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"Can you stop pacing? You're making me nervous." Yoongi frowns, turning up the volume on his phone to drown out the pattering of Jimin's panicked footsteps. Yoongi, Namjoon, Jimin and Tae sit in the waiting room of Pyeongsaeng Hospital, waiting to hear something, anything about their friend and his condition.

"Sorry," Jimin takes a seat and resorts to biting his nails instead. "I just can't keep it together right now. What if he's dead?"

"God Jimin, can you be any more dramatic? I'm sure he's fine." Taehyung  is slumped over with his head in his hands while he mumbles out words and Jimin heats up almost instantly.

"You calling me dramatic is like the pot calling the kettle black," Jimin crosses his arms while he walks towards Taehyung with a disapproving look. "You did this. None of this would've happened if you had a single snippet of maturity, holding onto a stupid grudge from twelve years ago! It's just a tooth!"

"It's deeper than that and you know it," Taehyung's voice is shaking as Jimin challenges him, and the the tension in the room is thick enough to be sliced with a knife. "You don't get it. We both played a part in what started this, you're no angel." 

"You know what I get Tae? I get that you love to make excuses for your actions. I get that when it comes to Jungkook, you're selfish, vindictive and childish. I get that you're resentful towards him because of what happened, but I also get that you've blamed him for everything that happened that day and then some. You went too far Tae, now look--"

Taehyung lifts his head from his hands, which were holding in the suppressed emotions that were reaching, screaming sincerely to tear right out of Taehyung's chest. His eyes are bloodshot and swollen, and his face is wet with sweat and tears. He can't get a coherent sentence out with the second bout of crying knocking at his pained throat. He swallows thickly before attempting again, pulling on his hair in frustration.

"I didn't mean to hurt him. I would never ever hurt him, not like this...I didn't do this on purpose. I know I was wrong for all of this, every last bit." Taehyung is stuttering and choking on his tears at this point, and Jimin wishes he hadn't been so harsh. Trying to pound into Tae's head that he was a murderer would make him feel so horrible that he would stop trying so hard to ruin someone so good, or so Jimin thought. Jimin is completely unaware of Taehyung's condition that has lingered since he was a child, so when he strikes this particular nerve he isn't ready for the emotional Taehyung that comes barreling out of nowhere.

"I'll stop, it," Taehyung curls up and crumbles again, and Jimin bites his lip uncomfortably when Namjoon cuts eyes at him. "You can call me anything you want. There isn't a single thing I haven't called myself and I deserve it."

"I'm sorry...that was a lot, Taehyung."

Jimin shifts uncomfortably in his seat. From the outside looking in (and from the way Yoongi is currently glaring at him) he looks like an . However, Taehyung treasures those burning words deep down because he wants to feel the guilt seep down into him. He wants Jimin to drip judgement into his every pore, so he can feel horrible for going way too far. Tae can hear a faint ringing in his ear; he's not sure if it's because he's pressed down into his temples so hard his fingers would rupture them, or if the noise resembles an alarm clock. An alarm clock for the wake up call that's been sitting by his bedside, and him patiently waiting for it to never come.

Jimin decides it would be best to leave, having already hurt Tae's feelings and not knowing what to do about it. "It's almost two in the morning Tae, I should go."

Jimin and the rest of the boys awkwardly make their way out of the waiting room, leaving Taehyung to regain his composure. They also left him to his thoughts, which were eating him alive.

He planned. He planned to ride this out, to keep ing with Jungkook until he had nothing. How dare he move on and find happiness? How dare he remain the same kind, sweet boy he once was? How dare he extend that kindness to the one person that didn't deserve it the absolute most? How dare he completely disregard Taehyung's constant attitude and selfishness, and pretend like nothing happened for the sake of being near him and making him smile?

When Taehyung turns on his phone screen to check the time, his screen fades to black and he sees his reflection. He'd planned to take everything from Jungkook, but all he sees looking back at him is nothing. A sad, lonely and unforgiving boy who was incapable of leaving the past behind.

Tae continues to run hands through his hair and stare at the double doors from which he expects the doctor to emerge at any moment. He 's done, his pity party was over and his cards were on the table, and the hatred he nurtured and nursed for Jungkook was slowly shrinking into nothingness.

