Strings

11| Jungkook

Yoongi's ringtone played out, a mellow trill of piano notes, and Jungkook looked at his companions apologetically.

"Its Yoongi, excuse me."

"Hey Jungkook," He started.

"What's wrong?" Yoongi rarely greeted him by his proper name.

"Do you know where Taehyung might be?" He continued, ignoring the question and Kookie heard shuffling in the background. "Are if you can get a hold of him, Jimin's worried sick."

Yoongi's words were tripping over themselves urgently, as if he were the one who couldn't get a hold of Kook. The second-hand panic was evident, but Jungkook didn't understand why there was a panic.

"Yoongi, stop. Taehyung is with me, well, he's inside. Is Jimin okay?" Jungkook softened his voice, attempting to soothe the older's nerves.

"Jimin's been calling him all day. The kid won't answer him--"

"Jungkook! Please tell Taehyung to call me! Or text. Anything, please! I need to hear him." Jimin's voice drowned out Yoongi's.

"Just try to breathe you two, I'll tell him. His phone is probably just off. I'll get him, bye." Jungkook ended the call with a shake of his head.

Those two...

He stalked back inside and looked over Taehyung, tapping his foot in mock menace.

"Kim Taehyung." He scolded. "You turn your phone back on and you call Jimin hyung. He's worried sick."

Taehyung's face drained of its color and he began fidgeting with the straw in his water. Jungkook put a hand on his arm, suddenly concerned. The whole situation was weird. Why would Taehyung suddenly not want to talk to Jimin? Were they fighting?

"Taehyung, are you alright?"

He could feel Yeri's eyes watching both of them worriedly and wished he knew what was going on.

"Not right now. I don't want to talk to him right now." Taehyung rose and fished money out of his wallet, he set it down and hurried to leave.

He seemed dazed and unsteady. He wasn't himself and that worried Jungkook. He shouldn't be by himself right now, that much was clear. He paid the rest of the bill.

"I'm sorry Yeri, it was nice meeting you. We'll see you around."

Jaw set, Kook ran outside to follow the boy. He caught sight of the boy heading away from his dorm, more in the direction of Jungkook's home. Where is he going?

Finally, Jungkook caught up with him. Short of breath and sweating slightly, he slowed his pace to match Taehyung's. He didn't even notice Jungkook beside him.

"Taehyung?" He called.

Taehyung either ignored him or didn't hear him. He seemed caught up in his head, lost in a deep internal conflict that Jungkook couldn't hope to untangle without information.

Jungkook turned his attention to his surroundings. Taehyung had led him farther than his apartment. He didn't recognize the area as somewhere he'd visited. Houses became closer together, narrow and long yards lined the cramped streets. Between the slight gaps separating the houses, he could see down to a busy commercial dock. The two had walked to the lake. (Idk if there is one I'm just assuming things) He could make out the afternoon sun rippling across the water, straining his eyes. The noise fell away and the docks got quieter. Jungkook's feet ached and sweat plastered his hair to his forehead. A slight peek indicated the same outwardly of Taehyung, whose pace was faltering slightly.

Jungkook caught sight of a park and decided he'd had enough. He reached out and looked his hand through Taehyung's.

"T-Taehyung?" He tried again.

Nothing. And now Kookie was hungry. Too much exercise not enough pizza. Great, he thought, now I want pizza. Well enough was enough. He took a deep breath and stopped walking, gripping Taehyung's hand tighter.

"Kim Taehyung. Talk to me." He ordered sternly.

"Jungkook?" Taehyung looked at him, immensely puzzled. "What are you-- Did you follow me?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes and pulled the boy into the playground the pair was currently parallel with. He sat on a bench, dragging Taehyung with him.

"Of course I followed you!" He breathed deeply. "You looked sick and then you walked away like a zombie. How could I let you off by yourself?"

"I'm sorry," Taehyung apologized in no more than a whisper.

Jungkook's gaze softened. "Prove it."

"W -what?"

"Prove it, hyung." Jungkook reiterated. "Tell me what's wrong."

Taehyung let out a deep breath and ran his free hand though his hair. He allowed his hand to remain entwined with Kook's whether he was aware of the contact or not.

"It's my grandmother." He whispered.

He kept whispering.

"Is she sick?" Jungkook inquired.

"She passed away a few years ago. Today. We were really close. It's always hard." Taehyung let the words call from his heart, just trying to hold himself together. He really didn't want to cry. "Jimin always spends the day talking to me, but I just don't want to talk to him today. He'll treat me like glass. I don't want him to look at me like I'm a danger to myself."

"Well are you?"

"Am I what?"

Jungkook could hear Taehyung's quiet sniffles. "A danger to yourself?"

If it were possible, his voice came out softer than before. "Not this year."

"Does Jimin know that? Have you told him?"

"I don't know... I haven't talked to him at all." He admitted.

"Well he needs to know that you're okay. Do you want to call him or should I?" Jungkook wanted to know.

Taehyung put his head in his free hand and whispered. "Can you?"

He nodded. "I'll do that right now."

He called Yoongi, but it was Jimin's voice that greeted him, or rather demanded: "Is Taetae okay?"

"Calm down Jimin, Taehyung is okay. He's still with me, despite his best efforts. I won't let him do anything you wouldn't want him to."

"Okay. Okay." He breathed deeply between the utterance. "C-can I talk to him?"

"He said that he wasn't up for that yet. He said sorry though," Kook shot Taehyung a pointed look. Taehyung nodded in understanding.

"Oh, okay." Jimin's voice reached his ear, defeated and broken.

"Bye Jimin-ssi."

"Bye Jungkook, thanks."

And now a fluffy afternoon can commence! I hope everyone had a good week and I hope you like this update! I'm sorry it's sad I was very mellow writing it.

On a different note, um, chapter ten has some views, but 9 and 8 have no views... Unless Wattpad isn't telling me smth some ppl might have missed a few chapters, it could get confusing if you don't read them. I hope you like it!!!

Also I love feedback! Vote and comment!