Hot. So so hot. It seemed that conditioner wasn’t enough and they needed to go hide in a cave so the sun wouldn’t kill them.

The TV was on but no one was really watching it.

“Let’s go to the pool, it’s hot.” Jungkook suggested.

“Yes.” The other two agreed simultaneously.

A trip through hell and they were at a public pool, full of screeching children and goofy teens. Jungkook started regretting his decision immediately. There was just too many people and hell, he had to see not only half- and wet Taehyung, but Jimin too. He was sure his heart and other parts could not handle it for too long.

Taehyung seemed more excited than the screeching children, he ran quickly and jumped into the pool ignoring the “no jumping” sign.

Jimin and Jungkook casually slid into the pool to cool themselves down while Taehyung already made friends with random kids and was running around the pool.

“I swear that guy is going to get himself killed.” Jimin sighed.

Jungkook nodded and traced the surroundings of the pool that’s when he spotted the ice cream stand.

“I want ice cream…But I don’t want to move.”

“I’ll bring you some,” Jimin smiled mischievously “If you win a game.”

Jungkook looked at him cautiously “And if I lose?”

“Kiss me.”

Jungkook turned red as a tomato, not the smoothest of moments for him. “What’s the game?”

“Simple. Who can hold their breath underwater the longest.”

Jungkook smirked he was good at this game. Jimin started counting and on the 3 they both dipped underwater.

Jungkook took it as an advantage that Jimin did the count down, now he would for sure get his ice cream.

Wait. If he lost, he would get to kiss Jimin. Jungkook stopped thinking for a minute. Was he stupid to lose this opportunity, but his competitiveness was still taking over.

The thought of kissing Jimin took over Jungkook’s mind, he could kiss him anyway when he got his ice cream, those soft and plump lips looked so sweet. Jungkook tried breathing in completely forgetting he was under water, he breathed in water and stood up coughing.

Jimin surfaced soon after laughing proudly at his victory. He looked at Jungkook “Time to take my prize.”

Jimin came closer to Jungkook barely touching their bodies together. He pressed his soft lips on the younger boy’s, moving them a little. That was enough for him and he was about to pull away, when Jungkook pulled Jimin closer so their bodies were smashed together.

Jungkook crashed his lips onto Jimin's, earning a gasp from him. Jungkook took the opportunity to slip in his tongue. They fought for dominance a for a bit, until Jimin let Jungkook, the more experienced one have his way.

Jimin was feeling weak in his knees, but Jungkook’s strong arms held him in place.

It was getting hotter, which was just impossible to take in this weather. Jungkook was still exploring other one’s mouth when he felt heat going southward. It was a good sign to pull away.

When he finally did they both were breathing heavily, still holding an intense gaze.

“Wow that was hot,” Taehyung whispered spooking the other two “I want to do it too.” he stretched his hands and puckered his lips.

Jimin kicked him lightly on the chest making him fall over “We’re going to eat ice cream.” he grabbed Jungkook’s hand and climbed out of the pool. Jungkook didn’t protest.

They stood in a line chatting casually, after waiting a bit they got their ice cream and it seemed like Taehyung didn’t follow them.

The day was going to an end. Jimin and Jungkook spent most of their time on the side of the pool.

The sky was getting red from the sunset and there was less and less people in the pool.

“Where’s Taehyung?” Jimin noticed "Did he drown when I kicked him?" He asked jokingly.

The pool was almost empty at that point, but Taehyung wasn’t anywhere in sight.

Jungkook suggested looking for him, because it was getting late and they were hungry.

An hour spent looking around the pool. Taehyung was nowhere to be found. The pool was closing down and they exited it. He wasn’t in the changing rooms either.

Panic washed over them both, what if he got lost. Or worse what if he disappeared…

That would mean that they would disappear soon too, but they just reunited. They didn’t want to go back.

Jimin insisted they checked the convenience store near the apartment, Taehyung would go there sometimes to secretly buy candy.

He wasn’t there.

Taehyung was gone.

Jungkook ran up the stairs, the elevator just wasn’t fast enough. The door to the apartment was locked. He still held onto his crashing hope, maybe he locked the door from the inside. That was not likely for Taehyung.

Jimin joined him and they searched every corner of the apartment. They even checked under the bed in desperation.

Taehyung was gone.

Just like that Taehyung disappeared. Like a lost child, never too be found.

Jungkook and Jimin lived 2 months without Taehyung in their now seemingly too big of an apartment.

* * *

They ate breakfast mostly outside the apartment. It felt uncomfortable there.

A little café, a very cosy place now became their place of choice every morning. They were sitting outside, because the morning was just too beautiful, chitchatting about non important things.

Jimin found himself observing the people walking by. They all seemed busy, hurrying but the strangest thing seemed they all had the same expression.

Tired, blank. He couldn’t make out any exception in the crowd of grey mass.

Jungkook was observing Jimin. He looked careless and just a bit of curiosity painted his features.

Suddenly Jimin leaned back in his chair his eyes wide, shocked. Jungkook reached over to shake him shoulder asking him what’s wrong, but he didn’t respond.

Concerned Jungkook turned Jimin to him and shook him with a bit more force.

“Jimin, snap out of it!”

Jimin’s eyes slowly came back into focus. “Taehyung,” he breathed out “I saw Taehyung.”

“What? In the crowd?” Jungkook scurried to his feet looking around franticly.

“I-I don’t know he was in front of me.”

“Maybe you saw him in his forest? His world?”

“No… I think it was some kind of apartment? Maybe I-I can’t make sense of it.” Jimin buried his face in his hands.

“Maybe he’s in our apartment?” Jungkook hugged Jimin hopefully.

They ran to the apartment. After Jungkook ran around the apartment he found it empty. He came up to Jimin who was still standing by the door with a confused look.

"Jungkook, he called me stupid... he just shouted that I'm stupid."

* * *

Taehyung’s disappearance had a bigger impact then they had anticipated. Waking up in the morning without him was weird, eating without his cheerful chatter was lonely.

Jimin and Jungkook felt the same way. It was like there was an empty spot everywhere they went.

It was comforting that they were together, but it brought anxiety too. The thought that they could just disappear any moment made things worse every day.

Being together every day was warm and satisfying, but not fulfilling. Taehyung’s absence bore into their existence.

At first it seemed like it would fade with time, but nothing was changing.

Without Taehyung emptiness followed.

“It feels like he’s with me but still out of reach,” Jimin one whispered into the pillow. It was late and Jungkook was string away from sleep “It’s an unsettling feeling, do you feel it too?”

Jungkook shook his head in the dark “No, he’s gone,” he seemed sad “But I’ll wait for him.”

Jimin sighed into the pillow.

Taehyung could never come back.