Sojourn ♣ JiKook|VMin

"Love"

-edited 2026-

Chapter six

"Love"

•

Jimin watched as Taehyung ate slowly, barely looking up. He thought about saying something—anything—to fill the quiet, but the words felt stuck in his throat. Even after telling Taehyung about their past, he still felt hesitant. He omitted the rough times in their relationship, where they would fight over trivial matters that eventually spiraled out of control. He couldn't tell him about the times when Taehyung would leave Jimin crying alone.

Taehyung cleared his throat, pulling Jimin out of his thoughts. "I'm done," he said, glancing at his plate, then around the room, as if unsure what to do next.

Jimin nodded. "Um... do you want to wash the dishes together?"

Taehyung paused and looked at him, a faint crease forming between his brows.

"What is it?" Jimin asked.

Taehyung paused, then nodded slowly. "Alright." He picked up the plates and stacked them with care. Jimin followed suit, and together they went to the sink. Taehyung's expression was oddly serious—focused enough that Jimin almost laughed.

"Seriously, what is it?" Jimin asked lightly, glancing at him from the side. "Don't tell me after the incident you also forgot how to wash the dishes?"

Taehyung didn't answer right away. He turned on the faucet and stared at the running water for a second longer than necessary.

Jimin raised a brow. "Tae?"

Taehyung pressed his lips together, then sighed, looking a little sheepish. "I just... don't like washing dishes."

Jimin let out a short laugh. "Wow. You've become a bit spoiled."

Taehyung shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "What?"

"Fine," Jimin said, taking the plate from his hands. "I'll wash. You dry and put them away. Deal?"

Taehyung nodded. "Deal."

Jimin started washing the dishes while Taehyung stood next to him. "So, Jimin... what do we do now? What do we usually do on a Saturday morning?"

Jimin hummed. For the past few months, they hadn't really done anything together. They lived in the same house, but it didn't feel like they were. "Before... you'd watch something in the living room, and I'd join you. Then we'd have lunch, go out... breathe some fresh air, and..." He shrugged absentmindedly, staring at the running faucet.

Taehyung waited, eyes fixed on him. "And?"

Jimin blinked. "Uh... we'd talk. That's it. I... I miss those times," he whispered.

"Sounds like it's been a long time," Taehyung said, turning his back slightly. "Our relationship wasn't in the best place before my accident, was it?" He paused, looking anywhere but at Jimin. "That's why you asked if I was staying."

Jimin slowly turned off the faucet and let out a shaky breath, his heart racing. "Our relationship was on the rocks. We even broke up a couple of times and eventually found our way back to each other... in some way... you always came back." Tears welled in his eyes as he remembered their broken promises and the lingering pain.

"I hate it, Tae. I hate the feeling I get when I'm alone, helpless, waiting for you."

His tears fell freely. Jimin lifted the back of his hand to wipe them away. "So if you want to leave me this time, I want you to never come back. I want it to be the last time—the last hurt, the last pain I'd ever feel. Because I don't think... I don't think—" Jimin stopped mid-sentence, unable to finish.

"Hey, don't cry..." Taehyung gently grabbed Jimin's shoulder, turning him to face him. He cupped Jimin's cheek softly. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying, okay? And I don't know how I could've hurt you... I want to make up for the time we lost. You don't deserve that pain. You're a wonderful person, Jimin." Taehyung smiled, brushing away Jimin's tears with his thumb. "I'll try not to make you cry again."

Jimin nodded, leaning into Taehyung's chest as he cried, letting the taller hold him close. "Thank you, Taehyung."

"Let's start over again, shall we?" Taehyung asked, hugging him tighter. Jimin lifted his head, offering a fond smile that made the moment feel warm and safe.

⸻

Taehyung flipped through the channels, his expression bored. Jimin handed him a bag of chips, glancing at the television before sliding onto the couch beside him.

Taehyung cleared his throat, and Jimin turned to him with a curious look. The taller's gaze lingered, hesitant. "What?"

"Uh... I think the couch is big enough for both of... us?" Taehyung mumbled, pressing his lips together, a faint flush spreading across his cheeks.

Jimin blinked, realizing just how close he was sitting. The space between them had practically disappeared. He glanced toward the far end of the couch—it was completely empty.

His lips formed an "O" as he suddenly understood: Taehyung must feel awkward, since he didn't remember much about them. Jimin bit his lower lip, shifting slightly to give the other some room—but before he could scoot away, Taehyung's hand shot out, lightly tugging him back.

"I changed my mind. I guess... it's okay," Taehyung admitted shyly, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Jimin nodded, suppressing a grin as he settled back. Taehyung didn't say anything more, his eyes focused on the screen while he subtly tried to ignore the closeness between them.

"Taehyung?" Jimin ventured after a few moments.

No response. He called again, gently placing his hand on Taehyung's arm. The taller's gaze flicked to him, waiting.

"If you have any questions, you can ask me now," Jimin offered softly.

"Oh, right... um, last night you said we had another room here full of boxes?" Taehyung asked, still glancing at him with mild curiosity.

"Yes... actually, those boxes contain some of your finished and unfinished paintings," Jimin explained, gesturing vaguely. "That's where you used to sit and paint. There came a time when you gave up and left the room, but I didn't want to just leave them there."

Taehyung's eyes roamed the room, then landed on Jimin. "I paint," he murmured with a faint smile, a spark of mischief in his gaze. "Maybe I can paint you."

"Me? You usually paint landscapes," Jimin said, though a thrill ran through him. He'd asked before, and Taehyung had always refused, claiming he couldn't capture him perfectly.

"And by the way... don't we have any endearments?" Taehyung asked, tilting his head.

Jimin hummed thoughtfully. "Not really... though you call me 'babe' sometimes."

"How about we call each other 'love'?" Taehyung's grin widened, warm and playful. "Would you like that?"

Jimin's smiled brightly at that, "Yes, I like that."

•

⸻