Chapter 15 – My Rival
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It’s strange how we know how each other feel without words.

[ BG MUSIC ]

     "Good morning." Taehyung lifted his head and greeted Jeongkook's calm eyes. He honestly had been awake since one hour ago, he just didn't want to barge back into his own room and disturb Jimin and the maknae. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat up naturally, lighting bouncing as he rubbed his cheeks. 

"You can go back now. He's still sleeping." 

Taehyung raised his eyes and glanced up at Jeongkook who was staring at him in the most genuine way possible. He knew the maknae didn't want to cause tension between them, and it was completely obvious. To that, he was thankful. He got up from Jeongkook's bed, fixed the sheets and headed to the door. 

"Hyung." Jeongkook called him as he was half way out the door. "Can we talk a bit later?" 

Running his palm through his orange hair, Taehyung nodded silently and returned to his room. 

     Being as quiet as possible, he sat down by Jimin's bed and admired the cuteness of the boy's figure as he slept curled up on his side with the blanket in creases over his short body. Taehyung couldn't resist running his fingers through Jimin's hair as he became mesmerised by the boy's pure face that was shone over by the morning light. He leaned down and pecked the part of Jimin's forehead that was always hidden under his side fringe, smiling when he broke away. "Good morning," he whispered as he proceeded to wash up and get changed. After about ten minutes, he left the room and went on a walk with Jeongkook to the school rooftop. Class started almost an hour and a half later so no one was around to bother them. 

     “Do you remember how we swapped rooms at the start of last year? You offered me cookies and I agreed right then and there.” Jeongkook opened the conversation casually, and Taehyung nodded as he flashbacked.

The maknae rolled his eyes lightly. “Come on, hyung. My mother owns a grocery store. You really think bribing me with cookies would work?”

“Then why…”

Jeongkook looked away for a moment, “I did it because you could make him happy.”

“What…?”

“Jimin hyung fell for you, hyung. He likes you, and I knew that more than anyone else. So I let you closer into his life. I let you get to know him more, to see him for more than he thinks he is.”

Taehyung gazed at Jeongkook with no words; he had absolutely nothing to say.

“I think because of his situation, Jimin feels…” Jeongkook paused as he considered his words, “different. It’s not that he has low self confidence, but that he never sees himself as someone who can be anything more than he already is. But I know, and you know, that that boy is capable of so much.”

Taehyung chuckled, giving Jeongkook a light glare for the informality towards Jimin. The younger shrugged and grinned, knowing Taehyung would let him off this once. “We both agree his baby-face is misleading.” Taehyung nodded and gave in to Jeongkook’s comment, smiling as he felt like he began to understand why Jimin would’ve liked to stick to Jeongkook. In a way, he was glad that when he wasn’t around, Jeongkook was there to keep Jimin company. The two leaned back with their stretched arms behind them, feeling the cool wind brush past their clothes and skin. They shut their eyes instinctively, taking in the freshness of the air. It was a clearing they needed, and it only made the warm atmosphere even more peaceful. 

“Thanks Jeongkook. You know, and I can’t believe it took me this long to realise, but-“ he paused as he waited for Jeongkook to turn his head and meet his eyes. “– you’re a really caring guy. Jimin must have some luck to be able to meet you.” He shot him a sincere smile. The younger simply let out a loud exhale and resumed his gaze to the world ahead of him, loving where he was and the moment he was experiencing.

“And also...I'm sorry for yelling at you the other time."

Jeongkook grinned mischieviously, "You owe me, hyung."

Taehyung nodded and ruffled the back of Jeongkook's hair. 

As they headed back to the dorms, Taehyung wondered why he ever worried about Jeongkook at all. The younger was probably one of the most nicest, caring and considerate people that ever existed in the world. And besides...if there was anyone Taehyung could put his trust into to look after Jimin, it was Jeongkook. The younger turned from his friendly little - and funnily same heighted - maknae into his first person to contact in emergencies in the matter of one night and morning. 

     Taehyung stressed throughout the whole day. His father hadn't caught up with him about the issue with Jimin ever since the day he rushed home and found his mother in tears. There was definitely something wrong, and he didn't like the fact that he had absolutely no idea of what plans his father may have. 

Contact with his family remained broken until the text he recieved that night - that one night where his whole life he had known for eighteen years changed. 

"Midnight. Street 128 in Seoul. Bring the blades with you, and don't be late."

Taehyung almost gasped and tilted his phone down; who was so daring to even mention the weapons in the text. It was definitely no on he knew well, or either they were very angry. 

"What's up?"

He jumped and almost dropped his voice at Jimin's voice. The elder looked at him with slight confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Gosh hyung, you scared the hell out of me!" 

Jimin chuckled lightly, "Sorry."

"It's fine. What's the time now?"

"11:45. But umm...hey, do you think we can talk later abou-"

"I gotta go somewhere hyung. We'll talk about it when I get back, okay?" Taehyung dashed to his backpack. Jimin slightly flinched as he watched Taehyung fling the strap over his shoulder, hoping he wouldn't realise he had fumbled through it before. He let Taehyung walk past him and unlike previous times, the late time didn't spring suspicion in him; with bloody daggers being his latest shock, everything else seemed normal. He calmly smiled at Taehyung as the younger opened the door. 

"Take care" were the only words that left his mouth. Taehyung paused, shot him a weak smile, and left. Jimin rubbed his nape, shrugging as he guessed he'd just have to wait for Taehyung to come back to ask him about the weapons in his bag.

     Taehyung ran, almost sprinted, to the location on the text. He arrived in the middle of a street that had many narrow alleyways between buildings which were likely to be empty apartments cleared for soon construction. With distant horns and faint vehicle motion as the only sounds around him, Taehyung held his bag close as he waited. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but tension seemed to fill the air as he sensed a presence watching him. 

"You've got some guts, Kim Taehyung." He flipped his head back where blazing purple hair caught his attention, and stared back into the eyes of the person who called him, seeing through the deadly gaze and picturing a distant boy from many years ago who was no more than the age of eight.