Taehyung was in a mind-numbing shock after the trial.

That excuse of a human being tortured him for years, abused him mentally and physically, made his life a living hell, and he was sentenced only to two years in prison.

“Given that he’s a first-time offender and his past abusive actions cannot be proven, we, the jury, request the defendant to be sentenced to two years in prison with the eligibility for parole after one year, and pay the fine of two thousand euros,” was the jury’s verdict that rendered Taehyung in an inflictive frenzy of injustice.

His only glimpse of relief was that even when he would be released from prison, he wasn’t allowed to get in touch with him, let alone see him. And if he tried, he would end up in jail again.

Jeongguk shared the same suffocating emotions with his baby. He couldn’t believe he only got two years after everything he had done, but he couldn’t break down. Taehyung needed him more, and he knew it. He needed him to remind him that everything was over, that he wouldn't suffer like this again, and that even when he would be released, he wouldn’t be able to see him or touch him, of course.

A lot changed in the month that passed by, but their love and affection and lust for one another only grew.

Taehyung sold his first track, which ended up becoming a massive hit, and that was the beginning of his dream coming true. Even though he made a satisfying amount of money from being a composer, he didn’t quit his job at the cafe. Mostly because he loved working with Jeongguk, but also because everyone in there felt like family to him now, and he couldn’t leave them — he didn’t want to leave them.

Jeongguk was so immensely proud of him he couldn’t shut up about his achievement since the moment he found out. He praised him daily, bragged about it to everyone, and searched about the pile of articles about him and read them to his baby.

He was indeed so proud that even the first place he took at the next championship didn’t seem so important to him.

But the more Jeongguk praised him for his achievement, the more Taehyung praised him for his as well.

It was rather adorable for everyone, actually, to see the two boys throw praises at each other and even bicker about who was more proud. But they always ended their silly bickering with a galaxy of kisses and hugs, no matter where they were.

Everything was going so well, perfectly, until Jongwon’s trial came, which left them with a stifling emotion of injustice, but they couldn’t do anything about it, unfortunately. At least he was out of their lives for good, even if he didn’t get the punishment he deserved.

Another disturbing thing that happened was that two days after Jongwon’s trial, his parents called him, yelled at him about why their son was suddenly in jail, and demanded to see him when they would return.

And that was the next day, which came rather fast.

Hearing his parents so angry on the phone, Taehyung couldn’t possibly face them alone, and so he asked his Kookie to come with him, who accepted right away. He wouldn’t let him go alone after the way they talked to him, anyway.

🥀

It was Sunday, early in the afternoon, when the two boys headed to Taehyung’s house to meet his parents.

The older was on edge, restless, and daunted about what to expect. He still couldn’t understand why they were so mad at him, but he was sure after explaining what he had to put up with for years, they would understand. Or so he hoped.

“I’ll be by your side the whole time, love,” Jeongguk uttered in the softest voice possible as he parked the car and glimpsed at him with heart eyes. “Don’t be scared. Nothing will happen to you.” He held his stunning face and pressed a series of nerve-soothing kisses on his lips.

Taehyung felt a waterfall of reassurance wash over him at his sweet-tempered words and loving kisses. “Love you so much.”

“Love you too,” he whispered, kissing him once more before they stepped out of the car.

They traipsed towards the door as Taehyung was still preparing himself to face them after so much time, and rang the doorbell when they arrived.

A few moments later, Taehyung’s mother slid the door open and gave his son a halfhearted smile with a rather indifferent hug. “Long time no see, Taehyung.”

“Yes, mother.” The two-second hug brought a wistful feeling to Taehyung; they were apart for four months give or take, and maybe they weren't so close, but he at least expected a warmer welcoming.

Taehyung always hoped, expected one thing from his parents, and that was to simply act as parents, but his expectations were never met with reality to this day.

“Who’s that?”

“Oh, um, my—my friend. He drove me here.”

“Will he stay?” she asked with a raised brow, clearly bothered by the thought, which turned out to be true with her son’s next remark.

“Yes, I want him here.”

“Fine.” She receded to the living room, and the two boys followed.

“Son.” His father nodded as a greeting, his expression somber.

“Hi,” Taehyung mumbled as he sat on the couch with Jeongguk by his side, across from his parents.

“Why is a stranger here?”

“He’s my friend, and I want him to be here.”

“But you can pretend I’m not here,” Jeongguk chimed in with a carefree smile, wanting to seem unbothered by their stern behavior.

That seemed to anger Taehyung’s father, something that brought even more satisfaction to Jeongguk.

“Anyway. Why is Jongwon in jail, huh? We’re not even allowed to see him yet,” Siheon began, his gaze darkening as he spoke.

“There are a lot of things you don’t know,” Taehyung said, his heart increasing its pace unwittingly. “Jongwon... Jongwon has—“

“He’s your hyung, show some respect,” his father cut him off, a low growl coating his voice.

“No, he’s not,” Taehyung shot back, his breath quickening. “He’s not my hyung. Jongwon has been abusing me for years. Since I was fifteen. How can I call him my hyung?”

While Taehyung expected to see a satisfying amount of shock on their faces, or at least worry, he was shocked instead when they didn’t even bat an eyelash.

