Come next morning, you are greeted by...

...an empty room.

Your heart drops to your stomach.

'Taehyung... Where's Taehyung???'

You search the living room.

'Nothing.'

You run into the kitchen.

'He's not here.'

You even go back to your bedroom in the off chance that you somehow, improbably, just missed him there.

'No, not here either.'

The bathroom is empty as well.

You end up back in the living room, helplessly looking around.

'In such a small apartment, where could he even hide?'

Your heart is trying its best to pound its way out of your chest. Your limbs feel heavy... but your head feels light. All of a sudden, you're finding it hard to breathe. Your vision narrows, and you stumble to the couch before you fall on the hard floor.

Then, you see it.

On the table by the couch, a plate of pancakes.

And a note.

"[Y/N]ie, I went out to get groceries since I noticed we were running out. I made pancakes for you before I left, so please eat them before going to work. See you tonight!
- Love, your Taetae"

Relief washes over you, softening your bones. Your knees give out, and you collapse onto the floor, not having made it to the couch.

Groceries. Taehyung just went out to do groceries.

He's coming back.

'He didn't leave me.'

Suddenly exhausted, you bury your face in your hands... and you cry.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You go to work with puffy eyes. Thankfully, your coworkers either don't care enough or are too polite to comment on it.

The morning goes by in a haze.

Lunchtime comes around, and you take the opportunity to give Seokjin a call in the once again empty break room. Your officemates sure love to eat out.

Seokjin picks up immediately.

"Hey, brat! What's up? Missed me?"

"S-Seokjin-ah..."

Seokjin's cheerful tone immediately shifts to once of concern.

"[Y/N], what's wrong?"

His soft inquiry, the kindness and care in his voice, is what finally pushes you over the edge. Tears spill over, streaming down your cheeks.

"S-so many things h-happened this w-week," you hiccup.

"Are you crying? Hey, it's okay." A frustrated sigh. "Dammit, I wish I could be there right now."

"N-no, it's f-fine," you tell him, "I just n-need someone to t-talk to."

"What happened, [Y/N]? Tell me," Seokjin prods gently. Then, when you don't respond, he adds, "Is it about Taehyung?"

You don't quite know how to answer, just because there's so much, far too much that you fear you won't be able to explain properly, so you choose silence.

"[Y/N]-ah? I know you're still on the line. I can hear you sniffling, you know?" Seokjin huffs. "Answer me."

After a final moment of hesitation, you finally say, "Y-yes... It is."

"Shit!" Seokjin exclaims, shocking you so much you nearly drop your phone, "What did he do to you? If I knew---"

You rush to cut him off before he gets to the worst conclusions.

"It's n-nothing like that! He didn't d-do anything, Seokjin-ah!" You sob. "It's all m-my fault."

It's Seokjin's turn to respond with silence, and you await his response with bated breath.

Finally, he says, "[Y/N]... What did you do?"

You calm yourself down and fill Seokjin in on everything that happened since he left Neo-Seoul. You tell him about all the things you and Hobi have kept secret from Taehyung... and how you finally had to tell him the truth.

Seokjin sighs, and it's weighted. You feel it across the miles.

"Sounds like a very complicated situation you got yourself into there," he comments, sounding resigned, "Honestly, I don't know what I would have done, had I been in your shoes." He pauses, and you know it's because he's carefully measuring his next words. "I believe lies invariably end up complicating things, but I also know that ultimately, you and Hobi did what you thought was best for Taehyung under the circumstances."

"We did, but... What if we made the wrong choice, after all?"

"If you did, well..." There's a quick pause in which you imagine Seokjin shrugging his broad shoulders. "...it can't be reversed anymore, can it? The only thing you can do is deal with the consequences of your actions."

"You should've seen his face, Seokjin-ah," you say, plaintively, "He looked so heartbroken..."

Seokjin heaves another sigh.

"I can get a train ticket today and come to you, if you want."

Seokjin's touching offer has your eyes filling with tears once more.

"N-no! That would be t-too much!" You take a deep, bracing breath. "Just talking to you has already helped a lot. It always does. Thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeap!" you say more brightly, "You're really the best, Seokjin-ah."

