Reva

Jungkook and I headed to an unexpected part of the city. The streets were teeming with people basking in the sunny weather, having brunch, and enjoying various activities with their friends in the last summer days. My attempts to inquire about our destination were met with Jungkook's mysterious assurance that we would arrive soon.

I refrained from commenting on his unusual silence or the tight grip he had on the steering wheel as soft music filled the car. Something about his demeanor made me feel nervous. Jungkook was not the type to fidget or show such visible signs of discomfort. It made me uncomfortable as well because I had always admired his ability to say or do things with such confidence.

Unaware that I would be driving somewhere with him just a few hours ago, I had woken up to him lying next to me.

As I slowly drifted into consciousness on a quiet Sunday morning, the first thing I was struck by was the familiar warmth beside me. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, my eyes focused on him, peacefully lost in dreams. It had been weeks since we first shared a bed, yet waking to his presence still felt like a new thing.

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow on his features. His messy hair, boyishly falling across his forehead, created a charming mess that I couldn't help but like.

In the silence of the room, I took a moment to observe the tiny details that made him uniquely him - the rise and fall of his chest with each breath, the way his lashes brushed against his cheeks, and the neutral expression that graced his face.

Sometimes, on the weekends when he hadn't rushed off to work, I'd find him already awake. His eyes, filled with a quiet contemplation, lazily tracing the patterns on the ceiling. Other times he'd be in the bathroom, lost in his morning routine.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I watched him smack his lips just seconds before waking up, a habitual gesture he seemed completely unaware of. I could simply watch the nuances of his existence.

"Good morning," he greeted in a deep, sleepy voice, stretching his limbs as he slowly awoke.

"Morning," I replied with a murmur, sharing the cozy feeling of the bed. He glanced at the clock, suddenly realizing how long he had slept.

His expression changed and he muttered under his breath. "I must have overslept my alarm."

Surprised, I realized that I hadn't heard an alarm either. "Are you late for something?" I asked as he grabbed a shirt and started to put it on.

"I'm flying to LA tomorrow morning, remember?" He asked and I remembered that he had told me that a few days ago. "I have a few things to take care of today."

"Right." I nodded, but an unexpected wave of disappointment washed over me. I had grown accustomed to his presence every night before dinner, and the prospect of him leaving hit me. "How long will you be gone for again?"

"Ten days." He answered and I hummed in understanding. Ten days seemed like a long time for a business trip, no?

Sensing the change in my mood, Jungkook's eyes softened as he began to think. I noticed his gaze on me and asked. "What?"

"Do you have any plans for the day?" he asked.

Shaking my head after considering for a few seconds though I knew I was free, I replied. "Not really. Why?"

Jungkook scratched his neck, a telltale sign of nervousness or exhaustion that made me wonder if he regretted the question. "Maybe you want to come with me," he suggested, adding that it might be better than spending the day alone.

I tried to suppress my surprise and the smile that threatened to form on my lips and shook my head. "I don't want to bother you with everything you need to take care of for your trip."

He said that everything was arranged for his trip, but mentioned a place he needed to visit before he left. I couldn't imagine where he was going, especially since he had invited me along.

Curiosity and the thrill of exploring an unknown place suddenly ignited in me. Was this the mysterious place he always disappeared to on Sunday mornings? I had often wondered but never been bold enough to question.

I found myself asking after feeling like he really wanted me to come. "Should I wear something casual or...?" He just nodded before disappearing into the bathroom.

And now here we were. As we turned into a street, my confusion deepened and my eyebrows furrowed. The sight before me was surprising - a children's hospital. Its walls, stained dark gray and brown, bore the marks of age and weather. We parked near the entrance, and when I checked on Jungkook, he was lost in thought, first looking at the building, and then turning his attention to me.

Before I could ask any questions, Jungkook beat me to it. "I want to introduce someone to you." Something heavy settled in my chest and my heart felt tight. As I followed him to the entrance, I couldn't help but feel that something of great significance was waiting for me.

