Chapter 21

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When Jungkook woke up the next morning everything seemed normal at first. The pile of pillows next to his bed was empty, but that didn't mean much. Taehyung tended to sleep in Jungkook's bathtub more often than not.

It was only after Jungkook had checked all the rooms that he realized something was off. Taehyung wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Jungkook's tired mind finally started up as he racked his brain for a reason. Maybe Taehyung had gone for a swim... or maybe he had decided that he had seen enough of the human world. Part of Jungkook almost felt relieved at the thought.

Maybe all of this was over now.

But that little spark of hope quickly vanished into thin air when Jungkook checked his phone.

Jimin
Taehyung showed up here last night

Jimin
Thought you were probably going to wake up soon so it's probably best I tell you now

Jimin
He said you have a free day today

Jimin
But I'm supposed to warn you not to do anything stupid

Jimin
Also he told me about what happened yesterday and I thought I should tell you that he didn't mean to scare you

Jimin
He just wasn't thinking

Jimin
He has been trying really hard to make you more comfortable

Jimin
The fact that you may feel scared if he did that slipped his mind

Jimin
And yes he is not the most empathetic person if you might wonder

Jungkook stared at those messages. It had slipped his mind... he could feel the anger rising in his throat again, but the messages after that...

Jimin
But

Jimin
And I'm saying this without him knowing

Jimin
I know it's hard to believe but I think he likes you

Jimin
As far as him liking someone can go at least

Jimin
He is pretty... frustrated right now

Jimin
Because that wasn't his intention

Jimin
I know this is really scary for you because Taehyung is a siren and a really intense one at that

Jimin
But you're probably the only human he has ever accepted

Jimin
It's been a month and he kind of likes you

Jimin
I was trying to be optimistic, but this is going a lot better than I could have hoped for

Jimin
Please don't hold this slip up over his head

Jimin
Sorry for all the messages. Sirens can share their emotions and Taehyung's are affecting me strongly right now

Jimin
But I hope you'll give him a chance and continue your whole showing around thing

Jimin
And treat him the way you did before

Jungkook really wasn't sure how to feel. He wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Could he trust what Jimin was saying... could he hope that maybe this whole thing wasn't leading to his inevitable death?

That he'd get out of this alive and Taehyung wasn't going to drown him after all... maybe even by accident if the fact that Jungkook had to breathe ever slipped his mind again.

But the fact that Taehyung actually kind of liked him came with somewhat of a shock. While Jungkook had gotten the feeling that maybe Taehyung didn't hate him as much as he hated other humans, he certainly wouldn't have thought Taehyung kind of liked him.

He wasn't sure what to do with that piece of information.

Jungkook
I will still show him around because it's not like I have much of a choice

Jungkook
The other stuff... I'll think about it

Jungkook
I know you are a siren too so this isn't familiar to you

Jungkook
But I'm terrified of him

Jungkook
I can never know when he'll snap again

Jungkook
And even something like this

Jungkook
I feel better knowing he didn't mean to threaten me again

Jungkook
But he almost killed me before by drowning me

Jungkook
What if he accidentally kills me, just because he isn't careful?

Jungkook
This shit is scary

Jungkook
I never know what to expect because he won't talk

Jungkook
And we have no means to communicate apart from you, who lives an hour away

Jungkook
This is a shitshow I wouldn't even be part of if my line wasn't on the line

Jungkook knew it probably wasn't a good idea to get angry at the siren that was actually kind of nice to him, but he was so frustrated with all of this. He just wanted a break. See his normal friends again without worrying about Taehyung following him around.

He hadn't met Eunji for a month because the thought of having her and the siren meet scared him. Just the possibility of putting her in that danger.

This last month he had spent just trying to avoid anyone he really cared about, for their own safety, coming up with the stupidest excuses. His parents kept sending passive aggressive messages about them eventually forgetting about Jungkook's existence since they hadn't seen him for this long.

The few people around uni he knew were asking him whether they had done something wrong and Eunji was clearly annoyed but tolerated his weird behavior because they were friends.

His phone vibrated in his hand and when he looked at the message it was once again Jimin.

