"How long will you keep loving someone who can never love you back?"
For ten long years, Jeon Jungkook's life revolved around one man-Kim Taehyung. Every breath he took, every beat of his heart, was filled with an unwavering love that only grew stro...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Sometimes, the silence hurts more than the words left unsaid."
[ Warnings: This chapter includes graphic depictions of physical and emotional pain, and explores themes of severe illness and vulnerability. Reader discretion is advised.]
｡˚࣪𓏲ּ ᥫ᭡ ₊ ⊹ ˑ ִ ֶ 𓂃
The restaurant was quiet, save for the soft clinking of utensils and the occasional murmur of other diners. The warm glow of the dim lights cast long shadows over the table where Jungkook and Taehyung sat, their silence louder than any words they could speak. Two bowls of steaming noodles sat between them, untouched, the aroma mingling with the unspoken tension in the air.
Jungkook's gaze remained fixed on Taehyung, who sat with his head bowed, eyes hidden beneath the shadow of his fringe. The weight of everything unsaid between them hung heavily, suffocating in its intensity. After what felt like an eternity, Jungkook finally broke the silence, his voice soft but laced with a sadness he could no longer hide.
"Let's eat," he offered, trying to sound casual, though his heart was anything but.
Taehyung looked up slowly, his eyes red-rimmed and glassy, the tears he fought to hold back threatening to spill over. He swallowed hard, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"You eat it... I'm not hungry."
Jungkook reached for one of the bowls, sliding it closer to Taehyung. He forced a small, fragile smile, the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Let's eat together," he urged gently.
"Food gives us energy to earn money, remember?"
For a moment, Taehyung didn't move. He just stared at Jungkook, the emotions swirling in his eyes too complex to untangle.
A single tear escaped, tracing a silent path down his cheek. He quickly looked away, trying to hide the depth of his sorrow, but it was too late. Jungkook had already seen it.
After what felt like a lifetime, Taehyung finally reached out, his hand trembling as he took the bowl from Jungkook. His voice cracked as he tried to speak, his words choked by the tears he could no longer hold back.
"I will never do anything that betrays you or...,"
He e paused, the words catching in his throat. He closed his eyes, as if steeling himself for what he had to say next.
"For my lifetime, Koo."
The weight of those words, so full of promise and pain, lingered in the air long after they were spoken. Jungkook said nothing, simply watching as Taehyung fought to compose himself, his own heart breaking silently in the process.
Now, Jungkook sat alone at the same table, the warmth of Taehyung's presence already a fading memory. He stared at the remaining bowl of noodles, its steam rising into the cool air, but the food no longer held any appeal. The echoes of their conversation played on a loop in his mind, each repetition tearing a new hole in his heart.
