[ the ending is now on the horizon ]
___
"Jungkook?"
"Hm?"
"Who gave you that hickey?"
___
Taehyung's POV:
Silence. Hesitation. Tae felt his fingers go numb, as he watched his boyfriend stutter. Then everything around him began to crumble.
Jungkook had love bites from someone. That someone was surely not him.
He couldn't breathe.
"Is- is this because I wouldn't sleep with you?" His voice cracked when he spoke, his mind a blur. This felt like a nightmare.
Something in the left of his chest hurt. And he was scared to believe what it was.
Jungkook's mouth opened and closed like a fish. No words were spoken. Instead, Taehyung thought he could hear his own heart breaking.
Feeling his body burn, he turned and left.
__
Jungkook's POV:
Taehyung left the room and Jungkook crashed.
His entire nervous system a wreck, he couldn't breathe. What had he done?
His body cold, his mind numb, the boy couldn't seem to muster up any capability to understand what had just happened. So much had just altered his life in the span of five minutes.
Just one greeting from his boyfriend. One glance at his stupid hickeys. One question posed from his boyfriend (to which Jungkook made the mistake of giving no reply). And now suddenly the vision of him and Taehyung seemed unstable and distant.
The male had a hand on the door, and he wondered if he should chase the boy of whom now had a broken heart.
Jungkook's mind raced. Taehyung. Memories flew like a storm in his head, images of him smiling clashing in his mind. How could he hurt him this way?
Taehyung had been through so much. All the abuse, yet he had still found a way to love Jungkook. He still managed to see the good in others, despite receiving nothing but burns and bruises from others.
Sliding down his door and dropping to his knees, Jungkook began to cry.
What had he done?
_
Taehyung's POV:
As soon as he left that wretched room, Tae began to fumble with his breathing.
To gather his train of thought, Taehyung quickly returned to Nari's bedroom. The only other person who the latter could trust at the moment.
With a small click of the door, he quickly entered. The girl was still asleep, but Taehyung felt relieved. He really didn't want to explain what had just happened. Hell, he still needed time to understand what had recently unfolded between him and Jungkook.
The bedroom was silent, the only sound being Tae's heavy breathing.
His mind raced. So many problems were now appearing, and Taehyung felt anxiety rise in his gut.
And, soon enough, the voices were back.
Of course he cheated on you. Why are you surprised?
You thought he wouldn't? With your disgusting ass?
Jungkook doesn't need you. Neither does Jongwoo. Fuck it, Nari probably won't even remember you by next month.
Why not just do everyone a favour and leave?
Taehyung could feel his breathing quicken as he clutched at his hair. Tugging at the blue strands with rough force, pins and needles danced along his scalp.
Just fucking die.
The voices were too much. Taehyung felt light headed. He dug his finger nails into his head, soon enough drawing little droplets of blood from beneath his aqua hair.
Why the hell are you still here?
You know none of them want you anymore.
Jungkook can, obviously, agree.
Taehyung's mind spun with all the memories of them and how...happy he had felt. The Jeon's had given him a home, an escape from his abusive father and a chance to live a normal life. Now Tae had to watch as all of that was being taken away from him, right before his eyes; and it had started from just a few hickeys.
Once Taehyung's mind began to settle and he realized Jungkook wasn't looking for him, a sharp stab of sadness hit his heart.
Taehyung came to his feet, standing from his spot in the corner of Nari's room. He glanced at the sleeping girl and felt a little piece of his heart break.
He knew he couldn't stay.
But he knew he couldn't leave without a word.
So, the boy crept to Nari's desk and found himself some paper and a pen. Then and there, he began to write. Not just about him and Jungkook, just everything.
Through each written word, Tae began to form a plan. It wasn't a safe plan, but it was what he believed would make everyone else feel less burdened.
Signing off on the letter, he folded the paper and put a small smiley face on the front. The irony.
With that, he took one last glance at the girl. Her raised cheekbones and pouty lips. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders while her long lashes lay, brushing her cheeks as she slept peacefully.
Taehyung knew that peace would be broken as soon as she awoke to everything that had happened during her slumber.
"Bye, Nari." Tae whispered, the phrase chipping another crack into his heart. Leaving the room, he checked for no signs of Jungkook or Jongwoo before he made his way to his old room.
Tae entered the room the Jeon's had lent him, and another wave of sadness hit him.
Just fucking erase yourself.
They probably never wanted you in this room anyhow.
Without wasting much time, Taehyung grabbed his bag of stuff and left. He didn't take much else. Just his duffel bag of clothes, and himself.
With that, the boy ran.
No glances behind him, he walking right out the front door and onto the streets outside.
At this point, Taehyung felt numb.
