Chapter Text
He was sick of it. He was so sick of being treated differently just because he had become a household name. Don't get him wrong, he loved the attention and the support and the love but sometimes, well, most of the time, when he met people, they would treat him differently. He thought that after years of being in the entertainment industry that he would be used to this, but he wasn't; he isn't and he knows that he never will be.
He was plucked out from a small town in this huge country and dumped right smack in the capital years ago. From the minute his promotional pictures were featured on the first broadcast on the most popular show in the country, people in school started treating him differently. Initially he loved it. He loved the attention and the popularity that came with the fame but once he realised that the boys in his class only wanted to be seen with him to increase their popularity and boast that they were friends with a famous superstar, the excitement died down. He realised that it was the same for the girls. They only wanted to take pictures and try to get with him just so they could say that they had. They never wanted to get to know the real him or what his hobbies were. He was sure that they didn't even know his favourite colour. It hurt the most when they tried to get close to him to get with their favourite band member.
People were only interested with the fame, not him.
They didn't know what it's really like. They just see the good parts. They see the money and the people throwing themselves at you, the presents and the love. They don't see the hardwork, or the adversity. They don't see the late nights or sleep deprivation or the crazy diets they were put through. They don't see the cuts or the bruises or the lack of privacy. Of course they wouldn't see it. How could they? Every single time he stepped outside the comfort of his own apartment, he has to plaster a smile. That's what this business was about - Selling yourself.
He couldn't take it anymore. That's why he was on this train. Where it was going, he didn't know. He didn't have either his personal phone or the company phone, and all he had was some cash that he took out of the ATM near the company before breaking it into little pieces and scattering the card into various trash cans. He just wanted to escape. He couldn't do this anymore. He knew that was he was doing was wrong, and the fact that he left in the middle of the night when everyone else was sleeping was even worse. He could imagine the situation in the morning and knew that not only would everyone be disappointed in him, but they would be hurt as well. He couldn't think about that right now. If he did...He might just change his mind, and that wasn't what he wanted.
He just wanted a break...Was that too much to ask for?
He's been at this since he was 14...He's 22 now. For 8 years he's had to endure getting barely any sleep, being betrayed, being used, being passed from one interviewer to the other, going from performing on stage to running in the airport to catch a plane. He's had to read the most brutal comments about things that he can't change. Having to see his own bandmates that has become family to him, cry and breakdown, sometimes almost have to go to the hospital from sheer exhaustion. But of course, no one but them knew that.
"Excuse me?" He heard.
He sighed. If this person was going to ask for an autograph or a picture or even if he was that one guy she saw on tv, he was going to scream.
He turned to look at her, visibly annoyed. He didn't even know when the compartment door opened. Before she said anything further, she took a step back. looked up at the number and nodded to herself.
"Yeah, you're in my seat!" She said, with a smile on her face. "Well, my compartment to be more specific. Compartment 23."
He didn't even know her, yet he was annoyed at how bubbly she was. Unlike her, he was trying to wallow in his own sadness and self pity. Her bubbly personality reminded him too much of someone he knew and in a couple of hours when he gets up, someone he was going to disappoint and hurt.
He was waiting for it to click in her head, the fact that she was talking to The Jeon Jungkook...But it didn't. She simply stared at him and waited for a response that wasn't coming.
"That's my seat." She said. pointing to where he was sitting, "I reserved this whole compartment...So..."
He cocked his eyebrow, realising that she didn't recognise him. That's certainly a first.
"Hello?" She tried again, waving her hand in front of him, cocking her head to one side before asking, "Do you speak English? Umm..I don't really know any other language..."
He sighed, looking out the window, blatantly ignoring her. He knew it was rude but at this point, he really didn't care. He was on this train and going wherever the hell this train was going. He needed to be alone, away from prying eyes and flashes of camera.
"Oh," She said as if realising something.
He braced himself for her reaction, thinking that maybe she figured his identity out.
"He must be hard of hearing," She said out loud.
He didn't know how to react to that, but he just ignored her, going into his own thoughts instead. Lord knows he has a lot of them - 8 years worth, if he was being precise.
