June 2019

Taehyung sits in yet another dressing room long before the concert starts. This time, however, he finally gets a hold of Moonhae on the phone. Beaming at her as he adjusts himself on the couch when she picks up, her familiar face spreads warmth throughout his body when she appears on his screen.

"Hey", he bites his bottom lip, attempting to contain his widening grin.

"Hey", she smirks back, the pink strands of her wig falling into her eyes, "I'm on set right now, but we have a break."

Her dressed up form carries the phone around with her as she heads for the buffet table that was set up for the cast.

"You look great", he lets his tongue glide over his lips when eyeing some of her revealing jumpsuit.

"Oh, I know you love this getup", she teases him, "But let me tell you: I still can't get used to these horrific shoes."

"The heels?", he leans in.

"Taehyung, they're not just heels. I'm fine with heels. These are basically stilts", she complains, whilst moving the camera to show the shoes she's just taken off. The immense platforms on the blue leather boots definitely can't make it easy to move with, let alone do all the running for the scenes she has to shoot.

"Is it okay? I mean with your neck and everything?", worry creeps into his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine", she waves him off, "It's our last few days of shooting anyway. I'm honestly kind of bummed."

"Aw, me too!", a light voice suddenly sounds out on her end of the line.

Moonhae turns to whoever's joined her at the buffet table and smiles brightly, "You're gonna miss me, huh?"

"Yes!", the girl says and Taehyung can picture the pout on her face even before Moon steps towards her so she's in frame.

"Say hi to Aya, Tae", Moonhae chimes.

"Hello, Aya", he greets the youthful girl politely and she does the same in return.

"Isn't her Korean great?", Moon swells proudly as Aya blushes and pushes her playfully to stop.

It's unusual for Moonhae to make such good friends with girls and he's glad she has. Especially in the way she's so sisterly and protecting towards the younger.

"Who are you talking to?", a voice interrupts on Taehyung's end this time. It's Jimin who seems to be interested in his conversation as he walks over to the couch.

"Moonhae", he answers happily, "Oh and her friend Aya's here, too."

"Fun", he pops before trying to sit himself on the armrest of the sofa beside his friend.

When he does so, however, he quickly loses his balance, tumbling off the side in a klutzy manner. Taehyung, who's turned to him sitting on the floor and Moonhae and Aya, who've just witnessed the whole thing over the phone's camera, burst out laughing. Jimin's face turns a bright shade of pink when he hastily straightens himself out, jumping to his feet again.

"Who was that?", Aya manages to ask between breaths of giggles.

"That would be Jimin", Moonhae informs her smugly, "He's always doing stuff like that, don't mind him."

"Yes, I'm Jimin", the embarrassed boy pipes, trying to play along as he successfully seats himself next to Taehyung this time.

"Ah, I remember you", Aya's face lights up in recognition before remembering how he introduced himself to her the first time they met. The memory causes a slight blush to appear on her rounded cheeks.

"Yeah, we met on set not too long ago", Jimin squints cutely as a smile spreads across his face.

Their conversation is about to continue when a taller boy in a white wig comes up to the girls from behind with a cheerful grin. Aya squeals when he wraps his arms around her waist and playfully lifts her up a little.

"Kaito!", she blushes and slaps at his hands holding her, a smile now painting her own face.

"How are my favorite girls?", he sings out after putting her down again and patting Moonhae on the head mischievously. Although he's four years younger than her, the same age as Aya, he can't help but be cute with her.

"Talking to Taehyung and Jimin", Moon mumbles in response, the grin on her face caused by his usual antics.

"Hello there", Taehyung leans into the camera with his brow slightly cocked. Even Jimin eyes the boy neither of them ever liked suspiciously.

"Oh, hi, Moon's boyfriend!", he greets cutely with a wave.

The title surprises Taehyung even though he speaks in Japanese. He's about to retort something when he spots Jungkook entering the dressing room. His attention is caught by the exchange of looks between him and Namjoon, who's already been sitting there and getting ready.

"Moonhae, we gotta go", he says quickly into the camera.

"What's happening?", she furrows her brow and Jimin looks like he wants to say something as well.

"Jungkook and Namjoon", he whispers and she immediately understands, letting him go after a quick 'Love you'.

Jimin now also turns his attention to the two boys who seem to be giving each other awkward stares. Jungkook's expression hasn't changed since the day he talked to the other, seeming apologetic and dejected at the same time. Namjoon's eyes finally look tired of weeks and weeks of giving the maknae the silent treatment.

The two can remember the conversation all too well that's caused the turbulence in their relationship. It hurt them both, but they owned up to what they had to.

"So you love him?", Namjoon had said blankly to Jiyoo with him in the room, just having been told about their encounter behind his back.

She nodded slowly, tears filling up her eyes and threatening to spill over. It broke his heart.

"I see", the emotion was lost in his voice, his bleakness scaring them both.

