Jealousy is the child of misunderstanding. Of course, sometimes it is also the conception of betrayal and lack of reciprocity, but often it comes directly from the womb of misunderstanding, or rather, from the images we are forced to see fading like summer haze, as a kind of hallucination resulting from the excessive consumption of a drug or similar poison, but the severity of the poison that seeps from a monstrous serpent like jealousy has no antidote, no cure.

Taehyung held this kind of cursed child and cradled it between his hands. A demon, he thought, born in good condition and without any risk that could threaten his life; a demon sent by hell to drive his former self, whom he could swear would end up in heaven, into a purgatory far from what he could handle.

Fun fact, he became more than willing and ready to bear the punishment of an enraged God, for if God were to punish him, in hell, he wouldn't be alone.

Taehyung watched intently as you graced the church with your majestic appearance; brilliant white adorned your form and sucked the light from the cathedral's mosaic, from which the sun's rays mocked your destiny; crystal pearls almost dazzled the guests from the pureness they held, which contrasted with the soiled heart of yours that was black as ink; long veil streaked across the floor, portraying you exactly like the queen he always thought you were. Queen, of course, a tyrannical dowager, he'd argue against his old self.

"Mr.Jeon Jungkook, do you take Miss Y/N as your wife and life companion in happiness and sadness, in wealth and poverty, in health and illness until death do you part?"

Ironic, Taehyung thought; life has always had a knack for replaying events on an old and broken video player; could have opted for a technological update, he reflected; everything played out just like the day you unwittingly reached for your dagger and stabbed him in the heart, the only difference being that this time it was premeditated murder, first-degree one.

His clothes? Well, they were identical, a black tuxedo that gave his features a glow of beauty that projected many eyes on his standing figure; he held a glass of champagne in his hand, sipping every now and then a small gulp- ethical purposes - he had wondered when the taste would begin to turn bitter, for he still felt the tingle of the expensive nectar, could even argue that he enjoyed the peachy under flavor it contained and made a mental note to ask Jungkook where he had ordered such a fine beverage from.

He considered that the bitterness would burn his throat and chest as soon as you repeated your vow, thought of it starting the kind of fire in his body that no fireman could extinguish, and as the thought dawned on him, instead of a tear that could have completed the photocopy that was the reproduced scene from the past, a grin graced his lips and reached up to his eyes.

"I, Jeon Jungkook, take Y/N as my wife and life companion until death do us part."

Taehyung slid his hand on his pocket while shifting his weight on one leg; interesting; he found the situation, a new man, a new environment, the same competition, the same failure; it was laughable, funny to the point of almost bursting into laughter if not for the honorable guests.

Taehyung wondered if he'd have made it to the finalists and gotten the chance to stand before you at the altar if circumstances had been different; wondered if he'd ever be a choice you'd opt for, but he concluded that you never found amplitude in his existence from the start; entering a race bound to be lost seemed silly now that he thought deeply about it. Could have saved himself the hassle.

"Do you, Miss L/N Y/N, take Jeon Jungkook as your husband and life companion in happiness and sadness, in wealth and poverty, in health and illness until death do you part?"

It's also very interesting how the rules can change, how the pain shifts from one body to another; very strange how the happiness and fulfillment you felt during your vows to Seokjin were nowhere to be felt, even though you were standing in the same setting, wearing the same clothes, and holding the same bouquet of flowers; very tricky, how the pain that tore your admirer who swallowed his loss in the shadow of that Gothic church, now raged on your chest, stabbing you with sharp blades and tearing the skin from the bones.

The veil over your face wasn't there only to cover your modesty before giving yourself to the man whose name you will hold, whose pride you will protect, but it also hid the flow of tears that almost smeared your makeup if you hadn't opted for a waterproof brand; how wise of you.

Funny, really, the way positions change; a bride crying on the altar and a betrayed lover laughing between the crowds. What an ordeal.

"I, Y/N...I, uhum...I—

"Please, Miss Y/N, speak up your mind and object if you feel forced." The priest advised.

You took one look at the crowd of guests and let your heart drift towards a tomorrow you were never granted the chance to dream of, a taboo you wanted to fight the world just to see its smile until the only thing your eyes could see was the dirt of a graveyard; you wished today was your funeral, you'd have closed your eyes and drifted to the other side, hoping to be reborn; you'd have tried to convince the gods to overlook your sins for once, you'd have traded everything for the chance to be reborn at his side, you'd have made a pact and signed to forfeit wealth and health, future and goals, you'd have found abundance in his presence, you'd have drunk from the fountain of joy to quench the thirst this life has forced upon you, but when he raised his glass to propose a toast and his eyes mocked your tear-stained orbs with a smile, you realized that no deity would accord you a second chance, and even if they did, he wouldn't.

