Our Story

Chapter 10: The Veil of Pretense

Taehyung's words hung in the air, a stark and emotionless statement. Jungkook stared at him, trying to comprehend the gravity of what he had just heard. This wasn't the scene he had imagined. He had prepared for a fight, for an outburst of emotion, but not for Taehyung's detached indifference.

"No, that can't be true," Jungkook stammered, his voice shaking with disbelief. "You... you look fine."

Taehyung's eyes met his, but they were devoid of the deep sadness Jungkook expected. Instead, there was a cold detachment, almost as if he were talking about someone else. "I wish it weren't, but that's what the doctors said. It's inoperable. Nothing more to be done."

Jungkook's grip tightened around the envelope he held, his knuckles turning white. The divorce papers inside, once a symbol of his anticipated freedom, now felt like a bitter joke. He took a shaky step forward, his voice breaking with the weight of the news. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? We could have... done something, anything."

Taehyung shrugged slightly, his expression calm, almost bored. "I didn't think it mattered much. We've been so distant lately. I figured you should know because, well, we're married. But I didn't want to complicate things."

A swirl of conflicting emotions surged within Jungkook—anger at Taehyung's nonchalance, sorrow for the impending loss, and a desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, there was still something they could do. The envelope slipped from his fingers, forgotten, as he moved closer to Taehyung, his voice rising with frustration. "Complicate things? We're supposed to face everything together. How could you think this wouldn't matter?"

Taehyung's gaze remained steady, his face impassive. "It's not like it changes anything. You've been ready to leave for a while now. I just thought you should know. I didn't expect it to change anything between us."

Without thinking, Jungkook reached out and wrapped his arms around Taehyung, but the embrace felt cold and perfunctory, lacking the warmth and connection it once held.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung said, his voice flat and emotionless. "I didn't mean for things to be like this."

Jungkook tightened his hold, but it felt more like an attempt to anchor himself than to comfort Taehyung. "I know," he replied, his voice hollow with the realization of how far apart they had drifted. "I didn't expect this either."

They stood there, locked in an embrace that felt more like a formality than a true connection, two figures entangled yet profoundly disconnected. Jungkook could feel Taehyung's breath against his neck, but it brought no solace, only a sharp reminder of the emotional chasm between them.

"I wish things were different," Taehyung murmured, his voice lacking any real conviction.

Jungkook pulled back slightly, his hands still on Taehyung's shoulders, the touch fragile and distant. "Me too," he replied, the words hanging between them like a silent acknowledgment of their mutual indifference.

Inside, Jungkook's mind was already racing ahead, plotting his escape. Three months. He could endure this for three more months. He could keep up the charade and bide his time. As they stood together in the deepening twilight, the future felt uncertain, but for the first time in months, they were facing it together—even if only out of obligation. Jungkook's heart remained cold, already envisioning the life he would lead once he was free from the shadow of the Kim family. Just three more months, he told himself. Three more months of pretending, and then he would finally be free.