74. Confessing

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Jungkook is beginning to think Taehyung is making him do things without thinking about them even one bit.

It's the second time he's making his way to Taehyung while being so motivated That he can't even think this through. But he doesn't let it occupy his mind, the only thing that roams around is the worry for Taehyung, the fluttering in his chest thinking about when Taehyung finally sent him a message, wanting them to meet up. He must've read Jungkook's tweets that since yesterday have been at the top of the news charts, and everyone's conversation topics.

Jungkook doesn't regret speeding down the road in his own car, following the navigation system to the address Taehyung gave him (which was surprisingly closer than he thought), without fear of being slammed by his manager for that. He even thinks he has a session tonight at the studio with the producer, but as soon as Taehyung sent that message it was long forgotten. He will just reschedule.

The drive is surprisingly not that long as Jungkook thought it'll be. He cannot believe the fact him and Taehyung were always that close to each other yet never noticed or knew each other. Perhaps it's because they were always in different places and countries. The feeling of driving by himself and not being picked up by his driver for once is refreshing, and he seems to aspire to return this old habit of being individual to himself from time to time. He parks the car and put on his hoodie to cover his face before he gets out. The house is a private, minimal house, not really seeming odd or fancy as expected for a worldwide model. In some way, it fits Taehyung so perfectly to settle for a humbling place, not too extravagant, he thought.

His palms are sweaty when he reaches the door, not really knowing how to approach the entrance. He was never that awkward, he truly doesn't realize what has come onto him that made him that much of a nerve wreck, but the possibility of the reason being Taehyung is settled in his mind.

He didn't realize he rang the doorbell until the door itself opened, revealing the face of the person he was becoming too attached to for such a short time.

Even with his natural beauty, Taehyung's exhaustion seemed clear as day. His boxy smile isn't noticeable, his red lips look bitten as if he nervously chewed on them for days. His eyes are slumped and red, the thought of him crying his eyes out while reading all those hate comments made Jungkook's heart ache. He never realized how people like him, and Taehyung, truly adopt a shield around their heart when it comes to social hate and fame, until hearing from Jimin that Taehyung has been giving up to the pain. His hair is messed in different directions, the black color has faded a bit since the last time Jungkook saw him and he could already notice the hazel roots of his natural hair color coming back again.

What was depressing the most was the expression on Taehyung's face. Not the usual glimmering in his eyes, or the widest smile spread on his face until his eyes are squeezed shut. No. It was dull of expression, perhaps even emotionless, tired, exhausted. Jungkook is truly aching from how painful it was to see Taehyung loosing a bit of his humanity just because of people's hatred and garbage attitude online.

"Jungkook."

Taehyung is the first one to speak up on top of the utter silence surrounding them. Jungkook wasn't surprised, since he could barely get the words form in his mind. His name rolling off of Taehyung's tongue sounds better than every other person Jungkook might think about and he doesn't really want to hear anything else but Taehyung saying his name over and over again. Maybe he should set it as his ringtone.

"Come in, please."

His voice is hoarse and makes Jungkook's hands tremble a bit.

Jungkook nods and gets inside when Taehyung has moved to the side to let him in. Taehyung's place is as average as it looks on the outside, a comforting aura settles inside Jungkook from how delicate yet simple this place was. It seems as if every thing he finds soft and gentle reminded him of Taehyung.

"I cannot believe you actually came, and on such short notice, I—"

"Taehyung." Jungkook turned to look at him, his eyes big and hesitated. Taehyung shuts his mouth, waiting for Jungkook's words to form, but he was silenced. Eventually, he gathered enough strength to step forward and open his mouth. "Taehyung, I've missed you so damn much."

Taehyung is tackled in a tight hug before he can even think about what is coming. Jungkook doesn't miss a chance to get Taehyung's body warmth, even for just a second, he was happy to feel Taehyung close to him again. It freed him to be around him, even if just to look and admire his face. Hugging him was such a bonus.

He could feel taehyung was hesitated when he slowly hugged back, but as time went by and Jungkook was yet to release him, Taehyung has relaxed in his arms and put his head on his shoulder. "I've missed you too, kookie. So much."

They sit down after a while and Taehyung offers Jungkook tea. Jungkook happily agrees and waits for him to come back so they can recap everything that happened and hopefully he can knock some of humanity into Taehyung again.

When Taehyung came back and sat down after handing jungkook his tea, Jungkook smiles at him fondly. He didn't except every one of their meet-ups, which in total was just two (and a half?), sadly, to be sappy and heartfelt, but he isn't regretting any of it at all.

"I didn't know you live close by, it is so odd that we were close all this time yet never met." Taehyung admits. He is way too lightheaded than he first was when he opened the door, and Jungkook is kind of liking to admit to himself that it is because of his presence that made Taehyung calmer.

"I was just thinking that." Jungkook chuckled lightly, sipping from his tea.

"Jimin has headed to Jin's, even though I told him it was okay if he stays, but he urged me that I should maybe talk to you alone." Taehyung added.

"Jimin has been here?" Jungkook asked, curious.

"For the past week or so, yes. He's been trying to lift my mood up and everything. I'm grateful for his support, though he can get a bit too bossy at times." Taehyung chuckled softly. His laugh is still mesmerizing in Jungkook's eyes, so pure and angelic. He is glad to hear this sound yet again, even if Taehyung is only doing so to avoid talking about the subject that made Jungkook come here in the first place. 

That's why Jungkook decided to take matters to his own hands. He put down his tea and turned to fully look at Taehyung, Taehyung sensing the mood tensing slightly and staring at him with wide eyes.

