Flashback
Please stop...
Please stop hurting me.
Why are you doing this to me?
I am your child.
***
Jungkook jolted awake, his heart racing wildly in his chest.
"Help! Please, someone, help me!" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the cold walls around him as he jumped out of bed. Fear took hold of him as he grasped the cold metal bars of his prison, his knuckles turning white from the intensity of his grip.
Panic washed over him as he cried out for help, his throat sore from shouting. This was the first time he had experienced such a terrifying nightmare, one that dragged up painful memories of his family.
His body was drenched in sweat, each drop clinging to him like the heavy weight of the dream he had just escaped, leaving him gasping for air as if the air around him was trying to smother him. Every breath felt like a struggle, reminding him how trapped he was.
His thoughts were a whirlwind, spinning out of control and amplifying his fear. Amid this emotional storm, he felt a deep sense of isolation, realizing how completely alone he was. No soothing hands reached out to him, and no calming voices called him back to safety.
With every desperate cry he made, he felt a wave of pain washing over him as if an unseen force was trying to consume him. The pressure on his chest intensified, a burning sensation spreading through him, and every attempt to breathe only made it worse. In that dark moment, despair wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, a harsh reminder of his loneliness in a familiar and impossibly distant world.
Just give up.
Give up.
So weak and so stupid.
You are nothing. A nobody
Such a monster.
Kill.
Kill yourself.
Jungkook collapsed onto the cold, hard floor, the impact jarring his body as he landed. With trembling limbs, he dragged himself into the corner of the dimly lit room, seeking refuge from the chaos swirling in his mind. Crouching down, he pressed his palms against his ears, desperately trying to muffle the voices within him, each vying for his attention. Biting back the rising panic, he struggled to silence the relentless whispers that tormented him, feeling a shiver of dread creep up his spine as the sounds grew more insistent. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a reminder of the turmoil he couldn't escape.
Stop it.
Be a good boy and let your daddy play with you.
Stop it.
Mommy doesn't have to find out, either your sister.
Please... Stop.
What are you doing, Jungkook?
Put that knife down.
Oppa?
Jungkook's voice shattered the tense silence as he yelled and screamed your name, each plea laced with urgency and desperation. The chaotic whirlwind of his mind was spiraling, drowning him beneath the weight of incessant, tormenting voices and haunting images that raged within him. He knew he needed his medicine-needed it now more than ever-to silence the storm before it fully consumed him.
"Please come. Please. Y/N..." His voice cracked, a fragile echo of his torment.
His gaze fell to his pants. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as desperation clawed at his heart. The cacophony of voices in his head swirled around him, relentless and invasive, drowning out all rational thought. The harrowing thought of ending it all crept back into his mind in a moment of sheer hopelessness. The bars were there after all. It wouldn't have been the first time trying to take his life.
You are real.
His voice rang in his mind, breaking through the jumble of other thoughts like a cool breeze on a hot day. It provided a brief sense of comfort, but it wasn't enough to ease the heavy burden on his heart. He felt worn out from the never-ending cycle of sadness surrounding him like a thick fog.
The nagging worry that he might have caused their deaths gnawed at him, an emotional pain that pulsed with every memory. It seemed impossible to bear, a weight that felt like it might crush him completely. No matter how hard he tried to push these feelings aside, the pain remained sharp and intrusive, forcing him to confront a truth he found unbearable. He felt lost in a maze of sorrow, struggling to find an escape, yearning for even a little bit of peace or understanding-but it all seemed out of reach. The reality was simple: he was too exhausted to continue along this painful path.
***
Taehyung and Jimin sat silently in the dimly lit security room, glued to the large monitor displaying Jungkook's cell. It was a heart-wrenching scene; Jungkook was on his knees, tears streaming down his face as he pressed himself against the cold bars. The desperation radiating off him was palpable, and Jimin felt a deep urge to intervene, to run and find the doctor or someone who could help. But Taehyung, his demeanor cold and unwavering, restrained him.
"I need to see this," Taehyung said, his voice almost a whisper, yet laced with an unsettling intensity. He kept his gaze fixed on Jungkook, relishing in the boy's struggle, his anguish.
Jimin's heart ached with understanding. He comprehended Taehyung's emotions better than anyone else could, perhaps even better than Taehyung himself. Their history stretched back to their childhood, entwined in shared laughter and memories. But that bond had frayed long ago, overshadowing the moment Taehyung laid eyes on Jungkook for the first time. From that moment, it was as if the world around them had ceased to exist for Taehyung-every joyful memory eclipsed by Jungkook's presence. Jimin, however, had not been able to dislodge Taehyung from his heart so easily. For him, Taehyung was still the boy he adored, the anchor in a turbulent sea of emotions.
