[warnings: mentions of death (? not rlly but more similiar to it) angst warning!

and curse words like only two but repeatedly used. and finally, not a warning but loads of broship between vmin~]

---

 

Jimin walks through the aisles, trying to ignore the entity that is Kim Taehyung right below his nose.

"Let's pull a prank!"

"Let me shop in peace, Tae"

Not like he was the one who pulled him along because it was too late in the night. Nope, definitely not that.

And not like he was afraid of being alone in the night, never. He isn't a kid.

"You know, you should've told me you were just afraid of being alone"

"Uh, no? Thank you for a-assuming wr-ong" . He thinks to himself, cursing over and over. Me and my bloody mouth, I should shut up.

"Listen, Park Jimin. I've been with you ever since I died and I know you like the back of my ghost hand; now stop lying"

"Fine. I was afraid, okay? Happy?"

"You should've just told me! You were the one who lied to me that we could pull pranks on people! And you would let me buy whatever I want!"

"Listen, I only wanted just a cup of ramen for myse--" 

He freezes when he sees the boy, legs on the counter and eyes intensely burning the phone screen, and he feels himself insides melt into a puddle of goo. No, he thinks to himself. I'm not supposed to be like this, goddammit! He mentally chants, trying to control his shivering legs and fingers. Goddammit. Oh well, one-side crushes sure are getting-in-the-nerve types.

"Ooh~ Checking out the counter boy, I see"

And Jimin wishes the other wasn't as transparent and untouchable when he wanted to be.

"Kim. Tae. Hyung. Get the out of my face"

"How much long has this been going? I thought I was your only love!"

Sometimes, just sometimes, he wishes he hadn't accidentally saw the guy die. He immediately shudders at the mere thought of it, reminding himself for the nth time to not think like that because it's bad to be mean to someone who's... dead.

Yes, Kim Taehyung was a ghost. Died right before Jimin's eyes in a car-crash. Sent the poor guy into a state of trauma for the next four months. And then proceeded to torture him by acting like a legitimate ghost for another month. And them, finally, came up to him, asking for his help because I cannot move on to the Heavens until I finish my life's ultimate goal.

 

(And what is that, Taehyung-sshi?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously!"

"Seriously")

 

"Hey, kiddo" He snaps away from his thoughts, turning to the direction of the voice. "Not to freak you out, but are you buying it or not?" He points at the cup in his hand and back at him.

"Y-Yeah, I-I am" Great. Go die in a hole, Park Jimin. Very good for a first impression.

"You're pretty late for someone craving noodles" He shrugs, smiling a little. "Not like I'm seeing it for the first time, but considering it'a almost closing time and you were the only one, I'm surprised"

"I-I just--"

"Don't have to explain it" The guy says, and for a split second Jimin thinks he's rude, but no, it's just people in general. "That'll be 3$"

Wow, He thinks as he fumbles for his wallet... which he had left at home.

He almost tears a hole through his pocket from the nervousness picking up on his system, and he's sure that he's about to have a full fledged panic attack--

"No money?" The guy asks.

"Huh?"

"You've been searching that wallet of yours for ten minutes now; no money?"

"I-I for-got to br-bring it" He stammers pathetically. His hands are still fumbling for the non-existent wallet, or at least some of the change he usually carries around with him, too lazy to actually put them in his wallet.

Nice, now I seriously need to find a hole to die in.

"Hey, hey, Don't panic now. This happens all the time" The guy says, smiling a bit warmer than before. 

Jimin doesn't what the smile holds but it calms him down a bit as the sound of the keys being punched four times and the scratching sound of the bill being printed resonates around them. 

"I-I don't have money on me righ--"

"This one's on me. Not for free, though." The guy smirks. "You gotta pay me back"

"Say yes, yes!" Taehyung cheers on for him in the loudest voice his throat can make up.

"Y-Yeah, sure" He nods, bowing repeatedly.

"Kid, stop making me feel old."

"W-What can I do to... repay?"

"Hm," The guy shrugs back in reply, going into thinking, and Jimin takes that time to notice his attire. A striped tee, with black jeans and a scratched name-tag that spells out 'Min Yoongi'. "How about the same noodles, one for you and one for me?"

"Th-That's it?"

"Well I'd ask you to pay my student loan but no, that is enough" He smiles and hands the cup back to Jimin, along with the bill. "So, let's meet soon...?"

Jimin stands there dumbfounded,  wondering what he is subtly asking for. He's asking for your name, idiot. Taehyung's voice blares inside his mind and he almost yells in shock.

"U-Uh, Park Jimin"

"See you soon, Park Jimin"

With that, Jimin leaves the store, still in shock. "... That was so stupid of me!" He yells after a long minute, and a great distance from the store.

"Glad you realized it" Taehyung scoffs.

---

At times, Jimin really likes to beat some sense into Taehyung. Not all the time, just some times.

