Can you believe some people have read this far and STILL won't leave a vote? Yikes..
AnywhO a character will be returning next chap and I bet none of you will guess who first try 🤪

Li?" Taehyung suddenly enters the doorframe, his hair disheveled with one eye shut.

I quickly hide the tub behind my back.

"H-hey. What's up?"

"The sun got me all hot. I'm gonna take a shower."

"O-okay. I'll be down here."

He darts an air kiss my way before heading upstairs. I look at the small tub once more and scan the room in thought. I then hurry to the backyard and make my way over to Winter who sunbathes with Jungkook cradled at her side, snoring.

"Winter?"

"Yeah?"

"You still have your phone right?"

She pauses before a suspicious, "....Yeah?"

"Can I use it for a sec?"

She finally lifts her sunglasses and looks at her feet. "I don't know... Taehyung was strict about us not letting you near the internet."

"It's not like I'm gonna post a tweet. I just need to search something real quick. I'll bring it right back."

With a sigh, she lowers her shades again. "Alright. It's on the table."

"You're the best." I quickly pick up Winter's phone and rush back inside, locking myself in the downstairs bathroom. My thumbs tap away as I google the name on the tub label.

These could be Taehyung's. I haven't forgotten the things he told me the night of his birthday... About how he had to endure many sleepless nights after his parents' death. After everything that's happened lately, I wouldn't be surprised if that were happening again.

Maybe it would explain why his cheeks have been so sunken, or why his eyes are shallow compared to the deep melts they used to be... Or why his moustache that's been peaking through more than ever.

Even so, I don't know for a fact. If these are his I don't just want to bombard him with questions about something I know nothing about. I need to at least see what these do.

Ah, here.

"Side effects... Drowsiness, migraines, confusion, muscle weakness... sometimes mood swings and overdrive of anger or sadness."

These sleeping pills are... awful. How can anyone take these?

Should I go upstairs and tell him?

Or maybe I should just...

No. Taehyung's right upstairs. If I don't ask now then I never will. There has to be some communication.

So after erasing Winter's browser history and returning her phone, I go upstairs to our room. Taehyung steps out of the steamy bathroom with wet hair and a robe as soon as I enter.

"Finally got all the dye out."

My eyes wander the room nervously in return, making him give me a strange look while drying his hair. "Something wrong?"

"Nope. Well... I have something to ask you."

"Okay?" He unties his robe and changes into a t-shirt and baggy sweats.

"I was downstairs in the kitchen earlier and I found this tub." I hold up the tub and Taehyung freezes.

"So these are yours? I looked into it and they're intense sleeping pills. If you're having trouble with sleep you could have told me."

For some reason he does the smallest sigh of relief. The edge of his lips crack a grin before he walks closer and pulls my arm into a fiery kiss.

It takes me back. His lips are already latched around mine and swallowing my attempted breaths. He's trying to distract me again.

He tries to kiss my neck but I push him back, "Tae..."

My stomach is pushed against him as he gropes my behind, hitching a breath out of me. I hear him growl before I'm pushed against the bed and my lips are once again devoured. Taehyung's hand snakes up my waist to caress my skin after tossing the empty pill tub from my hand.

"T-Taehyung wait—"

"No."

"But I came to tal—" His hand hooks between my thighs and I bite my lip. He uses his thumb to pull my chin down and release my lip before he's kissing it. I shake my head to separate us and he gives me a death glare.

"I'm sorry it's just... I didn't come here to do this! I-I just want to have a conversation and you're not listening!"

He sighs in frustration and finally backs off. I sit up on the bed while he messily ruffles his hair.

"Well go then. Talk."

"So are you having sleeping troubles?"

"Was. I don't even use those anymore so us even talking about them is irrelevant."

"But they were prescribed, right?"

He remains silent and looks around the floor.

"What? You shouldn't be taking anything if they're not—"

"Ugh what does it even matter?! I just said I don't use them anymore!"

"Tae calm down... Even if you're not still taking them you've obviously had your share because the tub is empty. I just want you to take care of yourself. And you taking medicine without me knowing is scary. Imagine if you had a bad reaction? The rest of us wouldn't know how to help."

"Yeah fine, you're always right. Whatever." He walks away. My brows furrow and lips frown. I instantly grab his arm.

"Now what?"

"Oh my God. Why do you keep acting like this? Whenever I worry about you or ask you questions you get all snappy."

"Because you're being fucking annoying." He shifts his arm from my grab.

The harsh sentence is enough to bring tears to my eyes but I hold it all back. I know it's the pills talking, so I won't bring myself to yell at him as long as he's like this. I'm going to stay calm.

"I'm being annoying for worrying about you? Two minutes ago you were all over me, but now I'm annoying. Your temper really is on a flicker. These pills didn't seem that serious but your reaction is making me think that you're hiding something from me... This is the same thing with your hand injury which, up until now I still know nothing about. You won't open up to me, it's like we're back-peddling! I'm your girlfriend! When are you going to stop lashing out at me and talk to me like one?"

"For the last time I'm fine, okay?! Just fuck off and stop TREATING ME LIKE A PSYCHO!" His bangs ruffle into a mess as he shouts with a spike of anger.

The room turns silent. I remain mute while Taehyung calms down from his high. The more his breath paces, the more his angry expression fades into guilt.

"Lilo—"

"Don't bother." I approach the door, shielding my face that is threatened by tears but he grabs my arm and uncovers it.

"Li don't cry... I didn't mean it."

I bite my lower lip as tears slip out of my eyes, avoiding eye contact and softly taking my wrist out of his grip.

