Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

~🥀~

“My mother is a fucking headache..” Taehyung groaned as he kept flicking shirt after shirt over his shoulder.

“You’ve been saying it for the past fifteen years and yet you’re still her favorite son Taehyungie..”

Taehyung rolled his eyes as his best friend’s voice filled the room through the phone speaker.

“Why does she want me to wear that particular shirt? Like I haven’t taken it out or worn it in years? We are fucking millionaire’s? They have their own empire and I have my own business. Why can’t I just buy something new?” he huffed, throwing open a small drawer in the closet, frustrated to his limits.

“Your mother thinks that shirt has some kind of luck or divine blessing..” Jimin snickered.

“I’m hundred percent sure that she went to meet that fucking shaman or whoever she keeps meeting to know about our supposed future before she told me to wear this shirt, I swear to god.” he gritted rummaging the back of the drawer, Jimin's laugh bouncing off the walls of the closet, making him smile slightly.

HIs best friend has always managed to bring a smile to his lips.

“She is just excited Tae, You finally agreed to meet the girl she’s been gushing about, let the woman live.” Jimin muttered and Taehyung heard some rustling around in the other end before he heard a sigh. “Are you seriously searching the entire closet for that single shirt?”

“Yes!” Taehyung huffed opening another smaller compartment where he kept a few of his clothes that he rarely wore (He was pretty sure that he had never worn these shirts more than once.) “The woman is gonna be all up and over me if I do not wear it so at least I have to have evidence that I didn’t wear it cus I didn’t find it and definitely not cus I hated the bloody thing.”

Jimin giggled over the call.. “Kim Taehyung, did you burn your mother’s favourite shirt?”

Taehyung groaned once more with a petulant huff. “Of course I didn’t. What did you take me f-” Taehyung cut his own rant off as his hand came in contact with something at the back of the compartment, he stayed frozen for a second before slowly wrapping his hands over the soft felt box.

“Taehyung?”

Ignoring his best friend’s voice, Taehyung slowly pulled his hand out of the compartment, widened eyes immediately falling to the box in his hand, and his lips parted in a slight gasp.

He knew what this was.

He knew it.

But how long was it that he had seen this box?

Three years?

Four years?

No.. No.. Six, nearly seven years.

He remembered vividly the day that he threw this soft box into his closet and slammed the door shut, forgetting all about it and its existence.

Until now, where he had the box in a death grip.

“

Tae are you ok-”

“I’ll call you later Jimin-ah..” Taehyung rasped as if he was in trance, voice low and distant as he reached over to his phone and cut the call off before looking at the box again.

His heart started to beat in his throat as he stared at the box, trembling, attempting to open the once gold coloured now discoloured latch. When he finally succeeded and his eyes fell on what was inside, his heart palpitated in pain.

Seven years and his heart still ached at the most precious thing he owned a few years back.

The bracelet his ex-boyfriend had given him.

His fingers shook harder as he grasped at the piece of  jewellery and pulled it out of the box, holding it up in front of his eyes. 

He didn't quite understand..

He had promised himself seven years ago that he would move on and he did then why did it still hurt to see this small piece of metal..

Yes, it was once precious to him..

But now?

He laid it on the palm of his hand and tilted sideways, sitting much like falling onto the floor, back against the closet as he caressed the flower on the bracelet with his thumb, mind immediately yanking him back into the first memory he had with it.. 

“I'm home..”  Taehyung mumbled as he entered their one bedroom apartment. He had attended the birthday party that his parents had thrown him.

Jungkook, his boyfriend had refused to come knowing the previous dislike Taehyung's parents had towards cus he didn't come from an influential family like Taehyung had.

But did Taehyung care about it? He didn't give a fuck and he was thankful that Jungkook knew that too.

He hadn't even wanted to go to the stupid party, he had just wanted to spend his day with his boyfriend but Jungkook was adamant on Taehyung spending some of his time with his family and so he had no choice but to attend.

He took his coat and gloves off before walking into the apartment only to see it decorated with brown and white balloons, a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner hung on the wall and confetti on the floor. He looked at the table and he saw a bear shaped cake with two glasses of wine and Taehyung's heart soared with warmth at the sight of it.

“Koo?” He called out as he walked further into the apartment, walking towards their bedroom only to find it empty. 

Where had his boyfriend gone after decorating the apartment for him?

He looked around the room and everything was in place except the bunny slides which Jungkook often wore to the rooftop of their apartment complex.

