Chapter 22

"Brother"

The chatter in the small café was lively and created a lovely atmosphere, something Min Ji and Na Ri enjoyed while waiting for their orders. None of them said anything, they just had their eyes on the counter where they watched the barista work on their coffee. Even Min Ji who had spoken the entire way to the café had stayed silent since they entered. Everything had already been explained. All she needed now was for Na Ri to give her opinion. Min Ji's insides were twisting and turning. All she wanted was to know her thoughts, but after their small disagreement the other day, she had no intention of rushing her. Instead she decided to stay quiet until their coffee arrived.

"So," Min Ji said after the barista had given them their order and they both had a sip, "what should I do?" Na Ri looked at Min Ji with an unreadable expression.

"I'm not sure... I understand the problem..." Na Ri said a little nervous and then continued, "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry!" Min Ji hurried and said, "maybe I wasn't too clear on that part. I talk and talk and talk but sometimes the things I say doesn't even make sense." Min Ji chuckled a bit and so did Na Ri, as she could picture several situations where Min Ji had been blabbering for hours, without anyone being able to follow her anymore.

"I just... I don't know if I should tell Jungkook-a about me and Taehyung-a yet," Min Ji said in a slightly sad voice, "it feels awkward because all three of us has been friends for so long. At first I felt like Taehyung-a should be the one to tell him, but when I spoke to him about it, he said it should definitely be me, since we've been friends since we were children." Na Ri nodded as she listened to Min Ji's worries.

"I don't want to make a big deal out of it, it's not like anything will change," Min Ji said while looking down at her coffee, "but still... I'm scared of Jungkook's reaction." Min Ji looked up and locked eyes with Na Ri, as she wished for her to say something.

"I think... I think Taehyung-ssi is right," Na Ri then said, "you know Jungkook-ssi best, you should just be honest with him."

"Really?" Min Ji asked, "you don't think he'll be annoyed?"

"Shouldn't he... rather be happy for you?" Na Ri asked with a little uncertainty in her voice.

"Maybe you're right," Min Ji said with a sigh and then smiled nervously, "I don't even know why I'm so scared to tell him. It shouldn't be this hard. But I never told him about my feelings for Taehyung, so it might come as a shock to him."

"Why... haven't you told him?" Na Ri asked and Min Ji shrugged her shoulders.

"I think I just felt awkward talking to him about love," Min Ji said and Na Ri nodded along.

"But," Min Ji then continued, "you're right, I should tell him the truth. Jungkook has been by my side through thick and thin and I want him to know, our relationship won't change just because I got a boyfriend." Min Ji looked at Na Ri who had a weird expression on her face and she suddenly felt nervous.

"What's wrong?" Min Ji asked while Na Ri kept looking down at the table, until suddenly, she made a fist and held it up right by chest.

"Fighting!" Na Ri said with all the energy she had in her, and Min Ji looked at her with widened eyes until she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, I just really didn't expect to hear that from you," Min Ji said in between her laughs, "but thanks, I'll work hard. Fighting." Min Ji did the same as Na Ri and they both started laughing at the strange scenario they created.

***

Min Ji took in a deep breath before she knocked on the door to Jungkook and Taehyungs dorm room, and just a few seconds later Jungkook opened the door and looked at Min Ji in surprise. He wasn't wearing anything besides sweatpants and a white tank top, making his large muscles visible.

"Min Ji-ya, what are you doing here?" Jungkook asked and Min Ji suddenly felt her heart starting to race.

"Ah... I..." Min Ji stuttered, making Jungkook eye her with suspicion, "I just had something... I wanted to talk to you about."

"Really? Well come on inside then," Jungkook said with a smile and Min Ji walked inside the dorm room, taking a quick scan.

"Taehyung-a isn't here?" Min Ji asked.

"No, he left a while ago saying he was meeting up with a friend," Jungkook answered and Min Ji mouthed an "ah" even though she already knew this information.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Jungkook asked and made Min Ji snap out of her dream like state, "is it about you and Na Ri-ssi?"

"Oh, no no it's not about that," Min Ji quickly replied, "we already made up, it was just a stupid fight."

"Is that so?" Jungkook asked and grabbed a shirt from his bed which he quickly pulled over his body and covered his shoulders, "you know, sometimes I really don't understand girls. You fight over nothing but you also make up really easily." Min Ji laughed nervously.

"I guess it's because girls are so emotionally driven," Min Ji said, "but as you said we make up pretty easily, so that's good." Jungkook nodded his head and sent Min Ji a smile, simply waiting for her to continue speaking as she usually did, but for the first time those two got to experience an awkward and uncomfortable silence between them.

