addicted ↭ kth ; jjg

: XXIII :

×♥×♥×♥×

Jeongguk's lips shiver through hot breaths running past his lips. His body falters and the bones on his knees seemed to have been broken. He stumbles upon tears and shallow sobs. He cries reaching down on the rough fabric of his jeans.

Inside his jean pockets is an almost crampled photograph of a woman smiling. Beautifully. Sweetly. With the eyes as if looking right through his own. Innocent and lovely. Piercing his soul.

"What happened—What's happening?"

The queen looks at him with confusion and dissapointment tainted clearly in her eyes, then next to her son. "I believe he's insane," she says.

V's face crampled. His lips turned into a thin line. Skin stiff. Teeth gritted. He wonders so much why his mother hates humans. Why for all the possibilities he has to be born like this. Like her.

Power and control. The world be ruled by very few hands. No. He isn't like her who wants all these. He isn't like her, is what he tells himself. But for one good reason, he thinks he is.

V turns around very slowly. He breathed hard, and tells his people, "Let's go."

Jeongguk alarmingly shot him a look, wide-eyed. He tells him no. Screams no. Bleeds a word. The set of words waiting patiently to be said are like shards stuck deeply on his tongue he can't pluck out.

"Jeongguk, you're mistaken. She isn't your mother. Stop your hysteria. We'll head back. NOW."

Jeongguk shakes his head, fists his hand, and stares at him disapprovingly.

"Then how would you explain this?!" Jeongguk screams at him, at last he was able to compose a sentence. At last he was showing his boyfriend the picture he's been keeping ever since. V takes it from him and analyzes it. "I know it's her. I know, okay? It looks exactly like her!"

"What are you angry about? Why are you shouting at me?"

V looks calm. His voice like a short summer breeze. Like this whole thing isn't bothering him. Isn't killing him. But inside he feels so suffocated at nothing. Like there is an imaginary hand keeping a grip on his throat or a very big lump stuck inside. He just wants to escape this place. He feels scared at the walls surrounding him. At the stares and Jeongguk's cries specifically. At the whole situation.

All of this is not true, is what V wants to say. He wants to say these, or at least have someone to say these for him, but no one dares to speak. And if Jeongguk ever is right then no one could possibly change anything anyway.

Jeongguk sensed the queen stand up. He looks at her through blinking eyes and tears. Immensed by her beauty and eagerness to be close to her as much as possible, but his eyes is what only touches her.

Stand up, is what she ordered, so Jeongguk did. He composed himself as if trying to look nice.

"Stay for the night."

"No, we are leaving."

V's voice sounded like ice to her. Cracking and breaking. But not thawing.

"I will stay. I want to stay."

"Jeongguk—"

"Are you that sick of me, my son?"

"Sorry. I don't really consider myself as your son. So it's either you let me my own or I—"

"Will you at least pay her the littlest respect?" Jeongguk suddenly butts in. Taehyung not at all feeling anywhere near good.

"I'm sorry? Jeongguk, have you forgotten anything here? Have you," V scoffs, "forgotten that she is the one who took your life?"