The inside of the hospital looked like any other medical facility. People were walking around in a hurry, nurses were running errands, and a room filled with toys echoed with the laughter of a few children playing.

Jungkook, not bothering with the front desk, walked purposefully, familiar with the layout just like Sunday visits had become part of his routine. His shoulders seemed tense, which caught my attention as we navigated the halls, took the elevator to the third floor, and reached the last door near the window overlooking the parking lot.

The air carried a distinct hospital scent, a reminder of my distant encounters with such places. It had been years since I had entered one, the last time being Rai's bad injury during a basketball game.

I couldn't deny that I felt a twinge of discomfort, a residual unease that such places caused. Still, the hospital's bright atmosphere and whimsical decor, with animal paintings on the hallway walls, gave it a very child-friendly touch.

Just before we reached the door, a nurse stepped out, clearly startled by the unexpected presence of two visitors. Her hand found its way to her chest, a reflexive reaction before she laughed. Dressed in the typical nurse's uniform, her curly hair peeked out from under her cap. A warm smile graced her face as she greeted us.

"Hello, Mr. Jeon! I was wondering when you'd arrive," she said, her gaze fixed on Jungkook.

"Yeah, we might be a little late, actually." He admitted and the nurse waved him off as if it was no big deal. His polite smile in return seemed to release some of the tension he was carrying; he appeared more at ease now. Then the nurse turned her attention to me.

"Hi, I'm Nurse Amy. You must be his wife, Mrs. Jeon," she said with a warm smile. I smiled back, a little shocked that she already knew who I was.

"Yes, please call me Reva. It's nice to meet you," I confirmed and Amy returned the warm greeting.

Jungkook asked after clearing his throat. "Did she sleep well?"

She placed a hand on his arm and began to take a few steps toward wherever her duties were taking her. Amy nodded. "She did. She even finished her breakfast this morning." A detail probably shared to impress Jungkook, knowing he would be visiting.

I wasn't particularly confused by the conversation, but a feeling of mystery stirred within me. I began to wonder who she was, the person waiting for my husband on the other side of the door.

Amy rushed off, disappearing into another room. Looking around, I couldn't pretend that I didn't know what was going on here. However, I was surprised and wondered why Jungkook brought me along and why now. It felt like an invitation to a part of his life that no one else had entered, and I was uncertain how to process it.

I pushed my worries aside when Jungkook looked down at me, a small smile playing on his lips. Yet I could feel the nervous energy radiating through his entire body, visible in the tense muscles of his jaw. His gaze fell on my hand, and for the briefest of moments, I thought he might reach for it, only to withdraw the impulse.

Instead, he raised his hand to knock on the door, and a few seconds later, he opened it, revealing a bright room. Initially, I didn't have a full view, but Jungkook led the way, and I was greeted with a big hospital bed in the middle, surrounded by a few machines. A little girl, perhaps four or at most five years old, lay in the bed, holding a doll in her hand. She seemed uninterested in our arrival, or perhaps she was choosing to ignore us.

Jungkook opened his mouth to greet her, but the little girl beat him to it and said, "You're late. Amy said you would be here when the short stick was on 9, but now it is on 11." She pointed her forefinger at the clock on the wall, still not looking at us.

Jungkook dipped his head and a silent chuckle left his lips, even though he felt bad about being late. "I know," he said apologetically, "I overslept a little." He was being honest and responsible, not lying to make her feel better.

The girl huffed, but I could see in her eyes that she wasn't really angry, maybe just a little sad about having less time with him, or maybe feeling let down. I wondered if she had maybe experienced neglect in her life and was afraid of being forgotten again. I didn't know who she was, where her family was, or even what her illness was, but I was observant and could somewhat connect the dots.

Jungkook sat on the edge of the bed and raised his eyebrows with an everlasting smile. The girl slowly turned her eyes to him and after a few seconds of silent staring, she cracked up with laughter. Dropping her doll, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing until Jungkook made a playful choking sound.

