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A/N: Please don't ask me to update and be patient. I know when I can write and when not. I have a lot of ongoing stories and this story is very difficult to write. I'm not a machine nor have I already finished updates. If you do like the updates and the story, consider supporting it by voting and commenting as a silent reader which gives me motivation. That's all I have to say.

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A gentle breeze ruffles the leaves by the hidden clearing, mimicking the flurry of emotions Jimin feels as he replays Jeongguk's confession and Seoyeon's treachery in his mind. The remains of the old treehouse, a childhood haven long since reclaimed by nature, looms over the clearing and on the other side of the lake, away huts and curious eyes. It’s a silent testament to the passage of time and the shifting dynamics within the pack

Jimin traces jagged edges of wooden boards that lay on the floor with a sigh, memories of laughter and stolen moments with Jeongguk swirling in his mind. The calm movements of the water provide a soothing counterpoint to the storm brewing inside Jimin. He wandered around the pack grounds, lost in his thoughts about the past days. It’s been more than two days since his encounter with Jeongguk and he wonders if Jeongguk resented him for not forgiving him immediately. From his point of view, it was fair what he asked Jeongguk to do. A lot has gone down the drain between them. Both seem to have been manipulated by Seoyeon. Both have carried the burden of pain from old wounds on their shoulders. 

But it was just as bad for Jimin to stay strong and not go after Jeongguk on the meadow. As much as it hurts, they are not the same people they used to be. Jimin doesn't have his best friend from before back. Still, he can't deny how the determination that Jeongguk exuded took him back and made him think he was initially joking.

Over the past few days, he has been thinking about this and their recent encounters. Relief has settled in his chest and he came to realise the negative tension, filled with hatred and other emotions, has lifted over the last few weeks, in a subtle motion, barely visible.

Jimin barely registers the creak of a branch underfoot, so consumed is he in his internal battle. Another twig snaps, drawing Jimin’s gaze from the tangled undergrowth to the approaching figure of his friend, Jinho.

“Jimin, you have to stop disappearing on me. You said you’d be back by lunchtime. It’s far past that.” Jinho throws him a sharp glance, pulling his eyebrows down and propping his hands onto his hips. Jimin takes a look at the sky and realises that Jinho is right. The sun is no longer vertical in the sky. He hasn't realised how much time has passed as he wandered through the forest. Guilt grips him as he looks at his best friend and his features soften. “What’s wrong? You look like something is troubling you.”

“I talked to Jeongguk.”

Jinho licks his lip and raises an eyebrow, expectedly. “Really? How did that go?”

Jimin hesitates, and he crosses his arms over his chest, his head dropping. “It was complicated. Parts of it make sense but it was a mess. There’s a lot I didn’t know. Turns out, Seoyeon…” Jimin trails off, his voice tight. He takes a deep breath, uncertainty etching on his face. “Seoyeon has been manipulating me since we were pups. She made me believe I wasn’t good for Jeongguk and the same thing happened to Jeongguk. He was fed with lies. It explains why he seemed so distant but it also hurt to learn that he believed Seoyeon’s lies about me. I don’t know. Jeongguk wants to make things right…”

“I see,” Jinho hums, taking a step towards him and putting a hand onto his shoulder. Jimin immediately goes pliant and lets his head drop on his shoulder. “Jeongguk hurt you, no doubt. And that pain is real, valid, and deserves to be acknowledged. Do you already know what you're going to do?”

Jimin shakes his head and looks forlornly out into the distance across the lake. “I was kind of hoping that you could give me advice. I want to forgive him, but a part of me is angry, a part of me is just relieved to finally understand. Despite everything, a big part of me… still wants Jeongguk in my life, not right now but maybe when things have settled and become more clear…”

Jinho’s expression softens. “No wonder you were gone for so long. Seoyeon sounds like a real piece of sh… work,” he growls. “It’s completely understandable that you’re conflicted. Jeongguk's past actions caused you a lot of pain, and it's okay to be hesitant to forgive. You deserve someone who sees your worth, Jimin. After all, Jeongguk was a big part of your life. If you still want my advice, see his actions, listen to his words and then decide if you can forgive him. There’s no use forcing yourself. It will only hurt you both in the end.” 

