Put your name in the _____ places!

Enjoy!

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         On the way to the restaurant, I knew this wasn't a 'date' once I sat down in the car. The air was too tense, and it wasn't from nerves, it was heavy thoughts. Taehyung and I let the music from the radio fill our conversation that should have happened. I was thinking of Soo Jin and her results. I was worried for her, but I tried to push it back for the time being. I looked over at Taehyung. He seemed to be worrying about something as well. The expression on his face screamed of something unreadable and he was focused on it as he drove. His sharp turns and the hit of foot suddenly hitting the brake proved it. It didn’t bother me too much, although he kept apologizing for every sudden movement. Eventually, he parked the car and jumped out before I could unbuckle my seatbelt. He opened my door and let me jump down to the ground. We walked across the street to a small, but nice restaurant, possibly expensive. “If you had told me where we were going, I would’ve brought money to help pay for this place,” I said.

          “It’s okay, I have enough to pay for both of us,” he replied and opened the door to enter the restaurant. He asked for a table for two and a young looking waiter led us to our table by the window. There was no particular theme to the restaurant, but the lighting was dim, and the chandeliers glistened. Most tables had white table clothes, some gold, but overall, this was a great place to eat. Not to mention the great view we had of the city. We grabbed our menus and decided on our foods as the waiter brought us some drinks. I tried to keep it cheap for Taehyung, since I knew he probably didn’t have a lot to spend. “I need to talk to you about something serious,” he said, once the waiter left. I put my water aside to listen to him more carefully. “I haven’t told you much about my past, but I’ll inform you once I get this off my chest. The ‘bad news’ I told you about this morning involves my parents. They found me after all these years and they want me to come home. I don’t know where ‘home’ is or what’s there, but I know I don’t want to go. Apparently my father is sick and my mother is working double-shifts to pay for his treatment. All I know is that they want me to come home to ‘fulfill his wish to see me,’ which can’t be true.” Taehyung paused as the waiter placed our orders in front of us. He picked and poked at his food with a fork. I wasn't sure if he was going to continue explaining, so I decided to ask a question to bring up the unexplained.

          "Why are you and your parents separated in the first place?"

          "They left my sick brother and I at an orphanage. Up until the time my brother became sick, we were a close family. I was seven years-old and my brother was almost three. They believed we had the 'perfect family' until then. My parents didn't know what to do with this dilemma, so, instead of facing it, they ran away from it. One day, they told us we were going to the toy store, but instead, took us to the orphanage and left without a word. I took care of my brother until the adults in the orphanage took him away. I assumed they took him to the hospital, but I have no idea what happened to him. A few years later, my friends found me. I was outside with the other kids in the playground area, but I was alone, sitting by the fence. They happened to be passing by and told me to come with them, and I've been with them ever since. They were the reason I escaped the orphanage."

          "Did you see your parents in person? I mean when you said they found you."

          "No, they found out where I was staying and called our home phone. Jungkook answered the phone and they asked to speak to me. Jungkook hasn't said anything about it, which is good, but I know he will eventually. To summarize the phone call; if I don't come home, they'll come find me and force me to come home. I haven't told the guys because I know they're going to say 'Screw them, stay here, they won't do it.' I think this is serious though. I don't know if the reason they want me home is true, but, if it is, there's another reason behind it." Taehyung started to eat his food now. After hearing his story, I'm just as curious as he is. Maybe his parents left because they thought there was nothing they could've done anyway, but I guess that doesn't explain everything.

          "So, why did you want to tell me all of this," I asked.

          "I guess I needed to tell someone that would understand how I feel. If you were in my position, you'd want to know what they want, but you wouldn't want to leave Soo Jin, would you? But if you don't, they'll force you to go anyway. Our pasts are similar, I guess," he replied. I nodded. He was right, our stories are similar, the only difference is I know exactly why my parents left. Taehyung never knew the real reason. If he goes home, he can find out. They asked him to come home, they didn't say he had to stay there. Taehyung can get what he wants and leave if he wanted to. "You're not going to tell the others are you," Taehyung asked, I put down my fork and shook my head. If he wanted them to know, he would have told them before I found out. I'm glad he trusts me to share something like that with me. I'm glad he hasn't explained it to his friends yet. He needs to think about what he has to do before he hears the opinion of his friends. He'd respect their opinion, but it could influence his decision.

