Lost Love [ Taekook FF ]

Chapter 27

The soft weight of a damp cloth pressed gently against his forehead pulled Tae from the haze of sleep. He blinked, his vision clearing slowly, and the first thing he noticed was that the bed beside him was empty—Taehee’s usual spot was vacant. His heart immediately seized with panic, and he tried to sit up, his voice shaky as he called out, “Taehee?”

Before he could leave the bed, the door creaked open, revealing Mrs. Choi, carrying a tray with a glass of water and some medicine. Her smile was warm, but concern flickered in her eyes as she set the tray on the bedside table.

“Tae,” she said softly, coming over to adjust the cloth on his head, “good to see you awake, dear. How are you feeling?”

Ignoring her question, Tae’s voice was urgent, a hint of fear in his tone. “Mrs. Choi, where’s Taehee? I don’t see her. Where—where is she?”

Mrs. Choi chuckled, waving her hand soothingly. “Don’t worry. Taehee is perfectly fine. She’s with Jungkook in the living room.”

Tae’s initial panic calmed slightly, replaced by confusion. “Jungkook? How… how is he here? What’s going on?” He looked at her, still trying to make sense of everything.

She gave him a fond, motherly smile, sitting down on the edge of his bed. “You came down with a fever last night, Tae. That boy—Jungkook, bless him—knocked on my door at midnight, saying he felt uneasy, that something just didn’t feel right. Poor thing, he doesn’t have a key, and he didn’t want to intrude, but his worry got the best of him.” She paused, shaking her head in quiet admiration. “We came in to check on you, and, well, you were burning up.”

Tae’s eyes widened, realization dawning on him. “I… I didn’t even realize…”

Mrs. Choi patted his hand gently. “He took care of everything, Tae. I offered to stay up with him, but he wouldn’t hear it. Told me to rest while he stayed by your side all night. Didn’t even let himself close his eyes.”

Tae stared at her, stunned. Jungkook had stayed up all night, silently watching over him? A mixture of emotions flooded him, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest as he thought about Jungkook’s face, that stubborn, determined look he always wore when he was serious about something. “All night?” he murmured, almost to himself.

Mrs. Choi nodded, her smile soft. “Not a second’s rest. And when Taehee woke up this morning, he took care of her, too. You should’ve seen him, Tae, the way he panicked when he saw you in that state…” She trailed off, shaking her head fondly. “That boy cares deeply, more than you realize.”

Tae swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat as he tried to process it all. He felt an odd ache in his heart, mingling with gratitude and guilt. Jungkook had cared for him, had panicked, had lost sleep—all for him. And yet, all Tae had done was push him away, snap at him, and put up walls.

“He really did all that?” Tae’s voice was barely a whisper, almost as if he couldn’t believe it himself.

Mrs. Choi’s eyes softened, and she reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from his forehead. “You know, Tae, I asked him to take a break this morning, since your fever had gone down. Do you know what he said to me?”

Tae looked at her, his gaze curious and a little vulnerable, as he shook his head slowly.

“He told me, ‘How can I rest when my home is not at peace?’” She chuckled softly, her hand resting gently over his. “You are his peace, Tae. Both you and Taehee.”

Tae’s heart clenched, a mix of emotions twisting within him. He felt… selfish, almost. All Jungkook had done was try to be there, to care, to protect—and all Tae had done was brush him off, push him away, keeping his guard up. “All I ever do is snap at him, Mrs. Choi,” Tae whispered, voice heavy with guilt. “I shut him out, yell at him… but he’s always there, always trying to help. And I—”