**** TIME SKIP 2 years (1996) ****

A couple of years had passed in the beautiful, chaotic rhythm of Taehyung's gestures and Jungkook's touches. Both the boys had woven themselves into what could be best called domestic life.

Taehyung's hands were still sorting out the balloon animals he had made to be displayed in front of the utensils shop where the owner allowed him. He absentmindedly looked around the market and there he saw him. Yoongi. A bright figure amongst the market's colors and buzz.

There he was, standing at the fruit stall, examining Tangerines as if the world's axis depended on them.

The air around Taehyung thickened. He instantly choked, not even brave enough to say Yoongi's name mentally. However, his body betrayed his mind as Taehyung's feet dragged him towards the spec from a previous life. Now where was he supposed to begin his story? The struggles he had endured, rather, two of them endured—or that he survived?

"Hi," Taehyung gestured with a hesitant wave as he tapped on Yoongi's shoulder, who stood there, eyes wide and slightly getting moist behind his glasses.

"Aehyun??" Yoongi could just mouth, no sounds leaving him.

Nods replaced words and gestures and soon they found themselves sitting on a bench in the crowded Seoul market.

Minutes soon turned into an hour. When Taehyung asked Yoongi how he was doing and how Jinho was, Yoongi's reply came a minute later. He could only say, "All things considered, it's good."

The weight of those words was not lost on Taehyung. Yoongi wanted to tell him how there was nothing left to look forward to. There was a feeling of suffocation he felt. He wanted to tell Taehyung how the once bright and ambitious Jinho had just made her life about Yoongi. He was carrying the weight of not only his own choices but also Jinho's. He wanted to share that he was tired from the weight of the cross he was bearing.

Taehyung watched as if he understood each of those lines and frowns that crossed Yoongi's face. It was as if he was hearing the silent confession in his sighs and could watch it in the slump of Yoongi's shoulders.

"How are you? And what brings you to Seoul?" Yoongi asked as he sighed heavily.

So where was Taehyung supposed to begin? Was he supposed to talk about the mishaps, or the things that didn't go according to plan, or the fact that his life had found a rhythm with another person? Should he speak about the changes he saw in himself, or talk about the small room they had in the center of this street, or should he talk about Jungkook – his only constant now, his source of joy and his continuous challenge.

Taehyung's gaze hesitated and drifted. Yoongi thought maybe Taehyung was taking a moment to gather his thoughts, but what Taehyung was looking at was the small room on a terrace of a building – the one he and Jungkook called home.

However, before Yoongi could follow Taehyung's gaze his eyes caught the sight of the person he didn't want to see. It was Jinho and clearly, she was looking for him. Yoongi knew if he wanted to avoid a million questions, which anyways would not have any answers, he needed to leave, at least for now. Taehyung also caught the glimpse of the woman in the window pane he was facing and immediately knew what the situation demanded. With a longing in his eyes and heart, Taehyung bid farewell to Yoongi.

Jungkook waited for Taehyung to return home that night. As soon as he saw Taehyung crossing the road towards their building, he went and hid behind the door. It was just a thing that had become a norm now. Every day Taehyung would walk in from the door in the evenings, and Jungkook would jump at him to scare him. The reaction Taehyung gave everyday was bigger and better than the day before and Jungkook couldn't ever get enough of it.

On this day also Jungkook did what he did every day. However, the disappointment in his eyes was evident to see Taehyung's muted reaction. With a tilt of his head, Jungkook looked at Taehyung and blinked. As if he was seeking an answer from Taehyung. He just didn't ask questions. And Taehyung was thankful for that today.

It was 3 am and Taehyung was sitting on the window sill of their room. Jungkook was sleeping on the bed, alone - the little finger of his right hand was locked with the little finger of his left hand. Taehyung was lost in thought. It wasn't a thought of longing or sadness. It was thoughts of confusion.

Why did he feel the need to check his appearance in the mirror when he saw Yoongi? He never felt the need to do it for Jungkook.

