A/N: I was supposed to update Dog Walker, but I am exhausted and don't have to brain power to write the next chapter plus channel JK's character. So, in still wanting to leave you all with another update for today I chose this book which was much easier for me to write without worries of me screwing up the chapter....well hopefully I didn't lol!

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I am about to call it an early night and head to bed shortly. 

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"I know it's really messed up what was said, but I genuinely believe that none of it was intended to hurt you," Namjoon said, trying to reason with his brother. He watched with concern as Taehyung frantically stuffed his clothes into garbage bags, a whirlwind of emotion after their tense day had taken a toll on him.

Taehyung paused momentarily, his hands trembling slightly as he looked at Namjoon. "You don't know Seokjin like I do," he replied, his voice filled with frustration and sadness. "I don't think any of that matters anymore, and frankly, I don't care. Last night, I poured my heart out to him; today, he ignored me completely, and then he went and said something so heartless. It feels like a betrayal. It just doesn't matter, Namjoon; it doesn't. I am so tired."

"I have feelings!" Taehyung exclaimed, pressing a hand against his chest as tears streamed down his face. "I've tried so hard! So hard to make things work between us. Do you see my wrist? Do you even understand how I ended up like this? There are layers to this pain that you don't know about. I'm so exhausted from constantly feeling this way. Why do I have to endure this just because I like someone? One day, he sees me; the next day, I'm invisible. How does that happen?"

"If he truly cared about me, regardless of what he knew about our mother's passing, he would have supported me when I said I wanted to skip that dare. I would have supported him! Instead, he chose to humiliate me, making me feel like some pathetic loser! At some point, enough becomes enough, and I have finally reached that limit! I can't keep doing this."

Namjoon couldn't find the words to express his feelings; he had never seen his brother like this. One thing was clear to him, and it was that if Taehyung was crying and so upset, then something must have been wrong, and that thought hurt him deeply. In the short time he had been around, he had caught glimpses of the relationship between Seokjin and his brother, and he couldn't blame Taehyung for his decisions.

As he had observed over his time there, the group of friends, well-meaning as they were and seemed, felt like a stark contrast to the supportive family they grew up in. He suddenly felt sympathy for Taehyung, who had to navigate his life alone in a town away from home. Namjoon couldn't imagine the number of secrets Taehyung must have kept in his heart, the thoughts and worries he had buried to avoid burdening others. It pained him to think of all the moments his brother must have felt isolated, struggling with his emotions in silence while trying to portray a brave whenever he would come to visit them.

"I'm really sorry" were the only words that slipped from Namjoon's lips. The silence that enveloped them felt oppressive, and he wrestled with the urge to fill it with empty reassurances, but deep down, he knew that was not what his brother needed. Instead, he stood there, searching for something genuine to say, yet coming up short.

"It's fine. None of this is your fault, and I feel horrible that you came all this way, seeking a chance to escape and enjoy some time for yourself, only for it to turn into this."

"Please, don't apologize," Namjoon quickly interjected. "You didn't do anything wrong. Just the opportunity to see and spend time around you meant more to me than you could possibly know."

"I guess you would say that," Taehyung responded with uncertainty. "I plan to return home for a while as I figure out my next living arrangement."

Namjoon frowned, "I really mean it, Taehyung, and deep down, you know that. But if you return home, what will happen with your school?" He was immediately worried, knowing how important education was to his brother.

Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll just have to commute. It'll be temporary until I can find somewhere to live." He attempted to sound casual, but the weight on his chest felt suffocating.

Namjoon's eyes widened in disbelief as the implications sank in. The thought of Taehyung spending hours each day traveling back and forth to school was not something he could imagine. He opened his mouth to respond but found no words. He felt helpless, realizing he had no other suggestions to ease his brother's burden. Instead, he could only imagine the exhaustion and strain it would place on Taehyung, both physically and mentally.

******

Jimin jumped slightly when he heard the sound of things being smashed in the other room. He looked at Hoseok and asked, "Are you sure we shouldn't go in there?"

Hoseok, seemingly unfazed by the commotion, leaned back against the couch with his phone in hand. "No, let's give him a moment," he replied casually. He began swiping through his social media feeds with a relaxed expression. "Look at this cute picture I found! We should consider going here on our next vacation," he said, turning his phone around to show Jimin an image of a beach sunset.

Jimin stared at the picture, a mixture of concern furrowing his brow, but he forced a smile and nodded. "Sure, I guess that sounds nice." However, the tension in his stomach grew as he heard another loud smash followed by a familiar, frantic scream from Seokjin. Unable to shake off his anxiety, he uncrossed his arms and declared, "I'm going to check on him. This really isn't normal behavior."

Hoseok shrugged his shoulders, unfazed, and replied, "Sounds pretty normal to me." He remained comfortably seated, scrolling through his phone as if everything was perfectly fine.

Ignoring Hoseok's nonchalance, Jimin approached the door where Seokjin was. As he approached, he took a deep breath. He gently knocked on the door, his voice slightly trembling with concern as he called out, "Jin, it's me, Jimin. Can I come in, please?" He waited anxiously for a response, hoping that everything was okay inside.

"No! Just leave me alone!" Jin screamed, his voice filled with frustration and pain. As Jimin pushed the door open and poked his head into the room, he suddenly pulled back, narrowly avoiding a small object that whizzed past his face. It was to his quick reflexes that he managed to slam the door shut just in time, his heart racing from the unexpected near miss.

Returning to the other room, he saw Hoseok looking up with a curious smile. "That was quick. What made you come back so soon?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

With a sigh, Jimin replied, "I think we should call his parents."

