Chasing Fire | VKOOK

21. Thunderstorms And Crossroads

│C H A P T E R  2 1│

Jeongguk felt himself crashing down from his high, full speed, landing face first on rock bottom.

"What?" he managed to choke out. He felt the back of his eyes start to burn as he held his gaze with Taehyung's. Taehyung's mouth opened and shut, finding something to say. "What is it, Taehyung?" Jeongguk repeated. He feigned a stern undertone, but the quiver of his lips betrayed him.

"Did you not like it-" Jeongguk questioned, softly. His heart encircled itself a harsh grip, causing it to ache.

"No, Jeongguk- I-" Taehyung started but he halted suddenly as he heaved a low sigh. "-I loved it."

Here comes the but.

"But-"

Bingo.

"But what? You kissed me and now you're saying you don't like me?" Jeongguk snapped. He wanted Taehyung to explain but simultaneously he wanted to punch the living heck out of him for making him feel all these emotions at once.

"Listen, Jeongguk-" Taehyung ran a hand through his hair. The hair returned to its place, a little messier than before. And if it was some other instance, Jeongguk would've shamelessly reached out to ruffle it back to place. But he was too furious to think about it. "I'm scared."

That was not what Jeongguk expected. His furrowed eyebrows, returned to its original place before arching one in question.

"This-" Taehyung pointed his finger back and forth at Jeongguk and himself. "-feels too good to be true. Jeongguk, I don't think you get it." He said leaning forward as he looked at Jeongguk in desperation. "I was damned to hell to not feel anymore. It's banned for me."

The desperation in the devil's voice pierced through his heart as his ears started to ring. The sight of Taehyung in tears broke him utterly. He wanted to reach out, remove any remnants of sadness from his face but he couldn't.

"The last time I fell in love, it ended bad, Jeongguk." Taehyung remarked, his eyes refusing to leave the younger's. He wanted Jeongguk to understand where he was coming from and the look on his face depicted he was letting the information sink in. "It wasn't just me who got hurt. Three people did."

Three?

Taehyung, him and Jimin. Jeongguk connected the dots.

Taehyung's hand collided lightly with Jeongguk's, his forefinger brushing against the curves of Jeongguk's knuckles. His touch halted.

"I don't care if I get hurt again." Taehyung said, his grip on Jeongguk's hand tightening as a trail of liquid trickled down his cheek on cue. "The last thing I want to do is see you hurt."

Jeongguk was breathless once Taehyung was done speaking. Jeongguk, for the first time in a very long time, was speechless. The only thing he could physically do right now was listen. He had to. He had to say something.

He looked at Taehyung.

"Do you still have feelings for him, Taehyung?"

The question was barely hearable but the devil caught it. He searched Jeongguk's eyes, struggling to see what he was coming at but to no avail. He had his answer on the tip of his tongue. For the first time ever, Taehyung was confident with his answer. He didn't have to think twice. He didn't have to search through his mental folder of memories.

"No, not anymore."

Jeongguk nodded softly.

"Do you like me?" he questioned. Taehyung tilted his head.