Just when Tae thinks he's about to be swallowed up, a doctor calls Jungkook's name from a clipboard and scans the waiting room. Taehyung almost falls out of his chair in a hurried rush to the doctor. He points his flashlight eyes at the doctor and waits for him to speak, much to his surprise.

"Your friend just woke up, he's doing just fine. Would you like to see him?" Taehyung nods frantically and follows the doctor's heels down the series of turns. He can smell bed linen and cleaning products, and his hearing is blurry, save for the small clicks of his heels against the floor. They round into a room and like magic, there he is. He's sitting up with an IV in his arm, humming silently while he writes in a notepad and sings softly to himself.

He isn't able to get his next verse out before Taehyung crashes into him, a complete mess of tears and snot. Bewildered, he uses his hospital gown to wipe Taehyung's face in gentle dabbing motions, which makes the tears spill out even more. "Taehyung? What are you doing here? Why are you crying?"

The more Taehyung looks into those warm eyes, the more he melts.

Why do I feel like this?

I want to touch him...

"I thought you died," Taehyung feels silly, wiping his face while Jungkook beams back at him. "I couldn't--I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I did something horrible, very very horrible, and I'm sure you'll hate me forever after I tell you but you deserve to know," Tae knows he's rambling but he can't help it. The essence of kindness and beauty staring back at him is striking every heartstring, every nerve and every breath out of him.

I can't get my words out, but I need to tell him...

"Look, just calm down for a second," Jungkook scoots over in his bed, taking care not to yank is IV from his arm. He pats the space next to him but Taehyung vigorously shakes his head. "Taehyung...I know you hate me, but I'm just trying to help. So please--"

"I don't hate you! I can't hate you, no matter how hard I try. I don't deserve to sit next to you, to be in the same room as you, or anything of the sort." Taehyung slumps back in a chair, exhausted from his fit. Jungkook is still staring at him utterly confused, hoping Tae will clarify in some way.

"There's nothing you could do to make me hate you." Jungkook's previous stare has now softened into that gorgeous smile of his. Jungkook sits up, and  he beckons to Taehyung again. When Taehyung lifts his tear-stained face and shakes his head no again, Jungkook defiantly reaches for him and locks hands with him. He pulls Taehyung to his chest and embraces him, his head. "I hate seeing you cry like this," Jungkook slightly squeezes Taehyung tighter, burying his face in Taehyung's hair. "I know you didn't mean to do this. Stop beating yourself up about it, okay?" Taehyung wraps his arms around Jungkook's back hesitantly before nodding.

"But Jung--"

"No more," Jungkook places a finger on Tae's lips, looking deeply into his red eyes. "I don't want to hear anything else but you snoring."

He gets a laugh out of Taehyung, and congratulates himself when Taehyung finally stops crying. "It's really late, I can't believe you didn't go home after all this time...I'll have to send Mrs. Kim a fruit basket." Jungkook laughs the way he does when he's embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head. "Since you're already out, stay here tonight. There's enough space for both of us, and if you walk around at this hour you might get robbed."

"Robbed? So morbid, gosh..." Tae fidgets with the tie on his uniform, not knowing what to say. His face grows redder as he imagines sleeping next to Jungkook in such a tiny space, being so close to him made his heart skip a few beats. Still wrapped in Jungkook's strong arms, he opens his eyes to nothing but the soft skin of Jungkook's neck, and the old leather strap rounding it again. He continuously notices the material, and he's curious as to why Jungkook always tucks it in his shirt. "Jungkook, how come you never take this off?"

Jungkook touches his neck for the object in question, blinking back at him. "It's my good luck charm. I tuck it in my shirt so it doesn't get dirty or break," Jungkook rubs the charm through his gown, closing his eyes as he places it against his heart. "Maybe that seizure would have killed me if I hadn't been wearing it at the time."

Taehyung winces, not wanting to think those thoughts again. He changes the subject before he can get emotional again, looking everywhere but at Jungkook.

 "I should call my mom first and let her know where I am." Jungkook nods and Tae excuses himself, stepping out of the room and dialing the landline.

"Hello!? Taehyung?"

"Yeah mom it's me," She blows a worried breath out, as if she'd been filled with helium the entire time. "I'm sorry, I know you were worried. Jungkook is in the hospital, so I was with him all this time."

"In the hospital again? What happened this time? Did you break his nose again?" Taehyung is beyond confused, stuttering before replying to his mother's question. "I've never touched Jungkook, mom. What do you mean again?" 

