࣪︎ ꣑୧ ˳ Jʋngkoꪮ𝗸 ˳ ֹ ׅ﹙ 𝟒𝟏 ﹚

The air was cold that afternoon, as if it knew something important was about to happen. You were sitting in your small backyard, holding a pair of hair clippers. You never thought you'd use them for something so… significant. Jungkook was sitting across from you in a simple chair, a black cape draped over his shoulders. His usually calm expression held something different that night.

Something deeper.

"Do you really want me to do it?" you asked, trying to sound lighthearted.

He smiled slightly, in that way you knew from childhood. —I trust you more than anyone else.

That kind of response always made your heart feel strange… but you ignored it.

You'd known him since childhood. You grew up together, played, fought, supported each other. He was your person. He always was.

You turned on the machine, the buzzing filled the silence between you.

You ran the clippers through her hair for the first time, and black strands began to slowly fall to the floor. It was strange… as if with each pass, time itself was slipping away.

"Tomorrow... you're leaving," you murmured, without looking at him.

—Yes.—Silence again.

You continued cutting carefully, trying to make it perfect, even though your hands were trembling slightly. He didn't say anything, but you could feel his gaze on you.

"Hey..." he said suddenly.

—Hm?—You stopped, looking up.

His eyes were fixed on yours. Serious. Determined. Different.

—I didn't want to leave without saying something to you.

—What?—There was a second of silence… but it felt like an eternity.

-I like you.

The world stood still.

The machine was still on in your hand, vibrating, but you could no longer hear it.

"For a long time..." he continued. "I think since we were children, but I didn't understand. And now... I'm leaving, and I don't know how long it will be before I see you like this again... so I had to say it. "