Hatred || Namjin

46

Namjoon groggily shuffled out of his room, rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes. The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the cozy apartment. As he entered the living room, Jin greeted him with a cheerful smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Good morning, Joonie," Jin said warmly, beckoning Namjoon to the dining table.

Namjoon followed, his steps sluggish. Jin gently guided him to a chair and made him sit down. Namjoon's head kept nodding off, his eyes heavy with drowsiness. Jin couldn't help but laugh, finding the sight endearing.

"Joonie, come drink your coffee before it gets cold," Jin urged, sliding a steaming mug towards Namjoon.

Namjoon blinked, snapping out of his daze. "H-Huh? Oh, yeah. Thank you, Jin hyung," he mumbled, wrapping his hands around the warm mug.

They ate their breakfast in comfortable silence, the only sounds being the clinking of cutlery and the occasional sips of coffee. The tranquility of the moment was soothing, a stark contrast to the turmoil of the past few days.

After a while, Namjoon broke the silence. "Hyung, since, umm... you know," he began, glancing at Jin, "Do you somehow want to take a run with me instead?"

Jin looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, Joon, that would be lovely. I have been thinking about that last night but I don't want to run into Yeonjun accidentally."

Namjoon reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on Jin's. "We won't, hyung. I'll protect you if we ever do run into him. I'll use my pecs as a human shield!" he declared, grinning like an idiot.

Jin burst into laughter, the sound filling the room with warmth. "I should be the one protecting you, egg head," he teased, ruffling Namjoon's hair.

Namjoon stared at him for a moment, his expression softening. Jin realized that "egg head" was something he used when he harbored resentment towards Namjoon. His smile faded, replaced by a look of regret.

"Ah shit, sorry, it slipped. I didn't mean to—I'm sorry, Joon," Jin apologized, his voice filled with remorse.

Namjoon laughed, shaking his head. "It's all good, hyung. I kinda missed it. You really never had a nickname for me besides that."

Jin's smile returned, albeit a bit sheepish. "Well, then starting from now I'll think of some cute nicknames for you, munchkin."

Namjoon cringed playfully. "Ew, hyung! Don't be gross."

Their laughter echoed through the apartment, the atmosphere lightening as they shared this moment of levity.

---

After finishing their breakfast, Namjoon and Jin got ready for their run, stepping out into the cool morning air. They began their stretches, muscles protesting the early movement but gradually loosening up.

Jin glanced towards the house. "Should we invite Hoseok?" he suggested.

Namjoon shook his head. "I think he's still sleeping. He has been up all night facetiming Yoongi hyung."

Jin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh? Wow, that was unexpected. Well, not really, Hoseok had the biggest crush on him when we were kids."

Namjoon chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Yeah, I guess they got closer by the end of the school year. I never knew they could have chemistry like that. It's quite... cute, to be honest."

Jin nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Well, I hope that chemistry never dies so Yoongi could stop looking at you."

Namjoon smacked Jin's arm playfully. "Hyuuuung!" he whined, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

Jin pouted, crossing his arms. "What? It's true! That punk took your first kiss and I ain't happy about it."

Namjoon groaned, rolling his eyes. "That punk is still our friend and would you please stop talking about it! Ugh, whatever—I'm running without you!"

With that, Namjoon took off down the path, his long strides carrying him quickly away. Jin watched him for a moment, laughing at how easily he could rile up Namjoon.

"Yah! Wait for me, pumpkin!" Jin called, starting to run after Namjoon.

From a distance, Namjoon's voice rang out. "YOUR NICKNAMES ARE AS BAD AS YOUR DAD JOKES!"

Jin laughed, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days. He picked up his pace, the morning sun warming his back as he chased after Namjoon. The air was filled with the sound of their laughter and the rhythmic pounding of their feet on the pavement. For a moment, everything felt right in the world.