Tails and Toes • Jikook Mermaid AU

Chapter Twenty-One

He smiled. It wasn't a real smile, that bright smile of him that showed the dimples in his cheeks and almost made his eyes close. No, it was fake. And full of pain. He took a sip from the coffee in the mug in his hands while he stared out of the dark bedroom to the sea in distance. He blocked out the calls from his hyungs and focused on the waves that rolled onto the shore. The moonlight shone on the seawater, making it sparkle. It was beautiful, Jimin thought. He closed his eyes while listening to the peaceful sounds of the waves.

...

Meanwhile, Jungkook sat on the couch watching some reality show on TV when he got a text from Taehyung. He was scared to open it, considering the last time they saw each other Jungkook was too emotional to talk normally. But Jungkook apologised for his behaviour, so he hoped it was better now. He opened the chat with Taehyung and his heart broke when he read the text. Are you still keeping Jimin at home? You know it can't stay that way. You have to let him go, Jungkook, stop being selfish. The poor boy is in constant pain. Tears blurred his vision and he dropped his phone out of his hands on the couch. He knew. Taehyung was right, ofcourse he was. Jungkook couldn't let Jimin on land against his own will, but the thing was that Jimin wanted to. He didn't want to go back. He hid his face with his hands and started to sob softly. Not too hard, because then it would concern Jimin who was upstairs. ''Okay.'' Jungkook whispered to himself between a few sobs. ''I'll bring him back.'' He buried his face in his hands again, sadness taking over his body.

...

Yoongi laid a hand on Taehyung's shoulder when he noticed that his friend was feeling down. He paused the movie they were watching in Taehyung's living room and turned to him. ''What's wrong?'' The purple-haired boy shook his head and held the pillow in his arms tighter. ''Nothing, resume the movie'' . ''Not unless you tell me what's going on.'' Yoongi immediatly answered and Taehyung sighed. ''It's about Jimin.'' He eventually said. ''He's sick and because of that, he needs to leave. But he'll never come back once he goes. And it just hurts me to see him so sick. Also, because he loves Jungkook so much. They are like the perfect couple and Jungkook is my best friend, he'll never be the same when Jimin leaves him.'' Yoongi looked a bit confused, but he didn't ask further. ''He never told me that.'' The mint-haired boy mumbled. Taehyung shook his head in response and held the fluffy pillow in his arms even tighter. ''He didn't told me either, Jungkook did.'' Yoongi looked at the younger boy on the couch and realised he was on the verge of the tears. ''Tae-tae!'' He loudly said, calling Taehyung by his nickname on purpose. He wanted affection and calling Taehyung by his nickname was one of them. ''Are you okay?'' Yoongi carefully asked and Taehyung nodded. ''Yoongs, I'm fine. Totally fine.'' He said those words while his eyes started to get glossy and he bit his underlip, squeezing the fluffy pillow in his arms so tight against his chest that he almost suffocated. ''I'm fine.'' In the history that the two knew each other, that was the biggest lie Taehyung ever told. It was silent for a few seconds, but after that hell broke loose. Taehyung threw the pillow out of his arms which hit the lamp next to TV, causing it to fall over and scaring the shit out of Kkanji who was peacefully sleeping in her basket and now hid under the couch. Meanwhile, Taehyung broke out in tears and flung himself onto Yoongi's chest. The mint-haired boy was suprised at first when he felt Taehyung's body against his, but that soon changed. He wrapped his arms around Taehyung who's face was hidden in Yoongi's black T-shirt, making it all wet with his tears but Yoongi didn't care. He rubbed his hands over Taehyung's back and held him close to his own body. ''I sh-shouldn't h-have do-done it." Taehyung sniffs between a few sobs. ''Done what?'' Yoongi asked. His voice was calm and steady, so it was really comforting and nice. ''I sent Jungkook a text, but I didn't knew it sounded so mean. I fucking told him that he was selfish. He cares about Jimin more than himself and I call him selfish? I'm a terrible best friend.'' Taehyung explained, rubbing his hands over his face to get rid of the tears. ''You're not a terrible best friend. You are the best of friends to Jungkook, you two have known each other for years. I'm sure this won't change it. Friends don't stay mad at each other, even how serious the situation is.'' Yoongi said and Taehyung wanted to agree with him, but he didn't even knew half of the story. Taehyung wanted to tell Yoongi everything. That Jimin was a mermaid and belonged in the sea, that he wasn't the only mermaid and had two hyungs who he had known his whole life, that he needed to be in the ocean in order to survive. But he couldn't, he just couldn't. He promised Jimin and Jungkook and he would keep his promise. That's the least Taehyung could do in this painful and complicated situation. He didn't knew when Jimin would return, but it was soon, really soon. What if it's tomorrow, or tonight? Or even today? Jungkook would tell him, right? Yeah, ofcourse he did. He would let Taehyung and Yoongi say their goodbyes, but Taehyung understood that Jungkook would Jimin bring to the beach and not with anyone else. He was the most close to Jimin, considering they were boyfriends. ''Do you feel better?'' Yoongi asked, noticing that Taehyung was thinking deeply about something. ''Yeah, your comfort is the world to me.'' The purple-haired boy answered. He snuggled against Yoongi and Taehyung's head rested on Yoongi his shoulder. The mint-haired boy resumed the movie they were watching, some science-fiction story Yoongi wasn't really interested in, but he let Taehyung pick this time, and then a smile appeared on his face. It was a real smile, full of happiness. Taehyung was his happiness. Yoongi turned his head and licked his lips seductively. ''Lately, I've been going crazy because I like you so much.'' He whispered in the ear of the younger boy. Not even a second passed when Taehyung got the same smile as Yoongi on his face.