Taehyung's angry. Sat by the gate, waiting to board the plane.

It's a weak anger. Where Taehyung makes himself believe it's his fault.

It's his fault Jungkook ever got hurt.

It's his fault Jungkook is having a hard time showing what he feels.

It's his fault Jungkook has to go through all of this, living on a few pathetic hours of sleep. 

In the open space of the hall, people pass, pulling luggage, smiling at each other, laughing, conversing.

They're happy. 

He glances at the boy sitting beside him, the boy whom he loves so dearly. The boy who is exhausted, looks gone yet doesn't even try taking a nap during the never ending wait.

He wonders, why can't he make Jungkook happy?

Taehyung scoffs quietly at himself. It almost sounds like a forced back sob.

Why does Jungkook continue getting hurt like this. What did the boy ever do to deserve this torturous lack of peace.

Has he actually ever made Jungkook happy?

Or was it temporary and the boy is realising Taehyung isn't this perfect love he needs.

"Tae," comes a soft voice, snapping Taehyung back.

"Yeah?" he turns to his right, looking at Jungkook.

The younger takes his hand, intertwines their fingers. "I'm sorry,"

'no no no' Taehyung thinks 'why would he be sorry'

"You're probably tired of all of this," Jungkook voice has a slight rasp to it, Taehyung can't figure if it's the pain behind it or the restlessness. "you know... you don't have to do this,"

Taehyung isn't sure if the boy is referring to the flight to China or to their relationship.

Jungkook has always been vulnerable, but he has never displayed it. Taehyung never really seen it, not in this context. Not in such insecurity.
Jungkook wouldn't be here if he didn't learn how to hide it.

Taehyungs squeezes his hand, placing a gentle kiss to his temple. "I know," he says "but I want to."

His heart feels lighter once a small smile shows in Jungkook's expression.

---

When the gates finally open and everyone starts boarding the plane to Beijing, it is then that Jungkook comes to terms with what is happening, with who he'll see.

His hand leaves Taehyung's, suddenly aware of all the strangers eyes. He dislikes the attention. He feels very bare.

Yoongi hands them the tickets and they all board without any issues.
He leads them to the end of the large aircraft. As much as Taehyung would prefer a window seat, simply because he gets nauseous, they're sat in the middle of the plane, four seats in a row. Yoongi having the A19 seat, Taehyung A20 and Jungkook A21.

Right beside Jungkook, at the edge of the row sat a little boy, he presumes it's his mother that's sitting at A23, on the two seat row right next to them.

Taehyung glances to his left. "It's a two hour flight," he brushes his hand against Jungkook's "catch some sleep, okay?"
Jungkook just gives a little nod.

"I'll be right back," Yoongi glances at Taehyung before getting out of his seat.

Jungkook rests his head back, silently watching as other people get seated, waiting for the plane to take off. He pulls out his phone and puts in his earphones.

Yoongi is back in his seat a moment later. A highs pitched 'ding' makes everyone quiet down and the pilot welcomes everyone on board, like any other flight, in this case a lady, explains the procedures in case of an emergency and soon the plane starts off. 

Turbulence is a normal thing on flights, but Jungkook could see the little boy sat beaide him wasn't liking it one bit. Holding tightly onto his seat belt, looking stressed.

"Joon," a lady calls, voice soft. She reaches over to the little boy from her seat, handing him a panda plushie. She smiles, trying to calm the boy down a little.

The boy grabs the toy before pushing it off of his lap, still upset. The ladies smile turns into a sad frown. She can't do much, sat at another row.

Jungkook glnaces at the plushie near his feet and pulls one earphone out. He hesitates but picks it up. "Is this yours?" he looks at the boy. Joon, was it? he hands him the toy, but the kid keeps his hands on the seat belt, holding onto dear life.

Jungkook glances at the lady who now looks apologetic. He then smiles at the boy. "Do you know BigBang?"

Joon looks at him, expression still as stressed, but Jungkook got his attention. 

