chapter 7

"What are they doing here?" Jimin asked.

Jihyun had never gotten along with Tae. Since the first day the two had met they'd just never clicked. It wasn't for lack of trying, well at least on Tae's part. Taehyung had always been nice to Jimins baby brother. Jihyun just seemed to not like Taehyung.

And Jungkook.

It was.. Strange. Jungkook had always been kind to Jimin and Tae whenever they crossed paths. Jimin and Jungkook even had dance class together three days a week at a studio in the city. But the boys never really hung out together, they weren't acquaintances, but they weren't really friends. The only time theyd "hung out" togethee outside of school or dance was when Jimin Jungkook and another person from their had a group project together. And even that wasn't really hanging out together.

"Just listen, this is Jungkooks first time being with these two" Yoongi said looking at Jimin.

"How.. How long have Jihyun and Taehyung been.."

"You have to understand Jimin" Yoongi looked back at the three boys on the bed.

Taehyung and Jihyun were laying next to each other. They were obviously comfortable with one another. Jihyun was laying with his head atop Taehyungs chest, the youngest of the three was watching Taehyung take a drag from the rolled joint. Jihyun smiling watching the older boy blow the smoke out of his mouth.

Taehyung inspected the joint for a second, letting the smoke exit his body as he did so before handing the drug to his lover.

Jungkook however wasn't as at ease as the two in front of him. He sat on the edge of the bed. Watching the the two in front of him share the marijuana. Jungkook wasn't a smoker of any sort, and he wasn't going to start now.

"After your.." Out of the corner of his eye Yoongi could see Jimins body tense as he awaited the word to be spoken. "Departure" Yoongi chose watching as Jimins body slightly releived itself from the tense form it'd taken.

"Jihyun and Taehyung grew closer. Significantly close.."

"How long" Jimin asked again his impatience showing.

".. A few days after your, departure."

Jimin didn't say anything. He just continued watching the two in bed.

"Its not what you think. Its not love Jimin"

"What do you mean its not love?!" Jimin snapped. He was frustrated and angry. Not even a month later and the two and moved on! Laying in bed together like everything was right in the world. Well maybe it was, for them.

"I don't know why you brought me here" Jimin said. He turned his back from the window. Starting to walk away Yoongi grabbed Jimins arm.

"Let go of me!"

"Then listen to me, dumbass!"

"I. Said. Let. Go. Of. Me." Annunciating every word.

"Then. listen. to. me."

Jimin narrowed his eyes staring into Yoongis.

"FINE!"

The two were in a standoff. If a look could kill. Both boys would be up in flames. It was Yoongi who surrendered first. Breaking eye contact and taking a deep breath. Yoongi looked around, keeping his gaze anywhere that wasn't Jimin who was still throwing daggers with his eyes.

"Look.."

Jimin immediately cut Yoongi off. The timid quiet boy from before was gone. Jimine was filled with rage.

Pure rage.

"I have no fucking idea why you're here honestly. To make me feel like shit!? To.. To make me feel worse? How could you fucking show me my best friend and my brother not even caring that I am dead!"

Jimin ranted. Instead of interrupting Yoongi allowed the boy to vent. Yoongi could silence Jimin all day, but that wouldn't fix anything. The only way Jimin would listen was if he was listened to.

"If your point was to show me nobody cares then point proven. I'm done!"

"What about your father then? Was he not drinking his pain away!? Or was he-

"He was drinking because of Jihyun!" Jimin shouted.

Yoongi couldn't keep the sneer out of his voice as he spoke next.

"Of course! Its not because he's upse because of your death Jimin, he's worried for Jihyun. And just why is Jihyun not home?"

Jimin's bottom lip quivered, the fire losing flame in his eyes. "Because he doesn't care"

"Jimin"

"We both saw it. He doesn't care"

the pair that'd been screaming moments before had both come down from their high. Jimins rage had been overtaken by sadness, and Yoongis.. Had just fled from his body. It was there just a moment before. And now that Jimin had calmed down, Yoongi had as well.

"You couldn't be any farther from the truth"

"I dont wa-"

"THEY ARENT TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY LOVE EACHOTHER"

Yoongi gave Jimin a moment. The confused boy said nothing. staying silent as an invitation for Yoongi to continue.

"Jimin, they, they aren't together because they like one another. They're together.. Because of you."

