The little table setting makes Seokjin's heart hurt a bit. He didn't think he'd taken that long but apparently he still took long enough. Jungkook's had time to set all this up but Seokjin can also detect a certain redness in his eyes that he's seen in the mirror a few times. It's not the same as full-blown crying but it's a similar building up of pressure. There's just no release.

And the implicit apology just makes him hurt worse and Seokjin waves a hand. "Whoever laid hands on you is the one who's made a burden," he says and there's a brittleness in his voice. It's something that Seokjin's taught himself and internalized but hasn't yet learned to believe.