Taehyung settles in the middle of the long table, to his right sits Eunji and to his left Bogum just sits down. He lets his eyes roam over the huge room in front of him which is filled to the brim with people of the press, huge cameras are rolling and live recording this all for the Tv and the people watching this event at home. The nerves come back to him, creeping in quickly and he feels himself getting restless again.

"Deep breaths," Bogum whispers next to him, one hand coming down on his thigh under the tablecloth to reassure him. Taehyung nods, more to himself than to his friend. He can do this. He will do this. This is just a press conference, a press conference which could change everything. From the corner of his eyes, he could see his parents standing in a secluded area, free of the press and with all the other people who were invited despite not being cast in the drama and so not a part of the conference taking place before the premiere. Two wide-open doors separate him and the other guests, him and his parents but it feels like they're directly behind him, their hands on his throat, ready to squeeze if he makes one mistake.

He looks away, concentrating on not stumbling over his words as the whole cast introduces themselves before the questions begin. In his head, he's still working out the perfect way to explain everything, letting all the other people answer the questions as he tries to collect his thoughts when a cough from Bogum makes him snap back to reality. One of the reporters is standing up, speaking in his microphone as he looks expectantly at Taehyung.

"Yes, hello, my question goes to Kim Taehyung and Jung Eunji," The reporter says and Taehyung searches for his gaze in the crowd, as he lets his eyes stray for a second he catches sight of a familiar face. His heart stops beating for a second as he stares at the furious expression on the small male. Jimin stares back at him with so much fire that Taehyung fears the other will climb the stage in a second and murder him in front of all these people without caring for the consequences.

What is he doing here? Why – Taehyung doesn't understand it and he feels himself starting to break out into a cold sweat. He tries to take calming breaths, maybe Jimin isn't here to – to what? What could be his plan?

"Ex – Excuse me, what is your question again?" Taehyung stumbles over his words, the short Jimin – crisis having kept him from listening to the other reporter and his question. The male looks a little offended but repeats the question nonetheless. "Are those dating rumors about you two true? It's been a long time since they arose but neither of you has confirmed or denied them yet."

"Yes uhm –" This is it, he thinks. The perfect opportunity to explain everything. It feels like someone his closing their hand around his throat and he coughs a little, to get rid of the suffocating feeling. Bogum is still squeezing his thigh under the table and Taehyung is thankful for his help to ground himself. He looks over at Eunji who just nods at him. "I think you're all expecting the same from us, right? Confirming the rumors. Confirming the dating... Well, I'm sorry but if you came here for this I have to disappoint you."

A murmur goes through the crowd and more than half of the reporters jump to their feet, hands raised and shouting question after question but Taehyung doesn't pay any of them any mind. "It's all a lie. I'm not dating Eunji-noona. It's nothing more than a rumor."

"And," The same reporter's voice sounds above everyone's else. The security is trying to calm them all down and slowly the commotion settles again but the murmurs don't stop. "Would you be able to tell us about the time you spent away from all media. Before the movie. Your time in rehab. Some information about that? Since you've been back you have refused all interviews up until now. The people are interested in what happened to you."

"I should apologize because –" He takes a deep breath, preparing himself for all hell to break loose and as he releases the air from his lungs again he feels all the tension slip from his shoulders and he starts talking without any regrets or doubts, "Because this is all just another lie. I haven't been away because of rehab. I wasn't supposed to tell you the truth, no one was supposed to know. I should have just disappeared from the face of the earth forever and until Eunji and Bogum it was going fine."

His shoulders shake with the effort of holding an almost hysterical laugh back, by now he has forgotten about the reporters, about the cameras, about the people watching him because he just wants to get everything off his chest for now. He catches the gaze of his father through the double doors and the warning expression on his face should make him scared but it doesn't. It only fuels his urge to tell them everything that happened. "It was going fine, right father?" The man takes a step toward the doors but he doesn't go further. "I'm not good enough for you but the second I could bring you fame and profit I'm interesting for you again? This is ridiculous."

