Jungkook did make an appearance at the end of the week and Namjoon was shoved from the front of Jin’s worries to the back. With everything else going on, Jin had been hoping that Jungkook would have just come to his house instead of his parent’s place but every time he mentioned it, Jungkook would begin to ignore his texts. He wasn’t sure what kept drawing the younger boy back but he was determined to confront him this time.

He loved Jungkook like a little brother and was determined to take care of him, whether that meant he had to go to the police or not. Jin was tired of seeing everyone around him disregard their health to make it easier on others. Taehyung wouldn’t be in the hospital if he’d talk to someone, Yoongi wouldn’t have still be in rehabilitation, Jimin would have come back into their lives sooner, and Namjoon wouldn’t be moping around.

    “Jungkook.” The boy beneath him winced.

    “Can we please wait just a little to have this conversation?”

“No. I need to say it now or I won’t.” He removed the last piece of glass from the wound he was working on on Jungkook’s shoulder carefully before starting. “You need to stop going back.”

“You know I can’t. They’re my family.”

“Explain more in detail so I can actually understand. Not a single person in their right mind would ever go back and yet I find you here beaten after every single holiday. It has to stop.” Jungkook shrugged as best he could with the bandages around his ribcage restricting him.

“It shouldn’t be permanent. They have to understand soon.” He got up and Jin let him, his nursing done. The sight before him broke his heart and he knew then that Jungkook would never stop going home. It wasn’t the worst he had seen but it was close enough that it reinforced his earlier decision.

“We’re going to the hospital.” Jungkook looked confused.

“You’ve already fixed me. I don’t need to go anywhere.”

“I have a friend there I want you to meet. He’s been through something similar and I’m not going to force you but I really would like it if you’d at least try and talk to him.”

“Is he…” Jungkook gestured to himself and Jin understood.

“No. He escaped from it years ago.”

“Then why is he in there?” Jin just brushed past him and grabbed his coat he had thrown over the edge of the couch in a rush to start helping as fast as possible.

“Because things like this leave more scars than the ones you can see.” Jungkook didn’t know what else to say about it so he followed Jin out to the car and sat through the ride quietly.

Jungkook checked his phone for a message from Taehyung and sighed when the app didn’t have a notification number next to it. He didn’t understand the hot and cold he was getting from the other and he was ready to just give up. Some days he responded immediately and would overload his phone to the point Jungkook had to call him to make him stop and render his phone capable of more than buzzing loudly and blocking him out of what he was trying to do and other times he’d go hours without any word back. Now seemed to be one of those times.

He thought back to the days he was at home when he finally got to rest in the comfort of his room and talked to Taehyung for hours. His room had been untouched, just as it always was. It was if his family was scared of catching some disease he had but it didn’t bother him. It gave him a sanctuary away from them and a place he could get to know Taehyung. They had video chatted a few times but Taehyung always kept the phone close to his face or in the dark and Jungkook always used his case to cover the back camera and told him it was just too dark to see anything so they didn’t attempt it often. Jungkook felt guilty about hiding but he knew he couldn’t let Taehyung see what had happened to his face and he felt that the other had something to hide as well. He’d call once he got back to Jin’s place and see what was taking up so much time.

They reached the hospital with no issues and Jungkook just trailed after Jin, wondering how many times he had been here. They walked the maze of halls with no interruption either but he did receive sidelong glances from several of the nurses. He sped up a bit to catch up.

“Why do they keep looking at me?”

“Besides the fact you look like a patient? Probably because there’s a rumor going around that I’m involved in a gang and I just bought another boy here looking like he just got done having a few rounds with some pavement.”

“You? In a gang?” Jungkook laughed so hard he had to stop for a breather and Jin stopped and turned around with a look of amusement.

“Believe it. I’m actually probably more like the boss’s wife to them though. They won’t actually come up and talk to you if it means getting near me.”

“You have to tell me this story.”

“I will when we leave. It’s just past here.” Jin gave him a comforting smile and Jungkook reached out for his hand. He didn’t know what he signed up for and he wasn’t about to let Jin turn around and walk out after introductions. The door was slid open by a nurse and they slipped in single file around the cart, Jin first.

“Whose hand is that? Did you and Joon finally ? Oh my god, tell me all the details.” The voice was eager and excited and Jungkook recognized it at once. He suddenly didn’t want to move from his place behind the elder and Jin made no move to expose him.

“It’s not Namjoon.”

“Then who is it?” Jungkook felt Jin’s skin flush and he wondered what possessed him to follow him.

“It’s someone I really want you to talk to. Do you remember the boy who I take care of sometimes?” Jungkook kicked his ankle at that, “Well I brought him here. He really needs to be convinced not to go back and I thought you could help. I’m sorry I didn’t ask first but I really couldn’t think of anything else that would convince him and he needs help.” Another kick was delivered and Jungkook buried his face between Jin’s shoulders. He wouldn’t move except to sprint out the door. His hand that he thought to keep Jin there was working against him now as it was held in a vice grip around Jin’s stomach.

“Is he stupid? Why would he go back? He looks tall, why is he hiding?”

“His name is Jungkook. Ask him yourself.” Jin shrugged and tried to move but Jungkook moved with him. He whispered a ‘no’ but Jin didn’t seem to hear it.

“Jungkook… oh my god.” His chances were ruined. He knew Taehyung knew. “You had those pictures at your house but…” He trailed off and Jungkook could hear the bed creaking. He knew Taehyung was getting up though he still didn’t look.

“What do you mean?” Jin had no idea of the mess he’d made between the two.

“Jungkook, please look at me.” He felt a hand press to the wrist that was still being held before it was released and Jin stepped aside. There wasn’t anything separating them now but he couldn’t bring himself to look up or run like he wanted to.

“Hey Tae.”

“You guys know each other?” Jin was ignored as Taehyung’s hand traveled up his arm until he brushed the bandages underneath his shirt near his shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Taehyung sounded hurt and Jungkook raised his eyes finally. He wasn’t some pity case. He chose to go back and endure it so he would.

“No. You’re hiding all this too. Don’t turn it around on me. At least I’m not in the hospital.”

“You should be.” He rounded on Jin and gave him the best glare he could manage.

“Leave, now. I’ll call you later.”

“I’ll wait outside the door. I’m not leaving.”

“Quit being a mom for the first time in your life and leave me the alone, Jin!” Taehyung’s hand tightened on his arm and he tried to mask the wince at the pressure.

“Don’t talk to him like that. You forget you’re talking to my friend too.” Jungkook just sighed.

“Jin, I just need to talk to him, yeah? Like you wanted in the first place. I’ll call you and you can come back in and we’ll explain everything. At least go wait in the lobby or harass some nurses or something.”

“I understand Kookie.” Jin didn’t ever call him that except in jest. Jungkook met his eyes and saw a small smile. “It’s better that you guys knew each other already anyway. I’ll be down the hall.” And with that, Jin left him alone to confront his biggest fear.

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A/N: Sorry it ended so abruptly. I might go back and rework this chapter later because I'm still not very happy with it but I couldn't mold it the way I wanted to. Hope you guys enjoyed it anyway~ See you tomorrow