He's just a friend|| Vkook

❤️‍🩹Chapter 23 ❤️‍🩹

"So what's so important that you had to call me this late at night for?."

A clap of thunder can be heard in the distance. Taehyung squints as a blinding flash of light shines through the crack between the curtains. The storm is still raging, and there is no sign of it abating anytime soon.

It's nearly pitch black outside, with no sign of light or life insight. Jimin wonders why Taehyung called him this late at night in the first place.

"I'm not sure how I want to put this." Taehyungs voice is hesitant, unsure. He's usually not this nervous, and Jimin really is starting to worry for his best friend.

Ever since Jungkook had vanished into thin air, Taehyung hasn't been sleeping or eating well, and Jimin doesn't know what to do. It was obvious the moment Jimin entered the class -Taehyungs stoic expression, the tension in his jaw, the whites of his knuckles from his tightly he had gripped onto his pen to write notes down on the paper.If anything, Jimin's unease isn't settling right with Taehyung.

"Tae," Jimin said lightly, both in an effort to console his friend and to not wake his boyfriend in the next room over. "What's the problem?"

Taehyung was more or less the deliverer of bad news. So it's only natural to presume that that's what's happening now. Jimin can picture Taehyung staring out of a window, much like he is. Maybe he's sitting on the couch, head hung with the weight of whatever's on his mind. It's hard to tell with this guy. Taehyung sighed.

"It's Jungkook."

Well, That much is expected.

"Everything you tell me is about Jungkook," Jimin tells him. It's not an accusation or anything - merely a spectator.

"Did something bad happen to him, something Traumatic? Is that why he suddenly disappeared?"

"No." There's a slight pause, and Jimin thinks he can hear Taehyung taking a deep breath.

"Not exactly..." Jimin's posture stiffened, and his hold on the curtain loosened.

"Do you need me to come over?"

"There's an impatient hiss. Then, "Fuck, I shouldn't be doing this over the phone- Jimin, Jungkook's been doing drugs."

Jimin's eyebrows scrunch. Had he heard that right?

"Oh...what kind of drugs is he taking? Is it bad?" Jimin asked in horror, suddenly not feeling tired anymore but wide awake.

"He's taking fucking heroin, and god knows what else," Taehyung exclaimed miserably, and Jimin gasps, his blood running cold."I umm.. well I looked through his things. I know it's wrong of me to do so, but I was just so worried and mad and confused."

"Fuck, are you kidding me? Heroin? That's so fucking bad," Jimin snarled.

"I know it's bad!! And I'm such a horrible human being for not finding out," Taehyung cried out, and Jimin's heart ached from hearing how miserable his friend sounded.

"How long do you think he's been doing heroin?." Jimin asked carefully, feeling scared to hear the answer. Heroin is a very addictive and dangerous drug. One taste, one try and you're hooked. No going back, and Jungkook was still such a young guy, and it irritated Jimin that he was doing this to himself.

"I don't know, Jimin! I really don't know."

"Have you noticed any signs? Does he wear long-sleeved shirts? Does Jungkook itch his inner elbow?" Jimin asked, and Taehyung freezes on the other end.

Taehyung doesn't remember the last time he's seen Jungkook wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and he's never seen him itch his elbow. Jungkook tends to wear black t-shirts, tank tops.

Jungkook must've been really good at hiding it, or he has just recently started using heroin.

"No, I haven't because I'm fucking stupid," Taehyung said exasperatedly, "I don't know shit." Taehyung releases a sharp breath. "...the only thing I know is that I found drugs in Jungkook's dresser. I think- I think he's doing heroin. Fuck, Jimin, I found the syringe and everything."

Jimin pauses at "I think."

"Maybe it's not his? What if he's just saving it for someone? Like some drug addict friend of his?" Jimin pondered. Taehyung swallowed the dry lump in his throat. He didn't even notice it was there.

"Well, that's not possible because... I actually saw him once in the washroom at the back of the club injecting something into his arm."

"What? When? How?" Jimin shouted. "That night at the club, when you and Seojoon saw me get out of the washroom, he was injecting something into his arm before we.... Um, did the dirty" Taehyung squeaked out miserably, covering his arm over his eyes in shame.

Jimin makes some weird choking noise in the back, and Taehyungs cries out in embarrassment. Jimin pauses and thinks that Taehyung is crying now, which he is.

Tears couldn't stop falling from Taehyung eyes. "I'm scared, Jimin. I'm so scared for him." The rain seems strikingly peaceful compared to the storm raging inside of Taehyungs and Jimin's chest.

Then, another strike of lightning illuminates the room, all bright blue and terrifying. Jimin's and Taehyungs hearts are pounding so hard, so strongly, they can't even breathe.Taehyung wipes his eyes with the back of his free hand. Jungkook, beautiful, beautiful Jungkook. His beautiful Jungkook.

He's slowly killing himself, and Taehyung had no idea until now. Closing his eyes, Taehyung can picture Jungkook's doe eyes and the dimple that peeks out from the side of his cheek when he smiles. Thinking about it now, one could say Jungkook is like a porcelain doll - lovely but hollow and fragile.

"What are you going to do?" Jimin whispered. His throat feels too raw for a normal pitch. "...I don't know." Taehyung breath shakes."I don't know. But we have to do something. I won't find him lying dead on the floor. I refuse to." The mental image is enough to send a shiver down Taehyungs spine.

"Tae..don't say that...." Jimin comments.

"Please help me, Jimin... I don't think I can do this myself... to stop him.... " Taehyung trailed off, choking back a sob. Jimin nods, though Taehyung isn't there to see it. He presses his forehead against the window's cool glass.

"Tae.. you can. Jungkook loves you, Tae, and he'll listen to you. I know he will. He fucking adores you, Tae and would never want to see you hurt like this. I know for a fact that once he sees you crying like this over him, he'll stop.. he'll stop for you."

Taehyung wipes his tears, gulping.

"I know he will," Jimin finished smiling, "He'll do it for you, Tae." Taehyung signs miserably, "I hope you're right Jimin"