the sun was going down, its bright rays slowly fading away by each second. the sight would have been beautiful in the old world. fortunately, it was still beautiful in the new world also.
"turn the lamps on." jin told yoongi, who walked around the house and turned on the lights.
the group had been getting along well. laughter and smiles broke out the whole day, the boys not even realizing it was getting close to night time.
jimin had been in his room all day, not once coming out to talk to the group.
yoongi always went to check on him every fifteen minutes, just to make sure he was okay. after all, he was the only one jimin would listen to.
"wouldn't turning on the lamps bring biters or attention?" taehyung asked.
"nah. we have screens on the outside to block it out." namjoon assured.
"since we don't have to get supplies, thanks to you, we can actually... relax a little." hoseok shrugged, the word-relaxed- not used to being in his vocabulary.
"so without the supplies, you guys basically hunted every day?" taehyung questioned.
taehyung could make observations and tell that this group has been through pain. just the way their faces tensed at the word "relax" and the way they barely had any supplies gave him that idea.
maybe they did really need him? but, no one has ever exactly needed him before. or made him feel as if he was important to the family.
"basically." jin relaxed against namjoon's shoulder.
"is that all you do? sit here, laugh a bit, eat, and sleep?"
"that's all you can do anymore. laughing is a gift these days." yoongi sadly smiled, feeling a mood of nostalgia.
taehyung thought about his statements and sat in silence. that's all you really can do in this world. survive, eat, sleep, repeat. every day. you were lucky to be alive or to even let out a chuckle.
"how about we go to the river tomorrow night? we have to be quiet though. biters and people love the night." hoseok suggested.
at that moment, jungkook walked out, the creaking sound of the door causing everyone in the living room to look back.
"good morning, morning bird." namjoon joked.
jungkook was "asleep" all day. or just in his room, as they never went in ever since he started to lock it.
"shut up." he replied and walked to the kitchen area, grabbing a bottle of water to moisten his throat.
"kook, hoseok thought we should go to the river tomorrow night. what do you think?" namjoon looked at the man gulping down sips of water.
taehyung's eyes travelled down to his adam's apple, quickly looking away when he noticed he was staring.
he took his mouth off the water bottle, "it'll be dangerous. we haven't been there since that big ass herd."
he was referring to a herd weeks ago that would have been fatal if they didn't have their vehicles. it seemed as if the herd came out of nowhere, their snarls sending shivers down their spines.
"well, we weren't quiet. we'll be careful this time. i think we all need a break to just breathe and look at something pretty, you know?" jin shrugged.
jungkook moved his glance to taehyung, who sat with his legs laid out on the couch.
"kim, you're coming with us."
"i figured, since you probably wouldn't dare to leave me by myself." taehyung responded, his tone laced with sarcasm.
jungkook rolled his eyes and placed the water bottle down, walking over to the group in the living room.
"can we do something right now? i'm bored." jin groaned.
"television would be perfect right now." hoseok sighed.
"how about we sleep?" jungkook leaned against the wall.
"wasn't that what you were doing all day?" taehyung rose his eyebrows.
jungkook scoffed, "no. i do stuff that's personal."
"ew, i don't want to hear about you masturbating," hoseok gagged.
the group chuckled as jungkook quickly defended himself, "what?! i wasn't masturbating! what would i even masturbate to?"
"i don't know. maybe taehyung?" jin joked.
"what?!" taehyung and jungkook both looked at jin as if he were insane.
"chill, i'm joking. anyways, me and joon are going to go cuddle. good night, guys." jin held his boyfriends hand as he dragged him to their shared room.
"and by cuddle, we all know that means fuck. i'm gonna go to sleep too. good night." hoseok rolled his eyes and stood up, walking to his room and shutting the door.
"everyone's leaving?" taehyung pouted as he sat up on the couch, jungkook sparing him a glance.
