#BTS slow burn

[interesting-interludes]

the comforts of creatures (5)

creature comforts:

↳ material/bodily comforts, such as food, warmth, or special accommodations, that contribute to physical ease and well-being

→ pairing: ot7 x fem.reader

→ genre: supernatural!au, soulmate!au, hurt + comfort + recovery, angst with a happy ending, fluff, eventual smut

→ word count: 4.8k

→ summary: you learn what you are, and your reaction is far from what they expected. as they try to help you feel safe, the boys learn about your triggers, and they try their hardest to help in any way they can.

→ trigger/content warnings: PTSD (self-loathing, mistrust, flashbacks/nightmares) effects of brainwashing, lil’ bit of lore, overt and internalized racism/species-ism (?), vomiting, anxiety, mentions of starvation/food poisoning, mentions of physical abuse, dissociation, mentions of torture, aversion to touch, mc pushes jimin but he’s okay, jimin is an angel, facial/body scars, body dysmorphia/repulsion

→ a/n: thank y’all for your patience :) here’s some more hurt before the comfort lol

past part ← series masterlist → next part

part 5: scars and soothers

“This is you.”

The man is pointing at a detailed image drawn in faded ink. The rest of the page is filled with scripted text and anatomical diagrams.

You can’t look at first, scared of what you’ll find.

When you finally do, you don’t know what to think. There’s the thought that he’s kidding, he’s lying. He can’t be serious.

The drawing is of a creature with tawny-feathered wings extending magnificently in the air. It has the body of a powerful big cat, muscular yet elegant. Its four legs end in sharp-taloned feet. Its neck is framed by a golden mane, looking like a big frilly collar. The mane’s trail travels down the creature’s chest and back, ending in a flowing tail. It has the face of a lion, with white whiskers and deep yellow eyes, yet the regal posture of an eagle.

A diagram off to the left shows the inside of its mouth, lined with row upon row of sharp teeth and protruding fangs.

Looking back up, you search the faces of the men around you. None of them appear to be joking.

You can’t speak.

You’re one of them, one of the creatures they all despised. The creatures that roam the wild lands for easy prey, spreading carnage wherever they go.

No wonder they hated you so much. You’re not even human.

A few silent, involuntary tears fall from your eyes, which are locked back on the page. You wipe them away hastily.

The boys don’t know how to react, all looking at each other with concern.

“What...” you squeak out, voice choked. “What is it?”

“A gryffin,” Yoongi replies. “You’re a shifter.”

Something gurgles in your stomach. You clench your teeth, nails digging deep into the meat of your thighs.

You believe him. You don’t want to, but you believe him. You’ve always felt less than human, like something wasn’t right about you. Like something was just beneath the surface, clawing its way up.

Now you know why.

Jungkook, who’s sitting closest to you, slowly, cautiously puts his hand on your shoulder in an effort to comfort you.

But you flinch at his touch, jerking away.

You don’t catch the look of hurt that flits across his face. He knows you can’t help it, but it still stings to think that his touch physically repels you.

“What did they tell you about atypicals?” Namjoon presses, trying to shift your attention so you won’t look so disheartened by the reality of what you are.

From the way you look at him, he knows that you’ve never heard that word before. Or at least you don’t remember it.

“Atypicals are anything that falls out of the humanic species,” he explains patiently.

Your face scrunches in confusion.

“Humanic as in human,” he elaborates.

You don’t understand why he’s talking like that. You’ve never heard these terms before. In the place you came from, the “facility,” anything that wasn’t human was an abomination, a mistake in the eyes of nature.

Simple as that.

But here, things seem to be a bit more complicated.

Nausea is starting to bubble in your gut. You breathe carefully through your nose as you consider Namjoon’s question.

“They said...” you begin hesitantly.

They’re all on the edge of their seats, desperately wondering what those bastards brainwashed you to believe about their kind, your own kind.

“They said that they were monsters.”

Another pang of hurt thrums through their hearts.

“That...that they deserved to be hunted down like dogs.”

They can hear the pain in your own voice, either from witnessing their cruel behavior, or from realizing that you’ve been the target of it this whole time.

Your stomach churns.

“They said I wasn’t even worthy to lick the ground they walked on.”

They can all hear you choking on your tears, despite your attempts to hide it.

Jimin and Jungkook feel like their chests are going to burst from holding it in, both the sorrow they feel for you and the urge to rush forward and drown you in affection.

Jin and Namjoon have storms raging inside their heads. Namjoon is calculating, trying to decode what exactly their motive was and how to use it to track down the ones in charge of it all. Jin’s mind is reeling with ways to undo the damage they’ve done, mentally and physically.

Yoongi is swimming waist-deep in despair. He can’t help but think of what’s to come. You’ll have to relearn everything. How to shift, how to fight, how to cast. That is, if you even want to.

You feel the newly strung tension in the air, looking like you just realized you said all of those things out loud.

One look around the room, and your newly found voice retreats deep into your throat.

The man called Namjoon, his eyes have darkened, jaw clenched and ticking like he’s grinding his teeth.

The one who tended to your wounds is sitting stiffly in his chair, staring ahead with a new sharpness in his face.

The small dark-haired man has his hands clenched, prominent veins crawling up his arms.

You duck your head down, body stiff with nerves.

“You have to know,” Yoongi begins, voice calm as ever despite the rage just below the surface. “That’s not how most people think. Especially not here.”

Here in the North Regions, atypicals make up the majority of the population. Law enforcement, government, and public works are largely run by them, and prejudice is rarely an issue.

But how could you know that now?

They can all see the change. It’s almost instantaneous, the way your face shifts and loses all semblance of emotion. Just like that, the mask is back up.

Then there’s something else. A slight twitch from your nose, a well-hidden shudder. They can see your throat bobbing.

For a few seconds, it looks like you’re about to say something. Your tongue is moving inside your mouth, and you’re blinking rapidly.

Namjoon is about to utter some gentle encouragement, but a jolt racks through your body, making you hunch over.

All of a sudden you’re vomiting up everything you just ate.

Hoseok, Jungkook and Jimin can’t help but jump to their feet, panicked noises filling the air.

Taehyung’s eyes widen. All his limbs go rigid, paralyzing him in his seat. He feels sick himself.

Jin, Namjoon, and Yoongi all look at each other.

Yoongi thrusts into action, heading to the kitchen with Jungkook in tow since he isn’t good around pungent-smelling things.

Namjoon starts giving instructions. Jimin, paper towels. Hobi, get the mop. Said men jolt into action, scrambling to do whatever they can to help.

Jin’s eyes have been fixed on you for some time now, catching your every move, including all the suppressed flinches and tremors.

He’s at your side in an instant, on his knees to try to catch your eyes. But it’s no use, you’re squeezing your eyes shut like you’re expecting to be hit.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he mutters in his gentlest voice. “It’s no big deal. No one is upset with you.”

As much as he wants to, he refrains from touching you right away.

Eyes still tightly shut, you flinch away from the sound of his voice, twitching with anxiety.

Jin can see you start to spiral, so he does the only thing he knows will work.

“Hey,” he begins, voice firmer than it was before. “Look at me.”

Your eyes snap open, shining with moisture.

“That’s my girl,” Jin says before he can help it. “You’re going to calm down for me, yeah?”

Your eyes desperately search his face, looking for any sign of anger or deception. You find none, not even a hint of disgust, and your breathing starts to slow.

All that’s there is the man who tended to your wounds, watching you with those patient eyes. His handsome face is calm, attentively anticipating whatever you need right now.

Sweat gathers on your skin. That same sensation crawls up your throat, saliva pooling in your mouth.

Jin notices the signs immediately.

“Come with me,” he orders softly, putting a light hand on your back and leading you to the nearest bathroom.

You don’t know what to do with yourself.

You remember vomiting a few times at the facility. Once from eating a rotten vegetable, the mold making it impossible to identify. And once when a handful of keepers had held you down, repeatedly punching you in the stomach, until you gave in and called yourself a mutt.

Both times you were severely punished for making a mess. You learned to hold it in your mouth and swallow it down after that.

Jin guides you to kneel over the toilet. He keeps talking to you, but you only process half of what he’s saying.

“Go ahead, let it out,”

You can feel it creeping up, burning and sour. But something deeper, something almost instinctual, tells you to keep it down.

“Stop holding it in, sweetheart,” he says, rubbing soothing circles on your back. “It’s not good for you. It’s okay to let go.”

Before you can think to suppress it, another wave of nausea surges through your body. The crescendo of it makes you wretch, emptying the last of your stomach’s contents.

“Good, good, just get it all out,” he encourages instead of beating you until you can’t breathe.

The bile is bitter in your mouth, but not more bitter than the dread clinging to your entire being.

He’s not going to punish me, you finally realize. It’s almost an impossible thought.

For a moment, you stay hunched over, frozen. Not sure what to do next.

“Here, come wash your mouth out,” Jin says, helping you stand up on shaky legs.

The sound of running water rings in your ears. You feel the coolness against your tongue, but barely register that you’re the one cupping it to your lips. Numb. You feel like you’re controlling your body from the outside rather than the inside.

“Now, let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

You look up at him for the first time in a while. His face is as kind as it was before, with the same full-lipped smile and warm brown eyes.

The man starts to lead you out of the room, that same gentle hand resting on your back.

It isn’t until then that you realize you’re still in the grimy clothes they found you in. And now the entire front of your shirt is stained with even more filth.

You glance into the living room as you pass through the hallway.

The other men are diligently cleaning the area you just soiled. The small dark-haired man and the muscular man are missing, though you can hear rustling from the kitchen.

The one with the jet black hair and bright face catches your eye, flashing a reassuring smile. It makes you rip your eyes away.

Jin guides you into the living room, and everyone immediately looks your way.

Shrinking, you’re shrinking into yourself as much as your body will allow.

“Someone run a bath,” Jin announces. “I think it’s time our little guest got some sleep in clean clothes.”

The fair-haired one steps forward and exchanges a subtle look with Jin, who’s standing slightly behind you.

“Would you follow me?” the shorter man says, holding out his hand.

It’s the one with the silver-gray hair and warm eyes. You think his name is Jimin. His face is soft and friendly. It asks a silent question: will you trust me?

You don’t take his hand, but you do take a step up the stairs in the direction he’s leading you.

You don’t catch it, but Jimin and Jin exchange a heartfelt glance, nearly ecstatic at the fact that you’re beginning to trust them.

Jimin leads you up the stairs as the rest of them settle things downstairs.

When you reach the top, he guides you down a spacious hallway that’s filled with potted plants and window light.

Every single door, down to the very end of the hall, is open. Whether it’s open wide or just a crack, not one of them is closed or locked. You’re not used to it.

The man, Jimin, stops at a door halfway down the hall and looks back to check if you’re still following him.

You stop a few feet away from him, still keeping your distance, but your expression is open and neutral, waiting on his next move.

He gives you a calm smile, and continues into the room with you behind him.

This room is just as bright and inviting as the rest of the house. White walls and clean tile floors, but this time with a large porcelain tub and a sink with marble countertops.

The man turns to look at you with a question in his eyes.

“Shower or bath?” he asks.

It’s a harmless question, a considerate question. But your mind is yanked back to that place.

Shower. A torrent of fire raining down on you, vision blinded by steam. It comes from every angle, unrelenting no matter how much you scream.

They would strip you down and lock you in a metal stall the size of a coffin. Then the dotted ceiling would unleash a downpour of near-boiling water.

You would bang on the walls, but the water made the metal surface just as hot, the floor burning the bottom of your feet. Minutes or hours they kept you in there, not letting you out until your body was covered in burn marks.

Bath. The most intense cold you’ve ever felt. It’s everywhere, submerging you up to the neck, seeping down to your very bones.

They would chain you down in a tub full of ice, nothing but your head poking out of the frigid water. The cold chains cut into your skin the more you struggled. Your lungs would heave from the shock of it, your whole body shivering violently.

Then they would hold your head underwater until you were bucking like a stuck pig. This went on until you were utterly exhausted, falling limp against the freezing porcelain with nothing but the tight chains holding you up.

You’re snapped back to reality when the man takes a step closer. He’s watching you closely, trying to read your face.

Finally remembering that he asked you a question, you shrug your shoulders and shake your head.

You don’t want either. You don’t want to be anywhere near that tub. You want him to leave you alone.

Jimin guesses that the gesture means you don’t care which one. He figures you’re most likely still weak from malnourishment, and he doesn’t want you fainting and hitting your head.

So he opts for a bath, turning on the faucet. He sits on the edge of the tub, hand under the spout to monitor the temperature.

The sound of running water makes every muscle in your body tense up. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

It’s going to hurt, it’s going to hurt. The fire, the ice, it’s going to burn and sting and cut into your flesh. You won’t be able to escape it.

Jimin doesn’t notice it at first, too focused on adjusting the knobs to get the water not too hot and not too cold, but your breathing has picked up again.

You can already feel it filling your ears, your mouth, rushing down your throat as your head is held down. Your skin prickles from the heat, it quivers from the cold.

The water in the tub continues to rise, and you can’t move. Your body is frozen, feet rooted to the floor as the sound of sloshing roars louder and louder in your ears.

Halfway full, now. It’s coming any second. He’s going to turn on you, throw you down and hold you under.

Burning, freezing. It’ll hurt and hurt and hurt.

Jimin turns his head, and his stomach drops.

Your eyes are squeezed shut, lips pursed like you’re trying to bite back a scream. Fists clenched at your sides, shoulders trembling, as your chest heaves up and down.

Immediately, he jumps to his feet and rushes over to you.

“What is it, babe? What’s wrong?” 

Then he makes a big mistake. He puts his hands on you.

His touch is gentle, nonthreatening, nothing but two hands on your shoulders. But you don’t want it, you’re repulsed by it. Because touch always comes before the pain.

On instinct, your body jerks away, arms moving to push the unwelcome touch away, just get it away. Your hands collide against something, hard.

When you open your eyes, the man is on the floor. Sprawled on his back, looking up at you with wide, slightly watery eyes.

There’s shock plastered on both of your faces.

Jimin’s soft heart hurts a little, he can’t help it. In all the years he’s known you, loved you, you’ve never ever been repelled by him. But that hurt is soon drowned by guilt.

He scared you, he made you feel unsafe. You felt the need to protect yourself and it’s his fault.

You’re staring at your hands in horror, completely floored by what you’ve done. You’re in for it now. He tried to help you and you hurt him. Now they’re going to hurt you even more.

Several sets of pounding footsteps draw near. The others must have heard the thud from downstairs and rushed up to see what was wrong.

What they don’t expect to find is Jimin crumpled on the floor and you standing over him in a braced position, but that’s exactly what they see when they peer through the doorway.

They’re all a little astonished, Jin and Namjoon are thinking deeply, and something in Taehyung’s eyes shifts.

He isn’t proud of it, but a surge of protectiveness washes over him, for his Jimin. He knows it’s unreasonable, unfair even. But it’s still there. And he can’t snuff it out.

A new fear consumes you. You were insubordinate, you resisted. You know what comes next.

A sob gets trapped in your throat as you sink down to the floor, burying your head in-between your knees and using your arms to shield yourself.

Immediately, the same way Jimin did, they all rush forward to comfort you.

“No!” Jimin blurts out, making you flinch and shake violently. “Don’t touch, give her some space.”

They all obey, keeping their distance with concern flooding their features.

Jimin shifts onto his knees, scooting a little closer but still keeping enough away.

“I’m sorry,” he nearly whispers, like he’s talking to a wild, cornered animal. “It was my fault entirely. I shouldn’t have touched you. I’m truly sorry.”

Jimin’s voice has always been soothing, even in the darkest times, and your breathing slows a little.

Jimin realizes that the faucet is still running, and he reaches over to switch it off. Then it comes to him.

He turns back to your trembling form, still waiting for the pain to come.

“You’re scared of the water, aren’t you?” he asks gently.

He doesn’t expect you to reply, he just wants to let you know that he’s trying to understand you, to help you.

You nod slightly.

It shocks them all again. You’re becoming more responsive.

“I’m so, so sorry,” Jimin says with all the sincerity he can muster. “It’s not your fault. I promise I won’t do that again.”

Your shoulders gradually stop trembling, breath coming evenly now.

Jimin looks at his mates and gestures for them to give you some more space so you can calm down.

They all do as he says, except Tae. He lingers in the doorway, his piercing eyes flickering between you and Jimin, thinking.

The two men exchange a meaningful glance. Jimin gives him a reassuring smile and nods his head as if to say “There’s nothing to worry about. I got this.”

Tae gives a slight nod back and turns to leave, throwing one last look at you.

Jimin sees the hint of distrust hidden in that look. He files it away for later.

Turning his attention back to you, Jimin looks at the tub and thinks of a solution.

“You don’t have to get in the tub, okay? We can just...” Jimin opens the cupboard under the sink and takes out a handful of washcloths.

“Like this, see?” He dips one of the cloths in the water, using it to wipe down his face.

“Is that okay?” he asks.

You scan his face. Those big brown eyes are full to the brim with kindness, as if you didn’t just hurt him moments ago.

You nod.

Jimin smiles so big it almost hurts his cheeks, heart swelling as you hesitantly hold your hand open. He puts another cloth in your waiting palm.

“Okay, here’s the soap, shampoo, conditioner. You can wash your face with this. Use whatever you want, okay?”

You look at him, trying to convey with your eyes what your mouth can’t say. He stays there for a moment, sitting with you on the tile, answering your every question with just his expression.

It’s okay. You’re safe here. No one is going to hurt you. You can trust me. I understand you.

Breaking from his reverie, Jimin gets up and moves to leave.

“I’ll give you some privacy,” he says, swinging the door closed.

You shoot forward and grab the knob just before it shuts.

Jimin jumps a little, whipping back around. There’s confusion on his face, then understanding.

“Okay, we’ll leave it open just like this. I’ll be just outside if you need anything, okay?”

You feel the tension release from your chest, and nod back.

Another warm smile, and then he disappears into the next room.

He’s not going to lock you in. Another impossible realization.

Turning around, you stare at the full tub. Your heartbeat skitters a little, but you take a step towards it anyways.

When you dip your fingertips in the clear water, you expect it to be scalding, or cold enough to numb, but it’s neither. The water is warm and calm, it doesn’t burn, it doesn’t sting.

Another breath releases from your lungs.

You use the cloth and soap to wipe down your whole body, shedding your dirty clothes and tossing them aside. Soon the tub is cloudy from the dirt on the washcloth. You even dip your hair into the water and use a little shampoo to get some of the grime out.

You sit there and wash yourself until the water turns cold. Using the counter to steady yourself, you slowly come to a stand, even though your legs are aching.

The sight in front of you is enough to shock you into silence again.

You can’t remember the last time you saw your reflection. You wish you weren’t seeing it now.

The person in the mirror is ugly and pathetic. Her short hair is a mangled mess. Haphazardly cut with a pair of dull scissors, it sticks out in all different angles. Her eyes are blank and lifeless, red-rimmed and surrounded by dark circles. There’s a large, hideous scar across her left cheek, deep and forked like a flash of lightning.

Her body is weak and repulsive. Slouching forward, she’s barely able to hold herself up. She’s covered in scars and marks, all over her legs, her arms, her torso.

You know there are worse scars behind you.

Horrifically entranced, you slowly reach up to touch the scar across her face, your face. Your fingertips meet the textured tissue, and then there’s the pain.

It’s not a physical pain, it doesn’t originate from the scar itself. It’s a pain deep in your chest, spreading and infecting the rest of your body. It maims you, twists your insides, disfigures your soul.

You muffle the silent scream with a hand over your mouth. Knees buckling, you barely have any strength left to keep yourself upright.

You’re barely you. You don’t remember who you were before, but you know it wasn’t this.

A gentle knock on the door. 

You immediately stifle any signs of discomfort, snapping the mask back on with frightening accuracy.

Jimin’s arms poke through the gap in the door. He sets a bundle of clothes on the counter.

“Here you go," his pleasant voice says. “Please let me know if they’re comfortable enough.”

You wait a good twenty seconds before you reach for them. A warm green sweater and soft cotton pants.

You hurriedly slip them on to hide your disgusting body.

Leaning closer to the door, you try to hear beyond the wood. Hushed voices, muted footsteps.

“Ready, love?” a smooth voice sounds from just behind the door.

You flinch away, trying your best to make your hair look less unkempt.

It’s Jin who cautiously swings the door open, greeting you with an affectionate smile.

“Much better, hmm?” he says.

You manage a curt nod, following him with your head down to another room. 

