SHATTERED INNOCENCE

chapter 10

Jungkook woke to the warmth of a small body sprawled across his chest. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he looked down to see Taehyung, still fast asleep, his lips puckered in a soft pout. The boy’s face was angelic—doe eyes shut tight, his lashes fanning out against his flushed cheeks. His small, button nose had a tiny mole at the tip, and his cheeks were rounded like soft bread buns. Jungkook found himself entranced by the boy’s innocent beauty, a stark contrast to the harshness of the world outside.

He couldn’t help but lean in, breathing in Taehyung’s scent. The boy smelled like strawberries—sweet and fresh, like a newborn baby. Jungkook closed his eyes for a moment, losing himself in the scent, his nose brushing against Taehyung’s soft hair and warm neck.

Time seemed to stop as he stared at the sleeping boy, his heart doing something unfamiliar, something strange. But eventually, practicality won out. He needed to start his day. Carefully, Jungkook shifted Taehyung off his chest, placing him gently on the bed. Taehyung’s lips twitched slightly, as if he could sense the loss of warmth even in his sleep, but he didn’t wake.

After a quick shower, Jungkook returned to find Taehyung still sound asleep, his body curled into the blankets like a cocoon. But something was off. Taehyung’s skin, normally so soft and warm, was now flushed, and he was sweating. Jungkook frowned, pressing the back of his hand against Taehyung’s forehead—he was burning up.

“Taehyung, wake up,” Jungkook murmured, gently shaking the boy’s shoulder. Taehyung whimpered in his sleep, his face scrunching up in pain.

“M-My head... it hurts,” Taehyung mumbled, his voice weak. He opened his eyes briefly, but they were glazed with fever. “A-Appa... wanna go to a-appa...” His words trailed off into pitiful sobs, his small body trembling.

Jungkook’s chest tightened. Taehyung was crying so hard, his tiny hands clinging to the sheets as if they were a lifeline. Jungkook knew he needed to calm the boy down, but nothing seemed to work.

“It’s okay, Taehyung. I’m here,” Jungkook whispered, pulling Taehyung into his lap. He wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist, rocking him gently, but Taehyung kept crying, kept pleading for his father.

As Jungkook held him, it dawned on him why Taehyung’s father had always kept him away from the rain. The boy was fragile, prone to sickness, and now, with a fever raging through his small body, he was more vulnerable than ever.

“I’ll give you some medicine, okay?” Jungkook said softly, trying to soothe him. But Taehyung shook his head, his cries growing louder.

“N-No! Don’t wa-want medicine... It’s yucky!” he protested, his voice breaking with every sob.

Jungkook let out a weary sigh, regretting his decision to let Taehyung play in the rain. He couldn’t leave him like this. He tried to place Taehyung back on the bed to go fetch some breakfast and medicine, but the boy clung to him with surprising strength.

“Don’t go! Don’t wanna be alone!” Taehyung pleaded, his voice panicked.

Jungkook’s resolve softened. “Alright, alright. I won’t leave you,” he said, lifting Taehyung as if he were a baby. He carried him downstairs, still wrapped in his arms, and sat at the dining table with the boy nestled in his lap.

“What do you want for breakfast?” Jungkook asked, hoping to distract him.

“Pancakes... with strawberry milk,” Taehyung mumbled, his face pressed against Jungkook’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Jungkook rubbed his back soothingly while they waited for the food, feeling Taehyung’s small body relax slightly in his arms.