𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 | VMINKOOK✔

A Newfound Fire

With his focused gaze, he made my chest too small for my lungs as I observed the small pocket watch lying on the desk.

I peered through my father's old glasses to check how many parts were missing from the clock's internal mechanism, and felt dishearted to see that there were many replacements needed.

Not only was the crystal obliterated, the mainspring gone and had the hand been broken off, several miniscule screws and gears were also missing, meaning I was to meticulously replace them with parts I had lying around, which wasn't an easy task despite how much I enjoyed the work.

"You frown..."

I looked up, meeting Jimin's concerned eyes after finally getting used to his presence. The man was serious, such sympathy on his face for a mere inanimate object.

"It needs some work that's all," I said, easing his nerves when the man seemed almost on the verge of tears.

Jimin bit his peach lips until I was afraid they'd bleed scarlet. "I'm sorry I broke it," he whispered remorsefully.

"You didn't break it," I muttered, awkwardly shifting in my seat. "I did..."

Jimin shook his head. "You could never break anything Tesoro... you fix things."

"I can't fix everything..." I contradicted as last night was still gnawing at me, Taehyung's feelings a mystery that even countless clues could not help me uncover.

"Tesoro..."

I looked up at Jimin again, because even though I had forbidden the man to call me by that name, it still made me feel nostalgic of a time when I was riveted whenever I heard it.

The man crossed one leg over the other, sitting on my desk with poise that he still carried despite his broken state of mind.

"What happened..." He started with a shaky voice. "What happened between you and Tae?"

I filled my lungs as if the answer would be paragraphs long, yet it was actually quite sad and dull if I didn't add my own theories on the matter. "I don't know," I said, sighing deeply as I cocked my head back.

"He hates that I chose you over him when you left. He felt betrayed... I promised him so many times that I would be there for him when the fairytale ended, and still I left him alone when he needed me most, which was his greatest fear. He wrote to me when I was in Italy. Just as I was tightening the noose around my neck he saved me, but I still haven't been able to make it up to him. I want him to trust me again... I want him to look me in the eyes and see what I've been trying to show him for years. That I regret chasing after you, that I wished I had given him my heart instead... because he was the one who deserved it."

After speaking out loud what had been weighing heavy on my chest for years I felt much lighter. I didn't expect any advice from Jimin, nor did I want it. But it felt good to speak... good to be heard.

When I spared Jimin a look the man was shedding silent tears. "God I... I ruined everything didn't I?" He sniffed softly, overcome by sudden grief. "Tesoro... I'm... I'm sor-"

"Please," I interrupted, holding out my hand. "I'd rather you don't. Your apology... It isn't needed anymore. What happened happened, and now Taehyung and I are simply trying to live on."

Jimin nodded, fluttering the tears out of his eyes and feeling foolish for letting them fall. "Of course," he whispered, tucking some of his raven hair behind his ear, bringing my attention again to the fact that it had grown quite long, and the locks were perfectly framing his attractive facial features despite laying a little messy.