Guardian Angel || A BTS Fanfic

2.2: Knock, Knock

Taehyung

Even though it wasn't nearly as cold as it should be in September, I could feel Namjoon shivering violently behind me while I struggled to pedal both of us on my small bike. I found him exactly how he was now--distraught and in shock. Even though he was older than me, he clung to my back like a terrified child.

"You okay?" I asked, making the final turn to reach my apartment.

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied, his voice still unsteady.

"Do you know where he went?" I looked over my shoulder, paranoid that we would be caught any second.

Namjoon only shook his head, his lips pursed. I realized how much of a mess he looked like. His hair was all over the place and dark circles made his eyes look like they were sinking into his skull. He was thinner, way thinner from when I saw him only a week ago. The curious glint in his eyes was completely gone.

"So how's work?" I began, though I knew his awful state was most likely caused by his work.

"Bad, but at least I'm getting paid," he said tiredly.

We fell back into an awkward silence for the remainder of the ride. He slowly started to calm down and stopped breathing heavily by the time I stopped in front of my apartment door. I watched him stumble slightly as he got up from the bike. He acted as if he was drunk: sluggish movements and a dazed expression. It was hard to tell whether being overworked or shock reduced him to this.

I opened the door for him and he walked in, muttering a "thank you". Before I closed the door behind me, I checked over my shoulder.

I felt like something was watching us. It gave me chills every time I felt eyes on our backs.

With a sigh of exhaustion, I kicked off my shoes and fell back onto my bed, closing my eyes.

"Tired?" Namjoon said, sounding amused for once.

"Yeah, I didn't sleep well." I sat up, leaning against the pillow behind me. "Dreams and all."

The sunbeams through my window slowly grew stronger as I watched him pace anxiously back in forth in front of me. His brow was knitted and he was frowning. It was the first time I had seen him act this worried.

I had a bad feeling it wouldn't be the last time, too.

"Stop pacing, hyung, you're making me nervous," I said finally, glancing at my feeble apartment door. That old door could easily be kicked down; it often rattled from just a strong breeze.

"Sorry." He sat down on the only chair I had in my apartment with a sigh. "It's just...how is this even possible?"

"Beats me." I moved to the edge of the mattress, taking another look at his worried face.

"This isn't some fictional novel," he continued, shaking his head. "Maybe it's just all a hallucination. I'm hallucinating, right?"

"I wish," I answered. I stared at him with pity. It was reasonable that he was doubting anything he just experienced was real, but it was sad to see him like this. He was usually calm and collected, but I assumed stress finally got to him.

Namjoon sighed again and rubbed his weary eyes. "You wouldn't believe it, Tae. He--he just swooped down and landed in front of me. I was cornered, I had nowhere to go. Next thing I know, he's chasing me down the street."

"He was trying to take you," I said, my previous dream creeping into my mind. You'll join him soon... "So you could join the others."

"...the others?" Namjoon looked at me questioningly. "You mean Jungkook?"

"And Jimin," I added with a pang of sorrow. "They're both gone."

"I'm so sorry, Tae," he said, somehow still trying to comfort me when he knew his life was in danger.

"I...had another dream last night," I started.

"What about it?"

I explained to him the details of my dream--the mysterious fiery figure, Jungkook's turned state, and Jimin. It wasn't difficult to remember every single detail from these dreams; it felt like I was there for all of them. Namjoon's jaw slowly dropped while I talked, and I could see the unusual fear in his eyes.

"Demons? Seriously?" He let out a nervous chuckle.

I shrugged, trying to act as casual as I could, though I continued to fidget uneasily. "All I know is that I have to get you somewhere safe."

"What building is strong enough to stop a flying demon?" Namjoon asked, gesturing to the walls. "For sure, not this one. I already told you how fast he is, how powerful he is. His wings--the intensity in his eyes--"

"I don't know, hyung. I'll figure out something," I promised. "I'm not going to make the same mistake."

"But what about Jimin?"

"He's gone, he was hit by a car." Police lights flashed in my memory. "Jungkook took him from there. I think he took his soul--"

"--so I'm going to die too?" He interrupted, sounding panicky.

"Hyung, if I'm honest, I think Jungkook will just skip the death part," I said bluntly. "He's already somehow made it to our world physically, why would he wait?"

"W-wait, so let me get this straight: you think there's an underworld and an overworld." He looked at me for confirmation.

I nodded slowly. "That's what he said, anyway."

"Whoever's behind all of this is controlling Jungkook from the underworld, and somehow managed to physically send him to the overworld."

"He sent Jungkook to take you." Even though I desperately wanted to prevent Namjoon from feeling even more scared, I knew this time I had to tell him the truth.

"So there's a pattern?" He asked suddenly.

"I'm sorry?"

"In the disappearances. First, it was Jungkook, then it was..." He hesitated, a flicker of pain igniting in his eyes.

"...Jimin?" I said quietly as he shook his head again, as if he was trying to get rid of his grief.

"And now me," he finished. "So this fiery guy, he's taking us by age?"

My eyes widened. "Now that you mention it...it seems like that."

"But what about you?" Namjoon looked at me with suspicion. "Shouldn't you be next instead of...instead of me?"

"I--"

BAM. The apartment door shook from the powerful knock.

We jumped, and every hair on my body immediately stood up.

"Open up," Jungkook growled.

Music: "134340 (PLUTO)" piano cover by Smyang.