there's a q and a thingy at the end of the chapter! make sure you leave some questions! thanks :)

•°⁴⁴°•Consequences─✵───────

"What do you mean the kid is yours?"

Taehyung's voice was loud inside Jeongguk's office. The younger boy looked at him with a horrified expression. Jeongguk looked at him, brows furrowed with worry. He didn't know what to say.

"How is it possible? You said you used protection!" Taehyung said, throwing his arms around.

"I was thinking the same thing, Tae" Jeongguk let out a distressed sigh. "It could've broken, though. When it cracks a little, you don't even feel it most of the time. It had happened before. The only difference was she didn't get pregnant back then. And I was in a hurry to get it over with. I didn't realize at all"

"I can't believe this" Taehyung exclaimed. "Everything was going so smooth and we were doing so well and this just fell over us. Is the universe against us this much?"

"Taehyung...this doesn't change anything" Jeongguk said in a small voice.

"That's a fucking lie and you know it" Taehyung said, looking at Jeongguk with an angered expression. "This changes everything!"

"Tae" Jeongguk pleaded as he walked towards the younger boy, taking his arms in Jeongguk's. "Trust me, please"

"I've seen this movie before" Taehyung said. "I can watch you walk back to your family because they're your family. Your responsibility. And I'm just a fling"

"Taehyung, no" Jeongguk pleaded. "Please. Please believe me. I'm not going to go back. Taehyung, I love you and I'm serious in this relationship. This isn't just a fling for me...please"

"I don't know, Jeongguk. We're talking about your kid, right now. Are you really ready to let that kid go?"

Jeongguk stayed silent at that. "I don't have to let the kid go, Tae. I can still divorce Jieun. I don't have to stay with her to raise the child. I can do split parenting-"

"So you want the child"

"What?"

"You want the child. You want to be their father. You want to raise them up"

"Taehyung I don't have a choice..."

"Yes you do!" Taehyung jerked his hands away from Jeongguk's. "You always have a choice. You just don't want to see it"

"Tae..."

"You can cut all ties with them, including your children, and go start a new life after divorce but no. You are choosing to stay. Jeongguk, you are choosing to stay"

"No I'm not" Jeongguk felt tears spring into his eyes. "I love you"

"I know that. But we're just going back and forth, Jeongguk. This is so repetitive. Like some broken record, the same thing keeps playing over and over again. You choosing your family over me and then coming crying back to me when something goes wrong. I can't do that anymore"

"Taehyung listen to me" Jeongguk said, biting back the tears. He took hold of Taehyung's shoulders and looked at him in the eyes.

"I want you in my life. I am going to divorce Jieun and you and I are going to live together in the apartment we chose yesterday. Fuck that child. You're my main priority"

"Jeongguk..."

"Just listen to me, Tae. I can't possibly let you go. Just because of some mistake of a child"

"Gguk, do you know how selfish you sound right now?" Taehyung asked, brows furrowed together.

"What?" Jeongguk whispered.

"You want both me and the baby. You can't have it both ways! We've been through this!"

"Why not? Just because I have a child with some woman doesn't mean I can't love you. You think I would start looking after the baby and not you? That I would pay more attention to the baby and less on you? Is that the problem here?"

Taehyung looked down, hiding his face.

"Oh my love" Jeongguk whispered and pulled Taehyung into a hug. "My love, that's not going to happen. You're my boyfriend. That child is just...my child. Jieun isn't going to let the child go. She will raise her up and maybe I can visit the kid from time to time. Split parenting?"

"Did she agree with that?"

"No...I didn't talk to her yesterday. I just came home, handed her the file and went to my room straight. I couldn't bear to talk to her"

Taehyung sighed. "What if she doesn't want to take care of the child?"

"I don't think that would happen...she didn't want to get an abortion because she wanted the child...if she doesn't..."

"You'll raise them yourself?"

Jeongguk stayed silent.

"Will you bring the kid to our home and expect me to take care of it? Like the way Jieun bound you to take care of Aria? When she wasn't even yours?"

"Taehyung!" Jeongguk said, voice rising. "Stop this. I never even thought about that"

"Well, it's a possibility" Taehyung said.

