House of Cards

Chapter 6

"Jungkook, there's something I need to tell you about me and Taehyung."

You hated how you sounded to your own ears. A weak, stuttering mess. Wasn't your mind already made up? Didn't you have a reason for everything that you said and did? So why were you so afraid to tell him the truth?

Truthfully, you knew exactly the reason why. But that didn't mean you wanted to admit to it. Or even think about it. Even though you knew that the day you'd have to confront someone with the truth would be a difficult one, you didn't expect that it would be this hard. Never would you have thought that the person who you'd have to come clean to was someone you'd come to hold so dear. A person whose opinion would weigh this heavily upon you. Gone were the hope you'd harboured since the beginning of the affair that even if someone found out the true nature of the relationship between you and Taehyung, you wouldn't care about that person's opinion. Because you found that you cared about Jungkook's opinion. More than you'd ever thought, and you'd just thought about it now.

It was funny how mere thoughts could carry you away so easily. You almost jumped a few feet into the air when Jungkook laid a hand on your shoulder, his warmth a contrast to the coldness that you'd brought from outside. "Are you okay?" Only then you realised that you'd been staring off into space, distracted by your jumbled musings. After a nod and a soft sigh, you could trust your voice again, even if you still couldn't trust the decision you'd made to tell him. "Can we sit?"

"Yeah, of course." He sounded surprised that you'd even suggest it and immediately led the way to the living room. Before he could lower himself onto the sofa, however, you moved away, drew a chair at the dining table and sat down. It seemed only fitting for such a loaded conversation. You pretended not to see his confused expression as he retreated from the couch towards the table and followed suit. He was going to be a lot more than just puzzled by the time you were done.

Without thinking, you clasped your hands together on the hard surface in front of you. Thumbs twiddling as you struggled to hold Jungkook's eyes with your own. In the generous light that filled the space, they were dark caramel, wide and sweet as a doe's, full of concern for you. On the other hand, you had no idea how to even begin. First and foremost was your guilt for making him worried, so you led with that. "I know that you're worried about me and Taehyung, but you don't have to be."

"Of course I am! The real question should be; why aren't you more upset about this? He's clearly cheating on you!" Brows drawing closer in a frown and the ferocity of his response had you frantically backtracking in your head. Perhaps you should have started differently, but there was no help for it now.

"I know," you tried to placate him, but your hands were beginning to become slick with sweat. That was how nervous you were. "I mean, I understand where you're coming from. What you must be thinking. But I already knew about her. I've known about her for quite a while already." Just mentioning her existence to Jungkook was causing your throat to constrict. You hated this. You hated this situation. You hated her. No, truthfully, you hated yourself.

A frown still remained on his face, but he looked completely bewildered now. "You knew before I told you? Why do you let him do it then? Are there others? I didn't think that he was that type," he hung his head, disappointed, "but no matter how good he is, you shouldn't stay with a guy who cheats on you. Is it an open relationship? But I don't see you going out with other guys. You⸺"

"Wait, Jungkook. Wait," you stopped him. It was painful to listen to him. "He's not cheating on me, all right? This isn't an open relationship either. That woman doesn't know anything about it."

"Then⸺" Before he could finish, he had the sense to stop himself. You could practically see understanding dawn on him as it clicked into place. The sight would have been amusing if it didn't terrify you so. Then he shook his head, as if to dispel any horrid thoughts he had within. "So if he wasn't cheating on you, who was that woman I saw him with?"