A Love Unseen (Jikook)-complete-

Chapter 14: Heartache

Jungkook walked aimlessly, the familiar paths of the park now foreign and painful beneath his feet. Each step felt heavier than the last, his heart aching with a mix of confusion and hurt. He had poured his feelings out for the first time, hoping to take their friendship to a new level, but the rejection had left him feeling lost and exposed.

Sitting on a nearby bench, he rested his head in his hands, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling within him. The laughter and chatter of people around him felt distant and hollow, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside.

“Hey, man.” Jin’s voice cut through the fog of his thoughts, and Jungkook looked up to see his two friends approaching, concern etched across their faces.

“What happened?” Namjoon asked, sitting beside him. “Did you talked to Jimin?”

Jungkook swallowed hard, the memory of Jimin’s shocked expression haunting him. “He… he rejected me,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What?!” Jin exclaimed, unable to mask his disbelief. “But you guys have been getting closer! I thought he felt the same way!”

“I thought so too,” Jungkook replied, his voice cracking. “But he said he couldn’t. I don’t know why.”

Namjoon placed a reassuring hand on Jungkook’s back. “You put yourself out there, and that’s brave. Sometimes, feelings don’t align the way we hope.”

“Yeah, but it hurts,” Jungkook admitted, his heart heavy. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and now… I feel so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” Jin said firmly. “You were honest with him. That’s something to be proud of, even if it didn’t go the way you wanted. You deserve to be loved, Jungkook.”

That night, under the familiar oak tree, Jimin's body trembled as tears streamed down his cheeks, the weight of everything he had been holding in finally breaking through. He pulled his knees to his chest, trying to make himself small, as if disappearing into the quiet night could erase the turmoil inside him. The rustle of leaves was a distant sound compared to the loud ache in his heart.

"Jimin?" Taehyung’s voice, soft and filled with concern, startled him. Taehyung knelt beside him, eyes filled with worry. "What’s going on? Why are you out here crying?"

Jimin’s lips quivered, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. Tae sat beside him without a word, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, his warmth offering comfort in the coldness of the night.

"Talk to me, please," Taehyung whispered, his voice gentle as always. "What happened?"

Jimin swallowed hard, his voice fragile when it finally came. "Jungkook proposed to me, Tae."

Taehyung's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? He proposed?" He looked excited for a moment, but seeing the tears in Jimin’s eyes, his joy was replaced with concern. "And you’re crying because…?"

"I didn’t know what to say," Jimin choked out, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I just froze. I couldn’t say yes, but I didn’t want to say no either. I’m hurting him, Tae. I didn’t mean to, but I am."

Taehyung frowned, pulling Jimin closer as he gently rubbed his back. "Why didn’t you tell him how you felt? It’s okay if you weren’t ready, Jimin."

Jimin shook his head, tears streaming freely again. "I don’t know how to love him the way he deserves. I just can’t… I can’t fall in love like other people. I’m different, Tae, and it’s not fair to him. He thinks I’m something I’m not."

Tae’s heart ached hearing the pain in Jimin’s voice. "Jimin, being different doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love. You care about Jungkook, right?"

"I do," Jimin whispered, his voice shaky. "But that’s not enough. I don’t feel the way he wants me to feel. I can’t give him what he deserves. I don’t even know how to. I’m broken, Tae."

"You’re not broken," Tae said firmly, his eyes full of compassion. "You just have your own way of feeling and loving. And that’s okay. But if Jungkook’s proposal made you feel scared, you need to talk to him. Don’t push him away because you think you’re not enough."

"I don’t know how," Jimin confessed, his tears flowing faster. "I’ve been holding onto this fear for so long. I thought maybe, one day, I could love him the way he loves me, but I’m scared I’ll never be able to. And if I can’t, then what?"

Tae sighed deeply, squeezing Jimin’s hand. "Love doesn’t always look the same for everyone, Jimin. Maybe you and Jungkook just need to figure out what it means for you both. But you have to give him a chance to understand. He cares about you. You know that."

Jimin wiped his face again, but the tears wouldn’t stop. "What if he changes his mind when he realizes how different I am? What if he realizes I’ll never be able to love him the way he wants? I’d rather hurt him now than later."

Taehyung shook his head. "You’re underestimating him, Jimin."

Jimin sighed, leaning into Tae’s shoulder, feeling more exhausted than ever. "I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this, Tae."

"You are," Tae whispered, holding him tighter. "You’re stronger than you think. You don’t have to figure it all out tonight, but don’t shut Jungkook out. Let him be there for you, even if you’re scared."

The two sat quietly under the oak tree, with the cool breeze carrying their words away into the night. Even though the world felt heavy, having Taehyung there made it a little more bearable. Jimin wasn’t sure if he could ever love the way people expected him to.