The boys had a wonderful Christmas night. They played games, they joked around, they talked, drank, laughed. Sometimes Tae’s parents even joined their conversation. At some point Hoseok, Jimin, and Jungkook showed their some of the dance moves they had for the show on New Year’s Ball. When it was nearly two am and it was time to sleep, they all went to their beds happily, relieved that there hadn’t been a mistletoe accident.
Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin used Tae’s room as usual. Hoseok and Yoongi took the big guest room next to it. Jean and Namjoon were using Namjoon’s room on other side of the house, far away from the boys.
When the trio reached their room, they were too exhausted.
“Hey Taehyung!” Jimin said, trying to lighten up the mood a little. “Isn’t your birthday near?”
“Yeah it’s on 31st of December, new years eve.” Tae said, turning his head to Jimin. He was half naked, Jimin had caught him mid-change. He didn’t seem to care about it though.
“So… you’ll be eighteen.” Jimin continued.
“I will.” Tae crossed his eyebrows as he started to see what Jimin was going for.
“And Kook here will still be sixteen.” Jimin said. Jungkook turned his head when he heard his name, he hadn’t been listening to the conversation. He was busy examining the music box as if he was trying to memorize all of its details.
“Yeah…?” Tae said, finally finding his comfortable gucci t shirt and putting it on.
“I’ve always wanted to be an outlaw!” Jimin smiled. Both boys turned to Jimin and rolled their eyes.
“Okay, jokes aside.” Jimin continued to smile. “Jungkook, I really loved your video. I can’t thank you enough. It was really thoughtful and beautiful.”
“You guys are always so good to me. You changed my life and you are the reason I smile these days. I just wanted to return the favor.”
“Jungkookie I love you!”
“Awww you guys are too cutee.” Taehyung rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed from the lack of attention he was getting. “Please don’t start crying again.”
“Tae you have to wait your turn! Be patient.” Jungkook walked over him and left a kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek.
Jimin snorted. “Pfft ‘don’t start crying again’... says the boy who ended up sobbing in mommy’s arms!”
“Hey it’s different!” Tae stuck out his tongue.
“Hey now! Don’t get childish again!” Jungkook said.
“Sorry Jungkook.” Both boys mumbled.
“And I’m supposed to be the maknae.” Jungkook murmured under his breath, making his boyfriends laugh.
“Hoseok’s gift was really good too.” Jungkook added.
“Yeah, baby boy sure knows how to pick a gift.” Tae said, immediately covering his stomach because he was scared he could be hit. But Jungkook didn’t seem to mind and Jimin just raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
“Speaking of Hoseok, I have to check on them. I’ll be back.” Jimin said, slipping out of the dorm.
x X x
Yoongi was at a loss for words and his eyes were filled. The second he reached his room, he had started reading Jimin’s note while Hoseok went to the bathroom to take the makeup off his bruises.
“Hey Yoongi,
I just wanted to write this note to you to tell you how I feel, and as you know I usually suck with words.
We’ve had our differences. We’ve definitely had a rocky relationship. I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am to have you through all this time. Thank you for sticking with me even though you absolutely had no reason to do so. Even after literally everyone told us that we had a weird relationship you never gave up in our friendship.
But, ever since we broke up, it’s always been kind of awkward between us. We get more comfortable with each day that passes but there is this unspoken distance between us. And I hate it. Maybe it’s there because I didn’t stop loving you immediately after we broke up. But I don’t see you that way anymore. I love you, I probably love you more that I ever did before. I love you as one would love their best friend, their brother. I see no reason for there to be an awkward distance between us anymore and I really want to close it. I am writing this as a first way towards becoming as close as we once were.
I guess I am getting way too cheesy. I told you I’m not as good with words. You are the most important person in my life right now. Dating you was one of the best choices I’ve ever made: you made me realise I could easily be someone else. Someone softer, someone with love for everyone, someone happy. You are my oldest friend, my first love, my first reason to keep on waking up in the morning. I’m not saying we should ask as if the past never happened. The past was good, but we need to stop dwelling on it and move on.
Now I realise that I’m probably making this all up. You probably don’t feel the same distance as I do. Maybe I’m just exaggerating. I feel like a twelve year old girl writing an anonymous message to her crush right now. But if there is the smallest possibility that you have sensed this distance I’m talking about, I want you to know that I hate everything about it.
