😭

Taehyung was sitting on the couch for the past twenty-three minutes as he waited for Jeongguk to finish up in the bathroom. The words that Jeongguk said earlier today kept repeating in his head.

'Is that really what a relationship means to him? I mean, I understand where he's coming from but to me, a relationship means-'

"Baby, I'm done taking a shower", Jeongguk said, interrupting Taehyung's thoughts.

'Huh? I must have been too deep in my thoughts', Taehyung thought.

Jeongguk sighed.

"Tae, you've been awfully quiet since we got here. Would you like to talk about it? I'll listen", Jeongguk said as he sat next to him.

Taehyung looked at Jeongguk straight in the eyes, hesitating at first but managed to get the courage and talk about it with Jeongguk.

"Koo.. what you said earlier today about what a relationship means to you... I-"

"Is that what's been bothering you?", Jeongguk asked, now realizing how it might have hurt Taehyung.

"No.. well.. yeah. You see, I.. I have my own opinion on it so I'd like for you to listen to me. Don't talk. Just listen, okay? I understand what you were trying to say but I'd like to explain to you why a relationship is necessary. It's not just to prove to others that we're together. I'll speak to you hypothetically as of now. What if I were to kiss another guy or possibly make out with him?", Taehyung said.

"I would get ma-"

"You can't get mad! Don't you get it? We're not dating. You can't get mad at me and tell me I can't do it. You have no excuse to give me as to why I shouldn't do it. We're not dating so it shouldn't matter. Don't get me started on marriage. Tell me something, Jeongguk. Have you ever thought of marrying me? Do you see yourself as my future husband?"

"Well,.. yeah. Why-"

"Dating. Married. All that stuff is a label as well. Can't you see?! If you can't see yourself dating me, then how could you possibly see yourself married to me? We already act like a couple but I still feel like we're friends with certain benefits. It's been bothering me for quite some time now. I just wanted you to see my side on it and show you that it's not how you see it as", Taehyung finished speaking.

"Tae, baby. I didn't mean it like that. I don't think you're understanding my point in this. Of cou-"

"Not understanding your point?! Are you hearing yourself right now? What about my side in this?! I don't think you're understanding me either, Jeongguk!", Taehyung said angrily. He then walked all the way upstairs to his room. Jeongguk following along.

"Wait! T-", Jeongguk tried to call out but was interrupted by the sound of Taehyung slamming the door shut.

"Taehyung, please come out. Let's talk this through", Jeongguk pleaded on the other side of the door but Taehyung didn't answer.

"Tae, let's talk it out. Please?", Jeongguk continued. Yet, there was still no answer.

A few seconds later, Taehyung spoke.

"I'm not in the mood to talk at the moment, Jeongguk. Maybe later. I.. I need some space now"

Jeongguk was hurt but at the same time, he knew he deserved it. After all, Taehyung had kept strong all this time. Even when he called Taehyung a 'Best Friend' and denied what they could have had.

Not wanting to bother Taehyung any further, he made his way to his room with his heart aching.

He felt disappointed in himself because of how he made Taehyung feel.

Taehyung didn't know what to do. He was sad, mad, confused and so much more.

Wanting someone who he could share his thoughts and feelings with, he decided to call Jimin. With that, Taehyung told Jimin about the conversation he had with Jeongguk earlier.

"I don't even know on whose side I'm on anymore but I'll support you anyway. Listen here. You want him to acknowledge that you were right about the whole relationship thing, am I right? Instead of being angry at him, show him you were right by taking action. You dramatic piece of- Never mind. Do me a favor and get your ass done with the best clothes and come over in like an hour. I have a plan. If he asks you where you're going, act cold and don't tell him"

"Are you sure that what you're planning is alright?"

"Oh, please. Everything will go smoothly. Just you wait and see"

———

Jeongguk was anxious and tried to take his mind off the Taehyung situation by trying to watch TV and play video games. Occasionally, checking social media.

An hour had passed and Taehyung still hadn't come out of his room yet. Just as he was about to go over there and try talking to him again, he heard Taehyung's door unlock. He got up from bed, exit the room and saw Taehyung dressed up all pretty about to go downstairs.

"Where are you going?", Jeongguk asked.

Taehyung looked at him with a cold stare before answering.

"I'm going out with a friend"

"Dressed like that?"

"Problem? I can dress however I want"

"... Who are you going out with?"

"I already told you. It's a friend. Now if you excuse me, I must get going", Taehyung said, walking away.

