Missing Fall-se

1-1

Seokjin puts the phone on the table and sets her mom on speaker. He was having mixed emotions as he reads the information in front of him.

[Didn't she tell you?]

He knew his friend has been acting differently when they told her Taehyung left earlier than planned. He knew she would be hiding things like this, but he's still surprised.

Mama sighed as she receives nothing but silence from her eldest. Seokjin hears papers from the other line that adds to his confusion. He urges himself to speak as it's the only way to have answers to his earned questions.

"Mama..."

He will tell me. Jin couldn't stop thinking of the possible answers he has which made him even more confused. He wouldn't keep this to himself.

They made a promise to each other to never keep secrets to themselves. Even if how hard that may be, they will always find ways to help each other.

"Why...Why is he in a hospital?" he asks as if he doesn't want anyone to hear but the two of them. The room was made soundproofed, but as he speaks, it slowly turns to whisper.

[That-- I don't want to repeat myself, Jin. I was planning to tell this to all of you, but I don't think I still can] he was back with a snap after hearing the voice state of his mom.

"Ma--"

[He has a tumor, that's what I heard. There was a woman who came into the restaurant looking for Soogun. I thought she was her friend, so I told her an honest answer.]

"When was that, Mama? Why are you telling me this just now?"

[Stay calm, Jin. Let me--]

"But you don't know her, Mama! If she's her friend, then you would have known!"

[Let me finish, Kim Seokjin! I have no time!]

He always tries to understand a person when they started to raise their voice. He has heard his Mama raising her voice because of how hard-headed they are. He has never been this surprised by his mom.

He feels a sudden pain in his heart and afraid of what his Mama would say. He stays silent to let his Mama continue what she is supposed to say.

[That was when you all were going out to fill the space of all your memories this year. When Taehyung finally came back home after months of no sign of him. And there I realized who she was...]

The sound of footsteps is heard on the other line that made the caller falls into silence. As much as the elder wants to ask what happens, he stays silent and observes the sound getting closer and lower.

[I-- I followed her and saw her having a call with someone. I couldn't hear all the conversation they had, but I can still remember some exact words she said...]

["I haven't been in contact with her for months"]

["He survived the surgery. I know it has something to do with the battle she's fighting that's why I need to see her!--"]

Tears are falling from his soft cheeks as his phone flashed the picture of them together as his wallpaper. It was the sign that the call ended. The call was cut off, not even letting his mom finish her words.

It takes him a minute to get the key to his car and goes to his Mama's place. Careful not to wake his friends by the sound of his car, he goes out without knowing one of them is aware of his absence.

Morning came with Soogun taking care of Namjun, who has a hangover. Taehyung also came inside with his head peeking at the door. His curly hair is blocking his eyes.

"I still have somewhere to go. Is it okay if I leave Taehyung with you?" Soogun asks. Namjun starts to get up as he checks the time on his phone. "I'll go with you."

"I'm going out alone," she whispers. "And you're not well, so stay here and rest."

Namjun sighs, looking at the hand that was stopping him to move. He turns his gaze at the window, never forgets to remind the woman in front of him as always. "Everyone knows he is not Taehyung, so they are probably thinking where he is and also want to find him. So stop hiding everything from us. Don't break our promise."

Soogun stands up, and a picture of them together caught her attention. "That promise was born under the eight of us. It was already broken when one prince decided to sacrifice himself as his way to protect his loved ones."

Soogun is now looking at the man standing at the door, his eyes roaming around the frames that were displayed on the wall. "Although her life is also at risk, the princess is on her way to save the prince." she smiles as she caught the eyes of the man in front of her. Knowing behind that smile is full of pain as memories of her lover flashed her eyes.

"It was already broken even before it was made. Her life was already a lie."

Taehyung walks closer to her and pokes her cheeks. "Can I leave Namjun with you?"

With Soogun's back blocking Namjun's view, Taehyung nods and holds her hand with a paper between them. Soogun lets go of his hand and goes out of the room, leaving the two men inside.

"You deserve to live as yourself, now tell me. What is your name?" Namjun asks.

Taehyung couldn't hide his smile any longer. He never thought the friends behind this identity his carrying to treat him like this after knowing the truth.

He was surprised how they found out so fast, but who knows really. Taehyung even found out the mystery of Soogun's life before herself. You have the best people with you, Taehyung-ssi.

"That woman used to call me V." Taehyung chuckles as he offers his hand for a handshake, "The name is Choi Junghyun." Joon stands up in front of him as he accepts his hand. "Kim Namjun. Nice to meet you, Choi Junghyun."

Soogun opens the two papers in her hand as she got inside their room. The paper Namjun got has only three written words. She knows it's not Jimin's handwritten even when Namjun got it from him. Soogun can tell it was from a girl.

Hwang Soo Gun. She's not surprised seeing her name on the paper she got from Namjun, but what surprised her is the paper from Taehyung. It was the address of her home when her parents were still here.

She changes her coat and goes outside with only her phone. "You're going out?"

She turns around and sees Seokjin with glasses. Soogun can tell the state of his eyes as it was still red because of crying all night. "I'm going to visit Mama" 

She sees how Seokjin quickly tries to avoid her gaze and tries to hide his tears. "Were you...crying? Did something happen last night?"

Seokjin lets out few heavy sighs before facing Soogun, still hesitant to speak the truth.
"I was having a call with Mama last night-- There was someone... I don't know what happened to her, Soogun-ah" Jin let his tears fall on his cheeks again as he couldn't hide them anymore. He turns around to hide them from Soogun even when she already saw it.

"Hyung-nim" She heard him sobbing even harder, so she grabs his hand and pulls him into her embrace. They're standing for almost five minutes, comforting the eldest and didn't leave his side.

When Seokjin finally calms down, he doesn't let go of her embrace and continues explaining. "I went to her last night, but she wasn't there. I found nothing even marks of the person she was with. When we were on a call... She told me she has no time. I don't want to overthink."

"Mama is a strong woman. Age doesn't define her strength, so I'm sure she is fine. But do you have any idea who might be that person behind her?" Soogun asks as she also tries to convince Jin.

"I really can't tell, but I think that person is wearing heels just by hearing the footsteps. And with the state of Mama's voice, she doesn't seem to be afraid because of that person..."

Soogun is just looking at the eyes of the eldest, waiting for him to finish his words. "But because of telling lies."

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