"Tae! Breakfast is ready!" 

"..." 

"Tae?....Taehyung-ah?" Seokjin calls out from behind the kitchen island towards the direction of the bathroom adjacent to the kitchen and opposite of the guest bedroom Taehyung slept in last night. Seokjin was pretty sure Taehyung was up and had gone into the bathroom while he was preparing breakfast even though he wasn't facing it. He could recognize the sound of the bathroom door closing.

"Tae?" There was no response other than the sound of the water from the shower even when Seokjin sticks his ears close to the door to listen. Taehyung was in the bathroom for almost an hour now. That was unusual, Seokjin starts to worry after he remembered Taehyung crying himself to sleep last night. Seokjin tries to knock and twist the locked doorknob while raising his voice calling out Taehyung's name, and the flowing water is the only sound that greeted Seokjin's ear. Seokjin didn't want to risk it so he quickly found the spare key to the bathroom door and unlocked it. What Seokjin found was a soaked Taehyung, still in the clothes he came in with last night, hugging his knees curled up at a corner while the water from the showerhead mercilessly pouring unto Taehyung. The heater was not on, Taehyung must be shivering under the cold flowing water. 

Seokjin immediately turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, not caring if it was his and wrapped around the shivering boy. 

"Oh my god, Tae! Are you okay?" Taehyung, now pale and blue from the cold water looked up into Seokjin with watery eyes, teeth chattering. 

"Let's get you out of here." Seokjin wasn't that strong per se though he was taller than Taehyung and he did work out in gyms, as for Taehyung himself, though seemingly underweight, he wasn't as small as you would think, considering he is of the sprouting age. With a slight hassle, Seokjin carried Taehyung up from his curled up position, almost bridal style and got him out of the bathroom and onto a chair near the kitchen table. Seokjin ran to his own wardrobe and pulled out some dry clothes and returned with speed so that Taehyung could get changed from his drenched clothes, not wanting the boy to catch a cold. 

Seokjin helped the boy changed and Taehyung did not protest and allowed the elder to change him. With another towel to dry off Taehyung's hair, Seokjin starts to speak.

"Why did you do that? You could get sick you know?" Starting off with a gentle tone, trying to invite Taehyung to speak up. Taehyung kept his silence while Seokjin finishes off drying his hair. Putting away the towel in a laundry basket, Seokjin held onto Taehyung's rather cold hands and looked at him in the face.

"Hey Tae, you know you can talk to me about stuff right? It's ok, I wouldn't be mad at you or anything." Seokjin trying to sound as gentle as he could be. After much contemplation, Taehyung lifted his head and tears starts to roll down his face, but this time he starts to gesture something, and it became like a guessing game similar to those everyone plays during some camp ice-breaking sessions. 

"I-I? ... clap? hit? ... head?" Seokjin became more confused and Taehyung more frustrated. A quick thought, Seokjin went and grab some papers and pen and Taehyung started to write. 

I killed someone. 

"What?!" Seokjin almost fell over his chair staring back and forth from the paper and to Taehyung's face. 

"Hold on Tae. You know this is not a joke." Taehyung nodded and went on to write.

I am not sure. But I think I killed him. There was blood. 

As Taehyung finished writing the last word, he burst out into a loud cry with heavy breathing, there is fear in his eyes. Seokjin trying to be reasonable did not want to jump into conclusion, thus he made Taehyung tell and confess to him everything that happened which led to him running away. As Taehyung could only communicate by writing, it took some time for Seokjin to gather enough information for him to make out the story. 

"Tae listen. I know you are scared that's why you ran. From what you told me, we won't know how badly injured that bully boy you were talking about is unless we go check, and he might not have died at all. So don't start thinking negatively. But Tae, you need to face it, whatever the outcome is. You know that." Seokjin's tone is serious but not intimidating. Taehyung nodded, still sobbing. Seokjin couldn't help it but give the shaking boy an assuring and comforting hug. 

"I am going to make a call ok? I'll let you know later. I want to you to have your breakfast and take a rest. You did well in telling the truth." Seokjin shot Taehyung a warm smile and to this Taehyung nodded. The breakfast was great in every aspect but Taehyung can't even have a second bite after his first, all that is in his mind was what if he really did kill that boy? So is he a murderer now? Is he going to prison? When he does some of his petty crimes like stealing gums and chocolate bars in convenient stores, there wasn't any concern if there are huge criminal consequences like this one, but this time he thinks he really went overboard. 

"Tae?" Seokjin pushed opens Taehyung's room door softly, not wanting to startle the boy. Taehyung quickly sat up straight on his bed anticipating something he actually did not want to hear, he was afraid how he should face it if it was bad news.

"That boy, he's not dead." A sign of relief could be felt in Taehyung's weary gaze.

"There was a slight concussion, and he got a few stitches but it was nothing serious. Looking into your case, they did not want to bring any charges or punishment on you, but they want you back there because you should not be running away. Mrs. Lee, the director expressed that they are worried for you." Taehyung rushed to grab his pen and papers and wrote with teary eyes.

Please don't send me back. I don't want to go back. 

Seokjin sigh, really not knowing what he should be doing with Taehyung. 

"I told them you came all the way to Seoul, they are rather shocked by that. I told them you are currently safe with me and I have to provide my details for them, or else they might think I kidnapped you." Seokjin laughed a little.

"I said you are emotionally not stable right now, but they will contact you very soon, probably tomorrow or so. I'll have to send you back." Taehyung teared up again upon hearing that he needs to go back to the orphanage. 

