Taekook: When Tae Met Kook Broken Heart!

"𝑨 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒂 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. . ."

The corridor as usual was swarming with students, the sound of sneakers, opening and closing of lockers and various mundane voices echoing in the enclosed space. A few students were busy keeping their things in their lockers, while others were chatting with their friends. Like every other student, Jeongguk too came to his locker, to keep his materials inside. If not for his professor having an unreasonable dislike towards him for arriving at class merely 2 seconds after he entered, Jeongguk might've got out much earlier and wouldn't have to listen to him lecture him for 20 minutes extra on punctuality and discipline.

Strange, coming from Prof. Choi, who himself broke his record of how much later he can come to class every single day... It's just, he somehow happened to come earlier today and unfortunately, for Gguk, he happened to get late today itself. . .

Jeongguk grumbles to himself as he squeezes himself through the swarm of students walking back and forth around him, blind to their surroundings and people they are bumping or stepping on. Anyway, Jeongguk was used to this daily hustle before and after classes.

Jeon Jeongguk, a sophomore at the Seoul National University in the Department of Communication, pursuing his Bachelor's in Mass Communication and Journalism. Coming to his social circle, he has a decent reputation among his peers (or so he believes); He isn't studious enough to be called a nerd, nor is he tenacious enough to be called a rebel. He falls somewhere in between, one of the quiet ones who listened a lot, observed a lot, analyzed a lot.

Jeon Jungkook

Jeongguk came off as aloof for most people. He avoided too much drama and kept to himself the majority of time. He was such that he could blend into the crowd and get unnoticed easily. In fact, Jeongguk was kind of glad he could become invisible in people's eyes like that, glad that his appearance didn't catch too much attention either. Although, few people here and there happen to tell him that he's cute. Cute and vulnerable, who'd probably get exploited for his naivety. . .

But Jeongguk wasn't as naive as they thought he was. He was, after all, an adult. He knew how to differentiate between right and wrong. And although, most people meant it in a mocking manner, trying to imply that he was a wimp... Jeongguk was no wimp. He had ambitions, he had future plans and nothing to brag about, but also a girlfriend.

Park Jihyo, his girlfriend of almost one and a half years. They were in the same department and in the same class. Jeongguk still thinks that the way they became a couple was right out of some sappy Disney love story. But keeping that aside, Jeongguk and Jihyo being a couple was no secret to their class, but at the same time they tried not to publicize their relationship too much, so it still came as a shock to many when they learn the two were together.

At this point, you might think Jeongguk is living the dream-like college life— where one is meant to explore anything and everything they were forbidden to say or do back in high-school. To pursue one's interests and hobbies, giving your suppressed passion some air to breathe, to let your compassionate side bloom and thrive in the Spring of love. . .

That's what every student in college dreams of doing, and also ends up doing sooner or later. . . Jeongguk also wanted to do the same, or at least he wished he would. He wished that he'd be like every other normal student out here. He wished that he too would have a little friend group to hang out with, go for unplanned trips with, enjoy his college life and make tonnes of unforgettable memories with. . . But,

But only if the world was not so hell-bent on proving him that he, in fact, wasn't 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙. And, hence, he didn't 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒 to be treated that way.

Gguk's lips purse into a line when his locker comes into view. It had become a daily routine now, and honestly, Jeongguk was tired of having to go through this everyday. He walks up to his vandalized locker and sighs, dejected. He looks around to spot any similar faces but fails to find any in the bustling corridor. He rolls eyes helplessly and opens it, keeping his things inside before leaving it as it is.

No matter how many times he erases it, those words would still end up in the same place the next day. So, why bother cleaning it again and again when he knows it's of no use? And who knows, if he stops cleaning it, giving the culprit the impression that he isn't bothered by it. Then, they might actually get bored and leave him alone. . .

Even so, the black scribbles & sticky notes littered all over his locker while the others' were spotless clean somehow didn't sit well with him. It made him feel like an outcast. . . Gguk looks at the squiggles warily. The bitter memories of his high-school knocking at the back of his mind.

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊!

𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑹𝑹! ᕕ (ᐛ) ᕗ

🗒 𝐉𝐄𝐎-𝐉𝐄𝐎-𝐉𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐆𝐔𝐊! 𝐊𝐊𝐊!

🗒 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐔 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐇𝐎𝐄?!

🗒 𝐃𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐎?! 𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐊𝐄!

As much as Jeongguk hated reading all that, the taunts just read themselves aloud the moment he lay eyes on his locker. Those people weren't just scribbling these words with permanent markers, they were imprinting those with permanent inks in his mind... Something, they just can't paint over to hide and pretend like nothing happened. . .

