[Story Recap]

Back to present day, Jimin has rushed to the airport to look for Taehyung.

Flaming meteors were descending to Earth as time ticked past, and global news broadcasts projected another 3 more hours before the scale of impact wipes out the entire planet. 

People all over the world were saying their final goodbyes.

The airport was a sea of chaos. The ugly face of humanity was showing itself through outbreaks of violence and desperate cries as people fought to claim the limited seating on flights, if only to reach their distant loved ones for a parting embrace.

Eventually there are only two kinds of people left in the world. Those who would rather have the company of loved ones, and those who would rather be alone. 

For those who took a chance to salvage broken ties, they were faced with either happy reunion or cruel abandonment.

For Taehyung, he accepts the outcome of the latter.  

But he hadn't intended to choose between Jimin or his family.

Now he was left with neither.

It shouldn't hurt so much to lose Jimin.

But now Taehyung was faced with the consequence of the choice he made — Stranded at the airport and 2.5 hours away from his family in Daegu, Taehyung had no way left to reach them besides the video call he was currently engaged in.

Taehyung's family stayed on the line with him, and were doing everything they could to comfort him.

When Jimin caught sight of Taehyung from afar, Taehyung was huddled in a corner with messy hair and folded limbs, back pressed against the wall to avoid being trampled on by the frightening hordes of people swarming the departure gates. 

"Omma... Appa..." Taehyung sobbed. "It's my fault... It's my fault for not being there with you."

"Anyiya... You worked so hard to get a seat... We all saw that..."  Taehyung's Dad bopped his head affirmatively, as his Mom held out her hands on instinct and eventually rested her fingertips over the mobile phone screen.

"Omma loves you very much, you know? We love you so much.... Everything will be okay..."

"It's not..." Taehyung shook his head as tears fell ceaselessly. "I'm a horrible son... I shouldn't have taken so long..."

Exhausted from heartache and guilt, Taehyung's shoulders and knees sagged and he would have knocked himself out, if not for his persistence in keeping his eyes open and glued to his mobile phone screen.

"Omma... Appa... I love you..."

“We love you too, son…” Taehyung’s Dad responded with a deep nod of his head, blinking as his eyebrows furrowed with closer observation of Taehyung’s pale face.

"My boy... You don't look so good... Why don't you lie down for a while?"

"But I want to talk to you..."

"Is Jimin back yet? What's taking him so long? Is he okay?"

"Yes omma... I told you... He's getting us something to drink..."

"Hope he didn't get caught in all the rioting... Remember to stay safe, and take care of each other okay? Lie low and avoid crowded areas."

"Yes omma..."

"It doesn't look safe where you are. Are the roads badly jammed? Why don't you take Jimin home?"

"Ok... Maybe later..."

"Do you want to go check on Jimin? See if he's alright?"

"Omma..." Taehyung bawled his heart out, hiding his face behind his sleeve as the sniffles increased to sobs and his shoulders quaked uncontrollably. "You deserve better than a stupid son like me..."

"My dear... You're omma's precious baby... Look here... Don't hide from omma..."

Taehyung sobbed harder on hearing the warmth emitting from his mother's gentle voice. "Omma... I want a hug... Why can't I be there? I really am stupid..."

There was a blur of movement in front of him as someone knelt to his eye level and grabbed his forearms with a desperate pull, and Taehyung found himself captured in the arms of the person who had turned him away countless times before. Park Jimin.

"Jimin! Darling, I'm glad you're here with our Taehyung."

Taehyung shoved Jimin backwards to focus back on his mobile phone screen, and the movement was so forceful that Jimin sensed the hate that motivated it.

Taehyung was staring at Jimin like he was his greatest regret and mistake, and the less he was reminded of it, the better for them both.

What are you doing here? Taehyung’s heated stare said it all.

"Auntie, Uncle, sorry I got here so late." Jimin smiled apologetically at Taehyung's parents over the screen. Even if Taehyung was about to blow up at him, the least he could do was to assure his parents that Taehyung would not be left alone.

Taehyung’s priority was likewise to not worry his parents because he displayed a shaky smile in their line of sight, even while he had tightly wound fists pressed to the floor.

"All that matters is that you're here now. Thank you for keeping Taehyung company."

Taehyung wanted to blurt out to his parents that they knew nothing, and that this guy here is the reason he was a fool, and who knows he might have made it to Daegu if not for the fact that he made Jimin's place his first stop instead of the airport. 

Your son is a bloody fool! Kim Taehyung! A useless ingrate! Taehyung berated himself, digging his fingernails deep into his palm.

Jimin’s hand smoothed over Taehyung’s in an attempt to calm him, but Taehyung wouldn’t let it rest because he needed to vent. 

“Don’t worry, Auntie. I’d be with him.” 

Jimin smiled in a half-perplexed manner towards the screen as Taehyung withdrew his hand from under his.

“Omma, Appa. Can you give me 10 minutes? I’d call you right back, I promise.”

“Sure dear… Get settled with Jimin, and make yourselves comfortable. No point stressing up when it hits right? You will call us back? Omma wants to be able to see your face.”

"Yes omma, of course I will. I won't be long."

Taehyung maintained his good soldier front for as long as the video call was ongoing, ensuring that his mom and dad would only see how he had his act together, because he would never forgive himself if he gave them any cause to worry.

He was too drained for another episode of breakdown anyway. He just needed Jimin to go. the. . away.

The moment the line was cut, all of Taehyung's pent up anger was released upon Jimin. 

"That was a load of BULL... Seriously? Playing the role of the nice guy after all this time? You’re really one MANIPULATIVE. . you know?”