Taehyung was once the bright light in every room-the boy who's laughs had the power to light up another's world, who spread positivity and warmth to everyone around him. He was the friend you could count on, the one who never let anything dull his s...
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POV:
The bass thumped in his chest, drowning out the thoughts he didn’t want to confront. Jungkook leaned against the bar, watching the people around him, trying to feel something—anything. But the more he drank, the hollower he felt, the emptier his so-called “bad boy” image seemed. He was here, wasn’t he? Living it up, gaining popularity, shedding the “cute” and “adorable” labels people used to throw at him, building up the tough, untouchable exterior everyone expected of him now.
But it had come at a price—a price he wasn’t sure he could bear tonight. His gaze drifted down to his drink as he let out a bitter laugh. Happy birthday, Taehyung. The words hung heavy in his mind. He could picture Taehyung’s face, hear his laughter from birthdays past. But this time, Taehyung’s smile was nowhere in sight, replaced instead by the gap that had grown between them, a rift Jungkook himself had carved out.
This is what you wanted, he told himself. You wanted to be taken seriously, to be more than the “cute kid” everyone babied. And you got it, didn’t you? But instead of feeling powerful, all he felt was… regret. A regret that he had tried to drown in everything—drinks, popularity, parties. Anything but the truth.
As he swirled his drink, lost in thought, a girl approached him, her eyes gleaming with interest. She leaned in close, her smile seductive, fingers grazing his arm. “You seem tense,” she murmured. “Maybe I can help with that.”
In his alcohol-induced haze, he let himself get caught in her words, almost giving in, thinking maybe this would numb the ache, at least for a little while. But then, as she leaned closer, he suddenly snapped out of it. The realization hit him like ice-cold water: this wasn’t him. He might play the role of a bully, put on the mask of a “bad guy,” but he wasn’t someone who used others, who let his emotions spill onto someone else’s body just to feel something real.
“Get off,” he said harshly, pushing her away, his voice steady even as his heart raced. The girl gave him a bewildered look, but Jungkook didn’t care. This wasn’t who he wanted to be, not really.
The guilt clawed back, stronger this time, until it was suffocating. He thought about Taehyung alone tonight, maybe wondering if Jungkook had forgotten him completely. He couldn’t do this anymore—pretend that he didn’t care. And before he even realized what he was doing, Jungkook found himself stumbling out of the club, heading in a direction his heart already knew by memory.
He didn’t care that it was past 2 AM, that he was drunk, or that this was possibly the worst idea he’d ever had. All he knew was that he needed to see Taehyung, to somehow make it right, even if he didn’t have the words for it yet.
As he made his way through the quiet streets, he took a deep breath, trying to steady the mess of emotions tangled inside him. And for the first time in a long time, he felt a sliver of clarity: he couldn’t go on pretending. Not tonight. Not on Taehyung’s birthday.
_______🌷
The streets were a blur as Jungkook stumbled his way to Taehyung’s house, his mind clouded with a mix of alcohol and unresolved feelings. Each step felt heavier, the guilt gnawing at him, memories of their past tugging at his heart. He knew this was reckless, that showing up unannounced, and especially drunk, could only lead to trouble. But he couldn’t stop himself. Not tonight.
Finally, Taehyung’s house came into view, and Jungkook felt his pulse quicken. He was almost there. Maybe he could find the words he’d been avoiding, the apology he couldn’t admit he owed. But just as he was about to take another step, he froze.
A sleek car pulled up in front of Taehyung’s house. He watched as Taehyung stepped out, his face illuminated in the car's headlights, a soft, genuine smile lighting up his features. Then, to Jungkook’s shock, he saw someone else step out too—a familiar figure with dark hair and an easy smile. Jimin.
Jungkook’s fists clenched involuntarily, his vision blurring as he watched Taehyung and Jimin stand by the car, exchanging a few words he couldn’t make out. Then, Taehyung reached out and hugged Jimin, his arms wrapped around him in a gesture that felt too close, too intimate.
An unfamiliar pang twisted inside Jungkook, something fierce and dark. He knew he’d been the one to push Taehyung away, to create this distance, but seeing Jimin in his place now stoked something raw within him. It was as if everything he’d suppressed came crashing down, the regret, the jealousy, and the anger all flaring up in the worst possible way.
You had no right, he thought bitterly, his jaw clenching. You’re the one who left. But the alcohol was blurring that rational voice, fueling the hurt and jealousy instead.
As Jimin finally pulled away, Jungkook’s hand instinctively moved to steady himself against a nearby wall, his balance wavering. He couldn’t bear to watch Taehyung turn to someone else on the night that had once meant so much to both of them. And yet, he couldn’t turn away either.
“This was a mistake,” he muttered, his voice slurring slightly. But his legs refused to move. Deep down, he knew it was too late; he was here, and the sight of Taehyung with Jimin was already etched into his mind.
Taehyung and Jimin said their goodbyes, Jimin finally getting back into his car and driving off. But Jungkook just stood there, the alcohol making everything feel like a surreal, painful dream. Part of him wanted to turn around, to leave before he did something stupid. But that other part—the one that couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else holding Taehyung close—urged him forward.
It really was the worst plan ever, Jungkook realized, as he took a stumbling step toward the house, his mind clouded, his heart aching. He wasn’t sure what he would say, or if he could even find the words. But right now, all he wanted was to erase the sight of Taehyung with Jimin from his memory and, somehow, to feel close to him again—even if it meant making a mess of everything.
