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The moment Taehyung stepped into his apartment, Jeongguk's cheerful voice filled his ears.

"Hi! I made you some egg rolls! I learned to make them today. I'm not good at cooking. I hope these taste okay" Jeongguk chirped, flashing his bunny teeth at him.

Taehyung gave him a blank look. His heart clenched painfully the moment he saw Jeongguk smiling widely at him.

Jeongguk's eyebrows furrowed together in worry and confusion as he took in Taehyung's tired expression. He watched as Taehyung slowly and silently made his way to the kitchen counter and sat on one of the stools, slouching down on the table. Jeongguk followed him.

"What's wrong?" Jeongguk's voice was thick with worry. He was standing next to Taehyung.

"What happened?" He asked softly.

Taehyung lifted his head up to meet Jeongguk's doe eyes. They were dark as midnight. A thousand emotions swarmed behind those black irises. A million stars and galaxies hid behind them. His eyes were lacking that sharpness. That blossoming passion. Instead they were soft and gleaming; thick with worry.

Jeongguk was artistically stunning. Taehyung had wanted to paint a few dozen portraits of him. He thought he'd have time for that. Not anymore, it seems.

Jeongguk was sweeter than a bowl of cherries. He was strong and passionate, determined, witty. He worked the way he loved. He was loving and hard to not fall in love with. He is the one who showed Taehyung the paradise beyond the horizon. He is the one that made Taehyung break apart from his stupid beliefs. Jeongguk was too precious for Taehyung. To precious for him to let go of.

Jeongguk was Taehyung's other half. He completed Taehyung. He connected to a part of Taehyung that others had never felt. When he's with Jeongguk, he could always be himself without resistance. And every time they're together and far away, just like their love, Jeongguk felt more real than the blood in Taehyung''s own veins.

He was simply perfection in every way. He was Taehyung's safe haven. Even now, as he stared at Taehyung with those ravishing dark eyes dripping worry, he was enchanting and...dependable?

Jeongguk was beautiful in every way possible.

A single tear rolled down Taehyung's cheek as he stared at Jeongguk's diamond eyes. And then another. Then another.

"Taehyung!" Jeongguk cried as he wrapped his hands around the older, cradling him. Taehyung let his tears fall soundly, basking in his lover's warmth, being rocked back and forth.

He didn't want to be this weak; this helpless. But this was the true Taehyung. Not the Kim Taehyung of Tan Corporation, the man who controlled the empire his grandfathers built. Not that seemingly powerful and strong man everyone saw. No. He wouldn't show his true self in front of those people. Not even in front of his parents. He only felt safe revealing himself in front of Jeongguk.

"Hey whatever it is, it's going to be alright" Jeongguk's soft and reassuring voice came and Taehyung looked at his lover with glassy eyes.

"No it's not, Jeongguk. It's never going to be okay" Taehyung sobbed. He hated crying.he felt so..weak.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"They want me to marry Jennie and merge my and Namjoon's company"

Jeongguk stared at Taehyung, his eyes distant.

"Oh"

"I'm sorry Jeongguk. I don't understand why there's so much obstructions for us to be together. I'm-" Taehyung couldn't speak anymore, he clutched onto Jeongguk and sobbed.

"Did you say yes?" Jeongguk's small voice came after a while.

"I had to"

Jeongguk nodded. "I understand. You had no choice. It's okay"

"You'll let me go?"Taehyung looked at Jeongguk. Tears stained his cheeks. It hurt to see him cry. It hurt too much-

"You know I can't do that. But you'll have to"

"How can I let you go!?I love you! I'm in love with you Jeongguk! I need you in my life-"

"But you have to! It's not like I can help you with a collaboration or anything. This is your last chance. It's going to be okay. We aren't meant to be anyway" Jeongguk stared behind Taehyung blankly.

"How could you say that!? Do you want to end this?"

Jeongguk shook his head. "I'll never be able to move on from you, Taehyung. But we aren't able to tell our parents about this. It'll only create more conflict and that's the last thing you want at a time like this. What we're doing is risky anyway. Maybe this is for the best-"

"No, please! Jeongguk-"

"Taehyung you'll be marrying her. I will stay away from you so you can focus on her" Jeongguk said.

