Jungkook's perspective

The rush around me finally became equitable. For as long as his hands were intertwined with me, my heartbeats got stable. The throbbing turned into steady beating now. Now not only breezes were there to accompany me but he was too.

My eyes were not leaving him any second, was this real? Not just a dream or any halicunation? As unpredicted as it was, as unbelievable it was.

I saw his eyes landing on me and he let his hand go now, getting engaged in the kids who were waiting desperately for the suspense to be over, did rabbit win or tortoise?

"Aigoo, my apology. I left in a hurry. Okay let me complete the story for you." He informed the toddlers in the class who yayed joyfully.

"Jungkook…" he whispered my name softly, his voice ringing in my head like a melody.

"Why don't you join us?" He spoke, offering me to sit between the children who just nervously moved away and a little girl, named Lily if I'm sure, tried to hide herself behind Taehyung's legs.

"Aigoo, he is my friend, don't be scared of him." He said comforting words and I smiled sheepishly, trying to make them believe that I was of no harm.

"Okay, I'll complete this story for you." I offered enthusiastically, taking the tales book in my hands before reciting them in a fun-filled manner and in a while, I found myself being surrounded by the children all over.

"And in the end, the tortoise won. The moral of the story is that, slow and steady wins the race." I closed the book and children clapped their tiny hands for me.

"Thank you." I said to the children who seemed to enjoy my story and I could feel a pair of eyes on me, gently admiring with tiny droplets of tears on the edges of his eyes.

"Tae…" I whispered softly and he quickly averted his gaze, wiping his eyes.

"I guess you really enjoyed this story by him, huh?" He asked children who yayed joyfully and Taehyung smiled at them.

"Time for lunch." One of the caretakers exclaimed as he approached us in the class and kids yelled again before the caretaker asked them to be in a line to walk out in discipline.

"Ah, I, I actually forgot about St. Jung." I spoke to him as the thought struck my mind and he nodded.

"Okay let me take you to him."

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We were literally fooling each other. Pretending as if things were settled, as if he and I were known to each other and there was no gap of years between our rendezvouses. 

This was frustrating me. I had things to say, I had so much to ask and clear things up but he seemed to be comfortable in this act of pretending. 

Is he really this good at hiding emotions? 

Minutes ago he was crying, holding me and asking me to not to let go and the other minute he started conversations like we were always this way.

"Tae…" I whispered, making him turn to face me when I stopped in tracks as we walked through the corridor.

"Yes?" He asked, showing his gleaming smile to me.

"Oh, Mr. Jeon, so you're here. Ah, I was coming to look for you." St. Jung walked to me, his hands clasped together and I offered him a smile in return for his shiny one.

"Yeah… I got engaged in kids." I excused, rubbing my nape and he just nodded in agreement.

"So, I was desperately waiting for your answer. I hope you like it here. It's still okay if you want time to think." He spoke and I just agreed with nods.

I turned my gaze to fix onto Taehyung, busy fiddling with his fingers.

"Ah, it's amazing here, but-" He instantly raised his head to look into my eyes, eyes keeping worries and anxiousness.

"But maybe, I need to think about it. I had left many schools back there and it's a little difficult as you know." I confessed and St. Jung just smiled.

"It's okay, take your time." He softly patted my arm.

Taehyung's expressions rapidly changed into downcasted ones. Did he want me to be there?

Seems funny how he was the one to actually leave first.

"And, Taehyung as I told you, he is Mr. Jeon." He informed Taehyung who now looked at me and nodded.

"And Mr. Jeon, this is-"

"Kim Taehyung." I answered before he could.

"Oh wow so you guys had already introduced yourself to each other." He stated happily.

"Yes, we did years ago." I whispered under my breath which Taehyung seemed to hear.

"Taehyung, it's break time why don't you show Mr. Jeon the campus outside?" He encouraged Taehyung who simply nodded, gesturing for me to follow him and I followed.

We walked together into the grassy ground, covered with a layer of mellow petals on it. Cherry blossoms were still there with him besides me. Children were busy playing in the ground while we walked into the depth of the trees. The width of the ground amazed me.

