「sakook」unstrung hearts

Chapter 2: Broken Strings

Sana's phone buzzed once more, breaking the sounds of the guitar. The bright screen lit up the dim studio, Taehyung's name flashing on the display. She found her gaze drawn to it, her mind full of conflicting feelings.

There was no denying that she still had feelings for Taehyung. Their relationship hadn't been a passing infatuation. It was built on shared laughter, stolen moments, and a connection that was as electrifying as it was comforting. But, it was also a relationship fraught with pretences, with clandestine meetings, and a constant fear of their secret being discovered. She had been living on the edge, every moment with him a stolen one, every touch a secret they had to guard.

She had chosen to end it, chosen to free herself and Taehyung from the stress of their secret relationship. She had decided to face her feelings and her heartache, and channel it all into her music. Her heart unconsciously yearned for the familiarity and comfort that Taehyung represented. But at the same time, the unease that had been a constant companion during their relationship reminded her of why she had chosen to break up.

Sana stared at the phone, her mind at war with her heart. Should she answer his call? Could she handle the whirlwind of emotions that would inevitably follow? Or should she maintain her distance, focus on healing and move forward? She was torn, stuck at the crossroads of her heartache and her resolve to move on. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to center herself, her hand began reaching out to the glowing beacon of her phone.

In that moment, every second seemed to stretch into an eternity. The faint sounds of the 'Unfinished Love Song', hung in the air like a silent spectre, its melody a poignant reminder of the emotions they were wrestling with.

Watching this play out before him, Jungkook felt an icy dread curling around his heart. The sight of Sana, caught in her own emotions, threatened to shatter him. He yearned to shield her, to bear the weight of her pain himself. An instinct, raw and potent, surged within him, a roaring protest against his own silence.

Without conscious thought, his hand moved, guided by the heartfelt need to halt her turmoil. His fingers closed gently around her wrist just as her hand was inches away from the phone. The contact made her pause, her surprised gaze flicking up to meet his.

"Sana," he started, his voice low and filled with vulnerability. He bit his lip, steeling himself. "Why do you do this to yourself?"

She looked at him, her eyes filled with questions. He could almost see her mind churning behind those expressive brown orbs, mulling over his words, over the emotions behind them.

Jungkook took a shaky breath, his grip on her wrist tightening just a fraction. The words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered, like a song written in the spur of a moment, "Seeing you...with him, seeing you getting worked up because of him, it's...it's unbearable, Sana."

She blinked, clearly taken aback, her grip on the phone loosening. "Jungkook, what--"

"I can't," he cut her off, his heart pounding against his ribs as though it wanted to burst out. "I can't watch you in pain. It's...it's fucking killing me."

"Jungkook?" Sana's voice was barely a murmur now, her eyes wide and surprised. She looked at him like she was seeing him anew, seeing a side of him he'd kept hidden for too long.

He could feel his pulse throbbing in his throat as he took another breath. He'd been silent for so long, concealing his emotions, and now that they were free, he couldn't stop them.

"Because...because I love you, Sana. I've loved you since...since we were 16 years old," he confessed, the words echoing through the room, heavy with years of unspoken emotions.

It was her vibrant spirit that had first drawn him in, like a moth to a flame, on the day he first saw her in high school. She was a breath of fresh air, stepping into his world, breaking through his walls, and pulling him out of the void he'd unknowingly wrapped himself in. The memory of her, so full of determination and fire, convincing him to take a chance, to step onto a new path and form a band with her, was etched into his heart.

"From the moment you burst into that dusty music room with a dream in your eyes, to our first jamming session, to the first song that we crafted together... my heart was already yours," he admitted, his voice hushed and raw. His words painted the canvas of their shared past, the shared journey that had irrevocably changed his life.

"I've loved you through every late-night practice, through every chaotic gig we've played, through every stupid fight we've managed to get ourselves into, and through every shared silence that spoke louder than any words could." His confession was an outpouring, a symphony created from years of silent longing, of unexpressed love. "My feelings for you didn't fade with time, they grew. And I...I couldn't stop it, didn't want to stop it. What I'm saying is, I'm fucking in love with you, Sana."

He paused, his confession filling the room. Words, raw and honest, hung in the air, painting a vivid picture of a love that had been blooming in silence. For once, the man known for his lyrics, for his ability to weave emotions into beautiful songs, found himself at a loss for words. He'd said his piece, and now the ball was in Sana's court. As he watched her, he saw her fingers reach out, her gaze dropping to her phone before she made the decision to switch it off completely, setting it aside. It was a deliberate action, a sign that she was shutting the world out to focus solely on their conversation. 

"Jungkook..." Her voice was soft, not accusatory but laced with surprise and a hint of sorrow for his unspoken feelings. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, processing his confession, his earnest gaze, the shared history he'd just laid bare. Her heart was heavy with a myriad of emotions. "This is a lot to take in." She looked at him, her gaze piercing and thoughtful. "We've been through so much together, and I thought I knew you better than anyone else." She took a deep breath, her words hanging heavy in the silence between them. "But this...this is something I didn't see coming. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Jungkook felt a knot tighten in his chest, a mixture of relief and trepidation. This was it, the moment he'd both feared and yearned for. "I was afraid," he confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I didn't want to risk losing you, Sana. And the band... it's our dream, our shared world. I didn't want to jeopardise it."

Sana stayed silent for a moment, her eyes never leaving his face. Then, slowly, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She slipped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you for thinking of me," she murmured into his shoulder. "Keeping it all inside... it must've been so tough on you."

Jungkook felt a surge of emotions. Relief. Fear. Hope. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her closer. He had carried this secret for so long, a heavy weight he had learned to bear. Now, as Sana's warmth enveloped him, he felt some of that weight lifting. Her words echoed in his ears, comforting his aching heart.

"You're so important to me, Jungkook." Sana continued, her voice soft and gentle. "I want to be there for you too. Just... give me time to understand what this means for us."

Jungkook nodded, his throat too tight for words. He held her closer, the quiet comfort of their hug washing over him like a soothing melody. They stood there, holding each other, two hearts seeking solace in their shared silence.

And so, they hugged. As they had done countless times before, but this time it felt different. Charged with emotions, laden with unsaid words, this hug was a promise, a silent agreement to navigate this new terrain together. As the evening turned into night, the echoes of Jungkook's confession lingered in the air, altering the contours of their relationship forever.

════ ════ ════

a/n: thanks for reading! please upvote and comment if you enjoy unstrung hearts 🖤