He heard her close the compartment door and from the window could vaguely see that she was pulling her luggage inside to put on the top. She was struggling and he let out a sigh. He got up and helped her put her heavy luggage on the rack before sitting back down and looking out the window again.
"Thanks, buddy!" She said, cheerily, "I'm definitely going to let you stay now! Not that I was going to kick you out before. Mom always said to share and even though I paid for this compartment, it's not fair to kick you out. But I'm not going to force you to stay in here either, you know, if you don't want to? Oh, I'm not trying to get you leave either...Oh no, what am I saying?"
He rolled his eyes at her words. What was she saying? God, did she ever shut up?
"I'm Nora. Nora Mei," She introduced, looking at him. "I'm half Asian, if you couldn't already tell."
He couldn't convey how much he truly and deeply, didn't give a shit. If ignoring her this entire time wasn't working, he wasn't sure what would anymore.
"And you are...?" She said, waiting for a response, knowing that she wouldn't get one. She wanted to try anyway. "You are interesting that's for sure."
He felt a little push before the scenery outside started to change rapidly - The train was moving. There was no turning back now.
"Oh we're moving!" She exclaimed excitedly, rushing to the window, right in front of him and staring outside with awe. "You know, I've always loved trains. I love the fact that in every single seat there is someone with a different story and different personality and different experiences. Like you and I for example! We have two completely different stories! I'm a 22 year old half Asian, half Caucasian girl who had to take two trains and a bus to go home to the middle of nowhere to see her whole family. Isn't that amazing? What's your sto- Hey where are you going?"
He couldn't take it anymore. She was too loud, too nice and way too annoying for the mood that he was in right now. All he wanted was some peace and quiet! Was that too much to ask for?
He darted out of the room as fast as he could and walked all the way to the back of the train cart. He opened that door and could immediately feel the breeze from how fast the train was going. He sighed in content. This was all he wanted.
He looked down and could see that even in the dark, in the middle of the night, the stones and gravel that was lined up with the train tracks. He held on to the balcony tightly, a small part of him imagining what it would be like if he just jumped.
"Hey!" He heard from behind him, startling him, "You can't be out here."
"Sorry," He mumbled, barely audible.
"Where's your ticket?" The ticket collector asked, bringing him inside and closing the door behind him. The stench of cigarette's filling up his nose.
He didn't answer, only looked at the lock that was now on the door.
"Ticket!" The plump man repeated, words harsher this time.
"Hey, where did you go?" Nora said, walking up to him and the ticket collector.
"Do you know him?" The ticket collector asked.
"Yeah!" She answered all too quickly, "He's in my compartment."
"Ticket." The man demanded from her.
"Here," She said, handing him the now crumpled up ticket from her pocket. The man simply hummed in acknowledgement before stubbing the ticket.
"Don't go out there again." He told the younger boy before moving on to the next person to ask for their ticket.
She walked a few steps before turning around to see him looking at the floor, deep in thought.
"You coming?" She asked.
He said nothing but followed her anyway, walking a few steps behind her. She opened the compartment door and left it open for him to walk through, plopping herself down on one end of the compartment, away from the window while he closed the door behind her. He sat down, looking out the window again.
"So, what's your deal dude?" She asked, voice dripping with excitement and curiosity, "You don't have a ticket. You don't say a word. I know you're not deaf or mute. I'm going to bet all the money in my savings that you don't even know where this train is going and you haven't cracked a smile since I first saw you. Are you a spy?! A serial killer?! A government agent?! Oh my god! You're my FBI Agent, aren't you? No wait, are you-"
"Will you shut up!" He screamed, her constant blabbering and rambling getting too much for him, "I don't care where you're going or who you are! I don't care that you're a mixed child or any child or even picked up from the damn brothel! I don't care what or who you find interesting! You don't need to know every single god damned detail about me and I don't need to know jackshit about you! So, for once in your damn life, would you just shut up!"
