#05: Even today, I live moderately

A few days have passed since then, Taehyung and Yugyeom had been busy the whole week, having few things to box in and maybe a tad too much clothes to be packed. The past month, although miserable, was gladly occupied with making preparations for their big move, having to sort out some official documents and whatnots for the country they are going to be nesting next.

Now that those were done and dusted with, all they have left now is the packing. It’s sad, to say the least, sad that they have to say goodbye to their home country so early, sad that they have to part ways with Mark so soon when they’d promised him years before they would have to.

It doesn't need to be said of how upset Mark is feeling, when the latter has been trying to talk them out of it at every chance he gets, said new chance being now, just a few days away before their depart.

“You guys are seriously leaving?” Mark asks, his voice hushed down and his brows pinched tight, watches unhappily as Taehyung and Yugyeom wanders about, packing what little they have into a dozen of opened boxes.

Taehyung’s hand stops, the wooden plate of his room’s hanging in the air as he turns to look at Mark, a weak smile just barely there. He doesn’t even have to say a word to get his message delivered. Yet Mark still tries, futile, sure, but it's the effort that counts in the end.

“But it’s barely been a few months.” Mark grumbles, obviously unhappy.

“I know, but, I just don’t think Seoul is right for us.” Taehyung tells him, shakes his head. He knows he’s being vague, knows that Mark hates it when he does that, but he still tries, hoping that Mark will understand, will stop trying to pry the whole story out of him.

But of course Mark understands. In fact, he probably understands too much that he knows just what words to say, just what words that makes him want to spill them all out, secrets and safety be damned.

“You still won’t tell me what happen, will you?” Mark presses his lips tight, scowls when he sees the way Taehyung evades his eyes.

“It’s better that you don’t know, hyung.” The latter mumbles, continues to place the wooden plate carefully into the box.

Mark huffs out a heavy breath, disappointed, hurt.

“You really still can’t trust me, can you?” He says looking so crestfallen, and god, Taehyung hates that look, hates that he’s always hurting someone, hates that all he does to the people he cherishes is hurting them.

“Hyung, it’s not that I don’t trust you. Please, you know that’s not true.” Taehyung scrambles to say, eyes pleading so Mark would understand that he means it, that he does trust the other. But Mark doesn't seem to take his words, just pushes through it and asks.

“Then, why won’t you tell me anything? These past two months, all I see were you looking tearful the whole time and Yugyeom acting weird." Mark explains but Taehyung doesn't say anything back, because what Mark says is true, and yet, he still can't really explain the reason behind those, not when it means that he has to open the memory box he's buried deep inside his head, not when he will have to rekindle those memories that had a certain Jeon Jeongguk in them.

At his silence, Mark tries to prod again. "Does this has anything to do with Chim and his friends?”

Taehyung stumbles, the books he's gone to pick from the shelf clatters messily onto the floor as he looks back at Mark's amused look.

“Why, why are you asking me that?” Taehyung asks instead, wonders why those group of people are even brought up in their conversation. Mark shrugs, as if the names aren't something taboo for Taehyung. The latter knows that Mark knows. He's too smart not to notice how some things are way out of place and yet, seem to interconnect like some fragmentary puzzle. Mark has to know something.

“Well, you won’t tell me . They won’t tell me too but they kept asking me about you. I just connect the dots really, so I know there’s something going on. I just don’t know what.” Mark replies, goes to help Taehyung pick up the strewn books when said male has suddenly gone frozen midway of doing so.

“What, what did they ask you?” Taehyung asks carefully, eyebrows tied to a knot as he watches Mark.

“They kept asking if you and Yugyeom are really my relatives. Why would they ask me that? Surely something must have happened if they don't trust that you both are relatives.”

Yeah, Mark knows, Taehyung thinks and sighs, knows that he can't hide everything anymore when Mark is already suspicious, already unto something. He sighs again and seats himself on the floor, his body suddenly too exhausted to be kept upright anymore.

"They found out, hyung." Taehyung tells him weakly and Mark's jaw hangs all unsightly at the news.

“Wait, they found out?” He goes to clarify and Taehyung can only nod, wincing at the offended look the other is sending him.

“Taehyung, it took me like, three years for me to find out. What the hell happened?” Mark asks, seats himself on the floor too, facing him.

“Hyung, I strayed. In front of Jimin, and the whole gang. Well, almost strayed but yeah. I ed up big time, I know." Taehyung winces, ashamed.

“Strayed?! , Tae, why didn’t you tell me that sooner!” Mark scolds him, although Taehyung knows that he's not exactly angry. Taehyung merely shrugs, has no excuses to that, really. The former just puffs out a long breath and scoots closer towards Taehyung.

“Are you okay now?” He asks, so tender and so kind, and Taehyung kind of finds himself smiling, feels a little relieved that Mark is responding better now than he did years back.

“Yeah, I’m fine now. Better. Yugyeomie really saved my back then, or else, the hunter would've had my head by now." Taehyung chuckles, a bitter taste blooms on his tongue at the reminder of the word Hunter.

