♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

As soon as he's had his fill, Taehyung parts from Jungkook's lips with hooded eyes. His heart is thumping unhealthily in his chest as his eyes rake over Jungkook, having no idea where to begin to explain where that came from and why. Taehyung swore up and down and around the globe that he despised Jeon Jungkook with a fiery passion, but in an instant Taehyung has extinguished that fire. His memories are furnishing his brain beautifully and everything is so much clearer. He can see every memory he's made with Jungkook as vividly as possible and it pains him and eases him all at once. He can finally see all the purity in Jungkook, how precious, loving and perfect he is in all his glory.

"Taehyung...why--"

"Why did you kiss me back?"

"Was I not supposed to?"

 Taehyung sighs and Jungkook's eyes remain closed, as if he's immersed in his thoughts. It's when he opens them slightly, that Taehyung captures how stunning he is. Every feature of his face is perfectly, solidly constructed yet so delicate it moves something inside of him. How did he not see it before? Was he really able to turn a blind eye to someone so ravishing in every way for this long?

"Everything I did to you when we were kids...I'm so sorry. I don't even know where to start...I have twelve years that I need to make up to you." 

"Don't worry about that. Let's focus on the future." Jungkook's expression radiates kindness and warmth, his eyes a beacon of light.

How could someone so perfect have wanted me? 

I want to tell him everything. I want to tell him how I feel...

Even I don't know how I feel. But he feels...right. Everything about him makes sense.

"Jungkook, I think...I think I l--" 

"Don't say that," Jungkook pauses, his concentration unwavering as he hears the incoming syllable. "please don't play with me Taehyung. I'm begging you."

Taehyung blinks back at him with desperation in his eyes, as if he can feel Jungkook getting further and further away, slipping right through his fingers. "What?"

"You know how badly I wanted you. How hard I fell for you, and how bad it hurt," Jungkook traces his thumb along Taehyung's red lips, burning his eyes into them, focusing so hard it looks like he's lost touch with reality. "I had to go through years of therapy to finally let go of you. I've let go, Taehyung. So please, don't do this to me. Not again."

"I know I've been a jerk Jungkook, but things are different now...I'm serious. I can fix it, I'll fix everything I promise." Taehyung is reaching for something--anything--to get Jungkook to look at him the way he used to. The look that begged him to say yes, the eyes that would swell from crying so much every night, and the heart that broke for him a million times. He wanted all that and then some, every molecule of Jungkook he wanted back he knew he couldn't have. Taehyung can't help that he's this selfish, this greedy for perfection that he can't touch. He's destroyed the boy to the point of no return, and he still isn't ready to face Judgment Day. It hurts too bad to tell him, but he needs to know.

He didn't deserve him, and he never would.

So Taehyung decides that he will finally suffer the consequences of his actions. "Jungkook, I really need to tell you something.."

"Me first." Jungkook looks determined, taking Taehyung's attention once again.

"You know, this song was for you. I started writing it when I was sixteen, but I never got around to finishing it." Jungkook runs his large fingers across the notepad in his lap, closing his eyes with a smile on his lips. "I couldn't think of a name for the life of me, but I finally decided to call it 'Love Is Not Over'. It's about how painful love can be, and how there's still hope to get it back even when it's broken. It was very painful loving you, but I still care for you a great deal."

Is he trying to kill me?

Taehyung is now standing on the precipice of heartbreak because Jungkook is being Jungkook and he's making it next to impossible to come clean. "Jungkook please. Stop."

Jungkook smiles, having been figured out. "Well, whatever it is you're going to tell me, if it's that terrible I'm glad I got to kiss you one last time," Jungkook pushes his notepad aside and the leather strap around his neck. "You still taste like sunshine."

Taehyung's heart stops.

He remembers...

The words fall out like vomit, and he wants to grab them back and hide them, make the hatred disappear somehow, make it so this perfect man would still bother with him. It's far too late, because Jungkook's eyes widen when Taehyung says "It was me" and he doesn't understand. He doesn't want to understand what he's going to say next. 

