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"Why is it so hard to get signals out here?" Taehyung lifts his phone up lion-king style. His dad chuckles.

"Mine has 2 bars."

"It's okay, dad. The last time I used yours, I couldn't even get a hello out properly before it got cut off."

"How about message?" His dad offers again.

"Never mind that too. I sent a few to my friend and I never got a reply. I doubt it even got delivered."

"Who is this friend of yours anyway? You seem restless trying to reach him."

Taehyung subtly puts his phone away and turns to the breakfast his dad has ordered for both of them. He has taken Taehyung out on this father-son hiking trip because he heard about Taehyung's mom's new boyfriend and he's worried about his youngest son. Baekhyun wanted to come along too but considering that he has spent basically all the time with his dad already, the father decided it'd be better with just Taehyung and him.

"Just a friend." Taehyung murmurs as he stuffs a piece of meat into his mouth. His dad gets the hint, but he doesn't pry.

Taehyung checks his phone again and is surprised to see 1 signal bar. Soon, a message chimes in. From Baekhyun. He swallows the meat with difficulties. Before leaving, Baekhyun was kind of mad at him for getting to spend time with dad. He has said some mean stuffs too, but Taehyung was sure his brother didn't mean it.

He opens the message and waits for the content to be downloaded. Pray that the signal won't leave again. After two bites later, the image is loaded. Taehyung presses on it and sees a flyer. His face muscles fail him.

From Baek

​You're missing? But kitty is with daddy, isn't he~ hahaha

Taehyung quickly dials Namjoon's number. The older boy answer after a few rings. "Yes?"

"Did you tell Jin I'm dead?"

"...no?"

"Ugh."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Jin puts up flyers looking for me. It says 'missing kitty--want back dead or alive' with my picture on it. What the hell is wrong you tell me."

"Dammit that idiot!" Namjoon hangs up and Taehyung is sure he's calling Jin. He wants to call his highness himself, but his phone is out of service again.

- - -

A few hours before

"Why are you still here?" Yoongi asked lazily. He didn't even have to look up to know Jin is standing in front of his desk. His cologne sort of gave it away. "I'm so tired, leave me alone."

"You promised me answers, Minsoo."

"Yoongi, Yoongi." Yoongi sighs. "At least get my name right, dammit. I barely got any sleep last night because of you and now you're trying to bug me so early in the morning too. What is this?" 

"Answers." Jin sits down on one of the chairs. He can feel the stares again. "Yoongi, come on, get up. We need to go. And where is the hoe?"

"Gosh!" Yoongi shoots up from his seat and gives Jin an annoyed look. "It's Hoseok. You're on my nerves. Seriously."

"Let's go." Jin grabs his wrists and pulls him along.

Getting to the information board outside, Jin stops and lets go of Yoongi. Finally, Yoongi breathes. He watches what the older boy is doing and slowly grasps the meaning. He's putting up a flyer looking for…

"Your cat is missing?"

Jin nods, and when he pulls his hands away Yoongi sees the picture.

"That's a person =_="

"My little kitty here has been missing for almost a week now. I'm worried." Jin puts up a few more, pinning them all over the important announcements. "All done. Let's go."

"Go where?"

"Library."

"That's where Hoseok is."

"Good timing."

Jin pulls Yoongi back from entering once they get to the library entrance. Yoongi frowns when he sees Jin closing his eyes and having a hand on his chest.

"Are you praying??"

"No. I'm balancing my heartbeat."

"It's just a library, Jin."

"Things happened to me in there. I need to prepare myself."

"Whatever, I'm going in first."

"Wait, wait!"

Yoongi pushes the door open and Jin gawks at the sight. Many people with masks are inspecting books after books. The whole place is very messy and chaotic. Jin follows inside and looks around, very confused. Soon he spots Hoseok shaking one of the book at the shelf next to a window. He approaches.

"What happened here?"

Hoseok throws the book away in surprise. Jin doesn't even want to react to that reaction.

"Oh, hey hyung. This place is not safe. You should go back."

"What's going on?"

"We're having pest breakout. Last night there were pests roaming the place. Many books are damaged."

Damaged books. Jin takes some times letting the information sink in.

"So that book wasn't haunted?"

"What book?" Hoseok isn't really paying attention anymore. He's now brushing dust off of the shelf. Yoongi soon arrives with a broom and helps. He's not in the mood to joke around but his mouth runs on its own.

"Are you two, perhaps, a couple?"

Yoongi doesn't cuss, luckily. Maybe it's because they're in the library. "No. Tragically, we're both heteroual."

"We should change that." Hoseok suggests.

"You think so?"

Jin retreats and watches everyone. He's still very confused. So the place is taken over by pests? So he wasn't haunted that night?

But this only answers one thing.

Jin turns around and bumps into the librarian. He bows on instinct, and then he notices her holding a box of lost and found stuffs. In there he sees his pink highlighter. He reaches for it. "This is mine…"

"Good. Found it under the table." She says and goes on with her work.

