Invisible Affection | Taejin

26. Late Night Conversations

Jin averted his gaze, reflecting on Taehyung's question. After a moment, he looked back at him, saying, "It's not that I wasn't trying to be friendly, Taehyung. We just happened to meet during a strange time in my life." He shifted away from Taehyung's grip and crossed his arms, feeling a bit vulnerable sharing his thoughts. "You stepped in and helped me when I really needed it, and even though we were strangers, I was taken aback that you chose to do that. It's rare for someone to help when they see something out of the ordinary, and I couldn't help but wonder if you had ulterior motives."

He sighed, continuing, "Part of me doubted your intentions were real, which made it hard for me to warm up to you when I started seeing you more. Your sympathetic smiles felt almost like pity, and that annoyed me at first. Then, when I learned I was struggling in my studies and found out you were assigned as my tutor, I was frustrated all over again. It just felt like another chance for you to look down on me."

Jin paused, searching for the right words. "I know I didn't have a solid reason for treating you like I did, but I let my circumstances dictate my feelings. There are things I can't fully express even now. I realize this probably isn't the answer you were hoping for, but it's all I can share now." He wished he could express his feelings better, but they were a tangled mess in his mind.

Taehyung glanced at Jin with a look of regret. "I'm really sorry if it ever seemed like I looked at you with pity or anything like that. That wasn't my intention at all. I couldn't stop thinking about you and if that had been a regular thing for you. When I saw that guy with you and how he touched you, it was clear from your expression that you didn't welcome it. It made me furious, and—"

"Let's not revisit that," Jin interjected, wanting to steer the conversation away. "It's in the past, and there's no reason for you to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. It was all my issues."

He hurriedly tried to shift the topic. "Can we watch the movie now, or maybe head to bed? I'm actually pretty tired, so if we could watch it in my room, that would be great."

Taehyung nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "Sure, we can watch it in your room. Let me just grab another glass of water." He turned and headed towards the fridge.

Jin remained silent, observing Taehyung as he waited patiently, allowing Taehyung the time he needed to refill his glass. Once Taehyung was done, he gestured for him to follow. Walking side by side, Jin made it a point to switch off the lights in the other rooms they passed.

As they entered Jin's room, the lights turned on, and Jin shut the door behind them. Taehyung's gaze instantly fell upon the two additional locks on the door. They were large, sturdy security locks that immediately piqued his curiosity. He hesitated, wanting to ask about them, but when Jin locked only the usual lock, ignoring the others. Deciding to keep his thoughts to himself, Taehyung redirected his attention to the familiar surroundings of the room.

However, the bedroom had undergone a slight transformation. The massive wall of windows, which once bathed the room in bright sunlight, was now draped with long, thick, dark curtains. They hung heavily, suggesting a purposeful intent to block out any natural light. Taehyung could only wonder how dark it must be in the room during the day.

"The sheets are clean," Jin said, breaking the silence as he began to walk toward his closet. "They were added by the maid who came by to clean."

"Oh, okay," Taehyung replied, a little caught off guard by Jin's comment.

"Just in case you were wondering about that," Jin added dismissively, reappearing from the closet a moment later. He had changed into a simple t-shirt that hung slightly above his thighs.

"Do you need something to sleep in?"

"No, I'm good," Taehyung said quickly. "I am wearing extra clothes under this that I can sleep in. I will just need a toothbrush if you have any extras."