Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

~~~~~

The vibration of the phone in his pocket makes Taehyung frown. He ignores the disturbance for the sake of the donors sitting in front of him and talking about the huge donation they want to make to the NGO.

He hisses under his breath when his phone rings again. He can see the man picking up on the vibration. Those eyes flicker from the chequebook to Taehyung in curiosity.

Taehyung looks over at the other side of the room, where Jimin is slumped over his own desk with a bored expression on his face. Taehyung wills in his mind for the other to look at him and sighs in relief when Jimin feels eyes on him and looks over with a curious tilt of his head.

‘I need to take a call,’ Taehyung mouths before getting up to pull out the phone from his pocket.

“Excuse me, sir,” Taehyung smiles at the two men in front of him, “I’ll have to take this call. If you wait a bit, Mr. Park will attend you now.”

Jimin comes over to his table with a nod at Taehyung while Taehyung walks out of the room to answer the insistent caller. His irritation spikes as soon as he sees who it is.

Min Yoongi.

He grits his teeth as the frustration shifts to anger now. It crawls up his spine, towards his head, while he glares at the name.

— “What?” Taehyung doesn’t even try to sound modest.

— “Tae, it’s Jungkook!”

The anger crawling up his spine, like a viper, freezes for a second. He frowns because of Yoongi’s shaky voice.

He knows Yoongi as the ‘emotionally constipated one,’ because of the way he never lets his mask of indifference slip. Never a single emotion on his face or in his voice.

Yet, he sounds worried sick right now.

— “What about him?” Taehyung tries to rush the conversation. Now for an entirely different reason.

— “He was shot.”

Taehyung feels the air get punched out of his lungs. The anger shifts to confusion and then something cold as dread and worry fills him entirely. It’s also shaped like a viper, wrapping around Taehyung’s chest, and making it harder and harder for him to breathe.

— “I—is he alive?” Taehyung forces those words out with sheer determination.

— “Yes, we are taking him home. I thought you should know,” there is a pause and Taehyung knows Yoongi will say something even he knows Taehyung won’t like, “after all, he is your husband.”

Taehyung’s eyes flash with rage and he cuts the call. He stands in the empty hallway of the NGO and looks outside.

It’s almost April.

The cherry blossoms are painting the horizon pink as if the sky is blushing as it meets the earth. Taehyung gazes out at the horizon for a long moment until someone passes by the corridor and breaks his trance.

He frowns when he feels the dampness of his cheeks and his hand flies up to touch them. Only for his hand to meet the tears streaming down his face silently. Taehyung pulls his hand back and looks at his glistening palm with a blank face.

Who is he crying for?

Jungkook?

His husband of ten months?

An arrangement his parents found for him because their families thought they would be good together? A person he married but can’t give his heart to?

Jeon Jungkook is a feared name in their country for all the wrong reasons. He is the head of one of the biggest crime syndicates in South Korea.

The succeeding heir of the Jeons.

Meanwhile, Taehyung is a social worker.

Taehyung, even after months of their marriage, can’t accept Jungkook as his husband. His morals stand between him and Jungkook like a dam reaching for the sky. Separating the two sides. One overflowing with emotions and the other going through a drought that will, probably, never end.

No matter how hard Jungkook tries, he can’t climb over or break that dam standing tall between them.

But, what Jungkook doesn’t know and what Taehyung doesn’t accept, even to himself, is that Taehyung is struggling hard to push back the blooming feelings that try to sneak through the cracks of the dam Taehyung built with so much effort.

Those feelings are unwanted. Unnecessary. Unbearable. Feelings Taehyung ignores because he knows they will flood over the barrier someday if Taehyung acknowledges them. Taehyung fears that those feelings, if he nurses them, will be strong enough to break that damn into pieces.

.

Taehyung reaches for the armrest of the wooden bench in the corridor and sits down before his knees give out. Those feelings slam against his heart like uncontrolled tides right now, ready to break the wall Taehyung put around his heart.

With a tremor running down his spine, Taehyung hides his face in his palms while a dry whimper escapes his mouth.

~~~~~

Jimin finds him like that. Sitting on the bench outside and hugging himself while he tries to fight off the tremor in his limbs.

He patiently holds Taehyung while Taehyung stutters through what happened to Jungkook. Then it’s Jimin who rushes him out of the NGO and gets him in the car.

Throughout the drive, Jimin keeps assuring him that Jungkook will be fine. His worried eyes keep glancing over at Taehyung who sits there motionlessly. Not a single emotion crosses his face. Not a single word comes out of his tightly sealed lips.

Taehyung doesn’t know why Jimin looks so worried. His own mind is blank. All he can think about is how Jungkook was fine this morning before he left for office. He even said good morning to Taehyung as usual before leaving. He can’t seem to fathom the idea that the man who was just absolutely fine this morning is now nursing a bullet wound that could have taken – Taehyung shivers at the thought – his life.

Taehyung leans back against the seat and closes his eyes.

