In the next few days, Taehyung and Jeongguk only met twice since Taehyung had to prepare for his trial on Friday.

It was a bit weird actually; the first night they spent apart was rather empty and brought to them a gloomy feeling as they lay in their beds.

Taehyung couldn't deny that he missed him. He thought about him nonstop, and it was harder to concentrate on his work. He didn't know why he felt like this. All he knew was that he couldn't wait to see the younger again.

Jeongguk, on the other hand, was freaking out once again. He tried to convince himself that whatever he was doing with him didn't mean anything. It didn't mean anything when he was endlessly kissing him, when he was latched onto him, when he carried him to the bathroom, when he felt his heart melt every time he heard his laugh.

Nothing meant anything and nothing was a big deal. Still haven't fallen for you. That phrase played in his head like a broken record. He believed it, though. He said to himself countless times that he hadn't fallen for him, and he believed it. Partly, at least.

🥀

It was Thursday, and Taehyung didn't go to his office as he sometimes did the day before a trial. He wanted to be completely focused on the case, review everything from the start, write more notes, and rehearse his speech.

And that was what he did almost for the whole day. His friends also invited him for dinner, and since he could really use a break to clear his mind, he accepted.

Around seven, he was outside of his friends' door, waiting for it to swing open. When it did, Namjoon stood at the other side, smiling at him warmly. "Tae," he breathed out as he swathed his arms around him.

"Hey." He muffled him into his hug and gave him a few pats on his back. They walked inside a few seconds later and sat with Hoseok and Seokjin in the kitchen.

"Where are the other boys?" Taehyung asked as he opened his soju and took a small sip.

"They were all busy with stuff. I don't know, I wanted to see my baby," Seokjin chirped as he turned to his said boyfriend and pecked his cheek.

"And I'm third-wheeling. Thank God you're here, Tae," Hoseok whispered close to his ear, but everyone was able to hear him.

"Why didn't you call your boyfriend?" Taehyung asked with a chuckle.

"I did, but his parents are some annoying control freaks. They didn't let him go out because he had to study."

"Oh, that sucks."

"It's okay I guess. Let's eat!" And they started eating, catching up a bit since they hadn't met for a while.

Taehyung also talked about what happened with his mother that day, but he didn't seem so affected by it. The younger's words managed to make him feel a lot better, and even though it hurt not to have his parents' love and support, he couldn't do anything else than accept it.

"Now that we covered a lot of things, shall we talk about Jeongguk?" Hoseok asked with a knowing smile, throwing a glance at the lawyer who almost choked on his soju.

Coughing a bit and clearing his throat, Taehyung glanced away. "What about him?"

"Tae, you haven't said anything about him. What is happening? Are you guys talking? Have you met?" Namjoon questioned.

"Okay, can we not make this a big deal?" Taehyung heaved a sigh and noticed everyone nodding a beat later. "You remember the last time we all slept here?" They nodded once again. "We had sex in my car that night."

Shocked and surprised expressions appeared on their faces in a matter of seconds. "Wow, okay. And?" Hoseok eagerly asked.

"And he was coming to my house for the next five days and we had sex every time."

"Are you like fuck buddies or something?" Namjoon was still all out surprised, mostly because Taehyung didn't say anything to them sooner.

"I don't know what we are. It's really confusing. He's always so nice and caring to me."

"How? I mean, what does he do?" Hoseok asked.

"He, um, carries me to the bathroom after sex. We have baths together. We cuddle a lot and kiss a lot. We even sleep together. And the night I fought with my mother, I canceled our plans, but he still came to my house and comforted me. He told me so many sweet things and we didn't have sex that night."

"Wow, it seems like he really cares about you." Namjoon couldn't help the smile that spread on his lips.

"I know, right? He's really nice and sweet. And there's one more thing." His eyes dropped to the floor, timid. "Recently, I feel weird every time he kisses me. Like my heart beats faster and my stomach just tightens. I don't know how to explain it."

There was a moment of silence as Taehyung kept his head down and Namjoon and Hoseok shared a look. Before they could say anything, Seokjin beat them to it. "Taehyung... don't tell me you caught feelings for him."

"I don't know." He sighed as he rubbed his face, frustrated. "I tell myself that I haven't, but why do I miss him? Why do I want to talk to him all the time?"

"You can't have feelings for him, Taehyung," Seokjin said in a serious tone, his gaze saddening.

