Twisted Every Way || Vmin/Yoonmin {Complete}

3 -- Stigma

"Your guess is as good as mine," Namjoon replied calmly, though he was now reflecting a hint of Taehyung's suspicion. "Maybe to rest, but I have heard him practicing his singing at night."

"He doesn't spend his evenings in his dressing room with, say, another man?"

At this remark, Namjoon went silent. For what seemed like a long moment, the two men stared at one another with unwavering, stoic glares.

"It's starting to get late, Taehyung. I think it's time that you get heading home," Namjoon said at last, dodging the question altogether. Unfortunately for him, that did nothing to please the young aristocrat, and neither did the sudden change of the formality in his speech.

"You know something," he accused him, taking an aggressive step forward. Namjoon raised his hands defensively, though his expression remained calm.

"No, I just think you could use some rest," he retorted. "Not to mention, if I know anything about your brother, he's probably sitting at home right now worried sick about why you refused to leave with him and wondering if he did something wrong. So instead of causing trouble here, I would highly advise you to go home to him. He was going mad trying to make sure everything was perfect for you tonight. He let Jimin sing so that you wouldn't be disappointed, and look at what you did to repay him."

This time, Taehyung found himself in too much shock to argue back. He felt a hint of guilt as he recalled the disappointment in Seokjin's eyes when he finally agreed to leave and sighed at himself. He took a step back from Namjoon and peeked over his shoulder at the door once more.

"If it makes you feel better," Namjoon spoke up, without so much harshness in his voice, "I can let Jimin know tomorrow that you want to talk to him. I'd dig up his phone number for you, but it's against company policy."

"... My brother is lucky to have a friend like you," Taehyung said with defeat in his voice. He looked Namjoon in the eye for a long moment before turning away. "Please make sure Jimin knows I'll be looking for him tomorrow."

"I will," Namjoon replied, watching Taehyung walk down the hall with his head lowered and his hands stuffed in his pockets. After he had disappeared from view, Namjoon looked back to the door and knocked twice. For a long moment, listened. When he heard nothing, he also left for the evening.

When Jimin awoke the next morning, he somehow felt refreshed and tired all at once. He opened his eyes to find himself on the couch in his dressing room with a pillow under his head, still in his tight black pants and fluttery shirt from the evening before. His head felt fuzzy, and it took him a moment to even remember anything that had happened the previous night. When it started coming back to him, he was filled with bliss. Taehyung had come back from abroad and his angel had appeared to him; the trouble was that he wasn't sure which made him happier.

He got changed and wandered out into the hall, disoriented and unable to walk in a completely straight line. Namjoon, who was coincidentally just arriving and coming down the opposite side on the hall, felt instant anxiety at the sight of him and blinking wildly, watching him stumble closer.

"Jimin...?" he called out. The blond's tired eyes met his, and though he immediately felt overcome with concern, Namjoon did his best to remain calm. "What are you doing here, man? It's early... Shouldn't you still be at home?" Jimin smiled, pausing before him, and gave a shake of his head.

"To be honest, I don't know..." he admitted with a dreamy tone in his soft voice. "I must have blacked out..." Namjoon looked him over, baffled. He supposed Jimin did seem extraordinarily drained the night before, but it still didn't make sense--until he recognized a sweet smell that seemed to be lingering around the boy, a smell that he had encountered long before now. At remembering it, his stomach twisted.