"sorry dude. i'm gonna try to make jimin feel better. good night guys." yoongi stood up and walked to his shared room with jimin, the sounds of doors being locked and closed created silence in the living room.
taehyung turned to look at jungkook, wondering about what he should do now.
he wasn't concluded as friends with jungkook, compared to the group. he couldn't talk to him, now could he?
"what?" jungkook caught his staring.
"nothing." taehyung hummed and lay down on the couch, closing his eyes, but knowing his brain had no intentions of going to sleep.
jungkook said nothing as he walked away, going to his room to close the door and hide himself, as usual.
—
"you know jungkook is always thinking of us. we always protect each other. you got to stop this chim." yooongi rubbed his forehead and sat on the edge of the bed.
"yoongi, i don't want it to happen again. i just... i can't. it can't happen again. i don't know what'd i do." jimin's tears that were held in all day, finally came down.
yoongi immediately comforted jimin, walking to the headboard and bringing jimin's head into his chest.
"i know. let it out. i'm here. i always am." yoongi rubbed jimin's back as his shoulders shook.
"god, i'm such a baby." jimin pulled away and wiped his eyes, his cheeks wet.
yoongi sat across from jimin on the bed, placing his hands on jimin's cheeks and kissing each tear away with his lips. jimin felt the texture of yoongi's soft lips and felt warm inside.
"crying is a sign of strength. you're not alone, okay?" yoongi held his cheeks and put on a smile, only to have jimin smile back.
the both of them remembered seeing jin kiss namjoon's tears away, as namjoon is a person known to hold back his emotions. they both, at the time, didn't know of the pair's love for each other. they didn't know it was real love until namjoon told them,
he kissed my tears away and that's when i knew i was in love. i don't know why, but just feeling his lips comforting my sadness really let me know. the point is, this is real love. it may seem simple, but isn't love simple also?
jimin stared into yoongi's eyes, thinking of namjoon's words. was this love? how he felt about yoongi?
he couldn't be without him, he knew that. but, did he love him? was he in love with him?
jimin silenced his thoughts by placing his lips on yoongis, not caring about the word, but caring about feeling the person he cared about the most.
—
taehyung didn't know how much time has passed since he's been lying on the sofa, staring at the laminated ceiling.
it was always troublesome to fall asleep, even before this world turned to shit. maybe it was because of him or his outside environment. he didn't know.
he was sure everyone was asleep. at least, everyone but jungkook.
"well, it's worth a shot," he shrugged and sat up, standing up.
the silence in the house made him uncomfortable in a way. and the fact that he was alone didn't make it any better.
he questioned what he was about to do. was it stupid? attempting to talk to a cold leader that doesn't give two shits about him?
he pondered as he walked back and forth. he couldn't sleep, nor was he tired. it was a pain.
finally making his decision, he walked quietly to jungkook's room. hesitant, he knocked on the door. his soft knocks made him anxious as he immediately moved his hands after doing so. he turned to walk away, realizing jungkook would never want to talk to him. this was crazy.
as taehyung walked away, the door creaked open. he stopped in his tracks and cursed himself under his breath.
jungkook's low, tired voice was clear, "you need something?"
taehyung looked at him as he stood in the door, leaning against the doorframe. eye bags were under his eyes, but he didn't look or sound like he was sleeping.
"sorry," tae sighed. "i couldn't sleep. i just... wanted to talk to someone. i guessed you were the only one up. looks like i was right."
jungkook stood there quietly for a few seconds. his eyes never left taehyung's as he practically had a spinning gear floating on the top of his head.
he sighed, "do you want to come in?"
taehyung widened his eyes, "really? in your room?"
"yes."
"yeah, that sounds good." taehyung gratefully smiled.
jungkook walked into his room, taehyung silently following behind. he didn't expect for jungkook to actually invite him into his room. he sure hoped he wasn't going to kill him. he did have his knife. just in case.
he was sure jungkook was more skilled though. just by how he talks and asserts things. he was sure he was very skilled in lots of things.
"close the door." jungkook flopped onto his bed, going to lay down, his back facing the ceiling.
taehyung did so and walked closer, standing in front of the bed. he noticed multiple papers and books sprawled out.