"Tae. I'm sorry to ask this but have you been unable to talk since... that day?" Taehyung did not see it coming but nodded to the question. Taehyung could see Seokjin tearing up himself and then he pulled Taehyung into his chest and hugged him tightly, Taehyung could hear Seokjin's rapid heartbeat. How much did witnessing his mother's death scarred the boy, Seokjin did not want to think any deeper, it must be so painful that words could no longer express it, that's why Taehyung is mute now. 

'What should I do with you?'

The call did not came until three days later and Taehyung's eyes widen upon hearing Seokjin instructing him to take the call. 

"Taehyung-ah?" Taehyung tapped twice on the receiver.

"Mrs. Lee here. Are you doing alright over there?" Taehyung tapped again.

"I know what you've been through, and it's hard for such a young lad like you and I am sorry we could not give you the home you wanted, it's really unfortunate. And you know how many kids we have here with us, every single one of you needed and deserved to be loved. I just want to apologize if there is any lacking on our part." Taehyung listened on. 

"But today, I wanted to deliver you a news." Whatever ever the news is, Taehyung's heart drops. He didn't think it would be any good news at all, not from all the things he had done. 

"You will be placed under the care of a new foster household. There will be a probation period of 3 months for both you and your new foster parent, considering the special circumstances of your case. If this time, everything goes well then you can stay until you are of legal age, you won't need to come back here anymore. I hope you are truly happy at where you are right now. Your foster parent is really determined to care for you at the best of his ability, so don't disappoint him ok?" Why must Mrs. Lee speak so vaguely that Taehyung almost did not catch it? After putting down the phone, all Taehyung could see was Seokjin beaming brightly at Taehyung, almost waiting for his reaction like a parent waiting for the smile to appear on their kid's face when they open their Christmas presents on Christmas morn. 

Taehyung broke down in tears. 

"You are such a cry-baby huh?" Seokjin teasing the crying mess in front of him and remembering Taehyung crying even when they first encountered. Though Seokjin hopes Taehyung will never need to cry that way anymore. It's a memory both of them wants to erase. 

"By the way, I am still your hyung in all aspect, you better don't call me dad or anything, I'm gonna kick your for that." Taehyung smiled for the first time. 

******************

There are so many paper works to do for just taking a kid in into foster care, not even adoption. Seokjin did not realize how much things he needs to settle for Taehyung. School transfer, Taehyung's therapy for his speech and psychiatric therapy, even getting clothes and school supplies for Taehyung. Thank goodness he had a pretty wealthy family background and his parents are supportive of his decisions for taking Taehyung in, though mostly because after the tragedy, they also wanted Seokjin to heal mentally thus letting him do whatever pleases him. Seokjin is having headaches over all these new responsibilities that seem way too early for a college final year student, that's barely legal to take on but the smile on Taehyung's face makes it worth. 

"Hello?" Seokjin's phone vibrated in his pocket while he is dozing off in the library one evening.

"Is this Kim Seokjin-ssi?" 

"Yes. Who's speaking?" 

"We're calling from the Seoul police station. Are you the legal guardian of Kim Taehyung?" Upon hearing 'police station' and Taehyung's name, Seokjin jumped up awake, eyes wide opened.

"D-Did something happen? Is Taehyung ok?" Seokjin is worried for his little foster care brother. 

"Kim Taehyung is fine, just a little bit worked up because he lost his way. We wanted to help but since he had some issues with his speech, and he doesn't know where exactly he lives, so maybe you would want to come over to get him?" Despite being the rebel that Taehyung somewhat is, he is really bad at directions, it is almost a miracle the last time he actually made it safely to Seoul on his own. Seokjin is still amazed how that is possible. 

"Sure. I'll come get him." Seokjin looking at his watch only to realized he was late to pick Taehyung up from his school, an academy for the deaf and dumb (mute) children. Taehyung had just started attending that school for a week as Seokjin with the advice of Taehyung's therapist thinks it is a better idea for Taehyung so he could learn up sign language to help him express himself in the future, also to help him gain his confidence and open up. Besides Seokjin which Taehyung could comfortably interact with, Taehyung is still acting somewhat autistic to everyone else, dwelling about his own world most of the time.

"Hey Tae. Really sorry to be late. Are you alright?" Taehyung smiled in relief that his beloved hyung is here for him. 

"You should have stayed at the academy and waited though. Don't go wander off next time." Seokjin held Taehyung close and ready to leave the station before they heard a loud argument happening at the other end of the police station, causing all heads to turn. 

"Please Officer! You've got to believe me! I said I've my ID and passport back in my apartment room. I've just forgotten to bring it out with me, and I am not with them!" A young guy saying loudly with a frustrated tone and pointed at a group of thugs handcuffed at a corner. 

"I don't care about that mister, all I know is that you've been caught with them during the fight, so I'll have to put you under custody with the rest for now until we can prove that you are not involved." 

"But Sir!"

"Unless you have someone to bail you out I can't do anything. These are orders." 

"Name?"

"Namjoon Kim."

"D.O.B?"

"12th September 1994."

"Hometown?"

"California."

"US citizen?" The police officer raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yes." 

The name caught Seokjin's attention. It was so familiar and Seokjin even thinks he'd seen him somewhere before. It takes Seokjin a moment before he realizes who this person is. 

"Excuse me sir? What do I need to do to bail this person out?" Seokjin smiled at a confused Namjoon.