Just as promised, Jungkook started his live after the day's schedule. It was pretty late in Korea but he didn't want much delay because Taehyung was still out of the country. He had finished his performance in an event after the release of his solo song so his company allowed him to do the live. Jungkook recently started doing live on his own without any staff.

Well, it was not easy for him to reach that point but the constant pleadings worked. Moreover, the younger was not much of a talker in his live. He had just mention the most random things or keep singing to entertain his fans. They had recommend a million songs too to distract him. He was just hoping that people had bring up Taehyung's topic so that it would be easy for him.

"Hello, everyone! Were you all sleeping? Did I disturb you all?" Jungkook asked with his brightest smile.

For the next couple of minutes, he was just explaining about his song and how his events went. He even sang the songs for them but he kept glancing at the comment session so he can talk for what he really came. Soon, he found a couple of comments about Taehyung and his other friends. Okay, let's do it.

"Guys, i will be looking at the comments now. Ask me something you all are curious about." Jungkook said as he leaned closer to the screen to read comments. 

But he was already pretty sure about the comments that he would mention. The first few comments had to be subtle so he just talked about his meals and other schedules. He even mentioned about his favourite shows and about Yoongi's concert. Directly going to Taehyung would only make it more suspicious. His fans have the brain of a wolf as long as he knows.

"Oh, I heard about it too. He is having a solo tour, wow! I am so proud of him. It is very hard to do concerts alone." Jungkook talked about Yoongi.

"I wish, I could do it like him too. These days, all of my friends are really busy. Even I have been busy but I miss all of them." He added.

"Oh, Jimin hyung? Jimin hyung called me a bit before to ask if I had be free soon. I haven't met him since some time. Ahh, and Taehyungie hyung.. he is also busy. He is one the busiest person I ever knew." Jungkook pouted a little and stared at the screen. 

He could see more people ask about Taehyung by now. He was glad that they took the bait. He wondered what those comments could actually mean and he saw it. They were mentioning about the rumours as well but trying to keep it lowkey.

"Taehyungie hyung called me yesterday. W-when was it? Oh! I was sleeping actually." he pretended to think about the incident.

"Ahh, it was almost early morning for me since he is in Paris, he called me according to his time. He had a dinner party and called me after he reached his room." Jungkook chuckled.

"He annoys me whenever I am sleeping. But he kept talking till morning and how the shoot tired him out and his diet. Ohh! He really worked hard on that." Jungkook chuckled hoping that had be enough.

He was about to go back to singing but he saw another comment which again mentioned about the rumour ans Jungkook sighed. What more should he say rather than that Taehyung talked to him all night?

"Ohh, yeaa...hyung said he is coming back soon and wants to eat my food. Even after yesterday's dinner, he was talking about food."

"Yes, he always calls me. I think he goes for work and runs back to room for resting. He is too busy to slack off." Jungkook said again.

Now he really had to stop, it was getting too suspicious. He talked about a few random things and then ended the live with a warm smile. He wanted to call Taehyung and inform it but the older would be in schedule so he just decided to discuss it later.

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"What happened? You look so disturbed." Michael asked as she was roaming around the store with Taehyung.

"You saw the news?"

"Which one? About us?"

"Y-yea. Does that mean nothing to you?" He asked at how calm she was about it.

"Why would it? It is called rumour for a reason and I was with my friend and you went back to your room. We both know that."

"But that is not what others think. They think we sl-"

"Slept with each other." She shrugged.

"Michael, I really hate getting myself involved in these baseless rumours. I have a value that I cherish and this is just absurd."

"There is nothing I did in this, Taehyung. I saw the news just like you and do you want me to go out and deny it?"

"I expected that." He said staring at the collection in front him, not even taking a chance to look at her.

"I don't respond to rumours in general so this is going to be sus."

"Atleast no one controls you." He mumbled those words before going to his team.

He just didn't feel good. He wanted to get back to room as soon as possible and get some sleep. He didn't know why his stay in Paris is getting extended but it is the least of his concern. He didn't have anything good to do even if he goes back. These rumours will drain his energy sooner or later.

Henry made sure to wipe out most of the fans from the place before Taehyung stepped out. He looked around to see not even half the crowd which welcomed him and that was really disheartening. He just bowed at the remaining people and asked if they are hurt or not. He also asked them to not wait for him and wait for him to hold an official event to address them.

"Why is my stay getting extended?" Taehyung asked as soon as he sat back in the car.

"Have a few more schedules."

"Don't you think it is inappropriate to not mention that to me first? What if I have other plans?" Taehyung asked.

"But this is work and it came suddenly." Henry tried to reason.

