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chapter 29

The laughter continued. A few people stared in pity, but no one stepped forward. Not a single person stood up for him.

And Jungkook... Jungkook was just standing there, watching it all unfold.

Why?

Why are you doing this to me?

The thought made his chest tighten, his heart breaking all over again. He couldn't take it. It was too much. The weight of the world, of all the pain, crashing down on him.

He wished he could leave. Run away, far from all of this. But where would he go? He couldn't escape himself. He was stuck in this cycle of hurt, over and over again.

The laughter died down, and the whispers continued. The students went back to their conversations, but Taehyung's world had stopped. He couldn't hear them anymore. The room felt like it was closing in on him.

He turned and fled.

He didn't care where he went, as long as he could get away from it all. Away from the whispers, the mocking, the pitying looks.

He stumbled into the nearest restroom, the door slamming behind him. He leaned against the sink, his breathing ragged, his chest tight.

The mirror reflected a stranger.

Who are you? Taehyung thought as he stared at himself. Is this really who you've become?

His clothes were soaked, his hair matted to his forehead. His heart was shattering, piece by piece.

"You're weak. You're pathetic. You're nothing."

The words echoed in his mind, louder than anything else. The shame, the anger, the disappointment-it all boiled inside him.

Just end it, he thought, his hand shaking as it hovered near the razorblade in his pocket. Just end the pain. It'll be easier.

But even as the thought crossed his mind, a small, distant part of him screamed in protest.

No.

You don't want to end it. You just want to be seen. You want someone to fight for you, to show you that you matter. You want Jungkook to care.

But that was just a dream, wasn't it? Jungkook didn't care about him. He never did.

Taehyung let out a choked sob, his knees giving way as he sank to the floor.

The tears came then, in a flood.

I'm so tired. I'm so tired of this fight.

But I can't stop. I can't just give up.

I have to keep going.

Even if it's just for me.

His face buried in his hands, the weight of everything pressed down on him. The sting of the water still clung to his skin, but the emotional ache was far worse than anything physical. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the overwhelming feelings that were suffocating him.

But then, a memory slipped through the cracks of his mind-soft, like a whisper in the dark.

"I'll protect you, Taehyung."

The words echoed in his mind, a soft promise spoken in a time before everything fell apart. Jungkook had said that, hadn't he?

Taehyung remembered that day so vividly-the way Jungkook's eyes had softened when he looked at him, like he was the only one in the world. They had been sitting together in the schoolyard, a cool breeze ruffling the leaves around them, and Jungkook had just casually leaned over, that innocent smile on his lips as he said, "I'll protect you, Taehyung. No one will ever hurt you again. Not while I'm here."

It had felt so real, so sincere. Like nothing could ever touch them as long as they had each other.

But now, Taehyung was alone.

Jungkook's words felt like a cruel joke now, an echo of something long gone. The boy who had once promised to protect him was standing in the back of the classroom, doing nothing as his friends bullied Taehyung. The silence in Jungkook's eyes, the absence of any action, felt like a thousand knives.

Why didn't you protect me, Kook? Taehyung thought bitterly, his chest tight. You promised.

He had believed in those words with every fiber of his being. He had trusted Jungkook, trusted him like no one else. But now, every part of him was unraveling. The love, the trust-it all felt like a distant memory, something that would never return.

Maybe he never meant it, Taehyung thought. Maybe it was all just a lie.

His mind spiraled, thoughts running wild as the memory of that promise clashed with the reality in front of him. Every word, every look Jungkook had ever given him-it all seemed so empty now. The hurt, the betrayal-it was suffocating him.

If he truly cared, Taehyung thought, his hands trembling, he would have stopped them. He wouldn't have let this happen.

His heart felt like it was shattering all over again, piece by piece. The words, the memories, they all twisted in his chest.

He closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a deep breath. No. I can't do this. I can't keep breaking over and over for him.

But the thought was just a fleeting attempt at strength. The pain was too much.

The weight of those memories, those empty promises, pressed on him like a vice. He wanted to scream, to lash out, to do anything to make the hurt go away. But all he could do was sit there, drowning in his own self-doubt and the harsh words of the world around him.

I don't even know who he is anymore, Taehyung thought, his breath shaky. I don't even know who I am anymore.

And yet, despite everything, a small, broken part of him still wanted to believe. Maybe he'll come for me. Maybe he'll prove me wrong.

But deep down, Taehyung knew that the boy who had promised to protect him wasn't coming.

Jungkook was gone.

And Taehyung was left in the silence. Alone.

_________🌷

Tbc~