To Find Something True

※ thirty-eight

Author's note:
not perfectly done, but this is my fav chapter 🥺

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At the time of landing in South Korea, Jiah noticed that the Bejiwoo staff exited the plane in silence, carrying their bags. No one spoke, and the only sound was the rustling of their movements. Hoseok, with his hood up, was engaged in a business conversation with Yoongi. In a surprising turn of events, Jungkook and Taehyung, who were always with Jimin, left together. Seokjin left with his sister, while Wheein left with Jiah.

It seemed like Jiah needed to adjust to this new atmosphere. She couldn't imagine all the individuals involved being together in one store and it becoming quieter than before. It was worrisome that Hoseok, their boss, had to face this problem as well.

As they stepped out of the arrival door with other tourists and locals, they saw Namjoon waiting for them behind the cold metal rail, arms crossed and a dimpled smile on his face. Other people waiting for their loved ones were scattered in different spots. As Jiah and Wheein approached him, he left the rail and greeted them, saying, "Welcome back!"

"Hi!" Jiah greeted, stopping in front of him along with Wheein.

Taehyung brightened up and shouted, "Namjoon hyung!!" He ran towards the older man and clung onto him like a koala. "Wow, Namjoon hyung has gotten stronger. What have you been eating while we were gone for five days?"

Even Jungkook approached Namjoon, amazed, poking his arms and thighs. Namjoon's black shirt seemed to be too tight on him. "Woah, hyung is thick!" he exclaimed with his mouth slightly open.

"I've been... I've been eating rice," Namjoon said as he struggled to balance Taehyung's weight.

Jiah laughed at their antics but noticed Jimin walking past them without a greeting or a farewell. Even Namjoon seemed to sense that something was wrong as he looked at Jimin. Leaving them, Jimin went through the automatic sliding doors and hailed a taxi.

"What's with him?" Namjoon asked, looking at Taehyung and pushing his spectacles up with his finger.

"It's a long story," Taehyung said, hopping down from Namjoon's cling.

Turning to see Jimin getting into a taxi, Namjoon muttered, "I see."

Jiah wondered who would tell Namjoon what had happened. She doubted Seokjin would open his mouth, and neither Jisoo nor Wheein, who were closer to him, seemed like they would. She didn't think she was in the right place to do it either. After all, she was just a witness to the aftermath.

"Came here crying and running, Namjoon?" Yoongi's voice caught everyone's attention. He arrived with Hoseok by his side, smirking with his hands shoved in his khaki jacket.

"Heh," Namjoon chuckled, understanding the sarcasm. "Safe to say I walked here the moment I finished the exam. I missed everyone. It feels like a long time."

"Touchy-feely Namjoon." Wheein snorted. "We've only been gone for a week."

"Still." Namjoon shrugged, and the others chuckled.

**********

For dinner at their favorite restaurant, only Hoseok, Jiah, Wheein, Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung were present. The rest went home early to rest.

Eventually, Namjoon found out from Wheein. He couldn't hide his confusion and was left speechless, only able to shake his head and nod as Wheein recounted the story from the beginning. Like everyone else, he never expected Jimin to turn out that way. Namjoon was not one to judge others, given his nature, so it must have been shocking for him to learn that Jimin had been toxic in his past relationship with Jisoo.