The trek to the farm is longer than you had anticipated. Yoongi leads you up a hill and through a forest of sorts. As before, you trail closely behind Taehyung and Yoongi, who are walking side-by-side.

"I can already catch a whiff of the farm from here," you hear Taehyung telling Yoongi.

"Are you already starting to remember things?" Yoongi asks.

"No, but..." Taehyung answers, "I'm starting to feel... I don't know..."

"Scents are the best for triggering memories," Hobi says, drawing up beside the two Hybrids, "since they're the only sensations that travel a direct path to the emotion and memory centers in the brain."

"The olfactory bulb is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, right?" Namjoon chimes in, overtaking you to walk beside Hobi.

"Exactly!" Hobi cries, looking delighted, "That's very good, Namjoon-ssi!" He beams at the HRA agent with pride.

"Thank you," Namjoon says, dimpling up at the psychologist, "I find such topics fascinating."

You shake your head in awe. These men are not only handsome, but smart as well.

After another couple of miles, you finally arrive at your destination.

"Here we are," Yoongi says, drawing to a stop.

You all stand beside an old farm house, obviously empty and fallen into disrepair.

"Yoongi-ssi," Jimin says, "did you say it's been abandoned all these years?"

Yoongi nods.

Hobi gazes at the house with wide, fearful eyes.

"Doesn't it give off a scary, haunted house-ish vibe?" he comments, voice shaking.

"Don't worry, hyung!" Jungkook tells Hobi, "I'll protect you!" He steps forward, a determined look on his face. "I'm going in first!"

"Wait," Yoongi says, "I think it's better to let Taehyung go in on alone first. We wouldn't want to cloud up the existing scents in there with our own."

"Yoongi-ssi is right," Namjoon agrees, "We need to preserve the integrity of the scents inside."

Taehyung looks back and forth between the two.

"I don't want to go in alone, though..." he tells them, then turns to you. "[Y/N]ie, will you accompany me?"

"Are you sure, Tae?" you ask hesitantly, "My scent might interfere..."

"Please?" Taehyung pleads, reaching out to tug at your sleeve, "I really want you by my side through this."

"Yeah, okay," you say, caving in, because of course you're caving in, "I'll come with you."

"Taehyung-ah," Yoongi cuts in, "I really don't think you should take anyone with you."

Taehyung says nothing, just looks at his hyung with a wounded puppy-dog stare, widening his already large eyes and pouting slightly.

It doesn't even take three seconds.

"Fine," Yoongi huffs, "If you want to, go do it."

You're not surprised that Yoongi is extremely weak to Taehyung's puppy eyes.

"Careful in there," Seokjin tells you in a low voice, "Shout if you need help."

"It's an empty house, Seokjin-ah." You give your best friend a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

He sighs.

"Of course I'll worry, brat."

You giggle.

"We'll let you guys know if we run into anything. I'll shout as loud as I can, I promise."

Seokjin gives a satisfied nod. You throw him one last comforting smile before following Taehyung into the decrepit farm house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The interior is dark and musty. Dust covers nearly every surface.

You wonder what Taehyung's sensitive Hybrid nose is picking up. All you smell is rot and mildew.

You stay just by the front door as Taehyung goes further inside. You try not to get in the way as he takes everything in. You watch as he looks around the room, gaze raking every surface. You know that with his night vision, what looks like shadows and outlines to you would look like real objects with details to him.

Taehyung's face, usually an open book, is unreadable in that moment.

'What are you thinking, Taetae? How are you feeling?'

Suddenly, Taehyung sways as if dizzy, the same way V did when you were in the record shop.

"Taehyung!" you cry, "Are you alright?"

Taehyung rights himself and shakes his head, eyes regaining their clarity.

"Let's... get the others," he tells you.

You can only nod and follow Taehyung back out into the light.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You can all come in now, if you want," Taehyung tells all the boys waiting outside.

"Are you sure?" Namjoon asks. Taehyung nods.

"Yeah. They've been gone for a while, so there are barely traces left."

You look at Taehyung and gasp.

"Taetae! Are you... crying?"

"Huh? I'm..." Taehyung, looking puzzled, touches fingers to his cheek. They come away wet. He looks down at them with a bewildered expression, then wipes away any wetness left on his face. "I... don't know..."

"How are you feeling, Tae?" Hobi asks, concerned, "We can take a break if you need one. Don't push yourself."

"I'm okay, hyung," Taehyung tells him, "I promise."

