¤ Take on the World (Slowed)
You Me At Six ↲

And just say the word, we'll take on the world
And nobody knows you, the way that I know you
Look in my eyes, I will never desert you
And just say the word, we'll take on the world.

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The following three weeks were busy ones for the entire Jeon family.

Both Taehyung and Juyeon were in full recovery mode, doing all they could to take care of their bodies and recuperate quickly. Between the two, they attended follow-up doctor appointments, took their medications, modified their diet and exercise regimens, and got plenty of rest. They were healing well following their surgeries, with no surprise complications or specific areas of concern. And while it was still too early to know the success of Juyeon's transplant, her doctors were pretty optimistic about the outcome.

As Taehyung recovered from his procedure, he decided to stay with the Jeons at their house. It made sense in the beginning since he needed all the assistance he could get, relying on Jungkook to help him bathe and get dressed. But even as he started feeling better, he wanted to remain as close as possible to Juyeon. The two leaned on each other heavily for emotional support during their recovery, proving their deep bond yet again.

It was a beautiful thing to witness. Jungkook felt blessed that his future husband, the love of his life, loved his family just as much as he did.

And man, did Jungkook's family love Taehyung. Before Jaewoo headed back to the factory, he spent as much time as possible learning everything he could about Taehyung. Jiho doted on him, baking him special treats and cooking his favorite meals. Both of Jungkook's parents also spent a lot of time talking about marriage with the two boys, sharing their own pieces of advice and funny mishaps. And while they knew it'd be years until a wedding, they consistently expressed their excitement and started openly referring to Taehyung as their son.

Juyeon, on the other hand, demanded a wedding now and even started looking up catering companies and florists. Taehyung had to gently remind her they weren't quite ready yet, but as soon as they were, they'd let her help plan the event. That appeased her enough for the moment.

And even though the two weren't married yet - or living on their own, even - they got a taste of what it all would be like. Taking care of Taehyung while he was healing and sharing the same space for so long was like a sneak peak, and Jungkook absolutely loved it. They made a good team, one that knew the value of showing appreciation and helping the other without even being asked.

While most of their days consisted of fun and laughter, they also knew how to be serious as well. They talked more about the secret transplant and how each felt during that difficult day.  Jungkook personally didn't have much more he needed to discuss, though he wanted them to talk it through once and then move on. Both boys agreed it'd be best to work through any pent up emotions together, that way they could emerge a stronger couple.

During that discussion, Jungkook explained that he truly wasn't angry anymore. He knew Taehyung had everyone's best intentions in mind and never meant to hurt any of them. So he focused on what they could do in the future, rather than what should've been done in the past. And above all, he continuously reiterated how he'd always respect Taehyung's decisions, no matter what.

From Taehyung's side, he again acknowledged how he was in the wrong but also provided more color to his thought process. All his life, Taehyung relied on no one but himself. He wasn't used to counting on others for support, and besides, he was so worried about making the Jeons worry unnecessarily. But he understood now and was looking forward to learning from this experience. He said he was so happy to find someone who consistently challenged him to become a better person, and with Jungkook by his side, he knew he'd only continue to learn.

They put everything behind them, deciding to move forward together and not let this weigh them back. After all, Jungkook was eternally grateful for what Taehyung did for Juyeon. He chose to focus on that alone and make that day a happy memory.

And there were so many happy memories left to build together. Years and decades worth of happy memories. Both Taehyung and Jungkook were ready for whatever life brought their way, knowing they'd navigate the good times and bad as a fully functioning unit.

They were so excited for the road ahead.

And while there were still a few stressors in his life, like paying off all the medical bills and the uncertainty about returning to school, Jungkook had never been happier. Maybe his life wasn't exactly what he once envisioned - he certainly would never wish his or his family's hardships on anyone - but everything he experienced brought him to where he was today.

And that place was so fucking beautiful.

Now, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Jungkook studied his reflection in his bedroom mirror. He was dressed in beautiful clothing courtesy of Taehyung's wardrobe: black turtleneck, fitted pants, and a long gray jacket. It was probably a little too formal, but it wasn't everyday he got to dress up like this.

Besides, tonight was his event.