He ended up calling a cab driver, because it would be a long walk back to the place Taehyung feared. By car, it was faster.
With each minute longer in the car and with each bit closer to his destination, Tae felt his stomach twist and turn.
He had no where else to go.
So he was returning to the place he had once called home. He was going to face his father once again.
__
Jungkook's POV:
When he was younger, he used to make structures from pillows and blankets around his house. He would stack them up and spend forever building, and then once he was done, he'd enjoy it. Little Jungkook would take his time, and afterwards he would take pleasure in wrecking his fort and starting the process again.
Build. Enjoy. Destroy. Repeat.
This was his source and philosophy of entertainment that kept the boy occupied for years.
But now that he's older, he's realizing that you can't just put so much into something and then wreck it. Just like he had done with Taehyung.
Instead, you should nurture and support for as long as you can. Perhaps your project ends and the creation moves on without you, but you never leave while it still needs you.
Because why would you leave something that has grown off a life with you rooted in it?
โขโข
He wept. His throat hurt and he felt as if he
may puke. He felt completely disgusted with himself.
Taehyung.
The boy knew he had fucked up. He knew it was far too late to repair the damage that had been made, so he kept his spot on the ground.
What was he going to tell Jongwoo and Nari?
Jungkook was pained to realize he would have to come to terms with the fact that Taehyung would not be living with them anymore. That he wouldn't see the blue haired smile, or be the reason the boy was laughing.
Instead, he was the reason the older was broken.
Jungkook wanted to scream. How could he have been so stupid?
___
Nari's POV:
The fifteen year old woke up to the buzz of silence. The television was off and Taehyung was gone.
Rubbing her eyes, she smiled softly. The older boy had most likely wanted to let her get her own rest. Tae was always nice like that.
Sitting up, she stretched and yawned. Perhaps she could convince Taehyung to go to the mall with her tomorrow if she begged hard enough. Nari had seen some matching socks that she knew the older would love.
Slowly, Nari slid from her bed and stood up, intent on visiting Tae.
As she found her feet on the ground, her body cracked and her eyes widened in shock. Taehyung would surely laugh if he had seen the look on her face. Nari would have to tell him about it.
Catching sight of the lamp above her desk illuminating the paper and such strewn over the wooden board, she frowned. Nari rarely kept the lamp's light on, and she was fairly sure she hadn't gone to sleep with it's light still switched on power.
Quickly shuffling to turn off the light, her eyes flitted to a folded note, which caught her attention.
That hadn't been there a few hours ago.
A singular smiley face sat on the front of the note, which made Nari smile. She knew it was drawn by Taehyung, as one of the eyes was a bigger circle than the other. Tae had once explained to her he just found it far more pleasing to look at and gave the drawing "more life". Nari just knew it had just been an excuse for his inability to draw equal circles.
So, she picked up the folded paper and discovered a written later signed by the boy who she adored like a brother.
Beginning to read, she giggled as it referenced many memories of which included lots of smiles and laughter. Then it began to discuss Jungkook, and soon enough the tidal wave hit and Nari realized Taehyung had discovered he had been cheated on while she was asleep.
Just a few mere hours ago.
Nari found herself growing sad with the more open the letter became.
And by the end, her heart dropped.
"- and that is why I know you'll never see me again. Don't try to contact me. Don't try to find me. We'll meet again....just, after you've lived a full life with plenty of grand kids and wrinkles."
Nari didn't understand. She put the letter down. Her heart felt cold, and her eyes began to water. Was Taehyung insinuating that Nari would never see him until they met again after death?
That she would never see him again?
And that she never got a chance to say goodbye?
Nari began to cry. She wanted Taehyung back. She wanted him to tell her that this was all a joke, and to give her a big hug.
But no blue haired boy came through the door, and nobody came to tell her it was all fake.
As this was all, very, very, real. And now Nari was officially another victim of heartbreak.
She sat at her desk with a blank expression, tears running down her face as she stressed about the older boy.
Taehyung had left their lives, and Nari would forever cry about the fact that she had never even got to say a proper goodbye.
_
Taehyung's POV:
Taehyung stood in silence. At that moment, he felt the complete fear tear his insides apart, but he knew he had no where else to go.
The apartment hallway reeked of smoke and weed, weird stains covering the walls. The boy hadn't missed this place.
One of the apartments a few numbers down were mid-argument, their voice shrill as things crashed and broke.
Home sweet home.
His biggest concern was the demon he would soon face.
Taehyung deserved what was to come. Or, he told himself this, at least.
With one hand in the air, Tae braced himself.
Knock.
Knock.
Click.
Creak.
"Well, well, well." A rotten grin and the smell of alcohol welcomed the boy.
___
The end of the book is very close, and I'm feeling rather emotional at the thought of this book ending.