“How did that happen? I thought you still have a few stars left?” Mark asks, remembers seeing those dark shapes on his wrist months before.

Taehyung sighs, not saying anything, not when he himself can barely understand why everything has been so haywire ever since their return to Korea.

“Still, why do you have to leave? You don’t trust them? Because if you don’t, I can assure you. You can trust them, seriously. I've known them since like, I moved back here." Mark says, eager to convince the other. But Taehyung still shakes his head, exhales heavily as he looks at the other.

“I can’t, hyung. Not this. I can’t trust them with this.” Taehyung hates to break the other’s heart, but he just really can’t, trust is build without layers and walls, yet Taehyung can’t seem to let those down around them, especially not when there’s a hunter within them, especially not when there’s a JeonJeonggukamongst them.

“But why? What did they do, Tae? Did they hurt you? Or Gyeomie?” Mark digs on, concerned now. Taehyung can’t say it, can’t say that yeah, maybe they’re not hurt now, but who is to say the same thing for the future? When they have all the methods and leverage to take their lives anytime they want? Taehyung can’t take the risk, can’t do that to Yugyeom. So Taehyung shakes his head again, it’s all he ever does when he talks with Mark, really.

“They didn’t, hyung. We’re fine.” He sighs. “Please, can we not talk about this right now?” Taehyung pleads, his mind exhausted from thinking so much, too much.

“Will you ever talk about any of these with me though, Taehyung-ah?” Mark says those so timidly, Taehyung wouldn’t have heard them if he isn’t already a Moonchild.

“Hyung—“

“Is it because I’m a human?” Mark cuts him short, his eyes staring deep into Taehyung’s, as if he’s searching for something, hoping for just—something. But Taehyung only sees that as a leeway, as a way out of this painful talk, so he nods.

“I—“ He swallows. “Yeah, yeah it is.” He admits. “I just want to keep you safe, hyung.” It’s the truth. Mark is really safer without knowing so much. Just knowing Taehyung’s name is a danger enough, knowing the whole other story is almost as if he’s asking for a torturous death. But Mark doesn’t know even a quarter of that, doesn’t know the danger of it all, of a world so powerful that a mere human is only that disposable, so Mark scoffs at Taehyung’s reason, looks derided at what he’s just been told.

“Because I’m just a human, of course.” Mark sniggers, his look bitter and crushed. Taehyung frowns, shakes his head as he scoots closer, wants to say something, wants to make the hurt look on Mark dissuade, but Mark flinches back as if he’s too repulsed, and Taehyung freezes.

Because the last time Mark had flinched away from him like this, was when Taehyung had terrified him years ago.

“Hyung—“ He goes to say, but Mark shakes his head curtly, forces a smile despite looking so shaken.

“I should have known.” He says and Taehyung doesn’t understand what he means by that. Should’ve known what?

“Just because I’m a human doesn’t mean I’m weak, Kim Taehyung.” Mark tells him, angered so much that his pale face flushes red.

“Hyung, wait, I—“

“All this time I thought I just needed to give you space, give you some time, and I thought that maybe you’ll come around, but you never even thought about giving me a chance to understand, did you? Because I’ll always be a human, will never be anything as close as to your magnificent being.” He scoffs. “Am I even your friend, Tae?” Mark asks finally, and the words sting him more than he thinks they would, but Taehyung can’t say anything back, his tongue all but paralysed just as the former scowls at the silence and leaves, his shoulders hunched in defeat.

And Taehyung lets him leave, his mouth unable to say a word.

Taehyung regrets letting Mark leave that night. He regrets not stopping him, regrets not saying anything to assuage even a little of Mark’s pain, of the disappointment. If he had done anything, say something, or just explain everything, as much as Mark wants to listen to, not any of this would have happened.

Taehyung paces back and forth, worry deeply etched unto his face as he dials Mark’s number again. The call goes to mailbox, as it did for the umpteenth times now, and Taehyung can’t help but feel how dread crawls under his skin, looks at Yugyeom with hopes that maybe it’s just him that Mark had blocked.

But the anxiety over Yugyeom’s feature doesn’t let up as he dials the number again, shakes his head anxiously when the same robotic voice greets his ear shortly.

When Taehyung had let Mark left the other night, the former had expected, hoped that Mark would call him or Yugyeom back the next day, or even the day after that. But they received no such things, not a call, not even a text. Taehyung thought the worst had happened, that Mark was finally sick of dealing with them, that he's too upset with what Taehyung had said and had not said, that he hadn't want to have anything to do with them anymore with how bad Taehyung had messed up.

But Yugyeom argued that it wasn't the case, had believed that Mark was a person with the biggest, fattest heart, that he would never let his feeling dwell for so long and just went radio silent. Even when Taehyung had ed up with Mark a few years back, Mark was never cruel enough to keep them hanging, would at least talk to Yugyeom to tell him that he’s well and alive, and that he just needed time to get used to the idea. Mark, if anything, is too kind for his own good.

