9. The heavy confession

Jimin should've been afraid. He should've been careful. But he wasn't.

Instead, he whispered into the quiet, "You've ruined me Lixie. I don't belong to myself anymore... I belong to you."

That afternoon, practice with BTS felt different. His body was there, but his soul wasn't. Every move, every lyric Felix's face kept flashing in his mind. The way he whispered his name, the way he clung to him, the way he made Jimin feel alive and doomed at the same time.

Finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore. During break, the room was filled with laughter and chatter, but Jimin's chest felt like it was going to explode. He stood suddenly, his voice sharp.

"Hyungs... I need to say something."

The others went quiet, surprised at his serious tone. Namjoon tilted his head. "What is it, Jimin?"

Jimin's fists clenched at his sides. His eyes burned as he looked at the floor, then back up. "I'm in love."

Jungkook blinked. "With who?"

Jimin swallowed, his voice trembling but fierce. "With Felix. From Stray Kids."

Silence crashed over the room. Hoseok's mouth fell open. Yoongi froze, his eyes narrowing slightly. Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged shocked glances.

Namjoon broke the silence first, cautious. "Jimin... do you realize what you're saying? You mean you are in love with Felix, the same felix of straykids?, Do you know what this could mean for both of you?"

"I know," Jimin snapped, his voice rough, desperate. "I know it could destroy everything. But I can't stop it. I don't want to stop it. I love him in a way that scares me. I love him a lot, I crave him. When he's not with me, I feel like I'm dying."

His breath came fast, his eyes wet, his whole body trembling.

"I tried to fight it, hyung. I told myself it was wrong, that I had to protect my career, protect him. But I can't. I really love him. He's mine. And I don't care if the world hates me for it."

The room was heavy. No one moved. No one spoke.

Jimin's chest rose and fell as if he'd just ripped himself open and laid everything bare.

For the first time, his obsession wasn't hidden.

And there was no turning back.

The room was so quiet, Jimin could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.

His confession hung in the air like a blade sharp, dangerous, impossible to ignore.

Namjoon was the first to speak. His voice was calm, but his eyes carried weight.

"Jimin... you're saying you love Felix?, felix of skz and you're willing to risk everything for him." Rm said.

Jimin's jaw tightened. "Not just risk. I already gave myself to him. Body, soul, everything. He owns me now."

Taehyung's brows furrowed, his deep voice trembling. "Hyung... do you even hear yourself? You sound... obsessed."

"I am," Jimin admitted without shame. His eyes were glassy, wild. "And I don't care. If loving him makes me obsessed, then let me be insane. Because the thought of losing him... it would kill me."

Jungkook stammered and said "h....hyung, do...do you like men?"

Jimin was about to talk but Yoongi cut him off and said "it doesn't matter the kind of gender he likes, love is love, let just fix this"

Jungkook shifted uncomfortably, his voice low. "Hyung... you know ARMY. You know the industry. If this comes out, Felix will get hurt. Worse than you. Can you live with that?"

At that, Jimin's shoulders shook. He pressed a hand to his chest, as if the thought was stabbing him. "That's what keeps me awake at night. The fear that the world will break him. But even if the world hates me, I'll shield him. I'll burn everything down if I have to."

Yoongi spoke, his tone blunt but not cruel. "You sound ready to destroy yourself for him."

Jimin met his eyes, unwavering. "I already did."

For a long moment, no one knew what to say.

Hoseok rubbed the back of his neck, his usual brightness dimmed. "Jimin-ah... this is heavy. But if this is how you feel... if it's really love, not just fire... then you have to be ready for a war."

Jhope said.

Namjoon sighed deeply, folding his arms. "And we'll have to decide if we're ready to fight that war with you."

The words settled heavily in the air. The bond between the seven had always been unshakable, but this? This was uncharted, dangerous.

Jimin's voice cracked as he whispered one final truth:

"I know it will be hard for you guys to understand but I'm pleading you all right now to please to understand me I can't let Felix go, I can't keep this to myself anymore that's why I finally told you guys" Jimin said while shedding tears.

The silence that followed was no longer shock, it was the sound of the group realizing that nothing would ever be the same.

The meeting ended, but the weight of Jimin's words followed them like a shadow.

That night, the dorm was unusually quiet. Jimin locked himself in his room, leaving the rest of the members in the living room, each carrying the storm in their own hearts.