Laughter filled the room and all I could do was stare at them. It made me feel good in an unexplainable way and I didn't even realize I was smiling at them. My interactions with children were limited, except for Rai, but seeing Jungkook's affection for that child was heartwarming.

Memories flashed back to the day we almost hit Kali on the road and how he had smiled at her with the same kindness and sincerity, which made me feel weird. I didn't know how to act and stood in the middle of the room as if I was misplaced.

There was a table with toys from various cartoons that I couldn't name and a few colored paintings hanging on the wall. I rubbed my hands against one another as I took a few steps in their direction.

The little girl had no outward signs of injury, which made me figure it had to be internal. I hated to see children suffer because they were the most innocent of souls in this world.

After the girl told Jungkook that she had watched the movie Frozen three times since his last visit - whenever that had been - our eyes met. Brown as rich chocolate, two pairs of eyes were now looking at me and I let out a nervous laugh.

Jungkook studied me to my very core, but for some reason, I could only look at the child next to him. She seemed a little wary of the fact that I was a stranger when she locked eyes with me. I felt like I was in a supermarket being stared at by a random kid for absolutely no reason.

"Hey," I said, giving her a little wave. Of course, she was being careful, I wasn't expecting a welcoming gesture from a child who had never met me before.

"Are you Reva?" she asked, getting straight to the point. Was I the weird one or was it a given that the whole hospital knew who I was? Well, I guess having Jungkook as a husband left no other option.

"Yes," I replied, stepping even closer. I glanced at the doll in her hands. "That's a very nice doll you have there."

She nodded. "That's Anna. Do you know her?"

I hadn't seen the movie, but I remembered Jungkook talking to Kali about it. What was the other sister's name?

"Yeah, and I know Elsie too." I smiled proudly.

"Elsa." the girl corrected me.

Jungkook's laughter reached my ears and I wanted to stick my tongue out at him because he clearly found my stupidity amusing. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't have a degree in children's movies.

Now that I was close enough, I could read her name on the bed. Haeun Miller. She wasn't fully Korean, which explained her last name, but I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the heavy weight in my chest. I ignored it. Swallowed down the lump in my throat.

"Yes, of course. That's what I meant."

Since I'd confirmed my name was Reva, I noticed a different expression in Haeun's eyes. She seemed more familiar and less hesitant and skeptical. She patted the empty seat next to her on the bed. "Come sit."

I did as she asked, placing a leg on the soft mattress. Haeun pulled out a picture of her favorite movie from behind her, the protagonists standing next to each other laughing.

"Who's your favorite character?" she asked me then, her big round eyes looking up at me.

"Oh, uh." I stammered. I stared at the picture. God, I didn't even know who all those were.

Jungkook caught my attention, his mouth moving quietly. I squinted my eyes to read his lips as he tried to help me. Ugh, I felt like a student in an exam. What was he saying?

"Ol-Olaf?" I mumbled. I didn't want to embarrass myself again by mispronouncing the names, but my husband's nod with a flattering wink told me I'd got it right this time.

"Olaf likes warm hugs," Haeun told me and I listened to her. Humming at a few points, I showed my interest in the things she loved and she seemed to like that a lot. We got on very well very quickly, but maybe that was because Haeun was just a very loving girl.

I wondered if Jungkook had often told her about me because she obviously knew a lot. And I had been completely unaware of her existence until today.

Haeun mentioned my love for caramel and that she hated the taste of it. So we couldn't be coffee friends in the future. She said I would have to wait for her until she was an adult. She was adorable.

"What else did he say about me?" I teased playfully, trying to figure out if Jungkook had shared anything embarrassing.

"He said you're very very pretty." she said after a few seconds of thinking.

I shot him a teasing look but Jungkook avoided my eyes as he glared at Haeun with a small smile while I tried to hide the blush with a serene laugh. "He said very very?"

"Mhmm," she confirmed, brushing the hair from her Anna doll with a small brush. "I think he's right."

