Cigarette Duet ✓

Chapter 4

And then, suddenly, it was silent. The world snapped back into focus, and Jungkook's eyes flew open. He was no longer in his apartment. The smell of stale vanilla and strawberry filled his nostrils. That was Taehyung's scent. He looked around frantically, his heart in his throat. The room was unchanged from the last time he had seen it, a year ago.

There, on their bed, Taehyung lay peacefully, the soft rise and fall of his chest visible even in the dim light. Jungkook's breath caught in his throat, his eyes filling with tears. He had done it. He had come back in time to save him. The weight of the past year lifted off his shoulders, and he felt lighter than he had in months.

He approached the bed, his steps silent on the creaking floorboards, afraid to disturb the peaceful scene before him. Taehyung looked so young, so alive, without the lines of pain and exhaustion that had etched themselves into his features during his illness. Jungkook reached out a trembling hand, his fingertips brushing against the warm skin of Taehyung's cheek.

A soft snore broke the silence, and Jungkook's heart swelled with love and relief. He pulled his hand back, not wanting to risk altering the timeline.

He waited until morning, watching the sun rise and fill the room with a soft glow. When Taehyung stirred awake, Jungkook was there, a gentle hand on his back. "Koo," Taehyung mumbled a he smiled sleepy, his eyes fluttering open. Jungkook's heart clenched at the sight.

"Hey," Jungkook whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Do you remember what you said last night?" Taehyung sat up, rubbing his eyes, looking confused. "What are you talking about?" Jungkook took a deep breath, his mind racing. He had to be careful. "You talked about how you wanted to get married and get kids, and grandkids and grow old together," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Taehyung's expression cleared, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Oh, that," he said, stretching languidly. "It was just a dream." Jungkook felt a pang of regret. "It's not just a dream for me," he murmured. "It's what I want too."

Taehyung turned to face him, his eyes searching Jungkook's. "You know I love you, right?" he said, his voice filled with affection. Taehyung nodded, his throat tight. "More than anything," he said. "But I don't want to get married without you being ready so when the time comes, we'll both get married to each other, and I promise to give you the most healthiest children and the happiest life."

Taehyung's smile grew, but there was a hint of skepticism in his eyes. "What's gotten into you?" he asked, sitting up in bed. Jungkook took a deep breath, knowing he had to tread carefully. "I just had a... a realization," he said. "Life is too short to put off what makes us happy."

Taehyung's expression grew serious, and he reached out to take Jungkook's hand. "What's wrong?" he asked, his thumb tracing gentle circles on Jungkook's palm. Jungkook felt a lump form in his throat. "I just... I want us to be together forever," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want anything to come between us."

Taehyung squeezed his hand, his eyes searching Jungkook's face. "You know I love you, Kookie," he said. "But you're acting strange. What's really going on?" Jungkook swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "I just... I had a dream," he lied. "A nightmare, really. And it made me realize how much I want to be with you, how much I need you."

Taehyung's expression softened, his thumb still tracing circles on Jungkook's hand. "You don't have to have a nightmare to know that," he said, leaning in to kiss Jungkook gently. "Now come on. Let's go make breakfast. Oh and by the way, I'm meeting Bogum today."

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Bogum's name. Today was the day that had haunted his dreams for a year, the day Taehyung would be offered that fateful cigarette. The urge to scream, to grab Taehyung and run away from this moment was almost unbearable. Instead, he took a deep breath and forced a smile. "What's the occasion?"