"My aunt always tells me how Taeun's mother was such a big hearted person. But all I know is that she left everything she had behind here in this house, including her 7 year old daughter."

Taehyung widen his eyes at the last word. She left everything including her daughter? Does that mean she left Taeun in this orphanage before her death? Then, is this the connection the grim reaper was talking about?

"As you know now, my aunt who's taking care of this place and the kids, she's Taeun's mother's friend. This place–" Jimin paused for a second to look around the place before continuing, "This place... my aunt told me it was actually Taeun's mother's wedding gift from her parents. She kept this place as a vacation house before. There was a time, my aunt got miscarriage of her first child, but when she decided to adopt an orphan child after finding out she can no longer be a mother, she was forced to get divorced by her in-laws. That's when Taeun's mother let her stay in this house so she can peacefully stay with her adopted child."

Jimin sighed, taking a deep breath before continuing. "My aunt said Taeun's mother came 9 years later, with her 7 year old daughter, one year after her father's death. She left her daughter to my aunt's hand, cried while pleading her to take care of Taeun, gave this whole house to my aunt and never returned."

He sniffled slightly, trying to keep his calm. "Later, after two days, police found her dead body from a river. She suicided, after leaving everything here."

"She– she suicided? But why?"
Taehyung had been patiently listening to what Jimin has to tell the whole time, because that's what he wanted to know from the beginning.
He thought she died because of an illness or due to some unfortunate accident. But he never expected suicide would be the actual reason of her death.

"That's what I still don't know. Even my aunt doesn't seem to know why when I asked her the same question. She only told me how Taeun ended up staying with her and how, with time, she decided to help more orphans, give them a home, give them the love and care they deserved. And as you can see now, this place has become a home for those who needs love."

Taehyung sighed. He's happy that Taeun got Jimin's aunt when she needed a home. He's happy she got to have at least someone who cared for her. But what he couldn't get is, if she had Jimin's aunt, how is that evil woman became the one to raise her?

"Taeun-ah, come help me arrange the table. The kids much be hungry. Jimin, call all the kids and bring them to the kitchen. Let's hurry up so you both can go back early."

Both of them turned their heads and stood up instantly when they heard Jimin's aunt's voice, fortunately, she didn't hear their conversation.

Taehyung still wanted to ask more but Jimin just nodded at him as if he already knew the meaning of his eyes, as if he's assuring him with his nod that there's still a lot more time for him to ask anything he wants.

Well, there actually is. They got the whole ride back home duration inside the car only for themselves. But nobody utter a word—Jimin focusing on the road while Taehyung had all his attention on his reflection on the side mirror of the car, his mind clouded by the box he took with him from the orphanage.

The box which had some of Taeun's belongings, it was given by Jimin's aunt to take it with him. She said he might need it to keep it with him since he's living with Jungkook now, although she was referring that to Taeun.

What will he do with the things inside the box? Will he find something useful from there? Anything that'll help him to know more about Taeun so he can act exactly like the real Taeun? He might, actually. But there's always this guilt in him whenever he touch what used to be hers before, as if he's using Taeun for his own benefit, benefit of getting out of his punishment when he's the one who messed up her life.

The things he just experienced from the orphanage, the happiness of the children and their love for her, the loving care from Jimin's aunt, the friendship with Jimin, the affectionate eyes from Jungkook—he felt like he snatched them all from her for himself. If not for him, she could've had it all for herself.

"Do I even deserve to live and enjoy your life while you suffer in my body lying on the hospital bed like a liveless log?"—That's what he kept asking at the reflection as if it'll ever answer.

Don't know if it was his sadness from the guilt or if it was disappointment from Taeun for what he did to her life, the face on the mirror didn't look happy at all—that's not what he promised himself and to Jimin.

Taeun wasn't living a perfect happy life either. She suffered at lot, including losing both of her parents, everything he heard till now was all painful and depressing stories he never expected. He kinda figured out Taeun must be living a quite complicated life but he really didn't expect all these, never.

But eventhough her life was like that, to know she had, Jungkook, Jimin and his aunt by her side, it's like she was surrounded by good people who care for her. And that's the reason he felt more guilty because she could've gotten all their love for herself instead of him.
She could've been the one to live happily to complete the rest of her life, not him.

"YC Hospital. That's where my body is now."

The first word from Taehyung since the car started driving made Jimin to shift his attention from the road to Taehyung with a surprised wide eyes looking at the other.

Yeah, he did tell Jimin that Taeun is in his body but this is the first time he specifically told where exactly his boy is at the moment. Maybe that's why Jimin was surprised.

"Why are you telling me that?" Jimin asked after a pause.

"I thought you might want to know it. Don't you want to go meet her?" Taehyung hung his head down, fidgeting his fingers. "I know she won't be able to speak to you. My body is in coma. But I thought you might still want to see her."