So Yugyeom had wondered out loud that morning, wondered the worst thing he could have ever wondered, that something must have happened to Mark. Taehyung denied, still wants to deny even now, that there’s no way for that, that Mark is a strong guy, knows how to take care of himself. But Yugyeom had just pressed against his own lips, bit on them too, because he knows Mark as well as Taehyung does.

There’s no other explanation for Mark’s disappearance. He knows Mark doesn’t hold unto his anger for long, knows that he would’ve approached them by now, especially when Yugyeom had particularly told him a week ago, that they both are planning to leave Korea over the weekend at night.

"Mark would never let us leave without seeing him first." Yugyeom had told him worriedly when the sun had peeked over the horizon, breaking the dawn. Their plan on leaving that night was worryingly interrupted when Mark hadn’t shown up.

“We should look for him.” Yugyeom suggests, pockets his phone into the back of his jean just as he grabs his wallet and his jacket. Taehyung chews on his lips, nods his head shakily and grabs his own stuffs.

They decide on Mark’s place first, pressing the doorbell once, twice, too many times to keep count, eyes worriedly glancing at each other when they are all left unanswered, until Mark’s neighbor slams his door open and screams for them to shut up.

“He hasn’t been back for days now! Will you tone the down?! I’m trying to sleep!” The stranger groans just as he slams the door back.

It scares Taehyung, fear and dread swarm his mind as he wonders where Mark could’ve gone to if not his own place, especially not without any texts or calls to ping them of his leave. Yugyeom sees the way Taehyung chews on his lips, sees the way he clenches his teeth, and gently, Yugyeom slides closer, twines their fingers together just as another hand caresses Taehyung’s cheek.

“He’ll be fine, Tae. We’ll find him.” Yugyeom whispers, kisses his temple so softly that Taehyung finds his hammering heart calming down even if it’s only for a bit. Taehyung nods weakly but he gives Yugyeom a squeeze on their interlocked hands, just to show that he heard him.

“Let’s go find him at the library.” Yugyeom speaks, and Taehyung braves himself as he walks along Yugyeom’s lead.

“He’s not here.” Hyungsun tells them, his own feature carries a hint of worry as he speaks his concern. “He hasn’t been in for days, Yugyeom-ssi. We called but they never went through. Mark hyung never skipped his shift without telling us. We don’t know how else to contact him.” He goes to add something more but the doorbell dingles just as a lean, lanky male walks in, so Hyungsun immediately straightens out his look again and bows politely.

“Welcome to Coffee Library!” Hyungsun greets but the other male doesn’t get to reply when Yugyeom interrupts.

“Bambam!” He yells, a little surprised at seeing one of his new friends from his course. Bambam’s little frown dissuades upon seeing Yugyeom, a big smile turning up before it briefly falters against his lips the moment his eyes catch sight of Taehyung. The latter raises his brows at that but the thought slides out of his mind when Bambam reaches over in a stride and immediately asks,

“Yug, I was just about to call you. Have you heard from Mark-hyung?”

The silence that stretches on after that one question suffocates him. Bambam looks hopeful when he asks it, but when he realises that no one has said anything, the look dwindles out and deep worry immediately latches unto his soft feature.

“You’re looking for him too.” Bambam says, more like a statement. Yugyeom tries for a smile but no one is fooled, not when there’s an elephant in the air that needs to be addressed, not when it’s starting to alarm them of how no one seems to be able to reach Mark, of how everyone’s looking for him, as if they know that something is wrong, too wrong.

But what?

He gets his answer soon enough though, when he briefly tunes back into Yugyeom’s and Bambam’s conversation, as a few words somehow snatch his attention like a snag.

“—He’s been telling us for a week before this, and Jaebum-hyung is pissed off at himself for not doing anything about it sooner.”

“Hold on.” Taehyung interrupts, holds up a hand as Bambam turns to him, startled.

“Go back to before that. What were you saying?” Taehyung prompts. He’s sure that Bambam had said something like—

“That Mark-hyung felt like he’s being watched?” Bambam tries, hesitant if it’s what Taehyung wants to hear.

“He’s being… watched?” Taehyung repeats, eyebrow twitching at the word. Bambam nods, still a little clueless, and Taehyung growls loudly, catching Bambam off guard as the latter yelps at the unexpected feral sound. Yugyeom’s eyes go wide at that, calls for Taehyung’s name carefully as he briefs few glances towards Bambam just to make sure that he hasn’t freaked out yet.

“Tae?” Yugyeom calls out, prods carefully.

Taehyung ignores the younger’s call, hand immediately pushes through his pocket as he grabs his phone. He dials a number,Jimin’s, and puts the phone over his ear. His face hardens at every second of having to wait, feet tapping impatiently before he snarls when automatically the moment he hears Jimin’s soft voice chirps happily at him.

“Tae? Oh my god, you finally called me first! I’ve been trying—“

“Where’s Namjoon?” He snaps, the other side of the line quieted down at being cut off so curtly.

