Remedy (TaeJin)

Cold

Song - Forever and Always (Taylor Swift)

Jin woke up on the ground shivering. Once he got over his daze, he wanted nothing but to curl back into a ball and bawl.

He could've shut up for once. He could've said it was alright and didn't matter. He could've stopped Taehyung.

But stop him and say what?

He dragged himself to his bed and fell asleep.

The next time he woke up was because of his mum.

"Jin?", he heard her say and felt her hand on his forehead.

He tried to open his eyes, but they refused to comply.

"Jin, your skin is burning.", his mother worried.

Jin tried to sit up and groaned in pain. "I am fine."

"I'll get you tablets. Did you eat?", she asked.

Jin shook his head while rubbing his eyes. When he opened his eyes, it was dark outside. His sense of time was dazed.

"What time is it?", he croaked.

"Around 8. I was waiting for you at the airport. You said you'd come. You should've told me that you are sick, Jin.", she said as she grabbed tablets and a glass of water.

Jin stared down at his fingers in his lap. He slept through an entire day. He quickly pulled his phone to check for messages and felt his heart sink when he didn't have any from that one person.

So, it is really happening huh. He numbly went through the other texts when a new notification popped.

Jimin.

Jimin: Jin-hyung?

Jimin: Can you come to see the fireworks tonight?

Jimin: Please? Kookie's parents will let him come if you'll be there. ☹

Jin thumbed a reply and took his tablets.

"I thought you said that you didn't eat. There's a half-eaten burger on the table.", his mum asked concerned.

Jin shook his head. "I ate one already, couldn't complete the other. Sorry for not cleaning it up. I fell asleep, I guess."

His mum patted his head, "Rest well. I've hardly been around these past few weeks. We'll go out tomorrow to the fair. But you've to get well."

Jin gave her a tiny smile and lied. "I will be fine."

...

At 11:30, Jin changed into jeans and a pullover. Right before he left the room, he shoved the tiny pastel blue box into his pocket.

His face was still puffy, dark circles made their presence known and if he could he'd like to cut away the fat using a knife but it doesn't work that way so he should make do with his loose clothes.

As he drove to the central park to meet Jimin, he constantly kept checking his reflection. He didn't know if Taehyung would be there. If he was there, maybe he'll tell him that he is okay to take it slow. And that Taehyung can forget the whole confession scene. They can go back to what they were.

He kept repeating to himself that he would be fine. That he can talk to Taehyung. That there is a good chance it'll all go back to normal.

He parked his car and found Jimin sitting alone sipping on soda. When Jin called out his name, he ran and hugged Jin.

"Thank you so much, Jin-hyung. Sorry if I troubled you.", he said as the elder leaned into his embrace.

Jin forced a smile. He could see no sign of Taehyung around. Maybe he wasn't coming or has other plans. As he pondered whether to ask Jimin or not, the shorter one spoke, "Your boyfriend's running a little late. He'll be here."

My Boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

The words stung him more than he thought they could. He held his tears back and sat down next to Jimin.

A few mins later, Jungkook joined them. He too hugged Jin and whispered a quick thank you before he settled down on the grass with Jimin between his legs.

"Don't you want to eat anything, Jin-hyung?", Jungkook asked him.

Jin shook his head and lied again, "I am fine. Rose isn't with you?"

Jungkook smiled and placed his cheek on Jimin's head, "New Year's Eve. House party. Rose is being made to meet people. She almost tried to escape with me, but she got caught."

"Jungkook! They let you out?", Taehyung's voice broke through the crowd.

He was about to continue but his words died when he saw Jin looking at him with his red lips slightly apart, eyes puffy and those cheeks adorned a wine shade of red. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the boy. The lights amongst the trees threw a mosaic shade on his face and somehow that made him look even more beautiful.

"Taehyung to earth?", Jimin yelled.

Taehyung blinked away and sat between Jungkook and Jin. He cleared his throat and repeated his question, "I can't believe they let you out, Kook."

Jimin grinned eye to eye, "Thanks to Jin-hyung."

"Why is that?", Taehyung asked as he grabbed the soda from Jimin.

Jungkook started, "My parents probably think I am here on a date with Jin-hyung that's – "

"You WHAT?", Taehyung choked on the soda.

Jimin cackled, "Calm down. He is here with me."

Jin watched Taehyung and was mustering courage to form words. He didn't want to mess it up. But his throat felt dry and his brain turned to mulch when Taehyung touched his hand.

"Jin, we have to talk."

Jin nodded eagerly. He unconsciously pressed his hand on the pastel blue box he had in his pocket. Maybe he'll give that and apologize? He decided to tell Tae that he won't be clingy and won't talk about their future. That he will take it slow or at whatever pace Tae wants it to be. That he is all okay with it and his confession was a mistake. Jin knows he'd be lying. He was not okay. It hurt him so much to think that Taehyung did not love him like he loved Taehyung. But he can pretend to be okay and pretend to be fine if it meant he can have that boy back in his arms even for one night so that he can stop feeling this immense pain in his chest.

Tae led him to a bench under a tree, a little farther away from the crowd and mostly deserted.

"Jin, I am sorry. I -"

Jin nodded slightly as if encouraging him to talk. Tae could not get himself to look him in his expectant eyes, like that of a child, entirely knowing what he was about to say.

"I can't do this.", he breathed and immediately regretted what he said and what he was about to say when he caught Jin fight the tears fighting to spill out of his eyes as his lips quivered.

So, he rushed. "It is overwhelming. This – ", he said pointing at each other's chests, "I really really like you Jin but what you said is a bigger label and I can't afford to give that to what we have. I am sorry."

Even as he said it, Taehyung knew it was a fucking lie. He knows because of all the times when he saw someone eye his boyfriend, the way he wanted to announce to everyone that Jin was his. Because every time they made love, he had to bite his lips to stop screaming those three words to him. Because of the countless times he wanted to grab Jin, kiss him and repeatedly whisper those three words to him. Yet, here he was spewing lies and ruthlessly hurting this boy.

He waited for Jin to say something. Anything. Maybe slap him. But he watched his feet walk away into the crowd. Then the fireworks went off. And, in the bright light, he saw the broken, tear streaked face of his love stare back at him one last time before the crowd engulfed him.

...

Jin found himself at the same corner, as the same crying mess that he was 24 hours ago. He ran his fingers over that one bracelet that he impulsively bought, throwing most of his savings in, because he thought it symbolized what they've have. What they had.

Interlocked and forever.

What a fucking joke.

...