It’s the room from earlier, the one with the massive bed. The rest of them are here waiting, muttering quiet words until you arrive. Then they go silent and set their eyes on you, asking a question you can’t understand.

Why are they all looking at you? You don’t like it, not at all. People who look like them shouldn’t look at someone like you. You’re wrong, inside and out.

They all notice the change. Now your eyes are trained on the ground, head bent and shoulders folding in on yourself like you wish you would disappear.

Jin ushers you towards the humongous bed, encouraging you to settle in under the covers. He tucks the comforter around your body, fluffing the pillows behind your head.

“There, nice and cozy,” he says, sounding satisfied for the time being. “Rest up, okay love? You’ve been through a lot.”

Why are they talking to you like that? You’re disgusting. They should be throwing you out on the streets to fend for yourself like a common rat.

The small dark-haired man kneels down next to you. He hands you a mug of steaming amber liquid, using the bed sheets to shield your hands from the hot surface.

“This should settle your stomach,” he says.

While Jimin was getting you cleaned up, Yoongi and Jungkook were hard at work cooking up a tincture for your nausea. Essence of lavender to help you sleep, peppermint to refresh your throat, a little ginger to ease your stomach, and some of Yoongi’s highest-quality potions to replenish your nutrients. And, of course, Jin stirred in a copious amount of honey to sweeten it up.

You hold the cup in your hands like it’s a ticking time bomb.

Yoongi looks at his mates in confusion and concern, not sure what to do. Jimin catches his gaze, and gestures wildly with his hands. He exaggeratedly mimics holding the cup and taking a sip, and then Yoongi understands.

He gently takes the mug from your hands and holds it up to his nose.

“Let me check if it’s too hot for you,” he says, blowing off some of the steam and taking a long sip. He makes sure to swallow with audible emphasis.

“Okay, it should be good,” he says, handing it back to you.

This time you hold it close to your chest like it’s a precious gem, slowly sipping away at the frothy liquid. 

They all look at each other with a relieved, triumphant expression.

Namjoon steps forward and leans down to level his face with yours.

“There’s water for you over there,” he gestures to a table in the corner, complete with a pitcher and cup. “And the bathroom is the next door over.”

You nod to show your appreciation, still avoiding eye contact.

Jin enters your field of vision again.

“Do you think you can hold down some meds?” he asks. It’s sincere, no seeming deception behind it.

But you still shake your head vehemently. You don’t want anymore pills. In fact, you don’t want to see another pill ever in your life.

“Okay, love,” he says, smiling again. “Just rest up for me. For us.”

You have no idea what he means by that, but you sink into the pillows anyway.

One by one they filter out of the room, casting a last look at you before they leave.

You wish they wouldn’t. Their eyes seem to leave even more marks on your skin.

The door starts to swing shut. Then someone mutters something, and it stops just before it closes completely. 

Footsteps recede, silence settles upon the room.

You manage a few more sips from the steaming mug, eventually setting it aside. The bed is soft and comfortable, but you can’t bring yourself to lie down. 

You sit there, watching shadows dart across the wall, for hours.

a/n: thanks so much for reading!! if you enjoyed it please leave a comment on what you thought of the story/any questions it would mean the world to me!! and if you’re feeling extra generous, please reblog with tags it helps to spread the story around, thank you!! 💖

[sopejinsunflower]

2024.001.021: Into The Deep End

Go to series masterlist

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“Babe, what are you waiting for?”

As usual, Nick always went in first, leaving me standing at the edge of the lake, toes curling around the flat rocks beneath my feet, watching him with narrowed eyes as he swam further and further away. I took a tentative step forward and then another, the water slowly rising up until it hit the back of my knees, as slowly as the fear that grew in my chest. 

“Nick!” I called out at the distant splashing I assumed was him. His head popped out and grinned ear to ear. He shook his head like a wet dog and waved me over. “Come on over here. Don’t be a baby,” he said, rolling his eyes. 

“You know I can’t swim,” I said with a nervous laugh. “I’ll just stay here. You go on ahead.”

Nick swam back and I watched the way his strong arms stroke through the water making his way to me. He stood up in front of me, shaking water from his hair. “I’m sorry, baby. Here.” He put my arms around his shoulders. “Get on my back.”

I tried to pull away. “No, I’m fine. You can go-”

“Come on. Don’t be a wuss. Get on.”

I hesitated but Nick didn’t bother to wait, as usual, pulling me onto his back and grabbing onto my thighs to pull me up securely. “Deep breaths, baby,” he ordered and without another warning, he dove into the water.  

The cool water hit my face and I tensed up, hearing the distant alarm bells ringing in my head. My eyes stung and I closed them, albeit too late. Nick swam fast, his legs kicking behind him as he dragged me through the dark water of the lake. My chest burnt and I struggled to hold my breath. I signalled to Nick to go up, tapping on his shoulder urgently but when he didn’t get the message, I started shaking him more forcefully. 

But Nick continued on, swimming forward and almost as if he was going even faster. I could feel the panic setting in at the thought of how far from the shallow end we must have gone, but more importantly of how dark it seemed to be. It was ridiculous but it felt like I was being pulled down to the depths of it, a sudden feeling of being trapped overwhelming me. At that point, all I wanted was to get off of him, the alarm bells now screaming in my head telling me that being attached to his back was much more dangerous than the water. I didn’t feel safe with him. 

I must have tightened my grip against Nick’s neck because now he was the one struggling, pushing against my arms. But in that moment, it felt like he wanted me to let go so I’d sink to the bottom of the lake, gone forever, a way for him to get rid of me quick and easy and with less of a mess. I held on tighter, feeling his Adam’s apple somewhat digging into my arm now and this time Nick was literally fighting me off, prying my arms with one hand while trying to stay afloat. 

My survival instinct kicked in and I was latched on to him like some kind of parasite, unknowingly choking him to death while at the same time believing that he was the one trying to kill me. Bubbles escaped both our lips and I heard him shout something under the water. It took him awhile before he resurfaced, both of us spluttering and gasping for air.

“Let go of me!”

His strength outmatched mine and he finally managed to pry me off. It was when my butt hit the rocky ground that I noticed we were already by the shore with families and groups of friends and couples staring at me looking like an almost drowned rat being berated, which is not far from the truth, I thought.

“Crazy bitch!” Nick spat before he stormed off towards the car, cursing under his breath. 

~~~

Jin is the type of person that would do his best to keep all the bad memories away. He likes to focus on the good so it makes everything else more bearable, so when you asked him that question, his mind just went completely blank. 

“Jin?” you urge, shaking him a little, your nails digging into his skin. 

He blinks, his gear kicking in. “Let’s get out of here first,” he says, gently guiding you out of the space inside the wall. His mouth feels dry and his tongue is now a block of sandpaper. He keeps his hands on you as you both walk downstairs, being hyper aware of the silken smooth material of your top, knowing that he’s only holding on to you to keep himself grounded. 

They run into Hoseok when they reach the second floor and one look at Jin is enough to alert the other man. That look, as well as your puffy red eyes. 

“What happened?” he approaches you and boldly tips your chin up to get a proper look at your face. “Are you okay?”

At the sheepish grin you give him, he turns to Jin. “Hyung?”

“I-” you start to say before clearing your throat and trying again. “I got stuck in the wall.”

“What?!”

“I’m fine!” you rush to add. “Jin found me. I’m okay.” You look at Jin and give his hand a squeeze. “We’re okay.”

Jin seems to suddenly realise where he is but his reaction surprises both himself and you. He lets go of your hand more abruptly than he intended, mumbles something neither you nor Hoseok could make out and then excuses himself. He walks away, down the stairs and then disappears from your sight even before you even think of what to say to stop him. You look back helplessly at Hoseok who shrugs his shoulders. 

“He’ll be okay,” he reassures, although the scowl on his face remains. He doesn’t look convinced himself. “He just…needs time.” Hoseok gently pulls you towards your bedroom. “Do you want to tell me what happened though?”

The memory resurfaces and you purse your lips. “I think I saw a memory.”

“Of?”

You bite the inside of your cheek. “I think I drowned? A long time ago?”

You don’t have to look at Hoseok’s face to register first the subtle startle of his body going rigid and then the way his whole demeanour seemed to be clouded over, like a shadow had fallen over him and you. It was enough of an answer. Hoseok silently leads you back to your room, his soul feeling too heavy for his vessel as he recalled that awful memory. Has Jin confirmed it with you? Was he not able to? 

“Is Jin okay?” he hears you mutter.

Hoseok only gives your shoulder a quick squeeze, not saying the words out loud: I don’t know.

***

No, Jin is not okay. 

Namjoon catches a glimpse of him heading for one of the rooms where the liquor cabinet is. He doesn’t think much of it but a hunch made him get up from his seat and follow the older man. If only he knew what had transpired upstairs, maybe he would have quickened his steps because just as he enters the room, Jin is already holding a bottle of dark whiskey, the kind that people go for to numb pain you can’t physically see, the kind that painkillers don't work on. 

Only slightly curious, Namjoon quietly sits in one of the armchairs, opening up his book and pretending to read. Jin carries the crystal bottle towards the sliding door that leads to the back of the house and after a five-second pause, opens the door and goes outside. He doesn’t even acknowledge Namjoon in the room with him and that should’ve been the biggest warning flag. He should’ve easily noticed that Namjoon’s book is upside down.

See, the thing about living for centuries together, you develop a bond unlike any other that when something bad happens to one or the other, you’d feel it deep in your bones. Dread that starts from your bone marrow and seeps into your bloodstream, slowly poisoning you until even your own saliva tastes bitter as you swallow. That’s what Namjoon is experiencing now as he watches Jin’s back among the tall reeds as he goes further and further away towards the tree line. He might be able to feel the darkness but it’s nothing that he can confirm to be of any consequence. That’s what Hoseok is feeling, too, as he shuts your door quietly behind him. 

The foreboding impression that one of them is about to go into the deep end creeps down all six backs. It’s a familiar feeling, of course, one they learned to recognize easily now after much hard-learned lessons. Hoseok is in the middle of the staircase when Namjoon comes up to him, telling him what he already suspected. The question is, would he be able to reach the long forgotten waterfall?

Jimin and Jungkook argued that the pathway had been sealed, that it will be more than overgrown now. The waterfall itself would have disappeared, too, dried up as the environment changes. But Hoseok doesn’t want to hear logic or arguments; he wants to find Jin and bring him back. 

“He won’t come back,” Yoongi had said matter-of-factly. “You know he won’t. Not until he’s faced with it.” He’s ignoring the fact that Jin might not be sober, having faith that the eldest had always been the reasonable one. Jin won’t do anything stupid. Right?

“There’s no reason to go back there,” replied Namjoon, somewhat annoyed. He’s been pacing the floor, tugging at his hair from the roots. “We could’ve talked things out. What is he thinking?!”

Jungkook stands up, unable to ignore the unsettling feeling in his stomach. “I’m going after him. Before he hurts himself.”

The others agree and start preparing themselves. The sun is still high in the sky and there will still be a few more hours left before it gets dark but flashlights were among the things they packed. Just in case. As they’re about to leave the house, Jimin suddenly has half a mind to ask for your whereabouts. 

Hoseok answers, “She’s in her room, taking a nap.”

“No, she’s not.” They all look up to see Oliviera standing in the doorway with an annoyed look on her face. “She’s gone to take a walk. Left half an hour ago.” When they all stare back at her blankly, she scoffs, “It would be good if you start being more aware of your surroundings.” 

They watch her walk away, mumbling under her breath. The six men exchange looks, mouth slacking open and the blood draining from their faces as they realise too late where you are going. 

~~~

Death in itself is natural. A necessary thing to keep the cycle of life going.

It’s one thing to live multiple lives throughout the centuries because those lives don’t really blend together. They’re separate; separate people, separate stories, separate…me. But dying and being brought back to life is like having one foot through the door and it makes you somewhat wonder if all of you ever made it back to this side, or if a piece of you is lost forever. Gone through the abyss. The chasm. The other side, or whatever they call it. 

I trudge through the grass, heading to where I last saw Jin. I heard the others talk about how to handle him, how to talk to him, but none of them mentioned going after him. Maybe they understood to give Jin the space he needed but to me, needing space doesn’t quite equal to walking into the forest alone, empty-handed except for a bottle of Macallan. Somehow I knew deep in my heart that it’s got everything to do with me and if I didn’t bring him back to the house then we’re all doomed. It’s a funny notion but it felt like the truth. 

As I walk down the barely visible path, I keep thinking about having died by drowning. Neither Jin or Hoseok ever verbally confirmed if that happened but the look on their faces had been clear enough. Weirdly, it didn’t scare me but it does somehow, in a twisted way, explain my fear of water. It makes sense. A lot of people believe in incarnation and for traumas and scars of those lived lives to resurface in the current one is plausible. It aligns. Does it explain my fear of dark places, too? Or was that from a different life? I wouldn’t know until I know the circumstances of what had actually happened and the only one who can tell me that is the person I’m blindly following into the woods.

There used to be a waterfall somewhere in here, that much I heard from the boys’ conversation. If my hunch is correct (it feels more than a hunch, like a buzzing in my soul), then it’s exactly the place where it happened. But the deeper into the woods I go, the more the little path starts to fade out and then disappear altogether. I walk on a little more, stubborn from admitting that I am what I am: lost. Hopelessly lost in the woods. 

I heave a sigh, rotating in a small circle, looking around the tall trees. I consider my options: one, go back to the house and face the consequence of my stupid actions in the form of six angry men that I had walked out without a word or two, keep going and get even more lost and perhaps just die out there in the woods alone, eaten by a wolf or a bear. Fuck, I didn’t even consider the wild animals that could be living here. The dread sinks in and suddenly my surroundings feel ten times scarier. 

Hoseok is going to be so pissed. Jimin, too. The others would be disappointed that I worry them but those two won’t shy away from telling it how it is. 

Wait a minute. Neither of them have ever been angry with me. Was that a previous memory thing again? I let out a frustrating groan, holding my head in between both hands. At times like this, it just feels like I’m living in someone else’s skin, pretending to be someone I’m not. Everything feels not enough and too much at the same time, like trying to recall something that’s sitting on the tip of your tongue but never being able to remember, feeling like I should remember because they are my thoughts, my memories. My life. And yet, they’re not. Not quite.

Something soft brushes against my leg and I jump up, yelping. 

“Mreoww.”

“Karma!” I look at the cat in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

The cat’s twin tails swish vigorously, his eyes piercing mine. He walks ahead a few steps, tails sticking up straight in the air. He looks back once, eyes glinting with such knowledge it’s almost like I can hear him. Come. Follow me.

I watch Karma take a few more steps forward, stop and look back again. This time I got the message. 

“Take me to Jin,” I say, following behind him, knowing that he’s already doing exactly just that.

~~~

Seokjin is walking blindly, the bottle of whiskey he carried with him earlier gone a long time ago, flung to the foot of some random tree but not before he finished the last drop. 

He is very much drunk, swaying on his feet as the world tilts from side to side with every step. He feels hot and a little sick but it’s impressive how focused he is on reaching the destination he has set in his mind. Honestly, he didn’t mean to get this inebriated, that wasn’t his intention. He had only needed the dark fiery liquor as a means to not chicken out. It helped him give him the strength and courage he needed, albeit temporary. Now, he’s starting to regret going a little bit too far. 

The others will be angry, he has no doubt about it. Imagine that; the most level-headed of them is now tumbling through the woods looking for a place he hasn’t been to for decades, half out of his mind, literally, just to…what? What exactly is the reason for him searching for that damned waterfall? 

“Take me there, Jinnie,” you had pouted, stamping your feet a little like a kid. “I want to go for a swim, Jinnie. It’s perfect weather. Please, Jinnie.”

You had begged and whined and literally clung to him the whole week with that pretty pout on your face that Jin had more than once bent over to leave a peck or two, cheekily riling you on with a simple, “No, thank you” to your request before walking away. He blamed only himself for even speaking about the place a few weeks back when they had all talked about where to go now that summer was there. 

It was during dinner and among the suggestions of going to the beach or the lake in the next town over, Jin had casually said, “Why not the waterfall in our own backyard?” 

Obviously it was met with a lot of pushbacks. Namjoon and Yoongi are both convinced that it was too deep in the woods while Taehyung complained about mosquitoes. Jungkook mulled over the idea for a bit but Jimin reminded that it would be a hassle to lug all the picnic stuff through dense trees for miles. So it was agreed upon by the majority that it was not the best idea and it was dropped. Or so he thought. 

You, on the other hand, had broached the idea again that night before bed as you laced your fingers through his. It took everything in Jin to keep a serious face, reiterating what Jimin had said about it being too difficult to carry things there. He tried to discourage you with mosquito bites and it being humid and hours of trekking until you finally relented. For the night, that was.

But Jin isn’t much of a strong soldier when you are the opponent; then, now or ever. He finally gave in a week later (a record time, actually) with a compromise that it would be a date, just for the two of you to minimise items to carry. A hike, just you and Jin. You had tried to get Yoongi to come along too but he had been too busy with the roof repair. It had been raining a lot the past couple of weeks but the huge thunderstorm yesterday was the final straw that threatened to cave the roof in and he couldn’t procrastinate any longer now that there was a leak in the master bedroom, lest he wanted a swimming pool in the ceiling.

So Jin had spent hours in the early morning meticulously preparing the food. He had woken up at five in the morning, hardly sleepy but a little excited, against his better judgement. He wasn’t a hiking kind of person, that was Namjoon and occasionally Hoseok if the place was right. Jungkook had come down a little after six, woken by the smell of food only to stare into space in the middle of the kitchen before Jin ushered him back to bed with the promise that there would be extra left for when he was actually fully awake.

You came bounding into the kitchen a little earlier than he expected and you both packed everything together into a little rucksack, an attempt to keep your loads light. You rationalised that you didn’t need to pack a change of clothes because you could both just come back when you’re done. The trek back home would dry you off plenty so no need for towels either. Only one rucksack of food and a flask of juice and a picnic mat. Some cutleries and napkins. That was all. 

Jin could even still hear the promise you made to Yoongi as you left out the door, that you’ll both be back after lunchtime, that you’d help him with the roof after (Yoongi countering that no, that was not needed because he didn’t want you up on the roof with him, that Taehyung would be home to help instead so no worries, you can just enjoy yourselves). It was when he watched you wave goodbye to Yoongi that the heavy feeling crept in. But he didn’t know. He couldn’t have.

I took you here, he thinks now. It’s my fault. That stain on your soul, I put it there.

But going back to the place where it happened isn’t going to change anything but in the absence of sobriety, the logic eludes him. He’s not even sure why he’s heading there but he guesses that he just needs to see it. He hasn’t been there since it happened; neither of them had. They had tried to cover the pathway, blocking it from ever being accessed, but now, somehow, Jin’s feet are taking him there, oblivious to the tiny scratches along his calves and his arms, the stray branches nicking his neck and cheeks as he pushes through the growth. 

~~~

Being a cat means that Karma is gracefully moving through the undergrowth, leaving me stumbling behind him, desperate to keep up and not getting poked in the eye with a branch or whatnot.

The grasses are getting taller and I’m getting more and more anxious of coming across a snake or worse, stepping on one. But Karma doesn’t even seem wary; odd for a cat but then again he was an outdoor adventurer before I brought him in. Is this wood familiar to him?

The stupidity of the reality of following a cat crosses my mind more than a few times because how do I even know where he’s taking me? Why am I so sure that he’s leading me to Jin? Jin could’ve turned back around and I wouldn’t even know it, leaving me alone with the dumb idea to think that a cat is taking me where I want to go. But an innate feeling tells me I should trust the cat which keeps looking back at me every few minutes with those blue-yellow orbs of his as if making sure my two clumsy feet, as opposed to his lithe four, are keeping up fine. 

“Do you have to go so fast?” I ask exasperatedly after another branch whips into my face. Karma actually pauses, sits on a log and licks his front paw lazily. He gives me a judgemental look before turning around and bounding off. I roll my eyes. 

