"EVERY CHALLENGE IN LIFE PROVIDES THE ABILITY TO LEARN.
YOU ARE NOT HELPLESS AS YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN HOW YOU HANDLE EVERY CHALLENGE."

It had been around 30 months since Seokjin last stepped inside the HYBE building. After the incident, he was sent to the military, and after he completed his military service, they didn't need him in the company. He was just a member on hiatus of their best boy group who suffered from a scandal and needed to be away from the world. To this date, no one summoned him back here and he didn't have any will to return either.

When Manager Yu Beom informed him about the upcoming comeback of BTS, his initial thought was why he should be bothered. It had been three years and until two weeks ago, it was almost as if the world had turned against him or simply forgotten him. Why should he be invited to a project for those people who didn't think twice before abandoning him and why should he work under a company that didn't back him up properly?

He did everything they wanted him to do; smiled for them, acted cute and funny, laughed through all the pain, brushed away the hateful comments and became the person they all idolized. He did it for BTS, for ARMYs and for HYBE. Never for himself. Never for his family.

So what right did they have to turn their backs against him? How could every single person he knew break his trust? And now, what gave them the idea that they could have him back?

But even after such numerous dark thoughts, Seokjin still grabbed his old ID card and drove to the company. He wasn't very sure of the reason yet but it had a lot to do with Yoon Min's motivations. After that breathtaking connection at the beach, he told her about his manager telling him to participate in their next comeback on their way home. He still remembered what she told him.

"Look, it's completely up to you to make the final decision. But if you ask me, there are still some good in this world, and they are worth fighting for. There will always be a bunch of people cheering for you, people who only want the best for you and love you. You should always go where you are loved. I'm sure by now, hundreds of people are waiting for your comeback."

He was driving when she was trying to change his mind.

"And who knows? Maybe those backstabbing so-called ARMYs are excited for your comeback too." She grinned.

"I haven't forgiven them, Yoon Min," Seokjin said softly, but he somehow sounded cold. "I can't forget the damage they put in my life. If I forgive them who aren't even sorry, it will feel like there was never a damage the first time. Why should I forgive them and prepare a whole album for them?"

She was a little quiet for some time. Then she muttered, "Then it'll just mean you're stronger than you think."

He had to give her a confused glance.

"Forgiving doesn't mean the damage never existed, it rather means the damage doesn't control you anymore. So when you forgive someone who wasn't sorry for what they did, when you accept an apology you might never receive, that's when you know how strong you are."

She went on, "So it also means, Jin-ssi, that life has offered you another chance. If you don't appreciate it and push it away, you are as well as giving up. But I know you. You never give up. Not on your true fans."

That's how he found himself standing in front of the company building the next day. With mixed feelings and uncertain plans, he made his way inside, hoping he was not going to regret coming back here.

He hadn't told anyone he was coming. Because that wouldn't change anything in the first place and he just wanted to get over with this as soon as he could. Since when had being inside the HYBE building felt suffocating to him?

Months of absence resulted in his forgetfulness in remembering the way to the meeting room. He lost his way once before finally getting on track. The interiors hadn't changed a lot but there were certainly some improvements.

As he was about to open the door to the meeting room, a familiar voice erupted in wrath from inside.

"What do you mean he is not coming?!" The voice belonged to Namjoon.

Seokjin pulled his hand away from the door handle and listened to another voice speaking calmly.

"Kindly lower your voice, Namjoon-ssi. You are acting like it's our fault." It was Shin Young Jae, BigHit Music's CEO.

"Of course, it's your fault! You said he'll be here," This time, Yoongi spoke.

Were all the members in there? And who were they talking about?

"I'm aware of what I said. But the situation can't be helped. Your manager has given his best shot at convincing him." CEO Shin sounded disappointed.

As if in sequence, Manager Yu Beom's voice reached his ears next. "It's true. I really tried my best to tell him about your comeback and I asked him to come with me. But you know how he is-"

"What exactly did he tell you?" The deep, upset voice definitely belonged to Taehyung.

Yu Beom didn't answer immediately. "He said that he doesn't want to be an idol again given his incident."

"As he should! Now don't tell me that's why you couldn't bring him here," Namjoon inserted again.

Oh God, they were talking about him.

"I tried speaking to him so that he could understand. But he was telling me about your fans, about how horribly they treated him and will not hesitate to do so again. He was saying how they don't actually love you, and he's convinced they hate him. He doesn't want to resume entertaining people who betrayed him." Yu Beom defended himself.

"Yes, he is supposed to think that. What happened to him was an unforgivable scar from ARMYs. You can't blame him for thinking that, right?" Hoseok spoke for the first time.

