Growing Pains

36

Eight months after Jin moved to Seoul, he came home after a long day of lectures to find Namjoon dressed to the nines in a long sleeve grey silk shirt, black jeans, black boots, and a round silver pendant hanging from a black string around his neck.

It was the first time he had ever seen his friend and housemate looking so hot.

If Jin wasn't so in love with Jungkook, he would've been tempted to offer his lips and virginity to Namjoon.

But Jungkook was a thief because not only had he stolen Jin's heart, he had completely disappeared from Jin's life.

Jungkook has not once responded to any of Jin's calls and messages.

At first Jin had worried that Jungkook might be ill or gotten into an accident but his mum assured him that he was fine.

His neighbours had also kept their promise and sent him regular updates about Jungkook, and they all said that he was doing well.

From this, Jin had no choice but to conclude that his dongsaeng was punishing him for leaving, and for choosing to leave with Namjoon.

But to continue ignoring him for this length of time was too long a punishment, and Jin has grown weary of the silent treatment.

So last month when Jungkook ignored Jin's multiple messages and calls to wish him a happy birthday, Jin decided that he will respect his dongsaeng's wishes and cease all contact with him.

He deleted Jungkook's contact from his phone, along with all of their past messages.

He knew if he kept any of their messages, he would be tempted to read them over and over again whenever he missed his dongsaeng.

And Jin missed Jungkook all the time.

So besides deleting the messages and Jungkook's number, Jin had moved all of Jungkook's pictures on his phone to a micro SD card and mailed it to his mum for safekeeping.

He was letting go and moving on.

"Where are you off to looking all spiffy, Joonie?"

"Party at Yoongi's. You should come too."

"I don't think so, Joonie. I have a ton of assignments to finish, and I'm exhausted."

"All the more reason to go to this party. You need to relax, Jinnie. Loosen up and forget about school for a bit."

Jin shook his head and was about to open his mouth to disagree when Namjoon held a finger up to his lips.

"No! You're coming and I will not take no for an answer. Besides, Yoongi specifically asked me to bring you. That's why I've been waiting for you to come home even though I finished getting ready a while ago."

A half hour later, Jin was walking into a luxurious penthouse apartment.

He felt uncomfortable in the outfit that Namjoon had chosen for him because it was not something that he would have worn nor owned.

In fact, nothing on his body belonged to him because they all came from Namjoon's wardrobe.

He had put him in a long sleeve black silk shirt with the two top buttons undone, black leather trousers, and black boots.

His friend even styled his hair for him so his fringe swept away to the side and exposed his forehead.

Namjoon changed after they moved to Seoul.

He became more confident, and it showed in the way he dressed and interacted with others.

He had even had his hair professionally cut, and dyed silver.

When Namjoon came home that day with his new look, Jin was bewildered because he didn't recognise him, and thought someone had broken into their apartment.

The change was that drastic.

Namjoon also began going out on dates.

He went on a lot of dates, and though he wasn't exclusive with anyone, Jin noticed that he seemed to be seeing two individuals more than the rest.

One was a student at their university, and the other was a student at a nearby high school.

Jin didn't know which Namjoon preferred but he knew his friend had already slept with the high school student because Jin had to escape to a nearby jjimjilbang one night due to the loud moans coming from his friend's bedroom.

When Jin returned home the following morning, he had bumped into the teen as he was quietly tiptoeing out of Namjoon's room to leave.

Jin had introduced himself and invited the boy to stay for breakfast.

He had agreed.

The boy's name was Jimin, and after the awkward first meeting, he became friends with Jin and the two began hanging out together outside of his pseudo-relationship with Namjoon.

Jin also became quite protective of the boy because he reminded him so much of his precious Jungkook, which was why his face was now scrunched up in disgust when he walked into Yoongi's kitchen and saw Namjoon standing between the thighs of a redhead sitting on the kitchen counter.

Namjoon was devouring the redhead's lips as his hands roamed under the other's shirt and palmed the front of his jeans.

The redhead looked up at the sound of Jin's footsteps on the marble floor, and Jin's eyes widened when he recognized him.

It was Hoseok, the other individual that Namjoon was seeing regularly besides Jimin.

"Oh, hi Jin," said Hoseok as he tried to push Namjoon away and close his thighs.

"You're killing me, Jinnie," Namjoon glared at Jin for interrupting them.

"Get a room. This is the kitchen. Public domain," Jin rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Cock blocker!" Namjoon hissed as he threw Hoseok over his shoulder and pushed past Jin.

Hoseok grinned and gave Jin an upside-down wave as they disappeared down the hallway.

Jin sighed and hung his head as he rested his hands on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

Normally he would be all over the large open area, admiring the kitchen appliances and fancy gadgets because he liked to cook and this was his dream kitchen.

However, his thoughts were still on Namjoon and Hoseok.

Jin liked Hoseok, but he liked Jimin more.

He knew from talking to Jimin that the younger was not aware of Hoseok's existence in Namjoon's life.

He also knew from talking to Jimin that the younger really liked Namjoon and wanted to be his boyfriend.

Jin doesn't want to see Jimin get hurt so he resolved to talk to Namjoon tomorrow and encourage him to make a decision.

Seeing the one you liked with someone else hurt like a bitch, and Jin knows this too well thanks to Jungkook.