"That long night is following you, it seems like it's just flowing. This time is following you, it seems like it's clouding over..."

~Love Is Not Over-BTS

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They walked around the neighborhood all that night, going places Jungkook liked to go, or even places he didn't so much, either asking about him or calling his name. Jimin had already tried calling him on his phone. He didn't answer, it went straight to voicemail, every single time he called.

Taehyung could start to see Jimin almost getting angry. He was sad, wondering where his best friend was, but also angry that anyone would make him feel like he wasn't worth anything enough to run away.

It's killing Jimin inside...

After checking at the river Jungkook liked to sit by, Taehyung cleared his throat. "He's done this before?" He asked, his voice coming out deep from not using it except to call Jungkook's name this entire time during the search. When Jimin nodded, he continued. "Where was he last time?"

Jimin took a deep breath. "He was...here." He said, looking out at the river.

The water looking black like an abyss in the dark with only the flashlight Taehyung held in his hand to make any light of the body of water. The trees on either side looked like they housed all manner of animals, but the trees were too thick and close together to actually see anything beyond them. A little bit over to the left was a bridge, a single lamppost on it, the light off because it was at least 4AM now. The only other thing leading to the river was the path they'd taken.

Taehyung looked down at the rushing water, seeing how very easy it was to slip and fall in. Jungkook, please, Don't let it be that you fell in.

"I remember that too," Jimin said, faraway in tone. "He was sitting here, completely intoxicated, I don't think he knew what he was saying, but I remember him crying all the way through the ride home." Jimin sat down, really more collapsing, but sitting right by the shore. "It was Jae-hwa's fault then."

Taehyung licked his lips. He had noticed the little things she said that set Jungkook off. How she would single Jungkook out at least once whenever he was there and say something to make him angry. And He got the feeling he knew why it made him so angry, it was similar to that feeling that Jungkook was familiar, That somewhere, he'd heard the name, and the voice before. I'm sure, I know him, but from where? How?

Jimin fiddled with his phone, calling Jungkook's number again, probably only to get voicemail again, And Taehyung realized how sad and lonely Jungkook must feel, and how much he hid that behind a gummy smile.

~~~

They searched into the morning, Mrs. Park driving around and Taehyung and Jimin walking. At about 7AM Mrs. Park called Jimin and suggested the take a break, which Jimin wasn't happy with, because they hadn't found any sign of Jungkook anywhere. But even Jimin had to admit, it was hard to keep their eyes open, which wasn't helping the search, so Mrs. Park came to pick them up at a grocery store parking lot where he and Jimin had decided to sit for a while.

When they got in the car, they found Kyung-mi passed out in the front seat, and Mrs. Park on what looked like her fourth cup of coffee. When Taehyung and Jimin climbed into the backseat, she cleared her throat. "It's okay, sweetie, we'll find him, I'm sure he's okay."

Jimin didn't say anything, just shook his head.

Taehyung swallowed. As much as he wanted to fall asleep, he couldn't imagine doing so while Jimin was so upset. It felt like Jimin was one word away from punching someone. And Taehyung didn't want to be the one he took his frustration and anger out on.

"Jimin..." Taehyung started. He figured he should try to make him feel better. Jimin considered Taehyung his brother, wouldn't that be what a brother would do? "What do you think...Jungkook is upset about?"

Jimin exhaled deeply, then handed Taehyung his phone. "I don't know." He ran his hand through his hair. "I don't understand."

On the phone was a string of messages, going back and forth between Jungkook and Jimin, going from the day before yesterday to early yesterday morning. Taehyung started on the one's from yesterday morning.

Wednesday, March 27th

Kookie: You know about stars? [06:34]

Jimin: Uh, yeah? idk [06:38]

Kookie: Do you think they're lonely? Up in the sky by themselves... light years away from each other? [06:45]

Kookie: Do you think it hurts to super nova? I know when a star dies, a new one is born, but do you think it hurts? That they have conscious feelings? [06:48]

Kookie: I feel stupid for asking. [06:53]

Jimin: Kookie, that's some deep shit. What made you think of that? [07:02]

Kookie: I was just thinking... [07:08]

Kookie: I don't feel well. I'm not coming to school, so you'll have to find someone else to cheat off of, beech ;) [07:12]

After that, there was nothing, though Jimin had sent a few texts asking where Jungkook was, that was it, that was the last thing Jungkook sent, and it didn't really...seem like he was upset about anything. I don't understand. What made you leave if not something before that? If him being upset was why he didn't go to school, then why was it that Jungkook was upset? What could upset him at home if his parents said they hadn't seen him all day? Was it that his parents weren't home? That they were never home? Do you think they're lonely? When a star dies, Do you think it hurts?

Taehyung could see why Jimin thought Jungkook wasn't okay.

It sounded like Jungkook was hurting, like he wanted it to stop, like he'd do anything for it to stop. You're overthinking this, Jungkook, everyone loves you, you're not alone, you're not...

Taehyung was going to give Jimin the phone back, when he saw he had his eyes closed, head leaning back on the headrest, so he looked back at the phone. Biting his lip. Since just riding in the car wasn't going to do anything...

Taehyung typed out a text, just to ask one more time to see if Jungkook would answer. He probably wouldn't, he hadn't answered anything else, but if he was reading them, he'd want Jungkook to know Jimin wasn't the only one looking for him.

Jungkook, it's Taehyung. Could you answer? We've been looking for you all night, if you're thinking that no one cares, I want you to know I do, Jimin does, everyone does. I know what it feels like. But being by yourself isn't going to help, it only makes it worse. We want to help, Jungkook. Jimin won't say it out loud, but you're his best friend, and he cares about you more then anyone else, more then me, more then Hana, more then Kyung-mi. You keep him sane when everyone else in his life is unstable and unsure and a mess, when you get into that too, it all builds to be too much, and he's solemn and distant, and he's not himself because without you there to at least be the one normal thing in his life, he's lost. Don't do anything rash, no one is happy without you, please, just answer. [07:47]

Taehyung leaned back, closing his eyes. He wondered if Jungkook would read any of that. I'm one to even talk, I wouldn't look, I wouldn't. I wouldn't want to even know if anyone sent me a damn message.

~~~

He must have fallen asleep, when he woke up, he was leaning on Jimin's shoulder. Jimin was obviously still asleep, and they were still in the car.

Taehyung blinked and rubbed sleep from his eyes, sitting up and looking to the front seat of the car, where Mrs. Park was talking on the phone, and Kyung-mi was still sleeping. He looked out the window. Mrs. Park had parked the car in a parking lot, the sun look to be directly overhead. He must have slept at least 4 hours.

Mrs. Park got off the phone, turning to face Taehyung, a sad smile on her face. "Hana's family said they'd help look." She stopped to bite her lip, looking off to the side. "How are you doing, Taehyung?"

He swallowed. He wasn't sure how he was doing. Is this what it's like to watch from the other side of the glass pane? To watch someone fall apart, to think no-one loves them?

Mrs. Park took a deep breath. "I know that's a hard question. I know there's no real way to answer..." Her eyes fluttered and she wiped her hand across them, looking back toward the front of the car. "...We should start looking again pretty soon."

There was a chime, and Taehyung jumped, looking down at his lap where the tone had originated from. It was the phone, Taehyung had forgotten he was even holding it. The noise woke Jimin next to him.

Taehyung unlocked the phone, it going right to the message screen. There was two new messages.

Thursday, March 28th:

Kookie: Taehyung? [12:38]

Kookie: Leave me alone. [12:39]

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