His mother pauses on the phone, as if she's said too much. "Never mind," Tae can hear her sigh before she tries to drop the subject. "It's nothing."

"It's something," Taehyung's heart is quickening in pace and he doesn't know why. He's getting flashes of images that are entering and exiting his brain at such a rapid pace that he can't keep up with them, and he's scared. "Is there something you're keeping from me?"

"Your brother and I try not to talk about what happened. It was a very difficult time for you, and I can see it's obvious you're still struggling." Taehyung's eyes widen in confusion and he claws at the wall behind him, growing more and more nervous by the second.

"When you were little, you and Jungkook had an...altercation. I don't know what happened, but you suffered a bad concussion. You couldn't remember anything when I asked you what happened. You had trouble remembering new things as well, and I was at a loss. You have gotten significantly better, but there are still times where I have to repeat myself,walk you through things, or show you objects that remind you of the memories you lost. I didn't know that even you were unaware you were still suffering from the effects of the injury."

Taehyung is struggling to breathe, and he's not sure how to react. "So you're saying all the things I remember...they're wrong..?" 

"Not wrong," His mother struggles to find the words through the phone. "Just not all..right." Taehyung is speechless, sliding down the wall. His brain is sorting, sorting through everything that has happened in his life and his head starts to hurt.

I hurt Jungkook? I couldn't have...I thought...

Taehyung gets flashes of bloody hands, childlike hands that don't belong to him. Then there's the voice of a child, but this voice also doesn't belong to him. "Taehyung, don't run! You'lre going to fall!"

"Tae? Wake up Taehyung...wake up!"

Jungkook was warning me about something. But I can't remember...

That blood was his...those were his hands.

Taehyung remembers what Jungkook said to him that day at the gym. "Hindsight bias. The tendency to falsely believe through revision of your older memories to include new information."

The lingering revelation is hitting Taehyung harder than a brick wall. Sensing this, his mother is eager for him to get off the phone. "We'll talk about this tomorrow. Get some rest, honey." The line cuts and Taehyung panics again, walking back in the room and looking to Jungkook for answers.

He laughs, taken aback by Taehyung's expression. "You look like you've seen a ghost--"

"Tell me everything," Taehyung drops his phone on the floor, tightly clenching his fists in frustration. "everything that happened the day I lost my tooth."

Jungkook's expression changes into something dark and indecipherable. "Why are you trying to open up old wounds?"

"I need to know the truth, I don't remember anything Jungkook. You're the only one who knows what happened that day, you have to help me put the pieces back together."

Jungkook rubs his face, deep in thought. Then he sighs and pats the space next to him in the bed. "Come here."

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"Good morning Mrs. Jeon. Can Jungkook come outside and play?" Jia smiles at the little boy on the porch, crouching down to his level. "Of course. Let's get you some ice cream first, I need to wake him up." She takes Taehyung's hand and leads him to the kitchen, scooping him some chocolate ice cream. When Taehyung has the bowl clean, he looks up to see his best friend rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Sorry Tae, I was taking a nap.."

Taehyung smiles from ear to ear, hopping off of the stool. "It's okay Kookie. I finished our mud house. We have to put the beetles in so they can play house together. Let's go!"

Taehyung grabs the drowsy boy by the hand and they bike up to the secret place, crawling under the fence and brushing grass off of their pants. Taehyung releases his hand to run over to the little insect house they built, his eyes lighting up in excitement. He's diverted his attention to his little construction project, completely disregarding Jungkook standing far from him with a warm smile on his lips.     

Jungkook starts walking in circles, searching the grass for something. Something purple and fragrant that Tae is very fond of. Lavender grew healthily in the secret place, and for that reason Jungkook thought it was even more magical. These beautiful flowers decorated the grass with so much vibrance, and Taehyung's loved the flowers with the passion. When he's collected enough flowers, Jungkook stands and approaches Taehyung, holding his hands out.

"Taehyung, I like you. I like you a lot.." Jungkook is blushing and he's so embarrassed. "What? I like you too, Kookie."

"Not that. I really like you...like a boyfriend. I love you Taetae. So..please take these and go out with me!"