“Tae?” Jimin calls softly, worried, anxious.

“I’m asking you again, Jimin. Where is Kim Namjoon?” He says it so deeply, he feels his own voice thrums hoarsely through his throat.

“I, uh, Tae, just tell me first, what’s wrong? Why are you looking for him?” Jimin asks, his voice shaky despite trying to brave Taehyung out.

“Tell me where he is, now!” Taehyung shouts, Bambam looks at him as if he has lost his mind. Maybe he does, maybe he does lost his mind, because Taehyung can’t think of anything else other than the possibility that those ing Moon Hunters had taken Mark into their custody, that they’re using Mark as a leverage to take Taehyung down.

Jimin yelps from the other side, but he still refuses.

“N-no, Tae, I won’t tell you unless you tell me—“

“I said now!” Taehyung growls louder, and he hears the way Jimin yelps even louder just before the phone clutters against the floor. He can hear the clicks and clacks of the phone being picked up before he finally hears the voice he’s been dying to wrench out of their chest.

“Taehyung.” Namjoon says into the phone, but Taehyung doesn’t let him continue when he goes straight to business.

“Where are you.” Taehyung demands, not even a question or a polite request anymore.

“Home. Taehyung, what—“

“Where.” Taehyung hisses.

“41, Hongdaemun Street. Taehyung, what’s wrong—“ Namjoon goes to ask but the line cuts off as Taehyung hangs up without a word, his eyes an icy shade of blue as he takes off in a flash, body leaving just a hazy mirage as he vanishes from his place.

Bambam’s eyes go wide and Yugyeom turns worriedly to explain.

“I—Bambam, I’ll explain, please don’t freak out.”

“Holy !” Bambam says out loud, surprised but not frightened. Yugyeom subconsciously heaves out a relieved breath.

“Bam, I’ll explain later, but I really need to go after Tae. He’s, he’s not thinking straight.”

“I got it. Lemme just give my dudes a call and we’ll—Yugyeom!” Bambam shouts, exasperated when all he sees is the dust floating in the air as Yugyeom follows after Taehyung, his figure disappears in a blink of an eye.

It doesn’t even take a few minutes for Taehyung to reach the address. The rustic gate and the enormous door are already wide open when he arrives, a gap so wide and inviting as if they already know that Taehyung would be there in just a few. He doesn’t let himself wonder of how they had known that, doesn’t even let himself to show any courtesy of intruding into someone’s home when Taehyung all but storms in, his face steel hard as he walks himself into the open hall.

He can’t help himself from growling ferally when he takes in the sight of the whole Circle waiting for him there, would’ve felt intimidated at being waited for, as if they were ready to ambush him the second he lets himself in. But Taehyung is way too angry to be intimidated, so the feeling doesn’t even nick at him as he snarls again.

It’s Seokjin who speaks first this time.

“Taehyung, what’s wro—“ He says, but Taehyung is too clouded with anger to listen to any of them, so he steps closer towards Namjoon, eyes narrowing all predator-like.

“Where is he?” Taehyung’s voice is deep and dark, abysmal as he grabs Namjoon’s collar harshly. The latter immediately frowns as his own hands shoot up to clutch unto Taehyung’s wrist.

“Taehyung!” Jimin shouts warily and yet it’s Jeongguk who growls next to him.

“Let him go!” Said male hisses as he grabs unto Taehyung’s arm. But the latter doesn’t hear, doesn’t really care even if he does hear him, because all he has in his mind is Mark.Where’s Mark?

“Where the did you keep him?!” Taehyung roars, squeezing his grip a tad stronger than he did before. But before he can truly choke Namjoon’s throat from his sheer grab, Taehyung feels the grip on his wrist tighten painfully just as Jeongguk huffs out and pulls him off, strong arms throwing him into the hard ground as far away as he could from Namjoon’s suffocated form.

“What the are you talking about?! You’re choking him!” Jeongguk yells back, eyes a deep shade of amber as he glares at Taehyung. Taehyung’s eyes lit aflame as he looks up, his stance growing steady as he propels his legs, anger taking over his mind. He doesn’t even register that it’s Jeongguk who’d thrown him off again, that it’s Jeongguk that he’s preying on now. But he lets a punch slices through the rigid air before it connects harshly with Jeongguk’s jaw, the latter is sent flying from the sheer brunt as he lands against the floor with a loud thud.

“Guk!” Hoseok screams, already scrambling to said male who groans in pain, his movements sluggish from the ache. Jeongguk looks up at him from the floor, eyes going wide, taken aback, hurt. But Jeongguk doesn’t get to feel hurt, Taehyung snaps in his own head, not when that’s all he’d ever done to Taehyung before, hurts him all the time, emotionally, physically. Taehyung winces when he smells the rustic taste of Jeongguk’s blood that drips from his busted lips, the smell seems to permeate the air with his heightened sense.