He chuckles again, looking back at the audience in front of him. "I mean – It was obviously true that there was an offer from Bogum to appear in this movie, an offer I quickly accepted but this here, the last months we spent filming were my project. I'm not doing this for anyone but myself. Not for my parents who'll never care about me and not for the fame that comes with it – I'm doing this because I want to fly. I want to spread my wings and be free for once in my life." He imagines Yoongi sitting somewhere in front of a Tv and watching him. He imagines the elder smiling because Taehyung is doing what he told him. Wanting to fly. He imagines Yoongi watching him as he breaks out of his cage. "And I know that things have been bad for me before and I'm taking this opportunity to apologize for that too."

"Yes," He sighs and now he drops his gaze to the microphone in front of him. Shame coloring his cheeks red. "I've made mistakes. Bad mistakes. Alcohol, drugs, prostitutes – I can't just overlook those mistakes and you all shouldn't either. It's something that will follow me forever, a stain on me that I'm willing to wear because without it I wouldn't have had the best time of my life. But this time didn't happen in rehab. That's just a made up story by my parents trying to preserve their image. Because how would they look if the world found out what really happened with their son? Who he lived with? What they've done to him?"

"Kim Taehyung –" But Taehyung interrupts his yelling father before he could even continue uttering another vowel. "You don't get to talk now," He spits, "I'm not a puppet you can control anymore. I'm my own person and I decided to tell everyone the truth like I wanted to right from the start. I'm not listening to you anymore." He turns back around, "I've been depressed for years now, caged inside my own mind and own home. Being told over and over again how I'm not good enough. Get better Taehyung, have better grades, look prettier, don't raise attention if it doesn't give you any profit. Make us proud. Those words accompanied me all throughout my childhood and further. I've made mistakes to get away from my own life which was suffocating me."

The murmurs in the crowd have completely died down by now. Taehyung raises his head to see an ocean of faces staring at him in disbelief and wonder. "But wouldn't it have been for those mistakes I wouldn't be standing here. I wouldn't be able to tell you that I had been happy – really and fully happy in the last months." He could see Jimin wincing in the crowd, a pained expression on the smaller's face and it stings. It stings right behind Taehyung's eyes but he has cried enough. This isn't the time to cry, this is the time, to tell the truth.

"The scandals threw me out of the business in the blink of an eye. I had wasted all my money and my parents were so ashamed of me, so disappointed that they decided it would be better to burn every connection they had to me. They threw me out, out on the streets without caring about the consequences. And there... I met him. The reason for the way I am now." He holds Jimin's gaze now and he sees the anger melting away from the other. He knows Jimin can hear it, see it and maybe even feel it. Feel how much Taehyung always loved and still loves Yoongi just by the way he's talking about him.

"A boy – a man so special that I can't even describe it. Words don't feel like they give him enough justice. He's kind, hardworking, loving, amazing, talented, passionate – he's perfect in my eyes. He took me in. He took me in despite me having been a major asshole to him the first times we met. He took me in despite living in bad conditions," He chuckles, no idea why but it sounds more like he just breathed out. "He lives downtown, in an apartment building where the doors are being left open because your neighbors are your friends, your family who you trust because there, you help each other. I hadn't known things like that before. He taught me a lot of things. He taught me that despite being poor, despite seemingly having nothing he had more than I could have ever dreamt of in my previous life."

Jimin is crying now but there's a smile on his lips. The reporters around him are all looking at him weirdly but the small male doesn't seem to mind. Taehyung would love to go down there and hug him, he only had caught about two or three glimpses of the older boy when he watched Yoongi and he missed him almost as much as the eldest. After all, Jimin is one of the first real friends he made and when he lost Yoongi, he lost everyone else too. All of that hurt and still hurts. "He let me live with him and his family despite not having the capacity for me. They all took me in without resentment, without question like it wasn't even something weird to help people and not getting anything in return. I didn't know the world could work that way," He whispers.

"They took me into their home. His aunt and uncle don't have a bed to sleep in, they sleep in the living room of their rundown apartment. His three little cousins share a room and he sleeps in another one on a mattress on the floor. He provides for his family almost alone and he's happy. He loves and he's being loved. Things I never knew about. Things I never experienced before." By now Taehyung has completely forgotten about the question and almost about all the people around him too. The more he talks the more he imagines Yoongi standing in front of him. Yoongi with his dark hair standing up in every direction because he just woke up, eyes only half opened and dried drool on his lower lip. He imagines him right there, listening to Taehyung as he explains everything and tries to apologize.

