The Lie You Keep

Hamjon

The face was really attractive alright, but the way he eats?

Oh my he can't unsee it.

Gobble snort!

Smack smack.

Chomp chew.

"Would you eat properly like a normal human being?" Namjoon can't help but shout, utterly disturbed at the way the man before him was eating.

The boy stops for a moment, before continuing like before, as if he hadn't been reprimanded.

Namjoon hung his head.

"Seriously you don't listen," he sighs, peeking through his fingers to see the same sight. He groans. "Ew."

"I haven't eaten properly for almost three days."

"Poor you."

Taehyung scowls; he can't tell if that was sarcasm or not.

"Cut me some slack Namhyun-"

"-Namjoon."

"Hamjon."

"Namjoon."

The boy opens his mouth but-

"Say one more and I'll throw you out."

So he shuts up and eats, focused on filling his stomach with nutrients and energy.

"But seriously," he starts. "All teasing aside, thank you."

Namjoon's annoyed expression fades at hearing the sincerity in his tone. So he really was grateful at the help.

Taehyung laughs wryly.

"I honestly thought you'd leave me and I'd wake up having to clean up the mess and hide again." He shakes his head at that, not wanting to do anything related to killing anymore.

The pastel-haired man is confused, and it shows on his face.

"What do you mean 'clean up the mess'?" he questions. "Don't tell me you throw banana peels everywhere."

Taehyung's incredulous. What kind of assumption is that?

"No no."

"Ohhh some people dump garbage everywhere and you wanna clean everything up?"

Taehyung wants to tear out his own eyeballs.

"No!" He rubs his eyes and sighs. "You know what? Don't guess anymore."

Namjoon has this thoughtful face, and Taehyung's wary of what his mind will craft up next.

"Well what about hiding? Hide-and-seek?"

"No!"
▪️
The clock strikes six pm and Taehyung decides it's high time to go back to his own home.

But Joonha was cooking up dinner, and he felt movement from the living room.

"Yah where do you think you're going?"

Wearing soft clothes with a yellow apron didn't do him justice at looking stern and threatening.

In fact, Taehyung just wanted to squeeze him and take the pullover.

"I appreciate all the help you've given me Joo Hyun-"

"Namjoon. For the last time, it's Namjoon. Why do you always get it wrong?" He was so exasperated at this weird boy that keeps getting his name wrong. Was it so hard to remember his frigging name?? Annoying.

Taehyung continues on anyway.

"I have to get going now."

This makes the man sit straighter, brow up as well.

"What do you mean? If you haven't noticed, you're bruised everywhere and in no condition whatsoever to walk around."

Taehyung rolls his eyes as he stands anyway, limping, limping, toward the front door.

"Yah!"

"Don't follow me," mutters the boy as he throws open the door. "I can't have more affiliates with you."

Namjoon's perplexed as heck.

"What are you on about? You've been spouting nonsense ever since you woke up. I'm telling you to stay to recover."

"And I'm telling you that it's dangerous if you know me!"

There, Taehyung said it.

The hard look in his eyes fades.

"I just-" he breathes. "I can't have any more."

Namjoon can't deny that he's befuddled, but he also can't ignore the fact that this young man was suffering.

From what, he wasn't sure. It's definitely not from a medical illness, but his physical appearance and mental health seemed... not okay.

"Any more what?" he asks softly, trying to maintain calmness since he's sure that's what Taeja- Taehyung- needs right now.

Instead, the boy shakes his head, but doesn't forget to show his gratefulness by bowing.

"Thank you for everything Namjoon."

With that, the door snaps shut.

Oh, he said his name right.

He's left to scratch his cheek as a means to somehow cope, and shuffles into the kitchen to drink something.