Jimin opened his mouth to speak but Yoongi held his hand up to silence the boy.

"You are a link that the two share. You and Taehyung were best friends, so Jihyun went to Taehgung for comfort while your dad chose the bottle of liquor. Its honestly a miracle he's sober enough now to try and contact Jihyun. Taehyung, is only "with"' ..

Yoongi used air quotes to highlight the "with"

.. Jihyun, because Jihyun reminds him of you. You could be twins the way you and you'd brother resemble one another, and that drew Taehyung to Jihyun. They don't care for each other Jimin. They're both playing each other and they're too oblivious to see it. They love you, and that's why they came together."

Jimin bit at the bottom of his lip. Gnawing at the flesh while his thoughts came together.

"So.. What happens when they, I mean.. Will they.. Break up?"

"I can't answer that Jimin"

"How do you not know? Aren't these things you're supposed to know!?" Jimin asked. His voice coming out more frustrated than he meant to be. He didn't correct himself though, he had a right to be upset.

"I know not much more than you do. I know only what I need to know. And, how the hell am I supposed to know the future?"

Yoongi hoped Jimin wouldn't ask a follow up question. He had no idea how to explain to Jimin how everything came into his mind just seconds before he spoke. Yoongi had no idea about Taehyung before a few minutes ago.

It was like another person was talking through Yoongi when it happened. Not really in the sense that Yoongis body was being inhabited by another life form, and it wasn't Yoongi's mind being controlled. It was more like a host of a TV show reading of queue cards.

To Yoongis releif Jimin stayed silent. He'd turned his attention from Yoongi to the three boys in Taehyungs room.

"What is Jungkook doing here?" Jimin asked.

He didn't really mean it as a question for Yoongi, it was more speaking out loud.

"Listen" Yoongi whispered.

_____

"Ahem" Jungkook faked a cough.

The two boys on the bed seemed to be lost in their own world. They'd barely acknowledged him since he'd arrived.

"So, I thought we were going to talk?" Jungkook asked.

These two were the only ones who would be able to understand how Jungkook felt. There was Jimins father but, it seemed odd to speak with Mr. Park considering the two had never met.

It would've been too awkward Jungkook thought. At least Jungkook knew Taehyung. Partially. They were mere aquaintances, but that was enough for Jungkook. He just needed support right now, a friend. Even if that friend wasn't really a friend. Jungkook needed somebody who would understand how he felt.

"Uh, yeah I'm sorry" Taehyung said lifting himself up. Jihyun sat up trying to avoid being thrown off by Taehyung. As comforting as Taehyung was to Jihyun, Jihyun couldn't help bit think of Taehyung as a jerk.

What kind of guy just pushes his boyfriend to the side? Even if they weren't actually boyfriends.. But Taeyung didn't need to know that.

"You and.. You and Jiminie had that thing together. Yeah? The dancing?" Taehyung asked.

He didn't really know how to get the conversation going. He knew Jungkook was hurting too. He'd called Taehyung a few days before, asking if he and Jihyun would be open to talking about.. Jimin.

"Yeah" Jungkook smiled. A smile that fell short of reaching his eyes.

"Three days a week. We even partnered up a few times. Jimin was, he was always the best dancer. I mean.. He just moved with this, this lightness. You know? Like his just barely touched the ground"

They weren't really friends, but they were. At least to Jungkook.

Jungkook didn't know why he'd never asked Jimin to hang out outside of school or dance class. And he wondered why Jimin hadn't done the same.

Jimin had always been so nice to Jungkook. Helping him to work on routines that he just couldn't quite grasp. Jungkook smiled at the thought, sometimes it really was like Jimin was the instructor instead of there being an actual instructor there.

Jimin just has this way of teaching. He was soft, and patient. Something Mr. Lee the dance instructor wasn't.

"Mhm" Taehyung spoke. PullingJungkook out of his thoughts.

"Jiminie was always gifted" Jungkook and Tae smiled at one another. The first really friendly" encounter the two had shared since Jungkook had gotten there.

Jihyun was silent. It was hard, in everything that he did, he saw Jimin. They say time heals all wounds. But that couldn't have been farther from the truth. With each day that passed without Jimin, Jihyuns broke a little more.

It had become so bad Jihyun didn't bother going home anymore. His father's sorrow seemed to cast a black cloud over the Park residence. Jihyun didn't blame his father, he understood. They'd both lost two important people in their lives, and Mr. Park had every right to grieve. But for Jihyun it was too muchmuch. That's why he'd been staying with Taehyung.

