Author pov:
Jungkook stepped out of the building, his mind still reeling from the events at the café. The weight of the revelation about Taehyung hung heavily in the air, and the silence between him and Jimin felt like an unspoken chasm.
As he approached his car, he noticed Jimin standing in front of it, his posture rigid, eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Without a word, Jungkook unlocked the door, and Jimin slid into the passenger seat, his movements deliberate and controlled. Jungkook also go to driving seat.
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The car's interior felt suffocatingly quiet as Jungkook navigated the familiar route through the city. The rhythmic hum of the engine was the only sound, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in his chest. He stole a glance at Jimin, who sat motionless beside him, his gaze fixed on the blurred cityscape outside the window. The tension between them was palpable, a silent chasm that neither seemed willing to bridge.
Jungkook's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, the leather creaking under his grip. He wanted to speak, to explain, to apologize—but the words lodged in his throat, heavy and unspoken. He had lied to Jimin, and now the weight of that lie hung between them like an insurmountable wall.
The silence stretched on, thick and uncomfortable. Jungkook's mind raced, replaying the events at the café, and the look of hurt in Jimin's eyes. He had never intended for things to spiral out of control, but now, the damage was done.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jungkook broke the silence.
"Jimin..." His voice was tentative, barely above a whisper.
Jimin didn't respond, his profile unreadable in the dim light.
"I never meant for you to find out this way," Jungkook continued, his words tumbling out in a rush. "The ms. Hae case... it was more complicated than I let on. If I had told you the truth, you would have never agreed to help. I didn't want you to hurt later."
Jimin's jaw tightened imperceptibly, but he remained silent.
They reached a red light, and Jungkook stopped the car. The brief pause felt like a brief respite from the tension, but it was fleeting. As the light turned green, he resumed driving, the silence enveloping them once more.
Jimin's hand shifted slightly, his fingers brushing against the door handle, but he didn't speak. Jungkook's heart ached at the distance between them, the unspoken words that lingered in the air.
As they neared Jimin's apartment, Jungkook finally spoke, his voice breaking the silence that had enveloped them for what felt like an eternity.
"Jimin... I never wanted to hurt you," he began, his tone sincere yet tinged with uncertainty. "I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I only made things worse."
Jimin remained silent, his gaze fixed out the window, his expression unreadable.
"Please," Jungkook continued, his voice pleading. "Say something."
Jimin turned his head slowly, meeting Jungkook's eyes for the first time since the café. The intensity in his gaze was both piercing and distant, as if he were looking at a stranger.
"You think you can protect me?" Jimin's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "You think lying to me was protecting me?"
Jungkook flinched, the words cutting deeper than he expected.
"I didn't know what else to do that time " he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his heart heavy with regret.
Jimin didn't respond. Instead, he opened the car door and stepped out, pausing before closing it behind him.
"Goodnight," he said quietly, before walking away without looking back.
Jungkook sat in the car, staring at the empty space where Jimin had stood moments before. The weight of the evening's events settled over him.
As he drove away, the city lights blurred into streaks of color, mirroring the turmoil swirling within him. He had lied to protect Jimin, but in doing so, he had built a wall between them. Now, he wasn't sure how to tear it down.
§∆§
Next morning : In office ,
The morning sun filtered through the office windows, casting a warm glow over the workspace. Jungkook arrived early, his steps light but his heart heavy. He had hoped that the tension between him and Jimin would dissipate overnight, that perhaps a new day would bring a fresh start.
He stopped by Jimin's cabin, leaned against the doorframe of his office, tried to catch his eye , But Jimin remained steadfastly aloof, engrossed in his work .
So Jungkook tried to engage him. A casual greeting , a simple "good morning","Are you okay?" But each attempt was met with silence or a curt nod.
Lunchtime came, and Jungkook found himself sitting alone in the office, his appetite nonexistent. He couldn't focus on his work, couldn't shake the feeling of being shut out. He had expected disappointment, perhaps even anger from Jimin, he spoke to everyone else with his usual charm, but when it came to Jungkook, he was a stranger.but this... this silence was suffocating.
By the time the workday ended, Jungkook was exhausted—not from the tasks at hand, but from the emotional toll of being ignored by someone he considered a everything.
He made his way to Jimin's office, hoping to finally have a conversation, to clear the air. But when he arrived, the office was empty. Jimin had already left for the day.
Frustrated and feeling more alone than ever, Jungkook pulled out his phone and dialed a number .
"Taehyung," he said when the call connected. "Are you free? Can we meet."
A pause on the other end, then Taehyung's voice, warm and understanding. "Of course. Where do you want to meet?"
"There's a restaurant near my place," Jungkook replied. "I'll be there in 20 minutes."
As he hung up, a sense of relief washed over him. And maybe, just maybe, talking to Taehyung would help him make sense of everything that had happened. afterall he is the one who planned.
§∆§
The night had stretched on longer than either Jungkook or Taehyung had anticipated. The restaurant's warm glow had faded into the cool evening air as they sat in silence, nursing their drinks, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of the day—the unspoken words, the unanswered calls, the distance growing between them and Jimin—hung heavily between them.
Jungkook broke the silence first, his voice low and tinged with frustration. "I don't know what to say to him anymore, Tae. I've tried everything."
Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, Kook. I've been calling him too. He won't answer."
They sat in silence again, the clinking of ice in their glasses the only sound. After a while, Jungkook stood up abruptly. "Let's go. I can't just sit here."
Taehyung followed suit, and they left the restaurant, the night air cool against their skin. They made their way to the parking lot, but neither of them was in any condition to drive. Jungkook pulled out his phone and booked a cab.
The ride to Jimin's apartment was quiet, the city lights blurring past as they sat side by side, each lost in their own thoughts. When the cab finally stopped in front of Jimin's building, they both got out without a word.
They stood in front of the door, the silence between them thick and uncomfortable. Jungkook reached out and pressed the doorbell. The chime echoed through the hallway, but there was no answer.
Jungkook pressed the doorbell again, the chime echoing in the quiet hallway, but there was no answer.
"Jimin," Jungkook muttered under his breath, frustration evident in his voice. "Why won't you answer?"
Taehyung placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a silent gesture of support.
After what felt like an eternity, the door finally creaked open. Jimin stood there, his expression unreadable, his eyes betraying nothing of the turmoil within.
Without a word, Jungkook stepped forward, his arms enveloping Jimin in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry," Jungkook whispered, his voice breaking. "I never meant to hurt you."
Jimin remained silent, his body stiff in their embrace. He could feel the exhaustion radiating from him, his body trembling with the weight of emotions.
Finally, Jimin spoke, his voice low and steady. "You're both exhausted. Come inside."
He stepped back, allowing them to enter. The apartment was dimly lit, the soft glow of the lamps casting long shadows across the room. Jimin led them to the living area, where they sank into the couch, the silence between them heavy and uncomfortable.
Jimin glanced at them, his gaze softening. "You both need rest. We'll talk tomorrow."
Jungkook nodded, his eyes closing as he leaned back into the cushions. Taehyung did the same, his head resting against the back of the couch.
As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room slowly began to dissipate. Jimin sat quietly, watching his friends, his heart aching at the sight of their exhaustion. He knew they had made mistakes, but he also knew they were sincere in their apologies.
Tomorrow, they would talk. But for now, silence was enough.