My focus is solely on finding Jin, so much so that I completely forgot about the other six back at the house who are currently, unbeknown to me, facing another bigger problem.

~~~

Jin arrives.

Nostalgia is a mind trick because the place isn’t as pretty as the memory in his head, albeit the bitter experience. The waterfall had dried up and the pond beneath it was murky and overgrown with water plants that almost covered the surface of the dark, dirty water. Jin can’t even fathom bringing you here on a picnic date. The place looks more like the heavy feeling in Jin’s chest whenever he thinks about that day he pulled you out of the water than the small piece of heaven he and Namjoon had pridefully boasted the day they found it. 

This place, like all of your past lives, had died.

Standing there, eyes glued to the middle of the dark pond, Jin is sucked into the memory he tries so hard to push to the back burner. He reasoned with himself every time that you were alright after all and everything was fine so he could let go, but the more he tries to forget, the guiltier he feels. It wasn’t just your heart that stopped beating for two minutes; his did, too. And it never beat right again after that, the rhythm wonky and jagged, at times like a bird in too small a cage. 

That part of you that died in the water, is it still there? If he goes into the water, would he be able to retrieve the broken piece of your soul and make you a little bit more whole? Jin sighs heavily. He doesn’t think it would make much of a difference. Putting only a tiny fragment of something that broke in a million different ways won’t change a thing. There are just too many scars, too many traumas contained in that body of yours, with or without your knowing. 

Out of all the things Jin wants, one of them is to heal you; to take away all your pain and suffering. If he could trade your soul with his, if he could bear all of your crosses, he would do it in a heartbeat. He knows damn well, too, that so will the others (he’ll never forget how Jungkook literally dove in front of a bullet for you, in one of those lives but that’s a story for another time). 

With another deep sigh, Jin plops himself down on a horizontal rotting log, eyes never leaving the water surface. The sun is no longer above the treeline and the lighting seems muted. In the silence, he longs for you, wishing he could feel your arms around his shoulders and hear your voice telling him how stupid he’s being right now. His head is starting to pound and the world is swaying from side to side. His alcohol-soaked brain is starting to get the better of him because why is he seeing you climbing up the side of the waterfall again, grinning at him ear to ear. 

He stands up, tilting a bit to one side and he feels like he might be sick. You scale to the top, waving at him happily. “Get down from there,” he tried to say but the words felt too heavy for his tongue to form properly. No. Not again. Please. If there’s a god out there, please not again. 

Jin shuffles forward, tripping over his own feet, calling out to you. The sound of the waterfall is deafening in his ears and he tries his best to shout over the noise. He moves forward, shoes sinking into the water as he desperately wills his body to keep moving, to get to you before you jump. He’s too slow, body too big, too heavy. No. Stop. Don’t. Don’t jump. 

But you do - into the water with a splash only in Jin’s head. Adrenaline surges and for a moment his vision clears a little bit and the world stops trying to upend him off his feet. He wades in the water, screaming your name. Something catches against his legs but with brute force, he wrenches himself free. Later, he’ll feel the burn but for now, all he can do is try and catch you when you fall. He can be ready this time. He can stop it from happening this time. He can save you this time.

With one last wave with a smile that outshines the sun, you jump. And Jin dives under the water after you.

A few feet behind him, standing on the log he had been sitting just minutes ago, you look in horror as Jin disappears into the water. 

Back at the manor…

Oliviera stares open-mouthed at the six ghosts standing in the hallway, their pale faces mirroring hers. 

Hoseok stares at his semi-translucent hands, feeling the icy cold fingers of dread creeping down his neck like someone had just doused him in cold water. Their backpacks had thumped straight to the floor loudly the moment their shoulders were no longer solid and Jimin thinks that fear is such an insignificant word to describe this sinking feeling in his stomach. His hands shake.

“What’s happening?” Jungkook asks, his voice sounding a lot more like the teenager they raised than the adult that he is, eyes wide and looking around.

Hoseok and Namjoon exchange looks but neither of them has an answer. Yoongi slumps to his knees, his legs feeling like jelly. His chest is tight and every breath is like claws dragging down the inside of his ribcage. He knows he’s right before the words even come out of his mouth: “Jin. It’s Jin.”

It takes all but zero point two seconds between when the words sink in and when they dash out the door, opting to go through it like the ghosts that they are and straight down towards the back of the house. But ghosts are bound to the places that they haunt and so Solomon’s Manor pulls them back, stopping them just before the ravine, a hundred feet or so away from the edge of the woods. So close, yet so far away.

Jungkook screams for his hyung, a voice that barely reaches the treeline and Jimin bursts into tears, fisting his shirt above where his heart is supposed to be because the pain there is excruciating. Yoongi stares forlornly into the distance, holding Taehyung by the waist as the other man’s face is buried in Yoongi’s shoulder. Hoseok’s fists lay helplessly by his sides but Namjoon doesn’t stop from trying to break away from the invisible force that keeps them bound to the house; a curse so old they’ve lived a thousand lives. He twists, he turns and he yells to the sky but all in vain. Solomon’s Manor keeps them from reaching Jin.

 A thousand lives and yet nothing as bad as this ever happened. The threat of bad omens has always followed you, never them. Immortal beings have no qualms about the other side that it never crossed their minds that their own lives could ever be in danger. Death has only been associated with you, the cycle jumping your soul from one body to the next. It never occurred that it could happen to them when it has been aeons with no rest; the same souls residing in the same bodies as the century bled into the next. 

“She’ll find him,” comes a voice, although shaky, from behind. Hoseok turns around to see Oliviera had followed them, wringing her hands together at her chest. Her face is pale as her eyes are set towards the wood. “She’ll bring him home.”

She must, Hoseok thinks, a thought that rings cohesive among all of them standing there. 

You have to trust me, too. 

Your words ring in his head. He stiffens his upper lip, but his hands remain fisted.  

Above them, thick clouds roll in, dark as the future seems to be.

a/n: Look at that! Two updates in one year! Productive! Lmao

Next coming...someday

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[yoongsisbae]

Run Run Run - Seoul Close (Part 5)

A zombie apocalypse breaks out and you’re stuck on a plane with none other than…BTS! Oh, you thought because you were an Army that would help you survive? Girl think again. OT7 BTS Zombie Apocalypse AU / BTS member x reader slow burn

WELL I'M NOT DEAD. MY CHARACTERS ON THE OTHER HAND...JUST KIDDING. LET ME COPE WITH HUMOR.

Warnings: death, monsters, blood, fighting, killing, gory details, some toxic nationalism, mention of SA-nothing graphic, angst, smut, handjob, fingering, bathtime shenanigans

Word Count: 21.5k (I actually got block limited for the first time on this chapter. I hope the long chapter makes up for the wait!)

---

Run.

Run.

Run.

Keep your back straight, your shoulders relaxed, move your arms, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, and most importantly, don’t trip!

AND RUN!!!

You look back. You expected to see a lot of them, but not this much...

‘It’s gonna okay it’s gonna okay it’s gonna okay,’ you repeat desperately, as long as you keep running!

No time to scream or even cry, you need that energy…

To run!

You hear the labored breaths of the men around you, such a stark contrast from the horrifying growls of the undead behind you, a group of zombies you all had accidently awakened from their mindless ambling.

But there is quite a distance, fortunately. And if you just keep ru-

“Ow,” you grunt. You collided into a back, knocking the wind out of you.

“Wh-” You are silenced at the sight in front of you. There is a hoard of zombies and fresh corpses, the monsters are crouched over the bodies, pulling apart and devouring what remains.

You all stare at the gruesome sight. No words are needed and you are too winded to form proper sentences anyways, so you push the closest person to your left into the grass, which so happened to be BTS leader, Kim Namjoon. 

You keep pushing him until he takes the hint. He yanks on who he can reach too, giving silent orders. ‘RUN THIS WAY!’

If you’re lucky, you can create enough distance between you and the monsters behind you that have already caught a scent of your blood before the preoccupied ones begin to notice you. And if you were really lucky, the former might just give up once they smelled the scraps of someone else’s meal.

Too bad luck is rarely on your side.

The feasting zombies smell a new meal instantly.

Dammit! 

Keep running! 

Run for cover, run into the woods, run as far as you can away from them.

Hongcheon is a fraction of the size of Seoul and yet there are already so many more of them than you had expected. 

So many lives gone. So many families torn apart, hearts broken, young lives cut short…

A city destroyed. 

You don’t have time to cry over it now. Maybe later, when you’re safe, you can think of the children you saw, thirsty for blood, eyes sunken in, tiny bodies brutalized into monstrosities. Later you can agonize over their stolen youth, wonder where their parents are, if they remained a family, feasting together even in death.

Right now, you have to…

Run.

-

“Run over there!”

It hurts to move, to breathe. Your head hurts, your chest hurts, you’re terrified, worried sick, barely able to think, running on adrenaline. Hoseok grabs your hand and pulls you along. It makes you grateful, yet it makes you worry more. He should run ahead of you, you feel like a burden, you feel your heart clench when he squeezes your hand. 

You can’t help but think about the others, even now, you should have cherished those moments more, the smiles and laughter and banter and good times. Taehyung’s jokes, Jungkook’s bored singing, an infectious melody that had the others and even you humming along. Hoseok’s animated retelling of the events at Sutasa temple that the leader and eldest two had missed, making you and the others laugh along, the leader’s slightly impressed and very dismayed expressions and Seokjin whining over his sore feet.  

How wonderful it was when sore feet were the only thing to complain about.

You should have enjoyed those days leading up to reaching Hongcheon city more. When killing zombies felt like a team building exercise. Remember that? Tallying up your kills. Like it was a game, like it wasn’t the worst thing imaginable you had to do to another person, because they were people at one point... 

You look at the scared tired faces of the men around you and think how easy it could be to lose them to the same fate, a tally in a game strangers play not knowing how much love that growling decaying body once held… the jokes they told, the songs they sung, the stories they experienced, the sacrifices they endured…

You should have taken life more seriously, maybe now it wouldn’t feel so abysmal, karma for your blase us vs. them mentality. How stupid, you of all people should know better.

No, it wasn’t you and them, it was you and your future staring back with yellow clouded eyes. You stare back and feel nothing but regret.

And guilt.

And fear.

So you run faster, gulp down hot air, let it burn your lungs and let it sting your belly, because you now know the pain of living is always better than death, always!

You follow the others into the first house you come across where you quickly barricade yourselves in.

One two three four five six…No. 

Namjoon pats you on the shoulder. You almost scream in surprise, but you were trained now to only scream into pillows or under water, places it would be hard for them to hear you, not when you actually wanted to. 

Seokjin is behind him. Seven, eight. 

You all made it. Even Dev. Fuck, you’re actually relieved.

You relax only a little. Everyone looks beyond exhausted. You all need food, you need water. You doubt this small abandoned house has enough of anything for all of you.

There’s black blood on your arms and clothes from where you had to defend yourself from the zombies who came too close. The others have blood on them, and you wished there was more light so you could properly make sure the blood wasn’t theirs. 

“Is everyone okay?” you whisper. No one is just ‘okay,’ but they knew what you meant.

They pull at their clothes, checking their bodies. They all nod. You glare at Dev, and then eye Taehyung who nods again. Now that you’re stationary you realize how sweaty you are, how tired. You fall to your knees, finally able to rest.

Namjoon walks cautiously through the house, making sure the coast is clear and there are no residents remaining, alive or otherwise.

As you rest you listen to doors sliding open, Namjoon’s footsteps as he makes his way through the house. The others are quiet, catching their breaths, holding their bodies against doors, coughing quietly, rubbing their muscles, and of course, listening intently to the sounds outside…

The scratching, clawing, growling…

“Clear. Two Beds.” Namjoon returns.

“I’ll check for food.” Yoongi stands up, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“I’ll take first watch,” Namjoon says solemnly.

“Me too,” you add. He doesn’t argue with you, even if he does look like he wants to tell you to rest instead.

“Second.” Jimin and Taehyung say in unison.

It’s safe for now. What will it be like once the sun is high again? Better, worse? How long can you keep this up? 

Going through the city might have taken a couple of hours tops in the car, but you didn’t have that now, not even the horses…Those poor horses…

How many days will it take to get out now that you are on foot, you wonder. You can’t even bring yourself to look forward to it either, already imagining how much worse Seoul will be. 

You can’t help but think the situation you’ve put yourselves in is looking rather helpless.

You keep your eyes locked on a small divot in the flooring, trying to stay calm. Even if you had the time now, becoming emotional in this moment would be too dangerous. You have to focus and be ready for anything.

“We made it,” Namjoon whispers, placing his hand on your shoulder. You’re impressed with his optimism, you try not to feel worried, but it's for that exact reason you are so worried. You made it this time, but what about next time? What if something happens to him, what if you never hear those words again? Namjoon just might be all the optimism you have left.

You eat cold portions of canned food Yoongi prepares. 

You’re not mad at him anymore, almost dying has always had that kind of effect on relationships, but when he hands you your portion you still can’t meet his eyes, thinking of the conversation you had before entering the city.

---

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Huh?” Yoongi looks anywhere but in your direction.

Now you’re feeling even more wary. It took Herculean courage for you to even ask, now he’s going to make you ask again?

“Nevermind.”

You walk away from the rapper, back to tending to your horse while the large animals rest. You couldn’t help but notice the rapper has been rather aloof around you, more than usual, since kissing you. You tried not to take it personally, to not feel hurt every time he seemed to quickly shut down any conversation you start with him, but ugh, why did he go and kiss you then if he was just going to act like this?! 

It takes you all morning, right before the group is about to start your travels again, when you confront Yoongi one last time.

“Why did you kiss me?” You mutter, hoping he would respond this time. ‘Just say it was the heat of the moment,’ you think, so you can both move on, get over it. So you can accept it was just a one time thing, a moment of weakness, you would never hold it against Yoongi, but this, the way he’s acting now, you definitely do have a problem with!

Unfortunately, ears whom you hadn’t intended to hear perked up at the new information.

“You kissed y/n?” Hoseok crashes in between the pair of you.

“No, I didn’t!” Yoongi hisses immediately.

“You didn’t?” Hoseok tilts his head.

“He didn’t.” You repeat quietly.

“But you just said-”

“I didn't say that!” you laugh incredulously. “You misheard me. I asked why did he pick me… PICK me, is what I meant.”

“Pick you for what?” Hoseok looks between both of you in disbelief.

“Uhh…” you hesitate, trying to come up with something credible while Yoongi takes the opportunity to scurry away. “Pick me for the um next night shift-”

“He picked you? But you always volunteer,” Hoseok says accusingly.

“Okay, well, this time, I didn’t. And so uh I wanted the night off. Anyways, it doesn’t matter anymore! I don’t care! forget it!” you ramble angrily, making Hoseok back away this time. 

Yoongi waits by the car while you glare at him. He’s definitely ignoring you now, like you’re some deranged saesang, and it’s annoying as hell! He kissed you, didn’t he? Yes, you might have kissed him back, and…

You remember the way you melted into him, Yoongi’s body pressed against yours, the way you chased his lips, how you wanted more. You shouldn’t have done that. You shouldn’t have…liked it so much…dammit! Why did he kiss you?!

Yoongi answers you the next day. “It was a mistake. I’m sorry,” Yoongi whispers to you, bumping into your shoulder. 

You wince. “So you kissed me, by accident?” you ask.

“I shouldn’t have done it. I thought you had died, and, I…I don’t know…” Yoongi looks around anxiously, gaze stopping on Seokjin who is animatedly giving reasons why he shouldn’t have to sit in the back of the car this time.

You grind your teeth. This is the answer you wanted, why do you feel so crestfallen? “I understand.”

“You do?”

You look over at Yoongi. “Yes,” you smile wearily. “How do I say this? I get it, you wouldn’t normally have done that under normal circumstances with someone like me, I just wanted to make sure...” you pause. “So you want to forget it? Okay!” you say resolutely, “I’ll pretend it never happened.” You give him a more confident grin.

Your smile falls when you notice his red ears and tinged cheeks. “Yoongi?”

Yoongi looks like he’s holding his breath, holding something in for sure. “That’s not-” Yoongi cautiously lifts his arm up, knuckles touching the side of your face.

“Yoongi?” you repeat, holding your breath.

He almost looks like he might kiss you again, almost…but he turns his heel and walks back to the car, taking a seat in the back and settling an argument between Jin and Taehyung.

You frown, crossing your arms, you guess he is going to expect you to forget that just happened as well, you sigh, frown deepening. 

Maybe you are being delusional, he answered your question, you should just leave it at that, you think. You have bigger things to worry about.

-

You spent days pushing the car, hoping to find an exit to a gas station. All that energy wasted.

“You’ve been ignoring me.” Yoongi accuses under his breath.

You have not not been doing anything of the sort! You still acknowledge Yoongi’s presence, just like you do that asshole Dev, yeah.

You frown. “You have been acting weird,” you cross your arms. All day every day you can feel Yoongi’s eyes boring into the back of your head when you talk to the others, and yet he refuses to even look in your direction when you get anywhere near him! 

“I have not!”

“Well then I haven’t been ignoring you!”

Yoongi sighs. “Well it's clear to the others something is up between us and that is exactly what I was trying to avoid.”

You narrow your eyes on him. You think you finally understand him, Yoongi was ashamed of kissing you. You want to yell at him, but you can’t…not when you feel something akin to disappointment clawing at your insides, a small voice inside you confirming all your insecurities.

“Why would there be something up? Nothing is up, absolutely nothing,” you frown. 

“Stop.”

“I can’t stop because I haven’t started.”

“You are so annoying sometimes.” His hand holds your jaw, thumb rubbing the dirt away from your face tenderly.

You flinch away, “Is that why you didn’t kiss me?”

“Listen, I just don’t want to burden you-”

“Well, I’m very unburdened, can’t you tell? I mean, what could burden me? I have all the food I could want,” you say sarcastically, “I’m not running from monsters that want to eat me alive and I certainly don't care that you did not kiss me!” you hiss.

Yoongi covers your mouth. “Are you guys okay?” Jungkook says hesitantly, walking up to the pair of you.

Yoongi pulls his hands away as if he were burned. You roll your eyes at him, trying to not focus on the sharp pain in your chest, daggers embedding themselves inside you, each one confirming your worst insecurities. 

“Everything is great, Kookie,” you say, acting sweeter than your usual self, grabbing the youngest and leading him away before either man notices your watery eyes. 

---

“You can rest against me,” Namjoon murmurs, watching as you sway and try to keep your head up as the others sleep.

You laugh softly, “If I do that, I will definitely fall asleep. When I’m close to you, you make me feel safe. And I get sleepy,” you add, yawning. You rest your head on the wall, smiling back when he smiles. “Ahh, see, I can’t look at you,” you shake your head, trying to shake away your tiredness too.

“So you’re not all the way over there because I smell?” Namjoon pulls at your sleeve, trying to coax you closer.

“You smell? Damn, I must smell horrible then.” You sniff your worn and tattered clothes. 

“I saw a well outside, we can take advantage of it tomorrow, get some water to clean ourselves up.”

“A bath?” you wonder out loud, unable to hide your excitement. “Finally,” you sigh.

“Well err it’s gonna have to be a cold bath-”

“Mhm. A bath.” You ignore his warning, nothing can change your excitement. Let it be freezing cold, you will happily soak yourself until your fingers shrivel up.

After a while Namjoon speaks up again. “I think maybe we should stay here for a bit. Once the zombies disperse, we can go out for supplies, maybe scout for a better house to crash.”

“Here, in the city? For how long?”

“Maybe,” he hesitates. “A couple weeks? Or…a couple…months?”

“M-Months?!” you gasp, surprised.

“Look at them.” He gestures to the bodies sleeping on the floor around you, none of them wanted to leave the room for the beds, no one wanted to lose sight of each other. “We need to rest, we need supplies…we need to build ourselves back up.”

“Shouldn’t we, um, get out of Hongcheon first?” you ask worriedly. “I feel like…these monsters here are…different. They seem more relentless, don’t you feel?” you groan, thinking aloud. “Why are they so energetic? We’re the live ones! Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” They seem…well fed, you think, grimacing. “You think it’s a good idea to stay?”

“I don’t know.” Namjoon looks around anxiously at his friends, worried for their safety. “I don’t know.”

