The Afflictions Of Lovers | 18+ Kookv

I

"You can't just act like you don't know me! I love you!"

"You're delusional! This isn't what I wanted!"

"You can't leave me. You turned my life upside down and you think you are just going to walk away like nothing ever happened between us?!"

"Please just leave me alone! I'm begging you!"

KIM TAEHYUNG never saw it coming. He couldn't fathom how everything had spiraled so chaotically. What began as an innocent crush had morphed into a cruel twist of fate, leaving Taehyung seated on the cold, hard floor of his burning apartment.

The acrid smell of smoke filled the air, and the heat from the encroaching flames seared his skin, yet he remained unmoving. The fire's roar was deafening, but all he could hear was the echo of his own thoughts. Numbness enveloped him as he stared into the blazing inferno, his mind drifting back to the beginning—the moment he first discovered the red string of fate entwined around his heart.

Every vivid memory flooded back: the shy glances, the stolen smiles, the tender touch that ignited something deep within him. It had all seemed so perfect, so destined. But now, as the flames danced closer, he realized how fate had played a cruel joke on him. The red string had led him here, to this fiery end, and Taehyung could do nothing but watch as his world burned down around him.

A F F L I C T I O N S 

OF

L O V E R S

ACT ONE

A year ago...

The winter air that night was cold and dry. Taehyung was out drinking at a karaoke bar with his friends who wanted to relieve themselves of post-exam stress. It was a bit exciting for him. He hadn't gotten the opportunity to hang out with his friends due to his busy schedule.

In a colorfully lit alleyway full of shops and restaurants, the group of friends walked into a karaoke bar that had a neon sign in green. After paying and finding their designated room, his friends went straight for the black leather couch. Exasperated sighs were heard from a few of them.

Seeing the sight, one of the friends rolled his eyes, "You guys act like two old men who have back problems and hate their life!" Park Jimin complained, pouting his lips. "Ah, shut up. My back pain has been caused by the stress of exams." A man by the name of Min Yoongi groaned and then looked at Jimin with a slight nod.

"Hand me one." He said, pointing to the bottles of soju. The blonde handed him a bottle and also one to Taehyung after he sat up straight.

"What song should we start with?" Jimin hummed happily, going through the songs listed on the karaoke machine's handheld screen. "Should I do a classic or a new song?" He asked mostly to himself. "Just pick a song. You know all of them anyways." Yoongi said, taking a sip of his alcohol.

"Don't rush me." Jimin retorted as he gave a glare at him before looking back at the song list. Yoongi put his hands up and didn't press on the matter, looking over at Taehyung with a mix of expressions. Taehyung just snickered, looking away, and leaned back into the couch, crossing one leg over the other as he also took a few sips of the soju in his hand.