Flaw in the System

15

"You're real odd, Park Jimin." Jae spoke loudly as she sat on a blanket, book on her lap and eyes on the boy who was climbing a tree. He had bound ropes on the poles that Namjoon and Yoongi set up for Jimin and his odd tricks.

Jimin flipped himself upside down, the branch tucked behind his knees, "And why do you say that?" He questioned, lifting an eyebrow to match his tone.

"I don't think I've ever seen you sad or hurt for more than a few moments. You laughed it off, how can you let things go like that?"

"You think you can come in here like that, little girl?" Namjoon shoved his face into her space after pushing her harshly against the wall.

"I-I"

"DID I SAY YOU CAN TALK?!" He screams and she closes her eyes, fear making her core tremble She kept quiet and Namjoon leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Come in here and I'll fucking rip your head off." He pushed himself off and sat back down at his desk, leaving the girl to slink away.

She had ran out shaken, too shocked to react. Yoongi had heard it all and cared for her, explaining the Namjoon gets violent if you interrupt him.

"Makes him lose his train of thought. Also thinks you're gonna mess him up or steal something. It's best not to go in there." He said gently, holding Jae in bed and feeding her an ice cream sandwich.

Jimin shrugs and jumps down, landing gracefully on the floor and then climbing onto the taught rope. He balanced himself on his feet as he began bouncing on it.

"I mean, they're intentions are to hurt you, yes? Doesn't that make you mad? They want to hurt you." He payed attention to line before carefully sitting on it.

"Yeah, and?"

"Why would you let them win? Don't give them that satisfaction. Smile in their face, laugh it off." He says and lays back on the line. Jae watched with amazement at both his thoughts and his activity.

"Explain further."

"One time, this guy had gotten real mad at me. He stabbed me in the leg and i didn't cry out, yeah i shed a few tears but i laughed. Ohh, that got him so mad." He smiled at the thought and got down, deciding he liked the tree better.

"I wasn't treated too nicely in the past, ya know?" Jimin said as he climbed up the tree, shouting to be heard. Jae watched him, hoping he doesn't fall and slightly enchanted by his graceful moves.

"I was training to be in the olympics. Gymnastics. Sabotaged by a bunch of boys from school who teamed up with some girls on my team." He said sentence by sentence like it was facts from a textbook. There was no emotions, just simply stating what was.

"I was called a lot of things and- I remember when I hit the floor.. I hit it hard. Hit my head. Damaged my ambitions, my self esteem- oh god, I still remember their laughs and names!" He smiled and laughed like he was telling stories of happy memories. A faint look glazed his eyes, looking beyond the horizon. Jae was silent, listening to his story.

"I was a mistake, once i was able to work, I worked. I was the bread winner of the family. My father was a drunk, my mother a cripple. I tried getting a normal job, but.. I was never hired for one reason or another. I finally just picked up as a stripper. I had... I hadn't thought about what would happen. I just needed money- I needed to survive." He changed his main focus to the bright green grass and a flower bed that settled in it. He jumped down and sat amongst the flowers.

"I didn't want to have sex with clients... But this strip club was shady. I should've known." He scoffed twisting a flowers stem till it rips off, the fibers drying his hands. "I was forced to anyways. Drugged me, had their way with me. I'm just glad that I didn't contract anything." He rubbed his upper arm, trying to shoo away the imaginary hands that gripped him like they did in the smoky rooms.

"They'd call me doll and oh, how i despised that name." He chuckled, picking another flowers, trying it on the others stem. "I was only 19. Crazy. I met Namjoon later that year, whisked me off, had me tested and treated for any illness and sickness. He took care of me." He smiled and he continued his process.

Pick. rip. Tie. repeat. Pick. rip. Tie. repeat.

"Don't you ever let the pain sink in too far. Laugh in their faces. Make them feel a fool. You're not the one embarrassed, they are. You're not powerless, they are. Never give them that power over you. You are in control of yourself, Jae." He hums and gets up and gives her the flower crown.

"Here. I made you a crown of corpses." He chuckles and set it on her head. "I think it's quite fitting." He says and sits down next to her.

"Why.. Why do you still do that with us? You laugh and smile when your in pain... Why do you hide from us?" She leans her head on Jimin's shoulder staring off in the general direction Jimin was looking off to.

"It's not that i don't want to show you... Sometimes, my mind and my heart is hurting itself... But, my soul won't allow that. It's just instinct. I had depression as an adolescence and i assumed I carried it into my adult life but, Jin said I had some PTSD. It hurts a lot, Jae." His face was fading into a whisper and she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked at him until he looked back.

"Hey?" She whispered and looked smiled a bit at him.

"Hey.." He whispered, intimacy flooded their brains as they were in such close proximity.

"I love you." She whispered even lighter, causing him to smile.

He knew she hasn't said it to any of them. He was still convinced that she was still getting used to them and everything. The sudden confession lifted his spirit, making his insides warm.

"I love you too." He says through his giggles and she looked down at his lips.

"There's a difference between your smiles. I love them all but your genuine one looks the best."

"Mmmm... Make me smile again." He tries his bend to frown and pout, putting on a whole sad show.

"I love you!" She coos and smiles brightly as she sees Jimin's smile.

He tightens his arms around her, pulling her closer as he stops her giggles with his lips. She closed her eyes, lips pressing against him as they slowly dragged. She could feel his heart beat fast under one of her palms that rested on his chest and she wondered is he could feel hers with how closely they were pressed. Her hands slowly trailed down, finding his fingers to lace though and gave it a squeeze.

Her chest was swirling, and all she could feel was warmth and Jimin. The emotion and love from this simple kiss could last her a lifetime.

And she wanted that life time with her boys.

She seperated, their lips making a small suction noise, and stayed close to him. She kept her eyes closed as his warmth still radiated in her.

"So pretty..." He whispers as his free hand cradles her chin and rubbed her bottom lip, causing it to gently touch his a few times. She opened her eyes, meeting his brown ones and she smiles.

"Let's go inside, sweetheart." He says as he notices the chilly breeze. She smiles and squeezes his hand.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!"