“Taehyung, what the ?!” Jimin goes to stand in front of Jeongguk, shielding him, looks terrified at what Taehyung has done. And Taehyung’s eyes quickly zero in unto Jimin, narrows them at him for blocking his way.

“Move.” Taehyung snarls, eyes preying unto Jimin now. The latter gulps, fear obviously invading his body, but Jimin doesn’t let himself budge as he stays rooted at where he is.

“No. Not until you tell us right the now just what is going on.” Jimin yells back, determined to stay there despite his trembling, weakened legs.

“Move. Before I hurt you, Park Jimin.” Taehyung warns.

“Jimin, move!” Jeongguk hisses, but Jimin doesn’t even twitch despite his own heart thundering loudly in his ears.

“No. I know you won’t hurt me, Tae. Just tell me, what’s going on?” Jimin softens his voice, pleads that Taehyung would just talk to him, his best friend. But Taehyung doesn’t deter, his eyes and mind only narrows at one thought—Jeongguk.

“Don’t ing challenge a Moonchild, Park Jimin.” Taehyung grits, taking a step forward, the step a little too loud in the stretchable silence.

“You won’t hurt me.” Jimin tells him, tells himself too, but Taehyung is not listening, not when he’s in too deep in his own emotional battle—of his guilt towards Mark, of his mixed feelings towards this Jeongguk, of all things going haywire. And Taehyung is determined, instinct tells him to do it, needs to do it, so he does.

“I said, move, Park Jimin.” He commands, his pupils swirl in blue as they stare deep into Jimin’s own eyes. The latter blinks, before they open, dilate with a gleam of pale blue, his eyes a hazed blank as he nods curtly.

“Okay.” He responds, moves about to the side, prompt and terse, until he’s stood at his original spot, and his eyes constrict again before he seems to finally snap out of it.

“Taehyung, you—“ Yoongi stutters, doesn’t get to finish his words when he hears Jimin gasps.

“I—what the ?” Jimin heaves, eyelids blinking confusedly when he realises that he’s looking straight at Jeongguk instead of behind him like he did just moments ago. He goes to interfere again, takes a step forward, but Taehyung snaps his teeth at him and says,

“Stay the out of my way, Park Jimin.” And Jimin nods his head and stays rooted at his place, body rock heavy even when he’s finally back to his sense, his eyes coming back to its usual dark shade.

“Jimin.” Yoongi calls, immediately cradles to his side. “Yoongi, I can’t move. I can’t go to Jeongguk.” Jimin panics but Yoongi just shakes his head, rubs a hand on his back, tries to soothe the panic down. “It’s okay, Jimin. Let it be. Just listen to it.” He whispers gingerly, and Jimin wants to say something back, but Yoongi shakes his head again, squeezes his arm to hint, and Jimin understands. He swallows down a heavy clog in his throat, clenches a fist as he looks back warily at the way Taehyung advances towards Jeongguk.

“Get the away from him, Jung Hoseok.” Taehyung orders, his voice severely indisputable as he did Jimin just a while ago, and Jimin observes apprehensively when Hoseok too, dips his head and withdraw from Jeongguk’s side in an instant. He observes how Hoseok stands rigidly at the side, before his shoulders hunch back and his eyes glance confusedly around.

“You—“ Hoseok looks at Taehyung, terrified, angry, but the latter pays him no heed as his eyes are trained over Jeongguk. The distance between them is meters away, but the hanging tension already puts the distance to shame, both of them staring deep into each other’s eyes as if they’re in their own world.

“Jeon Jeongguk. Tell me where Namjoon keeps him now.” Taehyung says, knows he sounds a little off, struggles to keep his voice steady, but Jeongguk’s eyes are swirling in amber, and it’s a color he hasn’t seen in anyone, it’s throwing him off. He watches the way Jeongguk’s thick, defined brows connect into a frown.

“Keep who?” He asks, warily looking up from where he’s still perched on the floor. Taehyung almost wants to gnarl, frustration builds up in his chest because all he wants is for them to return Mark back to him, all he wants is for Jeongguk to take him back, but none of them seems to find its goal, serving only to frustrate him even more than ever.

“Mark. Mark Lee. Where the did you lots keep him?!” Taehyung drums, ready to sprawl unto him if he doesn’t tell him now. But Jeongguk only looks at him confused, anger diffuses out and leaving only confusion and frustration coloring his look.

“Why would we keep Mark here? What the are you talking about?” Jeongguk questions again, but Taehyung is just about done trying to be civil with him. He sees no other way out other than using it on him too. The thought irks him, that he’s using his own ability against Jeon Jeongguk, but now is not the time for sentiments. He needs to get Mark back.

“You will tell me where Mark is, right this ing now.” Taehyung orders him, his orbs swirl in the same blue mist but Jeongguk’s amber eyes refuse to color in the same shade. The latter frowns instead.

“And who the are you to tell me what to do?” Jeongguk barks at him, offensive, defensive. And Taehyung’s hard look dwindles at that, blinks perplexed.

“What—“ Why is it not working? He thinks with a frown of his own, before he shifts his target to Namjoon and let his ability rolls with his next words.

