SIN | TAEKOOK ✓

forty three.

There was something peculiarly comforting about the silence that followed after the call.

The almost sense of relief and accomplishment that both Yoongi and Jungkook felt.

Jimin had gone silent as he stayed pressed against Yoongi's side, traumatized with the 'what if's.

Taehyung had the phone still clutched tightly in his hand as hot tears leaked down his face.

"Thank you." He had replied to the operator once she said those magical words,

"Police are on their way."

And that 'thank you' meant more to him than anyone could possibly ever imagine.

He wasn't sure if they would find the place, if they would stop it, hell he wasn't even certain that his father would be connected nor arrested.

He just wanted the place shut down.

He wanted whatever they were doing to them, to stop.

He could deal with the consequences of his actions later.

"Taehyung?" Jimin's voice sounded so so loud in the dead silence of the room.

Taehyung didn't reply for a few seconds before his head slowly turned to look at his friend.

He couldn't help the feeling of shame that filled him at the thought that his own father was the cause of all of this.

"I'm sorry." Taehyung whispered shakily.

"No, no, no. Do not apologize." Jimin shook his head quickly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Taehyung whispered over and over again before Jungkook quickly brought him into his arms.

Immediately Taehyung buried his face into Jungkook's chest as heart wrenching sobs left his lips.

"It's not your fault Tae." Jungkook murmured by his ear as he gently rubbed his back.

And then Jimin was slowly getting out of Yoongi's arms and hugging Taehyung from behind.

"Taetae." He mumbled softly as he pressed his cheek against Taehyung's back.

Jungkook slowly let Taehyung go and watched as he turned around and hugged Jimin tightly.

Jimin was crying softly but the smile on his face was there as he gently brushed his fingers through Taehyung's hair in a soothing manner.

And then Jungkook was turning to Yoongi who had his head in his hands as he hunched over.

"Do you think he still cares about us Hyung?" Jungkook's voice was small as he sat down next to Yoongi.

He remembered what Taehyung had said but he is brain couldn't help but think back to all the times he needed Hoseok and he wasn't there.

All the times he went to his house and the male pushed him away.

When he grew frustrated and showed up drunk to his house with tears down his cheeks and yelling angry curse words.

And still, no response.

How could someone who deliberately pushed him away time and time again, still care for him?

It hurt too much to even consider the possibility, tired of being hurt and neglected.

"I do." Yoongi spoke quietly after a few seconds, a heavy sigh leaving his lips.

"Then why did he do it? Why did he push us away when we should have stuck together? I needed him, I needed both of you by my side after Namjoon-hyung left. I lost count of how many days I showed up at his house, crying and hurt because he wouldn't even open the door anymore." 

"People deal with being hurt in a lot of different ways Jungkook. You feel the need to be around people when you're feeling upset. I-I like to drown myself in work to stop my thoughts from consuming me. Hoseok, he prefers to suffer alone. It's a much easier way to grieve, having no one there to try to cheer you up. He liked it that way."

Jungkook was silent the entire time, sniffling as he wiped his tears away.

"It's not fair, Hyung. He's a selfish piece of shit who broke our friendship like it meant nothing, and I should hate him. I should hate him so much, b-but I can't. There's a part of me, a stupid small part of me that just wants him to talk to me again and hang out like we used to. I want to sit on his ugly brown lawn chairs and laugh at those lame jokes he used to tell us- do you remember? Why does it hurt so much? Why can't we just go back to the way it used to be?" 

"Someone stole the lawn chairs." A voice from behind the couch spoke, making Jungkook snap his head to see the intruder.

He froze at the sight of Hoseok standing there with his eyes focused on Jungkook, hard look on his face as he spoke.

"W-What?" Jungkook managed, realizing that Hoseok had just heard his whole speech and didn't know how to react.

He still had tears down his cheeks and his nose was surely red.

"I said someone stole the lawn chairs so we'll have to find somewhere else to sit." Hoseok spoke slowly, voice unwavering as he stood in place.

Yoongi was quietly staring at them, eyes warm and waiting for the obvious reconciliation.

"Sorry, I wanted to see if I could help and your front door was open..." Hoseok briefly turned to address Yoongi before turning back to Jungkook.

Taehyung and Jimin were cuddling on the other sofa as they quietly observed the reunion between the long-lost friends.

So much had happened in a single day but what started as bad news had quickly turned into a prosperous day.

"You c-can't just-" jungkook began before hoseok cut him off.

"Jungkook I'm sorry. Hyung I'm sorry as well, I know you can't just forgive me all of a sudden and I completely understand that. But I need you to understand that when Namjoon left, I was devastated. I know we were all so close but I just... I felt like what Namjoon and I had was special. We understood each other so well and there was never a moment when I imagined him not there, by my side. I felt like my entire world was shattered in the blink of an eye," 

Hoseok's eyes were filled with unshed tears and he was beginning to stutter in his words.

"It hurt me so much, when I would hear you knocking on my door, drunk out of your mind. There were times when I almost opened the door but I stopped myself. It killed me to see you so sad and angry with me. I know I caused it with my actions but I needed time. I needed to heal from the loss of a friend, a friend who was ripped away from us. And by the time I was finally done picking up the pieces, I was sure you hated me. And I-... I thought it was for the best."

"I don't hate you." Jungkook whispered as a small sob left his lips.

"Jungkook..." Hoseok trailed off when he saw Jungkook getting up from the couch and approaching him.

"Hyung, I miss you. I miss you so much it hurts." 

Jungkook voiced right before Hoseok threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly.