Forbidden Love | Taennie Idolverse

Chapter 19

He gazed intently into my eyes and civilly inquired, "Were you truly involved romantically with Kai?" I sensed no trace of anger in his gaze, only a sincere plea for me to tell the truth.

As I gazed into his eyes, I confided, "Initially, I despised Kai due to his off-putting personality, despite our media stunt. Nevertheless, we gradually developed a great bond, and while I did harbor certain emotions toward him, they didn't quite qualify as love. Rather, they were more like infatuation, particularly since Kai had already been dating Krystal - a fact that only SM's most trusted personnel were privy to, even if they broke up in front of public eyes." I sighed, and continued, "Despite her dislike regarding our Media play, Krystal remained kind towards me whenever we crossed paths. Nonetheless, our unexpected kiss which was my first kiss proved to be the turning point - she caught us in the act, and demanded that Kai choose between us, claiming that we were simply 'friends'. Torn between us, Kai ultimately decided to end our friendship, and we never saw each other again." 

A solitary tear trickled down my cheek, prompting Taehyung to enfold me in a comforting embrace. We remained locked in each other's arms for a spell until he broke the silence with a probing question: "Do you miss him?" Uncertain of how to respond, I chose to tell the truth, admitting, "Yes, but only as a friend." I added, "Kai and I shared an irreplaceable bond, and I miss our friendship dearly. However, my heart belongs entirely to you, Taehyung." His expression softened, and he reassured me, "Jennie, I trust you." He then donned his face mask and gestured for me to follow suit before escorting me out of his apartment and into his vehicle, where I took a seat beside him in the passenger's side.

"What's our destination?" I inquired, receiving a chuckle in response from him followed by, "You'll find out once we get there." Frustration grew within me due to my intense curiosity, and after some time, he parked his car outside a building that I recognized as Hannah's apartment. Confusion washed over me as we entered the building and took the lift to the 28th floor, where Hannah's apartment was located. We knocked, and to my surprise, the BTS and Blackpink members and Tzuyu were all there, but my focus was solely on Kai.

Upon entering the apartment, Kai greeted me warmly with a hug which I reciprocated. He expressed his affection by saying, "Jen, I missed you." I jokingly responded, "Missed you too, you silly guy," eliciting laughter from both of us. Although Taehyung seemed slightly envious, he remained good-natured and I proceeded to inquire how Kai ended up there. Jimin explained that Jisoo Unnie informed Taehyung about my publicity stunt with Kai which prompted them to orchestrate a reunion. Grateful for their efforts, I expressed my appreciation and we engaged in some light-hearted conversation. Taehyung and Kai playfully roasted me as we contemplated having dinner at Hannah's house.

I cautiously inquired of Kai, "How is Krystal doing?" To which he responded with sadness, "We parted ways romantically a few months after we ended our friendship as we fell out of love." Worried if I may have contributed to their split, I reassured him by saying, "Don't worry about it, Kai." He responded with a smile.

Taehyung's POV

Although I experienced a tinge of envy upon witnessing Jennie and Kai's interaction, ultimately, I took pleasure in having successfully facilitated their rekindled friendship. However, it was evident to me, through Kai's gaze, smile, and conversation with Jennie, that he harbored romantic feelings towards her.

"Dinner would be ready in about an hour," Hannah stated as she exited the kitchen, to which Jungkook responded, "Can't we just order?" Jisoo Noona responded, "No, I, Hannah, and Rosie are going to cook today," to which Jimin joked, "Yall know how to cook?" Rosie replied sarcastically, "Better than you," and we all smiled as we observed Rosie roasting her own boyfriend.

"Would you like to take a stroll with me, Kai, until dinner is served?" I asked, and he responded with a smile, "Sure." After both of us put on our masks, we left the apartment and headed to a nearby park where we ambled and talked about our respective lifestyles.

Asking Kai about his feelings for Jennie, I received a melancholy chuckle as he admitted that he had harbored feelings for her since they first met, despite being in love with Krystal. He disclosed that he was unable to confess his feelings to Jennie due to his commitment to Krystal. Later, when he and Krystal broke up as they lost their feelings for each other, Kai acknowledged that Jennie was the reason for his breakup, as he was deeply in love with her but it was too late. I felt a mixture of empathy and insecurity upon hearing his confession, as I too loved Jennie more than anything, but I trusted Kai, as he was a good person and wouldn't come between us.

"Do not worry as I am fully aware of Jennie's immense love for you and her contentment with your relationship. All that matters to me is her happiness." I was jolted out of my thoughts by Kai's voice, and I responded with a grateful smile. Our conversation progressed into diverse subjects.

Jennie's POV

Kai shared his satisfaction with today's meal, prompting Hannah to express her gratitude. Jisoo Unnie and Rosie then revealed that they also contributed to prepare the dinner, which caused us all to chuckle. As I was about to speak, I received a call from an unfamiliar number, which I declined since I wasn't permitted to answer calls from unidentified sources. Jimin complimented the food, which Rosie playfully utilized as an opportunity to highlight her cooking skills by asking him if he now realized how fabulous of a cook his girlfriend was. Amidst our laughter, I continued to receive calls from the same mysterious number, prompting me to eventually answer it.

 I gestured the others to carry on with their meal, while I rose from my seat and strolled toward the balcony.

"I expressed my curiosity by asking 'May I know who is speaking?' However, the response from the person on the other side of the call left me shocked."

"I am Hannah's Mom"