"What are you waiting for, darling?" Jungkook murmured, the grin on his lips contradicting his frustration.

His words recalled your lost attention, which you had drilled into those midnight eyes that had once spilled blood when you had crossed him off the list; it was painful; Taehyung wondered how he had survived such a wound, figured later on that he had actually died, which is why he no longer felt pain.

"I, L/N Y/N, do take—-

"Prosecutors, we have a search warrant, so maintain your positions and cooperate with law enforcement."

When jealousy is begotten, it consumes the owner's body, drinks his blood, feeds on the purity of his soul until it's indistinguishable from carbon, literally and figuratively.

And Taehyung burnt into ash, perished.

Taehyung wrote his vengeful script on a typewriter he purchased from the devil; every synonym deliberately oozed poison, every letter brought doom, every adjective led to the same noun, vengeance.

"Mr.Jeon, you are under arrest; you have the right to remain silent; any word could be used against you in a court of law; you have the right to call your lawyer, and if you don't have one, a public defender would take your case."

Chaos reigned on the calm that had preceded it; what had once been a wedding organized by the best and most prestigious wedding organizers fell like a mirror and broke into shutters; indistinct voices gossiped about the man who led the media, the untouchable businessman whose reputation had always been difficult to tarnish, but who was now in handcuffs, while bewilderment took over the confidence that had adorned his features only a few seconds before the disaster.

Indeed, nothing lasts, not even power.

Not only he but also you were infected by the great shock when you let the bouquet of white lilies fall to the ground with a dull thud, took off the veil, and threw away the crown; with hesitant steps, you ran towards your king who had just been abdicated.

Taehyung's grin could no longer be suppressed, and to be honest, he had no intention of hiding it when Jungkook took one last look at the crowd and located the enemy; Jungkook's menacing gaze couldn't convey the message, or was it Taehyung who had blocked the sender? In any case, he couldn't bother with the thought when he exchanged the annoying man's gaze with yours; he found pleasure in your tears, he'd admit.

More, cry louder.

Taehyung believed you when once you confessed that he's the only one you want, that he's the love you want to cherish in this life, the feelings you want to relish; despite the circumstances in which your love was born, he had faith in you, thought he could overcome all obstacles and run endless miles to embrace you, convinced himself that one day he'd forget what you did to his brother, as long as you kept him away from the traumatic memory, hidden between your warm arms, only to be confronted for the umpteenth time with what you excelled at making and serving him daily like some kind of medicine: deception.

He wished to believe that what you served him were indeed medicines, preferred to feign ignorance and drink your poison willingly, believed that his enemy was life, and never wanted to think about the possibility of it being your choice; Taehyung built a castle for you in his heart, and you have demolished the whole thing on his head when you offered your body to Jungkook.

It was beyond painful; the sight left him feeling as if his heart had been torn from his chest with a bare hand, but Taehyung refused to shed a tear, to surrender to sorrow; after all, he was used to what you constantly served, stupid of him if he didn't. Taehyung knew what was better than crying: to make you cry instead.

Yoongi had been waiting for him that night, just as he did almost every night; the solemn difference was that he was armed with the knife Taehyung needed to slander you; of course, he was, after all, it was precisely Yoongi who told him about your wedding dress rehearsal, it was the seal of the deal he had made with you; Yoongi had his man tail you, not that he needed to, because you were, in any case, the wise girl he had asked you to be if you wanted to protect Taehyung and Jimin, and gradually sent him an update on the progress of your marriage.

"I've been waiting for you for an eternity; where have you been?" Yoongi asked, feigning ignorance.

Yoongi rejoiced at the anger that showed in Taehyung's features, couldn't be happier at the positive detour his plan had taken, felt overly pleased with having asked you to place a small camera in the boutique; he had thought it would come in handy if Taehyung reacted stubbornly to his provocation, but as he oversaw the whole sexual endeavor you shared with Jungkook, he'd have opened a bottle of champagne if nausea hadn't overcome him.

Not wanting to miss the chance, Yoongi decided to present Jungkook's ledger, which contained the company's shady transaction, further evidence of his involvement with the ex-mayor, and juicy details about the drug and arms deals used to make the money well up, as well as details about how all the cash was laundered.

