"I love you," I confess, fearing he could never hear it. Whether he feels the same way or not, I need to tell him. After what happened this morning, I feel like I cannot wait anymore.

He does not verbally react but glides his hand down to my wrist and grips it, and his heart beats against my hand at a faster pace. This long moment with nothing but eye contact lingers, the silence in the room sounding oddly loud.

"It's not love...I'm just pitiful-"

"It is love. Don't say that or discredit what I said. I know what I'm feeling," I take my hand off of his skin. "I wouldn't have felt on the verge of dying when I thought you were gone if it wasn't love, I wouldn't be thinking about you all the time, I wouldn't want to spend every day with you, need to talk to you, to have your opinion on everything I do, to hear your voice...You make me feel in a way that no one ever did," I let the words flow out of my mouth without hiding my feelings.

This is too late now. This would be useless to not tell all the truth.

"You know you're going to suffer with me..." he puts his warm hand back over mine and holds it. "Don't think for me. I just want to know if you like me back or not."

He does not release his grip on my hand but remains quiet for a few seconds, which feel longer than they should.

Without ever giving me an answer, he bends over and locks lips with me, causing some incredible butterflies inside my stomach and chest. Feeling that it is not just a peck, I tilt my head up and do my best to kiss him back, and I feel his hand leave mine to end on the side of my face.

While holding it, he passionately kisses me, turning my entire inside upside down and shivering my skin. His soft and plump lips getting squeezed against mine, embracing them, my heart gradually goes harder against my ribs, and he drifts his hand down to my throat. I unconsciously clench my thighs when he cups it, and he breaks the kiss.

Our lips touching, I cannot open my eyes yet, still feeling overwhelmed, still not believing it is real. "I'm scared of what I feel for you..." he whispers in my mouth, and I look at him but fall right into his deep and shiny stare. "You made me fall in love so quickly...I cannot stop thinking about you either...and I'm so scared..."

"I'm not like her. I won't hurt you," I give him my word, hoping for him to realize I will not make him go through the same ever again.

"But I know I'll hurt you at some point. Have you seen the state you were in because of me? I don't want you to feel that way again just because I'm going through some shit all the time and that I'm unable to get out of it," he seems to be thinking of me more than himself. "I'm willing to go through it with you. I want to be there and help you, no matter what it takes. I promise I'd do anything to see you happy and healthy. I'd rather get hurt and cry while being by your side than the opposite. I swear."

"But I hate to cause you pain," he lifts one thumb up to my chin. "You don't cause me pain. You make me happy, you help me feel more confident, you always make me smile, you brighten up my mood whenever I don't feel good, and more than that."

He gazes down at my lips and brushes his thumb over them. "Let's not say 'love' yet. We like each other. Alright?" he asks as if he was afraid of the word, the meaning, and what memories it must bring back. "I like you," I understand and uses this word instead, and he smiles but seems pained, nonetheless.

"I like you too," he pecks my lips for the last time and passes one arm under my head to pull me closer to his body. "Sleep tight."

"You do too, but not too tight," I put my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest. He slightly chuckles, even though this was not a joke, and he pats my head, constantly, which soothes me and slows my heartbeat down.

- Next day -

Sunday, May 30th, 2021.

10:20 am.

My eyes opening, the sunlight already penetrating the room through the half closed blinds, I check up on Jungkook without waiting. I place my hand over his bare chest and look up at his features, and in a few seconds, I sense his heartbeat.

The memories of last night appearing in my head, I think back on his confession, his words, his lips against mine. This felt so good but unreal at the same time, I cannot stop the butterflies from fluttering around my stomach.

A deep breath in filling his lungs up, I take my hand off of him and smile at the sight of him waking up.

I would never have believed that seeing someone wake up could be so relieving.

He lowers his sleepy eyes to mine and raises his arms up for a satisfying morning stretch, but when his raspy voice flees away from his mouth in a moan, he clenches his hand into a fist right against his lips and rolls on his side.

His soft look landing on my lips, he smiles and leans in to already kiss me. "Are you relieved?"

I nod, my heart pounding. "I told you I'd be fine," he goes back in his previous position to turn his head to the left and check what time it is.

