The Bet - Masters of Puppetry » Jikook

아홉

Part Nine
"Tell me who hurt you."
   
   
The two men were seeing each other on a regular basis now. Neither of them knew how that had happened but they genuinely enjoyed each other's company.

It had been two weeks or so since Jungkook had appeared on Jimin's doorstep without any prior warning and had told him that he didn't have it in him to leave the blond man. Jimin had been touched.

"I can't stay away from you."

"You should, though. Believe me, it would be the right thing to do."

"Well, maybe I want to be wrong then."

They had talked until dawn that day and had got to know each other better, if only a little. Jungkook guessed you could say they were friends now. Since they hadn't had sexual intercourse nor any kind of innocent skinship ever since, the younger didn't think it would ever happen again, and that was okay.

In the end, it really had been just a one night stand, he reckoned.

"Earth to Jungkook... Are you even listening to me?," Jimin asked as he was waving in front of the brunet's face to get his attention.

Jungkook laughed sheepishly. "No."

"Rude much?"

The blond male took a little sip of his double espresso. Jungkook had ordered a green tea for himself because he pretty much despised coffee, especially the strong kind. "I'm sorry," he apologized as Jimin put his cup back on the saucer. "I was lost in thought. What were you saying?"

Jimin looked into the younger's brown eyes and noticed he was paying close attention to him again. Instead of repeating what he had told him shortly before, though, he decided to ask him, "What are you thinking about? What's bothering you so much?"

To be honest, Jungkook felt uneasy.

He wanted to talk to Jimin about his concerns, about the things that were constantly going through his head, but Jungkook didn't want to upset him. There were too many people in the coffee shop anyway.

Apparently, Jimin saw how the younger man sitting in front of him got tense all of a sudden and knew what he was thinking straightaway. "Don't worry. They won't hear."

"It's not about me," Jungkook told him unexpectedly.

"Well, who is it about, then?"

"You."

Jimin was surprised at his answer. Jungkook had got distracted by thinking of him? Why?

"I'm not in love with you. No need to be concerned," the brunet noted frankly, with a soft smile on his face. "I just-" He stopped himself, unsure of how to continue. "There's this thing that I'm still curious of. Something you're always keen on keeping a secret."

Jimin sighed.

He knew exactly what it was.

The elder had been certain that Jungkook had been done chasing after something that shouldn't be his problem. Jungkook should have given up wanting to know more about his terrible past. But he hadn't.

"Jungkook-"

"I know what you're going to say, but please hear me out," the younger interrupted his hyung almost desperately. "Please."

Reluctantly, Jimin nodded, letting the other say whatever was on his mind. It seemed really important to him and if it was important to Jungkook, it was Jimin's top priority as well. It was as simple as that.

"I care about you," the younger confessed quietly, always making sure that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation. "And I feel as if it was me who hurt you when you started crying that night, even though you've told me, over and over again, that it wasn't my fault-"

"And it wasn't."

Jimin leaned back in his chair and avoided the younger's intimidating gaze. His slightly harsh reply had had Jungkook fall silent, too.

The blond was looking around inconspicuously. Did he know anyone in here he could speak to without its being so obvious that he just wanted to escape this situation?

Unfortunately, the answer was no.

Sighing, Jimin sat up straight at the front edge of his seat once more. He wanted to change the subject so badly because he knew he would give in to Jungkook's puppy eyes eventually. And he wasn't ready to confess.

Jimin knew he could tell him anything and that Jungkook would never condemn him. Nonetheless, he didn't want the younger to come to know about the darkest chapter of his life. He didn't want him to see what was behind his quirky shell. Hell, Jimin didn't even want to see it himself, but he had no other choice since it was a part of him.

On the one side, he wanted Jungkook to like him for him and that presupposed a condition: He had to know everything about Jimin.

On the other side, the elder was running scared. He was too afraid the brunet would leave him for good if he knew what was the reason for Jimin's secrecy.

"Can we please just drop it?," the elder begged as he felt tears welling up in his eyes, whereupon Jungkook reached out to grab his hand. He was worried about Jimin. He had grown dear to his heart.

"Hyung..."

"Please, Jungkook," Jimin whispered weakly. "Don't make me say it."

"Hyung..."

Jimin was on the brink of tears. He leaned forward, so that his watery eyes and trembling lips weren't on full display for the other customers to see, and squeezed the younger male's hand as a sign of exasperation.

"Hyung..."

It broke Jungkook's heart to see him so desperate, to have him begging like this.

Not once in his life had the brunet believed he would ever be so concerned about anyone else's well-being, but Jimin really had him wrapped around his little finger.

Still, Jungkook just had to ask.

He had to know what had happened to his friend. Maybe then, it would help him understand Jimin's anxiety and maybe then, he would know if there was anything he could do to help him.

"Tell me who hurt you."