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His parents had died when he was only two years old, in some kind of accident he never got to know exactly, he was left under the care of his grandparents, nice old folks living on a peaceful elderly community. He had a good, calm childhood, pampered by his grandma who would cook him all the best recipes she would watch on her little boxy TV and spoiled by his pa, always bringing him the best games, at least once every month, courtesy of his job at the town’s biggest Toy Factory.
He was happy, but he was lonely, home-schooled, in a place with no children around, he was left with pets and imaginary friends. He liked to think they came from other worlds, in their rockets and spaceships, landed on Earth to conquer humanity and found in him a friend, someone like them, strange, different, alone among billion stars, an alien.
When Taehyung was about to turn eight, his Nana was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and each passing day became a struggle, she would burn the food once in a while, till she stopped cooking all together, she would have the same conversations more than thirty times, but Tae would seat with her and listen to every word, she would forget her name, where she lived, who she was and why there was a small boy on her kitchen on meal times. She would stare blankly into nowhere and smile often and Taehyung would wonder if she too had non existing friends.
After almost two years, she was no longer with them, and if he came to think about it, now all grown up, his grandpa wasn’t as well, because from the moment she left, his soul also walked into heaven with her. He was now an empty vessel forced to take care of a child without the will to do so. He didn’t last another twelve months, the once strong old man now shrugged into a lifeless pit till his eyes closed and never opened again.
Taehyung was now lonelier than before, not even his extraterrestrial friends would visit him anymore. He was sent for adoption and it didn’t take long for a well suited man in his early thirties to take notice of him, he wasn’t married, but he had some kind of a wife, or better, a husband. Tae thought it was funny, but cute, butterflies would flap their wings on his tummy whenever he saw them kissing, and somehow, they brought the feeling of his grandparents back to him, he just wished they would never leave him alone again.
****
Like for the previous clues, this one was also pretty deductible and they were sure it meant the day Taehyung met Namjoon. Again they separated into groups, Jimin and Yoongi went to the orphanage where he was adopted, and the other three went to his grandparents’ old house.
The duo found nothing and returned to the mansion as they had no other place to look, they just sat there and waited for the boys, hopefully they would find the envelope. Jimin played a game on his mobile as Yoongi looked completely involved in his thoughts, frowning his eyebrows in deep wonderment.
“Jimin…” He called, looking at the raven haired man beside him.
“Yes?” Jimin focused his attention on the elder.
“If something were to happen, you would stay by my side, right?” Yoongi asked, clearly confusing the other who gazed at him in bewilderment.
“What are you talking about?” He wasn’t sure himself, but couldn’t let Jimin know that.
“Promise me you’ll stay by my side, you’ll choose me.” Yoongi sounded desperate and Jimin couldn’t help to quickly give him a positive reply.
“Yes, yes of course, I promise, you’re always my number one.” Jimin assured him, pressing at his hand to comfort him, Yoongi looked pleased with the answer, he smiled and went back to his thoughts. Jimin sure hoped he was just being a little over protective right now and that nothing would actually happen.
****
Taehyung patiently explained the old lady who now lived in his previous house about the envelope with the word clue in it, she thought for a moment and shook her head in affirmation. She tells of how some man dressed in fancy suits came by a few days ago to deliver the letter, telling her someone would come for it.
She goes inside and invites him in, while Jungkook and Hoseok wait for him in the car, she offers him tea which he politely refuses and she goes about the house trying to remember where she had put the piece of paper. Taehyung smiles, she reminds him of his grandma, after a few minutes something clicks on her head and she goes for her sewing boxes, carefully removing spools of tread and finally getting the envelope.
Taehyung bows at least four times as he thanks her for her kindness, she smiles adjusting her glasses on her nose and waves goodbye to all of them, closing the door behind her. They then return to meet the others at the mansion.
****
Tae opens it, already anticipating what kind of story his father was going to tell, who of them was about to be described precisely as they were. All four listened anxiously to the words the thick voice boy eloquently pronounced.
“He talks to me and it’s a surprise, the only one who actually said something. He introduces himself, shinning smile on his face, his charisma was really contagious and as nice as his pretty long face. He jokes about nothing in particular and I don’t quite get it, but I laugh of it anyway because it was the kind of feeling I had around him, of happiness and comfort. I was a hundred percent sure he was going to be the glue that would hold us all together.”