Taehyung was curled up in a ball in the corner of his room which was dark because of his thick blackout curtains, but nothing could block out his neighbor’s children's laughter as they ran around playing. He crawled a bit closer to his window, gently placing a finger in between where his curtains met, and he pulled them apart a bit so no one would notice him. He looked down and cracked a smile as he saw two little girls chasing a taller boy around. They were laughing, completely careless in that moment.

        He closed his curtains before someone noticed him. He hugged his knees to his chest as he looked around his dark room, waiting for his eyes to adjust once again to the lack of light, but he was used to this. He didn’t know of anything else, but this. There was a sudden knock in his front door that made him jump a bit from how startled he become. “Tae!! It’s me! Open up!” The tender voice yelled, and in an instance Taehyung stood up and ran towards the front door. He opened it with shaking hands, and he stepped back with a small smile on his face as his eyes brightened from seeing the only person that knew everything about him, and still accepted him.  

       “Hi Tae!” Jin beamed as he carried two grocery bags into the small studio apartment. Taehyung followed him with a small smile on his face as he stared at Jin with big eyes. “Come on, don’t be like that. Is that anyway to treat your hard-working brother?” Jin placed the bags on the table before he cupped Taehyung’s cheek and pulled him into the tightest hug. The warmth was a bit overwhelming for Taehyung, but he smiled brightly as he embraced him back with just as must force. “I’ve missed you.” Jin whispered sincerely before he pulled away to kiss his brother’s head, “Have you been eating well? Want me to make you something?- Why am I even asking? Of course I’m going to make you something.” He rambled as he shook his head and grabbed the groceries out of his bag.

          Taehyung bit his lips together as he watched his brother cook for him, and when he was done he grinned as Jin sat across from him and they ate together. Taehyung played with his food before he began to eat slowly. Jin watched him a few times, wondering what was bothering the latter, but he decided to wait until they were done eating. Jin cleared his throat, “I brought you money just in case appa forgets to stop by,” he grabs his wallet and hands Taehyung enough money that would cover his groceries that month. “I don’t want you to go hungry like last time, and with this money you can at least order a pizza...or chinese food…” his voice drifted when he saw Taehyung’s solemn expression. “I’m sorry.” He quickly added. “I wish I was here to buy your groceries.”

    Taehyung shook his head lightly as he tried to give his brother back his money, but Jin wouldn’t allow it. He placed the money on the corner of the table and frowned as he looked at him, “Will you please talk to me? There’s something wrong, isn’t there?” He paused. “Did someone say something to you?”

    Taehyung exhaled deeply, “I…” he began, his throat feeling strange as it always did when he finally spoke up. His voice hoarse when he spoke, but he wasn’t sure if it was naturally that way. It was an odd feeling because there was an intense build up from everything he wanted to say, but couldn’t. “I did something…” he whispered gently, choosing his words as carefully as he could.

                   Jin’s eyes widened a bit, “Y-You did something?” He stopped, his heart pounding in his chest as the millions of possibilities clouded his mind. “What did you do?” He asked in a low voice. He reached over to hold Taehyung’s hand, but the latter moved away from him.

        “I don’t regret it.” Taehyung said quickly. “He deserved it…” He looked at Jin with a small glare that made Jin shake his head lightly. “It was Leo, he hurt Jungkook, and I-” his words fell silent as he stared at the table wondering why he had gone up to Leo. It wasn’t the first he wanted to stop Leo but he always held back, “I couldn’t hold back anymore…” he looked at his brother, his heart breaking when he saw the disappointment in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He whispered softly, he was beginning to feel disconnected from his voice- he could hardly hear himself speak.

        Jin shook his head slowly, “Taehyung, what did you say to him?”

        Taehyung bit his lips together as he looked off to the side as he remembered his confrontation with Leo- he should have regretted what he did, but he couldn’t regret it when he knew Leo would no longer bother Jungkook. “Taehyung.” Jin said in a stern voice as he stared at his brother with a look that made Taehyung instantly look away. “Tell me, what did you tell him.”

        “Just in case.” Taehyung whispered as he grabbed a paper and pen before he scribbled down the words that he whispered into Leo’s ear. He smiled lightly as he handed the paper to his brother, and watched his expression carefully. Jin stared at the paper, and he shook his head lightly as he crumpled it up and tossed it to the sink. Taehyung opened his mouth to say something, but every sentence he wanted to form would affect Jin in ways he swore he would never allow. “Jin…” he began. “I know I shouldn’t have, but Jungkook-”

        “Taehyung please don’t go on. You promised you wouldn’t do this on purpose. You swore to me-” he stopped himself when he saw his brother looked down to the floor, “I understand Jungkook needed you, but you can’t do this. You know you can’t do this...right?”

        Taehyung nodded with a solemn expression in his eyes.

        Jin exhaled deeply, he hated seeing Taehyung this way, so he decided to forget about it. “I’m staying this weekend.” He announced happily, and Taehyung’s face brightened up as he looked at him with excited eyes. “And I thought it’s about time we get you out of this studio- why don’t we go to the public pool tomorrow?” Taehyung frowned instantly at the thought because being around many people always made him anxious to the point where he felt seconds away from suffocating. Jin noticed his expression, “Don’t worry, Tae. No one is going to say anything to you...you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. You can’t hurt anyone just by being there.”

