Taehyung thought he's normal.

He was convinced that it's alright not to feel happy when a new toy was given to him or when his parents would read him books and kiss him to sleep.

That it's normal not to be sad when their dog, Summer, died one afternoon when his brother and him were out playing in the park or when his brother fell down the stairs and broke his arm.

He thought he's normal.

Not until his parents died in a car crash when he was seven and saw his brother bawl his eyes out as he cried nonstop during their burial.

Other people around him were also crying, some have the same look on their faces which resembled that of sadness.

All the while, Taehyung just stood by his brother's side, watching tears fall down his eyes.

Yet in the end, he didn't feel anything.

He was too young back then, but that was not an excuse. He was advanced than the rest of his classmates of the same age. His awareness and consciousness had been sharpened and developed regardless of his age.

Like an old man trapped inside a body of a child. He may look innocent, but he's already aware of his surroundings.

Taehyung understood his parents died and didn't just sleep soundly.

He knew they're never coming back.

Yet, he felt nothing.

Was he normal?

Taehyung learned he's not.

In his early age, he was made aware of his shortcomings, his so called 'uniqueness'. But even learning about it didn't make him feel anything.

His brother became his vessel of emotions that he could not fill in himself.

Taehyung learned to accept that he's not normal.

Until he met Jungkook in that fatal night that made him feel like after all he's normal.

He strayed out of the house that night and followed a limping cat he saw walking past their house.

Not to help it, but because of the blood he saw coming out of its wound. He lost sight of it, but that didn't stop him from searching until it started raining.

He wasn't bothered by the rain nor the darkness on the street as he stopped in an alley where a man on a hood was continuously stabbing his already bloodied knife on the man's chest.

And next to the man was the cat Taehyung saw limping earlier, now lifeless with its open chest on sight for his eyes to feast on.

However, Taheyung's focus was on the man being stabbed as his blood flowed from his now soaked clothes.

"Did you kill him?" He asked, seeing the man's open chest and the raw blood that gushed out of his wounds.

"Yes."

This short answer made Taehyung look up, only to see the man leaning his face closer, smiling viciously.

He's older than Taehyung, probably in his teens, but the look on his face made him older.

"I killed him." The man whispered, lifting the sharp knife in front of him.

"I killed him with this." He proudly uttered, inching the knife closer to Taehyung's face.

"Why?" Taehyung asked as he stared at the knife almost pressing on his skin.

He could smell the stench of blood on him, not his own but that of the dead man.

"Why not?"

Taehyung didn't expect this question but felt rather satisfied with it. He couldn't tell if he was happy, sad, or terrified but the question made sense for him.

Yes...why not?

He stared at the man's dark eyes and the depth they hold which seemed to show a lot of emotions Taehyung couldn't understand.

The man was smiling yet his eyes were crying. His face was full of overlapping emotions Taehyung hadn't seen before.

He was his total opposite.

Taehyung was a blank slate while this man was an abstract canvas.

He couldn't feel nor express himself while this man couldn't contain all his emotions like a fountain ready to explode.

"Then why are you crying?" Taehyung asked, seeing tears continued to stream down the man's face, unable to hide and blend with the rain.

There was a change of expression on the other but only for a brief moment.

"You talk too much. Maybe I should start with that tongue of yours."

Taehyung felt the knife gliding in the corner of his lips.

"Don't take this personally. You're just unlucky to be here tonight." The man uttered, staring at those eyes that didn't even show any signs of fear.

It was odd.

Definitely there's something wrong with this child. He was in the brink of getting killed yet he wasn't even fazed about it.

Instead of crying and begging for help, he was just staring at the ravenette's eyes as if he's searching something behind those dark eyes.

"Will it hurt?" Taehyung suddenly asked, earning a scowl from the ravenette.

"What?" He asked, angry and confused at the same time.

"Will I cry if you kill me with that?" Taehyung asked once more.

He heard the ravenette yell in anger as he gripped the knife harder, now making a small cut on Taehyung's lip.

"You're getting annoying every time that fucking mouth of yours open." The man was frustrated, not even seeing any change of expression from the child even after the cut.

"If yes, then kill me hard enough to make me cry." Taehyung said, staring deeply at those raven eyes.

Will death finally make him feel like a normal human? Will it finally let his tears fall from his eyes?

Taehyung wanted to know.

