Discontinued Fate

Brotherhood

'He just left.' I mumbled staring into oblivion, exhausted from wailing for hours. My mind was still a puddle of information but the bubbling feeling in my heart was full of bittersweet joy. The scene at the supermarket as I narrated to the audience reminded me of Taehyung's retreating back, living, in flesh. And the emptiness that followed.  

Namjoon had sat with me, right there on the floor, rocking me like a child while I wailed, revealing my fears. It was a reverse deja vu like I once did when the brave leader was only a trainee and was being threatened by the company. When did his brother grow up so? An apology, a pity was all I felt for my younger brother for having to comfort me or simply witness these past few years of my life. And now I had dragged his wife into this as well.  I blinked at the couple watching and listening to me carefully, but when did I reach the dining table? 'He just-'

'Maybe he became conscious of his looks again?' Aari asked, her light brown eyes blinking between me and her husband.  I wish I had a sister like her. I guess I have one now, as long as Namjoon treats her well. He indeed dotes over her. She reached out to hold my hand and I noticed the red and blue on her tips. She must have been working when I broke down, shit. Her eyes rested on me sensing my worries. what if she is right? 

'You-you think I made him conscious of his face?' I asked, barely audible. It physically hurt to even think I did that to him. 

'No, I mean-' 

'Are you sure it wasn't just Taehyung being Tae Tae? Like his usual Tata Mic persona, you know.' Namjoon asked breaking my thoughts from spiraling into self-criticism. Namjoon's hair was a bird's nest, he kept fisting at it, wracking his brain for any clues or answers. Nothing made sense to him, the conversation, the flirting, the meeting, and especially Taehyung's leaving. 

'But-'

'Joon, he doesn't remember who or what Tae Tae is, does he?' Aari answered on my behalf and I nodded hesitantly. 'Besides, the fact that he was flirting with Oppa means that the physical attraction is still there, then why will he act so aloof on intention? All of a sudden?'

'Yeah, and even if he did become his usual awkward Taehyung, he wouldn't have flirted with me.' Jin provided. 'He was very careful about his sexual identity back then.' It made sense and Namjoon tugged at his hair now, the problem was getting complex. The fact that Taehyung came onto him, so confidently, and assumed he was gay took him by surprise. He was prepared to start off as just friends. 

'Do you think someone was watching him?' Namjoon whispered a very high possibility that only a leader can think of. 'He doesn't remember you took over the chairmanship, as far as I know, he doesn't even know HYBE exists. He believes Pd-nim is the chairman of Big Hit.'

'Exactly and, even if the person watching him did recognize me, he wouldn't interrupt but signal Taehyung somehow and scare him some more.' I reasoned. 

'Yeah! Because when I went to see him, it was just Sejin Hyung and he would have recognized you. But last I heard, he went back to Korea. Maybe they got someone else now, maybe someone local or new. ' he tried to rationalize, making Jin's heart drop.   'Someone controlled or bribed by Bang Si-Hyunk.'

What are you afraid of, baby? Tell me what you want, and I will do anything for you, my love, anything.  I thought and drifted off to the moments leading up to this one. 

'Hyung, don't worry too much about it.  PD-nim cannot hurt him anymore, and I will find out who is this person watching him.' Namjoon patted his shoulder realizing the tension building up on his face now. 'Hyung, you are halfway there... you found him, spoke to him, see! he is even attracted to you! We will bring back all of his memories of you as well. But in the meantime, why don't you work this the old-fashioned way, the basic way, hmm?' he suggested, looking at me once before checking with his wife whether or not I was fine. I nodded to assure them.