ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ
" suicide, if you ever try to let go "

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ

Jungkook doesn't even miss a beat as he shakes his hand. "You're lying."

"Look, I'm sorry but—"

The younger scoffs, a smug look on his face as he lets go of his hand. "You think I meet my soulmate and I'm not gonna do a little research on him to know that you're just his best friend?"

Hoseok just stares and then clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "Goddamn, I knew it, I told Jimin that wouldn't work."

"Why isn't he here?"

"Because he knew you'd be coming today and told me to cover for him." Hoseok then turns to Taehyung, laughing. "I don't even know how to do half the drinks on here, I don't work here."

"I could go and get Heechul right now and you'd be dead in a second." Jungkook's voice almost comes off as a growl from the anger. How dare his soulmate try and play a trick on him like this?

"Hey man, chill. I got my own soulmate to worry about and honestly, I think Jimin should just talk to you." Hoseok's smile calms Jungkook down a bit as it is filled with kindness. "I'm on your side. I mean, sort of."

"Sort of?" Taehyung frowns and Hoseok looks around the shop.

"Come on, let's sit." He moves away from the register and none of the customers look bothered by this. Hoseok cleans up a table, setting down a slice of pumpkin bread in front of Taehyung and a banana bread slice in front of Jungkook with two bottled waters.

As Taehyung sits down, he bangs his knee against the table, cussing quietly. "I'm really fucking over these low ass tables these stupid bitching—"

"Tae." Jungkook shoots him a glance and the older quiets down. He didn't have the energy to deal with his childish antics today.

His eyes go wide as he stares down at the bread in front of him. "Hey, how'd you know I like pumpkin bread?"

Hoseok gives him a weird look, but a smile with it.

"I didn't. Just took a wild guess and picked my favorite."

"How'd you know mine then?" Jungkook says as he watches Hoseok sit in front of them.

"Jimin told me." The kindness this older male has brings peace to the both of them. He has such a nice aura, endearing eyes and a pleasing smile. "Look, um, it's not really in my place to tell you but, a year or so ago Jimin was training to be a dancer. He got a call back for an audition and it was pretty much the biggest deal ever, he was nonstop talking about it. Then, he never showed. They called me asking for him and when I went to check up on him, he had been on the floor unable to move for like hours. He had to cancel on them and they weren't too happy, basically slandering his name with unprofessionalism all across the industry."

Jungkook's head hangs low as he feels his stomach turn. This is all my fault.

"He couldn't dance anymore and he couldn't leave this place." Hoseok sighs as he places his hands on his lap. "Heechul isn't the greatest boss and well, you two know the actual business behind all of this. So he resented you—well, the idea of his soulmate. He did for the longest time and he told himself he rather not ever meet them. But that changed when he met you."

"How? He rejected Jungkook on the spot." Taehyung is torn between being either disappointed in Jungkook for causing this or being mad at Jimin for being so angry without knowing the circumstances.

Before Hoseok can continue, Taehyung puts his hand up as a signal to stop. His eyes are blinking slowly before her very vigorously throws his head down to the side, sneezing so loudly, basically every customer has turned to look.

"Sorry, excuse me um—" Taehyung sniffles and turns to Hoseok. "He didn't want to do anything with Jungkook so, what gives?"

Hoseok smiles at the boy, shrugging. "Even though he is being this way, it's nonstop talking about Jungkook." He turns to the youngest who's head has snapped up at the last statement. "Sure, it's all 'how dare he want my contact info,' or 'should I even care?' Kind of deal. But it's nonstop, you know, the usual thing that soulmates do when they meet and should be together but aren't."

"How did he know I was coming here, I mean, soulmates can't read each other's thoughts, can they?" Jungkook fidgeted with his hands under the table.

"He said he started thinking about wanting to see you but he knew for a fact that wasn't his own thought." Hoseok shrugs as he ruffles his brown curly hair. "I'm sure it was deep inside. Say, do any of you have a pen?"

Taehyung is quick to pull one of his pocket and Jungkook frowns. "Why the fuck do you have a pen on you?"

"I don't know, why do you always question what I do?"He shrugs in a mocking way as he hands it to Hoseok and the oldest of the three is quick to start writing on a napkin.

"This is Jimin's thinking spot." He hands the folded napkin to Jungkook. "He goes there at night when he's upset and almost every night lately he's been there."

Jungkook places the napkin inside his jacket's inside pocket and he turns to Hoseok. "Why are you helping me? You don't know me and Jimin is your best friend."

"Because, well," Hoseok giggles to himself before he sighs, "My soulmate is awful to his own body too but, I know I'd love him anyways."

"He?" Taehyung gasps and his eyes go wide. "Have you met your soulmate already? I love reading stories of soulmates that have met, spill."

Hoseok places his elbow on the table, resting his chin on his hand.

"I just recently met him, I'm not sure I'm ready to share my story just yet."

