Third Person's POV:

5 years earlier

"Tae~", Jungkook sing songed stepping on the wet grass to reach the bench where he and Tae had agreed to meet.

He was in an exceptionally good mood today, he had been accepted to the Seoul College of Arts and he couldn't wait to share this with his friend.

The black haired boy turned his head out of instinct as he heard the raven head call out his name , momentarily forgetting his tear-streamed face and bright red nose, not to mention the ugly blue marks adorning his arms all the way down to his wrists.

Jungkook halted in his steps for a second when he saw his friend in  such a disheveled state but after a moment he just continued to walk slowly towards him and sat on the bench a few inches away from the black-haired, who was trying his best to hide his wounds and constantly avoiding Jungkook's eyes.

"Hey..."Jungkook started in the softest voice he could muster up among all the chaos inside his head.

"..."

After receiving an awkward silence thickened with unsaid words and tension Jungkook moved closer to Taehyung and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hid Taehyung's face in the crook of his neck and rubbed his hands up and down his back to soothe the said boy.

Actually, Jungkook was used to such episodes of Taehyung. He didn't know what triggered Taehyung or who caused him such pain.

He never knew.

Maybe Jungkook should've tried harder to find out but no matter what he did or how he tried to convince Taehyung to tell him, desperately asked him to just give him a name , a clue or anything. But Taehyung never uttered a single word except shaking his head . Jungkook had no idea of what that meant.

After almost an year of trying to convince Taehyung to tell him and each time getting ignored or straight out rejected , he just decided to console Taehyung through these times.

He wouldn't bother or pester Taehyung to tell him but would sit with him through it. Would hug him till his breathing become normal, till the boy doesn't want to runaway from everyone . He would hide him from the world, would protect him at all costs.

And that is exactly what he did. He pulled him closer and circled his arms around Taehyung tighter, firmer, safer.

Jungkook heard the heart-wrenching sob Taehyung released. Heard him mumble out incoherent words but most importantly he heard him quieten down. Felt his sobs reduced to occasional sniffles and hiccups. Sensed his tears stop. All of this whilst Jungkook held him tight. Rubbed his back in a comforting manner.

Once again Jungkook felt hopeless, desperate , angered, enraged, disgusted (at himself) for not being able to help Taehyung. He could only soothe and comfort him. That was what Jungkook was good at. He couldn't protect him.

He failed. Yet again. Once again. And he was more than just upset about it.

Present Time:

"Jungkook! There has been a problem..." A sudden loud voice broke their bubble and Jimin came rushing in, hair flying in every possible direction.

Taehyung glanced at the shorter male and he really felt like crying but refrained from doing so, not wanting to seem weak.

"Yoongi told me Taehyung--"Jimin started ranting but shut up when he saw the male already standing in the office, staring back at him.

Jimin was a mess. His hair disheveled and breathing irregular, one of his hand was on his waist as he was panting, perks of running all the way around the building.

"...Oh? You already met him?" He chuckled awkwardly. At this point he was talking to himself while the other two just stared at him. One in disbelief while the other rolled his eyes.

Taehyung felt nostalgia hit him. It hasn't even been a day since he has been in Korea, yet he already met three of the several people he wanted to avoid the most.

"H-Hi Tae!" Jimin laughed awkwardly and gave him a small wave, side eying Jungkook to catch his reaction at the simple interaction.

Taehyung smiled back uncertainly. Then there was it again, the awkward silence where no one said anything, they could hear the rumble of people outside their office as the walls were not soundproof.

Suddenly, Jungkook walked past both of them and tried to get out of the room, he couldn't bear standing there anymore, the silence suffocating him to his core.

"Jung--M-Mr. Jeon!" Taehyung called out in a rush, he couldn't believe he had to call him Mr. Jeon but the little time they spent together made him realize how big of a change had occurred within Jungkook.

The said boy halted but didn't turn around, his back facing the black haired male as if he was disgusted to even look at him. Taehyung felt his heart break at that.

"Can we talk it out?...Let's bond over a cup of tea?" Taehyung tried to sound friendly, offering a small get-together but something triggered Jungkook and he turned around in a flash, furious.

"Talk about what huh? How you left us? Now you want to give us some pathetic excuse about how you didn't have any other choice-" Every word was a stab to Taehyung's heart but he just stood there, eyes holding a desperate plea.

"Jungkook! You are not in the right state right now--"Jimin tried to intervene to somehow calm the tide but Jungkook was clearly not backing down.

"Why did you even come back? Stalked me down and even dared talking to me? Just what in the world do you think you are?" His face was bright red and he was shaking slightly, hands fisted as his arms rested by his side.

Taehyung just stared at him in disbelief, no words coming out of his mouth. Jungkook really left him speechless.

"I...didn't stalk you down. I didn't even know you worked here--"

"I'm fucking sorry but I have no interest in your kitty tea party." Jungkook's words cut whatever Taehyung was trying to say, he had had enough of him.

With that being said, Jungkook stormed out of the small yet cozy room. Jimin tried calling after him but his cries fell on deaf ear.

"I'm really sorry Taehyung but I have to go after him. That rat would do something to himself. I hope you don't
mind." Jimin apologized and without waiting for a reply he too, went after Jungkook.

The black haired male nodded even though Jimin had long left, he finally let go of the chair, falling on his knees with a light thud, all the emotions getting the best of him.

Taehyung felt so, so helpless.

.
.
.

"Jungkook! For fucks sake stop breaking down the stalls" It had been nearly ten minutes. Jimin was currently standing in front of the men's bathroom and convincing Jungkook to stop his tantrum.

