POV:
Jungkook sat alone in his apartment, the soft hum of the air conditioning the only sound filling the otherwise silent space. It had been two weeks since the night that almost tore his world apart. Two weeks since Taehyung had made a decision that almost cost him his life.
He had been through a whirlwind of emotions, guilt, regret, and sorrow. He couldn’t stop thinking about Taehyung—his smile, the way his voice always seemed to comfort him, how Taehyung would always know what to say to ease his pain. And now, Taehyung was in the hospital, fighting to survive. Fighting, and maybe, just maybe, still hoping for a life that Jungkook had ruined.
The weight of the truth felt crushing. He had been blind to Taehyung’s pain. So caught up in his own selfish world, in his own insecurities, that he failed to see the one person who had always been there for him.
But not anymore. Jungkook had decided that he couldn’t be that person anymore. He couldn’t be the person who stood by and watched as Taehyung faded into nothingness. It was time for him to change. To face the consequences of his actions and, for once, try to make things right.
He picked up his phone from the table, scrolling through the photos in his gallery. His heart twisted as he saw the countless pictures of them—him and Taehyung. Childhood memories, school days, their first day at university, all the moments that had meant everything to him once, but that he had taken for granted.
There was one photo that stood out to him, a picture of them as kids, holding hands and grinning like nothing in the world could hurt them. He remembered that day so vividly—how they had run through the park, laughing until their stomachs hurt, the sun shining down on them like nothing could go wrong.
He hadn't known it at the time, but that was the last time things would ever feel that simple. Taehyung had always been there, silently loving him, always willing to be the friend he needed. And Jungkook had let that love slip away, neglected it, and worse—he had taken it for granted.
But now, looking at that photo, he could feel the ache of what he had lost. The ache of what he still might lose.
He couldn’t undo the past, but he could change the present. He could stop being a coward. He could stop hiding behind his mistakes and start being the person Taehyung had always needed him to be.
Jungkook’s thumb hovered over the screen of his phone. He hesitated, his chest tight. But he couldn’t just sit here anymore. He had to let the world know.
With trembling hands, he began to upload the pictures. One by one, he shared the memories. Pictures of them as children, of their first day at school, of their awkward but happy moments in high school, and finally, pictures from the start of university—pictures where they had dreamed together of their future.
For each photo, he wrote a caption, each one dripping with the regret that had become a part of him.
"I didn’t know then what I know now. I didn’t know how much you were hurting. I didn’t know how much I needed you. I’m sorry, Tae. More than you’ll ever know.”
“We’ve been through so much together, and I’ve taken all of it for granted. I’ve hurt you, I know. And for that, I am sorry. But I love you, and I will do whatever it takes to make things right.”
“It’s so ironic, isn’t it? That it took you almost losing your life for me to wake up. For me to see just how much I’ve failed you. I can’t take back the hurt I’ve caused you. But I’ll spend every day from now on trying to show you how much you mean to me.”
Jungkook’s eyes stung with unshed tears as he read the captions back to himself. Each one a confession, each one a cry for forgiveness. He hadn’t realized how much his heart had been aching until he saw all those pictures together. They weren’t just memories of the past—they were symbols of everything he had lost and everything he was still fighting for.
But it was too late to go back. He couldn’t undo the years of neglect, of selfishness. He couldn’t change the things he had said or done to Taehyung. But he could change who he was now. He could show Taehyung that he was ready to be better. Ready to fight for him.
His phone buzzed. A notification. A message from one of his friends.
"What’s going on with you, man? You okay?"
Jungkook stared at the message for a moment. He knew what they were asking. They had seen the posts. They knew something had changed in him. And they were confused. They couldn’t understand what had happened to the Jungkook they knew—the one who never cared about anything, the one who was always running from his feelings.
But Jungkook didn’t need their understanding. He didn’t need anyone to validate his feelings. The only person he cared about now was Taehyung. And he couldn’t wait any longer.
He quickly typed a reply to his friend, his fingers shaking.
"I’m not the same person anymore. I can’t pretend to not care anymore! This is the real me."
He hit send and threw his phone aside, his mind spinning. He stood up and paced the room, trying to calm the storm inside of him.
He loved Taehyung. That was the truth. And no matter how much he had messed up, he wasn’t going to let it be the end of their story. Not like this. Not after everything they had been through.
Jungkook’s gaze fell on the photo of the two of them together, their faces bright with smiles. It felt like a lifetime ago, but the memory of it was still fresh in his mind. Taehyung had always believed in him, even when he didn’t deserve it.
Now, Jungkook was going to believe in them. In the love that had always been there.
He couldn’t bring back what they had lost, but he could still fight for what remained. And if there was even a sliver of hope left for him and Taehyung, he would take it.
Jungkook sat back down on the couch, his eyes fixed on the screen of his phone. He opened the photo gallery again, looking at the pictures he had just uploaded. The memories of their childhood, their shared moments, all of it was still there. It was still real. And he wasn’t going to let it slip away.
A sudden thought hit him, sharp and painful: What if Taehyung never forgave him? What if Taehyung never came back?
The thought was unbearable.