"Just so you know, apart from this work, I have a personal life too. There would be a lot of commitments for me as well. I can't suddenly change my long waited plans for work." Taehyung snapped back.

"I am afraid you would have to cancel those for another week."

"I am afraid that I am flying back tomorrow as planned. Next week, I have to be in Singapore and I need to take care of a few things before that." Taehyung groaned.

"You will have to get the permission from the agency."

"This is my fucking personal schedule. Why would I get permission from someone?" 

"Sir, please calm down. I am unable to help you as now so please co operate." Henry's voice raised at that sentence.

"Are you talking back to me?"

"I am your manager and I am supposed to manage your schedules. You are making it hard for me to work." 

"You are supposed to manage my work schedule according to my convenience." 

"Enough! I have had enough from you. You are going to listen to me and do the schedules. I have got the orders from the agency and as per contract, you are following it." He shouted at taehyung.

Taehyung's eyes widened at that. Was his manager now shouting at him? Did he have no respect and words in his own life? That was when the rough reality hit him like a train. He was doomed in this shit life forever. The driver and his body guard also seemed surprised at Henry's behavior.

Taehyung just kept quiet, he was feeling suffocated. The past seemed to have returned, the days when they used to be mad at him and hit him for mistakes. He thought, that he made it somewhere in his life but it all shattered. He stared at the phone in his hand. All the sns medias were locked for him. How stupid?

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Taehyung was sitting by the balcony, his sleep long gone. He was not allowed to vape and Henry started a new rule of checking his bag for over-seas schedule. He was currently swirling a glass of expensive champagne which was provided by the hotel. He doesn't enjoy such drinks but he currently needed one.

He talked to Jungkook and came to know that he already did the live. He watched the live himself and was relieved to see how much Jungkook tried to explain. People would definitely take the hint but his absence from the sns would cause an uproar. He was just fondling with the phone when he suddenly remembered someone. So Hyun! 

He immediately turned off his phone and inserted his private sim that no one knew he had. Not even Jimin. He solely kept it for her so that no one would be able to track him down. He was not ready to let go off her, and more than that having a fan close to him would be beneficial. He dialled her number and waited for her to pick it up. He had to explain to her everything.

"Hello?"

"Hey, w-were you sleeping?" He asked noticing her voice.

"Oh, it is like a-around three in t-the morning." She said in her half sleep state.

'Oh shit! I always forget that when I am abroad. I am sorry, you can go back to sleep."

"No, it is fine. There must be something you wanted to tell me." 

"It is nothing, I j-just called because I a-am alone here." He tried to make it sound silly even though he had a million things to scream.

"Oh... why don't you do a live? All of your fans are missing you." She suggested.

"I wish b-but I have no access to my sns handles as of n-now." He just felt like at least one should know the truth.

"What do you mean by that? You forgot your passwords like usual?" She chuckled.

He often says that excuse when he resurface after disappearing for a while. He was not allowed to say that he gets kicked out by his agency whenever he wishes to address something.

"No, m-my agency changes passwords. I d-don't get access, unless they allow it." He sighed.

"What? So it is never you? You always get kicked out from your account? You never forgot your passwords?" She asked.

"Don't you think it is lame to forget passwords always? And my agency can retrieve my password in seconds. Those are just lame excuses I give."

"T-taehyung, are you okay?" She asked, her voice was full of concern.

"Honestly, I am not." 

"Hey, you can talk to me if you are comfortable enough. I won't break your trust." She said softly.

"You c-can't help it and I do not want you to be dragged in my dirt. All I wanna say is that, don't believe anything that you see about me unless I tell you. It is all fake even though, I have nothing to prove."

"A-are you talking about the rumours with the m-model?" 

"It is not true. I don't even talk to her." Taehyung said sternly as if in reflex.

"Oh, I t-think you need to quit listening to the agency and open up. The rumour is spreading pretty fast and I h-have seen a few posts and articles on it. They all are waiting for your confirmation."

'I am n-not allowed to say anything now. I will speak when the time comes. I just wanted to let you know that....no-nothing is true. I h-have never had such a relationship with her." 

"T-thank you."

They talked for a bit more and Taehyung decided to end the call because he had either up crying or over confess much more than he planned to. Talking to her was like a relief. She had no prejudice of him so it was easy for him to express. She was trying her best to cheer him up but at the same time, she asked him to stand up for himself instead of saying it is fine.

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Two years ago,

"Tae, what plans do you have after the shoot?" Xiqui asked him.

He was shooting a commercial with a chinese model. He had known her for a while, they work for the same company and often meet up for shoots. She was a very cheerful person and whenever Taehyung was drained out, she used to help him get hyped up. They have had to spend days together in America for the promotion activities.

