he paints with lies ❆ kookmin

13 • 열셋

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(a/n): the chapter is too long for a song to work with it all :(

❁ཻུ۪۪⸙͎.'◦• ⊱›────── January 27th 2020

It was close to empty in the court as the spectators exited through one end of the room─the jury and the judge through the other end. The opponent and the prosecutor had walked out before anyone else, with smug expressions painted on their faces.

Jimin watched as his father brought Hani, Seokjin and Jungkook out to the hallway. He had told him that he needed a minute to speak with Yoongi alone. They almost were now, with the exception of a few people from the audience.

"I wanted to thank you, Yoongi. You really handled it all well, and the way you spoke for Jungkook... I'm grateful." A small smile painted his lips in appreciation, because even though it had gone quite bad, Yoongi had done everything in his power to protect them all.

Yoongi's lips parted as if he was about to speak, but he cast his head down to look at the floor in the last second. He fumbled with the costume jacket in his arms, and Jimin sensed that he wanted to apologize for what had happened a few days ago.

"You don't have to say anything, I just wanted to let you know." Jimin continued, taking a step back towards the exit. "We should get go-"

"Jimin," Yoongi said as he took a hold of Jimin's upper arm to stop him. "I feel like I need to explain something to you."

Jimin looked at him with wide eyes, taken aback by the sudden and rather tight grip on his arm. When Yoongi noticed that he was hurting him, he immediatley let go and apologized.

"I forget to be gentle sometimes. It's still present from my time in the military. I had to serve much longer than two years, and it had it's toll on me I guess." The way he spoke of it would have implied nonchalance, were it not for how he tensed up by just mentioning it. Jimin furrow his eyebrows in slight confusion at that.

In October of 2019, the military duty had been changed. It was now possible to exchange it for one years of specific technology studies, an incredibly expensive class that you had three hours a week. Not many could afford it, and some did not want to risk failing as you were then sent in to serve for two years in the military anyway. Jimin, who had postponed the military duty when he was enlisted, just finished his year of those studies. He was one of the first people to take that class, and passed the exam. Yoongi could not have had the opportunity.

"My appa made me stay for more than two years, even if I didn't want to. He's a commission officer, a Janggwan." There it was, the missing piece of information that was needed to understand Yoongi. It was something Jimin had very little knowledge of─military service─and he had misjudged Yoongi because of it. But now he could understand why Yoongi seemed so well composed in some situations, but could still lash out or act cold in others. That would also be why his body language was so rigid.

"I-" Jimin began, but he had no idea what to say. Yoongi was quick to continue though, and Jimin immediatley felt bad for his lack of response.

"The others must be waiting, I'll be quick. I just need to tell you why I was so... reluctant, to be nice to Jungkook?"

"Oh?" It was all Jimin could say. He had not expected for Yoongi to ever understand Jungkook properly, but now he was getting a whole explanation. Perhaps he had misunderstood Yoongi in more than one way.

"I realise that I shouldn't have said what I said that day. It's just... ever since we met, I've felt protective over you." There was a strain in Yoongi's voice─he was reluctant to speak of this. Jimin had sensed that he was protective, but his eyes still widened in surprise. He never expected Yoongi to voice it. They had not known each other for long, so Jimin had taken it for a misplaced crush.