Taehyung knew Zach for less than an hour, but what he gathered from each second spent together, was that the rest of the group seemed to have known him for a while and even built a relationship with him. Taehyung felt awkward and guilty for the lack of emotion displayed by him toward Zach's death. But Taehyung knew that trying to act like he had known him and trying to grieve him with the rest, would be worse than sitting silently and gazing out of the window of the car.

Sasha and Tyreese were sitting in front of the car, while Taehyung was squished in the back with Bob next to him. A thick coat of tension and silence laid over the group ever since they stepped out of the store. Sasha was fully focused on driving, using it as a way to distract her mind from the fact that they were returning to the prison without Zach, while Tyreese was slouching in his seat and staring out of the window with a frown soaked in grief.

Taehyung, himself, never allowed his lips to part to release a single word, he chose to remain quiet and sit as still as possible in order to not draw attention to his lack of grief. Taehyung received weird vibes from Bob, whose cheery exterior and beaming grin had crumbled and got replaced by a look of extreme guilt and even tears in his eyes. But after a few seconds of thinking about his reaction, Taehyung came to a realisation that he was probably blaming himself for Zach's death since Bob was the one who made the shelves fall.

The concrete walls of the prison and the wired fence came into view. Taehyung sat up straighter and released a breath of relief once the gate began to pull open and the group drove inside. The car rolled along the gravel road and slid into the courtyard before screeching to a halt. The rumble of the motor got switched off, allowing the silence to fully seep in the crevices of the car.

Taehyung tilted his head sideways and peered through the window, only to see the sight of unfamiliar people roaming inside the courtyard and staring at the cars with small smiles. Taehyung caught a glimpse of young children sprinting up the metal steps and into the prison, leaving behind a trail of giggles.

A deep sigh brought Taehyung out of his chain of panic, making him turn to face Sasha. The dark-skinned woman merely shook her head with a grimace and climbed out of the car. The rest gazed after her with sadness looming behind their eyes before following after her.

"So much for coming back, huh." Taehyung grumbled lowly, hooking his fingers around the door handle and pushing the door open. He stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut behind himself before lifting his hands above his head and stretching.

Stares from people Taehyung didn't know, or barely recognised from the brief time he had spent at the prison, were making his skin crawl with anxiety. He tried to ignore the curiosity and the few gazes of recognition sliding across his skin. Yet apparently Taehyung couldn't escape the introductions or brief greetings from the new members of the group.

Before he could even take a step away from the car and approach the people he knew best, a woman with raven curls and mocha eyes stepped up to him with a kind smile. Wrinkles appeared on the corners of her eyes and mouth, and her voice was kind as she pushed out her hand towards Taehyung.

"Hello, I'm Karen. Was your name...Taehyung?" Karen tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes at Taehyung as if it was hard for her to remember what occurred a year back, "I think I remember you from the time when the Woodburians came to live in the prison." She finally nodded confidently.

Taehyung could feel his natural charm start to bubble in the pits of his stomach and travel up to his throat. He stood up straighter and placed his hand into Karen's before turning her hand around and leaning down. Taehyung's lips left a feathery kiss on Karen's knuckles before he peered up at her through his lashes, "Kim Taehyung, nice to meet yo-"

A hand grabbed Taehyung by his scruff and ripped him away from a stupified Karen. Taehyung stumbled back into the car behind him with a hiss, only to be straightened out and nudged toward the prison.

Taehyung's head swung back to reveal an indifferent Michonne standing behind him with an impatient scowl. Her foot tapped against the ground and fingers twitched to reach out and push Taehyung further toward the prison.

Over her shoulder, Taehyung's eyes caught a sight of wide doe eyes before they disappeared behind the second car they had arrived drove in. Taehyung's eyes lingered on the spot where Jungkook had disappeared - hoping to catch another glimpse of the man after not seeing him for so long.

Taehyung's face scrunched up and eyes dragged back to Michonne's face, "Hmmm." A deep hum rumbled in the back of his throat. His lips lifted and eyes shimmered with a thin layer of mischief as he leaned forward and murmured, "Jealous?"