He honestly didn't expect his teenage life to stick with him to adulthood. For his unpleasant experiences in high-school to have a re-take in his college life with a newer set, new characters, a star-studded cast, an even messed up plot and a big budget.

In high-school, they usually liked terming "bullying" as "messing around with peers", but in college, what the heck was that? They liked to give an excuse that since you're an adult now, you should stand up to yourself and speak up if you're being treated unfairly. And by standing up for oneself and speaking up to unfair treatment, why meant sweeping if under the rug. Everyone wants to stay out of drama– especially when there's a clash between someone with a lot of power and someone powerless.

Life doesn't get better as you grow up, it just gets progressively worse and you just learn to put up with it. . .

Jeongguk too has learnt to put up with it... There's not much of a difference in school and college ; In school, his benches and books were vandalised, here only his lockers were. At least they weren't beating him up—

Jeon Jungkook

"Ah! What the–"

Gguk turns around, frowning and sees Joel, the infamous bad-boy of their department walking past him, before stopping on hearing Jeongguk curse. . . Gguk falls silent when Joel glares down at him, his tattooed hands shoved inside his pocket as he towers over the boy.

Lee Joel (이 조엘)

"𝑀𝑤𝑜𝑦𝑎? (sarcastic) Were you about to say something? 𝐴𝑛𝑖-𝑎𝑛𝑖, were you about to curse me, Jeon?"

Joel cocks an eyebrow and Gguk nods as a no, looking down nervously. Joel scoffs, smirking, and pats Gguk's cheeks slowly, as if warning him to not pick a fight with him and leaves.

Lee Joel was the typical, spoilt child coming from a rich household. He was a late admission, claiming to have attended the first year through the distance-learning program and physically joined the course only in the second. But rumors were he'd been rusticated from some college before and later his parents bribed the dean into taking him in and fed everyone a false story. Apart from all that, Lee Joel was a fcking àsshole and a rebel. His parents being active patrons to the college, most professors put up with his rowdy behavior just like Gguk and the other students. . .

It's fair to say nobody wanted to lock horns with him unless they wanted to get suspended or worse, rusticated. And hence, it was Joel's rule in the entire department— either obey him, or face his wrath... But, apparently, it was evident that the boy was solely determined to make Jeongguk's life hell ever since he stepped into the campus. . .

Because, from the very first day of the third semester, when the professor introduced Joel and made him sit behind Jeongguk, he'd made it his personal mission to torture him throughout the next 3 years. . .

It all began from mocking him for his speech condition, to passing rude comments on his appearance and calling him names, to stealing his things and dumping them in the trashcan, to distract him now and then during lectures. Then to asking him for money. Then demanding he bought him and his friend lunch. And when Jeongguk had tolerated enough and rebelled against him. They dragged him to the back of the college gym and disciplined him. . .

That was a month back. And ever since then Jeongguk tries his hardest to not get to his nerves unless he wanted a burst lip and numerous bruises from his minions. So, now and then, whenever they shove him around like rag doll just like sometime before, he just lets them do so.

Jeongguk sighs, when Joel is finally out of sight. He wanted to escape reality so badly at times ; To go read some heavy fantasy book in one corner of the library, and forget about the world. But alas, reality was inevitable. . . and so was the future.

At this point, Gguk is worried if he'll manage to get a job or not with his stutter. He tries to be hopeful and not daydream about the future too early, but his hopes were slowly spiriting away. . .

Gguk finally peels off the sticky notes and crumbles them before throwing it in the bin, he can't waste time with the markers for now on realizing how late he was. Jihyo must be waiting for him with Baekhyun, his best friend, at the canteen. That's where they routinely go after classes. . .

As Gguk jogs through the corridor, he checks his phone. But surprisingly, none of the two had messaged him asking where he was for so long. He doesn't think about it top much and right when he jogs past the open staircase next to the canteen, his peripheral vision spots something and he halts... A familiar giggle comes from that direction and urges him to have a look.

Jeongguk steps closer and closer to the backside of the staircase and spots a familiar hairstyle, then he hears the soft murmur between two people. He gulps anxiously.

???

"Let's go back, he must be here by now and looking for us."

He says in a hushed whisper that echoed in the closed space.

???

"Hush, (shushes him) let him look for us.. I'll say I got tired waiting for him and dragged you around to kill time.."

She chuckles gleefully.

???

"What a naughty girl,"

He smirked, flicking her chin playfully as she scooched closer to his chest and played with his collars. . . Jeongguk couldn't believe his ears. He stepped further to prove himself wrong. But then, the sight broke him... Now, even if he didn't want to, he couldn't help but believe both his ears and eyes.

