Stronger || PJM

Ch6: Finally Home

Namjoon opens his mouth, white smoke blowing out and fading into the air in swirls. He breathes for a second, then puts the cigarette back between his lips. He holds an alcohol filled bottle in his other hand, the glass clinking with his silver rings every now and then. He turns his head to the side, eyes falling on the girl beside him, staring into blank space as she sips at her bottle.

They sit on a rooftop, feet swinging off the edge. Not the best idea when both are tipsy.

"That Jimin guy," Namjoon starts, looking down at the passing cars, "You're not training him, are you?"

Lee takes a while to respond, and she finally does with a low hum.

"You're back?" He turns his head to look at her.

She shakes her head. "I really didn't want to do it, you know. But I just... "

She trails off, not knowing how to end her sentence.

"I think I missed it more than I thought I would," She says after a few seconds, "And I couldn't stop thinking about when you told me that it's not my fault. That he wouldn't want me to think so."

"It's true," Namjoon confirms with a small smile. "It's not your fault, alright?"

He stretches his arm, the deadly stick between his fingers as he motions it at Lee. She looks down at his hand, then back at him.

"You know I don't smoke," She says.

Namjoon raises an eyebrow.

"Not anymore," She adds with a small smile, looking away. He smiles back and retreats his hand, taking in a breath from the cigarette.

"I'm glad you're back," Namjoon says, bringing the bottle up to his lips to drink some, "It really has been a while."

"I'm not back." She shakes her head.

"Yet," He adds.

She doesn't reply, holding up her bottle and shugging the rest of it down her throat in one go, her face scrunching a little as she puts the empty bottle down.

"I hate him so much," She says, her voice cracking at the end, "But I guess I hate myself more."

Namjoon looks at her to make sure she isn't crying, and he only sees a hint of tears lining her eyes that she tries to blink away. He knows it's more than just the alcohol making her emotional, so with a sigh, he pulls her closer, wrapping an arm around her as he looks up at the night sky, shutting his eyes close when she leans her head on his shoulder, eyelids fluttering close too.

The cars passing underneath them start to decrease in number as night falls darker, the beeps and chatters and lights fading away.

Jimin makes his way through the almost empty streets, head still buzzing with images of the mysterious man. He can't help but be curious about him. Is he her friend? Maybe even boyfriend?

To be honest, it never occurred to him that Lee would have friends. He's been seeing her everyday for about two weeks now, and he never saw anyone else but her in that place, neither has she mentioned anyone. Not that she speaks about her personal life.

In fact, she never did. Jimin doesn't know her age, her family, if she's from here or somewhere else. Heck, he doesn't even know if Lee is her surname or not.

While he doesn't shut up about his day. She knows he's a highschool senior, she knows he loves dancing and is preparing for a competition in a few months, that he gets bullied for it, and that Mrs.Kim hasn't been satisfied with his dancing for a while because of his endless injuries, and that it wouldn't look good if he dances in front of the judges with a bruise on his face or a busted lip.

Jimin's thoughts are interrupted when he opens the front door to his house and walks in. He takes off his shoes, and on his way to the bedroom, he hears a voice coming from the living room making him stop in his tracks.

He steps inside, bag falling to the ground with a thud when he sees his dad, sitting on the couch and talking with his wife about something Jimin doesn't care to know about. Now he's thankful he went home early. The couple's heads turn to him when they hear the sound, and his father gives him a small welcoming smile.

Jimin freezes, a head in his voice telling him to go and hug his dad while another tells him to get mad because it's been quite a few days, if not weeks, ever since he last saw his dad. And a third voice tells him it's his fault anyway, coming back late every night because of the practice with Lee. But his dad is tired, working all day and night to get his mind off things. Yet again, he hasn't been through it alone. Jimin has been through it, too, so why does his dad get to act like a douche and neglect his family with no excuses?

Jimin's empathy washes away, anger replacing it. It makes him mad, that it's been so long yet his dad is still acting like it happened yesterday. Because Jimin moved on, and his dad didn't, although he's sure he suffered more, not his dad, no.

"You're finally home." Is all that Jimin gets to say with a blank face, still standing at the doorway with clenched fists.

"How was your day?" His father asks.

Jimin doesn't reply. Instead, he picks up his bag and turns around. He hears the man call his name, but he chooses to ignore it as he walks in his bedroom and slams the door loudly. He throws the bag in a corner and stomps to his bed, sitting down and burying his face in his hands.

The door flies open as his brother runs in, holding up a toy car with a huge smile on his face.

"Did you see the toys dad bought me?!" He says excitedly, shoving the car in Jimin's face.

Jimin swings his hand harshly, pushing Jihyun as he falls on the ground with a bang, the toy car flying from his hand and hitting the wall.

It's silent for a few seconds as Jimin looks down at the little boy who looks back up at him with eyes full of tears. He starts feeling guilty, but the feeling washes away when the boy gets up and takes his car, throwing it at Jimin and running out of the room with a cry.

Jimin groans in frustration as he kicks the now broken car into a corner and heads to the bathroom, needing a shower to calm him down.