https://youtu.be/Av9DvtlJ9_M

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My life is a rollercoaster now.

Everything is going up and down uncontrollably. You're exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally, constantly running from one crisis to the next. All you want is a moment of peace, to sit back and relax without the burden of a single thought, to escape the chaos if only for a little while.

"What happened yesterday?"

your mom asked, her hand gently caressing your head. Being careful not to accidentally touch the injury.

"I told you, I just stumbled and fell. Don't worry."

She let out a sigh, and you hated lying to her.

You want to tell her to comfort you and tell you everything will be alright but you can't. You don't want to be the cause of her stress, don't want to add to her worries. So you keep it all inside, hoping that somehow, someway, you'll find the strength to deal with it on your own.

You're walking out of your house and heading to the office, trying to shake off the exhaustion and turmoil from last night.

Your mind keeps running, making you tense up again. Exhaling deeply, you try to calm yourself.... and your phone buzzes.

"Are you coming over?"

"No, I am going to the office," you say.

"Oh! I forgot; I'm the only one who got suspended."

Her sarcasm is palpable, cutting through the phone line like a knife.

"I'll try to come by soon. You'll be fine by yourself, right?"

"I guess...maybe..."

As you walk, a car suddenly halts in front of you, causing you to flinch and catch your breath. 

"What happened?"

Your heart races for a moment, but then you see who it is.

"Nothing! It's Ji-hun. I'll call you later."

You hang up and climb into the front seat of Ji-hun's car. He doesn't say anything at first, just looks at you with concern and curiosity.

"How did you get this injury?" he finally asks, his gaze focused on the bandage.

"Oh, this..." You touch the bandage gingerly, wincing slightly. "I just fell in the washroom."

And I've fallen into a quagmire of lies.

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Jungkook, nestled comfortably under his blanket, turned his head to the other side and felt another warm breath on his face. He tried to move, but a strange heaviness, like invisible chains, held him in place.

He opened his eyes, squinting against the dim light filtering through the curtains. His head throbbed from drinking last night, making it difficult to piece together what was happening.

As his vision cleared, he noticed another pair of legs intertwined with his own and a strong arm draped over his tiny waist.

Taehyung.

Jungkook didn't flinch but felt a bit confused as he tried to recall the events of the previous night.

Carefully, he slid out of the bed, trying not to disturb Taehyung. He tiptoed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face in an attempt to clear his head. He glanced at himself in the mirror, noticing his red eyes and disheveled appearance, the lingering effects of the alcohol, and crying.

As he returned to the room, he saw Taehyung starting to wake up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Taehyung looked around, and when his eyes met Jungkook's, he gave a sleepy smile.

"Morning," Taehyung mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

"Morning," Jungkook replied, still feeling a bit awkward. He tried to piece together the fragments of his memory from last night, but it was all a blur.

"You okay?" Taehyung asked, his concern evident despite his grogginess.

"Yeah...I...I am..." Jungkook nodded, caressing his head, though he wasn't entirely sure. "What happened last night?"

"You don't remember."

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FLASHBACK:

My mind is spiraling, spinning so hard that everything around me blurs. I can faintly hear voices, but they can't reach me. I feel like I'm falling without a parachute, and the ground is rushing up to meet me. This is the last day of my life.

I am going to die today.

Your eyes slowly open, struggling to stay that way as a searing pain pounds in your head. You press your palm tightly against your forehead, trying to make sense of what is happening.

The car is moving...

How?...what is gonin' on?....I remembered what had happened—the car had crashed! It wasn't a dream, was it? Am I dead? 

You squint, trying to see around as the blurriness slowly fades from your vision.

And then you see her—Ji-ah. She is gripping the steering wheel, her face set in determination. Your eyebrows furrow in shock, and your eyes dart to the passenger seat. What you see makes you flinch and jolt back, a soft, terrified voice escaping your lips.

Ji-ah gasps, quickly glancing at you before a relieved smile spreads across her tense face.

"Oh! Thank God you are alive."

Yoo-jin's unconscious body lay there, his head slumped to the side, blood dripping from his forehead. Your eyes widened in terror, and your heart skipped a beat.

"Is... is he... dead?" you whispered, barely able to get the words out.

"No, he's not," her voice urgent but steady. "He's breathing."

"Wait... what are we doing?" you asked, your voice strained. "Are we taking him to the hospital..." You struggled to get the words out through the pain. "...Or the police?"

Ji-ah didn't reply, her eyes darting around as if expecting something. The cityscape blurred past the windows as she drove, her focus intense and unwavering.

