"come in!"

taehyung's heart dropped hearing that voice, but he quickly overplayed it and settled with a poker face, as he finally opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes immediately locking with the ones of the raven haired in the room, who sat up from his desk in an instant.

"t-tae?"

Taehyung stood frozen for a few seconds, needing some time to collect his thoughts, feelings and everything around and in between. there stood jeongguk, with the same brown eyes that held the most warmth, with the same soft black hair taehyung used to brush his hands through, with the same lips that had kissed every part of his body.

the only difference was, jeongguk belonged to someone else now.

and the thought was taehyung's fuel to continue. "hello, mr jeon, i'm here for a talk about my unpublished book."

his voice was cold, monotone even.

jeongguk starred at him, his eyebrows furrowed. "taehyung, what—"

"i know we had a past and all, but please let us get through with this as quick as possible and in a formal way."

something wasn't adding up here. jeongguk's expression held pain. it held sorrow. sadness. longing.

all the things taehyung was also feeling right at that moment, plus the rage that streamed through his veins. how dare jeongguk still call him a petname, when he's engaged?

taehyung pulled his script out of the bag he had with him, placing it on jeongguk's desk and sitting down and the seat right in front of his desk.

"i've sent my script to a small publisher in seoul. they liked it so much, that they recommended me your company."

jeongguk start at the stack of papers on his table, his eyes still mirroring these trist emotions. "i-i didn't know you were done with your book."

"of course you didn't, you seemed to be busy," taehyung retorted, still keeping that strong act and monotone voice. "that doesn't matter though, what matters is that i'd like you to take a look into it and then tell me what you think about it."

jeongguk looked up to the blond, his heart racing, his head spinning. taehyung was right in front of him. he was there. right. there. "do you have a copy of that?"

taehyung internally cursed, having forgotten to create a second copy of his script. "i'm afraid i do not have one with me." he cringed at his own tone. the formality. he never talked to jeongguk like this before, maybe as a joke to tease him, but not seriously.

the ravenette nodded absently. his attention wasn't fully with the script, his thoughts still swirling around in chaos.

"we don't take the originals. that's okay though, because i only need a summary and a few extracts to get a hunch of the writing style." he didn't mention how he already knew taehyung's writing style and also how he already knows that it's perfect.

the room filled with tension as taehyung began thinking about how to transfer the content of the book to jeongguk. he could tell the story even in his sleep. it's a very special one, actually.

"it begins with two boys, being complete strangers to each other even though they visit the same school." taehyung looked jeongguk dead in the eyes while talking.

"when the younger of the boy gets in danger, the other boy saves him, which leaves him with the consequences though and he has to spend some time in the hospital." he could literally see how jeongguk's expression changed, his body stiffening, his eyebrows lifting.

"out of guilt, the boy he saved visits him everyday in the hospital, brings him snacks, plays games with him, reads books to him," taehyung gritted his teeth lightly, "and they become best friends."

jeongguk's body was rigid as he just listened to taehyung, not believing his ears. the book is about them? but why would taehyung want to publish that now?

"soon they become family, grow up together, create memories. then college hits and both have different roommates, which still doesn't stop the two from being with each other everyday. and... during their time in college, through certain circumstances, they slowly realized their feelings for each other, fall in love, confess, hug, kiss, make-out, have sex! they were in love!" taehyung's words became faster his heart beating in his throat as the anger seemed to slowly reach the outside.

jeongguk watched him, startled.

"i'm not sure if the ending still fits though," taehyung spoke calmer. "their story ends with an happy ending of both of them still being in love, planning to move in together even." now there was the stinging feeling of salty tears at the back of taehyung's eyes. "maybe, a sudden break up and a sad ending with the both of them never having to see each other again would be more interesting?" taehyung smiled towards jeongguk, the most fakest smile he ever gave his boyfriend— ex boyfriend.

jeongguk cleared his throat, fighting against his own emotions. this situation overwhelmed both of them, but jeongguk literally felt like being on the wrong train rail, not being able to follow what was happening, probably because it was too much at once to digest.

"the story sounds beautiful."

taehyung chuckled dryly. "thank you, i think so too. it was indeed beautiful. it was perfect. they planned a future together, you know? they talked about moving together, marrying, having children." taehyung almost looked mad with that smile and the burning tears in his eyes. "but it doesn't matter, as long as they are happy in the end, right? they don't have to be together, there are better partners anyways."

jungkook's heart pained, moreover it twisted in confusion. "tae, i'm sorry, but... i don't understand, you said you—

"don't even try," taehyung laughed out humorlessly. "i'm not going to let you defend yourself, you don't deserve to do so," he packed the script in his bag, whilst jeongguk still watched his every move, a frown now on his eyebrows.

"are you here... just for the script?"

taehyung halted. no he wasn't. he was here because of jeongguk, obviously. "jeon publishing was the only firm recommended to me, i'm sorry if you didn't want to see me."

"taehyung, listen—

a sudden knock interrupted the two, their eyes both falling to the door. jeongguk didn't want to open up, he needed to talk to taehyung, but as a ceo, he never knows how important some things can be. "come in," he ordered.

inside stepped a woman, dressed in a creamy knee-long dress, her hair styled in soft curls, her lips tinted in a faded pink.

taehyung's blood froze.

"byeol, what are you doing here?" jeongguk asked, while taehyung stood there like a stone, fighting a battle against his own tears.

"ggukie, can i ask you something?" she asked, her eyes falling to taehyung. a disbelieving expression was evident in her eyes shortly, but it was gone as quickly. taehyung's skin filled with goosebumps hearing the nickname he always uses leaving someone else's lips.

"right now is really not the time—

"it's okay," taehyung offered a fake smile. "i planned on leaving anyways—

"what no!" jeongguk called out, desperately.

taehyung scoffed bitterly and in slight disbelief. what was jeongguk trying now? "have a nice evening, mr jeon." taehyung bowed to jeongguk, didn't spare byeol a glance and then left the room.

for a few seconds, while taking the first steps away from the room, he had hoped jeongguk would come after him.

but what was he thinking? his future wife was in the same room as him, he wouldn't run after his ex with her around.

so it's true.