Some lies are easier to believe than the truth.
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"Inyeop, I hate this. I can't take it anymore. I'm such a coward." Jimin sniffs, looking up at the ceiling and avoiding the older's gaze.
"I know Jimin, I know it's hard, but you're not a coward trust me. It's totally normal to be afraid to face the people who hurt you." The older moves jimin's head so that he's looking at him. "Let's try what I told you earlier. Close your eyes." He added.
Jimin leaned back to his bed and closed his eyes. He saw darkness, followed by crazy shapes and colors with even crazier and funnier features. Sooner, the sad tears became happy ones. He was laughing yet crying, it's like when you're having a mental breakdown but your best friend ruins it so you start laughing tears. No, It was exactly like that. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at inyeop with his doe eyes.
"I love you." He said, a soft smile creeping up his face.
"I love you more." The other boy spoke, leaning in for another hug.
"Thanks for everything. You literally don't know how much it means. Without you I wouldn't be like this. Even though I'm not in my best mental state, it's definitely better when you're beside me." Jimin started tearing up once again.
Inyeop let go of him and held him by his shoulders. "Don't thank me. Any other decent person would've done what I've done. It's the least thing I could do for someone like you." The older smiled and Jimin did the same. "Jimin, I will always be here for you. I'll make sure you're safe, I'll protect you. You won't be alone anymore. I'll won't let you go, you hear me? I'll never let you go, ever. I promise." The older boys said, tone serious. He exchanged glances at both jimin's eyes. He wanted some type of answer, confirmation.
Jimin smiled genuinely, whipping his tears. "Thank you."
Thank you. A polite expression used when acknowledging a gift, service, or compliment, and accepting or refusing an offer. It's a very simple word that people use a lot. Although sometimes, it isn't that simple. What is a word deeper than thank you? How deep can thank you get? How do you sincerely thank someone? What's the suitable word for something like that? Well, in this situation, nothing. A word that can replace thank you doesn't exist. Another example, love. There isn't a word that's stronger than love, and so same with thank you. So, how do you know how sincere a thank you is? The answer is so simple to the point where it's confusing, body language. If you know the person you're talking to very well, then by now you'll know their body language. You'll understand how a thank you was meant to sound, how deep it actually is, and how grateful the person truly is.
Inyeop wondered how a simple thank you could made him this happy. He knows how much Jimin means it, he knows so damn well.
-
"Hey," Inyeop started, joining Jimin on the couch. Jimin lowered the tv volume and hummed at him.
"So uh.. I have to go back to America to finish the drama I'm working on." He said, avoiding jimin's gaze.
Jimin kept silent for a few, thinking, before he finally spoke up. "That's great, I can't wait to see it." He said with a genuine smile.
The older was confused at Jimin's answer. He thought Jimin would be sad or mad, but.. he wasn't. "Aren't you mad at me?"
Jimin cocked an eyebrow before laughing. "No, of course not. Why would I be? I feel like I'm the reason you aren't working right now."
"No, you're not. I wanted to stay here my own--" Inyeop was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. He looked away from Jimin to find his phone and when he looked at it, he sighed. "It's my company, I have to answer. I'll be back." He said, walking out of the living room and Jimin nodded.
The younger boy brought his attention back to the television, humming to an ad song. A few more seconds had passed and he found himself thinking about a few days ago.
-
Jimin left the hospital after exactly two days like the doctor said. He and Inyeop went back to the hotel they were in. It has already been three days since he had left, and he feels much better already. He and Inyeop spoke about the situation with the members, Jimin kept insisting he's weak and won't be able to ever look at their faces. Luckily inyeop was there to prove him otherwise. He kept comforting him about how it's normal to be sensitive to a situation like this and that he'll get over it. He even helped the younger with his anxiety attacks, he taught him how to balance his breaths. So, so far it has been great. He'd like to think that he will be okay with seeing bts anytime soon. He'd became stronger, thanks to Inyeop, and somehow, a little confident.
