Making his way down the road and out of the neighborhood he's become very familiar with over the last couple of days, Jungkook hums along to the trot song playing over the sound system in his car.

It's the neighborhood his brother's house, which was originally their maternal grandparents' house, is nestled in.

The morning after he spoke with Namjoon he went into the office bright and early so he could sit down with Mr. Kang before the older man got too busy.

He needed to talk to him about leaving for a while. Let him know that he really needed some time away from the city – particularly someone in the city, but he left that part out – for a while.

Mr. Kang was expectedly understanding, telling Jungkook that he'd be grateful if he would check in with him when he could but that if it was a vacation completely away from anything to do with work he would understand if Jungkook wasn't wanting to keep in touch with him and would support that too.

Jungkook assured him he would be fine to work while he was away. That he would keep up with all current projects while he was out, he just needed a change of scenery.

Mr. Kang asked where Jungkook was going to go, rattling off various guesses between popular tourist destinations and, although Jungkook had considered those, when he really thought about where he wanted to go only one place came to mind.

"I'm going to Busan."

He hadn't asked any further questions after hearing that, only offering a kind, understanding smile.

"Take your time." Had been his reply.

With that Jungkook was excused from the office for the foreseeable future.

Because he hadn't slept the night before talking to Mr. Kang he already had his car packed and ready to go.

He wasn't sure how long he was going to stay at the house. If Busan would be the only place he stayed at or if maybe he did want to go somewhere outside of the country.

For now he was content here. It's peaceful.

And it makes him feel close to his parents, his mother in particular, and Yonjun.

He'd stayed with his brother in this home a few times after he'd purchased it.

He loved visiting then and he loves it now.

He's left the house today with nothing but his wallet, his phone gladly left behind somewhere in the house. He isn't certain of its exact location but he'll find if when he gets back.

He's only planning on being gone for a few hours and it's not like he's really used it since he left the city anyway.

The last person he spoke to as well as the only person trying to get ahold of him is Jimin and Jungkook knows all his friend wants to do is talk him into coming back.

He means well, Jungkook knows that, but Jimin berating him about where he's gone and how long he'll be away isn't helping with his already fragile mood.

He left Seoul to get some space to think and sort things out.

Get his emotions sorted and maybe convince himself to let Yoongi go.

He's felt lighter since coming here. He hasn't fallen out of love yet but it's only been a few days.

Up until today he's honestly just been focusing on relaxing and clearing his mind.

He can't fix his problems if he isn't thinking clearly after all.

Currently he's headed into town, planning on spending his afternoon walking around the market looking for nothing in particular then maybe stopping for dinner at one of he and his brother's favorite restaurants before heading back to the house.

It isn't a very exciting way to spend a Saturday but he's excited nonetheless.

......

Eyes fixed on the microwave, blinking at the white bowl on the center of the glass tray as it spins round and around and around, Yoongi feels wobbly on his legs.

At first he thinks it's all in his mind, the inexplicable sea sickness, but then the microwave starts to tilt in a way it should not be tilting.

He quickly stretches his arms out to brace himself against the kitchen countertop to keep himself standing.

Serves him right for not eating anything today. Of course this kind of shit happens when you neglect your health the way he has.

Sighing to himself, Yoongi hangs his head down between his weary shoulders and closes his eyes, willing the dizziness to clear.

In his defense– not that he deserves to be defended, but still– the day was a total blur.

Hell, the last couple of days have been.

He feels like he's been sleep walking. Going through the motions, dissociating from everything.

The other teachers could tell too. Not one of them said anything but they'd given him odd looks when they'd dropped off as well as picked up their students to escort them back to their assigned classrooms for their regular studies.

The students noticed it too. They told him as much.

"Mr. Min you look weird."

"Mr. Min are you sick?"

"Mr. Min you should take a nap."

"Mr. Min do you got a hanged over?"

The other concerned inquiries Yoongi had all but brushed off, assuring that he was just wasn't sleeping well.

(For those children who looked especially worried he went a bit further, excusing the puffiness of his eyes and his reddened , raw nose– caused by the rubbing and swiping of tissues against his skin– saying that he was just so excited for the recital that he had trouble sleeping the previous night.

This seemed to do the trick in lessening their worry.)

That last one though. Do you got a hanged over? That one definitely stuck out to him.

You mean Do you have a hangover Yoongi had wanted to correct but realized that was not the time to be correcting grammar.

Nor was it the best topic to be using to teach the correct way to structure and verbalize the sentence.

He had to ask– in the most nonchalant way he could as to not enforce the use of such wording by letting slip how amusing her question actually was– the first grader who'd made the inquiry where she'd learned such a thing.

"Eomma talks about uncle having lots of hanged overs. She says he gets bellyaches and walks around like a zombie. You kinda look like a zombie, Mr. Min," she then titled her head thoughtfully, appraising him with curious eyes. "Not scary though... like you're gonna barf."

