Growing Pains

50

Jin watched Jungkook, anxiety coating his belly.

It has been several minutes since he confessed to Jungkook that he was gay, and told him that Yoongi was his boyfriend.

His dongsaeng has said nothing since he began telling him everything.

He simply stood there and let him spill all that he has been keeping inside.

Well, almost all.

Jin couldn't bring himself to tell Jungkook how he felt about him.

He still believed that Jungkook was straight, but he had faith that the bond between himself and his dongsaeng was strong, and that Jungkook would not judge him harshly for his sexuality.

So he waited for Jungkook to say something.

A look came over his dongsaeng's face, and it startled Jin.

The look was a mixture of anger, betrayal, and disgust.

Jin's stomach plummeted to the soles of his feet.

"I hate you!" Jungkook yelled.

And Jin fell to the kitchen floor as Jungkook shoved him before fleeing.

Jin heard the front door opening, followed by a series of beeps signalling the door had shut.

"No! Jungkook! Come back!"

Jin pushed himself off of the floor and ran after Jungkook, his heart aching as his chest heaved in panic.

He ran past an astonished Taehyung and a concerned Yoongi.

He felt his boyfriend's hand close over his wrist to pull him back, but his worry for Jungkook gave him strength to break free and he burst out of the apartment into the lift lobby.

He saw the lighted numbers counting down on one of the lift cars, and he frantically jabbed at the button to call for the other lift, praying that he would be able to catch Jungkook before he exits the building.

Jungkook was a young boy alone in a big city.

Jin had to find him before the city swallowed him and made him disappear.

The lift doors opened and Jin took a step forward, but he was forcefully pulled back.

He struggled to free himself so he could enter the lift before the doors closed but a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around him, and he was pulled into someone's chest.

"Let me go! Let me go! I have to get to him! I have to get to Jungkook!"

Jin was frantic.

"Jinnie, stop. Stop," a voice spoke gently in his ear, "or you'll hurt yourself."

It was Yoongi, and something in his voice broke through the cloud of desperation that hung over Jin.

"Yoongi, please. My Kookie... he's hurt. I have to get to him."

"I know. I know, baby. And we will. Taehyung is already calling him."

Yoongi turned Jin around to face him, and seeing Yoongi's face caused guilt to crash down on Jin.

Yoongi looked sad as he cupped Jin's face in his hands.

"We'll find him, Jinnie. I promise. But first you need proper shoes on you, then we'll go look for him. Okay?"

Jin nodded as he let his boyfriend pull him into the apartment.

Kookie, please don't hate me for being gay.