"Tae!", Jeongguk called out for him, a bit louder than he expected.

Taehyung turned around and asked, "What?"

"I didn't mean to sound so controlling just now about you going out. Just.. can we talk after you get back?", Jeongguk said with a hurting tone, making Taehyung feel bad. He then nodded, leaving right after.

'I'm sorry'

———

"We're done here. You can go home now and surprise Jeongguk. Remember what we talked about. You'll for sure anger him", Jimin said with a grin.

"Will do", Taehyung said as he hugged Jimin. He then left the house to go to his.

———

Jeongguk was in the living room walking back and forth. He was getting worried. Taehyung wasn't answering his calls for the last two and a half hours and it bothered him. Not long after, he heard the front door open and rushed over there.

"TAE! Where were you?! You- What the fuck?! Why do your lips look like that?! Are those hickeys on your neck?!", Jeongguk said, getting angry at the sight of state Taehyung was in.

"What's it to you?", Taehyung asked coldly and sarcastically. Unfortunately, Jeongguk wasn't having any of it. He wanted answers now.

"WHERE WERE YOU FOR FUCK'S SAKE?!"

Taehyung didn't like seeing Jeongguk angry so he spoke, hoping it'd calm him a bit.

"I was.. at a friend's party... I saw a guy checking me out so I approached him. Before I knew it, I was making out with him."

"TAEHYUNG! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?! YOU'RE MY B- WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!", Jeongguk yelled angrily.

"Why does it matter to you?! WE'RE NOT DATING! I can do whatever I want with whoever I want", Taehyung yelled back.

Jeongguk stayed quiet after that.

"Who.. was it?", Jeongguk asked, his voice breaking a bit.

"Just some random guy at my friend's party", Taehyung answered bluntly.

"Then what about.. us?", Jeongguk asked, about to break any minute now.

"We're just friends, Jeongguk"

That's all it took. Those words hit Jeongguk more than imaginable.

'Just friends, huh?'

Jeongguk looked at Taehyung coldly as he spoke.

"You're right. We're just friends. Therefore it shouldn't matter to me." He then walked away in the direction of his room, expressionless. The words 'just friends' kept repeating and repeating. The way Taehyung looked. Swollen lips, messy hair, hickeys on his neck, clothes wrinkled. All of that pained him tremendously.

Just as he was about to turn on the doorknob to enter his room, tears threatened to fall and he broke down in the passageway. Soon, he found himself sitting on the floor crying as he leaned his forehead on the door. The same words repeating over and over.

'I lost him'

His heart broke time and time again.

All of a sudden, he heard a voice from none other than Taehyung.

"J-Jeongguk", Taehyung called out, not believing the state Jeongguk was in. He only kept feeling more guilty by the second.

Jeongguk didn't even bother turn around and respond. He just stayed silent. Nothing seemed to make sense to him anymore. Taehyung made out with some random guy. On top of that, he denied their current relationship and called them just friends. Life was indeed horrible.

Suddenly, Jeongguk felt two arms wrap around his body.

"This w-wasn't supposed to happen! You were supposed to get m-mad at me. Not cry.. fuck. It hurts seeing you l-like this. It was a p-prank, Koo. A prank that Jimin c-came up with it. It's all m-makeup. It's fake!", Taehyung said, burying his face on Jeongguk's back.

A laugh... All Taehyung heard was a tiny laugh.

Jeongguk was laughing a tad bit with tears still rolling down his cheeks. This only confused Taehyung.

"I hate you. I hate you so god damn much right now", Jeongguk chuckled, as he stared at the floor.

"As you should. I hate myself, too for what I did to you", Taehyung said, looking at the floor as well. The guilt, coming back.

Jeongguk hesitantly brought his hand over to Taehyung's neck and tried rubbing it off. Once he saw that it was smudging and fading, he let out a sigh of relief as he whispered, "Thank God." He smiled and pulled Taehyung into a very tight hug. He then says, "Don't ever, I repeat. Don't ever scare me like that. I thought I lost you for real. I want to kill you. Literally... but then I remember I love you way too much to do such a thing. I'm glad."

This made Taehyung smile.

"You're too kind. I don't deserve this treatment", Taehyung said, his smile fading away.

Jeongguk then cupped Taehyung's cheeks and kissed him on the forehead.

"Baby, I love you. I'm so happy it was all fake. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if it was real but let me remind you. Pull that shit on me again, and what we have... is over"

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