"Poor Taehyung" Jihyun thought to himself. He felt bad for Tae, his heart ached for the boy he once couldn't stand to be around.

Jihyun didn't love him, and it had nothing to do with the time they'd been "together". The two weren't really even together. They just spent their days together, laying on Taehyungs bed. Smoking weed, watching re-runs of old TV shows, being intimate, and gaming.

Taehyung was an escape for Jihyun. From home, and from his thoughts. It was kind of ironic in a sense the way Taehyung both reminded Jihyun of Jimin and the way Taehyung was able to take Jihyuns sad thoughts and push them away, at least for a little while.

Jihyun couldn't say he completely disliked Tae though, The boy had grown on him in the few weeks since.. Jimin.

It still haunted Jihy-

"Hey! Earth to Ji" Taehyung laughed. Waving his hand in front of Jihyuns face. The youngest of the trio hadn't realized he'd gotten lost in thought.

"What? Sorry" Jihyun said smiling bac looking between the two in front of him. It was fake, but what wasn't about their relationship?

"You okay?" Tae asked. The concern in his eyes made Jihyun fill with guilt.

"Y.. Yeah I just.."

Jihyun looked down at his cuticles. Picking at the stubs he'd bitten at earlier.

"It's okay baby, we know how you feel" Taehyung said rubbing Jihyuns shoulder.

And it was true. Taehyung knew exactly how Jihyun felt. Jimin bad need his best friend forever, the two boys bad been through just about everything together. Taehyung would give just about anything to have Jimin back. His best friend. His ride or die. His first love.

Taehyung had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his composure, if he started crying right now what would he say?

"I was just thinking of Jimim" No shit. But what about Jihyun? He'd become emotional and Taunting didn't want that. With Jimin gone Jihyun was all Tae had left.

Taehyung didn't love Jihyun. Jihyun was just the only living thing Tae had left that would remind him of Jimin.

It was somewhere around 7th grade that Tae realized he'd had a crush on Jimin. Taunting wasn't gay, nor was he bisexual. Hell he might not have even been straight. But Taehyung was attracted to Jimin.

In Taehyungs eyes, everything about Jimin was perfect. It was hard not to fall in love with Jimin..

If only he'd told Jimin how he felt then maybe things could've been different.. Just maybe Taehyung could have been able to keep Jimin here.

Maybe Taehyungs love would have been enough to keep Jimin strong.

But if Taunting hadn't been able to keep Jimin alive as a friend, how would he as his boyfriend?

At least Tae had Jihyun. Jihyun was really the only thing keeping Taehyung alive right now.

Regret and guilt constantly weighed down on Taehyung. The "what ifs" creating little nests in his brain. Jimin was constantly present in Taehyungs mind. But at least having Jihyun, Tehyung had a reason to keep going. Jihyun.

______

"Times up"

"But wait!" Jimin begged. "They haven't talked yet"

"That isn't why we're here Jimin. You heard their thoughts, yes?"

Jimin nodded.

"That is why we are here" Yoongi said.

"But.. that makes no sense!" Jimin argued.

"It doesn't matter if it makes sense or not. The reason I brought you here was for you to listen in on their thoughts, not on their conversation. Alright? Now let's go".

Yoongi turned around and began walking away.

"But, I dont want to go" Jimin stated, not moving from where he was standing.

"Jimin" the way Yoongi said his name, Jimin was sure Yoongi would snap at him.

But turning around, Yoongi had a sad look in his eyes. He felt mercy for the boy.

"I'm sorry, if I could.. I would let you stay and hear. But I am not in charge here and it is not your fate to hear what they speak of next. It was your fate to eavesdrop on their most intimate moments. Their thoughts. Now please come with me?"

"Who is in charge then?"

Yoongi didn't know how to answer. For he didn't know the answer himself.

The man had never revealed his name or who he was . He was beautiful, with a bright light of energy surrounding him. He dressed in fine clothing made of what Yoongi could only guess was silk.

"I, I don't know" Yoongi whispered.

It was in that moment that Jimin realizes just how alike they were. In the living world they would be polar opposites. But here, they were both clueless. Yoongi was just a little bit less clueless.

He didn't ask another question. He just followed Yoongi to their next destination.

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