Chapter 12: Facing the Past

The sun peeked through the curtains, casting a soft, golden light over the room. Taehyung stretched lazily in the bed, still savoring the warmth of the sheets, but his mind was elsewhere. Last night had been a turning point, a moment he would never forget. Jungkook’s words, his actions — they had shattered the walls Taehyung had built around himself. But now, there were other things to consider, things that neither of them had fully addressed yet.

His phone buzzed again, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was a message from Yeri, and this time, there was an urgency in her tone.

**Yeri: Taehyung, I’m really sorry to say this, but Soojin is causing problems again. She’s trying to win Jungkook back. She’s even threatened to expose some things about you two. Be careful.

Taehyung’s heart skipped a beat. Soojin. She had always been a part of their lives, a constant reminder of the past that Jungkook had never truly let go of. But he wasn’t going to let her ruin what they had now. He couldn’t.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Jungkook entered without waiting for a response, his eyes dark with something that Taehyung couldn’t quite place.

“Taehyung,” Jungkook began, his voice steady but tinged with concern. “We need to talk.”

Taehyung nodded, his pulse quickening as he sat up on the bed. He could feel the tension building between them. What was it now? What did Soojin have in store for them this time?

Jungkook took a seat beside him, his gaze intense. “I’ve been thinking about everything,” he said slowly. “About us, about what happened last night. I don’t want you to think that just because we kissed, everything will magically be okay. I know I’ve hurt you — I’ve made mistakes, and I don’t want to keep making them.”

Taehyung’s heart softened at Jungkook’s words, but there was still a cloud of doubt lingering over them. “Jungkook…” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I don’t expect everything to be perfect. We’ve both made mistakes. But I do expect honesty. I don’t want to be stuck in this limbo anymore. Not with you, not with anyone.”

Jungkook’s face tightened, his jaw clenching as if he was struggling with something deep inside. “I know I’ve kept you in the dark. But there’s more you need to know about Soojin. I haven’t told you everything.”

Taehyung’s brow furrowed. He had suspected there was more to the story than Jungkook had let on. “What do you mean?”

Jungkook took a deep breath, and for the first time, Taehyung saw him hesitate, as if he was weighing the consequences of his next words. “Soojin has been blackmailing me. She’s been threatening to expose things about our relationship — things that would ruin everything we’ve worked for.”

Taehyung’s stomach twisted at the revelation. Blackmail? What could Soojin possibly know that would threaten their future?

“What does she want?” Taehyung asked, his voice calm but filled with curiosity.

“She wants me back,” Jungkook answered, his eyes narrowing with frustration. “She’s been trying to manipulate me for years, even after everything we’ve been through. And now she’s using everything she can to make sure we don’t move forward. She’s threatening to reveal everything — the truth about the arrangement, about our past, about... you.”

Taehyung felt a wave of disbelief wash over him. Soojin had always been a thorn in their side, but this? This was far beyond what he had expected.

“But why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” Taehyung asked, feeling a pang of hurt in his chest. “Why keep this from me?”

Jungkook’s gaze softened, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion. “Because I didn’t want to drag you into it. I didn’t want to hurt you anymore. But I see now that it’s only made things worse. You deserve to know the truth.”

Taehyung nodded slowly, processing the information. This was more complicated than he had anticipated. Soojin wasn’t just an obstacle from the past — she was a real threat to their future, to everything they had started to build together.

“I’m not going to let her ruin this,” Taehyung said with determination. “I don’t care what she knows. She can’t take you from me, Jungkook. And she can’t take us from each other.”

Jungkook’s eyes softened at his words, a flicker of gratitude passing through them. “I’m not letting her win, Taehyung. Not this time.”

There was a long pause, and Taehyung could feel the weight of their unspoken thoughts between them. They were both standing on the edge of something new, something uncertain, but they weren’t alone anymore. They had each other.

“I trust you,” Taehyung whispered, his voice barely audible. “I trust us.”

Jungkook smiled, the warmth in his eyes finally reaching Taehyung’s heart. “We’ll face this together. And we’ll make sure that nothing comes between us again.”

As Jungkook leaned in to kiss him again, Taehyung felt a surge of relief flood his chest. There was still so much to face, so many obstacles ahead of them, but for the first time, he wasn’t afraid. They were in this together. And that was all that mattered.

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Later That Day:

The day passed in a blur. Taehyung couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen, that they were on the brink of something that would change everything. He had tried to focus on his work, on his designs, but his mind kept returning to Soojin’s threat and what Jungkook had said about their past.

The phone buzzed again, breaking his train of thought. It was another message from Yeri.

**Yeri: Taehyung, Soojin is meeting with someone today. I’m not sure who, but I don’t trust it. Be careful.

Taehyung’s heart sank. He knew it was time to confront Soojin, to put an end to this madness once and for all. It was time for him to step up, for both of them.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung called, his voice steady but firm. “We need to take control of this. We need to deal with Soojin.”

Jungkook’s eyes met his with a fierce intensity. “I’m with you, Taehyung. Let’s do it.”

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