Stolen sweetheart |kth × jjk| taekookff

39 (end)

the next few days passed slowly. painfully. jungkook flew out of the country again. taehyung was finally getting how hard living such a life was.

jungkook didn't call. didn't text. didn't ask the staff to check in. it was like he'd vanished from taehyung's world again—leaving behind a 16 months-old baby babble "dada" every night, and a heart that beat a little more restlessly every morning.

taehyung didn't know how to respond to hyunwoo anymore. he didn't want to lie, but the truth felt bitter.

so he just smiled, pressed kisses to the toddler's forehead, and whispered, "soon, baby."

he avoided going to the office for a couple days, telling the staff he had a fever. in reality, it was the fatigue—carrying around a secret like this with no one to share it with, dragging himself through morning sickness, sleepless nights, and the gnawing ache of being misunderstood again.

he considered calling jungkook once more. just once.

but his pride stopped him.

jungkook didn't want to talk? fine. he wouldn't beg for it.

⸻

it was late afternoon when the front gates buzzed open.

taehyung was on the couch, hyunwoo napping against his chest, when the soft murmur of voices filled the hallway. he didn't react at first—until he heard the familiar low tone of jungkook's voice.

his heart jumped.

he didn't know whether to run to him or bolt upstairs.

before he could move, the door opened.

jungkook stepped in, his black coat still on, hair tousled from the flight. he looked tired. drained. his eyes met taehyung's.

everything stopped for a second.

"you're back," taehyung murmured, heart clenching painfully.

jungkook didn't smile. didn't move. he just nodded. "yeah."

silence.

taehyung gently moved hyunwoo's head to the cushion and stood up. "you didn't even pick up my call."

"i was busy."

taehyung's eyes flared. "for three days? again?"

"tae..." jungkook sighed. "not now. i'm really tired."

"no, when then?" taehyung's voice cracked. "when is the right time to talk to your partner? when you're done flying across the world or when you're finished ignoring me?"

"don't start again," jungkook muttered, brushing past him.

taehyung grabbed his arm. "i'm not starting anything. i just want to be seen."

jungkook pulled away, jaw tight. "tae, i have a million things in my head right now. work is falling apart, my team's not delivering, i just—can we not do this?"

taehyung's lip trembled. "then don't. walk away. again."

jungkook stopped mid-step. turned around.

"why are you acting like this?" he asked, frustrated. "like i don't try? like you're the only one who's hurting?"

taehyung let out a hollow laugh. "because i am hurting! and you don't even care enough to ask me why."

jungkook opened his mouth. paused. then— "you know what? fine. what is it, taehyung? what big thing have you been hiding while giving me the cold shoulder?"

taehyung blinked. his throat closed up. now was the moment. he could tell him. just say it.

but the words caught somewhere behind his tongue. "i... forget it."