That One Summer 《 Vmin 》

Chapter 16

Jimin's POV

The sun starts to set as I head back to the cabin.

Crickets chirp loudly and quickly become silent when I get closer, starting up again after I pass by.

With nothing to do but move my legs, I start to think about Taehyung.

That little rascal.

I still can't believe he was eating expired yogurt without a care in the world. Even though my feeling right now are sick and disgusted thinking of the yogurt, a little smile still inches onto my face.

His expression when I threw it away

Priceless.

Then he got so stoned-faced after that, saying I had to pay him back for his expired dairy snack. Even though I basically saved his poor stomach.

Who knew he had a soft spot for expired yogurt though.

But in all seriousness right now, you can actually see it starting to ooze a chunky texture, almost like it wanted to move. Hell, I think it even blinked at me.

It looked like those lunch ladies mystery meat, but like a cream color, and your not sure if it would actually start moving.

The thought just sends shivers through my spine and makes me want to gag.

I stop at a tree for balance because I genuinely started to feel sick (a/n: I actually feel sick writing this)

After I got over the nauseous feeling forming inside me, I actually started to think seriously about stuff that happened today.

I don't know how Taetae got himself locked in his basement, but somehow, he did.

He told me it was nothing but with TaeTae, I don't feel like he really tells me the whole story of the big picture; he always keeps things bottled up.

The only time he tells me these kinds of stuff is when I pressure him into telling me.

He probably doesn't want me to be worried but truth be told, Im constantly worried about him.

I might not seem like it, but the little things he does, I notice.

When he told me how he got the bruises, I'm pretty sure he was lying about it. He seemed too fidgety and he was looking everywhere except into my eyes.

I didn't say anything because I didn't want to interrogate him when he was hurt, so I kinda just accepted his answer.

His house seemed deserted, not just because of the lack of human presence, but also in brightness.

The atmosphere felt so gloomy and solitary.

He said his dad left some time ago, so its probably just him and his mom.

I get that she most likely work the whole time, but you can usually feel if someone else is living in a house; but that place was cold.

When I opened the basement door to a lone Tae in the dark, It felt depressing.

Isolating.

After I got him out, he seemed totally calm in that situation, but I wonder if inside he was really scared.

Since his mom's working, he could've been stuck there for hours if I didn't come around. Wouldn't he be panicky and have mental breakdowns; I mean, most people would.

Plus, the bruises he had on his face looked serious. The skin swollen and scratched.

I touched his cheek and he kind of flinch, meaning it probably did hurt.

He was also moving really stiff and careful when he was moving around. If he fell down the stairs like he told me, then he probably has bruises on his whole body.

Wait, he fell down stairs, or at least that's what he said; he should have bruises all over his body. Maybe even a cracked rib.

I start to feel anxious.

"AHHH," I say as I drag my hand through my hair do pull my bangs out of my face." I should have checked."

Even if he did have serious bruises or a cracked rib, he wouldn't have told me.

I debate if I should go back now and see if hes really ok or not, but it's getting dark quickly.

Finally, logic beats emotions and I decide not to go. I wont be any help to him if I get lost and eaten by savage deer.

I regret not checking to see if he had more bruises at the time now.

I remember touching his cheek again, and him pulling away from my touch after a few seconds.

Then I remembered what my dad and I was talking about when Tae left in a hurry the other day.

Guess it must be true then.

I'm acting too friendly with Tae.

My dad said that I shouldn't be so touchy and clingy with other boys. I asked him why and he didn't really tell me a reason.

He just said that others around us and even the person might be disgusted when I do that; that its not normal.

Taetae pulled away from my touch and I tried to not think to deep into it, but in the end, I felt sad.

I don't know how to explain it but my heart kind of just clenched in my chest when he did that.

It was the first time that TaeTae has skipped hanging out with me too, so I got a little worried.

After what my dad and I talked about, I started to panic. I thought he started avoiding me because I clung to him during the movie.

This time he just got himself stuck in the basement, but his comment about not wanting to hang out all the time kind of hit me like a truck.

I didn't think that he wouldn't want to see me some days.

I mean he has the right, it's not like he belongs to me or anything; it just made me a little depressed when he said that.

I thought naturally touching and wanting to cling to someone you care about is normal, but I guess its weird with two guys.

I'm gonna go by him first thing in the morning tomorrow to check if he's really ok, but I think I should hold back with any physical contact between us.

I might be making him feel uncomfortable.