"Eat and sleep." He answered simply.

"Why do you have to be so boring?" She pouted.

"Xin, I am fucking tired. I have no idea what you do to be so active." He rolled his eyes at her.

'You need to chill out. You are working all the time that it wears you out. If you enjoy your private life more, it had make you feel better." She said pulling his sleeves to get his attention.

"What should I do for that?" He asked, keeping his phone away and focusing on her.

"Party with me, tonight. I have rented out the best club here for me and a few of my staffs." She suggested.

'Ehh?" He was surprised because he would never do that.

"I know you have never done it, that is why I am asking you to break free for once. This is LA, Taehyung." She sulked more.

"I am not sure."

"Do you trust me? I am not going to spy on you. I will make sure no one would catch you having a little fun." 

That is how Taehyung ended up in one of the biggest club in LA. He was not a big fan of drinking so he decided to do some indoor golfing at the VIP suite and Xinqui left him be. She was just busy on the dance floor while he was playing with a couple of other vip customers.

It was around midnight, when Taehyung finally bid farewell to his mates and returned to grab a drink. Xinqui was still on the floor but he could see that she was getting wasted, her staffs seemed to be gone too. He wondered how she could be so free and careless when everyone would be outside to watch every single thing they do. Or was it just him who was restricted?

"Taeee, come and dance with me." She slurred out as soon as her eyes caught him.

"No no, I am fine. We need to leave, it is getting late."

'W-we have no schedule tomorrow morning." She said while approaching him and dancing funny.

"You look so wasted." He chuckled watching her wiggle around with no care in the world.

"At least you are entertained. I have seen how packed you are, it is so stupid. Tae, you are young so please loosen up and think about your life too." She said while taking a drink.

"No more drinks, Xin."

"Ahh please, I need more to dance." She whined, trying to take it back from him.

"No, I said no!" He pushed the bottle behind him as she leaned closer.

"Why did I even bring you here? You are stopping me from enjoying." 

"You are wasted. I can't let you throw up here." He kept the bottle behind him and helped her stand straight.

"Fine, let me use the rest room then." She scoffed while walking away, almost tripping on her heels.

"Gosh! Let me help you." He sighed and held her, leading her to the rest room.

Taehyung waited for her outside, as she was singing and making a mess inside. He was losing his patience as she was still not coming out, even after fifteen minutes or more. He knocked on the door but her singing was loud enough to block it. He was pretty sure that she was done with her business by then so he just opened the door and walked in.

"Xin, are you not coming?" He asked.

"T-the fuck?" She gasped while turning to the other side to face him.

"W-what's taking you so ..." Before saying more, he could see the zip of her dress was open.

"I am drunk as fuck to zip up. Wait, I w-will somehow do it." She stuttered while skipping to the side.

"We don't have a month to spend. Let me help you." He huffed before pulling her to him and zipping it up in an instant.

"T-thank you."

The atmosphere was way too dense and especially being drunk didn't help either of them. They just had to let go for once and that is how they ended up in one of the vip room, kissing and sucking each other. Taehyung really tried to hold back but seemed like, it was him who lost the control. Xin restricted for a bit but gave in as she couldn't ignore his need.

Taehyung woke up after a very tiring sleep, as he rolled on the bed to end up hitting on something. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, stretching his body. Once he opened his eyes, he wanted to scream. Xin was sitting by his side, wrapped in a blanket and staring at him.

"W-what are you doing?" He asked in confusion.

'I thought only I was drunk." She hissed while covering her face.

"Uhh?" He asked while looking at himself, he was not wearing anything....just the blanket covering his lower half.

"Yes, congrats." She snapped at him.

"D-did we? What?" He asked.

"We very much did because when I tried to stand up, I couldn't. It really hurts so bad." 

"We are doomed. I a-am so sorry." 

"This is going to stay between us and I am anyways on pill. I just hope you are clean." 

"I definitely am. But h-how did we? I h-have no idea. I a-am so sorry." He apologized.

"I am sure, you didn't force me into this. This should have been mutual and the only thing to do is, act like this never happened." She said calmly while pressing his shoulder.

"B-but." 

"But, fuck it Taehyung. It just happened, we can't let this ruin our lives. We are close enough to agree on this matter." 

"Y-yea, okay. We should head back before anyone finds out."

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That was the only time, he let himself enjoy properly and it ended up in a tragedy, After that, he never allowed himself to do such things. He and Xin were pretty much the same even after the incident but recently his contract ended with the company and they have not been in contact since a while. She was a good friend but he ended up losing her.