I'm Here

30

Weeks passed and Jungkook and Taehyung didn't speak. Taehyung had found out from Jimin that the younger was staying with them, but wouldn't talk about what was going on. He wouldn't talk at all.

Taehyung tried to see him, tried to talk to him, but Jungkook refused. He blocked Taehyung's number so he couldn't contact him. He locked himself in a bedroom when Taehyung went to their friends' apartment.

Jungkook cut him out of his life.

And Taehyung was devastated.

He didn't know what to do to get through to Jungkook. He just wanted to explain. But he was given no opportunity.

Jimin watched two of his closest friends close in on themselves, becoming lonely and depressed. The others noticed it too, but didn't understand what was going on. So Jimin took action.

He was in Jin and Namjoon's living room, looking at the two along with Yoongi and Hoseok.

"I asked you guys here to talk about Taehyung and Jungkook. I've been keeping something from you because I wanted them to tell everyone. But I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't say anything," Jimin revealed.

Jin looked concerned. "You know what's going on with them?"

"Did they have a fight or something?" Namjoon added.

Jimin took a deep breath. "Jungkook is in love with Tae. They've been . . . "

"Hooking up," Yoongi chimed in when Jimin didn't know how to phrase it, knowing the full details from the younger. He had had a feeling for a long time the two were interested in each other. They never looked at each other as friends should. "This started a couple months ago."

Jimin gave the three unknowing boys the full run down, explaining how Taehyung rebuked Jungkook's initial declaration.

"He was going to give Tae another chance, but I don't know what happened. Nothing good, it seems," Jimin said.

"Is that why Kook is staying with us?" Hoseok asked.

Jimin nodded. "And Tae had tried seeing him but Jungkook refuses each time. I'm really worried about them."

Namjoon looked at Jimin and Yoongi. "Have either of you talked to Taehyung about how he's feeling?"

"I tried, though he wasn't really opening up." Jimin looked down at his hands.

"I'll talk to him," Namjoon said. "Right now." He got up and walked out of the apartment.

"What do we do about Kook?" Hoseok asked. "He's barely spoken in the last couple of weeks."

"I don't know. He won't talk to Jimin or me," Yoongi said. "I don't think he'll talk to anyone."

"Maybe we give him some more time," Jin spoke up. "Let's just be there for him. Taehyung too."

They nodded, but were still worried nonetheless.

While they debated other possible courses of action, Namjoon knocked on Taehyung and Jungkook's apartment door.

It opened, revealing a tired and sad looking Taehyung.

"Tae?" Namjoon questioned.

Taehyung's eyes stung as a couple of tears slipped out. "I hoped you were Jungkook."

Namjoon stepped inside, gathering the boy in a hug. "Let's go sit," he told the younger.

They settled on the couch, Namjoon studying Taehyung and Taehyung staring off into space.

"Tae, can you tell me what happened?" Namjoon asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Taehyung looked down, his hands knotted in his lap. "I screwed it all up, Joon. I messed everything up and now he won't even talk to me. I don't know what to do. I can't sleep. I can't eat. I let stupid, meaningless concerns cloud out how I feel for him."

Namjoon just waited, letting him collect his thoughts.

"I'm talking about Jungkook," Taehyung said after a few moments.

Namjoon rubbed his shoulder. "I know, Tae. I know."

The younger just nodded, not caring how he found out. "I wish I would've known sooner, Joon. I wish I didn't lie to him."

"Tae - "

"I love him so much, Namjoon. This feels like the first time I've actually been in love and now he's gone. He hates me." He broke off in a sob.

Namjoon consoled him. "I doubt he hates you, Tae."

Taehyung just shook his head in disagreement. "He saw me with Shireen. The day he told me he loved me and I walked away. She came over and wanted to get back together, but I realized how much I loved Jungkook. I was telling her that when he walked in. He assumed the worst and wouldn't let me explain. I know how it must have looked and I hate that he hurts because of me. I screwed it all up."

Namjoon held the boy as he broke down, soothingly rubbing his back. "Something similar happened to me and Jin," he revealed. "He told me he loved me and wanted to try dating, and I laughed. I thought he was joking. We had only ever flirted up until that point so I didn't expect him to be serious. Little did I know that I crushed him."

"How did you get to where you are today?" Taehyung asked in a muffled voice.

Namjoon squeezed his shoulder. "Through time and patience, communication and understanding. It wasn't easy at all. I won't lie to you and tell you it was. But we fought to be with each other once we realized how we felt."

"I thought that's what I was doing. Fighting for him. But he won't even talk to me - "

"Keep fighting, Tae. If you love him as you say you do, keep fighting."

Taehyung nodded bleakly. "I just want him to know how much I love him. I never even told him."

Namjoon comforted the boy, trying to think of a way to get the two to speak face to face. He had a small idea. Very small, very unlikely to work, but it's all he had come up with.

"Don't worry, Tae. I'll get him to speak to you."