Bound by Love (Jaeyong)

Chapter 8: Burden of Hidden Feelings

Days turned into weeks, and Taeyong found himself ensnared in the intricate web of emotions that had taken root within his heart. He had tried to deny it, to bury the burgeoning feelings that stirred restlessly beneath the surface of his carefully curated facade. But with each passing moment in Jaehyun's presence, Taeyong's resolve crumbled like sand slipping through his fingers.

He couldn't deny it any longer—he had fallen for Jaehyun.

Yet, despite the clarity of his own emotions, Taeyong couldn't bring himself to confront Jaehyun with the truth. Fear gnawed at him—a fear born of insecurities and the haunting belief that Jaehyun could never reciprocate his feelings. After all, they had begun their marriage on shaky ground, bound by duty rather than desire.

Taeyong paced the confines of their home, his steps echoing in the silence of the empty halls. His days had become a labyrinth of uncertainty—a constant tug-of-war between the longing that pulsed through his veins and the fear of rejection that threatened to shatter the fragile peace they had managed to carve out between them.

He stole glances at Jaehyun when he thought he wasn't looking—admiring the quiet strength that Jaehyun exuded, the way his smile softened the edges of their strained interactions. But beneath the surface, Taeyong nursed doubts—doubts that whispered of his own inadequacies, of the irreparable damage that had been wrought by his past actions.

"Does he really care?" Taeyong found himself muttering aloud, his voice tinged with a bitterness that he couldn't quite suppress. He couldn't shake the lingering belief that Jaehyun's kindness was merely a facade—a mask worn out of obligation rather than genuine affection.

And yet, amidst the turmoil of his own emotions, Taeyong couldn't deny the warmth that blossomed within him whenever Jaehyun's gaze lingered a moment longer, whenever their fingers brushed in fleeting touches that left an indelible mark upon his soul.

His nights were plagued by restless dreams—dreams of a future where he could shed the weight of his insecurities, where he could lay bare the truth of his feelings without fear of judgment or rejection. But the reality of their situation loomed large—a marriage built on duty, tethered to expectations that threatened to suffocate the fragile seedlings of love that had taken root within Taeyong's heart.

And so, Taeyong carried the burden of his hidden feelings—a heavy weight that pressed upon his chest with each passing moment. He longed for a way to bridge the divide that separated them—to break free from the confines of their arranged marriage and embrace the possibility of a future where love could bloom unfettered by doubt or hesitation.

But for now, Taeyong remained trapped within the confines of his own uncertainty—a prisoner to the tumultuous emotions that threatened to unravel the fragile threads of their fragile truce. And as he navigated the complexities of his burgeoning feelings, Taeyong wondered if he would ever find the courage to confront Jaehyun with the truth—to lay bare the depths of his heart and hope that, against all odds, Jaehyun would see him not as a disobedient boy, but as a person worthy of love and acceptance.

Tbc.