"Is my photographer of a fiancé ready for his big debut?" Taehyung asked, coming up from behind him and loosely wrapping his arms around his waist.

Jungkook grinned, eyeing him in the mirror and appreciating his breathtaking beauty. Taehyung wore a very similar outfit to his own, with a black turtleneck, loose pants, and black blazer. Together they looked like a matching set, two parts that came together as a whole.

"You're so pretty," he noted with a soft smile, "even though your hair is hiding your eyes."

"Fix it," Taehyung whispered in his ear, his lips brushing up against his sensitive lobe.

"As you wish, Mr. Demanding."

Jungkook carefully turned in the elder's arms, not wanting to put too much pressure against his torso. Even though it'd been three weeks, he wasn't convinced Taehyung was completely healed. He wanted to avoid anything that'd cause his fiancé pain.

"You know," Taehyung intoned as Jungkook pushed back his hair, "the human body heals surprisingly fast. I'm feeling almost as good as new."

A slight chuckle left Jungkook's mouth at that as he cupped Taehyung's cheeks lightly. "Almost as good as new doesn't exactly inspire much confidence, Tae. I want you to be as good as new so I don't hurt you in any way."

Taehyung's mouth quirked up in a haughty smirk as he took hold of Jungkook's jacket. "Well, do you know what I want? I want to feel your body against mine again. I want to feel you on top of me, baby boy."

"Oh?" Jungkook breathed, noting the dark gleam to the elder's eyes.

Taehyung pulled Jungkook against his chest roughly, their torsos colliding in a strong impact. A brief flash of pain crossed his face, one that Jungkook didn't miss.

"That hurt, didn't it?" He chuckled, placing his hands on the elder's hips and holding him in place. It'd been a while since the two had been this close and it was taking a lot of restraint not to pounce on the elder.

"Oh, be quiet," Taehyung huffed, adjusting himself so there was less pressure on his side. "I'm fine."

"When we sleep together again, I want to make sure you're screaming because I'm a sex god, not because you're in pain," Jungkook explained, hands moving lower to cup Taehyung's ass. "My pride is at stake, you know?"

"Oh, so you're a sex god now?" The elder taunted, raising his eyebrows in a clear challenge. It was like he wanted Jungkook to let go of his restraint, like he was teasing him until there was no self-control left.

So who was he to deny his fiancé?

Jungkook squeezed Taehyung's ass before closing the space between them. He kissed him with more passion than he had in awhile, still careful not to hurt the elder but a little less reserved than he'd been over the past few weeks. Their lips slid over each other's heatedly, and before long, Jungkook was thrusting his tongue into the elder's mouth. A low moan was his reward for that, a sound that made desire pool in his stomach.

Jungkook ripped his mouth away, panting hard in order to catch his breath. "Just imagine that's a different part of my body thrusting inside another part of yours."

He somewhat expected an incredulous retort, but as always, Taehyung continued to surprise him. The elder kissed him again, coaxing Jungkook's tongue into his mouth before sucking on it hard. Now Jungkook was the one whimpering, with his hands pulling Taehyung closer to his body.

"And imagine that's my mouth on your dick," Taehyung teased as he leaned back, pressing a chaste kiss to Jungkook's cheek. "Alright. We need to get going unless you'll be late."

Jungkook had a hard time moving. All he could think of was Taehyung, naked and mouth full of his -

"Let's go, Kookie. You have a lot of fancy people to meet," Taehyung sing-songed, grabbing his hand and pulling him from the room.

Jungkook shook his head, trying to clear that image and calm the arousal growing in his pants. Thank goodness his coat was long.

Less than an hour later, the Jeons arrived at a huge warehouse that had been converted into a pop-up gallery. Makeshift partitions were set up throughout the space, sectioning off the different photography collections and giving the space a cozier feel. Warm lighting and mood music helped to create a contemporary vibe, and a bar offering various drinks helped to liven up the crowd of guests. It may have been a temporary set up, but it felt sophisticated and reputable.

Taehyung's and Jungkook's friends were also in attendance - Jin, Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jimin. They arrived at the gallery shortly before Jungkook and had already scoped out his photos. They praised him for his creativity and talent on both of his collections, though they clearly favored his portraits of Taehyung.