For some reason, it does not feel so different for now. It just feels like an usual Sunday, except that the kisses are on the lips.

"Do you wanna go shopping now?" he puts one arm under his head to rest his head on it and looks down at me. "Do you still want to sleep?"

"Hmm..." his bright eyes go down when I pull the blanket down to cool my body down. "I kinda wanna stay here for a little longer."

"Alright," I move under the blanket to climb onto him and lie down on his body, and despite having a morning wood, he does not push me away but places the blanket properly on me and hugs me. "Did you sleep well?"

"Pretty okay, but I woke up a few times," I rub one eye and keep them both close. "Rest a little more then," he leaves his hand over the side of my face. "Hm."

Feeling much better than yesterday, I enjoy this first special morning with him, silently. His hand running up and down my back at a slow pace, I listen to his heartbeat, now much more aware that this could stop at any moment.

"Are you sure about last night's talk?" he breaks the silence in a low but husky voice, and my eyes open. "What do you mean?"

He stops his hand at my neck and gives some caresses on this spot only. "I'm scared of the day I'm gonna hurt you...cause you pain...or make you cry...I know it's going to happen."

"I'm happy right now. I love this...I feel good, and you're okay, you're not alone, so that's all that matters to me at this right moment," I do not share the same feeling, focusing on the present and nothing else. He tilts his head towards mine, his cheek resting on my temple, he rubs the tip of his fingers over my neck and gently goes up to my hair, but surtout saying anything.

"Are you not sure?" I move my head up from his chest to see his features, to look into his eyes. "It's not that I'm not sure...I just..." he heavily breathes out and glances away. "The risk of totally losing you was way smaller when we were just friends, but now...it's like...if something goes wrong, we won't ever be the same again...You know? And I can't stand the thought of that."

"Do you need more time?" I do not force him to do this, knowing what he is going through, how difficult this must be from his point of view. "No. It's not that. I'm just tired...I'm sorry," he lays his hand on my waist, and I put my head back on his chest.

I can tell he is not sure. The fact that I confessed must have taken him off guard, he must have been controlled by the pity he felt for me at that moment instead of any other feeling he had inside him. He was maybe too scared to hurt me and tell me he does not feel the same way, or would rather wait.

Not knowing which of these options is the right one, I start to sink in deeper into my thoughts and worry, so I move away from him. "No," he stops me and pulls me back towards him. "Stay, please."

I do not leave but hold him as tenderly as he holds me.

•••

2:30 pm.

"Leave it there, I'll cook dinner myself," I tell Jungkook to listen while getting the laptop ready to work with Matthew. "No, I don't have anything else to do, and it will take time to cook."

"You annoy me," I invite Matt to join me in a call and wear my earbuds. "Hello," he speaks right after coming in, and I grab my book. "You're way too loud," I get hold of my pen. "And you're already a bitch."

"Excuse me? I accepted to do this with you, so don't talk to me that way," I simmer him down, not allowing him to speak to me that way, and he laughs. "I'm sorry. You're right. Have you done anything since Friday?"

"No, I had stuff to take care of, but we'll finish this today, don't worry," I get to it more seriously and put my notes on the keyboard.

30 minutes later...

"Honestly, I like this pic," he moves it to the center of the page, so I do not click on anything to not mess it up, but while he is doing this, I take my hoodie off, feeling too hot, even though the temperature is not so high, but one earbud falls out of my ear, so I hurry to put it on.

"What the fuck was that?" Matthew reacts to the sound he heard, and I leave my hoodie on the sofa behind me, where Jungkook is sitting. "My earbud fell."

"It fell? Are your ears that tiny?" he never misses a chance to criticize. "I took my hoodie off, so it pushed it away, moron."

"I saw that, but I never lost an earbud that way, so you're the moron," he looks at me, making me regret turning the camera on for him. "Are you done with the picture right now?" I ignore what he said to me. "Yeah, I am."

"Good, now let me focus," I type what I wrote down on my notebook, and he stays pretty silent, so I enjoy it and complete our work.

