The Truth Untold: Yoonmin

15

TWO YEARS LATER

The sun shone mutedly behind a cluster of dark clouds making the train cabin dim. Jimin sat leaning against the cold glass window, scrolling through his phone absentmindedly, not even really paying attention to what he was looking at. He was too tired from their weekend trip to Seoul to visit Hyungsik's parents. It had been a nightmare honestly. Jimin hated going back to Seoul. The city held nothing but bitter memories for him now but Hyungsik had insisted they go. Jimin hadn't even bothered to tell his parents he was in town, knowing full well they'd just say they were too busy to see him, or ignore his call altogether.

Ever since he'd gotten a scholarship to Busan's most prestigious university's dance program, thanks in part to Hyungsik's family connections, they hadn't been impressed at all. They'd so desperately wanted him to forget about dancing entirely so this was pretty much their worst fears come to reality. Jimin had just looked for any reason to escape his life in Seoul when Hyungsik, who he'd only been dating for about three months, had come to him with a letter from Busan.

"I submitted an application for you, love," he'd smiled, brandishing an envelope before handing it to Jimin. "I sent them a bunch of your dancing videos and dad called in a few favors too. You made it in!"

He'd been ecstatic. Jimin had just been stunned. His dream was the academy in Seoul where he'd have a lot more opportunity to make it onstage but after everything that had happened with his old friends, a fresh start was what he needed. He was grateful for Hyungsik. He owed him a lot. He always had to keep reminding himself of that.

"Are you hungry? I can get you a salad out of the vending machine," his soulmate leaned in to ask.

Jimin felt the hollowness in his stomach practically pulsate. "I could go for a cup ramyeon," Jimin said instead and Hyungsik frowned.

"You know you're supposed to be maintaining your weight for the dance exhibition right?" he scolded gently.

Jimin looked at him for a beat until he nodded. "I'll just eat something at my dorm."

"It'll be late by the time we get home. Just eat a good breakfast tomorrow."

Jimin nodded again, not wanting to argue with him no matter how hungry he was. He was probably right anyway. Hyungsik was good at things like this. He kept telling Jimin he was going to be his manager for when they made it big and although Jimin usually laughed it off, he knew his boyfriend was serious about it. Right now, Jimin just wanted to graduate and see if a company would take him. He didn't want to think too far ahead.

Jimin looked out the window once again, wishing they'd just taken the bullet train because he'd have been home by now, but they'd been with Hyungsik's brother and Hyungsik had insisted they travel with him up until his stop since he wouldn't see him again for another six months. Jimin had been happy to accept until now that they were pulling into yet another station to drop off passengers.

The train slowed until it stopped entirely and he looked out onto the platform.

There was a food vendor there selling tteokbokki that made his mouth water. He checked the time on his phone. There was still about twenty minutes left before they departed. Maybe he could sneak off, get some tteokbokki and eat it quickly before Hyungsik noticed.

He looked at his boyfriend who was busy typing away on his phone, earphones in.

"I'm going to go stretch my legs a little," Jimin said.

Hyungsik took an earbud out and furrowed his brow. "Huh?"

"I said I'm going to stretch my legs a bit. I'll be right back," Jimin repeated, already getting up and walking towards the door.

"Want me to go with you?" Hyung asked, but it was clear that he was just asking to be nice.

"No, it's okay. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Don't be late or the train'll leave without you."

Jimin nodded and rushed off the train. He looked up toward where their little window was and he could see his boyfriend was back to texting on his phone, not paying any mind to the outside world. He hurried to the tteok stand and stood in a short line, checking the time every few seconds to ensure he wouldn't get left behind.

The line moved quickly and just when it was about to be his turn to order the back of his neck tingled slightly in a familiar yet foreign way. It was something he hadn't felt in years.

He spun around expecting to find Hyungsik hurt or maybe angry that he'd snuck away from him to eat something he wasn't supposed to, but he didn't see him.

The tingle persisted but still there was no sign of his soulmate on the platform.

As he was turning back to the ajumma taking orders, something bright caught his eye. He turned again, instantly finding a stark white head of hair under a hoodie, attached to a body clad in all black moving away from him.

Jimin's feet moved of their own volition towards the guy rushing across the platform. He'd only ever seen hair like that on one other person, but it was impossible. He was miles away, stuck inside a prison cell. Wasn't he?

Just then, a ticket slipped from the stranger's hand, flitting behind him and he knelt to get it, hoodie slipping off. When he looked up, Jimin froze.

It was Yoongi.

There was no mistaking those pouty lips and sharp eyes. He looked a little older maybe but he was just as beautiful as Jimin remembered him.

Jimin was about to call out his name when he heard, "Jimin!"

He turned and found Hyungsik walking towards him, frowning.

"What are you still doing here? The train's about to leave. Come on." He grabbed Jimin's hand and pulled him harshly toward the train. Jimin looked around the platform desperately but found no sign of Yoongi.

Did he get on the train? Would Jimin find him if he looked for him?

Would he remember him after two years?

When did he get out of jail?

Where was he going?

So many questions exploded in his head, ricocheting off the walls of his mind, so loud that he couldn't think clearly.

Was it really him? Had he really seen Yoongi after so long? It felt impossible. Everything with him had felt impossible, especially loving him.

He'd tried for so long to rid himself of those plaguing thoughts of Yoongi that had kept him up at night for so long, but no matter how he tried, not a day went by that he didn't think of him and wonder if he was okay. If he thought of him too.

The rest of the train ride felt eternal. Jimin couldn't stop thinking about Yoongi. He'd wanted to go looking for him on the train, but fear got the best of him. He didn't want to find him only for Yoongi's eyes to be cold and detached. Only to be rejected yet again.

Instead, he curled in on himself, praying for sleep to come save him from his spiraling thoughts but it never did. Even in his bed, finally home, sleep evaded him. He lay awake all night wondering if what he'd seen had been real. If he hadn't just spontaneously gone insane.

If Yoongi really was free, then Jimin wished him the best. He prayed that there was peace in his heart.

He never dared to pray to see him again although deep in the most secret parts of his heart, there hid a tiny flicker of hope that if one day he saw Yoongi again, he would see him as an old friend and not as the love that could never be.