"I think it's best if you talk to them first, Kook," Taehyung told Jungkook back at their apartment.

After receiving the call from his parents, Jungkook knew there'd be no stalling this confrontation. To his parents' credit, they did a good job withholding their anger on the phone. They simply demanded an address so they could come speak to both boys.

The younger was familiar with this approach. His parents feigned calmness in order to get what they wanted, then, they'd let their anger run free.

This encounter was likely to be no different.

"They might give you a chance to explain if they don't see me just yet," Taehyung continued, running his thumb over the younger's cheek. "And I'll be right in our bedroom if you need me."

Jungkook groaned, not wanting to do this now. He wanted to spend his last few hours home with Taehyung in their own little world. If this was the last time they'd be seeing each other for weeks, he needed to hold the elder tight to his body and not let go until the last moment possible.

A steady stream of knocks sounded from the door and both boys turned towards the sound.

"Jungkook . . ." Taehyung murmured, drawing the boy's attention. Once he had it, the elder softly kissed him, their lips effortlessly contouring to the other's.

"I'll call for you when I need you, Tae," Jungkook broke away, his heart hammering in his chest.

Taehyung nodded and walked to their room as Jungkook headed towards the door. His parents were still knocking, refusing to stop until their son greeted them.

Jungkook pulled open the vibrant blue door to face his parents. They immediately let themselves inside, eyes scanning over the beautiful interior.

"Where is he?" Jungkook's father said, making to walk down the hallway. "He has no right to touch my son and get away with it."

"If he did something I didn't want, why would I be living with him?" Jungkook countered, hands balling into fists at his side. "Now will you please sit down and let me explain?"

Jungkook's mother marched up to him. "There is nothing to explain, Jungkook. We know he's taking advantage of this whole set up. This is just the sort of thing we knew would happen, isn't it honey?" She looked towards her husband, who was stalking around the living room.

"Has he tried touching you other times, too? Or was that kiss the first?" His father asked loudly, his booming voice surely reaching where Taehyung was in their bedroom.

His parents spoke above him, refusing to let Jungkook get a word in. He never lost control of his emotions in front of them before, but with Taehyung being attacked like this, his grip was steadily loosening.

"We should've never let you work with him," his mother droned on, shaking her head in disappointment. "We knew he was a playboy and slept with anyone he could get his hands on, so I blame us for not pulling you out of this situation."

Jungkook's control slipped completely as he thought of Taehyung hearing all these hateful words about him.

"I will give you one more chance," he said with a deadly calm tone. "Unless you let me speak, I will ask you to leave."

His parents huffed, clearly debating their course of action. The fact that his parents didn't immediately want to hear him out hurt, but he didn't want to focus on that right now.

Finally, his mother nodded at him. "Fine. Try to explain this all away and -"

"Do you remember my childhood friend, Kim Taehyung?" Jungkook interrupted, seeing his mother's annoyance but not caring.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jungkook's father responded, arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you remember him?" He bit out, still having trouble putting a leash on his emotions.

His parents looked at each other before his mother answered him. "He was the boy who died, right? Yes. What about him?"

Her nonchalance was another painful stab in his heart. After Taehyung's supposed death, Jungkook had been a wreck for a while. His parents knew it was because his best friend was gone, but they did little to comfort him. They tried using it as a learning opportunity for their son, to teach him to work harder to be a better person. They never cared about the pain Jungkook was in.

"Did you know I used to love him?" Jungkook continued, his voice losing some of it's strength. Reflecting on the past was still just as torturous, even though Taehyung was alive and in his life. It would take a lot of time to completely move on from their past.

"What?" Jungkook's father questioned, eyebrows scrunching together.

"Did you know that his parents used to abuse him? That they threatened to kill him unless I broke his heart?"

They stared blankly at him, unsure of where this was going.

Jungkook's voice wavered as he spoke once more. "Did you know that I spent six years thinking he killed himself because of me?"

"Honey . . ." His mother broke her silence, her hand reaching out to her son marginally.

"Did you know that V is Kim Taehyung? That he's been alive this entire time? Do you know that I still love him, even more than before? That I was the one who kissed him first? Do you know how he healed a part of me no one knew was broken?"

Jungkook ended his speech in a whisper, his hands coming up to cradle his head. Tears threatened to leak from his eyes and he didn't want to show his parents any weakness. He was afraid they'd just use that against him.

Blindly, he was wrapped into a tight hug from behind.

Taehyung.

"I know what the tabloids say about me," Taehyung addressed the two elders, his chin resting on Jungkook's shoulder. "I gave them all the fuel to craft that spiteful image of me. And I regret it so much now that I have your son back in my life."

Taehyung inhaled deeply, breathing in the younger's scent for comfort. "I love Jungkook with all my heart. I understand how my reputation may make you think that's a lie, but he is the only person I have ever loved. He continues to be the reason I look forward to waking up in the morning and facing a new day. Despite all of our hardships, he makes me the happiest man alive by giving me so much love and hope. And I am willing to give up everything for him."

Jungkook placed his hands over the elder's and squeezed tightly. He took in his parents' confused expressions and spoke to them directly.

"I know this is a lot of information for you. I don't expect you to understand right now either. But it has been a terrible day for us and we really need time alone before I leave tomorrow."

That finally snapped his parents out of their daze. "Tomorrow?" His father asked tentatively. "What's tomorrow?"

Jungkook quickly filled them in on the details. "I'll send you the itinerary so you know my whereabouts. But for right now, I will kindly ask you to leave."

His parents stared at him, never seeing this side of him before. They were used to the docile and obedient son they raised to listen to their every word. So to be kicked out like this . . .

"We will call you in a couple days to discuss this matter further," his mother intoned, gripping her husband's arm and pulling him out without saying anything else.

The two boys watched them go and exhaled when it was just the two of them in the apartment. Jungkook shifted so he was face to face with Taehyung.

"I feel like nothing is resolved," he muttered under his breath, bringing his forehead to rest against the elder's. "I just feel so drained physically and emotionally. "

Taehyung placed his hands on the younger's waist, drawing him even closer. "Then let's go to bed. Let me hold you."

Jungkook nodded his head, allowing his boyfriend to lead them into their room. Without pause, Taehyung ripped back the covers and dove in, patting the empty space next to him.

"I'm going to miss this," Jungkook said as he slid next to the elder, both immediately wrapping their arms around each other. "It hurts to think about it."

Taehyung leaned over and kissed him firmly on the mouth. "Then let's not think about it just yet."

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》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《