The next day, Taehyung decided to hit the gym hard. He needed to drown out his thoughts, especially after yesterday's encounter. He pushed himself through grueling sets, hoping the sweat and pain would clear his mind.

After a long workout, he slumped onto his couch, his muscles screaming for relief. Just as he started to relax, Taehyung swiped the sweat from his brow, his phone buzzed on the bench beside him. He twitched his eye brow when he saw an unknown number.

"Who's texting me now?" A hint of confusion laced his tone as he tried to looked the dialler name through truecaller.

His stomach dropped when he saw Han Jisung’s name.

His hand trembled slightly as he opened the message, a cold knot forming in his stomach. The text was short, but it sent a chill down his spine.

Han Jisung:- "Missed u at the party last night. Hope u're not avoiding me... we have unfinished business, don't we? 😈🤞🏼"

Taehyung's breath caught in his throat. What did Jisung mean by "unfinished business"? His mind raced, trying to figure out what Jisung could be planning.

He considered blocking Jisung right then and there, but something stopped him. Curiosity? Fear? He wasn't sure. Instead, he typed a reply, his fingers trembling.

Kim Taehyung:-  "What do you want, Jisung?"

The three dots appeared immediately, making his heart pound. Jisung's response came quickly, almost too quickly, like he'd been waiting for Taehyung to bite.

Jisung:- "Just wanted to chat, Tae😝.. No need to be so tense. We go way back, don't we?"

Taehyung scoffed, his irritation flaring. "Yeah, and look how that turned out," he muttered, staring at the screen. But before he could think of a response, another message popped up.

Han jisung:- "Remember that place we used to go? The one with the view of the city? I still think about it... about you. Maybe we should go back sometime. Talk about old times 💖"

The memories of that place were a mix of sweet and bitter, but mostly bitter now

"You're messing with my head, Jisung," Taehyung whispered, more to himself than to the message. His thumb hovered over the keyboard, unsure if he should keep engaging or just shut it down.

But Jisung was relentless. Another text arrived.

Jisung:-"Come on, Tae. Don't tell me you're scared. It's just me 😘"

Kim Taehyung:- "Just you? That's the problem, isn't it? You never know when to quit."

He hissed, his frustration boiling over.

Jisung:- "Remember how I used to spoil you? All those gifts, the nights out? You never had it so good😏"

Taehyung:- "Those gifts were straight out of a horror movie, Jisung. You didn't spoil me; you tried to own me."

Jisung:-"You're overreacting, as usual. No one's ever going to treat you like I did. You're gonna miss me when you realize that 🫣"

Taehyung scoffed, but his hands were shaking. He typed out a response, his frustration bubbling over:

Taehyung:- "Miss what, Jisung? The lies? The manipulation? You drained me dry, and I'm done with you."

Jisung:- "Tae, remember all those watches I gave you? The ones that were always so nice and shiny?"

Taehyung's eyes rolled. He quickly tapped out a reply

Taehyung:- "Yeah, I remember. They were more like GPS trackers than gifts."

Jisung:- "Oh, come on. You know I just wanted to keep tabs on you. It was out of care. And moreover, it looked amazing on your wrist❤️‍🔥"

Taehyung:- "Care? More like control. Those watches weren't gifts, they were chains."

Jisung's reply came with a smirk that Taehyung could almost hear,

Jisung:- "You're being dramatic☠️ They were top-of-the-line. I thought you liked having everything covered."

Taehyung:- "Yeah, well, I don't need a babysitter. I'm done with your bullshit. Those watches, bags and gifts were just your way to keep an eye on me."

Jisung:- "You think you're so tough now. But deep down, you miss the attention. You'll come back. You always do 😈😏"

Taehyung threw his phone onto the couch, feeling the weight of the words.

Taehyung felt a chill. He tossed his phone aside, rubbing his face with frustration. The words stung, and the fear was real. He knew Jisung wasn't done and that this wasn't going away anytime soon.

With a sigh, he tried to focus on something else, but the threat lingered, making it hard to relax.

Jeongguk sat on the patio, staring up at the starry sky. The night was clear, the stars scattered like diamonds across the velvet black. But even with this stunning view, his mind was somewhere else entirely.

He kept checking his phone, but there was still no sign of siganl around that could help him to send one text. Frustration gnawed at him, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yo, you're doing that thing again," Shezam said, his voice tinged with frustration. "You've been on edge since we got here. What's up?"