Why did he still feel sad to see Yoongi go with Jinho? Why was he sitting there thinking about Yoongi in the wee hours of the morning? And what was he doing with Jungkook?

Taehyung was sure Jungkook didn't feel any emotions except survival instincts. He would take a second to move if Taehyung became a danger or put them in a perilous situation. "And I tend to do that quite often," Taehyung thought bitterly in his head.

Like now, suddenly at 4 am he woke up a very sleepy Jungkook and dragged him out on the street. They walked towards the secluded end of the road, where it made a turn. He needed to prove to himself that what he was thinking was right. Jungkook would do exactly what he had thought. But he needed to see it with his own eyes and then he would have his answers.

As Jungkook stood there stretching and yawning in a boxy t-shirt and torn shorts, Jungkook's favourite, Taehyung was across the street, axing a wooden lamp post. He never had the moment or need where he thought Jungkook was someone he needed to do his trust test for. Jungkook just happened to him. He became responsible for Jungkook because of some turn of fated events. But today he needed that.

Taehyung needed to see Jungkook unlock their fingers and run for safety. Survival instincts were all Jungkook felt, Taehyung was sure. He wouldn't be hurt, not at all. He was sure. But at least that way he would know what and where they all stood.

After calculating his steps and distance, by his brand of mathematics, he came and stood at a place and gestured to Jungkook to come stand next to him. Jungkook came and stood, no questions asked. Yoongi had asked Taehyung "What are you doing?" at least a million times that day.

Taehyung and Jungkook locked their little fingers and stood there waiting for the weight of the lamppost to shift enough. Jungkook just stood there looking at the lamp post, as Taehyung was doing the same, no questions asked. Yoongi had a difficult time staying still during this unknown wait time that day.

There was an empty glass bottle kept a couple of feet away from them. And three of them waited, in absolute pin drop silence.

The wooden post started to creak. Jungkook didn't bother. Yoongi had started to frown at Taehyung, on realising what's next, that day.

The post finally fell. Smashing the glass bottle in front of them. The impact scattered some dust from the streets around them. Taehyung stood as still as a stone statue during this. And then, he turned towards Jungkook. Who was standing as still as he was. Jungkook didn't even blink, just looked back at Taehyung when he saw those two eyes at him. That day Yoongi.... Well that day Yoongi was not next to him when the bottle was smashed, when dust scattered, when everything became silent, Yoongi was not there.

It took Taehyung a few breaths and moments to let it sink in. A small proud smile washed over his entire face, not just his lips. The only movement in the dark of the night was Taehyung breathing in as he contemplated his next move.

Then on an impulse he moved closer to Jungkook and rested his forehead against Jungkook's. Jungkook also on an impulse moved away. He wasn't comfortable with someone so close, so up in his personal space. The wave of disappointment over Taehyung's face was very faint, albeit there. It was more of a sadness at lack of reciprocation as he saw Jungkook standing there scratching the back of his neck, sucking on his bottom lip.

Before Taehyung could move, Jungkook turned towards him and just slammed their foreheads together and Taehyung smiled, that was reciprocated immediately, Jungkook smiled back.

Taehyung knew. He knew whatever he needed to know. He got answers for whatever questions he came seeking at 4 am that morning.

More than him being there for Jungkook, Jungkook was there for him. Jungkook probably didn't need Taehyung as much as Taehyung needed him. Under the pitch dark sky that night, Taehyung realised with absolute clarity that Jungkook was the one.

It was a sunny morning when Yoongi found himself standing in front of the mirror straightening the crease of his shirt. It was a crisp white satin silk shirt, not that Yoongi didn't wear it, it was just that Yoongi didn't wear it often. Behind Yoongi's reflection in the mirror one could see Jinho, who was looking at Yoongi through the corner of her eye, but she wasn't going to say anything. It would be safe to say she knew there was a crack in their relationship and any further probing would make it fall through the same crack.

It wasn't planned, it wasn't conscious but Yoongi found himself standing in the same street where he met Taehyung the other day.