“So you did this? You sent him to jail?” Siheon raised his voice as he scowled at him.

“Wh—What?” Taehyung was at a loss, his mouth hanging open. “Didn’t you hear what I—what I said? He’s been abusing me—“

“They heard, love,” Jeongguk whispered into his ear, caressing his shoulder as the dawning realization hit him. “They just don’t care because they knew all along, right?” He looked askance at them, fury smoldering inside him.

As a torrent of tears built up in Taehyung’s eyes, his father kept the scowl on his face, and his mother avoided eye contact.

“You... You knew all along?” Taehyung asked below his breath, his gaze cloaked by a fog of tumult and the stream of tears that turned it into a hazy one.

“Yes.”

“But—But Jongwon had said if I tell you anything he’ll kill me.”

“We didn’t want you to know, that’s why he said that. We knew about your gay tendencies from the start. And since we couldn’t be here to help you, I said to Jongwon to keep you in check, be harsh, and man you up, hoping it would stop your disgusting actions.”

“To man him up?” Jeongguk repeated, struggling to get his head around the words he just heard. “He’s much more of a man than you’ll ever be!”

“Excuse me? How dare you?” he exclaimed as he slammed his fist against the table, making his son flinch and cling to Jeongguk’s side.

Jeongguk instinctively ringed his petite waist with a secure arm as he threw daggers at his father. “Instead of protecting him, giving him all the love he needs, hearing him out, trying to understand him, you said to your other son to beat the shit out of him so he can man up, and you think you’re what? You think—“

“Who gave you the right to talk? This is between me and my son—”

“You think you’re a man because of your actions?” Jeongguk resumed in a blaze of outrage, completely ignoring him. “You think that’s what a father is supposed to do to help their child? No, that’s what a worthless father would do, who doesn’t give two shits about his son, his own son who did absolutely nothing wrong!”

“You’re like him, huh? That’s why you’re supporting his sickening behavior!”

“If something is sickening here is your fucking way of thinking and your behavior, not ours!” Jeongguk was screaming from the top of his lungs by now, infuriated to the bone. “A month ago, that asshole beat him so much he almost died! He was five minutes away from dying, and you think that’s a way of helping him or whatever?”

Siheon visibly tensed and glanced away for the first time. “I can’t control Jongwon’s actions. He distastes your kind as well.”

“Our—our kind?” Taehyung muttered, harshly wiping his tears, and glared at his father. “We are human beings! What you and your son did was inhumane instead. He beat me up almost every day, he treated me like trash, he didn’t let me have a life, he made me cry every single day. And not only you two knew all along, but you were the ones who told him to do it!” He erupted into sobs once he finished, clutching Jeongguk’s jacket for dear life.

“Taehyung,” his mother breathed out, who, unlike his father, felt a pang of remorse spread through her chest, sorrow engraved on her features. “I didn’t know it was that serious. I didn’t know... he treated you that badly. I’m sorry, son.”

“Your apology doesn’t take back all the years he spent suffering because of that fucker,” Jeongguk spoke in a low, sharp tone. “You knew about your husband’s plan or whatever, and you didn’t do anything. You’re just as disgusting as those two.”

“Fuck off. Get the hell out of my house,” Siheon snarled as he burst out of his seat. “You won’t get any money from us anymore. You’re not our son anymore.”

“What? Siheon-ah, don’t do this,” she frantically said as she snatched his hand, but he shoved her back.

Jeongguk held the wailing boy and heaved him to his feet, wiping the next wave of tears that coursed down his cheeks. “He doesn’t need your money, anyway,” he said, interrupting the two who were fighting as he gazed at his baby with watery eyes. “He’s a successful composer who has a real family waiting for him. A family that will love him more than anyone in this world.” He planted a soft kiss on his wet cheek and guided the shivery boy out of the house, paying no mind to the screams behind him.

Jeongguk set him in the backseat and cocooned him in a bone-crushing hug, finally letting his tears fall as well since hearing Taehyung's choked sobs for so long lacerated his heart in tiny pieces that would stick back together only when he could make his baby smile again. “It’s okay, angel. I know how much it hurts, but it’s okay. You’ll be okay,” he chanted palliative words and drew fond kisses on his head as the older bawled his eyes out in his hug.

“You know how much I love you, right? I’ll never leave you, never ever, baby. I promise I’ll never leave you and always love you and cherish you as you deserve, okay angel? I’m right here and I’m never leaving you.”

Taehyung couldn’t calm down; his heart stung so much upon hearing his father’s words it felt worse than when Jongwon was beating him.

Maybe he was never close with his parents, but knowing that his family didn’t want him as he was and instead loathed him was so heartbreaking he couldn’t even put it into words.

He always thought that when he would tell them about what Jongwon did to him for all those years, they would care for him, protect him, love him in some way.

He could never imagine that his own father would be the one who instructed Jongwon to abuse him.

⚜✳⚜
 

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This chapter has another part, I'll publish it in a while💜

Helloooooooooooo????????🤧🥴🤯😭 Mark this day, Jeon Jungkook blessed it 🔥💥🔥