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The Next Morning:
Taehyung woke up first, feeling a weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and saw someone in a mask lying next to him. Jungkook had been pushed aside. Taehyung's mind raced as he tried to piece together the events of the previous night. He got up and looked at himself in the mirror, touching the hickeys on his neck. A smile formed on his face as tears welled up in his eyes. It was the first time he had such a fulfilling experience. He took off his mask and put on his clothes.
Before leaving, Taehyung glanced back at the bed where the masked figure lay. He approached him quietly, his heart pounding with a mix of gratitude and confusion. "Thank you," Taehyung whispered, "for everything last night. I'm feeling so good."
But suddenly, an urge to see the person's face overcame him. Slowly, he reached out and removed the mask. His eyes widened in shock. "J-Jungkook?" Taehyung's voice cracked. He dropped the mask, his hands trembling uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.
Memories of their past came flooding back. Taehyung felt paralyzed with fear and confusion. He turned to leave, but Jungkook's deep voice stopped him. "Wait, where are you going?"
Taehyung closed his eyes, his body shaking. He tried to respond, his voice barely above a whisper. "I-I thought it was just a one-night stand... I should go."
He took a step towards the door but froze when Jungkook's arms wrapped around him from behind. "Why are you shaking so much?" Jungkook asked softly. "Let me see your face."
Jungkook gently turned Taehyung around. His grip on Taehyung's waist loosened as he took in Taehyung's tearful expression. His eyes widened in shock. "Taehyung? Is it really you?"
Taehyung looked down, his tears flowing uncontrollably. Jungkook's concern grew, and he cupped Taehyung's face gently. "Hey, don't cry," Jungkook said softly. "What's wrong? Talk to me."
"Please don't hit me," Taehyung begged, his voice trembling with fear. "I know I didn't expect it to be you, and I didn't want it to end like this."
Jungkook's heart sank as he recalled the pain he had caused Taehyung in the past. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wiped Taehyung's face gently with his thumbs. "I'm so sorry, Taehyung," Jungkook said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I was an idiot. I hurt you, and I regret every single moment of it. I can't change the past, but I want to make things right. I want to be with you. I know I messed up, but please, just give me a chance to prove that I've changed."
Taehyung's breathing grew ragged as he shook his head, pushing Jungkook away. "No, you don't understand," Taehyung said through his tears. "I thought this was supposed to be a fresh start. I didn't expect to see you here. It's too much. I can't handle this right now."
Jungkook fell to his knees, his body trembling with regret. "Taehyung, please," he cried out. "I know I've made mistakes, but don't walk away from me. Let me show you that I've changed. I'm willing to do anything to make up for the pain I caused you."
Taehyung ran from the room, his cries echoing through the hall. Jungkook remained on the floor, overwhelmed by his own remorse, the weight of his past actions heavy on his shoulders.
~ Time skip after 2 days ~
For the past two days, Taehyung had locked himself away in his room, the walls of his sanctuary becoming a prison of tears. He sat curled up on the bed, staring at the ceiling, the weight of his past crashing down on him in waves. His cries were soft, but constant, and his parents were beside themselves with worry.
Mrs. Kim knocked softly for what felt like the hundredth time. "Tae... please, sweetheart, come out. Talk to us. Whatever it is, we can work through it."
There was no response. Taehyung remained still, his face buried in his knees.
Mrs. Kim's voice cracked as she spoke through the door, "Do you want some soup? You haven't eaten in two days. Just... say something, anything."
Inside, Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, wishing the world would stop. The memories, the guilt, the heartache-it all circled in his mind like a storm he couldn't escape.
Downstairs, Mr. Kim was pacing back and forth, his face a mix of worry and frustration. "This is the third day! He hasn't said a word. What happened to him, Jimin? You must know something!"
Jimin, who was sitting anxiously on the couch, ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know! He's been quiet, distant. I've tried talking to him, but he won't open up to me either. I'm as lost as you are."
Mr. Kim sighed, rubbing his temples. "He's never been like this before. Not even when the company went under. This... this is different."
Meanwhile, Jungkook had learned everything about Taehyung's situation over the past few days. He had spent countless hours digging into Taehyung's history, learning the painful details of how Kim Corporation had crumbled. The more he uncovered, the heavier the guilt weighed on his chest. He knew he had hurt Taehyung, maybe even destroyed him.
Jungkook stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his black jacket, his reflection staring back at him with uncertainty. "How do I face him after all this?" he muttered to himself, his fingers trembling slightly. But he knew he had to try. He couldn't let things stay the way they were.
With a deep breath, he left his apartment and headed straight to the Kim residence. Once there, he stood at the door for a moment, gathering his thoughts before pressing the doorbell.
The sound echoed through the house, and moments later, Mrs. Kim opened the door. The surprise on her face quickly turned to anger when she saw Jungkook standing there.
"Y-You... What are you doing here?" she stammered, her eyes narrowing as they took in his presence.
Jungkook bowed deeply, showing his respect. "I've come to meet Taehyung, Mrs. Kim," he said softly.
"Meet him?" she scoffed, her voice filled with bitterness. "Why would you want to meet him now, after everything? After you destroyed his life?" She crossed her arms over her chest, standing firm in the doorway.
Jungkook flinched at her words, but he kept his voice steady. "I know I've hurt him. I know I'm responsible for his pain. But please, I just want to apologize. I need to see him."
Mrs. Kim's eyes blazed. "Apologize? After four years, you finally have the decency to apologize? What makes you think he'll even want to hear it now?" She clenched her fists, her lips trembling with emotion.
Before Jungkook could respond, Mr. Kim stormed into the hallway, his voice booming. "Get lost, Jungkook!" he roared, his face red with fury. "You think you can waltz back into his life and everything will be fine? You're not welcome here. Not now, not ever."