I type as fast as I can without making any mistake, and to my greatest surprise, he does not try to disturb me.

"Wait," he stops me, kindly. "Hm?"

"What does 'intento' mean again?" he shows me that he is reading and still paying attention. "Attempt."

"Ah yeah," he bites the side of his finger and looks at me, so I go back to typing. "If there's a word you don't remember the translation of, tell me."

"I will," he behaves like a good student, willing to do great, and we both become silent with one another again, making it much easier to be efficient.

"Y/n," another voice pronounces my name, and I instantly turn my head towards Jungkook and take an earbud out. "Mute," he points at his ear to make me understand what he means, so I mute my microphone and look back at him. "What's wrong?"

"Why do you keep the cam on?" he questions me, and I shrug. "I had to show him my notes, and we just kept it like that. Why?"

"I've been having my eyes on that screen for, like, five minutes, and he's never taken his off you," he takes me aback with something I did not anticipate at all, and I chuckle but stare. "You know he has this page right next to the camera?"

"Yeah, I know. Don't play dumb. Move your camera up to not show anything below your neck or turn it off," his jealousy suddenly emerges, and despite how surprising it is, I love this.

I smile but instead of doing as told, I move to the other side of the coffee table and slightly push my screen down to not expose more than what Jungkook is okay with, and I unmute.

- Next day -

Monday, May 31st, 2021.

11:10 am.

'JUNGKOOK'S P.O.V'

The customer in front of me grabs the coffee I just served him and thanks me, before telling me goodbye, and now that no one else is ordering anything, I clean up the counter.

However, my phone vibrates into my pocket, snatching my attention away from my work. I hurry to check if it is a text from y/n, but it is not, this is from an unknown number, so I still open and read what this is.

< Hello, this is Matt. Y/n once gave me your number in case of an emergency so I'm texting you because she fainted earlier and is still pretty weak but she doesn't wanna go home to not be alone. I told her to tell you about it but she didn't want to bother you, so I told her I'd go home and stay with her but she doesn't wanna listen even tho I know she's not okay, so I feel like you're the only one who can do something ]

< She even cried from the pain so it's really serious again ]

Dammit.

[ Hey, thanks for telling me about it. I'm gonna text her >

I hide my phone in my pocket and look for Luca, who is in the back. "Luca," I call his name once I catch sight of him, and he turns around. "Yeah?"

"I gotta take care of something with y/n, can you take over for a few minutes, please?" I ask him a favor, and he does not refuse. "Sure. Is it something serious?" he follows me to head back to the shop, showing some care. "Well, I know what's happening, so it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm still worried because she's not doing fine."

"Alright, take all the time you need then," he lets me go, kindly, and I thank him before going to the restroom to not get caught using my phone during work.

[ Why the hell did you not tell me you fainted y/n? Are you in pain rn? Did you hurt yourself when you fainted? >

< I'm fine, don't listen to Matt he's just emphasizing. I have a test in the afternoon so I can't miss ]

[ You cried and fainted stop telling me you're fine. Idgf about that test. Answer my damn questions without lying or that's gonna get me upset >

< I didn't hurt myself. I'm just feeling a bit dizzy and the pain isn't leaving even tho I took a pill ]

[ I'm coming to pick you up, and we'll go home. And no need to argue, idc what you say >

< what about my test?! ]

[ Your test is more important than your health? >

< yes ]

[ stfu it's not. I'm coming >

< you already have problems with your boss so no! He's gonna fire you at this point! ]

I do not answer her but go back to Luca, and since he just served a customer, I talk to him. "Hey, I need to go and stay with y/n because she's not doing alright. If the boss comes, tell him I had to leave because of an emergency."

"Alright, I hope everything will be fine. Call me if you ever need help or something," he never shows any bother or exasperation, always understanding me and my choices. "Thanks. Take care. I will, and you do too," I hurry towards the back of the shop to get changed and not waste a single minute.

40 minutes later...

[ I'm at the gate >

I warn y/n about my presence so that she can leave, and I stand next to my car to wait for her.

I hope I will not get into trouble at work because of this, but she matters so much more than anything else that I do have no choice but to make her a priority.

