Love is gone
Slanders feat. Dylan Matthew

"I'm sorry, don't leave me, I want you here with me. I know that your love is gone. I can't breathe, I'm so weak, I know this isn't easy. Don't tell me that your love is gone. That your love is gone."

"Come with me, I'll drive you home Bambi." I can't even respond or react to the proposal since I'm suddenly dragged out by someone as soon as Jin finishes his sentence. The strong grip around my wrist is cutting off my blood which causes numbness in my hand. Everything goes too quickly when I start to realize that I'm sitting in a moving car.

Beside me, an angry-looking Taehyung driving a familiar car. It's Jimins. A piece of my past was written on the backseat of this silver Mercedes. The part, I wish I didn't do. If I could erase that, I would. But would it make this situation better? Fact is, I wouldn't be in this drama if I never met Jimin. Would I have met Taehyung then? Maybe not.

The air is so heavy and the man I love is ignoring me. He is focused on the highway with a frown on his handsome face. It doesn't look like he wants to chat and discuss the fight we had yesterday. Weird to see this side of my person. Feels like we're two strangers sitting in the same car but we're not because I wouldn't care about him if I wouldn't know him. Many words swim in my head to start a conversation but I can't find the right combination.

And so passes a very silent one-hour drive, the worst thing is we still have more than two hours until we arrive home. I never knew how torturing the silent treatment can be. Usually, I'm the expert on this treatment but I never got it. Until now. Taehyung is testing me to the fullest with his ignorance and I'm too insecure to step out.

"What is Seokjin to you?" Out of the blue and without a warning I get surprised by the sudden question.

"Tae, what do you mean? Jin is my boss." My answer comes out nonchalantly since there's no reason to overthink his weird topic.

"Your boss?" The man's grip around the steering wheel gets tighter while scoffing ironically. "Oh, Crystal, he's not just your superior. He does more than he should."
Taehyung's voice is deep and I hear his anger. His eyes are still focused on the road. Not a single glimpse I get, just a side profile of his tense jawline.

"He's also my friend but all the employees have a good relationship with him. Jin is not the typical boss."

"So you want to tell me he would drive an employee more than three hours to send them home?"

"He would_"

"Although it's not on his way? Seokjin was supposed to drive Jennie to his parent's house, which is an hour away from your place." I wish our first eye contact would be nicer but his fiery gaze is burning my soul. "I don't like him being beside you and that every freaking day!"

"What do you want to tell me with this, Tae? Are you telling me to quit my job just because you don't like him?" My heart is beating fast. This is frustrating. " What does Jin have to do with our fight? Shouldn't we solve that first before starting a new one?"

"I don't want to talk about you and_"

"What, me and Jimin? You can't even say our names together, so how do we continue now?" Taehyung is shutting down, I can see how dark his stare gets while concentrating on the highway. It's silent again as I wait for an answer for a couple of minutes. "Wow, great, now we're back to mute again."

I turn to the side, my back facing him. At this moment it's hard to look at him without bursting into tears. That's why I quietly sob in anger and disappointment while watching out the window. Taehyung is the type of person who is hard to argue with as he always wants to be right but on this issue, no one is right or wrong.

Of course, I was wrong that I kept it for too long and did not tell him about Jimin. And Taehyung is too distracted by the fact that Jimin and I slept together that he doesn't care about my feelings. This hurts. Will he talk to me when we're home? How will the mood be? Will one of us sleep on the couch?

The closer we get to NYC the more insecure and nervous I get. He was silent the whole way and so was I. Not by choice, though. I know when I have to stop talking and Taehyung sent me enough signs. We finally halt and I exit the car first. Right after me, he also opens the door and walks to the luggage space, and takes my suitcase out.

He starts walking to the building but with only one suitcase; mine. "Wait, Tae, you forgot yours."

Taehyung stops and I bump against his back. "I will go to my apartment." His voice is quiet but I can hear him.

"Oh, ok, do you need some more stuff from your home? Why didn't you get them earlier, we could've taken the exit to Manhattan before coming here."

"Crystal." It's serious when he calls me by my name. " I won't come back here." Taehyung turns around to face me. Cold and emotionless, that's what his eyes are while looking at me. I feel naked and vulnerable under his gaze which I always loved because his chocolate brown eyes held so much care and adoration for me. But this time it's the opposite. He's looking through me without seeing me. As if I'm not here.

"Are you breaking_"

"I'm sorry, I can't do this." The man I love interrupts me by walking back to the parking spot and leaving me alone in front of the gate. I don't turn to look after him as the shock paralyzes my body. Did he just end our relationship? Are we done? This was it? He didn't even hear me out. Doesn't he care what I have to say? Shouldn't I get the chance to explain myself?

My heart is bleeding in pain. Mixed emotions of hurt and irritation shake me awake from my state as I run to the parking spot. I need to get everything out of my chest. He can't just ignore me like this. But when I arrived at the spot, he was already gone. I missed the chance.

"Come back."

"Don't leave me."

"Please, turn around."

"I need you." I cry and scream out but he's gone long ago.

Everything under my feet is swallowed by the darkness of my soul and I fall defeated to my knees. All the tears I held back earlier are streaming down my cheeks. The chilliness is cooling my wet face. I feel numb and empty yet there's a burning flame inside me that keeps my heart beating fast; the anger and disappointment at myself and him.

