"You have the index cards?"

Taehyung stood in the apartment near the front door as Laylin was bustling back and forth in the background trying to make sure they had everything packed for the trip. They had talked about meeting Jungkook's mother the night before with Laylin and had come up with a plan. Laylin would take a day off work to go to Jungkook's mother's house with Taehyung (like Jungkook's mother had wanted) to help him along and get him accustomed to things. Meanwhile, Hobi and Jimin would help Jungkook through dinner with Taehyung's parents. Even though Taehyung knew that Hobi and Jimin would help Jungkook out, he had still prepped index cards with a few notes on them in case. As he stood in front of the door the next day waiting to leave for the trip back to Jungkook's childhood home, he wanted to make sure Jungkook still had them.

"I have them right here," said Jungkook as he slipped them out of his pocket.

Taehyung nodded, watching as Laylin came over to them.

"Okay. I think things are set. You have our numbers?" she asked as she looked over at Jungkook.

"Yes, Mom," teased Jungkook as Laylin rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his arm. Taehyung was happy to see that Laylin wasn't acting as weirdly as she was about the switch anymore.

"You're a turkey. That hasn't ever changed," said Laylin, "But seriously. Call us if you need us."

"And you do the same," said Jungkook. "Thank you for doing this, Laylin."

"Of course," she said with a smile. "It's what besties are for - and besides- it's been a while since I've seen your mother. That woman is a sweetheart."

"A helicoptering one," added Jungkook with a chuckle. "Have a safe drive you two."

Taehyung nodded, moving to grab both of their duffel bags as he left the apartment. Jungkook made sure to cover up his face before following them downstairs to the car. Taehyung loaded the duffels into the trunk as Laylin moved to give Jungkook one last goodbye hug. She was acting as if they would never see each other again.

"See you soon," said Jungkook as Laylin just nodded, moving to get into the driver's seat; Taehyung climbing into the passenger seat.

The two of them sat awkwardly as they drove away from Jungkook and the apartment. Now it was just the two of them and they were entirely alone. Laylin reached out to turn on the radio after picking them both up some coffee for the drive. The radio was the only thing breaking the silence between them. Taehyung wasn't sure what to say, so he kept alternating between sipping the coffee, scratching at his chest due to the itchy and uncomfortable sweatshirt he had on, and humming along to the radio. Eventually - about an hour or so into the drive - Laylin broke the uncomfortable silence.

"I'll drive until we are a few blocks away and then I'll pull over so you can drive. I'll direct you the rest of the way. Otherwise Jungkook's mother - who will probably be outside waiting to greet us - will be suspicious. Jungkook always drives on trips back home."

Taehyung looked over at Laylin in the driver's seat. He knew that Laylin wasn't necessarily comfortable about taking him to Jungkook's place when she knew the truth, but he was thankful that she had relented to their request rather quickly the night before. He reached up a hand to scratch the back of his neck as he noticed Laylin falling into the uncomfortable silence again.

"That sounds like a plan," he said. "Laylin..."

"Hmmm?"

"Why is this sweater so itchy?"

The question surprised her as she cast her gaze sideways to see Taehyung still scratching at his neck and then his chest. She couldn't keep the small smile off her face as she flicked her gaze back to the road.

"It's homemade," said Laylin as if that explained everything. "Jungkook's mother made it for him. He wears it every time we go back home to visit regardless of the season because he knows his mother is proud of it."

"He seems to have an interesting relationship with his mother," said Taehyung as he thought back on the brief interaction with the woman yesterday.

"She's a sweet woman," said Laylin. "She means well, but she is very protective of Jungkook. To her, he is the most precious thing on this Earth. It's why we used to joke that he was the golden child."

"A golden child in uncomfortable clothes," said Taehyung with a chuckle as he stopped scratching when he realized it wouldn't do any good.

He let his eyes turn to look out the window beside him. The city that they had once been surrounded by - and that surrounded him his entire life - had long since faded away to reveal the countryside where houses here and there popped up among the farming fields and trees.

"I'm sorry that this puts you in an awkward situation, but I do appreciate you doing this," continued Taehyung. "I promise to not cause trouble."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault. You didn't ask to switch bodies."

"No, but apparently our souls did," muttered Taehyung.

"What do you mean?"

"We went to see a psychic yesterday before we bumped into Jungkook's mother and this whole thing started," said Taehyung. "The guy basically said that our souls switched with one another for some sort of soul purpose, and until we figured out what it is, they won't go back."

"So the accident..."

"Didn't make it happen. It just threw open the window," said Taehyung as he looked from the window to Laylin, seeing that her grip on the wheel tightened.

"I still feel so responsible for that accident," said Laylin. "I pressured Jungkook too much."

"Nah. You didn't."

"How do you know?"

"I know I've only known him for a short while, but Jungkook doesn't seem to ever be pressured by you. He does things because he cares about you."

Laylin fell silent after that. They made a few pieces of small talk to try to get comfortable around each other for the remaining two hour journey. Laylin eventually pulled off onto the side of the road once they were within a few blocks of Jungkook's childhood home so Taehyung could slip into the driver's seat. She directed him along even more cramped side roads until a small yellow house appeared in front of them. Like Laylin had said, the woman that Taehyung had met yesterday was standing on the porch waving at the two of them as they pulled into the driveway.