And that includes this moment right now.

"Park Jimin! Park Jimin! Park Jimin!" Taehyung is cheering on him, floating above him as he sits outside the room, nervous about almost everything right now. "You can do it, Park Jimin!"

"Will you stop?" He mutters as low as he could, looking around to see if there were any eyes on them-- him.

"Park Jimin! Park Jimin!" Nope. No effect.

"Just..." He says, face-palming himself in frustration. Or because of the nervousness wrecking his system, again. "Just stop, Tae--!"

The whole corridor turns to look at him, eyes wide in confusion. Whispers go back and forth, and judgmental looks are passed onto him. He feels little all of a sudden, like everyone can topple him over just by looking at his way. He lets out a shaky, breathy laugh and looks around, hoping people would stop eyeing him like he murdered someone. He flinches at Taehyung's cold fingers touching him, bringing even more whispers onto himself, and even more looks. The place was silent, even while being filled with a considerable amount of people. The guy beside him, the next to submit his assignment, almost runs away before Jimin himself does, ignoring the door opening and the previous student coming out, making it his turn. The file falls down with a crash, the contents of his hard work for two sleepless nights spilling out freely.

He runs, runs, runs until his eyes find a good place to hide himself in: The bathroom. He ignores Taehyung shouting and running after him, freely passing through people and almost possessing one in the process. Another guy, inside the bathroom, gives him a weird, judging look before he exits hastily, leaving the place alone. And just for Jimin.

.

What have I done?

"I ing hate you, Kim Taehyung!" He growls as he locks himself in one of the stalls. He sees the latter's hand float inside the stall, and yells louder. "Go away!"

At times, Jimin wishes he hadn't gotten this guy to stick around with him. But he knows that isn't heartfelt, no, it's just a mistake in time.

The place goes silent, and Jimin folds in on himself, trying to just breathe. No one was sparing a look at him, no one was judging him here, but they will, at least for the rest of the day, and maybe for the next day too, and it freaks him out. I should have just took a leave today, He thinks. And maybe should have submitted the assignment earlier.

"Who's in there?" He flinches at the voice, shrinking more into himself. Letting out a shaky, raspy breath, he hums out in a questioning manner.

Silence. And a deep breath. And his own nervous gasps for air. "...Jimin?"

"No!" He yells out, not even himself anymore. He strangely recognizes the voice. Or maybe I'm just hallucinating. Yeah, that's it, I'm hallucinating.

"Jimin, it's me, Yoongi"

"N-No..!" His voice has become a lot weaker now from the constant shivering for the past god-damned minutes, but he still calms down at the name.

"Jimin, open the door"

He notices his hands pathetically trembling as he unlocks the door, letting it to be opened by whoever it was out there.

And indeed, it was Yoongi. "Jimin? What are you doin--" He stops as the latter racks a sob, and cowers away. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"N-No-thing" Great. I really need to find a hole for myself. Just... maybe not to die.

"It doesn't look so, you've bathed yourself in sweat"

"Se-riously, it-it's nothing" He repeats, almost robotically.

"Well, if you... say so" With that, Yoongi leaves the place, letting Jimin be alone again.

And suddenly, he doesn't feel that bad.

---

"Where have you been?!" Taehyung screeches as soon as Jimin enters the little apartment. "It's almost night-time!"

"Just outside, getting some air" He replies, dumping his bag on the bean bag and heading straight to his room. He takes a quick glance at his watch-- which shows a 9-- before removing it and keeping it on the table. It had been pretty much a bad day for him, minus Yoongi unintentionally comforting him. 

"I... I'm sorry" Taehyung starts. "I shouldn't have crossed the line and gone overboard. Listen, I'm really really sorry--"

"I don't want to talk now, Tae" He replies, plopping on the bed tiredly.

"I'm sorry, really. I should have stopped when you said so--"

"Not now," He mutters (or more like growls, because he feels a splitting headache make its way to him).

"-- but I didn't and you probably had an anxiety attack--"

"Not now,"

"-- and I just feel really bad for making you feel like that all over ag--"

"I said not now!" He yells, much to the surprise of the latter. "How hard is it to understand and just leave me alone for some time!"

"J-Jimin..." Taehyung hiccups, feeling the lump growing. I infuriated him. Great.

"Just leave, Taehyung. Leave me alone"

With that, Jimin falls back on the bed, burying his face under the covers and almost instantly slipping into sleep. Right now, he didn't care if he had told Taehyung off; heck, he wouldn't care even if he told someone off. All he wants is a good sleep.

Right now, he didn't care about anything.

Taehyung gave a long look at him before floating away, a big frown on his face. If he needs his time alone, then be it. I won't bother him; no I won't. He resolves to himself as he sits on the rooftop, lying down and just watching the twinkling stars blankly. 