"And the handsome-est?" Seokjin teases, and you can't help but giggle, tears all dried up on your cheeks.

"And the handsome-est," you agree.

You hear a chorus of voices from down the hallway, drawing nearer and nearer, and it alerts you to the time.

"Seokjin-ah, I have to go," you say regretfully, "Break's almost over."

"Alright. Call me again if you need me, okay?"

"I will," you promise, "Really, thank you so much. I feel so much better."

"Anytime, brat," Seokjin says, voice filled with fondness and warmth, "Take care, I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, you too," you say, "Bye, Seokjin-ah."

You hang up and take another deep, bracing breath. Talking to Seokjin has helped you feel ready to face the world once more.

You go back to work, just wishing for the work day to hurry up and end so you can see your Taetae again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Taetae, I'm home! I picked up strawberry cake for dessert tonight!"

Your greeting is met with silence. You step into the living room and look around, hit by a flash of deja vu, a repeat of the morning's events.

"Taetae?" you call out, "Taehyung?" Then, after a hesitant pause, "V?"

Still, silence.

You feel your heartbeat start to speed up, palms beginning to sweat.

'Nononononononono not again. This can't be happening again.'

"Taehyung? I'm home," you cry out, and you hear the desperation in your voice, "Where are you? Taetae?"

Once again, nothing.

Your voice starts to shake.

"Please, this isn't funny," you shout, fear giving way to anger, "Wherever you're hiding, come out!" You spin around, and a distant part of you thinks that anyone who sees you right now will surely think you've gone mad. "Kim Taehyung, I am not in the mood for hide-and-seek right now!" You fall to your knees, desperation once again taking the place of anger. "Taehyung, please... Please, where are you? I'm home..."

You search the entire apartment once more, hoping for perhaps another note explaining Taehyung's absence, but your search is fruitless.

After your frantic search, you sink into the couch, clutching at your hair.

'Okay, I need to calm down. Think, [Y/N], think!' You straighten up, hit by an idea. 'Groceries! Maybe he's still doing groceries!' But you immediately slump back down. 'Ugh, no. Who does groceries for 10 whole hours?' You shove yourself up and start pacing. 'Has he... Has he run away?' You rush to the closet where he keeps his things and... yes, all his belongings are still in there. 'Okay, okay... Maybe... maybe he's just hanging out with one of his friends!' You go back to where you dropped your bag on the floor and fish out your phone. 'Right, I just need to call them and ask!'

You decide to call Jimin first, but your hands are shaking so hard that it takes you forever to dial his number. Jimin picks up after just a few rings, but to you it feels like a lifetime.

"Hey, [Y/N]ie!" Jimin's sweet, cheery voice greets you, "What's up?"

You try to keep your voice steady and casual as you respond.

"Hey, Jiminie! Uhm, I was just wondering... Are you with Taehyung right now?"

"Huh? No, I'm not..." The cheerfulness seeps out of Jimin's voice. "Why? Did something happen?"

In the background, you hear a familiar voice asking Jimin why you're calling. You recognize it as Jungkook's.

"You're with Jungkook right now?" you ask Jimin.

"Yeah, he needed help with his math homework."

You hear Jungkook say, "Hey! I thought we were keeping that a secret!" Jimin ignores him.

"Can you ask him if he knows where Taehyung is?"

You hear Jimin relay your question to Jungkook, to which the younger responds that no, he hasn't seen his 'hyungie' since the last time you all hung out together.

"Jungkook says he hasn't seen Taehyungie either. Do you want us to go look for him?"

"Ah, no! I'm sure he'll be home soon. He went out to do groceries, it's just taking him a bit longer than expected." You laugh, and it sounds fake and strained even to your own ears, so you hurry to end the call before Jimin gets even more worried. "Thanks anyway, Jimin-ah!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yup!"

"Okay... Well, call me if you end up needing my help after all."

"Our help!" you hear Jungkook cry in the background. Jimin sighs exasperatedly and parrots, "Our help."

