Red Eyes ➸ Taekook ✓

- Eleventh -

No sooner had they returned than Jungkook threw himself onto the sofa in the living room, drained of all energy. What a day! He had really seen a lot today. The day had started out well : he was having a good time with Taehyung, and the man really seemed to be interested in him. The feeling of being wanted was indescribable. But first his forgotten past had to catch up with this Siwoo, about whom he still knew absolutely nothing, and then the incident at the church... He had seen himself die. It was a good thing Taehyung was there, otherwise he would have died for sure. He owed him his life.

The front door slammed, and Ha-rin rushed into the living room in panic. She rushed at Jungkook, grabbing his face, and stammered at him.

"J-Jugo called me! He told me you had an accident! You're not hurt?! You have to tell me, Jungkook!"

Jungkook gently grasped her hands, and separated them from his cheeks, which were beginning to burn.

"It's all right, Grandma. I was lucky, I don't have a scratch on me."

Seeing that he was telling the truth, the old lady relaxed a little.

"Okay, if you say so..."

She took a few steps backwards, and started to take off her coat.

"Where are your friends?"

"Yeji is taking a shower, and Hoseok must be resting in the bedroom."

"I see..."

Ha-rin couldn't calm down, still shaking. Jungkook got up and joined her, taking her in his arms.

"Grandma, I'm fine. I'm really fine. Thanks to Taehyung."

"I know, but... I was so scared when he told me that something happened to you... I saw myself three years ago..."

They parted and Jungkook frowned.

"Three years ago? What do you mean, three years ago?"

Ha-rin froze, suddenly realising that she had said something wrong.

"N-nothing, forget it..."

"Grandma!"

The grandmother turned and went into the kitchen, where Jungkook followed her.

"Grandma, answer me, what happened three years ago?"

Ha-rin grabbed some ingredients from the fridge and started to prepare the meal to distract herself.

"I'm not allowed to tell you." She confessed. "Your parents made me promise. And anyway, I'm the one who knows the least here. What I could tell you would only bring you more questions, it's useless."

Jungkook bit his lip. Why was she so reluctant to tell him everything? And why were his parents so adamant about it?

"And who could tell me, then?"

Ha-rin seemed hesitant.

"Grandma, can you at least tell me that?"

Ha-rin turned and looked into her grandson's pleading eyes. She sighed.

"Something happened to you three years ago, and there was only one person there with you: Taehyung. If anyone can tell you anything, it's him."

Taehyung? He knew everything? He had talk to him now.

"I have to see him."

"What, now?!"

Jungkook grabbed his jacket, put it on and headed for the front door. Ha-rin did the same, grabbing her car keys as she went.

"Don't go alone, please! I will take you there, okay?"

Jungkook agreed. He needed answers, and Taehyung seemed to be the only one who could give him them.

***

By the time he arrived at his house, it was already dark. He pulled up the zip of his jacket, shivering, then timidly rang the bell. He waited a moment, then heard footsteps coming closer. When the door opened, he could see the surprise on his face.

"Jungkook? Is there a problem?" He was concerned to see him there so late, when they had only left each other a few hours earlier.

"Ah, uh, no... not really..."

He didn't know what to say to him, a little embarrassed to show up like this, without warning. Taehyung shifted and pointed inside.

"Come inside, it's getting really cold outside." he told Jungkook.

He accepted without being asked, and the soft warmth of the flat warmed him in an instant.

"Make yourself comfortable." He said, clearing the table a little.

The place was not very big, a small studio. He hurried to tidy up, clothes lying all over the living room.

"I'm sorry, no one ever comes here normally, not even my parents. I've lost my sense of organisation..."

"Oh no, it's me, I invited myself without warning. I'm really sorry to bother you..."

Taehyung straightened up and turned to him, his face serious.

"You are the only person who will never disturb me, Jungkook."

This remark made him blush. He invited him to sit down, and Jungkook took off his coat. He went into the small kitchen and began to rummage through the cupboards.

"Would you like something to drink?" He offered.

"Ah, no, don't worry..."

He finally took out a bottle of alcohol.

"Not even a little drink? We've never had a drink together before..."

Honestly, he couldn't hold liquor very well. The worst thing was that it didn't even have an exciting effect on him: it put him to sleep more than anything else. But drinking with him, he wanted to try it.

"Okay." he agreed.

Taehyung seemed satisfied, and served them two glasses before coming to sit with him, bottle in hand. They toasted, and downed the first glass in one gulp. They immediately took another drink.

"So, why did you come?" He asked. "Did something happen?"

Rethinking it, he was glad he had accepted the drink. He felt his tongue loosen a little.

" First, I wanted to thank you for this afternoon. With the panic, I couldn't even do it. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead by now."

Taehyung smiled at him.

"You don't need to thank me. I think... we were both lucky at the time. When I caught you, I didn't think I could save you."

He sighed.

"I'm so relieved that nothing happened to you."

Jungkook bit his lip.

"Say... could you tell me what it was like... before? How we were, you and I?"

The young man froze for a moment, then looked into his eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Do you really want to hear this story?"

Jungkook nodded. Taehyung took a deep breath, and a small smile played on his lips.

"Actually, our story started ten years ago, when I moved to Tongyeong."