*

Jimin didn't understand. He didn't understand why he was suddenly back at the same place, at the same place which he had vowed to never visit again. The nerves strike him again, and he finds himself completely covered in cold sweat. It's getting hard for him to breathe. He sees Taehyung cross the road, waving two of something to someone, standing like a stupid in the middle of the road.

"Wait a second!" He says, taking one step ahead.

And that was the last word he spoke before the truck crashed against the side of Taehyung's body.

*

"Taehyung!" He snaps his eyes open, shivering from the strangely cold air in the room and gripping onto the bed-sheets for life. "Kim Taehyung!"

He furiously looks around for him in the room, and finding him nowhere, starts to freak out more. "T-T-Taeh-yung!" He whimpers, feelings his hands slip because of the sweat and freaks out even more.

"I'm here!" He sees Taehyung yelling, but doesn't hear it. "I'm here, I'm here! I didn't go anywhere!"

"B-But y-you--" He chokes on his own saliva. "-- you w-were hit b-y the tru--!"

"Nothing happened, sshh" The boy says and scoots beside him, putting his hand over the latter's shaking frame. 

"B-But you--!" He chokes again, letting the tears fall. The image was stuck to his mind, still fresh and pretty much terrifying.

He could live through a century, but he can never forget that.

Throughout the sleepless night, Jimin is shaking in fear and shock, eyes wide and refusing to close, while Taehyung tries his best to calm him down and force him to sleep. Or just make him forget any of the thing running through his mind. 

Sometimes, Jimin is thankful that Taehyung is beside him.

---

"A bit scared, aren't you?" Taehyung asks and Jimin nods nervously as he knock on the door exactly twice, gulping down nothing.

"Yes," The voice answers hoarsely, and Jimin takes it as permission and enters inside.

"I-I came to submit my assignment" He says, standing before the professor.

"I'm pretty sure the last date was supposed to be yesterday?"

"Y-Yes"

"Sorry. Not acceptable"

"P-Please--!"

"Nope." Looking at the professor's stern gaze, Jimin realizes he can no more try and convince him at all. "And, detention today"

"Sir?"

"Punishment for not submitting the assignment yesterday"

"But I came to submit it yesterday!" He tries reasoning, because he really wasn't in the mind to be holed up in the detention room with delinquents or a nerd or someone who he doesn't even know.

"Well, where were you? I didn't see you entering the room, Park Jimin"

He has no answer. With a silent, dejected sigh, he mutters a 'yes' and comes out, the file almost crushing beneath his fingers. 

"Wait; keep the file here"

He really has no voice against any of the professors, or he would've never given it in the first place. He keeps the file on the table and comes out, heaving out a breath of relief.

"Well, you at least got to keep the file, right? Maybe he'd see it and send you earlier from detention" Taehyung tries to cheer him up.

"... That's one thing to be happy about, I guess"

---

Jimin walks up to the detention room, groaning quite loudly as he spots his classmates grouping up and making plans for the weekend, while he was going to be in detention for two more hours. 

Like the loser I am, he chuckles to himself. He turns to Taehyung, noticing the guy lost in deep thought.

"What're you thinking about?" He asks, and looking around to see if anyone heard him. Nope, No one, so he was fine.

"I was wondering... how long has it been since we've, you know, stuck together?"

He definitely knew what he was mentioning about. "I don't remember... Two years, maybe?"

Taehyung just shrugs and turns silent again, leaving Jimin to dwell in his own thoughts.

It was funny, actually, how Jimin came to know the ghost that was "haunting" him was Taehyung, when he comes to think about it. True, he was a complete stranger to Jimin, someone he could have never known if it wasn't for the unfortunate accident that took place right before his eyes. Seeing something painfully heartbreaking from just some meters close, Jimin couldn't even function properly for some days. He remembers staying holed up in his room all day, refusing to even look outside. Traumatized enough to even tremble for crossing the road, to have any vehicle within ten meters of distance, he had completely shut himself out, developing an anxiety of just the world in general. He felt like everyone was judging him for not doing anything at that time, for not attempting to save the guy, because he just stood here, looking at everything with wide eyes as everything happened right before him in seconds before passing out from the shock. When he finally got to force himself into living again instead of eating cups of noodles brought in by his friends who-- he assumes-- probably thought he was pathetic and a coward, he started seeing things move by itself, things happening by itself around him, and hell was he scared.

The 'ghost', however, turned out to be one of the most aloof ghosts he met. Well, not like he meets ghosts every single day. But this was nothing like in the movies; and he actually liked it.

He spots the detention room steps away, and lets out a dissatisfied sigh. I was planning on a movie marathon, .

What-- or who-- he doesn't expect, is Min Yoongi, right in the center of the room, browsing through his phone lazily. The guy's head turns to the door, and Jimin almost freezes into place if not for Taehyung's cold hands wrapping around his comparatively warm ones.

"Oh, hi there" Yoongi waves at him, and Jimin is sure he is somewhere between let's keep a distance you're my crush and oh my god i feel so happy because you talked to me i'm going to melt into a puddle.

