Chapter 38

                                    

                                          
Y/n sat at her desk, eyes glazed over as the bright glow of her laptop screen illuminated the light newsroom. The cursor blinked at her mockingly on a blank page titled: "The Best Parks for Weekend Picnics".
Parks for picnics, she thought with a sigh, dragging a hand down her face. How am I supposed to write about picnics when my entire life is falling apart?
She hadn't responded to Jungkook's texts all day. She couldn't. Every time she heard her phone vibrate, her chest tightened, and her heart started racing. She couldn't face him -not yet. Not after what she had found in his office. The days that followed consisted of her checking through her peephole whether he was near her door just so she'd be able to escape without having to face him. 
A noise from across the room startled her, making her jump slightly. She glanced up, only to see Jackie standing at the edge of the cubicle, arms crossed, watching her with a look that screamed "I'm worried".
—You okay? —Jackie asked, stepping closer.
—Yeah —Y/n swallowed hard, forcing a smile—. Just... trying to focus.
—Y/n, you've been sitting in front of that laptop for hours —Jackie raised an eyebrow, unimpressed—, and you haven't written a single word.
Y/n opened her mouth to protest but realized her friend was right. She hadn't written anything. She couldn't. Her thoughts were stuck in a whirlwind of Jungkook, her brother, and the revelation that had shattered the fragile trust they'd built. How could she even begin to concentrate?
—I'm fine, seriously —she muttered, turning back to her screen—. Just a lot on my mind.
Jackie didn't budge. Instead, she walked over and perched herself on the edge of Y/n's desk, eyeing her closely. 
—Is this about Jungkook?
Y/n stiffened at the mention of Jungkook, biting her lip to keep from reacting. Of course, Jackie had figured it out. She was sharp, and Y/n had been anything but subtle. She'd been a mess ever since that day at the gym.
—Look —Jackie continued, her tone softer now—, whatever's going on, it's eating you alive. You need to deal with it, because this —she gestured at the screen— isn't helping. Avoiding the guy isn't going to solve anything.
—I'm not avoiding him —Y/n lied quickly.
—Sure —Jackie gave her a knowing look—. And I'm the Queen of England.
Ever since their argument, Jungkook had been waiting in front of the building, with a clear distressed look on his face while he hopefully checked on every person who walked out the door. Jackie had seen him a few times that week, while also knowing that Y/n was staying in the office longer than usual. Or, at least, longer than she stayed ever since she started being serious about Jungkook. 
It didn't take her older coworker too much thought to understand what was going on between them. 
—I just... —Y/n let out a frustrated sigh, slumping back in her chair— I don't know what to do. It's complicated.
—Complicated how?
She trusted a person she shouldn't have trusted. She should've listened to her inner self when she kept telling herself Jungkook was bad news. Yet she decided to give him a chance, to try and see through that first impression she got of him, because he was offering her a safe space that she craved and needed. 
—We are giving each other some space —she finally said. 
—Does your boyfriend know about its meaning or am I missing something?