Serendipity

Shadows

(A conversation between the third recipient of the photo and their accomplice)

"This was not supposed to happen. Now, it is going to be very tricky to lead the plan on. We need to reassess."

"I don't want to say it, but I told you so. I told you that we can't assume they both won't get attached to each other. No matter how opposite they are. No matter how wounded or distant they both were in the beginning. Sometimes, people bond over the pain, my child. I have personally seen the shift in their relationship. It was inevitable."

"But appa, what are we going to do now?"

"We don't need to reroute our plan. We can still go ahead with what was already decided, but just with higher caution, considering the changes that have recently happened."

"If you say so, appa. I will see what more I can get done ahead of all the wedding proceedings. Hopefully, we will achieve our goal before it happens.''

"Trust me, my child. We will. We have to!"

👑👑👑

Jungkook stirred awake when the hold on his body got too tight. It took him some time to adjust to the surroundings, but once he did, he tried to loosen Tae's arms around him, which in turn made the scientist wake. Without any delay, he mumbled once again,

"Don't go, please …"

"Hey, I am not going anywhere. Just need to use the washroom. Can you let me go for a few minutes? I'll be back in no time, okay?"
He said in his morning voice. Taehyung then looked at him with those swollen, red rimmed eyes. And the prince couldn't help but caress his face. In a few seconds, he felt the hold on him loosen up, but the expressions on Tae's face were unchanged. He still looked scared, uncertain. Jungkook didn't want to panic the boy even more, so before he moved quickly to the restroom taking his phone with him, he patted the brunette's head.

When finished freshening up and quickly dialled Seokjin's number. Which surprisingly got picked up.

"Jungkook-ah? What's wrong? Is Tae okay?" The hyung on the other side asked.

"Hyung, how did you guess? But no, he is not okay. He had one of those episodes you told me about. He cried the whole night."

"Oh! What triggered it, though?"

Jungkook felt guilty because it was a bit of both of these scenarios, and he was the reason for it. He ended up briefly explaining the whole thing to Seokjin.

"I see. And thanks for sharing this with me. I know it must be hard for you, kiddo. Just stay with him as you did last night, and he will be fine. He gets back into the grey zone whenever he feels cornered or left alone. But he does well with physical proximity, so if you could stay close to him, he might get out of it soon. I am sending you his therapist’s number, just in case things get a little shaky, okay? He generally needs me or Hoseok around him in times like these, but don't worry, he hasn't spammed Hoseok with the calls yet. It means he is doing okay with you. Thank you for taking care of my brother, Jungkook."

"No hyung, in fact I am sorry that I couldn't keep my promise. I should have done better. Because of my stupid temper tantrum, he had to go through it."

"Don't blame yourself, Kook-ah. You felt betrayed, I understand. But can I say something as a hyung?"

"Hyung, why not. Please do…"

"Do you remember when Tae started living with you? You and I had a long talk about how you can handle him, care for him, while he is there with you? Where I told you what could hurt him, trigger him? How to avoid it?"