Promises

10

It was really a busy day for Namjoon. He was constantly in some meeting or in the recording room, observing the TXT kids. He sighed and was going to his office when Yoongi stopped him.

"Joon-ah."

Namjoon turned back with a questioning gaze, "Yeah."

"We have a meeting with the board. Be there in 15 minutes." Yoongi left, sipping the coffee in his hand. He must have had a hard day as well.

Namjoon sighed and looked at his watch, 7 in the evening. He took his phone out and smiled at the wallpaper. It was a picture of Seokjin from the early days of his modelling. He opened the phone.

Seokjin Hyung ♡

I'll be late today.

Please have dinner without me.

I'm sorry.

He locked the phone and sighed again before heading towards the meeting hall.

The meeting was the most boring thing Namjoon had ever attended. Why would someone call a meeting for the comeback of the group? They wanted it to be after the rival group and not on the same day. Namjoon had controlled his urge to scoff and roll his eyes at every statement the members made. It was a good thing that the decision depended solely on him and Yoongi. They know the kids have worked hard and postponing the come back would only make them feel sad. They denied the idea without any space for argument.

He punched the code, tired and sleepy. As he entered the house, Saeha came out and bowed, "Would you like to have dinner?"

Namjoon nodded, "I will have a bath first." He was about to leave, but he stopped, "Did hyung eat?"

Saeha shook her head, "He hasn't come out of the room since he came home from the college."

Namjoon was worried now. He nodded and went to the room. He knocked on the door, "Hyung? Are you in there?" He waited for a minute before turning the knob and entered. He saw Seokjin sitting by the window on the couch, placed to enjoy the outside view, staring at the dark sky beyond the glass. He looked tired and frustrated. The face that once glowed was pale and tired. The sparkles in his eyes were replaced by the gloomy shadows and the figure that was always so stoic and firm was slouched and tired.

What has the person done to the beauty that his hyung once held?

His hyung. He liked the idea of it.

Namjoon slowly went near the elder and sat beside him. "Hyung..."

Seokjin averted his gaze slowly and looked at the voice, "Ah, you came home." He looked at the clock on the wall and his eyes went wide, "10 o'clock." He looked at Namjoon again, "Did you just come from work? Must have been a tiring day."

"I texted you that I would be late." Namjoon said, slowly going closer to Seokjin, "Are you okay, hyung?"

"Yeah." Seokjin smiled and nodded. The smile didn't reach his eyes, heck it didn't even reach completely to his cheeks. "What would happen to me?"

"Hyung..." Namjoon covered Seokjin's hands with his, "I know you married me out of spit. It was a spontaneous reaction because of your anger."

Seokjin's eyes went wide. He thought Namjoon wouldn't notice. But here he was. Being confronted by Namjoon.

"You don't have to be sorry about it either. I understand where you stand. But hyung..." Namjoon squeezed Seokjin's hands, "I am your husband. And if you are not willing to be in a relationship right now, we can at least be friends. You can share whatever is troubling that pretty little head of yours and I will listen to you. I will try to understand you and give you some advice if you want. You can share everything with me. Anything. I am here for you. Promise."

Seokjin closed his eyes and nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

Namjoon smiled a little, "Why didn't you eat?"

"I didn't realise the time." Seokjin chuckled.

"I'll take a bath and then let's eat together."

Seokjin nodded and Namjoon went to take the bath. When he came out of the bathroom, Seokjin was still sitting by the window. Namjoon dumped the towel in the laundry basket and went to Seokjin, "Hyung. Let's eat."

Seokjin looked at Namjoon and smiled, "Sit." He patted the space beside him.

Confused and not willing to argue, Namjoon sat beside Seokjin and turned entirely to him.

Seokjin sighed, "Today, I helped one of my students to practice for his audition. The script was pretty close to what I went through and it made me realise that my relationship was always a broken affair. Jiwon always treated me like a dirty secret. He always wanted to hide our relationship. I thought he was taking it slow, maybe he was having trouble coming out of the closet. I went through it too. We all went through it at some time in our lives. And I thought he will come around and maybe we will come out publicly."

Namjoon was trying his best to understand Seokjin and empathise with him. He went closer to him and put his hand on Seokjin's shoulder.

Seokjin closed his eyes, "I never thought that a three-year relationship would end like this. I should have seen this coming. He didn't even text me after that. Am I not worthy of an explanation? Forget about the apology." He chuckled bitterly. "I shouldn't have turned a blind eye to these things. I was just too stupid."

Namjoon squeezes his shoulder and made him lean on his shoulder, "You weren't stupid. You just trusted him and he didn't respect you and cherish your trust. It is his mistake that he couldn't hold on to you, couldn't understand you. You are amazing as you are. You are Kim Seokjin!"

Seokjin took a broken breath through his mouth and nodded slowly. He turned in the hug and buried his face in Namjoon's shoulder, clutching Namjoon's t-shirt tightly in his fists. It was the first time after Jiwon left him that he cried this much. Namjoon tightened the hug and patted Seokjin's head slowly.

After a while, the sobbing had stopped and Seokjin was breathing steadily. Namjoon tried to wake Seokjin up, but feeling the steady breath on his neck made him realise that Seokjin was peacefully sleeping. Namjoon carried him, supporting his hand under Seokjin's legs. Once Seokjin was tucked under the blanket safely, he smiled and went out of the room, closing the door behind him.

~

Hunger.

That's what Seokjin felt the first thing he woke up in the morning. He looked around and found himself on the bed again, tucked nicely. He sighed and started getting ready. He wore a turtleneck and a trenchcoat and paired it with glasses. His eyes still hurt after yesterday's crying session. His eyes went wide, "Fuck!" He facepalmed and sat on the chair in front of the mirror. "I had to cry in front of Namjoon!" He huffed, "He must be thinking that I am a huge crybaby!"

He tilted his head, "But crying isn't bad, is it?" He whined and sighed.

He slowly went out and found Namjoon smiling and talking to someone on the phone.

 "I know, eomma. I will be there. But can't we shift it to Sunday? I am sure your favourite son must have something on Saturday too." He waited for a few minutes and then nodded, "Yeah, okay. I will be there. Don't worry."

He turned back and smiled, "Ah, hyung. Good morning."

Seokjin gave a curt nod, "Good morning." He was waiting for the teasing or at least questioning about how he cried last night.

"The breakfast is ready." Namjoon pointed at the table, "Let's eat. You must be hungry."

Seokjin blinked and then moved towards the table without saying anything. He started eating and waited for questions, but they never came. Namjoon completed his breakfast and looked at Seokjin, "Hyung. I will be late again today. Don't wait for me."

"Okay." Seokjin looked at Namjoon and nodded.

Namjoon stood up and then stopped, "Ah, and also I am going to meet my parents this Sunday. So, I will be staying there at night. I will come directly on Monday evening."

"Okay." Seokjin nodded.

"And..." Namjoon smiled, "Thank you. For trusting me. I will always cherish it." He turned back and whispered.

"Promise."