"I know he's my client and seven years younger—"

"No, that's not what I—Oh my God, Tae. I'm so sorry."

"What—What do you—"

"He's not the sweet and nice guy you think he is with you. He's playing you, Tae. I'm so sorry."

"What a-are you t-talking about?"

"He wants to be on your good side to make sure you'll help him financially as much as you can. He came up with this plan when his parents told him that they can't afford to pay you. I told him not to go through with it. I really tried to change his mind. When you didn't give in, he was ready to give up, and he wouldn't have done anything if you... if you hadn't gone to his house that day. Remember? The day he fired you? He said you initiated something to happen between you two."

The three boys were throughout staggered by the new information. Taehyung even felt tears burn his eyes as he listened to how he was played and how stupid he was to give in to his urges.

"I know he'll hate me, but I can't just sit here and listen to you telling us that you have feelings while he's playing you like that. It really breaks my heart. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I just hope it's not too late."

"That—that c-can't be true. He t-took care of me. He made me coffee. He slept with me and—and cuddled me because I couldn't sleep alone. He did so many things." A few tears dribbled down his cheeks unwittingly as he raised his head and laid his tearful eyes on Seokjin. "Was everything just an act?"

"I'm sorry, Tae. I'm really sorry."

A hard knot constricted Taehyung's throat, cutting off air. Hoseok detected it right away and tucked him in his hug, rubbing his back soothingly while telling him that everything was going to be okay.

With a few more palliative words and deep breaths, Taehyung calmed down a bit. "I don't feel that well. I'll head home."

"Tae, I'm really sorry," Seokjin said once again as he felt an awful tug at his heart.

"It's okay. He's your friend. I get it. Thank you for the food. Goodnight, guys."

"Call us if you need anything," Namjoon uttered before he could leave but didn't receive an answer. The door was shut a moment later, and Taehyung had disappeared from their sight.

He felt numb — an agonizing void swept across him with the revelation of Jeongguk's plan. Everything he did was just an act. Everything he did, everything he said was fake. He couldn't believe it. He truly couldn't digest any of it.

He told me so many things. He told me I'm worth more than I think. He called me his happy place. And he didn't mean anything.

He started driving without knowing where he was going. Not wanting to go home right away — to the same house he and Jeongguk spent so much time together — he drove around aimlessly, and without realizing it, he ended up on the street the ice cream store Jeongguk and his friends had broken into was.

Although it was cold, buying an ice cream didn't seem like a bad idea, so he parked his car across the street and got out. When he was ready to head to the store, his brows furrowed as his eyes landed on a clothing store that was across the ice cream place.

He scoped around through his blurred vision and eventually located a CCTV camera that was angled towards the road. Wait a fucking minute. He wiped his tears in a rush as panic rampaged inside him. He glanced back and forth at the two stores and his eyes swelled when he registered that the camera could have possibly caught what happened that night.

Heart battering against his chest, he burst into the clothing store and asked if he could have a copy of the footage from that night. After explaining that he was a lawyer and he needed to check something, the guard yielded and gave him a copy.

Why the fuck didn't I notice that when I came here the first time? Taehyung cursed himself mentally multiple times as he entered his car and started the engine. Why didn't anyone notice that?

He drove a bit faster than he should, but all he could think about was if that camera caught what happened that night. And if it did, things would become even harder for him.

He dashed into his house once he arrived and turned on his laptop. He inserted the USB and waited with bated breath for the file to open. The moment the video started, he could clearly see the ice cream store across the street. Fuck! Fuck, fuck. He gripped his hair, chewing on his bottom lip.

He fast forwarded the video until the four boys appeared on the screen. He could see perfectly clear how Jeongguk broke into the store, even though it was dark. He fast forwarded it some more until the guard popped up on the screen, banging at the door. A few moments later, Jeongguk came outside with his friends following him.

And then he saw exactly what Jeongguk had said. The guard was ready to attack him when he recoiled, grabbed the bottle from Dohyun's hands, and smashed it on his head. They stood still for a while and then started running until they disappeared from the screen.

He had to give this to the police. If they found out that he knew the truth and covered it, he wouldn't be able to practice law anymore.

What the fuck? He sighed as he shut his eyes, anxious. This is so screwed up. He ran a hand down his face and copied the video to another USB. Then, he pushed himself to his feet, plodding towards the exit.

The last thing he wanted was to meet the younger after what Seokjin told him, but he had to let him know. He was his client after all.

