Chapter Text
The rain has lasted from the beginning of the week until today, signaling a dark season has returned. In this town, the sweltering and dry heat has never been a characteristic of summer, but the wet and sticky humidity that makes the inhabitants, who have lived here all their lives, never cease to feel uncomfortable.
So is Namjoon, even if he's just an expatriate, having lived for about half a decade in this obscure little place.
"Mr. Namjoon, is it still the same?"
"That's right."
About five minutes later, a hot cup of coffee was placed in front of him. The white smoke blent in the scorching smell of roasted coffee, like the scent of regret.
"Yesterday, I saw you on television with the Mr. Mayor. You look great."
"Thanks, Jimin."
"Forgive me for the many words, but why do you look tired today? Please tell me, if you need my help with anything."
"Thanks, Jimin."
Hearing the familiar answer that was boring, the waiter didn't feel comfortable asking any more, just returned to his position in the bartender with nameless anxiety.
That familiar raincoat
Those quick footsteps
The anxiety was more apparent and intense, when Jimin saw him rush out the door in the pouring rain. The gray color filled the entire station as if it was swallowing him into the cruelty of heaven. Then, gave back an exhausted body, with hidden feelings. Jimin rushed to open the door, the wind chimes rang as if welcoming Namjoon with a strange guest. The scent of coffee, which was only around in the shop, now surreptitiously blent with the smell of rain outside.
After taking off his wet raincoat and draping it over the arm of a chair, Namjoon ran a hand through the hair of the man with him. Each strand of smooth black hair was pulled back to the sides, tucked behind the ears, revealing a bright and gentle face. Jimin was taken aback when he recognized that person, acting vice mayor Kim Seokjin.
His body trembled slightly, the pale expression on his face let Jimin know that he had been in the rain for a long time. Although it had rained heavily this week, this morning was already a rare blue, making him think it would be a clear day. But unfortunately, God did not please people, tons of water suddenly poured down in the early afternoon, watering the whole space.
Jimin was just wondering, why didn't he come here to shelter from the rain? But he didn't have much time to think about it, as Namjoon pulled up a chair and pressed Seokjin’s lower body down slightly to relax, and walked over to the counter to order a warm cup of tea. Just warm, and a little sweet.
Such a simple cup of tea could not make it difficult for someone as senior as Jimin, and after five minutes, Namjoon's request was placed in front of Seokjin.
"How did you recognize me?" Those were the last words Jimin heard, before he was caught by Namjoon’s gaze as he, apparently, looked too long into the close distance between them.
Namjoon didn't answer the question immediately, but just turned to look at the dark circles under Seokjin’s eyes, the tip of his nose still had a thin layer of water, his lips lost their bright color; and inhaled a bit of the cool scent of lily that entangled Seokjin.
"How can I forget you?" Carving the figure into his mind, Namjoon answered that person's question. In fact, this identity has never left his memory, it's just, he wanted to record it again, after a period of separation.
"Please don't say such things again, sir." Seokjin let out a tired breath, it seemed that even a few polite words had taken all his strength.
"Please don't call me sir again?" Namjoon furrowed his brows, the tension appearing on his stern face causing the atmosphere to lose its never-had gentleness.
"Please don't forget our identities." Seokjin didn't want to argue with that stubborn person either, so he simply said why they were in this situation.
Namjoon laughed bitterly. "After two years, the raincoat I bought is still on you, your quick steps are still the feature that makes me recognize you, but you already call me someone with a different identity?"
"Incumbent Vice Mayor Kim Namjoon, what do you have in common with me, loser Kim Seokjin?"
Seokjin gently pushed the cup of tea in front of him away, ignoring the warmth and sweet scent inviting him to enjoy. Burying himself deep in the chair, he rested his head on the soft backrest and closed his eyes. The pounding rain on the roof whirled in the cochlea, bouncing on it was Namjoon's low voice like the notes of a symphony that belonged to the distant past.
"Seokjin, the general election is coming. Mr. Jung Hoseok won't be re-elected."
Of someone I used to love for a long time
---
Two years ago, still when the rain covered every corner of the small town, people were excited because the election would take place in June. In government offices, an atmosphere of urgency pervaded between political meetings.
