"Namjoon, why do we have chicken breast instead of pork belly? And where is the brisket and short ribs?"
"What?"
Jin frowned as he observed his friend.
Namjoon's eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and he seemed to have trouble focusing.
Jin had caught his friend seemingly daydreaming many times since Christmas Day, his gaze far away like he was seeing something that wasn't there.
Jin had initially attributed it to coursework and assignments because Namjoon had signed up for a lot of classes, but then he had caught his friend sitting like a statue in the living room yesterday, unblinking as silent tears ran down his face.
It had worried him, which was why he had refused Jungkook's company on this shopping trip and dragged Namjoon with him instead.
He wanted to check in with his friend, make sure he was alright.
Though things didn't work out between them on the romantic front, he still cared deeply for Namjoon, and if there was anything he could do to help his friend, he would do it in a heartbeat.
"Joonie, want to tell me what's going on?" Jin prompted. "Want to share why you've been so out of it lately?"
"What? I haven't been out of it," Namjoon scoffed.
"Joonie, this is me you're talking to. You can't fool me."
"Don't be ridiculous, Jinnie."
Namjoon tried to distract Jin by putting a bag of vegetables in their shopping trolley.
Jin sighed before returning the bag of turnips back onto its display case.
He then placed his hand gently on Namjoon's arm and waited for him to look up.
When Namjoon finally looked at Jin, there were tears in his eyes.
"He broke up with me, Jinnie," Namjoon whispered.
"Hoseok?" Jin was stunned.
Jin wasn't expecting it because both Namjoon and Hoseok had seemed to be in good spirits at the Christmas lunch.
Namjoon frowned, confused by Jin's question.
"No. Jimin. He broke up with me."
Jin's mouth fell open.
He didn't expect to hear that about Jimin.
The boy was crazy in love with his friend.
One could see it in the way his eyes looked at Namjoon.
One could hear it in the way he talked about Namjoon.
One could feel it in the way he would shyly put his small hand into Namjoon's larger one when they thought no one was looking.
And Jin knew Namjoon was the exact same way with the boy even though he always denied that things were serious between them.
"Why? When?"
"Jimin caught me with Hobi. The day you picked up my family at the train station."
It took a moment for Jin to remember that Namjoon called his other boyfriend Hobi instead of Hoseok.
"Oh my god, Namjoon. Why didn't you tell me?"
Namjoon could hear the sorrow in Jin's voice, and he was touched by it.
"I didn't want to worry you."
"Poor Jimin."
"Thank y— Wait! Poor Jimin? What do you mean poor Jimin?!"
"He wasn't the one cheating," Jin crossed his arms.
Namjoon glared at Jin.
"Some friend you are. Your loyalty is heartwarming," Namjoon's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"And you should be grateful that I'm a loyal friend. Otherwise, I would have dropped your sorry arse the minute I found out you were juggling two lovers."
"As if! You need a place to stay. You wouldn't have been so quick to leave. Admit it. I'm the loyal friend."
"Actually, Yoongi would have taken me in if I needed a place. And we both know it," Jin smirked. "So no, my smart but incredibly stupid Namjoon, I'M THE LOYAL ONE."
Namjoon gaped at Jin, his mouth opening and closing like a dying fish.
He couldn't disagree because it was the truth.
Jin would never be homeless at Hanyang because many would have gladly taken him in, and not just Yoongi.
Jin was that popular and coveted even though he was completely oblivious to how everyone felt about him.
So who's the smart but incredibly stupid one now, Jinnie? Namjoon pooh-poohed internally.
"What are you going to do, Joonie?"
Jin had begun pushing their shopping trolley through the supermarket again, and Namjoon had to quicken his steps to catch up.
"I don't know."
"You like him, don't you? A lot?"
"I do," Namjoon admitted.
"Then tell him that. Tell him that you're sorry and that you like him a lot. And dare I say that you might also love him a little?"
Namjoon walked silently beside Jin as he considered Jin's words.
Jin was right.
Namjoon did love Jimin a little.
Jin smiled when he saw the look of wonder cross his friend's face.
Sometimes the smart ones are also the most oblivious ones, Jin thought.
"But enough about me, Jinnie. Do you have something to tell me about you and Jungkook?"
"What? What's there to tell?"
"You two kissed, didn't you? And you confessed your feelings for each other?"
Jin blushed and avoided Namjoon's gaze.
"Jinnie..."
"Yes! And yes!"
"Finally! Took you both long enough!"
Namjoon rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air.
Jin's eyes widened in shock.
"What? You didn't know?" Namjoon asked.
Jin shook his head.
Namjoon gawked at Jin.
"You seriously didn't know how that boy felt about you?!"
"No, Joonie, I didn't. Did you?"
"Oh my god, Jin! Everyone knew! Anyone with eyes could see it! The boy's been in love with you his whole life!"
Namjoon was exasperated, and his red face further underlined it.
Jin's jaw dropped to the floor.
He was struck dumb by the revelation.
"It drove us crazy to see you two dancing around each other like first time wrestlers! We were all getting frustrated waiting for both of you to get your act together and confess to each other but it never happened. And Jungkook was fooling no one when he went out with all those girls. At least not me. I could see he wasn't really into them. But I guess he fooled you."
Jin stopped pushing the shopping trolley and sat on the floor in the instant noodles aisle.
He had lost all feeling in his legs, and his head was spinning.
Namjoon gasped and immediately kneeled down beside Jin.
"Jinnie! Are you okay?!"
"Why..." Jin looked up at his friend. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you knew!" Namjoon whined. "And when you started dating Yoongi, I thought you got over your feelings for Jungkook."
Jin buried his fingers in his hair and pulled hard as he stifled a small scream.
But then a thought struck him.
"Wait! You knew?!"
"Knew what?" Namjoon wasn't sure where Jin was going with his question because there was a glint in his eye.
"You knew how Jungkook felt about me and you still asked me out?!"
"All's fair in love and war," Namjoon shrugged. "Since he didn't ask you out, I figured I had a chance with you."
"You said he will never be with me the way I want him to! You said he will never be like me and you! You said he will never love me!"
Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck, his expression sheepish.
"I wasn't completely sure at the time because he was young. I didn't think he would accept his sexuality. He seemed conflicted."
Jin's glare was scorching and it made Namjoon shudder.
"Jinnie, what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I should have let Jungkook punch you a second time that day instead of protecting you."
Namjoon gulped and shivered as he recalled the murderous look in Jungkook's eyes that day.
And he was glad Jin didn't.
Because he wouldn't have met Jimin.
~~~~~~~~~
From the Author: For those of you who read this book when I first published it as Best Friends under my original account (BlueTulip97), this chapter was the last one posted before I closed BlueTulip97 on 16 October 2019. Next chapters are new for everyone.