But Beautiful

part 39

Jungkook closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in attempt to calm himself.

"Please leave."

"Is someone here?" she asked, coming to a stand and heading toward the hallway. "Who do you have in here?" she questioned.

Jungkook stood, moving between her and the doors down the hall. "Leave, mother. I won't ask you again."

"You're a fool, Jeon Jungkook," she scolded, serious and loud, "your father would be disappointed!" She turned around, heading to the living room to grab her bag, leaving the apartment without another word. Jungkook followed, locking the door behind her before making his way to his bedroom, turning the knob gently to see if it was unlocked. Turning it, he stepped in, heart sinking at the sight of Taehyung in bed, under the covers, the quiet sounds of him crying muffled by the comforter.

"Tae?" he called gently, moving towards the bed and sitting down on the edge closest to him. "Taehyung," he called again, resting a hand where he figured his back might be. "Please look at me."

Taehyung threw the covers off of himself, turning to look at Jungkook with a hurt scowl, the raw expression knocking the wind out of the man. "Anything she said that hurt you," he started, reaching to brush hair out of Taehyung's face, "don't listen to her. Don't take it to heart."

Taehyung smacked his hand away before he could touch him, squeezing the bear in his arms before burying his face against it.

Jungkook cursed under his breath, squeezing his eyes shut. Why did I think she was going to make things better between us when she just made things worse? I'm such an idiot to let her in and let her stay so long, he chided himself.

"Taehyung," he started again, voice firm but gentle. "Please listen to me. What she said, it didn't reflect my thoughts or feelings in any way at all. Please, please listen to me and please tell me you understand."

"No," Taehyung said, voice low and cold. "I won't tell you I understand because I don't. Why would you let that person say such mean things to you?" he asked, finally looking at Jungkook with a tearful glare.

"She's just being stubborn and refusing to believe that I can take care of myself," he explained, shifting a little closer to the man, cautious and not wanting to set him off. "She's worried I'll lose my chance at practicing medicine."

"Because of me. I'm just 'some patient' in her eyes," Taehyung replied, using his fingers for air quotes. "She doesn't want you to risk your future and career and whatever for someone like me."

"She doesn't understand who you are and what you are to me," Jungkook explained, heart hurting each time Taehyung sniffed harshly. "I don't see you as just some patient, I don't see you as a risk to my career or future or anything. I've thought about it so much, I really tirelessly searched my heart and soul, even baring my feelings to my mentor. I didn't rush into this, I didn't mindlessly decide to see if we could be something more than patient and provider. I decided, conscious and clear, that I wanted to be with you. I like you, so much, more than I've liked anyone. You're not just a patient. You're Kim Taehyung, and you're the light of my life."

The man looked at him, eventually exhaling as his shoulders relaxed. He held his gaze for only a moment before he looked down, tears drying on his cheeks. "I... I love you," he stammered. "I don't want to ruin your life."

Heart painfully pounding in his chest as he heard Taehyung's words delivered in the smallest, most defeated voice, he shook his head, pulling Taehyung into his lap and holding him close. "You won't. You couldn't. You will not ruin my life," he insisted, the man in his arms beginning to sniffle again. "And god, Taehyung, I love you, not just like you, love you. I don't want you to ever worry about me making rash decisions that could jeopardize my future, and there's nothing you could ever do to compromise it, either."