ꗃ: 𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𔘓. 𝗍𝖺𝖾𝗃𝖾𝗇𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗄 ! 𓂅

25 | 私は元気です

TAEHYUNG PEEKED INTO THE bedroom to see Jennie still sleeping soundly in the bed.

He smiled. She looked like a sated kitten, curled up with her arms around his pillow. It was amazing that in such a short time he couldn’t imagine life without her.

He knew via his own upbringing that such a situation could work and work well for all parties involved, but seeing it, experiencing it firsthand was more validating.

And speaking of, he needed to phone his parents. They’d be interested to know about Jennie, and he nor Jungkook and Jimin had talked to them in over a month.

He quietly withdrew from the bedroom and walked down the hall to the living room.

Jungkook looked up from the computer. “She still sleeping?”

He nodded. “I think we wore her slap out.”

Jungkook smiled and him marveled at how settled and content his brother looked. “You seen Jimin? I thought we’d call Mom and let her know about Jennie.”

Concern flared in Jungkook’s eyes. “He went out to the barn. I think he’s in a lot of pain today, though he wouldn’t say so. Got pissed off at me when I asked.”

Taehyung swore. Jimin had been doing so much better lately. Much of the darkness in his eyes had faded, and he knew Jennie had everything to do with it, but Jimin had improved physically as well since his return from military.

He was a far cry from the battered shell of a man Taehyung and Jungkook   collected from the Army Hospital a year ago, but his leg still bothered him on occasion.

He turned and strode from the living room toward the back door. Not bothering with his coat, he crossed the short distance from the cabin to the barn. He slipped inside and saw Jimin sitting on a hay bale in the back. As he drew closer, he could see his face drawn in pain. Sweat beaded his brow, and he was pale.

Jimin was bent over massaging the area above his knee. When Taehyung was a few feet away, Jimin looked up and saw him. He dropped his hands and stood up. He cried out as his leg buckled. Taehyung reached over and yanked his brother up against him to prevent him from falling.

“I’m fine,” Jimin gritted out.

“No, you’re not fine, damn it. Stop trying to hide from the rest of us, for God’s sake.”

“Just leave it, Tae. I can deal with this on my own.”

“You could,” Taehyung agreed. “But don’t be stupid. Jungkook and I are here to help. And now Jennie.”

“I don’t want her to know,” Jimin said fiercely.

Taehyung blinked in surprise. “Here, sit down,” he said, shoving Jimin back down onto the hay. “Now what the fuck is your problem?”

Jimin rubbed absently at his leg.

“Is there anything I can do? Do you want a pill?”

Jimin shook his head. “I don’t want any fucking pills. It’s just a bad morning. I don’t know why the fuck it hurts. It just does.”

“Maybe we should take you back to the doctor, let him check you out again.”

“There’s nothing he can do.”
Taehyung sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Damn it, Jim, don’t be so fucking difficult. I wish you’d talk to me. I still don’t have a goddamn clue what the hell happened over there.”

Pain lashed across Jimin’s face before his eyes turned cold and stony. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’ll get over it.”