IN THE NAME OF LOVE | TAEGUK

twelve.

-taehyung.

i sat on my bed in the room jeongguk told me was mine, playing with my fingers while my eyes were focused on the ground. my phone was laying right beside me, with the message jay recently sent me still visible on the display.

the message i feared the last past days and for which i wasn't prepared, at all. tomorrow was the day. the day to give him the jewelry, jeongguk's jewelry. but i still didn't have it. i still was too afraid to just steal it behind his back. the feeling to betray him with that was killing me, driving me insane.

what would he think of me if he figures it out?

would he hate me?

i sighed, running my fingers through my hair before covering my face in my palms. i couldn't do this. i didn't want to do this. but i had to. to keep him safe, right?

another deep breath escaped my mouth before i raised my body from the bed. "just do it." i mumbled to myself and opened the door, making my way to jeongguk's room.

with shaking hands, i knocked on the door, making sure he wasn't in there. and as nobody answered, i entered the room with hesitation. i looked around, making sure he wasn't there. and he indeed wasn't there. the only thing my ears could catch was the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom. he was taking a shower probably.

i exhaled and closed my eyes. "okay, let's start." i whispered under my breath, searching around the room. where could he store his expensive things?

i bit my lips, quietly approaching his dressing table decorated with purple fairy lights as i started browsing through its drawers. but there was nothing to find.

i groaned silently before heading to his nightstand, exploring its drawers as well but still, there wasn't anything. i sighed, ruffling my head in frustration until something caught my attention. it was a silver glowing bracelet hidden under a pillow.

i glanced at the bathroom door; the shower was still turned on what did mean that he still didn't finish yet. carefully, i grabbed the bracelet, and it was heavier than expected. while observing it precisely, it looked more expensive than it already did.

it must be one of his jewelries and it seemed to be his one and only. with sad eyes, i stared at the closed door of bathroom. "i'm s-sorry." i whispered and was about to stick the bracelet inside my pocket until i noticed something on it. it was a little pendant in the shape of a heart, with for my dearest little honey engraved on it.

so, was this the reason why he hid it under his pillow? it was probably a gift from one of his loved ones, someone dear to his heart. it must be really important to him, i assumed.

i took a deep breath, shaking my head as i kept the bracelet back beneath the pillow. i couldn't steal it from him. it would hurt him too much. i would hurt him too much. i will probably risk everything with that, even jeongguk's life but neither could i risk it to hurt him by stealing the belongings which seemed precious to him.

from now on, i will have to protect him even more. no one will ever hurt him in my presence, no one. not even jay.

-jeongguk.

"do you have everything for school?" taehyung, who was leaning against the door frame with my school bag in his hands, asked me while watching me as i was applying some chapstick on my lips.

i sighed, closing my drawer as i walked towards him. "yup." i flashed him a smile just to see his and as i guessed, he smiled back adorably, making me smile even more.

he turned around as both of us headed downstairs. but as we were about to leave, my father's voice interrupted our actions. "jeongguk, before you leave, i have to tell you something really important." i sighed, turning around as i raised one of my brows at him.

"yeah?" i crossed my arms over my chest as my father continued approaching me with a stern expression plastered on his face. he patted my shoulder just for me to yank his hand off me.

"well, mr. byun and i hired some reporters. they will wait for you in front of your school after your classes ends." he began while i just watched him, confused as he trailed off. "after the little argument you had with baekhyun at the party, some people might be still thinking that you two have some problems in your relationship. and for the business's sake, you two have to fix it again, telling the reporters that you still love and are happy with each other."

"of course, the business's sake, again." a mocking chuckle left my lips as he said that. "but you know what?" i glared at my father while slowly approaching him. "i don't care about your so-called business." i chuckled, shaking my head before leaning closer to his ear. "honestly, i never did." i whispered, pulling away, enjoying his annoyed face more than i actually should.

"i won't tolerate your disrespect towards me and my work anymore omega! you'll do what i want from you!" his voice raised at me, but i could care less.

holding taehyung's hand in mine. "you know what?" i spoke as my father stared at me with an angry look on his grumpy face. i smirked. "fuck you!" i yelled before running out of the house, dragging the confused boy with me as well.

ignoring my father's shouts, i got into the limousine followed by taehyung who started the engine quickly as i requested him to. i leaned my head against the window, closing my eyes as i took a deep breath in. and i didn't even know i had tears in my eyes until they came cascading down my cheeks, one after another.

and again, my own father was the cause of my tears, of those hurtful tears. he still didn't care about me. his business was way more important than me. but what had i thought? that he would actually start to care about me after our last conversation? after i literally ran away from home? after i spent the whole night somewhere else but not at home? did i really think i could change him?

i did. and the fact that i failed hurts more than anything else. only the fact that i've tried to change him to finally care about me, it hurts me. and i was angry, angry at myself, angry at my father. i hated him for behaving like that. for being such an awful parent. i hated myself for hoping that a day would appear and he would actually see me as a son and not as some thing he possess to make deals. and i hated myself for not being able to change anything. anything that makes those sufferings stop, finally.

"you okay?" i came back to my senses by the gentle touch of the guy beside me, who was clearly worried about my condition as silent sobs escaped through my trembling lips.

with my teary eyes, i looked at him and only then i noticed he had stopped the car. i sniffled, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand before flashing him a small smile. "yeah." i tried to convince him but couldn't move a single feeling in his eyes as he continued to stare at me with worried eyes. he clearly wasn't believing me.

"you really are a bad liar, you know that?" he shook his head while a sad chuckle escaped through my lips and i stared at my fidgeting finger until i looked up at him, again.

"i know." i managed to whisper through my trembling lips. "let's talk later? my- my classes will start soon."

"but we will talk, okay?" he asked and i just nodded my head before he did the same, starting the engine again as he drove me to my school.

"thank you." i thanked him after arriving at my school and was about to get out of the car until he stopped me.

"if you need something, please call me immediately, okay?" he whispered softly, sounding genuinely worried as those words left his mouth.

i flashed him a small smile while nodding my head. "i will." and with that, i got out of the car and headed inside the school.

-to he continued