"H-Hi," He says, pulling a chair at least three seats away from Yoongi's. No one was around, so the room was pretty much empty. 

"What brings you here, kiddo?"

Stop calling me that, the words die in his throat and he answers Yoongi's question: "I-I failed to submit my assignment on time"

"Let me guess, Professor Kim?"

"H-How did you--"

"That is the main reason I even know this place; his reasons are the lamest things ever. Didn't submit the assignment of time, detention this evening; accidentally talked to someone in class, detention this evening; turned your head away from the board, detention this evening"

Jimin couldn't stifle his laugh and burst out, folding over as Yoongi chuckles along with him. Taehyung witnesses this, and there is a slight pang at his heart, even if wasn't supposed to... feel things. But a part of him, a bigger and dominant part of him, is happy that he had finally found someone who could take care of Jimin more than he could ever do as a non-existent human. A weird kind of enlightenment flushes through him, and everything is much more lighter than it usually is.

Seeing Jimin so happy since the time he had been stuck to him, it made Taehyung feel less guiltier. Because now, he wouldn't have to blame himself for changing a complete stranger's behavior because of his stupid mistake. He wouldn't have to feel guilty because Jimin had probably turned anxious of facing the outside world because of him, the reason he had practically stuck to his room for four continuous months. And because maybe he was the key for him to move into the afterlife.

He usually doesn't wish for anything, but now, he wishes for Jimin to stay as happy as he is now.

---

"I like you," Yoongi freezes as Jimin mutters those words to him, right at his face.

He wasn't sure. Sure, he did like Jimin, but he still wasn't sure if it was in the way the latter expects him to. But something inside him convinces him to go on with this, telling him he'd figure it out in the future. Something that wasn't him, he knows, but he decides to believe it.

"Taehyung!" Jimin jumps in excitement as soon as he steps in the apartment. Taehyung had decided to stay in that day, doing whatever he wanted to. "Taehyung, listen to me!"

"I am, I am!"

"Yoongi agreed to date me!"

There. He feels the pang hit him again, this time even more in force. Forcing a smile, he turns to Jimin and proceeds to hug him, ignoring the erratic nervous beats of his ghost heart. "That-That's great! When are you going on your first date?"

"We still have to plan it out, but the thing is, he agreed! God, I was so nervous!"

"You still have to get nervous for a lot of things, boy. Don't think this is it" He replies and leaves Jimin to be in his little world of excitement, hiding the strange feeling of abandonment which was picking at him, deep inside his heart.

"Kim Taehyung," He looks up at the direction of the voice, only to find a woman standing (or floating) before him. All of a sudden, everything around them turns into a translucent white, the colors ever so beautifully fading into the white abyss that was cast around them.

"Now that you've fulfilled your life's goal, I will give you two choices"

"Wait, wait, I fulfilled my life's goal? Without even knowing what it was?"

"The reason you had to stay back, the reason you couldn't move on to the afterlife, was because of him." She says, pointing at Jimin. Strangely enough, he was still in the picture. He was sitting on a couch, but all Taehyung could see was a white background, and Jimin sitting on nothing and smiling to himself stupidly. "You were the reason he changed, therefore it was upon you to make him happy again"

"B-But he was happy all this time" He says, the fear starting to pick up on him.

"He wasn't this happy," The woman kindly points out, and he cannot deny. He had never seen the boy smile so much, lips curving upwards to the extent of the sky. "So now, I give you two choices"

"C-choices?"

"One, you stay here, forever stuck between the real world and the afterlife, fitting in neither of these. You put him in danger by this decision, as he is prone to many more wandering ghosts than just you. But you will be there with him to protect him"

"... The second?" He gulps, vowing to never agree to the first choice.

"You move on to the afterlife. You leave everything behind, and peacefully exist in the Heavens, while he lives out of danger in the Earth"

"A-And him? What will he do?"

"That is up to him" The woman says. "You have one month before you decide. Till that, keep this book with you" She hands out a golden-covered book to him, which he receives with trembling hands. "If you ever decide within the month, take this book and wish for your decision"

"And if I d-don't...?" Decide within this one month? His thought go silent.

"You and him, you will both be in grave danger. I know you will take a wise decision, Kim Taehyung"

Everything swirls back to darkness, slowly but sharply. He could feel the energy escape him and tries his best to stay awake. The last thing he sees is Park Jimin before he falls into the infinite dark abyss.

*

When Jimin finally stops smiling (more because it hurts to smile too much) and reminds him to do his work for the day, he freezes when he sees Taehyung in the balcony... unmoving.

The first thing he does is rush to him, falling over harshly due to the wire connecting the night lamp beside his bed, and crawls to him. "T-Tae-hyung!" He screams, not minding about anything else. "Taehyung!"