"You're my boyfriend Taehyung... that means if anything was going on I'd come to you first. The fact that you don't feel the same hurts. I'll leave you alone like you said."

"Li please—"

"No! I don't want to be around you when you're like this. I want to sleep alone tonight..." I then exit the room.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ☀️

Night time rolls by and I would be lying if I said I wasn't hurt by what happened earlier. I can't leave the house as long as I'm a wanted criminal so Taehyung is all I've got. But his temper has just been too unpredictable lately and until he's ready to talk properly, I can't put up with it. I'm already hated by the whole town and my own parents. I don't need this on top.

I let the sheets drag along the carpet as I approach the guest room just opposite Taehyung and I's. Since Teddy and Jimin are now sharing his room, this one was free.

Usually rainy nights help me to fall asleep, but tonight is a little more difficult without Taehyung's warm arms wrapped around mine. Although, I suppose if I can spend two months on a rock-hard prison bed alone... Then one day without him won't hurt.

So after about twenty minutes of shedding tears to the sound of rain patter, I fall asleep.

—TAEHYUNG'S POV—

Without knowing how I got here, I hurry along the bridge that seems to be empty at this late hour. The few cars seem to be frozen and empty, but the river beneath us still brings chills.

My eyes part massively when I see Lilo standing on the ledge wearing a long, white, sheer gown.

"Lilo? G-get down from there..."

"Relax. It's not like I'm gonna jump or anything." She chuckles.

I'm left confused until she turns around cradling a baby in her arms.

I can hear faint coos, but the face remains hidden by the beige cotton blanket. Lilo's face doesn't look bloody or hurt but in fact... Perfect. Glowy even. Her cheeks are plump and hair is long but healthy.

"Why don't you hold her? Hm?" She holds out the baby. "She's been crying for you."

I slowly walk towards them until the distance is short. She crouches to show me the baby and for the first time, I get a look at its features.

"Well go on. Hold her."

The baby's skin, lips, hair... Everything looks so pure and untouched. She has that beautiful newborn baby smell and looks like a delicate doll. But I look down at the palm of my hands to see that they're covered in various shades of blood.

And so I shake my head. "I... can't. I can't touch her."

Lilo frowns.

"Oh... I see."

She stands back up, turns around and lets the baby roll off her hands into the river. It's cries shriek.

"NO!!!"

I run to the ledge with my fingers clawing at the stone. But it's too late, and already can tears well in my eyes.

—END OF FINAL DREAM—

The storm blows drums when I jump up from my sleep. Rain patters at my window and night sky invades my shutters while I pant with a hand on my forehead. I hadn't noticed my eyes growing wet as they scan the room.

Without even giving it a moment of thought, I leap out of bed and exit it the room.

—LILO'S POV—

My eyes open when I hear my door open and slam shut. The room is pitch black, so I can't see a thing.

But I gasp sharply when I feel arms wrap around me like a net.

"...Tae—?"

"I'm sorry..." He cries into my neck and holds me tighter. "I'm so sorry..."

I lie there in shock as I listen to his cries and sniffs. "You're right. Something's wrong with me and I haven't been honest about it when you deserve to know. I keep having these nightmares. Nightmares of me ending up in horrible places with horrible people. Of us getting separated and torn from our future baby... *sniff* With all the trauma I've had, I didn't think the brain damage from the car crash could do much worse but..." He falls into more tears.

"I wasn't getting much sleep and whenever I was I kept seeing my dad and Sergio. So I starting taking sleeping pills while you were in jail. They were effective at first, but it's like my demons beat them and eventually I started hallucinating when I was awake too. I punched a mirror in my sleep and that's why my hand was injured, so I had to abandon the pills. Because now I'm hallucinating. I'm hallucinating. I hallucinate the lives I've taken, I hallucinate painful things... I'm scared Li."

His tears river down my neck and I feel my own slipping down my face.

"I'm scared that you're going to go the heaven, with my mom, yeontan, our baby, our friends... And I'm going to go to hell. With the people I've killed."

I nest his head in my chest and breathe in a shaky breath.

"I'm so sorry I didn't say anything sooner... And being snappy when you were only trying to help. There's just so much going on up here. The brain damage, mixed with the trauma, mixed with the pills, mixed with..."

He doesn't continue but instead licks his lips.

"I just didn't want you to worry about me in a time like this."

I don't respond. That's when he tilts his head to notice me sobbing.

"You're crying..."

"Because I feel like a shitty girlfriend..." I bawl. "My boyfriend was having a mental breakdown in front of me and I did nothing. I did nothing about it! You're suffering because of me..."

"What? Li no, this was all me. There's nothing you could have done."

He manages to find my lips in the midst of darkness and hook them with his. "Because you have been the only thing keeping me together."

I bite my lip to restrict more tears and nod.

"From now on..." I whisper, "If there's a problem, we tell each other. Okay? No more of this. You need help. Professional help Tae... *sniff* And we're gonna get you that help. But only if you're willing to be open..."

After a pause, I feel Taehyung's messy hair bob. "Alright. If you say I should get help then I'll do it."

"Then that's what we'll do, starting tomorrow." I bring the sheets over our shoulders.

The way his arms tighten around my body makes everything so clear now. He's afraid to fall asleep, especially without me there. So I make sure to hug him back with my fingers unconsciously running through his hair to get him to sleep.

"Tae?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you a lot. Your health is way more important than anything else going on right now... You're going to be better in no time... So long as there are no more secrets."

There's a long pause.

He plants kisses on my forehead and responds only when I'm about to fall asleep.

"No more secrets."