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“You guys can stay here. No worries, my aunt owns this house but she’s living in another city so no one else goes here but me & my family.”
Bogum said as they enter another house beside them. It wasn’t small, nor big. Just enough for them to fit in.
Bogum helped them fix their things and told them about the things in the house.
After everything was settled, Jennie had fallen asleep, and Yoongi had just went to bed.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Bogum asked, Tae was just standing still.
Tae shook his head slowly. “I don’t think I can sleep.” He said, but he really looks tired.
Bogum couldn’t say anything, and just sighed. He wanted to cheer up Tae just for a short time.
“I’ll just get something, stay here.” Bogum said and went outside.
Tae went outside the house to avoid disturbing his siblings and to also wait for Bogum.
Not long after, Bogum arrived with a bouquet on his hands. Tae thought it was flowers, but he somehow smiled when he saw that it was a bouquet of strawberries.
“Jajaaaan!” Bogum said.
He handed Tae the bouquet. Well luckily, he did not throw it away yet.
“You said you strawberry is your comfort fruit right? So I thought, maybe you’ll somehow feel better if you eat this.”
Tae chuckled, he felt so touched at how thoughtful Bogum was.
“Did you make this?” Tae asked, they went onto their mini garden and sat on the bench together.
It was already 11 in eve, but Tae felt like the sun above the middle of the night — he’s questioning his existence.
“Yeah, I made it. Do you like it?” Bogum asked.
Tae nodded with an impish smile. “Yes, its looks beautiful.”
Bogum bit his lip to control his smile. He wanted to jump like a 5 year old kid out of happiness. He’s really glad that Tae liked it.
But since Tae was gloomy, he couldn’t.
Tae ate the strawberries in silence. His eyes were tearing up, but he felt so drained to even shed a tear.
“Do you...wanna talk about it?” Bogum asked gently, he didn’t want to trigger him.
Tae let out a shaky and heavy breath. “I don’t know either...”
“So many things happened today and I wasn’t even ready...” Tae started.
“But right now, all I can think of is my sister. I promised mother that I’ll make sure she graduates and have a good life. Her school was in Australia, but how am I gonna send her back there?”
“Can’t she just study here in Korea?” Tae shook his head, “She had a brighter future there. Our father can not control her and she’s much safer in Australia.”
Bogum did not speak, he didn’t want to. He’s not used to this kinds of scenarios but he’s a good listener.
Bogum’s eyes lingered onto Tae’s right hand, it was covered in cloth and it has stains of blood.
“What happened to your hand?” Bogum asked. “O-Oh uh...”
“I injured myself...I was doing the gift for Captain.” He said and took out the handkerchief in his pocket.
Bogum nodded, he didn’t know how to react.
Captain must be lucky to have someone like Taehyung. And he wanted to feel that love too.
He wanted to feel how much Tae cared for Captain, he wanted to feel how its like to be loved by Taehyung.
But sadly, he was in reality.
He can never be feel that love. He can never feel those lips of Tae on him. He can never hear Tae tell him the words ‘I love you’.
For short, he’ll never be Jungkook.
“Can I see?” Bogum asked.
Tae handed him the handkerchief, and Bogum smiled as he take a look at it.
“It looks cute.” He commented, oh how he wished it was for him. “Really? How do you say?”
“Maybe its because you made it.” Tae blushed a bit on his words.
“I’m sure Captain will like it.”
Tae smiled as Bogum handed him back the hanky. “Thank you.”
He was surprised when Bogum held his injured hand, and he was very gentle to make sure that Tae won’t be hurt.
“You told me I have you right? I just wanted to let you know that you have me too.”
Tae smiled and held Bogum’s hand back.
He have no words, he felt to drained to speak further. So he just laid his hand against Bogum’s shoulder, and closed his eyes.
At least, the moon understood him.
As soon as Bogum felt that Tae was asleep, he slowly leaned towards to give him a gentle kiss on his head.
He felt brave, since Tae was asleep. But he also felt sad, since he knew that he can never do anything further.
“I love you...how I wish you do too...”
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Its already monday, 3am in the morning to be exact. At this time, Tae should be getting ready to go back to the camp for training.
But up to now, he was still sitting on the bed, staring at the blank space.
Yoongi was not on his bed, and he’s worried why.
Jennie was still sleeping, and gladly she is. She’s too young to experience losing a parent, and Tae felt so bad for it.