“Okay,” you whisper, reaching for his hand, you stroke his knuckles soothingly, deciding to follow Namjoon’s plan. “We’ll stay here for a while, and take it day by day. As long as we’re together, that’s what is most important, right?”

Namjoon lets out the breath he was holding, relaxing now that he had your support. In truth, he was too scared to move forward right now. He just needs some time, and Namjoon feels the whole group might do well with some rest too. You have all been in flight mode since first entering Hongcheon. Even you have chosen to forgo fighting, overwhelmed by the hoards of zombies and responsibilities to your friends.

-

Namjoon shakes Taehyung awake as second shift starts. Jimin rubs his tired eyes, sitting next to you, ready to take your place. “Hey.”

“Hey,” you whisper.

He nods his head to the group cuddled together like sardines, “Go rest, I got it from here.”

You hesitate. It’s becoming harder and harder to sleep. You dreaded the moments where you weren’t awake and alert for danger. Jimin sees your hesitation, he opens up his arms, “Do you want to stay with me until you’re ready to fall asleep?” You nod, relaxing slightly. 

Jimin is too good to you, it just makes you worry more, it just adds another dagger full of guilt sticking out from your chest. It all feels so heavy. You sink into Jimin, sorry to him for everything you’ve put him through. He hugs you back so tenderly you want to cry.

“Thank you,” you whisper.

Jimin smiles, enjoying your warmth against him. You cling onto him, cuddled to his side, keeping your head buried into your chest, scared if you look at Jimin you’ll do something you regret, already so desperate to make him happy. But you can’t give into your feelings. You cannot bear to think how frightened you would become then.

---

“Is it true? Is it true? You…you…YOU’RE SO BEAUTIFUL THAT I’M SCARED.”

The road was abandoned, everything around you was at a standstill since that fateful day, only the trees danced with you, swaying in the wind. You let your bike zig and zag as you hummed one of your favorite songs happily. 

There were cars still on the road but the engines had long ago stalled out, the drivers ran away. 

It was so quiet. It was calm…peaceful even, serene…

And if there was a noise, it would likely be a member of the undead gurgling for brains. Noise now only served as a warning. 

You bike slowly, looking around at the bright landscape in awe. It had been too long since you saw green, trees, grass, flowers... 

Stuck in the airport for months you had become used to dirt and tarmac, withered plants in pots and only weeds surviving. But now you realized, lots of things survived. It was so beautiful, mesmerizing.

And you were about to be even more mesmerized.

“Oh my god, oh my god!” you laugh, biking fast before coming to a complete stop. “Y-You’re alive!”

The stranger looks at you, mouth agape. 

You kick your bike stand out, running up to him. “Oh! You don’t understand me!” you quickly switch to Korean. “Sorry! Hi, good afternoon! I didn’t mean to frighten you! I’m just– wow– I’m surprised! I haven’t seen another person in...I just...hi!” You resist the urge to hug him, noticing how skittish he already seems, instead bowing ninety degrees. “My name is y/n. Are you okay?”

“You…you speak Korean.”

“You do too, lucky us,” you laugh awkwardly. 

He looks around, shuffling from side to side. “Where did you come from, foreigner? Are you alone? Do you have any food?”

Your smile slowly falls. You had gotten too excited, you hadn’t paid attention, hadn’t noticed his dirty clothes hanging off his very thin frame, the shiftiness in his attitude, the strange look in his eyes, he didn’t seem…well. 

“N-No, I, uh…I came from the airport.” You look behind you, back in the direction you came from.

It only took a second for you to take your eyes off him, and in that second the man decided to attack.

“Hey!” You stumble backward as he tries to pull off your backpack. “Get off! Stop!”

You were used to zombies attacking you, trying to bite you. If it had been a zombie, you would have yanked out your knife before even thinking, stopped the monster immediately and been on your way. 

But a human attacking you? Someone living? 

It caught you so off guard you couldn’t react. You fall on the ground trying to get away.

The stranger lunges at your bike instead, still standing abandoned by you. You scramble to your feet, grabbing on to the handle bars as he tries to mount your bike. 

You start hitting him with your fist, yanking on the bike in between punches to get it away from him. 

‘Is this really happening?!’ you think. You just met and he’s trying to steal your bike?!’

He starts hitting you back, yelling in his weakened efforts. That noise was too similar, and you were bitterly reminded of the airport. You grunt, getting winded from your fighting. Yanking hard on your bike, you maneuver it out of his grasp, only for him to attack you again. 

Even in his weakened state, his adrenaline had managed to make him strong and combative. If you’re not careful, you could get seriously injured, probably left for dead, without your bike, without anyone, dying alone and abandoned…

Again?! Fuck this, fuck him!

You put your knife against his throat and he finally stops trying to attack you. You tried to sound threatening when you told him to stop. But the truth was you were terrified, more terrified than you had ever been at the airport. What if he decided to not listen to you? You didn’t think you could go through with it, you couldn’t kill this man.

“Stop! Get away!” you plead, screaming.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so hungry, I’m sorry! I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He bows his head, wailing.

You try to steady your hand, but the knife shakes in your grasp. You’ve stopped fighting each other but you can’t seem to catch your breath.

You roll the bike further away from him, arm still outstretched, pointing the knife at him in warning. Your eyes sting with unshed tears, wanting to cry.

You’re sorry too. 

---

You startle, even when Namjoon whispers your name, squeezing your shivering body. “Huh?” You’re lying next to him, you cannot remember when you’ve moved here.

“You were crying in your sleep,” Namjoon says in a concerned hushed voice.

You rub your eyes in your tiredness. It was true, your eyes felt puffy, your cheeks sticky with tears.

You turn your head to look at him, and he looks back at you, concern etched across his brows. Twilight has begun and soon the sun will be up. You sigh, you felt safer in the dark and safest next to Namjoon and the others.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just had a bad dream.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I was dreaming about my bike,” you laugh half-heartedly.

But Namjoon doesn’t laugh. “We all…have them, the nightmares-”

“I know.”

“So you can talk to me..us about it. You don’t have to always keep everything in. It’s not healthy.”

“Okay Doctor Kim.”

Namjoon sighs. He’s too cute when his brows furrow, his hair sticking up from sleeping, you can’t help but giggle. “The monsters I dream about aren’t the dead kind,” you whisper. “Sometimes, I just-” you sigh, “-feel like running away.”

“Run away from us? I would track you down,” Namjoon says.

You can’t help but smile, closing your eyes. “I won’t, I’d be too worried you’ll get yourselves killed without me.” 

He reaches for your cheek, lying his tired arm against you. “I’m scared,” you mumble.

“Why?”

“We’re going to run into more people eventually, what if next time…something horrible happens? Sometimes I feel like I made a mistake. I should have stayed away.” You think back to the first time you encountered him again. “At the time I wanted to hurt you, I wanted revenge, and then…” you mumble, reaching for him in the darkness. “People..are dangerous. You were safer with Kanhgo on the farm.” ‘Maybe everything about this was a mistake, not just Yoongi kissing you,’ you want to tell him.

“I think we met at the right time. You don’t know how it was before, we were all...too close to death, too friendly to the idea, to dying. It was in that house, sitting with us, all the time. Do you understand? You saved m– us.”

You don’t hear what he says next, already falling under sleep, too content next to Namjoon despite the looming danger outside. 

Namjoon stares at your closed eyelids and relaxes, scooting closer to your sleeping frame.

---

You wake up out of breath, body shaking. You couldn’t remember your dream, but from your pounding heart rate, your sweat drenched clothes, and the dread you feel lifting away, you suspect it was awful. You jump when arms grab you, pull you in and hug you tightly. 

“You’re okay.” You hear Jimin mumble against your shoulder, soft and soothing.

You see Namjoon still asleep next to you. The day is out. It’s only the four of you left asleep, the others already awake and going through the house.

“Go back to sleep,” Jimin murmurs. But you can’t, not with all that adrenaline coursing through you now, so you watch Namjoon’s peaceful sleeping face, so close to you. You start memorizing his frown lines and birthmarks and cuts still healing, calming yourself down. 

You make a promise to yourself that when you reach Seoul, when Namjoon finds his family, when you eventually go your separate ways, you’re never going to forget him just like this, your friend and your idol trusting you enough to sleep peacefully while death now stands outside.

---

You raid the town’s fire department in the morning. 

No firetruck anymore to your disappointment. 

But there was an axe left behind in haste, some canned food, bandages and antiseptic; incredibly valuable finds. You grab as many helmets as you can carry, intent on sticking them on a few members’ heads. 

“Hobi!” you call out, “Come here!” Hoseok finds you and lets you dress him up in your newly acquired gear. 

It is just as you suspected, you sigh, head in your palms as you watch Hoseok clog around in heavy boots, rolling up the jacket sleeves.

Hoseok would make the. hottest. firefighter.

 Man, you wish selfies were still a thing.

“What are you guys doing?

You drop a helmet onto Taehyung’s head. “Nothing,” you smile. 

“Alright, enough playing around.” Namjoon says, coming back with a full backpack. You pout, pulling off the huge firefighter jacket you found and offering it to Namjoon, hopeful. He eyes the jacket. “C’mon, it’s definitely your size!” 

“Firefighters your thing, eh?” Seokjin rounds a corner. He looks so dashing decked out in uniform. 

“...Maybe.” you tease. 

“Help!” That’s Jungkook’s voice.

He’s stuck in a corner, fighting off two of the largest zombies you’ve ever seen.

These particular zombies, not only look massive and strong, they are also wearing helmets, protecting their most vulnerable spot, and the exact area you need to access to stop their attack.

How the hell are you going to kill them?!

The axe! Namjoon swings it into one of the zombie’s shoulders, completely dislocating the entire arm, while Jungkook keeps his bat lodged in the zombies’ mouths. 

Namjoon brings the axe down again and again, as if he were hacking at a tree. You grimace, you definitely could not use what came off as firewood. “This is so gross.” You look down at what remains, two heads still animatedly trying to bite your shins.

“Sorry,” you wince, stabbing the heads through the eye quickly.

As you sneak your way back to the house, Taehyung decides to ask you, “Why do you always do that?”

You massage your neck, “Do what?”

“Say you’re sorry. You always do it.”

You smile sadly. “Because I am sorry. It’s not their fault, you know. I am sure a man like that always wanted to help people, not eat them.”

‘Man,’ Taehyung certainly did not consider what that firefighter was reduced to, to be anything close to man. “Well I don’t think they understand you.” 

“Hey! My Korean is not that bad!”

Taehyung bumps your shoulder, “You know what I mean!” he laughs.

“Maybe, maybe not,” you sigh. “Their ears are still there, why wouldn’t they understand? Do you think they aren’t in there anymore?”

“I hope not.” Taehyung shudders.

“I guess we’ll never know until we become one…” you hum.

“Kill me before then.” Taehyung mutters.

You offer him your hand, “Deal.”

“If I become a zombie, put a muzzle on me and keep me as a pet.” Seokjin drapes his arms over you and Taehyung.

“Deal!”

“No way!”

“What about you, y/n?”

“If I become a zombie?” You catch Namjoon staring at you. “I don’t know,” you think back to the airport. “I like to think I would be able to you know, but when it comes down to it, I don’t think I could kill myself…” you shrug. “But if I try to eat you, you do have my permission to-” you swing your arm back and forth, aiming for Seokjin’s head, laughing when he yells at you.

---

“What if we go this way? Closer to the river? That might be safer?”

“What about the school?”

“No, that’s usually where the town would find shelter. If just one of them was bitten…I think we should avoid this whole area.”

“What’s this word?” you point to the character on the small map. You, Namjoon, and Yoongi are looking over the withered piece of paper, trying to find the best place to find shelter before night.

“That’s like a, ‘Government Building.’” Namjoon answers in English. “A town hall.”

“What about that church?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea either.”

“What about this street, with all the stores? We could find a place to stay there. Close to supplies? And close to water!”

“Look! Military base.” Yoongi points to the map.

“That’s so far.”

“Tire shop? We could find a running car?”

“Y/n, can we talk?”

“Jimin, just wait,” Namjoon answers for you, stepping closer to you as you study the map.

You rub your temples. Your head hurts trying to decipher the map, speaking Korean rather than reading it has always been easier for you. “Wherever you want to go, I’ll go.” you massage Namjoon’s shoulder, stepping away. You switch positions with Jin as you make your way to Jimin.

-

“Where’s Jungkook and Tae?”

“Working on the well.”

“Should we go watch them? Stand guard?”

Jimin pulls you back, “They got it, we already made sure it’s safe.”

“Oh, alright,” you tilt your head at him, he’s acting a bit impatient. “Are you okay?”

“I just…you’re always– it’s hard to get your attention,” Jimin swallows.

“What? Well, I’m here now,” you say softly, running your hand down Jimin’s arm until you reach his hand, squeezing it with your own.

Jimin squeezes your hand back. “Come with me,” he says more confidently. Jimin leads you back into the house, inside a bedroom, and then inside…the closet? You stumble into boxes full of someone else’s treasured memories.

“Well the closet wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

“I just wanted uninterrupted time with you.” In this small house, hiding away might be the only way Jimin could be with you alone. “I just want to make sure we definitely won’t be bothered,” Jimin sighs, leaning into clothes.

Clothes! You lean against him, picking a shirt off the hanger. You’re so excited by your find, you don’t notice how tense Jimin gets when your body presses up against him. “This would look good on you!” you hold up the shirt you chose.

Jimin takes a deep breath. “Y/n…”

You freeze when you catch his eyes. “Jimin…”

Oh god, why did you say his name like that? All breathy and high pitched and…needy…oh no, why does he have to look at you like that?!

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jimin murmurs, smirking.

Wait, how are you looking at him? You didn’t have very much of a poker face, despite what you thought. “Huh?”

Why does his lips have to be so soft when he kisses you? How does his tongue do that thing-

“Jimin, we can’t,” you step back.

You definitely did not mean to pull him back with you.

He chuckles against your lips, kissing you deeper.

“Wait.” You are suddenly very aware of how hot and cramped you were. You find the door knob, grateful for the new space to clear your head. “W-We really can’t. We should– We shouldn’t! We shouldn’t-” Why can’t you catch your breath?!

“We definitely shouldn’t,” he jokes, resting his hand on the bed’s post.

You exhale, looking at the empty bed. Not doing things with Jimin sounds very appealing. But you can’t! Why “can’t” you again? Oh yeah-

You sit on the bed, looking up at Jimin.

Jimin who is looking down at you with that tiny pleased smirk he can’t stop showing.

You stand up abruptly. No, a relationship was too risky, even if the threat of being eaten didn’t loom over your heads. And what if...

What if Jimin got tired of you, came to his senses once he reached Seoul and had more options? 

“I thought we agreed to wait until Seoul-”

Waiting looks like the very last thing Jimin wants to do. “What if I don't make it to Seoul?!”

“Don’t say that!” you hiss. Why did he have to say that? Now you feel like crying. You must have looked upset, because Jimin is now looking at you with a mixture of confusion and worry. 

Jimin hugs you close, arms wrapped around you tightly, like he knows you will fall apart if he doesn’t. His lips are trembling against your neck, you can feel your own body trembling against his. 

You are not strong enough to resist him. 

“Please Jimin, all I’m saying is you might feel differently once we get to Seoul-”

“I won’t-”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

It’s easier to speak when you are looking away from Jimin. “Everything that’s happened…that is happening, it’s easy to, you know, want to feel something other than fear or loneliness,” you swallow. “And I’m convenient to do that with,” you let your hands drop away from his embrace. “I feel like we’re just using each other, and once it’s not convenient, you won’t want me anymore. That’s why I wanted to wait.” 

“I’m not using you, y/n!”

You look up at the ceiling to keep from crying. You weren’t from a rich family, or famous, you weren’t gifted, you weren’t special. You would have never been more than a fan to them had the world not gone to shit…

They left you alone.

You don't forget that, that nagging feeling always in the pit of your stomach, always tight around your chest when you notice one of them giving you that look, the one Jimin is giving you right now. The look Yoongi gave you after he said what a “mistake” it was kissing you.

And if you let Jimin kiss you again, have you on this bed, could you handle it if he tells you someday later, those exact words? You’re overcome with a weird feeling. Are you okay with that? 

He’s looking at your lips.

Maybe you should. Fuck it. Yolo. Or whatever.

Can you push away those feelings?

Is...that what Yoongi did to you?

“Is everything okay?”

“Go away Namjoon!” Jimin yells as you pull away from one another as the bedroom door opens.

“What? Excuse me, Park Jimin?” Namjoon is staring at your distressed anxious expression. “What the hell is going on?”

“It’s fine. I-I’m fine. I…I need some air.”

Jimin grabbed your arm. He didn’t want to let you go, he knew you had a penchant for being reckless, and especially if you were about to go outside, he was definitely going to put a stop to it. 

It probably sounded like a whimper, the sound you made when Jimin held you again, the way Namjoon was right by your side in an instant. “Let her go, Jimin!” He warns, holding both yours and Jimin’s arms.

“Kim Namjoon, why do you let her put herself in danger all the time?!”

“WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME, PARK JIMIN?”

You wince at Namjoon’s booming voice so close to your ear. You hear footsteps rushing towards the room, so you rip yourself away from both men’s grasp.

Well, you just locked yourself in the closet. You just did that.

The men stare at the closed door for a while. They hear your muffled voice yell back, “I’m fine! I just need some time alone…in here. I won't go outside, I promise!”

---

You finally leave the closet when Seokjin knocks softly on the door telling you dinner is ready. You carry a box full of clothes, shirts and pants for each man to try on, and a new outlook on things after shifting through old keepsakes, a collection of items that told a story of a couple who must have been together for decades. You want that. But that kind of life, like old movie tickets, developed film, and festival prizes, that kind of blissful happiness was not possible for anyone anymore.

“Do we have water?” you ask Jungkook. He looks exhausted.

“Drinking water, yes.”

“What about…cleaning water?” you ask, hopeful. 

“What about soap?” Jungkook asks.

You smile wide, clapping your hands together, pulling out everything you found and setting it up in a neatly filed line in front of Jungkook. “You have first pick, of course, if you get me that water,” you smile deviously.

Jungkook grabs the shampoo and conditioner combo. “You will have it all set up for you tomorrow when you get back from scouting.”

“Yay!” You give the youngest the tightest biggest hug you could muster up. “Oh! Maybe I should wait until after I bathe to give you a hug-”

“No! Hug now, and hug tomorrow!” Jungkook squeezes the air out of you. You giggle, despite not being able to inhale.

---

“Are you still mad at me?” Yoongi asks wearily, finally speaking up. “I’m sorry-”

“You don’t have to apologize, Yoongi.” You dig through the neighboring house’s kitchen, handing Yoongi the cans of food you found. “I’ll just try not to act so irresistible next time,” you joke, in brighter spirits, winking at the idol.

Yoongi places the items in his pack, relieved you weren’t giving him the cold shoulder.

“Oh, thanks,” he says sarcastically. “You’ve been doing a pretty good job though with that smell.”

“Okay, mister! Oh look, I found some food for you!” You throw him some cat food, laughing.

“I expect a two course meal tonight,” you tease, after finding spam and more canned veggies.

“I’ll make sure to prepare a second course all for you with the cat food you found.”

“Ew!” You shove him playfully. “I guess I won’t share my dessert with you then.”

“What dessert?”

“You think these are still good?” You pull out a full box of chocopie from your pack. You smile in satisfaction at Yoongi’s stunned face. 

“I guess I will have to make you a three course meal then,” Yoongi says, making you smile wider.

A noise makes you jump, and Yoongi instinctively covers your body with his. You force your head under his arm, unwilling to let him sacrifice himself for you.

“Stay behind me!” Yoongi hisses.

“No, you stay behind me!”

Yoongi shoves you with all his strength away from the noise closing in. It catches you off guard as you stumble backward, you hadn’t expected Yoongi to use so much force.

So you jump on his back, sending him stumbling and crashing into a very nice looking cabinet...full of glass wear.

Two of the biggest racoons you’ve ever seen in your life scurry out of the shadows and past you and Yoongi, making you squeal and tighten your grip around the rapper.

Yoongi sighs, freezing against you when he realizes his hands are holding your thighs.

“Next time just get behind me,” you mumble.

“No fucking way.”

You should be mad at him, but you can’t help but smile.

Yoongi should be mad at you, but all his anger dissipates seeing your smile.

You pass by a record player on your way out. “Yoongi! Do you think we could make it work?”

Yoongi shakes his head. “It needs electricity.”

“You can’t just turn the record with your finger?” You sound so desperate to hear music.

“The speakers won’t work without electricity. Sorry, y/n.”

You nod, crestfallen. Yoongi hides his disappointment too, the rapper wishes most of all to hear music again. You grab a pile of records, “just in case,” you say, hoping one day to find a way to play them. It makes Yoongi sad and happy all at once. He wouldn’t have done that, had any hope like that to begin with. 

You both walk back to your new found home quietly, but now shoulder to shoulder.

