He came back one day, but something was wrong. The face was familiar, the voice the same-yet Jimin knew in his bones that this wasn't the Taehyung he loved.
What Jimin once called home was only a sojourn-a fleeting refuge that felt safe until it di...
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-Edited 2026-
Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Pretty"
♣
Hoseok couldn't sleep. Three hours had passed since Namjoon drove Jimin back to his apartment. According to Namjoon, Jimin had called him just a few minutes after being dropped off at his house and told him he needed to get out as soon as possible. Namjoon couldn't bring Jimin to his own place since he was still living with his parents, so he dropped him off at Hoseok's apartment instead. Hoseok didn't mind at all. When he saw Jimin standing at his door, he immediately engulfed him in a hug. He tried to start a conversation, but Jimin remained unresponsive.
Once Hoseok showed him the spare room, Jimin quickly bowed his head in appreciation before locking himself inside. They could both hear him crying from behind the door. Namjoon had no choice but to leave since it was already past midnight.
It was already four in the morning, and Hoseok couldn't stop thinking about how swollen Jimin's eyes had been earlier. Jimin couldn't even look them in the eye; he had kept his head low, his gaze never leaving the floor. Hoseok got up and walked toward the spare room, noticing that the door was slightly open. Maybe he went out to drink some water, he thought. He hesitated for a moment, then proceeded to enter the room.
Jimin was curled into a ball on the floor beside the bed. His eyes were tightly shut, but Hoseok could hear his quiet sobs, and his heart clenched at the sight. He quickly knelt beside his friend and gently placed a hand against Jimin's cheek. Jimin slowly opened his eyes; his nose was red, and his lashes were wet with tears.
"Oh, Chiminie," Hoseok whispered softly as he pulled Jimin's face against his chest. He wrapped an arm around Jimin's back, holding him close.
"Hyung, I hate him so much," Jimin said through sobs. "He made me hate myself for so long." His voice cracked as tears spilled endlessly. "I hate him. I hate him. I hate him—" he chanted, his voice growing weaker each time until he finally went silent.
"Hey," Hoseok murmured, his own voice trembling as he fought back tears. "We can leave earlier than expected. We can leave the bitter past behind. You can leave those ugly memories behind, Jimin."
Jimin slowly began to calm down. "The thing is... I hate him, but I still loved him," he admitted, lips pursed as he struggled not to cry again.
Hoseok nodded. "I know, sweetheart. But it's time for you to move on. Find someone who's more deserving of you."
Jimin shut his eyes, wiped his tears, then looked back at Hoseok. He stared up at him, vulnerable and exhausted. "I did," he said softly. "But he forgot about me."
Hoseok frowned in confusion. "Who are you talking about?"
Jimin shook his head lightly. "You're right. We should leave. I want to leave this place." His lips trembled as he bit down hard, trying to stop himself from sobbing again.