"Welcome!" Taehyung heard her say as he parked the car and got out.

"Hello Ms. Jeon!" said Laylin as Taehyung moved to the trunk to grab their duffels.

He followed after Laylin up the steps with both of their duffels, almost getting yanked off the top step by the woman's embrace. He let out a soft chuckle as he leaned his head against her back as a sort of hug.

"It's so good to see you both again! I'm glad you could make it on such short notice. Please do come in and make yourselves at home."

Laylin followed behind Jungkook's mother into the house. As Taehyung followed after them, he tried to not make it obvious that he had never been in the cramped house before. Shutting the front door behind him, he found himself standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder with the cluttered walls on either side of him. All the walls seemed to be decorated with sayings or framed photographs. As Taehyung followed Laylin past the kitchen and the sitting room to the flight of the stairs at the back of the house, it felt like he was taking a walk down Jungkook's memory lane. He climbed the rickety steps to the small upstairs area where there was a bedroom on either side with a bathroom in front of them. Laylin moved off to the left, opening the bedroom door to take Taehyung even more into the past.

"Nothing has changed in here since we were kids," said Laylin as Taehyung entered the sky blue room, looking at the posters that lined the wall; a few tinsel star stickers stuck here and there as if to accent things.

The room was relatively small, and had a bed in one corner with a dresser at the foot of the bed near the closet. Aside from the bed and dresser, there wasn't much else in the room except a maroon floor rug that was covering the wooden plank floorboards. Most of the room was empty, no doubt because Jungkook had taken his belongings with him when he moved out. There was a window in the center of the room that looked out over the backyard where a few trees swayed in the breeze. Taehyung moved to set the duffels on the bed as he turned to look at Laylin.

"You can take the bed," he said. "I can sleep on the floor."

"We'll worry about sleeping arrangements later," said Laylin quickly just as Jungkook's mother popped her head in the room.

"I was wondering if you both would like to help me cook dinner like old times. As long as you're feeling up to it after your accident and all..."

Her face seemed to cloud up a bit when she mentioned the accident, so Taehyung quickly stepped in to reassure her.

"That sounds like a great plan."

The cloudiness taking over her face disappeared as a smile reappeared at Taehyung's answer. Laylin and Taehyung followed her back downstairs, and spent the next hour in the small kitchen bumping elbows with each other as they watched Jungkook's mother come to life cooking. She kept giving the both of them taste tests of the food, but always seeming to be extra generous when it came to Taehyung. The supper they had was delicious even though it was equally as cramped. Taehyung half wondered if the woman liked living like this because if there was less space around you, you tended to feel less alone.

As they ate the meal, Taehyung noticed a framed picture at the head of the table. It was of a man with a smiling face. He looked very kind, and Taehyung figured it was Jungkook's father though Jungkook looked nothing like the man. Small talk was made here and there with Laylin leading most of the conversation for Taehyung. As Taehyung finished up his plate, Jungkook's mother rose from the table and began to putter as she put things away.

"Here. Let me help you," said Taehyung as he got up from the table to. He began to gather the dirty dishes, coming over to the sink with a small stack of them.

"Oh no. You don't have to, dear. You should be taking it easy. I probably already taxed your healing body too much by asking you and Laylin to help me with dinner and to drive all the way out here to see me..."

As Jungkook's mother babbled on and on, she turned from the sink she was standing at. In doing so, she knocked the small stack of dishes that Taehyung was carrying in his hands onto the floor. Taehyung couldn't help the hiss that left his mouth as one of the plates broke while still in his grip, cutting his finger. He looked at the small stream of blood coming from his index finger as he brought it to his mouth to try to stop the stinging; Jungkook's mother becoming increasingly concerned to the point where she acted as if he had severed his finger instead of just cutting it.

"I'm so sorry, my love," she said.

"Mom, it's fine," said Taehyung as his finger was brought away from his mouth as Jungkook's mother grabbed it to examine it.

He couldn't help but to notice the concern in her eyes as she moved his finger towards the sink where she could see it better. Jungkook was right. She did act like he was fragile and would drop dead of even the slightest thing. Even though Taehyung felt like Jungkook should have told his mother about the accident he was just in, he could now see why Jungkook hadn't. Taehyung wondered if Jungkook was treated so fragilely because of the death of his father. Maybe she was concerned about losing her only other family suddenly if indeed that picture was of Jungkook's father and he had died suddenly. Taehyung didn't know anything about Jungkook's father as Jungkook hadn't told him anything. Taehyung was brought out of his musings by the woman running water gently over his cut from the faucet.

"Mom," repeated Taehyung, "It's just a cut. I'm fine. Why do you treat me like I'm so fragile all the time?"

The question surprised the woman as she looked over at Taehyung. Taehyung looked at her back as Laylin sat at the table, watching the whole awkward transaction.

"That's a...it's a long story, but I suppose you're older now. I shouldn't hide the truth from you anymore."

"What do you mean?" asked Taehyung quietly as the woman gently dropped his hand.

"I mean, I think it's time I told you the truth about why I treat you like you're more precious than gold, and why I consider that fish restaurant so lucky when it comes to you."

Taehyung didn't know what he was expecting for an answer, but it certainly wasn't that.