CHAPTER 2 — THE WORLD AFTER THE LIGHT

Universe A

(Stranger Jungkook wakes up in the lovers’ world)

Jungkook opened his eyes to soft sheets and a warm scent he didn’t recognize at first. There was a faint trace of lavender and something woody. It felt familiar but not his.

His head throbbed.

For a second he thought he was still in the rehearsal room.

But when he sat up, he wasn’t.

He was in a bedroom.

A bedroom that wasn’t his.

The curtains let in gentle morning light, the kind that painted everything gold. There were photos on the wall — pictures of him and Taehyung. Smiling. Matching clothes. Foreheads touching. Arms around each other.

His chest tightened.

These weren’t memories he owned.

He threw the blanket aside. The bed was warm on one side, like someone had just been sleeping next to him. His heart jumped when he heard footsteps.

The door opened.

Taehyung walked in, drying his hair with a towel, wearing a loose T-shirt and a calm smile that froze when he saw Jungkook sitting upright, alert like a cornered animal.

“You’re awake,” Taehyung said softly. “You scared me last night. You wouldn’t open your eyes for ten minutes.”

Jungkook stared at him. The way Taehyung’s voice carried worry. The way his eyes glowed with relief.

It was affection. Deep, lived-in affection.

“I… where am I?” Jungkook asked.

Taehyung paused. “Our room.”

The words dropped between them like stones.

Jungkook shook his head. “Our what?”

Taehyung blinked. Something fragile cracked behind his eyes. “Jungkook, are you messing with me right now?”

“I don’t remember any of this,” Jungkook said quietly. “I don’t know why I’m here.”

Taehyung took a slow step back, his hands tightening around the towel. “You don’t remember us?”

Jungkook’s breath caught. “Us?”

Taehyung let out a shaky laugh, like he was trying to keep calm. “You and me. Three years. Living together. Everything.”

The room felt small. Jungkook felt smaller.

“I don’t… I can’t… I’m sorry,” Jungkook whispered.

He had never seen Taehyung look like that. Hurt. Confused. Lost.

“Maybe you hit your head harder than I thought,” Taehyung said. “Let me call Jin hyung.”

But before he could move, Jungkook reached out and grabbed his wrist without thinking.

Taehyung froze.

For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke.

Jungkook released him. “Please don’t worry. I just… need time to understand what happened.”

Taehyung nodded slowly, but his eyes said he was breaking inside.

“Whatever it is,” Taehyung whispered, “we’ll figure it out.”

Jungkook wanted to say something comforting. Something helpful.

But this wasn’t his world.

This wasn’t his relationship.

And this Taehyung wasn’t his Taehyung.

The storm had taken him somewhere he didn’t belong.

Universe B

(Lover Taehyung wakes up in the strangers’ world)

The hospital lights were too bright.

Taehyung blinked, his vision blurry, trying to piece together how he got here. His body felt heavy. His head throbbed.

Voices buzzed around him until one cut through the rest.

“Taehyung? Hey… you okay?”

It was Jungkook.

Taehyung looked toward the voice and felt relief flood his chest. He reached for him automatically, grabbing Jungkook’s hand tightly.

Jungkook stiffened in surprise.

Taehyung didn’t notice at first. He was too shaken, too desperate to feel something steady. “Thank god. I thought something happened to you.”

Jungkook blinked. “Uh… I’m fine.”

Taehyung finally realized the hand he was holding wasn’t responding the way he knew. Jungkook usually held his hand back. Warm and gentle. This one was still. Awkward.

He slowly let go.

Jungkook cleared his throat and stepped back a little. “You gave everyone a scare. You fainted after the light hit the stage.”

Taehyung sat up.

The room shifted a little.

Something felt different. Too different.

“How long was I out?” he asked.

“About an hour.”

Taehyung studied Jungkook’s face. His expression was polite. Concerned, but distant. Not like the Jungkook he knew, who hugged him the moment he was hurt.

Taehyung’s heart tugged uncomfortably.

“What happened to the others?” he asked.

“They’re fine. Jimin said the tech team is checking the stage. Namjoon hyung is talking to the staff.”

Taehyung wasn’t listening anymore.

He was staring at Jungkook.

At the way he stood.

At the way he avoided holding his gaze too long.

This Jungkook wasn’t his Jungkook.

This wasn’t their world.

Taehyung swallowed hard. “Jungkook… did something happen between us?”

Jungkook frowned. “Between us?”

Taehyung nodded slowly, trying to keep calm.