"He taught me to live... He taught me to love and I'm so sorry. So sorry because I disappointed him – I disappointed you, Yoongi. I never planned on dropping you. I never thought things would quickly escalate like that. I'm here, talking today, to clear the misunderstandings up. The contract – I didn't know about it. My father put it together in my name, he threatened to harm you and your family if I wouldn't do what he wanted from me. And I'm sorry but that was staying away from you and be successful, famous," His voice breaks a little at the end but he forces himself to push through with everything.

"I know that you probably don't even see this but that's alright," He smiles sadly, "I also know if you do see this that there's no way you would forgive me again. I'm sorry for all the hurt and difficulties I gave you and hope that you'll continue living in happiness without me...And I'm sorry that I didn't say it when you asked me to. I don't have an explanation for that, I just – froze. I've never seen you like this before but let me tell you and I hope you believe when I say that I really love you, Yoongi."

The murmurs start again but Taehyung continues to ignore everyone around him in favor of imaging Yoongi in front of him. Yoongi who listens to him with a sad smile on his lips. "I have just one more thing to say... I hope you make it. I hope you will find a way to live your own life. You always told me that making sure your family is well is the only thing mattering to you. Okay but the only thing mattering to me is that you are fine, that you are happy. I hope you'll be able to live your dream one day. I wish I would have been able to watch the stars with you. I'm sorry I broke that promise – even if I'm not sure that you still remember it." His voice is getting quieter and quieter, the Yoongi in his imagination isn't sitting anymore. He's standing up, ready to leave because Taehyung doesn't really have anything more to say.

"I don't know if you received my texts and this here is my last try. After that, I'll be staying out of your life forever no matter how hard that might hurt. I know I hurt you more." He takes another deep and calming breath, the Yoongi of his imagination has already turned around to leave him behind for good now. "You are one of a kind and I'll hate myself forever because I let you slip through my fingers. The only thing that ever really mattered to me. I'll keep you forever in my heart. Thank you for teaching me how to fly."

It seems like the whole room is kind of stunned into silence after Taehyung leans back from the microphone. No one even dares to draw in a breath. The tension in the air lasts for about a minute until the whole room suddenly explodes into shouts, reporters yelling their questions as loud as they can as they scramble to push to the front to get noticed by Taehyung and picked to ask him their question. But the male feels like all the energy has been drained from his body and just slumps back against his chair. It's Bogum who grabs his microphone to calm the people down.

"Taehyung won't take any more questions tonight," He says and everything erupts into protest. During that Taehyung could see Jimin pushing through the mass of bodies to the very front, right opposite of him. "Even not from me?" He asks and Taehyung can't help but get choked up again. Those brown eyes which held so much anger and resentment when he looked at them the first time today have become their usual soft self again. There's something like hope swirling in those brown orbs and Taehyung couldn't help but respond.

"Jimin..." The name leaves his lips like a whisper, barely caught by the microphone but loud enough for Jimin to take it as permission to ask his question. It has calmed down again, the other's probably hoping that Taehyung will answer more questions after this one.

"I'm here to – well, obviously I'm here because I work for the press but I also originally came to yell at you. Like, you hurt Yoongi so much and I just couldn't understand how you could have done something like that but now I've heard it. And I changed my mind, I'm here to tell you that you might still have a chance. It's a small one and won't be there for long but I beg you to take it."

-

It's not like this is a particularly busy day. The only problem is that it isn't a particularly slow day either and Yoongi is alone at his shift and the stupid coffee machine broke again and he can't find the motherfucking screwdriver. He hasn't slept all night after coming home from Hoseok's apartment where they watched the stupid movie premiere of Kim fucking Taehyung.

What the hell does this imbecile idiot think he's doing? Confessing stupidly in front of the whole world – South Korea – but not having the guts to come and face him like a man? Huh? Where's his confidence now when he can't hide behind a camera?

Yoongi ignores the little voice inside of his head who keeps telling him that he cried after he heard everything, the voice telling him that he should unblock Taehyung, that he should make anything, after all, that happened. Taehyung said he would let him go and he wants that right?... Right?

