Painted It Black ✓

3

Hi. This is Painted It Black's third and last chapter. You will get mad, snort and take sides and let out opinions, but at the end of this chapter, it is what it is, my dear readers.
La vie en rosé. 🥀
- allie ♡

3 |

    Taehyung found the café absurdly quiet --- or maybe it was just his nerves since he was not the only customer around.

    He fidgeted in his seat, fingers drumming on the table in a stim while contemplating whether Jin would--

    "Tae." He looked up to see Jin standing in front of him. "Hi."

    "H- Hey," he croaked, still in disbelief that Jin actually showed up.

    Jin giggled,  "Based on your expression, I'm guessing you thought I wouldn't show up today?"

    Taehyung nodded, eyes casted down. "You're right. I'm sorry. I hurt you in the worst way possible-- I cheated on you. Not showing up is the least of the punishments you can do to me."

    Jin took the liberty to sit on the chair across from him. "First of all, I would like to thank you for initiating this much needed talk between us. I appreciate it, 'cause that means you're truly remorseful of what you did to me. You also took responsibility of it without trying to be defensive in any way. Now, will you answer my questions honestly, Tae?"

    He faced Jin with glossy eyes. "Of course, Jin. You deserve the truth."

    Jin, with a sad smile on his face, asked, "How did you allow yourself to cheat on me? I was blind, but I could still feel. Do you really think I wouldn't know?"

    "It was m- me," Taehyung suddenly sobbed out loud, which earned a few of the customers to look at their table. He tried to stiffle them, but he could not control the guilt and regret he had been storing inside of him for so long anymore. He had always blamed his foolish self. "It was never you, Jin. You're amazing and so perfect. You have always been. It was when everything was too much for me-- I was so overwhelmed-- when it happened. I was tempted during a time of my personal unhappiness, and tempted I was. I justified what I did by telling myself I felt neglected --- which wasn't even true. You're always there for me. Even in your state of being at the time, you never failed to take care of me."

    The customers who were sitting on the two tables near them had left quietly, throwing sympathetic looks in their direction --- probably giving them a private space to talk things through --- even the waiter and barista stayed a decent distance from them.

    "Personal unhappiness?" Jin whispered. "You were unhappy with me?"

    "No! God, no!" Taehyung shook his head hard.

    "I don't get it."

    "I was unhappy knowing you were suffering because of me," he tried to explain, coming clean. "I'm always happy when I'm with you, but whenever you cry out because of the pain you were enduring or stare blankly into the open, I was always reminded that it was because of me that bastard tried to kill you."

    "You were eaten by your guilt," Jin realized. "But instead of telling me about what you're going through and your personal battles, you chose to be comforted by another."

    It was the ugly the truth.

    "I'm really sorry, Jin," he cried so hard, guilt engraved deep in his words.

    "Have you cheated on me before that?"

    "No. I only cheated on you months after your accident," he answered with all honesty.