"I'm not going to do that. You have my word on that. Taehyung you're my main priority"

"I'm having a hard time believing that"

"I will never bring you to the middle of my problems. Let me solve them. You're supposed to help me figure something out. Not make my problems even worse!"

"Oh is that my role in this relationship now? Your comfort person? The one you would fuck to de-stress yourself when the going gets tough?"

"Taehyung what the fuck?" Jeongguk's chest tightened at the younger boy's words. "Don't say such things. I love you. If I didn't, do you think I would get in this relationship with you, putting so many things in line? Even Aria? Just for the sex?"

Taehyung stayed silent.

"I'm sorry, baby" Jeongguk whispered after a while. "You mean the world to me. I didn't want you to feel like anything less"

"I'm sorry too" Taehyung said after a few moments. "I'm sorry for being selfish. It's hard to admit that I won't be able to have you all to myself, after all we've been through. I'm sorry for trying to make you choose between me and your child"

"You and my child are two different aspects for me, Tae. Two different worlds and they don't have to collide. But right now, I can assure you that you mean more to me than that unborn child, okay? I'll do anything to save this relationship"

"Okay" Taehyung whispered. "I just thought you'd finally prioritize me"

"Tae" Jeongguk whined in frustration. "Come on"

"What!?" Taehyung said. "I don't want to share you. I just needed a normal fucking relationship. Where we focus on ourselves. You know how fucking hard it is to raise a kid and yet you still want to look after another one? After wasting half of your life on a mistake of a child, you're ready to do it again. You said yourself that your teens and twenties were wasted on raising Aria. Without you even knowing it, you'd be focusing more on the kid and our bond will fade away. And you'll be doing what you've always been doing. Raising a kid you never even wanted. Everyone else can watch you destroy another twenty years of your life to someone else. Good fucking luck"

"Tae..."

"I'm done with you" Taehyung said and started walking out.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Jeongguk could feel tears threatening to escape his eyes.

"No" Taehyung whispered as Jeongguk took hold of his hand. His eyes were watery with tears threatening to escape. "But this is hurting me"

"Tae, I'm so sorry. But you said you're okay with split parenting. I...I will never take full custody over the child, okay? Please. I want you in my life. You can't just walk away from my life like this. I can't lose another important thing in my life because of Jieun. I already lost half of my life to her. Please, Tae. You're the only light in my life"

"Jeongguk" Taehyung whispered. "You know what hurts me the most?"

Jeongguk shook his head, tears brimming his eyes.

"That after all this time, you would still think about giving attention to something that would ruin the rest of your life"

"Tae..."

"And I'm not asking you to choose me over your kids, Jeongguk. I want that but it's selfish so I don't expect you to do it. But you aren't even giving yourself priority right now. And it's killing me"

Jeongguk looked down as he felt tears trail down his cheeks. "I'm sorry"

Taehyung sighed and wrapped his arms around Jeongguk. "I'm not going to leave you, Jeongguk. I love you, remember? I just want you to figure out what you really want. And not what you should do because society tells you to, okay?"

Jeongguk nodded, sniffling. "I'm not going to leave you, Tae. Please believe me"

"I do" Taehyung whispered.

"If I have to let that kid go to have you close, I would do that. I want to fight for you the way you fought for me"

"Thank you" Taehyung said.

Jeongguk pulled away and saw Taehyung's cheeks wet with tears. He brought his hands towards the younger's face and wiped the tears with the pads of his fingers. And he pressed his lips against Taehyung's.

"I love you" Jeongguk whispered as he pulled away.

"I love you too" Taehyung said. "Talk to Jieun and let me know what she says"

Jeongguk nodded. "I will"

"I'll see you tomorrow, then" Taehyung said and placed a kiss on Jeongguk's cheek before walking out of his office.

-

"I'm not signing this"

Jeongguk let out an exasperated sigh for the millionth time that day. He and Jieun sat in the dining table, across from each other, a bunch of papers scattered on the table. Aria had gone to sleep a couple of hours earlier and it was already past midnight.

"For the millionth time, Jieun, I want a divorce. Why is it so fucking hard for you to give me what I want?" Jeongguk asked, massaging his temples.