He could see that she was taken aback, her mouth gaping slightly as if she needed time to process that he just snapped. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He didn't mean to snap at her, but he was at his breaking point already. There was a lot of pent up anger and he just released a fraction of it to her. His face was filled with regret.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" He started to say but she cut him off.
"The brothel part was uncalled for," She said with a small smile.
"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I was just having a bad day and-" He said but she cut him off.
"That's okay!" She said with a bright smile, as if the whole exchange didn't happen, "Believe it or not this happens a lot. People think that I'm really easy to talk to but sometimes I push too hard and they snap but then they tell me everything. Just like how in college, this girl, Hannah..."
He let out a huge breath, getting more and more annoyed with every word she spoke. How could she keep talking? Does this girl even have an off switch? He leaned against the window, looking at whatever little light illuminated scenery he could, trying to drown her out.
~~~~~
She blinked her eyes opened, and brought her hand to her mouth, wiping any drool off while scanning the compartment.
Empty.
She blinked again, scanning the room before her eyes darted to the window. It was brightly lit, but rather than with sunlight, she could recognise that they were stopped at a station. She opened the door of the compartment and saw a man on his phone outside.
"Hey, sorry to bother you, but why have we stopped?" She asked, walking towards him.
"There was some problem with the engine," He answered.
"How long have we been here?"
"Just a couple of minutes," He said, "We should be done in another 5 minutes, give or take."
"Thanks," She said with a smile, one foot in the door before she turned around, "You haven't by any chance seen the guy that was in this compartment have you? He has black hair, lean and built, kind of broody and about this tall?"
The man laughed, "He just left actually. You should probably tell him to come back otherwise he'll miss the train."
"Thank you!" She said and walked the same direction as the man pointed her to.
She practically ran out of the train and onto the station, her eyes quickly searching the area, looking for him. Him. She didn't even know his name, or what he looked like smiling. She didn't know who he was or what he was going through or even what his favourite colour was. She just knew that he was alone and as much as he looked like he wanted to be alone; she knew that he didn't want to be lonely.
She knows she's prying, but she can't help it. He looks sad. She doesn't like sad.
"Hey!" She screamed, trying to get his attention but failing. She quickly looked back at the train, having left all her stuff there, running out with only the clothes on her back.
"You! Broody boy!" She yelled again, running towards his figure that was still walking out of the train station, "Hey! Broody dude! The train is about to leave!"
"Last call!" She heard behind her which made her sprint faster towards him.
"Hey!" She said, pulling on his coat that was hanging off the back of his shoulder. "Dude."
He turned around, exasperated.
"Train," She said panting in front of him, still with a smile on her face, "Going to leave."
He cocked his eyebrow at her as if to say 'So what?'
"Come on," She urged, "We have to go."
"There is no we." He said curtly.
"I'm just making sure that you don't miss the train," She said.
"I didn't ask you to do that."
Before she could say anything, she heard the chugging of the train and audibly gasped. She turned around and saw the train slowly making its way out of the station.
"Hey!" She screamed after the train, running away from Broody Boy and towards the train, screaming for someone to stop it and let her in. "Stop the train! Stop the train! Stop!"
She watched as the train, filled with all her luggage, her wallet, her phone, her important documents and her money and identity cards, rode away from her with no possibility of coming back.
Devastated, she ran an anxious hand through her hair and fisted it in annoyance. She was all alone, in a station, in the middle of nowhere with no help and no money or a chance to get help. From the corner of her eye, she saw Broody Boy looking at her. He rolled his eyes and started to walk away.
"Hey! You!" She screamed, anger bubbling over. "Broody boy!"
He ignored her, yet again.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" She said, stomping over towards him.
"What?" He spat out.
"Don't talk to me that way!" She said to him.
"What could you possibly want now?"
"You're going to drop me home." She said.
"What?" He asked, eyebrow cocking up.
"You are going to drop me to my front door step of my home!" She demanded, "And don't think I'm giving up so easily. I'm half Asian and half Caucasian. Those Susan memes you see of that chick going up to the cashier and asking for the manager - That's me but worse."
