"What do you think you just did, huh?" Yoongi whispered looking at the one who was just the perfect resemblance to Jeongguk, his eyes wandered around carefully, deep inside praying that no one hears or sees any of this.

"I had to do what was right, he needed to be away from that Jeongguk kid, you know Taehyung being close to him can put him in danger as well?" the imitation of Taehyung's boyfriend whispered, a small sigh melted into the air, "This is the only option I could think of."

"Old man you're crazy, they will be hurting for no reason now," the boy with pale skin mumbled, rubbing his thumb on his left eye brow harshly, "There could have been other options, this one was horrible."

"This is not for no reason, everything happening is for a reason, this was needed, doesn't matter how things are getting way more complicated than it should have been," he said and gave Yoongi one last look before jumping off the porch.

"Fuck this shit!" Yoongi angrily said and kicked the air only.

★

Taehyung didn't know how to reach anymore, he was just thinking of how things were so fast, how Jeongguk was dying to get closer and did all those cringy stuff, it never made sense to him on why would his rival act like this.

Why would he want to be close?

Now it all made sense.

But who would tell him that whatever he saw, whatever he heard was nothing but sheer deception, the words were nothing, they weren't from Jeongguk, they weren't real.

However, Taehyung was not to be at blame, his mind didn't know how to think properly at this point.

Nothing would seem real if it was anyone else than Jeon Jeongguk.

He was his rival.

He can never like him, this was all plotted, oh hell, this was all just a cruel joke on him. The anger inside him for himself and Jeon Jeongguk was tremendous, he wanted to punch him, kick him and throw him out of his life but what about these feelings he developed over time for the younger?

Even if for him, Jeongguk never meant anything but he meant it all, he truly liked the other and now all he knew was how to cry his heart out.

Skipping his meal and classes, he went back to the dorm informing the authority that he was feeling sick and needed some rest. Due to medical issues, he was granted leave for the remaining classes and he got time to cry to himself.

He had been crying for long now, the classes must be over and they all must be returning any moment, he still wasn't ready to face the other, he wasn't ready for more lies or more pretence.

He didn't know how he will deal with this.

Taehyung let out the ugliest sob remembering all they had, they were too beautiful for him, how could he fake it so good? How did he let the other make a fool out of him.

He heard the door lock click and he knew it was Jimin but what he didn't expect was Jeongguk tailing him behind and looking oh so worried.

Jeongguk knitted his brows seeing those puffy red eyes his boyfriend had, the tip of the ears blood tinted, he was looking awful, as if he had been crying for hours now.

"Hey, Tae you alright?" Jimin asked immediately running over to his best friend who looked down at his lap where the pillow resides that he hugged while he was crying.

"Taehyung, what happened, baby you alright? Why are you crying?" Jeongguk spoke those were nothing less than arrows aimed straight at his heart.

That voice Jeongguk had was so sweet, the tone was too convincing and Taehyung wanted to fall for him again.

Taehyung didn't say a single word, he just stared at the blond boy walking to him, his tear filled eyes never leaving him.

"Hey, why aren't you saying something? We both wanted to come to you but we didn't get the permission to skip classes," Jimin questioned, worried to death seeing his best friend like this, he never saw him like this.

"Tae," Jeongguk called, running past Jimin and quickly got to the other, he sat in front of the brunet and wiped those tears away using his thumb, "What happened, baby? Tell me about it."

Taehyung just couldn't manage words at that very moment, that concern he had for him, this can't be fake but he now knew that it was actually never true.

Jeongguk had been such a great actor.

"Why aren't you saying anything, Tae?" Jeongguk stole a glance at Jimin who was just as baffled as he was and when Taehyung didn't still answer, the younger pulled him in a tight hug, "Just tell us what it is baby."

Taehyung hated himself for even wanting to hug back, Lord, he fell for Jeongguk. He let out another loud sob questioning no one in particular on why did this happen to him? Why on earth Jeongguk had to pull up this facade with him. Why?

Taehyung felt the hug tightening and Jeongguk did that to remind him that he should hug back but no, nothing. He just stayed there with no movement, just his chin resting on Jeongguk's shoulder.

"You're scaring us, Taehyung." Jeongguk pulled away and held his hands, pulling them to kiss his fingers.

Taehyung let out a bitter chuckle at that.

"Where's your award for the best actor? Huh Jeon?"

Taehyung finally spoke.

Jeongguk first didn't understand and laughed at this, "What do you mean? What award and what acting?"

"Please the way you still smile when we kiss when actually you wanna puke?" Taehyung asked pulling out his hands away from the other's hold who flinched at the sudden act.

"What."

"Please Jeongguk, you don't need to lie anymore, you don't need to pretend anymore, I know it, you can pull that ugly mask off, now you can't fool me anymore," he spat, tears again falling down from his eyes.

Jeongguk again tried to wipe them away but before his hands could reach, Taehyung slapped those hands away, glaring at him, "Don't you dare touch me again!"

"Taehyung, what are you even saying?" Jimin interrupted as he had no clue on what his bestie was on, what was happening, he was just so lost.

