Taehyung was once the bright light in every room-the boy who's laughs had the power to light up another's world, who spread positivity and warmth to everyone around him. He was the friend you could count on, the one who never let anything dull his s...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Taehyung stared at himself in the mirror, trying to recognize the person reflected back at him. His face was calm, expressionless even, but inside, a war raged. The betrayal, the humiliation, the judgment—it all churned in his chest, threatening to drown him.
But he wasn’t going to let them win. Not today.
Pulling on a black turtleneck and his usual jeans, he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. His hands trembled slightly, but he clenched them into fists, forcing the tremors to stop.
"You can do this," he muttered to himself, his voice quiet but steady. "They don't define me. None of them do."
Yet, as he turned toward the door, his gaze lingered on the corner of his room. He could almost see Jimin sitting there, his smile bright and full of mischief.
“Come on, TaeTae! You’re Kim Taehyung. You’re untouchable. No one can bring you down.”
The memory made his chest tighten. Jimin's words had always been a source of strength, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. But now, Jimin was gone, miles away, caring for his father.
“Would you still say that if you knew?” Taehyung whispered, his voice barely audible. “Would you still love me if you found out the truth?”
The fear of losing Jimin hurt more than the betrayal by Jungkook. Jimin had always been his safe space, his unwavering support. But now, even that felt uncertain.
Shaking his head, Taehyung forced himself to move. "Enough," he told himself firmly. "I can’t let fear control me. I have to face this. Alone, if I must."
_____🌷
The next morning, Taehyung walked into the university with his head held high. The whispers began the moment he stepped onto campus.
“That’s him. The gay guy.”
“Ugh, it’s disgusting. Why is he even here?”
“I heard he was practically throwing himself at guys at that club.”
Taehyung’s chest tightened, but he kept walking, his footsteps steady. He had prepared himself for this, had steeled himself against the stares and the whispers.
But nothing could have prepared him for what came next.
_____🌷
As Taehyung walked through the main hallway, a group of students stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the campus celebrity,” one of them sneered.
Taehyung tried to step around them, but another shoved him back.
"Where do you think you're going, princess?"
“Guess you didn’t get enough attention last night, huh?” another chimed in, laughing as he grabbed Taehyung’s bag and dumped its contents onto the floor.
The hallway filled with laughter as students stopped to watch. Some looked away, uncomfortable, but none stepped forward to help.
Taehyung bent down to pick up his things, his hands shaking. As he reached for his notebook, someone kicked it across the floor.
"Oops," the guy said, grinning. "Didn’t see you there."
Taehyung clenched his jaw, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing him break.
But then someone grabbed his wrist, yanking him to his feet. “You think you’re so special, don’t you? Parading around like you’re better than everyone else. Guess what? You’re not.”
The words stung, but it was the shove that followed that sent Taehyung stumbling into the lockers. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he straightened up immediately, his gaze defiant.
"Done?" he asked, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands.
The group laughed, but before they could say anything else, a voice cut through the air.
“Leave him alone.”
Everyone turned to see Min Yoongi standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable.
The group hesitated before backing off, muttering under their breaths.
“You okay?” Yoongi asked, his voice soft as he helped Taehyung gather his things.
Taehyung nodded, though his eyes burned with unshed tears. “Yeah. Thanks.”
_____🌷
Meanwhile
Jungkook was nowhere to be seen.
He had woken up late, his stomach twisting with guilt and dread. He wanted to go to the university, to check on Taehyung, to make sure he was okay. But the thought of facing him, of seeing the hurt in his eyes, was too much.
So he stayed home, pacing his room as his phone buzzed with messages from his friends. They were laughing about what had happened, sending him photos and videos of Taehyung being humiliated.
Jungkook stared at the screen, his chest tightening. He should have been there. He should have stopped them. But instead, he deleted the messages and threw his phone onto the bed, burying his face in his hands.
He didn’t deserve to feel this way, not after what he had done.
_____🌷
Taehyung walked into his lecture hall, his head held high despite the bruises on his shoulder and the ache in his chest.
As he sat down, he noticed the stares, the whispers, the way people shifted uncomfortably in their seats. But he refused to let it get to him.
“This isn’t something to be ashamed of,” he told himself. “Love isn’t a crime. And I won’t let them take that away from me.”
But as the day went on, the weight of it all began to take its toll. By the time he got home, his courage was hanging by a thread.
He sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. For the first time, he let the tears fall, silent and unstoppable.
He missed Jimin. He missed the comfort, the love, the unwavering support. But more than that, he missed the person he used to be—the person who didn’t have to fight to prove his worth.
“TaeTae,” he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. “You’re Kim Taehyung. You’ll get through this. You have to.”
But deep down, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep going.