After short seconds, she walks out of the schoolyard, but since it is already time for the lunch break, Matthew is by her side. He stops at the gate to not go any further, and she tells him goodbye and comes up to me.

"Are you okay?" I touch her face to hold the side of it and kiss her lips, but she does not answer. She wraps her arms around me, and I quickly understand what this means. "Everything hurts..." she breaks down into my arms, telling me the opposite of what she claimed by text. "Baby..." I hold her tight and drop a kiss on the crown of her head. "Let's go home."

She moves back to enter my car, so I open the door for her, and she goes in. I join on and get on the driver's seat to turn the ignition on but set my eyes on her. Hearing and seeing her cry from pain is something I will never be able to stand. I just cannot.

"It's okay, I'm here. We're gonna get rid of that pain," I wipe her tears away and slide my fingers between her small ones to hold her hand, and I get on the road. "Why did you tell me everything hurts? Is there something worse than usual?"

"No...It's just my stomach, my head, my entire body...I feel completely sore," she struggles to speak through her sobs, so I rub my thumb over her skin to soothe her the best way I can. "It's gonna be over soon. You're gonna lie down, eat something, and I'll take care of the rest. Hm?"

She nods but still cannot stop crying. This hurts me so damn much.

•••

12:20 pm.

After getting the heating pad ready, I leave the bathroom and head towards y/n, who is lying down on the bed. I place the pad against her stomach and join her, and I pull her close to me. "Have you ever thought about visiting a gynecologist?" I run my fingers through her hair. "I don't want to..."

"Why?" I lower my chin to look at her. "Because...I don't want them to see anything. I'm scared."

"You won't have to take your clothes off if it's for your period, you know. They'll only do an ultrasound on your stomach, you don't have to worry about it," I tell her about what I know to reassure her, aware of how serious this is given how much of an issue her period is. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I keep my eyes on her, never stopping the movement of my fingers over her hair, on the side of her face. "I'll go then," she snuggles up against me even more to hide her face in my chest, and I press a kiss on her head.

"Also, I don't ever want you to think you'll bother me. Whether you're in pain or not, you talk to me if you need or want, alright?" I remind her of the most important, what I could not bear to hear earlier. "Alright."

"Promise me," I soften my voice. "I promise," she gives me her word. "You'll never bother. You mean the world to me, I love spending time with you and wish we could spend much more together, so do not ever believe such a thing."

"I wish too," she shares the same feeling, putting a smile on my face. "Do you want to sleep?" I ask si that I know whether I soupe keep quiet or not. "No," she tightens her embrace around me. "I want to enjoy this."

"This?" I point out. "Yeah...being in your arms, hearing your voice...I love it," she does not beat around the bush or hide anything, making it even more meaningful.

She makes it so hard not to be in love.

"I love this too," I do not stay quiet about it, willing to share my emotions and feelings with her too, despite how unsure I still am.

"Where did you faint earlier? Were you near Matt?" I change the subject, too afraid to go even further and have to dig deeper in my heart. "Yes, I wasn't feeling good and needed to go to the restroom, so he came with me, but I fainted before even reaching it. And from what he said, he caught me before I hit something."

"I'm relieved," I pat the side of her head, keeping my arm around her neck. "There was a fight with Eve earlier when I wasn't there yet though because she asked him to spend the break with her, but he wanted to be with me, so he refused. Then I came and joined him like always, and that's when it led to her calling me a slut who flirts with him all the time, but he got mad and...kinda...like, I don't know. It was the first time I saw and heard him spoke like that."

"Did he insult her or yell?" I leave my hand near her ear and tenderly rub the helix of it. "No, he didn't even yell. At first he asked her to repeat, and she did, and I'll swear only because I quote him, but he said, "You shut the fuck up and never talk about her like that again", and he made her understand that she can stop hoping for something with him because he'll never date such a girl. I kinda left because I was already feeling sick at that moment, but yeah, it was scary to see him get mad like that."

"She's a bitch, and I'm glad he stood up for you. She deserved it," I regret not being there to do it myself. I would have been so much more harsh if I was in his shoes. Y/n is the softest and kindest girl ever, so I cannot understand how someone could even dislike her.

