SOUL FIVE - TAEHYUNG

South Korea is full of nice countryside, some of them are far away from civilization with very few people living there. Now we are in mountains covered with woods. In these mountains are few houses and on yard of one of these houses is one lonely boy. His name is Taehyung, but he doesn’t remember his own name now because his older brother Chansung only calls him by insults. Yes he had loving parents but they died when he was just a baby. His uncle Baekhyun took him to his house. Taehyung's older brother Chansung was trouble maker and he ran away. When he has came back, he was even worse and more aggressive. Chansung became gangster and after one mistake he had to run away from police. So he went to his uncle's old house in mountains. Taehyung was five years old while his brother was twenty. He easily throwed away uncle Baekhyun and told him to never come back or call police unless he wants to see Taehyung dead. So Baekhyun left with heavy heart and Taehyung's life has changed into endless suffering.

His hyung doesn’t allow him to be in the house. Instead of living like a human Taehyung lives like an animal. On the yard in pavement is metal ring connected with chain. The chain ends locked around Taehyung's ankle, so he can’t run away or wander around. The chain only allows him to walk in five meters big circle, but it is better than the small dog kennel where his brother kept him the first year. His hyung taught him with beating to not talk so now Taehyung doesn’t make a sound. He is twenty now but all he knows is pain. His uncle was nice to him, gave him food and played with him but now it is long forgoten and Taehyung doesn’t even remember that he has uncle.

Taehyung can only lay in the dirt because most of the days he is too weak to move. Without food and water he only lies down and watch the sky. The front door banged and Chansung is on the yard. He came to Taehyung and wave piece of bread above his younger brother.

"Beg dirty pig."

Taehyung struggles but then managed to stand up. Chansung moved away so he is too far and the chain around Taehyung's ankle doesn’t let him to reach his hyung. Chansung slapped head of his brother and tossed the bread in the dirt. He went back inside the house and turns on the TV. Taehyung would like to go inside too. He is cold and some insect bit him and it hurts but he can’t go inside. Last time when he tried it his hyung beat him to blood and left him without food for whole week. It was horrible, but Taehyung has never full stomach, just slice of breed every day and sometimes hyung makes him to beg for piece of meat. Taehyung is sitting in the dirt and ate the bread. Then he crawled to bucket with water and drinks the water from his palms. Suddenly three cars arrived and 7 men get out of them, they are Chansung’s friends. They teased Taehyung for while, showing him chicken and other food which they bring. Taehyung is desperate and begs for little piece, but they only kicked him, so he gave up. They even bring es for celebration and disappear in the house. Taehyung is alone again and lay down on ragged coat which is his only thing beside the tattered shirt and shorts. Evening slowly came and Taehyung is cold so he wrapped in the coat and lay down again. He is watching the sky full of stars and listen how they have fun inside. The bugs are running over his bare feet, but he doesn’t care and fall asleep.

Namjoon's POV

I am trying to catch Chansung for fifteen years. When I was 20 and I have became policeman this was my first case. It was horrible case of human trafficking when things went wrong and more than thirty people died in shipping container. In next fifteen years I became detective and solved many cases, got many people in jail but I hasn’t forgot about my promise. I now I have biggest opportunity. Now after fifteen years Chansung's uncle Baekhyun called me. I visited him in hospital and saw that he was dying because of cancer. He told me about the house in mountains and Taehyung. He didn’t know if he is still there, but he wished to see Taehyung for the last time before death. The next day Baekhyun died but we were at our way to the house. Now I am glad that he has already passed away because Taehyung is now like an animal. Chained at the yard, dirty and obviously tortured by his brother and terribly malnourished.

In the house are now eight men and three es. I know that the ers are celebrating. Chansung even invited his friends from the case so this is like ing lotto. After fifteen years when we weren’t able to arrested him, his crimes will be soon time barred and he will be free. But not today. I have only four men, Chanyeol, Kris, Minho, Donghae, with me because my boss didn’t trusted that Baekhyun told me the truth after such long years or that he would stay on same place. But here he is, too confident or stupid to move away. We are waiting in the bushes for chance to get them. We can’t risk to get in gunfight with eight probably armed men while three es and abused victim are around. So we are waiting for long hours in the woods around the house. Soon before dawn they are finally silent and we slowly sneaked from the woods and surrounded the house. We sneaked inside and see that they are drunk to unconsciousness. The house is full of empty bottles of alcohol and stink as and sweat. In few minutes we arrested them and drag the on yard. Chanyeol goes to get our van parked under the hill and I call our boss. He is surprised and send another car for rest of the ers. We are waiting and they aren’t able to run away, they are that drunk. The boy, Taehyung, is awake too and cowers as far as the chain allows him. I can’t stand it anymore and go closer to him.

“Hello there. Can you tell me your name?”

He only crawls away and whimpers like a hurt puppy.

“I have something delicious.”

I have chocolate bar in pocket of my jacket and slowly unwrapped it for him. I put it on ground between us and take step back. Taehyung is sitting in dirt in front of us and he is shaking in fear. His big deer eyes are full of tears and horror, but he slowly stands up on his legs who look like sticks. He quickly snatched the bar and ate it. The chocolate disappear in few seconds and I want to give him bottle of water but he only cry out in fear. I hear Chansung laughs from behind and my blood starts to boil. I turn around and kicked him right in his face.

“What is so funny hmm?”

Blood is pouring from his nose and he shut up. I turn back to Taehyung.

"Okay. Enough you are coming with me."

I take of my jacket and wrapped it around his tiny shaking frame. I easily lift him and carefully sit in van. I turn on the heating and after few minutes he is sleeping. His bare feet must be freezing and I sent Kris to find some socks in the house and call to Seokjin. He is happy that we will have new son and I sit next to Taehyung. He looks terrible but with our care he will be flawless. Kris handed me the socks and I put them on Taehyung feet. We are silently driving back to Seoul and I am already planning his new room.

And now after few weeks he is completely new boy. He looks much healthier and we all love him. Sometimes it is difficult, for example when we went in park and wanted to have picnic. Seokjin prepared basket full of food and we sat on blanket but suddenly he started to freak out. He was running away and I was chasing him and people were thinking that I want to hurt him. I don’t know what happened but when we all hugged him between us he calmed down. It is great but he still doesn’t utter single word.

Today was good day for everyone. Seokjin has completed his new book, Yoongi has new song for Jimin’s ballet solo and Hoseok helped to Jungkook with finishing his manga. Seokjin put his cooking talent in huge dinner for us and we sit down around the table and I fill everyone’s plate. When I put the plate in front of Taehyung I almost choke on saliva. Why? Because I heard the most quiet voice.

“T..thank you.”

We all looked at Taehyung and then quickly look away before he can feel embarrassed. I and Seokjin sneaked outside the dining room and quietly cheer and jump around. This is clear sign that he is better and better every day and one day in the future he will be like normal boy and forget about his cruel past. With loving family around him.