
No two years apart.
Just them.
When Rosie finally pulled away, she stared at him.
Her eyes widening again.
"Jungkook..." She breaths, quickly taking a step back.
He couldn't move.
He didn't know what was happening.
He was terrified that if he said anything, the moment would disappear.
Then Rosie's eyes filled with tears.
Jungkook's expression immediately changed.
"Rosie?"
She covered her mouth, a shaky laugh escaping her.
"Holy shit..."
Jungkook stepped closer.
"What?"
She looked at him.
"I remember."
His heart stopped.
"What?"
"I remember." She repeats, this time letting tears spill down her cheeks.
She laughed through them, shaking her head as memories seemed to crash into her all at once.
"School-"
Jungkook watched her, unable to hold in a watery smile.
"You..."
She looked at him like she couldn't believe he was standing there.
"Our late-night walks."
Another laugh escaped her.
"The stupid convenience store we used to go to because you were always hungry."
Jungkook's lips parted.
"And you would always say you weren't hungry!"
She wiped beneath her eyes.
"Then we'd get home and you'd eat half of whatever I brought."
Jungkook laughed, his own eyes filling.
"And the rain!" She looks up at the sky before back at him.
"That day we got caught walking home - and we were completely soaked."
"You kept blaming me because I didn't bring an umbrella." She nods and Jungkook shook his head, now laughing through the tears.
"You refused to bring one."
"Because I thought it wasn't going to rain!" Rosie exclaims.
"It was pouring." Jungkook sniffs, smiling.
"I know!" She laughed.
Then suddenly her expression changed again.
"The park."
Jungkook's smile softened.
"The swings."
She pressed both hands against her face.
"Oh my god."
She laughed, overwhelmed.
"Your apartment."
She looked toward the building.
"This place!" Her eyes widened.
"We used to come here for ice cream!" She lets out another breath.
"Holy shit and now we work here?"
She glances at the building, continuing.
"And we'd bring dessert back to your apartment, and Jin would be cooking dinner-"
She suddenly stopped as more memories continued to flow.
"Jin."
Jungkook's smile faded slightly.
"Wait." Rosie grabbed his arm.
"Where is he?"
"Is he okay?"
"Did they forget you too?"
Her words began tumbling over one another.
"Wait, did everyone forget you?"
"Did you really spend all this time alone?"
She shook her head, tears still falling.
"Jungkook, I—"
Jungkook pulled her into his arms, with Rosie immediately wrapping her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.
He held her tightly.
For years, he'd imagined what it would feel like to have her back in his arms.
He'd imagined it so many times that he'd stopped believing it could ever happen.
But now she was here.
Really here.
Remembering.
"It's okay." His voice shook, letting out a soft laugh.
"It's okay."
Rosie pulled back just enough to look at him.
Her cheeks were wet, but she was smiling.
"I remember everything."
Jungkook let out another laugh through his tears.
"I know."
She stared at him with a smile as her hand reached for his face.
"God, I missed you."
Jungkook's eyes filled again.
"I missed you too." He nods, still smiling.
Rosie leaned forward and kissed him again, and this time there was no hesitation.
Jungkook stood frozen in the doorway, two water bottles still in his hands.
Rosie stood on the other side of the room, the letter hanging loosely between her fingers.
His letter.
The one he'd written two years ago and shoved into a drawer because he couldn't bring himself to throw it away.
He'd spent so long convincing himself that it didn't matter anymore.
That it was just a piece of paper.
A few words from a life that no longer existed.
But now Rosie was standing in front of him, reading every single one of them.
His heart hammered against his chest.
Her eyes slowly lifted from the page and met his.
"Who is Jeon Jungkook?"
Jungkook forgot how to breathe.
His mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Rosie's eyebrows pulled together as she looked between him and the letter.
"Peter?"
He swallowed.
"My cousin."
The lie slipped out before he could stop it.
Rosie blinked.
"Your cousin?"
"Mhm."
He nodded far too quickly.
"Yeah."
She looked back down at the letter.
"Then why do you have a letter from him?"
Jungkook shifted the water bottles between his hands.
"I just..."
His eyes darted toward the desk as his mind desperately searched for an explanation that didn't sound completely ridiculous.
"He recently moved."
Rosie waited.
"And we kind of..."
He sighs.
"...had a falling out."
"So he wanted to reconnect?" Rosie asks, not believing a word.
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Exactly."
For a brief second, he thought maybe he'd gotten away with it.
Then Rosie looked back down at the letter.
Her eyes moved slowly across the page.
"Then how does he know my favorite soda?"
Jungkook's stomach dropped as she lifted her eyes toward him.
The bottles in his hands crinkled beneath his grip.
Rosie's expression softened, but there was something unsettled behind her eyes now.
"Peter..."
She glanced around the room.
"I don't know what's going on here."
She held the paper a little tighter.
"But I think I deserve to know the truth."
Jungkook's chest tightened.
He could feel his heartbeat in his throat.
"Rosie, I—"
He stopped.
She had already said his name once.
Not Peter.
Jungkook.
And somehow, hearing it from her—even though she didn't know why she'd said it—felt like being punched straight through the chest.
"Jungkook..."
Her eyes stayed on him.
"Is that you?"
Jungkook froze.
"What?"
Rosie lifted the letter slightly.
"Is that you?"
"No."
The answer came out immediately.
Too immediately.
He saw the confusion in her face and instantly knew he'd made things worse.
"I mean—"
He shook his head.
"Rosie, I—"
"Peter." She cuts off, her voice quieter now.
She looked down at the page again.
"You both have the same handwriting."
Jungkook's eyes fell.
There was no point anymore.
She'd figured it out.
Rosie slowly lowered the letter.
"I don't know what kind of game this is-"
"It's not a game." Jungkook shakes his head.
"Then tell me the truth."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"Please."
That word hit him harder than anything else.
Jungkook slowly set the water bottles down on the desk.
The plastic made a soft sound against the wood.
He dragged both hands through his hair, pacing one step before stopping himself.
He'd imagined this moment so many times.
He'd thought about what he'd say.
How he'd explain everything.
How he'd tell her that he did it because he loved her.
How he'd tell her that he'd spent years missing her.
How he'd tell her that every day without her had felt wrong.
But standing there now, all he could think was—
She knows.
He looked back at her.
"Okay."
His voice was quiet.
"Okay, I'll tell you."
Rosie watched him carefully.
"Just..."
He let out a shaky laugh.
"Give me a second to figure out how to explain this without sounding completely insane."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You've already told me your 'cousin' wrote a letter about my favorite soda."
Jungkook winced.
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"Fair point."
For the smallest moment, the corner of her mouth twitched.
Then the seriousness returned.
Rosie slowly sat down in the chair beside the desk as Jungkook remained standing.
She waved toward the empty chair across from her.
"I'm waiting."
He exhaled through his nose before making his way over.
"Right."
He sat down.
His elbows rested against his knees as he takes a breath.
For several seconds, he just stared at the floor.
Then he finally looked up.
"My name is Jeon Jungkook."
Rosie remained quiet.
"I knew you before the graduation party."
Her expression changed slightly.
"Actually, we knew each other for a long time."
He swallowed.
He smiles before clearing his throat.
"We were together."
Rosie's eyebrows lifted.
"Together?"
Jungkook nodded.
"For two years."
The words seemed to hang between the two and Jungkook just watches her try to process everything.
"I know."
He gave a nervous little laugh.
"It's a lot."
Rosie didn't answer and Jungkook just looks down again.
"I tried to live without you."
He paused.
"I really did."
His fingers tightened together.
"I thought if I just stayed away from you, eventually you'd be okay."
He looked back at her.
"And you were."
A small, sad smile appeared.
"You looked happy." He says. "You had your own life, your own friends-"
He pauses.
"Your music."
He swallowed before continuing.
"And I thought..."
He shrugged.
"Okay, this is good."
"This is what I wanted."
His smile slowly disappeared.
"Except..."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Apparently I'm really bad at the whole moving-on thing."
Rosie watched him, unable to think.
Jungkook's eyes dropped to the floor before looking back up at her.
"I love you."
The words slipped out before he could think about them.
His shoulders relaxed slightly afterward, almost like he'd finally let go of something he'd been carrying too long.
He then stared down at his hands.
"I know that's probably a really weird thing to hear."
He laughed nervously.
"Especially because you met me as Peter and now I'm sitting here telling you that I'm actually some guy named Jungkook who apparently used to be your boyfriend."
He shook his head.
"Yeah."
"Not exactly the best first impression."
Rosie didn't laugh, having Jungkook's smile fade.
"But it's true." His voice softened.
"I still love you."
He looked up.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you since the day I lost you."
His eyes began to sting.
"And when I saw you again..."
He shook his head, a small smile finding its way back.
"I don't even know." He shrugs again.
"I wanted to tell you."
"I wanted to tell you so badly."
He looks up, now looking over at her, in which Rosie did nothing but glance back.
"But then I saw you smiling." He scoffs
"You were happy."
He sighs once more.
"I couldn't just take that away from you."
He looked at her.
"I felt like, maybe you deserved to live a life away from all of that."
Rosie's expression changed.
"And you think that was okay?"
Jungkook's smile disappeared.
"To erase everything I've known about you?"
Her voice trembled.
"How was that fair to me?"
Jungkook leaned forward.
"Rosie..."
He could feel his throat tightening.
"I know."
"I know it wasn't." He continues to look at her.
"But I couldn't live with myself knowing I was hurting you."
Rosie shook her head.
"That wasn't your choice to make."
Jungkook stopped.
His lips parted, but no words came.
He looked down at the floor.
There it was.
The one thing he had spent two years trying not to think about.
He'd called it love.
A sacrifice.
Protection.
Anything that made it easier to live with.
But underneath all of it was the truth.
He had made the decision for her.
Again.
"Yeah."
His voice was barely audible.
"I know."
He swallowed.
"I'm sorry."
He rubbed his hands over his face before letting them fall into his lap.
"I'm really sorry." He apologizes again.
"Minji said the procedure would erase everything with no speck of anyone remembering, so I didn't think-"
"Who's Minji?" Rosie interrupts and Jungkook lets out another breath.
His mind was so jumbled in the moment, he completely forgot key details.
Jungkook stopped before looking at her again.
"She was the head nurse at the clinic."
Rosie just stares at him for a few seconds.
"Peter..."
She looked down at the letter again.
Then back at him.
"Or..."
She shook her head.
"Jungkook."
She said his name slowly.
"I don't even know if any of this is real." She scoffs.
Jungkook shifted closer, lowering himself into the chair beside her.
"It is."
He turned toward her.
"One hundred percent."
His eyes held hers.
"Ask me anything."
His voice softened.
"Anything."
"I promise I'll tell you."
Rosie looked down at her hands, trying to calm her beating heart.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Then she finally looked over.
"Why did you do it?"
Jungkook took a slow breath.
"I was hurting you." He repeats, and Rosie immediately shook her head.
"I doubt that."
He blinked.
"You wouldn't even kill a spider that was in the garbage the other day, and you expect me to believe you did all of this because you were hurting me?"
Jungkook couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"That's not what I mean."
He looked down.
"My life was..."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"A lot."
"People were always watching." He sighs.
"Always."
"And eventually, people started associating you with me."
He shook his head.
"The way they talked about you, and the things they said."
His jaw tightened.
"I started feeling like you couldn't even be yourself anymore."
He looked at her.
"And I felt like..."
His voice softened.
"Maybe you lost yourself by being with me."
Rosie remained quiet.
"And that was the last thing I ever wanted."
He continued to look at her.
"I still don't want that."
Rosie just sits there, staring ahead and all Jungkook wanted to do was pull her into a hug and hold her.
"You got the job." He then admits, instantly catching Rosie's attention.
"What?"
"The job." Jungkook repeats.
"You ended up getting it."
The two meet eyes and at this point, Rosie couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You turned it down." Jungkook continues.
Rosie's eyebrows furrowed.
"It was my fault." He admits.
"I reached out to someone I knew, and instead of trusting you, I ended up being selfish."
He rubbed his hands together as he continued.
"I thought that was it, but then it turns out-"
He pauses as the flashbacks replay in his mind.
"Uh, turns out that was just one of the many problems."
Rosie looked at him, eyebrows furrowed.
Jungkook took a breath.
"I saw everything." He says.
"The hate comments, the edits, the messages."
"You showed me all of it."
His eyes lowered.
"And I couldn't live with myself knowing you couldn't be fully yourself without people judging you."
"Rosie, these people didn't even know you."
Rosie stared at him, clearing her throat.
"But if you are..."
She hesitated.
"Or were..."
"This big celebrity..."
"Weren't you going through the same thing?"
Jungkook went still.
His eyes dropped.
For a moment, the room around him disappeared.
He could see that last day all over again.
Rosie's face.
The look in her eyes.
The things she'd said.
The things he'd wanted to say back.
The words he'd swallowed because he was too angry to understand what he was actually feeling.
He blinked slowly.
"I've dealt with it my whole life." He lets out a small breath, looking back at her.
"But..."
He paused.
"It was something I chose."
"You didn't get that choice."
His voice softened.
"Because of me."
Rosie's eyes filled with tears.
"So you made the decision for me?"
She looked down at the letter.
"To wipe out everything I've known about you?"
Jungkook's chest tightened.
He wanted to tell her why in a way that would make her understand.
But he'd already explained it.
And none of it changed the fact that she'd never asked him to save her.
He slowly nodded.
"Yeah."
"I did."
Rosie looked away.
Jungkook watched her fingers tighten around the letter.
Then she looked back at him.
"Did we love each other?"
The question caught him completely off guard.
His eyes lifted to hers.
The question was so simple, but it carried the weight of everything he'd lost.
A small smile slowly pulled at his lips.
"Yeah."
He looked down, blinking against the tears gathering in his eyes.
"We did."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"God, Rosie..."
He shook his head.
"We loved each other so much."
His fingers rubbed nervously against his palm.
"You were my best friend and the number one person I told everything to."
"And then somehow..."
He looked at her.
"You became my person."
His smile trembled.
"I never stopped loving you."
This time Rosie's expression soften a bit, still trying to wrap her head around everything.
"I haven't known you for very long."
She paused, her fingers brushing over the edge of the letter.
"And I'm not saying I don't believe you."
Jungkook looked at her.
"Because I do."
For the briefest moment, hope flickered across his face.
Then she continued.
"But..."
That hope disappeared just as quickly.
"As far as I know..."
She swallowed.
"Jungkook..."
Her voice shook.
"I don't even know you."
Jungkook looks down for a second, feeling his entire heart break.
The words hurt.
But he couldn't argue against them, no matter how hard he wanted to.
"Yeah."
He nodded slowly, looking over at her.
"I know."
Rosie took a shaky breath.
"I'm sorry."
She looked at him.
"But I don't love you."
Jungkook went completely still.
For a moment, he didn't even blink.
He'd imagined this possibility.
He'd told himself that if Rosie ever found out, she might not feel the same.
He'd prepared for it.
At least, he thought he had.
But hearing the words from her mouth made something inside his chest cave in.
His eyes burned.
He looked away quickly, blinking hard.
He refused to let the tears fall in front of her.
Not because he was ashamed of them, but because he just didn't want her to feel responsible for them.
A small, broken laugh escaped him.
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"That's..."
He rubbed his palms against his jeans.
"That's fair."
His voice cracked slightly.
"I mean..."
He looked back at her, forcing the smallest smile he could manage.
Rosie's expression softened.
"Jungkook..."
He immediately shook his head.
"It's okay."
