Chapter 24
Third person's pov
As Jungkook saw the shop on fire, panic surged through him, overriding any sense of self-preservation. His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he pushed through the crowd of onlookers, their shouts and gasps a distant background noise to the roaring flames.
"Taehyung!" he shouted desperately and with that he ran inside the burning shop.
People were shocked, and one man tried to follow him, but a wooden sign fell with a loud crash making everyone to step back. Someone quickly dialed the fire department, the crowd murmuring anxiously.
Inside the burning shop, Jungkook stumbled over fallen debris, coughing as the thick smoke filled his lungs. "Taehyung! Where are you?" he called out, his eyes stinging from the acrid air.
He moved frantically, his legs carrying him in all directions, his mind solely focused on finding Taehyung amidst the chaos.
Meanwhile, outside, Taehyung was walking down the street with Jungkook's phone, shoes, and bag in his hands. As he approached his shop and saw it engulfed in flames, his heart dropped.
Without a second thought, he sprinted towards the inferno. He heard a woman shout, "Is that man crazy? Why would he run in there!"
Taehyung's eyes widened as he approached the crowd. He grabbed the woman's arm, desperation"What was the man wearing?" he asked urgently.
The woman looked at him, puzzled and alarmed. "A pink shirt and black jacket—"
Before she could finish, Taehyung broke free from the crowd, dropping Jungkook's belongings in his haste. A few men tried to stop him, grabbing his arms, but he shrugged them off and plunged into the fiery building, shouting, "Jungkook! Where are you!"
The heat was overwhelming, and visibility was poor as thick smoke swirled around.
Taehyung squinted, his eyes scanning the burning wreckage. He heard muffled cries from a nearby room and ran towards it. Just as he was about to enter, a large piece of wood fell, blocking his path. His heart raced even faster as he heard Jungkook's voice, full of terror, shout, "Taehyung!"
"I'm here! I'm here, don't worry, I will save you!" Taehyung shouted back,
Without hesitating, Taehyung grabbed the smoldering wood with his bare hands. Pain shot through his palms, but he ignored it, gritting his teeth as he threw it aside. His hands felt like they were on fire, but he quickly rubbed them on his shirt to dull the pain and rushed into the room.
Jungkook was there, tears streaming down his face, surrounded by flames. "Taehyung," he cried, relief mixing with fear.
"I'm here. Calm down," Taehyung tried to sound as soft as softly. He took off his jacket and threw it over the nearest flames, stamping out the fire with his feet. Jungkook immediately ran to him, throwing his arms around Taehyung and clinging to him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
"We'll hug when we're outside," Taehyung said, his voice gentle yet firm. He lifted Jungkook into his arms, carrying him as if he weighed nothing. Jungkook's eyes were wide, everything around him a blur of smoke and flames.
Everywhere Taehyung turned, there seemed to be fire blocking their path. The heat was intense, and the smoke made it difficult to breathe. Outside, they could hear the shouts of Taehyung's kids and the panicked voices of the crowd.
Suddenly, a group of firefighters burst through the door, their faces obscured by protective masks. They moved quickly assessing the situation. One of them approached Taehyung and Jungkook, signaling for them to follow.
"Come with us! We'll get you out!" the firefighter shouted.
Taehyung, still holding Jungkook tightly, nodded and followed the firefighter. They navigated through the burning wreckage, the firefighter clearing a path through the debris.
At one point, a piece of the ceiling collapsed nearby, sending a shower of sparks over them. Taehyung shielded Jungkook with his body, feeling the heat against his back.
Finally, they reached the exit, where more firefighters were waiting.
As Taehyung and Jungkook emerged from the burning shop, coughing and gasping for air, Taehyung gently placed Jungkook back on his feet.
Soon the paramedics rushed to them. "Are either of you injured?" one of the paramedics asked,
Before Taehyung could answer, his children ran to him, their faces pale with fear. Taewon clutched his father’s shoulders tightly, his fingers digging into the fabric of Taehyung's shirt. "Appa, you scared the hell out of me!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.
"How did this happen!" Heejin asked, her hands holding Taehyung's burnt hands.
"I forgot the ramen on the stove and I think it bursted."