Yoongi said he was fine. So, Taehyung clings to that. Jungkook is fine. He’s not dead. He’s not gone like him.

~~~~~

The atmosphere is tensed.

No one acts differently but Taehyung can feel the worry and restlessness even the guards have for their boss. They bow to Taehyung when he passes them but they don’t smile at him like they usually do.

With Jimin by his side, Taehyung feels much braver than he would have on his own. He can breathe a little easier when they walk inside their apartment on the 40th floor.

Namjoon is in the living room. He’s talking on the phone while walking back and forth in front of the couch where Seokjin sits. The elder is on his laptop with a worried frown marring his handsome face. The lovers look ruffled somewhat.

Taehyung swipes his eyes across the room, and Yoongi or Hoseok aren’t there. Jimin squeezes his arm in a show of silent support. With a deep breath, Taehyung steps forward, catching Namjoon’s eyes. Namjoon’s worried eyes zero in on him and he gestures at the bedroom silently. Seokjin’s eyes flicker at him. Those fingers stop typing for a brief second before they go back to furiously typing.

With another look at the two of them, Taehyung steps towards the master bedroom. He opens the door of the bedroom and halts on the threshold.

Jungkook lies on the bed with doctors surrounding him. They are working on him while Yoongi and Hoseok stand guard by the head of the bed. Their sharp eyes fixed on those doctors’ each move.

Yoongi’s arms flex every time a doctor comes closer to Jungkook with a syringe. Hoseok’s face contorts when the needle penetrates his skin. They both look like they are hanging by a thread of self-control and it might snap any moment now.

The room is too quiet for Taehyung or maybe, he just can’t hear anything except for the roaring sound of his own escalated heartbeats. Taehyung walks ahead hesitantly until he reaches the foot of the bed. He grasps the footboard with a shudder running down his spine because now he can clearly see Jungkook.

There’s blood all over his shoulder and bicep. The doctors are cleaning up the mess, and Taehyung looks at the tray where the bullet is. It’s on a cotton pad. The cotton pad turned red as it soaked the blood around the bullet. It seems like it went into Jungkook’s arm.

When Taehyung looks at Jungkook’s face it’s to realize the man is still in a meditated slumber. He looks calm with no expression to decipher on his face. Taehyung looks at Yoongi next. Yoongi gives a small nod when their eyes meet.

“He’s fine. The bullet hit the muscles of his bicep.”

Taehyung wonders how Yoongi is so casual about that. How it’s not making the ground tremble under his feet. How is his body not feeling those uncontrollable tremors that leave goosebumps all over him? How are his palms not turning clammy, no matter how many times he wipes them?

Taehyung shifts his eyes on Jungkook.

His husband.

Jungkook’s face has a few bruises and cuts here and there. There is a cut on his cheek that will probably leave a mark. Blood dries on his lower lip. There are bruises on his knuckles that are probably from punching someone. Skin painfully busted open over the knuckles. Taehyung doesn’t even want to know what went down for the man to end up like this.

All he wants to know is…

“Is he going to be fine?”

Everyone looks at him for a second. Taehyung isn’t sure if it’s because his voice wavers like a dried leaf facing a raging storm or because they are startled out of the silence.

“He will be fine. Don’t worry, sir. He needs to rest for a few weeks and he’ll be back to his full potential,” one of the doctors smiles at him reassuringly.

Taehyung clings to those words while the medical team do their job. When they leave Taehyung finds himself still standing by the foot of the bed.

Yoongi shares a look with Hoseok before he gestures at Jimin. Jimin hugs Taehyung from the side. Whispers a few reassuring words and reminds him that Jimin is only one call away before the three of them leave the room. The door closes behind them.

Taehyung stands there, looking at Jungkook’s face with rapt attention. Something he hasn’t done since the day they got married. Always finding an excuse to ignore the man as much as he can. Always trying to look at anything but those eyes. Those godforsaken eyes seem to see through him every time.

Taehyung swallows. His eyes skimming over Jungkook.

Jungkook looks paler than he already is. The purple bruises stand out on his skin. Blood is now cleaned from those scrapes and wounds but the trace of it is still there.

Taehyung takes a hesitant step to go and sit at the edge of the bed. His eyes stay glued on the man for the rest of the hour. For as long as Jungkook stays unresponsive. Taehyung sits with his heartbeat still loud in his ears.

~~~~~

“Is that really you?”

Taehyung startles out of his daze of slumber and looks at the man whose calm eyes greet him. Jungkook is awake and Taehyung can feel his heart slam against his ribcage with the knowledge.

“You are awake. Oh, thank god!” Taehyung blurts out before his brain can rein his mouth to silence.

Taehyung doesn’t give himself the time to ponder over that mistake because he has more important things to do. One of them is scooting closer to Jungkook and leaning in to scrutinize his face with alert eyes.

“Are you still in pain? Shall I call the doctors back? They said you will be fine but if you are not—”

“I am perfectly alright, Taehyung. Breathe,” Jungkook assures with an exhausted smile.

Taehyung pulls back from him and looks away. He blows out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. The worry hasn’t subdued in him but it’s tame now. He can control it like he can control his every other emotion around Jungkook.

“What happened?” the question is barely a whisper.

Jungkook tries to sound nonchalant but the wince at the end of his sentence gives him away, “someone took a shot at me.”

“I can see that, how?” Taehyung hopes he doesn’t sound as restless as he feels.

Jungkook looks like he doesn’t want to bring that up. He doesn’t want to discuss it with Taehyung and Taehyung somewhat knows why. He can guess why Jungkook wants to keep it as vague as possible.

Taehyung hates Jungkook’s line of work and he hates how he is associated with the man. Jungkook knows that is the only reason the two of them are living like two flatmates in the apartment and not as husbands. That’s the sole reason why Taehyung refuses to acknowledge him no matter how hard Jungkook tries.

But, today Taehyung wants to know. So he waits expectantly and Jungkook caves.

“We caught a mole among us and the gang he belongs to came forward to retaliate.” Jungkook’s voice is soft with a hint of hesitance.

Taehyung keeps his eyes on the wound that’s now wrapped up. Yet blood colours the white bandage. Taehyung’s eyes trace the bloodied edge for a moment. He balls his fists to refrain himself from reaching out to touch the wound. To physically make sure Jungkook is fine.

“You had to personally go to find this person?”

Jungkook gives a slow nod, “Yeah. I had to make sure we got the right person.”

“Of course,” Taehyung’s lips twist, “have to be meticulous about it.”

Jungkook says nothing to that.

“I’ll let you rest then.”

Taehyung doesn’t wait for a reply before he storms out of that room. He feels suffocated. It feels as if, the more he looks at Jungkook, the more he wants to scream. Scream and tell the man how the phone call made him feel. Tell the man that he shouldn’t jump headfirst into these things anymore. Now that he has someone back home… Taehyung can’t say any of that. So, he chooses to leave.

.

He learns quickly that the worry won’t cease just because he left that room. As the night progresses, Taehyung finds himself twisting and turning on his own bed before he gives up on sleep entirely. He just stares at the ceiling with a wavering exhale.

Anything could have happened today. The bullet could have hit Jungkook’s heart. His skull. Anywhere fatal.

Taehyung wouldn’t even get the time to see him one last time. Yoongi would call him and tell him that Jungkook is no more. He would never come back home again. Taehyung will never see him again.

Taehyung gets out of bed as soon as that thought crosses his mind. He can’t bring himself to stay in the cocoon of his bed when he feels so restless.

The apartment is quiet. Taehyung looks at the living room where Namjoon and Hoseok are sleeping. They didn’t leave even after Jungkook insisted. Ordered them. The two of them decided Seokjin and Yoongi could leave as they have something important to take care of meanwhile these two will stay. Just in case.

Taehyung doesn’t want to think about the ‘just in case,’ for the sake of his own sanity.

Taehyung goes to the master bedroom where Jungkook is. He opens the door and freezes to see Jungkook reading something on the bed with his back resting against the headboard.

Those eyes flicker over to him and Jungkook pauses too.

Taehyung lingers on the threshold. His feet refuse to move in the unfamiliar territory at the unusual hour of the night.

He hasn’t been in this room since their wedding. He doesn’t share the bedroom with Jungkook. He has no reason to visit this room at this hour.

