Eventually, by late evening, Jungkook finally agreed to Taehyung's insisting he head home, but with not a shred of willingness about him. Tae regained his strength for the most part. That was precisely what Jungkook had been waiting for, and yet still did he feel hesitance at the thought of leaving him alone again.

The time neared ten p.m. now. Taehyung, as usual, sat on his living room couch, holding in his hands the bowl of soup Jungkook had made for him before leaving, despite Tae's stubborn disapproval. It smelled delightful. A simple recipe of beef and vegetables in an herbal broth, good for the throat and soothing to the senses.

That boy's kindness. Taehyung hated how it warmed his heart.

In silence he finished the whole bowl of soup, then set it aside to pick up his phone. He hadn't checked for messages all day.

You have (3) new messages from Yoongi

Nothing from Blue, huh.

Breathing a sigh of mental fatigue, Taehyung opened his best friend's messages.

Yoongles💕
just checking in on you tiger

Yoongles💕
today was kinda rough for me, just some stress at work but i'll be fine

Yoongles💕
hope yours was better :)

Taeger💛
i'm sorry to hear that :(

Taeger💛
but my day wasn't really great either

Yoongles💕
aw no tae what's wrong..?

Taeger💛
dizzy spell

Taeger💛
i'm doing much better but it was so bad earlier yoongi i was so scared

Yoongles💕
have you been eating well?

Yoongles💕
please don't neglect your meals tiger i can't cook for you right now...

Taeger💛
no yoongi it's ok i did eat...

Yoongles💕
well good

Yoongles💕
look i promise i'll try to make a trip up to you some time soon, ok?

Yoongles💕
we've just been super busy and i've been exhausted and my family kinda needs my help around here, i'm like the main cook besides my father

Taeger💛
yoongi i know, it's ok don't feel bad, it just gives me something to look forward to

Yoongles💕
that's the spirit tae :)

Yoongles💕
well it's getting late so you should get some sleep

Taeger💛
it's only like ten :(

Yoongles💕
bed tiiiime for taeger

Taeger💛
maybe soon...

Yoongles💕
good :)

Yoongles💕
night, tiger <3

Taeger💛
night yoongi <3

It was always bittersweet saying goodnight. But deep down Taehyung wanted for Yoongi to rest as much as Yoongi wanted for him. However with how much he had already slept throughout the day, Tae knew he wouldn't be getting to sleep again any time soon. Moreover, he had some questions for his recent, enigmatic acquaintance.

Purple
you lied, didn't you

Purple
i'm not healthy

Purple
it's cus of my blood, isn't it

Purple
how long do i have left, huh?

Purple
three years? two months? a week??

Blue
I would not lie concerning something as dire as health, Kim Taehyung.

Blue
As I said to you, such things as dizzy spells are not abnormal. Have you been experiencing a great deal of stress lately?

Purple
I have

Purple
but how do you know

Purple
how are you sure this is 'normal'?

Purple
where's your credibility??

Blue
I cannot provide physical credibility, Kim Taehyung, I can only ask for you to believe I mean my words. I wanted to be of encouragement.

Purple
what benefit do you get out of this?

Purple
and don't pull that 'I wish the best for my brother' crap again, that can't be the only reason

Purple
i'm at the edge of my sanity here

Blue
You are not.

Blue
If you were truly at the edge of your sanity, everything would be beginning to fall into place.

Blue
Min Yoongi would be here with you.

His heart dropped to his stomach. There, it seemed to settle in a state of acute, nausea-triggering unease. Taehyung's breath escaped him as one hand shot up to cover his mouth. His fingers trembled as he tried typing out a reply.

Purple
how do u know abt yoongi

Purple
tell me right now or i'll block u

Purple
i wish i could threaten better than that but i don't know anything else about u

Blue
:( Kim Taehyung, I thought I told you already. I have no desire to hurt you.

Purple
well what about yoongi?? how do you even know about yoongi??

Purple
if anything happened to him my life would be over

Blue
Do not stress yourself any further, Kim Taehyung. I would never dream of laying a finger on the boy. I swear to you I am no one to be feared.

Blue
I would like to ask, how is Min Yoongi doing?

Purple
he's fine, and he had better stay that way

Purple
what else do you know about him, huh? do you have his profile stored somewhere too?

Blue
I know that he is your dear friend, Kim Taehyung, which is why I am simply concerned for his well-being as I am for yours.

Purple
he's...fine...away from my hellish life which I think is good for him...

Purple
but I miss him

Blue
I sympathize for these feelings of yours, Kim Taehyung. Wishing to be with someone who cannot be with you must be unpleasant.

Purple
you wouldn't be speaking from experience, would you?

Blue
Me? Haha! Of course not. I said 'sympathize', not 'empathize'.

Purple
two letter difference

Blue
Haha, this is true.

Purple
how do you know yoongi

Purple
his blood is normal, he can't possibly have any significance to you

Blue
Kim Taehyung, everything concerning your life is significant to me.

Blue
Understand that I am as happy not to be alone as you are.

Those words struck him. In his heart still sitting uncomfortably low in his chest, his heart which brawled incessantly with his ribcage because it couldn't bear another minute in the pool of anxiety it bled for itself.

This claim of Blue's. The first entirely believable thing he had said, and something Taehyung could deeply relate to, no less. It added plausibility to everything else, as reluctant Tae was to accept that.

It made sense.

Blue
Although, I cannot say I am happy you know the suffering, Kim Taehyung.

Blue
If anything, I wish that aspect could have been shielded from you.

Blue
So in that regard, I will admit to you, I do empathize. And I am truly sorry.

Blue
Truly, earnestly sorry.

Purple
okay that's enough apologizing it's weird

Blue
I am only expressing my feelings, Kim Taehyung.

Purple
oh so you have those

Blue
Haha! You have a wonderful sense of humor.

Purple
right...

Purple
i'm going to bed

Purple
unless you have anything of importance you wish to add

Blue
Not at the moment.

Blue
I bid you good night, Kim Taehyung. Sleep well.

He wasn't fond of the conflicting feelings. But with how things were going, with both Jungkook and Blue, Taehyung knew he would have to accept and get used to them sooner or later.

He lay his head on the small pillow he always kept on the couch.

Jungkook had texted him some time in the midst of his conversation with Blue, and at this point Taehyung didn't have it in himself to ignore the boy anymore. At least not easily.

Jungkook
i hope you feel better soon taehyung :)

Jungkook
i'll see you tomorrow

Taehyung
good night

*
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end of chapter ten.