He spent the last months talking himself into this belief. He doesn't want to be loved by Taehyung, he doesn't want to love him, he doesn't want him back but the problem is that he does. Yeah, he can hide behind the pain the younger caused him most of the times but now... now with the explanation – which could be another lie for all he knows! (He just reminds himself) – he can't even hide behind that anymore. Because if – if Taehyung has been telling the truth during the broadcast then Yoongi understands. Kind of. Maybe. A bit.

With his head still ducked under the counter to look for the screwdriver he hears the door opening with a jingle, steps approach the front of the café and Yoongi tries to continue searching and serve the customer at the same time.

"One moment," He calls out, hoping not to scare him off – Oh! There it is. He tries to reach behind all the other things stacked down there, someone should really clean the drawers. "What would you like to have?"

"The sweetest thing on your menu with extra sugar," The voice asks timidly and the familiar tone makes Yoongi jumps so hard that he hits his head against the counter while trying to get off the floor as fast as he could. That'll probably be a bump and it hurts like a bitch but he ignores the pain because right in front of him is really Kim Taehyung. A timid smile on his lips, face mask pulled under his chin and making his cheeks look extra squishy.

"Taehyung..." The name rolls off his tongue for the first time in months. He has refused to call him by his name because just saying it often hurt too much.

"Surprise..." The younger laughs quietly and he looks so awkward standing there, all long limbs and not really knowing where to go. His gaze keeps jumping from Yoongi to literally anywhere else in the room like he's too afraid to look at him for longer than a second. "Your hair is different," He says, one of his hands vaguely gesturing towards his head of blonde hair and staying in the air even after Yoongi nods.

"I – Yes... " Yoongi shakes his head with a small smile. It feels like it's been forever since he's seen him even though he just remembers catching his face on one of the promotional posters of the movie just this morning not to forget he watched the press conference yesterday evening.

It feels like oceans have been between them the last months and still rush between them right now but he pictured this encounter a million times. More than a million times. In a million different ways and no scenario could have prepared him for this. Taehyung stands there, looking like he never left. He still has those gentle brown eyes which enchanted Yoongi's gaze, the eyes which had looked at him like he hung the stars in the sky but also the same eyes which held nothing but emptiness as he had turned around to walk out on Yoongi like he never meant anything to him. But now they're as full of emotions as Yoongi remembers them. His skin looks still soft, almost fragile like a flower but hasn't lost its unique tan which always contrasted so well with his own pale skin tone. His hair is slightly different, another shade of brown, bangs hanging in front of his eyes but he looks as stunning as always and Yoongi's stomach does a somersault.

He pictured this in a million different ways and being left speechless was in none of his imaginations. He imagined himself yelling, shouting, being angry at him some more, disappointed, frustrated, desperate – even completely over him, calm but still telling him what a despicable human being he is but looking at him right now... The only thing in his head are the words Taehyung said yesterday on Tv. They keep replaying in his mind. I really love you. I'll be staying out of your life after this. So... Why is he here?

The silence between them stretches and Yoongi doesn't know if he wishes this had been a fast day at the café so that Taehyung would be forced to hurry up with what he wants to say or if he prefers it this way, being thankful for the slowness and that besides them there is only one couple engrossed in a conversation in the back of the café and no queue behind Taehyung. He knows he's staring at the younger but he just can't help it. It's been so long since he's seen him, really seen him, in person and not through the screen of some Tv or being caked with make-up and styled on a poster.

"I never apologized in person," Taehyung finally says. The scared expression back on his face but Yoongi could swear that there's a glint of hope somewhere swirling in his brown eyes. So, that's what he wants. Apologizing in person. Somehow it disappoints Yoongi. He can't really say why, it's not like he doesn't want the younger to apologize – he deserves it – but he... what did he even expect from him?

"No, you did it on fucking national television," He chuckles but the cheerfulness in his voice sounds as fake as it is. It's more than awkward, hanging alone in the air because Taehyung doesn't laugh along but rather pulls a grimace which could pass as a smile if you look at it with a lot of imagination.

"Yeah... You've seen it?" Taehyung hums, eyes boring into the elders and somehow he's the one getting shy now.