"He needs help, or he will do something stupid again," Jimin pleaded, his tone filled with urgency, desperation clawing at his insides.
Taehyung's lips twisted into a bitter smile, his eyes never wavering from the monitor. "I don't care," he said, voice dripping with indifference. "Let him take his life away. Who would even care? No one."
He's not doing well, Tae. His mind is struggling; it's been hurt deeply. You must let go of the anger you're holding onto from the past. How long are you going to let it take over your life? When will you realize he isn't the person you want to be? The person before you now isn't the one who caused you pain; you don't care which version he is."
"To me, he's in the same body, and if he dies, then that part of him is gone, too. It's pretty clear, right?"
"Why should he have to die for this? Is it because your girlfriend, whom you trusted, cheated on you with someone who is now in jail? Is that a good enough reason for you to risk everything, even facing serious consequences, to watch someone's life slip away? Or is it because you're frustrated that he hasn't recognized you how you wanted? I can't believe you've come to this. Those reasons aren't enough to take someone's life. Everyone goes through heartbreak, but that doesn't give anyone the right to kill. Especially when it comes to someone who is already struggling with their mental health."
Jimin felt a deep heaviness in his chest as he looked into Taehyung's eyes, trying desperately to find the spark of the boy he once cherished. Despite his best efforts to say something comforting and bridge the emotional gap between them, Jimin knew deep down that it was all in vain. The hopeful feelings he still held in his heart were slowly fading away.
Taehyung had turned into a mere shadow of his former self, lost in a maze of his own sadness and confusion, stuck in a situation he had created for himself. The playful spirit who once brought warmth and laughter to everyone around him felt like a distant memory, now replaced by a struggle that Jimin could only watch, feeling powerless.
This Taehyung was lost in his own hell.
***
"Here are the injections, Y/N," Mingyu said, his voice calm as he handed you a small, nondescript box. "You'll need to give a higher dose; it seems Jungkook's body has gotten used to it, and it's not working as well anymore."
You nodded quietly, absorbing his words while looking at the box in your hands. It felt almost like a dream, this small white package symbolizing a fragile line between life and an uncertain future. Yet, despite the gravity of the situation, a silly smile lingered on your lips, one that had been there since that morning after sharing a brief but meaningful moment with Jungkook.
Mingyu, always observant, seemed to notice the change in you. He might have sensed the budding feelings stirring within your heart, but he chose to keep quiet, allowing you the space to figure it out yourself-at least for now.
What was it that brought this happiness to you? Even you couldn't fully understand it. Maybe it was the warmth of new possibilities or how Jungkook had started to open up. Whatever it was, it filled you with a rush of joy.
**Flashback**
"Tell me something about you," you encouraged, leaning in slightly with curiosity.
"Like what?" Jungkook asked, a look of confusion crossing his face.
"Anything. What was your life like before you came here? What did you enjoy doing? How did you spend your free time?" You pressed, hoping to learn more.
"I... I guess I liked basketball," he replied, a glimmer of nostalgia lighting up his eyes. "I was the team leader at my school."
At that moment, a genuine smile broke across his face, and your heart felt warm. Unconsciously, you shifted closer, curling up against him, your fingers tangling with his. His warmth wrapped around you, making you feel safe and normal, allowing you to forget about his difficult reality, if only for a brief time. It felt like you truly belonged in that moment, as if he was your safe haven.
"And what else?" you encouraged softly.
"What position did you play?" you asked.
"I was a power forward," he answered pridefully.
"Did you compete at a national level?" you asked, excitement bubbling up.
"Yes. We won three tournaments in a row," he replied, triumph evident in his words.
At that moment, your smile faded slightly. Basketball had been something you enjoyed in high school, mainly for the excitement of the game. You understood the roles players had on the team and realized the level of skill and determination Jungkook must have had to excel as a power forward.
Understanding this side of him, the competence he once had, made your heart ache.
"You weren't always like this," you blurted out, unable to hold back. Your urge to understand him, to grasp who he truly was beyond his current struggles, poured out of you.
The playfulness in Jungkook's smile faded, and he looked down at your hands, which were still intertwined. A wave of sadness crossed his face, and he spoke in a hushed tone.
"I guess I wasn't always the way I am now," he said, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air between you.
I wasn't always crazy...