Taehyung let out a sigh and put on his own slides and walked out of the apartment with a shake of head, quickly climbing the stairs to the rooftop.

“What in the world are you doing out here in the cold?”

Taehyung watched as Jungkook’s head snapped towards his voice, a beautiful smile appearing on his face at the sight of Taehyung. 

“Taehyungie!” The younger chuckled as he got up from the edge where he was sitting and rushed towards Taehyung snuggling into Taehyung’s slightly opened arms, burying his face into Taehyung’s neck, nose and lips cold. 

“Fuck baby.. how long were you here for?” Taehyung almost squeaked as Jungkook's cold face came in contact with his skin.

Jungkook snickered before pulling back, and looking into Taehyung's eyes. “Hey..” he whispered and Taehyung smiles involuntarily fucking down to peck his boyfriend on the lips. “Hey yourself bun.”

Jungkook’s already flushed face deepened colour at the nickname. “How did it go?”

Taehyung stared at Jungkook before he rolled his eyes. “The usual. I hated it. I just wanted to throw their presents into the bin and just disappear into thin air and appear back in your arms..”

Jungkook blinked before throwing his head back and laughing. “You are so silly..”

Taehyung shrugged, pretending to not notice how Jungkook's eyes dimmed when he mentioned how it was the usual.  

The usual, usually meant his parents bad mouthing their relationship and asking Taehyung to break up with Jungkook. 

Jungkook let out a sigh.. ”well at least they won't give you shit for not attending your own birthday party.”

Taehyung huffed petulantly. “Who the fuck cares if they do? They can keep all those fake smiles and pretentious gifts to themselves.”

Jungkook stared at the male for a few long minutes before smiling. “I got you something?” He whispered softly.

Taehyung felt his heart skipping a beat and reviving into a wild unruly beat.. “you did?” He whispered, eyes wide in surprise.

Jungkook smiled softly. “Well.. it's..  it's not that grand like something your parents would give but… it's something.. I'm sor-”

“I dare you to complete that bloody sentence..” Taehyung gritted before he lifted his hands up to cup Jungkook's face. “Baby.. I have always told you that nothing matters to me.. your presence in my life is much more valuable to me than the billions and trillions of money they have to offer.” He whispered, heart aching slightly when he saw how Jungkook gulped on nervousness and his eyes stung with tears..

“Oh Bun..” he whispered, leaning down to capture Jungkook's lips in a sweet kiss, taking time to make sure that he let the younger knew how exactly he loved him. “I love you..” he whispered, pulling back slightly sp that he would breathe into Jungkook’s lips..

Jungkook sniffled slightly before smiling.. “ and I love you more..”

“Impossible but okay.. I'll let you win this round..” Taehyung grumbled teasingly before beaming. “Now out with it. Show me what you got.” He said excitedly.

He watched as Jungkook hesitated for a second before reaching inside his pants pocket. “I made this.. I mean.. this is handmade..” he mumbled almost inaudibly before pulling a box out of his pocket, thrusting it towards Taehyung and Taehyung grabbed it before the other could panic and take it back.

He looked at Jungkook once more before slowly pulling the lid of the soft white coloured box only to gasp out loud, eyes as wide as saucers.

“Jungkook!” He exclaimed as he pulled the bracelet out of the box.

Taehyung had always loved jewelry.. and a few weeks ago he had gushed about a piece of jewelry he saw on a website. Of course he could afford it. He could buy hundreds like it at once but he didn't want to. He didn't want to use his parent's money to buy anything at all. It was just a simple bracelet made of a gold chain and a flower made from white pearls right in the middle of it, yet Taehyung had found it so so delicate and pretty that he had gushed Jungkook's ears off about how beautiful it was. He never said he wanted it and only ever said that he loved the design.

But Jungkook had always known him better than he knew himself.. He must have known from his excitement that Taehyung would have loved to have it cus here he had the exact same thing in his hands.

“I.. I know.. it's not the same thing.. You were just so excited about it and I..  I wanted you to have it but I couldn't afford it .. so.. so I took a few online classes on how to make jewelry and made it for you.. it's not real  pearls or gold.. I know.. I just.. I just wanted you to have it.. I'm..  I'm.. '' Jungkook rambled nervously but Taehyung cut him right off when he crashed their lips together, kissing Jungkook hard, pouring every ounce of emotions he was going through..

“You silly silly bunny..” he panted as he pulled back, a gorgeous smile on his face. “God what  will I do with you?”