Michonne merely quirked a brow and stared back at Taehyung with a growing smirk of her own, "Why would I ever be jealous of her hand being drooled and slobbered on?"

Taehyung's smirk faltered before returning in the form of a toothy, boxy grin. He leaned back and released a snort, "I see how it is." He then turned to face Karen and offered her a polite wave of his hand, "Excuse me, Michonne and I have to go. It was nice to meet you."

"Alright, you too." The woman responded and turned around to approach Tyreese.

Taehyung and Michonne began to walk towards the prison - both trying not to peer at the people surrounding the area. It was a bit unusual for Taehyung to see so many people of different races, cultures, ages and genders, roaming the territory of prison that was once occupied by only 15 people. And what made the change over the year even more drastic, were the small huts and hangout spots built around the prison grounds, or even the stares people directed towards them as if they were the ones who were the outsiders.

The stares and murmurs of curiosity followed them until Taehyung pulled open the sliding door of the prison and stepped inside. Michonne slammed the door shut behind herself, cutting off the rays of the sun and allowing the shadows of the prison to swarm them in a bundle of darkness.

Taehyung pressed his hand against the railing and descended the metal steps. His boots clicked against the ground and obsidian eyes flickered around the room. The main room hadn't changed that much - the metal tables and grey, concrete walls remained the same. The only things that did change were the lights set up along the room and the boxes full of supplies filling the shelves pressed against the left side of the room.

"You rooming with Jungkook?" Michonne's voice bounced off of the walls of the prison, mixing together with the sound of their breaths, and shoes smacking against the ground.

Taehyung's smirk crumbled into a small frown as he reached out and pushed past the bared door in front of him. A loud creak filled the air, followed by the soulful sound of Taehyung's voice, "Rick said he threw my stuff out of his cell and that he lives alone now. I would say that I'm surprised by that, but knowing Jungkook, I'm surprised he didn't burn my stuff completely."

Michonne hummed in agreement and stopped next to her cell, "I would've burned everything in his place." Michonne mumbled with a smirk of amusement and a pat on a slouching Taehyung's shoulder, "Disappearing for three months without a goodbye or a sign that you're alright, what a dick move."

"You were with me!" Taehyung exclaimed in disbelief, jabbing a finger in Michonne's direction, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

The look on Michonne's face lost its playfulness and grew a bit more serious, "Because you weren't ready to come back and I didn't want to force you by telling you that people are gonna be angry." Michonne pushed off of the wall and rolled her shoulders around to get rid of the stiffness in them, "The truth is, Taehyung, someone is always going to be displeased and angry with your actions. You need to ignore them and think about what's best for you and your mental health. If leaving for three months and visiting your old home helped you get the answers you were seeking, then you shouldn't feel sorry for anything."

Taehyung's face conveyed how uncertain he was with Michonne's words. He knew he had fucked up with leaving, even if he had a few reasons for doing so. It was just a bit hard to accept the fact that what he had done, was for the best.

"Taehyung." Michonne's sighed, staring at Taehyung with a look he had seen a lot in the past three months, "You may think you owe Jungkook an explanation on why you left, but you don't. Yes, he's angry, but you shouldn't feel pressured into telling him the reason for your sudden departure." Michonne eyed his skunked shoulders and the messy bun on top of his head before reaching forward and squeezing the trapped, curly locks, "Beep, beep."

Taehyung cracked a smile at the childish action and smacked Michonne's hand away from his bun. The two shared smiles before Taehyung straightened out and sent her a playful glare, "I'll go to Maggie and ask her to trim my hair so that you wouldn't do that ever again."

A playful pout appeared on Michonne's face and her eyes widened as if she was trying to do puppy eyes. Taehyung stared at her in disgust, "Don't do that ever again, I think I puked in my mouth." Taehyung gagged, only to be pushed away by Michonne.

"You're sleeping on a bench today." Michonne smirked and pushed the curtain of her cell shut.

Taehyung huffed and glared at the white curtain before spinning around and walking to Maggie's cell. The last time he had seen Maggie, the female had warmed up to him and the pair even spent one evening planting some crops into the field. He remembered how Hershel briefly joined the two to analyse their work, but once he was gone, Maggie accidentally threw a ball of mud onto the new shirt he had found on a run.