"Thank you," I said, smoothing away a dark curl that fell into her face. "I think you're very very beautiful too."

Haeun's smile was so bright and enchanting that it mesmerized me. I could see why Jungkook spent every Sunday with her because her demeanor, despite being in such a place, was admirably strong. She didn't seem like a child who was in a hospital, but I was sure all the nurses took good care of her. Jungkook seemed to make sure of that.

Two hours passed in that room where we drew pictures, played little games, and just talked about the occasional things that kids were interested in. Haeun even hugged me goodbye and said she was expecting me on the next visit as well.

Despite the fact that I sometimes forgot the characters from her favorite movie, she wasn't mad at me and taught them to me until I got the hang of it. She was patient and smart and yet, like any child, sad when it was time to go.

Her big eyes watched us and she waved a hand as we closed the door to her room. My remaining smile slowly fell until I looked up at Jungkook. He was standing very close and his eyes were soft as he studied all my expressions. Nervous for some kind of reaction, he appeared relieved when I smiled up at him.

"There's a small café downstairs. Do you want to grab a drink?" he asked, his voice low but so soft I wanted to sleep to it.

"Sure," I replied.

The sun shone on my skin as we found a free spot on the porch. The smell of my cappuccino filled my nose like the distant laughter of children. We didn't talk, just stared into the distance.

I let everything run through my head. I couldn't say that my confusion from this morning was washed away, but now at least I knew what was keeping Jungkook occupied on a Sunday morning.

"Are you not gonna say anything?" I heard him ask after what felt like an eternity.

I shrugged. I had a lot of questions, but also none at the same time. I was full but also empty simultaneously. I chewed on my inner cheek until I thought of a question that choked me from the inside out.

"Is she yours?"

The question sounded shallower than I'd intended, my voice distant as if it didn't belong to me. I was unsure if I even wanted to know the answer to the question or if I was ready for it.

There were only two possible answers, but one I knew would sting more than I wanted to admit. Of course, I couldn't do anything about Jungkook's past and a child was definitely not to blame, but I couldn't promise myself not to be heartbroken over it if it turned out that way.

"No, Reva. Look at me." almost pleadingly, Jungkook cupped my chin and turned my face towards him. His response was like cold water in a desert, refreshing and so very relieving. "I would never do that to you."

I was still chewing on my inner cheek, my heart racing. All this stress of uncertainty had been driving me crazy and even now, even though I had his reassurance, it didn't seem to be going away. "I can't do anything about what happened before me, right?"

"I know. But I would have told you about her sooner if she was mine." his eyes softened and they were so warm and comforting that I nodded. "And not like this. That would be insensitive and... cruel."

A broken laugh escaped my lips. Knowing the person I was, I probably would never have forgiven him if he'd taken me to meet his daughter without my consent. God, I was glad he didn't have a daughter.

"Fuck, I'm sorry." he cursed.

"For what?"

"I just realized that I didn't think this through," he admitted honestly. "I didn't think you'd think she could be my daughter."

I took a deep breath and then sighed. My chest felt lighter. "That was a lot of thinking for one sentence."

He shook his head with a laugh and mumbled something under his breath that sounded too much like this woman. We gazed off into the distance again.

"I didn't want to come across like I was forcing you to see what was once kept hidden. But I wanted two of the most important people in my life to meet. I apologize if it was weird for you."

"It wasn't," I said, and a visible weight seemed to be lifted from his back. "What's her illness? Her story?"

Jungkook sighed deeply and lowered his gaze as if he were envisioning her pain. "Haeun was only two years old when her father dropped her off at an orphanage. Her mother died after giving birth," he told me and I realized how carefully he said the last part, watching my reaction closely. Although goosebumps formed on my skin, I tried not to let anything show on the outside. Jungkook saw it anyway.

