Bound by Marriage ✔NamJin

Chapter 9: A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

"It's pretty late, Namjoon, isn't it?" Jackson said randomly. Or at least, to Namjoon it was random. He had been thinking about the kimchi dinner he had just taken part in, not the rapidly darkening sky.

"What?" Jackson pointed to his wrist. Despite the lack of a watch, the meaning was clear to Namjoon. "Well, yeah, I suppose so. And?"

Jackson blinked. Normally Namjoon would just wait for Jackson to explain himself or just forget about it. "Well, won't your 'husband' be worried?"

Namjoon cringed noticeably. "Oh, I'm sure he's not."

Jackson shrugged. "You've hardly spent any time with him at all this past week. You keep coming over day after day so we can do this," He gestured to their surroundings with one large hand, motioning to the road they had been leisurely walking along. "And make some half-hearted small talk. I'm sure he's confused as I am about why you're doing it."

Namjoon put on his most annoyed face, eyebrows creased and irritation written on his features. "What?! I can't hang out with my best friend for a while without everyone getting on my case? So troublesome..."

"But Namjoon, it's been almost a whole week since this started!" Jackson whined. "My father is like an inch away from telling your dad that you're avoiding Jin, and you can guess as well as I can on how THAT would play out!"

Namjoon sighed. "I know. But I just can't see him yet..."

"Why not? Do you think he doesn't like you or something? If he did before, he won't by now."

"But I feel like such a waste of time. he should've been married to the Yoongi kid he's so obsessed with, not ME." He sighed disconsolately. Namjoon had told Jackson about what had happened. Jackson never really said anything about it until now.

He had been hoping Namjoon would get over this on his own. He was so smart, but it didn't seem to help him when it came to love. It never had. "Look, Joon, I asked around about Yoongi and their class..." He ran his fingers through his hair and stopped walking. He stared right at Namjoon. "Jung Hoseok and Min Yoongi have been on-off dating since about five years ago. Before that, he and your husband had a friendly competition since they both wanted him. But it wasn't just them...all the boys and girls in that class were after Min Yoongi."

Namjoon wouldn't look at Jackson, but he continued. "Do you really think he's in love with him? Because I'm certain that he and most all of those other girls and boys weren't, and still aren't. He was very popular; I'm sure he couldn't help it. Besides," Namjoon looked up a little at his friend. "Do you really think he'd betray his best friend? Do you really think that lowly of him?"

Namjoon stopped breathing for what seemed to be five straight minutes, but it was in reality only a few long seconds before air returned to his lungs and he began to walk. Jackson stayed where he was.

"No, I DON'T think that lowly of Jin," Namjoon said, not looking back. "I think I'll go home now. It IS rather late."

Jackson chuckled. "See you later, Joon."

He turned and walked backwards a few steps. "See you. And thanks, Jackson."

"Anytime."

He turned his body to face forwards again as he walked back to their house. Hands in his pocket, he was the picture of leisure, but he could barely control his feet enough to stop them from running back to Jin. He wanted to apologize, but he wasn't sure how. Yet he was certain it would all work out. He was smiling.

That was, of course, until he reached their house just as the sun finally finished setting to find it empty. He lay down on their cold bed, missing the warmth he normally added, clenching his fists and squeezing his eyes shut.

I think I've fallen in love with Jin.... He thought.

A/n: Thanks for reading and voting, I appreciate it. Your comments are like motivation, keep it up.