"Yup, I will! Thanks!"

"We'll see you and Taehyungie soon, yeah?" Jimin says gently.

"Yeah, of course! Bye!"

"Bye!"

You hang up and quickly dial Hobi's number next. To your relief, he picks up at the first ring.

"[Y/N]ie, what's up? Did something happen?" Hobi's voice is immediately concerned, and you wonder if he knows what happened to Taehyung, hopes he knows where the Hybrid is.

"No, nothing happened," you say, not wanting to worry him if it turns out that you were just being paranoid this whole time, "I just wanted to ask if Taehyung is with you. He left a while ago to do groceries, and he's taking a bit longer than I expected." Once again, you try out the fake laugh, and inwardly cringe.

'Nope, not getting any better at it.'

"Hm... Okay, I'll help you search for him," Hobi says, throwing you into a panic.

"No!" you cry. Catching yourself, you adjust your volume and say, "I'm sure he'll be home in a bit. Thanks anyway, Hobi!"

"I don't know, [Y/N]," Hobi says, "I'm uneasy about this..."

"I'm probably just being paranoid," you tell him, "I don't want to kick up a fuss out of nothing."

"Okay... Well, let me know if he's still not home in an hour or so."

"Yeah, I will! Thanks, Hobi!"

"You take care, okay?" Hobi says, still sounding worried.

"I will! You too, Hobi! Bye!"

"Bye..."

You hang up, your heart beating so fast and hard, you're staring to go dizzy. You sink back into the couch.

'Okay, think! Think! Where could he be?'

Suddenly, you remember what Namjoon told you about that organization...

'Helix?'

The icy cold hand of fear grips your heart.

'But no, didn't he say they've already been dismantled?'

You look down at your phone, contemplating, but you shake your head. You don't want to call Namjoon unless you're sure Taehyung is in actual danger.

'But where's Taehyung??? Think, [Y/N]! Think!'

Your eyes roam the room once more, hoping for any visual clues, but you find nothing.

'Okay, probably... he's just gone somewhere to cool off. But if so, where?'

In an instant, the answer hits you like a bolt of lightning.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You found me."

You had tried to make as little sound as possible, but of course Taehyung's Hybrid hearing picks it up anyway. Taehyung turns around to face you, the moonlight behind him casting his face into shadow.

"Hey, Taetae," you say sheepishly. You approach with trepidation. "You--- you didn't come home. I was worried."

Taehyung sighs.

"I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you worry... I just---"

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize," you assure him, "I know you're going through a lot. I just came here to make sure you're safe." You start to turn away. "I'll leave you to your thoughts now."

"No!" Taehyung cries, stopping you in your tracks. "Stay."

You turn back, and you see that Taehyung looks both sad and bashful.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes... I... I want to talk."

"Oh."

You walk closer, stopping roughly a foot in front of Taehyung. He looks off to the side, getting that faraway look in his eyes again.

"You were here," he states simply. You look around the room you're standing in, at the wall covered in mirrors, out through the glass doors leading  to a moonlit balcony. You feel a chill run down your spine, but don't say anything, so he continues, "With him. V. He took you here."

'How... does Taehyung know?'

You gulp, feeling guilty for some reason. You don't know quite what to say, or even if Taehyung expects a response for you, so you continue to stay silent, just looking up at Taehyung with wide, confused eyes.

"I was there," Taehyung expounds in a strangled voice, "I was... conscious. The entire time."

"Taehyung!" you exclaim, "That's... That's huge! We need to tell Hobi! This is---"

Taehyung's sob cuts you off, and by reflex, you reach out, worried he's hurt somehow. His head is bowed, and he feels shut off from you, so you refrain from actually touching him.

"It hurt, [Y/N]ie," Taehyung whines, "It was like being trapped...paralyzed. I could hear and see and smell and feel, but... I couldn't move." You notice that his hands are clenched and shaking slightly. "I felt so helpless. Powerless."

"Taetae..."

"Is that how he feels... whenever I'm in control?" Taehyung looks up, and you see that his eyes are wet with unshed tears. "If so, he must... really hate me."

