chapter 27

"Everything." Their both eyes meet. The black orbs staring at her with an urge to read the secrets of her heart. ---------------**---------*--------**-------------The tension in the room was suffocating.Y/N could feel her hands trembling under the table, her grip tightening around the fork as she struggled to maintain her composure. She had never been good at voicing her thoughts, especially when it came to him. Their relationship had never allowed space for casual conversations, let alone deep ones.But this wasn't something she could keep bottled up any longer."L-Let's just have our dinner first." Her voice was quiet, hesitant, almost afraid.Jungkook didn't protest. He merely nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. Neither of them had ever truly spoken-not as a married couple, not even as acquaintances. The silence between them had always been louder than any words they could muster.Now, as they sat across from each other at the dining table, that same silence pressed down on them, heavy and thick. They stole quick glances, but neither dared to break the fragile atmosphere.Until Y/N did."What did you feel seeing her after so long?"Jungkook's grip on his chopsticks tightened for a fraction of a second before he answered, his voice as cold as ever. "Nothing."His response was instant, almost too quick. But Y/N caught the slight shift in his eyes-the flicker of something unspoken before he shut himself off again.She hesitated, twirling her noodles around her fork. "Why? You didn't even talk to her properly. You both are meeting after so long."Jungkook let out a slow exhale through his nose, his jaw tensing. "Because I didn't want to." His tone was sharper now, edged with frustration, as if her question was an unnecessary disturbance.But Y/N didn't back down. Not this time."But you always want-""Can we just not talk about her?" Jungkook cut her off, his patience thinning. His gaze darkened, a silent warning. "You're irritating me now, Y/N."Y/N flinched at the harshness in his voice, but she refused to look away. She had spent too long biting her tongue, too long suppressing everything she felt, and she was tired."T-then why did you decide to eat with me if I'm that irritating?" she asked, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips.Since when did she start talking this much?Since when did she start fighting back?Jungkook narrowed his eyes. This woman... was testing his patience.Her next words, however, pushed him over the edge."You should have invited Mia, after all, she's the one who-""FOR GOD'S SAKE, SHUT THE FUCK UP, Y/N."The sound of his hand slamming against the glass table echoed through the room. Y/N flinched at the force, her fingers instinctively clenching around her fork. The table didn't break, but something inside her did.Still, she didn't react. She simply looked down at her plate, her face blank, her expression unreadable.Jungkook let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. His fingers trembled slightly.Why did she have to bring Mia into this?Why did it bother him so much?His voice was lower now, but still filled with irritation. "I don't know what rubbish you're talking about, and I don't understand why the hell you keep bringing Mia into this."Y/N's head snapped up at that, her eyes burning with something unreadable. Before Jungkook could react, she stood up and moved in front of him, her gaze unwavering."It's not rubbish, Jungkook. It's the reality of our relationship."Jungkook frowned, genuine confusion flashing across his face. "I don't understand what you're saying, Y/N."A hollow laugh escaped her lips. "And I don't understand you, Jungkook. What are you trying to do?""What do you mean?"Y/N let out a shaky breath, her heart pounding against her ribs. "Don't act dumb, Jungkook. You know exactly what I'm talking about."His frustration was growing. "Stop playing with words, Y/N, and just come to the point."She met his gaze head-on, her hands trembling slightly as she clenched them into fists. "There's nothing difficult about my words to understand. I'm talking about you, Jungkook."A flicker of something flashed in his eyes-something he quickly masked."Is there something wrong with me?" (A/n:- I don't know why am I laughing?) Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat, blinking rapidly as she fought against the stinging in her eyes."Everything is wrong. You and your behavior... it's just... different. So different from before. You w-were never like this. This Jungkook is too different from the Jungkook I used to know."Jungkook's breath hitched for a second, his body stiffening."How am I different now?"His tone wasn't angry anymore. It was low, soft-almost desperate.Like he wanted to know.Like he needed to know.Y/N let out a shaky breath. "Y-you never behaved this soft. You were always rude and bossy. You yelled at people over the smallest mistakes. And now, you're being patient."Jungkook swallowed."And?"She hesitated, her fingers tightening at her sides."My husband, Jungkook, never used to care about me. In fact, I had no importance in his life. I-I was just a stranger to him."Jungkook's stomach twisted."A-and?"Her voice cracked. