iris

[33] lies

Paralysis had overtaken his body. Hunched over in the dirt, wailing into his body that shook with each new wave of cries. Then came the rain. It came in slow, but fell fast and hard. It coated the young boy and it left him trembling under the cold temperatures as he filled his heart with hopeless sorrow. He spent hours alone and in misery on the outskirts of school grounds.

Eventually the silence he'd enveloped gratefully was broken. Deafening silence thay was broken by laughter and happiness as the school bell signalled an end to the day of suffering for students.

It disgusted him, those sounds of joy as he fell to the ground, back coated in mud as he stared at the rainfall above him. No one stopped to ask if he was okay, as if a wall had been put up between him and the rest of the world. Tears were cast from existence through the heavy rainfall. Though he still felt them falling hot and fast. He felt his heart wrenching as he thought of the phone call again. The several failed attempts to call again and again, a person he so desperately wanted to save, but was completely cut off from.

"Taehyung," he cried, licking at his swollen and violated lip that he'd ruined with anxiety. He tasted the metallic tinge that signified blood, eyes fluttering shut as he listened to the rain that drowned out everything. "What have you done?" Jungkook whispered, head seeming to blind any rational thought that told him to go home, call the police, get out of the rain. Nothing seemed to fully click as he laid motionless, mud caking his skin with a chill.

A shudder ran through his body as he rolled over onto his side, curling up tighter and bringing his sweater up over his face. Mud smeared across his cheeks but he didn't care. So he stayed there cold and alone, waiting for someone to give him an answer to his questions that were left mysteries unknown to anyone.

__________

Arms began to wrap themselves around the young frozen boy who laid on the ground. Soft sobs came not from the one who lay numb and quiet, but from his brother who'd finally found Jungkook after tearing through every inch of the school in desperation.

"I'm so sorry," Hoseok cried, bringing his drowsy brother into his arms. Not daring to let go for one moment, he kissed at Jungkook's icy forehead, fingers combing his hair out of his face. Jungkook didn't respond, hanging his head as his eyes drooped. Barely conscious, he closed his eyes, still hearing Hoseok's soft whispers and apologies. "I'm taking you home, mama will look after you. I'll get rid of everything that they've done, destroy anyone who dares to say a word. No one is going to hurt you. You aren't a maniac Jungkook, not for one moment -"

"He's gone," Jungkook croaked out as he cut off his brother's desperate worse. Unable to say anything else, he pressed his face deeper into the crook of his brothers neck, resurfacing broken cries as he wholly believed that Taehyung was gone.

"Who's gone? What are you talking about Kookie?" Hoseok soothed, rubbing the boys damp back as he kissed his dripping wet hair. He didn't receive an answer, silence replaced with soft breathing as Jungkook's body relaxed and fell into Hoseok's arms. He continued to tremble from head to toe, seeming to have fallen asleep.

Hoseok tucked Jungkook securely in his arms so that when he stood up they would not fall. He then grabbed the soiled bag and its contents before lifting him and his brother up. He was somewhat glad jungkook was light as the task would've been too demanding if he had been otherwise. "Let's go home," he told the sleeping boy, not bothering to collect his own belongings before making his way to the gate. Continuing his best to warm the other up.