          "I won't tell them, but what are you going to do? Are you going home," I questioned, nervous to hear his answer. I had a feeling he was going to say he was leaving, but I was hoping he would say he'd 'visit' and come back.

          "Like I said, I don't know where or what 'home' is. For me, where I am now is my home. This is where I learned the most and, most importantly, lay my head down at night," Taehyung chuckled a little and finished his last bite of food. "I think I'll wait it out. We'll see if they really are serious about coming to find me. Enough of this, that food was A-MAZE-ING!" He leaned back in his chair and started to rub his stomach. I smiled, but only a little. I just hope he's careful with himself in this situation.

          Taehyung drove us home after dinner. That definitely wasn't a date, but I'm glad he put enough trust in me to tell me about his situation. We're slowly becoming closer friends, which is nice, but also weird. I pushed those thoughts aside and brought back Soo Jin. As Taehyung parked the SUV in his driveway, I pulled out my phone. No missed calls or text messages. I better call her soon. Taehyung checked his own house to see if the guys were there, but they must still be at my house since he followed me across the street. I walked in, waved to the guys and ran straight to my room. Taehyung passed out some food he brought home from the restaurant and the boys jumped for them like dolphins. I dialled Soo Jin's number and shut my door so I could hear more clearly. "Hello?"

          "Soo Jin unnie, how were your results?" There was no response from the other line. Hard breaths and possibly sobs filled my ears. "Soo Jin-ah, are you okay?"

          "No, _____, I'm not. It's getting worse, a lot worse. I don't know what to tell my sister, 'Oh yeah, sorry sis, I'll probably be gone sooner than we thought, I'm getting worse.' What am I supposed to do with myself? I can't leave this room or I'm done for sure, but I don't want to die in here," Soo Jin panicked. My heart sunk to my stomach and dissolved.

          "You won't die in there, I'm getting you out of there. We'll cross off things from your bucket list. We'll do whatever you want. Tomorrow-"

          "Do you not understand what I'm saying! If I am removed from the IV or any other medicines they're feeding me through these damn needles, I will die. There is no chance of me leaving here. _____, just come see me tomorrow. My doctor will explain everything, much better than I ever could. Then it'll be over." By this point, I was drowning. I know she could hear my cries on the other end. I thought we'd have more time. Before I could say anything, she hung up, and I broke apart. That's what it will be like when she's gone. She'll be there and then it'll just end. Everything will. But I need her to hang on for just a little while, for me. For her sister.

          I wiped my eyes and went to the bathroom. I knew it would look like I was crying, but this was too evident. I laughed a little, but cleaned up some running makeup and walked back into the living room. I grabbed a pillow from the couch and planted my face into it. I scream as loud and hard as I could, and I'm sure they were all staring at me. I removed the pillow and wiped my eyes once more. The guys didn't say anything, but just stared at me then at each other. I ran to my studio room without thinking. The first canvas in plain sight was the one of Soo Jin and I. I moved it aside and grabbed paint of any color and a brush from the corner. I laid out some newspapers and a blank canvas. After shaking up the paint, I took my brush, dipped it into the paint and splattered it onto the canvas. I did this several times, some with a grunt or a scream. I stopped once everything became blurry. I sat in the corner and breathed heavily. Hoseok came in and sat next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, then I let it out. I just cried and screamed, probably making a few of them lose their hearing, but I'd eventually lose my voice. "What happened," Jungkook asked. I explained as much as I could understand from the situation and Hoseok pulled me closer, and then tight enough for a hug.

          "I think we should stay here tonight," Suga suggested. They boys looked at him like he was crazy. "I mean if she needs anything, if she wants to talk or just needs a hug. It'd be better than having to worry all night, wouldn't it?" I didn't mind his suggestion, but I would probably just be sleeping in my bed the whole night, like always. The others agreed to stay, and they even wanted to tuck me in, but I refused because that's just odd. "Well try to go to sleep, call if you need anything," Taehyung said and I nodded. I noticed Jimin's face, which was in a cute pout.

          "Stop, stop having that sad look on your face! It just makes me want to hug you to make you stop," Jimin shouted, running to me and giving me a bear hug. I giggled and he let go in surprise. "I made her laugh! A sign of getting better!" I laughed and hugged him back. The guys soon left my room and I tried to fall asleep but I don't remember if I did or not. All I could think about was Soo Jin.

          Hang in there, unnie.