IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR ABSENCE

CHAPTER 20

Y/N walked back to the hotel, her hands filled with grocery bags, but her mind burdened with far heavier thoughts. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the streets, but Y/N barely noticed. Her conversation with Jimin, meeting Jungwoon, and the nagging feeling that Taehyung was somehow involved in everything left her feeling unsettled.

As she entered the hotel room, the familiar scent of the place didn't bring her the usual comfort. Taehyung was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up and smiled when he saw her.

"Hey, you're back. Need help with those?" he asked, getting up to take the groceries from her hands.

Y/N forced a smile. "Thanks," she said, setting the bags on the counter. Taehyung moved closer, helping her unpack, but Y/N's thoughts were elsewhere. She could feel a weight in the air, an unspoken tension between them.

As they unpacked in silence, Y/N's mind raced. She had noticed things, little signs that Taehyung knew more than he let on. His calm demeanor around the chaos of Jungkook's death, the way he seemed to know just the right things to say to comfort her, and the way Jimin's words echoed in her mind. She couldn't ignore the pieces falling into place.

Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Taehyung, can we talk?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with tension.

Taehyung looked up from the groceries, a bit surprised by her tone. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

Y/N hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "It's about everything that's happened... about Jungkook."

Taehyung's expression shifted ever so slightly, but he stayed calm. "What about him?"

She took a deep breath. "I met someone today, Jimin's business partner, Mr. Jungwoon. He... he reminded me of Jungkook. And then I talked to Jimin, and he told me things about how Jungkook's family was pressuring him. There's just... too much that doesn't make sense. And I feel like you know more than you're telling me."

Taehyung's eyes flickered with something she couldn't quite place. He placed the last item on the counter and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "Y/N, you know I would never keep anything from you. What exactly are you asking me?"

Her heart pounded in her chest. "Were you involved in any of this, Taehyung? Did you know what was happening with Jungkook before he died?"

There it was. The question hung in the air, heavy and unavoidable.

Taehyung's jaw tightened for a moment before he sighed and stepped closer to her. He gently took her hand, his gaze soft but serious.

"Y/N, I promise I didn't have anything to do with Jungkook's death," he said softly. "But yes, I knew things were bad with his family. I tried to be there for him, but... it was out of my control. I didn't want to worry you. I thought I was protecting you by not telling you everything."

Y/N's eyes searched his face, trying to find the truth. "So you knew he was suffering, and you didn't tell me?"

Taehyung squeezed her hand gently. "I didn't want to add to your pain, Y/N. You were already going through so much with the breakup. I was trying to protect you."

His words were gentle, but they didn't ease the storm brewing inside her. She pulled her hand away and took a step back, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Taehyung, I don't know if I can just accept that. I feel like there's more you're not saying."

Taehyung's expression softened, but there was a flicker of something darker in his eyes—something that made Y/N's heart sink. "Y/N, I love you. Everything I've done is because I want to keep you safe. I'm not the enemy here."

Y/N stood still, her heart pounding as Taehyung's words echoed in her mind. She wanted to believe him, to trust in the warmth and security he had given her. But something inside her refused to settle, like a nagging feeling that there was more than what he was letting on.

She crossed her arms and took a deep breath. "I love you to, Taehyung, but this... this isn't just about protecting me. I need to know if I can trust you. I need to know the whole truth."

Taehyung's face softened, but there was a flicker of frustration in his eyes. He moved closer, placing his hands on her shoulders, his voice gentle but firm. "Y/N, you can trust me. I've always been there for you, haven't I? I never wanted to hurt you, not with Jungkook or anything else. But some things are better left in the past."

Y/N's gaze didn't waver. "That's not enough anymore, Taehyung. I need to know... did you have anything to do with pushing Jungkook over the edge?"

Taehyung's jaw tightened, and for the first time, the calm exterior he always wore cracked. His eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and guilt, and he let out a long, slow breath. "I never meant for things to get this bad with Jungkook. Everything I did... I did because Jungkook asked me to."

Y/N's heart raced as her mind struggled to process his words. "What do you mean? What are you saying, Taehyung?"

Taehyung gave a bitter chuckle, looking away for a moment before his eyes met hers again. "Jungkook... he planned everything. From the time I offered you coffee, to the anonymous letters meant to make you hate him, to even our dance at the festival... it was all part of his plan."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat, and her body felt like it had gone numb. "What? Why? Why would he do that?"

Taehyung's expression softened, but there was still an edge to his voice. "After the breakup, he saw how hard you were struggling, Y/N. He wanted you to move on, to let go of him, but he knew you wouldn't do it on your own. So, he came up with this plan. He thought that if you hated him, if you believed he was the one pushing you away, it would make it easier for you to move on. And he thought I was the best person to help you with that."

Y/N felt like the floor had been ripped out from beneath her. Her vision blurred with unshed tears as the weight of his words settled in. "So all of this... you spending time with me, comforting me... it was all because of Jungkook?"

Taehyung stepped closer, desperation flickering in his eyes. "At first, yes. But it wasn't just about Jungkook. I genuinely fell in love with you, Y/N. What started as me helping him became real for me. I didn't want to lose you."

Y/N's voice trembled, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "You both took away my choice. You and Jungkook decided what was best for me without ever asking me. How could you do that?"

Taehyung reached out, trying to take her hand, but she stepped back, shaking her head. His voice broke slightly as he spoke. "I didn't want to hurt you. I thought... I thought I was doing the right thing. Jungkook wanted you to be happy, and I thought I could be the one to make that happen."

Y/N stood frozen, her chest tightening with pain. "But you weren't honest with me, Taehyung. You let me believe that everything was real when all of it was a lie."

"It wasn't a lie," Taehyung insisted, his voice rising slightly. "My feelings for you are real. What I did, I did because I love you."

But Y/N shook her head, unable to accept his words. "You manipulated me, both of you. You decided how I should feel, who I should be with, and didn't even give me a choice. I can't just forgive that."

Taehyung's eyes filled with regret, and he took a hesitant step toward her. "Y/N, please... I love you. I never wanted it to turn out like this."

But it was too late. Y/N's heart was breaking all over again, this time from the betrayal of the two people she had trusted most.

"I need some time, Taehyung. I need to figure things out on my own," she whispered, her voice strained with emotion. "I can't be with you right now."

Taehyung's face fell, his shoulders slumping. "Y/N, don't do this... please."

But Y/N turned away, unable to look at him any longer. "I'm sorry."