His words made the man suddenly burst into laughter, like a mad man who had become even more mad.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" The ravenette couldn't stop himself from laughing, beyond fascinated by this child.

"I thought I was already a nut case, but you, little lamb, you're hella screwed. Are you sure you're not on drugs?" He added, almost busting his lungs out.

Taehyung didn't say anything, watching every expression on the man's face. They were all too extreme and vivid that he could remember everything.

"Man, that was a good laugh." The ravenette sighed, playing with the knife on his hands.

"You're fucking sick in the head, so I'll let you go off the hook for now. Fucking scram before I change my mind." He ordered.

There was no response from Taehyung as he gazed at the older's every move. He saw him duck down to level the dead body on the ground before taking out what seemed to be a marker from the pocket of his now soaked hoodie.

"What are you doing?" Taehyung asked, inching closer to the ravenette who glared at him.

"The fuck are you looking? Didn't I tell you to fucking leave?" Jungkook growled, yet Taehyung didn't flinch.

Instead, he stared at the dead man as if he's looking at a painting.

The ravenette was out of words to say as he gritted his teeth before turning his attention on his art, waiting to be imprinted with his signature.

"Let's mess up those ugly tits." He grinned, ripping the man's clothes.

All the while, Taehyung was just watching. He saw the older draw three dots forming a triangle on the man's left nipple.

This seemed to make the ravenette happy as he laughed hysterically once again, truly insane.

"Can I try?" Taehyung uttered, halting the older's laugh.

"You want to draw the other side?" He asked to which the child simply nodded.

Taehyung saw the man stare at him for a long time before a smile formed on his lips.

"Go on." He uttered, handing him the marker which Taehyung took without second thoughts.

He inched closer to the body, all the while the ravenette was looking at him with intense eyes, noting how this child looked so innocently beautiful yet his eyes were that of a dead person.

No emotion.

"Is that okay?" Taehyung asked, turning his attention to the older after he had drawn and copied the three dots to the man's right nipple.

"Hm.. you have a talent." The ravenette indulged as he grinned before taking the pen from Taehyung's hand.

The latter could see the man's smile and his eyes seemed to be full of life, seemingly amazed.

"Now, that completed my art." The ravenette uttered as he stood, towering over the dead man with pride.

There was something in the way he looked at the dead man that Taehyung found himself staring at the ravenette's face for a long time.

If only he could read his emotions.

This was the first time he had wished he's normal enough to know what other people felt.

"Does killing him make you happy?" Taehyung asked.

"Yes. Fucking happy." Jungkook responded with a wicked smile.

Taehyung didn't respond, gazing at the dead man before his eyes landed on the dead cat near it.

Without second thoughts, Taehyung knelt on the pavement, the blood coming contact with his clothes but he didn't mind any of it.

He took the dead animal on his hands, the blood streaming down his arms to his clothes.

"I followed this cat here. It was having a hard time walking but now it's dead." Taehyung said, looking at the open wound on its stomach.

He didn't hear a response from the older, only a laugh that seemed to resonate in Taehyung's ears.

"Fuck! You're weird." The ravenette couldn't contain his laughter as he stared at Taehyung with the dead animal on his hands.

This child fascinated him beyond measures. It's like he's the same as him.

"Say, do you want to come with me?" He asked, not understanding why he said those words but somehow he felt like it was the right thing to say.

"Where?" Taehyung asked.

The ravenette just grinned before securing his hood on his head, enough to hide his face.

"Somewhere fun."

Taehyung felt Jungkook's grip around his neck tighten. He was smiling at him, face so close that their noses were almost touching.

"Happy birthday, little lamb." He whispered.

Taehyung felt the ravenette force his hand open before placing the knife on his palm.

He stared at it for a long time, seeing his name engraved on the handle.

"Mine?" Taehyung asked to which Jungkook simply nodded.

"Do you like it?" Jungkook asked.

Taehyung lifted the knife, tracing his fingertip on the engraving.

"I love it. Thank you, hyung." He responded, still with a blank face that made the ravenette chuckle.

"You're really weird." Jungkook commented before claiming Taehyung's lips once more in a soft kiss.

"My kind of weird." He whispered in between kisses.

Taehyung didn't say anything, placing the knife on the table as Jungkook continued to kiss him.