"No Jeongguk I don't want that. I only want you-"

"I know Taehyung"Jeongguk was sobbing. "Do you think I want to let you go? We have to. We weren't meant to be. I guess we forgot that the world doesn't revolve around us. The only thing needed for us to be together isn't just our love for each other. Everything around us is screaming at us about how wrong this is. I know it shouldn't matter but, right now, it does. I love you"

And with those words, he left.

Taehyung screamed after Jeongguk. He knelt on the floor, unable to stand up and sobbed.

No no no this can't possibly be happening. He and Jeongguk were supposed to have a happy ending.

He had lost Jeongguk again. And this time, he didn't think he'll be able to survive this fall.

-

Jeongguk pulled up in front of his house, The Jeon Mansion, with tears staining his cheeks. He had cried all the way from Taehyung's apartment to here.

He did what he had to. This wasn't a time he should be selfish and hold onto Taehyung like a leech. He loved Taehyung and this was the least he could do. Though there were things in life Jeongguk wanted to give up, Taehyung was never on his list. He had imagined a perfect forever with Taehyung. But now all his dreams and hopes were shattered in pieces. There was no picking them back now.

Jeongguk felt like a widow. One with no funeral to go to, to mourn at, to express his grief.

Fresh tears started rolling down his cheeks. He screamed. Hit the driving wheel with fists. It hurt but it felt good to get hurt. The pain was welcoming.

After he stayed inside the car for what felt like hours, he decided to go to his room. So he can cry in peace again. Before he stepped out, he checked his appearance. His eyes were bloodshot from crying; cheeks scarlet. After fixing himself a little he made his way inside the house. He quickly went upstairs and was about to creep inside his room and lock himself up when-

"Jeongguk!" His father's voice boomed behind him, making Jeongguk turn around.

"Did you hear the news?" Jeongguk's father bellowed angrily. "That Kim scum is getting married to Jennie. It's all over the net"

It's already been announced?

"Yeah I heard"

"You useless piece of shit. I told you to get that woman before they do. And now? Look at what a failure you are! I can't believe you're a Jeon!" Jeongguk's father rambled on, shouting and cursing at Jeongguk about how useless he is. And Jeongguk's had had enough. He was not in the mood for this bullshit right now.

"If you wanted her so much maybe you could've helped me get her! But you did nothing. You're just here telling me to do things and you don't even help me with the company. The only thing you do is cheat on mom and fuck girls who are my age! You are the only person that should be ashamed. At least I don't fake shit to the public. I'm ashamed to call you my father" Jeongguk shouted at his father.

That was the first time Jeongguk had ever raised his voice at his father. He always used to be so scared of him. But now, he's truly had enough of his bullshit. It felt so fucking better to say those things to his face. He'd been waiting a lifetime to tell him those things.

Jeongguk's father looked dumbfounded.

"You! You dare talk back to me? You son of a-"

"Yes I did! What are you going to do, huh? Beat me up the way you did when I was younger? Well guess what? I'm older now. And I'm tired of you and your bullshit. Go fuck yourself" Jeongguk shouted back.

"The fuck did you say? You useless piece of shit!"

"Like father, like son" Jeongguk said and slammed his bedroom door shut. He could hear his father cursing at him from outside. But he didn't give a flying fuck. He was too angry and sad for that.

He sat on his bed and took out his phone. He unlocked it and the first thing that caught his attention was his wallpaper. It was a selfie he and Taehyung took the first day they made love. He smiled at the memory.

It was saccharine sweet, every memory with him and it brought an authentic happiness to his heart. Then all of a sudden the realization that there won't be a chance to make such memories with him again crashed down on him. The saccharine sweetness turned into bitterness in his throat. It rose like bile into his throat and with Taehyung gone, he'll have no reason to swallow that bitterness anymore.

~*~

UwU
I love you guys💕

Love,
Sara💕