You gasp, making Yoongi pause. “Oh! Look at that. The wall-”

Vine had grown all over the concrete fence. Between the two panels, vegetation had come in between them and on the sides, and now the gray that could still be seen resembled-

“It looks like the Army logo!” you laugh happily.

Yoongi looks at you. His eyes seem lost and far away and so reverent, and at the same time, he looks at you with that same reverence.

And Yoongi knows he shouldn’t. Not after Seokjin had confessed to him his growing feelings for you, or when Jimin looks at you so longingly during those moments you’re not looking.

Not after Yoongi had noticed the way his leader always gravitates to your side, and Jungkook’s red ears and wide smile when you give him your undivided attention. Yoongi knows there was already enough discontent in the group. He shouldn’t feel the same way.

But you’ve wound yourself around him like those branches. 

You’ve grown on the rapper, your attitude and your kindness and your strength and your smile. He feels it, that excitement when he looks at the hidden symbol, only for a second, only because of you, and he’s grateful to you. 

Your eyes follow his gaze, looking at him in excitement over such a small thing, a small sign that meant…still means so much to him…so much it hurts to remember. It hurts to think about what he had and what he lost. You mean so much to him. And he can’t lose you too.

Your eyes sparkle before they turn questioning, and before you can ask, Yoongi is already kissing you.

Your eyes widen, and your hand presses against his chest. Yoongi’s muscles are hard against your palm and makes you gasp how solid and warm he feels. He kisses you deeper, quickly, indulgently before he makes himself pull away.

You're both breathing hard, you look at him surprised, mouth agape, your lips still tingling from his contact.

He did it right in front of the house.

And right in front of his bandmates, waiting for both of you to return. 

Shit, he thinks. Where did all his control go?! He wishes he could blame you, after all the things you do to make his heart burst so much he bursts to feel you.

He makes a quick apology before turning away from you. He knows he’s fucked up again when he feels your grip on his shoulder as you try to pull him back unsuccessfully and your silence following.

Maybe somewhere deep down he wanted you to chase him, and somewhere deeper he was disappointed you didn’t.

---

“Someone kissed you, someone here kissed you?! One of my brothers kissed you?!”

“No! No, no.” You say rather unconvincingly in Jimin’s opinion. 

“...”

“Yes?”

“So? Who was it? I know it wasn’t Jungkook or Taehyung because they were the ones whispering about it.”

You groan inwardly. “Well it doesn’t really matter, because he didn’t mean to, but um, it was– and he regrets it! I think. Well he definitely regretted the first time-” you mumble, annoyed.

“First?! As in, this was the second time?!”

“Uhhhh…”

“Did you kiss him back?”

“...”

Jimin sighs, rubbing his eyes. “So that’s why you didn’t want to be with me,” he laughs bitterly.

“What! No! Well yes…but not for that reason! Ugh! Jimin please,” you inhale deeply, “Yoongi regretted it as soon as it happened. I just didn’t want you…if we had done more, I didn’t want you to feel stuck with me once we reached Seoul,” you sigh.

“YOONGI KISSED YOU? TWICE?!”

“Eh? No? Yes?”

“You do know zombies are attracted to noise, right?!”

“Shut up, Dev!”

Taehyung and Jungkook, the cause of this commotion (because it was definitely not you and Yoongi) pull Jimin away. 

“Maybe you should go check the bathroom, y/n,” Jungkook pleads.

You don’t have to be told twice. You nod, at a loss for words.

-

You stare at the half filled plastic tub situated in the middle of the bathroom, contemplating on drowning yourself. 

It would certainly make things easier for the group. You decide probably not the best thing to do at the moment and pull off your shirt.

The door opens mid undress, and you decide to just pull off the dirtied material anyways.

“Oh shit, sorry! I thought you might have been done already.”

“Oh, I was…preoccupied.” Interrogated, more like it, you sigh. You cover your chest with the dirtied shirt, staring at BTS leader, Kim Namjoon, who looks sheepishly at his feet. “You wanted to use the water?” you ask hesitantly.

“No,” he lies, “We already washed up.”

“You did a shit job.” You notice his hair is still a little bit greasy.

Namjoon laughs. “Well Jungkook is rationing water like a maniac, we were only allowed a bowl full each.”

You suddenly feel horrible looking at the tub full of water you were about to use. “I’m sorry, that’s not fair, you can use the water first.”

“No, no! You deserve it out of all of us.”

“What?! No I don’t!” you exclaim, pulling Namjoon to the tub and heading for the door.

“Hold up, Jungkook will murder me if you don’t use this water,” Namjoon laughs.

You pause. Grabbing a towel and soaking it, you squirt soap across it. “Well…you need it more,” you smile half heartedly, holding the towel out for him to take. “Please.”

Namjoon sighs, pausing at the door. 

He shuts it.

-

You sit on the closed toilet, suddenly realizing the situation you’ve put yourself in as Namjoon pulls off his shirt. He takes the towel from you, holding it to his face and sighing.

Where did your shirt go?! Should you go put a shirt back on? Should you leave and give him privacy? Or maybe you should stay very very still in hopes he forgets you’re still here. You glance over at Namjoon, trying not to stare as he wipes his chest.

Namjoon bends over your lap, wetting the towel again.

“Do you want help with your err back?” you ask.

Namjoon looks over at you. He hasn’t said a word since he’s closed the door. He simply nods, turning his back to you.

You notice all the scars littered across his torso and arms. It's sad what this new world does to you, you can’t escape it no matter who you are.

You wipe down his spine and across, over a particularly deep looking scar. It’s so close to his spleen, it must have been a scary situation. “How did you get that one?” 

“I think it was when we were running through the woods after our first lake run. We hadn’t anticipated so many of them. I fell down and got jabbed by a branch, went in pretty deep,” he grunts, remembering the pain and having to get back up and keep running even as blood seeped out of his gash.

“Clumsy,” you tsk. Namjoon chuckles, back to being silent. So you tell him to lean over the tub. You cup water in your palms to wet his hair and you grab some of your shampoo.

He sighs as your nails massage the soap into his scalp, his arm absentmindedly holding your leg. You tell yourself it's so his clumsy self stays steady.

You pick up a cup and let the water run through his hair. “Don’t tell the others I did that for you, they might get mad at me.” You wonder just how mad Jimin currently is.

He shakes his head, flinging water at you, nodding happily. You laugh, looking away. His pants are soaking. 

“Thank you.”

“I can leave, so you can finish cleaning your body,” you mumble.

“Or,” Namjoon says softly, “you could stay.”

That makes you look up. Namjoon stands upright, he looks so tense and wound up. You are faring no better, and this was supposed to be a relaxing experience! 

“Do you want me to stay?” you ask slowly.

“Yes.” Namjoon says without missing a beat.

“Okay. So, I’ll stay,” you swallow.

“I can help you too, wash your back.” 

You scoff. But he’s serious.

You have gotten very close to them, spending every waking minute with them, falling asleep in their arms, you’ve lost count how many times it’s happened. You try to always tell yourself it’s what you must do to survive, that’s all there is to it. That sort of familiarity was a kind of preservation.

This is probably the closest thing you’ve done with the leader. And the way he looks at you, with such a soft look in his eyes, making you second guess yourself, that mantra just doesn’t seem to fit this time. 

You decidedly turn around, reaching for your bra clasp. Namjoon undoes it quickly, easily, surprising you.

Now it's Namjoon’s turn to look over the scars littering your body. They look deep and painful.

He touches one in particular. It’s a miracle you lived. 

He holds his hand there, over the scar, palm resting on your side. Your heart feels like it’s pumping a thousand beats per minute.

He delicately runs the towel across your shoulder blades as you cross your arms over your chest.

You shiver when the cold cloth touches your skin. “I told you it was going to be cold,” Namjoon laughs. “You wanted to soak in that.”

“I’ll still do it,” you say stubbornly, getting used to the cool sensation.

You turn around once he seems to have gone over your back three times over. You were both topless, however you kept yourself covered with your arms. You didn’t protest when he wiped your neck and collar bone. You were concentrating on not making any noise at all actually, worried for the sounds that might come out.

Namjoon was taking deeper breaths, through and out his nose.

You wondered what kind of reaction he would have if you dropped your hands.

You also wondered how long it’s been since Namjoon has seen a woman’s body up close like this. You had already noticed how his eyes kept glancing down at your cleavage every other second. It’s been a long time since someone has seen you naked.

It would be like a thank you. 

Were you really thinking about flashing the idol?!

But Namjoon…has become more. Felt like more…he was more to you. He’s more special to you than you could have possibly imagined.

Also you just kind of want to see his reaction. You chuckle.

Namjoon quirks his head, a small smile surfacing. “What?”

Oh god, what’s wrong with you?! Was the thought of showing him your boobs that amusing to you?

“I just realized you’re the only person that can really see me like this.”

“Is that why you’re avoiding Jimin?” He asks.

“Part of the reason,” you mumble.

“The others will-”

“No.” You shut down whatever his suggestion might be. “You’re the only person I trust completely, Namjoon.”

He nods. “I trust you completely too.”

You shy away, turning back around. Hearing your words repeated back to you, you didn’t realize how…intimate it sounded.

You hear Namjoon unbuckling his belt. You didn’t know what to do, so you started unbuttoning your pants as well. For some reason, your brain thought if you were both naked, that would make it less awkward. The mind is a funny thing.

You let your pants drop. Your heart rate is now ringing inside your ears.

You stumble over to the small tub, standing in the middle, waiting, glancing over your shoulder to a very naked Namjoon, hands over his manhood.

“You’re not really gonna-”

“Oh, I definitely am.” You try to sound as confident as possible with your heart fully jumping outside your chest and your eyes staring directly at your toes. “You too?”

-

“How is it?”

“Freezing.”

You can’t help but laugh. “Whatever!” You cup some water and let it trickle down your front.

It’s cramped as hell, you’re trying very hard to ignore Namjoon’s naked member pressed up against your bum. The water is cold, but every place Namjoon's skin comes into contact with yours, warmth is radiating.

Namjoon smiles. You're spooned against his front, knees pulled to your chest. He has to reach down your legs to wet his towel again, running the damp cloth across his neck and shoulder. He relaxes against you, resting his head against the tub’s rim as you meticulously lather soap over your body and through your hair. He tries to remember what compelled him to do this with you. 

He wanted to be closer with you, and well now, he thinks there is no way he could possibly get any closer unless he jumped into your skin.

He didn’t want to leave you. Even though he knew he should have gone the moment he saw your shirt over your arms and your cleavage on display. He knew you were just being nice offering him your bath, but you looked at him eyes so pleadingly, half naked too, Namjoon wanted to stay with you, so he did.

He didn’t want you to leave him either. So he asked you to stay. He told himself, if you said no, then he wouldn’t push, he would accept that was going to be as close as he would be able to get for now. But then you stayed. He got what he wanted.

And now you were naked in his lap, happily splashing around while his balls froze, and Namjoon was exactly where he wanted to be. He probably shouldn’t feel so satisfied about it, but he’s been having to quietly deal with not being able to do what he truly wanted for so long…

“Well I’m having fun,” you laugh.

“Me too.”

“Y/n is that you?”

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. 

“Yeah, yeah it’s me. I’ll be out in a bit. I'm, um, busy!” You try to stand, but you have no footing.

“Oh okay!” Taehyung yells back. You listen for any sounds of movement. 

“I can’t find Hobi or Joon, do you know where they went?”

“No um no, I don’t know where Hobi OR JOON is! I don’t know, I’ll uhh help you look after I’m done…go away now– Close the bedroom door when you leave! I need to grab my clothes.”

Taehyung sees two large shirts on the bed. He likes the color of one. “You want them now?”

“NO! No no, I’m busy, you should leave. I can’t um concentrate with you there.”

“Okay okay.” Jeez. Taehyung pouts. It’s not like he hasn’t heard it all before. But women are touchy with things like that so he lets you have your privacy.

You had floundered like a fish, leaning over to make sure Taehyung could hear you, arm outstretched in case you needed to throw the door closed. You had completely forgotten your, very naked, predicament.

Two of those predicaments pressed right against Namjoon’s cheeks. 

Now you are very much understanding what you’ve done, and how rigid Namjoon is, trying not to think about you pressed up against him. And you notice how rigid something else is…..

You freeze in shock.

That doesn’t help Namjoon’s current situation.

“I can’t leave now. It will be too obvious,” Joon says, fighting every mortal urge inside him at this point.

You peel your breasts off him, falling out of the tub and onto slippery tile.

“I’ll leave!” Shit. Your own self restraint is hanging on by threads. You need alone time. How are you gonna get it here?

Fuck, it’s cold now, you’re missing Namjoon’s body against yours, you’re really missing it.

“Stay.”

“Namjoon, listen– oh,” you had intended to tell him the same thing you told Jimin, you hadn’t expected him to see him so...exposed.

Namjoo stood one foot out of the tub, skin wet and glistening, hand not so much covering much of anything as he gripped his very very erect cock.

Your mind goes blank. This was the first time you’ve seen him…that. Not in quick shy glances at the lake, not in unfocused looks, eyes downcast or upcast or anywhere but his fucking sexy body cast. You were shamelessly staring at the man in front of you, eyes wide open.

Namjoon looks so goddamn hot, so big. And you made him that hard, you can’t even bother to cover yourself, noticing his eyes looking hungrily at your bare chest as he runs his hand down his cock, gripping it tight. 

You look up at him, panting. Goddammit, he’s so goddamn hot, touching himself to your body. You might just hyperventilate right in front of him, but that would be super unsexy of you.

Namjoon runs his tongue across his bottom lip, grunting. Or was that a moan?!

You feel so wet, so burning up, you’re surprised the water hasn’t evaporated off your skin.

“If we…if we…we’re just helping each other. Like friends. We’re just…”

Namjoon nods, too horny to think straight anyways he’d agree to anything you said.

Namjoon doesn’t say anything, just bends down, laying his body over yours so you can feel his warmth against you again.

It was your first kiss with Namjoon. Previously, there were moments at night when his lips grazed your shoulder, a couple times against the crook of your neck, that you chose to believe was something sort of a reflex he would do half asleep, probably remembering someone who was not you, an action he never mentioned once morning came. But this kiss was so desperate, full of passion and want. His lips were strong and rough, his mouth was devouring you.

You reach between your legs, gripping his length finally. “Fuck, you’re so hard,” you moan, impressed. “I am so wet right now.”

“Oh fuck,” Namjoon whimpers.

Fuck! He whimpered! 

Yep. You’re gonna do it. There is no fucking way you’re gonna leave here without cuming. 

You arch your back into him, hand now moving furiously up and down his cock. He kisses you, tongue licking into your open mouth. His fingers meet yours as he reaches for your center. You bite back moans, closing your eyes as his digits dig into your thigh, hiking up one leg to open you up for his skilled fingers.

You gasp, catching his eyes, the way his brows furrow and his intense gaze, so very different from when he’s half asleep. His fingers reach in deep inside you, a sensation you haven’t felt in so long. You try to focus on his pleasure, running your hand up and down his length, finding a speed he responds to the most and trying your best to keep it up as you fall apart under his own ministrations.

You finally lose your very intense very sexy staring match when he curls his fingers into you, your eyes rolling back. “Fuck…yes…yes,” you groan.

Namjoon is close, kissing you when he finally reaches his high, silencing himself against your lips as you shudder against him.

He breathes heavily against you. He wanted to do more with you, it was too quick, he was too quick, he thinks cursing himself, even though he should have anticipated that kind of reaction to finally being touched by another person in so long. But time, like everything now, is scarce.

You stare up at the ceiling, post orgasm clarity hitting you like a ton of bricks. Did you just really do that?! It just all happened so fast, and now Namjoon is laying over you so heavy you can't move. Namjoon lifts himself up after catching his breath and you stare at each other.

You wonder what he’s thinking. You’re too embarrassed to ask. At least you’re in the perfect place to clean yourselves up.

---

You’ve all decided to move tonight, closer to the river, closer to Seoul. Everything is packed! You’re all ready, well fed, prepared. You should all be feeling pretty confident at this point. But everyone’s in a bad mood, tense, well almost everyone.

Taehyung is staring at Namjoon’s new shirt suspiciously and the way he seems way too relaxed about things, the way he stands right behind you, extremely close, bodies touching like...no way...

‘No, definitely not.’ Taehyung thinks...he hopes not. Damn, he should have taken that shirt when he had the chance! You catch Taehyung’s narrowed stare and immediately look away like you are hiding something. “How did you like it?” Jungkook walks up to you, staring at your freshly cleaned face, you are glowing.

“It was perfect, thank you so so much,” you whisper.

“Do you still have some of the soap you used? You smell good.” You giggle when his nose tickles the crook of your neck as he sniffs you, knocking him away playfully.

“Mhmm it’s not soap,” you say happily, “It’s lotion!”

Jungkook holds his hand out expectantly. “Boy, your skin is perfect, you do not need it, I do!”

“Noona, share!” Jungkook whines.

“Finders keepers! Fine, I’ll let you borrow some later, remind me,” you laugh.

Taehyung stares at Namjoon, who is cracking his knuckles, his jaw tensing as he watches Jungkook touch you playfully. Taehyung notices the way his leader’s eyes immediately soften when you look over your shoulder and call his name asking if he was ready, smiling. He smiles too.

‘Oh my god,’ Taehyung thinks.

-

The group decides to break up into pairs and one trio. Normally you would have said, hell no, that’s being-chased-by-monsters rule number one, never split up the group! 

But it was easier to move around this way, to hide quickly.

The first pair would make sure they had the second always in their sights and it would go down the line like that, so it was easy to alert the closest pair to any signs of danger and the message could get to the whole group no matter how far spread out.

And it was strategic, one pair could lure monsters away while the others slipped through. Another pair could help you escape. And if it came to the worst, at least it would only be a few, and not all of you…

Taehyung decides to step in when you and Namjoon want to be paired together, so that’s why you are currently holding hands with the baritone singer, crab walking behind a fence.

You pass by shops with Taehyung, looking through the store windows. You want to explore, you would have if you were alone. But now you were part of a group, with a group objective, and group members who were counting on you, so you move steadily forward. That would have been a cute outfit though.

Every once in a while the pair in front of you stops, sends you and Taehyung a series of hand gestures to translate. This time, you learn there are nine zombies at your ten o’clock. 

Taehyung lets Jin and Yoongi know, telling them to follow you and him to the right while Namjoon and Hoseok throw rocks, leading the monsters away.

Taehyung has been unusually quiet. You suspect he’s probably mad at you on behalf of Jimin, so you don’t push him to make small talk. Grudges become trivial in these kinds of situations anyways. 

You turn a corner and notice three zombies hunched near the remains of a food stall. 

You wonder, were they customers at some point in their lives? They don’t notice you and they are pretty far away, but could definitely become a problem later. You and Taehyung exchange looks. “I’ll handle it,” you say.

“I got your back,” he whispers, signaling for the others to wait and hide.

One, down, a middle aged woman missing a huge chunk of her calf, her eyes so clouded she couldn’t see anymore, just smelled you too late.

Two, down, a business man still wearing his work suit, a hole in his jacket and his intestines falling out, his jaw crooked, a limp in his walk, he was already falling apart before you destroyed him completely.

The third one, he only had one bite mark on his neck. His clothes were grimy, like everything else in this new world, but his skin still had a lively color. He looks like he was turned not even a day ago, and he’s fast. 

You fall down. Taehyung sinks his knife into the undead’s neck when he jumps on you, but the angle doesn’t hit where it needs to and the zombie turns his body to attack the idol. You grab the zombie at his ankles, giving Taehyung enough time to strike where it counts. Taehyung is shaken but okay. You are winded but okay.

You see the two eldest running towards your location and you hold up your hand to tell them not to worry. But they don’t stop, instead signaling you to hide. Taehyung pulls you up by the elbow and you run towards the empty stall.

“Grab that guy!”

“What?!”

“Hurry!” you hiss, yanking the now fully dead woman across the pavement.

One, Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, you count. Did you hear that right? Ten different pairs of feet dragging across pavement, ten different tones, growling, passing by you and Taehyung, currently lying under a broken stall table, with two corpses covering you. They drag around you, bodies shadowed on the red plastic table cloth covering you and Taehyung.

You both stay hidden, taking short breaths, listening intently, fingers numb from holding each other. The plastic tablecloth keeps you hidden but also traps the heat in and doesn't give you any field of vision. God, it smells horrible, the smell of death. You squeeze Taehyung’s hand tighter, letting the pain take your mind off the stench. You notice sweat roll down his forehead as Taehyung scrunches up his nose, trying not to inhale the smell.