He tried his best not to laugh, simply telling her that no, he wasn't going to barf, just, like he'd said earlier, too excited to sleep.

After that Yoongi was able to suck up his emotions and finish his school day.

He was thankful that after the final bell had rung, signaling the day had ended he'd been granted permission to go home instead of staying.

That was Thursday, a day that he didn't usually have piano lessons, so he didn't have the burden of tracking down students or calling parents on short notice to cancel.

He simply packed his bag and went home.

The next day, Friday, was the recital and honestly Yoongi dissociated for the majority of the day.

From the time he woke up to the time he was back at home for the night, climbing into bed he felt like the day had been some sort of long simulation.

His body mostly worked on auto pilot.

He greeted his class as always, faux smile stretches in place, went through the rehearsals they'd been doing for the last few weeks during their time together, then sent them back to class with encouraging words that the recital will go well because of all their hard work.

He says the same thing almost every day so not a whole lot of thought was required to deliver the lines.

His students again made little comments here and there about him not seeming well but he again assured them he was just excited for the show.

Teachers whispered amongst themselves when Yoongi wandered into the teacher's lounge like he was a reanimated corpse from the Walking Dead, buying a power bar from the vending machine before hobbling back to his room, but no one approached him.

No one asked if he was okay. It would have been nice if they had but Yoongi knows he wouldn't have answered honestly anyway.

If he were honest what would he even have said? Would he fill them in on the crumbling of his, their colleague who's probably said a total of ten words to each of them's love life?

Or maybe described to them the scene he'd woken up to a couple of days ago before the sun was anywhere close to rising in his master bathroom involving his fiancé.

It didn't seem like things to share with a work acquaintance.

So yeah. It's fine no one approached him.

From the time school ended and the recital started he somewhat snapped out of it.

His smile was much more genuine as he lead the children through their first song of the night.

His students were fantastic, everything went off without a hitch, and it felt like as soon as it began it was over.

They got lots of congratulations as well as a standing ovation from everyone in attendance.

His ending comments went a little long he'll admit, but he just couldn't contain how proud he was.

How the children worked so hard and how much he loved working with them before thanking the faculty as well as the parents and family of the students for coming to show their support.

That was yesterday and between then and now Yoongi is back to being lethargic and disconnected.

It's Saturday night and Yoongi's still stuck in this depressive slump.

So here he is, standing in front of his microwave, the last of the leftovers from the engagement party warming while he waits.

Forty seconds left he notes, looking at the numbers counting down on the display now that the dizziness has finally passed and his vision has refocused.

Forty seconds until Yoongi can sit at their dining table– or on the couch, he hasn't quite decided yet– attempting to will his mind to remain clear enough to make sense of everything that's happened.

Of his conversation with his fiancé...

Taehyung had to leave town. He won't be home until Sunday he'd said. Which would be tomorrow.

He and Hoseok are currently traveling, doing the final couple of things that need doing before they visit Nari.

Taehyung doesn't usually like to work on weekends but the current situation– the one he'd explained in tearful detail– called for the extra hours.

It's been a few nights ago now since Taehyung had come home more stressed than Yoongi had ever seen him before.

Exhausted by the look of him not only when he'd stumbled into their apartment but also when Yoongi had found him soaking in the tub at four in the morning.

Yoongi had woken up with a start, disoriented and confused as to what had awoken him until he heard hushed curses from their bathroom where light was peaking through the gap between the door and the floor.

He quickly climbed out of bed to investigate and that was when found a bottle of chamomile bubble bath laying lid closed but tipped over on the tile next to their soaker tub while Taehyung sat in the filled tub.

He had his knees pulled to his chest, arms rested atop with his chin leaned on his forearms, the water level just low enough for him to be able to breathe in this position.

His shoulders were shaking as he tried to catch his breath between his cries.

He was upset. That much was obvious. Yoongi was actually quite surprised that his fiancé hadn't been louder with how his shoulders and chest were heaving.

"Baby," he had voiced, worried and earnest as he fell to his knees next to the tub.

"Tae, wha-" the words died in his throat when Taehyung raised his head to look at him.

That was when he saw the extent of utter worry and sorrow coursing through Taehyung's entire being.

Without another moment of hesitation he disregarded all other thoughts, all other questions, as he climbed over the edge of the tub, settling in the space in front of Taehyung's knees as he wrapped Taehyung in a hug.

He was fully clothed in his pajamas, the warm water penetrating and soaking through the fabric within seconds, but it didn't matter.

Taehyung was hurt and Yoongi needed to make it better.

They'd stayed in silence for some time. Long enough for Yoongi's knees to begin to numb due to the kneeling position he was in.

After another pause he asked as gently as he could for Taehyung to sit up.

