BEFORE YOU READ THIS I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THE MV FOR RUN LITERALLY RUINED ME. LIKE I AM STILL AN ABSOLUTE MESS. Also the album is amazing holy lord, I'm so proud of our boys

I hope you enjoy the chapter my friends ~

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Jungkook walked to the shop the next day with anxiety burning in his stomach. He never thought that Taehyung would have to see him like that. He never wanted Taehyung to see him like that. 

The thing that bothered him is the experience and skill the elder seemed to have with handling the situation. The calm but cautious way he comforted him. How was he so familiar with it all? 

He paused in front of the shop doors to shake the thought away. Then, after taking a deep breath, he pushed them open, hoping for the best. Taehyung was waiting, head resting in his palm. When he caught sight of Jungkook walking in, his lips curled into something that the small boy knew was meant to be a smile, but looked more like a wince.

The younger returned the attempted gesture with his own smile, startled slightly as he sensed not sympathetic apprehension, but some strange sort of fear. He approached slowly, even whilst trying not to look too tentative. When he reached the table, he lowered himself into the seat without anything in mind to say. 

"Hi," Taehyung offered when the younger didn't speak. Jungkook blinked, far too many times, (in his opinion) before opening his mouth and attempting to return the gesture. "H-Hey?" he spluttered, sounding more questioning than inviting. 

Taehyung gave him a knowing look, and was about to speak, but Jungkook, oddly enough, beat him to it. "I'm really sorry about the other day," he put in, guilt hanging on his voice. "Also...thank you. I didn't...No one's ever...I don't know," he stammered clumsily.

Taehyung just shook his head, face falling more than he would have liked it to. "Remember? I care about you," he told him softly, his tone sure as anything. Jungkook kept his eyes fixed on the table. "Yeah," he mumbled. 

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a long, long time. There was so much to say, and yet both of them were too afraid to say any of it. Eventually, it was so long that Taehyung almost lulled back into slumber like he had before, but this time Jungkook shook him back into reality. 

"Hey," was all he said. Taehyung just stared at him, and it hurt; it was just too innocent. Jungkook blinked at him nervously; there was something really off about him that day. He seemed so vulnerable. Usually, there was an emotional barrier that he seemed to have. It was like his smile could block out any negativity, and bitter words couldn't hurt him. 

But now, staring at him in that way, Jungkook sensed doubt, and coming from the person who'd healed him so much, it hurt worse than he'd care to admit. "Hey," he repeated. "I left a drawing unfinished at home. I just got an idea for it and I don't think I'll remember it for later. Do you mind if I leave early?" he lied. 

Jungkook would like to think he imagined the small flash of panic that shot across Taehyung's eyes. "Yeah, it's fine," he told him, smiling that wincing smile again. Guilt bit at Jungkook. 

I'm being selfish.

He tried to shake it away, standing up, and waving a short, anxious goodbye to Taehyung. The elder returned the gesture, and Jungkook walked quickly out. He escaped into the still, cold air outside. He couldn't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have left Taehyung alone, but he couldn't stand another second of that innocent stare, matched with unsure silence. 

He couldn't stand another second of someone who he'd felt so close to suddenly feeling almost like a stranger.

He dug his hands into his pockets, feet feeling heavy as he walked. Only a few people knew about his panic attacks, but those people tended to treat him like he was a scared kitten. He'd never met anyone who'd seemed to be afraid themselves, so that's what confused him. 

Why was Taehyung afraid? What was there to be afraid of? 

He didn't know, and it frustrated him, but he sure as anything wasn't going to just ask. It felt wrong. It felt like if he asked him, he would make everything worse. He bit his lip as he walked into the building he knew he was going to coop himself up in again. He shuffled his feet in his designated direction, irritated at the cluelessness he felt. He reached the elevator, and waited for what felt like a longer time than it truly was for the doors to open. He walked in with someone that he at first thought was a stranger, but then they turned their head and he was greeted with a familiar face. 

"Hi," the tall brunette man with plump, and almost strangely pink lips offered. His face brightened as he realized it was the friendly man he'd about given a heart attack the other day when he'd burst into the elevator. "Hi," he responded. 

Suddenly, the warm look on the man's face turned into an expression of observance. Jungkook stayed silent as he was scanned by his eyes. "Do you know a Kim Taehyung?" he asked. 

Jungkook stared for a second, confused. It took him a while before he finally answered, "Yes..." hesitantly. The brunette man nodded, looking like he understood something now, while Jungkook waited patiently to feel the same clarification. 

"He's my younger brother. He sent me a picture about a week ago of him and his friend, Jungkook. That's you," he explained finally. Everything pieced together in Jungkook's mind in that moment. That was why he'd recognized that picture of Taehyung's older brother. He'd already met him. 

"Yeah, that's me. So, that means you're Seokjin, then, right?" he remarked, surprising himself with the confidence he heard in his voice. 

"None other than. It's a small world, eh? Nice to meet you," Seokjin replied brightly, holding out his hand for Jungkook to shake. The younger took it, and realized how familiarly warm it was. Just like Taehyung's hands. 

He dismissed the thought quickly. He didn't want to think about how comforting Taehyung's hands were. 

"Nice to meet you too," he said back, smiling his widest. It must have been convincing because Seokjin returned it enthusiastically, dropping his hand. "Fancy being your neighbor," he commented. "You're on the top floor right?"

Jungkook's eyes flicked over to the little red number above all of the buttons in the elevator. It read, "5". He constantly forgot how slow this thing was. "Yeah," he muttered. 

After a longer period of time than any elevator should really take, they stopped on their floor. "So where's your place?" Seokjin asked casually. Jungkook pointed down his hallway before glancing back at him. "Down there." 

"Oh, hey, me too." Jungkook's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. Somehow, he liked the thought of them living so close. Maybe because it meant he had a piece of Taehyung always close to him. They walked down the hallway together, and Seokjin stopped about five doors down. "Well, I'm here," he announced, stopping to pull his key out of his pocket. 

Jungkook nodded, smiling. "Nice meeting you," Seokjin chirped, returning the smile enthusiastically.  "You too," Jungkook replied brightly as the elder man entered his home, giving him a little wave before shutting the door. 

The smile did not fall off of his lips. Seokjin gave him an odd, pleasant sense of security somehow, and he wasn't sure why. The feeling of connection was so warm that he almost forgot about the coldness of him and Taehyung's last exchange. Almost.

The darkness started to loom in his heart again. If Seokjin had known how he was making Taehyung feel, maybe he wouldn't be so nice to him. 

That was the thought that he couldn't seem to throw away as he moped into his home.

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I'm really sorry for this chapter wow. It's honestly depressing and I just...Anyways, I hope you enjoyed in spite of that.

Love you all. :) See you soon! c: