[3] Code: REBIRTH || KTH

Ch11: "Who's To Blame?"

"You're back," I say as I wrap my arms around Jimin's neck and he hugs back.

"Oh, c'mon," He giggles, pulling me up from the ground for a second, "It's only been a week."

He pulls away, his eyes going over Taehyung as if he doesn't exist before they fall on the snowman and his face lights up.

"Oh! Did you build that?" He asks excitedly.

"Yeah," I reply, glancing at Taehyung who's looking away from us, "Taehyung and I built it."

"Do you want to come over tonight?" Jimin asks quickly, trying to change the topic, "We can have a movie night like we used to."

"I'd love to, but.. " I trail off, looking again at Taehyung.

"Nevermind, then," He interjects, his smile falling, "Maybe some other time."

He turns around, walks towards the apartment building and I run after him.

"Jimin!" I call after him and he stops in his tracks, turning to me.

"Why are you like this towards him?" I ask in a low voice.

He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I'm not gonna have this conversation."

He starts to walk away, and I call his name again, so he turns around with a blank expression.

"It's not his fault," I say, "What happened wasn't because of him."

"Of course you think that way," He chuckles bitterly.

"What do you even mean!?"

"You know what I mean! You've had a crush on that monster since he moved in with you! But that guy you're so smitten over is a murderer!" Jimin pauses, taking in a deep breath, "But you don't think it's his fault because you didn't lose anyone! BECAUSE NONE OF THOSE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF HIM WAS CLOSE TO YOU!"

"You think Jungkook wasn't close to me!?"

"Don't bring him into this!"

"No, I will! Because this is about him!" I stop for a second, swallowing a lump in my throat before speaking calmly, "And I know it affects you the most, much much more than it affects anyone else, but Taehyung isn't the one to blame."

"So who's to blame?" He asks with a grim face. "That Seokjin? Taehyung's accomplice? Or is there no one to blame, is that what you're saying? That Jungkook was going to die anyway so it doesn't matter that he was shot by the police?"

"What!? No, Jiminㅡ"

"Save it," He cuts me off, "I don't want to hear about your bullshit opinion, but I'm not stepping inside your place as long as that asshole is in there."

And with that, he walks away, and I watch his back for a while until he disappears into the elevator. I let out a sigh, turning back around and walking towards Taehyung to find him patting down the snowman to shape it better. I bite my lip, thinking about what to say. Taehyung definitely heard us; we were practically yelling and even if we weren't, Taehyung can hear better than humans. Should I even say anything?

"He's not the only one who thinks like that, is he?" Taehyung says out of the blue, "How many others out there think I'm a murderer? Not that they're wrong."

"Was anyone you killed innocent?" I ask.

He thinks for a while. "Do people like Jungkook and Sarang count?"

"Sarang isn't deadㅡ"

"Not physically, no."

"... They don't count. That was the government's doing."

He shakes his head. "It was a reaction."

"A horrible one," I retort, "You killing people who continuously hurt hybrids for years does not justify them torturing and killing innocent hybrids."

"I killed some of the police."

"Who were killing some of the hybrids."

"Who killed prison guards and took over a prison!"

"If we keep on going back, we will never stop," I say, kneeling in front of him and taking off the gloves, "What idiot makes a snowman with no gloves?"

Taehyung leans forward, resting his head on my shoulder as I grab his hands and put the gloves on for him. Something warm falls on my lap so I look down to see a drop of water fall, then another. He's crying. I put a hand on his head and the other around his shoulders, pulling him closer. He wraps his arms around my torso, clutching my coat as he buries his face in the crook of my neck.

I don't say anything fearing it might not be the right thing to say, so I just hold him silently, hoping my embrace is warm enough to wash his struggles away.