Maybe being friends again is all they need. Nothing more—no kisses, no hugs, no more spending the nights together, no special privileges, no jealousy—just friends. They need times to figure their own s out. They are so used to having one another that now it feels like they aren't whole.

But that isn't healthy, being so dependent like that.  

Maybe what both Jungkook and Taehyung need is to start small.

As they're waiting out the rain in the pet café, Jungkook has all the times to reminisce. Taehyung is sitting on the other side of the room, engrossing himself with the animals. He looks so young smiling like that. It's been a while since Jungkook last saw it.

He remembers that one time he made Taehyung laughed so hard he ended up crying. They were 13 when Jungkook popped his first pimple. It was huge on his forehead, red and sensitive and it made him question his own existence for like a whole week. Taehyung would , saying he was finally getting his horn and transform into the majestic unicorn he was destined to be. As a raging teenager, Jungkook wasn't so pleased with all the teasing, and his anger was what made Taehyung giggled until his tummy hurt every time. Taehyung used to say that when Jungkook got angry, he would scrunch up his nose and just glare at you. It was cute but Jungkook had believed it was intimidating.

Thinking back, Jungkook now wishes he could just get another gigantic pimple and get his best friend back on his good side. But what the young man doesn't quite understand is that it's not the physical changes that can amend their broken bond. 

"Well," Jungkook tries. "I wonder why they call them golden retriever. Do they retrieve golds for their owners once they reach a certain age?"

Taehyung turns a bit.

Jungkook goes on, "Do they evolve like pokemon? How do we know it's time? As a matter of fact, I don't know anything about dogs. Oh god, had I kept Goldie, I would have unintentionally tortured him!"

"It's a her," Taehyung rolls his eyes but there's a smile hidden behind his gaze. "And no, Jungkook, dogs aren't pokemon."

"Well, let's get back together if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure they are, in a way, pokemon."

Quiet.

Jungkook sweats a little. He screws up again—whatever little chance he had earlier. He sneaks a peak and finds Taehyung quietly the back of one of the dogs ears. He seems calm, maybe he hasn't heard. But that's just Jungkook's wishful thinking because Taehyung finally replies, ever so calmly:

"You're right."

Jungkook actually chokes on air a little. 

"Tae..."

"You're always like this. You think everything can be solved with a little joke."

"That's not true!"

Taehyung looks at him. Really looks at him. "Say that again, then. Say it to my face."

"Tae..."

"Maybe it's time we learn to grow up, Jungkook." Taehyung breathes. "Without each other."

"You can't mean that!" Jungkook stands up, startling the pups around him. "You said I'll always have you as my best friend."

Taehyung takes another moment before he, too, stands up on his feet.

"Maybe I thought wrong."

Taehyung doesn't wait to hear more protest. He marches out of the cafe, and lucky enough the rain has also started to subside. He doesn't expect the other male to follow, but he finds Jungkook behind him moments later. Their walk back to the hotel has been quiet, and something aches in Taehyung's chest the whole way.

"I'm going back to Seoul tonight," Jungkook announces once they both make it back to the hotel lobby. Taehyung doesn't turn nor say anything in response.

And that is his one regret.

The rain has been heavy and still hasn't completely stopped, causing the roads to get all muddy and slippery. Some tree branches occupy the road Jungkook's driving on. His feelings are all over the place and that's all on him. When his car slipped off the road, Taehyung's name is the last thing Jungkook utters.

-

The ringtone is overbearingly loud in the silence of Taehyung's hotel room. He struggles to open his eyes to locate where he has left his phone before he went to bed. He squints at the screen, at the unsaved international incoming call.

"Hello?" His voice breaks a little.

"Taehyung," a female voice greets him. She sounds... upset? "Sorry to call at such hour,"

"Who... is this?"

"Ah," she sighs. "I'm Haneul. Listen,"

Haneul? Jungkook's sister?

She goes on quickly, "There's been an accident."

Taehyung chokes on nothing. What is he hearing?

"They found Jungkook's car crashed into a tree. They didn't tell me how serious it is, but they said he survived. Listen, I'm taking the first flight home but he'll need someone by his side right now. Taehyung, I know-"

"I'll be there." He replies almost instantly. "Where are they taking him?"

"I'll text you the details." Haneul takes a sigh of relief, then she adds, "Thank you, Taehyung ah."

-

Taehyung races out of his hotel room with barely a proper clothing on, and coincidentally enough he runs into Bogum who seems to have just come back from a long night out. Rustled black hair and dark eyes, Bogum stops short at the sight of Taehyung.

"You're an owl," he comments lightly but Taehyung has no mood to joke back.

The younger model turns his heels and quickens his pace, which wakes up the other male a little.

"You okay?" Bogum raises his voice a bit, his slurred tone echoes through the hotel hallway. "Did you find Jungkook? Yoongi said you went to find him."

Taehyung pauses, hands cold.

"I have this... terrible feeling in my gut," he says so quietly, it's almost like a whisper. "Like I won't be seeing him again. Just... I can't."

Bogum sees the tears even with the distance. He's right by Taehyung's side the next second, one hand on his fake public boyfriend's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Taehyung?"

"Jungkook."

That's all Taehyung can manage before he bursts into tears.

-

Bogum drives Taehyung straight to the hospital that very same moment. Had it been under other circumstances, Taehyung would have refused that offer endlessly, but right now he's just annoyed at how far away Seoul is. It's 5 am when they get there, and Taehyung never hates the silence as much as when he's running down the hospital hallway and the heels of his shoes won't stop thumbing against the floor tiles.

They told him Jeon Jungkook has just come out of the ER and is now being monitored in the ICU. Taehyung has almost shouted at one of the staff when they told him visiting hour is over. Bogum has to intervene.

"Please, he's