Jungkook was completely oblivious to the fact that he was seven years old and he didn't know what love, a boyfriend or a relationship was. He saw it on the dramas his mother loved to watch though, and it seemed to sum up the strange feelings he had for Taehyung. Taehyung doesn't reply, but he stands up from his mud castle and clenches his fists. In an instant, he throws a left hook -- right to Jungkook's nose.

Jungkook stumbles backwards, dropping the flowers and ruining them when he falls. He's dizzy and his nose begins to leak copious amounts of blood.

"I don't want that," Taehyung yells and kicks the grass in front of him, throwing a fit. "now we can't hang out because you're acting weird. You ruined our friendship. I don't ever want to see you again!" Taehyung turns around to storm off, but he runs in the direction of the Big Wise Tree (they loved to call it that, because it was so old). The tree had been around for so many years, the roots have since erected above the soil significantly and the boys had a habit of tripping over them. This day was no different.

"Taehyung, don't run! You're going to fall!" Jungkook calls out to his friend but it's already too late. Taehyung trips over the tree's roots and lands face-first onto the roots, the impact knocking both he and his third incisor out simultaneously. When Tae is motionless for ten slow seconds, Jungkook begins to panic. He wipes his blood on his hands and runs over to Tae's small form peeking out from beside the water. Hoisting him up, he tries to shake him into consciousness.

"Tae? Wake up Taehyung...wake up!"

Jungkook begins to cry because he doesn't know what else to do, save for reaching inside Taehyung's mouth and retrieving his pearly white tooth. 

It's so pristine and mezmerizing that he tucks it in the pocket of his overalls for safekeeping, and lifts Taehyung on his back to prep for the journey back home.

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"...and I carried you all the way home on my back." Jungkook finishes the retelling of the story, his eyes downcast.

"I didn't know what love was, nor did I know what I was doing. I just knew I had feelings for you. I wanted to hold you, to kiss you, to squeeze you...I wanted you to be all mine."

Taehyung begins to shake, but his back is turned so Jungkook can't sense what emotion he's feeling. "You mean to tell me I ruined our friendship over a love confession," Tae grabs at his chest, as if his heart is wrenching and twisting inside. "it's been my fault all along. Why didn't you tell me?"

"You couldn't remember anything and you directed so much animosity towards me. You wouldn't have listened to me even if I tried, Taehyung."

Taehyung doesn't know how to feel. He doesn't respond because he knows Jungkook is right. Taehyung thinks he's an idiot, and bafoon, an asinine jerk-- the list could go on forever-- and when he realizes that the grudge he's been desperately holding onto for twelve years was of his own accord, he can't hold himself together. He loses his composure and collapses to his knees. All of it was for nothing. He already felt bad about ruining Jungkook's future, but now the salt was seeping into his wound because he now knows Jungkook never did a single thing to him. Every last puzzle piece to the ugly revenge plot he conjured up was all for no reason. There was no revenge to take. If anything, Jungkook should have hated Tae after he punched him. He should have hit him back with all the force in his body. Instead, he continued to protect and love him.  All he ever did was love him.

Was that so wrong? Taehyung thinks he's a coward because denial is his favorite word. Everything has come crashing down on him and now he's left to make sense of these feelings. The feeling when Jungkook walks in the room, he gets nervous. The feeling of extreme elation when Jungkook smiles at him. The feeling of his world slowing into euphoric bliss when Jungkook so much as glances at him and his heart bursts into fireworks. The butterflies living in Taehyung's stomach are waking up again and Taehyung thinks this time, they're awake for good.

Because this time,Taehyung thinks when he looks at the sweetest man he's ever encountered in his life and he's gazing back at him, he wants to kiss him. So his heart and his brain join forces and allow him to link his arms around Jungkook's neck and press his lips against Jungkook's soft pair. Jungkook has no time to be shocked or astonished; his eyes widen before he slowly relaxes, and pulls Taehyung on top of him to wrap his arms around his waist. Taehyung melts into his embrace and wraps fingers in Jungkook's hair as he completely loses himself and finally surrenders to what his heart was begging him for all along.

Taehyung thinks a lot, but right now he's barely thinking with the exception of one notion:

Taehyung thinks he's falling in love.

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What a plot twist! Hopefully that answers some of you guys questions. Ya'll were asking me questions in the comments and I was like "but I can't spoil the story TT" so there we go! I hope you liked this chapter, you can tell me how you felt about it in the comments below. See you in the next one! Happy Friday!