Jeongguk snapped his phone shut, trying to mask his irritation. "Nothing, man. Just... had a mising Bam today, that's all."

Shezam raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Just today? You've been like this for days. If you're gonna keep zoning out, at least tell me what's going on."

Jeongguk shrugged, though he could feel the weight of the truth pressing down on him. "Just some work stuff, you know? Nothing major. Just trying to figure out some issues."

Shezam snorted. "Work stuff? You're on vacation, dude. This isn't the time for that. You've been so off, and it's really pissing me off."

Jeongguk's frustration bubbled over. "I get it, alright? I'm trying to be here, but it's hard when I keep waiting for something that isn't coming."

Shezam sat up, looking exasperated. "Waiting for what? You can't keep dodging this. Whatever it is, it's screwing with us both."

Jeongguk ran a hand through his hair, feeling the strain of keeping up the façade. "It's nothing. Just... something personal. I'll get over it."

Shezam leaned closer, his tone softer but still firm. "If you're waiting on a work or something, just say it. I can't help if you keep shutting me out."

Jeongguk's gaze dropped to the floor. "I'd rather not get into it right now. It's complicated."

Shezam's face softened a bit, but the frustration was still evident. "Alright, but remember, I'm here. I don't want you to keep pushing me away. We're supposed to be enjoying this time together."

Jeongguk nodded, feeling the weight of Shezam's words. "I know. I'll try to do better. Just... give me a bit more time."

Shezam sighed, frustration still lingering in his voice. Shezam leaned in closer, eyes narrowing as he studied Jeongguk. "You know, you keep saying you're here, but I'm not feeling it. I don't even know where your head's at anymore."

Jeongguk tried to shrug it off, but Shezam's hand suddenly slipped down his chest, trailing lower. The touch was hot, intentional, and sent a jolt through him. "I'm right here, Shezam," Jeongguk mumbled, trying to focus on anything but the hand creeping further down.

"Doesn't feel like it," Shezam muttered, his voice dropping into a rougher tone. His hand moved with purpose, fingers brushing against Jeongguk's waistband. "Maybe I need to remind you where you are... who you're with."

Jeongguk's breath hitched as Shezam's hand slid under the fabric, but he caught himself, trying to stay grounded. "Shezam, we don't have to—"

But Shezam wasn't hearing it. "We do," he insisted, his hand now fully inside Jeongguk's pants, wrapping around him. "You've been distant for days. I'm tired of pretending it's all good. Let's get real, huh?"

Jeongguk's mind was a swirl of conflicting thoughts as Shezam started to stroke him, slow and deliberate. The pleasure was undeniable, but his thoughts were elsewhere, tangled up in things he wasn't ready to deal with. He clenched his jaw, trying to resist the pull of Shezam's touch.

"See? This is what you need," Shezam whispered, his lips brushing against Jeongguk's ear. "You're too wound up. Let me help you unwind."

Jeongguk let out a shaky breath, his body reacting despite his internal struggle. But even as that bronzed guy intensified his movements, Jeongguk's mind drifted, not fully present in the situation. Suddenly, he shoved Shezam's hand out of his pants.

Shezam had been patient, but the last few days had frayed his nerves.

"Gguk, seriously, what's your deal?" Shezam's voice was low, edged with irritation. "You've been checked out since we got here. If you don't want to be with me, just say it."

Jeongguk sighed, trying to keep his tone steady. "It's not like that. I'm just... thinking about stuff. Can we not do this right now?"

Shezam wasn't having it. He moved closer, his hand sliding up Jeongguk's thigh again, the touch firm and intentional. "Maybe this will help get your mind off whatever's bugging you." He leaned in, his lips brushing Jeongguk's neck, but Jeongguk barely reacted.

"Shezam, c'mon," Jeongguk muttered, trying to pull away. But Shezam was persistent, his hand moving higher, more insistent. "Just... stop for a second, alright?"

Shezam's frustration boiled over. "Stop? Really? You've been ignoring me, brushing me off, and now you want me to stop? What the hell, Gguk?"

Jeongguk rubbed his temples, feeling the tension building. "I'm not in the mood, okay? Just drop it."

Shezam's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening. "Not in the mood? When are you ever in the mood anymore? You've been distant, cold, like you're just going through the motions. I'm trying here, but you keep shutting me out."