"Hyung, I'm so sorry-", Jungkook started for about the hundredth time.

Namjoon merely held up his palm to stop him, "No, I shouldn't have tried to date her in the first place. She was your ex and I was just too in love for my own good."

"Hyung...", Jungkook welled up as well, never having seen the boy he looked up to so much ever so desolate before.

"Jiyoo", he turned to her and she gazed up at him expectantly, tears streaking her cheeks, "I don't think it ever mattered how much I loved you or how willing I was to give you the world. You were always in love with Jungkook and I should've seen that. But he doesn't love you, despite what may have transpired between you two last night."

The girl broke at his words, although he didn't intend to sound reproachful. Only speaking the truth, he wanted to give her piece of mind even though it may have hurt.

"I think it's done between all of us", he continued in the same empty tone as before, "It's done between you and me. I can't ever forgive someone cheating on me and our relationship was never meant to be in the first place. And it's done between you and Jungkook, because even if he doesn't see it now, you've never been good for him. In fact, you were never good for any of us. That's why it's also done between you and Bangtan."

"W-what do you mean?", she stammered between tears.

"You shouldn't be at this company any longer", he sighed deeply, not letting his true feelings get in the way of this rational decision that needed to be made.

Jungkook's eyes went wide, but he didn't interject, even when Jiyoo let out a choked cry.

"But you can't do that to me!", she threw herself at him beggingly.

"Jiyoo, you're a wonderful girl. You'll find work at another company in no time with a resume like yours", he told her, carefully removing her hands from him, "And we need to move on. Something we can't do when you're around."

"Joonie...", she searched his eyes for any glint of remorse, but found none. He had closed himself off to her right then and there, suffering through the pain on the inside.

In desperation, she turned to Jungkook then, taking a step towards him, "Kookie, you wouldn't make me leave, would you?"

"Jiyoo...", he didn't dare meet her gaze as he spoke in hesitation, "It's over."

"B-but...", she scrambled for words, a blubbering mess of tears.

"Goodbye, Jiyoo", Namjoon's words were the final resolve and everyone knew it. His tone left no room for debate.

Becoming even more of a sobbing mess, she glanced between the two one last time, "I s-see how it is. O-okay..."

Without another word, she dashed from the room, her crying echoing down the hallway before disappearing completely. The boys were left with nothing but a defeated atmosphere.

"Hyung, I'm sorry", Jungkook now tried again, "I was an idiot. I would take it back if I could. I really really messed up. You always taught me how to be less possessive and selfish, but when I saw you two together I got upset. That upset then turned into lust for her and I really fucked everything up."

"I know you're sorry", Namjoon lifted his hand lamely, almost patting the younger's shoulder, yet letting it fall to his side again tiredly, "I haven't been the best friend either as of late. But yeah, you fucked up. And I need time. I need time to forgive you."

As the older left the room without letting him respond, Jungkook sunk to his knees defeatedly. His tears running free as he sobbed into his own hands, he finally knew what heartbreak felt like. The boy that was his family no longer trusted him. His hyung was deeply disappointed in him and it tore Jungkook down to a low he'd never been at before.

Now facing Namjoon again in the dressing room, he feels like crying once more. It's been hard not having his hyung to talk to, especially during the tour. It was exhausting having to be all playful with each other on stage and then have him ignore him as soon as they got off. He can see in Namjoon's eyes that he feels the same way.

"Jungkook-ah", he sighs, rubbing his temple.

"Yeah?", he carefully steps towards him, his body warming up at the fact that he's speaking to him the first time in forever. The whole room watches in trance as the two have their exchange.

"I, uh...", the elder runs a hand through his hair, sighing for second time, "This is really hard."

Jungkook stays silent in fear of saying something wrong. Luckily, Namjoon continues for him.

"I don't want to be like this anymore", he finally admits, "Although I can't really forgive what you did, I can't let this go on like this. You're my brother. You're my family. I love you. And nothing should come between that anymore."

The maknae's eyes fill with tears at his words, but Namjoon chuckles nervously, "Jungkook-ah, please don't cry. Literally everyone is watching."

He then takes the younger into a tight embrace though, letting him rest his crying face in the crook of his neck as he pats him reassuringly on the back.

"Hyung, I love you, too. And I'm so sorry", he hiccups, "I promise to be better. So much better."

"Oh my god, finally", Hoseok chimes in from the other side of the room, pretending to wipe a small tear from his own face.

"You guys, I love you too", Jimin then clamors up and joins the hugging brothers, clasping his small hands around them.

"Me too!", Taehyung then jumps up and throws himself at them.

Pretty soon all of them form a huge cluster of a group hug, most likely suffocating Jungkook and Namjoon in the middle. Once again, Bangtan is reunited. No matter how often they fight and argue, they always find their way back to each other. Their bonds are stronger than anything else they've ever known and even something grave like this can't tear them apart in the end.