A/N:

Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter! Late as always ‘cause I have over time everyday for my on-the-job training at an airlines company. Oh well, enough of me. I just want to apologize for the continuous delay. I won't promise to update as fast as others do but I'll surely update when I have time. Thank you to my loyal readers, viewers, subscribers and upvoters! You mean a lot :)

P.S: Warning for foul language usage a.k.a minimal cursing and swearing in this mini chapter.

With much love,

alylylove

"Jung-kook? Jeon Jungkook?" Taehyung murmurs in his sleep while rolling to-and-fro the sheets – their faces only inches apart.

It's already four in the morning yet Jungkook’s still up. The reason? Well, half was that he couldn't sleep without his headphones on; the other was because he's worried Taehyung might need him again.

Yes? Jungkook responds to Taehyung in his thoughts, hands crossed beneath his head as his eyes wandered to Taehyung, the decoration in the room’s ceiling and back to the now peacefully drifting man.

He had been waiting for this moment, it might not seem like it but he really was. He had been waiting for what seemed a lifetime, for Taehyung to finally remember him and every bittersweet moment of their first meeting. To once more, bring warmth to his now cold heart and put significance to his forlorn life.

And tonight, although vivid, he finally remembered. That was all Jungkook ever wanted. It was more than enough.

"T-thank you, Jung-kook." Taehyung murmurs in his breath again, a faint smile drawing up his face.

Jungkook's heart almost stops when he heard the sudden words come out from Taehyung’s lips. His most awaited words finally reached him and oh, how they echoed through his ears. This was it, he thought. And he was contented.

Taehyung would never return the favor anyway, he reminded himself. And as Jungkook buries every memory to the pits of his mind, his phantasm dozed off to dreamland as well.

Earlier that week…

As much as most people liked the idea of relaxing on a Sunday morning, Jungkook was never one of them. He always wished this day wouldn’t have existed. What makes it special to others was contrary for him.

“Wake up you good-for-nothing brat!” Jungkook was woken up by a strong blow in his lower back. His mother was especially good at beating the hell out of him. She’s best at it when drunk of course; and today was probably her worst.

Jungkook’s mom wasn’t the typical one you’d want to have. She smokes; she gambles; she drinks and does drugs along with every vice that can be thought of. She’s intolerably temperamental, overly outgoing and gravely carefree. She has iron hands which lands on any part of Jungkook’s body whenever she sees him. She gets frantic when Jungkook wouldn’t follow her orders and would get her hands on anything in sight to hit him with. She was the worst – and by worst means the unlikeliest of all unlikely.

“Make me breakfast! I told you I’ll always be back this early so it should’ve been ready by now!” His drunkard mother shouts, ripping the dusk morning air. It’s Sunday and unfortunately Jungkook has no reason to be out or at least be anywhere but home. Sundays weren’t particularly his favorite after all.

“Why don’t you make them yourself, you stupid witch!” Jungkook bawls back in answer, fully covering his exposed body with more sheets.

“How dare you shout back at me?!” She kicks Jungkook this time with her stiletto heels still on.

“This is why I never wanted to ing have kids! I never should have let you live in the first place! your father for getting me pregnant! I should have been enjoying my days if it weren’t for you!” Jungkook’s mother loudly spits back.

This wasn’t new at all. His mom goes out on Friday nights then comes home from who-cares-where on Sundays, gets all drunk and high, then throws her laments to Jungkook about how she never wanted to have kids and that he was just an unwanted child; about how she got tied up to his father after getting her pregnant at a young age and how she would have lived her life freely if he hadn’t been born.

Her morning speech had become a habit that Jungkook had grown to get used to. Over the years, he had learned how to dodge the sting he gets whenever he hears those words.

“Don’t you dare talk about him! If it wasn’t for Dad, you’d still be sticking your out to anyone in the club! Well, not that you don’t like it.” Jungkook shouts on top of his lungs as he bolted up from his bed, his face turning red in fury. “And besides, you wouldn’t be eating thrice a day and be living in a decent house if it weren’t for Dad’s life insurance!” He continues, receiving an immediate slap in the face as his mother turns to walk away seeming not to care.

“You ing money-.” He breathes out coldly as he lounges back to bed. He hears his mother rumble something up from behind but he didn’t give it any attention. He was extremely drained from the party he attended last night and the hangover from it was still lingering. He knows she wouldn’t do anything reckless or anything as far as kicking him out because she needs Jungkook for the insurance money she gets. But if she ever does kick him out, he’d gladly go for good.

As he was lying there in the bed, he couldn’t help but feel bereaved. He felt complete sympathy for his late father for getting involved with this worthless woman. He was more worthy of the privilege of living longer than his mother.

“I miss you, Dad.” Jungkook whispers as he silently cried himself back to sleep.

“Jungkook? Jeon Jungkook? Wake up!” Jungkook hears a low tonal voice; it was a familiar baritone, warm and soothing. His eyes darted open when he feels soft, cold fingers poke his cheekbones. The flare of light almost too painfully penetrated his eyes but he ignores it. It was rather beautiful seeing Taehyung with the blinding light, flashing his full smile beneath lush lips – a perfectly shaped box.

“How are you feeling?” Jungkook asks as he settles on his elbows before fully lifting his torso up to sit. He knew that shrugging off his impassiveness to soften up to the elder wasn’t the best option but he’s willing to do it – for Taehyung.

“Fine, I guess. Thanks for the music by the way. It was nice.” Taehyung hands the headphones to him while wearing the same box smile he had woken up to.

