MUST HAVE BEEN THE WIND | JIKOOK ✔

CHP 25

(A/N): Trigger warning - Descriptive depictions of sexual assault. Please proceed only if you are comfortable.

It isn't long after Jeongguk and Jimin's heartfelt conversation that the latter finds himself seated at the food court of a local mall with none other than Taehyung. The last time they've seen each other was roughly around the morning after Kai showed up to Namjoon's house. Tensions were much higher then and now that the storm has settled with subdued thunder, they find the opportunity to hang out.

Jimin obviously feels a little bit better given the circumstances and he knows that as long as he's with Taehyung, nothing can stop that. The man is simply too kind with a heart of gold.

"...How have you been? Are things okay?" Taehyung asks with his concern filled eyes boring into Jimin's as they wane with inevitable exhaustion.

"I've been better... but I'm okay. At least for now," Jimin replies with a simple answer as he wants to save the man's ears from his sob story.

He trusts Taehyung but he doesn't need more attention drawn to him and Jeongguk. What they do in private can stay private... well, granted Kai doesn't somehow manage to stir things up like he's unfortunately so good at.

"How have you and Officer Kim been? How is Haechan? Is his eye any better?" Jimin asks and wedges a straw between his lips, drinking up some of his banana smoothie.

"Haechan is fine. His suspension ends in a couple of days. He doesn't seem to be too shaken up by things, which is good. Namjoon Hyung has been living and breathing work right now. It doesn't matter what I do, I can't seem to pull him from So-Young's case. I'm afraid he's going to overwork himself," the ebony haired man laments with furrowed brows as he stares down into his lap, nibbling on his bottom lip.

The mention of So-Young causes Jimin's stomach to churn. His fingers sink down into his thigh as he attempts to distract himself from the emotions building up inside of him. He can't allow himself to be disarmed so easily by painful recollections of past traumas. He swallows thickly and pulls one of Taehyung's hands into his own.

The handsome, tall man looks up at Jimin, gaze wistful and obstructed by wisps of ebony curls. His lips are downtured, easily swayed by his desolate state and the feeling of melancholia adrift in the air. He has never seen such pain harboured in anyone else's eyes besides his own and perhaps in the occassion of Jeongguk's. It's heartbreaking and by the way things are going just as equally ungovernable.

"...I won't tell you that everything is going to be okay. There's a lot of shit going on and I'm sorry to have involved your family. Haechan got into that fight because of me. Officer Kim is overworking because of me. I take full responsibility for everything. Does that mean some of it will be lifted off of your shoulders? I hate seeing you like this," Jimin says softly as one of his thumbs run up and down the other man's knuckles.

Taehyung is quick to shake his head. "You can't keep blaming yourself for what's going on around you, Jimin. You've forced yourself to believe that all of these issues stem from you, but that isn't the case. If Kai had just never showed face, things would still be okay. I'd be back at my old place and you'd be teaching..." Taehyung brings up plaintively.

It's now Jimin's turn as his gaze is downcast to his lap. Taehyung does have a point. He begins to reminisce of his positive teaching memories and a soft smile breaks out onto his face. He can't remember the last time he's stood in front of a whiteboard or when the next time will be. It's a sad memory yet he finds solace in reliving what once was, in his head.

"...We'll get through this together, okay? Right now we're all fighting off the monsters in our heads but it doesn't mean
we have to do it by ourselves," the man continues.