In all fairness, Jungkook did, too.

After he greeted everyone and briefly met with the photography society - all of whom adored his work and relayed how many people wanted to speak with him - he went to find his photos. Taehyung tagged along, excited to see the completed images blown up and displayed in all their glory.

The two rounded a corner, smiling at some of the gallerists and potential clients, and came upon Jungkook's section.

"Wow," Taehyung breathed, eyes wide as he looked at the series of landscape photos. "They're so beautiful."

And although landscapes were Jungkook's specialty, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the images of Taehyung. All five were displayed side by side in perfect clarity, so much so that they took his breath away.

Taehyung was just so beautiful.

The five photos of Taehyung detailed his life story, showed all the emotions that encompassed who he was as a person. They gave an intimate portrayal of the boy he used to be and the man he had become.

There was the first photo of the elder, an image that showed him looking content and happy. His head tilted sideways on the edge of the bathtub, his eyes warm and friendly.

In the second photo, Taehyung's face was half-submerged into the water, leaving just his eyes visible. And in those eyes was a vision of anger. His eyebrows were knit together as he stared at the camera, daring any surveyor to speak out against him.

Then there was the third photo, the portrayal of despair. Taehyung was drenched in water, hair slicked back and droplets trickling down his face like tears. All the sadness in the world was visible within his gaze.

The fourth image was a special one to Jungkook, as Taehyung's expression was one crafted just for him. It was a look of deep love and adoration, conveyed through the elder's eyes as he floated in the water.

But above all, the fifth photo was Jungkook's favorite. Taehyung was leaning over the edge of the tub, arms resting on the ledge, with his mouth stretched into that overjoyed smile of his and eyes pressed into crescent moons. Taehyung was laughing so big the sound of it could be heard through the photo.

These were just five portrayals of the brilliant man that would one day become his husband. This story - Taehyung's story - was one Jungkook was so honored to be a part of. It was a story countless people today would get the privilege of glimpsing.

Taehyung secured his arm around Jungkook's waist, tucking him into his body. "You're incredible, love. I knew it from the first moment I saw your photos. And now . . . seeing them in this setting . . . This is your calling, Kook. This is what you're meant to be doing."

Jungkook kissed his cheek, still having a difficult time processing this momentous occasion. He was a relatively untrained amateur - things like this typically didn't happen to people like him. But he wasn't going to waste his time questioning the why of it all. He was just going to appreciate the fact that he was here.

"This . . . This is what I want to do with my life, Tae. This gives me so much joy. But . . . No matter how long it takes, I still think I'd like to go back to school one day," Jungkook revealed, thinking over all the classes he'd love to take. "I still have a lot to learn."

"Then you'll go back to school one day. You and I . . . We'll figure out a way, Kook. We're a team now. Your dreams are my dreams." Taehyung looked back to the portraits, eyes wide with awe.

"Making you happy is my dream, Tae. And giving you the best life possible," he murmured, studying the elder's face closely. Wherever he was in life, that was always going to be his priority.

Taehyung looked at him again, a soft smile on his lips. "You've already done both of those things, love. You're going to need to find a new dream."

Jungkook took hold of his hand and started to lead them through the other photographers' exhibits. "Maybe my new dream will be becoming a famous singer or something. What do you think?"

"Hm," Taehyung pondered, scanning over the images surrounding them. "You know, I can almost see it."

"There's that word almost again," he laughed, his joy making him giddy. "And I know what that means. That means no."

"Stranger things have happened."

After that, the two finished walking through the other exhibits and spoke with a few of the photographers. At one point, a gallerist approached Jungkook and started inquiring over his landscapes, so Taehyung left him to talk business. It seemed like the gallerist was interested in displaying some of his work as well and left Jungkook with a business card. That was an exciting - and unexpected - turn of events, and he couldn't wait to share the news with his friends and family.

Jungkook spent an hour or so networking with the attendees, something he'd been initially nervous to do. But, seeing as everyone was so friendly, he was having a fun time and got a few more potential offers for future business. All in all, the event was a success.

On his way back to find his loved ones, a member of the art society pulled him aside.