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "He h-hated me. He used to hate my existence, my voice, my everything. And now... now when he's acting like a perfect husband, it all feels like a dream. A beautiful dream that will never become reality."The room fell into silence.Jungkook stared at her, his heart hammering against his ribs. He opened his mouth to say something, anything-but no words came out.Because he knew she was right.Because he knew she wasn't just talking about his behavior.She was talking about something deeper.Something they had both been too afraid to confront.And for the first time in a long time, Jungkook didn't know what to say.He didn't know what to do because Y/N wasn't just questioning him.She was breaking him and the worst part?She didn't even realize it.Jungkook's breathing was heavy, his fists clenched. He looked at her as if she had just ripped open a wound he didn't even know existed.Y/N wasn't finished."Tell me, Jungkook." A lone tear slid down her cheek. "Tell me why you're acting like you care. Why you're acting like you want this marriage to work when you never did before."Her voice broke at the last word, and that was it. The last thread holding her together snapped.Tears of pain gathered in Y/N's eyes, threatening to spill, but she made no effort to stop them. Her lips trembled, parting to release the words that had been suffocating her for months-words she had buried deep within her heart, too afraid to voice. But tonight, she couldn't hold them back.Her lips testified for her, and the tears in her eyes became proof of every silent suffering she had endured.And Jungkook? He could only watch.The sight of her, fragile and breaking right in front of him, crushed his heart in ways he never thought possible. Another painful reminder of his cruelty. Another reminder of the damage he had caused.Before he could think, before he could stop himself, his arms moved on their own.He pulled her into his embrace, wrapping his strong arms around her small frame as if trying to shield her from the very pain he had inflicted. His grip tightened, desperate, like holding her closer could somehow mend all the wounds he had created.The same way her words pierced his heart, he now wanted to use his warmth to soothe hers.But was it enough?Could his touch ever erase the scars his actions had left?"W-why are you doing this to me, Jungkook?" Y/N's voice cracked, muffled against his chest. Her small hands clenched the fabric of his coat, holding onto him, yet at the same time, her words pushed him away. "How can you be so cruel? How can you pretend to care now when all you ever did was break me?"His arms stiffened around her, but he didn't let go.Because he knew.He knew she wasn't wrong.The soft fabric of his coat absorbed her painful tears while he held her tighter, his chin resting on the top of her head.But her words didn't stop.She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, her tear-streaked face illuminated under the dim light of the room. "You were never there for me, Jungkook." Her voice was soft, yet every syllable carried the weight of her suffering. "I was just... there. A presence you ignored, a person you never truly saw."Jungkook's throat tightened. He wanted to deny it. He wanted to tell her she was wrong.But he couldn't.Because she was right."Do you even know what it feels like to sleep beside someone who makes you feel invisible?" A bitter chuckle left her lips as she shook her head. "You don't, do you? Because you were never affected. It was always just me, loving someone who never looked at me the way I looked at him."Jungkook's grip on her waist faltered for a second.Loving someone.She loved him?A sudden sharp pain shot through his chest. He had never asked, never cared to wonder if she had feelings for him. In his selfishness, he had believed she was indifferent-just as he had forced himself to be.But now...Now, he realized she had been suffering alone all this time."Not only me," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Even destiny was cruel for pairing you with a person like me."Y/N clenched her jaw, trying to hold back another sob. "Yes, Jungkook. Destiny was cruel." Her fingers curled into fists against his chest. "Because it gave me you. A husband who never wanted me. A husband who treated me like an outsider in his life."His moist eyes stared into the darkness of the sky through the window, guilt crawling up his spine like a merciless ghost."This soft angel deserved someone better."His thoughts screamed at him, punishing him over and over.But he wasn't the only one in pain.The way Y/N trembled in his arms, the way her sobs echoed in the silent room-it was unbearable. His heart squeezed painfully, twisting and turning like it wanted to crawl out of his chest and into hers, just so he could take away some of the agony she carried.When the sobs of the girl in his arms once again squeezed his heart painfully, Jungkook felt something inside him shatter. A deep, agonizing crack in the walls he had built around himself.He had never known that guilt could feel like this-like a weight so heavy it stole