Who Are You? [] PJM & MYG YoonMin []

☆Eight: Damaged Goods☆

    Two weeks passed like coarse sand through a thin hourglass. Slow and painful. The hole Yoongi left in Jimin's heart only grew bigger and bigger get each day until he was sure he was only filled with darkness. Sadly the darkness was a familiar emotional space for Jimin. He was used to the cold emptiness but he still hated it. Hated the way it made him hate himself.
Perhaps that's why, on a Saturday night, he wasn't out clubbing like the rest of the 23 year olds in the world. Instead, he was alone inside the dim practice room of the university Dance hall. Throwing his body into his newest routine.

For hours he had been pushing himself. Desperate to perfect every tiny movement the choreography demanded. Repeating the steps over and over again. Ignoring the sweat dripping from his face or the burning of his lungs as they fought for air or the exhaustion settling in to his aching muscles. Jimin kept pushing no matter how much his body shouted to give up. Until it finally did. As he spun around, his knees finally buckled beneath him. Sending his body crashing down. Cringing with pain as his right arm scraped along the floor as he skid across to a painful stop.

Jimin hissed in pain at the impact, "Ss-ah! Fuck!
He sat up, cradling his injured arm. As the ache pulsed into his right limb, shattering the dam that had kept his feelings trapped since his date with Yoongi. His agony poured from his body as the tears streamed down his face. Jimin already burning lungs pushing out hard sobs as he collapsed back on to the floor. Curled into a ball and crying in the darkness of the practice room.
Instantly the door to the studio flung open, Taehyung running inside and dropping to his knees beside Jimin, pulling him into his arms, "Jimin-ah! Kwenchana?! What happened?"
Jimin couldn't answer, he only held his throbbing arm and leaned into Taehyung's embrace. Unable to stop his tears but comforted by his best friend's warm touch. Taehyung didn't speak again. Always understanding of Jimin as he let him follow the flood of his emotions. Patting his back in simple yet comfortable support. Patiently waiting for Jimin to regain his far lost composure.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

"You gonna tell me what that was about or am I gonna have to play a guessing game?" Taehyung asked, shooting back a shot of soju as the two sat beneath the tent of a food truck they stopped in on their way home from the hospital.
Jimin tosses back his own shot of soju, with the unbandaged hand, sighing at the uncomfortable burn, "It was nothing. I just fell."
Taehyung rolled his eyes, refilling Jimin's glass, "We've known each other since we were kids, how long are you going to keep trying to lie to me?"
Jimin took the shot and refilled Tae's glass in return, "I don't want to talk about it."
Taehyung tossed back the soju and clacked the glass on the table, winking at Jimin, "Lie."
"It's stupid," Jimin said softly.
Taehyung nodded, spinning the empty shot glass with his finger, "It's about Yoongi-hyung?"
Jimin was still the only one who referred to Yoongi formally now, Making the gap between them even more painful. "Ye."
"You Fucked him, huh?"
The question caught Jimin off guard, nearly knocking him from his chair, "Eh?! How did you know that?!"
Taehyung laughed lightly, his voice deep, "Virgins always have this look about them. And I saw it in you the day after the contest. Ji. Min. Ie. Pa. Bo."
Jimin glared at him, angry words tumbling from his lips, "I'm not the idiot. He's the one who slept with me even though he's engaged!"
This time it was Tae who nearly fell as he choked on his soju, Coughing as he spoke, "A-a what n-now?"
"Fiancé," Jimin replied calmly. Giving in and telling Taehyung everything. "Yoongi-ssi and I had this... thing between us. But he was distant. Even after we had sex, he was gone the next morning. He only left a note telling me to make sure I made the bed before I left. Couple weeks ago we went to Hannam Bridge but this... Wall was still between us. I thought maybe he was closeted. But that's when he said he was engaged."
"So barge in there and break that shit up."
Jimin smiled weakly, "I can't. He said if he doesn't marry her, his father will go bankrupt. Besides, why would I want to date a liar. I mean he had sex with me while being engaged to someone else and said nothing."
Taehyung nodded, knowing Jimin's hatred of lying, "So that's why you were crying... You must really like him."
"Fuck Min Yoongi," Jimin scowled, his voice breaking a little. "I hope he and his wife live miserable together."
"You don't mean that," Taehyung's matter-of-fact tone clearly evident.
Jimin sighed, "No... I don't. I hope he's happy even if I'm miserable." He knocked back another shot of soju, Ignoring the burn, "I am an idiot."
Taehyung comforted Jimin for the rest of the night. Kindly carrying him on his back when Jimin had surpassed his limit and apparent inability to walk. Times like this Jimin truly appreciated Taehyung. Somehow, he always knew how to comfort Jimin and calm his heart.
"I wishhh I could looove you like I lovvvve Yoongi~" Jimin slurred readying happily on Taehyungs back.
Taehyung laughed lightly, "We tried that remember? It was like kissing my brother."
Jimin nodded, making the world spin more from drunkenness, "Friends thennn?"
Taehyung smiled, "Brothers."
      When they finally reached the house, Taehyung dropped his drunken friend onto his bed. Jimin pretended to be passed out until Taehyung and Hoseok left the room. Off to play some games with Jungkook through the night.
     Jimin was sobered up, well enough at least, as he lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. He felt lonely. Empty.

ChristianChimChim:

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"Dance hard, party hard... Live a hard life."
8 Comments
Yeon.Ki.Min: Are you okay?! What happened?!

     Jimin opened up his private messages and clicked on his chat with Yeon KiMin to reply privately.

ChristianChimChim: I fell while dancing. Just a sprain and some cuts and bruises. But I'm fine.

Yeon.Ki.Min: No one who says they're fine is ever really fine. Did something happen?

ChristianChimChim: ... That guy I mentioned...

Yeon.Ki.Min: the giant asshole?

ChristianChimChim: That's the one. I found out he was engaged. He never told me. Even when we had sex. He said nothing. He just kept lying.

Yeon.Ki.Min: Maybe he was afraid of hurting you.

ChristianChimChim: Not a good enough excuse. I'm a grown man. I can handle my shit. I just... I hate liars. Back in Busan, my father owned an apartment building. Things were great. We had a comfortable life for many years. Until one day, the police came knocking on my parents home and arrested my father. Turns out, he was a con man. Tricking people out of their hard earned money. Our comfortable life was built on lies. Once he was in prison, they repossessed everything even our house. We were homeless...

ChristianChimChim: My mother and I worked and worked. Saved and saved. When my father got out of prison, he dumped a bunch of cash into our bank account and disappeared. We haven't seen him in years. I had to watch my mother work herself to the bone as she raised me and my younger brother. She barely slept. Barely ate. When she filed for divorce he was nowhere to be found. My mother stressed and tormented for a year until finally the courts approved the divorce without my father's consent. Money doesn't fix my moms busted shoulder or aching back or sleepless nights. One lie grew so large it destroyed my family. I won't let anyone con me like my father again... Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just damaged goods.

      Yeon KiMim didn't reply and Jimin was just tipsy enough not to care. Easily drifting to sleep, the spinning world around him beginning to slow down. Exhaustedly giving in to dark, deep sleep.