LOVE YOU TO DEATH | TAEKOOK

20. Call It Off

*content warning for brief reference to violence, substance misuse, unlawful behavior, language*
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TMZ: Yet another photo has come out of Kim Taehyung and JJK. In this photo, the two are seen laughing and kissing each other in the lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Neither Taehyung nor JJK have been seen in a week, though the trial is not over yet.

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When Jungkook followed Kelly out of the room, fully dressed in a long sleeved shirt and sweats, he turned right back around after hearing voices speaking in hushed tones. All of which, Kelly did not miss.

"Yo, Jungkook, can you just deal with this please?" Kelly called after him, seething with irritation.

He bit his tongue so hard it hurt, staring at the wall as though he could light it on fire, "Fine," he spat, unwillingly dragging his feet into the living room.

"What do you want, Taehyung?" He asked, making his voice sound bored, uncaring.

Kelly pointed for Jungkook to sit in an armchair opposite of where Taehyung was sitting on the couch, looking uneasy.

He capitulated with her request, dumping himself onto the chair like a sack of flour, "How can I help you this time?"

"Same shit, different day," Taehyung fired back with a smirk. He wondered if matching Jungkook's energy would help him. Or, if it would do the opposite.

Jungkook crossed his arms and slouched back into the chair, quickly hissing under his breath and sitting forward once again.

"What do you want? I'm tired of this," he asked again. It seemed like all he did was ask.

Taehyung fought the urge to touch him, crossing his arms to prevent himself from reaching out. He swallowed hard before trying again.

"You know what I want, Koo. I want you back," he pressed, feeling a strange note of panic.

He took a breath, "I made the wrong call so many times but I didn't make the wrong call when I was asking myself whether I should let you go and love you from afar or whether I should try for you," he pleaded, making an impassioned play for Jungkook. Against Jin's advice.

He smiled towards the floor, "It was worth it. I'm so sorry about all this. I'm sorry for not giving you the benefit of the doubt. But I'm serious now. I came out to the whole world so you would know I'm serious about this. About us," he gestured in the space between them.

Jungkook wouldn't make eye contact with him, but he wasn't screaming in his face, so that was a win.

He shook his head, "Taehyung, there is no us. You know that," he softly corrected, looking out the window.

Taehyung deflated. He shouldn't have been surprised to hear it, but it stung nonetheless, "But, there could be," he stammered, cheeks pink.

Again, Jungkook shook his head, giving him a glance that said really?

He sighed, looking up at the ceiling before speaking. Stepping out of his emotions like a bad suit.

"Tae, uh, Taehyung. I'm really sorry about all this too and I'm happy for you, to some degree, that you can be open about your sexuality with the press. I think that's a big step for you and I'm sure that your next partner will appreciate that," he replied, exasperated but showing little sign.

He pursed his lips, making dense eye contact, "Are you happy now? Will that help you to please, please leave me alone? I want to be alone. Why is that so hard?" Jungkook finished, tone bitter.