Jeongguk stood up abruptly, pulling away from Shezam's touch. "I said I'm not in the mood, damn it! Can't you just respect that?"

Shezam's face twisted with anger and hurt. "You know what? Fine. Keep your damn secrets. I'm done trying to make this work if you're not even willing to meet me halfway."

Jeongguk stared at him, guilt gnawing at his insides, but he didn't know how to fix this, not without revealing the thoughts that had been plaguing him. "I'm sorry, Shezam. I just... I need some space."

Shezam scoffed, the bitterness in his voice cutting deep. "Space? That's all you ever need lately. Maybe I should just give you all the space in the world."

Without another word, Shezam turned his back on Jeongguk, pulling the sheets over himself, clearly done with the conversation. Jeongguk stood there, staring at the door, feeling like he was losing control of everything.

The tattooed guy slipped outside, careful not to wake his boyfriend. The night was quiet, just him and the cool grass under his feet. He flopped down, eyes locking on the brightest star.

"Grandma," he mumbled, tears stinging his eyes, "wish you were here."

He wiped his face, frustration bubbling up. "Why'd I snap at Shezam? He didn't deserve that," he muttered, yanking at the grass. His mind was a mess-guilt, confusion, everything jumbled together. "What the hell am I doing?"

He sighed, staring up at the sky, hoping for some kind of answer. But all he got was the silence, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the weight of what he couldn't shake off.

Jeongguk's fingers dug into the dirt beneath him, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being unfair to Shezam, but he couldn't ignore the truth either.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" he muttered, staring up at the stars, his mind a mess of tangled thoughts.

"Why does my mind always end up on V?" he whispered to the night, fingers digging into the grass. "He's not even real... not really, not in my life." He shook his head, frustration boiling over. "Why don't I feel this way about Shezam? He's here, he's real, he's... mine."

But even saying it felt wrong. Like he was forcing something that wasn't there. He remembered the spark, the rush he felt every time V's messages lit up his phone. A spark he never got with Shezam, no matter how hard he tried.

His gaze dropped to the ground as he sighed, "I don't get it. Shezam's perfect, right? He's here, he cares, but..." Jeongguk trailed off, shaking his head. The spark just wasn't there, not like it was with V. The texts, the conversations, everything with V felt electric, alive.

With Shezam, it felt like he was going through the motions. "This isn't fair to him," he grumbled. "Why can't I just feel the same way about Shezam? Why do I feel like I'm lying to him every time I say he's my boyfriend?"

He kicked at the dirt, the weight of his own thoughts making his chest tight. "I'm so distant, and it's like he notices it too. I'm messing this up, and it's not even his fault," Jeongguk admitted to the empty night. "But I can't stop thinking about V. It's like... he's in my head all the time, and I don't know why. It's messed up."

The thought of Shezam inside, probably dreaming, probably unaware of the war raging in Jeongguk's mind, only made him feel worse.

He kicked at the grass, "This isn’t fair to Shezam. I’m lying to him, and he deserves better."

Jeongguk sighed, "I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like I’m failing both of us." He dropped his head into his hands, feeling the weight of his confusion and guilt.

"He's not even real in my life, not like Shezam is. So why the hell do I feel more for some screen name than the guy sleeping inside?"

Taehyung stepped out of the shower, towel around his waist, hair still dripping. He dried his hair and tried to push away thoughts of Han Jisung’s text from earlier. Tossing his phone onto the bed, he figured Jk wouldn’t reply anyway.

He shot off a quick message and chucked the phone across the bed. Just as he started getting dressed, the doorbell rang. Again. And again. Each ring was like an annoying nudge.

"Alright, alright, I’m coming!" Taehyung yelled, pulling on his shirt in a hurry. He stomped to the door, ready to let out his frustration.

"I said I'm coming!" he shouted, irritation boiling over. He rushed to the door, ready to give the person a piece of his mind, but the words died in his throat the moment he saw who it was.

There was Han Jisung, smirking like he owned the place, holding a bouquet and wearing that damn shirt Taehyung had given him on their first month anniversary.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Taehyung demanded, barely containing his irritation.

Jisung’s grin just got wider. "Hey, Tae. Miss me?"

(a/n:- jeongguk is FINALLY realising his feelings now :D )