SECOND CHANCE (TAEKOOK)

The Apology

Taehyung's hand hovered over the screen of his phone, thumb hesitating just above Jungkook's contact name. He'd typed out so many messages already, but none of them felt right. How do you apologize for pushing someone away so brutally? How do you take back words that had shattered someone who once stood by your side without question?

Finally, he just typed, "Hey, can we talk?" and hit send. The seconds ticked by painfully, each one making him more anxious than the last. But there was no reply. Not that day, not the next, and the silence just grew louder.

It took him a week to finally muster up the courage to call Jungkook. The phone rang and rang, and just when Taehyung thought it was going to go to voicemail, there was a click.

"Hello?" Jungkook's voice was quiet, cautious, and it sent a jolt through Taehyung.

"Hey," Taehyung said, his voice unsteady. "I…. I was hoping we could meet up. I really need to talk to you."

There was a pause, and Taehyung could almost hear the wariness in the silence. "So they you can insult me again Taehyung?" Jungkook finally asked, his tone guarded. "I'm not sure there's anything left to say."

"Please," Taehyung pleaded, his voice cracking. "I know I messed up, okay? Just…. give me a chance to explain. One chance."

Another long silence, and then a sigh. "Fine," Jungkook said. "Tomorrow at the park. Same place as last time."

............

The next day, Taehyung was already waiting on the bench when Jungkook arrived. As Jungkook approached, Taehyung felt the weight of everything he had done settle over him, making his chest feel tight and heavy. Jungkook stopped a few feet away, his posture tense, hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie.

"You wanted to talk," Jungkook said flatly. "So, talk."

Taehyung swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I'm sorry," he said, the words coming out in a rush. "I'm so, so sorry for what I said that night. I didn't mean it, any of it. I was just…. scared, and confused, and....."

"And you took it out on me," Jungkook interrupted, his voice sharp. "Like I was the one who ruined your life or something."

Taehyung flinched at the bitterness in Jungkook's tone, but he didn't look away. He owed Jungkook at least this much. "You didn't ruin anything," he said quietly. "I did. I pushed you away because I didn't know how to deal with…. with this bond. I didn't know how to handle the fact that someone could feel that strongly about me, that there was this connection between us that I never asked for."

Jungkook's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, so Taehyung kept going. "I thought…. if I kept denying it, kept fighting against it, I could make it go away. But all I did was hurt you, and I'm so sorry, Jungkook. You didn't deserve any of it."

Jungkook's expression softened slightly, but his eyes still held a trace of hurt. "Why did it matter so much to you, Taehyung? Why did the idea of us being…. fated mates scare you so much?"

Taehyung let out a shaky breath. "Because I was afraid of losing control. Everything I thought I wanted, everything I thought I knew about myself…. it just got turned upside down the moment you came into my life. And then, there was Jimin...."

"Always Jimin," Jungkook muttered, shaking his head. "You were so fixated on him that you didn't see what was right in front of you."

"I know," Taehyung admitted, his voice breaking. "I know, and I was stupid, okay? I kept chasing after something that was never meant for me, and in doing that, I ended up pushing away the one person who actually cared enough to stay."

Jungkook's gaze flickered, a glimmer of something like hope shining in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "So, what now?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "You apologize, and everything just goes back to normal?"

Taehyung shook his head. "No. I don't expect things to go back to normal, not right away. I just…. I want to make things right. I want us to at least try to be friends again, if you're willing. And maybe…. maybe we can figure out what this bond means, together."

The wind blew gently, rustling the leaves around them as Jungkook stood there, his expression unreadable. He seemed to be weighing Taehyung's words carefully, as if trying to decide whether to let the apology in or keep the wall up between them.

"Do you know how hard it was?" Jungkook said, his voice trembling slightly. "Watching you run after Jimin when I…. when I was right there, always being the one you turned to whenever things didn't go your way. You took me for granted, Tae." 

"I know," Taehyung whispered, his chest aching with guilt. "And I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve to be second to anyone, especially not to someone who never even saw you the way I should have."

Jungkook's eyes searched Taehyung’s, looking for something, maybe honesty, maybe desperation, or maybe just a sign that things could be different this time. "I don't know if I can just forgive and forget," he admitted. "I'm not saying I don't want to try, but…. you hurt me, Tae. More than you realize."

Taehyung nodded, the regret clear in his eyes. "I understand. I'm not asking for you to forgive me right away. I just…. I don't want to lose you, Jungkook. I'm willing to work to earn your trust back, if you'll let me."

For a moment, it looked like Jungkook was going to walk away again. But then he sighed, his shoulders slumping in a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Fine," he said quietly. "We can try. But I'm not going to pretend like everything's okay. You're going to have to prove to me that this isn't just another apology you&ll forget about in a week."

"I won't forget," Taehyung said, determination in his voice. "I promise I'll do better this time. I'll show you that I mean it."

Jungkook gave a small, reluctant nod, his expression softening just a bit. "Alright, Tae. We'll see."

As they stood there, a tentative new beginning formed between them. It wasn't a fix, not by a long shot, but it was a start. The hurt and the confusion still lingered, but so did the possibility of something more, a chance to rebuild what had been broken, piece by fragile piece.

And maybe, just maybe, they could figure out how to make this bond mean something real. Together.

I hope you liked this chapter.