FORCED

XV

jeongguk's pov

two weeks after taehyung left, i've asked every single people that knew taehyung if they know his whereabouts. i even begged namjoon hyung's husband to get taehyung's number but he said that even him, can't contact taehyung too. i still pleaded to get his number so i can save it though. i know it's too late but i'm still hoping that maybe i'll get to see taehyung again and hopefully, he'll give me a chance to explain. i was drowning in my thoughts when i heard my phone ring. 

"hello? dad?" i said.

"jeongguk, a board director personally called me and told me that you haven't been in the office for the past month? they said that you're also not answering their calls and your secretary told me that you haven't been attending any meetings. what is happening with you right now?" my dad said, bombarding me with so many questions.

"i'm sorry dad." that's all i could say. it's not like i have an excuse. it's all my fault why i'm feeling this way right now. if only i realized it a bit earlier. i would've been with my husband right now. you're a stupid fucking jerk, jeong jeongguk. i scolded myself. 

"you didn't answer any of my questions, jeongguk." my dad said.

"to be honest, dad, i don't have any excuse. i'm sorry, i'll go back to work tomorrow. but for today, can i still stay at home and rest? i promise i'll report back early in the morning tomorrow." i said. 

"this is unlike you, jeongguk. did something happened?" my dad asked me. yeah, so much thing had happened and it's all my fault. 

"i lost someone that i love so much because of my own stupidness." i whispered. 

"whatever it is that you're going through right now, please remember that we're here for you okay? i know you're already a respected ceo in the industry, but it won't change that you're still my son and i'm your dad. tell us everything that's bothering you, okay?" my dad reassured. reminding me that i'm lonely right now but i'm not alone. 

"thanks dad." i muttered, then ended the call. 

>>

two months since taehyung left, but i'm still not doing okay. i kept on wondering where is he, and kept wishing that he's okay. i keep on checking my messages just in case he suddenly messaged me even though i know it's impossible. i hired a private investigator but they still haven't got any track of taehyung's whereabouts. i've originally wanted to hire a hacker to hack all the airports in south korea's system so that i could know where taehyung went but namjoon hyung told me that it's illegal and could get me in trouble. i was ready to risk it all but stopped when namjoon hyung's husband suddenly contacted me and told me to meet up with him so i'm waiting here at the café. he told me this is taehyung's favorite coffee shop and had always liked to sit beside the glass wall, so i'm here sitting on a chair beside the glass wall even though i've always hated it cause i could feel people stare at me from the outside. 

"jeon jeongguk?" a man asked me. he must be namjoon hyung's husband. believe it or not, i've known namjoon hyung for years but this is my first time seeing his husband.

"namjoon hyung's husband?" i asked, unsure.

"kim seokjin, kim taehyung's cousin." he introduced himself. 

"nice to meet you, mr. kim." i said.

"oh please, just call me jin hyung."he said. 

"well, nice to meet you, jin hyung." i repeated.

"i'm going straight to point, jeon. why are you still searching for taehyung? didn't he suffered enough? when you first talked to me on the phone, getting taehyung's number, i thought that he just forgot to sign something on your divorce papers or what. but when i overheard your conversation with my husband yesterday, i'm sure it's not just because of the papers. you have a different motive, jeon. that's why you're trying so hard to find him." he said, face suddenly getting serious. 

"i-i regret it hyung. i honestly forgot about the petition and i was planning on making it work for us. i want to make our marriage work, hyung. but it seems like fate doesn't want it to be." i muttered. 

"and what made your mind change suddenly? the last time i talked with tae, he said that you even brought that mistress of yours in your own house, even bringing her to your bedroom." jin hyung said, raising his eyebrows at me.

"i can explain, hyung. jieun fooled me, i was blinded by her cruelty and i didn't even noticed what it was costing. i tried to correct it all but when i already did, taehyung finally left me." i explained.

"what do you mean jieun fooled you? taehyung told me that she was nice and was like an angel so that's why he decided to let you go so you can be happy with her." jin hyung questioned.

"she decieved us all, hyung. it was all a facade." i said

flashback  

yoongi hyung caught me staring at that boy again. i know he's gonna tease me non-stop at lunch again. i thought while facepalming. why do i keep on staring at him? i hate myself for doing it. it's not like i even do it consciously. i sometimes don't even realize that i'm already staring at him until someone tells me. i don't know why but i feel like my eyes are being pulled by his mesmerizing features.  

"jeon jeongguk, i caught you staring at that boy again." yoongi hyung said in a teasing voice.

"i was not staring, hyung. i was just thinking about something and he happens to be in there when i was thinking about that thing." i tried excusing my ass.

"na uh. i was actually watching you. you were definitely staring, you even almost started to drool because of him." hyung continued to tease.

"hyuuung." i said, whining so he would stop teasing me. 

it was an everyday occurrence for yoongi hyung to tease me about that boy. 

"you know gguk. i can actually go in there right now and tell him you stare at him. i actually saw him once at my street. maybe he lives in my neighborhood." yoongi hyung said while making a teasing face.

"don't you dare, hyung!" i shouted.

i wasn't expecting what happened the next day. 

a girl suddenly approached me and told me something that i was not ready for. 

"hey, i know you don't know me but i actually know about your infatuation with taehyung. and i just overheard your yoongi hyung making a bet with him. your hyung bet taehyung to make you his boyfriend and break your heart." the girl said.

back to present 

"coincidentally, we were introduced to each other that night. and i actually did not believed that girl, which is jieun, at first and i was searching for yoongi hyung to get some sort of explanation but i was not able to find him. it's like he suddenly disappeared." i explained to jin hyung what happened.

"so that means, you already had a crush on taetae even though you haven't knew each other?" jin hyung asked.

"kinda?" i shyly admitted. 

"then why didn't you just confronted tae about it though? so that you would know if that jieun girl was telling the truth." hyung said. thinking about it now, if i just had done that, then this wouldn't even be happening right now. maybe taehyung and i would be happily married each other.

"jieun is a really a deceiving person. she blinded me so that i can't see anyone but her. so that i will only care about her and her only. she made me believed that i can trust no one but her. i even started hating my family because of her. she really tricked me into believing that i love her." i explained to jin hyung.

"i didn't expect her to be that evil. i can't believe taehyung even felt guilty about her. the day taehyung left, he called me crying, telling me that he'll let you go and will stop being selfish." jin hyung said. 

my heart aching, more than it is already.