Fated Foes ||toptae||

54

Flashback

The hall was silent, save for the faint shuffle of papers and whispered conversations. Taehyung stood on the makeshift stage, an air of calm confidence around him. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes—oh, his eyes—were locked on Jungkook.

Jungkook sat in the front row, his expression unreadable as he clutched the clipboard in his hands. He was supposed to be evaluating, supposed to be professional. But with Taehyung standing there, looking at him as though they were the only two people in the room, it was hard to focus.

Bang Chan sat beside Jungkook, oblivious to the tension between them. “Whenever you’re ready, Taehyung,” he called out.

Taehyung nodded, holding the script in one hand. But instead of looking at the script, he let it fall to his side. He didn’t need it. He had memorized the lines the night before, pouring over them until they were etched into his mind.

He took a step forward, his gaze never wavering from Jungkook. And then he began.

“I never wanted this, you know,” he started, his voice soft but steady. The line was meant to be directed at the imaginary character on stage, but it was clear to everyone that it was meant for Jungkook.

“I never asked to feel this way. To love someone I’m not supposed to love.”

Jungkook’s grip on the clipboard tightened. He tried to remind himself that it was just a play, just an audition. But the raw emotion in Taehyung’s voice made it feel all too real.

Taehyung took another step forward, his eyes glistening under the bright stage lights. “They say love should be easy, but ours? It’s a battle. A war fought in secret, with no one rooting for us but ourselves.”

His voice cracked slightly, and Jungkook felt something tighten in his chest.

“But you know what hurts the most?” Taehyung continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. “It’s not the world being against us. It’s you pretending that you don’t feel the same.”

Jungkook’s breath hitched. He knew the line was coming—it was in the script. But hearing Taehyung say it, with those eyes boring into him, was something else entirely.

For a moment, the entire hall faded away. There was no Bang Chan, no other participants, no script. Just Taehyung and Jungkook, standing on opposite ends of an invisible battlefield.

“I love you,” Taehyung said, the words hanging in the air like a challenge. “And I’m tired of hiding it. But if you can look me in the eye and tell me you don’t feel the same, I’ll walk away.”

Taehyung paused, waiting. It wasn’t in the script to wait. It wasn’t in the script to direct the line so pointedly at Jungkook. But Taehyung didn’t care. He wanted an answer, even if it wasn’t spoken aloud.

Jungkook stared at him, his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted to say something, anything, but his voice refused to cooperate.

Bang Chan, oblivious to the silent exchange, clapped his hands together. “That was... impressive, Taehyung. But do you have the instrument for the next part?”

Taehyung blinked, snapping out of whatever spell he had cast. “Oh, right.” He fumbled with his hands, realization dawning on him. “I forgot to bring it.”

Jungkook, eager to regain some semblance of composure, seized the opportunity. “So, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to play something?” His tone was sharper than he intended, but it was the only way he could mask the storm of emotions raging inside him.

Taehyung opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, the door burst open.

Jiya stumbled in, panting heavily. “Taehyung! You forgot this!” she cried, holding up the traditional Korean instrument.

All eyes turned to her, but Taehyung only had eyes for Jungkook.

“Thanks, Jiya,” Taehyung said, taking the instrument from her with a grateful smile. Then, as if the earlier exchange hadn’t happened, he moved to the center of the stage, positioning the instrument in front of him.

As Taehyung played, the hauntingly beautiful notes filled the room. It was a piece full of longing and heartbreak, perfectly capturing the essence of the play’s story.

Jungkook couldn’t take his eyes off him. Every note, every movement, felt like it was meant for him. By the time Taehyung finished, the room was silent, the weight of the performance hanging heavy in the air.

Bang Chan finally broke the silence with a low whistle. “Well, that was something. Good job, Taehyung.”

But Taehyung didn’t seem to hear him. His gaze was still fixed on Jungkook, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips.

Jungkook looked away, his cheeks burning.

---

Later, when the auditions were over, Jungkook found himself replaying Taehyung’s lines in his head. They weren’t just lines. They were a confession, a challenge, and a promise all rolled into one.

And Jungkook wasn’t sure if he was ready to face them.

"I have a request. Please don’t force me to update. I have so much work, and I will update when I have time."
Please be patience