Jungkook seems to think the same when he puts the book down and just observes Taehyung through the rimless reading glass he is wearing.

“You can come in. I don’t bite.” Jungkook’s voice is calm and amused.

Taehyung steps inside with hesitation and lingers by the foot of the bed. He grasps the footboard and tries to dig his nails into the burnished wood to focus on anything but those piercing eyes on him.

“What’s wrong?” Jungkook asks as if he is not recovering from a bullet wound.

Taehyung casts a disbelieving glance at the man. His gaze is laced with hurt, worry and accusations. Jungkook understands if the way his lips twitch is anything to take into consideration. He pats the bed after squirming away to make some room for Taehyung.

Taehyung looks at the bed and back at the man. Jungkook arches a brow in question. With no words, he goes to sit there. At the very edge, so he is not in Jungkook’s space but close enough so he can feel the man’s presence by his side.

“I’m fine. I’ll rest the night and be on my feet by tomorrow.”

“And go back on a killing spree by the day after tomorrow?” Taehyung can’t help the snide remark. Not when the worry sits like a heavy weight on his chest.

Jungkook’s tongue rolls in his mouth to poke at his cheek. As if trying not to say something that will anger Taehyung further. He takes off his glasses and looks at Taehyung with a sigh.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Jungkook is clearly trying to divert the topic.

Taehyung would be glad if the expected answer didn’t give away so much of himself in the process. He ducks his head and refrains himself from looking at the man again.

Jungkook chuckles low in his throat with a huff. Taehyung almost flinches when Jungkook’s palm covers both of his fidgeting ones and squeezes.

Taehyung looks at him and Jungkook is already looking.

“I’m sorry for worrying you. It wasn’t my intention, really.”

Taehyung feels the bile clogging his throat so no words can come out of his mouth. His eyes burn with something as ridiculous as tears.

He feels the warmth of Jungkook’s hand around his and he clings to it without thinking much. He flickers his eyes away from that face in fear that he might break down and collapse in front of Jungkook.

“I am not worried. Your parents are. I’m sure they are worried sick about their son. My parents are. Eomma almost cried when she called me a few hours ago. You should think about everyone in the family before you put yourself in such danger.”

Taehyung hopes Jungkook doesn’t pick up on the underlying tremor in his voice. He hopes Jungkook doesn’t hear the erratic way his heart’s been beating since that phone call. He doesn’t understand the reason behind it, how can he explain it to Jungkook if he asks?

Taehyung clears his throat for the sake of it, “why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

“Can ask you the same, Taehyung.”

Taehyung glares at their joined hands. He swallows the words down his throat before they can push their way out of his mouth and give so much of his emotions away.

“You took the meds. I think you should sleep.”

The corners of Jungkook’s mouth twitch as if Taehyung doesn’t understand something Jungkook does. He nods and pulls his hand away.

“I should. You’re right.”

He keeps the book aside, along with his glasses, and lies down. Taehyung reaches for the blanket and pulls it up to the man’s chest. Then he stands up to leave.

Taehyung’s breath catches in his throat when Jungkook grasps his wrist, making him look over his shoulder at the man quizzically. Jungkook looks hesitant yet those eyes are just as intense as Taehyung always seems to find them.

“Why can’t you stay?”

The words shake Taehyung to his core.

Why can’t he stay?

“I’m right here.” he tries to sound collected, which he is far from feeling, “I’m married to you. I’ve nowhere else to go.”

There is a voice in his head that laughs at him. Laughs and reminds him of his plan before the wedding. How he got a divorce paper ready. How he planned to throw it at Jungkook’s face right after he landed the first job that would take him out of this country.

He got that job. The appointment letter and the divorce papers sit side by side in his bedside table's drawer.

He can leave if he wants. He knows Jungkook won’t stop him with force. The man respected his each and every wish with such integrity since their wedding, it surprised Taehyung. Taehyung knows Jungkook will accept this too.

Yet, he couldn’t send back his confirmation for that post. He couldn’t hand over the divorce papers to Jungkook. Instead, he took a job here and after a month or so, found a better job to shift to.

.

Jungkook looks troubled before he looks away. His face contorts with lines on his forehead and the corners of his lips sagging. He gives a tight nod.

Taehyung hesitates. He can leave now. Go back to his room. The thought makes something coil in his stomach. He won’t get any sleep. He knows. He’s too jarred to feel comfortable in his room tonight.

Jungkook looks at him when Taehyung doesn’t leave immediately. With their gaze locked on each other, Jungkook’s palm comes to rest on the bed beside him. He caresses the place with his eyes stuck on Taehyung.

Taehyung’s eyes flicker to his hand and back to his face. It’s a battle against his brain and his heart.

His traitorous heart that tugs at all the strings to pull Taehyung towards the man on the bed. Taehyung silently sits down. Jungkook looks like he is holding his breath. As if Taehyung will bolt out of the room if he even dares to shift a little on his spot.

Taehyung pushes off the slippers and puts his feet up on the bed. Under Jungkook’s alert gaze, Taehyung lies down. He feels Jungkook put the blanket over him after a moment of silence.

Then Jungkook gets comfortable on his side. A little distance between them where the blanket stretches to cover them both.

Taehyung sucks in a breath when Jungkook turns off the bedside lamps. The room is dark. The curtains closed over the window that looks over the city otherwise. Taehyung can’t see anything as he tries to blink back the fog of darkness and ease his eyes to it. Taehyung clings to his pillow, burying his face into it, while he hears Jungkook move around to make himself comfortable.

“This is the first time we are sharing a bed.”

Taehyung snaps his eyes closed while heat rushes to his cheeks. It is indeed the first time they are sharing a bed since their wedding all those months ago.

He says nothing. Jungkook doesn’t prod further.

Taehyung can’t sleep. Even after minutes pass, he just lies there. All awake. Now that his eyes are familiar with the darkness and he can see the shapes of the pieces of furniture, he starts to stare at them. One to another to another until there’s nothing left to look at. The voices in his head come back. Painting different scenarios. In most of them, the person behind him would not be here anymore. When another gruesome scenario crosses his mind, Taehyung curses in his head. He gives in to the urge and turns around. Only to come face to face with Jungkook who’s looking right at him.

Taehyung’s heart stutters.

He hopes Jungkook can’t pick up on his expression in the dark when his eyes start to pool with tears. Taehyung bites his lower lip to make sure no sound comes out of his mouth.

Jungkook’s hand comes up to cover his between them. A lone tear rolls out of Taehyung’s eye and plops onto the pillow. Then more follow.

