House of Cards & Other Shakespearean Retellings

Epilogue

Jungkook sits on the sandy shore of the lake, the cold morning wind whipping painfully at his skin as he looks out at the sunrise. He knows Taehyung sleeps in late, so he isn't too worried that he hasn't shown up yet. He's just worried that he won't show up at all. Jungkook sighs, eyes flickering from the grey sky to the bag next to him. It is stuffed with all of his belongings. He's decided that he is leaving Verona. Whether or not Taehyung comes along is really up to him. Jungkook lets out a sigh, thinking back on all the times he and Taehyung spent at this lake. This was their sanctuary. Jungkook leans back on his palms, watching the sky brighten and turn blue as the sun crawls across the horizon. The bright lake water blinds Jungkook, so he closes his eyes, resting back against his cloth bag instead of sitting up. He might as well take a nap while waiting for Taehyung.

What feels like hours later, Jungkook hears rustling from behind him. Right as he turns around, Taehyung runs out of the woods onto the beach, his face red as he gulps down deep breaths of air. Jungkook stands and wanders over to him, schooling his emotions as he stares down at Taehyung. Taehyung's blond hair is a mess, each wispy lock curling every which way while Taehyung tries to catch his breath. In Taehyung's hand is a bulky bag that looks half-thrown together as if he was in a rush.

"Am I too late?" Taehyung asks, his breathing eventually calming down to normal.

"Too late?" Jungkook retorts, confused by Taehyung's words. Taehyung just nods gesturing to the bag in his arms.

"You didn't say it in the letter, but I knew you meant you were leaving Verona...and...and I was worried you'd be upset with me or changed your mind or something and I couldn't go with you..." Taehyung mumbles, his eyes dropping to the sandy shores and the bag in between them. He can barely meet Jungkook's intense stare, yet Jungkook wasn't going to let this avoidance game continue. Not anymore. He needs an honest answer out of Taehyung now. He uses his index finger to lift Taehyung's chin, gently forcing the boy to meet his eyes, "Was I wrong, Kookie...?"

"You weren't wrong, but what about your family, Tae? If you come with me, there is no coming back. You know this..." Jungkook quietly questions, his intense gaze melting Taehyung into his embrace.

Taehyung wraps his arms around Jungkook's broad body, clinging to him as he quietly murmurs, "You asked me if my family was worth my life...and they are--"

"Taehyung--"

"No, please listen, Kookie," Taehyung quickly says, his large chocolate eyes pleading with him, "They are more important than me, but you are more important than them. You mean so much to me, and as I woke up alone this morning, I realized I never want to experience that again. Not because I was afraid to be alone...I was afraid you were found and they hurt you...I don't ever want you to be hurt because of me," Taehyung finishes as he buries his face against Jungkook's chest. He can hear the brunette boy's heartbeat loudly, the smile spreading across his face telling Taehyung everything he needs to know. He loves him. Jungkook loves him. And there is no way he is going to let this go again. He made his decision. He has to say goodbye to the Montagues to be happy, safe and loved with this Capulet boy.

Jungkook lifts Taehyung's face again, this time to place a thankful and relieved kiss on the boy's lips. Taehyung leans into the kiss, eagerly deepening it as Jungkook wraps his arms tighter around Taehyung's torso. Relief fills Jungkook's veins at Taehyung's eagerness. He means this. He's willing to give up Verona to be with his love. He really does love him. Jungkook pulls away before the kiss gets too heated and he gets carried away, his dark eyes fondly staring down into Taehyung's chocolate gaze, one question bubbling off of his tongue.

"Where to, my love?"

...

Dear Lady Montague...Auntie...

I know you don't normally like for me to call you Lady Montague, but by the end of this letter, you will understand why I started with this. I have been keeping a secret from you and the Montague family.

Years ago, when you first told me to be wary of Capulets, I befriended one of them. He was my safety net as I grew older and was dragged into Romeo's fights with the Capulet men. He protected me, trained me, and taught me overall how to be a better man; traits and accomplishments you attributed to Romeo. I fell in love with this Capulet boy, and today I ran away with him.

Auntie, Romeo married Juliet Capulet. I tell you this not to soften my betrayal or to make you hate your son, but to caution you. He will stop at nothing to be with her and I fear more people might die because of his obsession. I tried to stop him. Tried to keep him from marrying her and from furthering his disdain for the Capulets, but he never listened to me. He knew about my love for a Capulet boy and used it against me. Please, try to talk some sense into him. He can be a good man if reasoned with and you, Auntie, were the one he loves and respects the most.

And please understand my decision to leave Verona.

I still love and respect you.

Taehyung.

Lady Montague reads the letter in her hands, tears streaming down her face as her grip tightens with each heartfelt word. She wishes she read Taehyung's letter sooner. She wishes she didn't let her anger with the boy make her postpone in breaking the seal and exposing the truth. She wishes she didn't wait, for in that time Romeo, Juliet, and Paris all died as part of an obscure murder/suicide that took the feud between the Capulets and Montagues to a heated and bloody end.

......

And that is the end! Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story, and feel free to give me your opinions on it! I will be updating in many of my other stories now, so please check them out!

Love you all!

~Alice~