Perhaps there was such kind of departure in the secular world, without farewell or hysterical break; even when it came over, unexpectedly, it was so peaceful that you could not feel the sadness in an instant.

It seemed as if a sudden rainstorm came on a sunny day, as if your precious vase suddenly fell onto the ground when you wiped it. In face of that, you could only feel bewildered and endless silence.

Jungkook stood in the living room alone, feeling at a loss about how to handle such situation. His mind was still in confusion. He didn’t understand why Seokjin left, and where that man could go himself.

He just stood there, suddenly a feeling of helplessness struck him. He had never felt so lonely and desolate like now. Neither did he when he became a stranger to his family for the love with his spouse, when he was so poor that a bowl of wonton was eaten for two meals, or when he had been away from home for a dozen of days with kinds of reasons. But now he did, because Seokjin was no longer behind him to give him support.

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Taehyung arrived at the rest stop. The farther they went southward, the warmer it got. At least it was already more than ten degrees Celsius warmer than Seoul.

Taehyung suggested that Seokjin should get out to have a stretch, because it was tired for both driving and taking the car. He handed the dog’s leash to the latter and said, “Do you want to hold it?”

Seokjin said nothing, but he still took the rope and walked the dog carefully, with some hidden vitality and brightness on his face, which was rare to see.

“Why don’t you keep one by yourself since you like dogs so much?” Taehyung followed beside Seokjin, smiling.

Seokjin shook his head and replied, “My family doesn’t like it.”

Taehyung was sure to understand his meaning, and he was jealous of Jungkook more or less in his heart. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Taehyung turned up the warm wind of the air conditioner the moment they got in the car. Seeing Seokjin folding the overcoat, he could not help but blurt out the thing which he deeply cared about, “...You don’t have to be serious if he’s just seeking for fun. Seokjin, I know that kind of man very well. They always have more than one lover at the same time, and know how to sweet-talk the one he is particularly interested in. You’re not a kid anymore. You should have a plan for your future.”

Hearing that, unexpectedly, Seokjkn laughed. Not out of malicious sarcasm instead, it was just because those words sounded funny to him. He tilted his head and turned his eye to Taehyung, his black pupils shining. He asked, “You think I am a lover kept by him?”

That was not a pretty word to put on a man. Taehyung slightly frowned, “I'm afraid you're being cheated.”

Seokjin looked out of the window, the reflective stripes on the highway twinkling.

The dog was spirited after sleep and walk, so it leaned towards Seokjin and Taehyung through the gaps of seats. Seokjin took some dehydrated fruit and fed it, continuing gently, “You dont need to question it, sometimes I don't want to believe it myself, but it's all true. I have been together with Jungkook for more than 10 years. He has already fallen into the habit of cheating on me, but what can I do? I know I am disappointing these years, and even willing to do feudal women's obligations because I loved him so much. I give up my career and my life depends on him. I cook and warm bed for him after he was tired of playing outside. It's like saying there won't be a difference between having an illness or not.” he patted the dog on its head, looking at the doctor, and said, “And that's how things are. Are you satisfied?”

It was not that Seokjin did not care his love to Jungkook. He said those mean words in such a casual manner just because he was unable to let it go. However, this satire hurt himself in return.

How could he be regarded as a lover kept by Jungkook? The house should have been owned by both of them. Seokjin should have had shares in the company. Even if the same-sex love was not acceptable to ordinary people, it was still called love. They had once faced their parents, as well as the eyes of the world.

But everything had changed. It was just that the older did not love him so deep as before, and after a few years of struggling in business world, Jungkook had accumulated some capitals. But none of these could be enough to describe Seokjin as a lover kept by Jungkook.

In fact, Seokjin had been aware of Taehyung’s mind as soon as he said those words which implied everything. ‘Taehyung might actually have feelings on me, but how much of it was just his own wishful thinking'

Taehyung also regretted to have said that. What he thought was not exactly the same as Seokjin did. Taehyung was just clumsy of speech. It was possible to have IQ decline in front of the person you loved. He really cared about him, but what Taehyung cared was not his love affairs with the other. He was afraid that Seokjin was cheated. He was also sad that…the man he loved so much would not share love to him.

When faced with something he cherished, even a saint would be possessive more or less, let alone a common man. He wanted to own it, the same as a wild animal wanted to own the land. He didn’t want his treasure to be touched, coveted or even casted a glance by the others.

So how could Taehyung be satisfied after he heard what Seokjin said? He would rather If the latter had made a mistake like a fool; at least it was nothing to do with love. However, the precondition of Seokjin’s infatuation was the 10 years he spent with Jungkook, the most beautiful, the purest and the most pertinacious age, that no one could get involved in. When one fell in love with a person at that age, it must be for a lifetime.

What lasted a whole life, if not happiness, would only be hurt in the heart.

“I’m sorry.” Taehyung did not know what to say, feeling listless.

Seokjin did not care at all. He rubbed the fat face of Tan, smiling, “There's nothing to be sorry about, I have caused you trouble for so long. You have some right to know as well.”

It was possible that Seokjin did not care what Taehyung said because he did not care about it all. People of this temper were the hardest to conquer: no matter you were affectionate or implicitly contemptuous, his heart did not open for you, and you could not hurt him with anything, your sword or spear.

Supposing that Taehyung didn’t know that, how could he, a man would blush to ears at a teasing or a sight of others, speak words of keeping a lover and warming the bed in such a restrained, cold and frank way. Perhaps it was life that had hardened and changed something of him, or it was the love experience with Jungkook that had brought him the greatest sorrow.

This was the result of once opening his heart wide. It was pain all over.