𝘖𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳 | JJK |

2

"Do you know what ungodly hour it is, miss?"

Heiran's high school friend, Kim Taehyung, had never sounded so grouchy before. Not much surprise there. If she had to guess by the unusual rumble of his voice, Taheyung had only hit the REM stage of his sleep before she had rudely woken him up.

"It's only 12:30 at night, not that late."

"Like hell, it isn't. Some of us have a life, Heiran!"

"Shut up, Kim Taehyung, this is important. Do you know where Jungkook is?"

Heiran heard him take a deep breath, "Did you just wake me up because you couldn't find your boyfriend?" Taehyung huffed in disbelief, "Heiran, I know I'm his best friend but we're not attached at the hip all the time. In case you forgot, I live in Busan—"

"Jungkook's missing. It's been two weeks." She cut him off.

"Jungkook's what?!" Taehyung suddenly sounded much more awake. She heard the sound of sheets ruffling. "What happened? How's he missing?"

"I don't know. He left me a note saying he will be back and left. He packed his clothes and even took a leave from the office. He didn't even tell me anything and now it's been two weeks. Tae, if you know something, anything, please, just tell me. I know he told me to wait but it's taking too long." Heiran prodded, clutching the phone tight. Something about Jungkook's whole demeanor before his disappearance was strange. Heiran constantly sensed that he was hiding something important, but she never got a chance to ask. Jungkook had made sure she didn't.

Taehyung seemed to sigh, "He didn't tell me anything either but... there was this one time, he called me in the middle of the night..." He trailed off, hesitantly as if he were unsure if he should tell her the truth.

"What? What did he say?" Heiran questioned, feeling her heart race. If there was one person who could give her some clue about what Jungkook was up to, it was Taehyung. His best friend with whom he shared all of his secrets.

"I... He told me to keep it a secret from you. It was a while back. Maybe two months ago..."

Two months ago. That was the starting point. It was around that time Jungkook had started drifting away from her, shutting off his emotions, and faking his smiles. And every time she tried to ask a question, he changed the subject.

"Tae, please. I think whatever it is, it's important."

He huffed out a defeated breath. "He called me crying in the middle of the night. He wouldn't tell me what happened. He just kept saying he was wrong..."

Taehyung could still remember the May night. The window was open, letting in the Spring air as he worked on the pictures of one of his VIP clients when the shrill ringtone of his phone rang. Taehyung suppressed a yawn as he swept aside cut pieces of Bristol and vellum. He fished out his phone from beneath the cut paper pieces and answered the call.

"JK, what's up?"

There was silence on the other end.

Taehyung frowned, wondering if JK had accidentally butt-dialed his number. Selecting the masking tool on his computer, he proceeded to edit the photograph of a wedding kiss, giving it the right magical touch it needed to make the captured moment even more special, "JK? You there?"

"Tae... I messed up. I was wrong." His voice sounded strained. Taehyung paused his editing and sat up straight, feeling something off.

"You alright?"

"I...No, I'm not," a sob broke through the phone. Taehyung was shocked. He had never heard JK cry. Not like that. As if he were extremely heartbroken and miserable. He lowered his voice in concern and asked quietly, "What happened?"