“You like it?” Jungkook’s voice was so innocent and hopeful that Taehyung wanted to bring him the bloody own and place it before his feet.

“Why is that even a question?”

“I mean it's not gold or anything..”

“Jungkook.. how many times do I have to  tell you? I simply don't care.. you remembered my birthday made it special since the second I woke up.. gosh that would have been more than enough.. but now.. now.. now this ..” Taehyung marveled looking at the bracelet on his hand. “Put it on me..”

Jungkook opened and closed his mouth a few times before grabbing the bracelet gently, placing it around Taehyung's wrist ever so carefully before locking it in place. 

“This is the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen Bun.” Taehyung whispered, simply in awe of his boyfriend.

“Really?” Jungkook's innocent eyes stared right into his soul..

Taehyung deadpanned. “No.. not really.. the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen is my idiotic boyfriend.”

“Taehyung!”

Taehyung laughed before placing his lips once more on Jungkook, kissing him ever so softly. If his family hadn’t ruined a little part of his day then his birthday would have been perfect. Jungkook had woken him up with breakfast in bed before they made love to each other in the shower, and continued it for almost three hours. He had spent the entire morning with Jungkook before going to his parental house later than he should have been and escaping as soon as he could.. He pulled back with a small smile to see Jungkook looking at him with a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes.

“There is one more present..” he whispered.

“There is?” Taehyung marveled.

“Mhmm..”

“ Where?”

Jungkook slowly pulled back from the male, a slow smirk drawing on his lips.

“If you want it then come catch me..” he grinned, winking, before he took off running down the stairs..

Taehyung stared at the male, processing what he had just said before cursing and running after him..

That fucking brat.

Taehyung wrapped his fingers around the bracelet, the gold chain digging into his palm..

Who was he kidding? It was still the most precious thing ever to be owned by him..

Slow tears trailed down his face as he let his head back against the closet. He had thought back then that they would spend an eternity together.. What a short eternity it was..

I t’s been seven fucking years already, and Taehyung was now going to get married. He let out a sarcastic laugh, hollow and aching as he looked back down at the bracelet in his hand.

“Fucking pathetic.” he told himself.

Why did it hurt so bad?  He asked himself yet he found no answer to his own question. Staring blankly at the piece of jewelry for a few long silent seconds, he wrapped it around his wrist, locking it in place. He is going to wear it to go see his would be fiancé today.. Maybe at least then he would have a grasp of reality and let bygones be bygones.

Jeon Jungkook was not a part of his life anymore, maybe taking the one thing he had of him to take the next step of his life will help him to realise that.

He will not let Jeon Jungkook break him..

Not again.

Taehyung sat in the private room in the restaurant listening to his mother and father talking to his younger sister, thumb brushing against the bracelet on his wrist, under the table. They were waiting for the family of the girl to arrive and Taehyung wasn’t paying attention to that’s being said by her parents or his sister.

His mind was preoccupied, was ever since he locked the bracelet around his wrist.

“Taehyung!”

Taehyung snapped out of his thoughts when hue heard his mother’s loud voice, turning to her slowly with his eyes slightly wide. “Huh?” he asked, confused.

“Are you okay? We’ve been talking to you for over five minutes and all you’ve been doing is staring at the table cloth silently.” His mother frowned.

Taehyung wanted to scoff. After all these years his mother had finally remembered to ask whether he was okay. He stared at her blankly before sighing out slowly.

“I’m sorry.. I was just thinking about some stuff regarding the office.” He muttered.

Her mother made a face. “We told you to take the business but no you just had to go start your own and struggle for years/”

Taehyung frowned. “So what? The struggle was worth it? My business is at the top of the fashion industry today. I don’t see what’s wrong with starting my own thing.”

HIs mother shook his head. “You never listen to us..”

Taheyung’s sister just silently stared at her fingers.

“And you won't ever listen to me either..” Taehyung bit out. “When have you ever listened to what I want?”

“If we listened to you, you would have still been in that dingy one bedroom apartment with your deadbeat ex boyfriend.” His father scowled.

“Appa.” Taehyung’s sister spoke up at the same time that Taehyung tensed.

“No.. He needs to know that we are only doing everything for his own good. We were right when we said that he had no future with him.” HIs mother rolled her eyes. “That boy didn’t even have a future for himself so how could they have a future together. I knew the day that I saw him that he would end up on the road.”

“ He has a name. Stop insulting him.” Taehyung gritted out. “And he is an athlete, he di-”

“Oh please.. Don’t tell us that you didn’t know that he never made it.”