"Because now you know damn well, without doubt, that this child is yours. You're the father. And I just can't understand why you'd want to give up on your blood" Jieun exclaimed.

"Because I never wanted it!" Jeongguk said. "And I want to get out of this marriage"

"All for that child you're fucking? He's a literal child. Ten years younger than you, Jeongguk"

"I want to get out of this marriage because I'm not happy here. Seriously, Jieun, can you live with someone who hates you? I don't understand what goes in your mind! You can easily find someone for yourself. You're still young and beautiful"

"I don't want anyone else" Jieun let out a sob. "I love you"

"Stop with the tears, for god's sake" Jeongguk muttered. "This is your fault"

"My fault?" Jieun asked, eyes red from crying. "How is this my fault?"

"You're the one who bound me into this marriage. Because of a child that isn't even mine" Jeongguk whispered the last part. "You wanted to ruin my life. You were successful with it. Now let me live the rest of my life in peace"

"I don't want to be away from you"

"And I don't want to be your husband anymore! Haven't you had your fun with me? Playing me like a fool? It's time to let me go"

"No!" Another sob escaped Jieun. "I c-can't"

Jeongguk let out a sigh. "Let's settle this. You can't possibly love me. Because if you did, you'd want the best for me. But you don't, since the best for me is to get out of this marriage. So I'm assuming you want a father for the kid. Fine. We can do split parenting"

Jieun continued to weep silently.

Jeongguk let out an exasperated sigh as he leaned back on his chair.

"You got your proof that the child is yours" Jieun said, wiping the tears but new ones soon replacing them. "You're finally having a child that's actually yours. And you can raise them up. What use would you have by being in a relationship with that child? He will leave you anytime. He's in college. You know people just want to mess around at that age"

"No, Jieun" Jeongguk could feel his anger rising. "I wouldn't know. Because I was taking care of a kid that wasn't even mine that I didn't even have time to think about messing around"

Jieun sighed. "What do you lack in this relationship? We have everything we need. We're married, with kids and we both have stable jobs-"

"Happiness" Jeongguk said.

"Doesn't Aria make you happy? And this new child would make you-"

"No! I didn't want either of them! They're just a burden to my life. Jieun I just don't understand how fucking selfish you are. What do you want from me? I said I'd do split parenting. You can have a father for your child. And you can be with someone who actually loves you. Why the fuck would you want to be with someone who doesn't even like you?"

"Because I love you"

"But I don't! What's so fucking hard to understand about that?" Jeongguk said. "Jieun, we're not children. We're grown adults. And we should be respecting each other's choices. I respected yours when you wanted to keep the baby. Now respect mine. Please"

Jieun stayed silent for a few seconds. And then, "When this goes to court you will have to pay a huge amount of money because of adultery. Even more when they find out you're only one who's been cheating. And that I have no intention to get a divorce. The only fault I have is lying. It's legal value is nothing compared to yours"

"It's fraud"

"It'll get balanced. But you've been practicing adultery for months. It's the main reason for the divorce after all. You're the one who did the most damage for this relationship" Jieun said.

"I don't care about how much I have to pay. I can pay. I have money and-"

"You will have to reveal about your relationship with Taehyung"

Jeongguk froze.

"Oh you didn't think that?" Jieun snickered. "I thought you loved him. But at the end of the day you're just as selfish as I am. You only think about yourself"

"It won't do him-"

"Any harm?" Jieun scoffed. "He can get expelled. It will look bad for him in the future jobs. Because, after all, a bad reputation can't be fixed. He'll be working in the future with the people he meets in college. And they would know about what a slut he was, fucking the professor. Married professor. What else? Did the professor also give him extra credit for sleeping with him? Is that how he got As every time?"

"Enough!" Jeongguk was fuming with anger.

Jieun scoffed. "It won't only affect him. You'll most probably lose your job. That senior lecturer post? Gone. You won't even get to be a lecturer ever again. Because you're that professor who slept with one of his students. Can never be trusted"

"Why would you do this to me?"

