Flowers on the Moon ; jinyoung-centric

Chapter 10: together

[ TW / topic of sh ]

The following days were just as dull as it had been the afternoon of the incident at the cafe. All of them insisted that Jinyoung stay at their dorm for the meantime, and Jinyoung, not having much energy to argue or even talk at all, agreed silently. He wouldn't say it out loud, but their company is comforting.

Things got better, albeit slowly. Slowly but surely.

Jinyoung still wouldn't talk much and preferred to be alone most of the time, but sometimes he would silently sit down near one of them at the couch or at the kitchen while holding a pillow to his chest. He'd sit there quietly just mindlessly looking around until he fell asleep. If anything, it was absolutely adorable.

On one particular day, Jinyoung did this while Bambam was answering some homework in the living room. He sat there silently across him, clutching a pillow to his chest and resting his head against the soft material.

Bambam couldn't help the smile growing on his face at the sight of the elder. He remembered when Jinyoung was preparing a coffee he ordered the first time he went to the cafe and how the other tip-toed to reach the highest counter. He's so cute without even trying.

His eyebrows furrowed when he saw that Jinyoung's eyes were darting around the room and chewing at his lips whenever he glanced at the younger. Bambam smiled, closing the book in his hands. "Do you want to say something?"

Jinyoung's cheeks immediately reddened. "Um, well, I just…wanted to take a walk with you? If that's all right?"

"Of course it's all right, hyung." And then he realized something. "Is that why you've been sitting silently around one of us the past few days?"

The elder's face burned even brighter. "W-well…"

Bambam's smile softened as he looked at him fondly. "Hey, it's okay. You can always ask us anything. We'll be here."

Jinyoung held the pillow a little tighter, nodding with a small smile. Bambam stood up from the couch and held out his hand. "Let's go?"

Jinyoung smiled and nodded in response.

---

They ended up bringing Jackson along with them as he had just finished school. Everyone else was busy, so the three of them opted to just visit a nearby park to take their minds off everything that’s happened lately. But most importantly, Bambam and Jackson wanted to make Jinyoung feel even just a bit better, and going out for fresh air after spending almost an entire week inside the dorm could hopefully help.

For a while, they walked through the park in comfortable silence as the dried leaves crunched beneath their feet. “Do you guys want something to eat or drink?” Bambam asked after a while as they came to a stop near a vending machine.

“Just coffee for me,” Jackson said.

“Me too,” Jinyoung responds.

After Bambam went to get drinks, the two sat down at a nearby bench. The wind was blowing lightly and as the trees swayed with it, Jackson turns to Jinyoung. From the way the younger’s arms were resting against his lap, Jackson could see the drying cuts on his wrist as his hoodie sleeve rode up slightly.

Gently, he brings his hand atop the younger’s arm and lightly traces over the faint scars. Jinyoung looks up at him in alarm. “Why do you do this to yourself, Jinyoung-ah?” He whispers against the wind, and for a moment it’s like the whole world falls around them and it was just the two of them. He said it softly with no trace of anger — just worry.

“How did you know?” Jinyoung looks down and Jackson’s heart breaks when the younger blinks continuously, like he was holding back tears.

“Mark and I saw it when we visited your cafe for the first time,” Jackson responds, letting go of Jinyoung’s arm. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to right now, but we’re always here to help you, you know?”