He gave her another small smile.
"It is."
He looked down.
"I'd rather you tell me the truth."
Rosie stared at him for a moment, when her eyes then fell towards the letter.
"I think..."
She took a breath.
"I think I should go."
Jungkook immediately stood.
He stepped aside, giving her enough room to pass.
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"Of course."
Rosie slowly gathered her bag from the chair.
Jungkook watched her, every part of him screaming at him to say something.
Don't go.
Please.
Just stay.
But he stayed quiet.
He'd already taken one choice away from her.
He wasn't going to do it again.
Rosie reached the door.
Her hand rested on the doorknob, and for a second, she didn't move.
Jungkook's eyes stayed fixed on her.
He wanted to say her name.
He wanted to tell her he was sorry.
He wanted to tell her that if she ever wanted to come back, he'd still be here.
But instead, all he managed was—
"Rosie?"
She turned.
Jungkook stood there, his eyes red and his smile barely holding together.
"I meant it." He nods.
"All of it."
Rosie stared at him for a long moment before giving him the smallest nod.
"I know."
She sends him one more small smile before opening the door, leaving completely.
Jungkook remained standing there as the door slowly swung shut behind her.
The silence that followed was almost unbearable.
His eyes fell toward the desk.
The two water bottles he'd brought in were still sitting exactly where he'd left them.
He stared at them for a few seconds before slowly lowering himself back into the chair.
His elbows rested against his knees, covering his face with both hands.
For years, he'd convinced himself that losing Rosie was the price of giving her a better life.
He'd told himself that if she was happy, he could live with the pain.
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♡ author's note: hiiii! 🤍 sorry for the late post — i lowkey went out this weekend and had no access to my laptop 😭 buuut, best believe this story will continue! enjoy! ♡
-----
One Month Later
The little dessert shop had slowly started to feel different.
Like somehow, it felt brighter.
Jungkook couldn't quite explain it, but then again something was telling him it had everything to do with Rosie.
She knew which scoop belonged to which flavor, which customers wanted extra toppings- and even the names of the kids who would change their mind three times before finally ordering.
There was even a point in time where she corrected Jungkook for putting something back in the wrong place.
"Peter." She smiles, watching him.
"Hm?"
"The napkins go over here."
Jungkook looked over, genuinely confused.
"Since when?"
Rosie laughed.
"Since forever."
"They were literally over there yesterday." Jungkook gets out, having Rosie let out another laugh.
"Because you put them there." She replies
Jungkook just stares at her for a second before realizing.
"...Oh."
She shook her head, laughing as she moved the stack herself.
"You're lucky you're cute." She nudges against him lightly before walking away.
Jungkook froze as she didn't seem to realize what she'd just said.
He continued to watch her, smiling to himself.
It wasn't until a few seconds later where a quiet laugh came from behind the register.
He glances over to see Yoonhee smiling.
The two just smile at each other as Jungkook waves a hand before returning to his work.
Somewhere along the way, Jungkook had started looking forward to coming into work.
And on time too.
It was because Rosie would be there.
And he knew that was probably dangerous.
Because this was possibly the closest, he'd ever get to her again.
So, he let himself enjoy it.
The little conversations.
The jokes.
The way she hummed while cleaning.
The way she'd sneak little tastes of whatever new flavor they were testing.
The way she'd laugh whenever he teased her.
Sometimes, he'd catch himself watching her from across the shop.
Not because he expected anything.
He just simply would admire her.
Yoonhee noticed. (Of course she did)
She'd glance over at Jungkook whenever he was staring at Rosie, only to find him smiling to himself.
And every time, she'd smile too.
----
The bell above the door chimed.
Three familiar girls walked inside, immediately making their way toward the counter.
One of them stopped when she noticed Rosie standing beside Jungkook.
"...Wait." She whispered, glancing at her friends.
"Who's she?"
Rosie looked up and smiled.
"Hi!"
The girls exchanged a quick look before one of them smiled back.
"Oh—you're new, right?"
"Yeah."
Rosie laughed.
"I've only been here about a month."
It was a small silence when Rosie tilts her head before noticing the girls jewlery.
"I love your necklace, by the way." She compliments
"Gold is so cute on you."
Jungkook smiled as the girl's energy immediately shifted.
"Thank you." She waves a hand and the two other girls just smile with.
"Um, three cookies and cream please."
Jungkook laughed quietly.
"You guys still ordering the same thing?"
One of them looked at him.
"...Obviously."
Rosie just laughs, starting to prepare their order as the girl just sends Jungkook a wink.
Jungkook lets out a small laugh before glancing over to Rosie.
He watched her for a moment.
It reminded him of something.
Rosie had always been like this.
Even when people didn't know her.
Even when they judged her.
She never gave them a reason to stay angry.
She simply smiled.
And somehow, they always ended up smiling back.
Later that afternoon, the shop finally slowed down.
Jungkook and Rosie sat in the back during their lunch break.
He opened his container of leftovers before glancing over to see Rosie pulling something from her bag.
A familiar red bottle caught his attention.
He stopped.
"...Is that strawberry soda?"
Rosie looked down before following his attention.
"Hm?"
She held it up, letting out a small laugh.
"Oh, yeah."
Jungkook does nothing but smile.
"You like strawberry soda?" He asks, having Rosie giggle again.
"It's my favorite." She replies and this time, Jungkook tried not to smile too much.
"Really?" He continues
"Yeah." She nods, twisting the cap open.
"I mean, it's suuuper sweet." She made a face, taking another sip.
"But I can't get enough."
Jungkook laughed.
"I know what you mean."
Rosie continued to sip on her drink when she notices Jungkooks smug smile.
"What?" She squints, trying not to smile back.
"Nothing." Jungkook replies calmly.
He continued to smile before looking back down at his food.
"I just..."
He paused.
"I think now's a good time to ask." He continues, now meeting eyes again.
Rosie raised an eyebrow.
"Ask what?"
"You've been here for a month."
He shifted slightly in his chair.
"...What's your favorite ice cream flavor?"
She thought about it, even though Jungkook already knew.
Still, he waited.
"Pistachio." She nodded confidently.
"Definitely pistachio."
Jungkook smiled.
"Yeah."
"I had a feeling you'd say that."
Rosie tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
His heart skipped.
He needed an answer.
Fast.
"Uh..." He shrugged.
"You just look like someone who'd enjoy pistachio."
Rosie stared at him for a second before laughing.
"I hope that's a compliment."
"It is." Jungkook nods as the answer almost came out a little too fast.
She smiled, not thinking much of it.
"...Good."
She took another sip of her soda.
Jungkook quietly smiled to himself.
Four years and she still loved the same things.
---
The rest of the afternoon passed slowly.
Almost too slowly to the point where the shop was nearly empty.
Rosie wiped down the countertops while Jungkook sat in the corner with his notebook open.
His pen moved steadily across the page, not even realizing her glancing over.
"You write?"
Jungkook immediately looked up, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Oh."
He closed the notebook halfway.
"Yeah."
"A little here and there."
Rosie smiled.
"Can I see?"
His hand froze.
Every page in that notebook held something he'd never been able to say.
Every melody.
Every lyric.
Every unfinished thought...
Was about her.
"...Sure." He hesitated before handing it over.
Rosie took the notebook & began reading, a smile spreading across her face.
At first, her expression was curious, then Jungkook noticed something changed.
Her eyes slowed over the page and her smile faded.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the notebook as she read another line.
At this point Jungkook couldn't help but bounce his leg up and down, trying to calm his anxiety that was creeping up.
"Rosie?" He clears his throat, instantly snapping her out of it.
She blinked.
"...Hm?"
"You okay?"
She looked over at him, and for a second - she seemed almost confused.
Like she was trying to remember something she couldn't quite reach.
Brushing it off, she quickly smiles.
"Yeah." She scoffs, handing the notebook back.
"I'm fine."
She continues to look at him before mentioning.
"I write too."
Jungkook blinked, as she now took a seat next to him- making his heart pound.
"You do?"
"Well..."
She laughed nervously.
"More like compose music."
"Or at least..."
She shrugged.
"That's what I strive to be."
Jungkook smiled, enjoying the closed space between them.
"What do you mean?"
She looked down.
"It's always been my dream to compose for the Korean National Symphony."
She laughed quietly.
"As silly as that sounds."
Jungkook immediately shook his head.
"That's not silly."
He smiled.
"That's actually..." He pauses
"Really cool."
Rosie's expression softened before she continued.
"I've always wanted to make music that makes people..."
She paused.
"...Feel."
Jungkook stared at her.
"Like..."
"Something they can't explain."
His chest tightened.
Deja vu.
That was exactly how she used to talk about music.
She'd always said music should make people feel something.
Anything.
Even if they didn't know what it was.
"...Yeah." He nodded slowly.
"I know what you mean."
Rosie smiled.
"There's actually this raffle." She leaned forward.
"Anyone can enter."
"It's for a chance to score an interview with them for their trainee program."
Jungkook's eyebrows lifted.
"Are you going to enter?"
Rosie laughed.
"So I can get turned down and watch my dreams go down the drain?"
She shook her head.
"I think I'd rather scoop ice cream for the rest of my life."
Jungkook studied her.
He couldn't help but think about the Rosie he remembered.
Confident.
Driven.
The girl who never backed away from what she wanted.
Why was she so afraid now?
"...I don't think you mean that."
Rosie looked at him.
A small smile appeared.
"Yeah." She hums, nodding.
"Maybe you're right."
Silence settled between them as she looked down at her hands.
"I don't know." She continues quietly.
"I haven't really taken my music seriously since graduation."
She sighed.
"For some reason, every time I find myself writing..."
She paused.
"...It's like something's missing."
Jungkook just watches her, feeling his heart beat at 100mph.
"Maybe..."
He leaned back slightly.
"You just need motivation."
Rosie looked at him.
"Motivation?"
"Maybe you just need something..."
He paused.
"...Or someone to push you."
She smiled, letting out a little laugh.
"Yeah." She nods once more.
"Maybe."
Her eyes stayed on his, and this time Rosie was the one to lean forward, closing the gap.
Just slightly.
"If you happen to know anything or..."
She paused.
"...Someone..."
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"You should let me know."
Jungkook smiled and for a second, it felt like she was waiting for him to make the next move; in which - Jungkook didn't hesitate to do so.
He leaned forward slightly as Rosie continued to watch him.
And then—
Chime.
The bell from the front door rang, causing them both to look up.
A familiar voice echoed through the shop.
"Rosie?"
Her entire expression changed & her eyes brightened.
A smile immediately spread across her face as she snaps back to reality.
"Chanyeol!"
Jungkook's heart sank, watching as the young man approaches the counter.
"You're early!"
"I wanted to see you in your element." He smiled.
"And may I say..." He pauses, looking her up and down.
"You look absolutely beautiful in that apron."
Rosie laughed before lightly smacking his shoulder.
"Stop."
Jungkook watched quietly.
She looked happy.
Really happy.
Rosie turned toward him.
"Oh!"
"Peter, this is my boyfriend." She introduces, smiling.
"Chanyeol."
Chanyeol extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you, man."
Jungkook looked at it for a moment before accepting it.
"...Likewise."
They shook hands.
"Babe, Peter was actually at the graduation party- he's a friend of Callie's."
Chanyeol does nothing but send Jungkook a surprised expression.
"Oh wow!" He smiles.
"What a small world."
Jungkook just smiles, brushing off any type of emotions he was feeling.
At first, jealousy burned quietly beneath his ribs.
But then Chanyeol started talking.
And somehow, he seemed pretty cool.
They joked about the party, the shop - and even laughed about how many people had somehow managed to fit inside the loft.
Rosie watched the two of them with a smile, completely oblivious.
Eventually, she glanced toward the clock.
"Well..." She sighs
"My shift's almost done."
She looked at Chanyeol.
"I'm just gonna close up and I'll meet you at the car."
"Take your time." He smiled before leaning down and placing a soft kiss against her forehead.
Jungkook looked away as Chanyeol then waved toward Yoonhee, who giggled and waved back-obviously enjoying the entertainment.
"Nice to meet you again, man." He continues, now looking at Jungkook.
"Maybe one day we could all hang, you know- outside of the shop."
Jungkook just smiles, nodding.
"Uh- y-yeah." He laughs
"That would be...great."
Chanyeol smiled once more before heading toward the door, having the bell chime behind him as he exited.
Jungkook waited a moment before looking over at Rosie.
"Hey."
She looked over, and suddenly his stomach turned.
"It's only five minutes until we're done." He continues, forcing his feelings down.
"I could close up if you want to head out."
Rosie gasped, catching Jungkook off guard for a bit.
"Are you kidding?" She exclaims.
"And lose my chance at employee of the month?"
Jungkook laughed, now catching her drift.
"I don't think that's a thing." He says having Rosie laugh.
"Not yet."
She grinned before lightly patting his shoulder.
Jungkook shook his head, laughing as she disappeared into the back.
The shop fell quiet again when Yoonhee slowly walked over.
She stood beside him for a moment and Jungkook could already tell what was coming next.
"You're not very good at hiding your emotions, you know."
Jungkook sighed.
He looked down at the counter.
"Yeah."
"I've been told."
Yoonhee smiled softly, letting out a laugh before walking away.
Jungkook just sighs once more, brushing a hand over his face.
---
Later that night, he sat at his desk with a plate of leftovers beside him.
The room was quiet as he continued to write another line in his notebook.
Just as he found himself in a flow state - he paused when he notices the pen had ran out of ink.
"...Seriously?" He frowns.
He scribbled against the corner of the page.
Nothing.
Jungkook sighed before opening the drawer beside him, searching through it.
Paper clips, pencils, old receipts- even a pair of headphones.
He continued to dig when fingers stopped.
A folded piece of paper sat at the very back.
He knew exactly what it was.
The letter.
The one he'd written two years ago.
He slowly pulled it out, tracing his thumb over the folded edge.
For a moment he considered opening it.
But he didn't.
Instead, he quietly placed it into a different drawer.
♡ author's note: hii! 🤍 i just wanted to say i think this might be one of my favorite chapters i've written so far. 🥹 i hope you're all enjoying the story! thank you so much for reading. okie bye. ♡
Two Years Later
The familiar bell above the little dessert shop chimed.
Jungkook glanced up from behind the counter before offering the same warm smile he'd given hundreds of customers before.
"Welcome in."
A mother stepped inside with her young son, the little boy immediately pressing both hands against the display case.
"The blue one!"
His mom laughed.
"You get the blue one every single time."
"I know." He nodded proudly.
"...That's why I want it again."
Jungkook chuckled before scooping a generous serving of cotton candy ice cream into a cup.
"There you go."
The little boy grinned.
"Thank you, Peter!"
"Anytime, buddy."
The two waved goodbye before disappearing back into the afternoon.
The older woman behind the register smiled to herself.
"You've got a gift."
Jungkook looked over.
"Hm?"
"People." She shrugged.
"They like you."
He laughed.
"Well, I did learn from the best." He replies, motioning towards her.
She just rolled her eyes, unable to hide a smile.
"Sure."
Over time, the little dessert shop had slowly become home.
Jungkook found comfort in routine.
The regulars came and went, the little kids always changed their minds halfway through ordering, and one couple in particular always shared one single sundae every other Sunday afternoon.
Jungkook knew almost everyone by name, and they all knew him.
The bell chimed again, revealing three girls around his age stepping inside.
The second they saw Jungkook, their conversation immediately died.
"...He's working." One girl whispers but failing to stay quiet.
"I told you he would be." Another comes in
One nudged another.
"...Go."
