Falling || Taejin

Chapter 5

Taehyung hadn't mentioned the strange being that visited Seokjin's cottage last week. He had a feeling he knew who that person was.

Flying with Seokjin had always been awkward because Seokjin's frame was smaller than him so he had to carry him like a sack of potatoes but Taehyung preferred feeling like a sack of vegetable than having to walk around in some monstrous disguise. When they landed, Taehyung felt disappointed. What he expected was a luscious garden blooming with flowers in all the colours of the rainbow and trees heavy with green leaves. However, what lay in front of him was more like a graveyard than a garden.

They passed under a stone arch that was split in half from the middle and entered a grey pebbled path that was lined with dusty bushes with dry, writhing flowers. There were broken pillars and slabs of stone crushing some of the plants. Not a single soul was around. It was definitely a sight of tragedy and yet, named the Garden of Love.

" But what is love but a tragedy? " a voice, not his own, whispered in Taehyung's mind and for a fleeting moment, his eyes searched for Seokjin.

Something about this place seemed to be trying to dive deep into Taehyung's mind and unravel everything he had locked inside. As they walked through the abandoned garden, Taehyung began to have flashbacks of the day his wings were torn apart from his back. His body suddenly began to remember the pain vividly. He began to remember how much he had wished that he wasn't immortal, how much he had wished that there was an end to everything.

Taehyung never had genuine friends, never really had someone to rely on. In all honesty, no Light being had time for leisure. They were born to serve the world tirelessly, born to ensure that not a scratch would be seen in the world. But of course, that was an almost impossible task because every dimension was imperfect and it would take limitless forevers to correct those flaws. Taehyung hated his work. He had to deal with the worst lot- enter the minds of wrongdoers and change their thoughts. And it was so accosting to hear the thoughts of the crooked, so accosting that one night Taehyung could no longer withstand anything and he found himself lost in their thoughts. He listened to the thoughts of the sinners and he listened very carefully. Yes, they were wrong but that was the first time Taehyung got a taste of temptation.

His thoughts suddenly liquified and moulded themselves in the form of a Dark one who had been working day and night relentlessly. It was the first time Taehyung had felt such kindness and sincerity in eight thousand years and it warmed him to the core. His feelings of gratitude just seemed to amplify until something shrouded within the gratitude emerged and bloomed so vibrantly that Taehyung had to press a hand over his heart.

What was this place doing to him?

He glanced at Seokjin whose face was taut with agony. He felt a surge of empathy and gently wound his arm around Seokjin's shoulders to let him know that he did not have to walk alone. Seokjin did not move away and instead inched a little closer to Taehyung, warming both of their hearts.

Slowly, the weight in his throat began to float away. At the end of the path, was the ruins of a shrine and on the pedestal was a simple crow.

"Is that...?"

Seokjin nodded. Taehyung decided the Dark beings never saw a crow in their entire life.

When they were a few feet away from the bird, Seokjin fell on his knees, bringing Taehyung down because the latter was leaning against him.

"What no-"

"Sshh!"

Okay

Taehyung pursed his lips and stared at the ground with his hands on his thighs like Seokjin. He wondered if this crow was really an almighty creature that would grant him wings but he decided to trust Seokjin.