"Like there would have been any way to avoid this," He mumbles, averting his eyes from him as he recalls the time when his family basically forced him to take them to Hoseok so they could watch the press conference on Tv or the way Jimin basically threatened him not to chicken out in the end. In the end, he is thankful for that. I really love you, Yoongi. "My family wanted to see you. Jimin almost threatened me to turn on the television."

Taehyung looks down again and it seems like he's gathering his courage or something. He hears him taking in a huge gulp of air before his sudden intense gaze pins Yoongi to the spot, unable to look away even if he wanted to – he doesn't though. "I'm sorry... I don't think I've ever felt like this before – so regretful, so sorry."

"I missed you..." Yoongi whispers and his voice doesn't sound like his own. The tension between them increases tenfold and there's that pull toward the younger, the only thing hindering Yoongi from jumping in the other's arms is the counter and the last part of his sanity living in the back of his head. I really love you, Yoongi. But does he really? Can he trust what the younger said on Tv?

"Me too. I'm – How couldn't I? You changed my life, you changed me –" There's a shiver running down Yoongi's spine. "– It's all thanks to you. You came into my life, you've been kind and loving. You showed me the world and when I look at you I forget everything I deemed important before. Status, friends, money, fame – it's all nothing compared to you." The spark in the air between them ignites like a fire and Yoongi unconsciously leans a little forward, captivated by Taehyung's voice. Longing to hear those three words from him again, ready to understand him after he explained everything yesterday – if it's true. He presses his nails into the palm of his hands, bringing himself back to reality a bit.

"Is everything you said on TV true?" He asks, voice a little breathless. Desperation showing in the slight tremble. He hopes, he prays it's true. He hated him, yes he did, he did with all his heart but never – never has this decreased the level of his love for him. No matter how long he believed that Taehyung lied to him – somehow he could never stop loving him. Yes, yes he hated him but he loved him at the same time. He really did.

"Every single word," Taehyung says, his lashes fan over his cheeks and create a crescent shadow as he looks down at the only thing between them. The counter but Yoongi sees so much more than the plain counter. He sees the ocean between them and he can see how the crushing waves preventing them from crossing it calm down slowly. "I meant every word I said. And I... I'm sorry for leaving you behind like this. I just – My mind just shut down and I couldn't... couldn't form any words. I went to see you..."

"When?"

"I watched you work in the café a lot. Through the window – I felt like a stalker but I – I couldn't just go and talk to you, my father, he would have destroyed you. He said, he said he would get you back in jail –" Taehyung gets interrupted by a breathy chuckle of Yoongi.

"I'm not involved with anything illegal anymore," The elder says with confidence, hoping it would reassure the other but Taehyung's pained expression doesn't change at all.

"That's not important," he explains, "My father doesn't need someone to be involved in anything illegal to get them locked up for a long time. It doesn't matter if you're innocent or not. He has enough money to send you away for good and for no one to question it. Wouldn't be the first time he did that and I just couldn't risk it. He threatened to close up the café too, get all of my friends involved if I wouldn't do as he says and one condition was leaving you and everyone else."

Yoongi just stares at him. It's strange, somehow the story sounds like it comes straight out of a drama but the desperate expression on Taehyung's face tells him everything is real and suddenly guilt is clawing at his insides. He hated the younger for something that he couldn't have changed in the world, no matter how much he really wanted to. "But..." Yoongi sighs, biting his lips as he looks down at his slightly trembling hands. "Why... You could have told me about the meetings with that girl and the guy... Why didn't you say something right from the beginning? Why did you keep it a secret?"

"I... Honestly?" Taehyung chuckles to himself a little and his lower lip trembles as he sucks it into his mouth, eyes glazing over a little. "I honestly don't know. I was scared? I think – I think I was too scared that you'd think I would leave you for my old life. Paradox, right? Because I didn't tell you exactly that happened, even though I wanted to prevent it. It was stupid, I know and I'm sorry. But I – I couldn't say it. I wanted to – so many times but I really was just... scared."

Yoongi nods and he feels his heart hammering against his ribs like it's trying to break through. "You could have prevented all that if you told me from the start..." He says, biting his bottom lip. He knows it's not the best to still accuse Taehyung of it, especially because Yoongi thinks he would have done the same. He faced a lot of troubles because he kept things to himself for too long.