"This came anonymously to my office this morning," he said, handing a file to Taehyung, who was struggling to contain his anger, "You might wanna take a look at this."

Yoongi was sure that what Taehyung had seen served as gasoline, and he was more than positive that what he had handed him would be used as a match-stick to set the whole damn thing on fire, therefore, he grinned; whatever pity he had felt for Taehyung before vanished when he realized that no one would do the job better than a man whose pride hurt.

And Taehyung wasn't lazy about carrying out the arson; it took him a few phone calls to get the inspectors on the line, and the whole thing caught the attention of hungry prosecutors in less than a week.

Taehyung decided it would be the nicest gift he could give you on such a beautiful day; thought it would please your husband very much, thus, he personally asked the district attorney to ambush Jungkook when he was vulnerable and defenseless, using some bullshit excuse such as a flight risk profile.

You had no words when the officer told you about Miranda's rights and handcuffed you; a tired and disappointed look was all you mustered when you were dragged out of the cathedral.

What a polemic wedding: the bridal couple spending their honeymoon behind bars; that could be a great title for the evening news, Taehyung reckoned.

"Listen, Miss Y/N, I can understand your situation, but you need to understand ours too; do the talking, we will consider you a witness, and that entails witness protection, of course." Proposed the prosecutor, frustrated by your silence and incessant tears.

"I had no idea about his side job."

"So you want to convince me that you had worked for him for years and now almost got married, but you never sensed any suspicious things about his money income?"

"I haven't; I really don't know anything, officer," you cried.

"So, how do you explain this?"

What goes around surely comes back around; no jokes.

The past leaves traces behind its dismay, history that must be told, secrets that only the present can unravel, and sometimes the future does its part.

"Care to explain why your late husband's ledger, transactions' history, files about promising and top secret deals were found in Jungkook's safe along with your resignation letter?" Were you trying to hide your involvement by resigning so your late husband won't figure out your deeds?"

When it rains, it pours.

But this was a storm, heavy clouds emptying their rageful contents.

So it might seem if you place Taehyung far away from the picture, but unfortunately, he has always been the main subject of the picture, has always pushed you far out of the frame.

Taehyung always felt something shady behind the sudden appearance of the clip that set you out of the bars, it was a thought he preferred to keep at the back of his head nonetheless, but when what proved his suspicions true came along with the envelope Yoongi had given, Taehyung couldn't do but question your whole narrative from the beginning.

Cornering only Jungkook seemed plain and tasteless to Taehyung's taste buds when the new realization hit him, reckoned it would be better to have you keeping company to your beloved husband.

"I resigned because we weren't looking in the same direction anymore, and I know nothing about the files."

"Really?"

"I'm telling the truth."

"And I believe you, Miss Y/N," the officer leaned back on his seat and sighed, a noticeable smirk plastered on his face unsettled your stomach, "you're free to go, then; keep your phone on; needless to mention that a no-fly warrant has been issued against you, I advise you come willingly when summoned, otherwise we will be obliged to arrest you."

What a sight, a bride in full costume coming out of the police station; Taehyung mused while watching intently as you kept sniffling and wiping your tears, and almost felt sorry for you, mind you, almost; he didn't allow the feeling.

From the warmth of his car, Taehyung watched your struggle to stop a cab; he enjoyed the little droplets that kept falling on your bare shoulders, felt jealous almost from the way they were allowed to touch your skin; he found himself leaning on the comfort of his palm as his elbow sat on the center console of his car, intently thinking about the many 'what if' that bombarded his brain, but his attention was focused on the way he grinned instead of the agony he always felt at such thoughts.

He figured not so long after that, no cab would stop to pick up a crazy bride, and when he couldn't stand the rain getting on your skin anymore, he decided to get out of his vehicle, take the umbrella out of the trunk, and walk toward you with slow steps.

Taehyung diagnosed himself as he walked, figured after a few seconds that he was indeed exhibiting a bipolar pattern similar to some of his inpatients who needed extreme attention; he chuckled at the thought, wished he was still on good terms with Jimin; he'd have asked him for a prescription to ease his case.

When he reached you, he stood there in silence; only the umbrella, together with his smell, informed you of his presence; you preferred to maintain the sweet silence that had built up, too afraid to utter words that might become reproaches that you knew you weren't allowed to say.

And it stayed that way until he decided it was no longer comfortable; "such a long day, huh?" His face refused to meet yours as he kept his gaze on the road; your eyes tried to catch a glimpse of him with your peripheral vision, refusing to submit your surrender.

