His Boxy Smiles

Chapter 53

Namjoon stared at the ceiling hazily, body in bed but mind elsewhere. His thoughts wouldn't let him sleep like usual but more so after being caught red handed like that.

Yes, his members let him go but barely. Heck, they made it a promise to Namjoon that they would talk about everything when he wakes up (not like he slept in the first place) and there was nothing he could do to avoid it.

How do they talk about it though? Where to start? Which one would stir the biggest waves and which one would keep them at bay? Should he start with the sasaeng fan case? The final verdict of the driver who involved their precious Tae into this mess in the first place? What about the rumours and controversies going on online about everything? And the video that's by the way, still trending on the internet. What about that? There was still the morbid comments that anti-fans and generally, the public, made. What about the original copy of the video that was still sitting on his desk drawer back in the studio?

Just where the hell does he begin? He's barely hanging in there.

All these questions were haunting him, rendering him paralysed on his bed, afraid to come out of its comfort; afraid to come out of his room to face the others even as noon settled in and all sorts of movements could be heard from the other side of the door.

Sighing, he decided to get his ass out there and face reality.

Damn, he wasn't ready. He didn't think he'd ever be ready. Just thinking about it made him want to shrink away. He wanted to run and pretend none of last night ever happened. He was weak that way.

He's weak and he hated it.

Pathetic!

He oh so slowly pulled the door open and stepped outside.

That was when everything just came crushing down for Namjoon before it could even begin.

He found all his members gathered in the kitchen. That wasn't at all what disturbed him but the fact that Jin was on his phone, an obvious frown on his face, as the others crowded around him.

The last time he checked, not one of them dared to even turn on their gadgets and that itself was a comfort to Namjoon because he knew they wouldn't be exposed to the devastating storm going on in the internet.

Seeing them then with a working phone in their midst was enough to leave him with a hard beating on his chest, let alone the dour atmosphere he found himself engulfed in.

As if sensing his presence, Jin turned to look at him, eyes holding something that Namjoon didn't understand. Almost like it was accusatory.

"Let Namjoon know that I called. And also don't worry. It's just a day of delay. Taehyung's fine. The doctor is just making sure he's ready for any visitors- body wise."

Is that hyung-nim on the phone? Immediately, Namjoon's blood ran cold. It was apparent then that things just got worse for him. No... this is way too sudden...

They know. Hyung-nim told them. Oh my god, they know!

"Ne, I'll let him know you called," his hyung spoke through the phone so gravely that it sent shivers down his spine. "I'll see you tomorrow, hyung-nim."

"I- I can ex-" he quickly tried to say as soon as the call ended but he guessed it was futile.

"Taehyung's going to see a doctor," it was Hoseok who interupted him, face clearly showing that he was upset- no, screw that, he's about livid. "A psychiatrist. Do you know what that will do?" Hoseok continued and Namjoon had never seen him like this before. Actually, no one had ever seen him this furious before. "Namjoon, we just read Taehyung's notebook a week ago! Are you even aware what this would do to Tae? He would think we abandoned him! You read the notebook! You should know! What the f***? Do you know what will happen if-"