𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆. ⊶ 𝕍𝐊𝐎𝐎𝐊

⊶ 𝟐𝟐 ⊷

⊶⊷

Jungkook tossed and turned half of the night but couldn't fall asleep at all. With every passing hour, he was getting more and more tired but all his body could grant him were two mere fifteen-minute naps.

The couch, which had always been comfortable, turned out to be a bit hard tonight. The blanket wasn't as warm as it used to be. The silent ticking of the clock irritated him for no particular reason. His favorite pillow still smelled like his shampoo since the last time Taehyung slept on it, and JK got distracted by its intense scent. He never thought he could hate a certain smell and yet, when the clock struck three in the morning, he couldn't stand all of it and finally got up from the couch.

For a few minutes he was pacing impatiently around the room but he knew it wouldn't help him. There was only one cure for his insomnia, though quite harmful for his body-a few cigarettes on a cold night on his balcony. That's what he has been doing the past two weeks each time his stupid mind deprived him of sleep.

Though JK felt that today nothing would really help him.

He wondered if Taehyung had the same. Was he also mindlessly staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, wishing for a sleeping salvation? Jungkook was tempted to peek into the room to see what was happening with the boy, but he didn't dare. If somehow he managed to fall asleep, JK didn't want to wake him up. Sleep was the best remedy, and if Jungkook couldn't get it, then at least Taehyung should.

The boy studied in silence for the rest of the evening until the last of the candles burned out. In the end, JK found four of them in one of the drawers but sadly they were all he had. So when the darkness fell on the room for good, Taehyung discreetly excused himself and disappeared into his bedroom. Jungkook managed to mutter a quiet goodnight but the boy didn't bother to answer.

From that moment on, Jungkook felt like he was the only person in his apartment. As if Taehyung wasn't even there. As if he in fact turned into a ghost that haunted him through all these sleepless nights.

Jungkook tried to unlock his phone but unfortunately, the battery was low. He couldn't even charge it properly because still there was no electricity. But since it wasn't raining anymore, the night became a little bit brighter, making the room less dark than when he lay down for the first time. Nevertheless, JK hoped everything would return to normal in the morning. Otherwise, the banana milk in the fridge would go bad, and he wouldn't be able to handle that.

Jungkook sighed and slowly opened the balcony doors. The area wasn't as big as the terraces on the rooftop apartments, but it was big enough to fit two chairs and a small table. It created the best place for a morning cigarette with some coffee or, as it has been happening lately, a nightly cigarette with banana milk. Whatever it was, Jungkook simply liked this place. Maybe even more than the couch and his TV.

He remembered how he used to eat breakfast here when his mother prepared him delicious pancakes with sour cream and some fruit. How together with Jimin pretended to do their homework here just so they could go and play outside. How he helped his mother every time she watered her favorite plants or had to replant the old ones. She created a beautiful small garden on this balcony but unfortunately, none of these flowers were still here.