"Jeongguk" Jieun said, looking at him dead in the eyes. "I'm not doing anything to you. I'm telling you what's certainly going to happen. The court will find out about your relationship. Because we will have to give reasons for the divorce. We will have to disclose all the information to our lawyers. I'm just telling you the consequences of your actions"

Jeongguk pulled at his locks in frustration. "I just need to get out of this relationship"

Jieun stayed silent.

"You're so evil" Jeongguk said, tears brimming his eyes. "I just want to be happy"

Jieun shot him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry" She whispered. "I wish there was something I could do to fix this. So both of us will be happy but-"

"I want a divorce"

"You're not listening to me Jeongguk-"

"I am" Jeongguk said. "I hear you. Jieun, I hate what you did to me. But I don't hate you. I don't love you either and I can never love you. I love Taehyung. Please just let me go"

"Jeongguk" Jieun whispered, tears cascading down her cheeks once again. She reached out and placed her hand over Jeongguk's. "I'm sorry"

"I can never forgive you for what you did to me. I'm not going to let go of Aria. I love her. She's still my daughter. I'm not leaving her. I'm just leaving you"

Jieun let out a loud sob. Jeongguk took her hand in his. "And the new baby...I can still be their father. I'm not leaving the state, Jieun. And you can find someone who would love you and take care of you. He will actually love you. Because I never loved you"

"I can't let you go" Jieun said, weeping.

Jeongguk sighed. "You're just being selfish"

"No" Jieun said. "I just told you how you could even lose your job and how it would destroy Taehyung's life but you still want a divorce. You're the selfish one"

"And you're not selfish? Jieun, you're smart. You wouldn't want to stay with someone who doesn't love you. And someone who would hate you if you don't agree to being separated. You only care about what a divorce would do to you"

"No-"

"A divorce would ruin your reputation" Jeongguk said, looking at her dead in the eyes. "As you said, all our past will be dragged into this and you would have to reveal about what you did to me. Your reputation would be in shambles. You can even be fired from your law firm. I think it will affect you more than me"

Jieun stayed silent, tears staining her cheeks and her eyes puffy red. Her hand felt alien in his hand but Jeongguk didn't want to let go.

"True" Jieun said after a few moments of silence. "It's going to affect us both. I might lose my clients"

Jeongguk didn't know what to say or do. His mind was chaos. He couldn't think straight. All he wanted to do was be separated from Jieun so he could finally be Taehyung's. All Jeongguk could think now was there is a lot of things that hadn't crossed his mind. And this isn't just going to affect Jeongguk's family but also Taehyung.

And all of them were standing on thin ice.

Jeongguk's head throbbed painfully and a sob threatened to escape his throat because all of this was just too overwhelming. He wanted out and he actually thought things got easier when he found out about Aria. The truth only made things worse for him and Taehyung. Maybe it would've been better if he never knew after all.

There were a million lashes tugging him back from Taehyung. And he just didn't know how to cut them lose.

"I need to speak to my lawyer" Jeongguk said after a while.

Jieun looked up at that. "What for?"

"So he would tell me what I must do. I want a divorce"

"You keep saying the same thing over and over again, Jeongguk. I get it. I was just telling you the reality. It isn't as easy as you imagined. There's so many consequences! You'd wish you didn't get a divorce at the end of it all, seeing how many things you had to let go just to be free from me"

Jeongguk kept his gaze down.

Jieun stood up and walked around the table. She sat down next to Jeongguk.

"Jeongguk" Jieun said, making him look at her. "I...I did wrong. I destroyed your life. I'm sorry. Sorry isn't going to cut it but there's nothing I can do now than repent. I was young, stupid, and selfish. If I saw this coming, I'd never have done it"

"What's done is done. The least you can do for me now is let me go"

Jieun sighed. "Listen to me. I didn't love you at first either" Jeongguk's eyes widened at that.

Jieun kept going. "I couldn't bring myself to love you for like a year. But eventually, I fell in love with you because you're the kindest and sweetest person I've ever met in my whole life. You were lovely, Jeongguk. And I wanted you to be mine forever. You took care of Aria and you even looked out for me. I was swept off my feet"

Jeongguk smiled as memories from the old days filled his mind.