He wanted Taeun to know she's still being cared by the ones she loves and never forgotten or replaced by a stranger. Eventhough she wouldn't speak, he knew she'll able to hear and feel it if someone goes to her. But he can never ask this to Jungkook or Jimin's aunt except for Jimin.

"Can I? Can I really go there?" Jimin asked, his eyes started to ooze out hopeful tears when Taehyung nodded.

Taehyung didn't care what will happen to him for telling everything to Jimin. The grim reapers haven't shown up yet since the day he was caught by Jimin. He's sure they'll definitely show up one or the other day. But he would still agree and take any punishment without any regrets even if they give him any. This much is the only thing he could do for Jimin in return for helping him out.

"But can I even go and meet her just like that? I don't even know the real you."

"Don't worry about that. Either mom or my little sister would be in hospital. Just tell them you're one of my friends or a colleague or whatever suits. They don't know much about who I hang out with so it'll be fine."

Jimin nodded at that. "It would be great if you could go with me. But I don't wanna put risk on both of you."

Taehyung just gave him a faint smile before turning away to look out the window.
Yeah, he already told Jimin why he can't go near his body. He's glad Jimin took that in consideration by not asking him to go with him. He still want to see his family but he don't wanna put him and Taeun in danger either so it's better to stay as far as possible from his body.

It was such a long day. Sitting inside the car throughout the ride up and down, then all those stories going into his head at once, all of them really tired him out. He was so exhausted that once they reach Jungkook's place, after he bid Jimin goodbye, he headed straight to the bedroom to throw himself on the bed.

It wasn't even his own bed, it wasn't even soft, but maybe because of how exhausted he was, it was just as comfortable as the soft bouncy one he had in his apartment that he almost fall asleep even before he got changed.

He groaned as he lazily dragged himself towards the bathroom to wash up.
A quick shower definitely helps. He felt much better and fresh when he stepped out.

He could've just go to sleep if not for him suddenly remembering about Jungkook just when he sat on the bed. He's sure Jungkook said about having an interview but he should've been back by now. It was already getting dark when he came out after washing up. But Jungkook wasn't in the room when he got back, he didn't get any calls from him either.

Just at the moment he pick up his phone from the bed to call Jungkook, he heard a rustling sound from the balcony.

Taehyung frowned, tip toeing towards the balcony. He was scared for a moment because it was dark with no lights on. But he never thought he would find Jungkook sitting quietly by the corner.

The sight looked familiar, because it's exactly how he saw Jungkook before on the day he got rejected from his job interview last time. And judging by the way Jungkook looked up at him with the same faint smile, Taehyung felt like he already knew what's up but still didn't want to conclude by himself. So he just quietly sat next to Jungkook without a word. He was too afraid to even ask about anything, let alone about the interview.

"I failed again."

Yeah. It's just like how it was the other day. But unlike last time when he just laugh it off with motivation still in his voice, this time, Jungkook really looked hurt.

"I tried for 18th time," Jungkook started after being silent for a minute, his face still unchanged, staring blankly at nowhere front. "That was my 18th interview. And that was my 18th time to fail. Is this not enough yet to test me? How many times do I have to try? Sometimes, I ask myself if I'm that incompetent? Am I not worth to get what I deeply want even for once? Why can't I do things right? Why do I keep failing even if I tried, even if I never give up? Why do I have to suffer? Why do I have to face this disappointment? Why does it feels like everybody keeps moving while I'm stuck at a point? Why does it feel like I'm in an endless loop where I keep going back to where I was before with no way to move forward? Why me?"

Taehyung just sat there in silence, quietly watching Jungkook pour his heart.

He had never seen him like that.
The past few days of living together with him, Jungkook always wears those bright smile, speaking sweetly to him, looking at him fondly with so much affection in his eyes, always being warm and gentle.
It's almost strange to see this vulnerable side of him for the first time.

Jungkook's eyes were filled with disappointment and sadness embellished by a faint smile, as if he's laughing at his own misery of constant failure. And Taehyung tried, he really tried so hard to ignore the way his heart clenched in pain at the sight in front of him.

But as if he never had the control on that body, he couldn't stop his arm from going for the man in front of him.

As if the pain in his heart would go away if he brought the man closer to himself, he embraced him with a tight hug.

And surprisingly enough, soon as he felt the warmth of the man, soon as the man wrapped his arm around him to hug him back, the pain in his heart vanished, as if it flew away just like a butterfly flipping it's wings freely near a fully bloomed flower.

***

Hope you're enjoying so far.

I got some bad news •_•
I may or may not update next week.
That's why I'm giving you 3 chapters at once this week as compensation 😅
Hope it works.

See you next time ◕ ‿ ◕
I💜U