✔️ 𝐈𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 | 𝐓𝐚𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐮𝐤

Chapter Thirty-Three.

Namjoon

Namjoon had had a shitty day.

He had been admitted to the hospital earlier after suffering from his fifth panic attack of the week, resulting in him feeling as if he were going to die at any moment. He was paranoid constantly, and he was tired of not sleeping because of it.

Now, it was later that night, and he occupied the same hospital room that he was all too familiar with. It was the one that they put him in more often than not; it felt like his second home at this point.

Namjoon turned his eyes towards the clock, and the dim, red light informed him that it was 01:37. Perfect time to wander around.

He swung his legs over the bed, placing his feet on the cool linoleum tile before shifting his weight onto the lower half of his body. With this, he stood, half-heartedly pulling the linen bed sheets up towards the pillow. Despite his mental state, he hated having a messy bed.

Namjoon then began to walk towards the door, fumbling in the dark for the metal handle that would lead him outside. Eventually, he found it, and he then coaxed the door open slowly, squinting as the bright lights from the corridor flooded his room.

He hadn't taken two steps before a familiar voice echoed down the hallway. "Namjoon?"

Namjoon turned his gaze to the right, then left, searching for whoever had seen him. Then, he saw him.

Kim Taehyung was gazing at him from down the hall, and Namjoon wasn't sure how he felt. The younger began walking towards him, and he simply gazed at his face. It was bruised, but the bruises were old, indicated by their yellowish appearance. There were also bruises on his neck, yet they were slender—resembling fingers. Seokjin had obviously found Taehyung.

"I thought I was an idiot, walking around looking for you," Taehyung said once he reached Namjoon, slightly out of breath. "I didn't even know if you were in the hospital right now."

Namjoon flashed a droll grin. "I'm here more often than not."

Taehyung gave a funny sort of half-smile in return. "Can we talk?"

Namjoon thought for a moment. He hadn't talked to Taehyung since the night Minhyun died, and if Taehyung had asked to talk anytime before right now, he would've said no. However, things were different now.

"Sure. Come inside."

After the pair situated themselves in the room—Namjoon on his bed and Taehyung on a stool—Namjoon looked at Taehyung expectantly. The younger looked rather nervous and unsure of himself.

"What do you want, Taehyung?" Namjoon asked. His voice showed no hint of irritation or anger, just simple curiosity.

"What's with the sudden change of heart?" Taehyung blurted. Despite the darkness of the room, Namjoon could tell that Taehyung's skin had blossomed into a deep shade of red. "I mean—why are you allowing me in here? Where's Seokjin?"

Namjoon laughed dryly. "That asshole? We broke up a couple months ago."

Taehyung did a poor job concealing his surprise. "What? Why?"

"That prick never loved me in the first place," Namjoon told him. "I thought he did—for long time. He's always been such a good actor."

Namjoon locked eyes with Taehyung, who was obviously busy trying to figure out what had happened. Then, Taehyung spoke. "So, those bruises from the last time I saw you. They were from him?"

Namjoon nodded, closing his eyes as he fought to repress the painful memories. "Every single one of them." He then opened his eyes. "How did you see them?"