Chapter Eighty-seven "Phoenix in His Arms"
The Long-Awaited Reunion
The entire hall was draped in a thick silence,
broken only by the occasional whispers and murmurs of the professors and
students alike. No one could believe their eyes. The dangerous and merciless
Professor Kim Taehyung, frozen in place, his hands trembling despite being
curled into tight fists.
The professors stood in silent astonishment,
many of them smiling softly at the unexpected turn of events. Whispers filled
the air as they murmured to one another about Jungkook’s return. The students,
on the other hand, remained clueless, exchanging puzzled glances, trying to
piece together what was happening before their eyes.
Jungkook, with his transformed
presence—sharper facial features, slightly longer curled hair tied in a neat
man bun, a lip piercing that glinted under the lights, one hand adorned with
intricate tattoos, dressed in a loose t-shirt and jeans that revealed more ink
on his arms—moved forward, each step towards the stage heavy with unspoken
emotions.
Taehyung, however, remained motionless, his
eyes locked onto Jungkook as if he were seeing a mirage, afraid that even
blinking would make him disappear.
His body refused to move, not even a single
finger, as his mind struggled to process the reality before him. Was Jungkook
really here? Was this another dream that would shatter as soon as he reached
for him?
Jungkook stopped right in front of him, his
dark brown eyes shimmering with emotions as he hesitantly whispered,
"Hyungie?"
Despite the low volume, his voice rang loudly
in the eerily silent hall, reaching everyone’s ears.
The students gasped in shock, murmurs
spreading like wildfire. They were witnessing something completely
unprecedented. Their terrifying, untouchable professor was standing there,
vulnerable and visibly shaking.
Taehyung wanted to move, wanted to pull
Jungkook into his arms and never let go. He wanted to kiss him, bury his face
in the warmth he had craved for three long years. But his body remained locked
in place, like a prisoner of his own overwhelming emotions.
Then, breaking the suffocating tension, Yoongi
suddenly shot up from his seat, letting out a loud curse. “Oh, for fuck’s
sake!”
Without warning, he stomped forward and shoved
Taehyung hard from behind. The unexpected force jolted him from his trance, and
before he could even register what was happening, his body finally moved on its
own.
Taehyung lunged forward, his arms wrapping
around Jungkook in an iron grip, as if afraid that he would disappear the moment
he let go. His face buried into Jungkook’s neck, his entire body trembling. All
his years of carefully maintained composure shattered as silent tears flowed
freely, soaking into Jungkook’s shirt.
The hall collectively held its breath. No one
dared to break the moment, no one dared to move.
Jungkook, who had been holding himself
together until now, instantly melted into Taehyung’s embrace, his own tears
streaming down his cheeks as he clutched onto his husband just as tightly. He
whispered, "I’m sorry, hyung. I’m so sorry it took me so long to come
back."
Taehyung only tightened his grip in response,
his body still trembling with raw emotions he had suppressed for far too long.
Among the students, some had tears in their
eyes despite not fully understanding the situation. It was impossible not to be
moved by the sheer depth of emotions in front of them. Even the ones who had
once feared Taehyung couldn’t help but feel a lump in their throats at seeing
their feared professor in such a vulnerable state.
The professors exchanged knowing smiles, their
eyes warm as they watched the reunion unfold. They had seen firsthand how much
Taehyung had suffered in Jungkook’s absence, and now, seeing them together
again, they could only feel relief.
At the back, Taehyung’s and Jungkook’s closest
friends stood with misty eyes. They knew the pain both had endured. They had
witnessed Taehyung’s slow descent into emotional numbness, had heard the
countless nights Jungkook had cried over about missing Taehyung but being
unable to return just yet.
Now, finally, they were together again.
The past three years of separation had been
agonizing, but in this moment, in each other’s arms, they knew—
Nothing else mattered anymore.
Ignoring everyone else, Taehyung scooped
Jungkook into his arms and carried him out of the hall, heading straight for
his office. Gasps and murmurs followed them, but Taehyung couldn’t care less.
He wasn’t going to let Jungkook out of his sight—not now, not ever again.
Reaching his office, he walked past his desk
and entered the connected private room, shutting the door behind them. Without
hesitation, he laid Jungkook on the bed but refused to let go, pulling him into
his embrace as they lay together.
Jungkook snuggled into him, a soft giggle
escaping his lips as he finally relaxed. “Hyung, you’re still the same.
Carrying me like a princess.”
Taehyung hummed, his grip tightening slightly.
“You’re mine.”
Jungkook smiled, then started talking about
his time overseas—how difficult the coursework was, how he had met new friends,
and how he had to adjust to a different environment. His voice was full of
excitement as he talked about a particular friend, James, who had initially
been a bully but had later become a close friend after Jungkook put him in his
place.
Taehyung remained silent, only offering
occasional hums of acknowledgment. But with each mention of James’ name, a dark
cloud of possessiveness grew inside him. The mere thought of another man being
close to Jungkook, of someone else witnessing his laughter and smiles in his
absence, made his blood boil.
His hold on Jungkook tightened. His mind
painted images of an unknown man standing too close to Jungkook, of him smiling
at someone else, of another person’s name slipping from Jungkook’s lips so
effortlessly.
No.
Jungkook was his. And he wasn’t going to let
anyone—especially not some James—take him away.
Never.
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