**Shattered Trust, Rebuilt Love**. (Tae Centric)

**Chapter 18: The Calm Before the Storm**

It was a rare evening when all the brothers were home, and the atmosphere was warm and relaxed. After a long day, they had decided to unwind by watching a movie together in the living room. Jungkook had picked an action movie, something light-hearted to take their minds off the usual stresses.

Taehyung sat on the floor, close to Jungkook’s legs, feeling a mixture of comfort and anxiety. The brothers had gone out of their way to include him in their daily activities, and while Taehyung appreciated their efforts, he couldn’t shake off the gnawing fear that lingered at the back of his mind. The fear that they might turn on him at any moment, just like his old family had.

As the movie played, Taehyung tried his best to focus on the screen, but his mind kept drifting. The loud sound effects and sudden bursts of noise made him flinch, his body tensing involuntarily. He clenched his hands tightly, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to suppress the rising panic.

Jungkook noticed Taehyung’s discomfort and reached down to gently touch his shoulder. “hyung, are you okay?” he asked softly, not wanting to startle him.

Taehyung nodded quickly, not trusting his voice. He didn’t want to ruin the moment for the others. But the more he tried to calm himself, the more his anxiety grew. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breathing became shallow as memories of the past began to flood his mind.

The room, which had once felt safe, now seemed to close in around him. The laughter of his brothers sounded distant and distorted, like echoes from a nightmare. The action on the screen reminded him too much of the violence he had witnessed and endured, and it was becoming harder to separate reality from the horrors of his memories.

As the movie reached a particularly intense scene, Taehyung couldn’t take it anymore. The noise, the tension, the overwhelming presence of his brothers—it was all too much. He felt like he was suffocating, and his vision started to blur as the panic took hold.

“hyung?” Jungkook’s voice was filled with concern, but Taehyung barely heard it. His body began to tremble uncontrollably, his breaths coming in short, rapid gasps. He could feel the walls closing in on him, his mind screaming that he needed to escape, to get away from the danger he was convinced was lurking around him.

“Jungkook, I think something’s wrong,” Jimin said, noticing Taehyung’s state. The others turned their attention to Taehyung, their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm as they saw the fear in his eyes.

Jungkook quickly slid off the couch and knelt beside Taehyung, his voice gentle but urgent. “hyung, it’s okay. You’re safe. It’s just a movie. Breathe with me, okay? Just focus on my voice.”

But Taehyung couldn’t hear him. All he could see were the faces of his old family, the cruel smirks and mocking laughter as they hurt him over and over again. His hands flew up to cover his ears as he began to rock back and forth, desperate to block out the sounds, the memories, everything.

“hyung, please hyung, look at me,” Jungkook pleaded, trying to catch his brother’s gaze, but Taehyung’s eyes were unfocused, his mind lost in the past. Panic surged through Jungkook as he realized Taehyung was slipping into a full-blown panic attack.

“Hyung, what do we do?” Hoseok asked, his voice trembling as he looked to Jin for guidance.

Jin quickly moved closer, his heart breaking at the sight of Taehyung in such distress. “We need to calm him down. Let’s get him away from the noise. Kook, take him to his room.”

Jungkook didn’t need to be told twice. He scooped Taehyung up into his arms, careful not to jostle him too much. Taehyung's trembling grew worse as he clung to Jungkook's shirt, his breathing ragged and uneven. Jungkook’s heart raced as he felt how light Taehyung was, a stark reminder of the years of abuse and neglect his  brother had endured.