Siu kept unlocking her phone to check the time and then looking around the coffee bar. She wasn't sure if Jimin would come, but the man had never committed something and then didn't do it, so that kept her hope intact. But then again, she thought Jimin had never seen a married Jungkook before either, so maybe the same rules didn't apply.
She swiped through the chat window to reassure herself, seeing the last text where Jimin had confirmed his presence.
Two empty cups of coffee sat on the table. Siu's uneasiness was at its peak when she got startled. She stood up suddenly, sensing Jimin's presence. "Hi," she beamed but didn't take a step toward him as she wanted to.
"Hey," Jimin smiled back and motioned for her to sit back down before taking the chair across the table.
The eatery wasn't too silent or too crowded. People mostly sat outside in the sun, under the big trees on the lawn. The sun filled the room and Jimin closed his eyes, feeling the warmth and lowly moaning. Every time he'd closed his eyes, images of Jungkook's smile from the numerous trips they took together had swarmed his head, but he had to act like he was unbothered after witnessing his ex-lover two weeks ago at the airport after not seeing him for three years.
He had to hide that he hadn't slept properly in two weeks, that every time he closed his eyes in the night, he saw the same nightmare from when they were in a Clover Park on repeat.
"How are you doing, Jimin?" Siu's empathetic voice made him open his eyes. It seemed to him that blinking was also becoming too much for him to handle at that moment. He wanted someone to release him into the deep ocean where he could silently close his eyes and slip into the dusk without having to struggle.
"I've been better, but not so bad, Siu-nim. How is Jungkook?" Jimin asked, his gaze taking in that Siu was taken aback for a moment that she had to consider her words. In the last three years, he never brought up Jungkook's name in front of her. Every time they talked, he was aware that Siu was informing Jungkook of every little moment, and once or twice, he felt that it was Jungkook texting him rather than Siu herself. But no matter what, he never asked about Jungkook.
"He's suffering, Jimin. He hasn't come home at night in two weeks. He is sleeping in the office, constantly calling me, and hardly eating anything. He only visits Sana when he is sure no one will be home and slips back silently in the morning. Ji-Eun is sure that something is up. She is going crazy and if this keeps up, I am afraid things will spiral."
Jimin heard everything while biting his lips together, his eyes doted on a shiny aluminum jar where he could see Siu's despairing reflection. He could feel his heart beating fainter by the minute, but he had to make it through the coffee. Shaking his head, he sniffled and stared into Siu's eyes. "You are a capable sister, Siu. You can help your brother and your family."
"I am trying to," Jimin leaned back on the chair. "But this was unfortunate. I don't understand love. But if it's anything like this, I don't want it."
Jimin's face crossed with something akin to silent understanding and polite defiance. "I am hungry. Are you hungry?" He asked. "We should eat something. I am bad with words on a hungry stomach."
"You don't eat all that much." Siu now laughed, her big eyes twinkling for the first time in a long time. They weren't leaving Jimin and his dark under eyes. He wasn't fooling her.
"I gain weight easily, Siu-nim," Jimin joked in a lighter tone. "I am sure you know a lot more about me than I know about you. Don't think that I am unaware on my part. You'll be surprised how much I know you, too." He held onto the jug of water.
When Siu noticed a little tremble in his hands, she took the jar from Jimin and began to pour water into the glass. "I am sure you do. But going by your words, you seem like you haven't been eating in a long time. Look at yourself, Jimin."
"I don't want to look at myself anymore. Enough about me. Tell me, did you settle well here?" Jimin drifted the conversation again.
"Trying to. After Appa is gone, the family isn't the same anymore. Eomma doesn't talk much, but she is putting much more pressure on me to get married now. Ji-Eun is worried for Jungkook. The only person in the family who doesn't know what's going on is little Sana." Jimin accepted the glass and took a sip, feeling his insides latch a little by little. "I don't want to lose Eomma, too. And I decided to respect her wish."
Jimin held Siu's gaze for a moment too long and then nodded. "It's good for you."
Siu only stared at Jimin with so many emotions without expressing any of them. "Did he send you to check up on me?" She heard Jimin asking, again shifting the conversation.
"Not this time," shaking her head, she breathed deeply. "I wanted to see for myself if you are going to be alright."
"I am fine, Siu," Jimin exhorted adamantly, feeling a pang rising in his lower abdomen. His face broke into a sweat and he chuckled, picking up the napkin from the table. "The sun is too clear today. Oh, I am glad you all moved back to Busan. I tried living in many countries, but nothing feels like home."
"You don't look okay to me, Jimin," Siu took notice of slurring words as Jimin couldn't hold onto one string of conversation. "Let me drive you home and I'll order something for us to eat there."
"Oh," Jimin dismissed. "I am absolutely fine. I am a bit hungry, that's all. We are already sitting here. Let's eat together. My treat."
"I can't do this," Siu held onto Jimin's palms and walked around the table to sit beside him, without people in earshot. "I can't see you like this."
"What was the name of the guy who was working with you?" Jimin asked instead, the pain now radiating all over his body, but he kept the smile on his lips.
"Hoseok. Jung Hoseok."
"Is he still interested in you?"
"I guess," Siu's eyes teared up.
"Then go and marry Hoseok." Jimin pulled his hands away from Siu. "I can take myself home, Siu. I don't think I want to see you anymore. This has become too problematic. I'll move to Seoul soon. You and your family will never have to stumble with me. I'll make sure of it." Tears stung at the ends of his eyes.
The woman was sobbing now, covering her face. Her gut was raw when she felt Jimin's hand on her hair, the gentle touch burned warm. Standing up quickly, she hugged him tightly. "Jimin," she groaned in his neck.
"I know," the man answered, rubbing his palm over her back with a warm touch "You don't have to say it. And I am so sorry that I can't return your feelings."
"No," Siu shook her head and pulled away to wipe Jimin's tears. "I am sorry. It's my fault."
Jimin's chin trembled and his eyes remained doted at nothing. Siu tiptoed and pressed a soft kiss on Jimin's lips. He didn't return it, only accepting what the woman had to offer, letting her take what she needed. He knew this was a goodbye from Siu and it hurt. It hurt that he would now lose everything that was related to Jungkook, but this had to be done.
He was surviving, making himself believe that whatever happened with Jungkook and his relationship was what had to be done given the circumstances, but having seen Jungkook living his new life where he didn't belong, it was his destiny. Nothing could change that the love of his life belonged to someone else.
Before Siu could run away, he grabbed her coat and held it out for her. He couldn't meet her eyes as he simply stood there, watching her getting into the coat and sighing.
When she started moving, he stood there, noticing that she wasn't only walking, but running to get as far away from him as quickly as she could.
Good, he thought. Run fast and don't look back. He thumped back down on the chair, the moans of pain now ripping free from his lips. When Jungkook had gotten married, he'd made sure that Siu was always checking up on him. Jimin wasn't entirely sure when, but the woman had unmistakably fallen in love with him.
She thought he didn't know, but he did.
As Jimin's eyes started closing, he smiled, thinking about Siu and her perseverance and how the web had tangled her in the flawed fate of his and Jungkook's life.
He waited for his head to hit the ground as he fell from the chair, but instead, he felt the softness and hardness of his arms and the fragrance that edged the tips of Jimin's lips into a smile. Everything turned dark, but he heard a distant cry from somewhere. "Jimin Hyung!"
VOTE GOAL ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 70
Next update will follow when we have 70 votes on this chapter.
60 votes in 24 hours and 70 votes in 24 days. WKANADA Girl math is this lol?
Anyway... As promised, here was the next chapter.