His mouth went dry as he witnessed the scene: his girlfriend making out with his best friend, his heart breaking to pieces seeing how they giggled in between and kept going, unaware of their surroundings, unaware of a pair of eyes watching them, uncaring of the fact that they might get caught... Pain, betrayal, anger, despair— Jeongguk went through all 5 stages of grief within five fùcking seconds. He was so shocked that he stood there frozen for five fùcking minutes until something snapped inside him.

Gguk stomped towards the two unaware traitors and grabbed Baekhyun by the back of his collar and tore him away from Jihyo. He tightened his grip on Baek's collar as he glared at him with red eyes brimming with tears. . .

Jeon Jungkook

"W-What do you think you're doing?!"

Jeongguk growled lowly, his tone laced with anger and betrayal. He didn't want to break down right now, he wanted to keep the last but of self-respect to himself.Yet, a lonely tear trickled down his cheek as he stared at Baekhyun for answers.

Byun Baekhyun

"Jeongguk, listen– It's not what it looks like.. I, I swear, I can explain. Let me explain-"

Baekhyun jumped in for the damage control and held Gguk's hands to detach them from his collar. But Jeongguk wasn't having the patience to hear anything right now.

Jeon Jungkook

"Stop lying, Baek! I saw ev-everything!"

Gguk cries out and yanks him away angrily, next he glances back at his girlfriend who refused to look at him in the eye as she fidgeted with her fingers nervously. . .

Jeon Jungkook

"And, and why are you silent? You don't–don't have anything to say? Anything to explain at least?" (frowns)

Byun Baekhyun

"Ggukie, calm down—"

Jeon Jungkook

"The heck am I supposed to, to calm down? You, you expect me to calm down after you're doing this to 𝑚𝑦 girlfriend?"

Byun Baekhyun

"Aish- Jeongguk, Ggukie.. Me and Jihyo are nothing, we were just messing around– I swear it's nothing serious—"

Jeon Jungkook

(chuckles bitterly) "For God's sake, Baek. You are terrible at lying. 𝑀𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑? You, you couldn't come up with a better excuse?!"

Jeongguk's voice wavered as he spoke. This guy who he had befriended and trusted so much turned out to be a pathological liar... All these days, he'd been lying to him consistently. Every time Baek was nowhere to be found, his girlfriend too would disappear into thin air. Then, after sometime, they'd magically reappear together... Coincidence? Gguk wanted to shove that word up his ex-best friend's àss.

Jeon Jungkook

"And why am I blaming you alone? (looks at Jihyo) s–she's equally responsible."

He grins broken-hearted, glancing at Jihyo with disgust.

Jeon Jungkook

"Staying loyal isn't too hard, you see. But you're such a coward, you–you hid it from me, tch."

Jihyo, who'd been witnessing the melodrama from a while now, rolled her eyes, annoyed as she crossed her hands over her chest. She was sick of listening to Jeongguk whine about loyalty and all that shit. So what if he's loyal to her, he's so boring. . .

In fact, she found Baekhyun much more attractive and interesting than her current "stuttering" boyfriend. Someone who knew how to swoon girls, a boyfriend material who had his own way of words... Yes, once upon a time she must've grown interest in Jeongguk on knowing he's a reader just like her. And from within, she expected him to be the perfect man like they describe in books...

Yes, indeed he was soft. He was a gentleman, and kind and never lay his eyes on anyone except her. He gave her small gifts now and then, took her out on cute dates, wrote her poetries, was pleasant-looking and had a good dressing style. He was a total package of what a girl wanted in her partner. . .

But not what "she" wanted in her partner.

Jihyo was a free bird. She wanted adventure, thrill and a dramatic relationship. She wanted a relationship where other girls envied her. She wanted a book-boyfriend, the ones she read the dark romances about. Those men who had red-flag as their middle name. Not someone like Jeongguk, ugh. In the drama of her life, Jeongguk is the second male lead who's meant to be heartbroken in the end. That's it. End of discussion.

But now that she realises that Jeongguk is sinking her ship instead of sailing it, she finally loses it and draws the line. The one she should've drawn long ago, before she went to Baekhyun. . .

Park Jihyo

"Can you stop whining, Jeongguk? Yeah, I cheated on you, so what? What are you gonna do, cry about it? tch, Pathetic."

Park Jihyo

"Goodness, I've been waiting to say this for so long, so today's the D-Day, huh? Fine. (claps) Let's get done with this fast. I can't put up with you anymore, not even a single day..."

Jeon Jungkook

"𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑱𝒊-𝒂𝒉?" (broken)

Park Jihyo

"Why? Haha, where do I even begin? No, first you tell me what's so special about you that I should stay with you.. Don't say anything, cause you don't have anything appealing about you, Jeongguk!"