"Jungkook, I thought you should know something. Someone has been evaluating your photos for a good thirty minutes now. Might be a buyer," the member told him, nodding his head towards Jungkook's exhibit. "Why don't you go check it out?"

Jungkook thanked the man and headed that way, smoothing his jacket and fixing his hair. He knew there might be potential buyers here; many wealthy patrons to the arts were in attendance this evening. Maybe one of them took interest in his landscapes, thinking one of those photos would make a good addition to their sun room or something.

He approached his section of the warehouse, a little quieter now that the event was reaching its close. But sure enough, he saw a well dressed woman appraising his photos. Except she wasn't looking at the landscapes, like Jungkook expected.

She was looking at the pictures of Taehyung.

Jungkook stepped up next to the woman, preparing to speak about his technique and the style of the portraits. But when he turned towards her to introduce himself, his face went slack. He knew this woman.

Taehyung's mother.

He had no idea what to say to this woman. More than anything, he wanted to ask her to leave. But something nagging in his stomach told him to wait it out, to see what she would do.

After a few moments, she finally spoke up. "Out of these five expressions, the only one that's familiar to me is this one. Your third photo."

Jungkook looked at the photo she indicated, the one the woman had been staring at. It was the image of Taehyung representing despair.

"Maybe the second one as well," she added, nodding towards the one where Taehyung glared at the camera. "But I can't remember ever seeing the other three. Happy. Laughing. In love. Seeing these photos . . . This is the first time."

Jungkook remained quiet, watching her closely but otherwise not engaging. After everything she put Taehyung through, she deserved nothing from him. He didn't need to remain here and listen to whatever speech she was surely going to impart on him. But even still, his instinct told him to stay.

"I know I failed him. That's never been a question in my mind. I know I should've left his father years ago, taken him out of that terrible house. I never protected him from his abuser, never shielded him from my husband's rage. I did nothing. I never did anything except fail him when he needed me most. His mother."

"Why are you here?" Jungkook said at last, hands clenching into fists by his side. He wouldn't cause a scene; he didn't want to alert Taehyung to this woman's presence.

"I didn't know he would be here, if that's what you're insinuating. I'm a member of the society. Never did I expect to see these photos. Photos of my son," she broke off, a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks.

And despite all of his anger at this woman, he couldn't help but feel bad for her. It seemed like she was at least somewhat remorseful, judging by this emotional reaction. So, maybe against his better judgment, he decided to give her something.

"I rarely see these expressions on his face now," Jungkook said, pointing at the second and third photos. "Most of the time he's smiling or laughing."

The woman looked at him fully, eyes burning into his skin. "I'm sure you're the cause of that."

Jungkook met her gaze, finding Taehyung's eyes staring back at him. "He has a family now."

Those words caused more tears to slip over her cheeks, though she let them fall. She carefully glanced over her shoulder, to where Taehyung was standing with Jiho and Juyeon. He was laughing at something his sister said, head thrown back and body shaking. It was a beautiful sight.

"I can see that," the woman mumbled, turning back to the portraits. "I know he'll never have that with me. I don't think I'm capable of giving him that anyway. But . . . I can at least try to give him a good life. Away from me and his father. Away from my world."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes at her, not quite understanding. "He has a good life now. He doesn't need anything from you."

"No, I suppose he doesn't. But think of this as my final goodbye to him." She pulled out something from her purse. A checkbook. "I want to buy these portraits of my son. I want to be reminded of what I had and what I let go."

Jungkook gaped at her, words failing him. "I . . . I can't . . ."

"It's Jungkook, right?"

He nodded his head, trying to come up with a game plan. But he had none. All clever thoughts and ideas evaded him.

"Jungkook . . . I have never been able to give my son what he needed the most. But you have. Your family has. And now . . . The only thing I can give him is a bit of security. I want him to be able to go after his dreams, to set himself up for a successful future. I want you - his family - to be as happy as possible. And I want to have these photos for myself, so that way I can always picture what my son looks like when he's happy."

She started fiddling with her pen and checkbook, little scratching noises filling the space between them as she wrote on the pieces of paper.

