"It's not like I don't want to have sex with him."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm lying to him and I feel guilty about it."

Taehyung sighs as he stuffs another pair of pants into his suitcase. Looking up at Seokjin as he continues.

"I'm not going to Japan for a seminar." He says. "And I'd feel guilty if we had sex while I'm keeping something like this from him."

"Now I'm worried, Taehyung." Seokjin says tilting his head in concern. "What's in Japan if you aren't going to a seminar."

"I already told you, hyung." Taehyung says sipping his suitcase and heaving a sigh. "I just need to get away for a little while."

"You can't get away somewhere in Korea?" Seokjin asks. "I think you're going overboard."

"I have a friend in Japan that I really want to see. I haven't seen him in a while." Taehyung says, he felt even more guilty lying to Seokjin. He had to keep where he was going a secret or Jeongguk would find out easily.

"Fine. But call when you get there, I don't care what time it is." Seokjin says rounding the end of the bed to hug his friend. "Be careful, and stay aware of your surroundings."

"I will, hyung." Taehyung chuckles as he hugs his friend. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I swear."

"Okay, okay." Seokjin says pulling away. "I think Jeongguk's still busy with Hanjae so tell him I'll see him later."

"I will, love you, hyung." Taehyung smiles.

"Love you too." He says before walking out of the room. "Good night."

Taehyung sighs as he looks over his things one last time. He was going to the Czech Republic to talk to Jimin, but he was telling Jeongguk that he was going to a mandatory seminar that the teachers in his program went to every year.

He couldn't tell anyone where he was going, and that scared him a little, but he had no choice. He needed to confront Jimin.

Jeongguk walks into the room as he's putting his suitcase in the corner. "How'd Jaehyung do?"

    "He didn't really fuss." The ravenette says sitting on the bed with his back to Taehyung. "You finished packing?"

    "Yeah." Taehyung sighs, getting on the bed and crawling over to him. Putting his arms over his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

    "Yeah, I'm okay. Are you okay?" Jeongguk asks looking up at him.

    "Yeah," Taehyung says. "Just a little tired."

    "It's weird that you're flying all the way to Japan just for the weekend." The ravenette says. "Why didn't the school just have to seminar here?"

    "I don't really know." Taehyung says. "They do it every few years though."

    "What are you going to be learning at the seminar?"

    "Just boring teacher stuff. You wouldn't be interested in hearing it. I'm gonna shower real quick."

Jeongguk hums as Taehyung kisses the side of his neck and pulls away. "I'm gonna talk to my mom."

    "Okay, let me know how it goes." The brunette smiles as he walks into the bathroom.

Jeongguk grabs his phone and heads downstairs, dialing his mother's number before bringing it to his ear.

    "Hello?"

    "Hey, ma."

    "Jeongguk, hi. I didn't know it was you."

Jeongguk can immediately tell that she's been drinking. A wave of disappointment washes over him but he isn't upset. "What are you doing?"

    "Nothing, I was just getting settled. I have to go with your dad to a meeting in the morning." His mom says on the other line. "I'm glad you called, I haven't heard your voice in weeks."

    "Yeah, I was worried so..."

    "About what?"

Jeongguk sighs as he sits down on the couch in the dark living room. "Jihyuk told me you were drinking again."

    "He did~"

    "I can already tell you have been so don't bother lying." Jeongguk says before she even starts to form her sentence. "Why didn't you call your sponsor?"

    "Because my sponsor's a twenty-five year old child. She's barely had a life how is she going to tell me how to live mine? It's ridiculous." His mom scoffs. "I don't drink every day, Jeongguk. I only drink at night."

    "And what are you taking to get you through the day?" Jeongguk asks knowingly.

    "Wouldn't you like to know." She says, her tone becoming impatient. "Did you call to interrogate me or did you call to check on me? Jesus."

    "I want you to come have breakfast with me tomorrow, please." Jeongguk says. "I think we need to talk things out."

    "Talk what things out?" His mom asks.

    "You know what things, ma." Jeongguk says. "You said some pretty hurtful things about Jaein and Taehyung and I want an apology. And I want to know why you're so against me being with him."

    "You know why~"

    "I got shot because I was a dumbass, ma. It's not his fault. I trusted Jimin, and I got myself into that situation by trying to reason with Chiwon in the first place."

