Taehyung's legs slowly got better. Jimin was of great assistance during the healing process. He helped him with his day to day activities whenever he could. Submitting his assignments, buying him meals and other essentials. He had to be on bed rest for the first three days before he could walk around without much difficulty. Jimin tutored Taehyung three times in a week but on some days, he was out of reach and Taehyung tried not to develop too much curiosity over how Jimin spends his time. For all he knew, he was whoring around as usual. Nothing new.

One particular day, they where alone in Taehyung's room. Jimin was searching for a book so he asked Taehyung for it. The latter pointed to the drawer beside his bed.

Without saying a word, Jimin opened the drawer and began rummaging through it when his eyes caught sight of a small pocket book. The book cover was white in color with black stripes at the back.

His breath hung when he saw this painfully familiar book. There was no mistaking it. It was the book. He stood fixed on that spot staring at it as so many thoughts passed through his mind. He had thought Taehyung was completely done and over with it yet why was he still with this book? And it even seemed to be in good condition too.

Swallowing hard, he flipped through a page, pity filling his entire being. He didn't know why but this was too sad. He felt like crying.

"Jimin, haven't you found it?" Taehyung murmured and turned to him but his eyes widened with horror as soon as it landed on the book.

Despite his bad leg, he flew so quickly from where he sat and appeared beside Jimin frowning hard. Snatching the book from him breathlessly, he shouted.

"What are you doing?..."

Jimin was confused by his action "I...I..."

"Look, it's nothing..."

Jimin finally found his voice and shook his head. "From what I can see, it isn't nothing Tae...you still have your song book...."

Taehyung froze as Jimin continued. "I thought you got rid of everything music in your life including that book. I had no idea you were still holding on to it"

Taehyung bit his lips hard. "Just forget you ever saw it. It's nothing. It's already in the past..."

Jimin scoffed. "it doesn't seem that way to me"

Taehyung turned away from him and quickly kept the book back inside the drawer, his cheeks red from embarrassment.

"You miss it don't you?" Jimin whispered.

Silence.

"I know you do. It couldn't have been that easy to walk away from your dream...You can tell me if it's hard. I won't judge you"

Taehyung sniffed trying to hold back his tears. "What does it matter? I can never ever sing again. My dreams of becoming a musician is over. It doesn't exist anymore so please just drop it"

He inhaled deeply looking forlorn.

Jimin stared at Taehyung. His mouth was saying something but his eyes was definitely saying another. He wanted to hold his hand and tell him everything was okay. He wanted to tell him that he didn't have to try so hard to be something he wasn't but he knew Taehyung would never listen to him.

He could remember when they were young and growing up, how much Taehyung loved music. How he would brag about becoming a popular singer. Jimin had laughed at him then telling him it was wishful thinking. That there was no way someone as mediocre as him would make it as an idol but they were thirteen years old when Taehyung dragged him to the roof top of their music building when school was over. He was smiling from ear to ear, a guitar strapped between his hands.

Jimin looked at him non chalantly. "What are you doing?"

"I want you to listen to this song i wrote. Maybe you'll think differently"

Jimin chuckled. "Yeah right"

Taehyung smiled and bent his head then played a tune from the guitar, soft and mellow. The sinister look on Jimin's face gradually changed to one of surprise. When Taehyung opened his mouth, a beautiful melody rang out causing Jimin to stare at him as if he was seeing him for the first time. It was like everything stood still and all he could see and hear was the boy in front of him.

Hearing Taehyung sing was the most beautiful sound Jimin had ever heard and when he looked at him, he was shining so brightly. He felt a throbbing in his chest. It was like his heart would burst. He had never felt that way before, definitely not for Taehyung.

Taehyung finished his song and looked at him.

"So...what do you think?"

Jimin blushed. "It was good.... really good"

Taehyung wrapped his arms around his neck. "You see.... I'm good. I told you. Are you going to start believing in my vision from now on?"

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable with his closeness, Jimin shrugged him off. "What vision!" He spat.

Taehyung laughed, ignoring his outburst "I'm going to sing at the square tonight. Wanna join me?"

Jimin rolled his eyes "Whatever" He muttered, his face red.

