Crystal Bond [Jikook]

| Chapter - 28 |

Namjoon, swimming lazily in the pool, chuckled at first, thinking it was all part of a playful moment. But as he noticed the tension in the air and the way Jungkook was staring at Jimin, his smile faded. He pushed back his damp hair, his gaze shifting between the two men, realizing he might have interrupted something important.

Jungkook slowly stood up from where he was sitting, his dark eyes locked onto Jimin's. His heart pounded in his chest, not from the splash of water but from the confusion that now clouded his thoughts. "Why did you do that?" he asked quietly, his voice soft but tinged with concern. "You didn't need to get in the way."

Jimin blinked, as if surprised by the question. He looked down at himself, still dripping wet, then back up at Jungkook. "I... I don't know," he said, his voice low and uncertain. "I just... I didn't want you to get wet."

The simplicity of his answer only deepened Jungkook's confusion. Something about Jimin's actions didn't add up. He knew Jimin wasn't the type to throw himself into the middle of a situation without thinking. There was something more, something unsaid, that drove him to do what he did.

"Jimin," Jungkook pressed, stepping closer, his gaze intense. "Why?"

Jimin looked away for a moment, his lips pressed together as if he was searching for the right words. When he finally spoke, his voice was almost too quiet to hear. "Because... I didn't want you to feel more hurt." He glanced up, meeting Jungkook's eyes, and the vulnerability there made Jungkook's heart twist.

"Hurt?" Jungkook repeated, his brows furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Jimin let out a slow breath, clearly struggling with his emotions. He took a step back, running a hand through his wet hair as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I've seen how you've been looking at me since last night," he admitted, his voice shaky. "And I know... I know I've hurt you by not saying what you wanted to hear. By not saying 'I love you' back."

Jungkook's breath hitched at Jimin's confession, the raw honesty in his words cutting through him like a knife. The silence between them since that night had been suffocating, and now, finally, Jimin was acknowledging the truth of it.

"But it's not because I don't care," Jimin continued, his eyes softening as he looked at Jungkook. "It's not because I don't feel anything for you. I just... I wasn't ready. I needed time to think, to understand what I'm feeling."

Jungkook stood there, his emotions swirling between relief and the lingering fear of rejection. "And now?" he asked, his voice quieter, more vulnerable than he intended.

Jimin hesitated for a moment before stepping closer to him, his wet clothes clinging to his frame as he met Jungkook's gaze. "Now," he said softly, "I want to talk with you Jungkook. I just... I need to take things at my own pace."

Jungkook swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest as he absorbed Jimin's words. He had feared the worst—feared that Jimin's silence meant he didn't care, or worse, that he was using him. But now, as he stood here, soaked from the pool, Jimin's quiet admission gave him hope. Maybe this wasn't the end. Maybe they still had a chance to figure things out.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them easing into something softer, more understanding. Jungkook reached out, gently brushing a damp strand of hair from Jimin's forehead, his fingers lingering just a little longer than necessary.

"I'm sorry if I pushed you," Jungkook said softly, his voice filled with regret. "I never wanted to rush you into something you weren't ready for."

Jimin shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You didn't push me, Jungkook. I'm ready to figure this out with you. Together."

Jungkook's chest tightened, a wave of emotion washing over him as he gazed at Jimin. The fear and insecurity that had been gnawing at him for days finally began to ease, replaced by a deep sense of relief. He stepped closer, his hand still gently cradling Jimin's face.

"Together," Jungkook repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

But before either of them could say more, Taehyung's voice echoed from the far side of the mansion. "Jungkook! We need to talk."

The sound of Taehyung's voice was a sharp reminder of the chaos still looming over them—the anger from the Water Realm, the discontent among his people. Jungkook's heart sank as he realized that their conversation would have to wait. There were bigger issues to deal with now, and the fragile peace between him and Jimin was not yet safe.

Jimin seemed to sense this too. He stepped back slightly, giving Jungkook a reassuring nod. "Go," Jungkook said quietly. "We'll talk later, first I need to handle few things here, Taehyung it's my order."

Taehyung esitated for a moment, but then nodded in agreement. As much as he wanted to stay, there were matters in the Water Realm that couldn't be ignored. With one last glance at Jimin, he turned and walked toward where Hoseok's voice had called from, his heart still heavy with the weight of all that had yet to be said.

There was a glimmer of hope in his chest—a hope that, despite the chaos and uncertainty, he and Jimin might still find their way back to each other. "Jimin come with me to the beach, we need to talk everything out, I need to show you something, something you must see."

"Sure, we need to as I've so much to ask and so much to talk about. Let's do it Jeon." Jimin replied back. As they walked holding their hands together their fingers intertwined tightly in each others tight grasp, as if afraid to let go of each other even for a second.

To be continued...,,