Taehyung casually got out of bed and walked towards his study table. He fumbled and slipped when he tried to reach for the books in the shelf. Good thing Jungkook was there in time to catch them – both the books and the elder. Taehyung gave off a sigh of relief before realizing that Jungkook was now smiling brightly – a little weary but still genuine.

“I didn’t know you look good when you’re smiling, until now.” Taehyung blurted out all of a sudden leaving the younger flustered. He was sure he saw a hint of red creep up Jungkook’s cheeks. He chuckled at the thought of turning the tables as he was now the one teasing the red-haired boy to confusion.

Taehyung noticed the younger’s reversed aura since last night. He didn’t miss the fact that he’s now openly putting his thoughts into conversation. He strongly thinks there was something more to Jungkook. That maybe he was just putting up the façade as his defense mechanism like the fences Taehyung had put up. He knew this from the moment their eyes met. He felt torment, remorse and anguish all the same time. It was screaming to be saved. He’s broken and his eyes gave him away.

“I assume you have no classes today? I heard you have the same schedule as my friend.” Taehyung asked to change the uneasy atmosphere. He was now sitting in front of his laptop when he scrolled down to the schedule section of the page for further proof.

“I didn’t realize you were quite a stalker yourself, Taehyung.” Jungkook retorts, a little bemused with the ample information that the other gathered.

“I have my sources, Kookie.” Taehyung responds with a chuckle. “Moreover, it’s not me who knows some stranger’s address and all of a sudden drags him in his own bedroom.” He continued snickering as he eyed the younger from head to toe.

Jungkook winced with the choice of nickname. It’s too cloying for someone so stoic as him. He cleared his throat, trying to change the topic.

"So I guess that that friend of yours was the same friend you're talking about? You know, the one looking for added company?" He continued asking.

"Oh yeah, he is. He's got the same schedule too so I personally think it'd be more convenient for you." Taehyung grins, exposing his perfect set of teeth once more while patting the younger's shoulder. Jungkook just stared at him, thoroughly disarrayed.

"Boys! Breakfast is ready, come on down and eat up!" A voice ringing from under the oak floor interrupted the sugar-coated atmosphere. Jungkook finally let out a sigh he did not know he was holding. He was saved from total embarrassment. Their stares were suddenly getting a little gooey and he didn't like it. Really, he didn't. Taehyung being such a tease was overly gratifying in many ways than one. He couldn't help but imagine their predetermined doom to be in a Taehyung-always-having-to-tease-stoic-Jungkook type of footing. A lifetime of absolute mortification seems fairly agreeable.

Hoseok pulled up in front of a fine-looking establishment with a signboard which spells out "Dormitel" in bold letters. Obviously a hotel slash dormitory. Jungkook can feel his face cringe because everything smells of luxury. The car he's in, the suit the butler is currently wearing, the man in all-tailor-made clothing from head to toe sitting beside him and the neat two-storey building now in front of him.

This is it, without a doubt. Jungkook assumes in his thoughts as Taehyung hurriedly got out of the car, giddy with the thought of seeing his friends again – although Hoseok told him that the elder just saw them recently. Jungkook closed his eyes in deep frustration as he got out of the car just seconds after. He opted not to use his father's money for extravagant desires. He soon realized this was probably the best need, among all the things he allotted his money with, to invest on. Drugs, alcohol and cigarettes were on top of his list of most-fave-buys and yeah, having a decent place to live in does sound reasonable, so he's now certain he'd go for it.

Jungkook's arguments floated across his consciousness. He was still spacing out when Taehyung grabbed his hand and dragged him to the farthest room on the second floor of the place. The door wasn't opened during the first and second bell but instead, an eye started peering from the peep hole, then after seconds of waiting, a familiar high pitched voice spoke from the speakers.

"Oh, it's you. Hey Tae! I thought it was some punk seeking revenge on Yoongi-hyung for beating him up single-handedly." The voice spoke with clattering sounds in the background.  A boy, of course. Since this was an all-boys dorm and all.

"Oh God, I thought Yoongi-hyung stopped beating people up for fun?" Taehyung asked, disappointment coloring his tone.

"Ha! It was a joke TaeTae. I was joking!" The boy exclaimed playfully while Taehyung just rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, but things are a bit stuck here so it's going to take a bit longer for me to let you in. The bolts in the locks are a bit rusty and I forgot to separate the master keys to the duplicates so.. yeah give me five minutes." The voice spoke again while struggling to unlock the door.

"Yeah sure, five minutes. How long is that when you're saying it?" Taehyung laughed. He noticed Jungkook become a little bit annoyed with the delay but he decided to let it pass. When the elder was about to open up a topic, the door busted open, revealing a smaller boy with an impossibly well-built frame. His muscles were popping out of his white wife beater and his biceps were perfectly toned. He was so buff for someone so small, Jungkook argued in his mind. When he opened the door, he jumped slinging his arms across Taehyung's shoulders in a somewhat friendly choke hold. They left out the red-haired boy as they laughed their lungs out.

By the time the shorter boy asked about why they decided to visit, Taehyung just shrugged and immediately glanced at the stranger beside him. But before Taehyung could even open his mouth, the muscular boy gasped, with an achingly confused face.

"J-jeon Jung-kook?!" The shorter boy asked, brows furrowed deeply as he was struck with immediate frustration.

"It's nice to see you too, Park Jimin." Jungkook snorted, his eyes glinting with bitterness as the other only continued glaring.

A/N: 

Another cliffy!...kind of...yeah... Whoo! :DD

Do anticipate the next chapters because...yeah I won't spoil. The thrill has yet to come!

As per usual, comments are loved! So state your reactions, suggestions, what you think happened, what you think will happen next...etc! 

Thank you for reading! :))

Lots of love, 

AnicaKristen