Jimin couldn't bear to see him like this. It just reminded him of that fateful day, and he didn't like it one bit. Ignoring the flashes running back and forth his eyes, he shakes the latter violently in a weak attempt to wake him up.

He feels as if his lungs refused to take any breaths; as if his body restricted him from even attempting to take a breath. "T-Taeh--" He chokes much to his dismay as Taehyung's words runs through his mind.

Calm down, Jimin. Don't think about anything. Focus on your breathing.

He does the same, trying to control his shivering body, all while Taehyung is not there. The guy was usually there with him whenever he had one of his anxiety attacks, whispering the same words again and again, and reminding him to be calm and collected.

Inhale, exhale. Repeat it. Think about what makes you happy.

He forces himself to think about the time when he was happy, and most of it contains Taehyung in them, not really helping the process. Yet, he feels a tad bit calm after it, the shivers slowly disappearing to nothing.

"T-Tae-hyung..?" He calls out weakly, and seeing at least some movement from him, feels like his whole life had been given back to him.

"Ji...min..?" The latter croaks out, and Jimin has to suppress the urge to just give a nice, hard blow to him. 

"Is this some kind of a game?! I was so scared!" He yells out in fury, not really caring about logic anymore. "You don't just fall down and then wake up like nothing happened!"

"Jimin, nothing will happen to me" At least for now,

"S-Still--!"

"Look at the bright side of this: you managed to overcome your anxiety. You stopped yourself from panicking, right?"

"That doesn't matter!"

"It does! Look, you don't need me anymore to be with you whenever you feel like you're going to die, right? Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"It isn't a good thing, you nut-head!" He argues back. "Anxiety or not, panicking or not, I need you! You've been with me through all the hard times, through the times I felt like dying and you were the only one there, assuring me that I was fine!"

Taehyung feels like he had been given a harsh blow. You're supposed to be happy that you don't need me anymore, idiot! He thinks. Because I won't be there for you anymore.

He looks at the book given to him, still glowing gold, and sighs.

---

He tries his best to ignore the days moving on, a painful reminder of his pending decision. He had no choice but to choose between the two: either stay with him, protect him from all the dangers he will be exposed to, or leave him alone, unable to take care of him but having him free from any danger.

Truthfully, he didn't want to choose between either. Why can't I just stay with him like I have all this time? He frowns, deep in thought.

"Jimin," He calls out to the boy smiling like an idiot after his date with Yoongi. 

"Hm?"

"What will you do... if I am to leave?"

"To where?"

"I don't know... the afterlife, maybe?"

Jimin turns to him with wide eyes filled with shock. "Don't you ever tell that"

"Why? I will have to move on some day or ano--"

"Taehyung, you were the reason I changed, for good. But also, you were there with me through every single I feared about, and told me I could make it. And as much as the fact you're a ghost, I would never want for you to leave. Never, ever."

"Well, okay... What will you do if I have to?"

"I'll come with you"

That catches Taehyung off-guard and he chokes. "What?"

"Simple. If you're leaving, I'll come with you, or I'll stop you from going to... whatever this afterlife thing is"

You're not supposed to be like that, His frown deepens even more.

"Jimin?"

"Hm?"

"I love you"

---

Taehyung holds the notebook in his trembling hands, trying not to cry. 

Jimin wasn't home, it was a bright Sunday, but that isn't important to Taehyung.

It was the last day.

Well, close to the last day because he will have to make the decision by tomorrow, and leave the next day. And he still wasn't sure.

When did a month pass away?

And honestly, he didn't want to leave. Why can't everything just be the way it always has been? He didn't make Jimin happy, Yoongi did. And how did he accomplish his life's goal by that?

"Taehyung! Look what Yoongi got me!" Jimin chimes in as he shows off the bracelet on his hand; a shiny, silver chain. "He said it represents our unbreakable bond. Isn't that so deep?"

"Mhm," He hums along, forcing his best smile. 

"And I got you one too! Too bad you can't wear it; there should be a rule like ghosts can become human or something..." He trails off, taking out another bracelet of the same kind.

"Jimin, let's go out tomorrow"

"Where to?"

"Just... anywhere. I wanna be with you tomorrow" Before I leave. The last three words die on the tip of his tongue, untold forever.

"Okay, but... where?"

"Anywhere. Your choice"

"Okay, how about the amusement park? I need a break too, honestly." He says, heaving out a deep sigh. "But don't tell me to ride those deadly rides because I am not planning on dying tomorrow"

"Okay" Taehyung replies, his eyes fixed on the bracelet.

I really can't leave him alone, goddammit. Why does it have to be this hard?

"You have to take more care of yourself from now, okay?"

"Why are you suddenly being like you're going to leave or something"

"Who knows; but listen, don't expect me to be always sticking with you. You should learn to come out of your panic attacks, okay?"