"Min Ji-ya," Jungkook then said, "what's going on? You're making me all nervous." Min Ji looked at Jungkook and started fumbling with her hands.

"Ah... well... It's nothing really..." Min Ji stuttered, "it's because... lately... I've kinda been having a crush on someone." Jungkook swallowed as he looked at Min Ji whose cheeks were red and her eyes diverted from his.

"Alright," Jungkook said and took a step closer to Min Ji, "who is it? The one you've had a crush on?" Min Ji took in a deep breath while Jungkook continued to walk closer to her.

"It's Taehyung-a." Jungkook froze on the spot, his eyes wide open and he held his breath.

"Actually, I told him how I feel..." Min Ji continued while looking down on her feet, unable to see Jungkook's reaction, "he feels the same way. So we decided to start dating."

There was an intense silence in the dorm room and when Min Ji finally looked up, she noticed Jungkook looking up at the ceiling. Just as Min Ji was about to say something, Jungkook lowered his head and looked at Min Ji, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"You can't be serious," Jungkook said in a tone he had never used in front of Min Ji, "you and Taehyung-a? You simply can't be serious."

"Why not?" Min Ji asked, her heart rate slowly increasing.

"He doesn't even know you half as much as I do," Jungkook said, speaking fast and loudly, "he will never understand you like I do. Whenever you're sad he can't even comfort you. All he does is make funny faces and joke around. That man can't be serious for even two minutes, and you want him to be your boyfriend?"

"But that's why I like him," Min Ji yelled out and it felt like a sting to Jungkook's heart, "when I'm sad I need someone to help me break the circle of negative thoughts. I want someone who can make me laugh, someone who can help me forget about all the sad things, even for a little while. Taehyung-a has never disregarded my feelings. If he knew I was sad, he would always message me later that day and ask how I feel. He cares about me and I know he'll take good care of me."

"Haven't I been taking good care of you until now?" Jungkook then yelled, "I've been by your side since we were both kids. In the darkest days I held your hand, I made sure you never had to face any hardships alone. Does that mean nothing to you?"

"That means everything to me!" Min Ji yelled back at Jungkook, "you have been the kindest and most loyal friend I could ever ask for, no, you're more than a friend to me. You're my family, my brother."

"Your brother?" Jungkook asked and laughed.

"Yes?" Min Ji said, looking confused, "you mean everything to me."

Jungkook turned his head and looked directly into Min Ji's eyes with an expression she had never seen before. Desire. Determination. Anger. Min Ji saw it all, while Jungkook took another step closer, and another, until they were standing right in front of each other.

"Your brother, you say?" Jungkook said while looking down at Min Ji, "I understand now that this is how you've viewed me since the beginning. But you know, Min Ji-ya-" Jungkook suddenly grabbed Min Ji by her shoulders and slammed her against the wall, placing one of his hands next to her head, making it impossible for her to move away.

"We might have been friends since we were children, but we aren't children anymore," Jungkook said, his face so close to Min Ji's, she could feel his breath, "I'm a man now, and you're a woman. A woman I have loved for a long time." Min Ji could hear the frustration in Jungkook's voice, his body was trembling as he stood close enough to her, she was able to smell his cologne. Min Ji looked into his eyes, eyes which seemed darker than usual. She never realized he was this much taller than her, this much stronger.

"Even though I loved you, I held back for so long," Jungkook said without breaking eye contact, "I held back to give you time, to show my respect for you. I didn't want to push you. But I see it didn't take much for some other man to draw you in. In the end all you wanted was attention." Jungkook slowly started to draw back when tears became visible in Min Ji's eyes and with a sigh he walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Min Ji said, her voice cracking in the process.

"I need some air," Jungkook said while grabbing the door handle, "make sure you're gone when I'm back."

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and all the drama it brought to the table, but let's be honest, it was inevitable at this point.

If there's one thing I hate the most in KDramas it's when the 2nd lead, who's been there for the MC all her life and helped her through every hardship, and then she chooses the other guy and he's just like "well, I just want her to be happy." LIES! Nobody would react that way. We're controlled by our emotions and if you really loved the person, of course you'd be furious or at least saddened when they choose someone else. It would be too painful to stay by their side because you'd continuously be reminded that they chose someone else.

What do you think? Do you agree with me or do you have a different opinion? Also, what did you think of the chapter? Let me know in the comments down below!

Love, Annalise~