His heart clenched harder as he stood outside of his house. He curled his fingers into a fist, gathering any shred of courage he had left, and rang the doorbell.

Seconds later, Jeongguk's mother slid the door open. "Mr. Kim. I didn't expect you."

"Hello, Mrs. Jeon. I'm so sorry to bother you. Can I speak to Jeongguk please?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, you can't talk to him now."

"It's really important. It's about his case. He's not home?"

"He is. He just doesn't want to be disturbed when he's having company."

Taehyung's brows knitted in a frown at her words. "I don't seem to understand what you mean. I'm sure his friend will understand."

"I don't mean this kind of company."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He filled his lungs with fortifying air and emptied them again with a quivery sigh. Everything he thought and knew about him was falling apart one by one. "I-I still need to speak to him. Will you call him or should I?"

Hyekyo stepped aside as she held the door open, a disheartened expression etched on her face.

"Seriously?"

"It's better you than me. His room is upstairs, last door on the left."

Still in shock by what just happened, he rolled his eyes skywards and stormed inside. His steps were quick, but at the same time hesitant and trembling. His heart skyrocketed, his breath coming out shallow and fitful. As he edged closer and closer, the recognition of what he was about to see toppled over him, and he wasn't ready. He really wasn't ready.

He was sure then; Jeongguk had one hundred percent played him. Every word he said was a lie, and he felt so stupid for believing him. For trusting him.

With a long nasal inhalation, he straighten his posture with a roll of his shoulders as he stood in front of his bedroom door. His knuckles ghosted over the wooden surface as a flash of hesitation fluttered in his stomach. His lips grew thin with decisiveness, and he knocked three times.

"Go away," Jeongguk snarled and dipped down to claim Yuju's lips.

But he didn't budge and knocked again.

"I said go the fuck away." His tone was more aggressive and fierce this time, but his scowl disappeared as he continued kissing the girl's neck.

Taehyung swallowed the suffocating lump that formed in his throat and knocked once again.

Jeongguk groaned, frustrated, and surged towards the door, ready to yell at Hyekyo for disturbing him when he repeatedly told her not to. But every muscle in his body glaciated, freezing his blood, as he saw Taehyung at the other side.

Taehyung was determined not to let his heartache show on his features. He didn't want to give him that satisfaction. But the sight of a half-naked Jeongguk and a girl in his bed was more painful than he thought. He looked back and forth at the two for a spell and set his gaze on him.

"You were caught on camera," he said — for some reason, his voice came out hoarse. Honestly, he didn't have to talk to him. At least not at that moment. Not after knowing that he had someone else in his bed. Not after knowing how he played him from the start. He could just give the USB to his mother, but he wanted to see with his own eyes how he was played. How Jeongguk didn't give two shits about him.

He shouldn't be hurt or mad, though, right? They weren't dating. They were just having sex. And although Taehyung believed him when he said he wasn't sleeping with others, he didn't really expect him to say the truth. Of course he would sleep with others. Taehyung didn't mean anything to him. But why the hell did it hurt so much to actually see this?

The lawyer looked upwards to prevent his tears from falling as he sniffled and licked his lips. "That changes everything." He slammed the USB against his chest. It felt more like he pushed him instead of giving him the USB, but he didn't care at all at that moment.

He twisted his head away from him, and he was ready to retract his hand when Jeongguk surprisingly grasped it. He darted his gaze to him, observing his still stunned expression. His eyes became rounder with the hope of getting an explanation, not that he was obligated to give him one, but every spark of hope perished once Jeongguk tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes on him contemptuously.

"You have no right to look so hurt, pup."

Every word he spoke was agonizing, like shards drilling holes in his vulnerable heart. In seconds, a river of tears welled up in his eyes, but he couldn't let Jeongguk see him like this. He already let him see him so broken a few times, and he couldn't allow it again, especially not after he found out that he didn't care at all about him.

He wrenched his hand away as he glared at him with ruthless eyes, something that visibly startled the younger. "You might have fucked me up, even literally, but you certainly don't have the right to tell me how to look or what to feel." Despite his frosty expression, a tear rolled down his cheek, but he was quick enough to wipe it. "And I'm not your fucking pup. Not anymore at least."

With that, he spun around and marched to the exit. He released everything he had corked up — that disgusting churning of sadness, frustration, fury, and hurt — and cried his eyes out once he finally bolted out of that house.

⚜✳⚜

Don't hate me too much😔