ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʙᴇɢᴀɴ || ᴛᴀᴇɢɪ

𝕋𝕒𝕖'𝕤 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℕ𝕖𝕨𝕤

“GUYS, DID YOU'LL SEE THE NEWS?” Hobi exclaimed as he burst into Jin’s new café, which had become their meeting spot.

“Stop shouting! What news?” Suga replied, half-awake and still groggy.

“It’s about Tae. He’s on the news,” Hobi said, his tone calming as he settled into a chair.

“When is he not on the news?” Jimin remarked, a knowing glance shared among the group. Tae’s name had become synonymous with headlines, given his rapid rise in the business world.

“No, Jiminah, it’s not that. Do you remember yesterday when two businessmen were caught in a drug scandal, but nobody knew who spilled the beans? Turns out, it was Tae,” Hobi explained, frantically scrolling through his phone.

“What? Our Tae? Are you sure?” Scoups and Mingyu gasped simultaneously, concern etched across their faces. The rest of the group mirrored their unease.

“Yeah, I’m 100% sure. Look at this,” Hobi said, turning his phone toward them. As they leaned in to read the article, Suga’s heart sank. The worry gnawed at him—how had Tae gotten entangled with such dangerous individuals? Was he safe?

Yet, amidst the anxiety, Suga couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride at Tae’s bravery for confronting such a harsh reality.

Lost in his thoughts, Suga’s attention was abruptly drawn to a distressing word in the article. It felt as though a weight had dropped in his chest. He looked up, alarmed by the horrified and guilty expressions painted across his friends’ faces. Jin and Jungkook had tears brimming in their eyes, while Jimin was already openly weeping.

With trembling hands, Suga snatched Hobi's phone and replayed the news report. It hit him like a tidal wave: Tae had lost his parents. The anguish was palpable as tears spilled from Suga’s eyes, and he turned to Hobi, heartbroken.

“He was going through so much, and I insulted him during our last get-together. How could I have been so callous?” Suga lamented, shutting his eyes tight, letting the tears flow freely. The room fell into a heavy silence, each of them grappling with their own sorrow.

After several agonizing minutes, Mingyu broke the stillness. “We need to see Tae. He needs us now more than ever.” His voice resonated with a mixture of determination and worry.

Nods of agreement swept through the group, the urgency of the situation binding them together. They quickly made plans to reach out to Tae, desperate to offer their support.

“I won’t leave him alone this time. I refuse to let my mistakes repeat themselves. Tae, I’m not letting you slip away again,” Suga thought, wiping his tears as a newfound resolve coursed through him.

“I’ll call him and get his address. Jeonghan, Jimin, can you help me a little with the café?” Jin said as he dialed Tae’s number, intent on reaching out while Jeonghan and Jimin assisted his café staff.

---

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Jimin asked, gazing up at the towering facade of one of South Korea’s most prestigious hotels.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Now, let’s go inside,” Jin replied, leading the way as they entered the lavish lobby. They approached the receptionist, requesting to see Taehyung. After a brief call, they received permission to head to his room.