        Taehyung looked at him and forced a small smile, “Tomorrow then.” He said simply which made his brother grin brightly from the idea of going out, and doing something semi-normal with him. Growing up, Taehyung was never allowed to go out which always broke Jin’s heart because he knew the latter missed out on so much. Taehyung was lost in his thoughts as his brother excitedly showed him a movie on his computer because the studio didn’t have a T.V. They were curled up in a small couch while the movie played in the tiny screen, and Taehyung thought back to the moment he became drawn to Jungkook.

        At a young age, Taehyung had noticed Jungkook at school countless of times but he never really thought too much of him other than the latter had a bunny smile, and he always seemed so happy. Taehyung constantly wondered what made the bunny smiling latter so happy, but that was the extent to his curiosity for him. He was only ten years old when he walked back to school with his head bowed, and his hands stuffed in his pocket as he aimlessly kicked rocks around. As a habit, Taehyung would bite his lips together because it would constantly remind him that he wasn’t allowed to speak. There were times he slipped up, but it was usually when he saw dogs, or cats- not humans.

    During his walk home he heard a dog whimpering and naturally he followed the sounds. He knelt down when he saw a dog limping a bit as he approached him. Taehyung knelt down and lifted him carefully, “Shh it’s okay.” He whispered gently as he ran his fingers against the dog’s fur. “It doesn’t hurt.” He spoke softly as he looked at the dog. “You’re okay…” he whispered once more but nearly jumped from fear when he heard someone approaching him. He took a step back when he saw Jungkook looking at him with widened eyes. The latter was about 8 years old at the time- Taehyung assumed, and he looked at his dog with sad eyes.

        “Thank you.” He whisperd. “I lost him...I didn’t know where he went.” He said simply as he whined lightly from the fear of losing his dog for a moment. Taehyung wanted to say something to him, but he knew he couldn’t. At the time, Taehyung was even more afraid of messing up, so he slowly handed Jungkook his dog before he sprinted off. Jungkook had called out to him, but Taehyung didn’t bother turning around. It was at that point when he couldn’t keep that bunny smile out of his mind, and every single day at school he tried his best to avoid Jungkook, but the more he avoided him the more he yearned to be close to him. He didn’t understand why at first, but he knew it was something he couldn’t fully deny.

        “The first football game is tonight, isn’t it?” Jin asked but his brother was completely lost in his thoughts, so he decided to ask again but in a much louder voice. Taehyung looked at him with a small frown before he nodded once. “Do you want to go?” He asked in a low voice, “Before you say no, I just want you to think about this...you won’t be going alone, and Jungkook will probably be there. Come on, Tae, say yes. Football is not interesting in the slightest but this is your last year, and it’s something that you might regret not attending...later on…” his voice drifted a bit as he shrugged lightly.

        Taehyung shook his head as he completely dismissed the idea, but his brother continued to pressure him into thinking about it. He knew his brother wouldn’t be able to come most weekends so he exhaled deeply, rolled his eyes and nodded once. To which his brother responded with a loud squeal.

        When they arrived to the football field, many students couldn’t help but stare in shock. Taehyung was never seen at a football game before- hell he was hardly seen at all, but most people knew him because of his dark aura, and because everyone assumed he couldn’t speak. Jin looked completely opposite to Taehyung with his bright clothes, and smile plastered on his face.

        Jungkook sulked as he sat beside his best friend on the bleachers, “I can’t believe we’re here after what that bully did to me.” He shot glares at his best friend who was too busy drooling over number 23. Jungkook rolled his eyes, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get upset with him- especially since it was his idea to attend the game in the first place. But he only suggested it because he knew Jimin really wanted to go to see Yoongi. Jimin was cheering while Jungkook looked absolutely bored. His eyes widened, “Hey look….Taehyung is here.”

        Jimin looked to the side, and saw Taehyung with Jin near the fence watching the game. “Wow, he really is related to Jin. That’s insane.”

        Jungkook whispered, “Should we talk to him…?” He swallowed dryly as he started to get nervous from the idea of being close to Taehyung once again. It didn’t go so well the first time, and he knew it wouldn’t go well once again because the elder always seemed to avoid him. It should have discouraged Jungkook, but he wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

        “What would we say?” Jimin frowned a bit, “Don’t get me wrong, it’s sweet you want to be friends with him, but come on. It’s obvious Taehyung isn’t much of- well he isn’t the type to want friends.”

        Jungkook looked at him, “So what are you saying?”

        “I’m saying I have no idea what you two would talk about if you ever did talk.”

        Jungkook shrugged, “Come on let’s go say something to him!” He took his hand and they headed down the bleachers, and towards Taehyung and Jin. Taehyung looked bored as he placed his arms at the top of the fence and watched the football players with a disinterested expression. Jin had a big smile on his face as he started to jump up and down while he cheered. Jungkook nearly held his breath as he stopped before them, “H-Hi.” he greeted with a big smile on his face. Jin quickly turned and smiled a bit when he saw Jungkook- he had never met him, but because of Taehyung he felt like he knew a lot about him.

        “Hi! I’m Jin...what’s your name?” The elder stuck his hand out and Ju