"Shush Jimin, I am talking to him, let him answer first."

"Why did you do this, Jeongguk?" Taehyung grabbed the other's brown cape that every student on Belfort had to wear and pulled him close, their faces almost touching each others but like the other times, today was different, they didn't get close to kiss, Taehyung only pulled him only to push him away.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about but babe, you remember we have a date tonight? We are going to the troll's garden?" Jeongguk smiled thinking this was all a prank or something, like this has to have some sort of explanation.

"I can't believe you, I know it all now, Jeon Jeongguk. You don't have to do this anymore. I get it, I get it how low you are. I get how you pretended to be in love with me just to distract me but man, it was too harsh, you didn't have to play this dirty, you could have just done something else, why break my heart?" Taehyung again was crying so loudly, he covered his face not wanting to let the other see how fucked up he was because of this.

"Taehyung, whatever you are saying is all bullshit, that's not true, none of those were fake, I actually have feelings for you, why are you even saying all these, what's gotten into you?" Jeongguk demanded an answer, his heart breaking at the sight of his favourite person crying and also at the same time, he was so confused on why Taehyung assumed it all.

"Oh please," Taehyung threw the pillow and got out of the bed, Jimin just stared at him, at a loss of words and sense on what to say or do.

"Taehyung, who told you all these crap? Babe, trust me it's all bullshit, I didn't pretend, it was all true."

"I wouldn't have believed it if someone else told me that, I honestly wouldn't have Jeongguk but I heard it all, I saw it all. I can't be this dumb to not believe what I saw myself!"

"What even? Is this some kind of joke or prank Kim Taehyung because if this is, I will be so mad at you for doing this," Jeongguk argued, glaring at the other who just looked away, not believing how he still managed to act.

"Please stop, what the fuck!" Taehyung shouted, pushing the other who almost lost his balance and was about to fall but didn't. He now looked at his boyfriend in disbelief, "What has gotten into you, huh?"

"I heard you, Jeon Jeongguk. I saw you talking to your shit of a father. I know this is all your father-son thing. You wanted to take me down and your father wanted to take my dad down, this is what it is, I am such a fool to even believe you." he said and Jeongguk just got angry at this. No, it was understandable, Taehyung was now going over board to his opinion.

"Shut the fuck up!" Jeongguk shouted back and Taehyung laughed, "See, now you can't handle the fact that I know it all now?"

"Seriously, Tae," Jeongguk tried to compose himself down because this here doesn't seem to be a prank or whatsoever anymore, this was way more serious.

"Babe, can we talk? This is getting nowhere. I have no clue on what's going on, what are you even talking about, this is just going over my head." he said forgetting how his boyfriend just dragged his father in this.

"I get why you're doing this. Now you will pretend that you didn't do anything and go on tell people that it was me who assumed things," Taehyung was making all these accusations against the other.

Jeongguk was angry but more than that, he was hurt on all the things Taehyung's been saying.

He didn't know what happened and doubts Taehyung will even say that but this, whatever was happening was not good, from what it seems, the brunet is misunderstanding him and in no way is ready to hear anything.

As if he already made up his mind.

"Do you really believe that all of the things I did, all the things I did were all fake, a pretence only? Huh?" Jeongguk asked. He wanted an brief and clear cut answer from the other.

Whatever the reason was, why didn't Taehyung even try to hear what he has to say. He wasn't giving him any chance and if he kept on doing that, there's no point in trying to argue.

"I do believe that, you yourself said that, I heard it Jeon, I heard it all, there's no way that can be fake," Taehyung choked on his own tears as he took big steps forward, "I will never forgive you for this."

Jeongguk didn't know how to fix this, he looked over his shoulder at Jimin who was just there as a spectator, he didn't say a single word and watched all of this, he was hearing both sides and he was in a dilemma what to believe.

He believed Taehyung without a doubt.

But what about the honesty in Jeongguk's eyes when he looks at Taehyung when no one's looking?

What about the genuineness in his tone when he talks to his best friend? What about the change in behaviour when Taehyung's around? And that tenderness, that fondness he saw in the other for Kim Taehyung; what about that?

"Jimin, please tell him, it wasn't fake, I swear. I really like him, please make him understand."

"Tae," Jimin muttered under his breath and Taehyung pulled his hand up in the air, "Don't you even start, Park Jimin."

"Taehyung, please for God's sake," Jeongguk pulled the other in a tight hugging not wanting to let go however Taehyung was trying his best to break it.

"We are real, we are so real." Jeongguk buried his face in the crook of the older's neck and whispered those words against the other's skin.

"Let go of me."

"Tae-"

"Let go of me, I said."

Jeongguk did let go and was now crying as well, he couldn't believe what was happening. Yes, he was still confused on why this was even happening but what's more important was his first ever proper relationship, the bond that he would die for was falling apart.

With that Taehyung grabbed Jeongguk's hand and dragged him with him only to push him out of the room and close the door on his face.

"There's no we anymore, Jeon Jeongguk."

★

damn guys

we made it 40 chaps

also wanna thank

each and every one of

you who read this book

it means a lot, ily <33