Suddenly, Ji-ah stopped the car and opened the door. "I'll be right back. Wait here," she said, running outside before you could protest.

"Wait! Ji-ah!" you shouted, watching her run off.

A sense of dread settled in your gut like a lead weight as you glanced at Yoo-jin's seemingly lifeless form. Suddenly, he moved a little, a faint twitch, and you flinched, your knuckles going white as you gripped the seat in fear.

The blood from his forehead seemed to be spreading, and the uncertainty of the situation made your heart race.

Flashback will continue later:

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Tae told him everything that happened, including how he was speaking things about someone he loved and couldn't get out of his thoughts, how he fu**ed up, cried over her, and passed out after a while.

"I never saw you like this before." Tae says. "When Jimin told me about you, I didn't believe it, but now..." He let out a sigh. "This is serious."

Jungkook took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"I was drunk... it's just the alcohol talking. I don't even remember what I said," he mumbled, his voice unsteady and his eyes darting around, searching for the right words. "I'm okay...Hyung! Don't worry about me."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Tae got up from the bed, placing his feet on the ground. "Stop it now, JK. Tell me, what happened?"

Jungkook ran a hand through his hair, avoiding Tae's gaze. He knew he couldn't run away from this any longer.

Tae wasn't going to back down, and maybe, just maybe, it was time to let it all out. Exhaling hard, emotions rushing through him, he finally turned to Tae and started to speak.

He recounted everything in detail, reliving the emotional turmoil, and felt his heart ache anew. Each word reminded him of the mistakes he'd made, the helplessness he felt, and the pain of lost time. His breath grew ragged as he struggled to keep his emotions in check, his eyes growing watery.

Tae listened intently, his expression growing sadder with each passing moment. As Jungkook finished speaking, he looked up at Tae, feeling drained and vulnerable. Tae approached him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before pulling him into a hug.

Jungkook couldn't hold back his tears any longer. He hugged Tae tightly, tears streaming down his face.

As they broke the hug, Tae gently wiped the tears from Jungkook's cheeks, his touch tender and comforting.

"I know, you're probably thinking what an idiot I am." Jungkook said, his voice trembling.

"No," Tae replied firmly, looking directly into Jungkook's eyes.

"You're not. You're so selfless, I am so proud of you." He says. "You wanted to help Yu-na. And honestly, if I were in your place, I don't think I could have done what you did."

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"You okay?" he asks, sensing your uneasiness. "Whatever happened, we didn't tell anyone at the office. Don't worry."

You glance at him, surprised.

"I mean, so many big companies gave presentations. Even if our presentation had gone well, it doesn't mean we would have gotten the project."

You sighed, understanding what he was trying to say. "I know. But there was hope... a chance, and now that's gone too."

You both walked towards the gate, and your feet felt heavy, as if they were weighed down. Each step was a struggle. You were disappointed, guilty, 'cause all of their hard work was ruined by you.

As you approached the office, you heard faint shouting coming from inside. Confused, you looked at Ji-hun, who appeared just as surprised.

Your heart raced, fearing that everyone already knew, and now they are crying in agony, shouting, and cursing you.

Trembling, you entered the office. But the sight before you... stunned you.

Inside, it was chaos, but not the kind you had imagined. People were gathered around the large conference table, not in despair but in an animated discussion. Papers were strewn about, and the room buzzed with energy and excitement. Your boss, was at the center, gesturing emphatically as he spoke.

"What's going on?" you whispered to Ji-hun, who was equally baffled.

As you made your way closer, trying to make sense of the scene, you caught snippets of conversation.

"...can't believe we got it..."

"...they were impressed with our initial concept..."

You blinked, trying to process the words.

We got it?

Your boss spotted you. "There she is!" he called out, waving you over and the crowd erupted into more cheers.

"Come in, come in! We have incredible news."

You were still confused, stepped forward. "What...what's happening?" you asked, your voice shaky.

Your boss beamed. "We received feedback from the client. They were impressed with our ideas." He made the build up. "And we got the project."

Your jaw dropped in disbelief. "What?" you managed to whisper. A rush of emotions—relief, joy, and confusion—washed over you.

"But... how?" you stammered.

Ji-hun stood beside you, shocked, his eyes wide. He seemed frozen, unable to move.

One of your colleagues stepped forward, a smile on her face. You couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

"You did great, Y/N."

You smiled slightly and looked at Ji-hun, who looked pale, as if he might throw up at any moment.

"But... I am so confus..." you began, struggling to find the right words.

Your boss stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. " I am so lucky that I have you. "

You looked at him, a confused smile on your lips as you tried to find joy in the unexpected events that had just occurred. Despite your efforts, you couldn't overcome the other relentless thoughts running through your mind.

