MUST HAVE BEEN THE WIND | JIKOOK ✔

CHP 32

"Haechan?" Jimin murmurs, blinking.

"...I'm sorry, Hyung," he mutters under his breath.

Jimin runs his hands over his eyes, exhaling softly. "Sorry for what?"

Haechan pulls on his bottom lip and finally looks up. The boy has been crying. Their eyes finally meet and the teacher swallows thickly, unsure of what to say.

"...I'm sorry about Jeongguk Hyung. I'm sorry about getting into fights at school... but they deserve it. Every single one of them," he utters evenly while stuffing his hands into his pockets.

The air was already stiff enough as was but with Haechan's sudden apology it thickens over and coats the teacher's skin with some fragment of guilt.

"It's okay, Haechan... but I'm alright. You need to stop worrying about me, okay? Both of your father's are worried--"

"I only have one dad..." the boy cuts him off curtly.

The difference in the boy's behaviour shocks Jimin. Of course he had been witness to it's early stages of development but ever since then he's gotten more blunt and careless. He begins to think about what Taehyung said... about how Haechan wants to meet his birth mother. About how he's been ignoring Namjoon because they aren't blood related. And as somebody who wants a kid in the future... it breaks his heart.

"That's not true, kiddo," Jimin states and unravels his small fingers from out of Jeongguk's hand, standing up with the green hoodie in his hands. He slips it back over his body, leans down to press a gentle kiss to the policeman's forehead and then approaches the teenager.

Jimin ushers him out of the hospital room and the boy obeys. They stand just to the right of the closed door. The blond puts both of his hands on Haechan's shoulders and makes sure the boy is looking him in his eyes before he begins to speak.

"...Just hear me out, okay? You don't have to agree with what I say but I just need to know that you'll listen to me," the teacher starts and Haechan nods his head slowly.

"Now I don't know exactly what your childhood looked like growing up. But what I do know is that Namjoon Hyung was there for you, right? I saw the photos in your guy's house. You looked so happy. He and Taehyung raised you to be the bestest boy. And you wanna know how I know that? Because right now I'm staring at the outcome of their hard work and I can say that it was a success. They love you so much, okay?" Jimin says with furrowed brows and softly pouted lips, boring into Haechan's eyes.

The teenager is looking down at the ground now, hands still shoved deeply into his pockets. He's showing visible signs of conflict. Stuck at a crossroad once again, unsure of what to say or how to go about it.

"...I know... I'm just angry. I'm frustrated and not just with them but myself. With the kids at my school. I can't stop fucking thinking and getting into fights," he stresses and his hands leave his pockets to thread in his hair.

Jimin is stunned yet internalizes his shock. He's never seen Haechan this stressed before. Not even at school when he was teaching did he ever see him get this bad. This is an all time low for him.

"...And why are you getting into fights? Taehyung said it was because of me but I have every right to believe that there's another reason behind it," Jimin pitches.

Haechan runs a hand down his face. He deflates and slumps down against the wall, pressing his forehead into his palms. Jimin sits down beside him and looks forward, simply being a presence instead of pushing him for answers.

"...It is because of you... because of what the kids say about you. But there's another reason behind it..." he says so quietly to the point it's almost inaudible.

Jimin takes this minute of ensued silence to look to his left. The teenager is struggling, playing with his sleeves. The levels of his hesitation seen now are unprecedented in comparison to his days when he was much softer and more shy.

"...I think I like boys, Mister Park... I think I like boys because each time they call you a faggot I take it personally. There's this guy in my chemistry class... my lab partner. I think I like him but I don't fucking know what to do. What do I say? I don't want him to get hurt, either," Haechan sighs.

Jimin's eyes widen at the teenager's admission. What else could he be hiding? He has a hunch that the boy has told no one but himself.

"...You're afraid of him getting hurt?" the teacher asks.

Haechan nods. "He's my lab partner and that's fine. He doesn't treat me like everybody else does. I just know that if I talk to him outside of class my bullies will bully him. I don't want that. He doesn't deserve it," the boy explains with sorrowful eyes and despite his experience building up walls around himself, they're slowly breaking down.

"...Haechan, do you think you deserve getting hit?" Jimin pitches, unsure.

The teenager sighs, running his hands through his hair. He looks back down at the floor. "I don't know. It doesn't really bother me. I just hate that it effects the people around me."

"Taehyung talked to me, Channie. He's worried about you and so am I. So is Namjoon Hyung. You don't have to get into fights for me. And I know that isn't really going to change anything. But if they talk about me, try to leave it alone, okay? They aren't worth the pain," Jimin soothes, attempting to mitigate the teenager's stress.

Haechan pulls his bottom lip in, playing with a loose thread on his joggers. He peers up and looks at Jimin. His expression has softened. "...Are you sure you're okay? Mister Park... I can't even begin to think about what it must feel like. I'm being selfish--"

"Hey," Jimin says, placing his hand on the boy's head. "You aren't being selfish... we all have our own battles we face, right? I'm thankful for you... you're distracting me from my reality for a moment. That's all I can ask for."

And that's exactly what is it. Speaking with Haechan for a moment has steered his attention away from the plight of his current situation. The boy is almost like a breath of fresh air. Jeongguk is laying in a hospital bed in the room behind him, severely injured and asleep; however, he's going to be okay.

Jimin is still reeling from his assault but he finds that as he talks to the teenager by his side, some of the pain alleviates and is risen off of his shoulders.

"...Is it okay if I put my head on your shoulder?" Haechan asks.

Jimin nibbles on his lower lip, contemplative for a moment. He nods his head and shortly he feels the weight replaced by something - somebody else worth fighting for and with.

He can't tell him the truth about his birth mother. It's not his place to tell. But what he can do in the moment is be there for him like he is for Jimin.

"He's going to make it, right? Officer Jeon," Haechan suddenly murmurs.

Jimin hums softly, eyes growing heavy. "He's going to make it, Channie. We all are. We just have to be strong."