The Shadow & Shine | A Taekook Five Parts Story✓

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Or so he told himself.

But nothing was normal after that night. Taehyung wasn't normal. He kept telling himself that the shift in their dynamic was for the best, that he was protecting Jungkook by keep him at a distance. But deep down, the change gnawed at him, unsettling his well ordered life.

Jungkook's behavior only made things worse. The boy was polite, almost distant, every interaction now devoid of the warmth and playfulness Taehyung had come to expect. Jungkook still smiled when Taehyung entered the store, but it was a small, empty smile, lacking the spark that had once lit up the room. No teasing, no flirting, not even a simple "hello" anymore. Just silence.

Taehyung told himself it didn't matter. He was supposed to be unaffected, above such trivial concerns. But as the days passed, the absence of Jungkook's relentless energy felt like a void. The quietness that Taehyung had once loved so much was now too much and the loneliness sharper than before.

He tried to rationalize his feelings, Maybe it was just a sense of guilt for the harsh words he'd said to Jungkook. Maybe it was just because no one had ever gotten under his skin like Jungkook had. That had to be it, right? He wasn't used to someone caring about him, wanting to be a part of his life. That's why Jungkook's sudden withdrawal was affecting him so much.

Taehyung kept repeating these thoughts to himself, hoping they would eventually take hold. But with each passing day, the emptiness grew harder to ignore. The truth was, no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, he missed boy's laughter, his teasing remarks, even his shameless flirting.

And the more Taehyung tried to ignore it, the more he realized that something had shifted within him, something he wasn't sure he could change know.

Taehyung was stunned to see someone else behind the counter that night. The familiar doe-eyed boy was nowhere in sight, and all thoughts of ramen were immediately replaced by a need for answers.

"Jungkook?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Oh, the old boy? He doesn't work here anymore. I'm his replacement," the new cashier replied with a casual smile.

Taehyung's stomach dropped. "Why? Do you know why he left?"

"I heard his father passed away," the boy said,

Everything inside Taehyung went cold. His mind latched onto those words, drowning out everything else. Jungkook's father was dead, and Taehyung hadn't known, hadn't been there. The regret hit him hard, an unwelcome reminder of how deeply the boy had gotten under his skin.

"Did he... did he said anything more?" Taehyung's voice was tight.

The boy shrugged.. "No, He just quit today. Said he had to handle some things but didn't give any details."

Nodding absently, Taehyung felt a knot form in his chest. the thought that Jungkook had been dealing with such a loss alone gnawed at him.

The urge to find Jungkook, to check on him, was overwhelming. He realized with startling clarity that he didn't just miss the boy, he cared, deeply. More than he'd ever let himself admit.

That's why he found himself standing just outside Jungkook's building, eyes fixed on the boy's balcony. He didn't plan to be there, but there he was, unable to walk away.

He stood there for four hours, just leaning against a tree, blending into the darkness. A light drizzle started, the rain quietly accompanying him through the night. As the hours passed, the night gave way to the pale light of dawn, the once-vibrant room now fading into the morning sky.