Taehyung groans. "Ugh, party pooper." He grabs the bread and shoves it into his mouth as he stands up, muffle talking that even Jungkook can't make out.

"Man, this is why Yoongi hates it when he takes you out to eat. Cause you're nasty." Jungkook stands up, only to laugh as Taehyung smiles at him with bread all over his teeth, cheeks all puffed. "Stop it, are you two years old?"

He finishes swallowing the bread before he smacks Jungkook on the back of his head. "Two years older than you, show some respect."

Hoseok stands up, cleaning up after them. "See you guys soon. Good luck Jungkook-ah."

"Thanks hyung." The two make their way out and Jungkook unlocks his car, a simple smile over his face as the two get inside.

Taehyung is quick to start asking questions. "What did you do a year ago to cause that? And what's the location he gave you?"

Rolling his eyes, the younger starts the car, setting a route to the location Yoongi had sent him before he left. "You can't give me five minutes to process everything, can you?"

"Come on, tell me. "

The car starts making it's way down the street and Jungkook sighs. "When you went over to France to fan girl over fashion—"

"Art, get your facts right—"

"I went to a fever after stealing an Audi and crashed the car."

"You what?!" Taehyung's furrowed eyebrows and sharp eyes show his anger as he turns to face Jungkook. "Is that the shit that made you stay in bed? You lied to Yoongi and me about what happened? Who took you home huh? Did you go to the hospital?"

"Um yeah I stayed in bed for three days after Yugyeom took me back home." The boy lets his hair loose as he feels a headache forming. "I lied and said I just had a cold because I knew you two would be angry and yes, I totally went to a hospital to say I crashed a car I illegally acquired and illegally raced with."

"What if you had been caught? You know we only do small things. We don't risk Yoongi and the business."

"Yeah well, I didn't care at the moment."

"How could you not care? The life Yoongi has worked so hard on building for you—For the both of us!" Taehyung was beyond upset as he sees Jungkook clench his jaw yet looking the least guilty.

"At the moment, no I kinda didn't care."

"And you were ready to-to what? Throw it away if you were caught? Why? To die in a stupid race?!"

"Because that was the fucking point!"

The two stare at each other as the car keeps it's route. The sound of silence was louder than Jungkook's sudden shout that broke Taehyung's heart.

Living a life full of lies was exhausting for the two. Pretending to be happy given the circumstances was the hardest part. How could Jungkook let go of the past so easily? In what world was a boy supposed to be raised by someone just five years older than him? The pressure Yoongi placed on the two of them to stay in line was too much for him to take.

Jungkook looks away as he places his elbow on the door panel, letting his face be smushed by the palm of his hand. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Of course that's not what I wanted to hear." Taehyung looks away, down to his lap. "Why didn't you talk to us?"

"Because Yoongi would just call me ungrateful and you couldn't do anything." The boy shrugs. "Can't have medical records so I couldn't see a therapist. Couldn't consult an expert online because that would give the government access to our router. Tattoos are an expensive coping mechanism and I was tired."

"That... diet you went on, the one where you'd fast on and off?" Taehyung's eyes are filled with worry. He doesn't know if he wants to know the answer.

"I just didn't want to eat." Jungkook answers nonchalantly.

"So all this agreeing to steal shit, always waiting on guards to get close—"

Jungkook chuckles as he sings a tune, "Suicide, if you ever try to let go~"

Taehyung can't believe Jungkook is jokingly singing XXXTentacion's song in a moment like this. "Fuck you."

"Fuck you too." Jungkook laughs and his shirt as grabbed onto and he's pulled towards Taehyung.

"No, fuck you. Fuck your selfish dumbass."

"Wow, I'm suicidal so I'm selfish?" Jungkook rolls his eyes as he looks away, "A bit shallow thinking."

"No, I'm not calling your suicide attempt selfish." Taehyung pushes him away before he crosses his arms. "You're selfish for thinking we couldn't help. You made this into your own problem and didn't tell us."

"Cause I—"

"No excuses!" The older's tone is angry but one with caring intention. "We're family. We took an oath that no matter what, we'd take care of each other. You can't tell me this after I've taken a bullet for you. Are you telling me you were hoping to get shot?"

"Hyung, that was three years ago, I wasn't..." He sighs as he tries to look at his friend in the eyes but the shame makes him look away, "I wasn't like this back then."

The car finally parks in front of the lone bar at the border of Seoul and Taehyung sighs. "Please, when you come back, let's all talk."

"Okay..." The two exit the car and they stare at each other from across the car.

"If it wasn't for the fact that we're in front of a place infested by thugs, I'd hug you."

Jungkook scoffs as a smile creeps onto his face. "When did you get all soft?"

"According to Yoongi, you're my brother. It's what I have to do."

"Not your brother." Jungkook quickly says, followed by Taehyung's remark.

"Not my brother." He waves his hand and begins walking off. "Have fun."

The younger boy sighs as he stares at the entrance of the bar.

Back to business.