The Second Choice

Becoming Tae's Brat

Y/N hesitated before reentering Taehyung's room, her heart heavy with uncertainty. When she opened the door, she saw him awake, scrolling through his phone, his expression neutral. The tension in the air was palpable as she quietly slipped inside, unsure of how to navigate the morning after they'd crossed the boundaries of their long-standing friendship.

Taehyung glanced up and noticed her awkward demeanor. He could see she was trying to act like nothing had happened. Her attempt to brush it off stung him, and the hurt flashed across his face. He sat up, his voice soft but firm. "Y/N, you don't have to pretend like last night didn't happen. Don't do that. Don't treat me like I'm some mistake or that I'm disposable," he said, clearly offended. "I'm not some side piece. I thought we meant more to each other than that."

Y/N froze, guilt and confusion swirling inside her. She hadn't meant to hurt him, but everything felt so overwhelming. She turned to face him, struggling to find the right words. "Tae, it's not like that. I'm not disgusted or regretting what happened. I just... I'm still in love with my ex," she admitted, her voice faltering.

His face shifted from offense to a mix of frustration and confusion. "Your ex?" He repeated, his tone sharper now. "You're still in love with him, but he's gone. Didn't you say he broke up with you?"

She took a deep breath, feeling like she was about to drop a bombshell. "Yes, he did... but it wasn't exactly a permanent breakup. He said he needed space, that it was more of a break than a breakup. I just don't know if I can really move on from him yet."

Taehyung's eyes darkened, frustration brewing beneath the surface. "So, you're waiting around for someone who couldn't even break up with you face to face? He left you hanging, and you're just holding onto that? I don't get it. How can you still be in love with someone who did that to you?" His voice cracked with emotion, his disappointment evident.

Y/N's guilt deepened, and she felt the weight of her secret pushing down on her. She hadn't told him who her ex was. She hadn't told him that the man he was unknowingly competing against was his best friend, Jimin. The secret burned on her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She wasn't ready to drop that truth on him. Not yet.

"I don't know, Tae," she said, her voice shaking. "I don't know what I want, and I don't know if I'm ready to lose him. Even if I'm here with you, it feels like... like I'm betraying him."

Taehyung stood up from the bed, pacing the room as his emotions bubbled over. "You're not betraying anyone but yourself by staying stuck in this cycle, Y/N. He's not here for you, but I am. You can't keep pushing me away while holding on to someone who isn't even sure about you."

Those words, though meant to wake her up, felt like an accusation. A heat rose in Y/N's chest, her guilt turning into anger. How could he claim to understand her heart, her pain? His intensity, once comforting, now felt suffocating.

"Just because you don't have someone to love," Y/N shot back, her voice shaking with emotion, "doesn't mean you can tell me what love is. You're the one who cheated on your ex, so don't stand there and act like you're some authority on relationships or pain. You've caused just as much."

Taehyung froze, her words hitting him like a punch. His eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed as the sting of her accusation settled in. "That's not fair, Y/N," he said, his voice trembling with hurt. "You don't get to throw that in my face. Yeah, I messed up in the past, but that doesn't mean I don't understand what love is. I'm standing here, right in front of you, offering you everything, and you can't even see it."

Y/N crossed her arms, trying to shield herself from the vulnerability she felt. "Offering me everything? Tae, you don't know what I'm going through. You've never been in a position where someone you love just... left. You made mistakes, but you still had control. I don't."