Anger never builds; it only tears down. In the heat of a single moment, it can feel like strength, an armor to hide behind. But when the fire fades, all that's left are the ashes of what once mattered. Anger doesn't solve anything-it devours patienc...
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Tough times never last, but tough people (with snacks) do.
Chapter 14: Meeting
Jungkook made his way down the quiet corridor, the polished floors catching the faint glow of the lamps. He stopped outside the guest room and lingered for a moment, staring at the door. His hand hovered in the air, hesitant. Though it was his house, he couldn’t bring himself to simply walk in. Taehyung had already been through too much tonight; the last thing he wanted was to invade what little space the man had left for himself.
He tapped lightly against the wood, his voice low, almost careful.
“Taehyung, may I come in?”
Behind him, one of the maids stood patiently, balancing a tray of food—rice, soup, and a few simple side dishes chosen to be light on the stomach. The faint aroma lingered in the air, warm and comforting, yet the silence from the room stretched long enough that Jungkook thought Taehyung might not answer. Then, at last, the door creaked open just enough for Taehyung to peek out.
His face looked pale and worn, his hair still damp from the bath. The moment his eyes met Jungkook’s, guilt and exhaustion pooled together, and he lowered his gaze.
“I’m sorry… I’m really not in the mood to eat anything right now,” he murmured, his voice almost breaking.
Jungkook studied him quietly, searching for signs of whether this was just grief speaking or something deeper. His tone, though firm, carried no edge.
“Are you certain? Or…” His brow furrowed slightly. “…are you trying to starve yourself without realizing it?”
Taehyung’s head jerked up, panic flickering in his eyes. “No! Not that,” he replied quickly, almost too quickly. He shook his head, words tumbling out as though afraid Jungkook might not believe him. “I promise I’ll eat tomorrow. A lot, even. Just… please, not tonight.”
There was something raw in the way he pleaded—like a child bargaining for space to grieve in peace. Jungkook felt his chest tighten, but he exhaled slowly and nodded.
“Alright,” he said softly, a compromise in his tone. “I’ll let this one go. But only this once. Tomorrow, you have to eat properly. That’s not a request—it’s something I need to see you do.”
Relief washed over Taehyung’s expression, faint but there. He offered the smallest of smiles, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes but was still sincere. “Thank you… for understanding.”
Jungkook’s lips curved into something gentle—uncharacteristically so. He lifted a hand and reached out, ruffling Taehyung’s hair in a gesture that was more brotherly than anything else, a quiet reassurance. “You should rest now. Your body and mind both need it. You’ve carried enough weight for one day.”
Taehyung’s head dipped in a soft nod, the corner of his mouth tugging slightly upward before he eased the door closed. Jungkook lingered a moment longer, staring at the wood as though it might tell him how to take the pain from Taehyung’s shoulders.