"Taehyung, you're being really weird right now"

"Promise me you will take care of yourself" 

He was desperate, because when Park Jimin promises something, he'll hold onto that promise for life. And he believes, if he promises just this, he'll hold onto it, even after I leave.

Hopefully.

"Fine. Promise. But you're still weird"

Taehyung sticks his tongue out, eventually ending up being chased around the small apartment by Jimin and getting cursed at.

Taehyung knows he could never be this happy, even if he hadn't died at all.

---

A day passes by quicker than you expect it to, and Taehyung realizes this as the day passed by like light, so happily yet so short-lived.

Now, he takes a deep breath as he looks at Jimin on his phone, talking about his day with Yoongi and about to hang up. To tell him, and convince him.

"Jimin?"

"Hm?" He asks, eyes still stuck on the bright screen of the phone.

"What will you do... if I am to leave soon?"

"You're kidding" Jimin says, squinting his eyes back at him. "Again?"

"Just tell me"

"I... I don't know, honestly. Maybe I'd just mop around as you always say it's my prime hobby or whatever?"

"How would you feel?"

"I'd be... sad, obviously. Because you won't be there when I have one of my anxiety attacks anymore; you won't be there to tell me to calm the down and just ease me in a way I cannot even understand. But yeah, I'll be feeling pretty bad if you ever leave"

, , ; You're not supposed to be like this, Park Jimin!

"Uh, Jimin? I have something to say" Taehyung starts, keeping the golden-covered book ready in his hands. "This..."

"Hey, that's some book! Where did you get it?"

"Jimin...." He takes a really deep breath before adding: "I'm leaving"

"Stop joking; you're being really--"

"Will you just listen to me?" It comes our harsher than he intended it to be, but he doesn't care. "Jimin, I'm leaving"

"No, you're l-lying" Right now, Jimin really, really hopes it's one of those pranks Taehyung loves pulling at him. The ones where he intimidates him and leaves him almost at the brink of having a panic attack again.

"Jimin, I wasn't supposed to be attached to you, at all. I was bound to leave one day or another"

"B-B-But you still need to fulfill your life's go--"

"And that was making you happy" He huffs out. Jimin's lips whimper in disbelief, unable to say any word. "I've fulfilled it, Jimin. I made you happy"

"N-No,"

"Yes. I made you talk with Yoongi, and it makes you happy. There, I did it"

"No! You're not making me ha-ppy right now!"

"Jimin! I have to leave tomorrow!"

"I won't l-let you," He mutters, eyes filled with determination. "I will not let you leave"

"I'll only bring you more danger!"

"Fine! It's okay!"

"But why, Jimin?"

"Because a-at the end, you're with me. T-Taehyung, I've to-ld you a lot o-of times, but y-you were the one who was a-always with me, just be-because you felt guil-ty for changing me"

"You don't understand! I'm not supposed to leave you like this, goddammit!"

"Then d-dont!"

Taehyung grunts in frustration, because how am i supposed to leave him in this state? 

Just them, he hears the clock strike a twelve, and he knows. His wish or not, he is supposed to leave, because he chose to leave instead of staying with Jimin. And as much he had confidence in himself that he will protect Jimin from every harm coming in his way, he didn't want to be the reason for the harm. He didn't want to be the main reason for putting Jimin in danger in the first place.

"W-What is happening?!" Jimin shouts at his loudest voice, freaking out at his surrounding turning to a warm, soft color of white. "T-Tae-hyung!"

"Jimin," He lets the tears spill down freely, now that it will be the last time he will ever be seeing the guy again. "You idiot, I love you"

He tightens his grip on Jimin's hands who was still unable to grasp everything happening around him. "N-no, you aren't leaving me"

"You p-promised me you would take care of yourself, right?"

"I know you-you'll be there for m-me!"

"I won't! How many times do I have to tell you that!"

"No, y-you--"

"Kim Taehyung," He almost grunts in annoyance at the voice. "It's time for you to come"

"W-Who are you?!" Jimin asks, and Taehyung is surprised. He can actually see this?

"I'm the one in-charge of the Heavens"

"NO!" That is loudest Jimin has ever screamed, Taehyung remembers.

"Jimin, please don't be a wreck like you were. God, you idiot, take care of yourself"

"You're not leaving this place. Ever!" With that, Jimin yanks at Taehyung's hand and drags him away from... whatever that place was. No matter where he saw, it was white, so he figures it is the easiest to just walk away from that woman.

Taehyung is not leaving, not now, not ever.

"Guards," He hears the woman say, and doesn'r care one bit. "Get him"

He doesn't know what is happening, but all he sees is a huge, very huge back spot and everything, everything that has traumatized him till now flashes before his eyes. 

He couldn't walk anymore. He could faintly hear Taehyung's screams over the ones in his own mind.

"What are you doing? You're not supposed to harm him!"

"You're supposed to come with us, Taehyung"

"That doesn't mean you can hurt him!"