-
Jimin smiled thinking about that. Maybe it wasn't a really funny situation to think about and smile, but he was happy Inyeop was there to make it thousand times better.
Speaking of, Inyeop came back to the living room jogging, a suspicious smile on his face. Jimin laughed at how cute he looked right now. "So, how's everything?" He asked, positioning his body towards the older who was now sitting beside Jimin again.
"So, the company wants me to be back at the end of the week." Inyeop's smiled got even bigger and Jimin giggled. "What else? This smile seems suspicious." The younger asked.
"Well, they were looking for an actor, a new face, someone who never acted before yet still is good at it..." Inyeop trailed off.
"And..?" Jimin squinted his eyes, kinda expecting the rest.
"And so I might've told them about you-"
"Yeah no, forget it." Jimin interrupted.
"B-But, why?" He older whined. "You realize you'll be in America, with me. That's literally everyone's dream." Inyeop added, scoffing and rolling his eyes.
Jimin sighed, maybe he hadn't gave this enough thought. "But I'm not even good at acting."
"Jimin, you're an idol. You're better at acting that actors themselves. You have to pretend everyday that you enjoy your life and that you're the happiest person under the best company. Not to mention you have to act cute and do ayego all the time. And yet you still say you're not good at acting?" The older spoke a little fast, sorta mad.
Jimin chuckled. "Ayo, chill. Okay, I'll give it some thought." He said and the older nodded, approvingly.
Inyeop wanted to say something but he was cut off by Jimin's phone ringing this time.
"It's BangPD." Jimin hesitated before answering.
"Answer it." The older reassured.
So the younger took a deep breath before tapping the accept button and then the speaker.
"Yeoboseyo?"
"Hello Jimin. The hospital called me and told me you're out. I wanted to ask, how are you feeling now?"
"I'm feeling better, thank you."
"That's good to hear. I wanted to know when you'll be able to come back here. I understand how much you're going through right now but we really need to sort things out. I want to make sure you'll be okay no matter what you'll choose."
"Yes, I understand sir. I'm free right now, should I stop by?"
"Yes, please. If you're okay with it. I'll wait."
"Nae." Jimin answered and hung up, looking at inyeop.
"Do you..."
"Can you come with me?" Jimin asked.
"Yeah, sure. I was about to ask. So, let's go?" The older laughed and Jimin nodded.
-
"Come in." Sihyuk said as he heard a knock. Jimin opened the huge door, revealing his manager sitting on his desk.
"Annyeonghaseyo." Jimin did a ninety degree bow.
"Hello Jimin, please take a seat." Sihyuk pointed to a chair. Jimin replied with a thank you and sat down with Inyeop.
"And I'm assuming you're Jimin's friend?" Sihyuk asked smiling at inyeop.
"Yes sir, that's me." The actor bowed in his seat.
"Nice to meet you...?" Sihyuk trailed off.
"Inyeop, hwang Inyeop." He answered.
"Nice to meet you, Inyeop." He smiled. "You're an actor right? Or is it just similar names?"
"Oh no, yes I am. I work at KeyEast agency, under SM entertainment."
"Pleasure to meat you. Thank you for taking care of Jimin. I knew I could trust you."
Inyeop looked at a smiling Jimin. "Of course, he's my best friend. That's the least I could do." He smiled.
Sihyuk smiled back before turning his attention back to Jimin. "Okay, let's get to the point." He cleared his throat and Jimin gulped, listening closely.
"I was thinking lately about how you'll wanna continue your career, or even if you wanna end it. So, you have a few ideas I thought of, and of course you can add anything else you'd like to choose." Sihyuk started, flicking through some papers. Jimin hesitantly nodded at his boss. "First, you can choose to leave the company and leave the whole industry and we'll post an announcement saying that it's due to personal reasons. Second, you can leave BTS and debut as a soloist and continue working on your normal projects alone. And lastly, you can raise a file to the court, and charge the members with violence and mental abuse. I know this won't be the best option to me, the company, or them, but it's your right. You choose."
