Sapfire | ᴛᴀᴇᴊɪɴ ✔

| 14 |

Seokjin didn't know how he got the idea to let Taehyung be on his own on his first day at the nursery. Maybe it was because he felt that Taehyung was getting too dependent on him. Whatever the reason was, he later regretted it.

While Jung Woo had left Taehyung in the nursery, Seokjin was sitting inside a movie theater, watching a movie he instantly knew would be his favorite -The Matrix. Not that he really wanted to be there but because it acted more like a distraction to his constant worrying about Taehyung. He thought it was the only idea to lessen Taehyung's habit of wanting Seokjin next to him, he had to slowly learn to be on his own.

Seokjin was engrossed in the movie when the rooftop scene was showing Neo's bullet-time moves for the first time. Neo effortlessly dodged one bullet after another, inspiring Trinity to note, "You move like they do". That was fascinating but when Seokjin had a feeling that something was wrong, sending him jumping forward in his seat, he left that movie theater instantly. Taehyung needed him. He could feel it.

A few minutes later when he reached the nursery, he found Taehyung crying thinking that everyone had abandoned him and left him in that unfamiliar place. When he saw Seokjin, he calmed down a bit and put his hand forward by closing his hand into a fist then opening it. Seokjin walked to him and held his hand.

He realized that he couldn't just leave Taehyung alone at times like these, at least not yet. Maybe he had spoiled him too much but no one could complain.

Three years later, when Taehyung was five and a half years old, Jung Woo left the city and settled in a small, cheap, yet livable apartment with Taehyung. Since then he had not been paying much attention to Taehyung. He wasn't home most of the time and would be out doing petty work and at some point, he even started drinking.

One night when he hadn't returned home, Taehyung thought that he would come the next day but he wasn't home even after two days. Taehyung still liked Jung Woo. Taehyung really thought that he was his father. Whenever he used to ask Jung Woo about his mother, he wouldn't say anything so Taehyung has started to assume he didn't have one.

While Jung Woo was away, Seokjin tried his best to make sure that Taehyung wasn't sad. He had turned the dirty kitchen into a clean one full of Taehyung's favorite foods. It wasn't a problem as he would wipe out the evidence once Jung Woo came, also, most of the time Jung Woo was drunk and wouldn't realize the small changes.

At times he wished he could take Taehyung to see places in Euphoria instead of seeing him trapped in that small apartment. When he was small, he could still be free in nature and do things he could. He wished Taehyung could do that too. But Mrs. Min's words clearly meant that Taehyung should not know about Euphoria, he should not know that he is different and belongs to Euphoria.

Since Taehyung was still small, nothing out of the ordinary showed but Seokjin had observed his eyes shift into a bit of a bluer shade from the previous brown shade. It made Seokjin realize that he might have a golden core. As for Taehyung, even in the future, he would not realize that he had powers unless told or unless something happened. Just like normal beings wouldn't know their potential unless they believe and try or are forced to try.

✧ ✯ ✧ ✯

Taehyung was still waiting for Jung Woo on the third day but it was already evening and he wasn't back.

Getting bored of waiting, he put on his favorite anime and sat on the floor, cross-legged. Soon, Seokjin came to sit beside him, handing him the vanilla ice cream and the spoon.

Last week, Seokjin had brought(/stolen) ice cream for Taehyung for the first time and Taehyung liked it a lot. And now, it surprised Seokjin when Taehyung put the ice cream and spoon down without even taking a look at it.

While his eyes were still on the anime, he turned his face to Seokjin. Seokjin chuckled. "You need to learn to be independent, Taehyung. I wouldn't have spoiled even my real brother this much. Eat on your own", Seokjin tried to sound serious. He knew how even though Taehyung was better at most of the things the kids of his age were, he still couldn't eat well by himself. Even when someone fed him, he made a mess. So Seokjin thought it would be better if Taehyung learns.

Hearing Seokjin's words, Taehyung pouted and turned his face towards the screen. His face grew red and it looked as if he would cry anytime. Seokjin sighed and finally fed him. And, as he had thought, it was messy. After Taehyung had finished the third quarter of the ice cream, his hands, face, and Seokjin's shirt was covered in the last quarter. Seokjin couldn't help but chuckle.

An hour later, Jung Woo arrived, after almost three days. Seokjin was surprised how someone could be that careless, how someone would dare to leave a kid alone for three days. If it had not been for him Taehyung would have starved.

Seeing Jung Woo, Taehyung quickly ran towards him and hugged him with a wide smile on his face. Jung Woo rubbed his back as if to console him but had no expression on his face. He didn't really care much about Taehyung even though Taehyung thought that he was his real father.

Since Taehyung started talking, Seokjin never had to tell Taehyung to not speak anything about him to Jung Woo. It seemed that Taehyung had already understood that Seokjin was different from the other people, that other people couldn't see or feel him.

Taehyung never did a thing that would raise a doubt in Jung Woo's mind. He didn't want anything to happen to Seokjin or for Seokjin to stop being with him.

Ensuring that Taehyung was safe for the time being, Seokjin went away from Taehyung out of the apartment and away from Taehyung. He had to let out all the suffering and pain that he had suppressed.

Taehyung was like the light he had seen after so much darkness. The one thing making him happy. But the more time he spent with Taehyung, the more the energy that wanted to take control over him tried to resist him from any kind of happiness, trying to break him, to make him want to almost kill himself and end it all.

But he couldn't, he wanted to resist all of it and tried his best to get used to it. He looked at the green ring whose color was fading so slowly that one would fail to notice. He was thankful to a few people and believed that there is some good in the world that is worth fighting for. He had a favor to return, he had someone he genuinely wanted to look after.

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If I add any video after a chapter then it is not related to the story.