"No."
"You go."
"I'm not asking!"
Jungkook smiled politely before throwing rag over his shoulder.
"...Can I help you guys?" He asks, placing both hands on the countertop.
The girl nearest the register looked up, instantly intimidated.
"...Uh..."
She glanced back at her friends.
"...Three cookies and cream?"
One of her friends frowned.
"...You hate cookies and cream."
"I know." She whispered.
"I panicked."
Jungkook bit back a laugh before preparing the order.
"Three cookies and cream." He smiles
"You got it."
He slid the cups across the counter.
"Have a good afternoon." He head bows
"You too!"
The girls hurried toward one of the tables, and once Jungkook turned around- the whispering immediately started again.
"Oh my god."
"I told you he was cute."
"You made me order the wrong flavor."
"I KNOW, who cares? just eat it."
Yoonhee had watched the entire interaction unfold from her stance.
She slowly wandered over.
"...Peter."
"Hm?"
"You should really become a model or something."
Jungkook blinked, letting out a quick laugh.
"...What?"
She nodded toward the girls.
"I swear half the girls that walk through those doors suddenly forget why they even came in here."
He laughed.
"I think they just really like ice cream."
Yoonhee looked at him for a long moment before scoffing.
"That's not the only thing they like."
Jungkook frowned.
"...What do you mean?"
She simply smiled.
"...Never mind."
He shrugged.
"...Okay."
She laughed quietly to herself.
"Hopeless."
About twenty minutes later, the bell chimed again.
Jungkook didn't even bother looking up.
"...Mint chocolate chip?"
A familiar laugh answered him.
"I was wondering if you'd remember."
He smiled while reaching for the scoop.
"I'd be worried if I forgot."
The young woman leaned against the counter.
"...Slow today?"
"A little." He nodded.
"You're actually my first repeat customer so far."
She smiled.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should." He smiles, placing the cup on the counter.
"There you go."
Instead of taking it, she stayed where she was.
"So..."
Jungkook looked up, a bit confused.
"...Yeah?"
As their eyes met, the girl started to blush.
"I was wondering..." She smiled nervously.
"...If maybe you'd wanna grab coffee sometime?"
Jungkook blinked.
"...Coffee?"
She nodded.
"My treat."
He looked genuinely confused.
"...But..."
He pointed toward the cup between them.
"...You already got ice cream."
The girl stared at him for a second before laughing.
"...No."
"I mean..."
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"...Like another day."
Realization slowly crossed Jungkook's face.
"...Oh."
A small, awkward laugh escaped him.
"...I'm sorry."
She smiled.
"No, don't be."
"It's okay."
She smiles once more before grabbing her ice cream.
"I'll see you around, Peter."
Jungkook just sends her a small smile back.
"...See you."
The bell rang as she disappeared outside.
It was silence once more until Yoonhee slowly looked over.
"Peter, you knew she wasn't asking you to get coffee right now."
He rubbed the back of his neck before laughing quietly.
"...Yeah, I figured."
She raised an eyebrow.
"...And?"
Jungkook looked down at the counter, quietly wiping it with the towel before answering.
"I don't think it'd be fair."
Yoonhee studied him.
"To who?"
A small smile found its way onto his face.
"To her."
Yoonhee didn't do anything but nod.
"I thought so."
The shop settled back into its usual quiet.
Jungkook grabbed another towel before wiping fingerprints from the glass display.
"When's the last time you went out and did something that wasn't work?" Yoonhee continues.
He looked up to meet eyes.
"Yesterday." He replies casually
"Oh?" Yoonhee smiles, eyebrows raising.
"I went grocery shopping." He continues, having her face drop.
"That doesn't count."
He laughed.
"I figured it was worth a shot."
She walked over before lightly smacking his shoulder with the dish towel.
"I meant with people."
Jungkook smiled.
"I have people."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Do you?"
"I'm talking to one right now." Jungkook smiles, having a laugh escape her.
"I meant people your age." She says, giving his shoulder another light slap.
"I know." He chuckled.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke and only the soft hum of the freezers filled the shop.
Yoonhee watched him continue cleaning before speaking again.
"You know, I worried about you when you first started working here."
Jungkook looked over.
"...Really?"
She nodded.
"You looked like you were carrying the weight of the whole world."
He smiled faintly.
"Very detailed." He replies
"Was it that obvious?"
She laughed.
"To an old woman?"
"Very."
He looked around the little shop at the colorful walls and the regulars chatting over ice cream.
Even towards the table of girls still glancing his way and giggling.
"...I like it here." He admits, having Yoonhee smile.
"I know." She lets out a small laugh.
"And I'm glad."
She reached over, dusting a bit of powdered sugar from his shoulder.
"This place gave you your smile back."
Jungkook looked at her.
"...Thank you."
She immediately waved him off.
"Don't get all sentimental on me."
He laughed.
"I wasn't."
"Yeah, well I'm old- not stupid."
The two laughed together before Yoonhee glances toward the clock.
"Alright." She clapped her hands once.
"Go home." She waves again.
"I can close."
Jungkook untied his apron.
"You're kicking me out?"
"I'm telling you to enjoy your evening." She corrected.
He smiled.
"...Goodnight, Yoonhee."
She nodded proudly, and before he could make it out the door, he was called back.
"Oh and Peter-"
He stopped at the door.
"Don't forget you're training the new hire tomorrow, so I need you here bright and early."
Jungkook just smiles, nodding.
She pointed a finger at him.
"And don't oversleep."
Jungkook laughed.
"I won't."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You always say that."
"This time I mean it!" He calls back, waving goodbye once more before exiting.
---
The walk home had become second nature. He always liked to take this time to unwind by placing his headphones in & blasting his favorite songs - taking his time going home.
It took him a while to get used to it.
To everything, really.
He unlocked the apartment before slipping off his shoes.
The refrigerator greeted him with the usual leftovers.
Tonight is Chinese takeout.
He warmed it up, ate quietly at his desk, then slid the empty container aside.
His keyboard sat exactly where he'd left it.
He rested his fingers against the keys and suddenly a light melody slowly filled the room.
He paused before changing a chord, then playing it again.
"...Better."
A small smile crossed his face as he scribbled a few notes into his notebook.
Outside, the city continued moving.
Inside, everything was quiet.
Peaceful.
By the time he finally climbed into bed, exhaustion didn't bother pulling him under.
---
Jungkook didn't remember falling asleep.
One moment, he'd been sitting at his desk, fingers lazily pressing random chords across the keyboard.
The next- morning sunlight spilled across his bedroom floor.
A familiar ringtone buzzed somewhere underneath his pillow.
He groaned.
Without opening his eyes, he blindly reached around the bed until his hand finally found his phone.
Silence.
"...Five more minutes."
He rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket over his head.
A beam of sunlight landed directly across his face.
Jungkook frowned.
"...Why is it so bright..."
He slowly cracked one eye open before lazily glancing toward the clock.
His body immediately shot upright.
"...No."
He blinked once.
Twice.
"...No, no, no."
He threw the blanket off so fast it landed on the floor beside him.
"I'm late." He curses before stumbling toward the closet, nearly putting his hoodie on backwards before realizing it.
"Nope."
He fixed it.
Forgot his wallet.
Ran back.
Grabbed it.
"...Seriously?"
His shoes weren't tied.
He gave up halfway through.
"Good enough."
---
Moments later, he found himself practically running down the crosswalks - brushing past people up until he found his destination.
The little bell above the dessert shop jingled wildly as Jungkook hurried inside.
"I'm here!"
He laughed between breaths, trying to fix his apron while weaving around a customer headed for the door.
"I'm so sorry."
"I don't know how I managed to sleep through three alarms—"
Yoonhee didn't even look up from the register.
"Took you long enough."
Jungkook groaned.
"I know, I know-" He breathes.
She smiled to herself.
"I was starting to think the new hire was gonna have to train herself."
He laughed.
"Please don't say that."
She pointed toward the hallway.
"She's in the back."
"I'll make it up to you." Jungkook continues and Yoonhee just laughs before pushing him.
"Just go before she ends up taking your place."
Jungkook took one last deep breath before adjusting his apron.
"Alright." He breathes once more.
He pushed open the door, fixing his hoodie underneath his apron.
"Hey, I'm so sorry I'm la-."
Suddenly, the words disappeared.
Standing in the middle of the room, a girl had quickly turned around with a smile.
♡ author's note: hi! 🤍 i'm sorry in advance if these chapters are getting mad long 😭 i fear that's just proof there's way too much living inside my head LOL. i have so many little scenes that i want you guys to experience too, so thank you for sticking with me. 🥹
i also highly recommend listening to Sienna Spiro's Pure or Great Expectations, or James Arthur's Can I Be Him while reading this chapter for the full effect. trust me. 😭
okie bye. ♡
Jungkook's attention immediately went forward.
Standing there was Rosie; one hand resting against the doorframe as she looked between the two boys before letting out an exhausted sigh.
She smiled.
"Do you know where we could put the extra pack of booze?"
Namjoon looked up from the scattered sheets of music covering his desk.
"...Already?"
Rosie nodded.
"We're running out of room in the fridge."
She crossed her arms before leaning against the doorway.
"And Callie keeps telling people to bring more."
Namjoon laughed under his breath.
"I'm pretty sure she said that was everyone."
"...That better be." Rosie shook her head with a smile.
"Otherwise you guys are gonna be drinking beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next three weeks."
Namjoon chuckled.
"I don't hate that idea."
"I do." She pointed toward him.
"Because somehow I'll be the one cleaning up after all of you."
The two laughed and Jungkook couldn't help but smile.
God...
He'd forgotten how beautiful her laugh was.
No.
That wasn't true.
He never forgot.
He'd simply convinced himself he'd never hear it again.
His eyes never left her.
The loose strands of hair that framed her face, the tiny silver necklace resting against her collarbone, and even the wrinkle between her eyebrows whenever she was pretending to be annoyed.
He found himself falling in love all over again.
Every part of him wanted to walk over and just wrap his arms around her, kissing her forehead and telling her how much he'd missed her.
Tell her he'd done all of this for her.
Tell her—
Rosie looked up and their eyes met.
Everything else disappeared, and for one impossible second, Jungkook genuinely thought she remembered.
His heart stopped as she just sends him a small smile.
The kind of smile she'd offer someone she'd never met before.
Namjoon noticed the silence, glancing between the two.
"Oh." He smiled.
"Rosie."
He motioned toward Jungkook.
"This is one of Callie's friends."
Rosie looked back at him.
"I don't think I've seen you around before."
Jungkook opened his mouth but was unable to speak.
His thoughts scattered the second she'd spoken to him.
Rosie tilted her head.
"...Hello?"
His eyes widened.
"W-What?"
She laughed softly.
"I asked your name."
"...P..." He swallowed.
"...Peter."
The name escaped before he'd even thought about it.
Namjoon blinked, now joining in.
"...Peter?" He repeats, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
"Like, Parker?"
A quiet laugh escaped Jungkook.
"...Something like that."
Rosie smiled.
"Well..."
She stepped a little farther into the room before extending her hand.
"It's nice to meet you, Peter."
Jungkook froze as his eyes drifted down toward her hand.
The first time they'd met, she hadn't introduced herself.
This isn't even close to how it happened.
Now, she was meeting him all over again.
He slowly reached forward, placing a hand in hers.
His heart ached.
"...It's nice to meet you too." His voice barely came out.
Rosie smiled one last time before looking back toward Namjoon.
"I'm gonna go check on Callie."
She pointed toward the hallway.
"...Just don't take too long trying to find a space, unless you want warm beer for breakfast."
Namjoon laughed.
"I'll be right there."
Rosie disappeared back into the crowd, and Jungkook's eyes followed her until she was gone.
Only then did he realize he'd been holding his breath.
"...You okay?" Namjoon's voice quietly broke the silence.
Jungkook blinked, snapping out of the moment.
"...Huh?"
"You kinda zoned out."
"...Oh."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sorry."
A small silence settled between them.
"...Hey."
Jungkook looked toward the hallway.
"So..." He hesitated.
"You guys are all like, roommates?"
Namjoon shook his head.
"Nah, it's just me and Callie." He smiles
"Rosie actually lives on her own."
"...Oh." Jungkook nodded quietly.
She always wanted her own place.
The thought slipped into his mind before he could stop it.
He caught himself just as Namjoon looked over.
"...What?"
Jungkook immediately laughed nervously.
"...Nothing." He shrugs.
"I just- figured."
Namjoon didn't think much of it before gently bumping his shoulder.
"C'mon." He motions.
"I could use some help drinking all that beer."
A small laugh escaped Jungkook.
"...Yeah." He nods
"I guess somebody has to."
The two stepped back into the hallway together and immediately - Music poured from every room of the loft.
People laughed, and someone had already started dancing in the middle of the living room.
As they made their way through the crowd, Jungkook spotted another familiar face.
Taehyung.
He stood in the center of a circle of strangers, dramatically reenacting some story with his hands flying everywhere.
The entire group burst into laughter.
Jungkook smiled to himself.
"It's a nice place." He then says without thinking.
Namjoon glanced over.
"Hm?"
"The loft." He looked around.
"It's... really nice."
Namjoon laughed.
"Yeah."
He continues to walk past random people.
"It only took an arm and a leg to afford it."
He smiled proudly.
"But we make it work."
Jungkook nodded.
"...I like it."
As they continued weaving through the crowd, Jungkook's eyes instinctively searched for Rosie again.
There she was.
Standing near the kitchen sink, drying her hands with a dish towel.
It didn't take long for her to look up- having Jungkook's heart skip again.
He thought she was looking at him.
"...Namjoon?" She called instead.
"I need your help."
Namjoon sighed dramatically.
"Looks like I'm needed."
He looked toward Jungkook.
"Hey, make yourself at home." He continues, giving him a slight pat on the shoulder.
"There's literally unlimited beer."
Jungkook just laughs, nodding.
"Tempting."
"Don't fail me." Namjoon jokes. "I'm counting on you."
"I won't." Jungkook replies and Namjoon gives him one last smile before jogging toward the kitchen.
Jungkook remained where he was, watching them.
Rosie laughed about something and Namjoon rolled his eyes before opening one of the cabinets.
They looked exactly the same.
Just...
Without him.
Jungkook smiled sadly.
At least she still had people.
Out of nowhere, they were joined in by another voice.
One Jungkook didn't recognize.
"Whoa."
A tall figure stepped into the kitchen.
"What'd I miss?"
Namjoon's face immediately lit up.
"Chanyeol!"
The two laughed before pulling each other into a quick hug.
They separated just long enough to do one of those ridiculous handshakes that somehow ended with both of them laughing harder.
Jungkook couldn't help but smile.
That is, until Chanyeol finally turned toward Rosie.
He gave her a small bow, in which she smiled warmly before bowing back.
"Hi." He says, keeping up his smile.
"Hey." Rosie giggles. "Didn't think you'd actually make it."
"I almost didn't." He laughed.
"Traffic."
Rosie nodded knowingly.
"I figured."
The three naturally fell into conversation.
"What a turnout." Chanyeol looked toward the living room.
"I honestly didn't think you guys could fit this many people in here."
"You and me both." Namjoon laughed.
Rosie sighed dramatically.
"I told them this was a terrible idea."
"Oh, come on." Namjoon nudged her shoulder.
"We're probably never gonna see half these people again." He motions over the loud music.
"The least we can do is celebrate."
"Exactly." Chanyeol nodded.
He looked toward Rosie, pulling the same smile up.
"Live a little."
Rosie rolled her eyes before lightly shoving his shoulder.
