In 29 Days

26. Congratulations!

Daegu, March 28, 11 pm

"Hyung, are you asleep?" Jungkook asks, turning on his side and looking at Taehyung.

"No," Taehyung mumbles, opening his eyes.

"What should I do, hyung?"

"You are the one who should decide," Taehyung mumbles.

"Will he just say okay and do nothing if I tell him I reject his offer?" Jungkook asks.

"I don't think so," Taehyung shakes his head. "He took such trouble in finding you. I don't think he'll simply leave you like that. He didn't mean anything he told you today. His aim is to become powerful, using you as a tool. Jungkookie, he is definitely not going to make you the CEO of his company when he has a son of his own. You must somehow erase his memory of you."

"But hyung, I can't do anything to him using magic as long as he is wearing that enchanted ring. And only he himself can remove it from his finger. Otherwise, we'll have to cut his finger off," Jungkook says.

"If he is gonna be a problem and if that's the only way left, we'll have to do it," Taehyung says. "Can't you make one of his bodyguards do that?"

"No, magic doesn't work near that ring. If I mind control someone to harm him, the charm will be undone when they reach near the ring," Jungkook replies.

Taehyung lets out a sigh. "Then we'll do it."

"No, hyung!" Jungkook immediately says. "It's dangerous. He has so many people around him. They'll shoot us before we do it. And what if some of his family members also possess such enchanted rings? They'll take revenge on us and I won't be able to do anything."

"Then what are we doing?" Taehyung asks.

"I don't know," Jungkook bites down on his lips. "Me staying with you is dangerous for you and your family. Hyung, shall I go away somewhere and pretend like I went back to the past?"

Taehyung tilts his head and stares at the younger. "Until you really go back?"

Jungkook doesn't say anything and just stares up at the ceiling.

"Are you not going back?" Taehyung asks after a few moments.

Jungkook leaves a sigh. "I don't know what to do. What if he does something to you if I go back?"

"There's still so many days before you have to go back. Just tell him you need more time to think. We'll find a way to erase his memory by then," Taehyung says.

Jungkook suddenly turns his head and stares at the older's face. "Hyung, what about I stay?"

Taehyung feels his heartbeat quicken. "You said you wanted to go back. What happened now?" He asks.

"I thought I was the only wizard left in my family. That's why I decided to go back. But a wizard greater than me will be born in a few years. He'll take the responsibility of protecting our village and he'll continue our family's legacy," Jungkook says.

"Oh..but you said you wanted to go back to the magic school and learn more magic," Taehyung says.

"I don't have that much wish to master more magic skills. I already have enough," Jungkook replies.

"Oh.." Taehyung mumbles. "So, uhm...what's your plan if you are staying?"

Jungkook stares at the older, feeling upset. He thought Taehyung would happily ask him to stay. But he is asking him what his plan is in staying here.

"I don't know," Jungkook shakes his head. "Should I stay, hyung?"

"You are the one who should decide," Taehyung replies.

Again the same thing. Jungkook feels a pang in his heart. Does Doctor Kim just want to get rid of him now?

"Hyung, do you want me to stay?" He asks staring into the older's eyes.

Taehyung keeps looking at his face for a few moments. Then he shakes his head. "I think you should leave, Jungkookie. This world is not good for you to stay."

Jungkook looks away, feeling tears pool in his eyes. Hyung really wants to get rid of him.

"Jungkookie..." Taehyung says and moves closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. Jungkook instinctively lets out a sob. "What's wrong, Jungkookie?"

"I-I promise I won't use magic again after I erase that man's memory. I won't put you in trouble again. Can I please stay with you, hyung?"

"What are you saying, Jungkookie?" Taehyung utters in shock, quickly withdrawing his arm and moving a little away. "How can you stay with me when I marry someone and start a family? I'm already twenty eight."

"You said there's still a lot of...." Jungkook pauses and blinks away his tears, looking up at the ceiling and trying to control himself. "I'm sorry, hyung. I-I don't know what happened to me. Yeah, I'm leaving. I need to leave. This world doesn't suit me."

Taehyung doesn't say anything. But his heart feels heavy. Until the last day, he wanted Jungkook to stay. But things changed. He can't let the boy stay with him even if he wants to. He turns on his side and leaves a sigh, closing his eyes.

Taehyung wakes up to his phone ringing. He slowly blinks open his eyes to see Jungkook standing beside the bed, holding the phone.

"Who is it?" Taehyung asks through a yawn whilst glancing at the clock on the opposite wall. It's almost 7 am.

"Freya," Jungkook says.

Taehyung's heart instantly starts beating like crazy. He looks at Jungkook's face and the younger looks extremely upset. Nervously, he stretches his hand and Jungkook gives him the phone without asking anything.

Taehyung answers the call and places it near his ear, looking everywhere else but Jungkook's face.

"Hello Tae, I'm sick," Freya says in a weak voice. "I threw up a lot. I feel like I'm going to pass out. I don't know who else to call at this night. Can you please get me some medicine?"

"Oh..I...okay, I'll," Taehyung says in a panic. Jungkook was still standing near the bed with a deep frown on his face.

"Tae, is this normal? I've been.."

"I'll come!" Taehyung says and abruptly ends the call.

"Is she pregnant with your child?" Jungkook asks the very instant.

Taehyung stares at the wizard for a few seconds in shock. "Did you use magic on me while I was sleeping?" then he asks.

"No," Jungkook says and clicks his tongue on his cheek. "Congratulations! You are going to be a Dad soon! Without even marrying!"

"Jungkook.." Taehyung sighs. "I didn't want this to happen. But it somehow happened. And I learned it only last day when I went to the hospital. I didn't get a chance to tell you. Another big issue came then."

"It's okay. I don't care. I'm not mad you didn't tell me about it, hyung. Anyway, I won't be here to see your kid," Jungkook says. "Are we leaving now?"

Taehyung looks down at his lap and bites his lips, feeling totally bad. "I'm sorry, Jungkookie," he mumbles as Jungkook goes to pack his suitcase. They had already decided they'd leave today, telling his parents that they were going to Seoul and spending a day there before going back to Emerald.

"Why are you saying sorry?" Jungkook asks whilst sending random clothes and things lying on the chair and table into his suitcase, without even checking if they actually belong to him. "So, are you going to marry her?"

"Should I marry her?" Taehyung asks.

"You are the one who should decide," Jungkook replies.

____________________
Guess what, this wasn't the plot I had in mind earlier. The plot completely changed as I wrote the last few chapters. So, I don't clearly know what to do next. That's why I was hesitating to update the chapters.

Anyway, thanks to those who are still reading this book.