Jungkook swallowed hard, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I'm begging you. Please, just let me talk to him. I know I can't undo the past, but I want to make it right."
Mr. Kim took a step forward, his voice filled with venom. "Right? You think an apology will fix what you broke? Get out of here, Jungkook. And don't come back."
With a heavy heart, Jungkook turned and walked away. But he wasn't ready to give up. Every day for the next week, he returned to the Kim house, each time hoping that Taehyung would come out, or that his parents would give him a chance. But each time, they refused him entry.
Inside the house, Taehyung was well aware of Jungkook's daily visits. He listened from his room, his heart pounding every time he heard Jungkook's voice outside. But the pain of the past kept him rooted in place, unable to face the man who had hurt him so deeply.
Tonight, the rain was pouring down, drenching the streets. Jungkook stood outside the Kim residence again, staring up at Taehyung's window, unmoving despite the cold rain soaking through his clothes. His body trembled, but he refused to leave, even as hours passed.
Upstairs, Taehyung peered through the curtains, watching Jungkook stand there, drenched. His chest tightened at the sight.
Mrs. Kim sat at the kitchen table, her voice soft as she spoke to her husband. "Yeobo... he's been standing out there for hours. It's pouring rain. Shouldn't we...?"
Mr. Kim didn't look up from his newspaper. "Let him stand there. Maybe it'll teach him a lesson."
Taehyung felt a pang in his heart. He couldn't let this go on. His hands trembling slightly, he grabbed an umbrella and quietly slipped out the front door.
Jungkook didn't notice him at first, not until he felt the rain stop falling on his head. Slowly, he turned around and saw Taehyung standing there, holding the umbrella over him. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Tae...," Jungkook whispered, his voice filled with emotion.
Taehyung's expression was unreadable as he spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "Come inside. You'll catch a cold."
Jungkook blinked in surprise, staring at Taehyung's face, searching for any sign of the anger or resentment he had expected. But Taehyung simply turned and walked toward the house, his hand gently tugging on Jungkook's wrist.
Once inside, Taehyung led Jungkook up to his room without a word. Mrs. Kim watched them go, her heart softening as she whispered to her husband, "He just wants a chance, Yeobo. Maybe we should give it to him."
Mr. Kim sighed, but didn't respond. He lay down in bed, his back to her, deep in thought.
In Taehyung's room, the silence was heavy as Taehyung rummaged through his closet, pulling out a pair of pajamas for Jungkook. He handed them over without meeting his eyes. "Here, change into these. You're soaked."
Jungkook took the clothes, his voice quiet. "Thank you, Tae."
After Jungkook changed, he emerged from the bathroom wearing a bunny-themed night suit that made him look almost childlike. Taehyung couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, though his face quickly returned to its neutral expression.
"You can sleep here," Taehyung said, gesturing to the bed. "I'll take the couch."
Jungkook shook his head immediately. "No way. You take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
"I'm not letting you sleep on the couch. You're my guest," Taehyung insisted, crossing his arms.
"And I'm not letting you sleep uncomfortably in your own room," Jungkook argued, his eyes soft but firm.
They went back and forth like this until finally, they both gave in, deciding to share the bed. They lay down, facing opposite directions, the air between them thick with unspoken words and lingering feelings.
Hours passed, and at 2 AM, Taehyung was woken up by the sound of mumbling. He blinked sleepily and turned to see Jungkook shivering, his body trembling as he mumbled in his sleep.
"It's... cold..." Jungkook muttered, his voice barely audible.
Taehyung's eyes widened in concern as he touched Jungkook's forehead. "You're burning up," he whispered, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. He sighed, muttering under his breath, "Who told you to stand in the rain?"
Carefully, Taehyung got out of bed and fetched some medicine from his drawer. He sat down beside Jungkook, gently lifting his head and slipping the medicine into his mouth. "Here, take this. It'll help," he whispered, helping Jungkook drink some water.
Once Jungkook had swallowed the medicine, Taehyung laid him back down and covered him with extra blankets. But Jungkook's body continued to shiver.
With a hesitant breath, Taehyung lay back down beside him and slowly wrapped his arms around Jungkook, pulling him close. Jungkook instinctively snuggled into Taehyung's chest, his soft lips brushing against Taehyung's bare skin, sending a shiver down Taehyung's spine.
His heart raced as Jungkook's soft lips grazed his chest, causing a flutter of warmth and confusion to spread through him. Taehyung clenched the blanket tightly, trying to steady his breathing, but the sensation of Jungkook nestled so closely against him made it impossible to ignore the rush of emotions.
Taehyung's mind raced. *Why are you doing this to me, Jungkook? After everything, why now?* He glanced down at Jungkook, who had already fallen back into a restless sleep, his face peaceful but still marked by the weight of his fever. Taehyung's gaze softened, and despite the anger and hurt he still harbored, seeing Jungkook like this...vulnerable and fragile...pulled at something deep inside him.
He whispered softly, almost to himself, "Why... after all this time, why do you still make my heart ache like this?"
Jungkook shifted slightly in his sleep, his grip tightening around Taehyung's waist as if seeking more warmth. Taehyung's breath hitched, and for a moment, he hesitated, but then he let out a resigned sigh, resting his chin on top of Jungkook's head.
As the storm outside raged on, inside Taehyung's room, the quiet tension between them remained unresolved. But for the first time in years, there was a fragile sense of closeness, a silent understanding that neither of them was ready to acknowledge just yet.
Taehyung closed his eyes, willing himself to fall asleep, but even as he tried, the steady beat of Jungkook's heart against his chest kept him wide awake, a reminder of the unresolved past and the uncertain future that lay ahead.
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