Soohyun, tears streaming down her cheeks, looked at Taehyung with a mix of anger and relief. "What was the need to run inside? I heard people talking about it. Are you mad?" She began hitting Taehyung’s chest lightly,
Taehyung just pulled his children into a tight embrace, holding them close and whispering soothing words. "I'm okay, I'm okay." he said, his voice calm.
The paramedics gently urged the children to step back, insisting on treating Taehyung's burnt hands. Heejin, Taewon and Soohyun reluctantly let go, their eyes never leaving their father. Jungkook stood nearby, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot, not knowing what to do at the moment.
After the paramedics had applied ointment to Taehyung's blistered hands, Soohyun turned her glare to Taehyung.
"You ran inside because of him, right?" she accused, pointing at Jungkook. "You could have died in there! Is that what he wants?"
Jungkook remained silent, his head bowed.
"Soohyun, stop right now," Taehyung said, his voice firm but gentle.
"No, Appa, let her speak," Heejin interjected, her eyes flashing with anger. "Ever since you met him, you've started giving him more priority than us!"
"Enough," Taehyung said, his patience wearing thin.
"You said you both were only friends. You don't run into fires like that for just a normal friend!"
Before anyone could say anything further, Jungkook stepped forward. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breaths came in short, quick bursts.
Without a word, he grabbed Taehyung by the collar and pulled him down, standing on his tiptoes to reach Taehyung’s lips. Their mouths met in a desperate, fervent kiss. Taehyung’s eyes widened in shock, but after a moment, he kissed back, their lips moving together.
Jungkook’s hands gripped Taehyung's collar tightly, his knuckles white with tension. Taehyung’s hands, despite the burns, found their way to Jungkook’s waist, pulling him closer. Their bodies were pressed together.
Everyone around them stood frozen in place, too stunned to react. The kiss lasted until they were both out of breath, and then Jungkook pulled away, turning to face the bewildered crowd. "We both love each other," he said, trying to sound as confident as possible.
Taehyung stared at Jungkook, his eyes wide with shock and something else – something like relief and joy. The crowd around them was silent, processing the declaration.
Suddenly, a voice broke the tension. "Eomma?" Everyone turned their attention to the side, where Sujae stood with wide eyes, his jaw nearly on the floor.
A moment later, a loud clatter drew their eyes to Hyunjae, who had dropped his phone and was staring at Jungkook with a look of utter disbelief. He had came early to surprise Jungkook but Jungkook supirsed him!
"Hyunjae, Sujae......"
After a few minutes.......
After a few minutes, all of them were sitting outside a convenience store. Taewon stood up and began handing everyone a juice he had just bought from the store.
When he reached Hyunjae, he offered the juice with an outstretched hand.
Hyunjae looked at the juice, then at Taewon, his face tightening with frustration before he turned his head away sharply. Taewon’s hand hovered in the air for a moment, then he slammed the juice hard on the table, the sound echoing through the stillness. He sat down heavily, his shoulders slumping.
Heejin broke the silence, her voice hesitant. "So, you guys are dating?"
Hyunjae erupted, his face flushing with anger. "No, they are not!"
Taewon turned to Hyunjae, his jaw set in a stubborn line. "But they said they love each other! Do you want them to become friends with benefits then?"
Hyunjae almost stood up, his body tensing as if ready to hit Taewon. Jungkook quickly moved between them, placing a calming hand on Hyunjae's shoulder. "We haven't started dating yet," he said softly, trying to diffuse the tension.
Hyunjae pulled away from Jungkook's touch, his eyes filled with hurt. "Eomma, I... I don't know what to say. Even if you had something about him in your heart, you should have told me." He picked up his phone and started walking towards his car,
Jungkook's eyes widened in panic. "Hyunjae!" he called, but Hyunjae didn't turn around.
Sujae placed a hand on Jungkook’s arm. "Eomma, let him be alone," he said, his tone was filled with straight up disappointment.
Jungkook could hear the sadness in Sujae's voice, and it made his heart ache. He had gathered so much courage to confess to Taehyung, and now his sons weren’t happy at all, the thing he feared the most.
Taewon leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "Will you two get married?"
Sujae sighed and looked at Taewon with exasperation. "They haven't even started dating yet, and you are thinking about marriage!"
"We haven't thought about it yet." Taehyung spoke, trying to stop both the boys before they start arguing.
