Chapter Text
“Hyung! Do you want to shop with me?”
“Of course! I’ll just wear something warm. Let’s meet at the car.”
The two brothers happily exchanged. Jihyun noticed that his older brother became happier for these past few days. He heard from Hoseok-hyung that’s because of a man named Kim Namjoon.
He wanted to meet the man and personally extend his gratitude, but he can’t really talk something like that with his Jimin-hyung. He was especially careful when it comes to topics like that. After the unfortunate situation with that Jeon Jungkook, he couldn’t talk freely with his older brother unlike before that Jimin-hyung was gushing freely with his stories. Like how Jungkook gave him a necklace or how the football captain whispered love and promises to his ears. He was very happy for his brother to have someone who loved him for who he was. Jimin-hyung was someone who always looked out for someone before himself, that’s why he was happy to see his older being in love and be love by someone.
“Jihyun-ah! Let’s go!” He didn’t realize that his brother arrived and entered the car.
The journey to the shopping mart was very nostalgic. Jimin-hyung played songs of G.O.D and they sang happily. It was like before. He noticed that his brother was also thoughtful of him. That his brother realized that he was worried of him and like the action will make him feel relieved.
When they finally arrived at shopping mart, Jimin-hyung was relieved that there were only few people. That they can shop freely. While they were scanning the products, they kept on dancing ang singing to the songs that were played.
And maybe Jihyun should really thank the man that Hoseok-hyung told him as the reason why his older brother was coming back.
As Jimin-hyung noticed him silently smiling, the elder stepped forward and crushed him in an embrace.
“Are you still worried about me?” Jimin-hyung asked. And he started brushing his hand on his younger brother’s head. “Aigoo! My little brother grew up well. Now worrying for his big brother. Aigoo!”
“Hyung!” The younger exclaimed and tried to get out from his brother’s embrace. Fortunately, the elder did. He looked at his younger brother and ruffled his hair while Jihyun reacted like he was annoyed.
“Don’t worry about this troubled hyung of yours. I’m better now.” He smiled towards Jihyun. “And thank you for worrying.” And they smiled at each other.
The two weeks that he gave himself was now finished. And now it’s time to face his reality: Kim Namjoon. Yes, it helped him a lot not seeing the younger. But as he saw the younger’s messages flashed on his phone’s screen, telling him about Jimin, was a constant reminder that it’s now the right time to give up. That it was the right time to cut all his feelings towards the tall man.
And now on his way to meet the said man, was a torture. It was like he was counting his steps towards his death. As he entered the coffee shop, he saw Namjoon smiling while looking at his phone. He was like a high school student texting his crush. Seokjin swallowed down and walked towards the booth where the younger was sitting.
“You look like a hopeless high school student in love.” He said while smiling towards Namjoon. And the younger looked up and gave him his warmest smile. The elder was taken aback.
“Hyung! You didn’t text me that you’re already near.”
“What’s the fun in doing that?” Seokjin sat in front of the younger even though he wanted to sit beside him. For him not to see Namjoon’s expression when he starts to talk about Park Jimin.
“So hyung, how was the medical mission?”
“T’was fine, Joon. How about you?”
“Oh hyung, I’m feeling great. To tell you the truth, I’ve never been this good for a long time.”
“I see…” He was never good in holding his emotions, and the younger must have noticed it. It’s been a while since he heard from Namjoon and he thought that he can already handle this situation when the younger will be telling him about Jimin.
He pondered a lot while he was away. He justified what he felt. But all he realized that he was selfish to avoid Namjoon just because he's happy with someone that's not him. Whatever they had was genuine and he didn't want anything to ruin what they have because the younger was always genuine to him and it was his fault in tainting it with his unrequited love.
“Hyung, are you fine? Do you have something on your mind?” The younger worriedly asked and Jin felt guilty.
He smiled and tried to assure the taller man. “Yeah. I’m just really tired.”
“Hyung! You should have told me that you are. We could just have rescheduled.”
“Don’t worry, kid! I just wanted to see you again.”
