Mine (Jikook/Kookmin)- Complete

14

Jimin sat by the window, watching Jae stare out with a longing expression, waiting for Jungkook to return. It had been two days, and Jungkook’s house remained dark and empty. The absence weighed heavily on Jimin’s heart, filling him with an anxious restlessness that gnawed at him day and night. He had tried calling, messaging, but Jungkook never answered. And now, with every passing hour, Jimin’s worry grew stronger.

"Jae, let's eat. Appa made gimbap," Jimin softly called out, hoping to break the silence. But Jae, sulking and visibly upset, shook his head. His small body seemed to shrink as he sat by the window, staring out, waiting for Jungkook’s car to pull up.

Jimin didn’t know how to comfort him. Nothing worked. Even Tae and Hobi, who had come over to check on them, couldn’t lift Jae’s spirits. Normally, their visits would bring laughter and joy, but today, the house was filled with an uncomfortable quiet.

"Did you eat?" Hobi asked, sensing the unease in the house.

"Yes, I ate... bread," Jimin replied weakly, the exhaustion clear in his voice.

Hobi raised a brow, unconvinced. "Jimin, you need to eat more than that."

"I don’t know, hyung. I can’t eat," Jimin admitted, pressing a hand to his stomach. "Every time I think about him, I feel like I’m going to throw up."

Hobi exchanged a worried glance with Tae as Jimin’s words sunk in. It wasn’t just Jae who was suffering from Jungkook’s absence—Jimin was spiraling too.

"Appa…" Jae’s small voice broke the tension as he tugged at Jimin’s shirt, asking to be picked up. His little arms wrapped tightly around Jimin’s neck, his face buried in his chest.

"Wae?" Jimin asked gently, feeling his son’s sadness mirrored in his own heart.

"Jae is hungry," came the small, muffled reply.

Jimin’s heart twisted. He had made Jae’s favorite gimbap, hoping to cheer him up. "Appa made gimbap. Is that okay? Or do you want something else?"

"It’s okay," Jae mumbled, though he barely touched his food, pushing it around his plate. Eventually, he left the table and locked himself in his room. His usual playfulness was gone, leaving only a quiet, withdrawn child behind.

Tae sighed as he watched the interaction. "I know Jae is close with your neighbor, and I know you’re in love with him."

Jimin flinched at the blunt statement. "I’m not…"

"Yes, you are, Park Jimin," Tae interrupted, his tone firm. He wasn’t going to let Jimin deny the truth.

Jimin fell silent, his mind swirling. He did love Jungkook, but admitting it out loud felt like crossing a line he wasn’t ready to confront.

"You love him," Tae pressed again, not as a question, but a fact.

Jimin’s defenses crumbled as tears welled up in his eyes. "I do… I love him, Tae." His voice cracked, and he covered his mouth to stifle the sob that escaped. "I love him."

Tae immediately pulled Jimin into a tight hug, holding him close as he cried. The tears Jimin had been holding back for so long flowed freely now, his body trembling in Tae’s comforting embrace.

"I want him, Tae. I want him to be here… with me," Jimin sobbed. "But I can’t… I can’t."

"Why, Jimin? Why can’t you?" Tae asked, his voice gentle but firm.

Jimin shook his head, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "I don’t want to be a hindrance to him. He has ambitions, dreams. He rejected a good offer because of me… because of Jae. How can I do that to him?"

Tae frowned, finally understanding the depth of Jimin’s struggle. Jimin hated feeling like someone was sacrificing something for him, especially something as important as Jungkook’s future. It wasn’t that Jimin didn’t love Jungkook—he loved him deeply—but he couldn’t bear the thought of holding him back.

"And now… now he’s gone, Tae. He left me. He left me forever," Jimin cried, the words barely audible through his sobs.

Tae’s heart broke for his friend. Jimin’s fears, his love, and his guilt were tearing him apart. But the one thing Jimin couldn’t see was that Jungkook didn’t care about the sacrifices. He didn’t care about the obstacles. He just wanted Jimin and Jae in his life.

Jimin’s tears soaked Tae’s shirt as he whispered, "I’m sure… he hates me now."

Tae held him tighter, hoping that somehow, they could fix the shattered pieces of Jimin’s heart—and maybe, just maybe, bring Jungkook back into their lives.