Park Jihyo

"You're so annoying! Boring even. You're no fun, and it's irritating at times.. And do you have any idea why I don't like telling people I'm dating you? Cause I don't want them to look down on me! (angrily) I don't want them to point at me and say, look she's dating that wimp, ugh!"

Park Jihyo

"I'm utterly sick of it! 𝐼'𝑀 𝑆𝐼𝐶𝐾 𝑂𝐹 𝑌𝑂𝑈!"

Park Jihyo

"And 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒? (chuckles) There's nothing to fall in love about you, Jeongguk.. You're just a nuisance I was carrying around for a year. You're an 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒆, jagiya. Accept it."

Park Jihyo

Jeon Jungkook

"If you— (gulps) if you hated me so much, why didn't you break up with me? Why did you cheat on me?"

Park Jihyo

"Aish, (annoying) 𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒅𝒂! You know what, even I don't know why I still carried you around. Maybe I was used to watch you follow me around so I didn't care." (shrugs)

Park Jihyo

"And besides, (stares at Gguk) nobody wants to be the 𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑔𝑢𝑦, Jeongguk."

Park Jihyo

"So, lets end it here. Enough of this pretence of loving you. Forget loving, even liking you is far-fetched.. I don't even want to be see next to you, tch." (says with disgust)

Park Jihyo

"You. Stammering. Fool." (pokes Kook's chest at each word)

She says every word, poking on Gguk's chest who stands dejected before her in disbelief.

Park Jihyo

"Baekhyun is much better, and I don't feel anything for cheating on you cause this had to happen one day. In fact, be glad that I dated you.. At least you can brag around saying that you used to date me. Otherwise, I highly doubt anyone would ever take interest in you.."

Jeon Jungkook

"w-wow, just.. wow!" (chuckles sadly)

Jeongguk didn't know how to react right now. He feels stupid after hearing her words... It baffled him how easily she could say all that as if all these months they dated meant nothing to her. All those hand-holds, the late night deep conversations, the sweet kisses they shared, the promises they made. The empty 'I love you'-s she said. . . It took 5 fùcking minutes for her to make them all sound worthless. Make Jeongguk feel like a pushover.

And she tells him to be 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑑 for dating him? What is there to be glad about? She didn't do him a favor by dating him, did she? She didn't save his life or something, and even if she didn't date him he couldn't have cared any less. Jeongguk was never desperate to be in a relationship in the first place... It's just they clicked somehow once upon a time, and they happened to like each other's company.

But now, she claims to have pitied him by dating him— Jeongguk wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh at himself for not seeing through their game of playing house right under his nose. . .

Gguk really feels utterly stupid. He just never expected them to be so twisted from within, so malicious and ignorant to people's feelings... All Jeongguk ever did was love her, but all she gave him were insecurities and now, this humiliation. . .

Jeon Jungkook

(shaky voice) "A-Ahh, so you just pitied me."

Jeongguk nodded slowly then scoffed.

Jeon Jungkook

"Well, g-guess what? huh, I don't even care. (grins) Go to hell with your, your 𝑏𝑜𝑦𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑.. and don't 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 s-show me your pathetic faces again."

Although, he put on a tough mask, saying that it didn't bother him one bit that she cheated on him with his best friend. It in fact, bothered him a lot... But he won't let them have the pleasure of knowing that. He won't let them see what they want to see— him falling apart. . .

Jeongguk proceeded to storm away from there, but as soon as he turns around, Baekhyun grabs his elbow and stops him. Jihyo only rolls her eyes, clicking her tongue in annoyance as Baek tries to make peace.

Byun Baekhyun

"Jeongguk-ah, let it be. It's just a kiss, not like we slept with each other or something. Stop overreacting over such trivial things.. Tell me, who sticks to the same person in our age? We're meant to explore—"

The latter scoffs, taking his hard away from Baek's grip rashly as he glares at him coldly.

Jeon Jungkook

"Can you get a-any worse? You just spelled out how, how much of an àsshole you are.."

Byun Baekhyun

(frowns) "You can't just break off our friendship because of a couple-fight, Jeongguk. Grow up, will ya? You can't survive in this world if you're so sensitive."

Jeon Jungkook

"Friendship? 𝑚𝑤𝑜𝑦𝑎 friendship? Friends d-don't kiss each other's girlfriends, buddy."

Jeongguk looks into Baekhyun's eyes deeply, his own pupils laced with hurt and pain as he speaks. . .

Jeon Jungkook

"You made a joke out of-of our friendship, Baek. You broke m-my heart more than she did."

He mutters, broken-hearted and leaves the couple alone while he storms out of the corridor, falling apart and alone again. . .