Taehyung froze, head snapping up to look up at his laughing mother. “What.. What did you say?”

HIs sister looked at him slowly. “Do you really not know Oppa? After all these seven years?” she asked softly, ignoring his mother’s scolding looks.

“Know what?” Taehyung snapped, irritated.

His sister merely blinked before pulling her out and scrolling through something and holding the phone in front of Taehyung’s face.

Taehyung looked at his sister before looking at the phone screen, face paling by the second as he read the headline of the article.

“Most anticipated rookie player of the year discontinues his newly signed contract with the national water polo team. Reasons Unknown. ”

Taehyung's heart thundered within his ribcage as he stared at the smiling image of Jungkook right below the headline. He is incapable of reading further into the article as he kept running his eyes over and over again on the headline.

“I never said anything cus I thought that you knew Oppa..” The girl whispered, looking at her brother’s pale face. “Oppa?”

A thousand voices screamed inside his head, the surroundings turning into mere black and white shapes.

Jungkook was not an athlete.

Jungkook quit.

Jungkook was not a star player.

HIs inner voices kept whimpering, some screaming and he felt suffocated. He belatedly realised that he was not breathing as he gasped for air when he felt a soft touch on his face to see his sister looking at him in concern. He stared at her blankly watching as her lips moved soundlessly before abruptly standing up, chair screeching back and chest heaving up and down.

“What are you doing?” His mother asked, startled but Taehyung paid no attention to her as he moved, rounding the table with quick and clumsy feet.

“Where do you think you are going, young man? Sit the fuck down. The guests must already be her-”

Taehyung’s father’s words are cut off by a loud sound a bang, indicating that Taehyung had already left the private room, slamming the door behind him rendering his mother and father speechless, not k nowing anything to do rather than watch their son.

Taehyung’s sister, Ji-yeun stared at her brother through the one way mirrors until Taehyung stepped out of the restaurant before she let out a deep sigh in concern of his brother.

“Be safe..” she whispered, feeling her heart ache for her brother..

“Taehyung what the fuck is wrong with you?!” Jimin threw his hands up as he stared at his best friend who was pacing up and down furiously, looking like he was about to deck someone. He had been this way for the past twenty minutes and Jimin felt his anger rising each second that his friend ignored him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Taehyung finally snapped, stopping and spinning around to look at Jimin and Jimin's eyes widened seeing Taehyung’s  slight reddish eyes.

“Didn’t tell you what?” Jimin frowned, but then took a stop forward in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that he didn’t make it? Why?! You were supposed to tell me!” Taehyung raised his voice. “Do I look like I’m fucking okay to you?”

Jimin frowned deeper. “The fuck are you on about? Tell you about whom? What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“Everything! Fucking everything! Why didn’t I know that he wasn’t what he was supposed to be? Why didn’t anyone inform me? Why?”

“Who the fuck are you talking about?!”

“Jungkook! I’m talking about Jeon fucking Jungkook!” Jimin froze hearing that name again from his best friend’s mouth after seven long years but then his frown slowly disappeared, face becoming emotionless as he stared at his best friend.

“You didn’t want to hear anything about him, Taehyung. Even his name was prohibited from being said in front of you..“

“So you knew?”

“Knew what?”

“You knew that he didn’t join the national team.”

“Of course I knew Taehyung It was all over the fucking news.”

“Then why didn’t you fucking tell me?!”

Jimin stared at his friend with blank eyes. “You didn’t want to hear anything about him, Taehyung.” he spoke, this time a little slower.

“Well I should have sure liked to hear how he abandoned his dream caree-”

“Yah Kim Taehyung! Why? Why would you have liked to hear it? For what reason? You told me that you’ve already moved on. You left him saying that you will never get back to him and that he and you have no business together anymore. You remember?” JImin asked, staring right into Taehyung’s burning eyes.

“ That doesn’t mean that I did-”

“You left him for a reason, Taehyung! And you about to fucking get married why are you so affected by it anyway? Seven years ago.. It was seven years ago  Taehyung. You told me you moved on then why are you so ada-”

“Maybe because that career choice of his was why we ended up like this today! I wanted to know why he quit his dream career when he all but risked our fucking relationship over it. I want to know what or who made him put that dream career of his second when he chose it over me!” Taehyung all but yelled, chest heaving up and down, eyes filled to the brim with tears. “Maybe I want to know cus that career choice of his and his dedication to it was what broke me! I want to know why he left a career an year later after we broke up when he missed nights and nights of dates to train for this stupid fucking career! I want to know why he gave up what he wanted so badly after ruining me and leaving me in pieces!”