Jimin clenches his fists, a surge of anger replacing his dejection. “Yeah, Seoyeon really messed things up and you’re right, Jeongguk did hurt me. Yet, hearing his side… it explained so much and understanding why makes it a little easier to swallow.” Jimin deeply inhales, taking a moment before he continues to speak. “I feel like such an idiot, believing her lies for so long and pushing Jeongguk away because of her and because he made it seem like she told the truth.” He kicks a small stone down the path with a frustrated sigh.

Jinho’s hand tightens on Jimin’s shoulder. “You weren’t an idiot, Jimin. You were manipulated. And it takes a lot of courage to admit you’re wrong.” 

Jimin looks down at his hands, fumbling with a leaf that he picked up earlier. “I can’t lie. I was jealous. The part of me that remembers all the good times with Jeongguk... that part wants to believe him. It's still going to take some time, but I think... I think I can forgive him eventually.”

He squeezes Jimin's shoulder gently. “And that’s fine, but you might also have to consider his recent actions. Standing up to Seoyeon wasn't easy, and seeking the truth despite the doubt shows genuine remorse.”

“What do you mean standing up to Seoyeon wasn’t easy?” Jimin’s brows furrow and he lifts his head from Jinho’s shoulder. His gaze going back and forth between his best friend's eyes. “What? When did Jeongguk confront Seoyeon?”

Jinho shrugs. “Just yesterday, apparently. Didn’t you hear the commotion? I’m sure words must have gone around. I thought you knew, and that’s why you were acting differently. It’s also why I didn’t tell you before.”

“I was trying to get things off my mind. I got busy in my garden and planted new herbs while my grandparents were in the healer's hut. After that, I got busy making new pastes. Is that why everyone seemed on edge when I went around the market for a while?”

“Could be. Apparently, Jeongguk confronted Seoyeon at the market yesterday,” Jinho explains with a hint of amusement in his voice. “Though, most seemed pretty happy about Jeongguk finally putting Seoyeon in her place. How awful must it feel to realise you’ve been deceived for so long? Imagine trusting someone you care about, only to find our they’ve been feeding you lies."

Jimin gasps. He hadn't considered it from Jeongguk's perspective. “I... I hadn't thought about it like that. Jeongguk must be hurting too. He believed her lies just like I did.”

Jinho nods. “Exactly. And yet, he still stood up for you. He went against Seoyeon, even though it couldn't have been easy. That takes guts and from what I've heard, Jeongguk wasn't the only one defending you-”

“He wasn’t?” Jimin’s eyes bulge and he becomes speechless, trying to process what his best friend is saying. 

“No,” Jinho shakes his head and responds, the corners of his lips curling into a smile, “other pack members were defending you too. Seoyeon is said to have spread rubbish about you and your healing abilities. I took the liberty to butt in on a conversation a few pack members were talking about it last night. I don't want to make any promises, but Jeongguk is said to have praised your healing skills to the skies and accused her of ruining your reputation. Others have also questioned her.”

Jimin’s mouth falls open, a shaky breath follows as he stares back at Jinho. A warm feeling suddenly fills his heart, a fragile bud pushing through the hardened shell of his anger. But it is overshadowed by the thorns of betrayal. Could this really be true? Could Jeongguk, after everything, stand up for him like that? “He… he did that? Even after everything that happened? But… why?”

Jinho hums. “Seems like he finally woke up and smelled the lies in the air. Look, I know trust takes time to rebuild but having heard about Jeongguk defending you like that… well, it warmed even my heart. I also got it confirmed from an alpha called Taewoo who was there. He visited the healer hut when I paid your grandparents a quick visit. And hey, at least you know the truth now, right? About Seoyeon and Jeongguk.”

Jimin nods slowly. A glimmer of hope battles the embers of resentment in his chest. “Yeah, the truth,” Jimin rasps, “A bitter pill to swallow, but the truth nonetheless.”

“Don't forget,” Jinho comments gently, “Seoyeon's lies hurt more than just you. Jeongguk was manipulated too. Everything Seoyeon told him painted you as the bad guy. Jeongguk wasted time and built resentment based on a web of lies.” He feels Jinho firmly squeezing his shoulder, offering a warm hug that speaks volumes without words. “You deserve better than Seoyeon's lies, Jimin. You deserve someone who sees your worth, who believes in you. And from what it sounds like, Jeongguk might be starting to see that.”

