Sunny Days After Rain | KOOKV

The Weight of Silence

Seasons shifted, and with each passing day, the whispers surrounding Taehyung seemed to fade into obscurity. The relentless pressure of college entrance exams now filled the void left by the hushed conversations. Some things, however, remained unchanged. Jungkook still made a point to eat lunch with Taehyung, a gesture that once brought comfort but now caused a knot of unease to tighten in his gut whenever Jungkook was near.

Minseok and his minions were preoccupied with their own exams, leaving Taehyung a temporary reprieve from their harassment.

Taehyung now didn't understand these unfamiliar feelings stirring within him. They were a risk, a threat to the fragile balance of their friendship. Pushing those emotions aside felt like the safest option - he simply couldn't bear the thought of disappointing Jungkook.

To escape the turmoil within, Taehyung buried himself in his books, the pursuit of good grades and scholarships a welcome distraction. His grandma's well-being rested on his shoulders, a responsibility that fueled his determination.

Despite his best efforts, Jungkook's occasional texts remained a source of both anxiety and comfort. He found himself drawn to them, unable to resist the urge to reply with lightning speed. The messages were innocuous enough, yet they served as a fragile thread, tethering him to the confusing emotions he desperately tried to suppress.

-

Taehyung stared up at the leaden sky, puffing out a cloud of white smoke that dissipated into the frigid air. Despite the winter jacket, a persistent chill seeped into his bones. Suddenly, a warmth enveloped him from behind.

"Cold?" a familiar voice asked.

Taehyung turned, a small smile gracing his lips as he met Jungkook's eyes. "Yeah, a little."

Jungkook's arms remained wrapped around him, a silent comfort in the bustling crowd. "Jungkook?" Taehyung called out after a moment, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty.

Jungkook turned, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features before he offered a quick smile. He unwound the thick scarf from around his own neck and slipped off his gloves. With practiced ease, he secured the scarf around Taehyung's neck and slipped the gloves onto his hands.

"You'll be cold," Taehyung protested, a flicker of concern in his eyes.

"Nah," Jungkook replied nonchalantly, his gaze drifting back to the throng of students assembled for the graduation ceremony. Each one was surrounded by proud parents, another pang of loss twisting in Taehyung's gut. His grandma, his sole guardian, was too frail to attend. He'd insisted, wanting to spare her the exertion.

Silence settled between them, broken only by the murmur of the crowd. "Where are your parents?" Taehyung asked, noticing Jungkook remained by his side.

"Jungkook?" he called out tentatively when his friend didn't respond.

A frown creased Jungkook's forehead as he finally met Taehyung's gaze. "Busy," he muttered, his voice unusually distant.

There was something different about Jungkook today. His eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, were clouded with a mix of emotions – sadness, perhaps even worry. He kept stealing glances at Taehyung, his mind seemingly preoccupied.

Jungkook shot Taehyung a glance, then yanked him through the throng of students, his grip tight on Taehyung's hand. They weaved towards a secluded classroom - their secret room.

Whispers followed in their wake. "Where's Jeon dragging him?" one student muttered. "Let's follow," another chimed in, curiosity piqued.

A myriad of questions swirled in Taehyung's mind. What was wrong with Jungkook? His usual carefree demeanor was replaced by a brooding intensity. An unsettling silence hung heavily between them, punctuated only by Jungkook's unwavering gaze.

Before Taehyung could voice his concerns, Jungkook broke the silence. "What are you going to do?" he asked, his voice laced with a strange urgency. "After graduation, I mean."

Taehyung wasn't entirely sure about his future path. "Maybe work in a restaurant," he admitted, his fingers fidgeting nervously.

He stole a glance at Jungkook, catching a glimpse of a raw emotion he couldn't decipher. Then, in a swift movement that stole Taehyung's breath, Jungkook pulled him closer, their lips meeting in a sudden, unexpected kiss.

Taehyung froze, his hand instinctively reaching out to grip Jungkook's jacket. Wide-eyed and stunned, his mind reeled.

The door suddenly burst open. Before Taehyung could do anything, he fell to the floor. Jungkook had pushed him. He looked up to see Jungkook, his face flushed, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Taehyung looked at the door to see who it was. His gaze met Yejun and Young Jae's. Their surprise morphed into anger, which then twisted into disgust.

"What the fuck were you doing?" Yejun roared, his voice laced with venom.

"So you were gay, Tete! You were gay all along! Ha! Never thought Jeon was into that too!" Minseok and Doyoon erupted in cruel laughter, their taunts echoing in the room. Seeing Taehyung yanked away by Jungkook, they both followed.

Taehyung felt his body tremble with a potent mix of fear.

He raised his head to see Jungkook's face. It was emotionless, making it difficult to read. Jungkook wiped his lips with the back of his hand, his eyes darting from Taehyung to Minseok.

A cold fury replaced the confusion in his eyes. "He was the one," Jungkook snarled, pointing a finger at Taehyung. His voice was thick with accusation. "Gays are sick," he finished the sentence, his words dripping with disdain.

The world lurched on its axis, a sickening tilt that mirrored the churning in Taehyung's gut. He thought they were closer, yet now Jungkook branded him an outcast, a "sick" person. The weight of betrayal crushed him, stealing his breath and leaving him speechless. His gaze locked on a Jungkook he no longer recognized, a stranger cloaked in the familiar face of Jungkook.

A stinging slap jolted him out of his daze. Taehyung's right cheek burned with a sharp pain. His head whipped to the right from the force of the blow.

"You disgusting freak! Stay away from Jungkook," Yejun said furiously.

"Damn it. The fox was hiding in sheep's clothing," Young Jae spat out his words.

He watched Jungkook turned to leave with Yejun and Young Jae. Now, Taehyung was alone with the bullies, Minseok and Doyoon.

They charged at Taehyung, a flurry of fists and kicks raining down on him. Curses were spat in his direction, a venomous chorus that seemed to echo in his numbskull. He didn't flinch, didn't whimper. His body, a broken doll, felt nothing as the blows landed.

The beating stopped abruptly. The door slammed shut. Taehyung was completely alone. Tears streamed down his face, hot and silent at first. Then, a choked sob escaped his lips, turning into a torrent of grief that wracked his entire body. His whole body trembling. He leaned against the table for support, his legs shaking uncontrollably. He couldn't understand why Jungkook would do this to him. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet Jungkook betrayed him in the end. He cried aloud, his sobs echoing through the empty room.

Taehyung didn't know how much time had passed. The sun remained stubbornly in the sky. The morning graduation ceremony felt like a lifetime ago, replaced by the suffocating silence of the afternoon. He traced the glistening tear stains on his cheek, his eyes red and swollen. A metallic tang filled his mouth, his right cheek throbbing with a pain.

He muttered to himself, "I should go home." The scarf, a gift from Jungkook, lay discarded nearby, a monument to a warmth turned cold. Trembling fingers fumbled with the gloves, the last physical tether to Jungkook. With a final, choked sob, he ripped them off, casting them aside like a shedding skin. The world blurred as a wave of nausea washed over him, but Taehyung forced himself to his feet. He had to get out of there.