"Oh, please." She laughs. "You're so annoying."
Namjoon laughed before pointing towards the living room.
"Well, I'm gonna go stop Taehyung before he takes yet another shot."
He pauses before pointing between the two.
"Unless you guys are cool with cleaning up throw up."
The three laughed as Rosie waves him off.
"Bye Namjoon."
The boy just laughs once more before disappearing back into the crowd.
Silence settled between Rosie and Chanyeol.
Jungkook should've looked away.
He couldn't.
"...You surviving?" Chanyeol smiled.
"Barely." Rosie laughed.
"My social battery died like..."
She looked toward the ceiling.
"...Three hours ago."
"I noticed." He nods.
"But you still stayed."
She shrugged.
"Callie would've killed me if I left."
"Probably."
Another comfortable silence.
The kind that didn't need filling.
Jungkook's stomach slowly tightened as he watches Chanyeol step just a little closer.
Rosie looked up at him, instantly smiling.
"...Ready to head home?"
She nodded.
"...Yeah."
Without another word, Chanyeol leaned down with Rosie meeting him halfway for a kiss.
Jungkook forgot how to breathe, and suddenly the room became too loud.
Music.
Laughter.
Conversations.
Everything blurred together.
He quietly took one step back, then another.
Nobody noticed and nobody stopped him either.
He turned, walking out of the party.
The cool night air hit his face the second he stepped outside.
Only, he didn't stop walking.
Music continued behind him and laughter echoed through the open loft windows.
Somewhere inside, Rosie was smiling.
Jungkook smiled too.
Just, not for the same reason.
A cold raindrop landed against the back of his hand.
Then another, and within seconds - the sky opened, having rain pour over the city.
People hurried beneath storefront awnings, some laughed as they ran, and others shared umbrellas.
Jungkook on the other hand, never sped up.
He simply kept walking.
His tears disappeared into the rain before they ever reached his chin.
She's happy
His voice barely carried over the storm.
Another shaky breath.
Good
That was the whole reason he'd done this.
So she'd never have to read another hateful comment.
Never have to wonder if she'd gotten a job because of him.
Never have to question whether people actually saw Rosie..
Or Jungkook's girlfriend.
He stopped at a crosswalk; the red hand blinked back at him.
This is your new life.
He thought to himself.
The light changed and he kept walking.
By the time he reached the apartment, he was soaked.
His hoodie clung heavily against his shoulders as water dripped onto the hardwood floor.
The apartment greeted him with the same silence it always had.
He quietly locked the door and dropped his keys into the bowl beside the entrance before walking towards his room.
He makes his way inside, but just when he was about to lay down - something caught his eye.
His desk.
A blank sheet of paper rested beside a pen.
He stared at it for a long time before finally sitting down.
The pen hovered over the page.
Then...
He began to write.
-----
You don't know me.
But I know you.
As a matter of fact... we were once the biggest part of each other's lives.
Funny how life works.
Now, if we passed each other on the street, you probably wouldn't even recognize me.
That's okay.
I'm not writing this because I wanted you to remember me.
I'm writing this because there are things I'll never get the chance to say.
Thank you.
Thank you for every ordinary day that somehow became unforgettable.
For every conversation.
Every laugh.
Every walk home.
Every little moment that made life feel a little less lonely.
You taught me that happiness didn't have to be loud.
Sometimes it was just waiting for someone at a bus stop.
Or sharing a strawberry soda.
Or sitting in comfortable silence.
You made my world feel... normal.
I hope life is kind to you, and I hope you keep chasing every dream you've ever had.
I hope the people around you love you the way you deserve to be loved.
Most of all, I hope you're happy.
Because if you are...
Then everything was worth it.
Take care.
— Jeon, Jungkook
-----
His hand stopped moving as a single tear landed against the page.
He watched as the ink slowly blurred.
Jungkook quietly laughed to himself before folding the letter & sliding it inside an envelope.
Then tucked it into the pocket of his jacket.
One last time.
The rain hadn't let up.
He found himself walking back toward the apartment complex.
Not because he expected anything.
Maybe, he just wanted Rosie to know.
Not who he was.
Just...
That somebody loved her enough to let her go.
He approached the row of mailboxes.
His fingers slowly pulled the envelope from his pocket.
Just before he could slip it inside—
The front door opened.
Jungkook immediately stepped behind the corner of the building.
His heart racing.
Rosie stepped outside first.
"...It's still raining."
She laughed.
Another figure followed.
Chanyeol.
He smiled before opening an umbrella above both of them.
"There." He laughed.
"Problem solved."
Rosie looked up at him.
"...Thank you."
The two began walking together.
Talking.
Laughing.
Jungkook couldn't hear what they were saying.
He didn't need to.
Chanyeol reached for her hand.
Rosie smiled before naturally intertwining their fingers with his.
Jungkook's breath caught.
Flashbacks crashed into him all at once.
The bus stop.
Walking across campus.
The park swings.
Her tiny hand fitting perfectly inside his.
"...I love you."
"...Always."
His grip around the envelope slowly loosened.
You're okay.
He sighs.
You're really okay.
A sad smile found its way onto his face.
He looked down at the envelope, then back at Rosie.
She laughed again.
The same laugh.
The same smile.
Only, it now belonged to someone else.
He slowly slid the envelope back into his pocket.
She didn't need it.
Not anymore.
He watched until the two disappeared around the corner.
Only then, did he walk away.
He didn't realize where his feet had taken him until a familiar bell chimed overhead.
Jungkook looked up.
The little dessert shop.
He stood outside for a long moment before quietly stepping inside.
The smell was exactly the same.
Fresh waffle cones and a hint of both Vanilla and Coffee.
Rows of brightly colored ice cream stretched across the display.
"...Welcome!"
The elderly woman behind the counter smiled warmly.
"First time here?"
Jungkook looked around.
His eyes landed briefly on the little table beside the window.
The booth Rosie always insisted on sitting in.
The menu they'd practically memorized.
He smiled.
"...Yeah."
"I've heard it's pretty good."
The woman laughed.
"I'd like to think so."
His eyes wandered around the shop one more time, when something caught his attention.
A small handwritten sign taped beside the register.
NOW HIRING
He stared at it for a moment and it didn't take long for the woman to notice.
"You looking for work?"
Jungkook blinked.
"...Maybe."
She smiled kindly.
Jungkook looked back toward the rain outside, then back toward the sign.
For the first time since the procedure, the weight on his chest felt just a little lighter.
The applause echoed throughout the stadium, and Jungkook couldn't stop smiling.
"We did it!" Rosie laughed beside him, holding her diploma high above her head before throwing both arms around his neck.
"We actually did it!!"
The force nearly knocked him backwards.
"I told you we'd graduate together."
Jungkook laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady them both.
"I don't remember agreeing to almost get tackled on graduation day."
She smiled up at him, not even close to sorry.
"We're graduates now." She continues, having Jungkook laugh at that.
"We are."
A familiar chorus suddenly erupted from the bleachers.
"JUNGKOOK!"
He looked up, and sure enough- seven familiar faces somehow managed to be louder than the rest of the stadium combined.
Hoseok already had both arms waving over his head.
"THAT'S MY BABY!"
"You're not his dad!" Jimin yelled, trying—and failing—to pull him back into his seat.
"I CAN STILL BE PROUD!"
Namjoon buried his face in one hand.
"I'd like to apologize to everyone sitting around us." He announces, looking around-
Though it was too late as Jin had already pulled out his camera.
"Everyone smile!"
Taehyung immediately threw up peace signs.
Yoongi stood beside him pretending he wanted absolutely nothing to do with any of it.
Yet, even he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Rosie laughed so hard she nearly dropped her diploma.
"I think they're more excited than we are." She says, now looking over.
"Oh, they've definitely been waiting for this moment longer than we have." Jungkook nods as they both share another laugh.
The two just look up at the bleachers, waving as Jin captures another picture of them.
Another round of cheering filled the stadium.
Another memory captured.
Exactly the way it should be.
The afternoon disappeared in a blur.
Pictures filled everyone's phones and flowers somehow ended up in Jungkook's arms despite insisting he didn't need any.
Jin continued directing everyone around like it was a professional photoshoot.
"No, no." He shakes his head, pulling both Jungkook and Rosie in the middle.
"You two stand over here."
Rosie laughed.
"Jin, it's just graduation."
"There is no such thing as 'just graduation.'" He pointed dramatically.
"Now smile."
Jungkook looked over at Rosie.
"At least he's not crying."
"I'd rather take that instead." Rosie nods, having the two smile brightly at each other.
By the time the pictures finally ended, everyone had begun making their way back toward the apartment.
"You two coming?" Hoseok called.
Rosie looked over at Jungkook before grinning.
"We've got one stop first."
Jungkook raised an eyebrow.
"We do?"
"Dessert."
He smiled.
"...Ah."
"Important business."
"The most important." Rosie smiles back
The familiar bell above the dessert shop chimed as they stepped inside.
The elderly woman behind the counter looked up before immediately smiling.
"You two again?"
Rosie nodded proudly.
"This time we're celebrating."
The woman's eyes widened.
"You graduated?"
"We did."
"Oh!"
She clapped her hands together.
"Then this calls for cake."
Rosie immediately turned toward Jungkook.
"What flavor?"
"Pistachio."
"No."
He blinked.
"What do you mean no?"
"Nobody else likes pistachio."
"They're wrong."
"They're normal."
"They have bad taste."
Rosie laughed.
"You are impossible."
"And yet you still love me."
Jungkook smiled.
She rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Barely."
The woman behind the counter couldn't help but laugh.
"You two are adorable."
Rosie immediately pointed toward Jungkook.
"Tell him that."
"I heard that." Jungkook calls out as he walks down the aisle to grab some drinks.
"I wanted you to." Rosie calls back with a smile as she and the old lady share a small giggle.
Still wearing their graduation gowns, they walked back toward the apartment with a backpack filled with drinks and a large cake balanced carefully between them.
The afternoon breeze caught the tassels on their caps.
Jungkook glanced over.
Rosie looked so beautiful.
Maybe it was the sunlight, or the way she couldn't stop smiling.
Or maybe...
It was simply because she'd finally achieved the dream she'd worked toward for so many years.
They stopped outside the apartment door.
Rosie reached for the handle when Jungkook gently caught her wrist.
"What?" She asks, turning towards him.
He didn't answer.
He simply just leaned down and kissed her.
Rosie smiled into it.
"...What was that for?"
He shrugged.
"I felt like it."
She laughed.
"You've been saying that a lot lately."
"I know."
For a second, neither of them moved.
Rosie slowly reached up, removing her graduation cap.
Jungkook followed.
They looked at one another.
"...Ready?"
She smiled.
"Ready."
At the exact same moment, they threw their caps in the air.
The black fabric spun high above them as Rosie's laughter echoed throughout the courtyard.
Jungkook laughed with her as he pulled her back into another kiss, cake almost dropping.
The caps drifted back toward the ground—
BZZZT.
Jungkook's eyes slowly opened to the apartment ceiling staring back at him.
He blinked once.
Then again.
The smile slowly disappeared from his face.
The graduation cap he'd just thrown into the air still rested untouched beside the closet.
His phone vibrated again.
Jungkook sat up, rubbing a hand over his face before reaching toward the nightstand.
Callie
Callie: hey! party starts in like an hour 😭
Another message appeared.
Callie: think you could stop by the convenience store and grab some booze or something? we completely forgot 💀
Jungkook does nothing but stare at the screen as the dream still lingered in the back of his mind.
It had felt real.
Too real.
He swallowed the lump in his throat before typing back.
Jungkook: yeah. of course.
A reply came almost instantly.
Callie: lifesaver 🙏
Jungkook locked his phone and quietly got dressed.
A few moments later, he found himself standing outside a convenience store he'd memorized without ever trying.
The automatic doors slid open as the familiar chime echoed overhead.
He stepped inside.
This was the last place he'd been with Rosie before everything changed.
He wandered toward the drink aisle, scanning the shelves without really seeing any of them.
"...What does everyone even drink?" He mumbles.
The chime above the entrance rang again.
He just sighs, paying no mind.
"Dude."
A familiar voice laughed from somewhere behind him.
"I'm literally here right now."
Jungkook froze.
"...I'm grabbing everything." The voice continues.
Jungkook slowly turned.
Taeyhyung was standing just a few feet away from him.
Phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he reached for a case of beer.
"No." He laughed.
"I got the twelve pack."
He paused, looking down.
"...Ah, shit."
Without missing a beat, he shoved it back onto the shelf before brushing right past Jungkook.
"My bad."
He grabbed another case.
"This is the one."
A quiet laugh escaped Jungkook before he could stop it.
Somehow, even in another life-
Taehyung was still Taehyung.
"...Yeah, yeah." He continued into the phone.
"I'm paying."
Another pause.
"What?"
He looked down at the case again.
"...Well tell Callie she's just gonna have to deal with it."
He shrugged.
"I'm not walking all the way back."
Jungkook smiled as Tae thanked the cashier before walking out the door.
He never once looked Jungkook's way.
Jungkook watched him disappear outside.
You graduated too.
Same school.
Same graduation.
Same party.
Just different lives.
Jungkook grabbed the first pack of beer he saw before checking out and following the address Callie had texted him.
Music echoed down the street long before he reached the building.
Graduates crowded the entrance.
Someone nearly dropped a pizza.
Another group posed for pictures on the sidewalk.
The elevator doors opened onto a large loft overflowing with people.
Conversations blended together and music filled every room.
Laughter echoed off the walls.
Jungkook quietly set the beer beside the growing pile near the kitchen before slipping farther into the apartment.
Across the room, he spotted Taehyung already laughing with a group of strangers.
He smiled to himself.
Of course.
He wandered toward the hallway, noticing one of the bedroom doors slightly open.
He looked around before walking in.
The room was neat.
Books lined the shelves & the bed had been perfectly made.
A desk rested next to it, and scattered across were pages of handwritten sheet music.
Jungkook stepped closer.
Someone had been composing.
His fingers hovered over one of the pages, studying each note when the bathroom door opened behind him.
"...Aw, man."
Another familiar voice laughed.
"I totally forgot I left those out."
Jungkook turned to see Namjoon stepping out.
"I know we literally just graduated-" He continues, drying his hands with a towel before nodding towards the music.
"But I promise you, I do not miss those damn assignments."
Jungkook couldn't speak and for a second, Namjoon's eyes lingered on him.
"Sorry, have we met before?"
His heart skipped.
"Uh-"
He quickly shook his head.
"No."
"I'm..." He pauses.
"A friend of Callie's."
"I was actually looking for the bathroom."
He motioned awkwardly toward the hallway.
"...Kind of wandered in here."
Namjoon laughed.
"No worries."
He looked toward the crowded living room.
"Honestly, it was kinda crazy making this an open invite."
He shook his head with a smile.
"I don't think we've even talked to half the people in our loft."
Our loft.
Jungkook quietly pieced it together.
Callie.
Namjoon.
Roommates.
Before he could process another thought—
A familiar voice drifted in from somewhere down the hallway.
"Hey, Namjoon?"
Jungkook froze for a second, before immediately turning around.
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author's note ♡:
hi lol. i hope you enjoy this one. it's kinda funny... but also kinda sad. 😭 okay bye. 🤍
The shrill sound of an alarm echoed throughout the apartment.
Jungkook groaned quietly before reaching toward the nightstand, fumbling around until his hand finally found his phone.
7:32 A.M.
He silenced it before letting out another tired sigh.
"...Five more minutes."