"I'm not doing anything for you," He scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Yes you are!" She said, standing firm.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because this is all your fault!" She yelled as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"How is any of this my fault? Did I ask you to come looking for me? No. Did I ask for your help? No. Did I ask for your life story? No." He said, listing things one by one, watching her face fall, as if she were losing hope, "You being a busybody, is not my fault. You missing your train, certainly not my fault either."
"If it wasn't for your brooding ass that's acting as if his whole world is crumbling down, none of this would've happened." She said.
"For all you know my world could be crumbling down," He told her.
"You and your woe is me attitude are dropping me home." She said before threatening, "Or else..."
"Or else what?" He challenged.
"I'll scream bloody murder."
"That's not going to work," He scoffed.
"Would you place your freedom on it?" She said, cocking an eyebrow. "Think about it, Adam Broody. A girl, not that ugly looking, screaming that some stranger in the middle of nowhere is trying to do something to her. With everything that's happening in the news today, do you think you're going to be safe?"
Shit. She got him.
She may not know who he is, but if someone recognises him... Not only would his career be over, but so would the rest of the bands. He couldn't do that to them.
"Fine." He said, conceding, "I'll drop you home."
She smiled innocently, as if she didn't just threaten his whole existence, "Yay! I knew you were good deep down, Broody Jenner."
"Not my name." He mumbled.
"Then what is?" She asked.
"Where do you live?" He asked, ignoring her question.
"Two trains and a bus away!"
"That's not a place..." He sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Rokdel." She said.
"Bless you."
"What?"
"Didn't you just sneeze?" He asked.
"What? No." She said, rolling her eyes, "My town. It's called Rokdel."
"I've never heard of it." He said.
"Have you ever heard of Aarskog Syndrome?" She asked.
"No?"
"Exactly," She said, "Just because you never heard of it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
He looked at his watch. It's been exactly 4 minutes since she's been standing here and already he was sick of her shit.
"Where is this Rockefeller place, anyway?"
"Rokdel." She corrected.
He just looked at her, impatience written all over his face.
"Broody and impatient," She said, "You're quite the catch."
"Could say the same about you, annoying and talkative."
"Aww, you think I'm a catch!"
"That's not what I..." He started to say but she didn't care.
"There's no transport till morning," She said.
"How do you know?" He asked.
"Well genius, we're standing in the middle of an empty train station with no conductor, no passengers, no sign of life and most importantly, all the signboards are not working." She said, pointing at the sign board, "Do you think there's going to be any more trains tonight?"
"Fine, guess we just have to look for a place to stay tonight." He said, looking for a way out.
"You know, Dean Broody," She said, "You still haven't told me your name and there are only so many famous Brody's I know to make fun of you with."
"I found the exit," He said, ignoring her.
"You can't keep ignoring me forever," She told him.
"Watch me."
"Hah! You cracked!" She said, excitedly.
"Jungkook." He said, hoping she wouldn't recognise him. He immediately regretted his decision, thinking he should have told her that his name was Jeon instead.
"Hi Jungkook!" She greeted with a bright smile. She stuck her hand out at him, "I'm Nora! Nora Mei."
"I know." He said, climbing the stairs. "You've practically told me your whole life story."
"When someone offers their hand, it's only polite to shake it," She told him, not moving from the step she was on.
He rolled her eyes at her, climbing the stairs some more. He almost got to the top when he turned back and saw her standing on the same step, with her arm still stuck out. "You coming?"
"I'm not moving until you shake my hand."
"You're acting like a child," He scoffed.
"And you're being rude but you don't see me complaining, now do you?"
"It's just a handshake," He said, "Don't be so petty. Come on, I have to get you home so I can get away from you."
"If it's just a handshake then why aren't you shaking my hand?"
"Oh my f-" He swore under his breath and climbed down the stairs, shaking her hand.
"Was that so hard Adrien Broody?" She teased.
"You already know my name, what's with the Brody?"
"Eh, I had one more in me," She said, shrugging her shoulders and walking up the stairs.
Jungkook shook his head, wondering how he even got in this mess.
All he had to do was get this girl home and then he could finally be alone.