sunsets and roses | t.k.

chapter eight

"You have made my life complete

And I love you so"

𐇵 ~ 🌣 ~ 𐇵

It was dark outside. High above the buildings, pitch black clouds covered the moon and spit out heavy cold raindrops. They fell down to earth harshly, coating brick and pavement. So much built up in the cracks of sidewalks waves of water rushed over the curbs like a wild river. The streetlamps were on but weren't the only things lighting up that stormy night.

Bolts of lightning shooting through the clouds, coiling and branching out in every direction possible, flashed in the sky. With the light came the noise. Booming claps of thunder shook the ground, rattled weak window panes, and made the entire city jump.

A thin lightning bolt appeared over Taehyung's shop. The redhead flinched when the thunder went off, sounding like it was inches away from the roof. Rain pelted away at his window. He was sitting upright in bed, hunched over the phone in his grasp. His eyes roamed across the bright screen, rereading the messages in a panic.

"No, no, no, you idiot." he cursed.

Taehyung couldn't sleep. He had been laying in his bed, tossing and turning and groaning to himself. The storm wasn't the reason.

He told Jungkook about what happened, about how his reckless actions almost landed him in prison several months ago. How callous and unbothered he was about doing the right thing, because all that mattered was his satisfaction.

It made him really, really worried.

The effects were slow to show themselves. His right hand couldn't stay still unless he was holding something. His steps were weak. Every breath he took pulled energy out of him. Those were the starts to a panic attack for him. He never liked using the actual phrase. They started after his encounter with the police and the nightmares he always had every single night. They weren't new, but never welcomed.

For a long period of time, they stopped. He forgot about the ring in his ears that sounded like police sirens, the guitar notes that reverberated through his chest like the rumble of a gunshot. He wasn't in his so-called limbo anymore. He was with Jungkook.

Now he did the one thing he never wanted to do. Get Jungkook caught up in personal problems that weren't his. Make him worry about him, someone that he wouldn't have even known if he hadn't decided to step into that bakery. That's what was keeping him up.

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut. His whole body trembled like the buildings when thunder sounded. Sweat pricked at his neck and forehead though he was wearing a sleeveless shirt and his covers were discarded by his bare feet. His vision was blurry when he finally opened his eyes. Jungkook shouldn't come. He didn't want him to see him like this. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep up his act during this panic attack.

The redhead pressed the call button by the boy's name hard enough that he was scared he'd break the screen. The phone rang. And rang. Until the ringing stopped and he heard the echo of thunder through the speaker.

"Jungkook!" he said loudly, "What are you doing?!"

It was quiet for a moment until an out of breath voice spoke.

"Don't worry. I'll be at your house in a few minutes."

Taehyung clenched his teeth, gripping his blanket tightly, "No, Jungkook. Go back. It's bad outside. You'll-You'll get sick."

Taehyung could imagine the way a smile spread across the boy's face, the one he thought looked best on him. How his brows would crease and his expression would relax.