Reluctant Hearts ✔️

Chapter - 5

☾⋆⁺₊🎧✧ lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıı

playιng: [Double Take] - [Dhruv]

˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ *˚˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ *˚˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･

Since I saw the world, you were always near,

We grew and changed, yet stayed close all the same,

But when did friendship bloom into something more?

˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ *˚˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ *˚˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･˚₊ ˚ ‧₊ .:･

11 years back,

The Jeon and Kim families have a deep-rooted history, their friendship spanning generations. When Taehyung was born in 1995, he was the first child in the close-knit group of friends and was adored by everyone. Two years later, in 1997, Jungkook was born, and the talk of the two becoming best friends, just like their fathers - and their grandfather, and grandfather's father -  began almost immediately.

When Taehyung, barely two years old, first saw baby Jungkook in his mother's arms, his father lifted him up to get a closer look. With wide eyes, Taehyung reached down, his small finger gently brushing against Jungkook's cheek. Instantly, the baby grasped Taehyung's finger in his tiny hand, holding on tightly. The elders chuckled, saying, "Look, they're already best friends."

As they grew up, that prediction came true. The boys were inseparable, always glued to each other's sides. If one wandered off, the other would cry until they were reunited. Their bond was a reflection of their families' history—a connection that seemed destined from the start.

From the moment they stepped into the same kindergarten to attending the same schools, Taehyung and Jungkook were always together. They shared everything—summer camps, picnics, assignments, and countless late-night sleepovers. They knew each other inside out, never keeping secrets. Any discovery, any thought, would be shared with the other before they even fully processed it themselves. Their likes and dislikes were as intertwined as their lives.

As they grew older, their personalities began to diverge. Jungkook, the ever-pampered one, evolved into a rebellious kid with a streak of defiance. Taehyung, on the other hand, was the epitome of an ideal student—responsible, disciplined, and well-liked by everyone, though he certainly knew how to have fun. Taehyung was fiercely protective of Jungkook, while Jungkook would do anything for Taehyung, even if it meant getting into trouble.

One afternoon, when Taehyung was in his final year of school and Jungkook was in his junior year, Jimin, Taehyung's other close friend, came running into the classroom, panting heavily. "Tae..." he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "Kook... he's... fighting... outside!"

Taehyung's eyes widened in alarm. "Where?" he asked urgently.

Jimin pointed toward the hallway, struggling to get the words out. "In the student lawn... just stop him!"

Without a second thought, Taehyung bolted out of the classroom, sprinting down the corridors with Jimin close on his heels. His heart raced as he searched for Jungkook, his mind filled with dread. He finally spotted a crowd gathered in the student lawn, all eyes on the fight taking place in the center. Taehyung pushed through the throng of students and his breath caught when he saw Jungkook kneeling above another student, his fists raining down on the poor guy.