Break The Silence

Taehyung entered in to the coffee shop, a self service cafe, so he grabbed a cup of coffee and a chocolate cake, then headed to a table, placed near the window.

Taehyung had been waiting for Kim Namjoon, his senior from high school. Namjoon had become a police officer and had helped Taehyung with a few of his recent cases.

As Taehyung sipped his coffee, he glanced out the window, watching random people crossing the street. He tapped his fingers on the table, trying to distract himself from the thoughts about Jimin, wandering in his mind.

He needed to find out the truth, the reason of Jimin's silence. But Taehyung knew very well, to solve a decade old mystery, he required to walk through the path of thrones.

Almost an hour had passed. Taehyung finished his cake and now he lit a cigarette, pressing it between his fingers, he smoked in a peaceful silence. The thick clouds of smoke blending into the wind, the jazz music adding the charm in ambiance.

Almost twenty more minutes later, the bell above the door finally chimed, and Namjoon walked inside, dressed in his usual police uniform, "Sorry friend! Got stuck in a situation." He apologized, settling himself on the chair across Taehyung's table.

"It's alright, I had my time." Taehyung replied, he extinguished his cigarette, preparing himself for a serious talk, "I hadn't my breakfast so I ordered some cake for myself, tell me what you need, I'll bring it for you."

"No, I'm completely fine." Namjoon replied, gesturing his hands in denial, "I'm sure you requires my help, last time you needed a criminal record of your patient." He assumed assumed.

Taehyung chuckled softly, "You know me very well." He said.

"Of course I know you, we were school friends for a very long time. " Namjoon replied. "Well, let me know how can I help you."

Taehyung slipped his hands into his jacket's pocket and took a picture out. "Find him." He said, entrusting the picture towards Namjoon.

Namjoon tilted his neck, his brows furrowed lightly. "Who is he?" He asked curiously, as he grabbed the picture and flipped to see a man around in his forty.

"Police officer Han Baekhyun." Taehyung replied in a subtle tone. "Eleven years ago, he was in charge of Park Jimin case." He informed.

Namjoon widened his eyes, "You're treating Park Jimin?" He asked in amusement. "I mean the one who killed his brother?"

Taehyung's jaw tightened at Namjoon's words, but he quickly concealed his irritation. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest, and fixed Namjoon with a sharp gaze. "His charges were never proved." He said in a firm tone.

"There must be a reason why his parents left him in a mental hospital." Namjoon said, gazing at the picture, he ruffled his thick hair and exhaled a long breath.

Taehyung took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Namjoon. The mention of Jimin's troubled past stirred something inside him, anger, frustration, and confusion. Although he tried his best to conceal his emotions, but sometime he would get failed.

Taehyung leaned forward slightly, his voice low but intense. "We can't just believe what people say. Jimin's story... it's more than that. I need to know the truth, so that I can find out why Jimin is silent for a decade."

Namjoon nodded his head, "Alright!" He agreed. " "I need some time since he's from Busan, but I'll try my best."

Taehyung forced a light smile. "I'm counting on you." He said.

Namjoon chuckled softly. "I don't know why you took such a hard case." He muttered.

"I have my own reasons." Taehyung replied, "Anyway, I have one more task for you." He said, just when Namjoon was about to stood up.

Namjoon sat back in annoyance, "Now what?" He asked.

"Can you search Jimin's background for me?" He asked in a pleading tone.

"The whole internet is filled with his family's picture, what else you want?" Taehyung replied.

"Any cousin, or other relatives closed to his family." Taehyung said.

"Okay, I'll do it." Namjoon agreed.

\_\_\_\_

It was Saturday again, Taehyung's second therapy session with Jimin. He had already missed his first chance, and Dr. Lee denied to accept that Jimin reacted to Taehyung.

After this session, he had left two more chances, then he was supposed to give up on Jimin. But he didn't join Yeosan to give up on Jimin so easily, he needed to be succeeded at all cost.

The therapy room felt like an old, abandoned prison. The walls showed rough, cracked concrete with chipped areas. The floor remained the same hard and cold. A single flickering light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a dim and unstable glow, and a window that mistakenly allowed the daylight streamed in.

A rusty metal table sat in the middle of the room with two worn-out chairs on either side. The air felt damp, and a musty smell filled the room, making the ambiance more uncomfortable.

"Who would feel comfortable in such a crappy place." Taehyung thought. He adjust himself on the chair, waiting for Jimin to arrive.

After the last attack, Jimin stayed calm for whole week. The bruise on his wrist still ached, but he didn't show any sign of pain. The medication Jimin received helped to ease his physical pain, but it also left him feeling numb and disconnected from reality.

As usual he barely spoke or reacted to anything, as if a part of him had shut down completely. Which meant, Dr. Lee wasn't wrong at all. Taehyung's little interaction with Jimin, perhaps resulted a small reaction, but it didn't change anything.

Taehyung felt nervous, his heartbeat raised as the iron door creaked. Mr. Kwon stepped inside, he grabbed Jimin's arm tightly, as if he was ready to escape.

"Thirty minutes only." Mr. Kwon reminded.

Taehyung breathed heavily in a fit of anger. He restricted himself to say anything, but it seemed clear that he hated Mr. Kwon from the depth of his heart.

He momentarily shifted his gaze to Jimin. He looked same, weak and fragile, lifeless eyes that lacked any emotions, yet behind that emptiness, Taehyung could see the pain and agony.

Mr. Kwon led Jimin to the chair across the table and made his way to outside.

Taehyung sat straight, his nervousness increased, "Hello Jimin! How you're feeling today?" He asked, a stupid question, he knew, but Taehyung required to start his first therapy session with a very common conversation, to make Jimin feel comfortable with him.

Silence. Jimin didn't move. Not even a twitch of his hand or a blink of his eye. He numbly stared out of the window, gazing at the cloudy sky.

Taehyung swallowed hard. Every word felt pointless without a response. But he couldn't give up.

"I'm here to help you, you know that, right?" Taehyung continued, trying to keep his voice steady. "You can tell me anything. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Still, no reaction from Jimin. He sat like a statue, who had no hope for life, abandoned uncountable times, and considered a psychopath killer.

But how such a weak boy could kill his own brother, at the age of sixteen?.

The question constantly bothered Taehyung. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching Jimin's face for some sign of emotion. "Come on, Jimin. You're stronger than this. I know you are. You survived so much. You don't have to face it alone anymore. We can talk about anything you want, I'm on your side, you should know this." He said, his voice trembled.

Jimin's gaze remained fixed on the window. He kept his mouth shut tight, and his shoulders were tense but motionless.

Frustration crept up in Taehyung's chest. But he pushed it down, knowing that showing anger wouldn't help Jimin.

"I'm not giving up on you," Taehyung finally said, his voice filled with determination. "No matter how long it takes, I won't stop. We'll find the truth together, I promise you."

Taehyung sat back in his chair, defeated but not willing to surrender. The cold room seemed even colder now, but his commitment to Jimin stayed unshaken.

He took a deep breath and quietly whispered, almost to himself, "You'll get through this. We will."