"So could have you if you would have just let me explain but that's in the past," Taehyung whispers with a slight waver in his usually strong voice, "It's in the past and it happened and we can't change the past, just the future. Why... Why did you never cash in one of the checks I sent you?"

"I just... I didn't want to accept anything from you," Yoongi explains. He remembers the first check waiting for him, pushed into the apartment from under the closed door. The white envelope sitting there so innocently right in front of him and the second he laid his eyes upon the contents he wanted to throw up. It made him so mad, so furious because how could Taehyung think that money would make up for his mistakes. "I hate taking money from others but with you, it was a different reason. Something like pride and spite. As if I would want to have anything from you after all that happened. I hated you and I didn't want your filthy money. I never understood why you kept trying with the checks... But then... Then I thought, well, maybe that's the financial compensation but it wasn't because after the first months I received it on my bank account but the checks still kept coming."

Taehyung bites his lip, eyes cast downwards. "It's because it was the only thing I could do to support you," He says and his eyes shine a bit like he's going to start crying, "Talking to you was too risky, doing anything else than watching you from afar was too dangerous but I felt – feel so guilty that I needed to do something for you. To do anything to support you because... because it wasn't true what you said about me."

"What do you mean?"

"I changed." Yoongi freezes in his spot, locked into place by the intense gaze in the other's eyes. The breath gets knocked out of his lungs and he's once again reminded why he fell in love with the other. His eyes are one of his most prominent and unique features. It doesn't surprise him that the actress always freezes on the screen whenever Taehyung stares at her in the movie. It's understandable. "You changed me in more ways than one and I never wanted anything more than proving that to you. I made mistakes, god, I made so many and so bad mistakes but I am only human too. I make mistakes, I regret decisions and I learn from the past. That's normal. I am not the same person I was before I met you nor the one after the first few weeks living with you nor the one who fell in love with you nor the one who kissed you the first time nor the one who was forced to leave nor the one who shot the movie all these months – I am me right now. I am all these things and none of them at the same time. I changed and... and I still, I still love you so much."

His smile wobbles, his eyes shine with unshed tears and so much hope in them that it almost tears Yoongi's heart apart. Tears it apart in the best way possible and this is what Yoongi has been waiting for all along. His heart beats in his throat and a small smile spreads his lips, something warm and nice starts coiling in his stomach and he feels a little lightheaded. "Since you've been gone I couldn't smile," He says, holding Taehyung's teary gaze.

"You know, I didn't want to fall in love, especially not with you," He chuckles a little airily, pushing his hair out of his face, "I mean, you were a pretentious dick and someone who didn't know anything but then, one time, you smiled at me and – and I just fell. So hard and I was never able to get up again." His voice cracks a little at the end but there isn't the telltale burning behind his eyes but rather an acceleration of his heartbeat.

"I – really? Can you – please tell me?" Taehyung stumbles over his words, his hands have crossed the literal barrier between them and have grasped the hands of the elder which have been laying on top of the counter. His hands are clammy but Yoongi feels the same, squeezing Taehyung's hands tightly as his smile gets even brighter than before.

"I'm not only forgiving you for your mistakes of the past but I'm also –" He takes a deep breath, eyes slipping shut as he smiles as wide as possible, "I also love you too. So much. And even though I tried hating you and even succeeded for quite some time, I never stopped loving you."

He hears the younger giggling, holding his hands a little tighter than before and Yoongi thinks once again, that's the man he loves. He opens his eyes and looks at him. Really looks at him for the first time in months and it only serves to take his breath away. Taehyung has been and will always be the most beautiful person in his mind. The bright eyes, his unique smile, the deep rumble of his laugh and just – just everything about him makes Yoongi wants to kiss him right here. Well, there's nothing really stopping him, right?

"Just shut up," He laughs as he wrenches his hand out of the other's iron grip and pulls him half over the counter by his collar. Their lips meet in the middle and it's not like fireworks but it feels like coming home.

Like coming home and finally finding the last piece to fill the hole in his heart created by loneliness, depression, anger, fear, loss but with Taehyung it feels like all those things are replaced by the sudden feeling of everything maybe being not so bad after all. It feels different than before, he feels the difference in Taehyung. He changed. He's free, out of his cage and Yoongi can't be happier than in this moment right here.

Home. Yes, he's home.