Taehyung looks at you, telling you to wait, because he already knows that you’re itching to leave, to run, to fight. He tightens his already crushing grip. 

“You remember what you promised me?” You promised Taehyung something? You look at him questioningly. “Before I become like them, kill me, so I don’t hurt my brothers.”

“We’re going to get out of here, okay?” Taehyung nods, very unconvinced. “Hobi and Joon, did you see where they ran?” Taehyung nods again, very not ready to leave. “I know you’re mad at me, but do you trust me?” Taehyung’s eyes go wide.

“I’m not mad at you.” 

The growls can no longer be heard. You pull a corner of the table cloth up, looking around, seeing the undead group dispersed and in the distance, only moving shadows in the night now. “So you got my back, right?” Taehyung nods, eyes focused. “We’re gonna go really slow, clear the area as much as possible. If we see one, and they’re a slow one too, we’re gonna let them come to us.”

“And if it’s like him?” Taehyung gestures to the corpse next to him. 

You smile, “We’re gonna let them come to me. You take them down. We just have to last until the others get to us. I trust you, Tae.”

You’re breaking your second rule on being-chased-by-monsters. Always run from newly turned zombies. But you’re doing it for Taehyung, for the group. 

Also, you can’t deny that you and Taehyung have both gotten very good at defending yourselves. Of course every zombie encounter is life or death, of course it’s a terrifying experience to fight one, one Taehyung would rather avoid, but he hasn’t lost yet! The odds are in your favor.

This so happens to be just another night out in post apocalyptic times. And as you hold Taehyung’s hand, now standing in the middle of the unlit street, watching a few ambling monsters start ambling your way, you and Taehyung start to walk as if you were just out on a stroll, and you think, this is not the most horrible night out you’ve had post apocalypse, and you might even go far as to say pre-apocalypse either, thinking about that night you ended up in the ER. 

Twelve more, down, you and Taehyung have stopped. You stand back to back, looking around for any signs of life. 

“Should we just call out for help?” Taehyung suggests, looking around for any signals to where his brother’s have gone.

It’s so quiet now, you can only hear Taehyung, maybe the others are being quiet on purpose. “Not yet. Which way did you see Hobi and Joon go?”

“I think we should go back and find Jin and Yoongi.”

“Oh? Okay...” you let Taehyung lead you away. “W-Wait! Do you hear that?”

It sounds like a ticking, no, more like a pounding. Something heavy bumping into glass. You situate yourself against Taehyng’s back again. “What is that?”

“I don’t know, do you see where it’s coming from?” you whisper, looking at the buildings around you. Could it be the others? Are they in trouble?

Taehyung holds your hand, bracing himself, “Yeah.” He sees a young woman, banging on the glass in an abandoned store. It is fairly far, at first Taehyung thought she was signaling for help…

…but she’s banging on the door with her head.

There’s so much blood, but Taehyung can clearly see the way she bares her teeth. And in the shadows, Taehyung can just make out some movement, something else, coming closer. “We need to hide. Now!”

You look over your shoulder, to see what Taehyung sees, just in time to witness the glass break. Taehyung is leading you away before you can respond, running faster than you can keep up in the opposite direction. You stumble into an alleyway, looking for a place to hide. “WHY IS IT BLOCKED?!” 

You have found yourselves at a dead end, a car jammed in the narrowest alleyway, turned over on its side, probably trying to escape the exact kind of monsters chasing after you now. 

The monsters find you as you and Taehyung are desperately trying to climb over the car. “Wait wait wait!” Taehyung holds his hands up, knife ready to stab.

The zombie actually stops.

“Did you just speak zombie to her?” you ask incredulously.

It was probably a coincidence as the monster starts running towards you and Taehyung again. “Stop!”

“It’s not stopping, Taehyung! Just run!”

“It was worth another try.”

The zombie is catching up, not caring how badly damaged its body becomes as it catapults itself over the car. Taehyung trips, pulling you down with him. You’re sure to have cuts across your palms and elbows as you crawl away on the hard pavement.

Now the distance is closed, and there’s two more crawling over the top of the car like ants over a hill looking for something sweet to devour.

But before you can defend yourself, her head is already gone. “Get up!” An older man yells at you. Taehyung pulls you up as a strange group takes down the remaining zombies.

The stranger runs to the backdoor of a store, opening it with a key, ushering everyone inside until the last man joins you, and the old man locks the door again. “Thank you,” Taehyung says, winded.

The man introduces himself and the group. “We saw you outside, on the street,” he says. “It was impressive,” he adds. The pair of you seemed fearless taking on so many zombies, so he thought…

You stay quiet as Taehyung and the man talk. You look around, counting four other men and two women. You notice each woman clinging onto a man, presumably their boyfriend, and you glance down at your own hand, fingers still interlaced with Taehyung.

“Is it just you two?”

“Yes.” Taehyung says. There was another reason you broke off into groups, so if you ran into anyone living, depending on your situation, you could make sure they wouldn’t know about the others. “We’re trying to get to Seoul.” You hear soft laughter. Why is it always so funny?!

You haven’t spoken up, only stared at the group, trying to gauge their level of hostility. They seem curious about you and they don’t seem to have recognized Taehyung. “I don’t think there will be much left when you get there,” one of the men speaks up. “I escaped Seoul.”

They always say that too…

“What happened in Seoul?” Taehyung asks. “What do you remember?”

“What I remember? I think I blocked most of it out now,” he laughs bitterly. “The first day, it must have been half…half of everyone changed into biters by that night..” A few others nod their head in agreement. “We were told to stay in our homes, shelter in place, so we thought, ‘that’s good news,’ right? Someone would come and save us, bring us food and supplies at least, but there was...nothing. We had internet, we could contact our friends and family for a while. But power stopped eventually, and then we were really fucked to hell. No one came to help us, only to try to break down our doors to get inside. Once we finally left, it was completely changed, I’ve never seen anything like it. Seoul wasn’t Seoul anymore.”

“What about the military?”

“They tried their damndest from what I heard, but they were all overrun by those things, even the American base,” he eyes you up and down, wondering where you came from and if you understood him, your impassive face not giving anything away, He also questioned…bitterly…why a foreigner managed to survive all this time when his friends, his family, hadn’t. 

“It can’t all be destroyed,” Taehyung says, choking on his words.

The man clears his throat, “There were rumors of certain communities in Gangnam and in Itaewon that created a good enough fortification, what’s left of the military now fends off the biters for them. But we also heard they would shoot anyone who came close to their buildings, living or not really.”

Taehyung seems to light up at that new information regardless. If rumors and half truths were anything to go by, that meant there still might be some hope someone he knew survived. Taehyung turns to you, “That’s good news, right?” You nod. Well, if you were to ignore the shooting on sight part.

“T-That’s not– Did you listen to me? If you go to Seoul you will die.” The man interrupts. 

“You said there were survivors-”

“Yeah, they got the important people up in there, in their damn billion won penthouses, ready to kill off anyone who even tries to get close. It was rumored even the president ended up there. Or escaped to North Korea, some say. But it doesn’t matter, because they killed everyone else! They’re not going to let you in, even if you manage to get there. And the rest of the city is hell on earth. Trust me, you don’t want to take her there.”

Oh shit. You study the two women, do they recognize Taehyung? What will they do once they find out? Take out their anger on one of those billion won penthouse owners? Thank god it’s dark in here, only a few rays of light from the moon shine through the windows and everything else is in the shadows, you and Taehyung included.

“And you have a place here, if you want it.” The old man interjects. “It was impressive, what you did, both of you,” he repeats. He needs more people like you here, he needs more fighters. There’s already so many factions in Hongcheon, it’s a miracle his tiny group has survived up until now.

“Can we…think about it? We still need to get supplies, that’s why we came out in the first place. We’ll go out and come back here, now that we know this place is safe.” Taehyung says.

“Okay, go and help him.” The older man asks another.

“I can show you where we sleep,” one of the women walks up to you, putting her head on her hands in case you didn’t understand her.

“No, she’s coming with me,” Taehyung interjects. He hasn’t let go of your hand this entire time.

“I know you want to protect her.” The older man adds, noticing the way you stayed glued to each other, even when you fought the monsters you always held onto each other's hands unless you absolutely had to let go, only for moments at a time. “It would be safer for her to stay here.”

You look at Taehyung with wide eyes, trying to convey to him all the things you want to say. Like, hell fucking no! There is no fucking way you are letting him out of your sight! Who the fuck cares whatever place they have to sleep looks like?! They’ve got to be kidding-

“Uh, let me talk to her, to explain!” Taehyung pulls you away, deeper into the store.

“Taehyung, you can’t be seriously thin-”

“I noticed the front door is barricaded, there might be a window in the bathroom, no, that’s not gonna work-”

“Oh-”

“We need to leave, y/n. Right now.”

You nod. “Do you think they recognize who you are? We need to be careful.”

“Yeah.” Even if it’s been awhile, Taehyung knows better than anyone, he still can spot a fan just by the way they look at him, the way they act, or pretend to act.

“How are we going to leave without them noticing?” You glance over to the strangers, trying to see if they are talking amongst themselves, if they are being told about Taehyung.

He pulls you further away, eyeing the shelves, glancing over his shoulder at the group. Taehyung sighs. “I think we’re gonna have to break one of our rules-”

Oh great, there goes rule number three on being-chased-by-monsters, out the window.

-

“We know all the places that have been already cleared of biters, there might be a few stranglers, but nothing like what you just went through.”

“Okay,” Taehyung eyes the way you visibly frown as one of the women tries talking to you about the roles the men and women accomplish day by day, and he tries not to laugh. 

The more of these “chores” she goes through, the more it’s sounding like they want to turn you into a 1950s housewife. And she might be all too content to sweep the post apocalyptic dust around the store so it can settle into another corner for the next day, but you certainly are not!

And why is Taehyung smiling at you?! “Okay, I’ll be right back.” Taehyung gives you a hug, and touches your cheek softly, looking into your eyes like he’s about to kiss you.

And then he kisses you. 

What. You close your eyes and just go with it, trying not to look too surprised or too awkward.

And then he bends down and kisses your stomach, smiling, before giving you one last kiss on your forehead. “Just wait and remember to let them come to you,” he whispers against your temple.

Eh? Did Taehyung just Peeta you? You get he’s trying to protect you, but you think you might actually murder him after this. You look around, grinning as wide as you can pretend to, seeing everyone’s surprised faces.

“Wait,” you tug on Taehyung’s sleeve. Actually, you really hate this, you don’t want him to leave you here! So much has changed since you last broke rule number three: never go out at night on your own. You hold his head in your hands. Somehow holding him like this, with your foreheads and noses touching, feels more intimate than when your lips touched.

“Please, be careful…for the baby,” you add. Taehyung nods, smiling. He hugs you tight and you’re both reluctant to let each other go.

If they had any doubts you and Taehyung were together, they didn’t anymore.

-

“So, you’re pregnant?” The woman makes an arch over her stomach with her arm, “Baby?”

“Yep,” you fake smile, holding your belly and inwardly groaning. 

You walk aimlessly around the store, most of the shelves are empty now, apart from things like a row of pastel phone cases, this plastic thing that you can’t figure out what its supposed to be, hmm, it seems collapsible, but even the smaller size doesn’t make sense to you! And, ironically, you find a row of baby powder. Damn, even in the apocalypse people don’t forget how bad it is for you.

There’s the older gentleman, two women, and one of their boyfriend’s who stays behind in the store. Just wait, y/n. Wait. Did Taehyung forget how impatient you are?

“Bathroom?” you ask.

“Oh, it’s outside but we can’t go now. Wait. Later. Outside,” the woman, whom you learn is named Jinyoung, says, hoping you understand.

You sigh, you could make a fuss, you know pregnant women and their bladders, but you really don’t want to pee in a bucket somewhere inside here to prove a point. You flick the crumpled remains of some food packaging, sifting through the junk. Everything is empty apart from what you found, which Jinyoung promptly grabs from your grasp. “Oh, no, no good,” Jinyoung speaks up, “baby powder causes cancer.” You smile at her, laughing awkwardly.

The couple seems preoccupied at least, you think, they are all looking at you, however. You catch their eyes peering at you every so often. You feel like a caged animal putting on a show. This is an act in a way. 

The store is pretty clean despite having been ransacked. You could try and run upstairs to the living quarters, but you had no idea what was waiting up there for you. The front door is indeed blocked. The glass windows look thick, probably won’t break unless you throw something really heavy at it, and even if you want to escape, you won’t destroy their home to do it. The old man is standing guard by the back door, blocking your only exit. Ugh. 

It’s been awhile, at least a couple of hours now. You listen to the women whisper to one another while you try not to run head first into the glass like that zombie woman just so you can escape this place and search for Taehyung and the others.

“I knew there had to be a reason why he was with her.”

“He’s a good man, watching over her. They really care about each other.”

“Because she’s carrying his child, obviously.”

“That’s exciting though. A small Taehyungie, She’s so lucky.”

“Yeah, that’s going to be more people to feed.”

“It’s going to be the most beautiful baby, oh! You know, if she survives.”

“She definitely won’t.”

Mmm don’t think murderous thoughts, y/n. It’s bad for “the baby.” ‘It’s been too long, they should be here by now,’ you think. ‘Ok, screw this plan,’ you think, finding something you thought you’d never see again: a jar of gochujang paste.

“Hey old man, please will you move and open the door, I need to leave.”

“It’s not safe to go out alone, young lady. Your boyfriend should be back soon, don’t worry.”

“Are you holding me prisoner?”

“Of course not,” he says, flabbergasted not only by your accusation but your ability to speak fluently, “but I also will not allow you to put yourself in danger under my watch. I know we are strangers to you, for now, but we should still look out for one another-”

“Let her go if she wants to go!” one of the women says.

“I appreciate you saved my life, I really do. So this is a courtesy to you, I’m protecting you, from me.”

“What is she saying? She doesn’t make any sense.”

Ugh. “I’m bitten. I got bitten, and I’m going to turn, so let me out!”

“What?!” 

You lift up your shirt, “I didn’t want to say anything before, not in front of my…partner. But see, I have to go! You’re in danger the longer I’m in here!” You show him a scar on your side, where you have strategically placed the dark red paste to look like a bleeding bite mark.

“Kill her!”

“Or just let me leave?!”

“Oh my god, can we save the baby?”

“She’s not even showing! What are we gonna save?”

The younger man runs up to you, chasing you through the aisles. “Just let me go outside, damn.”

“Your Korean is so good!” Jinyoung exclaims.

“Thank you,” you say, barely dodging the man’s fist.

Suddenly, there is a pounding on the door, scaring everyone into silence. “Open the door!” Jinyoung exclaims.

“There’s a code,” the man waits. The pounding gets louder and quicker, rattling the door.

“What if they are in trouble! Open it!” you yell.

“What if it’s those biters?! We can’t let them in!”

“Hello, did you forget about me?!” you whine.

“OPEN IT!”

“Please, hurry!”

The older man relents, unlocking the door. And in bursts-

“Jin!” you cry out.

“OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD.” Namjoon, Hoseok, and Yoongi are right behind him. Someone, you can’t tell if it’s Jinyoung or the other woman, screams. 

Namjoon holds out his knife, pointing it at the old man. “We’re not going to hurt you, we just came to get our friend.” You run towards the singers as fast as your legs can take you.

There is another reason why you broke into pairs, so you could save each other. Namjoon grabs you first, pulling you into a hug. 

“She’s bitten, stay away from her!”

You pull out the gochujang from your pack, “Oh, I lied, sorry, I just really wanted to leave.”

“But t-the bite-”

“Fooled you, didn’t I? It does look like blood if you dilute it enough.”

“Oh my god, you found this?!” Seokjin asks excitedly.

“Let’s go!” Yoongi grunts.

-

“Where’s Taehyung?!” You jog up to the leader. 

“We’re getting there,” he says. You haven’t stopped running since leaving the store. 

Finally you see that moppy headed menace, running towards your group. “Next time YOU wait!”

“But my plan worked, didn’t it?”

“You really just had to tell them I’m pregnant?”

“Hey, I was doing it to protect you! I didn’t know if they might hurt you because of who you were.” Taehyung says, and the irony is not lost on you.

“How did you get away from those men?”

“It was pretty easy, I just said I was bit-”

“No way, me too!”

“How much longer do we have to run? My legs hurt!” Seokjin yells.

“Pace yourselves because it’s gonna be a while,” Hoseok says.

“Next thing we look for are some better shoes,” you whine.

A zombie runs towards your group, and you use the opportunity to take out your frustrations of the night, piercing through the monster’s jaw and up. The blood goes all over your clothes. Now you look just as dirty as the day before. “I just took a bath. UGH.”

“Don’t upset the baby!” Taehyung laughs, running away from you.

“Oh, you’re gonna get it!” you run. You turn the corner and find Jungkook, Jimin and Dev waiting for you. The group is now all together again, running into the night.

“So, anything new happen? How's the weather?” you ask Dev.

“Those zombies that were following us are taken care of,” Hoseok speaks up.

“We might have more than zombies following us now,” Taehyung adds. “Like living zombies, what are those called again?” he jokes.

“We ran into people too!” Jungkook says, running past you with ease. 

“Yeah?”

“They’re trying to get to Jeju!”

“Jeju, why?” Namjoon asks

“They said that’s the place with no zombies.”

“How do they know?” you ask, intrigued.

“Well they don’t, but that’s what others have told them and they sound pretty convinced.”

“Any news that’s not a rumor?”

“Y/n is pregnant with my child!”

“Yeah, that’s just a lie.”

Taehyung then goes into all the details you’ve learned about Seoul.

“So, we just have to figure out how to not get shot, convince them to let us in, and hope our families are somewhere inside?”

“I don’t think they would shoot BTS.” you say, confident.

“And we have no idea if any other place, if Big Hit, is a safe area or not.” Jin asks.

“I mean, it could be?”

“The odds are not great, but it’s not horrible odds, aye!”

“We’re gonna die.”

“Ugh shut up, Dev. We’re in Hongcheon and we’re doing…okay. I even found gochujang!”

“I can’t have spicy food.”

“UGH DEV PLEASE. It’s not even that spicy!”

“Damn, if only we had meat,” Jungkook sighs.

“Shhh Shh don’t do this to me now, I am running on fumes, literally.” Jin says.

“I want K-BBQ. Please god don’t let me die until I can have K-BBQ again,” Jungkook wails.

“Why are you laughing, y/n?”

“Nothing, it’s a bad joke. You don’t wanna know…also what are the odds a zombie has eaten a person that has been recently caught on fire?”

“Y/n!”

“BAHAHA.”

---

You wake up crying again.

Even in the bright daylight, your tired bodies were fast asleep. You ran all night, finally finding a suitable house that didn’t smell like death, and hid yourselves inside. You look over at the sleeping bodies around you, reflexively counting each head. Wait, what? Someone is missing!

You see the final head, leaning against the open door frame, looking outside. You move quietly and make your way over to him. “Yoongi?”

“Go back to sleep.”

“You should go back to sleep, you look exhausted,” you whisper.

“It was hard to sleep.”

“If you’re worried about someone standing guard, I can stay here.”

“It’s too sunny to sleep now.”

You sigh, giving up arguing with the rapper, sitting in silence with him.

“Why were you crying?” he asks, curious.

“I don’t know,” you laugh. “Sometimes I can remember the dreams, but most of the time I can’t, I just know it was probably something horrible.”

Yoongi has noticed the way you cry in your sleep, shake and whimper until someone holds you, only then will you calm down a bit, so the members take turns making sure you always have someone next to you when you’re resting. “I was thinking, once we get you guys to Seoul, I might try to go to Jeju,” you say wistfully.

“What about the Embassy?” he asks.

“What are they gonna do if they are still even there? How would they get me out of the country? I’m…not as confident that my family is still around.” You give Yoongi a sad smile.

“What about your family here?” You tilt your head, surprised by his words. “You’re gonna leave us?” he asks.

You bite your lip in thought. “I don’t know.” With the way everything changes so quickly, you had no idea what to anticipate. There are so many things that could happen before you reach Seoul and then after, you can’t even begin to figure out your future. “Do you want me to stay?”

Yoongi stays quiet. With you forever, is the implication. “Jeju is nice, I might go to Jeju too,” he says, not looking at you.

You smile at the thought. It’s nice to imagine what a trip there would have been like before the world turned upside down. You hold out your palm to him. “I promise to forget,” you tease.

He puts his fingers in between yours, holding your hand. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he says, thumb making circles into your skin when you rest your head on his shoulder. It’s pretty outside, in its own special way, how the trees and vines have covered everything now, how everything that’s abandoned sits still and serene. There’s even flowers, sprouting in the most unlikely places.

“Jimin’s mad at me.”

“He’s mad at me too.”

“He’s not mad at you,” Yoongi sighs. “I think he’s in love with you.” You freeze. “And I think you should give him a chance-” he continues. 

