𝗘𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 | 𝗝𝗶𝗞𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗩 ✓

10

Jung-Kook stood motionless in the garden, his eyes scanning the sky as the golden light of late morning bathed everything in a soft, ethereal glow. The gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze was the only sound that accompanied him, but his mind was far from peaceful. His heart was racing, thumping in his chest with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Today was the day. The day he would finally confess his feelings to the person who had captured his heart for so long.

He couldn’t stop thinking about him—his soft smile, his gentle eyes, and the warmth he exuded that had drawn Jung-Kook in from the very beginning. But today, Jung-Kook was determined. Today, he would tell him how he felt. He had rehearsed the words in his mind a hundred times over, but now that the moment was finally here, it felt like everything was happening too fast. His hands were trembling slightly as he waited.

The sound of footsteps approaching broke through his thoughts, and his heart skipped a beat. Finally, he thought. Ji-Min was here. But when Jung-Kook turned around, his smile faltered. It wasn’t Ji-Min.

Instead, it was Tae-Hyung.

"Hi, hyung," Tae-Hyung greeted, his voice light but filled with something Jung-Kook couldn’t quite place. Jung-Kook blinked, a faint smile on his lips, but it was clear he was looking past Tae-Hyung, searching for Ji-Min.

"Hi," Jung-Kook responded politely, his voice a little strained as he scanned the surroundings, hoping Ji-Min would appear any second. "Where’s Ji-Min?" he asked, his heart starting to race with impatience.

Tae-Hyung hesitated, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Jung-Kook didn’t miss the nervousness in his posture. There was something off, something that felt strange. Tae-Hyung was acting different—almost like he was avoiding eye contact.

"Ji-Min... he’s buying something to eat," Tae-Hyung said, though his voice wavered slightly. It didn’t feel right. Jung-Kook raised an eyebrow, but before he could question him, Tae-Hyung added quickly, "He’ll be back soon."

Jung-Kook nodded absently but his gaze darted around, looking for any sign of Ji-Min. "Oh, I’ll go help him then," he said, turning toward the garden path, eager to see Ji-Min and finally share what he’d been holding in his heart for so long.

But before he could take a step, Tae-Hyung’s hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. Jung-Kook froze, his body stiffening at the unexpected contact.

"Tae?" Jung-Kook asked, confusion creeping into his voice as he turned to face the younger man. Tae-Hyung looked at him, his face pale and his eyes wide, as if struggling with something heavy. There was a nervousness there that Jung-Kook couldn’t ignore.

"I—" Tae-Hyung began, but his voice faltered. He looked down at the ground, unable to meet Jung-Kook’s gaze. Jung-Kook’s confusion deepened.

"What’s wrong, Tae?" Jung-Kook asked, his voice gentle, though a sense of unease was starting to settle in his stomach. This wasn’t like Tae-Hyung. Normally, he was always so shy yet confident, so sure of himself.

"I want to tell you something," Tae-Hyung said, his voice shaky. Jung-Kook’s brow furrowed. Tae-Hyung was clearly struggling, and Jung-Kook couldn’t understand why. He didn’t have time for games. He needed to speak to Ji-Min.

"Yeah, tell me," Jung-Kook said, trying to sound casual, though his impatience was starting to show.

Tae-Hyung shifted, his fingers twisting nervously around the fabric of his sweater. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. He was struggling to get the words out. Jung-Kook stood there, waiting, growing more and more uncomfortable with the silence.

"What happened, Tae-Hyung?" Jung-Kook asked, his tone now more concerned. He could see how much effort it was taking for Tae-Hyung to say whatever was on his mind. "Just say whatever you want to say."