Taehyung wasn't sure if the female would be angry at him since Jungkook was obviously affected by him leaving, and perhaps she'd try to slice his throat open with scissors, or she would act like nothing happened.

"Maggie?"

"Ye....Taehyung?" Maggie whirled around in her cell and stared back at Taehyung with wide eyes before they narrowed and she threw the first thing that was in her hand.

Yeah, the second option wasn't that realistic.

Taehyung quickly ducked, allowing the pregnancy test box to fly over him and hit the floor with a soft thud. Taehyung's gaze dropped down to the box and eyes flew open at the sight of it, his head immediately swung up and lips parted in shock. Maggie looked equally shocked after realising that she had given herself away by such a careless action.

"Don't..." Maggie huffed, holding up her hand to prevent Taehyung from speaking. The hints of hostility in her eyes evaporated and revealed the exhaustion she felt. Maggie slowly approached Taehyung, but as she was about to bend down to grab the box, Taehyung did it for her. Maggie watched Taehyung stand back up and offer the box between his long fingers, "Thanks." She murmured and took the box after a moment of hesitation.

Maggie stepped back into her cell and placed the box into her drawer before plopping down on her bed and staring down at the ground blankly. Taehyung glanced at the empty prison behind his shoulder and shuffled into the room cautiously. The curtain swayed shut behind Taehyung, allowing the only source of light to be the small lamp sitting on the dresser.

"So...you're pregnant?" Taehyung asked gently - eyes lingering on Maggie's flat stomach.

Maggie looked up at him and sent him a glare, her hand lifted and pressed against her stomach before she smiled and dropped it into her lap, "No." She breathed out in relief, yet Taehyung sensed a hint of sadness in the small word.

Sucking in his cheeks and awkwardly shuffling closer to the bed, Taehyung debated whether to sit down next to Maggie or not. After a few seconds, he finally plopped down and stared at the grey wall ahead of him.

"You're happy, but you're...not happy?" Taehyung asked hesitantly, words dripping with confusion. He twisted his head in Maggie's direction and raised a brow at her.

Maggie frowned at him and shifted uncomfortably, trying not to look at Taehyung as she parted her lips and spoke, "Glenn doesn't want to. He doesn't want to bring our child into this world and then have it be ripped away by walkers or...other people."

"What about you?" Taehyung asked the question immediately.

Maggie's eyes dropped down to the ground and she inhaled a deep breath before sitting up straighter and finally turning to look into Taehyung's eyes, "I...I think that we could have a future here. I do want to have kids, I don't want to be afraid of the possibility of dying while giving birth or losing my child. Currently, this is the safest place for having a child, and I think that we should enjoy and use this place while it lasts."

"Anyway." Maggie spoke before Taehyung could utter his thoughts on the matter. Taehyung smacked his lips shut and pressed them into a thin line- following Maggie with his eyes as the female stood up and approached her dresser, "Why did you come here? Shouldn't you be getting settled in your new cell?"

Taehyung snorted at the small jab at the fact that Jungkook threw him out of their ex-cell. He lifted his hands and pulled out the hair tie from his hair, allowing the thick strands of raven black to pool around his head and reach the underside of his jaw.

"To cut my hair." He spoke simply, causing Maggie to swerve around on her heel and blink back at the long, luscious locks.

"Alright." Maggie breathed out with a growing smile, all while pulling out a pair of scissors and snapping them in the air between them.

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   The sun began to sink into the pool of green the tree tops created. The contact with the horizon allowed the sun to melt and create colours varying from a soft rose pink to a vibrant magenta purple. The colours slid along the sky until they dripped onto the faces of the people roaming the prison.

The soft shades of pink touched a head full of caramel locks with bright red tips, the head lifted and allowed the palette of pastel colours to caress the sharp features of the male. Jungkook blinked up at the sky with a frown on his lips before shaking his head and turning his attention back to the car in front of him.

He bent down and slid a plastic shopping basket filled with the supplies from the store over to himself. Even though the helicopter crashed and practically destroyed the entire store, along with the supplies, the group managed to grab a few baskets of supplies before the crash, and even collected more from the rumbles around the store.

