NEPENTHE

Chapter 2

The reasons keeps growing why Taehyung doesn't feel at ease or comfortable around Jungkook's friends. They actually never accepted him in their circle and they made sure Taehyung knows that. Some of them doesn't even feel the need to hide their disinterest.

They never fails to show him his place and that is not beside them.

Taehyung never even wanted to be around them either. He is very much content with his life, with whatever littlest thing he has. He never asks for more. He's always thakful to God that he's healthy and doing well with his life on his own pace. He never was a greedy person either.

He's only here because of his boyfriend wants him here. Even his friends are openly being rude & judgemental, he just want jungkook to know that no matter the place or situation he will always love to be by his side. He only loves Jungkook who warms his soul, who makes him feel home.

Just a few months before he wouldn't believe this type of feeling could be exist. But now things have change and he is unaware of how much scared he is to lose it.

So just as he previously thought, he will be more active and dedicated in his love life. He will be someone his boyfriend could be proud of.

But sometime he feels like life is truly testing his strength. Like now while sitting among all these rich happy people while looking ahead the vast city lights from this above he feels lonely.... so lonely.

Lonely even when sitting beside his boyfriend. And during their 5 months dating he's feeling something like this for the first time?
....or, more like he's realising it for the first time. If he look back closely a bit earlier he might see it's been always like that...... he's been always lonely. But he still wasn't able to grasp the full reality yet.

He don't want to admit this, the thought scares him so much. No he's wrong, he's just tired from less sleep for past few nights. Anyways, everything is ok because Jungkook loves him, he knows that.....right?

The thing is this is the 3rd time of this week Jungkook had asked him to join them. Taehyung has assignment deadline tomorrow but Jungkook said it won't take long, he will be able to return his dorm quickly and work on his project that he's assaigned to. And as usual Taehyung couldn't say no to him, he doesn't want to upset his boyfriend.

This time they held their outing at this luxurious rooftop bar & restaurants of one of the tallest building in Seoul.

He is in awe with its architectural sights, talking in every beautiful nook & corner with his big sparkle eyes. He gasped audibly and widen his eyes when he got to know that this grandiose & expensive five star hotel belong to JK Group. That means Jungkook's family's.

He is aware that Jungkook is the only heir of JK Group but he didn't know this building is belongs to them, thats all.

"Do you like it baby?" jungkook had asked him when he saw his reaction, a knowing smirk on his face. Taehyung nodded few times still admiring with shinning eyes at all of these elegant interiors and expensive art pieces on the walls around them. He's always been very fascinated by interior & architectural beauty. He's an Architecture major after all. And he loves arts.

He snapped back from his adimiration when he heard jungkooks friends snorts.

"Close your mouth country boy you're drooling" Jisung one of Jungkook's rich friend suddenly said, so close to his ear. Taehyung yelped from the sudden proximity, his hold tighten on jungkook's bicep, he glares at jisung who just smirked and walked ahead.

"Oh come on Ji, cut him some slack, i bet it's his first time seeing something this expensive, you can't expect less from a country boy, can you?" Chae Yunhee, daughter of another chaebol family said with a fake worry and pout on her face. Another batch of mocking laughter can be heard.

Taehyung sighs, he looked at jungkook who was looking at his phone texting someone. there wasn't any sort reaction from jungkook like he wasn't aware of his friends were insulting his boyfriend right in front of him....and this is not the first time though.

He doesn't expect jungkook to defend him or fight his friends for him but he wish he would at least stop them.

Taehyung sighs again and lower his head, biting his lower lip anxiously. He just want to go back to his dorm already. The gray feeling is cpming back..

It's not like Taehyung have never been bullied before, it was in middle school but he never feel humiliated like this. It's become constant these past days...

"Do you know what we call people like you?" a new high pitch voice stratled him, suddenly talks from behind them, looking directly at Taehyung, there's so many hatred on her eyes. Jung Soomin daughter of Jung Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment industry in South Korea.

"A gold digger" she glared at him. "People like you always jumped on the first opportunity they get" she added.

Taehyung has learned already how a beautiful face can be look this ugly and evelish if their soul is rotten, just like her. Jung Soomin proven this very successfully.

Taehyung doesn't know why she hates him so much. She never leave a chance to humiliate him and hurt his feelings verbally. Taehyung wanted to ask what has he ever done to her.

She is in the same department with him, although she's older than him. While Jungkook and his other friends were senior year. She and her friends always makes fun of him in the class, annoys him, calling him with names, insults him. But even all of this he never once complained to jungkook. He's not a whiny person or a cry baby.

And most importantly what will he say?, she has known jungkook since forever while he just met him six months ago. She's Jungkook's childhood friend after-all.

"Okay, enough soomin, give him a break and stop being childish for once, we're already late for you. Let's order the fucking food now for fuck sake i'm hungry" Cha Yunwoo heir of Cha Group of Industries said.

Taehyung looked up to see the person just talked and now he's in disbelief that someone from this group would ever defend him.

"What? I'm just saying the truth. Isn't this why he's dating jungkook at first place?, he knows Jungkook is the only heir and successor of SK group, can't you see?" she took a breathe and continued "we all know that a boy like him who doesn't even have any basic sense of dressing or any elegance to begin with is just after the money and status" she stated and flipped her hair like she's the most righteous person present there.

Being speechless would be just understatement. Even for the other rich kids present there seems to a bit uneasy.

Taehyung feels sadness engulfing him, he let jungkook's hand go.

His eyes started to well up, he blinked rapidly his tears away, he won't cry here.... no not in front of these people.

He looked up at his boyfriend who is already looking at him, may be for the time of this night,
to say he is sorry to disappoint him once again and will just go home.
He has hope that Jungkook will understand.

But before he do that another voice spoke up...

"Are you sure Jung Soomin?, you are not talking about yourself, are you?"

Everyone's heads turned that direction the voice came except Taehyung. He just had enough for the the night. Exhaustion and sadness started creeping on him. He couldn't find himself to care anymore...he closed his eyes in exasperation, shoulders slumped and head hanging low.

He heard foot steps coming towars them....then a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

★★★★★