|| Want You again || ??

The Truth He Refuses to See

Taehyung exhaled sharply as he stepped into their home, his body tense with exhaustion. The moment the door closed behind him, the weight of the hospital, of Jungkook, of everything hit him all at once.

Bogum noticed immediately.

Without a word, he gently took Taehyung’s coat and pulled him into a warm embrace. "You okay, baby?" he murmured against his hair.

Taehyung let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes as he leaned into the comfort of Bogum’s arms.

"I don’t know." His voice was quiet. "I should feel… something. But I don’t."

Bogum pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. "That’s okay."

Taehyung pulled away slightly, his fingers tightening around Bogum’s shirt. "He’s still so stupid, Gummie." His voice cracked with frustration. "Even now, he refuses to see the truth."

Bogum sighed, leading Taehyung toward the couch. He sat down, pulling Taehyung into his lap effortlessly. "Jungkook is living in denial. It’s easier for him to believe that nothing was forced on him than to accept that someone he trusted controlled him for years."

Taehyung scoffed. "That’s not my problem anymore."

Bogum tilted his head, studying Taehyung’s face. "Then why does it still bother you so much?"

Taehyung froze.

Why?

Why did it still make his chest tighten when Jungkook refused to see what was right in front of him?

Why did he care that Jungkook was still trapped in his own ignorance?

Taehyung bit his lip. "Because… because it’s pathetic."

Bogum reached up, cupping his cheek. "Because you did love him once."

Taehyung’s breath caught.

Bogum wasn’t jealous. He wasn’t angry.

He just knew him.

And it was terrifying how easily Bogum could read the parts of him Taehyung didn’t even want to acknowledge.

Taehyung sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned into Bogum’s touch. "I don’t love him anymore."

"I know," Bogum whispered. "But that doesn’t mean you don’t feel anything."

Taehyung didn’t respond.

Because deep down, he knew—

Bogum was right.

Taehyung sighed, leaning back against the couch as he stared at the ceiling. His fingers traced mindless patterns on Bogum’s hand, lost in old memories he hadn’t spoken about in years.

"Wanna talk?" Bogum asked softly, rubbing gentle circles on Taehyung’s back.

Taehyung hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I know why Jungkook is in denial."

Bogum’s brows furrowed slightly. "Why is that?"

Taehyung let out a slow breath. "Jungkook and I were best friends. He was nine, and I was six at the time. Just a lonely neighborhood kid with no friends." He paused, eyes unfocused. "Jungkook came to our town when his parents died."