Silence.
His eyes slowly opened.
There was no knocking.
No Namjoon.
No Jin yelling from the kitchen.
No Jimin complaining that breakfast was getting cold.
Just the faint hum of the refrigerator somewhere down the hall.
Jungkook slowly sat up, and for a moment - he almost forgot.
His room looked exactly the same.
The same desk sat beneath the window and the same bookshelf rested in the corner.
He looked to the side to see his graduation gown hung neatly beside the closet.
He quietly climbed out of bed, making his way over.
The cap rested comfortably on top.
He picked it up, reading the small words,
Class of 2026.
Nothing more.
No drawings, no cap ideas, no inside jokes.
Just-
Class of 2026.
His thumb slowly traced the letters before placing it back exactly where he'd found it.
"...Right."
The word barely came out.
He quietly made his way toward the bedroom door before slowly opening it.
The hallway greeted him with complete silence.
He stood there for a second, listening.
There was no laughter, no arguing, no smell of burnt toast.
Just silence.
He slowly stepped farther into the apartment.
Everything looked familiar, yet somehow nothing felt like home.
His eyes landed on another bedroom across the hallway.
One he didn't recognize.
The door stood halfway open as curiosity quietly pulled him forward.
Inside sat a simple computer desk pushed against the wall with a laptop, printer and a stack of textbooks.
A corkboard covered in class schedules; grocery lists and reminders hung right above.
Graduation Ceremony.
10:00 A.M.
Student Union.
Jungkook quietly looked around the room before stepping back into the hallway.
He didn't need anyone to explain it anymore.
The procedure had worked.
He lived here.
Alone.
He slowly wandered toward the kitchen, the sound of the refrigerator getting closer.
Morning sunlight spilled across the countertops.
The sink held one plate and a coffee mug.
He opened the refrigerator to see left over Chinese food, half a carton of milk, orange juice and a pizza box that balanced awkwardly on the top shelf.
Nothing looked wrong.
It looked...
Normal.
He slowly closed the refrigerator before leaning both hands against the counter.
His head lowered, a shaky breath escaped him.
Then another.
Before he realized it, his vision blurred.
He covered his face with one hand as the tears quietly slipped through his fingers.
There wasn't anyone there to hear him.
Still, he tried to stay quiet.
After a long while, he wiped beneath his eyes before opening the refrigerator again.
He grabbed the orange juice, pouring himself a glass.
He smiled, just a little as the thought of Jimin came into mind.
"...You'd tell me I poured too much."
The smile slowly disappeared.
He quietly rinsed the glass before setting it inside the sink.
After drying off his hands, he takes one more look around the empty apartment before getting ready.
The walk toward campus felt different.
Nobody looked at him.
Nobody whispered.
Nobody pointed.
Nobody asked for a picture.
Nobody even glanced his way.
For the first time in years, Jungkook walked through the city completely unnoticed.
It should've felt freeing, but instead it only reminded him of what he'd given up.
His feet automatically slowed as he approached the familiar bus stop.
His eyes searched it before he could stop himself.
Empty.
No Rosie.
No notebook.
No strawberry soda.
Nothing.
He quietly looked away before continuing toward campus.
Graduates had already begun filling the sidewalks.
Families carried bouquets & friends stopped every few steps to take pictures together.
Laughter echoed all across campus.
Everyone seemed to belong somewhere.
Everyone except him.
His breathing slowly became uneven.
Too many people.
Too much noise.
He quietly slipped into one of the nearby academic buildings before leaning against the hallway wall.
He closed his eyes, taking in one slow breath.
Then another.
"...Get it together." He whispered to himself.
"...Sheesh."
A voice suddenly spoke up.
"You look like shit."
Jungkook looked over and standing a few feet away was a familiar girl adjusting the tassel on her graduation cap.
His eyes widened as he straightened himself.
"...Callie?"
She blinked for a second before letting out a small laugh.
"...Kind of weird that you know my name considering I've never seen you around before."
Jungkook immediately froze.
Right.
She wouldn't know him.
Not anymore.
He quickly rubbed the back of his neck before forcing out a small laugh.
"...Oh..."
"I think we have..."
He pauses, trying to think.
"...Like one class together."
Callie tilted her head.
"Hm."
She shrugged.
"Maybe."
She looked him up and down.
"So - is this graduation jitters or just a rough morning?"
Jungkook couldn't help but laugh.
"...Both."
That earned another laugh from her.
"Yeah..." She smiled kindly
"I figured."
"You have a name?"
Jungkook instinctively stepped forward, holding his hand out.
"I'm Ju—"
The word caught in his throat.
He froze before quietly correcting himself.
"...Peter."
Callie stared at him for a second before laughing.
"...Ju-Peter?"
He smiled awkwardly.
"Minus the "ju"." He corrects.
"So, just-" He sighs, cursing himself for the last-minute panic.
"Peter."
"Very American." Callie nods as another laugh escapes him.
"...New York." He shrugged, going along with the lie.
Callie just stands there, letting out a small scoff.
"Like Spider-Man?"
Jungkook laughed.
"...Uh..."
"Yeah." He nods.
"Something like that."
"Well..." She adjusted the strap of her backpack.
"Whatever you're going through..." She pauses.
"I hope it all eases up soon."
Jungkook smiled.
"...Thanks."
She smiled back.
It was a small silence until she came in again.
"Hey, so my roommate and I are actually throwing a graduation party after we walk."
"You should come."
Jungkook blinked.
"...Really?"
"Yeah." She laughed.
"It's basically for everyone who finally made it out of this shithole."
That finally made him laugh.
"You look like you need a drink or two." She continues.
"...Yeah." He smiled.
"That actually sounds nice."
"Good." She held out her hand.
Jungkook frowned.
"...What?"
"Your phone." She laughed once more.
"I'll put my number in, so I could text you the address."
"...Oh."
He reached into his pocket before pulling it out.
The screen lit up.
A sunset.
Nothing else.
No Rosie.
No memories.
He unlocked it, quickly scrolling.
There were no unread messages, no familiar contacts.
Nothing.
He hesitated before handing it over.
Callie raised an eyebrow but didn't question it.
She quickly typed in her number before sending herself a text.
"There." She smiled, handing it back.
"I'll see you on stage."
She began walking away before turning around one last time.
"It was nice meeting you, 'Just' Peter." She smiled.
Jungkook smiled back.
"...You too."
He continues to stay there as he watched her disappear into the crowd.
"My roommate..."
The words quietly replayed inside his head.
Not...
"My best friend."
His heart slowly sank.
Maybe Rosie didn't go here anymore.
Or maybe, their lives had changed so much - that they'd never met either.
A faculty member's voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Graduates, please begin lining up."
Jungkook quietly adjusted the tassel on his cap before stepping back outside.
Rows of students slowly merged together into one long line.
He found his place somewhere in the middle.
Then, almost instinctively- his eyes searched the audience.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Nothing.
No Rosie.
No BTS.
No familiar faces.
Just a bunch of strangers.
Jungkook stands there, trying to steady his breathing & staying strong.
He walks up to the panel as one of the facility staff asks how to pronounce his name.
He clears his throat, continuing with the small white lie.
author's note ♡:
if you've made it this far... thank you. truly. i know this chapter hurts, but i promise we're not done yet. ♡
The morning began exactly the way it always did.
Late.
Jungkook groaned quietly as he buried his face further underneath the blanket, only to hear the familiar sound of someone knocking against his bedroom door.
"...Jungkook."
No response.
Another knock.
"Yah."
The bedroom door slowly creaked open as Namjoon peeked his head inside before immediately letting out a sigh.
"...This kid will never learn."
A smile tugged at the corner of Jungkook's lips.
"I heard that, hyung."
Namjoon looked over before laughing.
"Good."
"Now get up before you're late for the four thousandth time."
He reached into the bathroom, grabbing Jungkook's towel before tossing it toward the bed.
It landed directly on his face.
"...Seriously?"
"I've gotta wake you up somehow."
Jungkook pulled the towel off, laughing to himself.
"You throw things at me now?"
"It worked, didn't it?"
"...Fair."
Namjoon smiled before starting toward the hallway.
"Oh—and hurry up." He mentions "Jin's been on this weird chef streak lately."
Jungkook raised an eyebrow.
"...Is that supposed to convince me?"
"It should." Namjoon nodded confidently.
"If one of us has to suffer through another piece of burnt toast..."
He looked back over his shoulder.
"...Then all of us have to suffer."
Almost on cue-- Jin walked past.
Without saying a single word, he reached over and smacked the back of his head hard enough to make him flinch.
"I heard that."
Namjoon laughed.
"I know you did."
Jin simply shook his head before disappearing back toward the kitchen.
"...Ungrateful."
Jungkook couldn't help but laugh.
God, he was going to miss this.
By the time he wandered into the kitchen, breakfast had already become its usual kind of chaos.
Jimin stood near the counter pouring orange juice into everyone's glasses, Jin reached into the cabinet for another stack of plates while quietly complaining that nobody ever put them back where they belonged.
Taehyung passed chopsticks across the table toward Yoongi.
"...Here."
Yoongi accepted them without looking up from his phone.
"...Thanks."
Hoseok somehow managed to spill orange juice before he'd even sat down.
"I literally just poured that." Jimin sighed dramatically.
"It slipped." Hobi laughs and Jimin does nothing but grab the paper towel roll and throws it at him.
"Okay, ow." Hobi teases and Jimin just pushes his head in return.
Another round of laughter echoed throughout the apartment.
Breakfast was exactly the same.
Exactly the way Jungkook hoped it'd be.
He quietly took his usual seat.
Listening.
Watching.
Memorizing.
The way Namjoon straightened the chopsticks before everyone else immediately messed them up again.
The tiny wrinkle between Jin's eyebrows whenever someone criticized his cooking.
The way Jimin always stole food before anyone else had even touched theirs.
Taehyung laughing before finishing his own jokes.
Yoongi pretending none of it entertained him, even though the corners of his lips always gave him away.
Hoseok somehow managing to turn every ordinary morning into something louder than it needed to be.
His family.
His heart quietly sank.
Not because he'd already lost them.
But because tomorrow, he would.
He looked around the table one more time, trying to remember every little detail.
The sunlight spilling through the kitchen window down to the sound of Jin arguing with Namjoon.
The smell of slightly overcooked toast.
Things he'd never paid attention to before.
Things he suddenly wasn't ready to let go of.
A little while later, Jungkook quietly slung his backpack over one shoulder.
"I'm heading out."
Namjoon looked up from the couch.
"So early?"
"I've gotta meet Rosie."
"Ah."
A smile spread across Namjoon's face.
"Don't forget." He pointed toward Jungkook.
"You two better actually be on time tonight."
"No excuses."
"We still have graduation cap designs to figure out."
"And dessert." Jin called from the kitchen.
"Rosie's bringing dessert."
Jimin nodded.
"You better not let her cancel."
Jungkook smiled.
The kind of smile that took far more effort than it should have.
"...Yeah." He sighs "I know."
"I'll see you guys later."
Nobody noticed the slight crack in his voice.
Taehyung waved him off.
"Don't be late."
"I won't."
Jungkook looked around the apartment one last time.
Really looked.
He then quietly stepped outside; the familiar apartment door clicked shut behind him.
For a long moment, he simply stood there, hand still resting against the doorknob.
He took one slow breath, then another - when his phone vibrated.
Rosie 🩵
A smile immediately found its way onto his face.
He unlocked it.
Rosie🩵: i'm here :) see you in a bit!
His eyes lingered on the message.
Every morning for the two years, there'd always been another text.
Another class.
Another afternoon together.
Another "see you later."
His vision slowly blurred.
After today, there wouldn't be.
He quickly wiped underneath his eyes before anyone walking by had the chance to notice.
"...I'm sorry."
He whispered.
Not to Rosie.
Not to the members.
To himself.
He then found himself climbing into his car.
The university disappeared in his rearview mirror.
He didn't turn.
He couldn't.
Instead, the familiar road slowly gave away to another.
One leading somewhere he'd hoped he'd never have to return.
The clinic.
The receptionist recognized him immediately.
"Welcome back, Mr. Jeon."
Jungkook offered a small smile.
"...Morning."
Before he had the chance to sit down, another familiar voice spoke.
"You're here."
Minji smiled warmly from the hallway.
"...Hi."
She walked over before gently motioning for him to follow.
This time, she didn't stop at the consultation room.
They walked right past it, past another hallway and another set of doors.
Somewhere much quieter.
Much colder.
Jungkook felt his palms begin to sweat.
His heart pounded so loudly he was almost convinced everyone else could hear it too.
They eventually stopped outside a room he'd never seen before.
Minji rested one hand against the door, and before opening it- she looked back at him.
"...I'm going to ask you one last time."
Silence.
"...Are you certain you want to proceed?"
Jungkook looked down at the floor.
Rosie.
Namjoon.
Jin.
Yoongi.
Hoseok.
Jimin.
Taehyung.
Years of memories flashed through his mind all at once.
He slowly closed his eyes before forcing himself to nod.
"...Yeah." His voice barely came out.
Minji offered him one last sympathetic smile before opening the door.
Inside sat a single reclining chair surrounded by quiet monitors.
Nothing about it looked frightening.
If anything, it looked almost peaceful.
Two nurses quietly greeted him before helping him settle into the chair and one of them noticed the way his hands trembled.
"...It's okay." She smiled gently.
"We're just going to place a few sensors near your temples."
She held up two small adhesive pads.
"They'll monitor your brain activity throughout the procedure."
She sends him a gentle nod.
"No needles, no pain."
"They simply allow the system to synchronize your neural patterns."
Jungkook nodded quietly, trying to calm his heart down.
"...Okay."
One nurse gently placed a sensor against each side of his temples as another adjusted a few leads across his chest.
Soft beeps echoed from the nearby monitor.
Everything looked so ordinary.
Minji stepped beside him.
"Whenever you're ready..." She smiled.
"...Go ahead and close your eyes."
Jungkook looked up at the ceiling one last time.
Practice rooms.
Concerts.
Late-night ramen.
Dorms.
Laughter.
Rosie.
The bus stop.
The strawberry soda.
The park.
Every memory he'd ever loved.
A single tear escaped before he even realized it.
Minji noticed before smiling again.
It wasn't happy.
Just...
Kind.
"...It was really nice meeting you, Mr. Jeon."
Jungkook looked over.
"...Likewise."
Another quiet pause.
"I hope..."
She hesitated.
"...Whatever life waits for you after this is a kinder one."
Jungkook smiled through the tears.
"...Me too."
He slowly closed his eyes.
The only sound left in the room was the steady rhythm of the monitor beside him.
author's note ♡:
this is probably one of the saddest chapters i've written so far... i'm so sorry in advance. 😭 please be nice to me after this one.
Jungkook hadn't expected the clinic to look so-
Normal.
The building itself sat tucked between two office buildings just outside the city, almost hidden if someone wasn't looking for it.
No flashing lights.
No futuristic technology.
No security guards standing outside.
Just another medical office.
If anything, that somehow made it feel more eerie.
He quietly stepped inside as the receptionist looked up from her computer.
"Good morning."
Jungkook offered a polite smile before bowing.
"...Morning."
She glanced down at the appointment list before looking back up.
"Jeon Jungkook?"
He nodded.
"I'm here for the consultation."
"Perfect." She smiled warmly before handing him a clipboard.
"If you could just verify a few things, someone will be with you shortly."
"...Thank you." He smiles, bowing before walking away.
Jungkook took a seat near the window, gently flipping through paperwork he'd already filled out the night before.
