Staegma ✧ taejin

18

Silence dominated the place as Jimin was playing with his fingers again. "I'm really, really sorry, Yoongi-hyung and Seokjin-ssi. It's completely my fault — I wanted to make Taehyung happy at first, and you too, Yoongi-hyung, and knowing you both, you wouldn't probably last in a relationship."

Yoongi gawked at Jimin. "What?"

"This is so fucking idealistic," Seokjin tried to reason, "but I guess that answered some of my questions."

"This is why you can't meet Taehyung's parents."

"I saw his parents."

Seokjin honestly didn't know if he should believe or not. His belief was at a tightrope, ready to fall down to the side where he believes, or to the side that he doesn't. It was surprising him how they were taking this more calmly than he expected.

The eldest pointed at Yoongi. "I used Yoongi's character once and Taehyung mentioned they were best friends."

Yoongi seemed shocked. "What? We're friends?"

"Taehyung told me."

"And you believed him?"

"Don't be so harsh," Seokjin said. "He didn't know your username though when I talked to him about you. So I doubt the friendship."

"That's because I told him my actual name was Yoongi."

"Why are you giving out private information?"

"Hyung I literally didn't know he was a real person."

"But you said — or Taehyung did —" Seokjin forgot. "That Taehyung danced to your music?"

"Yes, he did. It was a horrible sight, but I appreciate the appreciation."

"But he denied it when I talked to him about that."

"Don't look into much to that, hyung," Jimin interrupted. "It's either he forgot or he was hiding it because he's embarrassed. You don't have to worry either way."

"Are we actually believing this?" Yoongi whispered to Seokjin. "I get it that Jimin's a good friend of mine and all, but. . . hyung? It seems so. . ."

"I met this Joon guy," Seokjin replied. "I think it's RM."

"What?!" It was Yoongi.

"Um, yeah, it is RM," Jimin was fumbling with his fingers again. "We're kinda on the same page."

"What?" It was Yoongi again. "What the hell?"

"I saw him when I was about to burn Taehyung's letter," Seokjin narrated. "He told me not to."

"Because he knows it'd hurt Taehyung's feelings."

But Seokjin wasn't one for sentiments. He'd burn the letter if he wants to. It was problematic of him to do so, but now that he knew that Taehyung's an actual person. . . he reconsidered.

Seokjin was aware of his selfish ideas. Everyone has a dark side, after all. The Old Fisherman painting Taehyung liked — and Taehyung's own words of "there could be a dominant side sometimes" — were right.

Taehyung was right.

But with this entire issue — he didn't know what to believe. Well he knows, but the question is, can he accept it?

"What letter?" Yoongi asked.

"Love letter of some sort."

Yoongi narrowed his eyes. "Why burn it, then, hyung? Isn't that rude?"

"Well, yeah, but that's my problem."

Jimin was only looking down and not saying anything, as he fumbled with his fingers once again. It was alarming Seokjin.

"Calm down, Jimin," Seokjin said. "We're okay. It's okay. You're forgiven. People have a dark side sometimes, but sometimes it's for a good cause."

"And you're a philospher now?" Yoongi interrupted, and it took all for Seokjin not to smack his flatmate.

"Taehyung told me about this painting of the Old Fisherman. When you place a mirror in between it, you'd see two different people. One is the good one, with his hands clasped together, and the sea calm behind him. The other one is the darker one, with a storm and sea raging behind him. Taehyung told me there are two sides to everyone, but there can be a dominant side sometimes."

"Or it can do both at once," Yoongi added challengingly, "I mean, look at Jimin."

The youngest of them looked up. "Are you defending me or is this your way of expressing you're angry?"

Yoongi sipped his drink. "I'm not mad in the first place, Jimin. But you're telling me a load of idealistic things, and I have no idea what to believe. And if you did it for a good cause — you wanted us happy — that's okay."

That's okay.

Seokjin was glad to let Jimin hear it, even from Yoongi's mouth. It would be hypocritical if he said he didn't understand how the message concept of the Old Fisherman works.