FOR YOU

madman; vsoo

"Where are we going?", she giggled. "Just wait~", he replied, still not removing his hands from her eyes. "We're here!", he exclaimed removing his hands. Jisoo fluttered her eyes open to see the the wall decorated with the words 'I love you.' It instantly put a smile on her face; Taehyung did things like this frequently.

He was her only best friend, and by that she meant only. Since 13 years of age, he was the only one who stayed. Her three best friends: Jennie, Rosé and Lisa were tragic cases. Jennie died in a car accident, when Jisoo clearly remembered her telling Jisoo that she had no plans of going out that day. Rosé, who was the happy bean of the group, committed suicide mysteriously, when she didn't seem depressed at all. Lisa was murdered by gangsters, when neither she or her boyfriend, Jungkook had any connections with the Mafia.

Jisoo's own parents too passed away of poisoning, when they had not even eaten out that day. Her office colleagues, college buddies (Joy, Seulgi, Bobby, Jinhwan, Yuta and Yeosang were a few to name), even any shopkeepers she got close to, everyone was gone. It put her through trauma, she felt that she shouldn't get close with anyone for their own safety. Amidst all this, Taehyung was always there to comfort her, to make her feel better.

Then came him, the only person Jisoo wanted to willingly get close to. She had to bring down her walls for him. They got together finally, but he too had his share of attacks on him. Fortunately he survived, being a Police Officer, his skills came handy. They had gotten so frequent that Jisoo suggested to her lover that they separate, only for his safety. But he was adamant, he loved her. He would not let her go.

She was snapped out of her trance when she heard his footsteps behind her. The smile on her face dropped when she turned her head to look around. The place was decorated with red balloon, in the shapes of hearts. Jisoo turned to look at him questioningly.

"I love you, Jisoo. It's always been like that.", he spoke with a shy smile on his face, eyes refusing to meet hers, and her face worsened. With a calm grin on her face, she carefully neared him, "But Taehyung, I'm in love with someone else." His face turned into a frown. "What do you mean?", he questioned, though aware of Jisoo's boyfriend.

"I can't be with you, I already have a boyfriend.", she reasoned out, trying her best to keep her calm.

"You don't understand! I love you and I want you, Jisoo!", he yelled angrily. "No", she replied calmly, yet firmly, unfazed in the face of his anger.

"Do you even know? How hard it was for me to be the only one for you?! All those people around you, so close to you. Everyone were obstacles in my way, I had to remove them one by one. To be the only one for you! And now, here I am!", on his face was etched a creepy, haunted grin.

Fear consumed Jisoo's body as her back hit the wall, her hands over her ears. Her eyes were clenched shut as a chilling, high-pitched scream escaped her mouth. The visuals of all her late loved ones flashed before her eyes, traumatising her even more. Tears gushed out from her eyes, stinging them, but she didn't care.

"All those people you killed, so many families ruined. All those innocents you murdered.", her palm went to her mouth this time, in shock of her best friend's deeds.

Taehyung clicked his tongue in annoyance, was she still in her own world? A part of him was shocked at her behaviour: he had been there to always comfort her whenever she cried, but he had never, ever seen her so traumatised. Jisoo had been a strong woman.

Now he had to go the firm way. Stealthily, he removed a knife from his pocket. Carefully placing it against his wrist he announced, "Jisoo, if you won't say yes, I will slash my wrist." Jisoo got out of her trance and stared at him horror. "If you don't accept me, I will cut my wrist."

She now moved forward towards him, hands stretched out as a signal to stop. "Tae, please no. Doing this will give no benefit to you." She knew he could kill himself, Jisoo had underestimated him before, but now she knew.

Taehyung, creepily expressionless, now started to move the knife slightly against his skin. "It will do no good! Taehyung goddammit listen to me!", she shouted like a maniac, shaking her head, her voice cracking at the last few words. The hot tears down her eyes never ceased.

Her words seemed to have an effect to some extent, since Taehyung brought the knife down. However, his face darkened. "You're right.", he blankly stated. Jisoo paused and looked at him for a moment letting out a breath, since it was hard to breath from all the crying. She nodded her head at him, pursing her lips inwards.

"If I die, that fucker will still have you.", his hand was shaking. Jisoo's heart dropped out of relief.

"Then, if you can't be mine, you will not be anyone else's." He slowly and dangerously moved towards Jisoo, knife pointed at her abdomen.

Jisoo was paralysed at the sight of the weapon. He knew. He knew she had a phobia of knives. Her eyes couldn't bear to look at the object, which was now slowly moving towards her. Her mouth went completely dry, mind refusing to think about anything but the pointed metal moving towards her. It would reach her soon, she was going to die. She simply shook her head pleadingly at him, lips trying to mouth the word 'no'. But he didn't stop, the knife came nearer and nearer to her and Jisoo instinctively clenched her eyes shut. 

Just as Jisoo was expecting her demise, a loud bang shattered the atmosphere. She opened her eyes and everything seemed to go in slow motion. Suddenly a burst of blood erupted from Taehyung's abdomen, as his hands went to feel the wound. The man's eyes rolled back as his limp figure fell to the ground with a sickening 'thud'.

"Taehyung!", Jisoo's voice was heard again as she fell on her knees to the ground, hands covering her eyes, preventing her from witnessing any more of the horrifying sight in front of her. Her sobs got louder as she felt her lover's arms encapsulate her, rubbing comfortingly at her sides.

"Jisoo, oh my god! Jisoo, are you alright?", the man spoke and she nodded her head weakly.

"Kyung-kyungsoo" Her voice quivered. "please tell me you will not be jailed."

"Ssh, no. I did it in defence.", he spoke soothingly, still shocked at Jisoo's terrible condition. His hands caressed her face, slowly wiping her tears away, which were immediately replaced by new ones.

"Taehyung, Taehyung.", she said out loud as she crawled over to where the man was lying, she gently held his head and put it in her lap. The man slowly opened his eyes with great difficulty due to the pain. Jisoo looked at him imploringly, tears still flowing. "Why did you have to do such a thing.", she whispered.

"It's okay, Jisoo-yah.", he replied with a grin, Jisoo was too tired to react anymore, and Taehyung took it as a sign to continue. "At least I got to be in your arms. The way you're caringly holding me, wiping my tears."

"I can die in peace.", he finished. "Please, no.", she mouthed, lips trembling, eyes still leaking. And with that last sentence said, the man closed his eyes, moving on to the next realm in the cycle of life.

"No!", her shriek was heard yet again, as the man in her lap was immediately pulled away. Another pair of arms held her, as Kyungsoo comforting rubbed his thumb against her shoulders. He quickly turned her head towards his chest, not wanting her to see anymore of the scene ahead.

Jisoo's sobs were the only thing audible as she cried into his embrace, her fists balling his shirt. The exhaustion from everything taking over her, she soon fainted.

completed: August 20, 2021

published: 27/3/22

1392 words