"I want to say a few things." Jungkook started. A 'few' was an understatement, he wanted to pure his heart out to Taehyung, but he doesn't want to throw so many things at such a fragile moment.  "Firstly, I would like to say I'm sorry. I apologize for acting the way I did, through all of our friendship. I sometimes get the wrong idea and it throws me off and I end up hurting people I care about. I'm sorry if in any way I made you upset." Jungkook said.

"I would also like to say that I'm truly, fucking sorry for all that mess on twitter. Being famous has never been easy, you and I know both it has circumstances that are a lot to take in. Social media is a hatful place. I was mad to see people selflessly offend you or me or anyone for that matter. You work so hard for something and people only try and find the bad in it, not everyone can bring out the good in artists' works, and that's why every person on social media is trying to search after clues or receipts for things that are made-up or false." Jungkook says in a heartbeat. "I instantly felt the need to defend you and me, especially you. I hated seeing my timeline with people hurting your name. It aches to see a person you admire get slammed so easily. I'm sorry for speaking up on your behalf when I wrote what I wrote, but I felt like it was a genuine thing to do."

Taehyung is biting his lips, looking down at his lap as he fiddled with his fingers, before he leaned forward and suddenly wrapped his arms around Jungkook's neck in a warm embrace again.

"I have never felt more grateful for what you did." He whispered gently.

Jungkook is a bit shaken, mostly surprised, but takes it as a blessed opportunity. He smiled and hugged Taehyung back, feeling his warmth again.

"I always tried to push hate to the side, usually ignoring it. But this time it has been just too much. It causes so much chaos for something that was taken out of control. One person spreads a rumor and it instantly goes around and make people think the worse of me." Taehyung admits. "I haven't been in a relationship in years, ever since I got into modeling which was... maybe, 8 years ago. I was afraid to be used for money and fame, you know well people will lie and fake everything for the benefit of being relevant. So when I see people go around and call me names like 'whore' or a 'slut' or a 'player', I truly cannot handle the anger and the pressure settled inside me. And it's not like I ever actually did something to deserve this kind of hate, y'know? I post a pic with you and soon people start to speculate stuff, like cannot we just be friends sharing a beautiful moment to our fans? And even if we are in a relationship, why is it have to be such a big dramatic event?" he huffed. "I met Bogum when he was assigned to do the commercial with me and we created a great bond, a friendly bond, yet people had to take it in the wrong way and make up a total other story line, twist an innocent picture of us hanging out as if we're on a date. It humiliated me so much when they wrote I was 'betraying' you. I just don't understand why people have to be so hateful. That's why I just broke down."

Taehyung is sobbing at the end of his little speech. Jungkook holds him right to his chest when the tears became suffocating and Taehyung cried out, wetting Jungkook's hoodie. It was no problem, he can stain all of Jungkook's clothes if it means they're together like this.

"I understand you, Tae, I completely do." Jungkook brush his fingers through Taehyung's soft hair gently, trying to calm him down. "There are bad people in the world, and there's no way to escape this hate when you're someone known and popular." Jungkook said. "But What we can do is try and stay positive, see the better side of the media with our fans supporting us and loving us. I promise you with my life, Taehyung, I will try to slam down each and every hate comment if it means you'll stay happy and positive. I just don't want you to be sad."

"Thank you, Jungkook." Taehyung smiled sadly. "I don't deserve you."

"You deserve the world, Taehyung."  Jungkook shook his head. "I can't promise I will succeed pushing away the hate, but I can guarantee I will try."

Taehyung giggled lightly. "It's okay, Jungkook. I don't need you to do it. All I want is for you to be there for me like you are for me right now."

"Of course, Taehyung. Always." Jungkook kisses his temple softly as a feather.

"And Jungkook?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry for ignoring you lately. I just... I..." Taehyung hesitated admitting his feelings. They were so back and fourth each time that it made it hard for him to admit to Jungkook he just wished they could be more than just friends. He knows Jungkook and him have a special connection that isn't friendly but more romantically, and he knows Jungkook feels that to. But what is separating them from admitting that and confessing is the tough world they live in and how hard it is to be together against the world and the hate.

"I guess I just wanted us to be more, and it was difficult when everyone around us were either against us or in favor of us being together. It's hard to see people's different reactions. I just want to be with you without people getting involved in our relationship or trying to manipulate it to cause drama." Taehyung said.

Jungkook smiled softly, reaching for Taehyung's face to softly stroke his smooth tan skin. Taehyung leaned into the touch, smiling bashfully at the act.

"Taehyung, it's only us now, baby. Let's not care anymore what people think or do or say about us. We are together in this, if people like it or not, and they will have to accept the love and admiration we have for each other, because they will not succeed breaking us apart, not anymore." Jungkook told.

Taehyung sniffed quietly, nodding his head. "It's only us."

"Only us, I promise." Jungkook repeated lovingly.

Taehyung reached for his hand and laced their hands together, his thumb stroking Jungkook's hand intimately.

Jungkook came forward, being unable to control his deep feeling and the attraction towards the beautiful person that Taehyung is.

"Does that mean I get to kiss you right now?" Jungkook whispered soothingly, a small smirk played on his lips.

Taehyung lift his head to look up at him, his cheeks tinting a deep shade of red.

"I've been waiting for you to do so for the past five minutes, kookie."

And so Jungkook doesn't waste any time, and leans forward, closing the small gap between his lips to Taehyung's and feeling the softness of Taehyung's lips touch his.

He has never been more in love in his life than he is right now.