Shattered (The Secret Life of JK)

CHAPTER 4

~JUNGKOOK~

The police don't know what to do with him. JUNGKOOK is too old or too young. The cops don't want to throw him in jail, but they haven't released him yet, either. JUNGKOOK sits in the police station after questioning that took too long. He didn't say much. There wasn't much to say.

The police station is busy even though it's getting late. It seems like the later it gets, the more stupid people become. JUNGKOOK is sitting in an old beat up wooden chair by the detective's desk. The cop sits next to him filling out paperwork, not saying much. JUNGKOOK's gaze is carefully placed on the floor where it can't attract trouble. His arms are folded over his chest and he's slumped back in his seat. There isn't anything that he wouldn't give to be somewhere else. This trip, this whole damn night, is going to ruin his shot at the army. JUNGKOOK stares at his toe, the once-white part of his Converse, as he thinks that plan was shot to hell anyway. Y/N loves him. Y/N wants to be with him.

And now this.

JUNGKOOK rubs his hands over his face and back through his hair. He stretches and looks over at the cop. "Can I go?" He's polite. It's a stupid question. After everything that happened, JUNGKOOK's sure they won't release him.

"Not yet, kid. Let me finish this and you can sign it. If the girl's family presses charges, we'll deal with it then. I don't want to throw you in a cell with the guys that are in there tonight. Too much shit has happened. They'll rip you apart before you even get a chance to turn around." The cop has a wrinkled dress shirt on. His tie is loosened around his neck. His face is covered in wrinkles and his skin weathered like old leather. There are too many creases and he has that smoky smell that comes from lighting up too many times each day. The cop doesn't look up at JUNGKOOK.

This is the first time anyone told him what was going on. Since they dragged him into the station, no one said anything to him. JUNGKOOK doesn't want to ask, but he can't help it. "Did they say if they're going to press charges?"

The cop nods, not looking up from his paperwork. "Not yet, but she's a minor. They'll probably talk to their lawyer in the morning and we'll hear back then." He glances up at JUNGKOOK and points a pen at the string of bruises blossoming around JUNGKOOK's neck. "From the look of things, it could have been a lot worse. You're lucky."

JUNGKOOK laughs. The sound is so bitter that he can taste it. "If that was lucky - "

The cop cuts him off. He looks straight at JUNGKOOK and narrows his eyes. "Damn right, it was lucky. Lucky she showed up. Lucky your old man didn't break her ribs. Lucky you're still breathing. You were lucky, JUNGKOOK. No one else stepped in. That parking lot was filled with people. They all minded their own business and let your dad strangle you. That girl saved your ass." His old eyes hold JUNGKOOK's for a moment and his expression softens. "If you've got some family you can stay with until you graduate, do it. These things don't end well. Once you pass that point, once you fight back, there's just going to be more of it." JUNGKOOK holds the cop's gaze for a second and nods.

JUNGKOOK gets what the detective is saying. Don't go home.

JUNGKOOK slides down further in the seat. His arms are flexed tightly across his chest with his head lowered. It's the only way to hide the marks on his neck. He swallows hard and waits, thinking. Too many thoughts, too many images flood his mind. Everything in his life sucks, everything expect Y/N.

When JUNGKOOK thinks about what she did, how she raced in like she wasn't the least bit afraid - oh God. If there was a rewind button on life, JUNGKOOK would press it. He would go back and delete the whole thing. If he'd never went home, this wouldn't have happened. As it is, it kills him that Y/N was hurt and he couldn't stop it.