Fading Away | Taekook

41 - Heat

The week has been wild.

Taehyung and Jungkook had a serious conversation to prepare themselves for what was coming, so nothing would shake their relationship. Jungkook now not only received anonymous messages harassing him because of his videos but also received photos and montages of Taehyung with Jackson, Bogum, and other models, insinuating a nonexistent cheating scenario.

He knew it was a setup to provoke him; he trusted Taehyung, but that didn't stop hatred from getting the best of him. His fling with Jackson became a topic again at BE, with the crew implying that the four of them probably had an open relationship among themselves, God forbid.

And Taehyung continued to receive hateful messages from the chubbie newbie group; but besides that, the people in his town didn't react well to the news that he is gay. People he had known all his life suddenly turned away, three employees quit, not wanting to work with a gay man. Some clients informed that they would not renew orders and contracts with his farm.

And now they understood why Taehyung and Iseul's romance ended. Taehyung is gay, of course. Poor Iseul. She was deceived for six years and abandoned. That was the version that circulated around town.

But it's okay; things are what they are. Taehyung won't hide for the rest of his life because people were homophobic and mean. It's not the first time things have gotten complicated on the farm, and he will find a way to recover, again. At least the clients he lost were all small contracts; the main ones weren't concerned if he liked dick.

Throughout that tumultuous week, Taehyung and Jungkook stayed in touch, supporting and listening to each other when they needed to vent all the anger and frustration over the recent events. Despite everything, they were more solid than ever. More mature and more in love with each other.

Taehyung spends the middle of the week immersed in farm work; going to the fields and losing track of time while tending to the land is his therapy.

But the manual labor and poor diet take their toll. Taehyung bought a scale and weighs himself at least twice a day, panicking when he notices any slight weight gain. When he's at home, he decides to fast during the day and eat as he pleases at night, always forcing himself to throw up after giving in to the compulsion. Taehyung tells himself it's to compensate when he goes to Seoul, where he intends to act and eat normally with Jungkook.

And his new planter machine has just arrived; Taehyung looks like a child with a new toy. He takes the responsibility for sowing a new piece of land. Also, with three men less, it's not like he had another choice. And Jin now needs to help him in the fields, not before protesting a lot.

"See, hyung, these new guys you hired are letting my plants die," Taehyung pouts as he points to a row of sickly bushes. Jin and he took the afternoon to take care of the new seedlings and are crouched under the scorching sun.

"No one told you to become a model! That's all your fault, don't complain!Now I'm also forced to dirty my beautiful face with dirt... I demand a raise!"

"You are responsible for your payment anyways; give yourself a raise, Jin hyung. Give me a raise too, please." Taehyung snorts as he stands up, teasing the older.

Jin starts mumbling when suddenly he hears a thud; he looks back and sees Taehyung face down on the ground, not moving; Jin panics and quickly reaches the younger, turning him over and putting his ear to his chest. When he hears Taehyung's heart beating, he feels somewhat relieved. Then he reaches for the boy's face and lightly taps him trying to wake him up.