Taehyung's heart broke a little at Jimin's words, the smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes. He could tell that the man was far from fine, could sense the weight of whatever was troubling him. But he knew that he couldn't force him to say anything, that he would have to wait for him to open up on his own terms. "Alright," he said quietly, sighing heavily. "But...please, take care of yourself. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to come to me, alright?"
Jimin nodded again, his throat feeling tight with unshed tears. "Yes, Your Highness," he said. "Thank you." He desperately wanted to say more, to tell Taehyung everything he was feeling and thinking, but he just couldn't do it. He didn't want to risk losing the prince's friendship or, worse, his respect. So he pushed down all his feelings and tried to smile as best he could. "I...I'll be fine," he repeated. "Don't worry about me."
Taehyung's eyes softened as he heard the strained tone of Jimin's voice, as he saw the pain and conflict in his eyes. He wanted to reach out to him, to take him into his arms and soothe all of his troubles, but he knew that he couldn't. Jimin was a loyal and devoted servant, someone who took his job seriously, and he couldn't risk jeopardizing that. So he just nodded, his heart feeling heavy as he spoke. "Take care of yourself," he said quietly, his voice tinged with regret.
Jimin nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat at the prince's words. "Yes, Your Highness," he repeated, his voice coming out in a hoarse whisper. He couldn't bear to look at Taehyung any longer, feeling as if his heart was about to burst from all the unspoken feelings and emotions churning inside of him. He turned away, walking back towards the room he shared with the other servants. He could feel the prince's eyes following him until he disappeared from view, and it took every ounce of strength he had not to look back.
Once back in his room, Jimin slumped against the door, his body shuddering as the tears he had been holding back started to fall. He slid down to the floor, his heart breaking in two as he silently cried, hopelessly in love with a man he could never have.
Jimin's tears continued to fall, great, shuddering sobs wracking his body as he mourned the pain and hopelessness of his unrequited love. He had tried to push down his feelings for Taehyung for so long, had tried to be content with just being his friend and servant, but he couldn't ignore them any longer. He knew he was trapped, destined to suffer in silence for the rest of his life as he watched the man he loved be with someone else.
He stayed like that for what felt like hours, his emotions overwhelming him as he cried and cried. It was a release, a purge of all the feelings that had been building up inside of him for so long. But it was also a reminder of the harsh reality of his life, of the fact that he was doomed to long for someone he could never have.
Finally, his tears slowed to a stop, leaving him exhausted and spent. He had run out of tears, his body shaking with the aftermath of his emotional outburst. But the pain in his heart remained, a constant ache that he knew would never go away as long as he was in love with Taehyung.
Tomorrow I will tell him
Jimin finally pushed himself up from the floor, his body feeling heavy and tired. He wiped his eyes, feeling a spark of determination flicker to life in his heart. Tomorrow, he would tell Taehyung the truth. He would finally confess everything he was feeling, no matter the consequences. He knew it might end in disaster, that it might cost him everything he valued and held dear, but he couldn't keep living like this any longer. It was time to take his fate into his own hands, to risk everything on the slim chance that maybe, just maybe, Taehyung felt the same way.
Jimin took a deep breath, steeling himself for the difficult conversation he was about to have. He didn't know how Taehyung would react, didn't know if he would be mad, horrified, or simply reject him and go back to Hyulin. But he couldn't hide his feelings any longer. He had spent too long suffering silently, and he knew that he couldn't go on like this forever.