“Tell me, where did you keep Mark Lee?” He demands, prays to God that it’d work. And it does. Namjoon’s pupils dilate againsy his will, stale blue whorls within them as he answers monotonously. “We don’t have him.”

Taehyung groans, threads coarse fingers through his ash grey hair, disgruntled.

“You— stop ing lying to me!” Taehyung screeches, blue eyes glaring as Namjoon shakes his head.

“No, I’m not.” Again, he answers dully. Taehyung looks at him, truly in the eyes, watches how his eyes go back to life, and Taehyung knows his power is working, knows that Namjoon is not lying, knows it so well, but then Mark, what about Mark?

“Tae!” Yugyeom yells, lands behind him with a thump just as he reels Taehyung back.

“, Tae, you—“ Yugyeom looks him up and down, looking for injuries, tears, anything, but Taehyung only looks at him back stricken.

“Gyeom-ah, Mark’s not here.” Taehyung says, panicked. Yugyeom nods, deduces that much as he glances briefly at the rest of the people there. He’s turning back his focus to Taehyung just as he thinks about doing a double take at them again, and Yugyeom feels his blood flurries through his vein, apprehension quaking over him as he takes in the frightened, shaken looks in some of them. Yugyeom turns back at Taehyung, disbelief written all over him.

“Tae, don’t tell me you—“ He doesn’t finish his sentence, not when he sees the way Taehyung’s head bobs left and right, looks troubled and tormented.

“Let’s not talk about that now. We, we have to find Mark, Gyeom. What if they took him? If it’s not the hunters, it can—it can only mean—! Gyeom-ah, what have I done?” Taehyung’s body sags forward, forehead thumping against Yugyeom’s sturdy chest. Too weakened to hold himself upright as Yugyeom holds him steady.

But then Taehyung thinks he hears his own heart beats once, twice, out in a rhythm he’s not used to anymore, until his blood swooshes with warmth, and he swears he feels a voice blooms in his head, but it isn’t his demon. No, it’s soft, gentle, like a warm blanket over his icy skin. Taehyung thinks the impossible, that it almost sounds like it always had been, when his mind is one with his Night.

It’s faint, but it lingers, hesitant, and Taehyung tilts his head to the side a little, his breath catches in his chest when his eyes meet Jeongguk’s own, his stare hardly unreadable. Then, in a moment of tranquility, of the unspoken eye-to-eye, the sound in his mind suddenly vanishes and Bambam’s loud shrill booms, shattering something unrecognised, something that Taehyung craves to return.

“Yugyeom-ah!” Bambam howls from the front porch, several footsteps echo frantically from the front until said male finally materialises in the hall, along with two other figures. Taehyung doesn’t bother to raise his head up from Yugyeom’s chest, not until he hears a different voice, one that raises alert, one that he knows Yugyeom has always missed, seventy years in isolation.

“Yu—Yugyeom, is that, really you?” Jinyoung asks, his steps cautious as he approaches. Taehyung lifts his head up, eyes just as wide as Yugyeom’s are. The latter whips his head like a spring at the voice and lets his jaw hangs open. Taehyung kindly steps away, gives them a moment as he feels his own tears glistening his orbs.

“Jin—Jinyoung-hyung?” Yugyeom tries, the name so foreign on his tongue. Seventy years of missing the other, seventy years of thinking that the other has passed away, that he’s been all alone and it’s all a little too much for the overgrown baby to take in.

“Yugyeom-ah, it’s really you!” Jinyoung chokes up a sob just as he rushes in and crashes himself into Yugyeom, holding him tight.

“Hyung.” Yugyeom’s voice trembles, tears springing into his own eyes. Taehyung can’t believe he’s witnessing this, witnessing the first ever tears Yugyeom had ever let out in seven decades. Taehyung smiles, genuine, and lets himself cries for Yugyeom.

“Oh god, you’re okay. You’re here.” Jinyoung sobs into Yugyeom’s shoulder and the latter nods, like a baby, and tightens his hold.

“And you’re alive, hyung. You’re here.” Yugyeom mumbles, and Jinyoung nods fervently.

“Never been so happy to be alive, Yug. I have you back.” Jinyoung whispers back.

“Glad to have you back, Yug.” Jaebum suddenly says next to them, joins in the hug as he wraps his long limbs around the lump of the two grown male. Bambam looks surprised, but he smiles nonetheless, happy to witness the reunion of a lifetime, just as Taehyung does.

The sensitive moment doesn’t last very long though, when an awkward cough breaks the gentle silence and all heads turn to the sound pronto.

“Um, do you guys know each other?” Seokjin asks anyway, uncomfortable as it is, especially because the situation calls for it, because the crowd is growing bigger, because Mark is still missing.

Jaebum turns, cheeks flush a faint red as he gives the home owner a polite bow.

