Monsters Within Us || Taekook AU

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A northbound bus could be headed for a number of places. Jungkook doesn't know if his destination is minutes or hours or even days away, but at least he's been pointed in a direction. That'll have to do for now.

The morning sun filters sharply through his windshield, turning the rush hour queue into metallic gold and exposing the smog blanketing the city line. He drives for about half an hour until traffic is redirected because of roadwork. With an irritable sigh he turns off the expressway and follows the temporary directions that will continue to take him north. A glance in the rearview mirror tells him no one else seems to be going this way. Jungkook doesn't think much of it; most commuters tend to be headed into the city after all.

He stops at a level crossing, the flashing red lights indicating that a train is fast approaching. He taps at his phone while he waits and brings up Hinata's picture, which is now set as his lockscreen.

Maybe he's been somewhat in denial.

Truth is they did argue recently, maybe no more than two or three days before Taehyung disappeared.

Jungkook can't remember what it was all about. Most likely it was an insignificant issue that snowballed into something bigger. They've definitely fought before, and so much worse than that too, but that small disagreement unlocked something. The atmosphere changed and revealed something simmering underneath the surface. Something else forced its way into their lives, something that was maybe always waiting in the shadows, just looking for a way in. Now that he thinks about it, Jeon could feel that new presence, especially at night. Whenever Taehyung was turned away from him he would imagine him wide awake and staring into the darkness of the bedroom, making eye-contact with whatever it was that hid in the corner. He didn't understand but it terrified him deeply. Come morning he'd blame it on nightmares and sleep paralysis, even though he knew he wasn't asleep.

A cargo train thunders past, waking him up for real. Jungkook locks his phone and puts the car into gear.

The traffic is lazy on this particular side road and after a few turns he passes a sign that informs him of a tourist spot up ahead. It's a traditional castle, one he didn't know existed out here. The signs seem to imply he has to pass it to get back onto the expressway, but the directions are only becoming more and more confusing the further he drives. He turns at the next intersection and continues until a big, black arrow tells him to pull into an open space. Slowly, he realizes it's the designated parking lot for the old castle. This is where the redirected route ends. There are no further instructions from this point.

Jungkook lets the car idle for a while. The directions obviously sent him here but it makes no sense. He must've missed something and taken a wrong turn somewhere. No one's even here. The parking lot is completely deserted, without a single visitor in sight. Sure, it's a weekday morning and off-season but no tourist spot is ever truly empty.

He reaches for his phone with the intention of searching the place up, but before he can open the map his phone glitches and turns off. Jungkook tries turning it on again several times but all he gets is the black screen and a buffering symbol that isn't even moving. He clicks his tongue, thoroughly annoyed by this point, and gets out of the car. This is a public place, according to the signs. There has to be someone around that he can ask.