Taehyung finally broke the silence, his deep voice heavy.

"Hyung sounded... scary. Like he wasn't even Jimin anymore. Like he's ready to throw himself into fire for Felix."

Jungkook sat with his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. "I've never seen him like that. He's always been soft, caring. But today? He looked like... like a man possessed."

Hoseok leaned against the couch, his face pale. "Love can be like that. But obsession? It can destroy people. And if ARMY finds out, it won't just destroy Jimin. Felix is younger, newer... he'll take most of the hate."

Namjoon sighed, rubbing his temples. His leader's mind was spinning. "That's what scares me the most. Jimin knows the risk, but he doesn't care anymore. Which means he's already past the point of return."

Yoongi, who had been quiet all along, finally spoke, his voice sharp but thoughtful.

"He's not asking for our permission. He's asking for our loyalty. That's what it is. He's made his choice, and now he wants to know if we'll stand beside him."

The words hit hard. They all knew Yoongi was right.

"But hyung," Jungkook muttered, his voice shaking, "what if standing beside him ruins BTS? What if it ends everything we've built?"

Namjoon's gaze darkened, his jaw tight. "Then the question is... what matters more? The group's future, or Jimin's heart?" Namjoon asked.

The room grew silent again, the choice hanging heavy in the air.

Taehyung leaned back, closing his eyes. "For me... Jimin's happiness matters. If Felix is the one who makes him breathe, who are we to stop him?"

Hoseok shook his head, torn. "But happiness built on a knife's edge can cut us all. We have to be ready for blood if this comes out."

Yoongi's lips curved into something between a frown and a smirk. "Then we sharpen our own knives. If the world comes for Jimin, they'll have to go through us first."

The fire in his words made the others look at him. And for the first time that night, they realized: maybe this wasn't just Jimin's war. Maybe it was theirs too.

In straykids practice room

The practice room was quiet, the smell of sweat and exhaustion hanging in the air. Stray Kids had just finished a brutal rehearsal, but Felix hadn't been himself all day. His steps were distracted, his timing off, his usually bright energy dimmed.

Chan noticed first. He always did.

"Felix," he said softly, once the others collapsed onto the floor to rest. "What's going on in your head, mate? You're somewhere else."

Felix hesitated, his heart pounding. He had promised Jimin to keep their world secret, but he noticed Jimin is about to tell his members about them, he was so scared that his own members will be so disappointed if they find it out outside and not from his mouth, but the weight was crushing him. His hands trembled as he clutched his water bottle.

"I... need to tell you guys something," he finally said, his deep voice shaky.

The members turned their eyes to him, sensing the seriousness.

Felix swallowed hard, his freckles standing out against his pale face. "I'm in love."

Changbin tilted his head. "With who?"

Felix's lips trembled, but he forced the words out.

"J...Jimin-hyung. From BTS."

The room froze. The silence was so heavy, Felix felt it pressing against his chest, at first they thought he was joking and then they all read his eyes.

Hyunjin blinked, his mouth slightly open. "Wait... Park Jimin? BTS Jimin?"

Felix nodded, his heart racing. "From the first time I saw him. I don't know what happened. He just... caught me. His eyes, his smile, his voice... I couldn't look away. I tried to tell myself it was respect, admiration. But it's not. It's love. It's obsession. I can't stop thinking about him."

Seungmin leaned back, his sharp gaze unreadable. "You're saying you've fallen in love with another idol. A man. And not just any man, but Jimin from BTS."

Felix's throat tightened. "Yes. I don't care what it means. Gay, straight... I don't even know anymore. All I know is, he makes me feel alive in ways nothing else does. When he looks at me, I feel like I exist."

The silence stretched again, broken only when I.N whispered, almost nervously, "So... does this mean you're... gay?"

Felix's eyes softened, but he shook his head slowly. "I don't know what I am. I just know I love him. That's all that matters to me."

Changbin spoke "Felix how long has this been?"

Felix looked up and said "Just recently Hyung, is not like I haven't seen him in real life before but the day I saw him at that award show just felt different".

The members exchanged glances. Some looked worried, others thoughtful, none of them fully understanding.

Chan finally spoke, his leader voice firm but gentle.

"Felix... love is dangerous in this industry. Especially love like this, idol to idol"

Felix's eyes filled with tears. He bowed his head, his deep voice breaking.

The room was quiet again, heavy with unspoken questions.