s o m n i p h o b i a

chapter 9

"This is what happens when you leave people behind, Taehyung."

Jungkook's voice echoed in Taehyung's head as he stared at Jungkook in shock and disbelief.

This can't be happening.

"What happened to you?" Taehyung finally managed to gasp out, reaching out a shaking hand to cup the side of Jungkook's face, who just shrugged it off.

It's been a while since you called, I'm speaking with a ghost now.

"Don't you dare go showing me affection now. It's too fucking late." Jungkook snarled.

Jimin was right. The Jungkook they used to know was gone. Instead, the grey walls of the institute had plagued his mind. He was far past redemption.

Taehyung looked Jungkook in the eyes, expecting there to be the same little glimmer of happiness that Taehyung saw when he first met Jungkook, but that was gone as well.

Jungkook was gone.

And when I spent that week, trying to find you out. Every night, every night it feels the same. And I spent those nights driving by myself.

"Why are you acting like this?" Taehyung asked, trying to crack through the shell Jungkook had created.

"Acting like what? This is always how I've acted."

Taehyung shook his head.

Overnight I fell apart.

"You were never like this." In response, Jungkook let out a fit of laughter, clutching the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white.

"That's because I was weak and vulnerable. Now I have defeated the weakness, and I'm becoming who I was always supposed to be."

"Who were you always supposed to be?" Taehyung inquired, trying to fight off the fear growing in the pit of his stomach.

Jungkook looked Taehyung directly in the eye, and smiled.

"I was supposed to be who ever you wanted me to be."

Now Taehyung was confused.

"Me? It was my decision?" He asked, anger slowly replacing the fear once Jungkook made his accusation.

This caused Jungkook to laugh again.

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"Answering a question with a question. Very clever." Jungkook said, still grinning.

"Just tell me what it is that I don't know!" Taehyung demanded.

Jungkook merely shrugged. "I'm not sure if you deserve to know."

Every night it feels the same.

"That's bullshit."

"And so is this entire fucking conversation." Jungkook snapped, lunging forward and grabbing Taehyung's wrists.

"You need to listen to me, Taehyung!"