Trouble Tamer

15. To Let Go...

The air was still, too still for a hospital. The dull, sterile atmosphere and the faint beeping of machines in the background weighed heavily on Jungkook's mind as he walked down the hospital hallway. He had just left Taehyung sitting outside, finally having calmed him down after the emotional breakdown. Jungkook needed a moment to process everything that had transpired in the last few days.

As he stepped outside into the cool evening air, Jungkook reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. His fingers instinctively swiped through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for. With a deep breath, he pressed call.

It only rang once before a familiar, energetic voice came through the other side.

“Hello?”

“Hoseok-hyung,” Jungkook greeted, his voice calm, almost too calm for what he was about to say.

“Jungkook-ah!” Hoseok’s voice was cheerful, though a little muffled, as though he was in the middle of something.

“What’s up? Everything okay? How’s Taehyung?”

Jungkook stared out at the empty hospital parking lot, his mind racing as he tried to find the right words. Then, without much preamble, he simply said, “I think I accepted Taehyung as my husband.”

There was a choking sound on the other end of the line, followed by what Jungkook assumed was the sound of a drink being sputtered.

“What the—" Hoseok coughed violently, clearly caught off guard. "Y-You what?” He sputtered. “Accepted? As in... You weren’t—” He paused, struggling to process the bomb Jungkook had just dropped.

“He was already your husband, Jungkook,” Hoseok finally managed to say, still sounding somewhat confused. “Uh... congratulations, I guess? Happy realization?”

Jungkook let out a small, humorless chuckle.

“No, I mean... I think I really accepted it. Like... fully. In my heart.” His voice was steady but held a depth that Hoseok picked up on instantly.

“Oh…” Hoseok’s tone shifted, now more serious.

“Oh... I see. That’s... that’s big, Jungkook. That’s... actually really big. How do you feel about it?”

Jungkook’s hand tightened around the phone, and for a moment, he was quiet, letting the weight of his own realization settle in.

“I think..... I love him,” he said, his voice almost emotionless, like he was stating a simple fact. “I love him.”

There was silence on the other end. Jungkook could practically hear the gears turning in Hoseok’s head as he processed the confession.

“You... love him?” Hoseok finally asked, his voice cautious but filled with curiosity.

“Yes,” Jungkook confirmed, his tone still neutral. He felt surprisingly calm, as though the realization had been sitting in his chest for so long that it wasn’t a shock anymore. It just felt... right.

“Jungkook, that’s...” Hoseok let out a breath, clearly struggling to find the right words.

“I mean, I somewhere knew from the wedding itself that this is gonna happen, but... this is huge. Does Taehyung know?”

“No,” Jungkook replied, shaking his head slightly even though Hoseok couldn’t see him. “I haven’t told him. I’m not sure I will, not yet.”

“Why not?” Hoseok’s voice was gentle, encouraging. “He deserves to know, Jungkook. I mean, you’re already married. And now, with his father’s condition... I think he’d want to hear it from you.”