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...
Jungkook's chest tightened with a mix of nostalgia and guilt. Those were some of their happiest moments, and yet he had let them slip away. "I'm sorry, Tae," he murmured, his eyes downcast.
Taehyung reached out, gently lifting Jungkook's chin. "Hey, enough of that," he said softly. "We're here now. That's what matters."
Jungkook swallowed hard, nodding. He picked up the knife, carefully slicing the cake. He took a piece, turning to feed it to Taehyung, but Taehyung shook his head with a small smile. "Doctor's orders-no sugar," he said, taking the piece from Jungkook's hand instead. "But you can have it."
Taehyung lifted the fork to Jungkook's lips, and Jungkook accepted the bite, tears welling in his eyes again. The sweetness of the cake melted on his tongue, but it was the warmth of Taehyung's gesture that overwhelmed him.
"You're really here," Jungkook whispered, tears slipping down his cheeks. "We're really... starting over."
Taehyung's eyes softened, his hand reaching out to wipe away Jungkook's tears. "Yeah, we are. And this time, we'll do it right."
Jungkook smiled through his tears, his heart swelling with a mix of hope and relief. He still couldn't believe it, couldn't fully grasp that Taehyung had chosen to stay. But in that moment, with Taehyung beside him and the simple sweetness of the cake between them, he felt the first stirrings of something he hadn't felt in a long time: peace.
But air between them shifted. Jungkook's heart swelled with warmth after everything that had happened, but that fragile peace shattered in an instant. Taehyung's eyes, once soft, now hardened. The playful smile that had graced his lips moments before disappeared, replaced by a cold, distant expression.
"You really don't deserve me, Jungkook," Taehyung's voice, though calm, cut like a blade. The words pierced through Jungkook, leaving a hollow ache in his chest. Before Jungkook could respond, Taehyung let out a dry chuckle, the sound laced with bitter memories. "But I guess that doesn't matter now, does it?"
Jungkook's breath hitched. He felt the weight of those words, heavier than any burden he'd ever carried. "Tae, I-"
"Do you remember, Jungkook?" Taehyung interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "Do you remember how hard it was for me to walk into that university every day? The whispers, the stares... the names they called me because of you?" His voice trembled, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Slut. Fag. Worthless."
Jungkook's stomach twisted into knots. His mind raced back to those days, each memory sharper, crueler in hindsight. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.
"How hard do you think it was for me," Taehyung continued, his tone wavering, "to hear those things and still look at you? To still love you?" His eyes searched Jungkook's, searching for answers that he knew would never come. "How hard do you think it was when you confessed your love... only to call it a mistake the next day?"
"Tae, I was-" Jungkook's voice cracked, his eyes filling with tears. "I was stupid. I didn't know... I didn't..."
Taehyung shook his head. "No. You didn't know. You didn't care." His voice broke, the raw pain seeping into every word. "You slept with me, then left me to face everything alone. You watched me break and did nothing."
Jungkook's knees felt weak. Guilt clawed at his chest, suffocating him. "I'm so sorry, Tae. I... I can't change what I did, but I-"
"But you think you can just... fix this?" Taehyung's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "Do you think a few kind words, a few gestures, will erase everything?"
Jungkook shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "No. I know I don't deserve you. I know I've hurt you more than anyone ever could. But I... I love you, Tae. I always have."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Then, Taehyung sighed, his eyes softening just a bit. "Love isn't supposed to hurt, Jungkook. But with you... it always did."
Jungkook's sobs grew louder, his body trembling. He clung to Taehyung, desperate, broken. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry..."
Taehyung didn't pull away. Instead, he placed a hand on Jungkook's back, his touch both comforting and distant.
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