Four | BTS ✓

21

Before anyone can learn how serious Hobi's injuries are, word reaches the inmates' doctors about what has happened and they immediately start calling in for emergency meetings with their patients. Yoongi won't be available for some time, but Namjoon immediately goes to Jimin to get him secured while Jin just sighs in his chair, mentally preparing himself to deal with Taehyung even though he's not sure he has the mental capacity to do it. Especially since Taehyung is still staring at everyone through his window. Finally with a wince at the pain in his leg and his head, Jin stands and heads toward his ward's cell.

Tae immediately backs up, but keeps a wary eye on his guard. "Where did that dick take Kennedy?" he asks the moment Jin is inside.

"Look, I'm not sure why the sudden interest in Kennedy, but it needs to stop. You two are like the worst two people for each other on the fucking planet so don't go getting lovey eyes over her."

"Cut the shit, Jin. Why did he take her?"

"Because she fucking did all this! Hoseok is in the hospital in surgery right now and we don't even know if he's alive or dead at this point. I'm sure I don't have to tell a psycho like you that stomach wounds are pretty serious. She's lucky we didn't put a real bullet in her ass!"

Taehyung narrows his eyes at Jin, but the older doesn't back down. Finally, Tae relaxes a little bit. "So she's in isolation. Which doesn't explain why you're in here with me."

Jin rubs his forehead, trying to ease the stabbing pain setting up in his temples. "Your psychiatrist called an emergency session after he found out what happened."

"Fucking fantastic," Tae says, rolling his eyes before sticking his arms out in front of him so Jin can cuff him. "I hate that dick."

"Honestly, I do too," Jin says with a relieved sigh as he steps forward to place the restraints. At least Taehyung isn't being confrontational. He doesn't know that he can take it at this point. "But he's all you've got for the next six weeks."

"I miss the female psychs. They were better about pretending they cared."

"Then you shouldn't have tried to seduce them all. Maybe you'd still be allowed to have one," Jin says, pulling Taehyung toward the door as the younger chuckles.

"Yeah, those were the good times. It was so easy. I swear psychiatrists must have the most boring sex lives. Honestly, it didn't take much."

Jin groans as he opens the biometric doors. "I'm not in the mood to hear about your perverted exploits."

Taehyung is silent the rest of the way and doesn't put up a fight when Jin sits him in the chair in front of the projector screen and locks him down. When he is settled and the telemeeting has been signed into, he takes his seat on the side and rests his head against the wall behind him. He can feel Taehyung watching him, but he doesn't acknowledge it. Thoughts and worries swirl through his head as he wonders how Hobi is doing and how he is going to survive more time in this place.

"He's going to be fine."

Jin picks up his head and narrows his eyes at Taehyung. Surprisingly, gone is his normal irritated look. He actually seems genuine for once.

"What?"

"Hoseok's going to be fine. He was talking and didn't seem to be in too much pain. More than expected, at least. I don't think anything important was hit."

Jin tries to understand Taehyung for a minute, but he can't make sense of anything. What would being nice gain him? With Taehyung, that is generally all he cares about -- what is in it for himself.

Taehyung sighs and rolls his eyes, dropping his head back for a minute. The psychiatrist is late, which is dumb considering he'd been the one to schedule the appointment.

"Look, I can tell how much those guys mean to you," Tae says, breaking the long silence. "I get it. Hobi's a nice guy. He doesn't deserve to die."

Jin scoffs and leans his head back again. "What do you care?"

"Do you even know why I'm in here?"

Jin looks up again, struck by the almost timid sound of Taehyung's voice. He regards him carefully, like a poisonous snake. "You're a serial killer with a penchant for torture."

Taehyung rolls his eyes again. "Okay, yeah, but like... before that. Nobody is born a psychopath. You do know that, right? We may be born with the potential but it generally requires a catalyst for someone to become like me."

"I've heard enough of your sessions to learn that. What's your point?"

"Haven't you ever wondered what my catalyst was?"

Jin hadn't, actually, but instead of saying that, he just stares at Taehyung who licks his lips and looks down at his lap. "I was normal once. Well," he adds with a rueful laugh, "as normal as someone like me could be. I had a family and even though I didn't really care for rules, I did my best for them."

He looks up at the blank projector screen and Jin shivers as a darkness seems to swallow him up. It is like evil passes into the room and possesses him, but they are old friends and Taehyung doesn't even notice the devil in the room. Probably since the devil is him. When he continues, his voice is low and harsh.

"I told my parents I was studying for college entrance exams, but I went out to a party instead. They took my brother to his basketball game while I was out. There were college scouts at the game and everyone just knew Jaewon would get picked. On the way home, though, a drunk driver crossed into their lane and just like that, everyone I ever came close to caring about was gone."

When Taehyung turns his head to look at Jin, his eyes are black pits. "So I get what it feels like to worry about someone. I know what love is supposed to feel like, even though I wouldn't recognize the feeling if it hit me in the face. So I know what you're going through. Kinda."

A dark smile creeps over his face as his eyes slide away to stare off into space. "And if it makes you feel better, I've stabbed enough people to know when a wound is fatal or not. Hobi's going to be fine."

Jin sits staring at Taehyung for a moment with his mouth hanging open. Oddly, that did make him feel better in a sick kind of way. He has so many questions he wants to ask, but before he can put the words together to ask anything, Taehyung's psychiatrist pops up on the screen.

"Tell me you didn't start this," the psychiatrist states, his stare mildly annoyed.

Taehyung just throws his head back and laughs.