“Yoongi. It’s not that I don’t want to give Jimin a chance– Do you really think he’s in love with me?”

“Yea-”

“And if I wasn’t the only woman here do you think he would still be ‘in love’ with me?” you frown.

“Is that why-”

“I just don’t know, Yoongi, I don’t know if I can believe that. I don’t know if he really believes it, or just wants it to be true because I…I am-”

“The only woman here?” Yoongi finishes for you. You hum.

“That’s why you kissed me, right? And Namjoon, nevermind.”

Yoongi stays quiet, until finally asking, “And what do you feel?”

“I can’t, I can’t, I’m scared,” you start to laugh despite your welling eyes. “We almost died, again, last night, how can I let myself fall in love, if something happens, how can I survive that? I can’t.”

“And here I thought you were fearless,” Yoongi smirks, wiping away a stray tear.

You snort. “I’ve never been more scared.”

“You are my family,” you say, answering his previous question. “You are everything I have left. That’s how I feel.”

“Even Dev?”

You laugh, “Yes, even him…maybe.”

Yoongi watches you smile. He understands your fear, he’s felt it, let it consume him, weigh him down until he’s stuck inside himself, frozen by that fear. But this kind of new world forces you to face your demons. You can try to hide, alone, too scared to go outside and too scared to move, but he’s learned hiding in bed under the covers won’t keep you safe, won’t keep the people you love safe either. 

“It’s scary to put yourself out there. It was scary even before the world went to shit.”

“So did you have someone, before?”

Yoongi shakes his head. “No, not really. I was always so damn busy, it was hard to have anything serious. I would go into the studio, work all day, losing track of everything else, I told myself I had plenty of time to settle down. Funny now that I think about it.”

“After?” Yoongi sighs. He looks like he’s in pain, in thought. You hold his hand a little tighter out of reflex. “I’m sorry.” You assume, like most everyone else, the person he cared about is gone.

“To be honest, I can’t believe we made it this far,” you laugh, changing the subject. “You’ve got to have some new songs about all of this. Some, survivor-you-can’t-stop-me type song you’ve got.”

“Writing lyrics is not on the top of my to-do list right now.”

“Mhmm, you’re just collecting pens because you like them, right?”

“I have a few raps,” Yoongi confesses. “No music, no way to make a beat even if I want to.” You make a silent note to try to find Yoongi some kind of an instrument. “Music is gone.” 

“That’s a good song title. But I have to disagree, it’s not gone. I think there are songs everywhere just waiting to be written. This moment? There’s a song,” you look out at the landscape. “Hear it?” You hum a tune you feel.

Yoongi laughs. “You sound like Namjoon.” Namjoon. You can’t think about him without thinking about what happened. How did that even happen?! It was like some horny demon possessed both of you. 

You thought it would be awkward afterwards, but it wasn’t. You put on the clothes you laid out, handed him one of the shirts you found and you laughed when he tripped over his pants leg. Namjoon shoved you playfully, knocking you onto the bed. He looked at you without shying away and told you to put on some pants in a way that sounded like, “I like seeing you without any pants,” and then you both walked outside and acted like nothing ever happened.

But for some reason you can’t act like that with Yoongi, his kisses are haunting you still, his touch is still burning across your lips when you remember (even though you promised him you wouldn’t). You never really got a real answer from him.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

You sit in comfortable silence. The others haven’t stirred awake yet, and you’re content to sit here with Yoongi until they do. You wonder about him, though. Is he happy you’re keeping him company or feeling burdened? Yet he hasn’t let go of your hand.

“You guys are close to one another, you and Joon,” Yoongi says in sort of a questioning way.

“Yeah, I guess. He takes on everyone’s burdens, even my own,” you sigh.

Yoongi nods. He should let go of you. You hum that tune again, looking outside, holding Yoongi’s hand tightly. Instead he clicks his tongue to the beat, making you laugh loudly. “Sorry, sorry.” You look back at the others who thankfully haven’t woken up from your outburst. “That’s good! So you can hear it too then, the song out there,” you joke.

He feels stuck, knowing his brothers want you, and knowing how it feels to kiss you, knowing how soft your lips are, and knowing he can’t kiss you again, he just can’t.

“You’re beautiful.”

You stop laughing.

Yoongi said it in English. 

When you know two languages, it’s hard to explain the differences in the words and how they make you feel. You’ve been called yeppeun. You’ve seen the word in textbooks, heard it in lyrics and Korean shows. 

But beautiful is what your first boyfriend called you right before he kissed you, what your childhood best friend called the butterfly that landed on your knee when you were playing together, what your mom said when she looked at you before you left the house on your first date, what your grandmother called you as a kid so many times when she consoled you and held you in her arms as you cried. “My beautiful girl.”

You’ve been speaking Korean for so long now. It just feels different being called beautiful. Beautiful is what you haven’t felt like in a long time...

“I’m sorry!” you pull away from Yoongi after surprising him with a kiss. 

Yoongi nods. He had wanted to kiss you in that moment so badly he hadn’t expected you would kiss him. It was too quick, it was barely a kiss. Is that really going to be his last kiss with you? “I can’t kiss you anymore.”

“I know, fuck, I’m sorry.” You pull away further, but can’t go far with Yoongi’s vice grip around your fingers.

“I can’t-”

“I’m sorr-”

“I’m sorry.” And he takes the opportunity to kiss you one last time, letting all his unspoken emotions flow through his lips, his tight embrace. He feels your soft lips one last time, he lets his fingertips run across your cheek, your neck, rolls his tongue inside his mouth just once more. He finally breaks away and lets his thumb run across your lip, just to feel one last time.

That should have been the end, yet your eyes start shining, glassy as tears start forming, and you close the gap between you again.

Until you hear something off in the distance. “Did you see that?”

Yoongi looks in the direction you’re studying. “No?” He looks for any sign of life or, well, animated death.

“I swear I saw something,” You both stand up, searching for any movement for a while until you give up. And now kissing Yoongi seems to be left in the past, another thing you can’t get back.

---

One last supply run in the city before you move again.

Everything is empty, this run is not looking very fruitful. You’ve gone to three restaurant already and have managed to find only one tiny can of edible food. You’ve just entered the fourth restaurant and it doesn’t look like this place has anything to offer either.

So far you haven’t encountered any undead, which is the only good thing about this run, until you hear a noise coming from the kitchen of a restaurant you, Jimin, Jungkook and Namjoon are currently searching through.

“Yo RM, come here.”

“What’s up? 

“I thought I heard something over there.”

You make your way through the kitchen. Everything is either gone or moldy. You sigh, “I don’t know if we’re gonna find anything here either.”

“This part of town seems completely empty.”

“What are we gonna do? We need to eat.” You go through another cabinet, finding nothing.

“We still have some food leftover. We can keep trying, stay here for a few more days and check the other streets.”

You nod. This restaurant looks like it specialized in fried chicken, the oil smells putrid now. What’s left in the freezer would probably kill you if you tried to eat it.

“Man, this sucks,” you wipe the sweat accumulating off your forehead.

“Can we do anything with this?”

“Flour? Mmm we could make the blandest pancakes you’ll ever eat,” you laugh.

Namjoon pouts. He pulls off his jacket. It’s safer to wear layers when out, but the days are getting hotter, and no aircon inside makes certain spaces really unbearable.

“You should keep that on,” you eye the way his muscles flex.

“I’m burning up.” You cover his forehead with your palm, checking his temperature. “Not like that-” and Namjoon uses a word you don’t understand.

“What does that mean?”

“Genius.” By the way Namjoon is smiling at you, you just know it means the opposite. “Ow!” he winces when you hit him, looking so accosted you start to giggle. Namjoon hugs you from behind, and the big towering giant he is decides to lift you off your feet, making you squeal.

“N-Namjoon, Y/n!” Jimin sounds scared.

The kitchen door opens. “Sorry to break up whatever this is, but it’s time to come out now and join the others. Oh, you know she was kissing Yoongi the other day, looks like I was right. You’ve got your own groupie whore.”

You knew you felt eyes on you. “Hey Minho.”

“Hey bitch.” He points a gun at you and Namjoon. 

Who the fuck gave this man a gun?

Minho ushers you both out into the eating area, where they are several men with various weapons all aimed at your friends. Minho is the only one with a gun, though.

“I told you I would make you regret choosing her,” he says to Namjoon, sneering at you.

Minho looks possibly even more buff than you remember.  “I made new friends,” he smirks. His new friends look very unfriendly. They lounge around, overly confident, looking amused by the situation. 

“Of course you did,” you grunt. He pushes Namjoon towards Jungkook and Jimin and separates you from the others. 

“I just needed to have been an idol, then you would have given it up, yeah?” he whispers in your ear, grabbing the knives from your pockets and throwing them on the ground.

You roll your eyes. “You’re following us? That’s not creepy at all.”

“Where are the others?” Minho asks Namjoon. He grabs the back of your neck and holds the gun to your temple when Namjoon doesn’t speak. “Where are they?”

“Searching the restaurant next door. We’re only staying a couple more days, then we’ll leave this city.”

“Still believe you can make it to Seoul, huh?”

“Just let us go.”

“We will, after you give us your backpacks. Hurry up now.” The three men glare at him but relent, handing the thieves their packs.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” you ask him.

“Nope,” Minho smirks. “Okay, you can leave now,” he points his gun at the leader.

“Wait, him too.” One of the men speaks up, pointing at Jimin.

“No. The deal was her.”

“Well the deal has changed, I want him too,” he eyes Jimin up and down. Namjoon and Jungkook instantly hide Jimin with their bodies.

You struggle in Minho’s hold. “Minho, what are you doing? What deal did you make with them?!”

Minho stares at Jimin. “Anyone else but him.”

The man looks between the singers. “He’s the prettiest, I want him.”

Minho pauses. Even if he wanted to hurt Namjoon, he still felt a sense to protect Jimin. It had been his job for so many years, and then it had been his decision to keep protecting the singers even after his position wasn’t official any longer. You, he didn’t care about you. But Jimin, deep down, he still cared about him. He couldn’t let something horrible happen to him, not when Minho could stop it.

Minho exhales exasperatedly. “Not him,” he says, pointing the gun at the thief.

“Minho, come on now, you and I both know there’s no bullets in that gun.” What? You elbow Minho in the stomach, running towards the kitchen when he doubles over in pain.

“Grab her!” one of the thieves yells.

Namjoon punches one of the men too distracted by you. Jungkook lunges for your knives on the ground and unleashes all the pent up fury he’s felt on the unlucky few who had tried to hold down the singer. Namjoon and Jimin exchange looks with Minho.

They charge the thieves.

---

“Leave me alone!” You swing a pan in the thief’s face as he swings his knife and both metal pieces clang together. You fall hard on the kitchen tile as he lunges at you. There’s more men, all armed, all coming for you, and the only weapon you have is a stupid pan!

-

You feel like you’re hyperventilating, trapped in such a small space. You bang on the door, crying. It finally opens and someone is shoved inside with you. He’s cut, bruised, thoroughly beat up.

“Piss off your new friends?”

“Not really, we’re going to finish what we started, yeah?”

“Touch me and I'll kill you.”

“I would like to see you try.”

“What happened? They didn’t take Jimin, did they?!” you ask, horrified.

“No, they escaped,” Minho grunts, thumb running over his cut lip.

“Oh. Good,” you say, relieved.

Minho laughs. “And you? Did you forget you’re their prisoner? They are going to do whatever they want to you?”

“If the others escaped, they’ll come for me.”

“You’ve got them whipped for you, must be really good pussy.”

“Ugh, maybe I’m more to them than just a hole, you fuck?”

“You really think they would give you a second glance under normal circumstances?”

“No! I don’t!” you scream. God, he pisses you off. “I thought you would have, that’s why I kissed you! Big mistake that fucking was.”

“So what, you kissed me because you thought I would lower my standards for you?” he jabs. 

Oh, this fucker! He says that like he wasn’t flirting with you for months on end before you kissed him. “You know what?” you cross your arms, “Yeah, I did, Minho. I thought maybe, just maybe, it would be nice to try and have something more with you so we wouldn’t have to, you know, die alone in an apocalypse. But then you ended up being the most vile despicable jackass-”

Minho throws your body against the door, arm pressed against your throat. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! This is all your fault! You ruined everything!”

The door opens just in time for you to catch in oxygen before you pass out. “Will you two shut the hell up! Take her to my room,” he says to one of his men, “Minho, you had your turn, now it’s mine.” It’s that thief, the one who wanted Jimin, the one who seems to be in charge. You scream until the wind is kicked out of you. “Don’t hit her face.”

You crumble inward, trying to cover your body from their kicks until one lifts you up, carrying you over his shoulder while you scream and cry.

-

Shit, the windows are boarded up. The bed, like everything in this building, looks disgusting. Everything else, you notice grimacing, is barren, like this room only had one purpose.

The door slides open.

“Okay girl, we can do this the hard way or the easy way.”

“I’m not easy.” You move to the furthest corner, pressing yourself up against the filing cabinet. You just had to wait, you are an expert at waiting, you tell yourself. You can do this, whatever happens, you can move past this, you tell yourself. Horrible things happen to you all the time, you’re just gonna have to add this to the tally.

“Good, I prefer the hard way.”

Please, god, let them find you soon.

You’ve met men like this before, men that think you owe them something just because you’re a woman. “Smile more,” men who think your body is for their eyes, created for their hands and their mouths and their-

You bite down on his hand, digging your nails into his face. He hits you, hard, but not hard enough to knock you out thankfully. He’s not that kind of man, at least, you think bitterly. He is the kind of man who has no qualms making you know how much stronger he is than you, making it hurt, wants you pretty but also will give you a black eye for daring to go against him. There’s so many men like that now. You feel lucky knowing you have men around you that don’t act like that.

You scream again.

---

Jungkook leaps up the stairs, taking two at a time. He’s in the lead. He’s always been fast, but this time, after months of running from monsters, and an insane amount of stamina, he’s like lightning.

This office building is small, but there are so many floors, and they’ve already cleared the first two without finding you. But Jungkook has a suspicion the men he’s searching for are on the top floor, so he trusts his gut and he races to find you.

Jungkook is the first to open the door to a group full of men surprised to have a visitor. He stays in the stair well, he’s not crazy enough to run in there alone yet, since the others haven’t caught up to him. He still has to keep a level head, let them come to him, let him knock each one of those bastards out. He grabs another and throws him over his back and down the stairs where his brothers are about to arrive.

Maybe Jungkook is a little crazy at this point, he throws someone over the railing into the open space between stairwells and the man screams as he falls five flights down, body clanging onto metal as his bones break. Jungkook uses his arms to defend from knives and gets his jacket and skin sliced in the process, yet he keeps on swinging while blood drips down his fists. Yeah, Jungkook is a bit crazed, but he has good reason to be as he hears you scream again for help.

He runs inside once he has his brothers behind him. He runs towards the sound of your screaming, knocking away anyone who gets in his way. He feels his restraint slipping, he feels like he might enjoy killing whoever is hurting you. It’s already been too long, your voice sounds small and broken. He throws his full weight into the locked door, knocking into the wood with his shoulder until the lock busts.

“Don’t even think about it.” You have a knife to your neck, your body shielding the man who has you captive, just another way he’s found to use your body. “Let me go and I won’t kill her.”

“Let her go or I will kill you.” The fighting has stopped. It’s clear to both men who won as Namjoon and Seokjin arrive to help Jungkook. The man holds onto you a bit tighter, he realizes he might be the only one left and by the look in his eyes he’s planning on surviving until the very end. He shuffles your bodies closer to the door, closer to his escape.

It’s an achingly slow pace as he makes sure no one can attack him from behind. He looks at the bodies of his men on the ground, realizing just how dangerous this group of yours is, he should have never made a deal with that damn Minho, he should have let him fight his own battles, now he’s standing in a graveyard of his own men.

You pass by each member and you can’t make eye contact, you let your tears silently fall, let your body be pulled in hopes it will all be over soon. He finally makes it to the stairwell, relieved. “Give me your word you won’t follow me and I’ll let you have her.”

“Fine,” Namjoon speaks for the group.

He presses his knife into your neck. “That doesn’t sound too convincing.”

Suddenly, his grip lessens. He drops his knife and, finally, you can get away. You turn around and see his surprised wide eyes. You feel just as shocked as he looks when he makes a gurgling noise instead of speaking.

And suddenly Dev’s equally shocked face pops up from behind the man’s shoulder.

He had been too scared to enter the office room, but looks like he hadn’t been too scared to stab the man holding you in the back of the neck. “I did it. I killed him,” he says, equally excited and petrified as the man falls onto the ground.

You look at him in shock. “Yeah.”

---

“He’s bleeding!”

“Taehyung, no…”

“Shit, I’ve never been stabbed before, this hurts.” Taehyung winces.

“Oh god, how do we stop the bleeding,” Jimin asks, panic rising in hiss voice.

Namjoon answers, “There’s one way, we have to burn it with something hot. Find a small knife-” 

“I’m going to be stabbed twice?!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to, like, stitch it, with a needle or something?” Taehyung grimaces, the thought of being sewn together without any pain medicine is making him feel sick.

“What about the internal bleeding?”

“Oh god.”

“You’re going to be fine, your body just needs to heal...someone start a fire!”

“OH GOD.”

“Jungkook, I’m fine, go help them,” you tell him. Jungkook doesn’t believe you are fine at all. Your eye is swollen, your shirt is missing buttons, your neck is bruised and who knows what else he can’t see is bruised. 

“You’re bleeding too?!”

“Oh,” Hoseok winces, clutching his side. “Yeah, it’s not as bad as Taehyung.” Except it does look as bad as Taehyung’s wound. Hoseok's whole left side is covered in blood. You start to cry again, feeling responsible. 

Jin is the one who cauterizes the wounds. Namjoon and Jungkook holds the members down. Hoseoks passes out but Taehyung somehow stays conscious, screaming bloody murder the entire time. It’s going to be another memory that will have you up at night, crying and shaking when you remember his shrieking. This safe house you’re in has a fair amount of supplies and an excessive amount of alcohol. They use it to sanitize the wounds as best they can. 

“You helped us escape. I’m not going to kill you,” Namjoon tells Minho, who sits on the floor, hands duct taped.

“I’m going to kill him!” Jungkook yells.

“No, you won’t,” Namjoon says, calming the youngest down. He turns to Minho. “What do you know about this place? Is there a pharmacy around.” He stays defiantly silent. “Minho!” The leader looks ready to kill, even after his promise not to.

“They won’t be anything left.”

“We have to try, let’s go. Get up!” He yanks the former bodyguard up.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” Jungkook says to you. “I’ll look for something for you too,” he says, so softly. You just nod, worried if you were to open your mouth you might start wailing.

Jin is left with Jimin and Yoongi to take care of the two wounded members and you. “I’m so sorry,” you cry, holding onto Taehyung’s hand. 

“This isn’t your fault, don’t blame yourself. You’ve saved me more times than I can remember, I’m sorry we didn’t find you sooner,” he winces.

Jimin holds Taehyung’s other hand. “You’re going to get better, don’t worry, and then you’ll have a cool scar.” Jin and Yoongi are tending to Hoseok who thankfully hasn’t woken up from the pain yet. Yoongi brushes the hair out of Hoseok’s face, cleaning up the blood he finds on his skin. He’s meticulous and careful about it. Jin asks you if you want help cleaning the blood off you too. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Let him help you,” Jimin says.

“We can do it later, I don’t want to be…touched right now.” You mumble. 

“Were you-”

“Don’t push her right now, Jin.” Jimin speaks up for you. 

Jimin holds out his free hand to you, letting you take it if you want. You do. He makes you feel grounded and safe. And you feel small and weak and tired at the same time. You lie down next to Taehyung, bringing your knees into your body, you hug yourself into his side, crying.

Jimin mirrors your actions, resting for now. As long as he holds both your hands, and he can keep an eye on both of you, he can allow himself to relax and recover just for the moment.

Seokjin rubs his face, exhausted. Yet his body still feels wound up and anxious, he can’t relax just yet. He works to clean the space of death. He drags the bodies left inside and heaves them over the railing, creating a pile of corpses at the bottom, hoping it will become a deterrent for any other hostile strangers and then works to make food for when you all wake up, doing what he can to help. He tries to remain positive, he tells himself it could have been so much worse. 

“There was no penicillin. Nothing, not even Tylenol.”

You wake up hearing Namjoon’s voice but keep your eyes closed as the men talk. “And Hoseok has a fever,” Yoongi says.

“I’ve searched this place from top to bottom, they have enough liquor to drown a regiment and no damn medicine,” Jin says.

You stand up on shaky legs. “ I know where we might find medicine.”

---

