제16장 | But No One Listens to Me

제16장 | But No One Listens to Me

SERIN

"Good thing Papa brought some medicine" Jungkook commented after I gulp down a pill for my fever from the medical kit Uncle Junhyung brought back from his car. "You never know what will happen. Plus, didn't I teach you that, young man? Being a boy scout?" he refers at Jungkook who agreed and chuckled

A humming ringtone erupted near our area as I saw Jungkook shifted on his seat to grab his personal device and check its screen, his smile was replaced by a frown. "Uh…" he pursed his lips together and looks at his father. "Dad, I…"

"Oh, right. Sure, uh honey, why don't you accompany Jungkook" Uncle Junhyung asked his wife who was sitting beside me. Aunt was confused at first but have no choice to agree. "Bye, Serin" he waved at me with a bitter smile which I return a sincere and sweet one in contrast to what I'm feeling physically at the moment

The both of them walks away leaving me and uncle all alone in the table. "How are you feeling right now after taking the medicine?"

"I'm starting to feel relieved now, Uncle. Thank you" I smiled at him before continuing. "Uhm, mind if I ask. Though, I'm not really sure if I should, maybe it's because it's a family matter or something personal"

"What do you mean, dear? Your family. Haneul and I treat you like our own also Chaejin. We're really sad when we heard from Junghee that she left for her mother's hometown. You do know how our friendship with your parents are so strong that's why you kids are inseparable as well. So, no. It's okay, whatever it is, you can ask" he smiled affectionally. My mind suddenly lingers how much my parents were so dependent to Aunt Haneul and Uncle Junhyung for keeping an eye on me since they're far away

I wonder how they are now. I could barely talk to them now because of how hectic college is and how brain-wrecking their job is

"I just notice Jungkook a while ago after reading something on his phone…" I uttered observing Uncle's movements after hearing me sentence

"Oh, that…" he sighs. "He's leaving"

JUNGHEE

I heard my phone beamed indicating someone was calling me. I peaked at the caller ID; it was Jungkook. I didn't touch it, not that I'm still holding a serious grudge on his behavior before, but because I think what I'm doing at the moment is more important

"You should answer that…" I heard Jimin. I shake my head, "I'll just talk to him later. We'll see each other after this anyway. For now, let's continue to talk about this" I replied

"Uhm… Are you sure?" I look at him closely in amuse. He's been so reluctant to almost everything now, afraid to make any regrets. "Yeah, don't overthink about it" I assured him but it's very evident that my words don't pierce through his mind, I don't want to overthink about this any further too

"What… What happened specifically when you took the drug?" I asked feeling a bit uncomfortable since this matter is very foreign for me- not mentally since it's one of the main issues in the society but it's foreign for me to encounter a person who uses it and it's someone I know, someone dear to me now

"I was a wreck, okay. It was peer influence until it became a habit. Until one day, my classmate told me someone offered him these drugs for a convenient amount. I was hesitant of course because I'm not that deep into the circle of drug dealers and I was just getting some from my classmate."

"The man was covered below his eyes; he wore a black mask. I heard a lot of people know him but his real is still a big unknown"

I could feel my heart race and pumping so loud, banging through my ribcage. This is too dark and uncomfortable for me since I had trauma about these kinds of brutal and teen issue stuff. But I had to endure for me to learn and be aware and if I want to know more of Jimin plus at the same time, if his assumption that Serin was in drugged, I could help her. "Did you take that drug that moment?"

He shakes his head with his eyes were locked through his fingers since we were siting crossed legs on the bed of my cottage. I figured that this matter is too personal for people to overheard. "I didn't. I didn't trust that guy yet. Specially that he's totally a nobody in my dictionary"

I nod, it's so weird for me to find it charming of him that even though he was in that danger zone of being a user, he still has this mind set to not trust anyone he doesn't know. "I just took it when I was completely down and I was out of my stock"

"When I need my inhale, I ran our of my usual pile and asked my friend. He told me that I should try the rare one. I was down at that moment and I need to distract my brain from it. It's too much so I didn't have a choice…"

"So, you took it" I conclude in an ushering tone. He nods, "My friend already inhaled that drug weeks before me. And, I was surprised two days after I took that drug. He suddenly disappeared. He wasn't suspended or got caught by the authority or was punished- I would've known from the news and talks in the school but there was none, he just vanished"

"I didn't think about it much at the though that maybe he just cut class. And after that day, I took the third inhale of that drug and…" he cuts his sentence abruptly

"And you snapped…" I said and swallow my own bile in anxiousness. I can't help but feel not at ease after this talk but I don't want him to misunderstood anything. "Yeah…" he breathes wiping a silent tear that ran down on his soft cheek. "Jungkook knew about it. That's why he was disappointed and completely against the thought of me being with you. He was just protecting you"

"Yeah, but the thing is, he went over the line. He called me a bitch" I replied. "He doesn't mean that"

"I know…" I uttered remembering my late talks with my brother. "How did you overcome it?"

"Hm?"

