Chapter Text
The dorm was quieter than usual ; a faint sense of nostalgia surrounding it- or maybe it was all Taehyung. He hadn’t packed any bags or belongings partly because it would have been evident to his roommates and eventually all the members what exactly he was planning to do and partly because he didn’t want to take with him anything that even remotely reminded him of this place. The only things he had on him was his phone, wallet and the watch his father gifted to him a long time ago.He had been sitting on the couch on the living room for few minutes now when Sejin comes through the door.
"You ready to do this?" he asked, his voice streaming with worry.
“Honestly? I've never been more ready in my life" he blurts out without a thought. He had been waiting for this day for such a long time and finally it was here.
Freedom.Freedom. Freedom.
Is there anything in the world more beautiful than this word,he thinks.
"Okay. I have your tickets with me. There's not much out there at the moment. Blame it on the time, what is it now? 5? Anyway , its enough to get to the news portals" the manager assures him.
“Its fine. Even one would do at the moment “ his voice dripping with gratitude more than anything else.
He sits up, runs his fingers through his hair and is about to get out of the door when he feels Sekjin's arm on his shoulder. "Bang Pd-nim wants to be absolutely sure that you are okay. Taehyung-ah"
He doesn't get to finish.
" I am okay,Hyung. Believe me" and walks out of the door.
Paparazzi as always was ready, even more when invited. Cameras flashed and mics rose from every corner as they surrounded Taehyung. The bodyguards did a good job though and in no time Taehyung stood on a higher ground perfect for a soundbite. He could see some of his fansite-masternims already there. 'Dont they ever sleep?' the thought crossed his mind. Well,from now they will,he mused. His heart was pounding the loudest it had for 23 years of his existence yet he had never felt this happy in a long time.
Finally, his moment had come.
Approximately three hours later, when his group members would wake up to an empty bed, their first instinct won’t be to switch on the news. Maybe they have 'BTS' as a Google alert. Because whichever way they get to know, the words would be loud and clear.
" Hello I am BTS’ V. Kim Taehyung. I am sorry that you had to come here on such a short notice but this announcement could not wait. Being a public figure, one has to endure a lot scrutiny and lack of privacy. But I am been fortunate that whatever I am about to tell you has had the space and respect it deserved before going out to the world. I thank you for that. A month ago, my members and I went through a compulsory medical checkup for our tour which is too happen after our comeback. The others members are all absolutely fit and healthy. But that was not the case for me. Unfortunately, my vocal cords have become severely damaged over the years."
Lies.
" It was my responsibility to know and I chose to ignore it because of my greed to perform and refusal to burden the members with my problems. But if I continue stressing them any longer, I could forever lose my voice and I dont want that. I dont want to undergo surgery either. I want to recover naturally and that is going to take some time. In BTS, I am a vocalist. And if a vocalist cannot sing, then he is redundant . So, I have decided after thorough discussions with my parents, Bang Pd-nim and the members to step down as a member of BTS indefinitely."
Lies. Lies. Lies
But look at their faces- Taehyung wanted to laugh out loud-gulping down every half spoken syllable like its free wine on Thanksgiving.
"I am taking a break. It was a very tough call to make for all of us but it has to be done. I am letting the world know of it now out of all times because our comeback is in 2 months and I dont want to be a burden to the members at the moment. This time-before a comeback, is the toughest. From recording new songs to learning new choreography to music video shooting, and photo shoots- Its crucial and I dont want them to have to deal with a sick member at the same time. I hope I have made the right decision and I hope ARMY understands why I am doing what I am doing and respects my decision and wishes me well on my journey to recovery. I sincerely hope ARMY supports BTS for their comeback stage just like I will from the sidelines. Thank you very much. Good day to all of you."
And a great day to me too, he muttered silently as removed himself from the mics and the reporters started hurling their questions at him. He paid no heed as he took his tickets from Sejin's hands,gave the man a tight hug and got into a car.
Daegu, here I come.
He couldnt stop smiling all the way to the airport.