    "Chiwon wouldn't've had a reason to go after you if it weren't for him and you know that." His mom says. "I just don't understand how you can raise that child knowing that her father almost took your life."

    "Jaein's a baby, ma. An innocent child in all this, alright?" Jeongguk says. "She shouldn't have to pay for what her father did. It doesn't matter anymore, I'm her dad. And I'm going to raise her as my own."

    "You'll regret it~"

    "Do you regret me?"

Mrs. Jeon falls silent for a moment on the other line. "What?"

    "Do you regret me, ma?" Jeongguk repeats.

    "Of course I don't~"

    "What happened to all that shit you were saying about destiny, huh?" The ravenette asks. "If you really want to get into it, you're actually the reason I got shot."

    "What are you talking about~"

    "If you didn't bring me into your family I probably wouldn't have even met Taehyung. I'd be on the other side of Korea somewhere probably living a normal ass life with a normal ass family." Jeongguk says. "What do you have to say about that?"

Mrs. Jeon stays silent on the other line, not bothering to say anything in her defense.

    "You're my mom, and I love you, you know I love you." Jeongguk says. "But you can't be in my life if you can't accept my family. This is my family, ma."

    "Alright, Jeongguk." His mom says, he doesn't know how to interpret her words.

    "Can you just...please come over tomorrow morning so we can talk in person?" Jeongguk sighs. "I'll have the kids and I want you to come see them. All three of them."

    "Alright, Jeongguk." She says again. "I'll be there."

    "Okay, good." Jeongguk says. "I love you, see you in the morning. Sober, please."

    "Love you too." His mom says before ending the call.

Jeongguk sighs for the umpteenth time as he sits back on the couch. Staring at the ceiling as his mind races. There's was only really one thing that was bugging him.

If Taehyung wasn't going to Japan for a seminar, what the hell was he going for?

~Czech Republic...~

Taehyung's heart beats rapidly against his rib cage as he leaves his hotel room. Taking the elevator down as he checks the address Jihyuk gave him for the hundredth time since he arrived yesterday morning. After getting over his jet-lag he was finally going to the address.

He shows his cab driver the address he needed to be dropped of, doing his best to say please and thank you even though he knew little to no Czech.

The drive is surprisingly short and before he knows it he's walking into Jimin's apartment building. It's an upscale apartment complex but it seems comfortable. He doesn't know Jimin exact address so he waits in the lobby, hoping to catch him walking in or walking out. He nearly gives up after an hour but then he sees him walking into the building.

Jimin looks nothing like he did before. His dark hair now an ash blond, his cheeks a bit sunken, and his under eyes dark, as if he hadn't gotten any sleep in days. Taehyung almost thinks he's a stranger but when he calls his name he looks up.

    "Jimin?" He says stopping the older in his tracks, his eyes look shocked as he searches for the person calling his name. "Here," Taehyung says waving a hand as he walks up, pushing the hood of his coat off his head.

The shock in Jimin's eyes only grows when he sees the brunette. "T-Taehyung, oh my god. Wha-What are you doing here? Oh my god I can't believe you're okay."

    "I'm just about as okay as I can be." Taehyung says, the hard look in his eyes causing Jimin's face to fall. "We need to talk, now. Lead the way."

    "Tae, I can't~"

    "I think you can, Jimin." Taehyung says. "Actually I know you can. Because there's absolutely no way in hell that I'm letting you go anywhere without giving me a goddamn explanation for all of this."

Jimin's eyes flit around the lobby. "Fine just, don't say my name too loud."

Taehyung follows Jimin to the stairs, letting him lead the way to the third floor.

    "Are you alone?" He asks in a low voice as he unlocks his door.

    "Yes." Taehyung responds. "You?"

    "No, just let me get rid of him." Jimin says walking in, pulling Taehyung inside and ushering him to a room down the hall. "Don't say anything, just stay there for a second."

Taehyung frowns when Jimin leaves, shutting the door. He steps towards the door, leaning towards it to try and listen in.

    "I just need twenty minutes." He hears Jimin's voice say. "Please, Nic, don't be complicated today. It's not a good time."

    "Isn't this my apartment too?" He hears another voice say. "You don't get to always say what goes!"