Taehyung feels the way Jungkook squeezes his hand in a silent assurance. Taehyung gives in.

In the dark of the night with exhaustion pulling at him, he gives in to the fight between his brain and his heart. He curls his pinkie around Jungkook’s and feels the way Jungkook huffs out a silent laugh before curling his around Taehyung’s in a silent promise.

They fall asleep like that. Facing each other and their hands joined between them.

~~~~~

Taehyung ignores Jungkook’s hiss when he opens the bandage. The wound glares back at him and Taehyung tries his hardest to not look at it.

It’s been two days. He is now in dressing duty for Jungkook after the doctor taught him how to do it. He puts the old bandage in the disposable bag before looking at Jungkook.

“I got this.”

Jungkook looks at him and his eyes gleam with barely suppressed mirth, “are you reassuring me or yourself?”

Taehyung doesn’t entertain him with an answer. He uses some hand sanitisers before wearing the latex gloves. He wets the gauze in the lukewarm water and starts to swipe it around the wound first. Jungkook’s arm twitches in his hold, but the man says nothing.

Taehyung looks at him with worry, “am I hurting you?”

Jungkook looks amused when he shakes his head, “I was shot, Taehyung. I think I can take a cotton ball dabbing on my skin if I survived that.”

Anger spikes in Taehyung and he presses the cotton ball harder against the muscle there. Jungkook winces and a laugh bubbles out of him.

“Aww, okay, okay. I am sorry!”

Taehyung grumbles and goes back to cleaning the wound carefully. He throws all the bloodied cotton balls in the plastic bag before taking off the disposable gloves.

Jungkook leans back against the headrest while Taehyung sanitizes his hands again and wears a new set of gloves. His phone starts to ring and both of their eyes find the device beside Taehyung.

Minho hyung

Taehyung looks at the phone and back at Jungkook whose eyes are still stuck on the phone. When Jungkook looks at him, Taehyung looks back at the work in his hand.

The call ends while Taehyung wraps up the wound with a new dressing. The phone starts to ring again and this time Taehyung picks it up.

Minho wants to know if Taehyung will go to work today. He missed it for the last two days. Taehyung looks at Jungkook who is getting out of bed to go over to his walk-in closet. The man is going back to work.

Taehyung sighs hopelessly. He wanted Jungkook to rest a few more days but he can’t bring himself to say it or beg for it. He doesn’t understand why he wants Jungkook to stay in front of his eyes for the entire day anyway. It’s not reasonable. Both of them need to go back to their lives like they were leading it before this incident.

“Yeah, hyung. I will be at work today. In fact, I’m about to leave.” Taehyung throws the bag full of the old dressing in the bin before walking out of the room.

— “I’ll pick you up, then. See you, Tae.”

Before Taehyung can even protest, Minho cuts the call.

.

.

.

“Why did you miss work for two days? Is everything alright?” Minho sounds worried when he greets Taehyung in his car.

Taehyung doesn’t disclose anything. He makes an excuse and smiles when Minho reaches to ruffle his hair with a sigh of relief.

Growing up in a family like theirs, Taehyung knows the risk of disclosing anything to anyone. So, he tries to make sure to not talk about Jungkook with his friends. Even though they probably know what the Jeons are behind their business, Taehyung doesn’t talk about it to anyone in his circle. Only Jimin knows everything. Other than that, Taehyung just never talks about Jungkook with anyone else.

~~~~~

It’s raining.

Taehyung sits with his lunch box open in front of him. He barely took a bite of the gimbap. The sound of the raindrops hitting the glasses of the windows makes Taehyung sigh. It’s a gloomy day. He looks at the phone lying beside the lunch box. He has locked and unlocked it quite a few times by now.

He wants to check up on Jungkook but at the same time, something stops him.

Why is he so worried? Jungkook is just at his office. He said he would lie low when Yoongi threatened him about taking up any field work at the moment.

Even then, Taehyung’s heart feels heavy with worry. He kept thinking about the man throughout the day as he worked.

Taehyung looks over at the others. Jimin, Wooshik and Minho are talking while they eat. Some are on the other table with their lunch boxes open. They are talking and smiling at each other.

Life is going on around him just like every other day. Only Taehyung feels the change.

Taehyung ignores that worried voice in his head and goes back to eating his lunch. He tries to tell himself Jungkook will be fine. If not, someone will inform him. Of course.

~~~~~

“Are you bleeding again?” Taehyung blurts out as soon as Jungkook steps through the door.

The man’s white, crisp shirt is now crinkled with blood stains across the chest. Jungkook looks at him on the couch and heaves a sigh. He shrugs dismissively on his way to Taehyung.

“It’s not my blood,” Jungkook murmurs with a curse before dropping his coat on the couch beside Taehyung.

Taehyung freezes as soon as the words register with him. It’s not Jungkook’s blood. It’s someone else’s blood on Jungkook.

“H—how did you get blood on your shirt?”

Taehyung knows the answer. He knows where the blood came from and he can connect the dots. He mentally curses himself for asking that. For demanding that and sounding so worried about it.

Jungkook goes to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. As if he doesn’t want to tell Taehyung about it. As if he is bidding time before he has to. Taehyung watches the man take a long gulp of water before looking over at him with those piercing eyes.

“It’s someone else’s,” he rolls his tongue in his mouth, pressing against his cheek with a sigh, “someone who’s no more.”

Taehyung trembles on the couch under Jungkook’s fixed gaze. Jungkook doesn’t even look remorseful or shaken up about it. Taehyung grips the cushion on his lap when he feels his fingers trembling as his palms start to sweat.

Jungkook killed someone and he is not remorseful about it. He is used to it. He has done it before. He will do it again if needed. Taehyung looks away as if electrocuted and tries to even out his breathing.

Jungkook puts the glass aside and comes back into the living room. He doesn’t sit beside Taehyung when Taehyung squirms away from him as soon as Jungkook reaches for his coat.

With a look at Taehyung’s ducked head, Jungkook leaves the room silently.

A shudder runs up Taehyung’s spine and he can’t move from his place on the couch. The thought of Jungkook taking someone’s life doesn’t sit well in his stomach.

It’s not what makes him feel so frozen. It’s the voice in his head, saying he worries about a man who takes lives with ease, that makes him feel a certain way. He feels angry at himself. He feels hurt.

‘There must be a reason. Right? For him to kill someone?’ another voice whispers in his head.

Taehyung grimaces at his own thought. Is he trying to defend a killer with reasons? Is he seriously trying to justify a murder? Taehyung gets out of the couch and rushes to his own room.

