A does of salt • jjk + pjm

Chapter 5: code blue

When Taehyung walks into his on-call room on Tuesday after he's returned from Jeju, Jimin is sitting there already.

"Welcome back," Jimin swivels his chair around to look at Taehyung, greeting him with a huge smile.

"Hi!! Thanks!" Taehyung forces himself to say cheerfully.

"How was Daegu? Everything go well with the parents?" Jimin asks smiling innocently while spinning a pen he's holding.

"Yeah yeah, it's all good. Was nice being home," Taehyung continues the lie.

"Oh yeah?" Jimin raises an eyebrow. "You bring back that yummy mandu for me like you did last time?"

"Ohh, no. Sorry Min. It was hectic. Didn't even get a chance to go ou-"

"Oh my god Tae! I know you're lying to me!"

Taehyung face palms and plops down onto a chair.

"You were at Jeju Island, huh?"

Taehyung rubs his face and then shamefully looks at his friend. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you."

"What are you doing, Tae?! Please tell me he at least changed then!? Please tell me you guys are officially together at least?"

"I don't wanna hear it right now, Min, okay? Not today." Taehyung gets up and leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

The pediatric surgeon avoids Jimin for the rest of the day. But later that same night, he comes over to Jimin's unannounced with take-out food.

"I brought chicken and beer," Tae smiles regretfully holding up the food and drinks in front of him. It was always their way of saying sorry. "I'm sorry about today Min."

"Get in you liar." Jimin smiles and welcomes his friend in with a big, warm hug.

The two best friends pig out on the chicken and beer and Taehyung tells Jimin everything. About how he'd been hooking up with Seokjin again since two weeks ago, how he'd gotten weak, his lack of willpower to say no to the chief, how he lied to Jimin and everyone else on Friday about his fabricated weekend plans in Daegu, about the trip in Jeju, about being a crying hot mess at the airport, how nothing had changed for Seokjin, and of course his feelings. His ever the same feelings for Kim Seokjin.

He spills to Jimin about how much he loves the chief even though the older man won't give him what he wants. Unlike Seokjin, Taehyung would do anything for him. He'd give him whatever he wanted. If he told him to jump, he'd probably jump. If he called him again and told him to come over, he'd probably go over. As long as Kim Seokjin would tempt him, Taehyung would fall weak to his knees. He wishes that he had more willpower and self-control, that he could deny the elder, but Taehyung knows himself far too well. So this time, he doesn't make conclusion or quickly jump to saying bold, baseless things like 'I'm done with him,' like he did with the last "break-up". He knows what he needs to do, which is to cut the chief off once and for all, but knowing something was never the same as what your heart felt.

Jimin doesn't judge him, he doesn't scold him, doesn't tell him what to do. Instead, he just lets his friend vent and let everything out. He doesn't want to push him away and make him feel like he had to lie even to him.

Jimin hates Seokjin for hurting his best friend like this, but he just reminds Taehyung he's always going to be there for him. Even if he makes stupid decisions like lying to everyone you know including your dog and flying off to Jeju Island for a whole weekend. The two of them laugh and Jimin assures him he'll always have his back no matter what.

~

Back at the hospital, Jimin could not be any more annoyed. There board of directors and hospital management decided a full official investigation was necessary to ensure there was no nepotism going on with Dr. Park. The young surgeon is annoyed but at the same time, he is actually kind of glad they're going to do this.