The waiting room was quieter than he'd expected.
An older couple quietly read magazines together, A mother bounced a sleeping toddler on her knee-
Even someone's phone rang down the hallway before quickly falling silent again.
Nothing about this place felt unusual.
It just felt ordinary.
"...Mr. Jeon?"
Jungkook looked up to see a woman standing in the doorway, holding a tablet.
She couldn't have been much older than thirty.
"I'm Minji." She smiled kindly. "I'll be handling your consultation today."
Jungkook stood, sending a small smile her way.
"...Nice to meet you."
"The same." She bows, before stepping aside.
"Shall we?"
Jungkook just sends another smile, nodding.
She then led him down a quiet hallway before stopping outside a small office.
Nothing about it stood out. Just two chairs, a desk and a bookshelf with a small plant sitting beside the window.
She noticed him looking around, smiling a bit before coming in.
"...Not what you expected?"
Jungkook laughed awkwardly, snapping out of his thoughts.
"...Not exactly."
"I get that a lot." Minji laughs with.
She motioned toward the chair across from her.
"Please."
Jungkook sat as Minji settled into the chair opposite him before opening the tablet in her hands.
For a few moments, the only sound in the room came from her scrolling through his intake form.
Finally, she looked back up.
"So." She begins. "I read what you wrote."
Jungkook shifted slightly in his seat.
"You mentioned..."
She glanced down one last time.
"...that you wanted to stop someone you love from hurting because of you."
His eyes immediately fell toward the floor.
"...Can you tell me a little about that?"
Jungkook stayed quiet, trying to collect his thoughts - figuring out where to even begin.
"...I hurt someone." He admitted quietly.
"I didn't mean to."
"I thought-"
He let out a small laugh, before repeating the same familiar lines.
"I thought I was helping."
Minji nodded.
"What happened?"
Jungkook took a slow breath.
"The person I love..." He pauses
"They had this opportunity- which they've worked toward their entire life."
He smiled despite himself.
"They deserved it more than anybody, actually."
His smile slowly faded.
"I knew somebody who knew somebody, and uh- reached out- I guess you would call it."
He sighs as the flashbacks replay.
"I wasn't asking them to give her anything."
He pauses.
"I just wanted someone else to see what I already saw."
He looked down at his hands for a brief moment.
"They eventually found out and turned the opportunity down."
Silence settled between them as he shifts in his seat.
"They showed me..."
His voice caught slightly.
"...Years."
He clears his throat.
"Years of comments, messages-"
Minji does nothing but continue to watch him as he stumbles on his words.
"People calling them names-"
"Saying they only mattered because of me."
He swallowed.
"And they never told me."
He continued to avoid eye contact, completely stuck in his head again.
"They kept all of it to themselves." He says
"They protected me from it."
Minji stayed quiet, giving him the space to continue.
"I've spent the last two days asking myself what I could've done differently, you know?"
He then glances over before wandering his attention back down at his hands
"I keep replaying everything."
"If I'd just listened..."
"If I'd just trusted them..."
He shook his head.
"They wouldn't have gotten hurt."
Minji folded her hands together, catching his attention again.
"...Do you really believe that?"
Jungkook looked up.
"...What?"
She smiled gently.
"If you hadn't made that phone call..." She continues
"...Would those comments disappear?"
He didn't answer at first.
"...No." He shook his head
"If they had gotten that position completely on their own..." Minji trails
"...Would strangers suddenly stop calling them your girlfriend? - Assuming this is who it's about."
Another silence.
"...No."
She nodded.
"So, then this didn't begin with your recommendation."
She continues to look at the boy gently.
"It simply forced both of you to acknowledge something that had already been there."
Jungkook stared quietly at the floor.
"I know you came here because you want to fix this." She continued.
"But I don't think you're asking the right question."
He frowned slightly.
"...Then what should I be asking?"
Minji leaned back in her chair, folding her hands together before looking back at Jungkook.
"Our original procedure..." She began.
"The Selective Memory Reconstruction-"
"We remove a specific memory." She continues
"A person, or an event."
She paused.
"In your case..."
"...It would most likely be her"
Jungkook frowned.
"...So I would forget her?"
Minji nodded.
"If that's what you requested."
The answer came almost immediately.
"No."
Minji continued to look at him as Jungkook shook his head.
"I don't want that."
He laughed quietly to himself.
"I came here because I wanted to stop her from hurting."
His eyes still on her.
"...Not because I wanted to forget we ever loved each other."
"I'm not doing that."
Minji studied him for a moment before offering a small smile.
"I thought you might say that."
She reached into a drawer beside her desk before pulling out another folder.
"There is..."
She hesitated.
"...Another project."
Jungkook looked over as she continues.
"It hasn't been released publicly." She mentions. "So we're still in the early stages of testing."
She carefully slid the folder across the desk.
"This procedure doesn't alter one person's memories."
"It alters..."
She pauses, meeting eyes with him again.
"...History."
Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows.
"...History?"
She nodded.
"If someone undergoes this procedure, the world remembers a version of history where that person was never there."
Jungkook stays quiet, a bit in shock as Minji continues to explain.
"They don't disappear." She scoffs "They're still very much alive. And they remember everything."
She waves her hand
"Every birthday, conversation-." She then motions over to Jungkook
"Every person they've ever loved."
She looked him in the eyes.
"But no one remembers them."
Jungkook stared at her.
"...No one?"
She slowly shook her head.
"No one."
Another pause.
"The people you've met." She says "The friendships you've built-"
"The life you've lived."
She smiles, trying to ease the conversation
"The world rewrites itself around your absence."
His voice barely came out.
"And Rosie?"
Minji nodded.
"She would remember a life." She replies softly
"...Just not one with you in it."
Jungkook looked away, his leg bouncing up and down
"...The members?"
"They would remember growing up." Minji nods.
"Training, working."
She pauses.
"They would simply remember a different path."
His chest tightened.
"...BTS?"
Minji took a slow breath.
"If your life changed history as significantly as you've described..."
She hesitated.
"...Then history would change with it."
Jungkook sat completely still.
"They may never debut, or they may live completely different lives."
Jungkook remained quiet as Minji leans forward
"The procedure doesn't erase people." She explains, letting out a little breath.
"It creates the most consistent version of a world without you."
The room suddenly felt much smaller.
"...So everything..."
He says lowly.
"...Would just..."
"...Disappear?"
Minji gently shook her head.
"No."
"You would be the only one left who remembered it."
Silence filled the room as Jungkook looked down at the folder resting between them.
Concerts, tours, late-night rehearsals, award shows, Rosie, everything-
Only he would remember.
After a long moment, he finally asked—
"...Why would anyone choose this?"
Minji didn't answer immediately, instead she looked at him.
"Most don't."
Another pause.
"The ones who do..."
Her voice softened.
"...Usually believe the people they love would have lived happier lives if they'd never met them."
Jungkook felt something inside him sink.
Because for the first time- he understood exactly why someone would say yes.
Minji noticed the change in his expression almost immediately.
"I'm not asking you to make a decision today." She says, closing the folder.
"In fact..."
She slid it back toward him.
"I hope you don't."
Jungkook looked up, having her sadly smile
"Go home." She hums
"See the people you love and live your life."
"And if, after all of that..."
She paused.
"...You still believe this is the only answer..."
She looks at him.
"Then we'll talk."
-----
The walk back to the car felt like a blur.
The folder rested quietly in the passenger seat, and Jungkook did nothing but stare at it.
He hadn't opened it.
He wasn't sure he ever wanted to.
In the middle of his thoughts, his phone buzzed.
Rosie 🩵
His heart skipped.
He unlocked it almost too quickly.
Rosie 🩵: can we meet?
A second message appeared.
Rosie 🩵: at the park?
For the first time all day, everything else disappeared.
He didn't care what time it was, or if someone would recognize him.
He didn't care about the folder sitting beside him.
He just wanted to see her.
Without giving himself another chance to think, he started the car.
The park looked almost exactly the same as it always did.
Kids chased one another across the playground while a few college students occupied the picnic tables further down the walking path.
The afternoon sun sat high enough in the sky that the swings cast long shadows across the gravel.
Jungkook's eyes immediately drifted toward the left swing.
Of course.
Rosie always picked the left one.
She sat quietly with both hands tucked underneath her legs, gently pushing herself back and forth against the ground.
It wasn't until he stepped onto the gravel that she looked up.
The second their eyes met, she stood.
Almost too quickly.
Jungkook slowed.
He'd spent the entire drive over thinking about what he was going to say.
How he was going to apologize, or how he was going to explain everything.
But now, standing infront of her-
He couldn't remember a single word.
Apparently, Rosie couldn't either.
"Before you say anything—"
The words tumbled out almost immediately.
She laughed nervously.
"No..."
She shook her head.
"Wait."
"That's not how I wanted to start."
Jungkook couldn't help the smallest smile.
She'd practiced this.
He knew she had.
Rosie looked down at the ground before trying again.
"I..."
She sighed.
"I'm sorry."
The words came out faster than she could stop them.
"I know yesterday was..."
"A lot."
"And I know I probably should've..."
She motioned vaguely with both hands.
"I don't know..."
"Taken a second before saying everything."
She let out another breath.
"I've literally been practicing this conversation since this morning."
She laughed at herself.
"I had everything planned out."
"I even told myself not to cry."
She looked back up at him.
"And then I saw you..."
She smiled helplessly.
"...And now I can't remember any of it."
Jungkook felt something in his chest tighten and Rosie continued before she could lose her nerve.
"I hate fighting." She scoffs
"I really do."
"I hate being angry."
Another pause.
"...Especially at you."
She looked around the nearly empty park.
"I kept thinking about everything I said."
"And I was just so focused on how unfair everything felt for me, that I forgot you've lived with this your whole life."
Her eyes slowly met his.
"I've only dealt with people saying those things for two years."
"But you..."
She shook her head.
"You've had strangers judging you since you were a kid."
"I'm sorry." She apologizes again. "I didn't even think about that."
"I just..."
Her voice softened.
"I missed you."
Silence settled between them.
Jungkook opened his mouth, but nothing seemed to come out.
Not because he didn't have something to say.
Because nothing he had rehearsed felt important anymore.
Instead, he closed the distance between them.
Rosie's eyes widened before his hands gently cupped either side of her face, pulling her into a kiss.
Not because it erased yesterday or fixed anything.
But because for the last twenty-four hours, this is all he wanted to do.
When they finally pulled away, neither of them moved.
Jungkook rested his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry."
His voice barely rose above a whisper.
"I should've listened." He says "I should've trusted you."
"I had no idea."
His eyes searched hers.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."
Rosie smiled.
The kind of smile he'd been missing since yesterday.
"It's okay."
She reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers.
"You're here now."
Jungkook smiled back.
"...Always."
----
The rest of the afternoon unfolded almost effortlessly.
Like neither of them wanted to acknowledge that twenty-four hours ago they'd been standing on opposite sides of the same conversation.
They walked through campus and even stopped at the little convenience store Rosie always insisted sold better snacks than the one closer to their apartments.
She laughed when Jungkook bought another strawberry soda before handing it to her without asking.
"You know..."
She smiled.
"You've never actually asked if this is still my favorite."
Jungkook looked over.
"...Is it?"
She took a sip before grinning.
"It is."
"I just wanted to make sure you weren't getting lucky."
He laughed.
"I'll take lucky."
They wandered without much of a destination.
Talking about graduation and the ridiculous designs everyone kept suggesting for their graduation caps.
At one point they were even debating on whether or not Jin would cry.
"He absolutely will." Jungkook nods confidently
"He absolutely won't." Rosie disagrees with a smile
"Rosie, he cried during that dog commercial." Jungkook laughs, having Rosie just sigh- holding her smile up.
"That dog found his owner." She defends
"It was a commercial." Jungkook replies with the same tone.
Rosie laughed so hard she had to stop walking.
For a little while, everything felt normal.
As if yesterday had never happened.
As if the world had decided to give them another chance.
The thought almost convinced Jungkook too.
Almost.
By the time they reached the familiar bus stop, the afternoon had slowly begun fading into evening.
Rosie leaned her shoulder against his.
"I'm really glad we talked."
Jungkook looked over.
"...Me too."
She smiled.
"Same time tomorrow?"
He looked at her.
The question sounded so ordinary.
So...
Them.
"Yeah." He smiled softly.
"Tomorrow."
Rosie nodded happily before beginning to walk backwards toward her side of the bus stop.
"I'll text you after rehearsal." Jungkook smiles
"Okay." Rosie nods
"And don't be late."
"I won't."
She pointed a finger at him.
"I'm serious."
"I know."
She let out one more laugh, beginning to leave when Jungkook called out.
"Rosie."
"...Yeah?" She smiles, turning towards him again.
He does nothing but stare at her in admiration.
The way the sunlight caught the loose strands of her hair to the tiny crease between her eyebrows whenever she was confused.
The way she smiled without even realizing she was doing it.
He wanted to memorize all of it.
"What?" She laughed.
"You're staring again."
Jungkook smiled, shaking his head.
"...Nothing."
"You'll tell me tomorrow?" She asked.
He swallowed.
"...Yeah."
"I'll tell you tomorrow."
She smiled.
"Okay."
He stepped forward one last time, kissing her gently.
Longer than usual.
Rosie laughed against his lips as they finally pulled apart.
"Okay..."
She smiled.
"What was that for?"
Jungkook couldn't help but smile too.
"...I felt like it."
She rolled her eyes.
"You're weird."
"I know."
"You're lucky, I love you."
The words left her mouth so naturally.
As if she'd said them a thousand times before.
Jungkook smiled.
"I love you too."
She waved before disappearing into the crowd.
He watched until he couldn't see her anymore.
Only then...
Did he return to his car.
The passenger seat greeted him with the same folder he'd almost forgotten about.
His smile slowly disappeared.
His fingers rested against the steering wheel as the sound of Minji's voice quietly replayed inside his head.
"The world would forget."
He closed his eyes, trying to collect his thoughts.
Rosie had forgiven him.
They were okay again.
She smiled.
She laughed.
She kissed him.
Everything between them had found its way back to where it belonged.
And yet...
Nothing had actually changed.
Tomorrow...
Someone would still recognize him before they recognized her.
Tomorrow...
Someone would still call her Jungkook's girlfriend before they called her Rosie.
Tomorrow...
There would be another comment.
Another assumption.
Another opportunity she'd have to question.
Jungkook had lived with that weight for years.
He hated it.
But it was the life he'd chosen.
Rosie never chose it.
She chose him.
And somehow, that felt even more unfair.
He looked over at the folder one last time.
For the first time, it no longer felt impossible.
It felt necessary.
---
That night, sleep once again, never came.
Jungkook sat against the headboard with the consultation folder resting untouched beside him.
The room was dark.
Quiet.
His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.
He'd spent the last few hours convincing himself he'd made the right choice.
Somehow, the more he thought about it, the harder it became.
He slowly closed his eyes, and almost immediately memories found him.
A practice room.
Barely sixteen.
Sweat dripping down his forehead as Hoseok laughed.
"Again."
Another memory.
Namjoon sitting beside him at two in the morning.
Helping him rewrite lyrics neither of them would remember by sunrise.
Jin shoving another bowl of ramen toward him.
"You need to eat."
Taehyung convincing him to stay awake just long enough to watch another movie.
Jimin arguing over absolutely nothing.
Yoongi pretending not to care while quietly leaving snacks outside his bedroom door after a rough day.
Then, the first concert.
The lights.
The screaming.
Seven hands stacked together backstage.
