The Mistake

Chapter 23

Jimin punched the man for the last time. He wiped the blood on his jacket. "For fck sake, pay your staff dude!" he snarled.

The owner of the convenience store was still groaning on the floor while covering his nose, which Jimin just punched.

"You were out there, clubbing while your staff were struggling with daily needs because you didn't pay their salary! You scumbag!"

"Please stop! I'll pay them! Please, it hurts!" the man groaned. "Have you ever thought how hurt they are when you don't pay them???" Jimin gave him one last kick.

Jimin panted heavily. "If some source tells me you still didn't pay your staff, please expect your house to be burnt down."

The man nodded eagerly.

Jimin spat before he walked away. He lit up his cigarette before he walked away from the alley.

"I didn't know you smoked." a voice interrupted his 'me time'. He turned to the side to find Hoseok leaning against the wall.

Jimin blew out the smoke. "I didn't." he crushed his cigarette in his palm, putting it off. Hoseok sighed before he pushed himself off the wall. "Let's have a walk." he continued to walk ahead. He knew the younger male would follow him. He always did.

They both walked in silence for a while.

"So when are you going back home?" Hoseok asked him. Jimin didn't answer his hyung.

"What's wrong? Hayoon's at home now. Everything's okay now." Hoseok added.

"I know." Jimin finally answered.

"So what's the problem now? You want to be by her side right? What stops you?" Hoseok asked him and this time, Jimin didn't answer.

"Jimin, you love her, right?"

Jimin stopped walking. He looked down onto the ground. Hoseok turned around. "Am I right, Jimin-ie?"

The younger male sighed, "Is it obvious?"

Hoseok looked at him. "It's not that hard to notice, Jimin. I know you're a kind person. And it shows whenever you're around Hayoon. You may not speak that much but your action... You care for her, more than how you care for us."

"It's hard, hyung?"

"Which part?"

"Everything." Jimin sighed.

"I'm starving! Let's grab something to eat. You can tell me about it while we fill our tummy."

Jimin scoffed, "You mean your tummy."

Hoseok just smiled at him, showing him his infamous heart fluttering smile that warms people like how the sun warms the earth.

Both of them smacked their soju glass onto the table. Hoseok grabbed an oden and chewed it down. "Hmm!" Hoseok pouted as he chewed down the food. Jimin was just staring at the table. He didn't say anything.

He waited patiently until Hoseok's done with his food. He knew what Hoseok wanted to talk about but he decided to wait.

"So..." Hoseok finally started after taking a small gulp of the soju. "Want to talk about it?"

"I don't know where to start. I don't know how to start."

"Well..." Hoseok looked at him, "To begin with, you could start with being honest with yourself."

Jimin pressed his lips into thin lines.

"I love her, hyung."

Hoseok looked at him. "Since when?"

Jimin raised his shoulder, "I don't know. I was just doing my job...keeping an eye on her. And that was because her shithead ex-bestfriend didn't pay back our money."

"4 years, hyung. I've been watching her for 4 years and only now I have feelings for her."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"If only I knew my feelings earlier, I could have prevented this from happening. She wouldn't have to face this heartbreak, she wouldn't have to face this phase of losing an unborn child. She hurts no one, hyung and yet people still hurt her." Jimin looked like he's regretting his decision.

"Jimin, you can't force your feelings. Maybe you're not ready to fall in love at that time. But now, maybe you're ready. You are there for her when she needs someone." Hoseok said to him. "No one else knows her as much as you do."

"Right now, she needs someone who understands her, someone who knows her well..." Hoseok picked up his soju glass, "Then why are you running away from her?"

Jimin sighed heavily, "Wouldn't it be weird if I change drastically? I don't usually show affection. She might think I'm weird if I suddenly... you know...changed."

After gulping down his soju, Hoseok refills his again. Hoseok looked around the area. "Look around, Jimin. Do you remember how this place was when we first met each other?"

Jimin nodded.

"Do you remember that those buildings were not there yet when we first arrived at this place?"

Jimin nodded again.

"Even the buildings changed. So why can't you, as a normal living human, change as well?" Hoseok looked at him. Jimin was stunned for a while. "Nothing's wrong with changing yourself, Jimin-ah. People might be surprised in the early stage but in the end that's what we need in life. A change." Hoseok smiled at him.

Jimin just pressed his lips into thin lines.