An Unfulfilled Life

6

Seokjin and Taehyung had been going steady for six months straight, when Taehyung knew for certain that he loved him immensely and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. He was planning to propose to him that very evening of Seokjin's birthday. JungHwa too was happy for his father, who he knew had only known misery and difficulty for most of his life. He was also very fond of Taehyung.

Taehyung too, loved JungHwa as though he were his own son. He pictured a perfect life and future for them. Seokjin was the most adorable person he had ever known. Besides being a devoted and hard working father, Seokjin was kind and caring. Taehyung wanted to ease all his worries away, knowing how much he had suffered. And now the time had come.

He had picked out a ring and was happily on his way to Seokjin when his mother called informing him that he was to join them at their home urgently. Taehyung drove home, a little worried but still happy in his heart.

"Taehyung, you're finally here! What took you so long?" His mother scolded him.

"Eomma, I wasn't too long. What's wrong? You seem stressed," he observed.

"Jimin is here!"

Taehyung stopped breathing. What the hell was he doing here after all this time?!

"Eomma, you can't be serious?"

"I'm not joking Taessi. He's waiting for you in the garden right now. I'm going to your sister's. You can have some privacy." She patted his hand sympathetically and left.

Taehyung took a deep breath and made his way out, determined to put an end to this once and for all. His eyes fell on Jimin and he stopped dead in his tracks. Why was he still so beautiful? Even after all this time, Jimin was still able to stir up all those lost emotions within him.

"Jimin.....," he whispered out and Jimin turned to face the only man he had ever given his heart to.

"T-Taehyung," he called out breathlessly. "I'm sorry Tae. I should never have left. I've seen the error of my ways and I have returned to make everything up to you," he spilled out as fast as he could, afraid that Taehyung would reject him.

"Jimin......," Taehyung called out to him and Jimin ran into his embrace. They held onto each other for a long while, letting go of a dam of tears that had separated them for years. "Jimin, I'm with someone else now. I love him Jimin. I can't betray him," Taehyung cried and Jimin nodded, understanding what his long lost lover was saying.

"It's okay Taehyung. It's enough that I know you love me too and you forgive me for all I've done. I hope you will be happy. And I hope he deserves you, I know I certainly didn't."

"Jimin don't.....I .... I love you Jimin. I never stopped. How could I stop loving you. You were my best friend, my first love, my everything. And I waited Jimin. I did. But then, you never once called or just checked up on me. I never knew where you were. I looked for you. I asked everyone we knew but I came up empty. I lost hope eventually. And then, life brought Seokjin to me. He's, he's been through a lot Jimin. I don't know what to do now." Taehyung pulled at his hair in frustration.

Jimin hugged him tight and Taehyung lifted his face up by his chin. They gazed into each others eyes before Taehyung groaned and pressed his lips to Jimin's, letting go of the resistance he was holding within him. They kissed furiously and urgently.

Later, when they had made love and he held Jimin close to him while he slept, Taehyung played with the ring on his fingertips. He twirled the ring and thought about Seokjin and JungHwa, knowing that they were waiting for him. It was after all Seokjin's birthday and they had planned a party together.

Taehyung pictured Seokjin waiting at the balcony, looking out for him and tears flowed from his eyes. He knew he had messed up and he didn't deserve Seokjin after this.

His phone lit up silently once again and Taehyung ignored the call, knowing it was Seokjin. He was a coward but he couldn't face Seokjin now. Jimin moaned and Taehyung leaned over and held him close, the ring falling to floor, forgotten, as he pecked Jimin's soft cheeks and watched him smile.

♠♥♣♦

Seokjin cut the call once again and sighed heavily. He had been trying to call Taehyung all evening with no joy. He turned to his son and smiled sadly. JungHwa had waited and now it was past his bedtime.

The cake stood in the middle of the table, the candles unlit. His eyes fell on the decorations that he and his son had painstakingly put up. He saw the disappointment in his son's eyes, whose face still remained impassive. Seokjin smiled softly and placed the phone on the table.

"Hey my little man, let us blow the candles and cut the cake and when ahjussi gets here we'll save a piece for him. How does that sound?" Seokjin said cheerfully, not feeling cheerful at all. But he couldn't handle the disappointment in his son's eyes.

JungHwa nodded gravely and Seokjin lit the candles. They sang the birthday song and blew out the candles, laughing happily. And when Seokjin made a wish and cut the cake, his heart constricted in his chest as his son took a small bite sadly, his eyes still fixed on the door, hoping that Taehyung would walk in any moment now and apologise for being late.

They ate a quiet dinner and played with some balloons and party whistles. JungHwa smiled at that and Seokjin pulled on his party hat, twirling it, making his son laugh at his antics.

An hour later, Seokjin had cleaned up and was singing a soft lullaby for JungHwa who was almost fast asleep, when his phone screen lit up. It was a text from Taehyung, apologising for not attending the party. He gave no reason and didn't respond to Seokjin's text when he replied.

Seokjin knew then. He knew that something was amiss and that something was not a small thing to keep Taehyung away.

His heart cried within his chest but he wiped his physical tears away harshly, reminding himself that he was not a weakling anymore. Whatever life threw at him, he would handle it. He would find the strength to battle it out. If not for himself, then for his innocent son who didn't deserve anymore heartbreak or disappointment.

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Ugh, I hate myself 😭😭😭

Anyway, happy birthday to me and Happy Chuseok to everyone 🌚

I purple you 💜

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Love Swty 😙