Thank you all so so much for the 4K reads!

As a thank you, here is the third update of the day! (Or like day and a half since author-nim fell asleep)😉

"I am so in love with you, but I can't be in a relationship with you." He said it so calmly. It sounded rehearsed, devoid of emotion. He untangled our fingers and stepped away. I followed him with my eyes, unable to move from where I stood.

After a minutes, I realized that Hoseok wasn't coming back, forcing me to swallow the lump in my throat and exit his shop. My ears were ringing, my whole body tingling. I could faintly feel someone gripping my shoulder, but it felt like I was floating through quicksand. None of it felt real.

I turned around, eyes growing wide as I saw the person from Hoseok's shop. He gave me a small, sympathetic smile. I could see his mouth moving as he spoke, but no words processed in my brain.

I shook my head, and cleared my throat. "Sorry, I, uh, didn't hear what you said. Could you repeat that?"

He nodded, extending a hand. "Kim Taehyung. It's nice to finally meet you."

I shook his hand, feeling awkward that he was introducing himself to me after his best friend just rejected me.

"Nice to meet you too, but, um, I have to go." I started to walk away, but his next words stopped me.

"No, you don't actually have anywhere to go, do you?"

I turned to face him again, frowning. "I do, I just... he doesn't know that I'm back."

He quirked up an eyebrow. "Who?"

"My best friend, Jungkook. He's crashing at my place since I live in Los Angeles now."

Taehyung nodded and closed some of the distance between us. "Listen, Yoongi... Hoseok rejecting you was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do, I hope you know that."

I scoffed, unable to believe what he was saying. "And why the hell does any of it matter now?"

Taehyung closed his eyes tight, as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"What are you all hiding from me?" I watched as Taehyung's shoulders tensed up even more at my question.

He shook his head aggressively. "I-I-I can't tell you. He should be the one to tell you." He ran a large hand through his hair. "I-I should get going. Bye!" He rushed back into the flower shop, leaving me staring at his back in confusion.

•••••

My feet dragged on the sidewalk as I made my way to my apartment. I saw the familiar-looking building, a faint smile forming on my lips as I realized that I would get to see Jungkook again.

I grabbed my keys, unlocking the door, and entering my apartment.

"Who is there? I have a bat and I will use it!" Jungkook shouted, coming around the corner with a baseball bat in his hands.

I chuckled at him as he dropped the bat. He ran to me, tackling me with a hug as his legs wrapped around my waist like a koala.

"I missed you, Kook."

I heard him sniffle into my shoulder. "Fuck, I missed you so much, Yoongi."

I hugged him for another minute, smelling the coconut shampoo he loved to wear, mixed with his usual cologne.

I pulled away, wiping the wetness from his face. "How are you doing?"

He nodded. "I'm still clean!"

I gave him another hug, this one much shorter than the last. "I'm so proud of you."

He gave me a large smile and dragged me further inside the apartment, pushing me down onto the couch. "Want a drink?"

I nodded, not even needing to say what I wanted to drink. He brought me a glass filled with vodka, and a shot glass. He poured me a shot, all the way full, and handed it to me before sitting down on the couch beside me.

I knocked the shot back, feeling the familiar burning from the alcohol.

"So, when did you get back? Why did you come back?"

I chuckled, holding up a hand. "I'm getting there, Kook. I need more alcohol before I can tell you."

He nodded, waiting patiently for me to get slightly buzzed, my head starting to spin. I turned to face him, noticing a slight nervousness in his eyes.

I told him what happened, every single detail I could remember. His facial expression didn't change much as I spoke.

When I finished, the room was filled with an awkward silence.

After a few minutes, Jungkook cleared his throat, standing up. "I'm just going to go have a chat with Hoseok." I saw him reach for the bat, and I jumped up, pulling it out of his grasp.

"P-please... I don't want him hurt. If...if he doesn't want to be with me, then I can't do anything."

Jungkook glared at me for a couple of seconds before his body relaxed, giving me a slight head nod. "I just don't want you to get hurt in the process."

"I'm already hurt." I mumbled it so quickly, not even realizing that I was saying it. I cleared my throat and walked towards the window. It had started raining once I got home, mixing with the emotions I felt deep inside.

I could hear Jungkook walking close to me, his voice speaking right behind me. "What are you thinking about?"

I shrugged, not turning to speak to him directly. I was too busy admiring the rain. "I just wonder how he feels."

••••

Hoseok POV

"Taehyung, what the fuck do I do? Did you see his face? He looked so shattered and broken and upset and-"

Taehyung's large hands gripped my shoulders, giving me a slight shake. "He loves you, of course he'll be broken. You broke his heart, Hobi."

I sighed heavily, tears slipping from my eyes and down my cheeks. "I feel terrible."

Taehyung's grip relaxed, but his hands remained, this time as a comforting touch. "This is what you wanted to do. We discussed this. I thought we should tell him, but you wanted to distance yourself."

I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip. "I know, but now... what if I can't get him back? What if everything turns out to be back to normal but he doesn't want to be with me?"

Taehyung shook his head. "Maybe you should tell him. I know you're worried that he'll be scared and concerned, but he needs to know. You need him to know. It's eating you up that we're the only ones that know." He wiped a tear from my cheek. "Don't think I didn't notice how you removed his picture from the background of your phone. You know he'll be terrified if he knew the truth."

I nodded. "I-I figured distancing myself would be better from the truth. M-maybe I was wrong." I met eyes with Taehyung, who gave me a soft smile.

"I think you should tell him."

I took a sharp breath, feeling the tension in my shoulders as I did so. "So, Tae, um, how am I supposed to tell Yoongi, the man that I love for than myself, that I'm dying?"

••••

Lol.

Don't murder me pls.

Author-nim loves you all.❤️