Taehyung allowed Yoongi to shift their positions so he could press his back against Yoongi's chest, laying between Yoongi's legs.

After he'd settled against him, Taehyung took a long breath, at that point having evened out his breathing, before he began explaining his day at the office.

He told Yoongi about the chaos that started before he'd even arrived at work, the news about Nari as well as everything they'd had to run around doing that day.

During all of it Yoongi couldn't help but notice he never touched on what happened with Jungkook when he'd gone to pick up Yoongi's car.

Yoongi felt a small fraction of relief when he'd discovered what had affected Taehyung had nothing to do with the younger, which made him feel terrible immediately.

He felt like a selfish asshole that his mind would even entertain for a second the idea that anything Taehyung shared could be seen as a situation of "at least that's what happened instead of this."

Everything Taehyung said was made up of worst case scenarios.

Worst case occurrences and diagnoses for Nari.

There was nothing to be relieved about.

At the end of his sharing Taehyung had let Yoongi know that he and Hoseok would be leaving that day.

He's kept in relatively steady contact with Yoongi. Sent messages asking how Yoongi's doing and letting him know that he's got a meeting he's sorting into, a zoom call to join in on or a phone call to make so he won't be available for a while but that he'd be in touch after.

The last Yoongi heard was when Taehyung texted that the plane had landed in Busan and they were stopping at their hotel before heading to the Shin's home.

He'd told Yoongi he would get ahold of him afterwards to tell him how it went.

Yoongi has yet to hear from him.

He doesn't want to blow up Taehyung's phone with messages if he's still busy but he wants so badly to hear Taehyung's voice in real time not his voicemail recording right now

He misses Taehyung. Misses his soft smile and craves his especially comforting cuddles.

Misses the way he places kisses all across Yoongi's cheeks and nose, whispering between each one how much he loves Yoongi and-

The beeping of the timer on the microwave shocks Yoongi out of his thoughts.

With a shake of his head and a deep breath he removes the food.

He sighs, mixing the contents of his bowl around with a pair of metal chopsticks as he makes his way to the couch.

.......

It's hours later when Yoongi is awoken by pounding on his front door.

He's in bed, finally having fallen asleep after tossing and turning.

The first thing he does in his drowsy, confused state is reach for his phone that's sitting on his nightstand.

The digital numbers let him know it's passed two in the morning. And looking at his screen Yoongi can see that he has no texts or missed calls– admittedly he does find it strange that he doesn't see anything from Taehyung, but he knows Taehyung has plenty on his plate that take precedence over him– so he tosses his phone on the bed beside him, scrambles out from under his covers hoping no sort of emergency has come up because whoever is at the door sure makes it sound urgent.

Once he's at the door he barely gets it unlocked and the doorknob turned before it's pushed open.

Yoongi stumbles back a few steps, blinking the last remnants of sleep away as he watches his visitor stomp passed him.

Once he's several steps into the apartment, he turns around to face Yoongi, hands on his hips.

"What happened?"

Yoongi's lips part and close a few times, eyes wide as he stares.

Jimin's here... why's Jimin here?

"What are you doing here? And what do you mean what happened?" Yoongi frowns, rubbing his right eye with his palm. "What happened when?"

"The other night with you and Jungkook," Jimin narrows his eyes. "Tell me what happened because the last time I saw him was the day he made you dinner. When he finally did talk to days ago he told me he's leaving. I haven't been able to get ahold of him since."

"Leaving?" Yoongi's eyes widen, air coming out in a small gasp.

"Yes," Jimin begins to pace with short steps. "and he won't tell me where. Didn't even answer my fucking calls until the twentieth time. Then when he did he told me that," Jimin exhales in frustration. "I don't get it. He hasn't had any desire to travel since..." Jimin trails off.

Since Yonjun died. He doesn't say. He doesn't need to. Jimin and Yoongi both know what he's talking about.

The night of the funeral when Yoongi spent the night with Jungkook the younger expressed more than once how overwhelmingly guilty he felt for not being in the city when the accident happened.

"If I would've been here I know he would have been with me. He wouldn't have been working late, he would have been with me at his apartment arguing about what movie to watch while he made us snacks," he sobbed, wrapped tightly in Yoongi's arms. "He would have been home with me, safe."

It slashed Yoongi's heart to tatters.

"Please," Jimin states, looking at Yoongi, the angry edges of his tone slightly softened and his eyes pleading. "I just want to know what happened."

"He didn't talk to me about a trip," Yoongi cuts in. "We talked about a lot, but nothing about him leaving."

Yoongi knows that not exactly the information Jimin wants but that's as much detail about his night with Jungkook as Yoongi would like to give.

Jimin's quiet for several beats, eyes not leaving Yoongi.

Yoongi can tell the younger's mind is in overdrive with all the thoughts and things he wants to hear say, but to his surprise he stay quiet, letting his thoughts mount.