He continued when I didn't comment. "They lived in a trailer park and didn't have enough money. Her father was a junkie, but at least he was responsible enough to give her up so she could have a better life. When she had her first epileptic seizure, Haeun barely got treatment because she had no health insurance. And hospital bills can be a lot when you are staying in a trailer."

I didn't know what to say to that because all words would be empty. Moments like that made one realize how messed up this world was. Truly big problems forced people to give up their lives, while others whined about little things.

"Does she always stay in the hospital?" I asked, thinking back to the pictures on the wall that she had painted. I was glad she was being treated medically, but a child needed warm hugs. Like Olaf.

"No." Jungkook's answer relieved me. "She had another seizure last week because of an external stimulus. But she's taking her pills and should be discharged tomorrow or the day after."

"That's good to hear." I smiled and he nodded his agreement. "Are there more children?"

"At the orphanage where she's staying? Yes. Lots of them." he said. "I love them all. But Haeun has grown on me."

"I can see why."

I took a big sip of my cappuccino, which had gone cold, to allow myself a break from the flow of emotions. If I was overwhelmed, what had Haeun been through?

"Hey." Jungkook's voice brought my attention back to him. I hadn't realized I was crying until he wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Grabbing the napkin from under my coffee, I wiped at the dampness.

Jungkook shook his head. He looked between my eyes, down at my lips, and back up. "Don't apologize for your tears. They show the beauty of your heart. Empathy and mercy in a world so cruel are gold."

A broken laugh mixed with more tears probably made me look like a mess, but I couldn't help it at that moment. My heart broke for Haeun and all the other children. Sometimes I lived in oblivion, but hearing that all of this was happening without anyone doing anything about it was killing me.

"I want to donate," I said when I regained my voice.

Jungkook continued to brush his thumb over my skin. "I donate regularly. For the both of us."

I stopped to look at him. Not only did he take care of these kids financially, but he made it his job to visit them every week without getting tired of it, to spend time with them. And he didn't forget to include me.

Jeon Jungkook and Jeon Reva.

When I smiled, he smiled back at me. We were a team even if we had started on opposite sides.

─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────

The next morning I woke up to an empty bed and an even emptier room. I was used to it because Jungkook always left at the crack of dawn for work, but this time it was different. I knew he wouldn't be coming back close to dinner time.

But I couldn't help grinning when I turned to my right and a tray was sitting on the small nightstand on his side of the bed.

A glass of orange juice along with a silver serving bell placed over a plate was waiting for me.

I slid over to his side, disappointment almost consuming me when I realized the sheets were cold. A small note was tucked between the glass and the silver bell.

I almost puked making these, so you better finish them all.

My cheeks ached from smiling too much and my stomach grumbled as I uncovered a plate full of freshly made pancakes. His message made me laugh even harder. I read the note again and imagined Jungkook making them, gagging whenever the little holes formed because of his trypophobia.

He knew I didn't like breakfast, but he knew I loved orange juice and pancakes whenever I went out for brunch.

I threw myself back into the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. Memories from the night washed over me.

Warm hands wrapping around my body and slowly rolling up my nightdress. Little kisses trailing down my bare back. Sweet nothings whispered heavily in my ear. His weight pressing me into the mattress as he moved behind me.

I didn't know if I had been in such a haze of ecstasy and pleasure, but I remembered a line that stuck with me.

"You're taking over me." he had said. "Little by little. And I don't even want to do anything about it."

I hadn't understood what he meant by that. Even now, out of my sleepiness and pleasure, I still didn't understand what he had meant.

But I knew I agreed with him. Little by little, he was taking over me. And I couldn't even do anything about it.

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A/N: I just remembered an incident of my friend having an epileptic seizure in the middle of Avengers Endgame. I didn't know what to do, I panicked so hard that I yelled through the whole theatre for an ambulance. We laugh at the memory whenever we talk about it but let me tell you IT WASNT FUNNY AT THAT MOMENT
Anywayssss, I hope you liked this chapter. More is to come and I just know y'all will like it. Hehe. 440 stars for the next one <3