The King Likes Men

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The anger in Tae seems to cease at his words. Realizing that the younger had a point. Seokjin wouldn't be the only one leaving this competition in pain. 

"It hurts knowing he's in pain," Jungkook whispers. "I wish I could carry his burdens instead sometimes." A breathy laugh escapes him. "It's not like I can become king though. I'm not qualified."

Jungkook is a selfless person, Taehyung realizes. Amazingly enough, even though he was practically born with a silver spoon to his mouth, the young prince seems to be the kind to want to serve others rather than to be served. Tae sort of wishes he could be like that sometimes. To have others depend on him a bit more rather than he obsessively depend on others.

He has nothing to say. What could he say? When he had thought that Jin-hyung had died any word that anyone said to him went over his head entirely, made him angrier cause people truly didn't know what it was like unless they went through it themselves. All the sympathy seemed fake. 

"Sorry," Jungkook apologizes again, "you were going to go get your friend, right?" He stands, eyes looking a little sad. "I won't keep you any longer."

Finding the right words is hard. Taehyung doesn't want Jungkook to misunderstand. His mind isn't elsewhere because of Jimin, it's because he's thinking of Jungkook's situation and wants to say the right thing. Between him and Jimin, there's nothing but friendship on his part. But the words don't come out and Jungkook is already heading back inside.

Not wanting to leave things like this, but also having this horrible feeling in his stomach that the has to go after Jimin first, Taehyung does the first thing that comes to his mind. He runs up the porch before Jungkook gets a chance to close the door. Jungkook blinks as Tae takes a hold of his hands and takes in a deep breath. 

"Jungkook-ssi!" he shouts with all of his might, the prince jumping from the shock. "Jungkook-ssi, hwaiting!" and runs off, leaving the prince in a total stupor as he leaves.

All Tae hears as he runs is Jungkook's sudden laughter filling the air. It puts a smile on his face as he heads for Jimin's room, hoping that his friend will give him a chance to talk, a chance to work things out between them.

Jimin is an important person in Taehyung's life. He's his bestfriend, just like Hoseok is Jin's. The four of them clicked instantly, all living in the same neighborhood and going to the same school. Jimin was by his side and fought off anyone who ever dared to hurt him, despite his sweet demeanor. 

Whenever Taehyung cried, Jimin would be there to hug him to sleep. Jimin was always strong when it came to him. Always giving him strength. 

It's a friendship he'd never want to lose.

One's desires, however, sometimes doesn't seem to align with what is meant to be. Both of them wanted separate things and there was no room for both.

Tae's close when he sees it, notices the expanding puddle at the door. He stares at it for a few moments, eyeing it before he steps before the door and reaches for the knob, wondering if maybe a pipe was leaking or something of the like.

It's locked.

Sudden fear starts pumping the blood in Taehyung's veins and he feels his hands turn cold as the water continues leaking through the door, damping his shoes. An eerie feeling hits him and for a second he feels nothing more than absolute panic.

"Jimin!" Taehyung shouts, banging at the door, heart pounding in his ears with each passing second in which he doesn't get a response. "Jimin, open the door!"

No one answers. No one opens the door. Sheer panic hits Taehyung as his fist keeps colliding with the door. He lets out a blood-curdling scream. He needs to get inside. He needs to make sure Jimin is alright. That Jimin isn't—