Ugly Secret

-13-

Namjoon's eyes are fixed on the papers that lay before him, his mind a labyrinth of distractions that refuse to be silenced. For what seems like an eternity, he has been attempting to focus, to immerse himself in the task at hand, but his thoughts are a tempestuous force, pulling him away from his work with each passing moment. The same sentence has been read and re-read, its meaning eluding him like a slippery fish in a murky pond.

Frustration mounts within him, a seething anger that threatens to boil over. He has been at this for hours, and yet, he has nothing to show for it. The pencil in his hand feels heavy, its weight a constant reminder of his failure. With a heavy heart, he lets out a deep sigh, the sound echoing through the empty room like a mournful cry.

The pencil slips from his grasp, clattering to the desk with a sharp sound that breaks the silence. Namjoon leans back in his chair, his eyes closing as he tries to regain his composure. The world around him fades away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

"Can't concentrate?" Namjoon hears a voice approaching him.

He turns around to see Jimin making his way to sit next to him. His eyes flickered over the empty page, and Namjoon could feel the weight of his disappointment.

"You've been here for over two hours," Jimin said, his voice tinged with concern. "And you haven't even written one word? I thought you would have finished the whole song by now."

Namjoon sighed, feeling the weight of his own frustration. He knew that Jimin meant well, but he couldn't help feeling like a failure. He had always prided himself on his ability to express himself through his music, but now it seemed like that gift had deserted him. He looked down at the blank page once more, feeling a sense of despair wash over him.

"I know I have to finish this song by next week but I just can't concentrate. I think I need a break."

Jimin looks at Namjoon worriedly. "Is there something that's bothering you?"

Namjoon glances at the papers and his stress begins to grow even more as he realizes that he hasn't made any progress. He shakes his head. "No, like I said I think I just need a break. I think I will take a walk outside for a while to clear my mind. You want to come with me?"

Jimin's eyes widened slightly as Namjoon's question hung in the air. He shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of Namjoon's gaze on him. "Oh, me?" he said, his voice soft. "I would like to come, but I need to go. I have some things to do." He stood up and retrieved his phone from the table. Namjoon watched him, his expression questioning.

"You have things to do?" Namjoon repeated, his voice laced with confusion. "Like what? We don't have any schedules?"

Jimin slipped his phone into his pocket and turned to face Namjoon, his eyes meeting Namjoon's in a steady gaze. "I have a private life too, Joon," he said, his voice firm.

"And that's exactly what's worrying me." Namjoon says. "I can't control what you all do in your private life's but I know that whatever you are doing, it also influences all the other members. So please, I just want you and all the other members to promise me one thing. Don't get into trouble and don't do anything that's against the rules."

Jimin, who has been standing there looking at Namjoon, sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. "I need to go now."

Even though Namjoon is suspicious of Jimin and his behavior, he doesn't say anything anymore. It could be that he's just annoyed of me trying to control them? He thought.

Jimin was about to leave the studio when Namjoon spoke up. "Jimin are you sure, everything's okay?" He needed to be sure that he was just overreacting.

"Everything's okay Namjoon," Jimin said as he turned around and left.