Jimin's lips parted open in shock as he stared at Taehyung, not knowing quite what to say after that outburst.

“You know what? Fuck this!” Taehyung muttered as he turned to grab his keys off of the table.

“Where.. Where are you going?”

“To get my fucking answers.”

“Tae..” Jimin trailed off, feeling his heart sink.

The tone of his best friend’s voice made him stop in his tracks. “What?”

“He is not in Seoul..”

“What?”

Jimin closed his eyes, clenching his jaws. “Jungkook left Seoul shortly after the news spread around, and I’ve been trying to get a hold of him somewhere… I just wanted to know how he is.. Even seven years later I’m searching for him.” He whispered. “But.. He is nowhere to be found..”

Taehyung stared at the male before he felt his legs giving up from underneath him, feeling a jolt of pain spread through his entire body as he blankly stared at the wall.

He closed his eyes, not willing to let the tears in his eyes trail down his face. Letting out a trembling sigh he let the darkest of his dark memories come alive behind his closed eyelids.

He was still lost.

He never had his answers.

He wanted them now, but he knew he wasn’t getting them now either.

He was at a dead end..

Again.

Taehyung’s mind was elsewhere as he drove home that night. Thousands of question floating in his brain, he felt helpless.

What happened?

 His mind kept screaming the same question again and again.

A question he had no answer to.

He just wanted to know why Jungkook would abandon a career that he  had risked the five years relationship for.

It just didn’t make sense.

Taehyung blinked his teary eyes as suddenly the memory of the cursed day flashed in his mind.

Taehyung stared at the clock, feeling more and more numb with each second that was passing. The candles that were lit around the room were almost over now, the food on the table cold and balloons almost deflated.

He was sitting at the table, alone, taking slow sips of wine, where there were supposed to be two people on the table, chatting and eating for the past few hours.

The emptiness in the apartment was haunting as he waited for his boyfriend to come home.

He should have been home, hours ago..

He promised he would be here today.

He promised that he would get off practice today..

He promised that he would be here for their anniversary..

Then where was he?

Taehyung’s heart ached, mind clouding with the darkest of thoughts as more and more times passed. With each passing second Taehyung felt it was difficult to breathe, he wanted to run.

Run as far as he could and never look back.

The love he had in his heart for his boyfriend was slowly turning into a gut wrenching pain. He couldn’t bear it.

When he noticed the sun slowly peeking into their apartment through gaps of the curtain and still having no news of his boyfriend, he slowly stood up, bottom lip trembling.

He had enough.

He wanted to breathe.

He wanted to run.

So he ran and never looked back.

Tires screeched loudly as Taehyung stepped on the brakes harshly, chest heaving up and down as he barely missed a car coming from the opposite direction. The car honked at him loudly, probably cursing at his existence.

HIs fingers tightened around the steering wheel, tear after tear making their way down his face. He couldn’t do it. He was feeling the same breathlessness he felt that day.

HIs mind was screaming with the question ‘What happened?’ like it had screamed seven years ago with  “Where was he?” and it was driving him insane.

He pulled his phone out of the holder, pulling up a contact and holding the phone upto his ear.

He was going to find Jeon Jungkook by hook or crook.

He was going to get his answers if that was the last thing he would do.

“You hired a fucking private investigator?! The highest paid investigator in Seoul? Are you insane?” JImin almost yelled as he entered Taehyung’s office, with a file in his hand.

“Good afternoon to you too Park Jimin,” Taehyung murmured slowly looking up at his best friend who he hadn’t spoken to since almost two weeks.

JImin stared at him. “Taehyung are you fucking insane? What in the world are you doing? Why are you searching for him now? For what reason?”

Taehyung sighed, grabbing the cup of tea and taking a sip out of it. “I need my answers.”

“And now is the time for you to search for them? Seven years later? After you swore left and right that you moved on? After you half way agreed to get married to someone else? Why do you want answers if he isn’t a part of your life anymore?”

Taehyung simply stared at Jimin before humming and looking towards the file in his hands. He tensed slightly seeing the seal on the file and flicked his eyes up to meet JImin’s eyes. “What are you doing with that? And how did you get it?” he asked, sitting on his chair, rigid.

