inked metaphor |tk ✔️

chapter twenty seven.

-chapter twenty seven-

Taehyung felt empty.

It had now been two days since he spoke or even saw Jeongguk, and he wasn't sure how long it would take for him to stop hurting. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Jeongguk being pinned to the bar wall, kissing a stranger so vigorously while making no effort to push him away.

Taehyung hadn't been sleeping well.

He was hurt. How could things go so wrong?

But he was also worried.

He knew Jeongguk wasn't in the best mental state, how would Jeongguk cope with being alone? He remembers how Jeongguk had cried in his arms, how he had begged him to not leave him. He had opened up to him, and even at the start of their relationship, he had warned Taehyung that he wouldn't be a good boyfriend.

But Taehyung disagreed.

Jeongguk was a great boyfriend. Taehyung smiled softly as he remembers their dates, the cuddling -even the tsundere personality that Jeongguk had.

But... Jeongguk wasn't stable. He drunk too much, and he slept around every week before they started dating.

He didn't hate the younger man. He was just disappointed that he was lied to and betrayed while his back was turned. If Jeongguk had just come to him instead of going to the club, he could've been the one that helped the younger.

Jeongguk didn't need to kiss and sleep with strangers. Jeongguk had him. Taehyung's arms were always open, and Jeongguk just didn't run into them when he needed to.

Taehyung couldn't help but wonder as the paranoia began to sink in. How many times had Jeongguk crawled into his arms after being underneath another man just hours before?

He didn't want to label Jeongguk as a slut, but how could he not? He hated himself for it, but he was too paranoid and hurt to think clearly. Jeongguk had been having sex with other men while dating him.

Sighing, Taehyung peeled his bed covers off his body and rubbed his swollen eyes with a sigh. His face was red and bare, his black hair messy and tied back from his eyes with a bandana. He looked at his bedside, the empty bottle of Wine staring back at him almost mockingly, as he he grabbed his phone.

Ignoring the missed calls from his friends, he looked at the time.

10am.

He had work at 12.

Namjoon had kindly given him a couple of days off given the circumstances, but he knew he couldn't stay and mope for too long. He had money to make, and he couldn't let such a Silly thing halt him.

He stood up and groaned, rubbing his temples with a yawn. He could be civil with Jeongguk, treat him like a colleague. He couldn't find it in himself to dismiss the one he loves. but he wasn't sure if he wanted to get close to him again.

Because even if Jeongguk didn't mean to hurt him, he still did.

He still cheated on him.

He dragged himself to the bathroom, and ran the shower, letting the water heat up while he got his things ready for work. The bags under his eyes were dark, and he looked pale.

He looked like shit.

He looked away from the mirror and sighed as he headed back into his room to grab some clothes. Yeontan was awake now, chewing on a toy by his bed and Taehyung smiled softly, leaning down to pet him.

"Hey Tannie, sleep well?" The puppy yapped, licking at his hand and Taehyung chuckled as he stood up straight. "At least one of us did."

He grabbed his things and made his way back into the bathroom for his shower. He undressed out of his pyjamas and shivered at the nippy morning air that brushed his skin. He looked into the mirror and sighed, gently pressing on the fading hickey that Jeongguk had given him a few weeks ago.

"Why did you have to ruin it, baby?" Hs voice cracked, a lump growing in his throat as he thought of Jeongguk's small smiles, his warm blush and shy compliments. His eyes tearing up as he turned to face the shower. With shaky hands, he untied his bandana and let it drop to the floor. "W-We were doing so good..."

-

On the other hand, Jeongguk wasn't as calm as Taehyung was.

When he'd woke up with a painful hangover and many hickeys on his chest and neck, he remembered what had happened and he knew that he'd been caught in the worst act. He remembered the stranger he was with being pulled off him, Taehyung appearing in front of him as he was confronted.

He threw up many times that morning, sobbing uncontrollably over the toilet seat as he cried for Taehyung. In the midst of his breakdown, He'd thrown things, broken glass -he had completely broken down.

He ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him, and now, he'd fucked up so badly that he didn't even know where to begin with fixing it.

It had been two days now. Two days since he had any contact with Taehyung or his friends, and he was starting to think that it was over. Taehyung deserves better than him anyway, He told himself.

He left his apartment that afternoon, leaving it in the mess he'd created. There was glass all over the floor, empty bottles and nocked over furniture all over the place. He left his phone on his bed, not taking it with him as he didn't want to be reached. He hadn't been to work since that night, and he didn't think he'd be going for a long time. Not when he would see Taehyung every day.

He wasn't that brave.

Taehyung didn't deserve such a cruel betrayal, and Jeongguk couldn't forgive himself for ruining everything. It was all so perfect, and he ruined it.

Taehyung was the complete opposite of Sunwoo. He had always been kind, gentle. And it seemed that this time, the roles had reversed. Jeongguk had became the same type of person that Sunwoo was, while Taehyung was the one who was hurt.

He didn't know where he was going, but he needed to get out. He had a bad habit of running away, and that's what he was doing. He had never meant to be such a vile person. But, that's what he had become.

And he hated himself.

Hugging his jacket to his chest, he stared at the pavement as he walked, eyes swollen and empty. The soft breeze ruffled his unbrushed hair, and he kept his head hung low. He always denied getting help for his drinking and bad habits, but now-

Perhaps he needed to get help afterall.

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This book does have a happy ending. It's only chapter 27, guys!

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