~20240102
Inevitable gasps left the students, followed by the clustered whispers resonating the halls at the sight of Jungkook walking back into the very halls that witnessed the awful sight of him being cuffed, dragged by the policemen with his head pointed towards the ground. The action caused not due to shame but to hide his eyes burning in anger at the audacity of the men dragging him.
Jungkook halted in his steps, his jaw clenching along with his fists. All it took was one cold look from Jungkook for the crowd in the halls to turn silent, with their breaths stuck in their throat until he resumed making his way to his class.
Yugyeom and Eunwoo followed him far behind with cautious steps and distance, recalling the words Jungkook brutally uttered few minutes ago in the parking lot.
"I don't want you anywhere near me today. It's for your own good."
They knew they had no choice but to obey after witnessing the voidness on his face and the coldness in his voice. But they still chose to stay nearby for a lot of not so pleasant reasons.
As soon as Jungkook entered the class, he looked at the spot Taehyung sits in. He stared at the empty seat for a few seconds before taking his usual seat. He started clenching and unclenching his bandaged hand while gritting his teeth as he watched Taehyung's empty seat throughout the class.
He blinked his eyes when the class finally ended. He smirked fisting his palms, smudging the blood there as he uttered the words maniacally. "You think you can escape huh?" He got up from his chair, pushing the table harshly before walking out the room and the university, driving away to 'Roar'.
.
"No. No. No. No." Taehyung chanted, widening his still blurry eyes when he looked at the clock. "I am gonna miss the first class. Sh!t!" He got out of the bed after harshly pulling away the duvet off him, fumbling on his way to the washroom.
He was never the one to get late. He always sets his alarm and wakes up even before it goes off. The worst that happened was him actually waking up to the sound of the alarm. And now, he found himself sleeping through the blaring alarm and waking up to his mother's worried voice, inquiring if he was doing fine for not attending the university.
She laughed and shook her head when she saw Taehyung look at the time and panic. She realised he just overslept and left the room after leaving a soft kiss on his forehead.
Taehyung's scrubbed his body in hurry, still chanting soft curses directed towards himself. He knows he deserves them. After all, he was the one who was worried for Jungkook the whole day, trying to know through his friends about the situation he was in. It only eased when he watched the 9 PM news about Jungkook getting a bail and confirming the misinformation of the Jeon heir.
The peace only stayed for few moments until he took out his phone to text Jungkook, only to realise he doesn't have his number. He stayed up all night thinking, worrying, feeling bad about what Jungkook must be going through after spending a night in the prison. He would've just stayed home after missing the class but he wanted to meet Jungkook as soon as possible.
"Aish... The class must've already started." He took a deep breath, brushing his hair hastily, after getting ready for the day.
"Eomma!! Appa!!! I'm leaving!!!" He screamed coming down the stairs and was about to leave after waving at his parents who were having their breakfast but his father stopped him.
"Why don't sit down and have breakfast?"
"But appa..."
"I believe your first class has begun." Taehyung nodded walking towards his father. "So have breakfast and then we'll drop you at the university on our way to work."
Taehyung smiled and pecked his cheek before settling next to him to dig in. Somin frowned when she saw her son lost in thoughts. "Are you still thinking about that friend of yours?"
"Huh? Yeah... I hope he is okay."
"Don't worry Tae. Everything will be fine. Even if he is not, I know he will be. Ask me why?" Wonshik asked wriggling his eyebrows, earning a giggle from Taehyung.
"Why?"
"Because... YOU are his friend." He tapped Taehyung's nose, who scrunched it at the action. "And you are enough to light up everything dark." Taehyung smirked puffing his chest out playfully.
"I am glad atleast that kid's face wasn't revealed." He pointed, nodding to himself. Taehyung hummed nodding back seriously.
.
"He didn't come?" Taehyung whispered with a pout, worrying growing more. "It must be hard to even think about coming back. It'll only bring back bad memories of that day. I can understand."
"Tae!!"
Taehyung flinched when Jin hugged him from behind. He smiled when he saw Jin laughing his ass off, satisfied with Taehyung's reaction.
"Let's go. We have the next class together." Taehyung nodded, his eyes searching for the raven haired man. He frowned when he noticed the hallway being noisy than usual.
Jin took a deep breath and spoke in a serious. "Jungkook is back." Taehyung jerked his head towards Jin in a snap and was about to leave to meet the mentioned man until Jin continued. "But he left as soon as the first class finsihed. I mean... the students were all whispering and staring at him. I know the attention is not new for him but it's not for a good reason this time."
Taehyung slumped his shoulders, feeling dejected. Things are happening exactly the way he thought they would. Only if he knew, none of this ever bothered Jungkook and they would never.
The day went by with Taehyung letting out deep sighs and involuntarily searching for Jungkook in the classroom, hallways, cafetaria only to get disappointed in the end.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." He waved as he watched Jin leave. He was about to do the same before a loud screeching noise that he was familiar with. He turned towards the roaring car that entered the lot and smiled when he recognised it. It was Jungkook's and he was right. He watched Jungkook get out of the car before walking towards their block.
"Jungkook!!!" He screamed while making his way towards him. With all the commotion of students leaving, Taehyung was sure the other didn't hear him. He jogged trying to catch up to the other. He was about to scream his name yet again when they were in the hallways but held himself back not wanting to grab attention and chose to talk to Jungkook in private.
He followed Jungkook closely, who made his way towards their first classroom. He frowned when saw Jungkook stumble in his steps, he instinctively forwarded his hands. He looked at now empty corridor before walking towards the class Jungkook went into.
"Jungkook?" Taehyung called, not noticing how the other went stiff in his place, clutching the bag in his hand.