The promise they'd made.
Always seven.
Another memory.
Rosie.
The practice room.
"I'm sorry."
He smiled to himself.
"You apologize a lot."
The bus stop.
The strawberry soda.
The dessert shop.
The park.
Her laugh.
"I love you."
The memories came faster now.
Years.
Thousands of little moments.
Some important.
Most completely ordinary.
The kind people never realize they'll miss until they're gone.
Jungkook opened his eyes; the room slowly coming back into focus.
His vision blurred.
He reached up, brushing underneath one eye before staring at the moisture on his fingertips.
He hadn't even realized he'd started crying.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"...Pathetic."
His eyes drifted toward the consultation folder.
After tomorrow, none of it would exist anymore.
Not the concerts.
Not the awards.
Not the practice rooms.
Not the late nights spent dancing until sunrise.
Not the dorm.
Not the dreams seven boys had built together.
The world would continue, as if none of it had ever happened.
The thought settled heavily inside his chest when something else found its way into his mind.
Rosie.
After tomorrow, she'd still laugh.
She'd still write music.
She'd still chase the dreams she'd had long before she ever met him.
Only this time, she'd get to do it as Rosie.
Not Jungkook's girlfriend.
He closed his eyes one last time and the tears came easier now.
It wasn't the fact he was afraid, because he wasn't.
Jin was already in the kitchen making breakfast, while Jimin and Taehyung were arguing over something that didn't seem important enough to raise their voices over, yet somehow, they managed to anyway.
Yoongi sat on the couch scrolling through his phone while Hoseok searched for one of his shoes.
"Has anybody seen my other sneaker?"
"No." Yoongi replies, not even bothering to help
"Did you check your room?" Jin asks from the kitchen
"Yes." Hobi sighs
"Then check Taehyung's." He continues casually, waving the smoke away from the pan
"Why my room?" Taehyung looks over
"Because somehow your room always ends up with everyone else's stuff." Jin laughs, now coughing from the smoke
"I don't even go in your rooms." Tae squints watching him suffer quietly
"You don't have to." Jin coughs again, causing the rest of the members to laugh with.
Normally, Jungkook would've joined in.
Instead, he simply stared down at his phone; thumb hovering over Rosie's contact.
Every morning for the last two years, he'd send their daily "good morning" text first.
Sometimes she'd already beaten him to it, and sometimes she'd send a picture of the sunrise on her walk to their meeting point.
Other times, it'd be a sleepy,
Rosie 🩵: good morning :)
He smiled every single time.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard before stopping.
His smile slowly disappears as he locks his phone.
"...Morning." Jimin looked over as Jungkook finally walked into the kitchen.
"You look like shit."
"Good morning to you too." Jungkook scoffs, trying to sound sarcastic, but failing miserably.
"I'm serious." Jimin frowned.
"Did you even sleep?"
"...A little." Jungkook breathes, running a hand through his hair - hoping it'd wake him up.
It didn't.
"You were awake when I went to bed." Jimin continues, pouring them both a glass of orange juice
"And you were snoring." Jungkook jokes tiredly, accepting the cup handed his way
"I don't snore." Jimin scoffs
"You absolutely snore." Taehyung joined from behind, now grabbing a cup of his own
"I do not." Jimin furrows his eyebrows, giving him a slight push.
He holds the orange juice carton up, trying to keep it out of Tae's reach.
"You do." Tae repeats, immediately grabbing it from his hand.
Jin nodded, now being the one to come into the kitchen
"You do."
Hoseok walked in mid chew, grabbing paper towel.
"Like a lawn mower."
"I hate this apartment." Jimin sighs as the room filled with laughter.
Well everyone, except Jungkook.
Jin quietly grabbed another plate from the cabinet, handing it over to Jungkook.
"Eat."
Jungkook nodded before grabbing it.
"...Thanks."
During breakfast, nobody mentioned Rosie.
Not once.
Which somehow, felt worse.
Practice wasn't any easier.
The music had barely started before Hoseok stopped it again.
"...Cut."
Everyone froze as Hoseok looked toward Jungkook.
"You okay?"
Jungkook nodded.
"I'm fine."
Hoseok didn't look convinced.
"You're off again."
"I know." Jungkook replies, meeting eyes.
"You wanna take a break?"
"...No."
"You sure?"
Jungkook forced a smile.
"I'm good, hyung."
Hoseok studied him for another second before clapping his hands together.
"Alright."
"From the top."
The music restarted, and this time Jungkook didn't miss a single step.
He just didn't remember dancing any of them.
The drive home felt even quieter than yesterday.
Jimin had fallen asleep against the window while Taehyung had headphones on.
Namjoon sat in the front seat looking out at traffic.
Nobody talked much.
Jungkook found himself reaching for his phone again.
Nothing.
No texts.
No missed calls.
No good morning.
Nothing.
He quickly locked it again.
By the time they got home, the sun had already begun setting.
"I'm gonna go for a walk." Jungkook announces, throwing on a hoodie.
Nobody questioned it.
Namjoon simply nodded.
"Don't be out too late."
"I won't."
Jungkook shoved both hands into his hoodie pockets before stepping outside.
He didn't really have a destination in mind.
He just...
Walked.
Past the convenience store.
Past the bookstore.
Past campus.
His feet carried him somewhere before he even realized where he was going.
The little dessert shop.
He stopped.
For a second, he considered turning around.
Instead, he pushed the door open.
The familiar bell chimed overhead as the elderly woman behind the counter looked up.
A smile immediately appeared.
"You two again?"
Jungkook smiled, just not the way he usually did.
"Just me today." He says softly
Her smile faltered for a second.
"Oh." She nodded.
"Where's your girlfriend?"
Jungkook looked toward the floor.
"...She's busy."
The woman smiled kindly.
"I see."
She reached for a cup.
"The usual?"
Jungkook nodded.
"...Yeah."
A few moments passed before she placed the cup on the counter.
"No green tea today?"
He laughed quietly.
"...No."
"I don't think anyone's stealing my ice cream today."
She laughed with him.
"...Maybe next time."
Jungkook hoped so.
He really did.
The walk back felt slower.
Without really thinking about it, his feet carried him somewhere familiar.
The park.
The swings sat exactly where they'd always been.
Empty.
He slowly walked over before sitting down on the right swing.
The empty swing beside him drifted gently with the evening breeze as Jungkook stared at it.
"...I'm sorry."
The words disappeared into the quiet night.
Nobody answered.
He continues to sit there in his thoughts when he heard footsteps crunching against the gravel.
"I figured I'd find you here."
Jungkook looked over to see Namjoon standing a few feet behind him.
"Was I really that predictable?"
Namjoon shrugged before sitting on the swing beside him.
"No."
He sighs, looking ahead before over at the boy.
"You've just always ended up here."
The two gently pushed themselves back and forth.
"...She still hasn't texted me." Jungkook mentions, looking ahead
Namjoon nodded.
"I figured." He sighs.
"I don't blame her."
He looks over to see if Jungkook had a smart remark to say. But when he saw it was nothing but silence, he couldn't help but feel bad for him.
"I keep replaying everything." Jungkook sighs, now looking down
"I keep thinking, that if I had just listened-"
He pauses
"If I'd just trusted her."
He laughed quietly, though nothing was even close to funny.
"I thought I was protecting her."
He shook his head.
"I just made everything worse."
Namjoon didn't interrupt.
He simply listened.
"...Hyung."
"Hm?"
Jungkook hesitated.
"...Remember that article Tae showed us?"
Namjoon looked over.
"The memory clinic?"
Jungkook nodded.
"...Do you think it's real?"
Namjoon frowned.
"...Why?"
Jungkook stared at the gravel beneath his feet.
"...Forget it."
The answer didn't sit right with Namjoon.
He could tell something was going on in his head, but he didn't push.
Instead, the two continued swinging quietly beneath the streetlights.
That night, sleep never came.
Jungkook laid awake staring at the ceiling.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Rosie.
The interview.
The tears.
The screenshots.
"...I wasn't protecting myself."
"...I was protecting you."
He quickly sat up and reached for his laptop.
The glow from the screen filled the otherwise dark room as his fingers rested against the keyboard for a long moment.
He sits there before finding himself typing.
Selective Memory Reconstruction Clinic.
Search.
Dozens of articles appeared.
Research papers.
Interviews.
Medical journals.
Then...
An official website.
Jungkook stared at it for a long time.
Long enough to convince himself to close it.
He didn't.
Instead...
He clicked.
His eyes skimmed over paragraphs he barely understood until another page caught his attention.
Request a Consultation.
His cursor hovered over it.
This was ridiculous.
He wasn't actually considering—
His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts.
A reminder.
Composition Interview Results - 9:42 PM
He stared at the notification, then back at the screen.
Without giving himself another chance to think, he clicked.
The appointment page slowly loaded.
Jungkook took a slow breath before filling it out.
author's note ♡: fair warning... this one's a long one 😭 grab a snack, tissues... maybe both. enjoy! ♡
Rosie couldn't stop bouncing her leg.
She wasn't even aware she was doing it until the woman sitting beside her noticed.
"Nervous?"
Rosie let out a quiet laugh, looking down at the folder resting in her lap.
"Too obvious?"
The woman smiled.
"Only a little."
Rosie laughed again before glancing around the waiting room.
There were only a handful of applicants left.
Some quietly flipped through portfolios while others sat staring at the floor, mentally preparing for what waited behind the large wooden doors just a few feet away.
She couldn't help but wonder what they were all thinking.
Were they just as terrified?
Did they all dream about this the way she had?
Her fingers absentmindedly tightened around the edge of her portfolio.
Resume.
Letters of recommendation.
Original compositions.
Everything was there.
She'd checked at least five times already.
Still, she checked one more time.
"Ms. Rosie?"
Her head immediately shot up.
A woman stood near the doorway, smiling politely.
"We're ready for you."
Rosie quickly stood, smoothing out the wrinkles in her blazer before forcing herself to take one deep breath.
This was it.
The walk down the hallway somehow felt longer than it actually was.
Every step echoed a little louder than the last, and by the time she stepped into the interview room, she was almost certain everyone could hear how fast her heart was beating.
"Good morning."
"Good morning." Rosie bowed politely.
"Thank you for having me."
"Please, have a seat." The hiring manager motions softly.
She nodded before sitting down, carefully placing her portfolio on the table.
For the first few minutes, everything felt exactly how she'd imagined.
Professional.
Serious.
A little intimidating.
They asked about her portfolio, her education, why she'd chosen composition over performance.
Rosie answered as confidently as she could, though she could still hear the nervousness hiding underneath every sentence.
Then, something changed.
One of the interviewers picked up one of her scores before looking over the notes.
"You wrote this after getting stuck in traffic?"
Rosie blinked before laughing.
"...I did."
The room chuckled.
"I remember being so frustrated that day." She admitted.
"I got home and somehow this came out instead."
"I'd say that was a much healthier response than mine." One of the hiring managers joked.
The room laughed again as this time, Rosie joined.
Without realizing it, the interview stopped feeling like an interview.
The conversation flowed naturally from one question to the next.
They asked what inspired her, why she rewrote certain passages so many times-
She answered every single one honestly.
Sometimes laughing, sometimes stopping to think.
At one point, one of the interviewers leaned back in his chair.
"So..."
He smiled.
"If someone walked away after hearing one of your compositions..."
"...what would you want them to remember?"
Rosie thought for a moment.
Long enough that she worried she'd taken too long.
Finally, she smiled.
"I don't think I'd want them to remember the music."
The room grew quiet.
"I'd want them to remember how it made them feel."
Another interviewer slowly smiled.
"I like that answer."
"So do I."
Rosie couldn't stop smiling.
The nervousness she'd carried into the room that morning had disappeared completely.
For the first time in years-
She actually felt like she belonged there.
Maybe..
Just maybe...
All those nights she'd spent rewriting the same measure over and over again...
All the times she'd questioned whether she was good enough...
Maybe they had finally been worth it.
The interview came to an end much sooner than she'd expected.
Rosie gathered her portfolio before standing.
"Thank you all so much for your time."
One of the hiring managers smiled.
"No."
He folded his hands together.
"Thank you."
Rosie just stood there, a bit confused.
He looked around at the rest of the panel before smiling back at her.
"Rosie, we'd like to officially offer you the trainee position."
It was that moment when everything around her seemed to stop.
"...I'm sorry?"
He laughed.
"I said we'd like to offer you the position."
Rosie stared at him.
"...Really?"
"We were incredibly impressed." Another interviewer nodded.
"Both your portfolio and today's interview exceeded every expectation we had."
Rosie felt her eyes begin to water before she could stop them.
She laughed quietly, embarrassed.
"I..."
Her voice cracked.
"Thank you."
She looked around the room.
"Really..."
"Thank you so much."
One of the hiring managers smiled as he reached for the paperwork sitting in front of him.
"I have to admit..." He begins, letting out a small chuckle.
"When Jungkook recommended you, I had a feeling he had good taste."
Rosie's smile froze.
"...I'm sorry?"
The hiring manager looked up.
"Jeon Jungkook."
"He reached out to us a little while ago." He smiles brightly.
"He spoke very highly of your work."
Another interviewer nodded with a smile.
"We'd already been interested in your application, of course." He says
"But hearing someone we respect speak so highly of you certainly didn't hurt."
Rosie stared at them, trying to wrap her head around everything happening all at once.
The paperwork sitting in front of her suddenly felt heavy.
"...He..."
She could barely hear her own voice, clearing her throat- as if it would help.
"...Recommended me?"
The hiring manager smiled.
"He did."
"He couldn't stop talking about how talented you are."
At this point Rosie stayed quiet for what felt like an eternity.
The room hadn't changed, nor did the people.
Nothing had changed, and yet everything suddenly felt so different.
Just moments ago, the offer sitting in front of her had felt like everything she'd worked toward.
And now-
She couldn't even bring herself to look at it.
----
Jungkook couldn't stop checking the time.
He'd looked at his phone at least six times in the last five minutes.
Maybe seven.
"You do know staring at your phone isn't going to make her text you any faster, right?" Namjoon asks, glancing up from the book resting in his lap.
Jungkook looked over before letting out a small laugh.
"I know."
"Then stop doing it." Namjoon replies
"I'm trying."
"You just checked it while I was talking." He points out
"...Did I?" Jungkook questions with his phone in his hand
"You did." Namjoon smiles.
Jungkook looked down at the screen again before slipping it into his pocket.
"...My bad."
A laugh escaped Namjoon as he returned to his book.
Across the apartment, Jin walked out of the kitchen carrying another plate.
"Dinner's almost ready."
"Finally." Jimin sighed dramatically from the couch.
"I'm starving."
"Of course you would be." Yoongi teases as he stuffs his face with chips.
Jimin does nothing but grab a pillow on his way over, throwing it directly at him.
"You almost made a mess!" Yoongi calls out
"That was intentional." Jimin answers back as he makes his way over to the table.
Jungkook lets out a laugh as his eyes drifted back toward the clock hanging above the television.
She should've been done by now.
Maybe they were showing her around.
Maybe she'd gone to celebrate with her parents.
Maybe-
His phone buzzed.
Jungkook practically reached for it before it had finished vibrating.
Rosie 🩵
His face immediately lit up.
Rosie 🩵: i'm on my way :)
He smiled to himself before typing back.
Jungkook: how'd it go???
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
His smile somehow grew even bigger as another message popped up.
Rosie 🩵: i'll tell you when i get there.
Jungkook laughed quietly before noticing Taehyung literally right next to him.
"Get a room." He rolls his eyes and Jungkook couldn't help but squint.