"Here," he gives the boy one earphone, playing BigBang's 'Blue'. Joon slowly takes one hand off of the belt, taking the earphone, his eyes stuck to Jungkook. The older smiles, then hands him the plushie.

A moment passes and the boy seems to relax a bit. His mother looks at Jungkook with a thankful smile, gives a little bow in her seat.

Taehyung glances at his boyfriend, whos smiling at the little boy beside him, listening to music. He can't help but smile himself.

The little boy starts mumbling the lyrics, swaying gently from side to side. Jungkook joins him, quietly singing. Joon looks up at him and smiles, taking the plushie.

The lady at the other row watches, sitting back in her seat with a smile.

Taehyung looks forward but he takes Jungkook's hand in his, gently and discretely, just to reassure him a bit, to say 'I love you'. Jungkook starts gently tracing a heart shape with his tumb. And instead, it's Taehyung who feels reassured. Comes out he needed it more than Jungkook.

---

They land and get to their hotel just before 4.

There is no sleeping out the situation. They've to be at the prison at 5. Truth is, Taehyung's ing worried. Worried about Jungkook, about losing him. Maybe not physically, but mentally. He's extremely worried.

Jungkook eventually fell asleep on he plane, half an hour in, right after the little boy did. But that's as much rest as he got.

"You okay?"

Usually it's Taehyung who asks that question. This isn't their usually.

Taehyung looks up from where he's sat on the bed of their hotel room. "Me?" He breathes.

Jungkooks stood at the other end of the room, one hand still on his luggage handle. He frowns. "Yes. You." 

"Come 'ere," Taehyung reaches his hand out. Jungkook walks up and stops right in front of him. He looks down. Taehyung looks up.

"Tae, I'm serious."

Taehyung takes the boy's hands into his. "I'm the last thing you should be worried about."

Jungkook scoffs. "What else am I supposed to worry about?" he stares "Dads in prison, moms probably next. Besides, if they were to get out, you're taking me to L.A, no?"

Taehyung smiles sadly. He sees right through Jungkook, it's so obvious at the same time as it isn't. As if the boy doesn't knows what to think of the situation anymore. 

Then again, he probably doesn't.

"Don't look at me like that."

Taehyung stares at him in question.

"I don't like it. I like when you're impossibly positive."

Taehyung breathes a laugh. "What?"

"You always had it," Jungkook's eyes meet Taehyung's. "This weird look, as if everythings gonna be okay, even when everything was falling apart, your eyes just... shined with hope." he stares. "it never disappeared, not when I told you to leave me alone, not when my father came back."

Taehyung doesn't say anything.

"So why is it gone?"

Because all those other times, Taehyung thought he could actually help Jungkook. Because Jungkook was there and smiling because of him.

Now he isn't so sure.

Taehyung drops his hands, letting go of Jungkook's "Are you happy with me?"

Jungkook takes a step back, a step away from Taehyung. There it is, another tug at Taehyung's heart.

But then Jungkook sits on the floor in front of Taehyung and the elder can't avoid his gaze if he wanted to.

Jungkook looks pained, eyes scanning him with confusion. Hands in his lap, fidgeting with his sleeve. "You think, I'm not happy with you?"

Taehyung looks down.

"But are you happy with me?"

It's this that ends Taehyung's silence. It's what brings him back to raw reality, because maybe Jungkook drifted away only because Taehyung did first.

He looks up and pushes himself off the bed, sitting in front of Jungkook before pulling him in, arms wrapping tightly around the boy's body as if everything depended on it. Maybe it did.

Jungkook hugs back, just as tightly, holding onto the older.

It's a silent 'Yes.' a 'You are my happiness.'

"I am happy."

"Me too."

---

"Mister Kim, Jeon," the security guard bows. The boys mirror his action. "this way."

They follow. The walk through the grey hallways seems endless. Jungkook can't really explain the feeling resting over his shoulders, it's cold.

And suddenly he wishes the walk was longer because he's not ready when they stop in front of a large secured door.

Yoongi arrived earlier. He's stood by the door, arms crossed. His eyes jump up to Jungkook and they soften.