He couldn't feel anything but for him, kissing Jungkook could be categorized as something pleasant.

Like eating or taking a bath.

Though Taehyung could not really name his emotions nor feel them, he knew he needed to eat to survive and take a bath to keep himself clean and far from diseases.

Kissing Jungkook was the same.

He couldn't feel anything, but he knew he needed it.

Taehyung felt Jungkook pull away and heard him muffling a laugh. He had his head low to hide his laughter though his shoulders were shaking.

"Hyung?" Taehyung called out, trying to see the older's face.

When Jungkook lifted his face, he was red from stopping himself from laughing.

"I feel like I'm kissing a statue." Jungkook finally spoke with a smile.

Taehyung stared at him for a long while and saw him lean closer, noses brushing each other.

"But it felt amazing." The ravenette whispered in a low voice before tipping Taehyung's head a little.

He was about to claim his lips once more when the sound of the doorbell rang.

Taehyung clearly saw the change in expression on the ravenette's face from all smiles to something that's sharper than a knife.

The sound of the doorbell continued to resonate in the room, making the older curse.

"Who the fuck could this be?" He uttered in a dangerous voice before turning around only to be halted by Taehyung's hand stopping him by the arm.

"It could be my brother, hyung." Taehyung said.

Jungkook didn't respond which had Taehyung walking for the door. He peeked through the peephole and saw Jimin standing in front of the apartment.

"Who?" Jungkook asked in a deep voice.

"Jimin." Taehyung did not need to explain for he knew the ravenette must have already known everything about him and the people around him.

He opened the door and welcomed the face of his friend who immediately smiled upon seeing him.

"Hey. I've been calling you, but you're not answering." Jimin said, eyes looking past Taehyung to see a man leaning by the wall.

"I didn't notice." Taehyung responded. He had put his phone in silent earlier to make sure his talk with the ravenette would not be interrupted.

Jimin didn't say anything, noticing that the man was shirtless. He gazed at Taehyung with a questioning look, not understanding why his friend was inside the apartment of a shirtless man with only the two of them inside during his own birthday.

"If not for Jin-hyung, I wouldn't know you're here." Jimin uttered, finally grabbing Taehyung by the arm.

"Let's go. Jin-hyung had been wanting to eat the cake I bought you." He smiled, slightly pulling him out of the apartment.

Taehyung looked back at the ravenette before bowing his head a little.

"I'll be going now, hyung." He uttered.

Jungkook nodded his head before his eyes landed on Jimin.

And Taehyung knew that look he's giving. He knew it too well enough for him to instantly understand what it meant.

"It's okay, hyung." Taehyung said as he stared at those raven eyes that are now on him.

"He's a friend." He added, wanting the message to get to the ravenette.

Taehyung waited for a response before he saw Jungkook smile.

"I know. You two should go. Happy birthday again, Taehyung." Jungkook said, throwing a smile to Jimin who could not understand what's happening.

All he could do was nod before bowing his head in response.

As Taehyung slowly closed the door, he spoke just enough for the ravenette to hear.

"I'll come back for my gift, hyung."

The door was closed and the two of them were already heading to Taehyung's apartment yet Jimin's eyes were still on him.

"What was that all about?" He asked, scrutinizing Taehyung's face.

"What?" Taehyung asked, looking at the other with blank stares.

"I didn't know you're close with your neighbor enough for him to welcome you shirtless." Jimin noted but Taehyung just shrug.

"He's a kind hyung." He responded before entering his apartment where his brother was already putting a candle on his cake.

"Finally!" Jin beamed, holding the cake.

Jimin didn't get the chance to ask more as he quickly headed beside Jin and Namjoon who started clapping their hands in tune with the birthday song.

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you.. Happy birthday dear Taehyung, Happy birthday to you!" They sang in unison while clapping their hands and smiling warmly.

Taehyung stared at the candle before blowing. The light immediately died down as everyone clapped, congratulating him for another year.

"Thank you." was all he could say as he saw the happy expressions on everyone's faces.

It wasn't hard for him to recognize it because it was too obvious and genuine.

They were all happy for him which rendered him speechless.

They were all happy and yet... Taehyung felt empty.

As he sat in the middle with everyone surrounding him, Taehyung silently stared at the cake being sliced as his mind wandered and went back to the ravenette.

The only person who could make him feel normal.

————
Love you 💜