Jimin looked at the file before scoffing. “Well guess who went in search for their best friend who they haven't spoken in for almost two weeks only to find out the house is fucking empty in a Sunday morning and not only that but also a file on his door step with his ex-boyfriend’s name on it. ”

Taehyung’s fingers shook slightly as his grip tightened around the pen. “Did you read it?”

“Of course I did.”

Taehyung’s lips parted in surprise.. “Where.. Is he..” he trailed off.

“Is he alive? Where is he?” Jimin quipped, raising his brow. “Well, yes he is alive but where he is really really far away from us Taehyung.”

“Where is he?”

“Taeh-”

“Where?” Taehyung snapped, voice breathless and firm.

Jimin pursed his lips. “In Busan.” he murmured, looking at Taehyung. “In a small mountain village.”

Taehyung stared at the male without blinking once before he sprang up, shaky hands hurriedly tidying up his desk, slamming  his laptop shut and grabbing his wallet, keys and phone. He grabbed the suit jacket that was on his chair before rounding the table and stalking towards the door.

Jimin blinked, flabbergasted. “Where are you going?”

“Busan.”

“Taehyung you can’t j-”

Taehyung paused silently, wrenching the door open before slightly looking over his shoulder. 

“You are welcome to follow me or stay here.” he muttered. “I’ll be leaving in the next ten minutes regardless.”

“Are you sure that this is the place?” Jimin murmured as he got off the bike.

They had travelled for almost four hours by car finally arriving at Busan, Taehyung not stopping once as they drove further into the city towards the mountain range that the map showed them. When they had gotten there, a kind man from the village at the bottom of the mountain had chuckled and told them that they would never get where they wanted to go to, in a car. He had led them over to the tourist registrar and had asked the man to lend them a tourist bike to go up into the mountain. He had then let them park the car near his own house and had given them a map of the mountains, telling them there were a few small villages up there and the one they wanted to get to was the farthest one.

Taehyung shrugged as he got down as well. “This is where you lead me to Jimin. Why are you asking me?”

Jimin huffed and watched a woman approaching them slowly. “This is where the fucking map lead us to Kim Taehyung.“

Taehyung snorted but before he could say anything else the woman stopped in front of them with big wandering eyes as she looked at them carefully. Taehyung knew they stood out like sore thumbs cus they were in their work clothes and these people might see people dressed so formally very rarely, but he still felt a little shifty under the woman’s gaze.

The woman seeming to notice their uncomfortableness smiled at them slowly. “H-How c-can…” She struggled in English. “I.. help you?”

“Oh no no..” Jimin spoke in Korean immediately, his Busan accent slipping out automatically. “We speak Korean very well auntie..”

The woman let out a sigh of relief and giggled. “Oh.. I was worried.. The rest of them have gone to work in the field, the kids are in the class and  I am not that good in English. What can I help you with?”

“Oh you are so sweet..” JImin smiled as he opened his mouth to speak again but to his surprise was cut off by Taehyung.

“Is there someone called Jeon Jungkook here?”

Jimin glared at his best friend at his emotionless tone while the woman’s face lit up. “Jungkookie? Oh.. he is in the class with the children. He their teacher.”

Both Taehyung and Jimin blinked. “Teacher?”

The woman smiled softly. “Yes.. Teacher.. Our children had no education here, they just helped us in the fields all day.” she let out a sigh. “And it’s not that we didn’t want our children to be educated, but we couldn’t just afford it so we let them help us out.” she then smiled again. “But everything changed when Jungkookie came. At first everyone was against it but then he somehow convinced the village head and for seven years now, he’s been teaching our children. He helped my son get a scholarship to Busan university. He is in his first year now. Jungkookie has been a blessing ever since he came here. He’s helped us be more productive in the fields too.”

Taehyung's heart pounded loudly. “He came here seven years ago?” he asked slowly.

The woman nodded. “Yes, he came seven years ago.” she smiled. “Do you know him?”

Before Taehyung could speak JImin smiled at her. “We were friends when we were kids. He might not even remember us, we just wanted to see what he was up to.”

The woman smiled at Jimin. “Oh. Well.. I can take you to him. Come on. He will be happy to see you guys if he remembers.”

JImin watched the woman turn around and leave before he snorted. “I highly doubt that.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes before starting to walk behind the woman, further into the small village, passing small houses built from clay with roofs made of coconut leaves and clay. They passed a slightly bigger and well built house, still using clay and Taehyung assumed it was the Village head’s house.

“How many families live here?” Taehyung blinked when he heard Jimin’s voice.