"Are you at ease now, happy at least?" You voiced, finally turning to face him, wishful to see some peace on his traits that knew no relaxation but also hoping to find some regret.

Taehyung turned to you at your question, a sign of appreciation for your surrender and an attempt to keep your pride company; he reached for your hand after releasing his from the warmth of his pocket, stroked it gently before lifting it and placing the umbrella in your hold; his eyes drank of your tears, quenching his vengeful thirst until this time he felt hunger, wished he could quench the hunger as he did the thirst, but knew that only your touch could satisfy his desire.

"Ease? I don't know about that," Taehyung refused to look away as he argued, transfixed by the beauty he knew would never be his possession, and again the question arose in his mind: was I ever a choice for you?

The rain became heavier; the sky imitated your eyes as they poured feelings mixed and vaguely lost between relief and regret; Taehyung noticed your slight trembling, it was cold, and you stood before him covered only with a cloak of wrong decisions; your dress became wet as you tried to formulate a retort, and Taehyung didn't miss this detail.

He took off his vest and left his white shirt to the furious flogger that Mother Nature had appointed. Moving slowly, almost painfully slowly as he might have felt, he wrapped the vest around your shoulders, hoping that it hadn't lost its warmth in the meantime. "Happy, yes."

He was for several reasons; the first and the one that outshone the others was that you failed to change your family name one more time, relieved that your nameplate above the desk in the office won't be stained with salt and dirt that would irritate his eyes every morning.

It was the release of the deep sigh accompanied by warm tears that came with the same ferocity as the rain that made him clench his jaw, abused his senses with a need to pull you closer that he momentarily fought, obliged him to clench your jaw if he wanted to keep what was left of his sanity, to hold it up so you could meet his burning gaze - blazing with contemplation, lust, and a love not meant to meet shades of clarity - and in seconds, his mouth refused to obey his command and remain closed: "Don't you think it suits me? Happiness, I mean."

Taehyung had promised never to waver, never to succumb to his feelings, but as the rain kept playing with the strings of his heart, drenching your hair and, in conjunction with your tears, reddening your features, rendering them unfightable before his unsated feelings, Taehyung couldn't help but kneel before his regent, his heart.

And it was enough that he changed his mind and pulled you to his body to give you warmth, he'd argue; you trembled, and he strove to convince himself that it was a benevolent act that had no ulterior motive other than humanity; he didn't care that his disguise in the form of a coat was a failure, he repressed the fact that by now, his shirt was soaked and the only thick garment he had for the night was over your shoulders, convinced that the warmth of his feelings, which made him almost feverish, would reach you, would protect you from the harsh weather conditions, from the world, and from him.

"I wish I could say it does, Taehyung," you began, feeling as if you were standing next to a fireplace on a stormy night, still feeling like the fire has escaped from the fireplace and burned your skin in a way that can't possibly heal, "you're steering far away from happiness with every step you take, Taehyung, and I can't stop you or go after you to protect you."

The umbrella had been swept away by the strong wind when you had shed its protection the moment he wrapped his arms around your waist, leaving you both under the cleansing shower in the hope you'd find in its coldness solace; no one paid attention to the passing cars, nor to the fact that in the middle of a road, you stood; his midnight curls hid the emotions that poured from his heart out of the control he wished to maintain over them, teaming up with the rain to cover a moment of weakness he preferred to keep hidden, happy that he'd use this as an excuse to put you between his embrace, he'd argue that the hug would maintain his dignity.

"Let me take you home; it's late," Taehyung began as he readjusted his vest over your body; wished he could lead you to his vehicle while in his embrace to keep your shivering body warm; figured the only solution he had was to continue relying on his vest, for hugging you while walked would make it seem like you were in a romantic relation he knew for a fact you weren't in.

And maybe, you would never have.

You wondered when the stars traded places with artificial lights while you watched their brilliance fade under the speed of the vehicle; Taehyung wasn't driving fast, but fast enough that you wished he'd slow down a bit; you wanted to revel in the moment, in the silence, in the momentary peace that you knew was nothing more than a masquerade of the chaos that surrounded your lives.

You wished for your eyes to catch a shooting star, one that fled light pollution, just as you wished to escape your fate - you'd have wished for something, but not for a better tomorrow and certainly not for a normal life with the man behind the wheel, your wish would have been for a peaceful death in his embrace, you thought that the embrace he gave you earlier would be the best place to sigh your last breaths, a great place for a death that would compensate for the hard life you lived.

