Mirage of the Moon||TaeJin

53. Rhapsodies of Change

Third Person’s P.O.V.

They say hope begins in the dark and guides one into light… 

“I did warn you a long time ago…didn’t I?” Hoseok grinned turning towards the Commander, making Taehyung look at him with the kind of annoyed face that he specifically reserved for the other.

“Warn what?”

“That he was going to strip you off of all your pride…” his grin grew wider, almost comical and jeering “…and I would watch the day it happens.”

Hoseok was almost waiting for the other to grab him by the neck any moment but saw Taehyung turn back to look somewhere else and traced his gaze going to set on Jin.

“Hoseok…I pity you but one day you will learn that sometimes you don’t have to boast about a win” Taehyung smiled to himself “and about my pride…well, what can be more rewarding than finding the calm in the chaos?”   

“What calm in the chaos huh?” Hoseok scoffed breaking out in laughter “you’re the most chaotic person I have met…or even entire Kleon has ever seen!”

Taehyung still had his eyes on his mate as he patted on Hoseok’s back “you won’t get it now…I didn’t either…but I learnt…” he spoke before walking ahead to go and join where Jin stood “I was headed for destruction and yet I didn’t care…that wasn’t pride Hoseok, that was years of cruelty that got me to feel comfortable with self-destruction…”

Hoseok stood in silence as he tried to reflect on the words.

“But I learnt that there is salvation for me…for you…for everyone…we all have our way of finding the light…”

He stepped around the others surrounding his mate to find his place beside Jin, who instantly looked a lot more at ease with Taehyung standing by him. 

-

“Your wounds won’t heal if you do not let me help” Yoongi’s frown deepened when he felt Jungkook barring him from applying the medicines for the umpteenth time now. He had been trying for hours to ensure his wounds were properly cleaned and bandaged but Jungkook had been trying his very best to ruin his intentions.

“Just go…leave me alone…” his voice was tired, eyes still shut and his face scrunched in pain even due to the little movement he made.

Yoongi took a deep breath, eyes settling on the other who lay bruised and battered in the cold hard bed in the dungeon. His grandeur seemed to have left him completely now and his will to live gone along with it. Jungkook seemed to like he was waiting for the end.

“As a medic I cannot-” “Hyung…”

Yoongi froze midway, it had probably been a decade since Jungkook had addressed him as his hyung and the word brought back early memories from the days when Jungkook was a younger equally dear to him as Taehyung. 

Time has a way of making changes that we are often bound to accept, even against our will and Yoongi had merely accepted the fact that the Jungkook who had once held him in high esteem and had adored him as a child had chosen to change over time. He had grieved in silence every day that he had to watch his younger brothers grow harsh and cruel against each other and after years of trying to make them see that they were both victims of oppression and should not blame each other, he had failed. He never meant to choose sides, at least not among them but had to because his integrity wouldn’t let him side with treachery.

However, if Yoongi was being completely honest, to him they were still equally dear.
“I have something to ask of you…”

Yoongi watched the way Jungkook’s chest rose and fell in slow heavy draws as he found it difficult to breathe freely.