"She's not even here yet."
"Exactly." Taehyung laughs, patting his chest before joining the rest for dinner.
Namjoon looked over the top of his book.
"So?"
Jungkook smiled, now feeling at ease.
"She's on her way."
"Did she get it?" He asks
"I don't know." Jungkook replies
"You didn't ask?" Namjoon questions
"I did."
"What'd she say?"
"She said she'd tell me when she gets here."
The two were then interrupted by a gasp coming from the table.
"She definitely got it." Taehyung calls out.
"How do you know?" Jimin asks from aside him
"Intuition." Tae simply replies, filling his plate with more food than he could handle.
Jimin just shakes his head before taking the serving spoon away from him.
"I don't think that's how it works." Jungkook laughs
"It does in my head." Tae smiles before stuffing his face
Another laugh echoed through the apartment.
Jungkook leaned back against the couch, sighing.
He couldn't stop smiling.
He thought back to everything Rosie had told him the night before.
How nervous she'd been.
How she'd stayed up practicing.
How she'd admitted there was only one opening.
He'd never doubted her for a second.
Not once.
Because if there was anyone who deserved that position...
It was Rosie.
A few more minutes passed as everyone continued talking over one another.
Jimin had somehow convinced Taehyung that pineapple belonged on pizza as Yoongi looked personally offended.
Jin threatened to stop cooking for everyone if the argument didn't end as Hoseok just laughed.
Ding dong.
Jungkook was already halfway to the front door before anyone else had even moved.
"Relax, the door isn't going anywhere." Tae teases as the rest of the members notice how fast the boy was moving.
"I happened to be walking this way." Jungkook shrugs, not even bothering to hide his smile
"Someone needs to teach that boy the meaning of patience." Yoongi shakes his head mid chew
"Says the man who eats before everyone could even sit down." Hobi scoffs, having everyone let out a shared laugh.
Yoongi just waves a hand before taking another bite.
Jungkook laughed as he unlocked the door.
The smile on his face appeared almost instantly.
"...Hey."
Rosie looked up.
"...Hey."
She smiled.
But something about it felt different.
He couldn't explain why.
He stepped aside, holding the door open.
"C'mon in."
She quietly slipped off her shoes before walking into the apartment.
Almost immediately—
"Rosie!"
Jimin looked over from the table.
"How'd it go?"
Everyone turned toward her.
Rosie looked around the room, meeting eyes with each member before ending with Jungkook.
A small smile found its way onto her face.
"...I got it."
The apartment erupted.
"I KNEW IT!"
Jimin shot up from his seat.
"I literally called it!"
"You call everything." Yoongi laughed.
"And I was right."
Taehyung walked over first, pulling Rosie into a quick hug.
"I knew you'd kill it."
Hoseok smiled proudly.
"Congratulations."
"You deserve it."
Jin nodded.
"I told you she'd get it."
Namjoon smiled from where he stood.
"I never doubted you."
Rosie smiled politely at each of them.
"...Thank you."
"Really." She laughs
"Thank you."
Jungkook couldn't stop smiling.
He walked over before wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm so proud of you."
Rosie hugged him back, but only for a second.
"..Thanks." She replies, slowly pulling away.
It was subtle.
So subtle that nobody else seemed to notice.
But Jungkook did.
Even her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"...You okay?" He asks, frowning a bit.
Rosie looked at him for a moment before nodding.
She hesitated before asking,
"...Can we talk?"
His smile faded.
"...Yeah."
He looked toward the others.
Namjoon had already picked up on it as he was the first one to stand up from his chair.
"C'mon." He looked toward the rest of the members.
"Let's give them a minute."
Nobody questioned it, and within seconds, everyone quietly disappeared toward the kitchen and bedrooms - with both Jimin and Tae physically pulling Yoongi away from his plate.
The apartment slowly fell silent.
Jungkook looked back toward Rosie.
His smile returned, though smaller this time.
"You scared me." He laughed softly.
"I thought something bad happened."
Rosie just looked at him, and for a long moment - she didn't say anything.
Then, very quietly-
"...Something did."
Jungkook's smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
Rosie looked down at the folder still clutched tightly in her hands.
At first, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"They offered me the position." She says quietly.
Jungkook continues to watch, a smile immediately spread across his face.
"...Rosie."
He stepped toward her again.
"I knew it."
"I knew you could do it."
The way she didn't move made the smile on his face slowly fade.
"...What's wrong?"
A long silence followed.
"I turned it down." She says, avoiding eye contact.
Jungkook froze.
"...What?"
"I turned it down." She repeats.
"...Why?"
He stands there, confused - unable to figure out what's coming next.
"Rosie..."
She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his.
"Because they didn't offer the position to Rosie."
She paused.
"They offered it to Jungkook's girlfriend."
Jungkook felt his stomach drop at the sound of the sentence.
"...What?"
Rosie swallowed.
"...Did you recommend me?" She asks, looking away before meeting eyes again.
Jungkook just stared at her.
For a split second, he didn't answer.
Not because he wanted to lie, but because he genuinely hadn't expected that question.
"...I..."
His voice caught.
"I reached out to somebody."
Rosie's heart sank.
"...You did."
Jungkook took a small step toward her.
"Rosie, I wasn't trying to get you the job."
"I know."
"I just—"
"I know."
She looked away, blinking back the tears threatening to spill over.
"I just wanted them to know how talented you are." He says quietly
"And they would've known that." She replies
Her voice wasn't loud.
If anything, it was quieter than before.
"They would've known that if you had just let me."
Silence settled between them.
Jungkook shook his head, feeling his heart beat fast.
"I wasn't trying to take anything away from you."
"I know."
"I just thought maybe-" He pauses
"Maybe hearing it from someone they knew would—"
"Would what?"
Rosie looked back at him.
"Help me?"
He froze.
"I..."
"You thought I needed your help?" Rosie's eyebrows furrowed.
"No."
He answered so quickly it almost sounded desperate.
"No, Rosie."
"I know how talented you are." He gets out. "I know how hard you've worked-"
"Then why?" She interrupts
The question barely rose above a whisper.
"Why did you do it?"
Jungkook ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts becoming more tangled with every passing second.
"I don't know." He gets out "I just-I just wanted to help."
"I didn't think it'd turn out like this."
Rosie closed her eyes, sighing for a second.
"...Jungkook."
When she opened them again, they were already glossy.
"Do you know what it's like..."
She paused, trying to steady her breathing.
"...walking into every room knowing people already have an opinion about you before you've even opened your mouth?"
Jungkook stayed silent.
"They don't see me." She says, holding back tears. "They see headlines, comments."
"They see-"
She laughed bitterly.
"'Jungkook's girlfriend.'"
Her voice cracked.
"And no matter how hard I work-" She pauses, swallowing.
"That's all they ever see."
Jungkook felt his chest tighten.
"Rosie..."
"I've spent four years trying to build something that's mine." She continues, looking down at the folder still clutched against her chest.
"I skipped birthdays, holidays-" She scoffs
"I've worked my ass of for this moment."
She laughed quietly through her tears.
"I've questioned myself more times than I can count."
Another tear slipped down her cheek as she continues.
"And today..." She looked back at him.
"For the first time, standing infront of that desk- I thought-"
"...Maybe they finally saw me."
Jungkook couldn't even look at her anymore.
"But they didn't." She shook her head, looking over at him.
"They saw the person who recommended me."
"They saw-"
She swallowed once more.
"...You."
The apartment had become unbearably quiet.
Somewhere along the halls, the rest of the members had stopped talking altogether.
No one moved & no one interrupted.
Rosie took another shaky breath.
"I'm not changing my mind."
Jungkook looked up immediately.
"...Why?"
Her laugh came out broken.
"Because I'd never know."
She wiped at her face with the sleeve of her sweater.
"I'd never know if I actually earned it." She sniffs.
He stepped toward her again.
"You did." He says, shaking his head.
"I know you did."
"No." She shook her head.
"You know that." She sniffs once more.
"I don't."
Those four words hit him harder than anything else she'd said.
"If I accepted that position- I would've spent the rest of my life wondering-"
She pauses.
"...Was it because of me?"
"...Or because of you?"
Jungkook felt his throat tighten.
"I'm sorry." He gets out, reaching out for her.
"I know." She sighs.
"I'm so, so sorry." He continues, now grabbing both of her hands.
"I know."
She nodded slowly.
"I know you didn't mean to hurt me." She says "I know you thought you were helping."
She smiled.
A sad, exhausted smile.
"That's what makes this hurt so much."
At this point she couldn't help but let more tears fall.
Jungkook felt his eyes begin to sting.
"I love you."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
"I love you so much."
"I know." She whispered.
"I love you too."
Another silence settled between them before Rosie looked away.
"There's something else." She says through a stuffy nose.
Jungkook frowned.
"What?"
She slowly reached into her bag.
For a second, he thought she was grabbing the paperwork.
Instead, she pulled out her phone & unlocked it.
Jungkook watched as she opened a hidden folder, and before anything else - she handed the device to him.
"I've never shown anyone these." She sniffs.
Jungkook looked down as the first screenshot loaded.
She's only with him for the fame.
The second.
She'll never be good enough for him.
The third.
I hope he leaves her.
Another.
Another.
Another.
Hundreds.
Months.
Years.
Anonymous messages.
Comments.
Edited photos.
Threads.
Posts.
His hands began to shake.
"...Rosie."
"I delete them before you see them." She comes in, looking down at the floor.
His eyes scanned another screenshot.
Then another.
His vision had begun to blur.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
She laughed quietly.
"I knew you'd blame yourself." She says, finally looking back at him.
"And I never wanted you carrying that."
Jungkook couldn't say anything.
He simply stood there, staring at the phone in his hands.
Realizing that she'd been carrying all of it.
Alone.
"...Rosie." His voice barely came out above a whisper.
She reached over, gently taking her phone back before slipping it into her bag.
For what felt like a long moment, neither of them spoke.
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The little dessert shop sat tucked between two brick buildings just off campus as the neon sign outside flickered every now and then, and one of the freezers always hummed louder than it probably should have.
Rosie loved it anyway.
Jungkook held the door open as the tiny bell above them chimed.
The elderly woman behind the counter looked up from the register before smiling.
"You two again?"
Rosie smiled sheepishly.
"Maybe."
The woman laughed.
"I already know."
She reached for two cups before either of them had even spoken.
"Pistachio and sweet cream."
She set the first cup on the counter.
"And green tea."
The second followed.
Rosie looked between the cups before turning toward Jungkook.
"You called ahead, didn't you?"
Jungkook blinked innocently.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You've gotta stop stalking me."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"Very funny."
Rosie laughed to herself before picking up his cup instead.
"I'll trade."
"You hate green tea." Jungkook smiles
"I know." She sighs before taking a dramatic bite anyway.
Her face immediately scrunched up.
"Nope."
Jungkook couldn't stop laughing.
"I told you."
"It's still bad." She mumbles, making a disgusted face.
She held his cup back out.
"I'll stick with mine."
Jungkook accepted it before watching her happily take a bite of her own ice cream.
He smiled without even thinking about it.
"What?" Rosie asked.
"Hm?"
"You're staring."
"I am not."
"You definitely are."
Jungkook just continues to smile before wrapping an arm around her, leading her towards the exit.
The streets had emptied by the time they stepped back outside.
The city felt quieter at night.
Almost like it belonged to them.
Without thinking, Jungkook reached for her hand.
She intertwined their fingers immediately.
No hesitation.
No looking around.
No checking to see who was watching.
There was no one.
For once, they didn't have to pretend.
They walked slowly, with Rosie absentmindedly swinging their joined hands between them.
It was as if neither of them wanted the night to end. Which in Jungkooks case-
He had no problem with that whatsoever.
A few moments passed when Jungkook glances over, and without warning - he stopped walking, instantly catching Rosie's attention.
"What?" She asks, a bit concerned.
He stood there for a few seconds, and instead of answering, he leaned down and kissed her.
"What was that for?" Rosie laughs as they pull away.
He shrugged casually.
"I felt like it."
Rosie just shook her head, trying to hide her blushed cheeks. But even in the dark, Jungkook noticed.
"You're weird." She teases.
"I've accepted that." He smiles.
The two continued walking for three more minutes when Jungkook repeated the same move.
Rosie just sighs dramatically, looking up at her boyfriend.
"Again?"
He smiled.
"Again."
Another kiss.
This one lasted a little longer.
When he finally pulled away, Rosie couldn't stop smiling.
"You're acting like you're never going to see me again." She laughs quietly.
Jungkook's smile faded, but only for a second.
"Yeah." He scoffs, reaching for her hand again.
"Let's not joke about that."
He just continues to lead them down the sidewalk when the two finally approached their next destination.
The park was almost empty.
Only the occasional streetlight illuminated the swings they'd claimed as "theirs" months ago.
Rosie immediately sat on the left swing.
She always picked the left one.
Jungkook had stopped asking why.
He sat beside her, and for a while- neither of them said anything.
Their feet pushed lightly against the gravel, letting the swings drift back and forth.
It was a comfortable silence, when Rosie was the first to break it.
"Can I finally tell you what I've been hiding?"
Jungkook looked over; chest tightened.
He already knew what was coming next. Might not be a lot- but just enough.
He nodded.
"You don't have to hide anything from me."
"I know." She smiled.
She looked up at the stars before speaking again.
"I got an interview."
Jungkook felt himself grin.
"A real one?"
She laughed.
"Yes, a real one."
"For what?"
Rosie took a slow breath.
"The Korean National Symphony."
The words hung between them.
"They're opening a trainee program for young composers and arrangers."
She pauses, now looking down for a split second before meeting eyes again.
"I applied months ago." She laughs. "I honestly forgot about it, until I got the email yesterday."
Jungkook stared at her.
"Rosie."
She looked over nervously.
"What?"
"That's incredible."
She let out a tiny laugh.
"It's only an interview."
"So?"
"It's the Korean National Symphony." He exclaims.
"There are people who've been dreaming about that their whole lives."
"I know." Rosie smiles, looking back down at her hands.
"That's exactly why I'm terrified."
She sighs, trying to collect her thoughts and all Jungkook wanted to do in that moment was hold her.
"I've listened to their performances since I was a kid." She continues.
"I used to sit in my room with headphones on and pretend I was conducting an orchestra."
She laughed at herself.
"My parents probably thought I was crazy."
Jungkook smiled.
"I think they were onto something."
She nudged him with her shoulder.
"I'm serious."
"I know."
She sighed.
"There's only one opening." She says, shaking her head.
"And there are probably people way better than me."
Jungkook didn't even hesitate.
"There aren't."
Rosie looked at him.
"You have to say that."
"No." He answers, shaking his head.
"I don't."
He turns towards her.
"You've worked harder than anyone I know." He scoffs.
"You've rewritten the same piece twenty times because one note didn't feel honest enough."
"You hear music in places other people don't even notice."
He smiled softly.
"If anyone deserves that interview, Rosie - it's you."
Rosie's eyes watered ever so slightly as she couldn't help but lean over to kiss him, in which he gladly accepted.
"Thank you."
Jungkook wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer.
She rested her head against him as the conversation tapered off into a comfortable silence again.
The only sounds were the quiet creak of the swings and the distant hum of traffic.
Jungkook looked up at the night sky, embracing her warmth.
His heart felt impossibly full.
The Korean National Symphony.
He'd heard the name before.
Hadn't BTS performed with an orchestra for a special stage?
Or worked with one on a recording?
The thought drifted through his mind, before he snapped himself out of it.
