Caged (Jimin BTS)

XVI = Smells Fishy

"Hello, Jimin." The pink head's bloodshot eyes lit up when I slinked into his cage. Jimin scrambled to his feet and bounced slightly when I stopped in front of him. Smiling up at him, I opened my arms and Jimin envelope me in one of the warmest bear hugs I ever received.

He might be made out of skin and bones, but boy sure can give the warmest hugs. Jimin dug his chin into my shoulder and I giggled at the ticklish sensation. He grinned down at me when we pulled away.

"You missed me?"

The boy bobs his head enthusiastically. "Miss. Me." Ever since I start visiting him at night a few weeks ago, Jimin had started copying a few words I say to him. Worried that he might blew our cover off, I told him -all to patiently- to not speak with anyone else except with me. And Jimin obediently nods. Well, from the way things sailing up above, I can say he got the message.

"I brought you snacks again. Here." Jimin practically lunged at the fries and nuggets and I pulled it away from him. "What did I tell you about asking food from others?"

"Pleash?" God damn, not those kitten eyes! And that lisp, someone help me.

Oh wait. No one knows about Jimin, except for those who put him here in the first place. "Here you go." I put one chicken nugget in his hand and watched Jimin nibble on it.

The rain in the afternoon made the floor a little slippery and damp, but Jimin's clothes seemed to have dried off a bit. I combed my fingers through his pink hair and Jimin leaned into my palm. My other hand held out the fries to him and Jimin munched on.

Basically workers came to feed him every Tuesday and Friday. Father would check Jimin for any disease on Tuesdays on the second week every month. For the first week, I visited Jimin every night and practically learnt the full schedule just by listening to the workers.

And when I saw my father stepping into the place with his schoolmates, I think a part of my heart crumbled away. Does all he ever give me, give Namjoon and Mother, is it all fake love?

I also knew that very few knew about Jimin, or who they called The Caged Boy. Government's inner circle and a few social workers. Not even up to 50 people.

"Do you like it?" I patted his head as Jimin licked his fingers. Jimin tilted his head at me, pointed at the empty nugget trays and said, "Likedt."

I quirked an eyebrow at him and raised the fries'. "How about this one?"

Jimin looked at the tray and frowned, pursing his lips. He looked freaking adorable I cannot help but giggle at his face. Jimin snapped out of it and tilted his head at me.

He basically just copied what I did, but seriously, did I even do that face in front of him? From what I heard around the workers, being around Jimin would make me all miserable and had bad luck.

It only felt like all those when I leave him at the end of my visit.

Jimin would always hugs me with extra warmth before I leave. Which makes it all harder for me to go. I would stall my departure by patting his soiled cardigan, changing it with mine so I can wash his -I did it almost everyday except for the days the workers came- but Jimin always see through me. He would gently shove me closer to the bars and I sighed up at him.

"See you tomorrow, Jimin." And I would always get a sweet smile for that.

---

Namjoon stretched after a freakishly long hours with desk work, and popped his head into the kitchen. Naomi was asleep with her head on the counter. The older brother quietly stepped closer.

With her soft violet hair flowing out in front of her in wild locks, it's safe to say that Naomi looked like someone slapped a dried-out octopus onto the counter. But she still looked cute.

"Yeah, she's cute." His rough voice softly murmur. Namjoon's tapered fingers ran through her locks and Naomi stirred in her sleep. He sat on the counter as he watched her twitch in her dreams.

Namjoon noticed that Naomi is always taking naps these days. It's always her favourite pastime, but this time it's like she's taking them to replace her sleep at night. J-Hope and V are reporting the same thing, too. Naomi dozing off in classes and getting good at not getting caught.

On a second thought, they might have been jealous of that.

He looked down and saw Naomi's blue cardigan. The one that Mother knitted for her. But a lump formed in his throat when he saw that it has a hood and two side pockets.

The new one doesn't have those, and Naomi told their mother when she got it that she will not be adding them.

How can she have it back?

Namjoon didn't realise that he had been clutching at Naomi's arm when the girl grunted. "... imin..." She swatted his hand away and Namjoon shrunk back.

Sliding off the counter, he scooped her sister up and lay her down on the couch. Naomi's neck would hurt less this way, he think. But whatever other things he try to distract himself with, Namjoon is still bummed with the things he found. He need someone else in the vicinity. ASAP.

"Hyung?" Namjoon dialled Seokjin's number. The guy on the other line hummed, his voice slightly raspy. Probably had fallen asleep while tucking Taehyung in to his arrays of scattered sleeping schedule again. The boy's insomnia is getting worse and the only way it can be solved is having him sleep during the day.

"Sorry if I disturbed you. Can you do me a favour please?"

"Sure." The bed creaked as he scooted off it. "What is it?"

"Can you bring V's camera here?" Namjoon pulled at the collar of his floral print shirt. "I have a picture I forgot that I saved in there."

When Seokjin agrees and ended the call, he called Yoongi up and told him to come over for tea time.

Namjoon glances over his shoulder to where Naomi is peacefully sleeping and bit his lip. Something definitely smells fishy here, and both of them is not going out without a fight.

Well, it's not that Namjoon is going to back down, either.

=×=×=×=

The suspense thickens... Or maybe not! The two siblings are always in doubt with each other, but not this intense. Never this intense. Maybe I should make another flashback episode, just like how Naomi met Jimin for the first time... I'll give it a thought. For now, enjoy the book!

Your currently fasting in Ramadhan author