Growing Pains

57

"Namjoon, why do we have chicken breast instead of pork belly? And where is the brisket and short ribs?"

"What?"

Jin frowned as he observed his friend.

Namjoon's eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and he seemed to have trouble focusing.

Jin had caught his friend seemingly daydreaming many times since Christmas Day, his gaze far away like he was seeing something that wasn't there.

Jin had initially attributed it to coursework and assignments because Namjoon had signed up for a lot of classes, but then he had caught his friend sitting like a statue in the living room yesterday, unblinking as silent tears ran down his face.

It had worried him, which was why he had refused Jungkook's company on this shopping trip and dragged Namjoon with him instead.

He wanted to check in with his friend, make sure he was alright.

Though things didn't work out between them on the romantic front, he still cared deeply for Namjoon, and if there was anything he could do to help his friend, he would do it in a heartbeat.

"Joonie, want to tell me what's going on?" Jin prompted. "Want to share why you've been so out of it lately?"

"What? I haven't been out of it," Namjoon scoffed.

"Joonie, this is me you're talking to. You can't fool me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jinnie."

Namjoon tried to distract Jin by putting a bag of vegetables in their shopping trolley.

Jin sighed before returning the bag of turnips back onto its display case.

He then placed his hand gently on Namjoon's arm and waited for him to look up.

When Namjoon finally looked at Jin, there were tears in his eyes.

"He broke up with me, Jinnie," Namjoon whispered.

"Hoseok?" Jin was stunned.

Jin wasn't expecting it because both Namjoon and Hoseok had seemed to be in good spirits at the Christmas lunch.

Namjoon frowned, confused by Jin's question.

"No. Jimin. He broke up with me."

Jin's mouth fell open.

He didn't expect to hear that about Jimin.

The boy was crazy in love with his friend.

One could see it in the way his eyes looked at Namjoon.

One could hear it in the way he talked about Namjoon.

One could feel it in the way he would shyly put his small hand into Namjoon's larger one when they thought no one was looking.

And Jin knew Namjoon was the exact same way with the boy even though he always denied that things were serious between them.

"Why? When?"

"Jimin caught me with Hobi. The day you picked up my family at the train station."

It took a moment for Jin to remember that Namjoon called his other boyfriend Hobi instead of Hoseok.

"Oh my god, Namjoon. Why didn't you tell me?"

Namjoon could hear the sorrow in Jin's voice, and he was touched by it.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Poor Jimin."

"Thank y— Wait! Poor Jimin? What do you mean poor Jimin?!"