Caregiver Trial | SOPE/YOONSEOK

8.

"Taehyung-ah..." he smiled weakly, a small tear falling down his puffed cheeks. It was a sight that not even the evil would want to see, the sun truly was beautiful at all times.

The two boys had been crouched down in front of the tomb stone for what felt like hours, Taehyung singing small songs to calm his best friend.

The red head played with the petals on the white roses that he had lay down on his mother's peaceful bed. It had been years since her death, but the anniversary was always something that he dreaded.

The pain of rethinking that traumatising night was too much, too much to hold onto. Taehyung was the only way he could let that past go. He was thankful.

The younger reached his arm around his favourite hyung, letting the other instantly sink into his embrace, now letting the tears flow like a river.

"I miss her..." he cried quietly, the heartache in his chest getting stronger by the second. For some reason, this year was different.

Hoseok had gone through so much in the past seven months.

He'd lost practically everything, including his sanity. His mental health overtook him and he began spiralling downhill, stuck in a position that pained him.

Now he had some of the best people surrounding him.

But what hurt most, was knowing that Taehyung soon had to leave as well - yet another thing he would have to let go of.

"It's okay Seokie hyung, she loves you. See? It's a sign." Taehyung smiled warmly, pointing at the way the wind danced through the wind chimes, creating the same sort of tune Hoseok's mother would sing him to sleep with.

He really did feel it was a sign.

Maybe all hope wasn't lost after all.

—+

"I promise I'll come visit you, at least once every month. And we'll call every day if we have time, you'll be okay hyung." Taehyung tried his best to hold back his tears, caressing his boyfriend's cheek softly before planting a quick kiss over it.

Hoseok only nodded, biting his lip as multiple tears fell, his weaknesses becoming distinct as his voice trembled and his eyes stung, "please don't leave me."

"I have to." he quietly replied, Hoseok quickly slung his arms limply around his boyfriend's torso, taking in the last of what he could and using up all of his energy.

He has to be brave for him, he has to hold on and do well, make his lover proud.

"Taehyung-ah?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

And with that, the younger boy walked towards his boarding section, softly waving as he left a distraught Hoseok behind.

Months later, the two had barely spoken, which left Hoseok to only mourn his mother's death even more, even on the days he usually wouldn't think about it.

He had nobody, nobody to look after him anymore.

Nobody to comfort him or hold him.

He was on his own, for good.

This was when he began drinking, finding himself waking up next to a stranger or wasting his money in a strip club. It was the best he could do to wash out his thoughts.

At that time, alcohol and drugs were his paradise, an easy way to ease the pain.

And so, one night he found himself trudging down the alley way, punching the wall as all his anger came out, his fists bleeding as he finally gave up, crouching down and sobbing into a pool of blood and tears.

Everything was crashing down on him.

Until he was lucky enough, so lucky that a certain short boy with the sweetest soul peeped his head around the corner.

"Sir? Do you need some help?" Jimin spoke, taking Hoseok into his arms forever...