~~~~~

Jungkook wishes he could sit by Taehyung’s side and explain that’s the guy who shot at him. The guy who was stealing from his shipment and got caught in the crossfire.

He wishes he could make Taehyung understand his side but at the same time, Jungkook knows Taehyung would never.

Taehyung grew up in a family just like Jungkook’s own. They are into a business that stains their hands bloody. He knows Taehyung’s father is into things far worse than himself but he can’t bring himself to make an excuse like that to Taehyung.

Since the day he met Taehyung, Jungkook was taken by the man’s beauty. His views. His strong sense of morals.

It didn’t take long for Jungkook to fall in love with his husband. A husband who is repulsed at the mere thought of being with him. Someone Jungkook knows would have chosen anyone else over Jungkook if he had the chance. If his parents didn’t force him to marry Jungkook, Taehyung would have chosen anyone else. Anyone over him. Any day.

Jungkook hisses when he realizes he is standing under the spray of the shower and he forgot to take off his bandage. With a sigh, he tugs at the dressing and takes it off. He looks at the healing wound under the lukewarm spray of water.

His eyes close when he tilts his head upwards to wipe away the days’ worth of exhaustion.

The wound stings in the open air as soon as he walks out of the washroom. Jungkook looks at the wound in the mirror. It’s starting to heal. The blood starting to dry there, with the skin turning a deeper shade of yellow. Jungkook flexes his arm and winces when the wound burns with the movement.

It will take a few more days before Jungkook can use that hand properly.

He hears the footsteps outside his room before the door creaks open. Taehyung stands there like yesterday. This time he is more in control of his expressions. The same old empty eyes look back at Jungkook.

“You need help with the dressing?”

Jungkook looks at the wound and back at Taehyung, “I am fine, thank you.”

He is not fine. He knows he will have to struggle to do it alone but he doesn’t want to bother Taehyung. Not when Taehyung already looks so disturbed.

Taehyung looks at him and back at his arm. It’s like he is fighting someone invisible to Jungkook. After a long pause, Taehyung steps inside the room. Jungkook breathes out the air that got stuck in his throat. Taehyung takes the first-aid box from the dressing cabinet and goes to sit on the edge of the bed.

Jungkook lingers by the dressing table. Not sure if he should go and join Taehyung or not.

Taehyung answers the doubt for him when he looks over at Jungkook and pats the bed.

“You need to dress the wound.” Taehyung opens the box to put on the disposable gloves.

Jungkook turns around to face him while Taehyung studiously goes through the process of setting up everything for him. Jungkook wants to ask if Taehyung is fine. If he forgave Jungkook.

But none of that matters. Jungkook knows how Taehyung sees him. What his values are. Jungkook will never live up to Taehyung’s expectations. No matter how hard he tries.

Jungkook goes to sit at the edge of the bed and looks down at the kit. Taehyung takes hold of his wrist and pulls his arm closer. The contact makes something tingle up Jungkook’s veins, leaving behind goosebumps and an erratically beating heart. Jungkook feels like a teenager with a crush. It would be amusing if he wasn’t so desperate for the man in front of him.

He looks at Taehyung whose eyes stay glued on his hands as he works. Jungkook sits idly with nowhere else to look but at Taehyung. If Taehyung feels that gaze, he says nothing.

Jungkook tries hard to come up with something to say. This is the first time Taehyung is spending so much time around him. Normally, he just stays in his room and they only meet for dinner. Even then Taehyung watches something while eating and Jungkook watches him or goes through something on his own phone.

Jungkook’s phone rings and breaks the trance. He looks at the phone and sighs to see it’s Yoongi. With a single glance at Taehyung, Jungkook picks up the phone.

“So we got a lead on who stole our shipment.”

Jungkook sneaks a glance at Taehyung and hums to let Yoongi know he heard him.

“It’s Sanggyun and his gang. They are selling our drugs on the streets, Jungkook.”

Jungkook licks his lower lip, “how much did they steal? Do we have a concrete number?”

“Yes, it’s two boxes full of Ketamine. They are selling those with 25% off in their clubs. Just to mock us that they got to steal it from us.”

Jungkook feels eyes on him. He looks up to see Taehyung is frowning at him. Jungkook frowns back until Taehyung gestures at his arm. Jungkook looks down to see how he tensed his arm. His muscles flex where he balled his fist.

He unclenches his fist and gives Taehyung an apologetic grimace of a smile.

With his eyes fixed on Taehyung, Jungkook answers Yoongi, “send some rookies to the places he’s selling our products. Fuck the clubs and the workers up,” he ignores how Taehyung’s eyes snap to his face with alarm clear in them, “bring him to me as soon as you can.”

“On it.”

Jungkook cuts the call and flips the phone away. He knows the silence is too thick between them to last for a long time. He can practically taste the tension on the tip of his tongue.

“You need to rest your arm before the wound gets infected because it’s not healing properly.” Taehyung says under his breath with his eyes glued on the wound.

There is a pause before Taehyung speaks again.

“Maybe you should just rest at home for a few days.”

Jungkook wants to but he can’t. There is a disruption spreading in his own clan because of this rebel of a gang who’s trying their best to sabotage Jungkook’s reputation in the underworld.

He can’t let anyone think he is weak enough for another clan to steal from him like this. There must be some consequences before anyone gets any stupid idea. If he can’t overpower Sanggyun anytime soon, it will make so many gangs question his authority and challenge him for his power in the underworld.

Jungkook clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth, “I wish I could but there’s so much work…”

Taehyung purses his lips as if barely holding back his remarks. He nods mutely and goes on to apply the fresh dressing. After he’s done he leaves the room without another word or a glance at Jungkook.

Jungkook flops down on the bed with a curse.

He holds up his hand and stares at his wedding ring. The ruby there gleams like caged fire.

Taehyung’s wedding ring is the same with a sapphire, like the waves, caged in it.

Jungkook traces the edge of the stone and heaves a helpless sigh.

Jungkook first saw Taehyung the day he took over the Jeons hotel chain and the underground business. His father threw a retirement party for himself where the Kims were invited as their business-partners. Taehyung came with his family to the party and at first sight, Jungkook lost himself to the man. Taehyung had this aura of detachment that now Jungkook understands as distaste at their lifestyle. The man didn’t even smile at him when he wished Jungkook all the best after Mr. Kim elbowed him quite a few times. Yet Jungkook was caught on the web that was Kim Taehyung.

When his father told him about the arranged marriage, Jungkook didn’t protest after knowing it was Taehyung they chose for him. He knew it was kind of a given that families like theirs would only arrange a wedding that benefits their business. That was the normal thing to do in their circle. Jungkook thought Taehyung agreed to this arrangement just as he did. Just for the same reasons. Maybe, he also found Jungkook interesting. Found him attractive, just as Jungkook thought of Taehyung.

