Chapter 15 - White Dwarf

Chapter 15 – White Dwarf

Soujin sat down at her desk at the nurse's station and began to make her usual round of phone calls. It was getting more and more difficult these days to track her brother's location. It took about twelve excruciating phone calls before she could get a lock on Jackson's where abouts. Since their parents had kicked him out of the house a year ago, he had been couch surfing and committing petty crimes to feed his growing drug habit. Soujin, ever the supportive loving sister, would track him down weekly to give him money, make sure he was eating, and of course beg him to enter treatment. Each time she traveled to visit Jackson, she was risking her own personal health and safety. But she didn't care. She was willing to risk everything if it meant even the smallest chance of saving Jackson's life.

Soujin tracked Jackson to a seedy part of Busan's underbelly. He was shacking up with a bunch of gang members who sold drugs. Jackson didn't belong there. He was a sweet, beautiful kid who just lost his way. He didn't need to be with these criminals.

Soujin's job as a nurse kept her busy and there were times where she worked very long hours. She kept a place in Seoul near the hospitoal so she could crash during the week. During the weekends, she traveled back home to Busan to spend time with her family. Eventually, once things settled down with Jackson, she would move to Seoul full time.

Soujin was all set. She had her train ticket, Jackson's location and a basket full of food to take to him. Before she got up from her desk, she made one last call.

"Hello." A deep voice answered the phone.

"Hi, it's me" Soujin replied.

"Hi Jinny," his tone was merose.

"How are we looking this week?" Soujin inquired.

"We have space for him Jinny. If by any miracle you can get here, we can take him. We have space in our rehab facility."

"Great, thanks Tony," Soujin was about to say goodbye when Tony spoke again.

"Jinny, why do you do this to yourself? People can't be helped unless they want it. Jackson clearly doesn't want it. Why do you keep getting your hopes up, only to be disappointed again? I hate seeing you hurt like this." Tony seemed to be pleading with Soujin to reconsider her plan where Jackson was concerned.

"Tony, I'm all he has. If I give up on him, who'll help him? Who'll save him? He's my brother. He's my best friend, I 'll never give up on him." Soujin sighed heavily as she explained herself for what seemed to be the 100th time.

"Soujin some people can't be helped." Tony was not successful at completing his sentence.

"Good bye Tony," Soujin hung up the phone. She looked at her cell phone and threw up the deuces to Tony after she hung up on him.

Jungkook and Jackson had been best friends practically since birth. Through the age of about thirteen, they were absolutely inseparable. You rarely saw one without the other. Jackson always fully supported Jungkook and his decision to pursue being an Idol. He was immensely happy for Junkook when his dream finally came true.

Jackson, motivated by Jungkook, decided that he too would try auditioning for one of the agencies. He and a few of his other friends spoke often to Jungkook about it and tried to get advice. But even though Jackson was exceptionally handsome, he had very little talent anywhere else. He couldn't sing nor dance. He just didn't have the skills needed to compete against the top talent in South Korea. His dream of becoming and Idol fizzled over time. To make matters worse, all of Jackson's friends from his old gang were accepted into the agency and went on to become Idols. Zicco, Jungkook and Chris were now all living in Seoul. When Jackson's friends were around, he seemed to have more purpose to his life. But when they all left him, things became less clear and Jackson began to flouder. The day that Jackson's friends left Busan was the day his downward spiral began.

A couple of years back, before Zico and Chris left to begin Idol training, they traveled to Seoul to visit Jungkook. What started as a heartfelt reunion, ended in a calamity that would forever affect Jackson and Jungkook's friendship. It was during this time that Jackson discovered that Jungkook was gay. Jackson grew up in a household where homosexually was considered the greatest sin one could commit against humanity. He had no tolerance for it and was not accepting it from Jungkook. He begged Jungkook to deny the rumors that were floating about him and his sexuality. Jungkook admitted the truth to Jackson and never showed any sign of remorse. Despite their history, despite their closeness, despite everything, Jackson wanted nothing further to do with him once he found out the truth. It was the last time that Jackson ever spoke to his best friend. Losing Jungkook as a friend took a toll on Jackson. He really began to question alot of things.