Jin looks around again. Two things are answered. Isn't this too easy? Something still bugs him.

He slowly turns again, and heads to the exit. Before he steps outside, someone tugs him by his shirt.

"S-sunbae…"

Jin finds a young female student, curly hair and very very timid looking. She has her head hung low, not looking at Jin at all.

"Yes?"

"I…"

She hands him a cute little cupcake.

"I bake this myself."

"Okay."

She looks up briefly. "I want you to taste it."

Jin reaches for it. Out of politeness—though very new to him—he takes a bite. It's a little savory, something he doesn't like to taste. He gives the cupcake a disgusted look before he turns to the girl and waves. She blushes so much Jin is almost certain she's going to combust.

When he's almost back to information board, Jin feels something wrong on the inside. His head starts spinning and his limps go shaky. He scoots carefully to the nearest object and grabs for balance. The world goes round and round, the sun is too bright that it make him dizzy. Jin looks around. A figure is running to him. Good. He raises his hand, waving. And then he slips and everything goes black.

-

Jin blinks twice before his vision can focus on the face in front of him. Taehyung is hovering over him with curious gaze. Jin's chest feels funny—kind of happy yet anxious at the sight.

"Taehyung ah," he whispers the name. Taehyung doesn't answer. "My Tae Tae, where have you been? I was so worried."

Taehyung turns around a bit and Jin tries to reach for him. "Taehyung ah, don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere, oppa." Taehyung's voice sounds weird. It's squeaky, it's high, and it's so not Taehyung. He takes his jacket off. "Consider this my present for your upcoming graduation, oppa."

"What present?"

Taehyung leans in and plants a kiss on his lips. Jin gags internally. That's not how he imagined Taehyung's kiss would feel like. This feels so empty. So forced. So not Taehyung.

"What's going on here?" Jin wants to sit up but his body doesn't obey him. He can only lie still. "Am I… paralyzed?"

"You're so beautiful, oppa. I hope you know that."

"Of course I do. But Taehyung ah-" his eyes do this thing where they lose focus for a brief second. When it comes back, Taehyung isn't Taehyung anymore but some girl. He remembers this girl. She had given him her homemade cupcake that tasted like burnt medicine. Medicine, Jin shuts his eyes, of course! "What's going on here? Where's Taehyung?"

"Taehyung who?" She cranes her neck a little, and soon nods. "Ohh. Kim Taehyung your little toy? I haven't seen him around either. Oppa, don't worry. I won't abandon you like he did."

"What is this psychopath saying…" Jin closes his eyes and begs for his headache to stop throbbing. The girl's words barely make any sense to him.

"I fell for you the moment you let me go. You were so cool on that day."

A cold glass of water and some painkiller would be heaven right now, Jin thinks. Also, why is this girl still talking %#&@&¥£#^

"I ruined your shirt but you didn't mind me. I was so touched."

Oh yeah, the mango smoothie of that new cafe would be good too.

"When you took my jacket, I was close to tear because I felt like you did that just so it would remind you of me. I- oppa, I love you."

Oh how I love a warm shower and my soft bed, Jin turns to the side and spots his phone on the nightstand. He reaches for it and is surprised that his arm starts working again. The girl doesn't notice; she's still narrating something Jin can't help but ignore. He types in a quick message to his best friend and lays back to the rough surface.

"Where are we now?"

"Oh? Ah, this is the school warehouse. No one comes here anymore, don't worry. We have the place to ourselves."

Jin sends another message telling Namjoon where he really is.

"Are you done talking?" Jin asks once he finishes. The girl turns to him with lights in her eyes.

"Why, are you in a hurry?"

"Well, yeah."

She starts ing her shirt. Jin sighs. "I meant, outta here. I can't wait to get outta here. This place smells and you makes me lie here on this dirt-coated floor like I'm some kind of a stray dog. Something could've died here. Have you never learnt about hygiene? You can't even afford a nicer place? A motel, maybe? Don't expect to touch me in such poor environment, you. I said this before and I'll say it again: I'm allergic to female. So stay away from me before I barf in your face!"

She sobs. "I just want your love, is it too much to ask for? I've only admired you from afar but now I want to be closer to you!"

"Are you even legal?"

Jin's question sort of stops her. She sniffles back her tears. "Yeah? I mean, I'm 16."

"Nah. You're so underage."

"But… oppa, I-"

"I don't wanna go to jail. And I'm not ready to be a father yet. I'm only 18." Jin can sit up, finally. He places both his hands on the girl's shoulders. She freezes at the touch. "Also I'm gay as hell."

She looks him in the eyes. "I just love you so much and I-"

"Shhh, shhh. Don't. Don't say you'll do anything for me or something. It's so lame and not true."

"No, I mean it!"

Jin smirks. She takes his bait. "Are you really sure you'll do anything for me?"