Muscles tensed and bulged on Jungkook's biceps as he lifted the basket and hooked it around his elbow. He reached out and grabbed the trunk of the car before slamming it shut. But once the trunk lowered, Jungkook was met with the sight of Carl and his friend Patrick.

Patrick was two years older than Carl, which showed in the boy's height. But the differences between him and Carl were clear - Patrick always wore button-up shirts with the buttons done to the top, his hair was always slicked to the side and his glasses rested on the tip of his nose. Yet despite the difference in their appearance, their personalities were even more different.

While Carl tended to focus more on proving himself as a mature, useful adult by trying to head out on runs and killing walkers, Patrick put his focus more on staying inside the prison. He was actually quite scared of walkers and didn't know how to hold a weapon. Since he was a teenager, Patrick just stayed back in the prison and went to a book reading club hosted by Carol. But the most surprising part of him was that he admired and looked up to Daryl.

Which is probably why Jungkook didn't really enjoy being in the presence of Patrick.

"Hello, Mr. Jeon!" Patrick chirped happily, bouncing on his heels and extending his hand towards Jungkook for a handshake.

Jungkook visibly winced at the name he had been called, "Uhm..Jungkook's fine, You're making me feel old." He released an awkward chuckle and readjusted his grip on the basket. His eyes dropped down to Patrick's extended hand before he reluctantly reached forward to shake it.

The grip on Jungkook's hand was tight and the rhythmic shakes didn't stop until a solid minute had already passed. Jungkook blinked down at their joined hands before dragging them along Patrick's arm until he met his eyes, "Your hand..." Jungkook muttered quietly, nudging his chin at the hand that Patrick was still shaking.

Carl sent his friend a weird look and smacked his hand away, allowing Jungkook to pull his hand back and clean it against his shirt, "Right..." The young Korean dragged out, glancing between the two boys before brushing past them to head to the prison.

The sound of small feet pattering against the pavement filled Jungkook's ears, followed by the sound of Carl calling out to him, "Wait!"

Jungkook stopped walking and turned around, but not before greeting the elderly couple sitting in one of the huts they had built for eating. Jungkook tilted his head down and blinked down at Carl.

"Did you get some comics for me?" Carl asked with a suppressed smile and gleaming eyes.

Jungkook's smile faltered briefly before he shook his head, allowing his hair to smack against his forehead, "I heard that Michonne got you comics though, so I think you should read them first. And when you're done, I'm gonna be back with more comics and we can trade." Jungkook spoke gently, reaching out and tipping back the sheriff's hat sitting on Carl's head.

The boy huffed at the action and fixed his hat before giving Jungkook a confident nod. Jungkook smiled down at the younger two, offering Carl a bunny smile and Patrick a wave of his hand.

As soon as Jungkook turned around and began to head over to the prison, Patrick whirled around to face Carl and began to gush about how cool Jungkook was. The latter only cringed in embarrassment and turned a scarlet red colour at the words leaking out of Patrick's mouth.

"Hey, Jungkook!" A woman sitting on top of the metal steps greeted him as he began to climb them.

Jungkook spared her a glance and gifted her a plastic smile, "Hello." He murmured lowly, rushing up the steps and scrambling into the prison.

Jungkook would be lying if he said that he has gotten used to how drastically things have changed around the prison. He wasn't, far from it actually. Sometimes he would wake up and stare at the bed above him as he listened to the voices of unfamiliar people laughing and talking in the main room. And the worst part was that Jungkook could see that the rest of the group had gotten used to having the Woodburians with them, while Jungkook felt tense and on edge around them. It wasn't because he didn't trust them, it was because it was so many people that he didn't know or have a bond with, yet they acted like they knew him ever since the world went to shit.

Things were changing too quickly for Jungkook's liking and a part of him wished the Woodburians would have never joined the prison, so that it would still only be the original group members. Was it selfish to want to have that? Probably. But having only the rest of the group surrounding him, made Jungkook's anxiety vanish and a feeling of safety set in him. At least that way, there would be fewer people who he cared about to lose, at least his people knew how to stay alive.

But perhaps Jungkook's secret wish would come true way too soon.