"I made a bet with someone. A terrible, horrible, childish bet to mess up your life...so...I played all these pranks on you, and I did all these horrible things because I wanted to see you hurt because I was hurting and--"

"Jeni?" Jungkook doesn't have an expression. Rather, he doesn't have a face at all. He looks like a corpse, body stiff as a board as he attempts to process what Taehyung is telling him. Taehyung nods, picking at the loose yarn in the sleeves of his sweater and looking at the floor. "The locker room? SNU? The team?"

"I didn't know you'd lose your scholarship or get kicked off the team Jungkook, that wasn't my intention at all."

"What was your ing intention, then?" Jungkook's blunt nails are sinking into his toasted-almond skin, leaving angry red indentations. His voice is dangerously calm, similar to how he was when he cornered Taehyung that day by the gym. Tae almost stutters out a reply before realizing his question was very rhetorical, and his temper was rising to dangerous levels. "I was nothing but kind to you, and the entire time you were ing with me?"

"Jungkook...I'm so sorry, I was an idiot and this entire thing was stupid. I just...I just want to fix everything and I will if you just give me a chance. I was upset because your life was so great and I was still miserable..but I was wrong about everything. If you just let me make it right I..." Taehyung's voice trails off and his lip quivers slightly because he realizes it's hopeless. Jungkook's chest is heaving violently and Tae has never seen him so angry before; he's instantly regretting his confession when Jungkook tears the pages out of his notebook without a word and throws them into the nearest wastebin.

"You're a ing piece of work. A selfish, childish, jealous, mean piece of work. I hope you're happy, really I do. You've caused so much ery in my life and you're still here. Mission accomplished."

"Jungkook please...I want to--"

"It's always about what you want, hm? How you were the victim, how you were so traumatized. You're your favorite person, and that's your ing problem. You are incapable of thinking of anyone else but yourself Taehyung. Your head is so far up your own you can't even see straight. I don't know what I ever saw in you, you aren't human. You didn't need to do any of this to ruin my life; you ruined my life the day I fell in love with you." 

Taehyung bites his lip because he doesn't want to cry. He doesn't want to look even more pathetic than he already is, as if that were even possible. His feet are rooted to the floor and he can't seem to move from Jungkook's cold, dead stare.

"Get out."

Taehyung doesn't know why he's still trying, but he can't stop begging at the feet of the beautiful, flawless man before him. "You have every right to hate me...but I swear, I'm going to fix this. Even if you never forgive me." Taehyung turns to leave because he clearly isn't welcome, but Jungkook stops him. "Take this. I'm sure you'll be happy now that you have it." Jungkook's muscles tense as he rips the leather strap off of his neck and tosses it at Taehyung. He catches the necklace before it can touch the ground, and he opens his hand to reveal a small pearly incisor dangling from the leather.

"It's my good luck charm. I tuck it in my shirt so it doesn't get dirty or break." 

All this time he's kept it safe, right next to his heart...

The tears dribble out before Tae can squeeze them back in, and he bolts out of the hospital.

He collapses in the rain outside, where Jimin is waiting on his bike with a box of tissues to take him home.

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

It's only when Jungkook begins avoiding Taehyung like the plague two weeks after the incident that his powers of perception sharpen tenfold and he begins noticing. Noticing everything about Jungkook, in particular. To say it's torture would be an understatement.

Tae notices the top button that is always neglected on Jungkook's uniform shirt, and the subtle cologne he applies to the pulse point on his neck (Taehyung knows because he inhales deeply when he sits behind him in math class). He notices the way Jungkook chews, and how he resembles a bunny eating grass when he eats rice cakes in particular. He notices the depth of his delicious v-line leading to his manhood, the sharpness of his hipbones and the gray sweatpants that hang from them after gym class. He notices his back muscles, the way they crease then separate when he does pull ups in the gym. His triceps and his biceps, and his abs all perfectly carved when he's shirtless in the weight room and Taehyung isn't watching him from afar with his jaw hanging open.

Needless to say, Jungkook makes his skin hot and his vision foggy, his mouth wet and his palms sweaty.