She nods, eager to hear his request.

"Well, then. Button up your shirt and let's go back home. Our own separate homes." Jin smiles and the girl seems disappointed. "I will not hate you if you promise to never pull this trick on me or anyone again."

"Really? You won't hate me?"

"I won't." He forces a nod. He's not gonna be in this school that much longer, it doesn't matter what this girl do then.  For now, he just wants to be out of this place.

The colors come back to her face and she smiles with tears b in her eyes.

"I promise!"

Jin gets out of the warehouse to be greeted with Namjoon's not-so-happy face. Before he can speak, Namjoon grabs him by his neck and takes him away. Jin waddles along, not really sure at which point did he pass out. But before he did, he's heard Namjoon complaining about his flyers looking for Tae, and how Tae was pissed about it. Tae…

And when Jin woke again, he sees Taehyung's face one more time. A tired sigh escapes his lips.

"Today is such a weird day." Jin mumbles to himself.

"In what way?" Taehyung asks.

"You. I keep seeing you in everyone."

"Aw, really?"

"The voice is very close. Almost identical, if I have to admit. It's just-" Taehyung raises his brows and Jin is certain. "Oh, you. You—come here."

"What?" He does come closer.

"More."

And closer.

Jin's still waving him forward and Taehyung does until his face is inches apart from Jin's. "You better not kiss me." He warns.

Jin reaches out and pokes Taehyung's cheek, surprised that he's very real and present. He's so very here. And then he smacks Taehyung and Taehyung cries out in pain, staggering back.

"It's really you this time!" Jin lets out one of the brightest smiles in a while.

"The hell is your problem, idiot!?"

"I thought I was seeing things again."

"Must be good things if my face was on it." Taehyung rubs his temple and mumbles something along the way.

"Gosh, I miss you so much! I was so worried."

"I hate your dumb face."

"You keep trying to piss me off but I'm just glad you're okay."

"And are you okay?" Taehyung asks when his anger subsides. "You don't seem… fine. Everything's fine?"

"Why would you ask me if I'm fine? Have you not seen me? I'm fine as hell."

"You don't know how surprised I am to find you here."

Jin scans his surrounding before letting out a lazy smile. "This brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." Taehyung sits back. He remembers all too well the time he was the one sleeping on that bed. Now that Jin is, he looks so much like any other teenagers. No pretense, no superficial. Just Jin. Everything seems to have come full circle now.

-

Jungkook hisses when the boss killed him for the fourth time. Usually he would easily advance to the next stage, but because Jimin is sleeping in his arms, he can't use his strength to his potential lest he would wake his boyfriend up.

After the night Jin was here, Jimin refused to sleep alone because he is scared. Not to lie, Jungkook is scared too. But he agreed to let Jimin cuddle him 24/7 because of other motives.

"Dammit!" Jungkook cusses under his breath when the boss kills him yet again. Because he respawn his character, his phone beeps a message. From Taehyung. He puts away the controller and reads his best friend's message. Soon, a silly smile appears on his face. Taehyung has heard everything from Jin and Jin's new friends Hoseok and Yoongi the Sophomores. Everything now sounds very childish, and Jungkook soon bursts into a laughing fit. Jimin stirs awake.

"Jungkook?"

"Oh, sorry. I-" Jungkook laughs again. He hands the phone to Jimin and continues with his fit. Jimin squints at the bright screen for a few seconds before the letters start to make sense. Finished, he shows a relieved smile.

Glad to have you back <3

He sends to Taehyung.

- - -

That one faithful encounter

 "You're not here to jump, are you??"

Taehyung doesn't answer. He just smiles. The question doesn't really make sense to him at first. But as times go by and Namjoon won't stop staring, Taehyung registers the question.

"What??"

"I asked, are you here to jump? You're not that crazy, right?"

"Are you joking?" Taehyung seems appalled. "You can pay me a billion dollar and I still wouldn't jump. What kind of creepy thought you were having about me? Whoa.."

"Well.. I'm only asking because I'm worried."

He gives Namjoon a look.

"Alright, my bad." 

Taehyung still semi-glares at Namjoon, and the older boy shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Are you..." Namjoon braces for the question. "...done being influenced by the great devil Kim Seokjin? You are, aren't you? There's no way to help you now?"

"Damn, Tae, I'm still me."

"Then where did that stupid thought come from?"

"It's a slip of tongue. That's all."

"Okay, but-"

"Taehyung, let me live."

"Alright. But imma tell Jimin."

"If he asks me, I'll deny."

"Jimin will believe me."

"I'll deny everything."

Namjoon learns, at that moment, that Taehyung is not a china doll that is easily broken. And so he learns to be careful of his words around the mini Jin.

A/N: Do not worry, friends. I have an epilogue for you as well. Will be posted very soon ^^

Enjoy~

And Happy Chinese New Year!

p.s. Please forgive any mistakes since I only proofread like half way through xD