"P-Please! No!" Taehyung looks at Jimin, completely and utterly helpless as he folds into himself, trying to just stop the thing from scaring him to death.

Calm down, Jimin. Don't think about anything. Focus on your breathing.

Jimin hears Taehyung's voice echoing against all the mess, loud and clear.

Inhale, exhale. Repeat it. Think about what makes you happy.

He could feel something slip out from him, but isn't sure if it was just his hallucination or not. He couldn't think about anything happy, but he feels everything coming to a stop, as in everything. He could see the flickering scene slowly, but surely, turning completely black, and knows he cannot give up, not now.

"Taehy--" He whimpers, seeing a faint outline of someone over him. His eyes are drooping close, his body seems to be giving up to stay awake, to stay strong, and I'm not supposed to feel sleepy, . "T-Tae--"

He hears a very distant cry, but recognizes the voice. He couldn't make out what the words were, because everything is turning more dark as time passes and I shouldn't give up, not now. Stay awake, Jimin.

"Leave him alone! What did he do!"

"Delayed my precious time, that is what he did"

"You aren't supposed to do that as someone who is meant to protect humans!"

All of a sudden, everything turns too dark, too dark for Jimin's liking, and he soon gives up. No, it wasn't him blacking out. It was much more, like the whole atmosphere suddenly turned dark and creepy. 

Goodbye, Kim Taehyung. He thinks as a single tear slips down his temple, too tired to even be held in anymore. A faint, very faint and blurry outline of someone fighting someone (he isn't sure if the one who's kneeling down before him is Taehyung or not) is the last thing he sees before he falls into darkness.

---

"Jimin," Yoongi stands outside his door again, for the fifth time that day, holding a bowl of noodles. "Jimin, come out, please"

The said guy curls into himself, trying to block out the sound of whoever it was talking. If there was one voice his mind could recognize right now, it was Taehyung's.

"Jimin, I don't know what the happened to you, but you're being really childish and immature right now. At least tell me what happened"

He left, that's what happened. He thinks with a dry, bitter chuckle, clutching the bracelet in his hands, the feeling of the cold metal on his skin feeling a bit soothing because at least it reminds me of him.

And I couldn't do anything.

His eyes have dried up completely and were pretty much dehydrated as he racks out a choking sob, again. He feels sick and sore all over, and doesn't want to get up, but he knows he cannot stay in there forever. He had promised Taehyung, so might as well keep that.

Yoongi stands outside, knocking on the door continuously, and it honestly annoys the latter a bit. After some more consistent knocking, he gets up, the muscles and joints finally having some movement after three and a half days of staying at the same place. He hisses at the pain jolting up here and there all over him, but ignores them as he makes his way to the door, the bracelet still enclosed in between his fingers.

"Finally, you decide to come the out of your room"

"Why're you still here, hyung?" He asks, finding no strength to stand anymore but thankfully having Yoongi help him up. 

"What? Is it wrong for caring for my boyfriend?"

"That's... That's not what I'm asking" He sighs, clutching the metal chain evem more tightly. "I'm just a burden to you, honestly."

"Hey, don't think like that" Yoongi replies, putting his hand over Jimin's shoulder comfortingly. "You're never a burden to anyone, never"

With that, Jimin breaks down, again, sobbing hard into Yoongi's shirt. Yoongi knew better than to question him about whatever it was that made him cry like it's the last day of the world, because he has less to no idea. Whispering comforting 'its okay's and 'you're fine now's work the best, he had figured out.

You promised me you would take care of yourself. Taehyung's voice echoes into the empty space that is Jimin's brain, and he sobs harder than ever, his body suddenly finding more fluid to let out from his eyes.

'I love you too, you idiot' He mutters silently, too silent for Yoongi's ears but loud enough for him to assure himself.

There can never be another one in his life like Kim Taehyung, and he doesn't even dare to replace his place with someone else.

"How about we go out, hm?"

---

It's been almost a year, give or take a few days, and Jimin is looking at himself in the mirror for the tenth time that hour, repeatedly smoothing his coat out.

"Would you stop doing that? You're going to ruin the coat, honestly" Yoongi grunts, and Jimin frowns back in reply. 

"I just want to look good!" He argues back, still smoothing out his already-ironed coat.

"Okay, boy, it's time. Stop ruining your coat and come on"

"I'm not ruining it" Jimin grunts as Yoongi pulls him out towards the graduation hall.

Immediately, all eyes fall on him as Yoongi leads him to his seat, and leaving to take a seat himself on the place meant for close relations. Close relations, Jimin thinks with a smile as he settles down, eyes following Yoongi to the other side. He flips his phone out, looking at the time when the date flashes before his eyes in a bright, white color.

May 30.

He takes a deep gulp, trying to shudder the lump on his throat away because he didn't want it right now, not now, not ever. It had took a great deal of time for him to become normal again, and it was not going to go down the drain again.