Hoseok shook his head dismissively. "I really think we should mind our own business. Seokjin is fine. We all go through tough moments. It's not the end of the world. Breakups are hard, especially when someone who doesn't even deserve to date you dumps you in front of your friends. That's not just offensive; it's downright disrespectful. I can completely understand how he feels right now," Hoseok said, still unbelieving at Taehyung's audacity.

Jimin frowned, crossing his arms in disapproval. "That's not a kind thing to say. I regretted giving him that dare, and Jin's reaction was just as extreme. If anything, we were insensitive, and I truly hope my message got through to him. I would never have given that dare if I had known how hurtful it would've been."

Hoseok rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Not hurtful enough for him to dump Jin! Seriously, does he not have any sense?"

Jimin's annoyance flared. "The real question here is, do you? You're being incredibly insensitive! Think about it: his mother is dead! What part of that do you not understand? What could be more hurtful than that? Are we really going to prioritize Seokjin's feelings here?" Jimin yelled.

Hoseok paused, glancing down at his phone before looking back at Jimin. "So now you want to have a meltdown, too? Don't you and Jin go to therapy for moments like this?"

"No, we'd rather deal with our problems in our own way instead of relying on drugs!" Jimin snapped.

A smirk crept onto Hoseok's face. "Well, that's unfortunate for you. You're missing out, I guess. And honestly, there's no need to be so hostile toward me. I didn't cause any of this! I'm just trying to be a loyal friend supporting Jin. Something you seem unable to relate to."

Jimin's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you think it means, Jimin," Hoseok replied, leaving an uncomfortable silence between them.

*****

(Messages below are not sent all at once, just a snap shot for reader's insight.)

"I didn't know about your mother; you never told me. How could you expect me to know?"

"Stop ignoring me, Taehyung!"

"Whatever, I don't even care. You are a nobody anyway. I always needed you gone, and I am glad you are now gone! Live your life and screw you!"

"You promised me! You told me you would stay here, but look at you, just a liar! That's all you will ever be a liar!"

"I am glad I never liked you. There is a reason why no one likes you either. You are just a loser, and that's all you will ever be!"

"I am sorry about your mother. My condolences. Do you want me to send flowers?"

"When did she die? Why didn't you tell me? Was I not important enough to know?"

"I hate you! I hate you so much. You are selfish. You never cared about me. You just pretended. That's all. You were an asshole! I won't ever text you again, and make sure when you see me, you don't ever look at me."

"I saw you today. You looked horrible. Still a loser. Why do you even still come to our school? Aren't you ashamed to even be in the same school as me?"

"Why are you working out? Who are you trying to impress? Don't you see no one cares about you? Stop trying to fool yourself into thinking you are somehow looking better!"

"I am no longer going to be texting you. I am dating someone. He is so much better than you! You were the biggest loser and a mistake for me!"

As Taehyung stepped off the train, the cold air hit him, returning him to reality. He pulled out his phone and glanced at the latest message from Jin, shaking his head in disbelief. The words on the screen felt heavy and familiar, reminders of countless words that had lost significance.

Each day seemed to stretch endlessly, a tedious routine that wore him down. Over the past three months, he had thought about changing his phone number multiple times, yearning for a fresh start. Yet, each time he considered it, he hesitated, realizing that the messages had transformed into something hollow. Once filled with meaning, they became a monotonous echo of a past that he was trying to move on from.

He had gone to great lengths to avoid any interactions with Seokjin. From the moment he had moved, the mere thought of facing Jin was enough to send him into a cold sweat. When Jin approached him after everything, he quickly brushed past him, his heart racing as he tried to navigate around the other classmates in the hall. Ignoring the loud verbal screams and accusations that echoed behind him, he had put as much distance as possible between them, desperate to escape the conversation.

It had been a real struggle in the early days of his self-imposed exile. The relentless pull of loneliness weighed heavily on him, and the thought of Seokjin's smile haunted his mind. However, with each passing day, the burden began to lift. He discovered new outlets for his energy, engaging in rigorous workouts and enrolling in additional classes. The adrenaline from physical activity occupied his mind, while the academics provided a new sense of purpose.

After a month of exhausting commutes and long hours spent navigating between his home and the university, he finally concluded. He would not move back closer to school; relocating back home felt increasingly necessary. Living in another town had strained him financially, a reality he found daunting as he wrestled with monthly rent and bills. The comfort of returning to his hometown, where he could live rent-free, was a welcome thought that banished the discomfort of those worries, among other things, especially now that he was closer to family.

He quit all his previous jobs, recognizing they were too much with his new schedule and commute. After a brief search, he secured a new job in his hometown. The job required him to work only on weekends, which suited him perfectly due to the constraints of his university schedule. Although he wished he could contribute more hours, he found relief knowing that even small steps were a sign of his independence.

His primary motivation was to earn enough money to repay Seokjin for the money he had received from him, which had once seemed like a lifeline. The weight of that debt hung heavy on him, and he was determined to settle it as soon as possible.

The thought of owing anything to Jin filled him with an uncomfortable sense of obligation he desperately wanted to avoid. In retrospect, he realized how naive he had been to believe that he could change Jin and that their relationship held promise for the future.

As he spent more time alone, reflecting on his past, he came to terms with the reality of his choices. The more distance he created between them, the clearer it became how misguided his hopes had been. He found clarity in his solitude; he recognized that investing his energy in personal growth rather than in a relationship that would never work out was the healthier path forward.

Now, he was set on graduating from university as early as possible. The urgency of this goal pushed him each day, inspiring him to work harder in his studies and embrace the freedom that awaited him beyond the confines of academia. He imagined a bright future full of opportunities and happiness. He was ready to start a new chapter in his life, leaving behind the troubles of his past.

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Hugs to Taehyung in this chapter! I am proud of his character ❤️ Hopefully he keeps it up.