Single Father • Namjoon + BTS!Kids

lxxxv.

Another day, another lunch, another trip to the bathroom to throw up. Wonpil was there this time, so at least there was that.

Wonpil silently held out a damp paper towel, and Hobi took it without words and pressed it against his face, trying to get rid of the acidic feeling in his throat.

"I'm sorry," Hobi said after a long time.

Wonpil looked over at him, confused. "For what?"

Hobi shrugged, looking away from Wonpil. "This. Me."

"What's there to apologize for?"

"Everything," Hobi said, still looking away from Wonpil and wondering why Wonpil couldn't see it. "The other kids-"

"-don't matter," Wonpil finished solemnly for him, and Hobi shook his head.

"But they do. They do to you. You want to be friends with other kids. I'm just holding you back, Wonpil, and you know it. You can't even spend your lunch hour normally. You always waste it on me."

"It's not wasted."

"But it is?" Hobi said, looking down at his shoelaces and picking at one of them, watching as the knot came undone. "I'm not worth it, Wonpil. You should be with the other boys, the ones who aren't always throwing up and avoiding people. You should have fun with them. Don't hang out with me. Go have fun with everyone else."

There was a long moment of silence, broken only by the soft drip drop of the sink faucet which hadn't been turned off completely.

Then Wonpil got up. Hobi couldn't see his expression.

But a few seconds later, he watched as Wonpil's left foot and then his right foot and then his left again took him farther and farther away from Hobi.

And then Hobi was alone.

Just like how it was meant to be.

Hobi was happy, happy that Wonpil had finally realized that he deserved better friends, that he would always deserve more than Hobi could ever give him.

He was happy.

He was.

But then why was he crying?

***

Hobi skipped the rest of the school day, instead going to the nurse and saying he didn't feel well. Namjoon came to pick him up a few minutes later, and then he was at home with Jimin, Namjoon having gone back to sleep.

"Hobi-hyung?" Jimin asked softly, playing with his fingers, and Hobi looked over, smiling at Jimin and ruffling his hair.

"Yes, Jiminie?"

"Why were you crying?"

Hobi's hand fell away, and he tried to cover his hesitation with a smile. "I wasn't, I just splashed some water on my face because I wasn't feeling well."

Jimin shook his head slowly. "That's not true. What's wrong, hyung?"

Hobi sucked his bottom lip in, biting it. He was scarily close to spilling everything to Jimin.

I can't.

"It's nothing, Jimin..."

Jimin put his arms around Hobi's waist. "I won't tell anyone," he whispered. "I promise. So tell me, hyung? Please? It'll make you feel better."

Hobi slowly put his arms around Jimin, feeling his eyes prick as his tears started back up. "You don't want to know," Hobi said, begging. He didn't know if he was begging Jimin to drop the matter or if he was begging Jimin to keep asking.