Chapter 41

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Why was Jungkook feeling this down? He had finally gotten better, after a few days of watching TV and eating lots of soup... with Taehyung kind of taking care of him, and yet he was in a bit of a bad mood. He knew Taehyung was going to leave today. Taehyung had told him so and Jungkook could tell that he was saying his goodbyes, in a way. Playing around with the cat, feeding it and cuddling with it on the sofa.

When Jungkook had teased him about how he was cuddling it now when he had wanted to eat it at first, Taehyung had teasingly picked the poor little thing up and acted like he was going to bite its face. Jungkook knew Taehyung was only fooling around, but his heart rate did speed up a little bit at that.

"When are you going to leave?" Jungkook finally asked at around six in the evening. He had felt like Taehyung was going to leave any second now for hours and it was making him nervous. Maybe when he actually knew when Taehyung was going to leave it would get better.

"An hour?" Taehyung didn't look too sure himself as he scratched Tuna behind her ear. Jungkook should have been annoyed that Taehyung had made him keep the cat with the promise of taking care of it, only to leave a month later, but he wasn't. Instead he was glad that some kind of memory stayed behind, in a way.

This whole situation almost felt like he was sending Taehyung off on a train somewhere. It was so odd... Jungkook had the strong feeling he would have to pack a suitcase or something but he didn't. There was nothing here Taehyung would take with him. He'd shown up with nothing and was going to leave with nothing.

"This feels so weird." Jungkook muttered, sitting down next to Taehyung, who was still patting the cat. Taehyung hummed in agreement.

Jungkook... had a hard time believing he was going to be alone again soon. He was excited at the aspect of having his apartment to himself again and actually being able to spend his day however he wanted without having to worry about what Taehyung might want to do.

He also would no longer need to sit by the ocean for hours until his hands and feet were cold as he waited for Taehyung. He really looked forward to those times , but at the same time it was hard to imagine after months of living this way.

It was hard to imagine Taehyung just not being there anymore.

The last hour passed oddly quickly and slowly at the same time. Taehyung and him just watched some television together, that awkward air around them. It was pretty clear that Taehyung didn't know what to say either... so they just sat there watching TV for an hour, both petting the cat that was now Jungkook's to take care of.

The walk to the beach was even worse because they had no excuse not to talk and the lack of Jungkook's usually aimless babbling seemed to hang in the air above them.

It was only when Jungkook watched Taehyung slip out of his human clothes that he finally got himself to speak up again.

"I'm going to miss you... even with how crazy that sounds."

Taehyung turned to look at him, his colorless eyes flashing in the light of the street lamps a bit further down the beach. Jungkook couldn't help but think about how stunning Taehyung looked right then. In the soft light of the moon and the few lamps that were scattered around here.

He sent Jungkook a little smile that he could only read as genuine. A little awkward maybe... maybe even sad, but a genuine smile.

"Me too." Taehyung admitted and Jungkook smiled a little at that. They had come far from when they had first started. It had been here... the place where Jungkook had almost drowned because of Taehyung. But he no longer felt angry with Taehyung for that. Maybe he was a little crazy. He was just glad that he had survived and things had turned out differently.

If they hadn't he would have died down there by Taehyung's hand and all of this wouldn't have happened.

"You told me to tell you if I want you to come back once you're comfortable with leaving the ocean again... and I do. I want you to come back. But if you do, you're coming back as a friend... no telling me what I have to do and ordering me around. I'm doing it on my own free will so I don't owe you anything."

Taehyung nodded slowly as he listened to Jungkook. He was glad that the siren had accepted this... Jungkook wanted to get rid of that awful imbalance in their dynamic. With how things had been so far he hadn't been able to relax entirely. But if Taehyung was aware that he could ask Jungkook for something but had no right to expect it of him... then things could actually get better.

"Okay."

Taehyung was only wearing his pants when he stepped towards Jungkook. Once again Jungkook couldn't help but notice the unnaturally beautiful way his skin seemed to glow in the moonlight... and wondered whether it had something to do with Taehyung's magic charm as a siren.

"I'll come back."

Weeks ago those words would have been absolute horror to hear and yet here Jungkook was, smiling at Taehyung.

"Good."

He could tell Taehyung was a little lost about what to do. He just stood there in front of Jungkook, looking at him expectantly.

"I'm guessing this is goodbye for now." Jungkook sighed. He still had a hard time believing he actually felt sad that Taehyung was going to leave now. Those sure had been some intense months.

"It is." Taehyung looked a little hesitant... like he wanted to do something but was unsure whether he should actually do it. Jungkook was about to ask about it when he seemed to make his decision and stepped forward... and hugged Jungkook.

It wasn't nearly as awkward as the first time they had hugged had been. Although it could have been, given that Taehyung was half naked and clearly unsure if Jungkook even wanted to be hugged, but it wasn't. Unlike the first time Taehyung was actually hugging Jungkook properly, wrapping his arms around him tightly, none of the awkward attempts to keep his distance left.

And unlike the first time Jungkook wasn't scared of touching Taehyung back. Yet still a little hesitant, he lifted his arms and hugged Taehyung back. It felt surprisingly comfortable. Warm and comfortable, Taehyung's scent mixing with the scent of the actual ocean right behind his back.

This felt like a real hug, unlike the one he had received back then... and it actually gave Jungkook some comfort. Because the person he felt like he was going to miss was hugging him. Jungkook let out a breath, dropping his chin on Taehyung's shoulder.

He really was going to miss Taehyung. He was pretty damn sure of that.

After a few seconds Jungkook patted Taehyung's back before pulling out of the hug. It felt wrong but he knew they would have to say goodbye now... and Jungkook didn't want to draw it out. Long goodbyes always hurt more. Who could have known he would ever feel that way about saying goodbye to Taehyung.

"I actually had a good time even though we got off on a bit of a wrong foot at first." Jungkook couldn't stop himself from reaching out and ruffling Taehyung's hair a little. The siren grimaced but didn't bother to push his hand away. "Maybe next time... let's not greet each other with drowning." Jungkook chuckled. "Sound good?"

He couldn't help smiling as well when Taehyung did. "It does."

After a few more seconds of standing there and just looking at each other Jungkook straightened his shoulders a bit. "I think it's time to say goodbye."

Taehyung nodded slowly, glancing back the ocean. Jungkook knew Taehyung really missed the sea and really needed this. Even if it felt wrong to say goodbye now.

"Goodbye, Tae. Take care of yourself." Jungkook felt a little heavy when Taehyung looked at him.

"See you soon, Jungkook." Taehyung placed his hand on his shoulder, squeezing one last time before turning around. Jungkook watched him as he pulled his pants down as well, stepping onto the edge of the rock they were standing on... and took a dive forward, straight into the water.

Jungkook watched as Taehyung slipped under the surface before resurfacing a few meters away. Even in the dim moonlight Jungkook could tell he was back in his natural form... when Taehyung lifted his hand and waved at him.

Slowly he lifted his hand to wave back. "Take care!"

Taehyung didn't answer. Just stayed there for a few more seconds, watching Jungkook with attentive eyes before diving down into the dark water, this time not resurfacing again.

Jungkook ended up staying there for another ten minutes, just staring out over the ocean... waiting if maybe Taehyung was going to show up again because he had forgotten something. But he didn't.

When Jungkook got back to his apartment he couldn't help noticing just how empty it felt. Even when Tuna jumped onto his lap when he sat down on the couch... something was missing.

A/N

Not gonna lie... I'm sad😭