"Please don't leave TaeTae"
Everything hurt. Even opening his eyes and inhaling the next breath was gut-wrenching. After struggling for a few minutes, Jimin opened his eyes and was immediately attacked by a white vastness overhead. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, but realized his hands hurt terribly and were in fact bandaged. He tried to sit up and investigate where he was when a hand on his shoulder pushed him back softly onto what he can assume was a bed.
"Don't try to sit up. Doctor has asked you to keep lying down unless it's absolutely necessary to get up", a familiar voice spoke, softly.
Jimin turned his gaze and looked at the person sitting by the bedside. His mother hasn't changed much since the last time he saw her, except perhaps the bags under her eyes. She looked like she hasn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.
"W-what are you doing here? Where's my Taehyung?", Jimin deadpanned.
"Your Taehyung? You mean that weird kid? He was hysterical. I sent him home with his brother", she said steely.
"How dare you? Who are you to boss people around?", Jimin spat, sitting up despite the pain shooting through his entire body.
"This is a hospital Jimin. I haven't raised you to scream in public places", she got up and poured water into a glass and offered it to Jimin who swiftly refused by shaking his head.
"It's so good to see you're so concerned for your only son, who as far as I remember was thrown out of the house by none other than you", Jimin spoke, this time lowering his voice a little.
"We did what we thought was right. We had to show you the right path"
"Oh, Did you now? And that included disowning me, cutting off financing help and throwing me out of the house with nowhere to go? Thank you mother. I am truly enlightened now", Jimin was seething. His face visibly red.
"Where's father, might I ask? Was he too busy with his office to make the journey?", Jimin said, shooting daggers at his mother.
"He's down at the accounts department. Taking care of the bill", she sat back down.
"I don't need your help. I am very much capable of taking care of my bills. Why are you actually here? Who asked you to come?", Jimin was losing his temper, his voice , despite his attempts, was rising again.
"Some kind strangers found your father's business card in your wallet. That useless friend of yours couldn't even give a name or an address or a phone number to contact. He just kept hitting himself and screaming gibberish while you lied unconscious", Mrs Park stared, venom lacing every word that left her mouth.
"You do not speak my Taehyung's name from that filthy and disgusting mouth of yours. You know nothing about him", Jimin was ready to jump off the bed and fight his mother physically, if he had to. This conversation was heading no where and he just wanted to see if Taehyung was doing okay.
Poor TaeTae must be worried out of his mind, he thought.
At that instant, the door opens and a man in his fifty's walks inside. He is wearing a black formal suit and is holding a bunch of papers in his hands. Golden rimmed glasses sits a little lower on his nose.
"There you are father. Thought you wouldn't make it here", Jimin mocked.
"Jimin. I see you haven't changed your ways. Is this how your greet your father?", Mr. Park walked over to the bed and handed the papers to his wife, who took them and put them in her handbag.
"Is it done?"
Mr. Park nodded in response. He cleared his throat.
"The bills are cleared. You have to stay here overnight just so the doctors can observe your conditions. You will be discharged in the morning. We can then discuss, when you will move back", he announced.
"Please tell me I hit my head so hard that I am hallucinating and you're actually not here bullshitting your way into bringing me home", Jimin screamed this time, shoving the blanket that was covering his body onto the floor.
"You're seeing your only son after months, lying in the hospital bed, half beaten to death. Did you even ask me how I am doing? If it's painful? If I am hurting? If I am feeling alright? Did you?", Jimin paused, placing a hand on his thumping heart and intently staring between his parents.
"Just because you paid my hospital bills doesn't means I am suddenly grateful to have you guys in my life. You cannot guilt trip me to do your bidding. I am most certainly not going back to your house. You have a good life and pretend like I don't exist. Now please fuck off", Jimin's entire body felt like it was on fire.
Before his parents could react, the door burst open and someone speed walked into the room. Jimin couldn't even comprehend anything, he was being smothered into a bone crushing hug.
"M-Minnie", Tae stuttered, his entire body shivering. He wrapped his hands around Jimin's neck and pulled him closer. Jimin chuckled. "Minnie hurt. They hit Minnie", Tae scrambled to pull him even closer to himself.