So did Jungkook. "Didn't you tell him about us?"

Yu Beom sighed. "Yes, I did. I told him you guys miss him but he thinks all of you have forgotten him too."

"Well, thanks to your shitty rules! You are the one who told us not to contact him!" Yoongi's accusation went to the CEO.

All he heard was a scoff.

That's when he heard Jimin interrupting the others. "Hold on, did Seokjin hyung say he will not be coming at all? Are you absolutely certain?"

The manager didn't answer. But CEO Shin answered on behalf of him, "Yes. We can safely assume that. Kim Seok Jin has decided to sit out of your next comeback."

The sentence sounded so wrong to Seokjin. Not just because the CEO was wrong but also because he realized sitting out of a comeback was so unlike him. It never fit him. He always gave his best to every comeback.

Then, he heard a chair being pushed down loudly. "I am not doing this comeback." The bold confession came from Taehyung.

"Are you out of your mind, Kim Taehyung?" CEO Shin roared.

"I'm perfectly in my sane mind, thank you very much. And I sanely repeat, I'm not doing this comeback until you bring Jin Hyung back."

That one voice holding the declaration of brotherhood and friendship was enough to change Seokjin's entire perception of them. Soon, the others joined him.

"I agree with Tae. You have to convince Jin Hyung, or else I'm cancelling this," Jimin said.

Yu Beom whined, "You too, Jimin?"

"Not just him. All of us," Namjoon said quite coldly. "We had a deal, Mr. Shin. You promised you wouldn't fire Jin hyung if we did everything you said. We did exactly what you wanted. Focused on solo activities, completed military enlistments, and kept our distance from Jin just as you wanted so that his bad reputation doesn't rub off ours. We kept the end of our bargain but for what? Not having him back in our team?"

Seokjin couldn't believe his ears. His manager did tell him a lot of times why the members weren't contacting him. He said that their company forbade them from any communication with him in case their careers were also ruined. Even though they missed and wanted to get in touch with him, they were under strict orders not to be involved with him.

But he never knew they made a deal with the company to save his job. So that he could still be a part of BTS. He didn't know HYBE was planning to fire him. His members were trying to save him all this time.

CEO Shin cleared his throat. "You're colouring me like the villain. I did not say things like that. I asked if you guys could repay the financial losses Kim Seok Jin created in our prestigious company by his scandal."

A loud scoff from Jungkook startled everyone. "We all know you're trying to lie your way through this. Let me repeat: when you and some folks on the board were thinking of firing Seokjin Hyung, the six of us stepped up and almost begged you to change your mind. What did you tell us? You said if we listen to your words and keep bringing fame, money, success to our company, you'll let Seokjin be a part of our next comeback."

"And now you are not keeping your promise. Why expect us to work under you anymore?" Hoseok sounded fearless.

CEO Shin was about to argue but Yoongi got up on his feet and shouted, "You separated us! You broke the seven of us apart! The entire world knows we are the strongest when we are together. And without one of us, we are never gonna be strong again."

"Calm down, Yoongi-"

"Don't tell him what to do. None of us should even be here now. We should be at our hyung's side who needs us the most." Jimin looked around, in hope the others agreed with him. "I'm going to Jin hyung's house. I should've been there a long time ago."

"Me too. You can't stop us anymore," Taehyung added.

Before Seokjin had time to process what they meant, the door was opened and he was face-to-face with the youngest member of his team, Jeon Jungkook. The best little brother he could ever ask from God.

Jungkook didn't recognize him at first glance. But it took him three seconds to completely take him in and the sight of him made him gasp as he exclaimed out his name. "Jin hyung!"

Unexpectedly, Seokjin smiled. It happened on its own accord. All six of them were trying to protect him in these years. They sacrificed their self-esteem and worked hard so that he could still have a place among them. He thought they had forgotten him, that they must hate him so much. But in reality, they loved him so much that they had to let him go to save his job.

Everyone in the meeting room looked in his direction and had the same reaction. In their faces, he remembered their training, their debut, the struggles of competing against the other groups, fighting the negative attacks, remembered exhaustion, injuries, heartbreaks and tears. Each moment seemed worse than the last. Obstacles kept coming at them tirelessly as if they were meant to be destroyed and separated from each other.

But in the past decade, they found hope, love and a beautiful ray of joy in each other's presence. What they had was stronger than their fears.

Yoon Min was right. He should always go where he is loved. So Seokjin pulled Jungkook into the tightest embrace of their history, and the rest of the members barreled into him soon after, squeezing him until they laughed happy tears.

☆THE FAULT IN OUR STARS☆

THANK YOU FOR READING
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