Apparently so foggy that he doesn't notice the basketball spiraling towards him until it bounces off his head and almost knocks him dizzy. Taehyung curses and rubs the developing knot on his forehead, regaining his balance. He looks up to see Jimin pouting down at him, his brows furrowed in concern. "I'm sorry, I at three-pointers...are you okay?" 

"ing fantastic," Taehyung replies sarcastically, grinning at his friend. "I'm convinced my head is full of rocks anyway."

Jimin pokes his cheek with his tongue, not understanding what he's getting at. "You remember that story I told you about when me and Jungkook were kids?" Jimin nods curiously and Taehyung continues. "Well, apparently I hit my head and forgot everything. None of it was true."

Jimin gasps dramatically and places a hand over his mouth, a er for gossip. "Get out. You're lying," Taehyung shakes his head and Jimin gasps again. "so what really happened?"

"He told me he liked me, I got mad and broke his nose," Taehyung frowns, dreading the memory now that it was so clear. "I was storming off, then I tripped. Busted my and my tooth popped right out. Karma sure is a ." Taehyung chuckles slightly as Jimin places a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really sorry about yesterday, Taehyung." Jimin looks at the floor as he remembers how he only made things worse. Taehyung smiles at him nonetheless, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and hugging him. "You're my best friend and I needed that. I was an ; a little tough love never hurt."

Jimin perks up again, soaking into his friend's touch. "So I take it you told him?"

"Yup."

"Does he hate you?"

"Yup."

"Damn the tables really have turned," Jimin catches a glimpse of Jungkook shooting baskets out of the corner of his eye; the boy smiles at him and nods hello. When his eyes wander over to Taehyung, his entire expression darkens and he goes to a different area of the gym to practice. "..oh. I see."

"But I'm going to fix it. I can get everything back, even Jeni."

Jimin  his head to the side, unraveling his water bottle. "The damage has already been done. Why go and risk making it worse? Just move on," Jimin tries to spin a basketball on his fingers, frowning when it falls off of his chubby index finger for the sixth time in a row. "wow, I really ing ..."

"I can't just move on Jimin. You know that."

"You still have me! Why not?"

"I can't because...because I might be falling in love with him." Jimin spits out the water he was drinking, coughing out his lungs in the process. "You what?! Taehyung, that's a serious statement--"

"I mean every single word. When I realized the mistake I made, how Jungkook loved me unconditionally even though I was a Class A dickhead...it just hit me. I felt so many things for him, and now...I can't stop thinking about him." Jimin stares at him with puppydog eyes, shutting his eyes tight. "I was right. I knew you liked him! This is so ing precious, I have to help. Let me help!"

"I have to come up with a plan. First, we need to get him back on the team."

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

The principal's office is normally quiet on a Thursday, but the gasps that follow Taehyung as he walks up to the secretary are nothing short of incredulous. He's only there when he's discussing official class president business with the principal, but the issue at hand today is apparently shocking to the entire office...and student body.

"Good morning. I have an appointment with Principal Lee. Is she available at the moment?"

"Of course Taehyung. Go right ahead." The secretary motions toward the grand doors and Taehyung smiles graciously, bowing slightly. A dry lump forms in his throat when he places a hand on the rich mahogany and knocks, reluctantly waiting for a voice.

"Come on in Taehyung."

Taehyung has been sitting in the principal's office for all of five minutes and her jaw is already on the floor, not believing her teacher's pet is telling her all of this. She removes her glasses and pushes her loose strands behind her ear before leaning in close to assess the situation. "So let me understand this correctly," Taehyung nods, his hands tightly knit in his lap.

"you were responsible for the...incident at the game?"

"Yes ma'am."

"The video of Mr. Jeon showing his..ahem.."

"Yes ma'am," Taeyung is unable to hide his shame, biting his lip. "Jungkook was by no means responsible for any of this. I humiliated him in the worst way possible, and bullying should never be tolerated under any circumstances."

Principal Lee has a conflicted look on her face as she tilts her head from side to side. "I would've never expected this behavior from you, of all people. I'm very disappointed in you Taehyung," Taehyung nods, looking down at his feet. "what would you have me do, in addition to suspension and community service?"

