𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥-𝗜𝗡-𝗟𝗔𝗪

part 26 - (A Heart Laid Bare)

Chapter 26: A Heart Laid Bare

The night was cold in Moscow, with a biting wind that seemed to penetrate even the warmest of clothing. Taehyung stood near the park bench where he and Jennie had agreed to meet, his breath visible in the frigid air. His hands were trembling—not from the cold, but from the whirlwind of emotions coursing through him. He had spent the last few days preparing himself for this conversation, yet no amount of preparation could ease the ache in his chest.

He had waited for this moment for what felt like an eternity, but now that it was here, he felt a profound sense of dread. What if Jennie truly wanted to let him go? What if this meeting was just to say goodbye forever? The thought was unbearable, yet he knew he had to face it, no matter how much it hurt.

Finally, Jennie appeared in the distance, walking slowly toward him. Taehyung's heart clenched as he saw her. She looked as beautiful as ever, but there was a sadness in her eyes, a weight on her shoulders that hadn't been there before. He knew he was responsible for that pain, and the guilt gnawed at him.

"Jennie," he whispered as she approached, his voice thick with emotion.

Jennie stopped a few feet away from him, wrapping her arms around herself, not just to ward off the cold but also as a protective shield. She didn't trust herself to get too close, not yet.

"Taehyung," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You wanted to talk."

He nodded, searching her face for any sign of what she was feeling. But Jennie's expression was guarded, her eyes revealing little. He swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words.

"I... I know I've hurt you," Taehyung began, his voice trembling. "And I don't know if I can ever make up for what I've done. But, Jennie, I need you to know that leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life. Every day since then, I've regretted it. I thought I was doing the right thing, but all I did was destroy us—destroy you."

Jennie closed her eyes, the pain in his words hitting her like a wave. She had heard apologies before, but there was something different about hearing it now, here, in this foreign city where they were both so far from home. It felt more real, more raw.

"Taehyung, you didn't hurt me," Jennie said quietly, opening her eyes to look at him.

Her voice cracked, and Taehyung felt his heart shatter at the sight of her tears. He had never seen Jennie so vulnerable, so open about her pain. He wanted to reach out, to hold her, but he knew that he didn't have the right. Not yet.

"Jennie," he whispered, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know I hurt you in ways I can't even imagine. And I'm so, so sorry, Jennie. But please, please believe me when I say that I never stopped loving you. Not for a single moment."

Jennie shook her head, her tears falling freely now. " How am I supposed to believe that you love me when your actions say otherwise?"

Taehyung took a step closer, his voice desperate. "I was scared, Jennie. Scared of losing everything, scared of making the wrong choice. And in trying to protect everyone, I ended up hurting the person I care about the most—you. But I can't go back and change what I've done. All I can do is tell you that I love you, and that I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you'll let me."

Jennie let out a bitter laugh, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "You think it's that simple? That you can just say you're sorry and everything will be okay? It's not that easy, Taehyung.  And now you want me to just forget all of that and take you back?"

Taehyung's shoulders slumped, the weight of her words crushing him. "No, Jennie. I don't expect you to forget, or even forgive me. I know it won't be easy. But I can't live with myself if I don't at least try to make things right. I can't walk away from you again, not when I know that my heart belongs to you."

Jennie looked at him, her emotions warring within her. She had spent so long trying to protect herself, to build walls around her heart so she wouldn't get hurt again. But seeing Taehyung here, in front of her, so broken and sincere, made those walls crumble. She wanted to believe him, wanted to let herself hope again, but the fear of getting hurt was too strong.

"I don't know Taehyung," Jennie whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I can open myself up to that kind of pain again."

Taehyung took another step closer, his eyes pleading. "Then let me earn your trust back, Jennie. Let me show you that I'm here to stay, that I won't leave you again. I know it won't be easy, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Just... please don't shut me out."

Jennie looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, the desperation in his voice. She could feel her resolve weakening, her heart aching to let him in. But the scars of the past still lingered, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to take that leap.

"I need time, Taehyung," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need time to figure out if I can do it, if I can trust you again. This isn't something I can decide overnight."

Taehyung nodded, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "I'll wait, Jennie. I'll wait as long as you need. Just promise me that you'll think about it, that you'll give us a chance."

Jennie hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'll think about it, Taehyung. But I can't make any promises."

With that, she turned and walked away, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. Taehyung watched her go, his own heart aching with a mixture of hope and despair. He knew that this was only the beginning of a long and difficult journey, but he was willing to fight for Jennie, no matter how long it took.

As Jennie disappeared into the distance, Taehyung sat down on the bench, burying his face in his hands. The cold night air stung his skin, but he didn't care. All he could think about was Jennie, and the fragile hope that she might one day let him back into her heart.

For now, all he could do was wait. And hope.