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"no."
it was the first time jungkook didn't run from his problems. it was the first time jungkook decided to confront what should have been spoken from a long time ago.
walking away from the tree where he hid himself, it didn't take long until jungkook managed to approach taehyung and yeowool, hot tears already running down his face. perhaps it was a sense of belonging, or else it was just the matter of the heart, but the moment he heard the older's selfless plan to sacrifice himself just for the sake of his safety, all jungkook wanted to do was to never transport themselves in the first place.
"we're doing this together," jungkook stated, eyes burning with anger. "haven't i told you that you're killing yourself if you stay?!"
yeowool looked away.
"j-jungkook . . ."
"don't give me that bullshit, kim taehyung, you know damn well that it's too dangerous for the both of us."
"i can t-teach you how to use it," taehyung tried to reason. "a-and i can evacuate myself to china and japan with my people—"
"—you're only saying this to calm me down."
taehyung took a deep breath, hard, wishing that life wasn't so complicated. he knew for sure that he wasn't repeating his father's history. because if anything ever happened to jungkook, it was obvious that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.
"look, jungkook . . . as much as i hate to say this, silla's downfall is never your fight to begin with," taehyung shook his head, a frown decorating the rectangular of his lips. "you— you can't even use a sword, or h-have practiced archery! if you're joining me and my soldiers, you will never get out of this place alive."
"then so be it."
in a matter of seconds, taehyung's eyes immediately softened at the sight of a pouting jungkook. he knew that the younger hated him, but he also knew that the younger understood this was the right thing to do.
"aren't you desired to chase your dreams?" taehyung leaned closer, fingers starting to caress the sharp jaw that was slightly smeared with soil. "you've always wanted to be a well-known artist, hmm?"
"y-yeah . . ."
"then you can't be here if you want it to happen."
"but w-what about you?" jungkook rested his hand on the nape of taehyung's neck, wishing to eliminate the invisible distance that was beginning to grow between them.
"i'll be fine," taehyung lied.
mother, i love him. taehyung smiled as he finished writing silla's defence strategies. placing the inked brush down, he then walked out of the small tent yeowool had set up for their soldiers. i loved him so much . . . even when i shouldn't.
taehyung still remembered the first time they met. jungkook was standing right in front of him in his glorious beauty, cursing a string of babbles at his strange communicating device. it almost made him cringe, how many words a person could speak in a matter of seconds, but it also got him flustered as the jungkook he knew now was just as intoxicating as he was back then.
memories began to flood his mind— be it playing at the arcades, eating cup noodles in such a futuristic store, taking the last bus to daecheon beach in the middle of the night, having blood sausage soups at the mins to exchanging poems under the silla sky.
these were all equally beautiful.
if only they could enjoy them a little bit longer.
moving past ahro, yeowool, the queen and their people — who were surrounding him with sad smiles, for they all knew how hard it was for both parties to come to this decision — taehyung focused his eyes on a very tired-looking jungkook, ready to take him back to his version of present.
"are you ready?" taehyung adjusted the makeshift bag that was slung on jungkook's chest, which he already filled with water, snacks and other necessities. the older was already suited in his best armour, along with everyone else, ready to face goryeo after sending the younger off.
jungkook only shook his head.
"i'm not very sure where you will particularly land, considering that i don't have the pendant's manual myself," he sighed. "so make sure to eat well as you find your way back to your dorm, alright?"
jungkook only shook his head again.
"please know that you are one of the best things happened to me," taehyung faked a grin as he put the pendant around jungkook's neck. "and even if i'm going to fall in this battle, i'll bargain with the gods to let me see you again— i'll come in your dreams . . . reincarnate if i have to."
"thank you for loving me the way i am; t-this annoying, childish, sometimes selfish jungkook who can't seem to do things right," jungkook placed his hand over the locket, soon fluttering his eyes shut. "i'll make sure to look forward to your visit."
"i love you."
jungkook pecked taehyung softly.
"i love you too—"
this is the end of paralyzed ♡
omg, thank you for 4k! epilogue will be uploaded soon, and maybe an extra or two though it's still undecided! my laptop was broken when i wrote this (spilled my hot chocolate on the keyboard hehe) so i had to wait around four days until a technician fixed it. but, seriously. thank you so much for all the love you've given me these past few months, my readers may come in a small amount but my love for you guys are surely endless :)
i'll comeback with announcements about the stories i've promised you in the last chapter, so please don't remove this from your library! any thoughts about this final part- or book in general?
