FORGOTTEN

Chapter 24

"I'm not sure how it happened." Officer Lee stood before Bang P.D. and five BTS members in the hospital's all too familiar waiting room. "Yang and Mr. Kim were taken away, and Mr. Jeon fought us for a bit before collapsing. It took us some time to get him here to the hospital, but we did what we could on site." Officer Lee sighed, shaking his head. 

"Well, he hasn't regained consciousness yet," Bang P.D. frowned. "The doctor says he thinks it's some kind of shock."

"Is he gonna die?" Tae asked through stifled sobs. 

"No, baby," Jin soothed his boyfriend. Suddenly Tae pulled away from Jin's embraced and glared at two of the members.

"Why did you take me from him?" the younger screamed at J-Hope and Suga. "We were fine! You should have waited to take us both! Then he wouldn't be laying in there all alone!" 

"Taetae, no!" Jin gasped and shot a sympathetic look at J-Hope and Suga, who shrank away from the ranting man, heartbroken and guilt-ridden. Jin pulled him back, trying to keep sufficient distance between the three. "He didn't mean it." 

"The hell I didn't!" Tae pulled away from Jin once more. "You just left him there alone with no one to help him! Is that how  you treat someone you love?"

"Jin, take him out for some air," Bang P.D. motioned to the door. Jin nodded and pulled the distraught man outside. The elder turned to J-Hope. "Taehyung is a little emotional right now. Don't take what he says to heart. Jungkook is safe, and soon he will wake up. Things can start going back to normal." 

"What about Namjoon?" J-hope broke down and sobbed. 

"What about me?" Namjoon stood at the doorway for the waiting room. 

"Joonie!" J-Hope cried and collapsed in Suga's arms.

"Well, that's one hell of an entrance," Bang P.D. chuckled and pulled his prized leader into an embrace.

"Go big or go home, I always say," Joon laughed then broke down in tears himself. "Where's Kookie? I need to see him. I need to make this right." 

"I'll take you to him," Bang P.D. said. "You two go talk to Jin and Taehyung. Give Namjoon a few minutes with Jungkook. I'll go see Jimin." The men nodded and left Bang P.D. to take Joon to Kookie. 

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"Jihoon is dead," Namjoon said. There was no emotion in his voice. 

"I heard," Bang P.D. nodded. 

"My hand was on his when the knife went into his chest." Once again, there was no emotion."

"You had no choice, Namjoon."

"I did. I could have thrown the knife to the ground. I chose not to. I wanted him dead." Bang P.D. shot a look at the man walking by his side. "Ji-hon tried to stab me, but I overpowered him. I knew exactly where to put the knife to make the wound fatal." 

"I'll never say a word. As far as I'm concerned, it was an accident."

"Officer Jung said the same thing. There will be no charges against me."

"This is the last we will speak of this, understood?" Bang P.D. stopped in front of J.K.'s door and looked Namjoon in the eye. "You did what had to be done. You saved Jimin and Jungkook. Never forget that. This is why you are Bangtan's leader. You see the tough choices and make the right decisions." Joon nodded and pushed the door open.

-----

J-Hope followed behind Suga in hopes of making himself small enough to avoid Tae's hate-filled glare. He'd never seen their loving Taetae like this.