That illusion broke on the night of their wedding. When Taehyung let him know in direct and sharp words that he agreed to the wedding under pressure. He asked for some time to get used to Jungkook. Some months to find a way to be around Jungkook without feeling suffocated. His exact words. Jungkook remembers.

It has been months.

Now Jungkook is sure Taehyung will never warm up to him like that. Not how Jungkook wants him. Blindly, desperately, and pathetically. The thought, that Taehyung will never feel the same, makes something twist so painfully in Jungkook. He bears it. Bears it for that silly hope. A hope that refuses to give up on Taehyung. On his own feelings for Taehyung.

Not yet. Just… not yet.

Jungkook reaches for the bedside lamp to turn it off and looks at the door one last time before doing it. The darkness envelopes the room and Jungkook closes his eyes with a long sigh.

It is quiet in his room.

Jungkook can make out the shapes of the furnitures because of the moonlight that seeps through the cracks of the curtains. He looks at the ceiling while he touches the bandage around his arm. Thumb traces over the surface of the dressing as if he can feel Taehyung’s touch like that. If he tries hard enough he can soak up the warmth of Taehyung’s touch.

Jungkook snorts at his own miserable state of mind. Exactly how long he has to wait? He wishes he could ask Taehyung if Taehyung is really willing to give them a chance or if he made up his mind. If he wants to stay or if he wants to leave? Jungkook knows the answer every morning. But, then the night comes and he lets himself dream of a better and quite unrealistic future where they are in love with each other. Equally.

Jungkook curses and drags himself out of that dreamland.

How can they ever go on like this for the rest of their lives? Jungkook can’t. Some days it gets so impossible to not reach out for Taehyung. To not give in to that urge he buried so deep in him. The urge that sometimes scares him, too.

It grows in him every day. Whenever he is around Taehyung.

The urge to reach out and hold Taehyung’s wrist to stop him from leaving. The urge to tug him back in his own arms. The urge to kiss down that nape and hold that lean waist. Squeeze those hips.

Every time he sees Taehyung, something shameful crosses his mind. An ugly voice resurfaces at the front of his mind and paints some explicit images for Jungkook to torture himself with.

Taehyung’s mismatched, large eyes. So innocent. So honest. Every emotion playing out in them. Jungkook can’t help but think how they would look in lust. How would those pupils dilate when Taehyung is turned on.

Those lips. Jungkook imagines them parted with gasps and moans. Because of Jungkook. Maybe wrapped around—

Jungkook groans with shame while his hand travels under the blanket. He pushes his hand inside his joggers and bites back a curse.

Behind his closed eyes, he can see Taehyung.

Oh, Jungkook longs to have him in his arms. To press himself flush against Taehyung’s back so Taehyung can feel how aroused Jungkook gets with just the thought of him.

Jungkook squeezes around the base of his cock. A moan traps itself in his throat when he thinks of himself pressed against Taehyung’s back. Slowly grinding against him until he’s leaking pre-cum in his pants and Taehyung has to take support of something so he doesn’t fall on his face.

Jungkook thinks about that deep voice moaning while Taehyung tries to stay rooted on his spot and he squeezes his cock harder.

With a grunt, Jungkook gives his cock a slow pump and pauses at the tip.

Oh, how much he would love to rub the tip between Taehyung’s ass-cheeks. Growl in his ear and tell him how desperate he makes Jungkook feel.

Jungkook squeezes the head of his cock and smears the pre-cum all over his shaft. He sets a pace while different scenarios with Taehyung play out in his mind.

He reaches his peak when he imagines Taehyung on his knees. With those plump lips wrapped around Jungkook’s cock and those large eyes glossed over, looking up at Jungkook.

The guilt and shame come with his orgasm that spills over his fist. Jungkook reaches for the tissue box on top of his bedside table and wipes himself clean while cursing at himself mentally.

He probably shouldn’t do this. Shouldn’t think about Taehyung the way he does. He can’t help himself. He tells himself it will be the last time he thinks about Taehyung like this but even he knows, it won’t be. Taehyung will always have this effect on him while Taehyung can’t even stand him.

Jungkook goes to sleep with a heavy heart and the shame eating up at his conscience.

~~~~~

“You look like you will fall asleep right here.”

Taehyung looks up at Minho with a chuckle. Their NGO is working with kids to plant trees around the town today. Taehyung drops a few seeds into the hole he just dug and fills it with some soil.

He is tired. He hasn’t slept very well last night. He doesn’t say that to Minho but offers a small smile and a shrug.

Minho crouches beside him and starts to dig a hole himself, “is there something bothering you? You can share with me, I hope you know that?”

Taehyung looks at the kids. They are making a mess of their clothes more than they are planting trees. He smiles at a kid who brings out another tray of seeds for them to plant.

When he looks back at Minho, he finds him already looking back. Taehyung pauses for a second. That tender look in those eyes is familiar to him. They have been there since they first met. Even before Jungkook came into Taehyung’s life.

Taehyung wants to laugh when he thinks about Jungkook and Minho.

Jungkook is like an erupting volcano that woke up one day in Taehyung’s life and burnt everything in sight. Consumed everything around him and left him breathless, reeling.

Meanwhile, Minho is like a flowing river. Silently being there for him for as long as Taehyung can remember.

He is comforting. He always has the kindest words for Taehyung and a gentle, caring approach to life. He is so good with kids. So kind to the ones they work for. He genuinely enjoys looking after people.

He also likes to take care of Taehyung. More than anyone else. Those eyes never stop asking him those silent questions and Taehyung gave it some thought. He is not going to lie. He thought about answering the silent plea he could see in Minho’s eyes. He thought they would be a good match. Both of them are too similar to live a comfortable life together.

That is until Jungkook came along. He burnt all those ideas on his path. Without even knowing he is doing it because Taehyung never told him about all this. It’s not really his fault that Taehyung is a coward who gave in to his parents’ emotional blackmail.

Taehyung wonders how life would be if he stood up for himself and chose Minho instead. He would live a peaceful, happy and healthy life.

A life where he doesn’t stay awake all night worrying about someone else’s health. A life where he doesn’t feel so torn between his morals and his feelings that keep growing out of his hands no matter how harshly Taehyung tries to grasp onto them.

Taehyung flinches when Minho clicks his fingers in front of his face.

“What are you thinking?”

Taehyung shakes his head and goes back to his work with a painful smile.

“Tomorrow we are going to the redlight district to register the kids who are old enough to go to school. We’ll enrol them to ours if they want. If they don’t, we have to talk to their guardians about the importance of education. Try to convince them. Yeah?” Minho smoothens out the ground with his trowel.

Taehyung pours some water on the freshly smoothened soil. The scent of the moist soil makes him inhale deeply as his eyes close on their own accord. He gives a silent nod to Minho before three kids run up to the man and drag him with them to show a flower on the other side of the garden.

Taehyung looks at Minho and smiles to himself when Minho looks over his shoulder to make a face at him.

Taehyung goes back to his work while that voice in his head keeps asking about a man who is probably busy with his work back in his office. Or, maybe he is already working in the field. Putting himself in harm’s way because that’s what his work demands.

Death and destruction.

An erupting volcano.

Taehyung shakes his head and tries to focus on his work.

When he goes home that night, Jungkook is not there. There is a message on Taehyung’s phone that lets him know the other will be staying in the office for some last-minute work.

Taehyung feels just as restless as he was the night before. With each hour passing, Taehyung finds himself staring at the phone more and more. After two or so hours, he just gives in and turns away from the device to force himself to fall asleep.