“Oh. Only fifteen. So everybody knows everybody.” The woman laughed. “There were thirty but some decided to leave wanting better lives, that is why you see all these empty looking houses.”

Taehyung watched the woman pointing at a few houses. “And you didn’t leave because? Doesn’t want a chance at a better life?”

The woman shook her head. “This is the land of our ancestors. How are we supposed to just leave these lands to rot? No, we have to look after them and we will till the day we die.”

JImin smiled. “That’s.. I’m glad you didn’t abandon these pretty lands.”

The woman smiled as they approached the back of a long building. Not long like the ones in Seoul but longer than any other building that they had seen on their waY. The woman smiled at the voices before rounding the papers and stepping towards the front of it.

“Jungkookie.. You have visitors..”

For a while everything was silent, even the children were silent. Then two seconds later the front door of the building threw open, revealing a neat and pretty classroom and not even a second passes before a body emerges from a room..

“Mrs. Soo?” The voice quips and Taehyung felt his heart sinking to the base of his feet.

Taehyung stared at the male that Just came out of the building, his eyes on the woman. He barely contained from letting a whimper exit his throat because here he was standing in front of a man that had his entire world in his palms.

Yes, that has.

The sight of his ex boyfriend is enough to explain to him that he had never actually moved on.

“You have visitors son.. They say they are friends.”

Taehyung watched as the male made a small noise and slowly turned towards them only to freeze, eyes flicking from Taehyung to JImin and back to Taehyung, the process repeating. The flash of recognition, the hurt, the pain and the anger were crystal clear in those doe eyes that Taehyung loved so much for a second, the eyes he finds out that he still loves, before all of those emotions vanish and are replaced with nothing but confusion. It happened so fast that if Taehyung didn’t know those eyes like the back of his palm  he sure would have thought that he imagined it all.

“Jungkookie..” Taehyung heard Jimin whispering from beside him, and he could swear that his legs were about to give up as he watched the male stare right into their souls. His heart pounded in overdrive as he watched him open his mouth but the words that he spoke next made it difficult for Taehyung to breathe.

“Who are you?” The voice was soft yet clipped. “How can I help you?”

“He might remember the both of you later. Why don’t you two stay here for a little while? Talk to him and visit some of your childhood memories?” The woman tried to cheer Taehyung and Jimin up as she poured some tea for them. They were sitting in her hut, faces blank except for Jimin’s teary eyes.

Taehyung’s mind was racing miles per second.

‘If you two don’t have anything else to say, let me return back to my class, the children are waiting for me. I think you have the wrong person.’

Those were the last words Jungkook spoke to them as the male had turned around and went inside the building again, shutting the door behind him, a little hard, indirectly saying that he didn’t want any more interruptions.

Taehyung called bullshit on Jungkook not remembering who they were. Those eyes spoke volumes, and even if no one else could read them Taehyung was always capable of reading them and the anger and pain that those eyes screamed at the sight of Taehyung was not an indication of memory loss.

It was true that Jungkook had undergone quite a few changes. He was more built and his features were all hardened where they once used to be so soft. Once sparkling eyes were now dull and there were no stars anymore. The younger was sporting an entire sleeve of tattoos with piercings that Taehyung couldn’t properly count from their brief encounter. He couldn’t imagine how the once soft and innocent looking younger now looked rough and matured. It’s almost as if he couldn’t recognize the younger.

Jeon Jungkook had gone from somebody who he knew very well to someone he knew nothing about.

And as much as it hurt bad, he understood. It was understandable. Time changes people. He knew that.

What he couldn’t understand was, why was the younger pretending to not know them and to Taehyung’s dismay, he was starting to feel restless until he got to know the answers to his questions. His legs bounced up and down as he stared at the tea cup in his hands.

He could hear Jimin and the woman talking in soft voices in the background but his mind was only focused on Jungkook’s veiled cold words. Yet again, he didn’t understand why it hurt so much to see the younger speaking to him like that. They were practically strangers now, seven years between them yet Taehyung felt as if he just got his heart broken from his current lover.

His eyes snapped outside when he heard kids screaming. “Oh.. They must be done with classes..” She chuckled. “Jungkookie will join me in a little while, he takes time to clean the class up before coming down here..”

Taehyung’s lips parted as he heard the woman. His heart drummed in his ears as he processed those words, and the second that he let those words sink in, he was springing up from the box chair he was sitting on and was storming in the direction of the class building, without paying any attention to Jimin who was calling out his name,

He threw the plastic tea cup away onto the ground before storming up the stairs and without even bothering to knock on the door, he pushed it open, making it bang against the clay wall. He watched as the younger who was cleaning the space almost jumped out of his skin as he looked.