"--you doing? Go!" He hears Yoongi shout from the side, and forms a flustered smile as he sees his classmates go and stand in a perfect line. Shoving his phone inside his pocket, he smooths his black, long coat out again as he takes a place in the line.

"Park Jimin, Year 3, Class 1" He feels his heart pick up speed as he goes up the stage, hands lightly shivering. As he holds the graduation certificate in his hand, his eyes shoot about for Yoongi, and when he finally spots him, shows a weak smile.

He didn't like all eyes being on him, and him alone, and wants this to end as quickly as possible. It feels like he's at the start of his third year all over again, mind filled with fear and all eyes looking like they were accusing him of something. 

He could see his hands tremble out of control, and tries to calm himself down as he walks across the stage, towards the exit.

Calm down, Jimin. Don't think about anything. Focus on your breathing.

Inhale, exhale. Repeat it. Think about what makes you happy.

No matter how many times he had thought of other, less hurtful ways, this is the one which always calmed him down. He feels a tear slip down his face as he makes it down the steps, breathing heavily by then.

", I'm not supposed to cry" He says to himself, but doing the exact opposite.

"Jimin, it's okay," Yoongi somehow rushes to him faster than he thinks, and Jimin couldn't help but feel thankful.

"T-Thanks, hyung. You know, f-for being with me a-all this ti-me" He chokes out, walking out of the hall with Yoongi. "And I-I'm sorry"

"What did I say about being sorry for nothing?"

"You pu-put up with everything I did, and ho-nestly, there was only one who could do that"

"Well, now that this 'one' isn't here, let's say I'm in his place?"

No, he thinks, but nods anyway. There's no replacement for Kim Taehyung.

"I-I'm sorry, I just need to... be alone"

With that, he leaves for somewhere, he doesn't know, All he wants to be is alone. And the only place he finds completely desolated is the basketball court, a ball sitting all alone. He sits on one of the benches, staring into empty space.

"I... I graduated, Taehyung" He says out loud, looking at the sky. "A-And Yoongi hyung has been talking really good care of me"

The sky is clear, bright, happy, just like how Kim Taehyung was. "A-And... I real-ly miss y-you, you know"

He sits in silence, thinking of what else to say when a hand taps his shoulders, grabbing his attention. 

When he turns back, though, he doesn't not expect what he sees right now.

He freezes in his spot, unable to move a single muscle as his eyes fixate on what he was seeing.

And everything goes black.

---

"--min! Park Jimin wake the hell up!" He frowns at the loudness of the voice and puts his hand before, accidentally hitting the face before him. It was blindingly bright, and much less warm for the sun blaring heat all over the city with fury.

"... Where am I?"

"In the infirmary, duh" Yoongi dead-pans, and Jimin has to resist the urge to give a nice slap on the latter's arm.

"W-What happened?"

"Well, someone came and told me you had passed out at the basketball court. I don't know this guy, but somehow he knows you and me are... well... dating? Yeah, he came and literally dragged me to the court"

His eyebrows furrow and knot together in confusion, but clear out as fast as it was knotted. "Th-This guy; where is he?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Tell me!" It came out harsher than he intended, but didn't care about it right now.

"Okay! I don't know, though." Yoongi shrugs back. "He just showed me where you were and told me to take care of--"

"How did he look?"

"Uh..." Yoongi frowns as he tries to remember the guy. "... I don't actually remember..?"

"" He shuffles out of the small bed, ready to run outside but Yoongi catches him.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? You're not moving anywhere; sit down"

"I need to see him--!"

"Sit down" Jimin shakes Yoongi's hands off him and runs out of the room, out of the infirmary, and out of the building.

"Taehyung!" He yells out, not really caring about people thinking of him to be insane. Because he was insane right now. Insane to meet him, because he knows it was Taehyung.

What he saw earlier wasn't a lie.

Afar, he sees a guy, golden brown locks shining against the sun, just like his own, and he runs ahead. As he gets closer and closer, the figure isn't moving, and everything feels just right as he literally crashes against the guy, falling down and bruising the both of them.

Both of them.

"I missed you so much, you idiot!" Jimin cries out, tears streaming freely down his eyes.

"I told you to take care of yourself, stupid" Taehyung mutters from beneath him, tears welling up his eyes as well. "I didn't want to see you either passing out right before me or crying"

"Uh, Jimin?" Yoongi interrupts, scratching the back of his head, "Sorry for interrupting your... 'happy moment'... but who-who is this?"

Jimin looks at Taehyung, straight in the eye, and they both smile as they say together:

"It's a long story"

 

 

 

 

---

THIS IS MY FAV FIC I'VE EVER WRITTEN HANDS DOWN.

so yeah.... im vmin trash... and no one can stop me lol

and yeah i know i use curse words a lot (or repeat curse words a lot) but it became a habit of mine ;;

so yeah, hope you guys like my comeback (?) after a fkin long time (hence the title of the story lol)