Forbidden Love ➸ Taekook ✓

- Twenty-fourth -

Jimin was alone in the dance studio at his school. He was stretching in a soothing silence, a few blonde locks falling over his face. He couldn't help thinking about what Bangtan was going through. In the eyes of Seoul's high society, they were absolutely perfect. It was as if problems couldn't touch them, as if they were protected by an invisible but almighty barrier called power.

It wasn't true. It really wasn't.

Yesterday, Yoongi had argued with his father. He hadn't wanted to say why, but Jimin and Hoseok weren't idiots. Yoongi had never hidden his feelings for the two boys, either from them or from the rest of the world. From his father too. But in a society as conservative as Korea's, how could anyone easily accept that their son liked men, and that on top of that, he was in love not with one boy, but with two. Yoongi broke all the codes.

Hoseok's parents weren't very demanding in this respect, after all, the young man didn't get his legendary optimism from nowhere. And as for Jimin's parents, well, even though they came from the strict and closed world of ballet, their long stay in Europe, and France in particular, had given them a certain open-mindedness. But the problem remained the same: being a couple of three in Korea was problematic, if not impossible. They knew that their struggle was just beginning.

The boy sighed, having long since abandoned his stretching. Nothing in life was ever simple, he knew, but right now, they had screwed up at the starting line.

He was suddenly drawn out of his thoughts when his mobile began to ring, the little music breaking the silence of the room. Jimin got up in a hurry, hurried to get the object out of his bag, and when he pulled it out, picked up without even looking to see who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hi Chim, it's Tae."

The teenager's tense features calmed, a small smile forming on his lips as he heard his friend's voice.

"Wow, for the great Kim Taehyung to take the time to call me, the end of the world is near!" joked the little blond boy.

He heard Taehyung chuckle.

"Hm, kind of."

He paused slightly, before resuming.

"Can I ask you a favour, Chim?"

His voice had suddenly lost all its lightness, and Jimin could sense the seriousness and concern in it. The boy frowned. Taehyung was usually a relaxed person, so seeing (or rather hearing) him worried was strange.

"Of course. Tell me everything."

"Well, Kook's not doing too well. Something happened this weekend, and I'll tell you about it face to face if he doesn't... Anyway, he's completely depressed. So I was thinking, as you're all coming to my company's party on Thursday night, maybe you could take him shopping and get him an outfit. I'd like you to cheer him up?"

His heart sank as he imagined poor Jungkook sad and depressed. Because if Taehyung had taken the trouble to call him to ask for help, then the situation was serious. Because normally, Kim Taehyung was more than enough to cheer Jungkook up.

"Of course." Jimin replied, determined. "He should finish school soon and then we'll go shopping. You can count on me, Tae."

Jimin heard the man sigh with relief.

"Thanks Chim. I... I hate seeing him like this..."

"I know, Tae. I'll try to get him to talk, okay?"

"Hm, thanks again."

***

Jungkook barely had time to set foot outside his classroom when he was suddenly grabbed by a certain little blond, and within minutes he was in one of Seoul's best shopping centres, which contained almost nothing but luxury shops.

"Jimin, what are we doing here?" asked the young man, looking tired.

Because he was. Psychologically. He'd had a very bad night, thought a lot and watched Taehyung as if it were the last time. He'd said to himself several times, "Hey, aren't you being a bit dramatic? It's just a stupid engagement, arranged by your parents. It's worthless", but in fact it went further than that.

The problem wasn't the engagement. It was what the engagement entailed. Knowing his mother, she might have had a plan in place so that the boy couldn't escape the wedding. That was his first fear. Secondly, the engagement meant that his parents didn't think Taehyung could reciprocate his feelings. Why wouldn't he? They already suspected he was bisexual, and if there was one thing the Jeons couldn't be accused of, it was being homophobic. So what was the problem? Simple: he was too old. Eight years apart, at their ages, was too much.

So, based on this logic, they wouldn't accept Taehyung reciprocating his feelings either, because his parents would consider him too old for him. From their point of view, their love was impossible on every level.

Then there was the conflict that would follow. Because sooner or later (even if that day seemed to have moved drastically closer with this engagement), Jungkook and Taehyung would have to announce their union. Their parents wouldn't accept it. Jungkook was ready to fight. So was Taehyung.

But for how long? Would Taehyung eventually tire? Was Jungkook... really worth it? The teenager knew the answer. Or rather, his insecurities did. Taehyung seemed to be the only one who still didn't see what a burden Jungkook was.

"We've come to get our outfits for Thursday's party, of course!" Jimin replied.

Jungkook gave his friend a sceptical look. All this thinking had depressed him enormously, and he couldn't motivate himself anymore. Today, in class, his canvas had remained blank. He hadn't been able to paint anything.

"Jimin, I don't really want to do shopping. Let's come back another day..."

"Certainly not!" the little blond cut him off. "Come on, follow me, let's go!"

Knowing full well that Jungkook wouldn't obey him, Jimin took his hand and led him towards a shop. Jimin wandered between the aisles, a small smile on his lips as his eyes scanned all the clothes in front of him. Jungkook, on the other hand, wasn't paying the slightest attention. Honestly, he didn't even want to go to this party on Thursday. But it was organised by the Kim company, by Taehyung, so he had no choice. He had to be there for his fiancé. His real fiancé. Or was he the fake one? Jungkook didn't even know what to think. It depressed him even more.

They stopped suddenly, drawing Jungkook's attention to his friend. Jimin's arms were full of clothes, and Jungkook wondered when he'd had time to grab so many.

"Perfect, let's start with that. Come on, Kook, into the cabin."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about? This isn't for you?"

"Of course it's not for me! You're the one who's going to try on ALL these clothes."

Jungkook held back a sigh. He should never have followed him.

~🍁~

Hi, sorry for the really long wait! I started work, and it's a little tiring (and stressful because I never did that kind of work), but for now everything is good!

I hope you liked this chapter, and see you soon (I hope) 💕