"Ouch! TaeTae, can you maybe hug me a little softly baby?", Jimin smiled as Taehyung gasped and pulled back.
"TaeTae hurt Minnie?", he asked, now swaying his body back and forth.
"TaeTae could never", Jimin smiled. He raised his pinky and intertwined it with Taehyung's.
"Who is this boy?", Mr. Park asked, his voice booming in the small room, sounding disgusted. Taehyung flinched, closing his ears with his hands and shuffling a little closer to Jimin.
Jimin pulled him into his embrace and placed the younger's head in the crook of his neck, carding his fingers through his (Tae's) hair to comfort him.
"Can you shut the hell up? You're scaring him", Jimin whisper yelled, not wanting to agitate him further.
"B-bad word", Tae mumbled, his face buried inside Jimin's neck.
"Sorry baby", Jimin smiled, drawing circles on the younger's back.
"Jimin. Is this a joke? Who is this boy? What is the meaning of this?", Mrs, Park approached, standing tall beside her husband. Her face sporting a deep scowl.
"He is my boyfriend, and you're not to speak of him so nonchalantly and disrespectfully. You can say whatever you want to me, but I will not have you talking rubbish about my baby", Jimin screamed.
"And M-moon too?", Tae asked innocently.
"Um-hmm. My baby and my moon", Jimin finished.
"Min-", Namjoon and Jin had just walked into the room and staring back and forth between Jimin and his parents.
"Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt. Taehyung wouldn't leave without seeing Jimin", Jin spoke, politely.
"You didn't Hyung. Since you're here, why don't you tell them to kindly fuck off. I have been trying. They just don't seem to take the hint", Jimin spat, taking everyone by surprise.
"No. B-bad word again Minnie", Tae mumbled again.
"Sorry sweetheart", Jimin kissed his cheek, making both his parents gasp.
"Jimin! You release that boy this instant, This is wrong, you're acting wrong", Mrs. Park screamed with tears in her eyes.
"You better listen to your mother!", Mr. Park added.
"Shut up! Shut up both of you. You're no mother of mine. Stop acting like one. I will love whoever I want, whenever I want. This boy is my Taehyung. He is mine. I am his. You better keep your ass out of our lives", Jimin was now holding Taehyung tight, as if any moment now someone will pull them apart and he will never get to see the younger ever again.
"You-", as an enraged Mr. Park walked up to the bed, causing Namjoon to jumped to action. He stood tall in front of him, blocking his path.
"You. You better stay clear of my family sir", Namjoon spoke calmly, staring intimidatingly into Mr. Park's eyes, who backed down a little.
"Min is part of my family now. He and my little brother love each other. You're no one to stop them. I and Jin will make sure of that", he extended his left hand out to Jin, who immediately took it and side hugged Namjoon.
"You too?", Mrs. Park stood with gaping eyes. "You people disgust me. Come on honey, you were right. We shouldn't have been here", she walked out of the room with an enraged Mr. Park in tow.
As soon as they left, Jimin laid himself down on the bed and screamed, covering his eyes. He was inconsolable after that. Streams and streams of hot tears rolled down his bruised face. Namjoon and Jin stood there holding each other and watching the younger break down. Jin had stopped Namjoon from intervening, saying that it is important that he let his feelings out. Pent up anger will frustrate and hurt him more, he had warned.
Taehyung simply walked over, and lied down beside him, placing his head on Jimin's outstretched hand and hugging him sideways. He had his one hand hugging Jimin's torso and one leg softly lying on top of him. The older softly kissed Tae's temple, grateful for the younger's silent support.
Jin and Namjoon looked on, as both the lover's fell asleep in each other's arms, too tired from all the wallowing.
"Jinnie, I think you're right in what you suggested", Namjoon whispered, as he walked over to the bed and covered the sleeping couple with a comforter.
"Yeah. I think it's for the best", Jin nodded.
"I will speak with Jimin tomorrow. For now, let them rest. They deserve it", with that, they both left, closing the door behind them.
Jimin opened his eyes and stared at the closed door. For the best?, he wondered before sleep devoured him whole.