Jimin's breath hitched and the older noticed. He placed a hand behind his back to comfort him. If anything, Jimin did not, and would not, want to ever be with bts in the same court room, yet against each other. That has gone too far.
"Sir, I understand how I should do that, and it's my right and all, but I don't think charging them will be the best option. I.. still love them. Are these my only options?" Jimin frowned. He didn't like where this is going.
"These are the things that I thought about. If you have any ideas in mind that you'd like to do, please let me know. We'll consider it, and I'll support you on every option you choose. So you don't have to worry about my opinion or the consequences or the company's situation. And I'm pretty sure armys will understand as well." Sihyuk sighed, and when he got no response, he spoke up once again. "However, there is still one more option I have in mind. I didn't say it because I didn't really think you'd choose it, but here we go." The two boys shot their head up and listened closely. "You can choose to stay with bts, without any charges or courts or anything, just an apology and some talking and sorting out things."
Jimin looked at inyeop and he did the same. The younger didn't really know what to choose, he was confused and he had mixed feelings. "I...Can I have some time to think about it?" Jimin finally asked.
"Yes, of course. I'll give you two days, if you thought about it anytime before, you can call me and let me know how you'd like to end this." Sihyuk linked his fingers together. Jimin nodded and stood up to leave.
"Jimin?" Sihyuk interrupted. Jimin stopped and looked behind him. "Yes?"
The manager sighed before looking up at Jimin. "Thank you for not choosing to involve the law. I... I really appreciate it. It would've caused the company a lot of problems and I really am thankful you understood." He gave the younger a genuine smile.
Jimin knew how much he meant what he said. It's hard to see what you built go down just like that. "Of course. You did nothing, I shouldn't get you nor the company involved. This is about me and the other members, and I should solve my problems my own."
Sihyuk thanked him once again, Jimin bowed and made his way to the door but was interrupted once again.
"Inyeop?" The manager called and Inyeop turned around. "Yes?" He asked.
"May I have a word with you? In private?" He asked.
Inyeop looked at Jimin who nodded at him and left the two of them alone in the room.
Jimin closed the door after he left. He wondered what could BangPD possibly want or need from inyeop? It was odd, but he shook it off. He hummed with a song in his mind to kill the boredom. He even did a mini butter dance, bit it seemed like they're still talking. Jimin sighed and stepped a few steps forward only to hear the door behind him click open. He smiled at Inyeop who was making his way towards him. Jimin looked Infront of him again and took a few more steps, thinking the older would follow. He looked down at his shoes as he walked, inyeop behind him. But suddenly, another pair of shoes entered his frame, actually, a few more pairs. He stopped and slowly looked upwards.
He saw them.
Them.
Jimin quickly, with a gasp, took fast steps backwards which resulted in him stumbling and falling on the ground. In a second, he saw three pairs of hands extended towards him. All his members had one hand Infront of them, ready to help Jimin up. And instead of holding any of their hands to get up, Jimin shot glances between their faces and hands. And for once, they actually looked concerned. They had this kind of look on their faces that Jimin would've died to see. Worry and concern. He gulped and looked everywhere except at them, realizing he had been staring too much.
Inyeop sprinted towards Jimin, holding his arm to pull him upwards. "Are you okay?" He asked, worry in his eyes. "Y-yes." Jimin (kinda) answered. The older started dusting jimin's clothes off and making sure he wasn't hurt anywhere. When he was done, he pulled Jimin beside him, there wasn't even an inch of air between them now.
Jimin though, kept staring at each and every single one of them, he missed them. They looked sad and hurt. Would it be that they had finally started caring about him? Jimin thought. Jimin frowned, they looked sick. Or, a more suitable word, tired. They looked noticable different.
"Have you been eating well?" Jimin couldn't help but ask first. He took two steps forward, to get a better look of them, leaving Inyeop behind.
They all felt their heart ache. Even after all the did, wether in was intentionally or not, he still cared. He still is Jimin.
