RENEWAL || BTS

12

"You... what?" With a frown, Namjoon looks at Jimin weirdly. But slowly, his eyes slightly widened as his father's words struck him.

"I found him unconscious on our doorstep just a few weeks ago in only a white robe, so I took him in."

"I don't remember if I've told you this, but I've saved a kit before moving into the city. I took care of him for a while, but one day, he just disappeared after I return from the city with groceries. I engraved a necklace for him. It's the dog tag necklace the boy is wearing right now. I'm sure of it."

Subconsciously, his eyes trail down onto the silver necklace dangling proudly around the boy's neck. Many thoughts ran through his mind at the moment.

Should I tell him or should I not?

"Uh... What makes you think that?" Slowly, he sits himself back down and stares attentively into Jimin's eyes, which shows uncertainty and confusion.

"I just keep getting these weird images in my head. And it's always that fox. Always the same orange fur. I don't understand, hyung. Why is this happening to me? What does the fox have to do with me? Is what I said really true? That those images are really memories from my past?" The boy looks up into his hyung's eyes, his own searching Namjoon's features, yearning desperately for answers.

The older man's face twists into a troubled look. Now that Jimin told him, he feels lighter, but somehow heavier too at the same time.

So what appa told me was right all along. Jimin...

"Jimin, actually-" Namjoon was just about to answer when a sudden knock on the door cuts him off abruptly. Heaving a sigh, he scratches his nape and mutters, "Come in."

"Hey, guys! Jin hyung wants me to call you out for dinner!" Taehyung's head pops out from behind the now ajar door with a huge grin on his face.

"Aish! Why are you guys still sitting idle like that? Come on! Jin hyung is making Jajjangmyeon tonight!" He shuffles over to Jimin and pulls on his arm, dragging him out of the room. Jimin has his eyes wide while he was being dragged and turns back to look at the man who is still on the bed, giving him an anxious look before disappearing out the door completely.

Namjoon stares down at his hands, his mind a massive mess. He may be the smartest person under the roof, but he's also one of the most insensitive ones too. What if he used the wrong phrase, and unintentionally hurt Jimin? Cussing at himself, he slowly gets up and leaves the room.

__

The dining table is loud, as usual. However, even with Taehyung and Hoseok creating so much unnecessarily loud noise, Jimin is still distracted by his own thoughts. And of course, Jin being the caring person he is, noticed.

Continuously stealing small glances, he slowly puts down his chopsticks and lightly nudges the man sitting beside him. Being snapped out of his thoughts, Namjoon looks up at Jin and raises his brows questioningly.

"Did something happen in your room?"

"Huh?" Namjoon frowns in confusion as Jin sighs before jutting his chin at Jimin. Seeing how spaced out the boy is somehow hurt Namjoon a little inside. Bobbing his head to one side, he beckons Jin to follow him into the kitchen.

It didn't take long for the older to fully absorb the information as he already has an idea of what had possibly happened to Jimin. Nodding at Namjoon's words with his chin rested on one of his hands, his brain automatically starts piecing the information together.

"You know I'm not really good with words, hyung. I'm just worried that I might somehow end up stressing him out." He pinches his nose bridge and shuts his eyes close after saying this.

"I'll do it then." Jin says calmly, his eyes on Namjoon who looks up at him with a doubtful gaze.

"But hyung, he's not close to you." The older chuckles lightly in amusement. Gently, he pats on the younger's shoulder and smiles reassuringly.

"Oh, trust me. I know him more than you think."

__

After dinner, Jimin had proceeded directly back to his shared bedroom. Just as he was about to change, a light knock on the door stopped him.

"Namjoon hyung, you don't have to knock-"He halts, his muscles slightly stiffens at the sight of Jin closing the door with a glass of warm milk in his hand. The man smiles at him and moves closer, placing the glass down on his bedside table.

"Can I sit?" He asks, pointing at the mini sofa beside the bed. Jimin responds by nodding quite urgently.

"Jin-shii- ah wait no! I-I mean Jin hyung, is something the matter?" He asks, his voice quavering in nervousness. Jin only chuckles and pushes the glass towards him as he sits down on the side of the bed, "Drink. It'll help you sleep better."

Muttering a small 'thank you', Jimin holds the glass to his lips and takes slow, small sips. Jin watches as he does so with his hands clasp onto his crossed knee, a warm smile slowly gracing on his lips.

"Your hyung told me about your memories." 

Jimin slightly raises his head to look at the man. He's ready to receive any kind of insult or mean remarks for making such a fuss, however, Jin's voice remains calm and soothing.

"I understand that you're confused. I'm here to give you answers, but I won't do it unless you promise me something." He says and reaches one of his pinky fingers out.

"Promise that you'll live your life as who you are now, and don't cling onto the past too much." Eagerly, Jimin nods and wraps Jin's much larger pinky with his own, making the latter laugh a little.

As Jin tells him about his past, bits and pieces of memories flow into his head. He thought he was going to cry as he tried his hardest to hide his major headache from the older, who was so immersed in storytelling he hardly noticed anything.

"I wasn't really that close to you. But I can still tell, you know?" As Jin's words slowly sink in, Jimin raises his eyebrows.

"What do you mean...?"

"Taehee. You really like- ah, no. You really love her. You even sacrificed yourself to save her life. Do you remember?" He asks this and leans in closer to Jimin, his eyes narrowing.

The boy tries his hardest to remember, and it eventually hit him. The blurry image of red and Taehee's tear-stained face appears in his head.

Please look closely into my eyes and see... just how much I love you.

These words flow into his head, causing him to groan in pain as he holds onto his head.

I love you, Taehee. I love you.

"Jimin?! Jimin!" Jin's voice slowly becomes blurred as he slowly loses his consciousness. The last thing he saw was the others rushing into the room and Jin shouting for help. And just before his mind shuts off completely, an image of Taehee smiling, petting his head appears.

She's the girl I love, after all.