TWO FOR ONE. [on hold]

八

Jimin stared down at his food. He was deciding on whether to say he was too tired to eat or if he should excuse himself from the table to go to the bathroom, but not come back. Both seemed possible but, one thing would come out from his lies. He would upset his boyfriend.

Jimin sighed as he dropped his chopsticks in his bowl.

"Jimin hyung? Are you okay?" Jeongguk asked as he stared at him with concerned eyes.

Jimin looked up from the bowl of food and gave Jeongguk a small smile as he nodded then returned to staring down at the bowl of food, as if he was asking his food for the answer to his dilemma.

He wanted to eat to food for himself and Taehyung, but his words were always what held him back from doing so. Each time he had convinced himself to eat, the words he told him would always replay in his mind like a broken record and push him back to square one.

Jimin was knocked out of his trance by Taehyung who shot him an look full of anxiety. Jimin couldn't bare to see the look on his face. He didn't want to be the cause of his dismay.

"I'm fine Tae." He muttered as he took Taehyung's hand in his own.

"Jimin, was it? If you don't like your food, I could always make you something else." Seokjin suggested.

Jeongguk looked to Seokjin and gave him a soft, thankful smile. He placed his hand atop Seokjin's and squeezed it gently.

Jimin shook his head as his body tensed up do to his own anxiety. Even the thought of eat more than he should and was used to scared him.

"Could- could I have st-steamed vegetables... hyung?"

Seokjin gave Jimin a smile. "Of course."

Jimin looked to Taehyung whose eyes were watering. He was scared for Jimin. He didn't want him to fall back into the ways he forced them into. The whole reason they ran away from him was to escape his irrational, inhuman behaviour.

"I'm g-going to leave now." Taehyung mumbled, his head hung low.

"But Taehyung-ssi, I brought mochi for afters, do you not want it?"

Taehyung only shook his head in response.

"Okay hyung... are you tired?" Jeongguk carried on.

Taehyung looked to Jimin who smiled small at him before picking his chopsticks back up. He took a deep breath before picking up a piece of beef and pushing it into his mouth. He begun to chew the meat slowly, maintaining eye contact with Taehyung then swallowed.

Suddenly, Taehyung broke out into hysterics. He clasped his hand around his mouth as he shot a thankful look at Jimin.

Jimin smiled at Taehyung before he stood from the table to hug him. He cradled Taehyung's head as he pulled him into his chest and pressed a gentle kiss atop his head.

"Jimin hyung? Is Taehyung hyung okay?" Jeongguk asked, the worry evident in his tone.

"Mmhm." He hummed in response.

"I'm guessing you don't want those steamed vegetables anymore, do you?"

Jimin looked up from Taehyung with a smile on his face as he shook his head.