chapter 2

The train is reaching its next stop and Jeongguk hopes at least one person gets on this section. He's starting to feel terribly lonely, and he knows that if somebody doesn't get on sometime soon, he'll help himself to a good cry. He's never felt more pathetic.

He hears footsteps coming his way and snaps his head up quickly.

Oh.

He sees a figure heading toward the seat section across from him. The man hasn't paid him any mind, seemingly lost in his thoughts, but Jeongguk knows exactly who he is.

Taehyung.

From a certain angle, he looks as good as he did before. However, it only takes Jeongguk the smallest of squints to notice the dark bags under his eyes, a protest from his body due to lack of sleep. He catches a glimpse of the messy strands of brown hair under the beret on top of his head. The more he stares, the more signs of exhaustion he starts to notice.

The realization that Taehyung is right in front of him hits him at full force and his heart starts to pump incredibly fast. There's a hundred questions running through his mind, yet he doesn't know if he really wants to know the answer to any of them. He feels like a lost child, so vulnerable.

Jeongguk feels his vision become blurry once more. Does he want to cry because Taehyung is standing right fucking there or laugh because this is probably the most cruel joke life could have pulled on him? He doesn't know.

Jeongguk involuntarily lets out a sob, catching the other man's attention and making him turn his head in his direction, caught by surprise.

Taehyung's focus remains on the younger for a few moments and Jeongguk notices a sadness that starts to fill his eyes. He doesn't know how to describe it, but the sight makes his heart ache.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung says, almost a whisper. He looks like he'll start crying any second now and Jeongguk wants nothing but to hold him in his arms.

Jeongguk is the first one to move, standing up and making his way over to Taehyung's seat as the other watches him intently. He stops in his tracks and the sudden burst of confidence from a few seconds ago is gone. Jeongguk is at a loss of words, not sure if anything he wants to say is appropriate at the moment, and not sure if he should be this close to Taehyung, either.

Taehyung is still staring at him, eyes searching for something. Jeongguk closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and feels hands on the sides of his face some seconds later. Long, slender fingers wipe away his tears. He finally opens his eyes and sees Taehyung standing right in front of him. He lets out another sob.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung repeats, and all Jeongguk can do is wrap his arms around hin and hold onto him like his life depends on it because he's missed his angel so, so much.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Taehyung repeats over and over again. Jeongguk hates it. He hates seeing Taehyung so vulnerable and broken and not being able to do anything about it.

They stay like that for a few minutes, neither of them ready to speak yet, but it's alright. They're alright.

Jeongguk starts feeling the same heaviness build up in his chest from a few hours ago, reason still unknown. Something doesn't feel right, but he doesn't know what. Not yet.

Jeongguk doesn't speak, and neither does Taehyung. The younger holds the other tightly, afraid he'll disappear. He doesn't think he'll be able to survive it if it were to happen again. Even with Taehyung's hands on him, he feels so far away from him. It's not enough.

One moment they're holding each other and it's all warmth and desperate souls trying to connect a bond that was lost, the next is a deafening screeching sound, followed by a soft gasp falling from Taehyung's lips.

He's not so sure that everything's alright anymore, but he can feel the elder pressing their bodies closer together and his mind is filled with Taehyung, Taehyung, Taehyung.

Jeongguk swears he can hear an I love you coming from the body next to his, but he can only focus on the red taking over his vision. A raging sunrise red. He's still not completely aware of what's happening, but his heart and his mind are telling him this is the last time he'll get to hold Taehyung like this, so he clasps onto him a little tighter and whispers, "and I love you."

SEPTEMBER 13, 10:03 AM

Yoongi hasn't heard from Jeongguk since he dropped him off at the train station. It's only been a couple of hours, but Jeongguk would have texted him by now.

He's so lost in his thoughts, wondering where the hell is Jeongguk? that he almost misses the sound of sirens coming from his television, a picture of a train that looks way too familiar flashing on the screen.

"A train traveling from Seoul to Daegu derailed early morning, at approximately 4:00, leaving all 12 passengers aboard dead."

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