Seokjin and the Heirs of the Korean Miracle - BOOK 1 ✔

Chapter 19 : Trust me, not him - Memories (part 7)

In his eyes suddenly, Namjoon was no different from the rest of his family. After all, how could he be when he was the one who spent the most time with his violent father and blindly obeyed his every order? Seokjin realized that Namjoon, if he stayed behind the office door listening to the conversation, must have heard him screaming and crying. Could it be that he heard him suffer but deliberately let his father do so as not to oppose him?

"Please don't hurt me, I swear I won't report your dad!" he sobbed in anguish absolutely not feeling safe with Namjoon anymore.

"Jinnie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you or hurt you," Namjoon assured him as he approached him slowly. "I promise you I won't hurt you, please don't be afraid of me."

"Please, let me go home," Seokjin begged as Namjoon blocked his way.

"No, I don't want to let you go thinking that you must be afraid of me," Namjoon refused, joining him and gently putting an arm around his shoulder to force him to lie down. "Lay down with me for a moment."

Still shaking, Seokjin obediently rested his head on Namjoon's arm and didn't argue. He didn't want to stay here with him. If his parents came and saw him here with Namjoon, they might punish him again, probably more severely. But if he disobeyed Namjoon, he would be the one to hurt him. So he remained silent next to him, waiting for him to let him go, not daring to turn to Namjoon, his gaze remaining resolutely fixed on the ceiling.

"You know," Namjoon said softly, affectionately starting stroking Seokjin's hair as if he hadn't just threatened him, "if I prevent you from denouncing my father, it's not only for me, it's also to protect you. My father has a lot of contacts, he is very rich and influential, he will never go to prison and he will necessarily take revenge on you and your family and I refuse to let that happen, you understand, right?"

Seokjin didn't answer, thinking back to Mr. and Mrs. Kim's threats and realizing with horror that Namjoon was also threatening him in some way.

"Why do you say nothing ?" Namjoon asked, now stroking his shoulder that he felt trembling, "first you say we're not friends anymore and then you're scared of me. We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Y-yes," Seokjin said apprehensively.

"You're not just saying that because you're scared, are you?" the older one asked with suspicion.

"No," Seokjin said, trying to put all the conviction he could into it.

"Good," Namjoon said in a sight of relief, "friends don't have to be afraid of each other. I don't want things to change between us, never; that would make me too sad. "You don't want to make me sad, do you?"

"No, I don't want you to be sad," Seokjin said, "but your parents-"

"I know what they told you but we don't care what they want, okay? So don't listen to them, you don't have to stay away from me, we won't tell them that we remain best friends."

"Can we really?"

"Of course, we can and we have to.We're not going to stop being friends just because they decided to!"

"But they say our friendship is humiliating for you and Taehyung," Seokjin said sadly, "and that I will never be like you."

"Listen to me, Jinnie: first, I don't want you to be like us, I want you to stay you. Secondly, I will never, ever consider our friendship as something humiliating, so don't ever think that."

"Do you honestly think so?" Seokjin asked, suddenly feeling reassured.

"Of course I mean it sincerely."