Taehyung sits up straight, as if he expected her to ask the question. "I'll be stepping down from all student council activities. A bully isn't deserving of my position and I understand I'm in no position to ask for anything, but..."

"But?"

"I'd like for Jungkook to return to his position as team captain. He was kicked off of the soccer team because of this, and he lost his scholarship as well..." Taehyung trails off when her frown gets deeper and deeper. She sighs as if she doesn't know what to do next and picks up the phone.

"Yes. I'd like Jeon Jungkook pulled from class. I need to speak with him a moment."

Taehyung feels his heart drop into his . "P-Principal Lee, that won't be necessary--"

"I know what I'm doing." She smiles back at him as they wait in silence, and Taehyung is sorting through ways to get the out of there and quick.

, he's going to see me and think I'm just doing more things to meddle in his life.

I need to leave. I need to leave quickly. Someone shoot me.

Taehyung is sweating bullets, rivers, waterfalls when Jungkook steps into the office, delivering a bow before sitting down and smiling. He doesn't even look in Taehyung's direction--it's as if he isn't even there. 

"Thank you for coming, Jungkook. It's been brought to my attention that you were asked to leave the soccer team, correct?" Jungkook looks confused but nods nonetheless. "Was this due to the prank inolving your appearance at the homecoming game?" Jungkook looks embarrassed and Taehyung is wondering why he has to suffer through this meeting when she knows the answer already.

"Yes, ma'am. With all due respect, I take full responsibility for my actions that day. I've suffered the consequences of those actions appropriately."

No way. He can't be...

Is he actually sticking up for me right now?

Before Taehyung can protest, the principal cuts in. "No need," she holds a hand up, indicating that he stop talking. "It's admirable that you'd like to stick up for your friend, but he's already told me the politics of the situation. I will speak to your coach later on today. If all goes well, you should have your spot back by tomorrow. You may return to class, but not without a lollipop."

Jungkook has a gleeful smile on his face as he tries to contain his excitement. "Thank you very much, Principal Lee. Have a great day." He bows one last time before sliding out of the door, not giving a single glance to Taehyung. She crosses her arms and sits back in her chair, glaring. "I hope you learn from this, Taehyung."

Taehyung sighs as he thinks how Jungkook couldn't stomach a single look at him. "Trust me, I already am."

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

Jungkook feels much happier that he can wake up on a Friday morning and put his soccer uniform in his bag. He runs downstairs to find his mother making omelettes in the kitchen, not noticing him until he kisses her cheek. "Kookie, I told you not to wear those pants until I sew them up for you." 

"It's only the left pocket mom, they're not going to spontaneously fly off into the sunset. All my other uniforms are dirty." Jungkook snickers and grabs an omelette, earning a slap on the hand when he tries to sneak an extra loaf of bread. "Ouch! Mom, it's just you and me. Don't be so stingy."

"That's your brother's." Jungkook's face lights up with the mention of his older brother. "Hyung is coming back from America?"

"He graduated from the Engineering program and he won't stop talking about you." She sets four plates on the table instead of three, then Jungkook knows something isn't right. "with your father."

The joy deflates from Jungkook's expression and he quiets down, packing his lunch without a word. "Don't be like that Kookie. He's your dad."

"He's a tyrant," Jungkook is beyond amused by the word 'father' when his mother says it. "he only loves me when I'm on the field. Other than that he doesn't support any of my aspirations or my career. So no, I'm not thrilled to be seeing him after all this time. I barely know the guy." He seals up his lunch bag and combs his bangs back before putting on his glasses. "Don't worry, I won't be late for dinner." He gives her a kiss on the cheek and is out the door, while she contemplates how to make Jungkook more comfortable at the stove.

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

"Hyungie," Jimin bursts into the student council office while Taehyung is packing up his things with a giant pout on his face. His eyes are shining as if he wants to cry and Taehyung presumes he's heard the news. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Oh stop that," Taehyung grins and nudges him. "I'm still your best friend, I'm not going anywhere. You're the new president now."

