Taekook and the ECLIPSE

38 | I Was Alone

"I like option one," Minghyu muttered.
Taehyung didn't respond.

"You know exactly how much I hate to accept this," Minghyu whispered slowly, "but I can see that you do
love him . . . in your way. I can't argue with that anymore. Given that, I don't think you should give up on the first alternative, not yet. I think there's a very good chance that he would be okay. After time. You know, if he hadn't jumped off a cliff in March . . . and if
you'd waited another six months to check on him. . . . Well, you might have found him reasonably happy. I had a game plan."

Taehyung chuckled. "Maybe it would have worked. It was a well thought-out plan."

"Yeah." Minghyu sighed. "But . . . ," suddenly he was whispering so fast the words got tangled, "give me a year, bl — Taehyung. I really think I could make him happy. He's stubborn, no one knows that better than I do, but he's capable of healing. He would have healed before. And he could be human, with Jaewoo and Eun, and he could grow up, and have kids, through surrogacy or something like that, and . . . be Jungkook."

"You love him enough that you have to see the advantages of that plan. He thinks you're very unselfish . . . are you really? Can you consider the idea that I might be better for him than you are?"

"I have considered it," Taehyung answered quietly. "In some ways, you would be better suited for him than another human. Jungkook takes some looking after, and you're strong enough that you could protect him from himself, and from everything that conspires against him. You have done that already, and I'll owe you for that for as long as I live — forever — whichever comes first. . . ."

"I even asked Jimin if he could see that — see if Jungkook would be better off with you. He couldn't, of course. He can't see you, and then Jungkook's sure of his course, for now."

"But I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before, Minghyu. I won't try to force him into that first option again. As long as he wants me, I'm here."

"And if he were to decide that he wanted me?" Minghyu challenged.
"Okay, it's a long shot, I'll give you
that."

"I would let him go."

"Just like that?"

"In the sense that I'd never show him how hard it was for me, yes. But I would keep watch. You see, Minghyu, you might leave him someday. Like Jackson and Yunjin, you wouldn't have a choice. I would always be waiting in the wings, hoping for that to happen."

Minghyu snorted quietly. "Well, you've been much more honest than I had any right to expect . . . Taehyung. Thanks for letting me in your head."

"As I said, I'm feeling oddly grateful for your presence in his life tonight. It was the least I could do. . . .You know, Minghyu, if it weren't for the fact that we're natural enemies and that you're also trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you."