*cleans dust*
*coughs into my elbow*
*sneezes into a handkerchief*
damn, it's dusty in here.
hello again my old friend.

Jungkook pov

i deserved it. every single amount of hate i got from everyone. i deserved it and much more.

i don't know what had happened but within a few months, my life had shattered before me and i was the cause.

just for a few minutes of pleasure.

i couldn't blame it on the alcohol.

i would never. i knew i wasn't talking to tae but at that moment, i just needed someone to love me.

at that moment when i thought taehyung cheated on me, i felt so weak. unwanted.

i had felt like that a lot. my father was never around much while i was growing up. i was a kid who never really had any friends.

until jimin and yoongi showed up.

i didn't want to feel like that. i couldn't bear it if tae cheated on me. he wasn't giving me his attention or telling me he loved me.

in that stupid moment of weakness, i had chosen the current moment over the future.

i have no one to blame but myself. my fucked up self.

whatever sentence i was going to get, i was going to accept it because tae didn't deserve anything i had done.

all he did was love me. I'll never be able to face him again.

*_*

Taehyung pov

the day of jungkook's sentencing. i couldn't sleep all night. i kept thinking about today and when today came, i couldn't even move from my bed.

i ran my fingers through my hair, my other hand fiddling with a lose thread that kept hanging out from my shirt.

it was stupid but i missed jungkook. i know and I'm very much aware that I'm not supposed to. he's my abuser for goodness sake.

i was nervous to face him again though. i hadn't seen him since the hospital and i didn't know if i would be able to today.

i know i didn't do anything wrong. there was no need to be nervous. i just... i couldn't help it.

i feel a pain on a deep level. this was the second time I was going to court on the same matter. abuse.

with another person i loved.

a tear ran down my cheek and i hurriedly wiped it off.

i won't cry. not anymore.

stupid college me would have made a list of what I'll do after i was free.

except, i wasn't in college now. i was a jobless or rather unemployed graduate.

i had decided to return the cafe to jungkook. it wasn't my money. which definitely meant it was closed down and all of us who worked there no longer had jobs.

i guess i knew what i had to do after today and that was to look for a job.

i let my feet dangle on the side of the bed, my hands squeezing the comforter that was in my side.

it wasn't time for a new taehyung. it was just... time for a more matured and definitely no longer on the market taehyung.

i doubt i was ever going to fall in love again. with anyone. even if jungkook had a twin, I'd never fall for him.

I'd never be able to heal from this pain i was facing. ever.

i had been cut so deep that my pain receptors couldn't work anymore.

huge contrast from my previous thought.

"tae, are you ready?" hoseok asked from the other side of the door, knocking lightly.

i shook my head and rubbed my eyes. i was gonna break out of my consuming thoughts and face the day, panicking.

"yeah! gimme a few." i responded. i let my feet touch the cold tile floor and walked to the bathroom.

*-*

my eyes meet jungkook's as he's being taken away of the court room. my heart hurts badly and is thudding aggressively in my chest.

i could see the unspoken apologies in his eyes even though I didn't want to. with the time i had spent with him, i knew what he wanted to say without him saying it.

it broke my heart that jungkook was being taken away but he had to pay what he owed.

we keep our eyes locked till he's out of the court room. hurried click clacking of heels break me out of my daze.

"i hope you're happy now! i hope you are! how do you sleep at night knowing jungkook is going to jail because of you?!"

my words are stick in my throat like a bone lodged in there and i couldn't push it down.

my eyes are stuck on the newcomer. i wanna say something. why couldn't I?

"your shame wouldn't let you talk huh? you should be the one rotting in jail or even dead! he doesn't deserve this from you!"

"il ri. you should stop." hobi says, making his way over to me. i feel comfortable and safe. i still can't get my words out.

"who the fuck do you think you are to talk to me? i wasn't even talking to you. get out of my way." il ri says, glaring harshly at me who stood behind hobi.

"miss il ri, we should go." a man says, walking towards the said lady and attempting to take her out of the room.

she looks over her shoulder, "I'll take care of this, manager." she says, returning her attention to me.

"you-"

"miss kang il ri?" a voice calls out. i look and find out it's officer lee.

people had taken out their phones and started recording. for a second, i forgot she was a celebrity.

"what do you want?" she asks, cocking an eyebrow and folding an eyebrow.

"you're under arrest for planned rape and planned and attempted murder. anything you say or do right now will be used against you in the court of law. you have the right to an attorney and-"

"no! what are you saying?! what are all these accusations."

"ma'am, i would've cuffed you but you're a celebrity. I'm only going to lead you out of here."

my eyes are bulging out of my head as i stare at the scene unfolding in front of me.

i knew il ri had a hand in everything. i had already been told but seeing her actually be arrested for it was like a slap to the face.

il ri attempts to run past people, pushing and shoving people.

luckily, seokjin hyung who's entering the room holds her and the officers hurry to catch her.

they handcuff her and lead her out of the room, a multitude of people following, their phones recording the scene.

i can hear il ri screaming profanities and it finally hits me.

tears finally roll down my eyes, i grip a table to balance myself.

hobi helps steady me and i fall into his arms, crying into his chest.

this was it.

-

hey again!

**still cleaning the dust**

welcome back.

it's almost over.

epilogue only and we're done.

thank you for sticking with me.

make sure to read the epilogue. it's very very important.

if you have questions, feel free to ask.

remember, epilogue=very important!

'peace out 💟