It's been hours since Taehyung returned home and lay down his bed, but he seemed to be unable to find sleep.

The cause of which is no other than the man whose silhouette could be seen standing by the door of his room.

The man who confused the hell out of him more than anything.

Don't play with me.

Those words were repeatedly going on in his head like a lyrics from a broken cd. Not to mention, Jungkook's face that goes with it, full of hatred and pain combined.

What confused him even more was the reaction that Jungkook gave him right after he uttered those words. He just stared at him for a long while before letting go of him in a rash movement. He then walked away as if nothing happened, pretended as if he didn't say those words in the first place.

Taehyung groaned in frustration as he sat on his bed, eyes glued on the door. Even Jungkook's silhouette looks so unwavering and mighty, making him feel secured knowing that such a man is guarding him.

He sighed, giving in the urge to go by the door without really knowing why. He's just moving to his body's accord as he neared even more, stopping only a meter away from the closed door.

The sight of his silhouette now closer to him made him feel the kind of loneliness and pain he had felt the first time he laid his eyes on those raven ones. 

Don't play with me.

There's something in those words that made him assume that maybe.. just maybe... Jungkook and the real Vante have some history... a relationship more than that of a nobleman and his knight.

This is the only plausible explanation for Jungkook's treatment and his body's reaction towards him.

If Jungkook and Vante are really more than what everyone assumed them to be, then the pain he saw in the ravenette's eyes is reasonable. Being forgotten could cause pain to a person... but why hatred?

Did something happen between them before Taehyung came and took over Vante's body?

Taehyung bit his lower lip as he fought the urge to open the door and ask the man himself. He knew it will only complicate things even more, and he's not that heartless to rub salt in an open wound.

He suddenly remembered the words he said back in the gondola.

I'm just going to start anew and make more memories, right?

Damn. Now that he's finally putting the pieces together, he suddenly wanted to take back those words. 

Why did he even say those words without even thinking?

That's too much insensitivity for a day, Taehyung.

He told to himself as he sighed. All the thinking and worrying only contributed to his insomnia. He stared at the door one last time and wished he hadn't when he noticed something he should not have.

Is it possible to feel one's loneliness just through his shadow?

Taehyung knows it's absurd but as he stared at Jungkook just behind the closed door, somehow he could feel his loneliness and this brought emotions he couldn't understand or more like didn't want to understand.

It made him scared, yet he craved for it.

His hand slowly lifted as if he's reaching out for something he knew he couldn't touch... couldn't have. 

I'm sorry.

He wanted those words to come out of his mouth, regardless of the reason. There's something in his heart that yearned to utter those words for the ravenette.

And just as his fingers were about to trace Jungkook's silhouette from the closed door, it suddenly opened, catching Taehyung off-guard. 

He was welcomed by Jungkook's emotionless face. However, this façade of his suddenly changed when he saw the look on Taehyung's face, full of longing and sorrow... and on top of that...

"What are those tears for?" Jungkook asked, emotionless. 

"H-huh? What tears?" Taehyung was beyond confused as he reached out for his face, and only then was he able to realize that there are really tears cascading down his eyes.

"The hell... I don't know.." He muttered, harshly wiping the tears from his eyes. 

"I guess something went in my eye.." He shrugged, trying to play it cool as he readied his scripted laugh.

However, just one glimpse at Jungkook's face made him stop, breathing ragged at the intensity in those eyes. 

He was torn in his place as Jungkook stepped inside the room, eyes glued to Taehyung's own. His face was grim that had shivers running down Taehyung's spine.

The room was suddenly enveloped in darkness as the door closed. Only the light coming from the candle near the bed gave a tinge of light in this whole darkness.

"I thought I made myself clear. Don't play with me." 

Jungkook's voice made Taehyung breathe harshly. He could feel the other's hot breath impossibly close to his face, resulting to the erratic beating of his now troubled heart.

He couldn't focus on anything else than Jungkook's closeness, his harsh breathing, and the urgency in his movement as he grabbed him by the waist which immediately made him shut his eyes close.

Taehyung doesn't know how he was lifted and carried to bed not until his back landed on something soft. His eyes fluttered open and the beauty that welcomed him almost took his breath away.

Jungkook's face reveal a lot of emotions that is beyond words. 

Beautiful yet tormented. 

Perfect yet scarred.

"Don't tempt me to sin, Kim." Jungkook whispered, every word sounded like a plea. His eyes lingered on Taehyung's parted lips.

He's yearning for him. His lips.. his touch.. his everything.

Taehyung moaned as he felt a hand caressing his back. He shivered, wanting to feel more of the warmth each caress gave him. Jungkook is touching and feeling him, but only above his clothes.

He's not touching his skin which only made Taehyung crave more. He couldn't help the need and want from overtaking his body.

His body could remember Jungkook's touch and warmth. It's as if he had felt this before.

"Jungkook.." Taehyung called out, hands desperately holding on to Jungkook's neck. He's dying to feel those lips against his own as Taehyung pulled the ravenette's face closer.

"You..." Jungkook is on the verge of losing his mind. He couldn't restrain himself, like a beast that's been fed after a long while as Taehyung kept on tempting him, inviting him with those lips that he knew he couldn't claim. 

Not anymore.

Taehyung pulled Jungkook harder, enough for their lips to touch. However, instead of feeling Jungkook's lips on his own, he felt something soft like a satin.

His eyes opened, realizing that Jungkook covered his lips with the satin blanket on his bed, preventing their lips from touching.

Taehyung groaned in protest but immediately died down when Jungkook pressed his lips on his own, just above the satin that separates their lips from touching.

Though there's a barrier, Taehyung could feel Jungkook's warm breath seeping through the fabric. He couldn't stop himself from responding as the ravenette's lips move against his own, full of need and hunger.

Taehyung felt so hot as the satin became wet from their saliva which gave way to their lips to mold with each other.

"Hmmm..." Taehyung hummed, hand clasping Jungkook's raven hair. He felt so lost in the heat of the moment with nothing but Jungkook in his mind.

His body trembles with need as Jungkook's lips went to his nipples, hiding beneath his clothes.

"Jungkook!.." Taehyung arched his back, feeling Jungkook's mouth over his clothes.

This made Taehyung want to cry in frustration.

He couldn't take it anymore. The teasing... the intentional indirect kiss and touch.

He's dying to feel Jungkook, skin to skin.

"Please.. Jungkook! Touch me.." He urged, body responding to Jungkook's every move. He was breathing hard from lust and desire combined.

"You know I can't." Jungkook answered, looking directly at his face.

"Why?" Taehyung asked in desperation.

He saw Jungkook's sad smile. He slowly pulled away, seemingly not wanting to do so, but had to.

"Try to remember, Kim." Jungkook uttered, voice laced with sadness.

"Only then can I kiss and touch you properly."

Taehyung felt his heart clench as Jungkook moved away from him. The tension is still in the air, but now, Jungkook is doing his best to let it die down.

He looked at him one last time before turning on his back. The sight of Jungkook's retreating back as he went out of the room made Taehyung's heart clench. He wanted to run to him, but his body won't respond. 

As the door finally closed, Taehyung could only bask in the loneliness that he felt once again.

How will he remember everything he had shared with Jungkook if in the first place those memories don't belong to him?

Even these feelings... are they really his own? 

Or just like this body, nothing really belongs to him.

__________

Sorry for the long wait! However, always remember that I'm still with you. 

Love you 💜