Three small knocks were heard from the door, it opened. “Hey, are you going?” Bogum asked.
He’s already in his trainee uniform.
Tae nodded his head, “I’ll be a bit late.” He said and Bogum grew worried.
“I’m praying you won’t get caught by our trainer.” He chuckled then left.
Tae decided to stand up and went to the kitchen to atleast prepare some breakfast for them.
He’s not a great cook, but he can decently cook.
Not long after, he heard the door opened, and Yoongi was panting for breath.
“Hyung?” He went to see Yoongi who’s covered in sweat.
“Where have you been? Are you okay?” Tae asked.
Jennie was woken up by the noise, “What’s going on?” She asked with her morning voice.
Yoongi held up his hand to breathe. He sat on the chair and drank water to replenish his thirst.
“I went to the nearest port here, I heard you and Bogum’s conversation last night.”
Tae was intrigued, he then sat beside him. “The next ship later at 10PM is towards Australia. We can catch up before school starts again.”
Yoongi said, Tae wanted to go, but there’s one problem. “Hyung...we don’t have money...”
Yoongi took out something from his pocket.
It was money — its a lot — maybe enough to buy them a house, but paying the ship fee is enough for it too.
Tae was surprised at the sudden amount of money. “Where did you get this?” He asked.
“I saved it from my income, I know I can use this one day.”
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“Why can’t you just come with us?” Jennie cried, almost throwing a tantrum. Her heart felt so heavy.
They’re now in the port, there are a lot of people. And for their safety, they wore some scarfs to cover their faces.
“She’s right, just come with us Tae.”
But as much as Tae wanted to go with them, he can’t.
“You’ll be much safer there! That bastard can’t hurt you—“
He hushed his sister, and Jennie started crying. “I wanted to but I can’t. I have my reasons and I can’t tell you. But please, please take care of yourselves.”
Jennie hugged him and cried in his arms. Yoongi came for the hug too, because what if this is the last time?
“Change your names if needed, so that Jaewon can’t trace the both of you anymore.” Tae said.
Jennie pulled away from the hug, looking at one direction.
Tae looked at the direction that she’s looking at, and his heart broke as soon as he saw Jimin.
It hurts him, because what if the future will change? What if it’ll affect Jennie and Jimin’s story and Jimin — Tae’s best friend won’t be born anymore?
That just hurts.
“Go.” Tae told her, and Jennie was confused. “Huh?”
Tae gave her an assuring smile. “I know I told you that ‘no-boys-until-graduation’. But I’m not gonna stop you now. Tell him everything you want before the ship arrives.”
Jennie can never be so touched.
She immediately ran to Jimin and they hugged each other.
“She’s really a grown up now.” Yoongi commented, he felt like a parent since he witnessed how his sister grew up from being a little baby — and now a lady.
“Hyung...I’m sorry. It’s my fault...”
Yoongi shook his head. “I want you to promise me that you won’t blame yourself anymore, even after we leave.”
Yoongi extended his arm and pulled out his pinky. Tae giggled, he thought its childish, but its pure.
He stuck up his pinky and clung it with Yoongi. “Promise.”
Not long after, the ship to Australia arrived, and people are starting to hop in. It was really tall, and huge.
“We’ll see each other again right?” Jennie asked, wanting for an assurance.
Its just a simple question, but he doesn’t know how to answer it.
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Even if he’s not sure, he just nodded and smiled to make the two feel better.
They finally hopped on the ship and Jennie looked over the edge as soon as the ship starting moving away.
“YOU PROMISED! WELL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN OKAY?” Jennie screamed.
Tae sighed as he watched the ship sail away. He felt so sad when he couldn’t see it from his sight anymore. All he’s thinking is his siblings safety.
He saw Jimin behind him, and he really looks like Jimin from the future — but younger.
“Hey,” Tae called.
The younger boy flinched, Tae went towards him.
“Do you love my sister?” He asked, it was so sudden that Jimin was frozen. But seconds later, he saluted to Tae with his teary eyes.
“Sir, yes sir!” His voice cracked because he’s almost crying. Tae giggled.
He ruffled the younger’s hair to make him comfortable. “You don’t have to do that. I’m not yet a soldier. Just call me hyung.”
He pulled the younger beside him with his arms across his shoulders.
“O-okay, hyung.”
“Come on, lets go back home.”
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THE BEST AUTHOR OF THIS AU IS ARTSEOULVK🍓
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