"How is Jimin?" He asked out of blue, turning around to face me when I stopped walking in my tracks, hands fixing inside my pockets.

"He is fine." I simply answered to which he simply nodded.

"Heard about Miss. Daisy from father, she had kittens." He leisurely walked, before sitting on a bench under the tree. 

"Hm" I hummed, standing still in the same position with my narrowed eyes. 

He just smiled again. Wow.

"Are you done?" I asked with my furrowed eyebrows, might seem rude but I had been tested very well.

"Huh?" He wondered, trying to read my expressions.

"Are you done pretending? Can we just confront our real selves?" I asked, getting closer to sit on the bench with a wide distance apart.

"Jungkook…"

"Today, what happened was unexpected. It was not something we both had ever imagined about but I still can't believe the way you are acting as if you really don't remember what happened back in years."  

"Jungkook, I…"

"You literally left me Taehyung, why? Distraction? What a nice excuse. Why did you have to do it? What was the need of leaving me hanging between nothing?" I asked in a firm manner but my biggest demerit was the tears that would fall out of my eyes if I am hurt.

He remained silent in his position, not even daring to look at me.

"Sending letters to me as if they'll help me but they only dragged me down in this depth of longing. Didn't you even think for a second, didn't you ever imagine how painful it would be for me to be this much helpless? I had no clue about you. How are you, where are you, what are you doing… nothing… I knew nothing." And with tears streaming down my face, my heart finally threw things up that it had been trying so hard to swallow.

"Why Taehyung why? Do you even know that I still can't believe it's really you sitting in front of me. It's been years, six years." I cried and he looked down.

"Taehyung…. I missed you every single day, every moment. There was no second when you were not occupied in my head." I added, trying to wipe the tears which were flooding continuously.

"Stop this act of pretending, it's hurting me even more… stop." I pleaded and closed my eyes.

I was hurt, I was heartbroken and there was no justice for my suffering so I had to be courageous to let my words out because he was finally here to hear me and confront me. 

It's funny how the one who made you suffer is the only one who can relieve you. And he is the one for me. I just cried and cried. There's a limit of patience and mine was out of line.

With my eyes closed, tears fell effortlessly and then his soft fragile hands wiped my tears with delicacy and I opened up my eyes to see his face, teary eyes and red nose-cheeks.

"I don't even deserve your f-forgiveness Jungkook. Saying sorry would not be worth it but from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. I am guilty." He whispered with whimpering lips and he was my weakness.

"I deserve your anger, you have all rights to be mad at me. Jungkook, you are very precious to me and I had no other choice." He spoke softly, brushing my hairs away from my forehead.

"Why did you leave me then? Couldn't we just stay the way we were? W-why?" I asked, voice cracking in the end.

"Because I couldn't pull you in more miseries because of me. You deserve to be happy Jungkook and I couldn't see you in pain because of me. And-"

I had enough, I hushed him after pulling in another warm hug with which he was slightly taken aback.

"I don't want to hear no more. You are here with me, right in front of me and I don't want anything else." I whispered on his shoulder and he rubbed circles on my back.

"I am sorry." He whispered again and I just kept him closer to my chest. Our hearts picked the same rhythm.

"Can we just stay like this for a while?" I asked to which he didn't say anything but only stroked my back. 

This was what felt like heaven. His warmth had eased everything. His embrace comforted me and I felt light. Finally revealed and comforted after years. No one dared to break the silence as he remained connected, his hug, it was magical.

"I want us to be real to each other. Taehyung? Let's not leave each other ever again." I finally asked, breaking through the comfortable hug.

He just smiled with teary eyes, admiring me quietly.

"Jungkook, are you staying here?" He asked me finally.

"Just say once if you want me to and no power in this world can change my mind." I stated bluntly and he just chuckled softly, wiping his eyes.

"Your discussion."

"Just say once, only once." I demanded, looking into his eyes with hope.

"Stay here." 

And with this, I decided to choose his school in Daegu, taking steps in a new awaiting journey but who knew that suffering would never leave my side because it was just the starting.

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