Soohyun, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "Appa, do whatever you want." She picked up her remaining juice from the table and walked away.
Taehyung opened his mouth to speak but then decided not to.
After a few moments of complete silence.....
Sujae looked at Jungkook, his eyes reflecting the hurt he felt. "Do you want to talk with him or go home?" he asked, his voice low.
Jungkook looked at Sujae with teary eyes. Sujae had never spoken to him in such a tone before, and it made Jungkook feel a deep, painful regret. "Go home," he said quietly. Then, turning to Taehyung, he added, "I will talk with you on the phone."
Taehyung nodded. As Jungkook was about to leave, Taehyung grabbed his hands gently, his touch warm despite the burns. He lifted Jungkook's hands to his lips and kissed them softly. Sujae, unable to see it, Sujae turned his gaze away and continued towards the car.
Taewon and Heejin pretened to look somewhere else.
Jungkook forced a small smile. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Have a safe ride,"
"You too," Jungkook said, before walking to the car. The car ride home was steeped in silence, the only sound being the hum of the engine and the occasional sniffle from Jungkook.
As they arrived home, Jungkook noticed Hyunjae’s car parked in the driveway. Inside, he asked the maid, "Is Hyunjae home?"
The maid nodded. "He went to his room."
Jungkook nodded in return and made his way to Hyunjae's room. He found his son lying on the bed, staring at his phone, the blue light casting a harsh glow on his face.
Jungkook sat on the edge of the bed, his movements slow and deliberate. "Hyunjae," he called softly.
Hyunjae looked up, his expression unreadable. "Oh, you're here, Eomma. Why?"
Jungkook took a deep breath. "Because I wanted to talk with you. A-Am I not allowed to do that?"
Hyunjae shrugged, his eyes cold. "No, no. Who am I to decide what you have to do or not? Do whatever you want, Eomma, because even if I say something, it will be ignored."
Jungkook's eyes filled with tears. "I a-am so-orry."
"For what, Eomma?" Hyunjae said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't be silly. You just did what you wanted, and now let me do the same."
Before Jungkook could respond, Hyunjae turned over, facing away from him. "I want to sleep. Leave me alone."
Jungkook sat there for a moment, hoping Hyunjae would talk but he didn't. Finally, he stood up, his shoulders drooping. "Goodnight, baby," he whispered before leaving the room.
Jungkook walked slowly to his own room, each step feeling heavier than the last. When he finally reached his room, he immediately went to take a shower.
Jungkook stood under the warm spray of the shower, hoping the water would wash away the day's stress and confusion. He rubbed his hands over his face.
After a few minutes, he turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist. He wiped the steam from the mirror and looked at his reflection, his eyes tired and red.
He slipped into his pajamas and climbed into bed, trying his best to find a comfortable position. He tossed and turned but couldn't sleep. He couldn't shake the image of Hyunjae's hurt and angry face. Every time he closed his eyes, it was there, staring back at him.
Just as he was about to give up on sleep altogether, there was a soft knock on his door. The maid entered, carrying a tray with a warm glass of milk and Jungkook’s medicines.
"Hyunjae sir asked me to give this to you," she said softly, placing the tray on the bedside table.
Jungkook sat up, taking the glass in his hands. "Thank you," he murmured, and then the maid turned to leave.
Alone again, Jungkook looked down at the glass. He lifted it to his lips and took a sip, the milk warm and soothing. He tried to drink more but found that he couldn't. His thoughts were too tangled, his heart too heavy.
He set the glass back down, only half-finished, and decided to go to Hyunjae's room.
Jungkook walked down the hallway, When he reached Hyunjae's door, he paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.
He knocked softly, then opened the door just enough to peek inside. Hyunjae was sitting on his bed, his back to the door, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
He could hear some words like,
"Everyone is the same!"
"I can't let a man destroy his life again."
"How can eomma choose that man over me and sujae?"
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So that was all for today's chapter, I hope you enjoyed reading it.
What are your views on it?
What do you think about Soohyun Sujae and Hyunjae ?
Did you liked Jungkook's bold step ?
Will they get married any time soon ?
Just a simple question, do answer it.
Is 42 too old to get preggy? It's releated to the storyline but I am confused about something.
Like is it weird or okay.......
Borahae,
Byee.
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
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