Dares and Heartbreaks: TaeJoo & KangGook

Chapter 24

Kang Gook stood there watching Tae Joo suffer. He loathed himself for putting him in this position. When Tae Joo answered the phone, he knew it was the end. In his mind, he saw Tae Joo from that night, asking his mother to take him away. It had taken him years to see Tae Joo again and this time he wasn't sure there'll be another chance. Tae Joo was now crying loudly after the call. He was so sad. He was hurting so much.

Kang Gook threw his body down with a thud on the chair. He did not know the way forward. He wanted to punish himself or hurting Tae Joo again.

"I'm really sorry, Tae Jooya, don't go like this. Let me show you how sorry I am. I'm nothing without you please"

Tae Joo hiccupped as he tried to control his breathing.

"what do you want from me?" He looked at Kang Gook as he wiped away his tears from his eyes.

"you always find a way to mess things up. You always find a way to mess me up. All I've ever done was love you whole heartedly, with all my life and you always ruined it with these stupid dares and bets. The worst part of it is that you don't learn from your mistakes. You'd think coming back after all these years you'd have grown up or at least change but you make another bet using my love for you? And you expect me to stay? For what?"

"I'm never doing that again. Please just.."

"that's all you'll ever do"

"I was desperate for this, for us to go back to how things were back then."

"we will never go back there Gookkah, I suddenly realised something, that kind of love doesn't exist."

"yet you gave it to me"

"and you threw it away."

Tae Joo didn't see Kang Gook approach him but suddenly, he felt lips pressing against his. Tae Joo sat there frozen for a moment and Kang Gook moved his lips, opening them to capture Tae Joo's down lip. He slowly tugged the lip as he released it from his mouth. He went in again and Tae Joo captured Kang Gook's lips too, he didn't let him go. Kang Gook held the back of his head as he pulled Tae Joo closer to him. He subtly used his tongue to lick Tae Joo's lips. Tae Joo opened his mouth and let Kang Gook in. He had missed this. He had missed Kang Gook, and this was reminding him of those days, but they'll never go back to being like that. He let go as reality hit him hard.

Kang Gook didn't move right away. He painfully pleaded in Tae Joo's face.

"One last chance is all I'm asking for. Just one JooJoo please"

"I'm scared Gookkah. I cant break anymore. I'm living my last chance and anymore breaking will lead me to my grave."

"I will not break you I promise"

"I really have to go" Tae Joo said as he pushed his chair away. He was not having it.

Kang Gook breathed out heavily.

"I'm sorry for hurting you back then and even now. I'll wait for you and if you ever need me just call me and I'll come to you right away."

Before Tae Joo could reply, Lee Jun came in the room and went straight at Tae Joo.

"I'm sorry for disturbing but Tae Joo are you ok?"

"Take me home please" Tae Joo said as he got up and went in Lee Jun's arms.

"I'm so tired." He weakly said as he snuggled in Lee Jun chest.

Lee Jun could feel how tense Tae Joo was. He turned to Kang Gook and said.

"could you please give him some space? He really needs it."

Kang Gook looked at Tae Joo buried in Lee Jun arms. He seemed like he was holding his breath. Kang Gook got up and left in a daze. As soon as he closed the door to the boardroom, he heard Tae Joo heart wrenching cries. He felt pain in his heart. He went to the stairs wanting to organise his head.

Tae Joo didn't take long to calm down. They left the room because they had a flight to catch soon. They went to the elevator and pressed the down button. It was when they were getting in that they heard a weird sound from the stairs. Tae Joo and Lee Jun looked at each other curious. They went to the stairs and looked up and then down.

Tae Joo froze.

On the floor down one flight of stairs, Kang Gook laid there in a weird posture. He looked like he broke his arm and leg.

"what have I done?" Tae Joo whispered as he rushed down the stairs. Lee Jun took out his phone and dialled 119.

It was a chaotic moment.

Tae Joo started crying again and Lee Jun was now worried. He had overworked his feelings and it was not looking good.

The paramedics came and took Kang Gook. Lee Jun's priority was calming Tae Joo down which was something he was failing to do. They were told the hospital the ambulance was going to and went there too. Kang Gook was going straight for an operation and Lee Jun signed the papers as the guardian.

The operation went well and Tae Joo and Lee Jun went to see Kang Gook after he was transferred to a private room.

When he got in the room, Tae Joo almost fell seeing Kang Gook on the hospital bed. He never wanted anyone to be in that bed. He knew too well how scary it is being in the dark for too long and he hoped Kang Gook will come out of it soon.

Lee Jun knew they were not going home anytime soon. He went outside and called Tae Joo's mother letting her know what had happened.

When he came back in the room, Tae Joo was asleep on the chair next to the bed holding Kang Gook's hand.

Lee Jun was relieved at seeing Tae Joo sleeping.

He went to sit down on the couch in the room.

Watching.

Waiting.

Worn out.