𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐌 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄 (𝐓𝐚𝐞𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤)

//028.👠

LILY LIVER

After some time, Taehyung finally woke up and found that he was lying inside a car. His head throbbed in pain, his mouth was dry and his vision was a bit blurry. He blinked a few more times to get a clearer picture of his situation and he began to remember the things that happened before he passed out.

He felt his hands tremble a little from the memory, but when he saw the silhouette of that perfect figure sitting on the driver's seat, his increasing panic and accelerating heartbeat slowed down.

The man was leaning his head on the headrest with his eyes closed. He would never get used to seeing the perfection of his face. He was like a jellyfish, beautifully emitting its own light in the dark ocean, but if you touched it, you'd be poisoned. And Taehyung had the strongest desire to touch this beautiful, mysterious jellyfish, even knowing that it might lead to certain death.

As Taehyung stared at him, he slowly recovered from his lightheadedness. It was outrageous but he momentarily forgot that horrific experience just by staring at him.

Suddenly, the man spoke but his eyes were still closed. "Mr. Kim... I hope you have already learned your lesson. Never attempt this again. I'm telling you one more time: someone like you doesn't belong in my world. You belong in your own peaceful paradise," he said, still not throwing him a glance.

He could hear in his voice the blatant warning and he clenched his fists tightly. He felt like there was something caught in his throat and the words he said before he passed out echoed in his head. 'I told you... you can't handle it...'

Taehyung felt the urge to cry.

He didn't understand; all he wanted was to fall in love. All he wanted was to experience saying those three words-"I love you"-to the man he loved and to know how that would feel. Was that really too much to ask? That was all he wanted, his only wish... So why can't things just go smoothly as he wishes?!

Should he really give up now? Should he really just burrow himself back into his rabbit hole like a scared little bunny and go back to living that safe, uninteresting, loveless little life that he had been living? Should he just sit still and wait for the day when he finally leaves this world?

Just the thought of it made Tae's heart break. He had been a good boy for twenty-two years. Was it really wrong for him to desire this? He had never asked for anything else. He never cursed God and got angry at him, nor did he ask why, of all people in the world, he had to be the one who got sick. He accepted everything and only wished for one thing...

But it seemed like that single wish of his was like a balloon on a fragile string that was being forcefully pulled from his grasp, no matter how much he tried to hold onto it. He could see it slowly fly away from him and it didn't feel right. It was more painful than the pain he felt when Jungkook rejected him. He knew in his heart that he didn't want to give up because he just felt that he would regret it. He didn't have the luxury of another lifetime or second chances and he was well aware that his time was running out.

"Go home and stay there, Taehyung. That's where you belong. You've seen the outside world and there is nothing good out there," he added and Tae looked away.

"You're right. The world is not always a nice place... It can be scary..." he trailed off. His voice was weak, almost a whisper. Sadness and pain could be heard in his voice. "But I don't agree with you that there's nothing good out there."

Jungkook furrowed upon hearing his words. He finally looked at him as he opened his mouth to speak. However, when he saw his eyes glimmering with tears that were threatening to fall, he was forced to hold back.

"Jungkook..." he called out his name in a really sweet yet sad tone. "Why did you come and save me?"

What followed Tae's question was a deafening silence.

What happened tonight rocked his world. It was terrifying. He never wanted to experience anything like that ever again. He finally understood why this man had believed since the beginning that he couldn't handle it. His actions and reactions tonight proved it, even if he started to deny it now.

However, this man came and saved him. No matter what he said, no matter what he thought and no matter what he saw, this man came and saved him. This single act from him was enough for him to persevere and try to catch the balloon again. He decided to try again, one last time. If he couldn't get him to agree tonight, then he would stop once and for all. He would accept that this was probably his fate.

"I think that there is something good out there..." He lifted his hand and gently poked the man's cheek. "You."

Jungkook's lips parted in disbelief. He caught his wrist and held it as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Taehyung, you don't know what you're saying," he said and then, out of nowhere, he moved closer to him. His eyes blazed again with ice-cold fire as his fingers traced his jaw. "Didn't you see how much more dangerous I am than that man? I have and can still do far, far worse things than that. I have done things you can't even imagine, Taehyung... Believe that!"

"But you saved me."

"I did that out of impulse."

He ignored his words. Even if he was just being impulsive, he still saved him. And really? Out of impulse? Didn't he just acknowledge the fact that he had some good in him?

"I believe that I'll be fine out there, as long as I'm with you."

Jungkook leaned back, now pinching the skin between his brows.

"You don't get it! I'm the one who's much more dangerous for you, Taehyung." He looked at him again. His eyes were still cold and filled with urgent, dangerous warnings. "If you become my boyfriend... I might ruin you... In fact, I know I would. You don't know what I am capable of doing to you."

Taehyung swallowed.

"Why don't we try it then? How about you give me a month? If I really can't handle it, I will run away from you on my own."

Jungkook let out an enchanting but chilling laugh. He was speechless. He could see that light in his eyes again-that light that was blinding for someone like him, that light that he knew he could probably never kill no matter what he said or did.

"Tell me, why me?"

"Because you're the most handsome man I have ever seen?"

He twitched, obviously not pleased. "There are tons of fish in the sea, Taehyung. You're only saying that because you've never jumped into the ocean! I just happened to unknowingly jump out of the water right in front of you."

"I have seen my share of fish but you're right, you were the first one to jump out of the water and the first one I truly noticed. You're also the only one who has ever sparked something in me. I-I... can't explain it. I just have this feeling that we... that I..."

"... will never find another man like you again for the rest of my life."

_____

Me comparing Jungkook with jelly fish