But he couldn’t afford to think that way. He couldn’t afford to let that fear control him. He had already lost too much time. He needed to fight. For Taehyung. For them.
The decision had been made.
Jungkook would fight for Taehyung with everything he had.
Staring at the screen of his phone, watching as the final post uploaded. His hands were shaking, but it wasn't the kind of shaking that came from regret or fear. It was something deeper, something far more familiar—something that had been buried beneath all the layers of his pride and self-doubt.
He hadn’t posted the pictures of him and Taehyung to show the world he was sorry. He hadn’t done it to earn pity or sympathy. No, he did it for himself. For the boy who had once been so sure of who he was, but who had, somewhere along the way, forgotten how to love—how to love Taehyung, how to love himself. Taehyung had always told him to stand up for himself, to love himself just as he was. But Jungkook had failed in every way. He had broken the one person who had never asked for anything in return, the person who had loved him with everything he had.
Now, as the post was live, Jungkook felt a strange emptiness settle inside of him. It was almost like he had laid his heart out on the table for everyone to see, but in reality, it didn’t matter. This was for him, not for anyone else. He didn’t need the validation of likes, comments, or any of the superficial things that everyone else seemed to crave. He didn’t need the world to understand his pain because he was the only one who had to live with it.
Jungkook let out a quiet breath as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the photo of him and Taehyung from years ago. They were younger then, their smiles bright and full of hope, unaware of the years of heartbreak that would come later.
Taehyung had taught him so much. How to be strong. How to trust himself. How to love, even when it seemed impossible. But somewhere along the way, Jungkook had forgotten all of that. He had let his fears, his insecurities, and his pride overshadow everything that mattered. And now... now Taehyung was in the hospital, fighting for his life, and it was Jungkook’s fault.
He clenched his fists, feeling the sharp ache of guilt deep in his chest.
This isn’t enough, he thought, staring at the post he had just shared. This isn’t the answer. This is just words. Taehyung deserves more than this.
He couldn’t fix what he had broken with a simple post. He had spent so much time running from his feelings, hiding behind his fears, and letting Taehyung bear the weight of his mistakes. Words could only do so much. But now, he was ready to do something real. Something that would show Taehyung, once and for all, that he was serious. That he had changed. That he wasn’t going to let the love they shared slip away without a fight.
No more hiding, Jungkook thought. No more cowardice.
He had failed Taehyung in so many ways. But he wasn’t going to fail him anymore. This wasn’t just about making things right; it was about proving that he could be the person Taehyung had always believed he could be.
Jungkook stood up from the chair, pacing the room. His heart was pounding in his chest, but this time, it wasn’t because of fear. It was because he was finally doing something. Finally taking responsibility. He wasn’t going to let Taehyung fall further into the darkness, not if there was still a chance to pull him back.
The guilt was still there, gnawing at him, but it wasn’t as paralyzing as it had been before. He knew he had to carry this weight, but he also knew that he couldn’t carry it alone. Taehyung had always been there, and it was time for Jungkook to show up for him, not with empty words, but with actions.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting late, but he didn’t care. Time didn’t matter right now.
Jungkook grabbed his jacket, sliding his phone into his pocket as he headed for the door. He didn’t know what would happen when he saw Taehyung again. He didn’t know if Taehyung would even look at him the same way. But he had to try. He couldn’t wait any longer.
---
Jungkook arrived at the hospital, his heart hammering in his chest. His steps were hurried, but his mind was calm. He had made up his mind. There would be no more running from this, no more cowardice. He would stand by Taehyung, no matter what.
He approached the nurse’s station, his voice steady as he asked for Taehyung’s room number. The nurse gave him a quick, polite smile before pointing down the hallway. Jungkook thanked her quietly and made his way toward the room.
His mind raced with thoughts, but they all led to one thing: he needed to be there for Taehyung. Not as someone who made excuses, not as someone who pushed their feelings aside, but as someone who was ready to face the truth—no matter how painful it was. He needed to make it right. He needed to prove to Taehyung that he was worth the love Taehyung had always given him.
As he stood outside Taehyung’s room, his hand hovered over the door handle. He felt a tightness in his throat, but he didn’t let it stop him. This was it. The moment he had been avoiding for far too long.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
Taehyung was lying in the hospital bed, his face pale and his eyes closed. The sound of the heart monitor beeping was the only noise in the room. Jungkook swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in his throat. He couldn’t believe it—couldn’t believe that this was what it had come to. The person who had always been his rock, the person who had stood by him no matter what, was now here, fighting for his life, and it was all because Jungkook had failed him.
His heart twisted in his chest as he slowly walked closer to the bed. He sat down beside it, his hand resting on the edge of the mattress. He didn’t know if Taehyung could hear him, but he needed to say it anyway.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I’m so sorry, Tae. I didn’t see it. I didn’t see how much you were hurting. I didn’t see what I was doing to you. But I see it now. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making it right. I promise. I’ll show you that I can be the person you always believed I could be.”
Jungkook swallowed hard, the tears threatening to fall again. He had been so weak, so blind. But now, for the first time in his life, he was willing to fight. For Taehyung. For their love.
And he wouldn’t stop until he had done everything he could to fix what he had broken.
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