Newspaper - A BTS FF

Chapter 28 - Promise

Namjoon appeared in the opening to the den just as Yoongi pulled the syringe out of his best friend's arm...

He cried out and ran at Yoongi, grabbing his collar and throwing him hard against the wall. As he had managed to take the boy by surprise, he had not had any time to defend himself, and the addict slammed into the wall with such force he nearly passed out.

"You're too late... No time to be a hero Kim Namjoon..." He choked, spitting out the blood in his mouth before slipping out of consciousness.

Tears streamed down his face as he ran to his best friend's side. Tae was panting and his eyelids were fluttering from the lack of oxygen.

Namjoon wrapped the teen in his arms and sat behind him, holding his skinny body close. 

"I'm here Tae..." He whispered, stroking his hair with shaking fingers. "I've got you - I'm here..."

The boy's breath kept catching in his throat, and he leant against the elder for support.

Namjoon was sobbing and shaking so much by this point he almost didn't notice when the younger placed a gentle hand on his own.

"D...Don't cry Joonie-Hyung..." Tae said weakly, leaning against the wall and panting for breath. He reached up a hand and brushed away his friend's tears with a small, dainty finger.

Namjoon wrapped the boy tighter in his arms and rocked him gently.

"I'm... I'm so sorry Tae..." He whispered. "I didn't get here fast enough... I could have gotten here so much faster..."

The younger suddenly began to cough and his whole body shook. Namjoon held him close, afraid the coughs were going to make him break apart...

It tore him to pieces to see the boy he had raised - the boy he had made his best friend - like this; slowly slipping away, and there was nothing he could do to stop it...

Tae leant against his friend fully, feeling how the elder's arm snaked around his shoulder and pulled him closer.

"Yoongi... Is my brother..." He choked. "Joon - all this time he-"

"Don't talk to me about that piece of filth." Namjoon sobbed. "He is nothing. He is nothing any more..."

"Joon-Hyung?"

"Yes Tae?"

"Namjoon?" The younger repeated. "P...promise me one thing..."

The older man bit his lip and nodded.

"P...promise me you won't...You won't..." He trailed off, eyes fluttering again as his body began to give in.

"I won't what?" Namjoon asked, unable to stop his tears as the younger's breath became even more laboured.

"P...p...promise me... you won't cry any more... and that... you will take care of Kookie... and-"

"Tae please stop..." the elder begged, sobbing into the boy's hair. "Don't..."

"Promise me you will never forget me..."

"No one could forget you Kim Taehyung." Namjoon sobbed, hugging him tighter. "Please... don't leave me! Who is there to spend time with Jimin if not you? Who will teach Jungkookie how to polish shoes? Who will-"

"Joon..." Tae interrupted. He wiped the man's tears again and his hand dropped to his lap in exhaustion. "You'll be fine. Do you know... what I wished for on my birthday this year?"

"You made a wish after all?" Namjoon asked, tilting his head.

"I wished that... You would always smile like you did on that day... and that one day in the future... we would be rich and have as much pot ramen as...as we wanted..."

Namjoon let out a soft chuckle in spite of his tears.

"I never realised how rich I was to have... you as my friend... so thank you Hyung..." He choked. "Thank you for saving me... So I could have the chance to know you..."

Tae's eyes began to close and Namjoon panicked.

"No...No! NO! NO! Tae NO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!"

Tae took his hand and looked him in the eye with lids half-closed.

"Remember my wish... and remember your promise Kim Namjoon..."

"TAE! NO! PLEASE!" The elder begged, stroking his hair as he watched the younger's eyes close.

"D...don't f...don't forget me... Namjoon... Hyung-nim... promise you'll stay... you'll stay...happy Hyungnim..."

There was a soft rattling in his throat, but it fell silent...

Tae never opened his eyes again. He took his final breath laying in his best friend's arms in the one place he could call home: that little den tucked away behind the tatty old ramen shop in Ilsan, with newspaper scattered all over the floor as a bed, and his old boot polishing kit tucked away in one corner.

Despite everything, he had been happy. The last person he saw was the person that mattered the most to him in his life.

His Hyung...

At that moment, Hoseok appeared in the opening to the den. The scene that met his eyes was enough to bring him to tears: Namjoon was sat cradling his best friend, sobbing into his hair; Yoongi was passed out in one corner, blood trickling down his face, and the horse shoe he had given Tae when he was in the hospital was lying on the ground, upside down...

The luck had finally drained away...

"Taehyung! Taehyung I have the plane tickets! I have them here!"

The faint squeak of wheelchair brakes echoed around the den, and Jimin appeared next to Hoseok. The only sound that could be heard now was the soft sobbing from Namjoon.

Then, Tae's phone, which had fallen on the floor began to ring.

Hoseok knelt down and picked it up, answering it  with shaking fingers.

Jungkook's voice sounded panicky down the phone.

"Taehyung? Taetae are you there?"

No words left any of their mouths...

There weren't any words that could express a shocked and broken heart...