"I thought I could find happiness with you. And I thought we did. We looked out for each other all this time. And when I came to terms with myself that I'll have to live my life with you, I promised myself that I would never be unfaithful to you"

Jeongguk stared at her glassy eyes that brimmed tears. It felt like she hadn't changed much during sixteen years of time. She was still beautiful. Her face was a little less rounder and her cheekbones were sharper. She looked more mature.

"And I've kept that promise until this very day, Jeongguk" a tear made its way down her cheek. "I had never looked at another man the way I look at you" She was sobbing again.

Jeongguk couldn't bear to look at her.

"I never thought we would become this...broken as a family. I never thought you would cheat on me. It crossed my mind, but I didn't entertain the thought. I was happy that Aria was growing up so quickly. So she would be off to college soon. And we could spend time together"

Jeongguk kept his gaze down.

"I kind of thought it would be a good idea to have another child"

"What?!" Jeongguk asked, surprised.

"I mean I wanted to..."

"For how long?"

"It just occurred to me last year...a few months ago...four...five?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because...we didn't have sex much. I was going to, but I never got the chance. When you didn't want to fuck me, or didn't even look at me that way for the past few months, I really didn't want to tell you. I honestly didn't think you were cheating. It didn't cross my mind that you maybe less interested in me because you've got someone better to fuck"

"Jieun..."

"And when I finally got pregnant, I was delighted. I thought you would be too because we are stable as a family and financially...and we're adults now. We're ready for that kind of thing..."

"I don't know what to say" Jeongguk felt speechless. He pitied Jieun.

"I love you. I still do. And I don't want to let you go"

"Jieun..."

"I don't want to be alone in this world"

Jeongguk could feel his heart clenching painfully.

"I'm not trying to guilt trap into staying with me. I'm just telling you how I feel" she said. "I'm sorry"

"Jieun" Jeongguk said and raised her face to meet his own. "You wouldn't have to be alone for long. I told you, you could find someone who really loves you. Jieun, a lot of my friends from school aren't even married yet! And we're literally in the age of marriage. We've already spent our lives on each other. We could use some time on our own. Aria would be going to college in less than two years. I'm not your whole world, Jieun. There's so much things out there and maybe you should go explore them alone"

Jieun shook his head, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"I want to explore that world with Taehyung. I don't think it's selfish to focus on myself a little now. Because all I've done my whole life is look after you and Aria"

Jieun shook her head. "Then stay until Aria goes to college. If we go to court now, she would know the truth. I don't want her to know. She's still a kid"

Jeongguk sighed. "I don't know, Jieun..."

"Do it for Aria"

But Taehyung...

"I don't want to" Jeongguk whispered as a tear made it's way down his cheek.

"Nothing has to change just because we get a divorce" Jeongguk said. "I can still pick up Aria from school. I can still spend time with her. I can still go to parent teacher meetings for her"

Jieun shook her head. "Why do you have to be so selfish?"

"I'm not, Jieun. I don't want to stay because of Taehyung"

"Taehyung is a fucking home wrecker. Look what he has done to us. We were so perfect. We were such a perfect couple. Everyone adored us. Everyone wished they were us. We were doing okay. What did you ever even lack? You had me. The sex was good enough, was it not?"

Jeongguk shook his head. "It was okay" He whispered.

"Was I not good enough?" Jieun asked. She sounded so broken.

Jeongguk shook his head.

"Was I not sexy enough? What did I ever lack for you to go look for someone else? Was it...was it because I wasn't too demanding? I didn't ask for much in bed. Is that it? You wanted to to be spicier?"

"No Jieun" Jeongguk was sobbing. The guilt he never knew he had was coming to the surface. And he could do nothing but let out sobs as the guilt crashed down him.

"Then? What was it?" Jieun wept. "What did I lack so much that you looked at a child who was ten years younger than you and thought he could give you something more than I did? That he would give you what you missed? What was it, Jeongguk? Tell me. What made you stick your dick in some boy you met one night"

Jeongguk shook head. "I'm sorry"

"Tell me" Jieun said between sobs.

"It's not you, Jieun. It was me" Jeongguk said, sobbing.

