Joonie || NamBTS

9) Maybe next time

Namjoon's heart tightened when he heard yoongi say that. Of course he wanted Jimin to confess about his problems and yoongi asking Jimin to go first instead of him didn't bother him one bit. What bothered him was the look the elder gave him. The elder had shrugged and looked at him coldly. His urge to slip was getting stronger and stronger. He shook his head several times forcing himself to stay big.

"Namjoon can wait, right?", yoongi asked coldly, looking straight into the younger's dark orbs. Jungkook and taehyung were ready to argue but namjoon kept his hands upon both of their hands and smiled at them gently before nodding without hesitation.

"Of course, why not? You can start now", namjoon said softly, trying to encourage the younger.

Jimin felt guilty. He was sure he could see the elder's heart hurting. Nevertheless, he started, pushing aside the guilt. He needed to get this out of his head.

"I-I'm on a diet..", Jimin trailed off. Everyone moved closer to hear the younger more clearly. Gasps were heard in the room.

"Okay, and why?", jin asks softly. Showing no expression of shock or surprise. But everyone knows that the alpha leader is freaking out on the inside. Well, he had a reason to. Jimin was already so thin and him going on a diet just didn't settle out.

"I-I..", Jimin let out a soft sob, and as soon as he did so, hobi hugged him tightly from behind. "It's okay, you can tell us", he said, burying his face into the younger's hair, whispering softly.

Jimin inhaled a deep breath before speaking. "I-I uploaded a pic-picture and w-when I read the co-comments. They s-said I looked fat. I didn't mind them at first b-but as time passed, I started getting m-more of them. And-and they got to me", he breathed shakily, "Am-am I that fat jin-hyung?? Am I u-ugly?", a loud sob wretched through his chest and everyone's heart ached at the sight.

"How long?", jin asked sternly, feeling angry. Not at the younger but himself. It was his responsibility to make sure his boyfriends were fine.

Jimin visibly flinched at the elder's voice but spoke truthfully. "2-2 months", a pause, "I had never eaten a full meal from then. I-I would sneak out to practice in the early morning. That's why I'm always so, so tired. I would puke out everything, jin-hyung", he looked at jin through his tears, "that's why I always w-went to the bathroom after eating", he finished as more sobs left his plush lips.

Namjoon didn't know what came upon him as he latched himself on Jimin, hugging him tightly as both of them stumbled to the ground. Maybe it was because he felt guilty as he had noticed that something was off with the younger a few days ago but didn't do anything about it because of his selfishness. Or maybe because in a way, he could relate to the younger.

Namjoon wasn't sobbing, just crying silently, head resting on the younger's now small chest. He noticed how skinny he had gotten and it pained him to no end. Jimin didn't deserve the hate, no one did. Well, no one except himself. Silent tears rolled unstoppably from his beautiful orbs as he thought about how hurt the younger must've been and he was too selfish to notice. Too worried about himself, when he didn't have the right to. Guilty, that's what he felt.

All of a sudden, he was yanked off of the younger by a fuming jungkook. No, not kookie too. "Can't you see he's hurting, namjoon-hyung?!", jungkook screamed, loud enough for everyone except Jin to flinch and go completely silent. Namjoon looked at Jimin, who was groaning in pain, holding onto his abdomen.

"Kook-", jungkook cut tae before he could complete his sentence, "Shut up, tae! Don't defend him. How many times have we told him to see what he's doing and he's still like that! Just keeps moping around, acting like a drama queen. Thinks that everyone is free and doesn't have any other work apart from comforting him. Idiot!"

"No, tae. Just stop. And you", he said, gesturing towards a crying namjoon, his eyes blurred with tears and cheeks stained with the salty liquid, "Go to your room, now."

"But he hasn't con-", tae stopped speaking when jungkook showed a hand in front of him. Sure, he was an alpha himself but he didn't like arguing so he just nodded.

Namjoon's knees felt weak as he stood up, his legs shaking visibly as he felt upset and humiliated. It was his fault. Before his legs gave out, taehyung held him from his waist and saved him from crashing onto the floor. "I'll take you to your room", he whispered to the omega.

Taehyung knew that jungkook was going to say something, so now, it was his chance to show a hand in front of him to let him know that he wasn't in the mood to argue. And just like expected, jungkook didn't say anything, just huffed in annoyance.

Everyone watched the scene unfold in front of them. To be honest, they felt bad about namjoon but they were too annoyed by the young omega to try and comfort him. And just like that, they let him be. Giving their full attention to Jimin, poor boy wasn hurting.

In Namjoon's room, taehyung laid namjoon down on the bed and noticed the way the elder's chest was heaving in restlessness. "what is it that you were going to confess? It's okay, baby, you can atleast tell me", taehyung asked, more like pleaded, feeling as though it was the right time. He took Namjoon's hand in one of his, the other patting his forehead. Namjoon sighed, not really wanting to divert all the attention to himself because right now, Jimin needed them the most, and he didn't matter anyway.

"It's okay, TaeTae. Maybe next time."

Yeah, maybe.