the air from his lungs, like invisible hands clawing at his chest, demanding he feel what she had felt all this time.Her frail body trembled against his, her pain sinking into his skin like poison. And yet, he held her. Not because he thought he could fix it. Not because he believed he deserved to.But because he couldn't bear to let her go.Slowly, almost hesitantly, he lowered his head and buried his face in her hair. Not to comfort her-no, he wasn't selfless enough for that.But to hide.Like a coward.Like a man seeking shelter from the wreckage he himself had caused.Her scent wrapped around him, warm and familiar, laced with the saltiness of her tears. And for the first time in a long time, Jungkook realized how deeply he had missed her, even when she had always been right there.But what right did he have to miss someone he had never truly had?His arms tightened around her, desperate, as if holding her closer could somehow keep her from slipping through his fingers."I am sorry."The words fell from his lips like a broken confession, raw and heavy with regret.But was an apology enough?Would it erase the nights she had spent waiting for him? The moments she had longed for a single glance, a single word, only to be met with silence?Would it take away the pain of being unwanted?His throat burned, his eyes stinging with the weight of everything left unsaid."I am sorry, Y/N." His voice cracked this time, a whisper so fragile it barely reached the space between them. His fingers curled into the fabric of her dress as if anchoring himself to her presence.She didn't say anything.She just cried.And the sound of her heartbreak was the cruelest thing he had ever heard.-------------------**-----------**---------------------(After Mia Left Jeon Mansion)"Mia, wait."Hearing her name, Mia stopped in her tracks, turning around to find Leena rushing toward her, her face filled with urgency."What is it, Leena?" she asked, glancing at her watch."I need to talk to you about something," Leena said, slightly out of breath.Mia let out a small chuckle. "Can't it wait until next time? I have somewhere to be.""No, Mia. It's important."Mia arched a brow. "Really? But I-"Leena cut her off. "Are you serious about leaving? I thought coming here was just an excuse to get out of there."Mia blinked, confusion crossing her face. "What do you mean? You were the one who called me and asked me to visit. I only came because of you."Leena's grip on Mia's wrist tightened slightly. "Mia, aren't you really here for Jungkook?"The question made Mia freeze for a split second, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What?"Leena exhaled sharply, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Mia... Jungkook was forced to marry Y/N. He's not happy with her. Can't you see it? He's just waiting for you to come back."Mia stared at her friend, disbelief spreading across her face."What are you trying to do, Leena?" she asked, voice laced with exhaustion."I'm trying to make you see what's right in front of you!" Leena insisted. "You know Jungkook still loves you. He doesn't treat Y/N the way he treated you. The way he looked at you... it's different. He treats her like she's nothing to him."Mia took a deep breath before shaking her head. "And how do you know that's love and not regret? How do you know it's me he wants and not just the idea of what we used to be?"Leena hesitated, searching for words. "Because-""Leena, Jungkook and I ended the moment his father arranged his marriage. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was just... fate. And fate doesn't change because of wishful thinking."Leena clenched her fists. "But what about your love for him?"Mia's lips curled into a sad smile. "I've moved on."The silence that followed was thick, suffocating.Leena's hands dropped to her sides as Mia slowly lifted her own, revealing a silver ring glistening under the moonlight.Leena's breath hitched."I belong to someone else now," Mia said softly, but her words held a firm finality.Leena's mind reeled. She had been so certain Mia would return, that she was only waiting for the right moment."I can see why you thought otherwise," Mia continued, her voice gentle. "But you noticed everything except for the most important thing."Leena swallowed hard. "And what's that?""The way Jungkook looks at me now..." Mia smiled, a quiet acceptance in her eyes. "It's not the same as before."A lump formed in Leena's throat."The love he had for me-it's gone. And the love I had for him?" Mia sighed. "It's gone too."Leena felt her chest tighten.Mia glanced back toward the Jeon mansion, her expression unreadable."Jungkook and I... We weren't meant to be. And I think that's for the best."Leena bit her lip, still unwilling to let go of the idea that Mia and Jungkook could have had a second chance.But Mia only smiled before delivering her final words."I don't know how things will end between Jungkook and Y/N, but I do know one thing for sure." She turned back toward Leena, eyes shining with certainty."Y/N is perfect for Jungkook."And with that, Mia walked away, leaving Leena standing there-stunned, speechless, and unable to deny the truth any longer.