"No, Taehyung! That's not true!" you protest, "V doesn't hate you! Like me and Hobi, V also just wants to protect you."

"Protect me, huh?" A flash of anger in Taehyung's eyes, and you take an involuntary step back. "Am I really some sort of fragile China doll? That everyone feels the need to protect me?" He takes a step forward. "Tell me, [Y/N]. Am I that weak?"

"Taehyung..."

You feel the guilt pressing in on you, almost like a physical weight, crushing you from all sides. Taehyung must see your fearful expression, since he draws back.

"I don't like this, [Y/N]ie..." Taehyung says, clutching his chest, "There's a feeling inside my chest, like a burning... It hurts."

You realize that Taehyung is referring to anger, realize that it's such a foreign emotion to him that he doesn't even recognize the physical sensation for what it is. You feel your own heart break as you watch Taehyung's break in front of you.

Helpless, you do the only think you can at that moment. You launch yourself forward, wrapping your arms around Taehyung.

"I'm sorry, Taetae," you sob into his chest, voice muffled, "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry for hurting you."

 "It's not your fault," Taehyung whispers against your hair, "The world, it's..." He sighs. "I don't get it, [Y/N]ie... All this time, I never even thought about it... I just assumed there were others like me, you know?"

You pull back slightly, looking up at Taehyung.

'Others like him? What does he mean?'

Obviously, he's not talking about Hybrids. Taehyung knows there are other Hybrids. He was in an orphanage full of Hybrids, after all.

Then, he must mean... that.

"It's... forbidden, Tae."

"I don't understand why..." Taehyung laments, "Why is it forbidden?"

"Humans and Hybrids are considered to be different species altogether..." you explain, "It's stupid, I know! But that's... That's just how it's always been..."

Taehyung shakes his head.

"It doesn't make sense."

You bury your face in his chest once again, and tighten your hold on him.

"I know, Tae, I know," you murmur, a feeble attempt at comfort.

"Why can't we all just love whoever we want to love?" Taehyung continues, "Everyone should be allowed to chase after their happiness, right? If they're not hurting anyone anyway..."

You have no answer to this, because you're wondering the exact same thing. You can only say, "I really wish that could be true one day..."

The two of you stay like that for a while, simply holding one another. Then, Taehyung softly utters your name. You lift your head to look at him inquisitively, but Taehyung doesn't say anything, just gazes at you intently, a strange burning in his eyes.

Suddenly, his face draws nearer. His gaze falls to your mouth. Your eyes flutter shut.

Taehyung is so close, you can feel the tiny puffs of his hot breath at the corner of your mouth. You feel him whisper your name against your lips.

Then...

A sudden absence of warmth.

Your eyes fly open. Taehyung's panicked expression greets you. He's stammering out an apology.

"I-I'm sorry! I don't know what c-came over me!"

Feeling mortified, you release him and step back. You lower your eyes, rubbing your arm awkwardly.

'What was that?'

"This isn't how it should be."

Taehyung's words draw your gaze back up to his. He looks very serious, more serious than you've ever seen him.

"There's something I want to say to you, but..." He looks to be struggling with something. "...not now. Not while I'm like this. Fragmented. I want to say those words when I can stand in front of you as a whole person," he says earnestly, "because you deserve no less than that."

"Taehyung..."

 "I know this is asking a lot, but..." He takes a deep breath, lets it out in a huff, stares deep into you eyes as he asks, "Will you wait for me? Can you wait until then, [Y/N]? Until I'm whole?"

"Of course I will!" you say with absolute certainty, not even needing to think about it, "I'll wait for you, Tae. Always."

You're burning with curiosity, of course, but you know you have to respect Taehyung's time. He will tell you when the time is right for him.

Taehyung finally smiles, the first real smile you've seen on him in a while.

"Great. That's all I need to hear." Taehyung holds out his hand. "[Y/N]ie... shall we go home?"

You smile back at Taehyung, relieved.

"Yes. Let's go home."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Poor Taetae... But on a positive note, a fun, chaotic adventure is just around the corner!

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