"I heard that, it's hard to stop once you're already into using it" I try my best to be careful with my words. He gave me a small smile and presented his open palm before me. If my thoughts were right, he wants me to lay mine on his. I raise my hand and place my open palm on his for our skin to be in contact

"Believe me or not. When I met Jungkook, I was still having a hard time to stop that urge. Until I heard him talking to someone on the phone, it was on speaker so I really heard everything loud and clear" he chuckled and felt him caress my skin with his cute but big (compared to mine) fingers

I raise my eyebrows and nudge him to continue the story. "It was you" he chuckled. "You were whining because he locked his wardrobe and you couldn't get any shirts"

"What…? That was… long ago" I release a harsh breath mixed with an unbelief laugh. "You're kidding? I was like… 15" I uttered. Yeah, if my memory was correct. That was the day that I'll be going out to camp at high school, specifically senior year and I was going to steal some shirts from Jungkook to use so I won't have any problem of washing my own clothes when it gets dirty from the camp

"Yeah, you were still in 10th grade that time. Still a cute teen" he chuckled and moves his free hand to pat the crown of my head in a cute and sweet manner. I can't believe he knows me all along- I mean, he is my brother's best friend and roommate after all. "After hearing you whine, that replace the urge of my head or take some inhale, and I kept repeating that cute whine in my head"

JUNGKOOK

"Did she answer?" My mom asked me while she helped me pack some stuff for my leave. We're currently in my cottage and we're waiting for our house back-up to grab the luggage I prepared last time at home to bring them here so I can go as soon as possible since the destination I'm heading to is closer here at the camp resort

"No, I think she's still talking with Jimin" I sigh and lift my chin up to look at my mom. "You know, that kid is lovestruck" she uses a pretext to scold my sister for not answering my calls. I chuckled, "It's okay mom, Jimin must've also told her his unfortunate experience, you know opening up. That's really important if they're planning to be in a relationship" I can't believe my baby sister is growing up so fast, and is going to have a commitment with my best friend

"She's not my baby anymore" she pouts, now folding some of my jeans. "She still is, she'll always be the family's baby" I grin

"I know this is unnecessary but, do you really have to go? I don't think you need too…" She brings up this stuff once again and she knows my answer is not gonna change. "Mom, I've been called now. Don't worry it's just two to four years and I'll be back with a police badge" I smiled at her, "And, mom, I'm not leaving for another country" I laugh

"I know but you're like more then four hours drive" she points out the truth. "And I doubt that you could facetime us every day. Criminology students are too busy ogling over their target aim and muscles…"

"Mom! You sound more like a teenager than I am" I laugh. I love my mom's duality. This is also a trait Junghee inherited. No doubt why Dad worked so hard just to put a ring on her finger. "I'm just playing the guilty trip on you" she shakes her head

I smiled and went to the drawer to get my essentials and folded them properly before neatly stacking them on each other inside my luggage. "Aren't you going to tell her?" Mom spoked after a couple of minutes

"I'll probably just text her and send her a voicemail. I think I deserve to not be close to her these days because of my insult" I sigh and continue to do what I was doing

"I'm not talking about your sister, Kook. I'm talking about Serin" Her name causes me to stop my movements before looking at the woman who delivered me through this world. "You might not tell me about it in years, but I'm your mother. I know my children so well. You know what I'm talking about, remember my line?"

"'You can't keep a single thing from me, I know my children's actions' yes, mom. I remember" I let out a breath. "I know you have something for Serin"

"I do" I admit like a soldier in war raising my white flag declaring defeat and surrender. "I liked her for years and doesn't have the courage to tell her until now"

"And now?" she speaks. "And now, someone else took the chance and took her away from me" I conclude bitterly. "Mom, can we just- "

"When are you gonna tell her? I won't my own son suffer some emotional distress" she cuts my off with a sweet tone, completely in contrast what other moms would use when saying these words. "Mom, I made this decision on my own" I told her to atleast make her feel at ease over this simple thing

"I know, I just don't want you to regret this decision of yours sooner" she sighs, "The last thing I could do for my now grown children is to guide them and at least make you guys not regret any decisions you and Junghee made"

Without words, I just responded with a sincere and sweet smile, her words warmed my heart. I'm so lucky to have a mother like her. "Yes mom. And I assure you, I wouldn't regret this decision I made. If ever Serin knew while I was away, then I'll just explain and talk it with her in the future when I come back with my police badge"

SERIN

I nibble on my bottom in pure anxiousness. After Uncle Junhyung told me about Jungkook going to the academy base out of town made me frown, the fact that he never mentioned it to us and I doubt Junghee knows about this either

Junghee just cried not too long ago because of Chaejin's leave and now, her brother. Why is everyone leaving in just a short time gap?

I walk with a small feebleness back to my cottage. Fortunately, my fever subsided but the pain between my thighs still lingers, not forget that I also bumped my knee, I think I got it bruised

I try to recall what happened last night and just as thinking about it, I hope, I just hope it's not what I think it is. Judging how sore my sensitive area was and how it's in pain, I thought that it was something so brutal- if I was… I hope not

"Serin" I look up to see Jimin approaching me with a similar emotion written on his face- same as mine- anxiousness. It looks like he's also bothered by something. "Yeah?" I ask, though we're not that close, I'm starting to be somewhat best friends with him yesterday because of the fact that I know he has something going on between Junghee

"I… uh, you need help?" he stutters a bit. I raise my eyebrows in confusion. "You look like, limping" he points out. "Oh" I uttered

I let him help me in the end with me holding unto his arm for support until we reach our destination. "Thanks a lot, Jimin" I smiled at him. Before I could even enter my temporary space, he spoke up. "Uhm, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Did you feel something when you touch my arm...?" My eyebrows pulled together at his weird question. "Uh… I felt your pulse" I point out the obvious since his arm was thin so technically people could feel his pulse especially if you had a strong grip unto it

"Nothing else…? Did you feel something weird and somewhat… something burning?" he shoots

Something burning?

"No, I didn't feel anything burning" I replied with a small chuckle. I still didn't know Jimin fully yet and he's being so weird already, making me a little reluctant about him. "I see…" he frowns and was about to leave when he turned around once again. "Serin, I know we're not really close yet. But, just in case that you feel something fishy, tell me or Junghee about it immediately" his sudden tone made me confuse and somehow worried… for myself

What does he mean by it? Is it something he talked to Junghee about this morning? Is it somehow in relation to what I'm missing last night?

Not wanting to add more tension in the subject, I just replied, "Sure, thank you"