"You need to change, too," you broke the silence that had prevailed when you arrived; Taehyung hadn't said a word, nor had he started the engine to leave after dropping you off, so you decided to make it easier for both of you: "I still have your vest inside, dry off and put it on before you leave."

Taehyung felt suffocated within the confines of the enemy; the smell of his rival in his propinquities threatened his bile, had it not been for you, he'd have set fire to the place and come up with a reasonable excuse to stay away from the bars.

Gracefully, you came down the stairs after showering and exchanging your wedding dress for comfortable clothes; Taehyung would say that he felt more comfortable now than when he held you in his arms; he could no longer look at you in that dress, although it looked beautiful on you, which he inwardly admitted when he saw you entering the cathedral earlier, the dress still gave him a kind of intrusive discomfort.

"Go take a shower and pass me your clothes; I will put them in the drier meanwhile."

Taehyung decided it was better to avert his gaze and look intently at his cup of tea instead; he had begun to feel in a way he'd rather be rid of; vulnerable, he felt, overpowered and bereft of control, and thought to himself that it would be a disaster if that feeling took over the last bit of patience he had left; "It's better if I go; thanks for the tea, though."

Satisfied that he had conquered his thoughts, Taehyung turned on his heel toward the lobby leading to the front door, convinced that he'd escape before he made any more mistakes until he felt your hand stop his momentum; he inwardly cursed his weakness before glancing over his shoulder, trying to avoid direct eye contact that would rob him of the remaining strength, "don't, Tae; don't go."

He cursed his weakness even more as he turned and let your soft, whiny voice pull and play him again; he'd have been more in the saddle if he had thrown your hand away and ignored your tears; instead, he turned to be greeted by your small hands tugging at his wet shirt and warm lips brushing over his scorching ones, "stay."

As always, it was your scent that drove him mad and made him close the remaining gap between your lips and seal it; Taehyung would argue that his lips were hungry and demanding, while you'd argue that it was a gentle kiss, balm for your broken soul, but both would agree that it felt like a nonverbal goodbye.

Taehyung dropped his vest to the floor and let his hands feel filled with the touch of your skin; he had slipped them under your shirt, and you didn't mind the contact of his cold palms; on the contrary, you enjoyed the shiver that ran down your spine for it had covered the shiver you had felt earlier because of his lips nestling against yours.

"Whether now or later, I'd still go," Taehyung's voice was low, weak as a plea but strong as a growl, leaving you in a confusion that you found somehow captivating, even seductive.

You leaned your foreheads against each other, savoring the moment, the breaths you exchanged, the scent of your desires, and the heartbeats that danced on the rhymes of a forbidden love, and in a second, you tried to decide what felt better, to stand between his arms or to be carried between them.

"But right now, I guess I'm trapped," Taehyung exclaimed as he carefully dropped you on the kitchen table and stood between your legs, "right?"

You ignored your falling tears as much as his question, and he ignored his tears as much as your lack of answer; Taehyung loosened the bonds in an attempt to verbalize a proper goodbye, letting his movements and body speak louder than his voice ever would; embracing you reminded him how far he was from fullness, and kissing you reminded him that no goodbye would silence his feelings for you.

"Then let's enjoy this captivity," you intoned in a broken tone, filled with sobs that you didn't want to let out, "then let's enjoy it," he replied.

You have stripped your bodies of your clothes, wishing you could free your hearts from the burden of a heavy past; naked, you have warmed each other with the fervor of a love that was never baptized with a blessing; vulnerable, you have protected each other from the harm that only you can cause, even though you knew that this protection lies in your distance.

Taehyung's touches were gentle, almost as light as a feather; each caress left an intention, each touch delivered poetic phrases he never knew how to say; you enjoyed his downiness, felt fulfilled and complete, and so did he when your warmth welcomed his manhood.

But although being complete in each other's embrace, your tears wouldn't stop; you wished he'd think that yours came from immense pleasure and preferred to believe that his came from the contractions of your walls.

Taehyung made love to you, and when you thought you couldn't fall any deeper for him, when you believed this act would help you move forward, he released his essence inside you while you coated him with yours, making it more difficult for both to turn the page and start a new chapter.

A/N

Hi, people! How are you doing?

Let me apologize before everything for the emotional tornado this chapter may have caused and also for the very late update hehe.

Don't forget, I really value your opinions and thoughts; please, express them.

Votes are appreciated 💜

I love you <3