𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐃 || 𝐓𝐊 ✔

[P2] Chapter 53 : Exposure

May 11, 2019. 

♛

Even Taehyung didn't know how long he was standing outside Jimin's house, before entering it. He could literally sense the presence of his best friend there, as he looked up to see Jimin watching him right back, leaning against the kitchen door. 

Taehyung looked at him for a second, before kicking off his footwear and entering the house, without any words. With a lot going on inside his head, he forgot that he left the front door open, until Jimin walked from where he was standing to shut the door softly.

Taehyung gulped inaudibly, as he felt the awkwardness between them sink in. Or maybe it was just Taehyung, because of his nervousness and overthinking nature, which he had seemed to catch on recently. Jimin looked calm on the outside, which he was... he wasn't really that nervous, the word to describe him was worried.

Jimin was worried to the core, that he didn't even know where to start.

"How about we go to the rooftop?" Jimin asked softly, as Taehyung nodded at that, "I'll bring some soju and snacks. You wait there."

Taehyung hummed under his breath, glad that Jimin started some kind of conversation, which made the thick, tensioned environment a bit lighter. He just headed towards the stairs, not forgetting to grab the door keys, before going upstairs.

Jimin sighed, as he heard Taehyung open the rooftop door, taking three bottles of alcohol from the refrigerator, some chips and kimchi packed in a box, before checking the windows and doors if they were locked, and following Taehyung's path, reaching the rooftop.

Cold breeze hit Jimin, as he looked over at the latter, who was sitting on one of the chairs lying there. He didn't say anything, though he knew that Taehyung sensed him from behind, as he kept the small table in front of the other. He still hasn't heard a word, nor said anything, as he took a seat beside Taehyung.

Taehyung sighed, meaning to keep it to himself, but it was clear that Jimin heard it too. An embarrassing blush crept to his cheeks, as Jimin opened one of the bottles, pouring it into the glass, before handing one to Taehyung.

"Have you met Jeongguk?" He asked, "He asked whether we both fought."

"He did?" Taehyung asked quietly.

"Yeah, he saw you running away from me, yesterday," he chuckled, and Taehyung couldn't quite make out whether it was sarcastic or a heartfelt one, "It's okay, I won't bite," said Jimin right after, which might seem random, but Taehyung completely knew what he was talking.

And Taehyung knew that he wouldn't 'bite'. Oh, but his mind would.

"I know," he said, his voice getting lower, taking a long sip of the drink.

"What is bothering you, Tae?" He asked, his voice getting hundred times softer when he framed out the question, "Alright, let's be honest. That night... I thought I was the only one in the home. I didn't expect anyone, and especially, not like that."

"I know, Chim," he sighed, "Nights are the only time where I can be myself," he said, clenching his fingers in his pants tightly, fearing that he might suddenly get a panic attack.

Jimin was shook hearing what Taehyung had said, definitely not expecting the younger one to be that straightforward and blunt. And the fact that Taehyung uttered those words easily as if it was nothing, shocked Jimin even more.

And that was when he knew that it wasn't some simple stress that Taehyung was going through.

"Yourself," Jimin mirrored the last word, in a whispery tone, "How do you define yourself, Taehyung?"