I'm Here

32

The next couple weeks involved a lot of cardboard boxes as Jungkook prepared to move out. It involved a lot of boxes for Taehyung, too.

He couldn't afford to stay in the two-bedroom apartment on his own. Didn't want to stay in that space anyway. So he needed to leave as well.  Jin and Namjoon graciously offered their spare bedroom to him until he figured out his next steps. He agreed, thankful but reluctant.

Taehyung still held out hope that Jungkook would change his mind. He opted to stay in his apartment until the last day possible, just in case the younger decided to come around. He hadn't yet.

He was unsure of where Jungkook was moving to and his friends didn't seem too clear either. In fact, they acted vague and would try changing the subject when Taehyung brought it up. Jungkook probably just didn't want Taehyung to know. But even as he packed up his personal belongings, he held out hope.

His friends were great help during the whole situation. They helped him pack and offered to bring his stuff up to Jin and Namjoon's apartment. He never saw Jungkook or them packing up Jungkook's belongings, but day by day they slowly disappeared. His home slowly became bare.

He still couldn't sleep, so he preoccupied his restless nights by writing letters to Jungkook. Letters that detailed why he loved him. Taehyung wasn't finished fighting for him; this was the only way he could think of to show Jungkook what he meant to him. He'd hand the letters off to Jimin, who promised he was giving them to Jungkook, and hoped the younger would read them.

He never received any indication that he did.

Soon enough, the last day in the apartment was upon him. It was empty, save for the bed in his room. He dreaded leaving. He was afraid that locking the door to this apartment would mean locking the door on his relationship with Jungkook. He didn't want to go.

But he had no choice.

Taehyung did one final walkthrough of the apartment, searching for anything that was missed. All his boxes were brought up by his friends, so he was in the clear. He hesitated at Jungkook's closed bedroom door, debating going in or not. His hand had a mind of itself, though; he went inside.

The sight of the bare room hurt more than he thought it would. It reminded Taehyung he didn't just lose the one true love of his life. He also lost his best friend.

He quickly ran his eyes over the room before opening the closest. To his surprise, something was still there.

Jungkook's gray silk tie.

Taehyung grabbed it and clutched it to his chest. Did Jungkook leave it here on purpose because it reminded him of Taehyung? The elder wanted to keep it, wanted it as a memento of what they once had. But he feared holding onto it would cause even more pain. Though, maybe . . .

He walked out of his room and grabbed his phone.

"Hello? Tae?" Jimin said on the other line.

"Tell me where he moved to, Jimin," Taehyung ordered. "If anyone knows, it's you."

Jimin didn't even hesitate. "Go upstairs to floor 9. He's room 908."

Taehyung stared at the tie in his hand. "He's still in this building?"

"Yes," Jimin confirmed. "Now go."

Taehyung raced upstairs and stood outside of Jungkook's door. He hesitated. If he knocked, Jungkook might not answer. But if he tried the handle . . .

He found it was unlocked, so he soundlessly let himself in.

The apartment was filled with light. It was so bright and inviting, with a similar layout to the old apartment. There was a bedroom situated off of the kitchen, and Taehyung peeked his head in. Again, it was so light. His eyes scanned over a large bed and desk before he continued moving down the hall into the living room. And that's where he found Jungkook.

Jungkook's back was to Taehyung as he worked on hanging something on the wall. Taehyung's eyes didn't leave the boy as he took him in. It had been weeks since he saw him and he missed him so much. His body ached for him to go to the boy.

Jungkook finished whatever he was doing and turned around. He jumped.

"Taehyung - "

"I'm sorry for coming in your apartment," Taehyung said first. "I'm sure you don't want me here, in your space. But I came to drop off this." He placed the tie on a nearby coffee table.

Jungkook looked down at it, still wordless at having Taehyung in the apartment.

Taehyung stared at the younger until he looked up again, their eyes meeting.

"I'll always love you," Taehyung said. "I will always support you and be here for you, even if it's from afar. I'll stop bothering you. I don't know if you ever got my letters, but I'll stop sending those too."

"Taehyung," Jungkook started, "you weren't supposed to be here - "

"I know, I know. I shouldn't have come. But I saw the tie and I used it as an excuse to see you again."

Jungkook shook his head. "No. You weren't supposed to be here . . . yet."

Taehyung just looked at him with a confused expression.

"Are you blind, Tae? Look around," Jungkook waved his hands around the apartment.

Taehyung finally tore his eyes from Jungkook and truly looked at the apartment. Then he saw it. He saw them.

His paintings.