Its one-party system of government has long been approved by regular voters to continue, even though it is located in a country that has always faced rivalries between the two parties that rule the cabinet. The only newspaper and TV channel in the town continuously reported on gunfights, assassinations and chaos occurring elsewhere, forming a "multi-party will cause instability" stereotype among the people.
This is even more beneficial for the "nepotism" regime, when the father has performed his duties too well, where that power will of course belong to his son, so that the real power is not shared with outsiders, avoiding the consequences of division later. And the Kim family is a prime example.
Memories of youth suddenly rushed back
Before the nostalgia of a bygone era
"Vice Mayor Kim Seokjin, through the primary election early last week, the percentage that voted for you was sixty percent of the total votes. While the percentage voted for Mr. Jung Hoseok in the Agriculture Party was forty percent of the total votes."
"Okay, you leave the file here and go out."
"Yes sir."
A pair of big, warm hands rested on Seokjin's shoulders after his secretary left the room, helping him relax from the stress of the pressure on his slender shoulders with expert massage movements.
"Your skills are getting better."
"It's all for you, Seokjin." Namjoon tenderly looked at the top of his black head that seemed to be adorned with a few silver threads, trying to stop himself from leaning down to kiss his soft cheek.
Seokjin took his eyes off the pages and looked at the window. Water drops continuously knocked on the glass and blurrily flew down like visualizing his moods. Lost in thought for a long time, he lightly shook his shoulder to announce that Namjoon didn't need to take care of him anymore, and said:
"I heard Jung Hoseok is carrying out some reforms to export raw coffee beans at a better price to farmers. Maybe that's why his vote count has increased by ten percent in just two quarters."
"Don't worry, merchants who have a long-term business relationship with Mr. Kim will always support us. With such high intermediary fees, I don't believe they are stupid enough to pass up this bargain." Namjoon furrowed his brows, anxiety starting to creep into him. Not because of those people, of course, but because Seokjin was starting to care more about the economic situation of the town, instead of completely following his father - the incumbent mayor.
"Since when are the privileges of merchants more important than farmers?" The man growled, turning to look at Namjoon standing behind him.
And felt the softness on his lips.
Seokjin's eyes widened, a shiver hit his tailbone and traveled quickly through the spine, blocking nerves and freezing the brain.
From that moment, Seokjin knew that Namjoon's heart wasn't simple.
"Seokjin, it's just a theory. All the things you learn in the classroom, it's nothing in reality." Lips to lips, forehead to forehead, he slightly narrowed his eyes as if turning it into a weapon that swirled deep into Seokjin's large round pupils. "You have to remember, you are the most important..."
Everything Namjoon said that day, Seokjin remembered years later. When his honorable father passed away. When power slipped out of his hand. When he understood that this political game has never been under the control of an innocent person like him.
The only newspaper and TV channel in the town kept reporting. "After the election, the single-party ruling system was maintained, but the 'nepotism' regime was abolished within a year when candidate Jung Hoseok took over as Mayor. In addition, the position of Vice Mayor Kim Seokjin - the youngest son of the late Mayor, was taken over by his assistant Kim Namjoon. Many predictions suggested that,..."
I can't put it into words
---
Seokjin opened his eyes slightly after that, but what did it matter, when this body was tired and the soul was also rotten.
"So what, sir? Incumbent Mayor Jung Hoseok is not re-elected, what does that have to do with me, sir?"
"Don't call me sir again Seokjin!" He shouted the name of that person, as if to remove the seal that had locked the nostalgia inside him for the past two years.
Two years have passed and everything has changed
Is your eyes and my hair
Two years, and that person left with Min Yoongi.
Namjoon didn't know when, Seokjin put him in his heart. Two years ago, the guy was still the confidant he put beside Jung Hoseok, still the same guy who always showed his carelessness when dealing with people. But he knew, hidden deep in those eyes, were calculations he couldn't see through. Or maybe, he passed, to receive such a pain in return.