Jimin
I know this is hard and frustrating

Jimin
But Taehyung really is trying

Jimin
It's not easy for him because it's not his nature to act human

Jimin
I know I seem somewhat normal for the most part, but in my and Taehyung's case I'm the weird one

Jimin
He is normal for a siren

Jimin
So the fact that he somewhat respects you is a huge step

Jimin
If he can do that anything is possible

Jimin
And I know how he feels about you

Jimin
He's practically in my head right now

Jimin
So trust me when I say even with how odd he might behave and even if he slips up... I don't think he will just kill you

Jimin
You're out of that zone

Jimin
Unless you really mess up which I doubt you will

Jungkook could feel his heart race in his chest. He didn't know what to make of this. Wasn't sure whether to believe Jimin and let himself hope.

Jungkook had to think for a bit. Consider what Jimin had said and let everything that had happened properly settle in.

But even now that he was still feeling somewhat anxious Jungkook knew that sitting around and waiting for Taehyung was probably the last thing he wanted to do.

Of course he wasn't going to out the siren. He would have been stupid to do so. He knew damn well what Taehyung was capable of.

But Jimin had told him it was his free day so Jungkook was going to use it just like that. Yes, in theory he still had uni, but he wasn't going to waste the one day where he could move around freely. He could still go there once Taehyung was back.

Instead he grabbed his keys from the kitchen table, quickly gathered his stuff into a backpack and called his parents. For the first time this month he'd be a 'proper son'.

"Jungkook, you're still alive." Eunji greeted him as she opened the door to her apartment. Jungkook sighed. He was about to have this conversation the second time this day.

Well, not exactly the same conversation. Trying to get his parents off his back was a little easier than doing the same with his best friend. Unlike his parents she was quite good at telling when he was lying.

"I indeed am. Can't believe it myself." Wow, if she only knew how true that statement was. A bit too true for comfort.

Eunji opened the door wider to let him inside, but looking at her expression it was very obvious that she expected some sort of explanation. Sure, Jungkook didn't exactly owe her one, but she was his best friend and Jungkook always told her everything.

Not telling her something was weird. Not just for Jungkook. The fact that he hadn't told her the reason he had disappeared for nearly a month was probably an indicator that it had either been something really bad or had something to do with her.

Which were both worrisome. Jungkook felt bad for putting her in this position, even if it wasn't exactly his fault. He didn't want to make her worry, although worrying was probably reasonable in his case.

"You wouldn't believe the month I had." Jungkook muttered, pulling his jacket off and putting it on the hanger. Once again that statement was a little too true. Even after having a month to work through the fact that all of this was really happening Jungkook felt like it couldn't possibly be.

That the only explanation was that he was going crazy.

"Then start telling me about it." Eunji leaned against the frame of the door to the living room, waiting for Jungkook to get out of his shoes so they could talk.

Luckily Jungkook had come up with a little story. Not exactly a good one, but a vague idea of what could be an excuse. He just hoped Eunji wouldn't see right through him.

"Soooo..." Jungkook followed her to the couch, where she already had some chips prepared... and alcohol. They hadn't seen one another for a month and of course the first thing they were going to do was drink.

Jungkook couldn't help but smile, this was such an Eunji thing to do.

"It all started when I got severe pneumonia a month ago." He began, watching as Eunji's eyes widened in worry.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? I could have taken you to the doctor and made you some food." She furrowed her brows, the fact that she had been a little mad at Jungkook before seemingly totally forgotten.

Jungkook shook his head, leaning forward to grab one of the chips bags. "Didn't want to worry you. It was manageable and I didn't want you zipping around the apartment while I was trying to sleep it off. That's not all that happened though."

This time Eunji looked curious as she folded her legs. "then please, go on with explaining why you couldn't meet me for a month."

Jungkook nodded. "So, because of lying around all day and being sick I wasn't in the best state of mind. I started missing Minji, which I know is stupid, but I just felt even more locked in than usual." He felt kind of bad for lying about this but it was a white lie. He was mainly doing this to protect Eunji from the very scary siren that lived with him.

Actually Eunji would most likely have been more in danger than Jungkook was. Taehyung needed Jungkook, wanted something from him, but Eunji was just another human Taehyung could eat for dinner if he felt like it.

And that was the last thing he wanted to happen.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Eunji put her hand on his leg, reassuringly rubbing it, and Jungkook sighed.

"Just didn't want to see or speak with anyone. It was pretty bad. I don't really want to talk about it, but yeah... I wasn't too well off."