"I've been wanting to talk to you for so long." Jungkook turned around, his eyes bloodshot, his jaw clenched as he bored holes into the oblivious man.
Taehyung played with his fingers, not knowing how to bring up the sensitive topic. "How are you? I mean... I am sor--" He halted midway when he saw Jungkook's bandaged hand.
"Oh my god!!" He widened his eyes and rushed towards him. "Are you okay? How did this happen? I am already worried and this happened on top of that. Is it hurting?"
Jungkook stared at him, who was gently examining and caressing his injured hand. His eyes and tone filled with genuine worry but Jungkook was too blinded with rage to notice. His mind clouded with all negative thoughts.
"You've got something right there."
"Oh! Jungkook, you dropped something!!"
"What is this?"
"Salt?? Powder?"
"You forgot this."
"You promised us Jungkook. We trusted you. Your mom is very upset."
The imagine of him dragged from this very classroom cuffed played in his mind and that was because of the man, showing fake concern was the only thing running in his mind.
Taehyung looked up when he got no answer and gulped when he saw the look he was receiving.
"Leave.my.hand." Jungkook muttered under his breath robotically.
Taehyung scrunched his nose when strong smell of hit him. "You are drunk." Taehyung whispered, more to himself. "Did you drive while you are drunk? Jungkook that's not good fo--"
"Thank God, they didn't have enough evidence. It would been worse if it was yesterday in the event when you actually had them in your bag. I wonder who complained though..."
"I SAID LEAVE MY HAND BASTARD!!!" Jungkook roared snatching his hand from his hold.
Before Taehyung could register what was happening, he was pinned to the wall with Jungkook's hand wrapped around his neck.
"J-jng--ko-ok I-I ca-n't---" Taehyung held Jungkook's wrist, who was too out of it to care about anything. The hold only tighten by the second, making it hard for him to breathe. Taehyung trembled under his hold, trying to push Jungkook away.
"HOW DARE YOU?!?! HOW FVCKING DARE YOU TO DO THAT?!?! IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU I, JEON JUNGKOOK SPENT A NIGHT IN THE PRISON?!?" Taehyung frowned, before shaking his head to compose himself, to stop himself from falling in THAT pit.
"I d-don-n't k--no-w w--hat-t yo-u ar-e t-al-ki-ng a-bo-ut--"
"You have no idea what you pulled yourself into by doing that." Jungkook whispered dangerously, not paying heed to the struggling boy. He moved closer to the now turning pale face and loosed the grip around the neck, just enough to let some air in.
"What did you think? Do you really think someone like me would be friends with you? YOU? " Jungkook scoffed before his face hardened yet again. "Know your place. I knew my hunch was right, you turned out to be exactly the kind of person I thought you were. "
Tears rolled down Taehyung's cheek as the walls around him crumbled. He tried. Even a few minutes ago he tried. He tried to not let his mind wander to that place. That awful period of his life but the moment Jungkook pinned him, he thought he will do fine not noticing it was too late.
"HOW DARE YOU?!?!"
"KNOW YOUR PLACE..."
"KNOW YOUR WORTH..."
His let go of Jungkook's hand, his hands falling to his sides in surrender. He stopped struggling as the familiar voice echoed in his mind. He couldn't see Jungkook or hear a word he was saying. All he could see and hear was the monster and the hellhole he was in for two years.
"YOU ARE A PATHETIC BIT*CH... JUST A HOLE TO SATISFY YOUR HUSBAND..."
"HOW DARE YOU CRY INFRONT OF YOUR DAD?!?!"
"YOU KNOW HOW HARD I CAN PUNCH, RIGHT? DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT TO YOUR LITTLE BROTHER?!?! THEN STRIP!!!"
"KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!"
"HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME?!?!"
"WILL YOU DO IT AGAIN?"
"No!! I am sorry!!! Please!!! I won't do it again!! I've learnt my lesson!! Please let me go!!!" Taehyung sobbed, begging for him to let him go. For Taehyung it was his ex-husband but for Jungkook... Those words only riled him up more.
He gritted his teeth before harshly throwing Taehyung, who landed on a couple of tables before meeting the floor.
He crawled to a corner while sobbing and clutching onto his head, his body shaking like a leaf. He buried his face on his knees, bringing them close to his chest.
Jungkook stared at him and scoffed shaking his head. "Pathetic." He took slow steps towards him, who flinched at every step taken. He sat down on his one knee and gripped on his hair, yanking his head upwards with his bandaged hand.
Taehyung winced in pain and joined his hands together, rubbing them vigoursly, asking for forgiveness, for something he didn't do. Now and back then too."I am s-or-ry... P--Pl-ease... Let-t m-e g-o h-y-ung-- I- w-won't do it aga-in..." Jungkook was not in his right mind to notice the 'hyung'.
"Such a loser you are Kim. Should've thought about the consequences before sticking your nose into my business. Breathe the same air as me next time and watch what'll happen to you."
Jungkook eyebrow twitched when he saw Taehyung's bottom lip wobble, his eyes filled with thick tears mixed with innocence.
'Such a good actor you are. Not gonna fall for it again.' He thought, shaking his head before let go of him harshly and walked away, not noticing how the man was struggling to breathe, how the blood was dripping on the back of his neck, how he forwarded his hand towards him asking for help; the irony.
"A-app-p-a... I-I c-can't b-bre-athe-- App-- AHH--" He winced, gripped his hair when he felt immense pain in his head. He frowned and looked at his hand, now fully covered in blood. "I-it's hurting-g-- s-o m-uc-h A-pp-a..."
That was the last sound echoed the room before his body collapsed on the floor, blood oozing out his injured head, staining the cold floor. Soon, the sun set witnessing his shallow breaths helplessly.
End of Chapter 13
❤️💜