An Orphans World - Vmin

11

Taehyung's POV

I let Myeong dash ahead of me as we left the cinema, my eyes scanning the area for Jimin as I strolled toward the counter.

A soft smile tugged at my lips when I spotted him. Jimin had just stepped out from behind the counter, his face glowing with a bright smile as he chatted with Myeong. A bag hung loosely over Jimins shoulder, and a thin black jacket now covered him, fitting perfectly.

As I got closer, Jimin's gaze found mine.

"Hey, what'd you think of the movie?" He asked, his voice soft as his eyes sparkled.

"Ah," I hesitated, glancing at Myeong before replying. "It was good," I said, though the movie wasn't exactly my taste.

Jimin chuckled softly, his laugh warm, as though he could see right through me.

We started walking toward the cinema door together, the three of us, the rhythm of our steps falling in sync.

I held the door open for Jimin and Myeong, and Jimin dipped his head in a shy bow, thanking me as we stepped outside into the cool night air.

Jimin instinctively reached for Myeong's hand as we crossed the street, and my heart quickly fluttered at the sight of his gentle nature.

We walked up the footpath, reaching the orphanage's front steps.

I fumbled with the keys for a moment before unlocking the door.

Jimin led Myeong inside, still holding his hand, and we headed down the familiar hallway toward the dining area.

The moment we stepped in, confetti burst into the air, and voices erupted all around us.

"Surprise!" Everyone shouted, their faces lit with excitement.

I chuckled softly when I noticed Jimin jump, startled by the surprise I'd forgotten to mention to him.

In the dim light, I grinned as I saw the kids gathered in a circle around the doorway. At the center stood the orphanage owner, holding a cake illuminated by a sea of candles.

As the kids began singing "Happy Birthday" to Myeong, their voices filled the room like a choir. Yet, despite the crowd, the only voice I truly heard was Jimin's—soft, angelic, and pure, laced with raw emotion and harmony that seemed to float above the rest.

The song ended with a round of applause, and Myeong blew out the candles with one excited breath.

Jimin's smile never wavered—not even for a moment. It was like he was experiencing the joy of a little brother's birthday, and the happiness radiated from him.

Once the candles were blown out, I flicked on the lights, helping some of the younger kids while the orphanage owner began cutting the cake.

I laughed lightly when Jimin approached me, holding out two plates of cake, offering one to me.

"Thanks." I hummed, leaning against the wall as I accepted the plate. I watched the kids play and devour their cake, the warmth of the occasion settling in.

Jimin leaned against the wall beside me, nibbling on his own slice of cake.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Jimin teased, glancing at me between bites.

I swallowed a mouthful of rich, spongy chocolate cake before nodding. "I did," I admitted. "Good thing you didn't let him run ahead of us, or we might have missed it."

Jimin laughed softly. "Good thing, then." He chimed, his smile making his eyes crinkle at the corners into eye smiles.

I hesitated for a moment, the weight of another thought tugging at me. I didn't want to dampen the mood, but I knew I had to bring it up.

"Um, I don't want to ruin the moment," I started, my voice quieter now. Jimin, sensing a shift, turned to me, his doe eyes widening slightly in curiosity.

I took a breath. "I've been meaning to talk to you alone about something..."

Jimin's expression grew serious, and I continued. "That guy earlier," I began, but Jimin cut me off instantly.

"It's not what you think," Jimin stammered, his tone defensive, almost rushed.

I raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to explain.

"He's my manager," Jimin began, sighing heavily. "I've been working at the cinema for a while now, and only in the past year did I realize that he's become... A bit obsessed with me."

A surge of concern shot through me. "Why don't you report him if he's acting like that?" I asked, my voice more urgent and prodding than I intended.

Jimin let out another sigh, his gaze dropping.

"Because he's the boss's son. His family owns the company. If I say anything, I'll lose my job. It might seem easy to find another one, but this job's favourable. I don't have the money for a car yet, so the location is convenient. Also, I can't afford to go without an income while I look for something else. I still need to pay off my university fees."

He paused, glancing back at Myeong, who was happily chatting with the other kids, oblivious to our conversation.

"My manager doesn't do much," Jimin continued. "When I yell at him, he backs off. I just... Didn't want to make a scene earlier. Not in front of Myeong." Jimin explained.

I nodded, understanding the delicate balance Jimin was trying to maintain.

My gaze followed Jimins, landing on Myeong, who had witnessed part of the exchange earlier.

Jimin's eyes softened as we both watched the boy, who was now grinning from ear to ear, cake smeared around his lips.

There was another question lingering at the back of my mind, one I'd been avoiding for a while—about his sexual orientation. But I wondered if now was the right time to ask. For now, I decided to keep quiet, letting the moment pass.

I ate the rest of my cake in silence and Jimin made his way back over to the younger kids.

As Jimins laughter filled the room once more, I realized there were still questions I wasn't ready to ask and truths I wasn't sure either of us were ready to face. 

~~~~

Thoughts? Feelings? Taehyung was ready to ask Jimin about his orientation, so he's clearly interested in knowing whether Jimin may be interested in him. Jimin also was generous and brought over some cake for Taehyung... And not his booty cake. And Taehyung held open the door for them and unlocked the front door so they both seem to care and be generous to one another! 

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Until the next chapter, take careeeee... Byeeeee my lovelies!!!