    "Sh, don't yell." Jimin snaps.

    "Is there someone in here?"

    "No~"

    "Who the hell is it? Is it a guy?"

    "No, Nic, it's not anyone. I just need you to leave for twenty minutes."

Taehyung hears more mumbling that he doesn't understand before he hears someone stomping down the hall. He steps away from the door just as it opens. Jimin waving for him to follow him as he walks to the living room.

    "Do you want some coffee? Or tea?" He asks as he takes off his coat, running his fingers through his hair. "It's colder today than it usually is."

    "Who's the guy you were talking to?" Taehyung asks as he takes his coat off as well. "Your boyfriend?"

    "Husband." Jimin responds nonchalantly, throwing his coat over one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Coffe or tea?"

    "You're married?" Taehyung asks even though he can tell Jimin is trying to avoid the subject.

    "Yeah, just for two years." He says grabbing a mug. "Tea for you I'm assuming."

    "Jeongguk almost died, Jimin." Taehyung says making him stop in his tracks. "Did you even think he was alive?"

Jimin sets the mug back in the cupboard before facing Taehyung. "I'm really sorry about Jeongguk."

    "Wow," Taehyung scoffs. "That was by far the most shit apology I've ever heard."

    "I didn't know Chiwon was going to try to kill him." Jimin says shaking his head. "I swear I didn't know."

    "Chiwon?" Taehyung asks, it was the first time he was hearing his name mentioned.

    "Yeah...you didn't know?" The older asks after seeing the change in the brunette's expression.

    "Tell me everything that happened." Taehyung says crossing his arms. "You better not leave anything out."

Jimin sighs, sitting down at the kitchen table before he begins. He starts by telling Taehyung about how Chiwon approached him at work. And how he offered him a large amount of money to help him set Jeongguk up.

    "How much?" Taehyung asks, his tone short and snappy. "How much money did he offer you?"

    "Enough to quit my job and to try and start over." Jimin says. "I said no, but then he started telling me all this shit about how you guys didn't give a shit about me anymore. I was pissed off so I said I'd do it. He swore that Jeongguk wasn't going to get hurt~"

    "You had to know he was lying~"

    "I didn't. Taehyung, I swear I didn't." Jimin stresses, tears forming in his eyes. "I thought Jeongguk owed him money, that's what he kept telling me. Then out of nowhere he gives me a ticket here and I start to realize that he's planning on doing something far worse than he originally said. I tried to get out of it, I didn't touch any of the money he gave me and I paid my own rent. Just so I could give him all the money back but he wouldn't let me off."

    "You should've told Jeongguk." Taehyung says. "Why didn't you tell him?"

    "He would've killed me." Jimin says. "He would've found out and had me killed. My apartment was bugged, my phone was bugged, there were people watching me everywhere I went. I was a complete wreck, I couldn't even think straight."

Taehyung shakes his head. "You're crooked, Jimin. You're such a piece of shit and you don't even realize it."

    "I didn't mean~"

    "You agreed to set Jeongguk up, before your phone was bugged, before people were following you everywhere, you agreed to that. Knowing that he'd get hurt one way or another. And don't tell me you didn't know, what the hell do you think a set up is?" Taehyung snaps. "Jeongguk almost died, why, because no one invited you to brunch!? Do you even hear yourself?"

Jimin closes his eyes, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

    "It's not okay." Taehyung says, he was trying to not let his anger take over the entire conversation but he couldn't help it. "You almost got him taken away from his children, Jimin. My sons almost lost their dad. Does that sound okay to you?"

    "No, and I take full responsibility." Jimin says looking at Taehyung with desperate eyes. "Chiwon took advantage of me and my situation. And before I could try to fix it, it was too late. He did the same thing to you, you know what it feels like."

    "It's not the same thing, Jimin. Don't try to relate to me, are you kidding?" Taehyung frowns in aggravation. "You fucked up and you can't even just be sorry about it, you have to make up all these excuses. Just admit you fucked up and apologize."

    "I screwed up, Taehyung. I'm sorry. If I could take it all back, I would." Jimin says. "I'm sorry."

Taehyung stares at Jimin, tears threatening to form in his eyes as he looks at his old friend.

    "Wow...I really don't recognize you anymore, Jimin."