┈━ ◇ ━┈

"Son, are you there?" the voice continued to ring in his ears, persistent to break his inner walls.

"No, it can't be!" he muttered, much to himself than to the person on the other hand.

"It's me, Jungkook-ah, why don't you speak?" the voice was real though!

Jungkook was still silent, just listening to his heavy breathing in the darkness. He only spoke up after a while when the other side was silent for too long.

"Dad?" his voice shook, eyes blurred with tears that threatened to fall.

"Yes, that's right." the warmth was well felt and it made Jungkook's condition worse. How could it be possible?! His father was in the hospital, almost on the verge of being lifeless.

But, what if... he was recovered now? Can a miracle really happen?

"Son, where are you? Why don't you come home? It's been so long."

"Dad," his tears continued to flow, troubling him with his words, "are you alright now?"

"I'm alright and I miss you. Please, come home soon."

Home? He had been gone from home too long ago to remember the scent of the walls. He had forgotten the taste of homemade food after his mother left them.

Why was he reminded of the old times? It hurted to even think about it. He wanted to go back and live a peaceful life. He could do it, right? His heart clenched at the thought of seeing his father, all healthy and happy.

If only, he could have the people he loved back.

No one was around to see him. The people who cared were either gone or stuck in trouble, either because of him or with him.

"Son? Won't you listen to me? Please, come back. I'll make your favourite dishes as soon as you come back, okay? Then, we can go to visit your mother, offer her the flowers she liked, together like before-"

"Stop!" his hands clutched the receiver tightly, the superficial veins pulsating angrily on his skin.

"But Son,"

"I said, stop it." his voice was low, drained of all the energy as if he eas about to collapse.

"I don't want to hear it. And I don't trust you." he stood firm on the ground, gathering his thoughts.

"Why? Don't you miss me too, Jungkook-ah? Don't you care about me? Is that why you left me alone in the hospital?" the words stabbed him like daggers.

It was not true. He was immersed in guilt and sadness, he could never leave his father alone. All he wanted to do was to make everything right.

"I do.. but dad, it's not you."

"Not me? What are you talking about so strangely, son? Don't you remember the accident?"

"God damn it! Why do you keep asking questions upon questions? I don't want to hear about the accident." he screamed and before he could hear anything else from his father, he hung up, slamming the receiver down on the phone.

"This is not real. He is not real. He is not my dad." he started chanting, mumbling about to himself in a whisper as he looked down, clutching his forehead out of stress.

But, suddenly the phone rang again. He flinched badly, startled to the core.

He didn't want to hear anything anymore. He didn't want to pick it up but it continued to ring so he picked the receiver up, quickly slamming it back and then again picking it up only to let it fall limp on the ground as it dangled with the wire attached to the phone.

Son, come home, please.

"What the fuck!?" Jungkook stumbled back, hitting the wall of phone booth behind him.

The receiver was off the phone and yet he could listen to the voice very clearly. It was creepy.

Don't you feel guilty enough? I was close to death because of the accident. Don't you remember it now?

"You're a load of bull crap, just go away. I don't wanna hear it." he screamed at the phone, even though the voice was coming out of nowhere.

Son, d-don't you hear m-me?

The voice was getting more and more disoriented and scattered. It was hard to make out the words but the effects it had on Jungkook's mind was still the same.

He was only looking at the phone, praying for it to disappear but then, his attention was stolen by something else. A hand stretched out from the little space under the door.

It wasn't enough for it to reach all the way to Jungkook, but it certainly made him surprised if not frightened enough.

The hand disappeared back outside after a second but reappeared soon. The voice was still babbling about on its own but, now Jungkook was busy looking at the strange hand.

It was only one at first but then it became two and then three. One by one, the hands only increased in numbers. Now the whole phone booth, which was already cramped, was shaking and filled with countless hands thrusting in and out under the walls from all the sides.

"Fuck-" something touched his ankle and he jumped in surprise.

"I can't stay here." he was panicking, finding a way to get out of there but the hands were everywhere.

It seemed like, they were searching for something or rather someone.

What to do? What to do? That was all he could think of.

He couldn't give up. Not after all that had happened. He had promised his friends that they will win against the vampires no matter what and now he even had to prove Taehyung that he could win.

He wanted to stay, so he will have to win.

"It's all in my mind. It's all in my mind. It's all in mind..." he kept muttered over and over until his brain was empty and only those words remained there.

He closed his eyes, clenching them as hard as he could so no intrusive thought can make him open his eyes even accidentally.

Then, he raised his hand, stepping ahead to open the door, with eyes still closed.

It opened with a loud click and all the noise stopped.

Was it over now? He thought and slightly opened his eyes only to find himself in a different place.

He inhaled in a large amount of air, gasping put of relief.

But, it wasn't over yet.

"Jk, where were you? We were all waiting for you here. It felt like ages." a very familiar voice.

His eyes quickly lit up and his head snapped towards the direction of the voice.

