fate

2 am

everyone was passed out on the couch including ji-eun and jennie. then jungkook noticed taehyung was nowhere to be seen. he looked around and saw the balcony door open. he went out to the balcony to see taehyung sitting in one of the chairs with a wine bottle in his hand, staring at the stars.

jungkook: 2 am is for the poets who can't sleep because their minds are alive with words for someone who's not there.

taehyung looked back when he heard this and smiled. he saw jungkook standing on the balcony. he completed the poem.

taehyung: for the alcoholics drinking themselves to amnesia to forget someone who left.

jungkook: not for lovers asleep in each other's arms.

taehyung: but for the lonely, who are in love but aren't loved back.

they both smiled at each other. this was a poem written by taehyung when they were dating and one of jungkook's favorite ones.

jungkook went towards taehyung and sat on the chair next to him.

taehyung: so much has changed, hasn't it??

jungkook: nothing is like before now. not us, not our relationship, not our responsibilities, not our mindset, not our maturity.

taehyung: time doesn't wait for anyone.

jungkook: you've changed. a lot. I still remember the taehyung who pranked everyone, who was always clingy in a cute way, and the taehyung who got drunk in half a glass of alcohol. this is your third bottle of alcohol. you are still sober.

taehyung: times changed me, alcohol gave me comfort when no one else could. alcohol has become like my second self. she's beautiful by the way.

jungkook: who?

taehyung: your wife. you are the ideal couple. the perfect couple, everyone ships. everyone loves. she is caring, a good cook, a perfect responsible mother, everything people search for in an ideal wife. you both look good together.

jungkook: thank you. 

taehyung: how's your life these days??? I'm assuming you are no longer the kid struggling to prove that he is capable of handling the company.

jungkook: no. my father eventually accepted that I am capable enough. what about you?

taehyung: I'm good. at least for now.

jungkook: you know, I thought after what had happened, I would never move on... I would just be single forever. never taking the risk again. I was surprised myself when I decided to marry her. I had never thought I would ever even think of marrying someone else.

taehyung: it seems to me, that love could be labeled as poison and we'd drink it anyways.

saying this, taehyung looked away... somewhere far, in the sky. trying to dry his teary eyes.

taehyung: did you ever think of making jennie break up with me? because of what once was there?

jungkook answered without a thought.

jungkook: no. I never thought of that, even for a second. jennie is my daughter. even if not biologically, I love her very much. her happiness is not a compromise. if she is happy with you, I had no right to take away her happiness. parents think just because they raised their kids, they have the right to take decisions on behalf of their kids, no... kids are also humans and have their own opinions that deserve to be heard. if she was doing something wrong, it is my job to stop her. but not to control her.

taehyung got up from his chair keeping the bottle on a table and went to the end of the balcony and stood in it putting his weight on the railing. his eyes were watering now and he didn't want jungkook to know.

 he was overwhelmed by seeing his jungkook back. not the jungkook the world knew, the jungkook only he knew about. this was the jungkook he fell in love with. the jungkook who was considerate and cared about what other people wanted and cared about.

taehyung quickly wipe the lone tear that fell on his cheek.