I don’t know how to end this so I’m just gonna stop before I end up repeating myself a lot. I love you, and I always will. Thank you for being there for me. I hope we get to work past our differences and get rid of this space.”
The letter ended there abruptly. Yoongi didn’t know how to feel. He had sensed the distance distance Jimin was talking about, but he had no idea how much this bothered Jimin. He always thought that Jimin was too busy living his own life to care, and now he felt bad because he was gravely mistaken. He was cut off from his thoughts when Hoseok came out of the bathroom.
“This guest room is as nearly big as our dorm.” He stated. His bruises were very visible now. Yoongi’s face fell, since the day he told the bullies to stay away from Hoseok, they had done the exact opposite. Often, they would just hold Yoongi down and beat Hoseok, just to laugh at Yoongi’s expression when he was hopeless and mad. Yoogi was cut off from his thoughts when Jimin walked into their room.
“Oh hi Jimin!” They were both too surprised. Hoseok did his best to hide his big bruise under his jaw.
“I wanted to talk to you.” He said, pointing at Hoseok.
“Yeah?”
“Lift your chin up.”
Hoseok did what he was told unwillingly. It wasn’t wise to disobey Jimin when he sounded serious. There, under his chin, was a huge contusion totally lit by moonlight.
“What is that?” Jimin asked sternly.
“It’s a… uh.. Hickey.” Hoseok shot a quick look at Yoongi.
“Do you honestly think I’m stupid enough to believe that?! Hickeys don’t just happen under your chin! Plus, I’ve dated Yoongi too you know. Unless he really changed, he doesn’t like anything about hickeys.” He was getting more and more angry by every word. “What. Is. That?” he repeated himself. When he got no answer he continued. “Is someone bullying you? Who beat you up?” He eyed both of his friends. For a moment there was nothing but compassion in his eyes. When the boys looked down instead of answering though, it was the last drop.
“TELL ME” his face was red now.
“Yes.” Yoongi finally said weakly.
“Since when?” Jimin felt like he was going to faint.
“Since… the first day of school…” Hoseok said. “It’s honestly nothing Jimin!” he tried to reason.
“Lift up your shirt then.”
“I- uh.”
“Do it.” Jimin’s stare was unbearable. Yoongi had never seen him this mad. Hoseok slowly obeyed. His torso was covered in bruises and small injuries. Jimin needed to lean on the wall to stay up now. Hoseok quickly pulled his shirt back down and went next to Jimin, but Jimin pushed him back.
“Who?” He put his hand on his forehead as if he had a massive headache.
“You don’t know-”
“WhO?”
“Kwon Jiyoung and Choi Seunghyun.” Jimin had heard of them. Taehyung and Jungkook had both told Jimin to stay away from them.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“At first… you were struggling with your own problems.” Hoseok started.
“Then it was kinda too late.” Yoongi continued.
“You were happy we didn’t want to ruin it.”
“This is bullshit. We’re friends. We’re SUPPOSED TO BE best friends. If you’re at least gonna act like you care about me, you have to be honest to me.”
“We do care about you.”
“We care about you a lot.”
“We’re really sorry Jimin.”
“This is exactly the kind of distance I was talking about.” Jimin shot a death glare at Yoongi. Yoongi felt a knot in his stomach tightening and hurting him. “You thought I wouldn’t notice? How long were you planning to take this?”
“As long as possible.” Yoongi said firmly.
“We don’t want you to mess with them Jiminie.” Hoseok reasoned.
“They are ruthless.” Yoongi agreed.
“Please don’t tell this to anyone and just leave this be.”
“We don’t want you to be their next target.”
“We love you Jimin.”
“You are my best friend Jimin. Seeing you hurt because of them, because of us, would kill me.”
“Stop it. I am going to do whatever I think is best for you. I can’t just ignore this!”
“Please Jimin.”
“No. I am the reason we’re even in this school. We’re in this together.”
“Don’t tell Jungkook and Taehyung then! At least not for a while!” Hoseok had given up on talking Jimin out of it.
“I’m going to sleep now. I’m exhausted. We’ll talk about this later. I love you guys so much and we need to be a team on this.” And he stormed off with that, leaving Yoongi and Hoseok behind. They both sunk in their beds in despair, trying to figure out what to do next.
end of chapter twenty five~
Hello! Sorry for the late update again! I've been struggling with exams and toefls for the last two weeks