Finding Taehyung

Chapter Five - Fragments of Trust

The night had deepened by the time they all settled in Jin's living room, the hum of the city outside barely audible against the heavy silence inside. The awkwardness lingered between them, but there was a shared understanding now—they were in this together, despite the cracks in their relationships. They couldn't afford to stay fractured if they wanted to find Taehyung.

Jin, always the one to guide the group, cleared his throat and gestured toward the water glasses on the table. "Let's start by talking," he said, his voice steady but gentle. "It doesn't have to be anything big. Just... let's reconnect. We can't work as a team if we don't trust each other."

Jungkook glanced around, unsure of where to start. The distance between them wasn't just physical anymore—it was emotional, a gap that had widened over the years. He looked at Jimin, sitting beside him, his face a mix of anxiety and hope, and then at the others, who seemed equally unsure of what to say.

Namjoon was the first to speak, breaking the tense silence. "I guess I'll start," he said with a sigh, his hands resting on his knees. "After everything happened... after we all drifted apart... I focused on work. That's what I've been doing—just work. Writing, producing, trying to fill the gaps." He hesitated, glancing around at the others. "But it wasn't the same. I kept busy, but something always felt missing."

Yoongi gave a slight nod. "I've seen some of your work. It's good. There's a lot of depth in the way you capture stuff." His voice was calm, but there was a faint trace of respect there.

Namjoon smiled, though it didn't fully reach his eyes. "Thanks. It's helped keep me sane, I guess."

Yoongi sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before he looked back up at the group. "I didn't just produce for other people," he admitted, his voice steady but carrying the weight of disappointment. "I kept working on my own music too. Released a few solo albums over the years." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "But they didn't hit the way I hoped they would. It felt like something was missing in them, like no matter how much I poured into the work, I couldn't reach the same level."

Jungkook glanced at Yoongi, surprised by the admission. Yoongi had always been so confident in his artistry, so sure of himself. Hearing him acknowledge that his work hadn't found the success he'd wanted hit harder than expected.

Hoseok, who had remained near the window, crossed his arms and gave a small nod. "Same here," he said, his voice quieter than usual. "I thought if I focused on my solo stuff, maybe it would reignite something. Released a couple of albums, some singles... but none of it really caught on the way I wanted. I guess it's hard to capture the same magic when everything else is falling apart."

The room fell into a quiet understanding. Everyone had their own way of dealing with the fallout, and for Yoongi and Hoseok, it was through their music—music that, despite their efforts, didn't fill the void left behind after the disbandment.

"It's like..." Yoongi began again, searching for the right words. "It's like something fundamental was gone. I still love music, but there was always this feeling that no matter how much I tried, it wasn't enough. Like the heart of it wasn't there anymore."

Hoseok nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I thought that maybe doing things on my own, being independent, would bring back the fire. But it was different. Too different. It's like we lost the thing that made it work, and I couldn't get it back on my own."

Jimin sighed softly, his eyes filled with empathy as he listened. "I get that," he said. "It's hard to find that spark again when everything feels fractured."

Namjoon, who had been listening intently, leaned forward slightly. "It sounds like we were all searching for something," he said, his voice thoughtful. "Something we lost when everything fell apart."