Twilight of Itaewon | Taekook ✔

41. Taboo & Tales

It's been twenty minutes since Jeongguk has been there but somehow it felt like decades. Pushing the messy brain aside, Jeongguk decided to go out to meet Jennie. He was sitting on a stone bench in the Park and enjoying the evening. The way the last rays of the day touching the little flowers and leaves, the way the wind caressing his messy hair, the way his breath is calm. Everything felt nice.

His wounds are not healed. But better now. He was sure Jennie will gonna be panic after seeing him in a state like that. After ten minutes, he found a familiar figure walking towards him in the corner of his eyes. Jennie was wearing a baby pink sweater and white jeans, her hair long and open. She has a small smile on her lips.

As they settled and greeted each other, and talked about his cuts and wounds as expected. Then, Jeongguk cleared his throat. Before he could tell anything, Jennie cut him off.

"Jeongguk, what's going on?"

It was sudden but Jennie sounds neutral. There's no anger lacing with her words. She's scaringly calm. Jeongguk looked at her. The smile before was gone. He gulped and took a harsh breath.

"Jennie... I'm sorry... I need some time... I want---"

"Why are you saying sorry?"
Jennie asked confused. Even Jeongguk couldn't pinpoint the reasons, but there are a lot and she deserves to hear it. He tried to explain but the next words almost leaving him speechless.

"Gguk, are you in love or something?"

Yes.

"No, I'm not..."

He said in a tone that is desperate, eyes down and helpless. He felt a hand on him and the soft touch made him look up at her eyes. Jennie wasn't daring. She's sweet. And now her expression assuring him to go on and let it out.

"It's just a new case... And he... He..."

"He? Jeongguk are you gay?"

The question hit his head and Jeongguk flinched. How can he answer this? He's not. For the one he was ready to be anything, doesn't even know him. Jeongguk isn't gay. Maybe bisexual. Agh. It's tiring and difficult to say.

"No, I'm... I'm not... I'm not gay... I'm not in love..."

"So, you kept a distance, you lied and hide all of this from me because of some men? Really? "

Jennie sounds harsh. She sounds angry. Her voice is rough and merciless. Eyes piercing through his body and heart, a frown on her lips, eyebrows pinched together. Most importantly, she sounds homophobic.

"Don't. Don't talk about him like that. You know nothing. You don't have any right to speak things like that."

Jeongguk doesn't know why he said that. His anger oozing from eyes to words. His body shivering as he controlled the burning fire in him and not to shout at Jennie. But the response he got was funny.

"Keep lying."

"Keep lying to me and yourself"

Jennie said softly. Her anger, frustration, frowns everything was gone. Now she looks as pathetic as him and very calm to another world. Jeongguk was surprised. What's she planning after all? He raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Jennie, I want a little time to figure out some things in my head. It's all... A mess now. Trust me, I will come back as the old Jeongguk."

Was he telling that to himself? Maybe. At some point, he knows, that's gonna require a lot of effort. But it's not impossible. At least he will try to be the old Jeongguk to Jennie or maybe a better one. He found Jennie playing with her fingers, precisely the engagement ring. Guilt washed over his entire existence as he looked down, avoiding her gaze.