Jungkook stood before Taehyung with a beautiful smile, holding a tray adorned with a teapot and two delicate cups. "Tea?" he offered warmly.
"No, thanks," Taehyung replied curtly, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Without another glance, he walked out of the room.
"Hyung, wait!" Jungkook called after him, hurriedly setting the tray down. He chased Taehyung, his heart pounding. "Hyung, listen... It's not what you think..."
But Taehyung didn't slow down. He reached his car, got in, and drove away, leaving Jungkook standing on the curb, his outstretched hand falling to his side.
"Nice tea," Yoongi said, breaking the heavy silence. He had been sitting in the corner, unnoticed. "Thank you, Chipmunk." He gave Jungkook a reassuring smile.
Jungkook's smile faltered as he watched Taehyung's car disappear down the street. "Why is he like this, Yoongi? Why is he avoiding me?" His voice cracked with emotion. "I feel like I'm going to die... Why can't he forgive me? Maybe he hates me because my mother is the reason his brother is dead. Maybe he feels compelled to marry me, but it's just making things worse. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he wiped them away harshly. "Maybe it's his way of punishing me... or himself."
Yoongi stood up, crossing the room to place a comforting hand on Jungkook's shoulder. "It's not like that, Jungkook. You're overthinking this."
But Jungkook couldn't shake the feeling of despair. He walked back inside, tears streaming down his face. His heart ached at the thought that Taehyung might never forgive him, that he might be hated for something he couldn't control.
*********
It was almost 9 PM, and Taehyung still hadn't returned. Jungkook spent the evening holed up in his room, staring at his phone and feeling more isolated with each passing minute. Jin and Yoongi were busy with their own jobs, leaving Jungkook alone with his thoughts. He had called Taehyung two or three times, but each call went unanswered. Eventually, a message came through: "I'll be late because of the conferences."
Jungkook stared at the message, his heart sinking. "Please don't hate me..." he whispered to the empty room, laying back down on his bed. Just as he was drifting into a state of melancholy, a knock echoed through the door.
Jungkook got up and opened it to find the house manager standing there. "Mr. Jung, Hoseok will be arriving at the airport shortly. Mr. Kim has asked you to receive him."
"Okay," Jungkook replied, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. He walked to the washroom, freshened up, and changed into a nice outfit. As he made his way out of the house, the driver was already waiting for him.
As they drove to the airport, Jungkook's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. "What if my uncle is angry with me? He'll probably scold me for not keeping the peace at home... for failing to make things right with Taehyung." He looked down, the weight of his worries pressing heavily on his shoulders.
The driver stopped the car. "We’ve arrived," he announced.
Jungkook stepped out of the car, looking around in confusion. "Hey, this isn’t the airport... Hey!" But before he could protest further, the car sped off, leaving him standing alone in an unfamiliar place. His heart pounded with fear as he looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings.
Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging him into darkness. Jungkook clenched his fists, his breath quickening. Just as panic began to set in, one by one, lights flickered back on, illuminating a beautiful path adorned with flowers. Mesmerized, he followed the glowing trail.
