Ten years has Jungkook been in this hospital.

Five years since he has last seen his parents.

Two days ago since he has last seen his big brother, Yoongi.

Ten years since he hasn't uttered a single word.

Dr. Kim Seokjin has looked over Jungkook as if he was his own son since the first day Jungkook stepped foot into this hospital; always talking to him, buying him presents for his birthdays and Christmas. On some occasions, Dr. Seokjin would take Jungkook out of the hospital and take him to the park or the beach. One time they went to a hike in the woods and sat down on a cliff to see the beautiful night sky filled with stars.

Jungkook never forgot about that day.

Dr. Seokjin has also taught Jungkook how to communicate through sign language a year after being in the hospital. It took a while but Jungkook has became fluent as if it was his first language. He has admitted to Dr. Seokjin how he wants to speak again but he just can't.

No matter how hard he tries.

This hospital is mainly like a rehabilitation for those with impaired disabilities, or severe trauma that needs to be focused on before they go out to the world once again. It's not meant to be like a prison, people can freely come and go as they please. It's not also a mental institution either. It's just a place that offers better care and preparation for the youth who needs the guidance, whether they stay or visit occasionally is their choice.

In Jungkook's case, he would physically not be able to survive on his own in the outside world. Aside from not being able to speak, to which is a problem because he can't just be using a monitor to write what he wants to say all the time, Jungkook also has severe memory loss and trauma without knowing to full depth of his triggers.

It's hard to tell if his memory loss could get worse if he's outside and something triggers a negative memory, or a negative trauma. Besides, not like he feels safe outside the hospital either way.

Until he can overcome whatever this is, he has no plan to leave.

He knows it's for the best either way.

Sometimes he thinks about the incident that has led him to be this way, but just as it comes it's like a brick wall stands in the way, not letting him see the whole details on what happened. All he remembers is fire and loud screams, that's it. Nothing else comes to his memory.

And no one tells him either.

Thinking maybe it'll make his condition worse with his amnesia and mutism.

Not that he cares at this point, but he just wants to have a normal life outside of these cold hallways of his current home. Jungkook always wanted to have a cute little dog to have around his apartment when he gets one, call a place his home.

This hospital has sadly became his sanctuary, his home.

He doesn't mind it too much.

He knows he needs this please.

"Jungkook."

The ravenette looks up, his doe eyes finding Dr. Seokjin's patient eyes, "You dozed off there for a while, everything okay?"

"Yes, just thinking about how my life would be once I speak," He signs with a small smile on his lips.

Dr. Seokjin nods and forms a smile on his own, "It's good to have hope Jungkookie, don't lose that. We just have to figure out what's the core of this trauma and hopefully you'll be able to speak once again."

Hope.

That's something Dr. Seokjin has always talked about, hope.

Despite being in this place for years, Jungkook is filled with hope that he will get out of here one day and be able to live his life. With his brother's help of course.

And hopefully hear his voice once again.

"Your brother is coming over, are you excited to see him?" The brunette asks while crossing his fingers over the desk.

A wide smile forms Jungkook's lips, "Yes, he told me he has big news for me!"

The psychologist smiles fondly and nods, "Indeed he does."

After that Jungkook leaves Dr. Seokjin's office and walks down the hallways of the hospital, smiling at passing nurses politely. The staff here already knows him, seen him grown into the polite and well educated teenager he is now.

There's many kids here that are around his age, some a bit younger or older, but he doesn't get along with anyone here. Well, besides this one kid that's in his therapy circle. The red haired boy always finds his way to talk to Jungkook, literally about anything, despite Jungkook not saying anything in return. He's very hyper active and can't stop moving most of the time.

Jungkook doesn't know why he's even here, he seems pretty normal to him, but who knows what could hide behind those extremely happy eyes.

He's annoying, too much energy for Jungkook's liking, but he's decent enough when he listens.

Just then Jungkook's body collides with someone, sending him flying to the floor.

Seriously?

Didn't they see him!

"I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you there!"

Jungkook flinches from the loud volume of the voice and looks up, instantly thinking if maybe he died because the boy in front of him looks like an absolute angel.

Wide eyes, parted lips, a messy blob of brunette hair on his hair in a form of a mullet. The boy looks so much bigger, and probably a year older than Jungkook.

This made Jungkook a little nervous.

He has never seen this kid around here before.

Maybe he's new?

Would make sense, everyone knows Jungkook here.

Jungkook didn't say anything and let the boy with the mullet help him to his feet, still eying him carefully.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry! I have post- lingual severe deafness and I didn't hear you!" The boy's voice is deep and so loud against Jungkook's ears since he's still screaming. Jungkook breathes deeply before looking at the boy, taking in his wide eyes full of sincerity.

"Can you talk in sign language?" Jungkook signed, causing the boy in the mullet to smile widely.

"Yes! Finally I know someone else here that can understand me," The boy signs back, making a small smile form Jungkook's lips.

That statement couldn't be anymore relatable.

"Where's your hearing aids?"

Taehyung chuckles sheepishly, "I accidently left it outside, I was going to go get them right now. Want to join me?"

Jungkook's eyebrows raised in surprised to how the other boy actually wants to be around him, but he's not complaining. On contrare, it feels nice to finally communicate with someone else other than his therapist and his brother.

And for them to understand in return.

So he nods slowly and follows the boy shyly out the doors to the back yard, revealing a large garden with patients walking around and nurses keeping an eye out to make sure everything is okay and in order. Taehyung skips merrily down a pebbled path with large bushes on either side where no one could really spot him and came upon a bench.

There his hearing aids were spotted.

"Yes! They're here!" He exclaims loudly and puts them on. After adjusting it a bit more, he turns to look at Jungkook, "I think it's fixed, do you mind talking for me so I can test it out?"

It almost feels like that barrier builds up in Jungkook's throat, preventing him from letting out a phrase at all.

Dammit.

This is so embarrassing.

He frowns down to the ground, "I can't talk," He signs, causing the other boy to furrow his eyebrows.

"What do you means?" Taehyung asks, his voice more quieter than earlier.

Jungkook reluctantly sits on the bench, staring at the bushes in front of him, "I have Psychogenic Mutism, meaning I can't really speak because of a traumatic experience that happened in my life, in which I can't even remember."

The mullet haired boy observes the signs that Jungkook makes and frowns deeply, looking down in guilt, "I'm sorry, I didn't know," He whispers, silence floating between the two.

It's not like Jungkook is humiliated about his condition, but it's  something he's not comfortable explaining about. Mostly since it's something he still doesn't understand.

After a few moment, the boy noticed Jungkook's frown and slowly smiles, "It's okay though! Don't be sad, I mean... I barely hear anything if it wasn't for these hearing aids. We are like special.... You know? You can be my ears and I can be your voice, yeah?"

To this Jungkook manages to smile and look up at the boy, nodding surely.

"Oh I almost forgot to introduce myself," The boy gleams and sticks out a hand, "My name is T.A.E.H.Y.U.N.G," He says while also signing out the letters of his name.

Jungkook takes it in and smiles his big bunny smile, making Taehyung smile softly in return.

"I'm J.U.N.G.K.O.O.K."

__________

A/N:

And now Jungkook met Taehyung!!! Yay he won't be too lonely now!

Let's see what happens in the next chapter!

Thank you so much for reading!!

I appreciate so much!!

I purple you guys! <3