"Anyway," she presses her body against mine, the heating pad remaining between us, and raises her head up, so I gaze down at her. She kisses my lips, briefly but lovingly, then stares into my eyes. "Is your boss not gonna be mad?"

"I don't know, and I don't care," I glance down at her lips, feeling tempted to ask for more. "Don't get into trouble just for me."

"I'll do it again if I have to, so no need to tell me not to," I smile and give in to the temptation, and I press my lips on hers again. "You're as pigheaded as I am."

"I am," I recognize it and lean in for another kiss, and this time, I do not pull away but keep going. I move my hand over her hip and let my desire control me for a bit. We both passionately kiss, her hands grabbing my shirt as I could not hold back from sliding one of mine under her top.

My skin warming up against hers, I run my fingers up her waist and tilt my head to push my tongue inside her mouth. Our kiss deepening, our tongues having a game into each other's mouth, I give a squeeze to her waist and brush it down to her hip again, feeling her up, learning each and every part of her.

Diving right into this intimate moment way more deeply, she drifts her hands up to my face and holds it, but I slow down, feeling like I might have a hard time stopping myself if we do not stop now. I loosen my grip on her and only peck her lips. "Is your stomach still hurting?"

"Less than earlier," she holds her hands down to my chest, and I decide to take the heating pad away for a bit. I force forward with my body and end on top of her, and I press my lips against her neck. Once, twice, then I kiss my way down her soft skin until I reach her cleavage. I control myself and do not touch or kiss her as much as I would want to on this spot but give a gentle kiss and brush the tip of my nose up one of her breasts, before going down.

I pull the bottom of her top up to reveal her stomach, and I open her pants. Wondering how she is feeling, I raise my eyes up and check, her chest rising and going down at a faster pace. "Tell me if you don't like it."

She bites her lips and clenches her thighs that are right against my torso, not saying anything, I wrap my arms around her body and press some kisses on her lower stomach. My lips sometimes touching her underwear, I do it as gently as I can and hope for this to alleviate the pain, or at least help her forget it for a few minutes.

Hearing her breathing deepen and nothing that could tell me she is not enjoying it, I subtly use my tongue for some kisses, and I move one hand to give some kneading, without applying too much pressure, which could not help at all.

"N-not there," she stops me after I felt her thighs move and clench pretty hard. "What?"

"Like- The way you kinda...You touched that spot here," she shows the sunken one next to her hip bone, over which I ran the tip of my fingers a second ago. "It's very very sensitive..."

"Does it feel good or painful?" I wait before doing anything again, and she nervously toys with her lips. "I...It feels..." she cannot speak properly anymore, stuttering or pausing between words. "It feels good."

"And you don't want me to do it again?" I hover my fingers over it, and I notice that her breathing is even faster. "It just...It makes me feel a lot...you know, and with the kisses...it's...yeah..."

"Yeah," I mimic her and smile, and she does the exact same but bites her finger. "I'll stop if you want me to, I'm sorry," I go back up and kiss her neck. "I didn't want you to stop, but...it's..." she licks her lips, not getting the words out. "Whatever," she shakes her head and gives up, so I stay on top of her and put my hand back on her lower abdomen to stroke it. "Hm. Didn't know you were so shy," I tease her.

"I'm not," she attempts to make me believe when what I have before my eyes proves me otherwise. "Really? It doesn't look like it though."

"But it is. Sometimes your eyes can deceive you, but whatever, I hope it's wasn't too uncomfortable to kiss me with my braces," she drifts away from the main subject, so I leave her alone. "It wasn't. I love it, and I love how you look with your braces, so stop being so insecure about them."

"I'm trying," she peeks down and lifts her hands up to my chain, and she fixes the position of the pendant to put it back properly.

"You're doing good," I move away and place the heating pad back on her stomach.

•••

9:40 pm.

'YOUR P.O.V'

I walk out of my bathroom after taking a shower and get on my bed to check if Jungkook sent me a text to tell me he is safe at home, but he has not yet.

Instead, someone knocks on my door, so I stand up and open it, but come across my dad.