His Buried Past| Taekook

Chapter 22

Taehyung lay in his bed, staring blankly at the wall ahead of him as he cuddled Yeontan tightly against his chest. He'd woken up this morning and gone down to eat breakfast, only to find a note from his parents.

'Gone on a vacation. Order food when you're hungry.'

He doubted they even remembered today was his birthday. He wasn't even really surprised; it wasn't like they'd ever shown any care or affection for him. But the reminder that he mattered so little was a blow. 'What's so wrong with me? First my birth parents didn't want me, and neither do my adoptive parents.'

Lying with his back to his door, he didn't hear the person who crept up the stairs, or when the door slid quietly open. But when he felt the mattress sink under another's weight, followed by strong arms wrapping around him from behind, he closed his eyes and relaxed into the warm embrace.

"Happy birthday baby."

Jungkook's voice by his ear brings a small smile to the younger boy's face. "Thank you Kookie."

The two of them lay in the quiet room for several minutes, before the older mutters, "I saw the note in the kitchen. I don't know why they can't see the amazing person you are. It's their loss though."

For the first time all day, happiness fills the younger boy. Sure, he may not have loving parents, but he has his Kookie. "You'll stay with me forever, right?"

The firm arms tighten around him, "Forever baby boy. Now, come on, we're meeting everyone else, and Jin-hyung will be pissed if we're late."

Present Day

Sitting up in his bed, V looks blearily around the room, remembering that he'd been placed in a new room before. Not bothering to change out of his shorts and loose t-shirt, he peeks out his door, checking to make sure he won't stumble into Jungkook. Seeing the empty hall, he goes to head downstairs, not forgetting to slip his gun into the waist of his shorts.

'What am I going to say when I see him? I'm not ready to face him yet! I can't believe I told him I liked the kiss!'

Walking into the kitchen, he's relieved to see that Jungkook isn't there. Jin is standing by the large island, a cup in his hand, while Jimin and Hoseok are sitting together on the opposite side. The three of them all offer smiles to the youngest when they see him.

"Good morning Ta-V!" The redhead smiles brightly, stumbling a bit over the name.

V gives a tentative smile and nods, "Good morning."

"Would you like some coffee or tea?", Jin faces the younger, sounding chipper. "I also made breakfast already and it's still warm. You should eat, you look a little thin."

"Um, sure, thank you hyung."

Giving a warm smile, the eldest put a plate in front of the boy. As he ate, he pondered the dream-or memory-he'd had. Looking up at the older three, he cleared his throat, "I was sorta wondering, what were my parents like? I don't remember them at all."

The three exchanged quick glances, faces sobering. Hoseok looked down, "We didn't really know them well. You didn't talk about them too much."

Turning wide eyes onto the eldest, V prompted, "Jinnie-hyung? Do you know anything about them?"

The older squirmed, looking uncomfortable, before sighing, his voice hesitant, "To be honest, you and your parents weren't very close. They were rather cold people. You always said we were your real family." None of them had wanted to let the boy know how disinterested his parents had been, worried it would revive the self-worth issues Taehyung had dealt with. But they also didn't want to lie to him anymore.

V looked down, face unreadable as he nodded,"Ah, I see."

Hearing a shuffling behind him, the younger turned to see a half-asleep Suga entering the kitchen. A boxy smile instantly brightening his face, he greets the sleepy older, "Good morning Yoongi-bear!"

The elder raises a hand in acknowledgement, mumbling out a "Morning" as he pours a coffee.

A muffled giggle rings out behind him, and he turns to see Jimin and Hoseok with broad grins on their faces as they look at the silver haired dongsaeng, Jimin's high voice filled with disbelief, "Did you just call him Yoongi-bear?!"

V nods, "Yeah, why?"

The two erupt into peals of laughter, the mint-haired older scowling over his coffee, "Shut it Red, Pinkie."

Hoseok wipes at his eyes, "First you were blushing last night, and now you're letting someone call you 'Yoongi-bear'. Careful there, you're gonna lose your tough guy reputation." Standing, he shoots a wink at Suga as he and Jimin leave the room, his arm hanging over his shorter boyfriend's shoulder.

While Jin excuses himself to go check on Namjoon, V shoots a teasing look at the stone-faced older. "So what was that about hyung?"

Refusing to look at the younger, Suga's voice sounds bored, "What was what about?"

V grins, "Oh, don't play stupid with me hyung, I've known you too long. You blushed? And you were all flustered with them! Which one do you like, Jimin or Hoseok? You know they're boyfriends though, right? Are you trying to break them up?"

The older rolled his eyes at the rapid-fire questions from the excited boy,"Aish, relax kid!" Looking into his cup of coffee, his mumble is just barely able to be heard, "I think they're both pretty cute, actually."

Mouth falling open in shock, the silver haired younger gapes, "So, like, you're interested in both of them? How does that even work??"

Suga heaves a sigh, looking exasperated, "Relax kid, I'm not planning anything right now. Hopefully we'll be leaving here soon, and then we won't be dealing with any of them unless we need to. Besides, I'm pretty sure they hate my guts."

V's mouth forms a pout, "That's just because you annoy them in purpose hyung."

A small smile pulls at the corner of the older boy's lips, "Yeah, I know. Can't help it though, they're even cuter when they're mad."

The younger drops his head into his folded arms on the island in front of him, exasperation at the older "Yoongi-hyung, you pabo."

AN: Y'all are amazing, you know that? I'm so grateful every time I see your votes and comments. I went ahead and entered this book in the Vkook Awards. I wasn't going to, because I write this for fun, not for stuff like that, but I finally figured it cost me nothing to do so 😂