Growing Pains

68

Jin smiled shyly and accepted the bossam from Yoongi.

He wasn't really hungry but tonight was his last night in Korea, and he didn't want to spoil it for everyone who had come to say goodbye.

He sat across the table from his parents and brother, and watched as they bantered with Namjoon and Hoseok.

He was happy to see his friend smiling again.

It had been a horrible time for Namjoon since his break up with Jimin, and there were many nights when Jin would get into bed with Namjoon and hold his friend while he cried himself to sleep.

Namjoon had even broken up with Hoseok when he realised that it was his younger boyfriend that he truly wanted to be with.

Surprisingly, Hoseok had agreed and so now the two men were just friends... with benefits because as Namjoon confessed to Jin, he still had needs and he didn't want to sleep with strangers anymore.

Jin had difficulty understanding Namjoon and Hoseok's arrangement at first because for him, being physically intimate with another person was not something to be taken lightly.

For Jin, sex was both a physical and emotional connection.

And that was why he did not pursue a physical relationship with Yoongi in the beginning.

Though he cared for his boyfriend deeply, he did not have the emotional connection that he had with Jungkook.

But after Yoongi caught him and Jungkook in bed together, and had given him an ultimatum, Jin finally understood how someone can sleep with another without truly loving them.

In Namjoon's case, it was to chase his loneliness away and feed his physical needs.

For Jin... it was to protect his beloved Jungkook.

Following Jungkook's passionate declaration at the train station, and his promise to come for Jin after graduating high school, Yoongi had pressured Jin to show him that he was choosing him over Jungkook by agreeing to sleep with him.

To ensure success, Yoongi continued to repeat the threat of having Jungkook removed from his family for fornicating with Jin, and reminding Jin of his complicity.

After weeks of Yoongi's relentless campaign, Jin finally submitted and let Yoongi take him to bed.

It had been the most painful thing he had ever endured.

Not just physically, but also emotionally.

The morning after, Jin had become physically ill and ran to the bathroom to throw up as soon as he woke and found himself in Yoongi's arms, the evidence of their sexual activity dry on his stomach and back.

His boyfriend had come into the bathroom upon hearing his wretched chundering, and after helping Jin to clean up, Yoongi had asked if he was pregnant.

Jin had been shocked by the enquiry and possibility.

Nonetheless, he had denied the charge, and after they both confirmed that he was indeed not pregnant, Jin had vowed silently to himself that he would never again put Jungkook in a position where his entire future could be jeopardised.

Jin loved Jungkook too much.

So Jin had cut all contact with Jungkook, even going so far as to get a new phone number.

And he surrendered to Yoongi's nightly attentions without complaint.

A few months later, Yoongi received an offer to finish his final year abroad.

He immediately asked Jin to accompany him, and Jin had agreed.

Jin's parents had had some misgivings about letting their son go before the end of his second year.

They were worried about the language barrier and the higher fees they would have to pay but Yoongi allayed their concerns by promising that he would watch over their son.

Yoongi had even hinted to them at the possibility of marriage after Jin graduates, and this was enough to convince Jin's parents to give their blessing.

So tonight, they were all gathered at a restaurant for a farewell meal for Jin and Yoongi.

Even Taehyung had made it and was currently in deep conversation with Yoongi.

Seeing the younger Kim sibling when he arrived a few hours earlier had caused a pang in Jin's heart.

Somehow, he had expected Jungkook to appear behind Taehyung when he opened the door to let the young man in so it was quite a letdown when Taehyung had closed the door immediately after entering.

Jin had wanted to ask Taehyung for news about his beloved but refrained when Yoongi came up to greet the new arrival.

It would not do to rile his boyfriend and remind him of his past indiscretion.

"Jin-hyung, are you excited about your flight tomorrow?"

Jin started when he realised everyone was staring at him and waiting for him to respond to Taehyung's question.

"Err... yeah, of course. I've never travelled to America before so this will be quite an adventure," he laughed nervously. "Plus Yoongi bought us first class plane tickets so I know I will feel like quite a celebrity."

"Only the best for my baby," Yoongi cooed before dipping his head to place a kiss on Jin's lips.

It took all of Jin's will not to lean away from his boyfriend.

Despite being physically intimate with Yoongi for many months now, Jin's natural instinct was to back away whenever Yoongi initiated any show of affection in public.

It had never been that way before but after the day Yoongi threatened Jungkook's well-being, Jin was hard-pressed not to shy away from his boyfriend.

But he persevered and reminded himself that it was all for Jungkook, and that it was all worth it.

He just had to hang on and wait for the day when Jungkook became an adult.

And wait for the day when Jungkook would claim him as promised.