"Hyung?!" his voice was filled with relief and emotions.

Emotions that he had kept inside for a while now. Without anyone he could trust completely, he jad no one to share just how lost and scared he felt without his friends. Those friends had been with him in every situation without fail.

How did he manage to stay away from them these days? He didn't know.

Maybe.. it's because of a certain vampire but, he didn't want to think about him right now.

As soon as he eyes fell upon his friend, completely healthy and smiling, he was overcome with an undeniable urge to run into his arms and cry his heart out.

"Wait, how can I... trust this?" and as of all his world had crumbled back down, his excitement all vanished.

Frustration returned and swept along a wave of anger with it.

Just how draining it can be to constantly be in a poor mental state, with no one to rely on? Jungkook knew it perfectly now.

"What are you talking about? Oh, don't worry. We're only your friends, you can check. We've been here, in this place, all this time." Hobi, who was standing in front of him, spoke up with a smile that felt assuring.

It was the same smile that Jungkook remembered.

"You've been here? All this time?" he shook his head, not being able to understand.

"The day when we entered the mansion, we passed out and couldn't remember what happened when we parted. Do you remember?"

"Yes," he replied shortly, urging him to continue.

"So, since then, we suddenly woke up here. We couldn't find you anywhere but then, that vampire called Jiwoong showed up, saying that you're fine and with Kim Taehyung. He told us to to wait for you." his voice was wrapped in a warm bundle of love and care when he said the last line.

"Hyung... you've been waiting for me to come and get you all? Then who were the ones I saw in the forest. The ones I saved from various troubles and fears?! What was all of that?" Jungkook's brain couldn't catch up with everything that Hobi said.

"Hey, take it slow." Hobi comforted him, just like he used to do before, gently patting his back with care.

"Where are the others? I want to see them." he asked as soon as his mind was done processing what Hobi said and could think about other things.

"Ah, here they come." he pointed towards a big tree, the pink flowers prettily hung from its branches like decorations. It was unrealistically beautiful.

He hadn't been paying attention to his surrounding until he saw his friends running towards him. The place was calm, not entirely though as the sound of birds and insects could be heard.

It was still a forest but prettier than what he was used to see.

"There's.. a house too?" he exclaimed as his gaze wandered far into the distance and caught a glimpse of a building.

"Yes, surprising, isn't it? We've been living pretty well here."

Jungkook furrowed his brows, finding it strange.

The other quickly arrived, bombarding him with questions, loving pats and words of comfort.

"Jin hyung is here too?" he was more worried about him than everyone else.

"Why wouldn't he be here?" Jimin laughed, no ounce of worry or seriousness present in his voice or actions. Just like before. He behaved just like how Jungkook remembered.

No matter how he saw the situation, it was still strange.

"Guys, wait, please stop." he said, making everyone silent in an instant.

"What happened?" Yoongi asked.

"Are you alright? I mean, why are you so happy about all of this? We need to get out of here." he was dead serious but the others just seemed to brush his words off so easily.

"Uh, Jk, you see..." Hobi started, "I think we all should stay here. We've come to like this place. It's a lot calmer than Seoul and there nothing to worry about here. Don't you like it too?" he reached out for Jungkook's hand, taking it in his as he tried to explain.

"...huh?" Jungkook was in utter disbelief.

What happened to them while he was gone? Did someone do something to them? Brain wash?

"What are you talking about, hyung? This is not where we belong. We must go back to Seoul, okay?"

"We? So you'll come back with us?" Yoongi stepped ahead.

"Suga hyung, listen to me-"

"No, weren't you planning to stay here forever?" Yoongi continued to speak without listening to him.

How did they know?

"I-"

"You were just going to leave us all alone, right?" Jimin also joined in.

"No, Jimin, it's not like that. I'm only doing it because..." he couldn't continue.

What was he going to say? He didn't want to leave because he fell for a vampire? And he was helping them to leave without him so that they could live happily in Seoul? He never thought that, there was a possibility, they wouldn't be happy without him. All of that sounded very much selfish in his mind.

He forgot that he wasn't the one who would make decisions for them. Everyone has the right to make their own decisions, choose their own path.

"You don't have it in you? You can't even be honest with us anymore?" Yoongi scoffed, which almost broke Jungkook.

He had never seen Yoongi behaving that way towards him. Yoongi was someone who would let him do anything he wanted and supported everything he did too while being one of the sweetest people he knew.

"Hyung," he pleaded, feeling helpless. "I.. I will come back, okay? But for once, you all should leave without me. I promise I will not leave leave you all alone. Just, leave first. Once we're out of this maze, and everyone is safe-"

"I think there's no need though! If I'm being honest, I really do like it here." Hobi said, cutting his words off.

"Argh! Why don't you understand? This is not the place you belong to. You have to go back." Jungkook was at his wit's end.

"Choose. Your friends or that bloody vampire."

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I typed so fast, I feel like a superhuman.
Lol, just kidding.
Vote and comment please. ;p