“Me too, hyung…” Namjoon smiled. “But I want you take a rest first.”
That made Jin smile. That even the younger will never reciprocate his feelings. He can see that Namjoon sincerely cared for him.
“Taehyung-ah…” They carefully knocked on the younger’s bedroom door.
After Jimin returned, they thought that Taehyung will be happier. But they were wrong, it actually got worse. The younger will always have gone to his room straight after he arrived home from school. They heard him cry during nights. They already went and talked to Jimin’s parents on what happened. And after hearing it, they knew that all they could do was wait and encourage each child.
“Taehyung-ah, we bought Jajangmyeon at Mr. Choi’s. Do you want to eat with us?”
They heard muffled noise and the door opened, showing a sad Taehyung. Their hearts clenched with what they saw and wanted to embrace the younger. But one of the two men held the other. Reminding to encourage and not to embrace the younger’s agony.
They slowly approached downstairs and sat down at the dining table. There were like walking on thin ice and taking a further step will lead to crying.
“I know that you’re worried about me… I know that. But you don’t need to…”
“Tae…”
“It’s just… I know that I deserve it but it still hurts…”
Taehyung stayed strong for other people but seeing the two people who were one of the most important people in his life worried made him slowly crumble.
“I know that it’s my fault but…”
One of the two was more emotional and hurriedly went to Taehyung’s side and embraced the younger. Crying with him. The other one just smiled and joined the two.
“Tae, just cry it out. But it’s not your fault. You’re a good person. And I know that everything will be fine.”
“Can you please just for a moment stop shouting?”
“Why?! May I wrong to ask you what you were doing since last night?”
“I said I was just finishing my book at the publishing house.”
“You’ve been writing your books since years in this house. Why not now?”
“Because I cannot concentrate here.”
“Or you needed to be with someone. Like, Elise for example?!”
“Are you implying that I was with Elise all night?!”
“Why? Am I wrong?
“How could you say that?! I’ve been faithful to you all these years and you’ll accuse me of something that never crossed my mind even to commit?”
“How’s the play?” Jimin softly whispered not wanting to disturb the other part of the audience.
“It’s fine. It’s very unique. Not your typical romantic plays.” Namjoon answered while smiling and looked at Jimin who was smiling adorably.
“Yeah, I saw this before in New York and always been in love with it.” Jimin continued. He was watching merrily ironic to the sorrowful scene that was happening in front of them.
Jimin asked him to watch a musical play. Telling him that it was his favorite. Namjoon cannot contain his happiness to see a very enthusiastic Jimin. And now they were watching it. But he was bugged with a question about why does the younger loved the play. Was it because of its music, performances or is it because it ended with a very unfortunate way. He will try to ask about it when he thinks that it’s the right time.
“So Jungkook-ssi and Jimin-ssi, how’s your research going?”
They were inside the professor’s office to have their consultation. Their professor sent them an email asking them to visit her office. It startled the both because the professor never asked her students to have a consultation with her about the research. The professor was known for not minding her students until they finish all their tasks for the course.
They were seated face to face. Waiting for each other on who had the nerves to answer the question. And as the woman saw this, she opened her lips and whatever she said made Jimin stand up and walked out.
“Alright. As what I can noticed the two of you haven’t started anything. So, I will give you two a special one. I expected a lot from you Jimin-ssi. But as what I can see you let your personal feelings deal with this. I am very disappointed. Or maybe I really had very high expectations from you.” She dismissively looked at Jimin.
It made the man really upset. But what can he do. Even though he will never admit it, everything about whatever his name is will always be personal. And it never crossed his mind that a fateful day will come that they needed to create something together. Because everything that comes from two of them together will always bring heartaches and regrets.
“So, I want the two of you visit a school for contemporary dance. They house little girls and boys. I want to you to research about that school together. This will be your last chance, or else I will fail the two of you. I will ask the directress of that school if the two of you will work together. I know her personally so thinking about asking her to lie for your unprofessionalism is impossible.”
Jimin stood up and left the room with, “Fail me but I will not work with him. Please, excuse me.”