"Did you reject him?" He asks finally.

Yoongi's lips part, surprised at the question. The bluntness of it.

"He still loves you," Jimin continues. "I know he was going to tell you that that night. When he did, did you reject him? Tell him you're happily engaged or in love or whatever? Or did you leave him without saying anything at all like you did that night in Busan."

Yoongi's eyes immediately begin to tear.

That was a low blow.

"Just tell me what you did to him because there's no way this doesn't have anything to do with you."

Yoongi hates that he agrees with Jimin.

He knows it isn't a coincidence that this is happening right after their time at Jungkook's place.

He knows somehow this is his fault.

Technically he didn't outright reject Jungkook's request for a chance to be with Yoongi, but Yoongi didn't really give him an answer either.

He did basically run away after they kissed...

He doesn't really want to deal with Jimin's judgement if he tells him about the kiss. It's really not any of his business anyway.

Suddenly Yoongi has the idea that maybe Jungkook would answer a call from him.

Not acknowledging Jimin's statement, or explaining where he's going, Yoongi closes his front door and rushes to his bedroom.

He can hear footsteps immediately behind him, Jimin complaining that Yoongi can't just ignore him as well, but Yoongi continues to ignore him.

His only objective is to get his phone and call Jungkook.

He knows it's late to be calling but he doesn't care.

As soon as he has his phone in hand he goes to his call log and hits Jungkook's contact.

He brings the phone to his ear, lip tucked tightly between his teeth as the line begins to ring.

The room is silent now, both of them waiting with bated breath for the call to be picked up.

When the voicemail message begins to play, Yoongi's heart sinks.

He immediately hangs up and dials again.

Again the call rings through to voicemail.

He hangs up and tries once more. Again it rings through to Jungkook's voicemail.

Maybe he's asleep, or maybe he's ignoring Yoongi too, but Yoongi has to get a message to him somehow.

He decides quickly that he's going to send a text before calling again. If that call isn't answered either then he'll leave a voicemail.

Just as he starts typing a new message his phone rings. Yoongi answered immediately.

"H-hyung" Yoongi hears, coming through slurred and concerned through the receiver.

He sounds odd... but maybe Yoongi just woke him up.

"Kook," Yoongi exhales, feeling a tinge of releif but still extremely concerned.

"Hyung... Hyungie are you okay? Promise me you're okay," Jungkook mumbles but sounds no less anxious than before.

Again, odd.

"Bunny I'm fine. Are you okay? Can you tell hyung where-"

Before Yoongi can get another word out Jimin starts speaking- well, yelling more like.

"Kookie where are you?!" Jimin asks loudly while Yoongi calls out, asking Jungkook if he's okay.

Before Jungkook gets a chance to answer either of them Jimin grabs the phone out of Yoongi's hand.

He then presses the speaker icon on the screen, repeating his question.

There's still no answer coming through the phone.

"We just want to make sure you're okay Bun," Yoongi says, voice softer now.

Jimin matches his tone. "Please tell us where you are."

The line remains silent for a beat more before an answer comes.

"Jungkook's doing okay, he's just a little loopy right now. I told him he needed to rest but he must've seen who was calling and answered."

Yoongi blinks at the phone in Jimin's hand, unable to say anything.

He doesn't understand. He can't be hearing correctly because whoever's on the phone now isn't Jungkook.  Definitely not.

It sounds a whole lot like-

"Taehyung?" Jimin cuts in, ending whatever else was being said on the other line.

"Yeah hi. It's me."

"How- you're with Jungkook?" Yoongi asks.

"Yes, did you not get my message?"

"No?" Yoongi's brows furrow, friend deepening on his lips.

"Shit, I'm so sorry! I asked the nurse to call you to let you know what happened because my phone broke when I fell-"

"You fell? And why did you have a nurse... Were you in the hospital?!" Yoongi gasps, stomach twisting instantly in worry.

"Yes but I'm fine now. So is Jungkookie! We got discharged from the hospital and just got back to the house about fifteen minutes ago. We both hit our heads and Jungkook broke his wrist-"

"Kookie broke his wrist?!" Jimin screeches. "What happened?!"

Yoongi and Jimin wait for an explanation, hearts pounding.

The pause before an answer comes feels hours long.

The answer that finally does come serves as less of an answer and more of a doorway to infinitely more questions.

"He saved my life."

It takes about three seconds for the words to sink in before Jimin and Yoongi both erupt into fits of hysteria.

Jimin's practically screaming, asking what that means; if he's okay; if Jungkook's okay; where Jungkook is; if Taehyung can put Jungkook on the phone.

Yoongi is asking the same questions but unlike Jimin he actually shuts up when Taehyung starts to explain what happened.

Yoongi has to physically cover Jimin's mouth and ask Taehyung to start over when he begins to tell the story.

And what a story it is.