Jackson was at a lost for what to do with his life. He was a poor student, especially when compared to his older sister and younger brother who were both top of class. Jackson always felt that he was his parent's least favorite child because of his studies. Unfortunately, Jackson seemed to live up to his parent's perception through his constant reckless behavior. By his Junior year, Jackson had completely dropped out of school. His sister, parents and brother all begged him to return, but Jackson stubbornly refused to do so.

With no education, no job, no money and no plan, Jackson found it difficult to make his way. Jackson was just living. Eventually he began hanging with a crowd who shared his wayward ways. He began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. He even began committing petty crimes such as assault and vandalism. His drug use became so prevalent that it began to affect he who he was fundamentally. Jackson's life without drugs was challenging, but he had a fighting chance to overcome. Jacksons life with drugs was hopeless and sad. It was his sister Soujin who never gave up on him.

Soujin and Jackson were as close as two siblings could be. Soujin adored her younger brothers, especially Jackson. He was smart, funny, intellilgent, innocent and loving. Which is why it was particularly hard for her to watch what was happening to him. Soujin had a front row seat to his demise. She did everything she could to keep him focused and keep him out of trouble. She wanted desperately to save her little brother. She even kidnapped him one weekend and attempted to stage a detox alone with him in a hotel. Jackson's behavior towards her was horrible. He frightened her so much, that she eventually called the police. It was right after that incident that his parents kicked him out of the house for good.

Jackson was up all night drinking. He was passed out drunk laying on a couch that belonged to a person he barely knew. He wasn't even sure of the name of the guy who was allowing him to bunk there, but he was part of Jackson's gang, so he trusted him.

Soujin's uber driver refused to take her all the way to the location listed on her pick up. He noted due to "safety concerns" that he was dropping her off at an alternate location. Soujin wasn't surprised. This wasn't the first time that she had been abandoned while visiting some seedy hell hole in search of her brother. Soujin walked fearlessly through the streets as she followed her GPS to Jackson's exact location. One safety precaution that Soujin did take was to heavily arm herself whenever she visisted any these locations. She carred a Glock twenty-six 9mm hand gun in her purse. She was highly trained on how to shoot and her aim was impeccable. Although Soujin trusted most in her city of Busan, she always had a back up plan in case anyone decided to misbehave.

She arrived at the location. She went up to the door and knocked loudly. Soujin never knew what to expect when she visited these random locations. This visit had her particularly anxious because Jackson was in the company of well known drug dealers. She had no idea the extent of their criminality, but she knew that this group was out of Jackson's league. Jackson could handle himself around petty criminals and criminally minded idiots, but he had no idea how to deal with the big boys. Soujin worried his safety. Her plan was to push extra hard to try to get Jackson to leave with her.

Soujin knocked a second time. She heard a booming voice yell, "Jackson, get the fuck up and get the door!"

A few moments later, Soujin's little brother Jackson opened the door. His face lit up when he saw her. "Jinny! What are you doing here? How did you find me here?"

"I always find you, you jerk. Move" Soujin pushed her way past Jackson into the stranger's home.

She made herself comfortable on the couch and motioned for Jackson to come and sit next to her.

"How are you Bub? "

"Im fine, doing great. I haven't touched the stuff in two days." Jackson said proudly.

"Yeah, you're just drunk out of your mind instead." Soujin pushed, "Listen, I need you to come with me. Jackson," She leaned closer to him to whisper, "Jackson, I've been looking into these people you're staying with and it's not safe here. You have to come with me Jackson."

Jackson began shaking his head in irritation. "Not this again Jinny. Do you ever change your tune? I told you, I'm fine. I'm not on the stuff right now, I'm safe here with my friends. I'm not going anywhere."