~~~~~

The next day, Taehyung wakes up to the insistent ringing of his phone. With sleep still pulling at his eyelids, he squints at the bedside table and reaches for the phone. The device vibrates in his hold when Taehyung brings it closer to see the caller.

Minho.

Taehyung answers with a sleepy smile, “good morning, hyung.”

—“Did you see the news?”

Taehyung frowns at the urgency and worry in Minho’s voice. He blinks back the sleep and sits up with a confused yawn.

“I haven’t. What’s wrong?” Taehyung is already getting out of the bed with unsteady legs and stumbling on his way out.

There is a nagging voice that keeps telling him it’s about Jungkook. That something happened to him. Taehyung blindly reaches for the remote and turns on the television.

—“We have to go there today.” Minho says in his ear, “but, for a different reason than what we decided yesterday. Now we have to go there as a relief team from our NGO. This is so cruel, Tae. Whoever is behind this… they are a monster!”

Taehyung has his eyes fixed on the television. There the news anchor is showing the destruction at the brothels in the redlight district. According to the news report, a shootout took place there last night. The fight broke out very late at night, causing extreme damage as most people couldn’t even get out of their apartments to save themselves. According to the close sources, it was a brawl between two clans that left the entire area almost destroyed.

Taehyung can see the blurred images of dead bodies here and there. The vandalized buildings. So many people running around to find their loved ones under the debris. There are people sprawled out on the street. Some are sitting beside them, pouring water in their mouths. Some are wailing in the middle of the roads, people trying to pull them away from their loved ones’ bodies.

Taehyung swallows a bile that tries to rise to his mouth. He is wide awake. Fearful eyes stuck on the screen.

He cuts the call with Minho with a stuttered assurance that he will be ready before the man comes to pick him up. He sits on the couch with his eyes glued to the television. The images keep piling up in his mind. One after another. Taehyung turns off the TV when he realizes it’s getting harder and harder to breathe for him.

When he finally gets out of the couch to get ready for the day, Taehyung realizes Jungkook is still not home.

~~~~~

The loss is tremendous.

Taehyung looks around the area while their NGO’s cars roll down the roads. He can see the particular building that was bombed. He can also see the ambulances. The workers carrying out bodies and almost piling them inside the ambulances. He looks away when he notices a distorted body hanging off of a stretcher.

Minho reaches out to squeeze Taehyung’s knee with a sympathetic glance at him.

“I told you to stay put today. You don’t do well around such scenes.”

Taehyung ignores Minho’s concern and looks down at his phone. Jungkook sent a message to inform him that he was fine. He will be home by this afternoon.

Taehyung closes the phone before he can reply because the car is already stopping. He steps out with Minho.

As soon as Taehyung looks at the people around him he frowns. All of them are looking at him. Some are trying to hide behind each other. There are a few who are glaring at him with tears in their eyes.

Taehyung doesn’t understand the reaction. He looks at them and back at Minho who looks equally confused.

“What are you doing here?” an old man asks in a sharp voice that conveys his hurt and anger, “is this not enough? You want to do more damage to us?!”

Taehyung can feel eyes on him. His teammates are looking at the old man and back at him in utter confusion. Taehyung doesn’t understand a thing the man said. He looks around once again before looking at the man.

“What do you mean? I’m here with the relief team.” Taehyung hesitates with his words when he notices how the people recoil, some shout curses at him from the crowd.

The old man laughs in disbelief before looking at the other affected ones around him, “did you hear what the boy said? He is here with his relief team!” that smile dims to leave behind a cruel curl of those lips and he snarls at Taehyung with venom in his eyes, “as if it wasn’t your husband and his gang who destroyed our everything last night!”

The entire world around him comes to a screeching halt.

It’s just Taehyung and that man standing across from each other. Everything else just goes to a standstill for him.

The words circle him at a frantic pace. Closing in on him with each circle until they wrap around him like a viper. The cold embrace tightens around him as if the snake wants to crush him in its hold. Break his bones and turn him into a slime of limbs.

Taehyung falters, “no… no…”

The old man’s face crumbles with anger, “no?! You are the son of the Kim family, aren’t you?” he shouts with tears rolling down his cheeks, “who married into the Jeon family? Look around!” he spreads his arms with a broken sob, “the Jeons did this! Your husband did this!”

Taehyung shakes his head in denial. There is no way. He looks around the place and goosebumps break out on his arms. Taehyung takes a step back and feels the car behind him. He leans against it when his head feels too light.

It’s not like he didn’t know what type of work Jungkook does. It’s not like he is in any illusion about his family and Jungkook’s own. Yet, seeing this firsthand breaks something in him into pieces. Taehyung feels like he can’t breathe. The destruction, the accusations in those eyes, the hurt and anger directed at him, the loss all around him… his husband did that.

Taehyung chokes on his own bile and turns away to open the car and get inside. Minho rushes inside, too, holding out a bottle of water for Taehyung to chug from.

“I think you should go home, Tae. We will manage it here.”

Taehyung shakes his head. He can’t run away like that. Not when they expect him to do just that. He can’t turn his back on his duty.

“I’ll be fine, hyung,” he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling the cold touch of his lips against his wrist, “just give me a moment.”

Minho nods in understanding. He sits with Taehyung in a show of silent support that Taehyung is glad to have. Taehyung’s eyes roam over the street. He takes in everything as he slumps against his seat. A dry sob bubbles up his throat and Minho squeezes his thigh. Taehyung shakes his head, trying to breathe through the clog in his throat.

“He’s not your responsibility, Tae,” Minho reminds him gently, “what he does, is not your sin. Okay? You need to collect yourself and do your job. Please, collect yourself.”

Taehyung nods mutely, breathing in till his lungs protest. He holds that breath for a few seconds before breathing out and looking at Minho with a tired but grateful smile. Minho smiles back in understanding and the two of them step out of the car to join the others in the rescue mission.

Taehyung keeps Minho’s words in his mind as he takes his position in the team. He doesn’t argue with the ones who pass snide remarks at him. He stands still and listens to the cries and curses thrown at him but he doesn’t back away from his duty.

Taehyung helps the families who lost their apartments to find shelter for the night and works with the injured people to send them to the hospital after noting down their details.

A man takes his last breath in Taehyung’s arms after Taehyung helps pulling him out from under the debris. Taehyung sits there with the man’s head on his lap and his own heartbeat erratic in his ears.

He looks around and the scene unfolds in slow motion around him. People screaming for help. Some are crying while hugging their loved ones close to their chests. Begging for someone to bring their loved ones back to life. Some are feverishly searching for their family members and praying that they are safe.

Taehyung feels his eyes well up. He sniffles and looks away when he sees a woman crying over a dead body and begging him to come back to her.

Taehyung gets off of the pavement and rushes to the nearest bin to empty his stomach with tears blurring his vision. Minho shows up beside him. Rubbing his back and holding out a bottle of water with a small nod.

.

.

By the time they are done, Taehyung almost drags himself to Minho’s car. He doesn’t utter a single word throughout the ride back home and when Minho asks if he wants to talk, Taehyung just shakes his head in silence before he gets out in front of Jungkook’s building.