“Maybe.” A small, sad smile tugs at the corners of his lips, accompanied by a bittersweet feeling. “It’s just… so much happened. So much time wasted because of her.”

“Wasted time, yes,” Jinho says softly, his voice a soothing balm. “But hey, at least you have a chance to rebuild what you and Jeongguk had, or maybe even build something stronger.”

“Rebuild? Do you think that's possible?”

Can they truly rebuild after everything that's happened?

Jinho a thoughtful nod, saying, “Only one way to find out, right?” 

A beat of silence hangs between them. Jimin studies the ground, a subtle crease forming between his brows. Then, a realization dawns on him.

“Are you… are you okay with this?” Jimin starts hesitantly, “you know if things do work out with Jeongguk, it doesn't have to change anything between us, right?”

Jinho raises an eyebrow, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. “What makes you say that?”

“Well,” Jimin scratches the back of his neck, “obviously, we wouldn't be glued at the hip all the time anymore. But you wouldn't... you wouldn't feel left out, would you?”

Jinho throws him a playful nudge. “Come on. You know me better than that. Of course, I want you to be happy. Even if it means spending less time with your grumpy best friend.” Jinho lets out a short, surprised laugh. “You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not.”

Jinho ruffles Jimin’s hair affectionately. “Don’t worry about it. We'll figure it out, like always. Like I said, neither of us knows what the future brings but no matter what, I will always be by your side, hm?”

“Even if you find a mate?” Jimin sniffles, a soft grin spreading across his face, at which Jinho laughs and lets his head fall back in amusement. “Even then.”

Jinho takes a step back and faces the lake. Under his breath, almost inaudible even to his own ears, he murmurs, “Besides, I don't think anyone could ever replace me entirely. I have a feeling he’s meant for a more important role in your life.”

“Speaking of mate…” Jimin furrows his eyebrows, not having been able to understand what the alpha said. The wide smile on his face makes him forget about his murmur and so Jimin steps forward and then pulls Jinho closer to him. His nose wanders curiously over Jinho's clothes and indeed. There is a fine, barely perceptible trace of another scent on him. Jimin thought he imagined it when he leant against him, but apparently he wasn't wrong. “You smell of fresh apples.”

Strange. He gets the feeling that he recognises the smell from somewhere.

Jimin leans back and playfully raises an eyebrow, waiting for a further explanation. Jinho’s cheeks, however, flush in a light pink. “Uh, yeah, about that…” he stummers, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. “I, uh, bumped into someone earlier. At the market, you know? Picking up some, uh..." He trails off, pretending to search his pockets. "Ingredients! Yeah, ingredients for baking." 

Jimin now raises both eyebrows, his ears perking up at the word baking. “Ingredients, huh? Sounds awfully specific for someone who doesn't seem to cook much.”

Jinho throws Jimin a mock glare. “Hey, I’m learning! I tried baking an apple pie.” 

“Really…?” Jimin asks rhetorically and drags the word out. “Sounds like a meet-cute waiting to happen. So, did this apple enthusiast have any other passions you discovered besides shoving fruit at you?”

This may be the first time he's seen a blush creep up his neck, like a wildfire spreading from his cheeks and he wonders what's really behind it. Will he tell him, though? “Maybe… Okay, fine,” Jinho gives in to Jimin's gaze and sighs dramatically. There's a long pause, filled with unspoken emotions, before he finally admits, “There might be someone I've got to know and…yeah.”

“So there is someone who’s got you smiling like that, huh?” Jimin teases, extremely happy to see Jinho like this. “Is it… an alpha, beta or omega? Man or woman?”

“She’s an omega…” Jinho trails off, his voice getting quieter. “It's all relatively fresh, but I'm considering introducing her to you when things get more serious.”

Jimin's eyes widen a fraction. A nervous flutter dances in his stomach. An omega, huh? A wide grin splits his face. “Well, that's fantastic news! Really happy for you.”

"Thanks. It means a lot. Maybe someday we'll both find our happily ever afters, huh?" A hint of longing flickers in his eyes before he schools his features back into a neutral expression. “Let's go back first, you must be hungry.”

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