"What if you try?" Jungkook asked, not even sure why he was attempting to help this woman. "What if you -"

"There's nothing I can do to atone for what happened. And I wouldn't want to hurt Taehyung by coming back into his life when he is clearly thriving away from us. And besides, I've kept his father's attention away from him. I don't want to risk changing that."

"Is he a danger to Tae?" Jungkook's heart started to beat quickly, fear rising up within him. "Would he come after him?"

The woman shook her head. "No. He was upset for a while. But he has several new playthings now. He's distracted and will soon forget about this with Taehyung. Lord knows he has several other children to torment anyway."

She ripped off one check and started writing on another, all the while Jungkook shook his head vigorously. "I don't think I can accept this. This . . . This isn't my call to make."

The woman ignored him for a moment, completing the remainder of her checks before putting them into a neat stack. "Well, lucky for you, you only need to decide what to do with one check."

"I'm sorry?"

"I spoke to a chatty little girl earlier," the woman said, looking back at the pictures of Taehyung. "She said her brother was the photographer of these images and that Taehyung was his fiancé. She gladly told me her name and the name of her parents, too."

Jungkook was going to kill Juyeon. They'd need to have a very serious conversation about giving private information out to strangers.

The woman extended the checks, waiting until Jungkook accepted the stack. "My contact information is in there. If you all agree to sell the photos to me, have the art society call to arrange for pick up."

Jungkook looked down at the first check, seeing it made out to him. And the amount . . .

Holy fuck.

He whipped his head back up, prepared to hand these back to her, but she was gone. All he was left with was five pieces of paper.

Jungkook went through each one of them, growing more disbelieving by the moment. This was insane. This was . . .

He had no words.

In his hand were five checks, one for each photo of Taehyung. Each bore a ridiculous amount of money, more money than Jungkook knew his photos were worth combined. And each check was made out to someone different.

Jeon Jungkook.

Kim Taehyung.

Jeon Juyeon.

Jeon Jiho.

Jeon Jaewoo.

This was insanity. But he now understood what the woman meant when she said he only had to decide what to do with one check. The rest were made out to his family members, money they could decide if they wanted to keep or deny.

But in a way, it was still Jungkook's choice. He could rip these checks to shreds right now and never look back. He didn't have to mention this to Taehyung or his family. He could pretend that it never happened.

He could do that.

But he wasn't going to.

Jungkook quickly rejoined his group of family and friends, asking to speak with Taehyung and Jiho for a moment. Hoseok gladly agreed to entertain Juyeon, showing her some complex dance moves with Jimin.

Once the three were in a secluded corner, Jungkook handed them the checks. He kept quiet, letting them both come to their own assumptions.

Taehyung was the first to speak. "This is from my mother."

"She wants to buy your portraits, Tae. She . . . She wants you to be happy. She wants you to go after your dreams," Jungkook explained, watching the elder closely for a reaction. "I . . . I don't know what to do. But she left the decision up to each of us."

Taehyung stared at the checks for a while, expression unreadable as he considered what to do.

"My first reaction is to tear this to pieces," he revealed, lips drawn into a tight line. "That's my first reaction."

"So what's your second?" Jungkook prompted, knowing Taehyung well enough to understand his feelings were deeper than simple anger.

"I . . . I see a college fund for Juyeon. No more factory work for Jaewoo. No more bills, Jiho. And Kook . . . I see you going back to school. I see us saving for our future together. But . . . I don't know if that makes me a hypocrite. I don't know if I can accept this money with a clean conscience."

"Whatever your decision is, Tae, I'm right behind you. I'll support whatever you choose and follow suit," Jungkook said, giving him a reassuring smile.

Taehyung met his gaze before looking at Jiho. He then turned, watching as Juyeon tried dancing alongside Hoseok and Jimin.

A smile pulled at his lips.

"Let's chase our dreams then."

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》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

Happier moments just keep coming. It's about time!

What do we think of what Tae's mother did? What do we think of Tae deciding to keep the money?

Next update will be Saturday, May 16, around my normal time. This chapter is going to include something some of you guys have been asking for since the start of this story (not a wedding . . . yet 😜). Can you guess what it is?!

Stay tuned to find out for sure!