“I think I told you that you have the wrong person. Why are you still here, Mr…”

Taehyung clenched his jaws as he stalked into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. “Quit the act Jungkook.” Taehyung growled.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. How do you know my name?” the younger quipped as he turned around collecting books.

“So you are really going to pretend that the man you lived with for almost five years is not in your memory Jungkook? Are you really going to stoop low?”

The teacher in front of him laughed. “Low? I don’t have to stoop, I was always low.” he snickered. “And I have never been in a relationship. Please get out of here and my village. Please. I need to concentra-”

“I said cut the fucking bullshit Jungkook!” Taehyung snapped, enraged. “Stop fucking lying. You might fool anyone else but not me Jungkook! I’ve always know when you lied, and I still fucking can. If you didn't remember me then why the fuck were your eyes so angry and hurt the second you saw me? You were my fucking boy- ”

Taehyung was cut off with a loud thud as Jungkook slammed the books he had in his hands down onto the teacher’s table, staying stock still for a second before turning around to glare dagger at Taehyung.

“What the fuck do you want?” he hissed, the snarl on his face, clearly indicating the hatred he held inside for the male in front of him.

Taehyung smirked slightly, eyes cold. “Oh so you finally remember me? Hmm?”

“What. do . you. Want.”

Taehyung glared back at Jungkook. “Answers.” he murmured expecting and anticipating a thousand ways that the younger would reply but he wasn’t quite ready for Jungkook to throw his head back and laugh out loud, the laughter holding nothing but cold and emptiness.

“Answers? What are answers do you suddenly wanna know after seven fucking years Kim Taehyung?”

Taehyung felt like he was going to explode with anger. “Oh you remember these seven years? After pretending that you don’t even kno-”

“The fuck did you want me to tell her?” Jungkook spat, hands balling by his side. “The fuck did you want me to tell in front of her? Ph Mrs. Soo, let me introduced the fucking bastard who left me like a stray dog and disappeared into thin air? Huh? Was I supposed to tell her that it was the man who I once dreamed a life with? The man who gave me an illusion of having everything but then ripped everything apart from me? Or that this was the man that fucking ruined your life!”

Taehyung’s lips parted in surprise as he stared at the screaming younger. Jungkook had never raised his voice at him. Never. And now the younger was finally doing it, he didn’t know how to react, cus each of those words that were screamed out sounded wounded and sharp like a dagger.

“Tell me! Fucking tell me Kim Taehyung! Was I supposed to open my fucking arms and usher you into them like nothing happened? Should I have smiled at you and greeted you when you were the very fucking reason I no longer smile?”

Jungkook took a step forward and slammed his hands on Taehyung’s chest, pushing him back.

“Was I supposed to fucking introduce you as the man who gave me empty promise after empty promise? The man who played with my entire life? Or the man that made my life a fucking nightmare? Which way should I have introduced you?”

He then took a staggering step back, face contorting as his eyes welled up with tears.

“I don’t know why you are here after seven fucking years Kim Taehyung..” he breathed, “I don’t know whether you find pleasure in ruining my life from time to time or what sick sense of fun you are having like this. I don’t know whether you want to humiliate me or embarrass me. But what I do know is that you and I have no business with each other..” he breathed hard, not giving Taehyung one chance to speak.

“There is no space for you in my life anymore. If you wanted answer then you are seven years too fucking late for that. Get lost. Go the fuck back to wherever hell hole you came from. The sight of you disgusts me. Get out of my life. Leave my house, leave my village and never return. You are not wanted here. You will never be. Look away and run like you did seven years ago. Piss off.”

Taehyung wanted as a tears slowly trailed down Jungkook’s face before he felt an unstoppable stream of tears trailing down on his face, He opened his mouth to speak but the sound of glass breaking as Jungkook threw the nearest vase at a wall, make him flinch hard.

“Fucking leave. Get out. Now. ”

Taehyung choked up the sob that ripped up his throat before turning around and walking towards, only freezing when he heard Jungkook’s voice.

“You gave up on us, Kim Taehyung. You broke it all off. Don’t you dare come and demand anything that you let go. We are nothing.” Jungkook’s voice is emotionless despite the obvious tremble in it.

“You know why? Cus you broke whatever we had like you broke your fucking promises. Good bye.”

~🥀~