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Flashback continue:

After what felt like an eternity, Ji-ah came back with a small bag of medicine, likely purchased from a nearby store. Your attention shifted from Yoo-jin to her as she approached the car. With practiced urgency, she began treating Yoo-jin's wound, carefully applying antiseptic and then bandaging his forehead.

As she finished treating him, Ji-ah winced in pain, her hand clearly injured, possibly from the accident. She turned to you, her eyes widening in concern as she noticed the injury on your head.

"What's on your mind? Can you tell me now?" You asked as she approached you.

"Don't you think this is our chance to finally get some answers about what's been going on in your life lately?"

You winced slightly as she began to clean your wound. 

"What do you mean?"

Her hand trembled and unsteady, she squinted in pain again. Concerned, you gently grabbed her hand.

"Are you okay?" you asked, worry etched across your face. She just nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to mask the discomfort.

"I mean, we can get him to reveal everything," she said, placing a bandage carefully on your forehead.

You scoffed, shaking your head in disbelief.

"I got hit on the head, but it seems you're the one who's lost your mind!"

Ji-ah turned to the steering wheel without replying and started the car, pulling away quickly. You tried to understand what she meant as she sped down the road, your mind struggling to keep up.

"I believe we should contact the police...." You state, still terrified.

"Do you really think the cops will believe us?" she cut you off sharply.

Her eyes flicking to you in the rearview mirror. You struggled to spit something out, the reality of the situation making your throat tight. Before you could respond, she continued, her voice steady and urgent.

"Have you forgotten why we were running? huh?" She glanced at you through the mirror, her eyes piercing. "Because we didn't pay the shaman, remember?" 

You glanced outside through the car window in frustration.

"He's the one who helped us. And now we've crashed his car, and he's unconscious, lying here."

You tried to steady your nerves, ran a hand through your hair, hardly able to process the situation.

"We don't have any evidence," she continued. "I checked him—he doesn't have any weapon on him either. Strange, isn't it? If he actually wanted to harm us, he would have had something with him, but there's nothing..."

You blinked continuously as she spoke, leaning back in the seat. Placing your palm over your face, you tried to think of any possibilities, any solution to counterattack, but none came to mind.

"Charges are going to be filed against us, not him." She sighed.

Your heartbeat remained unsteady as you thought about the chaotic mess you were in. You realized you had no choice but to accept and agree with what Ji-ah was saying, even though your heart was reluctant.

"Okay, fine... what should we do then?"

Your eyes darted to Yoo-jin again as he began to move slightly, signs of consciousness returning. Fear gripped you again, tightening your chest.

Ji-ah noticed the change in your expression and turned to look at him, her own eyes widening in alarm. 

Then, her gaze hardened as she had already thought about what to do. You could see her determined expression in the mirror as she focused on the road, pulling away with a firm grip on the gear. 

FLASHBACK END.

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Ji-ah hung up the phone after talking to you. Her hands are full of bags with snacks, fruit, and Watter bottles.

She glanced around nervously, ensuring no one was watching her before she entered an old, neglected house. Dust and cobwebs covered every surface, indicating it hadn't been cleaned in a long time.

She carefully locked the door behind her and turned, groaning in frustration at the sight before her.

Yoo-jin lay on the floor, bound hand and foot, a gag stuffed in his mouth, and a long bandage wrapped around his head where he had been injured.

He was lying on his stomach, and as he heard Ji-ah's footsteps approaching, he began to wiggle, moving his mouth in an attempt to speak, shaking his whole body in a desperate bid to escape.

She set to work, tidying up a small corner of the room, clearing away some of the dust and debris, and laying out the bag.

She kneeled beside him, her expression a mix of annoyance and concern.

"Stop moving, you're only going to hurt yourself more," she said sternly, but her voice softened slightly. "We're not going to hurt you."

Ji-ah firmly gripped Yoo-jin's shoulders and rolled him onto his back. She then helped him into a sitting position, making sure he was stable.

"Okay, now you're good," she said, watching him intently as he tried to speak. Still kneeling, she leaned in closer and touched the gag.

"Now I'm going to pull this out," she said. "But if you scream, I swear I'll shove in this..." She pointed out the gag and looked down. "Somewhere else." She gave him a hard look to emphasize her point.

His eyes widened, shocked.

With a quick motion, she removed the gag from his mouth, watching his reaction closely. Yoo-jin coughed and took a few deep breaths. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, working his jaw.

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How's this chapter? I don't know. I hope you're enjoying it, and sorry for the delayed update.

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so excited! 😍