~~~~~

Jungkook hears the doorknob twist and the door opens to reveal Taehyung. He knows where Taehyung was. He has two men following Taehyung around in civil clothes. Just to make sure no one even dares to think about hurting him.

Taehyung drags himself to the couch and flops down. He doesn’t relax. Just sits there, taut, with his eyes glistening with tears in them.

“Did you cause that?” Taehyung asks in a barely audible voice.

Jungkook looks at the man but Taehyung doesn’t look back at him. It’s as if Taehyung can’t bring himself to look at him.

“Yes.”

Jungkook sees the way Taehyung shudders as soon as he says it.

Taehyung’s face falls and those teary eyes finally shift onto his face. Jungkook doesn’t know how to deal with the hurt that stares back at him. He holds his breath because he knows he can’t say anything that will cease that pain for Taehyung.

“There were kids.” Taehyung murmurs, “there were kids trapped under debris. There were innocent people hurt everywhere. Death…” he sniffles, “so many died. So many dead bodies. So m—many! How could you?” it starts as a whispered disbelief and when Jungkook doesn’t answer, Taehyung’s voice rises, “how could you?!”

Jungkook has no answer to that. Last night they followed a tip from that man who got caught as a mole in their team. They went to the redlight district and found the building where the gang was hiding. An entire building was under their possession.

It was them who started the crossfire. Opting for bombs next. Just to destroy the raw materials they gathered in that building. So that Jungkook’s team can’t get a hold of those or find any clue to lead them ahead. He can say all that but one look at Taehyung and Jungkook knows Taehyung won’t believe him. He has no proof.

Jungkook is not innocent either. His gang returned the favour in full force. He told everyone to make sure no one got out of that building alive. If they weren’t going to get any evidence, then might as well kill everyone in there.

Things escalated after that. Some of that gang’s members showed up down the streets, with their guns pointed at Jungkook’s men, starting a shootout. Jungkook ordered shooting at sight and that led to the death of many from that gang.

Yet, Jungkook didn’t use the bombs that destroyed the building and caused so many casualties. He can’t explain that. Somehow, indirectly, he is a huge reason for that mess.

So, he stays quiet.

Taehyung looks like he’s trying hard not to break down with each breath he takes.

“There were kids!” Taehyung repeats, “there were families who lost their bread earners! There were innocent people—” he springs up on his feet as if he can’t just sit still and bear the hurt anymore, “how could you? How could you?! I can’t believe…”

His voice cracks. Taehyung tugs at his own hair in frustration while tears roll down his cheeks. He looks at Jungkook and grimaces in disgust before looking away as if he can’t stand looking at him right now.

“You know how it feels to have someone take a shot at you! How can you get back up on your feet and do the exact thing to others?!”

Taehyung wipes his eyes angrily but fresh tears spring to his eyes just the same. He whimpers before turning away from Jungkook.

“They were so hurt. They were so upset with me. Me!”

His voice keeps rising with each word.

“Me! For being your husband! That’s my only fault! That I’m your husband. They hated me. They were scared of me when I did nothing to them! All because of you! All because I am your husband!”

Taehyung looks back at Jungkook and this time their eyes meet because Jungkook is looking at him. Taehyung nods lifelessly.

“All because I am your husband!”

Jungkook reaches out helplessly when Taehyung stumbles but Taehyung stops him with a glare and turns on his heels to rush down the corridor to his room.

The door slams behind him and the apartment goes eerily silent.

Jungkook slumps on the couch, knowing whatever progress, if any, they made, is now down the drain.

~~~~~

Taehyung feels angry. Hurt. Sad.

At himself.

He felt something for this man who caused that much destruction to innocent people. This is not the first time for that and this won’t be the last.

Taehyung flops down on the bed and blinks back tears. The atrocities from the day keep flashing across his eyes and he whimpers before hiding his face in his palms. Tears gather in his hands. The more he thinks about the past few hours, the more sick Taehyung feels.

This is the man his parents thought he would be happy with. This is the man whose worry kept him up for a few nights now. This is the man he is supposed to stay with for the rest of his life.

Taehyung wipes his eyes with determination and shakes his head. His jaw hardens when he looks at the bedside drawer where he knows the divorce papers are ready and waiting.

With a trembling hand, Taehyung pulls out the papers and runs through them once.

He will give it to Jungkook and be done with it.

He grips the edge of the papers and ignores how they crumble with the force. He leaves the room in search of Jungkook. Jungkook’s bedroom is dark with the door ajar. Taehyung looks at the living room to see Jungkook is not there, either.

A small chit is stuck in the middle of the tea-table that reads, “I am sorry.”

Tears roll down Taehyung’s eyes and he tears the chit into pieces. Watches those pieces float in the air before falling on the carpet. Taehyung turns on his feet and dashes inside his room.

In his fury, he picks up his pen and jots down his signature on the divorce papers before he leaves them on Jungkook’s bed.

He packs up a few of his clothes and leaves that apartment.

~~~~~