"what's all of this?" he curiously asked.
"nothing." jungkook quickly answered.
taehyung kneeled on the ground, his eyes being matched with jungkook's. he put his arms on the bed and gazed at him with curiosity.
he was close. his visuals started to... interest him. jungkook's eyebrows were furrowed, biting his bottom lip as he stared down at the papers. he had an old pencil in his hand, scribbling down words. his long hair tricked down and his eyes were dull.
jungkook was handsome. really handsome.
"doesn't look like nothing." he snapped out of his daze and stared at the papers.
jungkook chuckled, "you're really nosy, kim."
"if something interests me."
jungkook picked his head up to look at taehyung, taking in his hazel eyes. he liked those eyes for some reason. he didn't know why on kim, but it sure was beautiful.
he rubbed his forehead, "it's song lyrics."
taehyung's eyebrows raised, "you can write song lyrics? can you sing?"
"i don't sing in front of people, so don't even think about it." he rolled his eyes.
"please? c'mon, it's nighttime. people are asleep and no one is listening. i want to hear." taehyung leaned back and sat on the floor, crossing his legs as he waited for melodies to flow out of jungkook's mouth.
"kim-"
"c'mon! i just want to hear your voice," taehyung pushed.
jungkook stared into his eyes for a moment. kim taehyung was a man that would find out everything he could to get to know someone; jungkook figured that out right away.
he groaned and sat up, sitting correctly on the edge of the bed. jungkook grabbed the papers and swallowed the lump in this throat. why was he so nervous?
maybe it was kim's stare that made him nervous. or was it the fact that he is the first person to ever hear his vocals? maybe both?
"you don't have to be shy," taehyung encouraged, after the silence felt too long.
jungkook inhaled and exhaled, his eyes focusing on the paper, and his lips starting to move.
I shouldn't get used to it
But I'm used to it again
The low-pitched sound of the air conditioner
If I don't have this, I might just fall apart
We laugh together, we cry together
These simple feelings were everything I had
I will look into your eyes
And say, "I missed you"
jungkook stopped once he felt tears in his eyes. he placed the papers down and wiped his eyes, refusing to meet kim in the eyes.
"that was.... amazing." taehyung could barely describe how heavenly jungkook's voice sounded.
it felt like clouds as he followed the music with his ears. no wrong note, nor tune, came out of his mouth. everything was perfect.
he wondered how jeon could write like this? how he could turn his thoughts into beautiful sentences that mean everything to him. he wanted to listen to more. he didn't want jungkook to stop.
taehyung noticed the tears forming in jungkook's eyes. he knew that this song was something so heartfelt, so personal, that he didn't feel like he was in the place to ask yet.
he wanted to comfort jungkook, but how would he do that? the two aren't even friends, nor do they really know each other.
"you're really talented," taehyung again complimented.
"thanks," jungkook responded, still gazing at the floor.
jungkook always kept these lyrics to himself. he didn't know why it only took a few sentences from taehyung to get him to sing the lyrics on the page.
he was glad to share his emotions with someone, though. he hasn't cried in a while. but, hearing those lyrics as he thinks about his family just lets the salty drops fall. he hated that. he hated showing how vulnerable he was. he was supposed to be fearless and emotionless, but he couldn't even do that right.
taehyung stood up, walking to jungkook. he sat next to him on the bed, his gaze also focused on the carpet floor.
"it's okay to cry, y'know. even heroes cry. you don't have to keep it in, or otherwise, you'll just keep hurting," taehyung said.
noticing he wasn't getting a reply, taehyung sighed and walked to the door. before exiting, he looked back at jungkook once. his head was still down, with the papers placed down on the bed. he turned away and softly closed the door, biting his lip as he walked to the sofa.
as soon as jungkook realized he was alone, his tears fell. he silently sobbed as he recalled the last memories of his family.
all he could do was cry to himself.
when no one was there, that's when the real him was shown.