Contributing to making Jung Hoseok the Mayor was all part of Namjoon's plan, but he didn't expect the person he trusted to be the one that was out of the plan, leading his heart away when the government changed blood. Replace the blood that is in sync with that person flowing in his body.
Sitting on the Vice Mayor's chair, Namjoon had a body without a soul.
Sitting on a chair at the cafe, the soul, was what Namjoon found again.
But this body, was something that person did not accept.
We all have our own families
"Sir, I'm a married man."
"Seokjin, I'm your family! I told you, you're the most important person to me, and I'm the person closest to you! That Min Yoongi..." Namjoon went crazy with those words of his. He grabbed the tired body and leaned down to kiss the bloodless lips.
Seokjin didn't know where to find strength, but bit Namjoon’s lip hard and pushed him to the ground. Standing from above, looking down at the man holding his head and groaning, a sharp red color appeared on his pale cheeks:
"How do you know Yoongi was with me??? Did you kill him, didn't you???"
And it hurts me to realize
Love that day turned out to be one-sided
---
The siren sounded continuously like tearing the deep rain curtain, reminding the passengers that it was time to leave town.
The sound of someone lurking in and out of Seokjin's head, suddenly awakened, he rushed out the door and joined the stream of people rushing to board the train. The wind chimes rang like goodbye to the person who was with Namjoon. He bounced up from the shock and also hurried in the footsteps of the love of his life.
In the cafe next to the station, there was no one left, only the trembling figure of the waiter lurking behind the bartender. Jimin felt like he just learned a shocking secret. He recalled the news that the only newspaper and TV channel in town delivered to every house, that day.
I got into the train car next to you
And when I see you looking down
Suddenly tears seem to be waiting to fall
It wasn't hard to find Seokjin once everyone settled on the train and started whispering about the man who had appeared many times on television two years ago. The talk was amplified when the second most powerful figure of this small place approached that person, even though he looked like a tiger that could burst into power at any time, he still only dared to lightly touch Seokjin’s arched back, fearing that he would melt into the air like the drops of water falling on his cheeks.
The train staff, after receiving instructions from Namjoon's glance, quickly directed everyone to another train car, leaving four walls surrounding two broken souls.
"Seokjin." He gently knelt on one knee in front of that person, whispering the most precious name in the world.
"Yoongi..." Seokjin hastily raised his face to search for the owner of the sound that was still ringing in his head.
But not him.
"Look at me. Now it's just me in front of you. There's no Yoongi at all. There's no Vice Mayor." Namjoon cupped his white cheeks, his thumb gently wiping away the tears that didn't stop flowing. "Don't leave me again?"
"Namjoon." Seokjin said wearily in rage.
"That's right, here's your Namjoon." Namjoon happily exclaimed, in the bottom of his eyes shining with pure starlight like a child, as if there had never been any conspiracy inside.
"Kim Namjoon." Seokjin was still looking at the space in front of Namjoon, his foolish pupils could not fully contain his tall figure.
Love him. Cuddle him. Push him out of the Mayor's chair. Follow him. Bring him back.
He never regretted doing those things.
"Kim... Namjoon." The fragile bubble, when forced to its limit, will burst.
But he regretted… touching him.
Your shadow disappeared
.
Kim Seokjin. He was not that the child has grown up in his father's embrace. That person is his. So father needed to disappear.
Kim Seokjin. He was not that a good Mayor would be loved by the people. That person is his. So Jung Hoseok was allowed to ensconce.
Kim Seokjin. He was not that the lifelong love of a traitor. That person is his. So Min Yoongi didn't have to exist.
For the past five years, let that person belong to him alone.
Namjoon tried to do everything to correct this ironic fate.
My heart is nostalgic
In the middle of the afternoon station
But the rain outside the window, has stopped heavy. Like that train, took him off the station.
"After the election, the single-party ruling system was maintained, but the 'nepotism' regime was abolished within a year when candidate Jung Hoseok took over as Mayor. In addition, the position of Vice Mayor Kim Seokjin - the youngest son of the late Mayor, was taken over by his assistant Kim Namjoon. Many predictions suggested that, Kim Namjoon is Mr. Kim's long-lost son."
END