--------------**------------**---------**-------------Jungkook and Y/N remained in each other's embrace, neither daring to pull away.The warmth between them was fragile, delicate, like a fleeting dream that neither wanted to wake up from. His arms, once unfamiliar and distant, now felt like a shield, enclosing her in a space where she could finally breathe-where, for a moment, the weight of her pain was shared.But reality was cruel.And warmth could never erase the scars of coldness.Y/N closed her eyes, pressing her face deeper into his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was the same heart that had remained indifferent toward her for months. The same heart that had never once raced for her the way it had for her.Mia.The name alone made her stomach twist, but she forced herself to push the thought away. This wasn't about Mia anymore. This was about them-about a broken wife and a husband who had finally seen her, but only after she had already given up on being seen.Jungkook's fingers threaded through her hair, his touch so gentle, so painfully tender, it made her want to sob all over again. Where was this gentleness when she had needed it the most? Where was this warmth on the nights she had gone to bed alone, wondering if she would ever matter to him?She took a shaky breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. "This doesn't change anything, Jungkook."His body stiffened, and she felt his breath hitch against her hair. His grip on her waist faltered for just a second before tightening again."...Y/N."His voice was barely a whisper, a plea wrapped in regret. But she had spent too long waiting for his voice to want her.She slowly pulled away, just enough to look at him, her eyes red and glistening with unshed tears. "You think holding me like this will erase everything?" she asked, her voice breaking. "You think one apology will make me forget all those months of being invisible to you?"Jungkook's throat bobbed, his eyes desperate, but he said nothing.Because he knew.He knew she was right."I waited, Jungkook," she whispered, shaking her head. "I waited for you to look at me. To talk to me. To care. And you never did. Do you know how much it hurts to be married to someone who makes you feel like you don't even exist?"Jungkook clenched his jaw, his eyes glistening with guilt. He reached up, hesitantly brushing his thumb against her cheek, as if trying to soothe the wounds he had inflicted. But Y/N flinched, stepping back, and his hands dropped uselessly to his sides.Her rejection felt like a slap, but he had no right to complain."I'm not saying I hate you," she continued, her voice softer now, almost tired. "I'm just... I don't know if I can trust you."Jungkook felt a dull ache spread through his chest."I need to know..." she whispered, her voice shaking, "why now?"Jungkook swallowed hard."I-""No," she cut him off, shaking her head as her lips trembled. "You don't get to apologize, Jungkook. Not without telling me why."Her voice cracked, and his heart clenched painfully."You've ignored me for months," she continued, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. "You never cared before. You never looked at me before. You never even tried to be my husband. So why are you holding me now?"Jungkook's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. He knew she deserved an answer.But how could he tell her that he didn't know when it had started? That the guilt had crept in so slowly, so silently, that by the time he had realized its weight, it was already crushing him?That every time she looked at him with those quiet, hopeful eyes-eyes that only ever saw him, despite everything-he felt like the worst kind of man?That he had spent so long pretending he didn't care, only to wake up one day and realize that the thought of losing her terrified him?But it was too late, wasn't it?Too late to erase the nights she had cried herself to sleep alone. Too late to take back all the times he had made her feel invisible.Too late for her to believe him."I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I don't want to lose you."Y/N let out a shaky laugh, though there was no humor in it."Lose me?" she repeated, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Jungkook, you never even had me."His breath hitched."You pushed me away from the very beginning. I tried-I tried so hard to be someone you could love, someone you could at least see. And you..." She took a deep breath, her voice breaking. "You made me feel like I was nothing."Jungkook shut his eyes tightly, guilt washing over him like a suffocating tide."I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking.Y/N let out another breath, shaking her head. "Sorry?"A tear finally slipped down her cheek, but this time, she didn't bother wiping it away."You don't get to be sorry, Jungkook."She stepped back, and this time, he let her go. Because he knew-Sorry would never be enough.Pheww finally I finished writing. You all were threatening so have to do it. #cruelreaders#sweetauthorNow share your opinions 💜Let's end this story with leena's last bitchy move. So basically I'll end it in four or five chapters 😤