Brighter Days || Taekook

Part 14

Jungkook rushes to Taehyung the second the older boy returns to the company building with Yoongi.

"You're back!" he exclaims happily, and Taehyung thinks there might be some relief hidden in his words as well. He doesn't know what to make out of that feeling. Why would Jungkook be relieved to see him?

Hoseok comes strolling after the youngest of the team, a bright smile on his lips. He wraps an arm around Taehyung and tells him that it's good to see him again and that he hopes whatever happened yesterday has been resolved.

"We've been worried," Hoseok says and Jungkook nods too.

Taehyung can see the questions they are ready to shoot off but are holding back from actually voicing out loud. It's in their eyes, the way they trace over his features as if maybe they could read the answers on his face. He suspects that them not asking has something to do with Namjoon's order to hold back. Taehyung appreciates that, because he's not sure what he could tell them.

"If you're being annoying he might just leave again," Yoongi mutters before trailing off. Taehyung's not entirely sure where he's going, but he suspects it's the dingy studio the rappers share.

Jungkook's eyes widen at that.

"You won't leave, right?" he asks.

"Of course I won't," Taehyung puts the youngest member's mind at rest. "Don't be ridiculous. You know hyung is being sarcastic."

The youngest member breathes out a sigh of relief, but Taehyung feels Hoseok tense at his words. It's an odd reaction, but Taehyung doesn't have time to think it over, his attention already demanded by the other two boys again.

"Yes Jungkook, you know that you have to take most things Yoongi hyung says with a grain of salt," Hoseok agrees, and if he puts a weird emphasize on the word "hyung", neither of the younger boys mention it.

"You should go see if Jimin hyung's around somewhere, he was worried sick yesterday," Jungkook chirps, and Hoseok's arm slips off Taehyung's shoulders.

He's honestly really glad for that. His skin itches slightly. Not that it really does, but ever since he laid eyes on Mr. Kim again, it felt tingly. Tingly in a bad way. Phantom touches that he's not quite sure how to get rid off.

The relief only lasts a second because then Jungkook grabs his arm and pulls him down corridors in pursuit of Jimin. With every corner that they have to take, Taehyung's heart starts racing anew, scared of who he might find behind it. His stomach churns with fear and even though they don't run, he's out of breath.

"We can just text him," Taehyung urges after they haven't been able to find Jimin. "He might be at school."

"It's a Sunday, hyung. Jimin hyung will definitely be somewhere around here. He's always around practicing."

They don't find Jimin, but they do bump into Namjoon, who looks equally as startled as them when they rush around the corner.

"Are you trying to kill people?" he asks, the words directed at Jungkook, the obvious culprit between the duo. "Don't run down the hallways like that. If you run over people, you're going to give a bad impression to others."

"I'm sorry," Jungkook answers, head ducked and cheeks red. "We were just trying to find Jimin hyung since he was so worried about Tae hyung yesterday."

"Actually," Taehyung says as he turns to Jungkook and tries to pry the younger boy's fingers off his arm, "can you maybe search for Jimin and bring him back to us? There's something I have to discuss with Namjoon hyung."

Jungkook's eyes flit between the two of them, and it's obvious that he's wondering and dying to ask what they want to talk about. Jungkook's assertive. After all, he did say before that he thinks Namjoon is acting strange. He listens to Taehyung's request, however, and steps away from the two of them. Taehyung watches him walk away with worry, because he doesn't know what monster might be hiding down the next hallway.