I don't know how long I was sulking until a pair of strong arms picked me up from the cold asphalt. A familiar floral yet masculine scent engulfs my nostrils and before I realize who it is I faint from exhaustion.

The sizzling sound of something being fried is the reason for me to open my eyes. I'm laying in my bed when I notice the mint color of my sheets and the scent of the softener I usually use. My apartment smells good and my stomach agrees with a growl. It smells of fried eggs and sausages. His humming melody is calming and the first thing I hear when I walk to the kitchen.

Broad shoulders are covered in a purple hoodie. The sleeves are rolled up, preventing it from getting stained by the oil. I don't know why he's always the one who catches or saves me from drowning and that's when Taehyung's words hit me. "He does more than he should!"

"You're up?" Jin notices me without looking back. How? I nod in reply as if he could see me. When he slowly turns around and our eyes meet, it feels like a breakdown. I want to cry and scream my frustration out but I hold it back when I see the gentle smile on his plump lips. "Go take a shower first, you feel better after washing up. I will wait for you."

My lips start trembling and tears filling up my eyes making it hard to see straight. Nevertheless, I listen to his suggestion as I enter the shower. Warm droplets cover my body in an embrace. I let out my tears. My mind is empty yet so full of thoughts. Thoughts I can't clear because I didn't get answers to them. Taehyung's angry and disappointed face is haunting me.

Does he hate me? Is he disgusted by my past? I feel so awful and dirty. The look he had, told me more than I wanted to know. How am I supposed to appear ever again in front of him? Maybe it's for the better he ended this.

Jin was right, I feel lighter after the shower and I lost a liter of tears. He's already sitting at the table. Food and two cups of coffee are set when I sit on a chair to join him. I watch him scooping vegetables and rice onto my plate. He puts an egg and a few sausages on top. All he does is so elegant and peaceful. I never saw this man act hectic, everything is calculated and calm. "Eat up, you need energy."

Again, I listen to his words and dive into the pleasure of a home-cooked breakfast. It's been a while since someone cooked for me. And I mean actually cooked, with their own two hands. This feels nice. The atmosphere is so relaxed and light. I don't feel judged or looked at with nasty eyes. Jin lets me be the way I am. Every past hour in the last few days was stressful even though I was with the man I love but I didn't feel free. I had to wear a mask to cover the night I had with Jimin. That night I didn't even know about Taehyung.

I feel his eyes on me after finishing my plate and my attention goes automatically to his soft glance. "Why are you here?" Jin smiles at my question as he puts his elbows on top of the table while placing his chin in the palms of his hands. Moments like this make me think of Jin as a prince. I don't know much about him but I can visualize him in a castle with many servants and him being the noble firstborn son.

"It sounds creepy but I swear it isn't. And in the end, I'm glad I did it." The black-haired man is batting sweetly with his long lashes but he gets a confused expression from me. "Well, I followed you." Now he gets a what the fuck look. Jin laughs at my sudden change. "I was worried because I heard someone talking about your fight with your boyfriend. And when he took you away it bothered me even more, that's why I followed you, just in case anything happens. Jennie wanted to drive with her best friend, Kai, anyway."

This makes sense, but why does he even care? It must have looked bad how Taehyung dragged me out of the house. Jin is a protective man but I didn't know he would go this far for someone he doesn't know well.
"You were worried because of me?"

A frown appears on his face as he combs through his hair. "Of course, why shouldn't I be? He ignored you the whole time, said he doesn't want to drive you home and suddenly he got up and dragged you out. I don't think he would have done anything bad to you, he isn't the type for that, but I don't know him, maybe I thought wrong, and what if he'd done anything to you? I would never forgive myself for not following you then."

His confession touches my heart but at the same time, it confuses me. "Would you have done this for anyone? For example, Naomi if she was in my situation?"

"Yes, I would have done the same for Naomi and any other one I know. Don't understand me wrong, but I like and care for all of my employees." A weight that was on top of my heart falls as I listen to the words of Jin. I know that Taehyung thinks my boss sees more in me but this is proof that I'm not someone special to him. "But I did this because it was you, Bambi! Yes, I would have done this for anyone but I did this because you're important to me, Crystal."

Crystal, he doesn't call me by my name often, it's always Bambi. I'm speechless at his statement and I don't know if I should say anything. "I'm important because…?"

Jin's look changes from sweet to serious. He comes closer to me as he's holding me hostage, his thighs squeezing mine. I'm sitting between his legs, his hands holding my arms softly. My heart skips a beat when his face comes closer. I feel his breath on my face and all I can look at are his juicy full lips as he moisturizes them with the tip of his tongue. When he gets too close I turn my head away and that's when I hear a low chuckle.

He whispers into my ears, "You're important because…" he exhales, sending goosebumps down my spine. I feel like my heart is bursting out of my chest. "...because you're a precious friend to me!" I swallow a huge lump in my throat after he finishes his sentence. A sigh of relief escapes my lungs and Jin starts to laugh as he frees me from his hold. "What the hell did you expect?"

"Nothing!" My answer is faster than a lightning bolt brightening the dark sky. I don't know what I was expecting but I wished for the answer he gave me cause otherwise, it would be just weird. Jin doesn't think about me as a woman. He sees me probably as his sister. His famous laugh intoxicates me as well and we laugh out loud together.

an: please don't forget to vote⭐

I'm so sorry. I was really busy last week that's why I couldn't update a chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this one.

The next chapter will be finally Tae's POV. What do you expect?