"Jimin, I have a family," Kook burst out when we went back to my house after finding the book.
"Why are you acting like this is all my fault?" I raised my voice.
"I'm just not gay, for fuck's sake." He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
"But if you want to get out of here, you have to do this—for yourself, and for me too."
"Come on… there must be another solution." The black-haired boy insisted.
"Oh really? Like what? We've been here for days and I haven't found any solution. Jungkook, this book is our only chance! There's nothing else here that could help us." I flailed my arms in frustration.
"You're only saying that because you want me to fall in love with you too, right?" he accused.
"You're such an idiot, Kook! I just want to get out of here already, but you keep holding us back with your excuses!" I snapped at him.
"The book says I'm supposed to fall in love with you, but I'm not homosexual. It's not that simple for me, Jimin!" Kook yelled back.
"Then just… let's try." I answered quietly.
"No. It's not going to work." He shook his head, then sat down on the couch.
"So what do we do?" I sat down beside him.
"I don't know. It's not you, Jimin. I'm just straight. You're an amazing person." He glanced at me.
"Then how are we supposed to get out of here? I just want to go home already." My eyes welled with tears. "I miss my family so much, Kook. Don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Then I don't understand why you won't at least try. If we returned to real life, we'd be thousands of miles apart anyway, and no one would ever know what we did here. This is our only solution. Juno died because of us. The least we can do is this—for him." A few tears slid down my cheeks.
"Haah… Jimin. Maybe you're right. I don't even know." He faltered.
"Hug me, Jungkook," I whispered weakly.
"What?"
"Please… hug me."
He seemed a little surprised at my request, but finally he pulled me into his lap and held me tightly.
My heart started beating faster as I realized just how close we were. My throat went dry, and I gave a sad little smile at how Kook could stir these feelings in me, because it couldn't mean anything good. I couldn't fall for him—he could never return my feelings.
"So… where should we start?" he asked me softly.
"What?"
"This whole thing. Should I maybe kiss you first?"
"Uhm… I don't know. What did the book say?"
"That the two protagonists fell in love, and true love was the key to the mystery. They kissed a lot, slept together, and so on…"
"I'm nervous, Kook." I looked into his eyes. He chuckled and started caressing my waist.
"Why?"
"I don't know. It's just all so strange. I don't want to do anything with someone who doesn't want it. But… you're too handsome."
"So you've fallen for me?" he grinned.
"No. Maybe I've just noticed you." I shrugged.
"Almost the same thing."
"But I'm scared…"
"Of what?" He raised an eyebrow.
"That we won't be able to get out of here. You just said the key was true love, and I don't think that's going to happen from your side." I frowned, and he let out a heavy sigh.
"We'll see what happens. If this is what it takes to go home, then believe me, I can do anything to make it happen." He nodded firmly.
"I don't want to fall in love with you." My voice trembled as tears started spilling down my cheeks. "I don't want another heartbreak." I collapsed against Kook's neck, sobbing.
"Shh… Jimin. Believe me, we'll enjoy it. No need to cry. I'm not good at comforting people." He laughed awkwardly.
"It's okay… But if you think this is easier for me just because I'm gay, let me tell you, it's not. It's going to be damn hard for me too. Because I'm already on my way to falling for you." The words burst out of me with sobs.
"So you do like me." Kook stroked my back. "I'm sorry, Jimin. But if you want, we can act like a couple from now on. At least that way, we might get back to our real lives sooner."
"That would only make it more painful. I don't just want someone beside me for a few days or weeks—I want someone for my whole life." I wiped my tears away.
"Well, that's true. Then I don't know what we should do."
"I'm going to bed. We can talk about this tomorrow. I'm done with this conversation for now." I slipped out of Jungkook's lap. "Good night," I said softly, then went upstairs to my room.
I cried as I lay down in bed, and that's when I realized just how much I was drawn to Kook.
I had fallen into another unrequited love.
I was going to suffer again.
My heart would break again.
Even if we tried to fall in love with each other, once we got back to reality, Kook would only be a stranger to me.
Whoever came up with this book—I'd curse its author for the rest of my life.
Why did it have to be with a married man? Why such a handsome one? Why me?
I didn't know what was worse—being stuck here forever or breaking my heart all over again.
It was complicated.
"Jimin? Are you okay?" Kook suddenly opened my door.
"Y-Yeah." I sniffled under the blanket.
"I thought it over quickly downstairs and I… I'm ready. You're right, we don't have any other option."
"I don't want you to just use me." I wiped at my tears.
"I'd never use you. Never in my life." He slid into the bed beside me.
"Then what do you call this?"
"I just want to try what it's like with a boy." He shrugged.
"That's still using me."
"If you want to go home too, then kiss me or something. I've sorted it all out in my head, and I'm ready to do things with someone of the same sex." He explained impatiently.
"You said… I should kiss you?" I repeated his words.
"Yes. Better to start sooner than never." He shrugged.
"No… it's not that simple." I lay back on the bed.
"Why? You just do this." He leaned over me, pressed his lips to mine, and held them there for a few seconds. My stomach flipped about five times.
"W-What?" I asked, shocked when Kook pulled away.
"That wasn't so bad." The black-haired boy leaned back on his hands.
That's when my courage came. I leaned halfway over him and kissed him again, and this time he began moving his lips too, which made me tremble with excitement.
The kiss wasn't slow—it was passionate, even rough at times.
I never thought Jungkook would kiss me like this after saying it could never work.
"Oh my God, Jimin… your lips are so soft. I enjoy this, even if you're a boy." He seemed surprised at himself, then crushed his mouth against mine again, pinning me beneath him.
I never thought anyone would kiss me so well. My whole body tingled, and I couldn't focus on anything but Jungkook.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, unable to get enough of his lips. I'd never tasted such a sweet kiss before.
I tilted my chin down slightly, hinting for Kook to deepen the kiss. He understood, sliding his tongue into my mouth. My lower stomach clenched, and I accidentally bit his lower lip, but he barely seemed to notice.
We only stopped to breathe now and then, but almost immediately we'd crash back into each other again.
I couldn't tell if Kook was doing this because he actually enjoyed it—or just because he wanted to get home sooner.
But right now, it sure looked like he was enjoying it.
After all, he was the one who wanted to kiss me from the very beginning…