✔ || Save Me [[SEQUEL to DISTRACT ME]]

Chapter 39

"You look awful, hyung."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, "Thanks, Donghae."

At the same time, Ara's arm appeared on the laptop screen, and she thwacked the back of her brother's head. "Ya, be nice, pabo! Of course he looks awful, he's been training every day!"

The video call was grainy from his family's poor internet service, but he could still see Donghae's exasperation at his sister's disrespect. He turned to their older brother and cried, "Do you see how she treats me without you here?"

"I was only with you guys for eight months, kid," Taehyung pointed out, grinning from ear to ear. "How did you handle it before I was there?"

"He didn't!" Ara squealed with laughter, her head popping back into the frame. She suddenly frowned, "Shouldn't you be sleeping, oppa?"

Taehyung checked the clock on his laptop and nodded. "Probably, but I'm talking to my dongsaengs right now."

"Oppa!" Ara cried, indignant. "What time do you even have to be up in the morning?"

Pursing his lips, Taehyung mumbled, "Five."

Ara frowned as Donghae snorted. "You're going to be dead, hyung."

"Which is why you should be sleeping," another voice sounded from the screen, and Taehyung flinched at the level of authority it held.

"I'm okay, Halmeonim," he said sheepishly.

She appeared in the frame, smiling. "Go to sleep, silly child. Jeez, I've only had a third grandchild for a year and you're already going to die on me."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to -"

"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me!" Halmeonim snapped.

"Sorry -"

"And go to bed! We all love you!" she finished, ordering Donghae to end the call. The boy smiled apologetically at his hyung before the video chat ended.

Taehyung chuckled and shut his laptop. They had originally called because it was the anniversary of Taehyung "falling" into their lives. They thought that was something worth celebrating, and Taehyung couldn't agree more. He loved each member of that family dearly. Sure, Ara could never replace Eden, but he didn't feel like she had to. She was a second sister, and Eden was his first.

Thinking about his hatchmate soured his mood, and he bit his quivering lip. He missed her. He had never stopped missing her. It sucked.

What made it worse was that Ara often reminded him of her. She was just as bubbly, and wasn't afraid to call out her big brothers no matter how disrespectful it was. He loved that about her, even though it was sometimes annoying.

And Donghae. What a sweet kid. Obnoxious at times, but he genuinely brought joy to the older boy. At the end of the day, he was a good little brother.

Taehyung yawned, his jaw popping, and he flinched at his body's stiffness. He was running on three hours of sleep - which was more than he'd gotten every other night that week - but he didn't mind. His dream was coming true; he was actually a trainee. A little exhaustion never hurt anyone.

Well, it did, but it wouldn't hurt him.

He stood and hissed in pain as the open wounds in his back screamed. If he thought housework hurt, dancing was an entirely different story. Every move brought a new wave of agony. Sometimes, he felt like it wasn't worth it. But only sometimes.

No matter how much it hurt - and it hurt a lot - he still wouldn't trade it for anything.

Anything?

He frowned at that annoying little voice because it was right. He missed his wings. He missed Eden.

He even missed Raphael, though he didn't want to admit that. He betrayed Taehyung. The boy should hate him, and he was desperate to do so, but he couldn't. There had to be a reason for his betrayal, right? Raphael wouldn't just do that. He loved Taehyung, wanted to keep him forever...

Shaking his head, Taehyung hopped to his feet and set off to his bed. It was more like a cot, but it was still comfortable. It was enough.

Earth was enough.

That's what he told himself. It was enough. It could be enough. He could heal and be an idol, and he could someday be happy again.

But shit, his brain was fucked up. Hopefully it would fix itself because Taehyung couldn't handle a lifetime of misery over the treason of the person he loved. Even now, it felt like it would eat him whole.

His roommate sat up and told him to shut up and go to bed, and Taehyung obeyed with a quiet "sorry."