Sorry it's taken me so long to update this story, I just wasn't sure where I wanted it to go. I think I know now.
J H O P E
After that day that Namjoon had what seemed to be a peaceful sleep he slowly began to open up to me.
But even after two weeks the only things that we really talked about was what we wanted for dinner and sometimes how the other's day had gone. He still wasn't a guard though. He went to see his therapist regularly, he never talked about it but I noticed he stopped taking him medicine and he didn't seem so lost in his thoughts.
We were growing a relationship that was slowly starting to resemble a friendship.
I had just gotten home from work and Namjoon was sitting on the couch, he had a book in his hands but I knew he wasn't reading it. He was spaced out.
"What do you want for dinner?" I asked, opening the fridge and looking though what we had in it. I would have to go to the store soon and get some more food.
"I don't care." I heard him mumble.
"You alright?" I asked, pulling out some vegetables so I could cut those while I thought of something else to make. I loved to cook.
He nodded putting the book away. I knew then that he wasn't going to be saying anything else. Maybe a little when we ate. He stopped disappearing into his room when I made dinner.
I decided to make some spiced chicken and vegetables since we only really had chicken left and I didn't feel like messing with fish.
When dinner was done I made myself a plate and got one down for Namjoon as he walked in the kitchen.
He made himself a plate and we sat down at the table.
We didn't talk much, like always, Namjoon was back to being lost in his thoughts, it made me wonder if he was trying a new medication that I hadn't noticed or if he had talked about something he didn't want to talk about today in therapy.
I figured since the next day I didn't have to work, I would go to the store and get some more food and whatever else we needed that we couldn't get from the storage room that everyone in the building got the necessities, except food, well, good food anyway.
After dinner I washed our dishes and went straight to bed, tired from my days work.
***
I woke up to talking in the living room which was weird unless Namjoon had actually gone crazy and started having conversations with himself.
But as I got up to go check on him I heard another voice, MR JEON.
"I'm ready." I heard Namjoon say sternly, "I want to start training." It was a little weird to hear him say so much even though it wasn't a lot, it was a lot for Namjoon .
"Are you sure?" Jeon asked.
"I'm sure." He said and I walked out of my room.
"Good morning, Jhope." JEON greeted.
"Good morning." I said getting some water and pulling out some eggs to start breakfast.
"I'll take my leave now, enjoy your day off." Jeon said and walked out, his personal guards following.
It was weird how well Jeon kept up with his men, knowing when they had off and taking the time to remember their name. He was ruthless, but not heartless.
"Do you want breakfast?" I asked as I turned on the stove and got some eggs scrambled.
Namjoon simply nodded and there was silence once more.
After breakfast, I placed my plate in the sink, "I'm going to the store, is there anything you want?"
He thought for a moment and I assumed that that meant he didn't want anything so I went into my room and got dressed. When I got out of my room Namjoon was on the couch.
"Can I go with you?" He asked.
It was foreign to me to see a grown man, almost as big as me, act so shy and timid to the world.
I nodded, "Of course."
He was already ready so we walked out and I borrowed one of the many cars they had for us on those rare occasions that we left on a day off or when we had a mission away from home.
It took about thirty minutes to get into town and another ten to get to the grocery store. The ride was quiet, some radio station playing quietly in the background, none of us reaching to change it the whole forty minutes we were in the car.
I was silently praying that this wouldn't be as quiet and awkward as it was now as we got out of the car.
I got a basket and started pushing it through the isles, there wasn't many people there, just a lady with her baby and an older couple.
"Grab what you want." I said as we walked through the isles.
When we got to the fresh produce I got some vegetables I like to cook with and looked at the fruit.
Namjoon hadn't moved for anything, "When was the last time you've been to a grocery store and gotten whatever you want?" I asked.
He thought for a moment, "It's been a long time."
I frowned, "Well what do you like?" I asked feeling like I was talking to a child but he was probably the same age as me maybe a little younger.
He looked around and grabbed some strawberries, he looked at me as if asking if he could get them.
I nodded and he set them in the basket. He grabbed a few more things from the produce section and then we moved into the meats, "What do you like?" I asked.
He shrugged, "I've never had anything like this." He said, looking at the different meats.
"Do you like the chicken and fish I've been making?" I asked.
He nodded so I got some more of that and grabbed some beef so I could make stew one day since it was getting cold.
We got a few snacks and it took him a while to actually get something but after he had we checked out. The lady with the baby was behind us, bouncing the small child, calming him. It was just then that I saw a little girl that was hiding behind her mom's legs.
I smiled and she offered a smile in return as I paid for all the groceries.
I saw Namjoon stiffen beside me as the baby started crying and he noticed the little girl.
I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and led him out of the store.
I got the groceries in the car and got in the driver seat. Namjoon still seemed a little shaken for some reason.
"Are you okay?" I asked before starting the car.
"No," he shook his head and reached for something in his pocket. He pulled out a small stuffed bunny and focused on that.
I didn't know what to do for him, he looked like he was going to cry. So I just backed out of the parking lot and started heading home.
"Wait," he said, voice low from holding back crying from what I assume, "Can you stop somewhere for me?"
"Sure, where do you want to go?" I asked.
He gave me directions from where we were and he changed from the slightly timid and stiff person he was in the store.
When we arrived I noticed we were at a cemetery, "Thank you, I won't be long." He said and walked out.
I watched as he walked down a path and stopped in front of a grave, stuffed bunny clutched in his hands.
I watched as he sobbed, losing all composure like he did when he slept sometimes. I wondered who he had lost.
I sighed, I felt bad for not doing anything. But maybe he just wanted to be alone. But I still felt bad because I knew that he had no one, at least no one that cared for him. Jeon tried and maybe his therapist cared but not enough.
I gave him a few more minutes and I got out of the car. I felt like someone had to comfort him, he couldn't cry forever with no one helping him.
I walked over to him and gently rested my hand on his shoulder.
I know he heard me walking up to him so he didn't jump, just stiffened as he sniffled a little more and wiped his eyes.
I didn't say anything and neither did he. I looked at the tombstone and saw that it was a younger girl, her life sadly not lasting very long. I assumed it was his sister but I didn't know. I didn't know how she died or where his other family was. Though I knew nothing about him and he knew nothing about me, I still offered him comfort and didn't ask any questions.
When he was done he stood up and composed himself, wiping down his face and putting the stuffed bunny away.
"Are you good now?" I asked.
He nodded, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked as we walked back to the car.
He was silent so I continued added, "Men cry, Namjoon ."
We didn't talk the rest of the way back. He helped me put up the groceries and then walked out when his therapist came to get him.
I ate something small for lunch and went to the gym to workout and spar with some of the other men that had a day off.
After that it was time for me to start dinner so I did that and Namjoon came back just before it was ready.
We ate in silence and parted ways to get some sleep.