sᴀᴠᴀsᴀɴᴀ│ᴛᴋ [complete]

.22. ʜᴇᴀʟᴀsᴀɴᴀ

Jeongguk blinked a few times at the post before staring at Fifi playing on the grass nearby. A little ways further down the dirt path, his eyes spotted the silhouette of Jimin holding two take-out cups and walking gracefully toward him. He decided to put his phone away.

"Hey! I saw that!" his friend yelled.

"Just checking messages, that's all."

Jimin made a face but said nothing. Jeongguk was grateful. He would have to tell him, eventually, that Doctor Kwon had allowed him back on social media on the one condition that he remained anonymous. "No more than 30 minutes a day," he had instructed. And Jeongguk had kept to it, spending every second of this precious time catching up on Taehyung's news and posts, carefully avoiding the comment sections and interactions with the fans who were steadily growing in numbers. The idol's official Instagram account would hit 500K followers any day now. Something Jeongguk was looking forward to since Taehyung had hinted at the possibility of sharing an exclusive song he'd been working on. A song he'd written "for someone special".

Watching his hyung hand him a hot cup of cocoa, Jeongguk decided against ruining this lovely Sunday morning. He didn't particularly like having to hide things from Jimin, but his friend had made his feelings about the guy very clear. And they were far from soft. "I can't believe I've ever rooted for him," Jeongguk remembered him saying one night, after one beer too many. Thus the tacit agreement between them never to mention he who shall not be named.

Sure, Jeongguk found it a little unfair to call Taehyung "the worst thing that ever happened to you", despite the unfortunate events that had piled up in the wake of their dance practice having been made public. But Jimin had witnessed Jeongguk's breakdown as online harassment ensued. And he certainly would not have used the word unfortunate to describe the spiralling out of control of circumstances which had effectively brought the boy to his knees.

When the death threats had begun flooding his every feeds, that's when Jimin had drawn the line. Taking his phone away, he'd screenshotted as much evidence as possible before seeking legal advice. Not much could be done, police had said, but Jimin had insisted Jeongguk pressed charges. He'd spent weeks contacting law firms until finally someone told him bluntly that identifying the offenders would require time and resources the cost of which a 24-year-old yoga instructor simply couldn't bear.

Good thing he hadn't mentioned Jeongguk quitting his job. After confirming Peggy had used him for free publicity, Om Yoga had turned into the opposite of a safe workplace. Jimin had also considered going after them for violating Jeongguk's right to identity protection but again, who would have footed the bill? Hearing the woman had been dismissed for gross misconduct had brought little consolation to the now jobless instructor.

One legal counsellor had advised Jimin to call upon the media. "Find a journalist willing to tell your story, and go public with it. That might help your cause." Except that meant putting Jeongguk in the spotlight, which was precisely what Jimin wanted to avoid.

Jeongguk had stopped counting the kilos the man had lost over the past few months because of him. After finding himself without a job and with a deteriorating mental health, Jimin had been there for him, taking him in so as to reduce the financial burdens having a place of his own brought on. Recommending he seek out professional help before the depression turned severe. And making sure he stayed clear of social media for a while. The bane of this millennia, he had called it once.

Yes. Jeongguk was grateful. For a lot of things.

And Jimin presently respecting his desire for a little privacy in regard to his phone usage was one of them.

"I trust you, Guk," he simply said, sipping on his drink.

"Thank you, hyung."

"I just want you to be well, you know."

"I know. I am well. Thanks to you."

A sigh.

Jeongguk was about to insist he was, indeed, fine when he noticed Fifi's fluffy head peering between his knees, begging with her big brown eyes for some attention which he was prompt to give. "Hey girl, you remember Yeontan?"

Yap

"Yeah, he misses you too."

"Is that the name of his dog?" Nothing could get past Jimin.

Jeongguk chose not to answer.

"Is that why you dog walk these days?"

The young man shrugged. "You'd be surprised how many people adopt pets only to realize they don't have the time to take care of them."

"And I bet he is one of them."

Jeongguk turned to look at his friend in the eye. "He is not one of my clients, if that's what you're wondering."

"But you'd like him to be."

"Hyung, you have a strange way of asking questions sometimes. But if you must know, I miss him, yes."

Another sigh, heavier this time. "I've never seen you so hung up on a guy before."

"You make me sound neurotic," Jeongguk whined.

"I worry about you. It's been months and he hasn't called! Don't you think it's time to move on?"

"Easy for you to say. You've never danced with him."

And how could Jimin argue with that?

—

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