The Ardent Lovers

047

Taehyung was rushing. When someone called his office and informed him that Jennie was involved in a car accident, he left everything in his work for Jennie was now his first priority. His hand was shaking as he drove fast with panic rushing in his body. However, when he arrived in the hospital, the doctor already had news for him.

"Your wife's already fine but I think she needs more time in recovering from the injuries and from her loss too."

"Loss?" Taehyung questioned and his heart started pounding like crazy, "What loss?"

"I'm sorry."

"What are you saying sorry for?!" Taehyung demanded as anxiety filled him.

"The baby..." the doctor's words trailed, "The baby was not able to survive."

His entire world started slowly crumbling into pieces. The noises around him converged into a thin eerie sound, deafening his ears. His body was shaking and knowing that his wobbly legs would soon give up on him, he sat down.

Every piece of him felt weak as it seemed like his soul had left him. He loosened his tie, hoping that it would aid him in the suffocation he felt. Suddenly, the air was too thick for him to breathe.

His shoulders then started shaking madly and he gritted his teeth as he tried to contain his sobs while tears started pouring down from his eyes.

He buried his face in his hands as he silently cried the death of his child who was not even given the chance to see the world. Every plan and dream he had for his child was now gone together with the hopes that he could be a great father as Dahyun wished him to be.

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"Have you heard?"

"Heard what?" Dahyun glanced at Jimin.

"Jennie had a miscarriage," Jimin uttered.

Dahyun widened her eyes, "When?"

"Yesterday," Jimin met her gaze. The two then just stopped arranging the files on the large desk, stared at nothingness for a while as they were engulfed in silence. Jimin then sighed before narrating, "Jennie was involved in a car accident on her way to his office. She survived but her baby did not."

"How..." Dahyun was hesitant but nevertheless asked, "How's Taehyung?"

"He's still in shock and despair," Jimin whispered. He bit his lip before suggesting, "Why don't you go comfort him?"

"Oppa," Dahyun muttered and shook her head. With sadness in her eyes and in her voice, she said, "Jennie just lost her child. It would be so improper of me if I stir Taehyung's feelings at this time."

"Ahh. That's right," Jimin nodded weakly. He sighed and added, "Besides, you already have Jungkook now."

Tracing the disappointment in Jimin's voice, Dahyun gazed at him again and she saw how his lips lifted onto a sad smile and how his eyes reflected nostalgia. She sighed as she sat in front of him and asked, "Are you mad at me?"

"For what?" Jimin averted his eyes.

"For choosing to be with Jungkook," Dahyun answered with worry evident in her eyes.

"I have no right to be mad at you, Dahyun, for choosing your own happiness," Jimin sadly beamed, "But I can't also stop thinking of the what-ifs, especially when I was there when both of you fell in love."

Dahyun nibbled on her lower lip before reasoning, "Taehyung and I, we settled to end everything between us before I chose Jungkook."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just... maybe I'm still getting used to the fact that you did not end up with Taehyung," Jimin whispered. Then he flashed an apologetic smile and shook his head again as he told her, "I'm sorry, Dahyun. Just don't mind what I said. Jungkook is a good person. I know he'd treat you well."

"He is treating me well," Dahyun assured Jimin, "I can't say for sure that my love for Taehyung is all gone but Jungkook... Jungkook's the one who makes me happy now."

"I know," Jimin nodded. As both of them finally realized that they were already done with arranging, Jimin beamed and said, "You better go now. That boyfriend of yours is waiting."

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It took a long time for Taehyung to calm himself down and to face Jennie. He needed time to gather enough courage and strength to face the girl. He knew that it wouldn't help Jennie if she also saw him in shatters so even if it was a façade, Taehyung willed himself to be strong. With careful steps, he walked towards her bed and observed how the whiteness of the hospital seemed to be reflected in the girl's skin. Jennie looked so pale and weak with her lips drained from colors and with her eyes lacking the shine that they used to have.

Her gaze was only finally torn from the ceiling when Taehyung sat beside her on the bed. He weakly smiled at her as he asked, "How do you feel?"

"I'm sorry," Jennie barely whispered. Tears quickly formed in her eyes as she repeated, "I'm so sorry Taehyung."

"No. No," Taehyung shook his head as he brushed away her tears, "You're not at fault. It was an accident."

"I didn't take care of myself enough," Jennie's voice was breaking as she kept on sobbing, "I'm sorry."

"Stop blaming yourself," Taehyung tried to hush her, "It was an accident. That was already beyond our control."

"But our child – "

"It's okay. It's okay," Taehyung tried to convince her.

Jennie shook her head hard and with her other hand, she covered her face as she continued to cry, "No! No. It's not okay!"

She sobbed, "I lost the reason you have to stay. You're going to leave me after this, right? You're going to leave because I lost our child."

Pain engulfed Taehyung's heart as Jennie continued blaming herself and wallowing in depths of sadness because of the fear that she'd be all alone again. She looked so broken — gone was her mask of a cold personality. All that Taehyung could see then was her vulnerability, that Kim Jennie was just someone in need of love and care.

The girl had put up through so much hell in the hope that he would at least spare some love for her. She always showed how much he loved him while he only took interest in her when she became pregnant with his child so the girl had every right to become scared of the situation she was in.

After all, Jennie was also another girl who loved despite the lack of certainty.

But then Taehyung wiped away her tears again, took both of her hands, and gently kissed her fingers.

With teary eyes, he swore, "I won't leave. I promise you, I won't leave you anymore."

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AN: Hello. I know it's almost been a year since my last update and I'm very sorry for that. It's just that I have been really caught with real life, both with work and reviewing for the big exam I was preparing for (my exam has been delayed for almost two years now ugh). I should also confess that writing somehow lost its magic for me? I used to do it because it makes me happy but suddenly, it started becoming more of a responsibility. It's just always "please update author" no "how are you author?" HAHA. I felt like I owe my existence to my stories. And I really couldn't handle another responsibility on top of my work and review and since it's taking a toll on my mental health, I decided to pause all of my stories. Plus this site is so bad??? It has so many ads??? I got hooked to AO3 instead and I've read a hundred BTS stories, I think..... haha. 

I'm just happy for Twice's comeback (and I'm running away from my other responsibilities) so I decided to update today! I feel like I am in a good mental space to update this too. :) I'm not sure what will happen to my other ongoing stories (the ones posted in ao3), but for this one, I'll finish it since it's already been completed and I just need to transfer it to Wattpad.

Thank you for waiting everyone! I hope you'd still enjoy reading!