The Rejects [YoonMin][NamJin]

Chapter Seventeen

Jimin's mind couldn't stop replaying Yoongi's words as he lay in the twilight.

It was getting darker and colder. He should have got up to draw the curtains and make his little bedroom warm and cosy, but he was stuck in thought.

The older boy woke about an hour before with a start, his entire body tensing the second he opened his eyes as if it expected something unpleasant. But instead, he found nothing but a pink-haired boy casually watching the TV over his shoulder.

Yoongi could just about hear the programme running behind him but didn't recognise any of the sounds or voices. He didn't watch much TV, even now that he shared a room with Jin.

The pair watched a few movies here and there but mostly played video games to pass the time. And before the Kims, he never got the chance to watch anything; it wasn't safe.

At first, Jimin didn't even notice the older boy had woken; he kept his eyes fixed on the screen whilst trailing his hand through the platinum blonde hair.

The repetitive motion was soothing; it almost lulled the elder back to sleep until the younger boy realised.

He had a gentle smile as his fingers shifted towards Yoongi's ear. The tiny bronze digits glided across the velvety skin, his dark eyes portraying the questions in his mind.

The pink boy didn't expect Yoongi to open up so quickly; after all, he was typically closed off. He didn't like sharing his stories, particularly with the younger boy, in case it overwhelmed him, but it slipped out without warning.

The scar came from a belt buckle.

He was struck for taking food. Trying to grab something to keep himself alive earned him a permanent life scar and another horror story.

Jimin sighed when the older boy brushed away his hand, squeezing the fingers before sitting up and quietly mumbling a question, asking if he could take a shower.

Yoongi had no intention of returning to the Kim's tonight, not if he could stay with the pink boy and potentially get a good night's sleep. A night without terrors.

The younger boy nodded without hesitation, telling the elder to take whatever clothes he wanted from the wardrobe and anything he needed in the bathroom, as long as he promised to call Mrs Kim before she got worried.

It had been hours since the two left Mrs Park at the cafe, and without a doubt, Jin's mother would start panicking soon.

Yoongi agreed and headed into the bathroom, leaving Jimin to ponder the new thoughts in his head.

His friend, the person who meant more than anything, had been badly mistreated, and it resulted in the almost lifeless, vulnerable and calculated person he now presented as.

Jimin grumbled as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, listening intently to the sound of the shower still running.

He drew the curtains and changed his clothes, pulling on an oversized orange t-shirt that hung from his body and a pair of black shorts before throwing himself back onto the bed, flicking through the movies as he waited for the blonde-haired boy's return.

When Yoongi emerged from the bathroom, he could feel his self-consciousness bubbling up, so much so he had to fight his way out of the bathroom and back to Jimin's bedroom.

The pink boy had a lot of nice clothes these days, but it all seemed to stick to the older boy's body, or at least, it felt that way.

Maybe, the reality was that Yoongi was eating more and finally reaching a healthy body weight, so the clothes that usually hung loose were a more snug fit.