Stigma || A Kim Taehyung Story

Last moments

"Is it done? The deed, is it done?"

"Yes."

"Where is he then?"

"It takes time, sir."

"I don't have time."

"But the rules, sir-"

"Are they our rules, Randall?"

"No, sir."

"Then must we obey them?"

"No, sir. Sorry, sir"

"Find him. Bring him here."

"Yes, sir."

At the house of BTS

Namjoon opened the champagne, the froth from the top oozing out of the bottle over his hands, the fizzing sound still audible over the loud music being played in the background. He quickly put the bottle on the table and wiped his hands on a napkin. Jin began to pour the champagne into glasses. “Joon, where are you going?” Jin asked while he picked up  the last glass. “I'm calling Tae.” Namjoon said, and he put the napkin in the bin as he rushed past.

Jungkook was worried that Taehyung hadn't turned up, and he wondered whether it was really worth being worried. After all, it was his birthday, so you should think that he'd turn up for his own party. Namjoon called Taehyung, but it went straight to voicemail. He tried again, but got the same result. “Come on Tae, where are you?” Taehyung had been busy with work lately, maybe he’d simply just lost track of time. That happens to people all the time, right?

“I'm going to the tattoo studio to see if he's still working, but I might see him on the way there.” Namjoon said, plunging his arm into his seemingly endless coat sleeve. He grabbed his phone and put it in his pocket. “Text me if he turns up.” he said, and with that he left.

*time skip*

When Namjoon said ‘I might see him on the way there’, this is not what he meant. He threw his jacket off, still in disbelief that he was doing this. Impulsively, he dived into the lake. He was never a strong swimmer, but he was desperate, and the adrenaline made him much faster than usual.

He grabbed Taehyung by the collar of his shirt. He began to swim back to the top of the lake. His head came up from the water and he pulled Taehyung to the edge of the lake and dragged him onto the path. Namjoon didn't know what to do. He felt like a soldier in a foreign empire. Lost. He shuddered at the sight of the body that lay before him, and a cold chill went up his spine.

He felt his phone vibrate and he picked up straight away. He heard a familiar voice through the phone. “Have you found Taetae yet? You know I get worried when people are late-” Namjoon bit his lip, holding back tears. “Jungkook? Can you… could you put Jin on the phone…” Jungkook immediately passed the phone to Jin, upon hearing the shaky voice on the other end of the phone.

Namjoon put them on speaker and shakily placed the phone on the path next to the unconscious Taehyung. “What's wrong, Joon? What's that sound? Are you crying?” Jin asked too many questions. It was a habit of his when he got worried. Namjoon’s breathing became heavy and uneven. “I… I found him… he-” Namjoon interrupted himself with a fountain of tears. “He was in the lake. I… I don't think he's breathing.” Namjoon whispered. Jin sighed. “Joon? Listen, I'm going to get Yoongi or Jimin to call an ambulance, okay? I'm coming, I'll be right here for you though, okay Joon?” Namjoon nodded.

Jin talked Namjoon through what he needed to do. Namjoon had already been taught many times how to do CPR, but he'd never before imagined he would have to use it in his lifetime. However, his memory didn't seem to be functioning at that time. Namjoon refused to just let Taehyung die. Doing the chest compressions were quite exhausting, but he didn't even notice his arms aching. Namjoon dropped his head to Taehyung’s chest to try and catch his own breath again. He angrily threw his fist down on Tae’s chest. He couldn't accept it. He wouldn't accept this. But then he felt a slight movement underneath his head.

“He's breathing… Jin he's breathing!” Namjoon sat up and put his hand just above Tae’s head and intertwined his fingers with Taehyung’s blonde hair. Taehyung moved his head slightly and suddenly coughed up mouthfuls of water. He curled up slightly and reached his twitching hand towards Namjoon. His eyes slowly opened. “Namjoon?” Tae said weakly. Namjoon nodded. Jin’s voice came through the phone again. “Tae? Is that Tae?” Jin asked. Namjoon nodded. “It's him… he's breathing.”

Namjoon heard the distant wailing of the sirens, and he held his breath, hoping they were close. Tae stared helplessly at Namjoon, but he managed to show a slight smile. Happy in the darkest of times; now that was the Taehyung they all knew. Taehyung squeezed Namjoon’s hand and coughed, struggling to breathe. His breathing became sharp was accompanied by lots of painful coughing. He leaned over and Namjoon watched as blood came up from Taehyung’s strained throat, the flaming red liquid landing on the grass next to him. He tried to talk to Namjoon, probably to ask him for help, but he couldn’t. His ability to breathe had suddenly stopped.

“Breathe, Tae, breathe. Come on, please.” Jin said through the phone, failing to comfort either of the boys. Taehyung’s face went pink, and sweat ran down his forehead. The sirens were getting louder, but they couldn't wait any longer. Taehyung lay his head back weakly, and he fainted, and Namjoon was taken over by stress again. “I'm almost there, okay Joon. I'm almost there, so I'm going to hang up now, okay? The ambulance will be there really soon, okay? I'll see you soon, Joonie.” Jin hung up, and now Namjoon was definitely on his own.

He picked up Tae and carried him bridal style towards where the sirens were coming from. The moment he saw the ambulance, a small amount of that stress was lifted. He breathed deeply and laid Tae gently on the floor. The ambulance stopped and a few paramedics got out and rushed towards them. Namjoon probably would have cried, but he didn't even know how to express what he was feeling right now.

Jin turned up with Jungkook and Jimin, but Yoongi had agreed to stay with Hoseok. It was probably better for Hoseok not to know about any of this yet. Jungkook sat by Namjoon’s side, tears already pic. “Are you okay? You sounded really worried on the phone.” Jimin knelt down on the other side of Namjoon. “Taehyung… he…” Jimin hugged Namjoon. “It's okay.” Jimin said quietly.