"You all need to stop treating Taehyung like he's fragile or something," Yoongi barks, "It's honestly so baffling to me. I mean, are we even talking about the same Hybrid here? The Taehyung I know is one of the toughest folks out there." He shakes his head, then turns to Taehyung. "Anyway, I just remembered something. I saw your grandmother leafing through a leather-bound notebook one time. I got curious and asked her about it. She told me it was your mother's journal, and that she was going to give it to you one day, when you come back."

"Hyung, do you think the journal might be in the house somewhere?" Taehyung asks.

"I would say there's a high probability," Yoongi answers.

"Do you think it would be worth searching for?" Namjoon asks, rubbing his chin in thought.

"There's eight of us!" Jungkook chirps excitedly, "Together, we can cover a lot of ground!"

"Jungkookie is right," Jimin chimes, "We'll all help search!"

"As I said," Jungkook says, "'strength in---'"

"Numbers, yes we know," Seokjin says with a sigh, brushing past Jungkook, "Let's go. We're burning daylight."

"J-Jungkookie!" Hoseok cries, materializing beside the maknae, "Let's stick together, okay?"

'How did Hobi get all the way to that side so fast...'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You all file in after Taehyung.

"I wonder if they have food here," Jungkook muses as he looks around.

"If there's still food here," Seokjin warns, "you probably shouldn't eat it."

"Some food taste better when aged," Jimin comments with a bright smile.

"Everyone, let's focus!" Namjoon calls out, "I think it would be best if we spread out to search."

Everyone nods their agreement and start splitting out into pairs. You and Taehyung head to the empty kitchen.

"Taehyung, I---"

You're cut off by Taehyung pulling you in to his warm embrace.

"I know we should be searching right now, but..." he murmurs against your hair, "can we stay like this for a while?"

You nod against his chest, wrapping your arms around him as well. You don't say anything, knowing this is all he needs right now, just to hold and be held, the shared warmth of two bodies, the synchronized beating of two hearts against one another.

After a while, Taehyung releases you with obvious reluctance.

"I guess we should... start searching," he says sheepishly.

"Y-yeah," you agree, suddenly feeling shy.

Just then, you hear Yoongi's voice ring out from the living room.

"I found it!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Taehyung stares at the journal Yoongi holds in his hands. He looks almost... afraid. Yoongi holds the journal out to Taehyung, who takes it with shaking hands.

Almost immediately, Taehyung recoils.

The journal falls to the ground, and as the pages fall open, a lock of hair spills out.

"That... smell..." Taehyung gasps. He doubles over, looking like he's in immense pain.

You turn on Yoongi.

"Yoongi-ssi??? What's happening to him? What did you do?"

Yoongi looks just as lost as everyone else does.

"I... didn't do anything." He looks at Taehyung. "Maybe it's because..." Then, he looks down, eyebrows knitting, a horrified expression taking over his face.

"Because what???" you demand.

"His mother," Yoongi says, nose scrunching, "It's her smell. That lock of hair..."

You follow Yoongi's gaze down to the strands of silky black hair scattered on the floor.

"It might have triggered something," Namjoon says, looking back and forth between Taehyung and the lock of hair.

"Taehyung, can you hear me?" Hobi asks in a calm, soothing tone, but you can see the panic in his eyes. You're impressed at how even his voice is. You don't know how he's even managing to do it. "It's Hobi-hyung. What's happening, Tae? Talk to me."

You rush towards Taehyung, hoping to provide comfort, to hug him, anything---

"Little one," Taehyung manages to gasp out, "I would advise... that you... not approach me... right now..."

'What???'

"V???"

"[Y/N]ie..." Taehyung wails, "What's happening? It... hurts..."

"Huh? T-taetae..."

You take a few more steps forward, once again feeling the overwhelming urge to comfort your poor, precious Taetae---

"Little one..." Taehyung barks out through gritted teeth, "Stay. Back." Then in the next breath, he cries, "[Y/N]ie, please... make it stop."

"No, what--- I'm confused..." You shake your head, uncertain of what to do.

"[Y/N]!" you hear Yoongi call, "Get behind me!"

"Listen to Yoongi... little one..." Taehyung huffs out, "He'll protect you--- [Y/N]ie," Taehyung sobs, "Make it stop, please! It hurts!"

Tears are now streaming freely down your face. You're near hysterics as you try to approach Taehyung once more. You've barely taken two steps when you feel yourself being pulled back.

"Didn't you hear him?" Yoongi glowers at you, "He said stay back, right? Aish!" Yoongi shoves you behind him. "There's a very fine line between bravery and stupidity," he says under his breath, "Don't cross it."

Everyone watches the scene with bated breath, frozen, as if held under a spell.

Then, suddenly, Taehyung bolts out the door.

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A/N: What in the world is happening? Who do you think is in control right now?

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