"Miss Jeon is in the room, whenever you're ready."

Taehyung nods and thanks the guard.

Jungkook avoids looking at the door. Instead he looks to Taehyung. The older looks back.

"I can't." Jungkook shakes his head.

Taehyung stares, thinks. He won't force Jungkook to go in, obviously. The boy didn't have to come at all, Taehyung is starting to feel bad for letting him. "I'll go in first, alone, clear some things up," Jungkook glances at Yoongi, still avoiding the door. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." The younger looks down. "Sorry."

Taehyung immediately shakes his head, cupping Jungkook's face. "You've nothing to be sorry for." He places a kiss to the boy's forehead."I won't be longer than 10 minutes, okay? Sit down and don't worry."

Jungkook nods.

And just like that he watches Taehyung disappear into the room.

For Taehyung though, the moment wasn't as fast. Thousands of thoughts running through his mind simply while he pressed the handle down, millions by the time he stepped through. And all of them stopped once he closed the door behind himself. All except one. 

'Why?'

There sat the lady who was once the kindest person to him. The exact opposite to Jungkook's father. Maybe he just didn't know her enough, probably because as a 15 year old, he didn't care.

Her hair, still long and black, slides down her shoulders when she looks up. Her hands handcuffed in front of her on the table. The expression on her face goes from confused to surprised and then it softens and she looks lost, staring at the familiar face that just walked in. The once lost, young boy now a man.

"Taehyung?" She speaks, voice strained. She doesn't believe it.

Taehyung walks up to the table, taking a seat in front of her. What is he supposed to say?

"You..." she stares, slightly leans forward as if to examine him. "you changed so much, you-" she sits back "Why are you here?"

"Work." Taehyung stares.

"With the police?" She asks, voice soft, in disbelief. "You work with the police?" 

Taehyung understands the surprise in her voice. He was bound to go down the crime path, legacy and all that. And he did go the crime path, just not the way his father wanted. But what he doesn't quite get is the slight tone of happiness in her voice.

"I used to work for the police," he corrects. "Now, tying loose ends."

She stares.

"So lets get the first one cleared up." He leans forward. "How in hell are you alive?"

"Sorry?"

"According to the police reports, and your husband, you passed away a few years ago."

She blinks "Passed away? I left." She says, confused. "after the incident I  had to leave-"

"Incident?"

There's a knock on the door. A guard walks in. Taehyung looks back at him in question.

"May officer Min come in?"

Taehyung hesitates. Nods. He turns back to Jungkook's mother but she isn't looking at him. Shes staring at Yoongi now.

And Yoongi doesn't seem pleased whatsoever. Arms crossed over his chest, he's staring the woman down. If Taehyung didn't know any better, he'd say Yoongi was about to commit murder. Theres nothing but hatred in his eyes.

"Yoongi-"

"Don't." he stops her. Nods his head at Taehyung. "Continue."

Taehyung turns back to her.

She looks down at her hands, brows furrowed. "I couldn't stay in Korea, not after Kangdae-"

"But you could leave your son with the son of a ?" Yoongi barks. Miss Jeon looks up, eyes teary and Yoongi snaps, taking a step forward. "You -!"

"Yoongi!" Taehyung stands up, the chair scratching the floor as it's pushed back. He glares at his friend.

"What is he talking-"

Taehyung turns back to the woman. "Incident, what incident?"

"H-he," She breathes, regaining her posture. "Kangdae, he promised not to get our son involved in... you know, his work." She looks down, blinking tears away. "He was supposed to bring Jungkook to his friends house, Jimin's, before some buisness meeting he had arranged," she says, voice pulled, closer to a whisper with each word. "Instead he brought Jungkook with him-" she breaks down, bringing her hands up to her face. "it didn't go as planned and- and Jungkook got shot," She cries. Taehyung steps back from the table, speechless. "My baby died." she stares at the table.

Taehyung turns, stares at Yoongi for answers. Insead he gets a mirrored expression staring back at him. What in hell really happened?