“Sorry for barging in like this. We didn’t know we’d be intruding into your place, Seokjin-ssi. Our Bambam here—“ Jaebum glares at a sheepish Bambam. “—only mentions something about his friends being reckless and may be in danger, so we just rushed in without checking. We apologise, again.” Jaebum emphasises, though he doesn’t let his arms go far from Jinyoung’s waist, a possesive streak that no one can ignore. Jinyoung has the decency to smile impishly and slowly unwraps his own arms from Yugyeom, though he doesn’t let said male go very far as his fingers clutch tightly unto Yugyeom’s sleeve. Jaebum just continues, eyes glancing around the hall, all mannerly.

“But yes, we do know each other. I take it that you guys are not really fond of each other,” Jaebum glances at the way Jeongguk goes to stand with Namjoon’s help, wipes the dark blood from the corner of his busted lips as he stares back, defensive. But Jaebum ignores the childish stare-down and shifts back to Seokjin. “And Yugyeom and Taehyung are a friend, so I’m sorry that I feel the need to step in. But what’s going on here, exactly?” Jaebum asks, formally, moves his sight back and forth between Bambam, Yugyeom and Seokjin, before settling them back unto Bambam, an eyebrow raised.

“Don’t look at me! I know nothing! One minute we were talking about Mark-hyung, then the other minute, Taehyung-hyung is suddenly all animalistic and poofs! He disappears! What else can I think other than calling you!” Bambam pouts, crosses his arms petulantly as he glares, non-offensively, at Jaebum.

“Oh, don’t be a child, Bam.” Jinyoung reprimands, gives a light pinch on his arm and Yugyeom snorts on purpose. The pinched male narrows his eyes at him, but finally lets a smile adorns his plush lips.

“Well, Taehyung?” Jaebum asks, purposeful, direct and Taehyung worries his own lips at the spotlight. He can feel all eyes on him, feels his throat clamming up with unsaid words.

“I—“ He goes, but Yugyeom lets go of Jinyoung and quickly presses himself unto Taehyung’s side, pushing him back.

“We think the Hunters had taken Mark-hyung.” Yugyeom says on his stead and Taehyung can’t help the scowl on his face as he grabs on the former’s arm.

“No! I think they took him! Gyeom, stop taking all the blame!” Taehyung hisses.

“You think the hunters— took Mark? As in these people? The hunters?” Jaebum raises an eyebrow.

“Well, who else is here.” Taehyung grumbles under his breath, petulant, like a child, and Taehyung feels himself pouting faintly as he hears Jaebum snorts.

“Taehyung-ah, you really has gone blunt all around the edges, huh? Where had the Informant Beauty gone to?” He snickers and shakes his head, obviously amused. But Taehyung freezes at what was said, body going stiff, and Yugyeom just knows it.

“Hyung.” Yugyeom’s voice immediately hardens, warning. Jaebum seems to take the hint as he bites on his cheek, frowns harder when he sees the way Yugyeom is scowling at him, as if angered, but he lets it slide just so he could apologise to the others one more time.

“Anyway, I apologise again, on their behalf, Seokjin-ssi.” Jaebum dips his head once again, but Seokjin only shakes his head fervently, his hands waving it off.

“It’s fine, he couldn’t have known. They’re here for barely a few months afterall.” Seokjin smiles it off, so kind and gentle even when Taehyung had given them nothing but troubles. Jaebum turns back, looks at Taehyung carefully.

“Taehyung-ah, just so you know, Namjoon may be a Moon Hunter, but he’s gone rogue for a while now. He didn’t take Mark, I can assure you that. We have our own peace treaty, and that includes to keep our hands to ourselves, including Mark.” The elder male explains and Taehyung hates that he already knows that, hates that he feels the guilt growing when he lets the explanation sinks in. Namjoon’s a rogue hunter, that’s what he tried to explain, his mind speaks it for him, biting on the inside of his cheek.

“Yeah, I know. Namjoon told me.” He winces as he tells him, gulps nothing down his throat, eyes not looking at the Circle anymore.

Shame, regret, guilt and fear begins to consume him. All the ugly emotions melds so contemptly that it’s beginning to grip unto his consciousness, wounding it, consuming it. Hoseok wouldn’t let him be though, is determined to rub the wound further as he clambers to shout at him, anger trumping over any fear. Taehyung blanches, but takes them with a stride, because he’s not wrong. Hoseok’s not wrong.

“No, you forced it out of him! You did something to him! To us!” Hoseok screams, his face reddens angrily but Yoongi is quick to rein him back, immediately pulling unto his arm.

“Hoseok.” Yoongi says, a warning but Hoseok just seems indignant, barely listens to the other male as he glares harder at Taehyung. Jaebum and Jinyoung blinks, taking in the words before they slowly turn back to Taehyung, said male shrinks into himself as his head tilts down.

“Taehyung, you—you didn’t use it on them, did you?” Jinyoung asks, voice low, hopeful, but the hope crashes down in a drain when Taehyung hesitantly nods his head.

“I, I did.” He admits, no use of hiding them anymore, he thinks. Both Jinyoung and Jaebum blanch at the admission.

