𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙈𝙮 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮- 𝑲𝒐𝒐𝒌𝑽

🌷Chapter 17: The Weight of the World🌷

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The morning sun peeked through the thin curtains of Taehyung's room, casting a warm glow that belied the turmoil within. Taehyung sat on the edge of his bed, his head heavy with thoughts. Last night had been a whirlwind of revelations and emotions, and now, as he prepared to face the day, a knot of anxiety twisted in his stomach.

Confused and stressed, Taehyung tried to gather his thoughts. He couldn't stay in this room forever. He had classes to attend, and despite everything, he needed some semblance of normalcy. He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair, before finally deciding to get ready for college.

As he walked to his first class, he could feel eyes on him. Whispers followed him down the hallway like a persistent shadow. Some students sneered, their expressions laced with disdain, while others offered half-hearted congratulations that felt more like pity. Each comment chipped away at his resolve, and by the time he reached his classroom, he was a bundle of nerves.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Jimin.

"Tae, where are you?" Jimin's voice was filled with concern.

"I'm near the classroom Chim."

"Listen, you shouldn't come to class today."

Taehyung paused, gripping the phone tightly. "I know you're worried about what happened last night but I'm already here, Jimin. I can't just hide." He runs his fingers through his hair, trying to suppress the frustration coiling inside him.

He told his friends about the encounter with Haewon, leaving the part that Jungkook also came and what happened to Haewon. He doesn't want his friends to see Jungkook in another light.

"Listen, there's a lot of talk going around. People know about you and General. Please, just go back. The professor—"

But Taehyung ended the call, taking a deep breath before pushing open the door to his classroom. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to him. He could feel the weight of their gazes, the unspoken accusations hanging in the air.

The professor, a stern-looking man with a disapproving frown, crossed his arms and glared at Taehyung. "Ah, Mr. Kim. How nice of you to join us." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Perhaps now that you're the General's mate, you feel that rules no longer apply to you."

The words hit Taehyung like a slap. His face flushed with embarrassment, confusion and anger, but he bit his lip, refusing to show weakness. A wave of humiliation washed over him. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat. The professor's mocking tone stung, and he felt the weight of everyone's eyes on him.

"Please take your seat, Mr. Kim," the professor continued. "We wouldn't want to inconvenience someone so powerful."

Taehyung nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat as he made his way to his seat. The whispers resumed, and he felt the sting of judgment from every corner of the room. He wanted to disappear. He could feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He walked to his seat, his head bowed, and sank into his chair, his hands trembling. Jimin and Haneul, his closest friends, exchanged concerned glances but remained silent for the time being.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The secrets about Jungkook, the fear Haewon had instilled in him, and now the disdain of his classmates all mixed into a storm that threatened to overwhelm him. He needed to find a way to navigate this chaos, but at that moment, he felt utterly lost and alone.

The General, the man revered by so many, was his mate. It was a bond that should have brought him joy, but instead, it left him feeling isolated and exposed. The decision to keep their bond a secret until he finished college was meant to protect him, to give him some semblance of normalcy. But somehow, word had spread, and now the entire campus buzzed with the news.