Savior | Taekook

14. Stranger

Third Person POV :

The ride from Jungkook’s house was thick with silence, punctuated only by the sound of Seokjin’s heavy thoughts swirling in his mind. He felt as if he were trapped underwater, lost in a sea of memories and regrets until Yoongi finally spoke. “You don’t need to drop me…. don’t you need to go back to work?”

Seokjin blinked, struggling to process the words. “Huh?” The echo of his own mind had swallowed Yoongi’s voice for a moment. “N-no, I need to go h-home.” He was not sure what he wanted to do, but definitely not the work. It was impossible for him to concentrate after the whirlwind of emotions stirred up by Yoongi’s presence, the reason he was hesitant to contact him.

For years, he had buried himself in work, using it as a shield to block out the pain of his past; his lost love. In his mind, he had moved on, but now that he was alone with Yoongi, the ghosts of his pathetic college heartbreak resurfaced, clawing at his heart. He should have let go of his love when he realized his love would never be returned in the same way, but shamefully, he clung to those absurd feelings and he can’t blame his ex-roommate for that. He knew Yoongi only wanted the best for him – a fresh start.

“Okay then. Do call me if you need any help… even if you don't, you can still call me, you know? Take care,” Yoongi said, and Seokjin nodded weakly as they pulled up to his station. He forced a small smile, but inside he felt heavy and lost.

As soon as he was alone, Seokjin pulled out his phone, dialing the familiar number he'd turned to whenever he felt shattered. “Where are you?...Work?...Can we meet up?... Right now,” he blurted out, desperation creeping into his voice.

“Nothing… I'm alright…. you carry on with your date,” 

“I'm okay... you don't have to come.”

“Okay. Our regular hangout… Ecstazy.”

Soon, he found himself in the dim light of the familiar pub he usually goes out with Hoseok, drowning his sorrows while his Friend, under the guise of an 'emergency for a friend’, had ditched his blind date —a date arranged by his mother.

Seokjin felt the memories crush him further, his defenses crumbling. He repeated, “Just one more” like a mantra with each shot he took, trying to silence the pain that surged within him. But his attempts were futile. Hoseok was already too gone to offer any meaningful support, and Seokjin knew that by the time his friend woke up, he’d have no recollection of the anguish spilling from his lips.

“I loved him with all my heart but…but why?” he sobbed, the words rushing out like a torrent. “Why didn’t he love me back?” Tears streamed down his face as he choked on his heartache. “Am I… am I not worth enough? Why did he—” He cut himself off, catching sight of his friend, now completely knocked out. Frustration bubbled over as he yelled, “Yah!! Hoseok-ah… you are supposed to listen to my pathetic love story. It’s not over yet!” 

Seokjin's heart throbbed with grief, and he couldn’t keep his pain bottled up any longer. It felt like drowning—he needed to expel all this sorrow once and for all. It's high time he left his past behind him.

In a moment of reckless desperation, he grabbed the sleeve of a passing stranger, pulling them down beside him. “Is it my fault that… that I am Jungkook’s cousin?” he blurted, oblivious to the fact that he was pouring his soul out to someone he didn’t even know. “Why? Am I not good enough… not good enough to be loved? Am I not handsome… not looking good enough?” His voice cracked halfway through, already hoarse from tears and emotion.