“.” Jaebum curses, Yugyeom frowns at that, so are the others as if alarmed.

“What did he do to us? How’d he do that? What the is that?!” Hoseok demands, screeches for answers despite Yoongi tugging unto his arm as he hisses at him to shut up.

“He’sright ing here.” Yugyeom hisses back, ready to pounce at Hoseok’s rudeness. Taehyung pulls him back, shakes his head defeated. Then, he looks back at Jaebum and nods his head— an assent and the latter understands, a forced smile a sign that he will do it. A sigh leaves his mouth, and Jaebum faces the rest of them, determined.

“It’s Taehyung’s gift.” Jaebum begins. “He manipulates.”

“He what?” It’s Jimin who voices that, and Taehyung winces at the sound of disbelief that drips from the words.

“.” Jaebum swears again and Taehyung snaps his head back at him, frowning too.

“Taehyung, you—! Things are seriously about to get real messy now.” Jaebum rubs an exasperated hand over his face.

“Jaebum-hyung, what’s going on?” Yugyeom asks.

“You wouldn’t have known. .” Jaebum groans, not knowing what to say first.

“Know what, hyung?” Taehyung presses and Jaebum heaves out an absolutely heavy sigh.

“Back then, when you’d left with Yugyeom, you also left your traces behind, Tae.” He explains, but it’s curt and brief that they barely clarify anything at all.

“What are you talking about? What trace?” Yugyeom is the one who asks that.

“It was messy, Taehyung-ah. The whole organisation was a mess when you’d disappearred off the grid.” Jaebum speaks, vexed and Yoongi’s shoulders seem to tense in tandem at those words, foxy eyes immediately zeroing onto Jaebum as he waits for more info with bated breath.

“I thought it would be fine even then. Because I was so confident that you wouldn’t want to use your gift after all that. I mean, what sort of idiot would want to use their power when they’re trying to lay low, right? I could only assume. And everything has been so quiet, too quiet when I think about it actually, but then this happened. ! If only we’d met sooner, Taehyung. This wouldn’t have happened.”

“Jaebum, you’re not really making any sense.” Namjoon interrupts, voices out what everyone is thinking, all vexed and peeved.

“!” He swears again. “Yugyeom-ah, Taehyung-ah,” Jinyoung feels it right to call them out softly, worries marr his handsome look as he takes over Jaebum’s remaining talk.

“Ong has your blood, Tae-ah. He imprinted on your blood.” He says, and at that, all the blood that he has seems to go down the drain, dread filling him up as Taehyung tries to settle the words in.

“I—he, he what?” Taehyung stutters, pales so suddenly that he feels a little lightheaded, feet stumbling back distraughtly just as a warm hand catches him. He thinks it may be Yugyeom, but a curt glance away and he sees that Yugyeom is looking at him with tight lips, a hard look on his face. Taehyung frowns, looking up and his eyes blink in disbelief when he sees Jeongguk staring back at him. Taehyung gulps, goes to move away but Jeongguk doesn’t let him, the hold around his waist tightens, warm and fuzzy.

“Wait, what does that mean?” Jimin suddenly voices out, brows tied to a frown as he glances around, waiting for someone to elaborate more. “Namjoon?” He turns, frowning even more when Namjoon evades his eyes. “Seokjin? Yoongi?” Jimin turns to each of them, eyes pleading to understand. He’s just a human after all, new to it all and he wantsto know.

“Jaebum-hyung?” Jimin tries again when no one else does, desperate to learn, to understand the troubles that seem to follow Taehyung, his new best friend.

“Ong has his eyes set on Taehyung, always have been.” Jaebum says, looking at Jimin before he turns back to Taehyung. “He’s been trying to locate you for decades, Tae. And he’s found you now.”

“Someone please, I don’t understand. Who is this Ong and how’d he find Taehyung? And why would he want him?” Jimin asks again, desperately lost.

“He’s the head of the organisation and he’s been dying to have Taehyung’s ability.” Yugyeom explains through clenched teeth, eyes never once leaving the way Jeongguk’s arms still wraps around Taehyung. The latter does try to move away again, doesn’t like the way Yugyeom frowns at them, but Jeongguk just wouldn’t let go and, honestly, Taehyung is more than confused now. But it’s a thought for another time so Taehyung just shakes them off, focuses back on what’s important.

“Ong’s ability is Trace and Track. A bit of blood of his object, and he’ll imprint on them and tracks it when they use their ability. It activates the imprint.” Namjoon finally speaks up, seemingly able to gather himself back up.

“, why’d you have to use your gift now of all the time.” Jaebum groans.

Taehyung scoffs, albeit shakily and exhales.

“He’s found me long before I used my gift, hyung. He’s calling me out.” Jaebum frowns at him just as Taehyung finally looks up, staring deep into the other’s eyes, feels the way Jeongguk’s hand gently presses on his waist. And Taehyung swallows.

“He’s taken Mark.”

Surprise! I'm so inspired for this story lately.

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