"Tell me what I lacked" Jieun sobbed. "I wanted to be perfect for you. Because of what I did to you. Because I could never forgive myself for it. Tell me what I lacked that made you fuck a schoolboy like you didn't have a daughter and a wife waiting for you to come home for dinner"

"You didn't lack anything" Jeongguk sobbed.

"Then?" Jieun asked.

"It was just my preference"

A silence stretched between them.

And then, "You prefer fucking children?"

Jeongguk let out a sigh. "He's not a child"

"He's ten years younger than you. He's only twenty"

"He's different from anyone I've met"

Jieun wiped her tears with her hand, only for new ones to replace them.

"I must've lacked something for you to look at a child that way. It was my fault. I should've kept you satisfied so you wouldn't look at anyone else. I should've kept my husband satisfied. It's entirely my fault that-"

"Jieun what the fuck are you talking about?" Jeongguk said, annoyed. "What the actual fuck? You don't owe me anything just because you're my wife. Do you live in the 1800s?"

Jieun sniffled. "Then come back to me"

"No"

"Please. We can make it right. What you have with Taehyung is temporary"

"It's not"

"Just tell me what I lacked and I'll make it right. I can be better for you. No one has to get in trouble that way. We stay together, everyone will be happy. And we can learn to be happy together. We can go to therapy...there's couples therapy, Jeongguk-"

"Jieun stop"

"No I want you back. I love you. I'm with your child. We can raise them up. They will have a great and happy childhood if they grow up with their father. Jeongguk please"

Jeongguk looked away.

"Please" Jieun placed her hand on Jeongguk's cheek, making him look at her.

"How could I look after two children on my own? I would be jobless if my truth gets revealed. You would be broke too because you will have to pay me a huge alimony because of adultery on your side. All the things you've done...it's only going to backlash on you"

"Jieun..."

"And above all of that...do you really want Taehyung to get caught up in the middle of all this? That kid? He has a whole life ahead of him. Are you going to destroy his life because of the sins you've committed?"

Jeongguk was sobbing again.

"When I lose my job, how would I take care of the children? And Aria wants to go to Harvard. She told you right? She wants to do law too. She's really ambitious. I'm proud of her. How would I pay for Harvard if I lose my job? And the new baby? Your baby? How would I take care of her?" Jieun rambled.

"I told you. Split parent-"

"Don't you pity me?" She whispered.

Jeongguk looked at her at that. "Jieun..."

"I love you, Jeongguk" She whispered.

Jeongguk stared at her speechlessly as tears cascaded down his cheeks. He didn't know what to say or do. All he could feel is overwhelming emotions. Guilt, mostly. He thought that he didn't feel any guilt for cheating on her. But now, when everything was out in the open, it felt like the guilt would swallow him whole.

As a silence stretched between them, Jeongguk could feel Jieun leaning in, her face dangerously close to him.

"You're trying to take everyone down with you, baby" Her breath fanned against his cheek.

"Don't you have a heart? How could you do this to all of us?"

"I'm sorry" He whispered.

"I love you so much" She said.

Her lips ghosted over his. And Jeongguk had it coming. She leaned in to kiss him

But just as her lips were about to meet his, Jeongguk turned his head away, making her lips meet his cheek.

The realization hit Jieun and she immediately leaned away. She let out a sigh and stood up. Jeongguk watched her walk away. She started climbing the stairs. Before she disappeared into the darkness of the unlit stairway,

"If you go down, we all will"

Jeongguk watched her disappear upstairs and let out an exasperated sigh. He felt suffocated amidst the hurricane of emotions. He wiped his tears away and took out his phone. He pressed the last number on his call log.

A few rings later, a sleepy voice answered from the other side.

"Hey, can I come over?"

》♡《

I feel sorry for Jieun
Thoughts?

so since some people requested, I decided to do a q and a thingy! check it out and leave your questions uwu. fill them up as much as you can! also I'm only doing the most important characters so it isn't going to be long owo

Taehyung:

Jeongguk:

Jieun:

Aria:

Jimin:

Jin:

William:

Author:

okay that's all! if you made it this far in this chapter, i really appreciate it. I hope you guys will stay till the very end!
Only 2 more chapters left btw
Okay byeee
Love you💖