No Going Back

27

The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.
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The Art of War
Sun Tzu

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Life was a never-ending circle of cause and effect, an eternal chain of action and reaction.

At any given second, millions of people responded to their surroundings and made choices that would alter the world around them. Sometimes careful and deliberate decisions resulted in insignificant outcomes, while other times, foolish actions gave way to unimaginable and unpredictable consequences. And all the while, that circle never broke and that chain of events kept on growing.

Cause and effect.

Action and reaction.

And just as a single raindrop could cause ripples to expand across a body of water, the rash decision of one had the power to affect the lives of many.

Jungkook should know; a choice he made changed everything for everyone around him.

A couple of weeks ago, he told a lie that could have - should have - resulted in his death. He claimed to be someone he most certainly wasn't, not once guessing that the gunman pinning him to the wall might have known better. But with his tired mind and broken heart, he failed to consider the impact of his actions.

That seemingly innocent decision to lie about his identity kicked off a brand new series of actions and reactions, of causes and effects. That lie set Jungkook down an untraveled path; it altered the direction of his life. It exposed him to unprecedented levels of danger and introduced him to the true meaning of fear. It made him question old friends and doubt his abilities to place trust in the right people.

And his lie led to one last effect, one he never could have anticipated:

Jungkook fell in love.

And that person he fell in love with - his bodyguard, his angel, his Taehyung - loved him back as well.

All of that happened because of that ceaseless circle, that unbreakable cycle of causes and their effects. It proved to Jungkook that anything was possible, that the constants he once knew were not constant at all. And in just two short weeks, he learned that doubt could shift into certainty, weakness could morph into strength, and pain could evolve into love.

And while Jungkook made his share of mistakes and failures since Namjoon's death, he didn't regret any of his reckless and hasty decisions. He couldn't, not when every single one of them brought him to Taehyung.

His first-ever boyfriend.

His other half.

His love.

Jungkook's teenage dreams of falling in love - of being loved in return - became his reality. And yeah, sure, nothing happened like he had expected or planned. The story he and Taehyung shared was neither conventional nor normal, but then again, neither were they. They were the brat and the bodyguard, the sweetheart and the angel.

They were the two that found their destiny.

And now that Jungkook had the love he always longed for, he'd protect it no matter the cost. No price was too high - if necessary, he'd hand over his mind, body, and soul to keep Taehyung safe. And he'd do it without hesitation or pause.

So when Taehyung tried to leave the bunker without him, Jungkook fought back. He couldn't just relax in luxury while his love risked his life . . . he wouldn't do that. So he argued - tried to make the elder understand his viewpoint - until the disagreement ended with the passionate declaration of their love.