THE SUN AND HIS STARS ✓

11.

Using Taehyung's phone, Hoseok was able to call all his friends over. They were in the kitchen, Namjoon and Yoongi muttering about oh, how I'm gonna kill his father, Jimin chewing on his nails nervously, and Jungkook pacing and praying under his breath. Seokjin was in the guest room, treating Taehyung the best he could. They couldn't take Taehyung to the hospital because he didn't want anyone to find out and send him into a foster home.

Previously, Hyunseok had walked in, confused as to why there were a bunch of worried teenagers in the house, but Hoseok dismissed him with an I'll fill you in later.

Jungkook took a seat next to Hoseok, wringing his hands. "Thanks, Hoseok hyung," he whispered.

"For what?"

"Helping Tae," Jungkook answered. "I don't know why you guys have been avoiding each other, but you helped him today. Thank you."

Hoseok, thankfully, was saved from answering when Seokjin stepped into the kitchen. Everyone perked up, Hoseok and Jungkook even stood from their seats.

"He'll be okay," Seokjin said.

There was a collective exhale around the room.

"But..."

Hoseok thought he heard Namjoon mumble, "There's always a but."

"He'll need time to heal physically. Lots of it. Mentally, though..." Seokjin trailed off and ran a hand through his hair in distress. "That's a different story."

There was a silence before Jimin changed the subject. "How are we gonna keep him from going to school? The school will call his dad."

"I've got that covered," said Jungkook. "You remember my imitation of his dad? I can do it and tell the school that Tae hyung is in vacation with Daegu to visit family relatives. They'll buy it."

"Good, that's one thing we don't have to worry about," said Yoongi. "Now, who wants to come with me to kill his dad?"

"No killing, Yoongi," Seokjin said, exasperated.

"Fine—"

"Or maiming."

Yoongi grumbled something about justice and leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms.

"There's something else we need to talk about. Preferably while Tae is asleep."

At this, everyone seemed to catch on and turned to Hoseok with eyebrows raised. Hoseok shrunk at all the attention; it was easier to handle when Taehyung was at his side.

"W-what?" he asked.

"Why you and Taehyung have been ignoring each other," said Seokjin. "Taehyung forbid us to ask you, but now..."

They deserved to know about the curse, Hoseok knew. So, he swallowed down his fear.

"Would you even believe me?"

-

"So," said Jimin, as they all sat on the sofas, "you're cursed, you make the sun rise every morning, and you have to take happiness to do it. Tae found this out and thought you were using him to break the curse, because you guys are basically platonic soulmates and that's what breaks the curse?"

"When you say it that way..." Hoseok trailed off, biting his lip. "Well, yes."

There was a long silence. Hoseok was sure they didn't believe him, not one bit, until Jungkook spoke up.

"I believe you."

"You do?" Hoseok asked.

At the look he got from the others, Jungkook said, "Hoseok has no reason to make anything up, yeah? And that explains why he doesn't really... hang around anybody..."

"Well," said Yoongi, leaning back into the sofa, "I think this is a bunch of bullshit, but if Jungkook believes you, then I do, too."

"Me too," said Jimin, raising his hand. "Though, about using Tae..."

"That was unintentional," Hoseok said quickly. "I would never—"

"We know," Seokjin interrupted. He sighed. "That's why I believe you, too."

"Same," Namjoon said, nodding.

"Me too," a weak voice said from the doorway. Everyone's heads turned to see Taehyung leaning heavily against the door frame. His hair was messy and there were bandages and stitches on his face. He looked like he was about to fall over any second. Hoseok almost rushed over, but stopped himself when Seokjin got up off the couch and supported Taehyung, taking him out of sight. Seokjin's scolding and Taehyung's weak protests could be heard as Seokjin took him back to bed to rest.

As their voices faded away, Hoseok turned to the others. "Now that you know of the curse... once Taehyung is healed, you should all stay away from me. For your own good."

"Funny," said Namjoon. "That's what Taehyung said to us when we first met."

"We're not gonna stay away from you, hyung," said Jimin. "You're our friend."

"Yeah," said Yoongi, "and since friends share and sharing is caring, you got any food? We'll be here for a while."

-

Hoseok's house had several guest rooms, which was good because the others were staying overnight. Jungkook made a phone call to the school, pretending to be Taehyung's father, and excused him for a month for a "vacation to Daegu." 

Jungkook hung up and laughed at Hoseok's disgusted face. "Yeah," he said, understanding the expression, "Tae's dad sounds as ugly as his attitude is."

"Maybe I'll take Yoongi up on that offer of killing him," Hoseok mumbled.

"Don't do that, hyung, Taehyung wouldn't be very happy if you were in jail."

"Speaking of Taehyung..." Hoseok said quietly. "How has he been? This past week when..."

When I wasn't there.

"He was sad," said Jungkook, as Hoseok led him to a guest room. "Every time we mentioned you, he'd get this look on his face, like he was angry, but it wasn't really anger, y'know? Just sadness hiding behind a mask."

"...oh."

"Well, night, hyung!" Jungkook said as he entered the guest room.

"Goodnight."

(If Hoseok slept on the couch that night, just to be a bit closer to Taehyung's room, well, no one needed to know.)