"I'M NOT!" The male in question shouted and Jimin had a sudden urge to dump him in Han river but he wasn't that cruel. He knew what Jungkook must be going through right now.

After about ten minutes Jungkook finally blessed him with his presence and Jimin wanted to kiss him 'cause the bathroom grossed him out, he had been in there for twenty whole minutes.

"Have you been crying?" Jimin inquired softly as he glanced at his swollen and red eyes.

"Why would I?" Jungkook retorted back confidently but Jimin saw through his lie, he was avoiding his eyes and Jungkook does that whenever he lies.

He slowly yet surely wrapped his hands around the taller male and Jungkook let him because he really needed a warm hug right now.

Jungkook closed his eyes and let himself be vulnerable for just a second.

"I don't wanna...go through that again."

"I know that Jungkook. I'm sure you won't." Jimin stroked his hair, caressing his scalp gently so that the taller male could have some sort of comfort.

.
.
.

It has been a week and Jungkook has successfully avoided Taehyung. Although his hectic schedule played an important part in that.

On the other hand, Jimin has tried getting in contact with Taehyung but to no avail, he had even asked the staff to give him his phone number or address or anything but the people couldn't disclose personal information of their employees.

Every time Jimin wants to talk to the other, he goes to his office but it's empty. Of course it would be, Taehyung was a well-known photographer, he must be super busy.

Today however he succeeded in cornering him. It was pure luck and Jimin had never felt so grateful in his whole life to the heavens for blessing him with such luck.

"Taehyung! Are you, by any chance, avoiding me?" Jimin raised a brow at his attempts to run away. He had a hunch that the other might have been avoiding him and the 'caught' look on his face just further confirmed his suspicions.

"W-what? Of course not. Why would I?" The latter faked a laugh because that's exactly what he was going to do. Avoid all of them at every cost. Taehyung had to get his shit together before facing either of them that's why he had decided to ignore them.

"Well good then. I wanna ask you out for a dinner."Jimin sighed in relief but he knew Taehyung was lying. First; Jimin was an excellent observer and second, Taehyung was a terrible liar.

"I am a little busy, Jimin." Taehyung spoke up still wanting to stick to his plan, carefully looking at him in the eye, hoping the other would sense his discomfort and spare him.

"Look~You are avoiding me." Jimin whined and Taehyung had a sudden urge to give him the world.

Taehyung had left them behind and started a new life and here Jimin was pretending like it never happened. He deserved the galaxy.

"I'm not."Taehyung retorted.

"Then you have to accept my offer." The slightly shorter male huffed and narrowed his eyes at the other.

"Jimin. I'm not sure if I could hang out with you-"

"I would be the one deciding that."

"Okay then."Taehyung finally gave in. He had no options whatsoever. Jimin was extremely stubborn and going against him would get him nowhere. 

"Tonight at eight. I'll pick you up when the working hours are over." Jimin informed the other while ruffling his hair, messing it up a bit in the process. He still wasn't sure if this ski ship was okay since they weren't exactly on good terms but he decided to just go for it.

"Hmm." Taehyung hummed and smiled at him, mind flooding with different thoughts.

.
.
.

"You ready?" Jimin asked the other as he ignited his car's engine. They were currently headed to his Seokjin Hyung's cafe. Reason? Well first of all he will get free food if he butters him enough and secondly he might or might not have invited the others secretly. And 'the others' included Jungkook too.

"Would you let me go if I said no?"Questioned the other as he tapped his leg nervously. Taehyung was only aware that they were headed to Seokjin's cafe and Jimin felt bad about lying to him.

"No!" Jimin smiled sheepishly.

"Figured it out earlier." Taehyung rolled his eyes but still he was nervous as fuck. He couldn't stop tapping his foot impatiently and biting his lips from time to time.

"And excuse me, sir? Why are you talking as if I'm gonna kidnap you?"Jimin narrowed his eyes at the other who just shrugged and looked out of the window.

"Jimin?" Taehyung decided to break the ear deafening silence because it was eating him up.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you mad at me?" He whispered the words he was dying to say since forever. It would only be fair of Jimin to get mad at him then why wasn't he?

"Oh trust me Taehyung. I wanna kill you through 5 different ways--"

"What?"Taehyung stared at him in bewilderment. If he wasn't scared earlier, he definitely was now.

"But I won't cause you must have had your reasons. Besides, I'm a mature man--" He continued.

"THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOUR TINY CAR DUDE?"

"So much for I'm a mature man." Taehyung whispered to himself as he saw Jimin cursing the driver.

"As I was saying I'm a mature man and know how to deal with things." He finished with a proud nod and a self head-pat.

"Of course." Taehyung decided to settle with a short response.

The rest of the car ride was close to being comfortable for Taehyung, he gazed at the city lights and building that never seemed to end, he was peacefully enjoying his ride.

Jimin, once in a while, glanced at Taehyung who with closed eyes, enjoyed the night breeze, the wind caressing his overgrown locks.

After about an hour, they had arrived at the cafe his brother owned. Taehyung couldn't help but release a small noise of surprise at the fancy decor.

Seokjin really went all in with this.  

"Seokjin Hyung?" Jimin called out for the elder as he entered the cafe with Taehyung following him, they looked around the cozy cafe for the said male.

"I'm here." Came out a response.

"Let's go upstairs. He has closed the cafe I guess." Jimin uttered and dragged Taehyung upstairs to where the others were waiting.

Sounds of thuds resonated the cafe as they marched upstairs, not even knowing why they were in such a hurry.

"What is he doing here?" Was the first thing they heard the very second they entered the room upstairs.

It wasn't the first time but Taehyung still felt as if the air was squeezed out of his chest, chills running down his spine.

That would be all. How was it?