heart of ice 「 KimTaehyung * Y/N 」

Chapter 34: The Price of Betrayal

Chapter 34: The Price of Betrayal

Taehyung had always been confident—too confident, perhaps. He had built his life on control, on certainty. He made decisions without hesitation, trusted his instincts without question.

But now?

Now, as he sat alone in the dimly lit living room, he had never felt more unsure.

The weight of his mistake pressed down on him like an anchor. The truth was staring him in the face—Luna had lied. She had manipulated him, twisted the truth, and he had let her. He had believed her over Y/N, the one person who had done nothing but stand by him, fight for him.

And now...

Now, he had lost her.

A Cold Silence

Y/N had barely spoken a word to him since that night.

She moved through the house like a ghost, silent, distant, untouchable.

Taehyung tried—God, he tried.

He would approach her, attempt to talk, but each time, she would give him a blank stare, a polite nod, and then walk away.

It was worse than her anger. Her indifference was killing him.

One evening, he found her in the library, flipping through a book.

"Y/N," he said cautiously.

She didn't look up. "I'm busy."

He clenched his jaw. "Please... Just talk to me."

She finally lifted her eyes, but there was no warmth in them.

"Talk to you?" she repeated, voice devoid of emotion. "The way I tried to talk to you? The way I begged you to believe me?"

Taehyung winced. "I know I messed up."

She let out a humorless laugh, closing the book with a soft thud. "Messed up? That's an understatement, Taehyung."

He reached out, desperate to touch her, to bridge the distance that had formed between them. "Y/N, I—"

She stepped back.

Taehyung's heart plummeted.

"You don't get to touch me," she said coldly. "Not after everything."

And with that, she walked away—again.

Leaving him in the suffocating silence of his guilt.

The Apology That Wasn't Enough

Taehyung wasn't a man who begged.

But for Y/N?

He would fall to his knees if it meant earning her back.

That night, he knocked on her door. She didn't answer, but he pushed it open anyway.

She was standing by the window, arms crossed, staring at the city lights.

"I'm leaving," she said without turning around.

Taehyung's blood ran cold. "What?"

"I'm leaving this house. Maybe for a few days, maybe forever. I haven't decided yet."

Panic surged through him. He couldn't let her go.

"Y/N, please," he said, his voice raw. "Don't do this."

She turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "You did this, Taehyung. Not me."

His fists clenched. "I know. And I'll do anything to fix it."

Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "Anything?"

"Anything."

Her next words shattered him.

"Then suffer."

His breath caught in his throat. "Y/N—"

She stepped closer, tilting her head. "You want me to forgive you? To forget how easily you doubted me?"

He swallowed hard, hating himself.

"You want me back, Taehyung?" she whispered. "Then prove it. Show me that I can trust you again."

His eyes locked onto hers. Determination burned in his chest.

"I will," he vowed. "I don't care how long it takes. I'll prove myself to you."

Y/N stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding.

"Good," she said, turning back to the window. "Then let's see if you're really a man of your word."

And for the first time in his life, Taehyung was terrified of failing.

Author's Note:

DAMN. 🔥 Y/N is NOT letting Taehyung off easy, and honestly? She SHOULDN'T. Should she make him suffer longer, or should she slowly let him back in? 🤔 Let me know what you think! 😈