Zero O'clock

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                                Taehyung groaned as he forced his eyes open, the familiar sight of his bedroom ceiling greeting him. Namjoon was hovering over him, his face etched with concern.

"Easy there, tiger," Namjoon sighed in relief. "You scared the living daylights out of me, fainting like that."

Taehyung blinked, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind. He remembered the video games, the late-night chat with Namjoon, and then... darkness. A cold floor, the sting of a bully's kick, the muffled shouts of his name.

He scrambled to his feet, a sense of urgency gripping him. "It happened again, Namjoon," he blurted out, his voice thick with a mix of fear and frustration. "Just like that! One minute I was here, the next..."

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, skepticism battling with concern in his eyes. "You fainted, Taehyung. For a minute, tops. That's all."

Taehyung ran a hand through his hair, his frustration mounting. How could he explain? How could he convey the terrifying reality of these alternate universes, the stolen days spent in a completely different life?

He took a deep breath and launched into his story. He described the bullies, the terror, the way Jimin had found him and helped him escape. He spoke of the strange loan shark situation, the drunken mother, and the bizarre deal he'd made with that alternate universe's Jeon Jungkook – becoming his service boy in exchange for the money to pay off the debt.

Namjoon listened intently, his initial skepticism slowly giving way to a look of dawning realization. By the end of Taehyung's tale, his jaw was slack.

"So you're saying..." Namjoon began slowly, "you were... transported to another universe? And you lived a whole day there, even though it was only a minute here?"

Taehyung nodded, a helpless feeling washing over him. "Exactly. It's like... time works differently there. A minute here is a day there."

Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose, his face etched with worry. This was a lot to take in.  He, the ever-rational Namjoon, was now grappling with the concept of alternate universes and interdimensional travel.

"Alright," he said finally, his voice firm despite the tremor of disbelief. "Here's what we'll do. Since your next trip seems to be set for Friday, we'll try to stay out of the house that night. Maybe, just maybe, this whole thing is connected to the house itself. We can't meet the shamans until Saturday, but if you travel or stay somewhere else on Friday night,it might disrupt the pattern."

Taehyung's eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. It was a long shot, but it was something.  He spent the rest of the night recounting more details of his high school universe experience, the fear and the strange camaraderie he'd felt with his best friend Jimin, even in that terrifying situation.

As dawn painted the sky a soft pink, Taehyung knew this was far from over. He had more questions than answers, and the mystery of the alternate universes and the ever-present Jeon Jungkook loomed large. But for now, he had a plan, and a newfound determination to unravel the truth behind this bizarre phenomenon.

Taehyung, as usual went to his company, he can't let this bizarre thing to stop his work. The workday dragged on, filled with presentations, meetings, and the ever-present pressure of running a company. Yet, despite the mountain of paperwork, Taehyung couldn't shake the image of his high school universe Jimin from his mind.

During the design team's presentation, Jimin, the head manager in this universe, nervously outlined his team's ideas. Taehyung found himself strangely detached, his gaze flitting between the proposed designs and the familiar mop of brown hair. It was unsettling – this Jimin, polished and professional, so different from the loyal, fiercely protective best friend he'd encountered in the other universe.