Since Jungkook cried in front of me, telling me he would explain things later, he still hadn't said a word, even after a day and two days had passed.
I thought there must be a reason he was having trouble talking about it.
Even after that day, Jungkook kept saying he was stepping out, but whenever he came back, he never said what he was doing or where he had been.
"He's not sick, is he...?"
I could accept that he wasn’t telling me what happened, but after that day, he started avoiding me subtly, and we didn’t have any skinship.
"No, but did I do something wrong...?"
"Why aren't we being affectionate...?"
At that moment, Jungkook, who said he was stepping out, was meeting his friend Taehyung, who also saw ghosts, just like him.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I’m not okay."
Jungkook, who seemed ready to burst like a balloon if touched, gulped down his iced Americano and said,
"Well, it makes sense that I wouldn’t be okay... I mean, the person I love is wandering as a ghost."
"I can tell just by looking at your face. You’re suffering."
Jungkook and Taehyung had been friends for 4 years. They became close after discovering they could both see ghosts when they were in university.
"What should I do... How can I tell Yeoju that you're a ghost?"
"If I say that, what if she gets scared and disappears..."
"I can’t live without Yeoju..."
A soul that isn’t truly dead could disappear if it’s shocked too much. If the soul disappears, the body, which is in a state of unconsciousness, will naturally die.
"So, we have to make sure she doesn’t get too shocked."
"Because of me... it’s all because of me..."
"And stop blaming yourself for this."
"If you keep thinking like that, Yeoju will suffer more."
"..."
Jungkook thought back to the day of the accident.
...
The beginning of all this. The day Yeoju had the accident, everything was normal. Despite being six years into their relationship, Jungkook and Yeoju were happily enjoying a date in the city. Since it had been a while because of Jungkook’s busy schedule, Yeoju dressed more beautifully than usual and even sprayed perfume that she couldn’t even remember when she put on.
Worried that another man might notice how stunning Yeoju looked, Jungkook ended up losing in the playful argument that followed, as always, and gave in with both hands and feet.
"Do I look pretty? Is that why you’re not letting me wear this?"
"I don’t know..."
"You're mad again, aren’t you?"
"Hey, Mr. Jeon Jungkook, I’m dressing like this because I want to look pretty for you, not for anyone else."
"Still... you never listen to me..."
"Aww, are you mad again?"
"I'm not mad..."
"You’re obviously mad, though."
When Jungkook was mad, Yeoju had a secret weapon to calm him down. It was her aegyo (cute behavior).
Yeoju, who was usually a laid-back person and hated aegyo, would use it to calm Jungkook when he was upset. Even though she didn’t like it, she would do it for Jungkook.
"Kkook, I want you to forgive me... Won’t you?"
Even though Yeoju tried not to smile, her lips naturally curled upward, and Jungkook’s anger melted away. Yeoju’s aegyo always worked, and Jungkook couldn’t resist.
So sometimes, when Jungkook wanted to see Yeoju’s aegyo, he would pretend to be mad, haha.
Of course, Yeoju, being extremely perceptive, knew about his intentions, but she still found it cute that he was doing all this just to see her aegyo, so she let him have it.
She couldn’t control her smiling lips.
Despite their playful bickering, Yeoju and Jungkook were having a perfect day together, wandering around and enjoying their time.
"It’s so nice being out with you after so long."
"Except for the guys who keep glancing at us, it’s been good."
"Who’s saying that? At least the guys are just glancing. The girls are openly staring at you."
"Where are they eyeing my man?"
Seeing Yeoju muttering about other girls eyeing her man, Jungkook noticed that Yeoju’s heels were worn out, revealing that she’d been wearing the same shoes for a long time.
"I knew this would happen."
"That’s why I said you should wear comfortable shoes."
"Ugh, what’s the big deal with my heels being worn out?"