Hold My Hand - A Taekook Love Story.

28 - Just One Chance...

After what felt like a few hours of silent mourning, Jungkook looked back at Jimin. “We should go.”

Jimin gave a nod and got up. He roughly patted his own back, trying to get rid of any dirt. Taehyung, however, looked a bit nervous. He glanced at Jungkook, who was undoubtedly getting prepared to leave, and gently held the sleeve of his hanbok.

“Uhh.. I have something else for you.”

Jungkook pulled his sleeve out from Taehyung's grip, with a confused frown on his face. “I wasn't aware that there's another memorial ritual-”

“No, it's for you.” Taehyung gulped in nervousness. “For your birthday.”

Jungkook's expression hardened immediately. “I don't celebrate my birthday.”

“I know. Just-” Taehyung quickly walked towards the big set boulders just off to their side and pulled out a large, flat parcel covered in paper. 

“I made this for you.”

Jungkook stared at the object, which was clearly a painting, before looking up at Taehyung. “You shouldn't have done that.”

“There are a lot of things I shouldn't have done.” Taehyung said with a rueful smile. “But this isn't one of those. Please, I have to insist.”

Jungkook didn't want to, he really didn't. But looking at Taehyung's pleading face, and knowing very well how much of a trouble the elder had to go through to prepare for the memorial table, Jungkook didn't have the heart to refuse. He gave a small nod, and extended his hand to get the painting. 

“Do I have to see it now?”

Taehyung shrugged. “Whatever you want. It's yours now.”

Jungkook contemplated for a few seconds, and his curiosity won the battle. He carefully removed the wrapper in a way that it can be reused, and pulled out the painting. 

For a few minutes, he just stared at it. He had such a strange emotion in his eyes, that even Jimin, who had been silently observing this conversation, walked closer and peeked. 

“G-gods!”

Yes, that seemed like an appropriate response because Jungkook didn't have any words to explain what he was seeing. It's a painting of him but at the same time, he couldn't really recognise himself. It's not an expression he thought he had on his face yet.

He looked as happy and in peace as humanly possible. It's a look of someone who had every single thing they want in life, and achieved all their hopes and dreams. Every stroke of the brush was made undoubtedly with so much love, that the end product looked like the epitome of happiness.

“I look so happy here. How?” Jungkook whispered, as he continued to stare at the painting, the hands holding the painting slightly shaking due to the intensity of his emotions.

Taehyung smiled. “Well, that's how happy I want you to be.”

“Tae-”

“I will try, I promise to God, Kookie. I will try my best to make you as happy as this for the rest of your life. Just please… Please give me one more chance.”

There was silence for about a minute, before Jungkook looked up at Taehyung.

“How can I trust you?” Jungkook's eyes screamed of pain. “After what you did, how can I trust you again?”

Taehyung quickly took a step forward and gently put his palm over Jungkook's cheek. The touch was light, but Jungkook felt it like a burn. 

“I'm not telling you to trust me right now, for I know it's not fair for you. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance to earn that trust. Let me show you how much you mean to me, Kookie. Please.. one chance, that's all I ask.”

Jungkook stared at the man in front of him for a few seconds, before stepping back. Taehyung let his hand fall to his side, his heart plummeting to an abyss along with it. He was preparing himself for the crash, when Jungkook's voice made him afloat again. 

“Okay.”

Taehyung blinked a few times, as he was not sure of what he heard. Maybe his mind was playing with hallucinations. God knows he's crazy enough for it.

“W-what?”

“I said okay. I'll give you a chance. I don't know whether it'll make any difference though. Can a broken heart even be healed?”

“I'll show you that it can, Kookie. Thank you. You won't regret this.”

“Let's see.”

Taehyung smiled in relief. The first real smile in God knows how many days. Jungkook looked at that smile for a mere second, before turning away. 

“Let's go, hyung.”

Jimim took the painting from Jungkook's hands and wrapped it up with the paper again. As someone who witnessed all of Jungkook's happiness and all of his sorrows, Jimin wished nothing more than this picture to become real. 

As Jungkook and Jimin started to walk, Taehyung's urgent call stopped them. “Wait!”

Jungkook turned around and raised his eyebrows, silently asking why.

“Does it mean I can come see you Everyday? Maybe accompany you back and forth from work from now on?”

Jungkook shook his head. “No, I find it very intruding. Maybe twice a week is enough.”

“But-” Taehyung wanted to argue but one look at Jungkook's face was enough to make him change his mind. “Okay. As you wish.”

“And don't bring me bouquets of flowers. Only a single flower would do. No gifts either.”

Taehyung watched with a small smile, as Jungkook turned in his heels and walked away. The footsteps kinda seemed hurried, but Taehyung was too far up in his own blissful mind to actually notice. 

From then onwards, Taehyung only came to see Jungkook twice a week. And true to his word, Jungkook wasn't as unresponsive as he used to be. He responded to Taehyung's small tall attempts, even if his replies were short ones. He accepted Taehyung's flower, sometimes pinning it on his fair if the flower is a small one, and twirling it in his fingers if it's a big one. 

Little by little Jungkook started to open up his heart to Taehyung. He even waited for a few minutes on a day Taehyung was late to pick him up, and took the initiative of asking the reason for the delay. He didn't necessarily disclose the fact that he was, indeed, waiting for the elder but Taehyung knew. 

And that's what made him have the courage to hold Jungkook's hand and place the flower in his palm, instead of extending it to the younger as usual. Taehyung let his fingers touch the back of Jungkook's palm for a good few seconds, before letting go. 

If Jungkook's slightly flushed face was any indication, he didn't have any issue with it either. 
  
  
  
  
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A/N - A little shorter chapter this time. There was another scene that should have been included in this chapter but I felt like this parts needs to have its one highlighted one. This is another major turning point in their story, and you guys will definitely be too distracted to appreciate it, if I gave you the other part here as well. 😉😉😉