The Jimin that always cared about them and made sure to always cheer them up; the sweet loving Jimin. It really hurt them. How could they ever hurt this innocent angel?
They wondered, who was Jimin's Jimin? Who was ever the person? If Jimin cares about everyone, who cares about him? Who makes sure he's okay? Who is the Jimin to Jimin?
"W-we're o-okay, thanks." Jin replied, stuttering.
"Mm." Jimin hummed in response. Hands in pocket and lips in a thin line, he attempted to walk away with Inyeop.
"W-wait!" Jungkook called, which came out harsher than intended.
Jimin stopped and looked at his shoes, waiting for what they have to say.
"We wanted to t-talk." Jungkook continued, looking at inyeop. As Inyeop met his gaze, he instantly looked the other way. Jimin sighed and looked at them, waiting for anyone to talk.
"Jimin.." Their leader started. "We wanted to say sorry. We really regret everything. I know it must've been hard. Chaeyoung-- no,.. it's not her problem, it's ours. We believed her when we shouldn't've. We believed her and not you. We did something horrible."
"I hate how I didn't treat you like I should've. I'm really sorry Jimin, we believed this stupid lie and not only that, but we hurt you. I made you take the blame of something you didn't do. I didn't cook for you, and I didn't care about you..." Jin continued.
"I... I was jealous of you. I really looked up to you hyung, I loved you so much and I was so fascinated by everything and anything you did. I wanted to be like you. But I expressed everything wrong. I hurt you, trying to get on top. I wanted to be the best, and I wanted to replace you. But now that you're gone, it's different. Everything seems wrong, empty. My success isn't that great anymore. I don't have you. You're not there to tell me how great I did, you're not there to praise me for the bare minimum I do. I really miss you, hyung. I miss how you were so kind and loving. I guess we didn't realize your worth until it was too late." Jungkook started tearing up and Jimin almost gave up and went to high him right there, he never liked it when the others cry, but no. Inyeop taught him good.
"Hyung, we miss you so much. Please, we don't expect your forgiveness, but we know we had to apologize." Hoseok sniffed.
"Please." Everyone whined. "Please come back, we need you."
"I..." Jimin was confused on what he should do. He felt like he's under so much pressure. He usually doesn't make choices that big and important, but now it's happening. Their future depends on him, on a single word from him, a yes or a no will decide their future. He really didn't want to hurt them, but enough hurting himself. It's either they get hurt, or he does.
Taehyung started, taking steps forward so that he is standing right Infront of Jimin now. "Jimin listen," He started, lifting his hand.
With a gasp, Jimin immediately flinched, head snapping the other way and hands in front of it to protect himself. When he what he expected didn't happen, he slowly removed his hands and opened his eyes, only to see a widen eyes taehyung with a hand through his hair.
"Did you...think I was gonna hit you...?" He asked, voice shaky and eyes teary, still frozen in place.
"I-I.. I'm sorry." The shorter said.
"Hyung, don't apologize. Please, we are here to do that." Jungkook exhaled loudly. Taehyung still didn't dare move from his place. Was this what it had to be? Jimin being afraid of his own members?
"I just... Stop, please." Jimin covered his whole face with his hands, dropping on his knees, crying his eyes out.
Inyeop was fed up with it, he wanted to let them sort things out but it had came too far. It isn't gonna work. He stepped in front of Jimin, expression full and scary. "Can you leave him alone for now?"
"But we just want to make sure he's okay--" Jin trailed off.
"I'll think about it. Please let me sort out my thoughts. How do you expect to know my answer when I, myself, don't? How you act is confusing me, I just want you to tell me how you feel, honestly. Let me think about everything, leave me alone for now." A red faced Jimin spoke, voice shaking.
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AYO YALL, NOW WE HAVE THE ENDINGS LEFT. I HAVE ABOUT THREE ENDINGS IN MIND AND PROBABLY THE LAST ENDING WILL HAVE A SECOND PART. PLUS THE EPILOGUE, ARGHHHH.
Hope y'all are as excited as me.
Jim-out.