"But Jackson, please. Jackson, you have to listen to me. They're dangerous." Soujin pleaded again.

"What's in the basket?" Jackson ignored her and changed the subject.

"Will you at least consider rehab Jackson? At least consider it? I'll be there with you everyday. It's all paid for, I covered the entire expense, all you have to do is show up. Jackson, will you do that?" Soujin was sinking fast. The fresh opportunity to save her brother, had now grown stale and fallen into failed repeated patterns of the past.

"What 's in the basket?" Jackson said again.

Soujin was crushed. But she put on her best fake smile and feigned excitement about sharing her basket of goodies with Jackson.

"Well, let's see. I've got some fresh ramen, it's cold now. You'll have to heat it. Spicy Kimchi, your favorite. Some of the shrimp fried rice from that place Jungkook took us in downtown Seoul. Remember that? It's not too far from the hospital so I go there a lot."

Jackson winced at the sound of Jungkook's name. Soujin noticed his reaction and cut short her break down of the basket contents.

"Well just look through it, there is a lot of really good stuff in there. Take your time and eat it all. It's all yours. You look quite pale Jackson. Let me check you over really quickly." Soujin closed the basket and pushed it to the side and removed her nursing bag.

She quickly took Jackson's pulse and blood pressure. She also checked his eyes, his throat and his skin for needle marks. Nothing Soujin uncovered was good news. She decided to make one last push to get Jackson to leave with her.

"I think it would be really good if we checked you into a hospital Bub. You're not doing so great Jackson." Soujin said somberly.

"Soujin, I told you. I'm happy. I'm stable and I'm with friends. I don't need you acting like my Mother. Maybe you should leave."

And with that Soujin was done. She knew not to press her limits. Jackson, in either a drug induced or alcohol induced state, was not the sweet kind passive brother she knew and loved; he was someone completely unpredictable, angry and possibly deadly.

She got up, gave Jackson a kiss. "If you need anything. You call me. You still have your cell phone?"

"It's around here somewhere" Jackson said lazily

"Ok, then, call me if you need anything or if you want to come home or if you just want to talk. Here's $300 to help you get through the week. This money is for food, not for drugs or alcohol. I'll be back again next week Bub. I love you Jackson. I love you my precious brother."

"I love you too Jinny. Thank you." He gave his sister a hug.

Soujin walked away. Once again, she had failed. She knew in her heart that she didn't have too many more chances to save her brother. Each wasted opportunity was another step towards his demise. She knew she had to succeed soon. Soujin walked alone through the seedy neighborhood until she got to a location where an Uber would finally agree to pick her up. She rode home to her parents in tears.

A tall thin man stepped out into the living area where Jackson was sitting.

"Who was at the door man? Sounded like a lady?" The man said.

"Yeah, that was my sister. She brought me some food and stuff," Jackson replied

"Hey,did I hear you two say something about Jungkook? THE Jungkook as in OT7 Jungkook?"

"Yeah, that Jungkook, but don't speak that freak's name please," Jackson laughed uncomfortably.

"A word of advice, you may not want to speak that freak's name, but that freak is a millionaire. If you want to change this shitty situation of poor homelessness, that freak may be someone you need to leverage."

"No thank you. I'd rather crash on strangers' couches for the rest of my life. Hey, uhh, have we met? You look real familiar" Jackson looked at the tall stranger.

"I'm Mark. You've been living in my fucking house for two weeks. You really don't even know my name? You need to stop doing drugs bruh, like for real." Mark shook his head in disguist and headed into his kitchen.

Jackson sat back on the couch. He thought about Mark's words. Maybe there was an opportunity to leverage his relationship with Jungkook to get some money out of it. Jackson knew that he couldn't just come out and ask him for money. Jimin would never allow that. But maybe…maybe there was another way to milk them for a little of that cash they so happily threw around.