Yoonmin in Malta

20 - The Message (I)

Taehyung didn't let go of his best friend. While Jimin told him about the night in Taipei, he held him tightly in his arms. He's always been a source of comfort for Jimin, and tonight is no different. Taehyung held him in a protective embrace, his arms wrapping around Jimin like a hug from home.

As Jimin recounted the events of that night, he felt a sense of shame. Shame that he had hurt Yoongi, shame that he had let his fear of what others might think cloud their special connection, and shame that he hadn't been upfront with Taehyung all this time.

But as he spoke, Taehyung listened attentively, offering words of comfort and understanding. He didn't judge Jimin or make him feel worse than he already did. Instead, he reminded Jimin of how much he loved and cared for him, and how important it was for him to be true to himself.

"Jiminie, don't blame yourself," Taehyung whispers, rubbing Jimin's back in a comforting gesture. "You're just not ready yet. He'll understand." Jimin rests his head in the crook of Taehyung's neck, grateful for his reassurance.

"Well, he's not mad at me, at least that's what he said," Jimin replies, slowly pulling away from his friends' embrace to look at him.

"I thought you didn't talk to each other here in Malta," Taehyung furrows his brow, trying to make sense of the situation. He leans in closer again to Jimin, his eyes filled with concern.

Jimin takes a deep breath before continuing, feeling embarrassed but also relieved to confide in his best friend.

"We haven't talked much," he confirms, "After I apologized, Yoongi said he wasn't mad at me. But that was pretty much it." He pauses for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. "We didn't talk as much as we... made out."

"You made out?" Taehyung's voice cracks as he tries to keep his voice low, aware that they don't want to be heard by the others.

Jimin can feel his face turning hot as he thinks back to what happened between him and Yoongi. He hesitated for a brief moment, but Taehyung's eyes prompt him to continue.

"Actually, there was even more than that," he confesses, averting his gaze as his cheeks burn with shame, as he looks away from Taehyung's intense stare.

"You mean you guys did more than just kissing?" Taehyung's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and Jimin nods hesitantly.

"So you basically replayed what happened in Taipei, but this time you didn't run away?" Taehyung summarizes, trying to make sense of the situation. Jimin nods again, feeling a bit of exhilaration at the confession.

"But if you've apologized and he's not mad at you, what's the problem?" Taehyung's eyes flicker with genuine concern as he looks at Jimin.

Jimin's frustration boils inside him, a scorching heat that radiates out from his chest and down to the tips of his fingers, which are clenched tightly at his sides. He takes a deep breath, trying to quell the rising anxiety before it consumes him.

"The thing is, Tae, I don't know what any of it means. We've been doing all these things, but I can't seem to figure out how I feel about it. And Yoongi ... he said he wanted to tell the others in the group. I'm just not ready for everyone to know, not until I've sorted things out for myself."

Taehyung's face is soft and understanding as he nods slowly, taking in Jimin's words. He places a comforting hand on Jimin's shoulder, letting him know that he's not alone in this.

"Why don't you just tell him that, Jimin?" Taehyung suggests, his voice gentle. "Be honest with him and give yourself time to figure things out."

Yoongi will not have arrived in Seoul yet, no message from Jimin would reach him. Jimin is frowning, unsure of what to do. Should he simply text Yoongi?

That he's confused about his feelings and needs time to sort things out. That he's grateful for their time together, but doesn't want to rush into anything without thinking it through.

Or should he wait until they returned home to talk face to face?

---

Yoongi's fingers twitch with anticipation as the plane taxis towards its stopover in Istanbul. He can barely contain his excitement, and as soon as the seatbelt sign turns off, he reaches for his phone and disables flight mode. But, much to his dismay, there's no message waiting for him.

He glances around the cabin, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest. Everyone is already grabbing their luggage and preparing to disembark, but Yoongi lingers in his seat, staring at his phone in frustration.

He knows he shouldn't be so desperate for a message from Jimin, but he can't help it. The thought that Jimin might have changed his mind about their time together fills him with dread. He tries to push the thought away, but it lingers like a stubborn shadow.

Was Jimin's speechlessness when he said goodbye the first sign that something was wrong? Did he misinterpret Jimin's actions during their nights together? Is Jimin now happy that Yoongi is flying back to Korea?

Yoongi's mind flashes back to their last night together in Malta. He remembers Jimin's evasive look as they lay in each other's arms, the uncertainty between them noticeable. Yoongi had brushed it off as awkwardness back then, but now doubts are creeping in. Was Jimin holding back because he didn't feel the same way? Did Yoongi just read too much into their closeness?

Dark thoughts spread through Yoongi's head. His hands are cold, and a lump forms in his throat as he realizes that there's nothing he can do but wait.

But suddenly the smartphone in his hand vibrates. The screen lights up, and Yoongi's heart skips a beat. He feels like a teenager again, with butterflies in his stomach and a paradoxical feeling of nausea, when he reads Jimin's message over and over again:

'I don't know what we are, but I want to find out.'