"That's too much responsibility. As vice, I didn't have to actually do ." Jimin smirks as he helps pack up Taehyung's Kakao Friends plushies, frowning when he can't find the Ryan one. "Hey, Ryan's missing." Taehyung looks back at him, wondering who he's talking about.

"Oh. I think I left him in the storage closet to dry in the vents after he got dirty in the rain. Mind if I go get him?"

"Sure, just be careful with that door, it locks from--"

Jimin's voice is drowned out by Tae's footsteps, as he's already gone before he can finish. Taehyung runs down two large hallways and past the music room to the storage closet, opening the door and flicking on the lights. His Ryan doll sits high atop the shelves next to the vents and he uses a broom to knock it down safely into his arms. He looks into the teddy bear's eyes, grinning up at him. "Let's go home." Taehyung goes to turn the knob, puzzled when he is met with resistance. He turns it again, gasping when it won't open. 

"No," He tries again, banging on the door. "No no no no! Oh god," He starts panicking when he realizes he's locked in, and can think of nothing else to do but scream for help.

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

"Do you hear something?" Yoongi pauses with chopsticks in his mouth as he fiddles with his sound board. "Sounded like a scream." Jungkook stares at him sarcastically before looking down at lyrics on his phone. "I can hear a lot with these headphones on. I can even hear Namjoon breathing five doors down in English."

"Har ing har har," Yoongi rolls his eyes, beginning to play a track. "Let's hear it again." Jungkook clears his throat and reads lyrics typed up on his phone, breathing calmly through his nostrils and singing oh so delicately.

"Love is so painful...goodbyes are even more painful, I can't go on if you're not here~" Jungkook is about to go ino his next verse when he stops all of a sudden and Yoongi gets impatient. "What! What's wrong now??"

"My phone died, I can't read the lyrics."

"Don't you know them off the top of your head?"

"Yoongi, I'm not even finished writing the song..."

"Go get your charger, then!"

"I don't have it."

Yoongi throws his hands in the air, muttering "Figures" before staring at Jungkook like an angry father. "Where is it, then?"

"I left it in my other pants, I think."

"You kids are such idiots!"

"Stop yelling at me, you're hurting my feelings!" Jungkook whines in the studio booth when Yoongi's eyebrows almost crash into each other while he frowns.

" This is why I don't work with amateurs," Yoongi huffs, tossing him a key. "I hid an extra iPhone charger in the storage closet. It's glowing blue on the top shelf. Don't around with that door, it locks from the inside. Got it?" Jungkook nods, shoving the key in his pocket and grinning. "I'll be right back."

Jungkook jogs over to the storage closet and opens the door, peeking into the eerie room before stepping inside . He spots the glowing blue immediately without turning on the lights, and he thanks his lucky stars for his height because he grabs the charger from the high shelf with ease.

"Awesome." Jungkook makes his way back to the door, digging into his pocket for the key and feeling nothing. "Oh yeah. I put it in my left pocket...if I can just--"

Jungkook reaches into his left pocket to find nothing but a gaping hole in his pocket.

You must be kidding me...

He pats himself down in utter shock, feeling all over his pants for the key. What kind of door even locks from the inside?! 

Jungkook looks to see if he can text Yoongi from his phone, but it's completely dead. He sighs in the dark, at a complete loss.

Maybe I dropped it somewhere in here. I should take a look around.

When he turns on the lights, the only thing Jungkook finds is a dosed-off Taehyung tucked in the corner of the room, softly snoring.

The light rouses him in an instant, and within seconds he's staring up at Jungkook, eyes wider than saucers.

"Jungkook..what are you doing here?"

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

I know I know I've been gone for a while. Don't be mad! I'm still in school during the summer so it's a bit challenging to keep up with updates but  don't worry! I'm still here! I really appreciate you guys reading this, and appreciate all these subscribers! I didn't expect such feedback. I've decided to go ahead and rate this story just because there may or may not be some adult themes around the corner and I don't want to be burned at the stake LOL. Anyways, if you loved/hated/wtf/are confused with this chapter leave a comment below. I LOVE to hear from you guys, it literally makes my day! See you in the next one! xoxo