The truth was that after seeing Taehyung sing in front of him at the roof top, something started to change within Jimin. He slowly began getting interested in his music, following him to his gigs and always watching Taehyung from amidst the crowd and cheering for him too. He started to believe in his dream. He finally believed Taehyung could become the star he always dreamt of being. A former critic like him became his biggest fan and his biggest support. He loved it when Taehyung sang to him. It always seemed to raise his mood when he was feeling down.

But of course, everything wasn't always rosy. Taehyung's parents were never in support of Taehyung's interest in music. They always discouraged him and once, when he was at a gig, his parents stormed the place and dragged him out by his ear. Jimin was there as well and tried pleading with them but they warned him that if he kept on supporting Taehyung, they would prohibit them from being friends.

On the surface, Jimin agreed but behind their backs, he and Taehyung secretly went for these gigs. The sneaking around, keeping late nights, were all so exciting for Jimin. He began to long for their adrenaline pumping activities, the risky adventures leading up to Taehyung's dream made life worth it to Jimin despite all the problems he faced in his own family.

At first, Jimin envied Taehyung because of his family. They were well off, happy and content with their lives whereas, his parents were nothing but show offs. They were really poor but lived their life pretending they had it all, living above their means  just to keep up with their facade. As a result, they accumulated so much debts that they couldn't pay off themselves so at a young age, Jimin had to learn to render a hand to the family. He had two part time jobs to help with the affairs of the house but no matter what he did, the debts just kept piling up.

So back then, when he was forced to mingle with Taehyung, he took out his anger and frustrations on him. Because he was physically stronger, he could easily intimidate the younger but Taehyung had such a wicked tongue. What he lacked in strength, he made up for with words. As Jimin attacked him physically, he counterattacked with harsh words.

But as they grew older, Taehyung became more liberal and cautious with the things he said. He started focusing on something that gave him joy and that was music. He carried his little song book everywhere and no matter how much Jimin laughed at him, he didn't budge until that day at the roof top when he showed his finished piece to Jimin. He had written it specifically for him and there was no mistaking the tears in Jimin's eyes when he heard him.

"So...what do you think?"

Jimin blushed. "It was good.... really good"

"You see.... I'm good. I told you. Are you going to start believing in my vision from now on"

"What vision!"

Taehyung laughed. "I'm going to sing at the square tonight. Wanna join me?"

Jimin rolled his eyes "Whatever" He muttered.

"You know you don't always have to act tough with me Jimin..."

Jimin frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know how soft you can really be. You have always tried to be tough and hide your real emotions but today, I Saw that other side to you. It's cute"

Jimin roared. "What are you talking about?"

Taehyung just laughed without saying another word no matter how much Jimin pestered him.

It was all good until everything changed eight months later. That day, Jimin had gone to Taehyung's house only to find him with a haggard expression at the back of his house overlooking a burning fire. He looked pale and there were dark circles under his eeyes. Jimin peered into the fire and noticed they were all his musical instruments he was burning.

"Tae...what are you doing?" He yelled.

"I'm burning it all Jimin... it's over! It's all over!" He cried, tears streaming down his face.

"What are you talking about? This is your life. Your dream. What happened wasn't your fault!"

"It was my fault! Everything was my fault. If it weren't for my desire to pursue music, none of these would have happened"

Jimin sighed. "It was unfortunate..."

Taehyung cut in, his face set. "I already told you. I'm done... I'm no longer interested in music. It has taken everything away from me"

"They finally won. I have no other choice left"

"Tae...."

The other had dragged his feet and walked away leaving Jimin in front of the burning fire. As Taehyung's behavior changed, so did Jimin's and now they were here with the latter stumbling upon the discovery that Taehyung had kept a fragment of his dream deep within him.

"I missed it too" Jimin blurted out causing Taehyung to stop and stare at him.

"You shone the brightest when you were doing music. I hope you know that"

There was a strange silence between them. Sadness crept into Taehyung's eyes for just a second before it vanished again.

"Can we go back to the lesson Jimin?" He said. Without waiting for an answer, he went back to the chair and sat down with a straight face. Jimin glanced at him.

The boy who sang for him on the rooftop no longer exists. The one sitting in front of him now was nothing more than a puppet at the mercy of his parents knowing not where to go. If Jimin ever hoped for things to get better, he had to return life back to the puppet but the problem was how?

Thanks for reading. Lots of love.