Eunji nodded understandingly and once again Jungkook could feel a stab of guilt. At least she didn't ask any further questions.

"And that's why you didn't meet me up till now?" She asked, her voice soft as she continued soothingly rubbing Jungkook's leg.

"Actually that only went on for a week and then once again another thing happened." Jungkook continued with a fake cheery tone.

Eunji laughed. "The world really is trying hard to separate us, isn't it?"

Jungkook nodded, feeling a little better now that he was going back to the parts that were remotely true. Parts that didn't force him to lie about his mental health. Because that really was an awful feeling.

"A distant relative of mine showed up. He's a little weird and has never been to Daegu so they asked if he could stay at my place for a while. Apparently they are moving and want him away from all that stress." For a second Jungkook's mind tripped over the fact that he didn't know if Taehyung actually had parents, but he couldn't focus on that right now.

"Anyways, he has been staying at my place ever since... and he's a little high maintenance." Jungkook stated and Eunji raised an eyebrow.

"High maintenance?"

Jungkook nodded before grimacing. "I can't stand him."

Eunji looked surprised. "What did he do to deserve that?"

For a second Jungkook considered much he should tell her. Then his eyes landed on the cups standing on the edge of the table. "How about you pour us a drink and then I'll start complaining? I'm too sober to think about him."

At first Jungkook hadn't been sure if there was much for him to say without revealing what Taehyung was. As it turned out that wasn't an issue at all.

"He's the most selfish person I have ever met... like... you know Jae was in the same class as me for all of elementary? He got nothing on this guy. Things go his way or they go no way at all." Jungkook complained, downing his drink in one go before handing Eunji the cup to refill.

"And he will ignore me, like, half the time. If he doesn't want to answer something he won't say anything at all." Maybe that was partially just because of the language barrier, but it pissed Jungkook off nevertheless. All those times Taehyung had just straight up ignored him. Turning his head into a different direction. Jungkook hated it.

"Oofff, that sounds awful." Eunji nodded along while sipping on her own drink.

"It is!" Jungkook nodded intensely and Eunji giggled. "But wanna hear the worst part?"

The way Eunji sat up straight in anticipation of the next reason was answer enough.

"He is soooo fucking full of himself. Like, this guy holds himself with so much pride and looks down on everyone else like they are insects. Like they aren't worth anyhing." Jungkook whined, taking another sip from his drink and frowning. "But to make matters worse he's kind of right. He's hot... like hot hot."

Jungkook knew that look on Eunji's face. He knew that look too damn well.

"Do you..."

"You're not getting a picture." Jungkook watched as Eunji's face turned into a frown.

"I'm not letting you meet him either. Because I know you will try and I already know how this is going to end so we're skipping the whole heartbreak part and get to the part where you're back to normal again and just spare ourselves all of that work." That was not the actual reason Jungkook wanted to keep Taehyung away from Eunji but it was a good excuse.

"Don't keep him to yourself. If he's hot you got to at least share a picture of him." Eunji whined, clearly already affected by the alcohol she had downed before they had started this conversation.

"I don't have any pictures of him anyways." Jungkook stated, partially relieved he really didn't since that gave him another excuse why he couldn't show Eunji Taehyung. On the other hand he wondered if Taehyung would still have that weird pull on camera.

"He at least has to have Instagram. He's hot. All hot guys that are hot and know they are hot have Insta."

Jungkook couldn't help but snort.

"Yeah no, he doesn't."

For a second Jungkook wondered whether he was taking things a little too far, but the alcohol decided for him.

"Taehyung is a little... unique."

A/N

Oh no you guys caught up with what I'm writing...

Just a little side info... yes Jungkook's lies are very weak and Eunji is mainly deciding to believe him.

Also when Jimin said tae is in his head he meant tae is in his head. They are in the same apartment and tae is pretty bad at keeping his emotions at bay especially around Jimin.

Little funfact...

Tae actually doesn't feel bad for what he did to Jungkook. As I said in siren before... sirens are not capable of feeling guilt.

What Taehyung is feeling right now is frustration. Frustration because he was trying something (making Jungkook relax around him) and messed up.

He's frustrated because even though he thinks he can do practically anything he wants... he ended up accidentally not doing what he was trying to do.

And now he's annoyed at himself.