“Maybe they’re not there.”

“No, there’s a code for knocking, I don’t know it.”

“Hey, we know you’re in there. Please open the door. We need your help, please! We’ll give you anything.”

You hear the door click, and you see the weary faces of the group you left. You explain to them the situation, hoping they have some medicine to trade you or at least know where you might find some medicine. “I have something that could help.” The woman who isn’t Jinyoung holds up half a bottle of pills. “This is amoxicillin I found a while ago.”

“We’ll trade you anything for it.”

The woman thinks for a bit and finally decides. “Seokjin.”

“WHAT?!”

“Just for the night.”

“WHAT?!”

“Fine. yeah, I’ll do it.”

“Wait a fucking a minute, no!” Her boyfriend speaks up. “Honey, are you crazy?!” He turns to your group. “You have food, don’t you? Give us that instead.”

“And Seokjin!”

“Have you lost your mind?!”

“Honey, stay out of this?”

“You’re really going to cheat on me?”

“Oh please, don’t act like you have been soo faithful to me! Before our city was attacked you would come home past midnight almost every night!”

“I was with my coworkers!!”

“Yeah, with Eunji, right? That slut you worked with!!”

You turn to Namjoon, Yoongi and Seokjin while the couple continues to argue, saying “That’s not enough medicine for both of them…”

“It’s better than nothing.”

“There is a house four blocks from here. A pharmacist used to live there. There might the medicine you’re looking for there,” Jinyoung speaks up. “I c-can take you!” She says, her face turning red.

“Okay, Namjoon, you and Yoongi go with her, and I’ll stay here with y/n and…get the other medicine.”

“Seokjin, y-you don’t have to do this,” you say incredulously. Namjoon and Yoongi agree.

“Stop. Yes I do! If this can save them, I will.” Seokjin glares at the three of you, already making up his mind.

Seokjin looks so serious. He looks angry, yet determined. He is putting on a brave face, you want to cry for him. “Jin…” 

“It’s okay, y/n.” He turns to the group. “Yeah, okay, deal. Food and me.” 

“I’ll help you look for the medicine too,” Jinyoung’s boyfriend says, looking over at the idols wearily.

“Hey young lady, I have something for your eye.” The old man says. You sit waiting, once more, in this store, waiting for Namjoon and Yoongi to return, for Jin and that horrible women to be done with whatever she is doing to him upstairs, waiting and hoping Taehyung and Hoseok are okay.

“It’s alright.” You sit with your knees pulled in, much less in the mood to talk than before, sick to your stomach, body aching. The four of you were so beaten and bruised, it’s taken you a couple days to find this place again, what if you get back and it’s already too late?

“I don’t expect anything in return for it, it’s in good faith, I promise you.”

You start to cry, your head buried in your knees.

He sighs, puts his hands on his knees to stand up and moves towards you hesitantly. “Look up for me.” He puts on some antiseptic gel from a tube that looks almost empty, carefully applying the gel to the cuts and bruises around your eye.

“Thank you,” you mumble.

“I’m happy to help.”

Waiting for Seokjin to come downstairs feels like an eternity. The boyfriend sits in the corner away from you, completely dejected. You wish you had some kind words to give him, but you have nothing nice left to say, after everything you’ve went through.

Jin enters first, walking silently over to you and sitting down. The distance between you feels so far away. He’s clutching the bottle of pills so tightly the tips of his fingers are red.

You glare at the women when she finally comes downstairs. What the hell is wrong with her? How could she take advantage of the situation like that? How could she use Seokjin like that, what kind of fan is she?!

You move your body slightly so from where she’s sitting, now next to her miserable boyfriend, she can’t see Seokjin. You want to protect him from her. Just thinking about what she could have done to him makes you want to rip out her eyes, makes you think about what was done to you. She deserves the same fate as that man. 

You haven’t looked at Jin. You know if you do, and see his expression, see your own self in his eyes, you might really try to kill her. 

Namjoon and Yoongi come back looking accomplished and put you in hopeful spirits. You say goodbye one last time to the group. You hug Jinyoung, thanking her. Yoongi and Namjoon hug her goodbye too and she turns an even brighter shade of red, smiling happily and clutching a book to her chest, a medicinal plant book she found in the pharmacist's house that she shyly asked the rappers to sign when they were waking back to the store. They happily obliged, grateful because they found just what they were looking for thanks to her.

-

“Have you ever given someone a shot before?” you ask wearily.

“There’s a first time for everything,” Jin mumbles. The penicillin bottle has a few doses, so they decide to split it evenly amongst both members. The pills are being saved if they need more medicine.

Jungkook pulls you aside. “They found Tylenol for you and I found this if you need it.” He hands you a few Tylenol and another box of pills. You’ve never seen those Korean characters together. You ask him, “what is it?”

“It’s a pill to take if you, um, if you need it, if so, so they won’t be any pregnancies if you take it,” he stutters.

You nod, taking the Tylenol and pocketing the pills and glancing over to Jin who seems to be diligently looking over Taehyung and Hoseok, a hard frown etched across his face.

“I’m ready for help, if you want to help me. I can ask Namjoon, if you’re not feeling up to it anymore,” you ask Jin. Jin stands up, happy to do something to take his mind off things.

You didn’t want to go into any of the rooms on the top floor, so you and Seokjin walk quietly one flight down.

This office space looks like it used to be full of computers, there’s electrical pieces littered around the floor like someone came and used each one for target practice. You both sit in two beaten up office chairs. “I’ve never bathed myself with alcohol before,” you mutter, bemused. Pulling off your jacket. You notice there’s already bruises forming on your arms. 

Seokjin works to clean off the dried blood from your neck where the knife was pressed. “I’m sorry,” Seokjin says, looking over the bruises.

“I’m sorry too,” you say, trying to catch his eyes, but he won’t look up. “I wish I could take a shower, wash everything away.”

“Yeah,” Seokjin agrees. His eyes start to water, worrying you.

“Do you want a hug?” You ask. He nods. The plastic pieces crunch under your shoes as you move closer, hugging him gently, letting him decide if he wants more. He wraps his arms around you, hugging you tightly and you bite your tongue to keep yourself from yelping when he touches a bruise on your back. He pulls you into his lap. You feel safe and held together in his embrace. And Seokjin feels the chaos inside him finally settling. 

You were both taken advantage of differently, but in that moment it didn’t matter, you both felt the same kind of anger and injustice, for yourselves, and for one another. And in that moment you both just wanted to be held by someone you loved, hoping to erase the touches left by those before. 

You watch Jin break down the door to the break room inside this office. It only takes him three hits with his shoulder. You rush forward, your knife raised, worried you’ll find a monster inside. No monsters, only-“No way.”

“That’s a lot of ramen.”

You and Jin look at each other smiling. There’s enough snacks for days! This discovery might not equal all the pain you’ve both endured, but it was a nice shift, it only takes the slightest push to turn things around. Jin is smiling again now and that is worth celebrating. You make a silent promise to yourself that you’ll bring some to Jinyoung and the old man before leaving Hongcheon. Goodness still needs to be rewarded. Happiness still needs to be celebrated.

---

Looks like Taehyung and Hoseok are in the bottom of the poll. I decided readers will have more input into the story this way. Yoongi seems like a fan favorite (for now) so I hope you enjoyed his relationship progression with y/n, and poor Taehyung and Hoseok, well, I’ll let readers decide, what might happen next chapter? Go vote!

[clumsy-jiminie]

ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟʏ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱ | ᴘᴊᴍ | ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴ

❝ ᴀ ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ ❞

↣ summary :: Kiara Smith had dreamed of true love for as long as she could remember. from being obsessed with the Disney princesses who found affection in the strangest situations to dressing up as a bride from kindergarten to fourth grade. it was the only thing she ever truly desired, so much so that a pleasant smile and kind eyes could have her smitten in seconds. right when she thought she found the one, a chance encounter with Park Jimin—the city’s famously perfect fuck boy with a smile so warm and a heart of ice—has her feeling quite the opposite. he knocks her off her axis and derails her life as she knows it, yet the universe seems to have another plan for the two.

↣ rating :: 18+

↣ genre :: fluff, angst, smut, e2l, slow burn

↣ pairing :: business owner!jimin x fem!artist!oc ft. taehyung

↣ word count :: 6.9k

↣ chapter warnings :: mature language, smut - unprotected sex, creampie, on the phone while being intimate, ⚠️ verbal abuse, manipulating tactics ⚠️, angst without resolve, heavy alcohol consumption, public intoxication, BIKER!JK ( a warning in itself bc 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 )

↣ notes :: she's a little late because I may have forgotten to schedule her 😅 but this chapter is a doozy and the seeds are GROWING

↣ next :: previous :: series m.list ↢

if you have any questions, comments, or concerns PLEASE don't hesitate to message me or send me an ask! my inbox is always open. 💖

"you're perfectly wrong for me, and that's why it's is so hard to leave."

- perfectly wrong, shawn mendez -

"Babe!?" Kiara called out as she put a sparkly earring through her lobe. She had heard the door open and shut, but there was no answer. The dark-haired woman stepped out of her bedroom and into the living room, seeing as Taehyung pulled off his coat with a heavy sigh. She pouted her burgundy-painted lips. "What's wrong?"

"Work was just more tiring than usual today," he quietly said as he removed his coat. He loosened the black tie around his neck, not even glancing at Kiara as he walked past her to the kitchen.

Kiara's shoulders dropped as she followed after him. A weird feeling overtook her as she watched him lazily push through the items in the fridge. "Too tired for date night?" She asked quietly, hiding some of her body behind the archway.

Taehyung's head perked up, shutting the fridge before turning to face the shy girl. He gestured for her to move from the shadows so he could see her fully. Kiara always had a pretty face and knew exactly how to do her makeup to accentuate her features without doing too much. But Taehyung's favorite part of her was her body. As she stepped into his view—adorned in a glittering baby pink dress that clung to her curves and silver accessories that popped against golden skin in the dim lighting—he could feel the blood rushing to her lower regions. She was thick in all the right areas—a busty top with wide hips and thighs that not even air could escape between to support her ass. He was in love. She looked like something out of a wet dream.

Taehyung curled his finger, beckoning her to come closer. She obeyed silently, suddenly feeling shy under his gaze. Once Kiara was close enough, he took her hand and spun her around to see the whole picture. Her straightened midnight locks flowed with her. He loved it when her hair was straight. "Fuck, darling," he smirked as he bit down on his lower lip. Her cheeks flushed with color as she playfully hit his chest with her free hand. He placed a hand on her waist, holding her close. "You look absolutely stunning."

The girl blushed as if Taehyung didn't compliment her all the time. She knew he would love this dress. He wasn't like most boyfriends who would tell their girlfriends to cover up if they wore something too tight or too short. It seemed as if Taehyung couldn't keep his hands off her whenever it was time to dress up. Kiara adored the attention, even if it consisted of inappropriately timed ass grabs.

"Thank you, babe," she smiled as her hands ran up his chest until they reached his shoulders, where they wrapped around his neck. 

He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers and filling any gap that they had. Taehyung wasted no time exploring her body with his large hands. He squeezed her ass, using the grip to press Kiara further into him. She let out a soft moan, feeling his erection pressing into her stomach. The kiss grew deeper and needier as they continued. The warmth from between her legs began to spread throughout her body. Kiara was close to telling him to take her on one of the counters.

"Taehyung," she mumbled while trying to break the kiss, but he kept leaning in to reattach his lips to hers. She couldn't help but smile against his lips. The need for affection made her feel warm inside. She tried to pull away again, leaning further back before he could attack. "We're gonna be late for our reservation if we keep going," she giggled. Someone had to be the sensible one; more times than not, it was Kiara.

Taehyung groaned softly, leaning in to press kisses against her neck. She inhaled softly, gripping his shirt tightly enough that the fabric wrinkled between her fingers. "We can be a little late, can't we?"

Kiara bit down on her lower lip to hold back her moans while allowing her to focus on her thoughts. Her brain was growing hazy with arousal. Logic was on the brink of fleeting—too many feelings combined with too many thoughts all at once. "I mean," she drawled out. Before she could finish her sentence, Taehyung bent down a little to pick her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. She squealed softly from the sudden surprise. "Taehyung!"

A mischievous grin formed on his lips as he locked eyes with the girl. "What?" He asked innocently.

Kiara's eyes narrowed at him momentarily before a smile cracked on her lips. "What do you think you're doing?"

Taehyung began to walk, following the familiar path to their bedroom. "I don't know what you're talking about, darling."

"I think you're a liar."

Taehyung smirked, throwing Kiara onto the bed after they entered the room. She landed on the plush mattress with a giggle. Her short dress slid up her thick thighs, giving him the slightest peek of the lacy black panties she wore. She gazed at the man, watching him take off his belt and toss it. "Me? A liar?" He parted her thighs with his knee before fitting himself between her legs. Her hovered over her, eyes filled with desire. "Never," he said lowly before kissing her again.

Kiara hummed with delight, accepting defeat as her body overtook her mind. Damn, that man for knowing how to kiss so well, his lips convincing her with every movement to skip another date night and just stay in bed all day. He pulled away, leaving a trail of affection down to the sweetheart neckline of her dress, where her breast spilled out of the tight fabric. She arched into his mouth, physically begging for more as he reached down to inch her dress up more.

Her once-shut eyes shot open, "Wait!" His fingers froze at the sound of her voice as he peered up at her from the valley between her breasts. "I don't wanna mess up my hair," she said quietly with a slight pout.

"Then I guess you better get on top."

In one swift motion, Taehyung flipped their positions. Kiara landed on his abdomen briefly before sliding back. She undid his pants and pulled his clothing down enough for his cock to spring out. The girl inhaled deeply, never getting tired of looking at the sight. Though she was in a rush, she couldn't resist to slide her tongue against the underside of his length. He sucked in harshly through his teeth. Satisfied, she repositioned herself, hovering over the man's abdomen once again. She leaned back and wrapped her fingers around his erection, causing him to inhale sharply as she stroked him slowly.

He placed his hands on her thighs, letting out a low groan as he stared up at her. "Don't tease me."

She smirked as she released him. She pushed up the material of her dress to rest over her hips, exposing the lingerie that was supposed to be for tonight. Taehyung reached out and pulled the material to the side, exposing her heat to the air. She glided his tip against her wet slits before guiding the man into her, lowering herself down as they both let out a slow sigh.

Taehyung hissed with pleasure as he became encased in her walls. After he gave her a moment to adjust, he began to roll his hips back and forth. Kiara placed her hand on him, pushing his button-down shirt up just enough to rest her palm against his tanned abdomen. He penetrated every delicious inch of himself into her as she leaned forward, meeting his thrusts with a pleasant smacking sound. 

Taehyung watched Kiara's face as she lost herself in the pleasure. His eyes quickly darted to her chest, watching as her breast bounced in the constricted material. It took everything in him not to lean forward and free them of their limitations, but he'll make a mental note for later. Instead, he reached around to her ass, gripping at the flesh as he guided her up and down his member. She loved how he felt inside of her, making her increase speed.

The brunette suddenly got an idea, reaching around for his phone.

"What's the name of that restaurant?" He groaned, his thrusts lessening in power as he tried to focus.

"W-What?" Kiara stammered. She opened her eyes as she looked down at the man below her. Her hips started to slow as she tried to de-fog the sex-crazed haze over her mind.

Taehyung suddenly raised his hand and promptly slapped the girl's ass, causing her to moan as she resumed some of the pace from before. He used one hand to guide her while the other tapped away on his screen. "Give me the name of the restaurant."

She bit down on her lower lip while her eyes shut again. Focusing was incredibly hard when someone was currently massaging your walls. "N-Nomiya."

He guided her down his length, taking him fully inside her velvety walls, causing his tip to press into her cervix. She let out a soft squeak while a shiver of delight splashed over her. She opened her eyes as his hips finally seized. Taehyung was such a sight to see. Sweat beaded along his forehead, causing his dark waves to stick to his skin. His once prim and proper button-down shirt somehow opened in the heat of the moment, exposing his tan skin flushed with red in the low light of their room. His lips were structured and plump with desire. He looked like a model while tapping against his phone screen several times. She bit down on her lower lip, swirling her hips in a circle and grinding against him absentmindedly.

Was it possible to come from only someone's face?

He suddenly handed the device, ripping her from her thoughts. "Push back the reservation."

"Right now?!"

"Right now. It's ringing."

Panic overtook her system for a second, causing her walls to tighten around him involuntarily. He moaned right before she heard a faint hello from the phone. She quickly grabbed the device from Taehyung and put it to her ear.

"Um, hi. My name is Kiara, and I have a reservation for—" A soft moan slipped past her lips as Taehyung decided to resume his thrusts. A mischievous smirk played on his lips, mouthing a petty 'sorry' as he grabbed her hips with both hands. Kiara narrowed her eyes at him, desperately trying to swallow her sounds of pleasure.

"Ma'am? Hello?"

She cleared her throat, acting as if nothing was happening. As if Taehyung wasn't ramming into her. "Yes, sorry about that. I have a reservation for 6, and I was wondering if I could push it back to—" Taehyung's large hand made contact with her ass again, causing the woman to inhale through her teeth. She used his abdomen as support, hanging her head a little as she tried to collect herself. "Push it back to 7," she breathed. She felt an incredible and familiar pressure growing between her legs. 

Taehyung watched as the woman on top of him tried to keep it together, driving him wild from the sight alone. Her flushed face, her slipping dress, how her nails dug into his skin as some sort of anchor. He wondered if the person on the opposite end could listen to the sounds of their love. He wondered if they could hear the sticky, slapping sounds of their bodies hitting against each other. As he bit down on his lip, his hand trailed to the front of her abdomen. 

"I'm sorry, ma'am, our next table won't be available until 8:30. Is that alright with you?"

"8:30? Yes, that perf—" A gasp stole the last syllable of her sentence as Taehyung's thumb circled her swollen clitoris. Her eyes rolled back as she tilted her head back. She covered her mouth with her free hand, trying to muffle the breathy moans that were escaping. He increased the pace of his digit, causing the pressure between her legs to grow as well. He briefly felt her walls constrict around him, knowing what would come soon.

"Alright, thank you!" Kiara quickly hung up the phone right as her body soared over the edge. She came hard, throbbing around Taehyung's member. His hips slowed for a moment, letting her ride out her orgasm. His hands slid up her body, stopping at her breast, where he squeezed them.

"Reservations for 8:30, right?" Taehyung asked, and she nodded in response. He rested his hands on Kiara's waist, pulling her down to lay on his chest. He flipped them over as she steadied her breathing so Kiara was lying underneath him. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "You'll have enough time to fix your hair then."

Her eyes grew wide as he started drilling into her again. Their lips met once again, sharing needy kisses and muffling moans as he pushed her thighs back towards the bed, giving himself maximum access to her heat. When he pulled away, he leaned back so he could watch as her body bounced.

Kiara shut her eyes as if to lessen the immense pleasure she was receiving. "T-Taehyung," she whimpered. The pleasure built up in her body again as shivers of delight danced against her skin. "Fuck!" His thrusts were hard and deep, hitting her spot repeatedly. Her face twisted with pleasure. Her amber eyes looking up at him helplessly filled her. Her legs began to tremble, causing him to raise an eyebrow while a smirk played on his lips. 

"You gonna cum for me again?"

The woman couldn't even form words, only being able to nod her head quickly as another wave of pleasure crashed over her. Taehyung leaned over her once again as his hips remained in the same rhythm. His face hid in her neck as she wrapped her arms around him, fingers entangling in his damp hair. The pulsing of her walls around him neared him to his orgasm. His rhythm grew sloppy. He pushed his length fully into her one last time as he succumbed to his climax.

After a minute of heavy breathing between the two, Taehyung slowly pulled himself out of her. Kiara felt the mixture of their fluids leak out of her and onto their comforter. She tried to regulate her breathing, watching him stand up and walk towards the bathroom. The dopamine coursing through her veins left her glued to the covers. He returned from the bathroom with a towel, tossing it to the girl before lying beside her. 

"You fucked up my hair," she murmured.

Taehyung looked at the girl, leaning in to kiss her cheek, "I think you look great."

Surprisingly, Taehyung and Kiara made it to the restaurant on time. After a few showers and touch-ups, they were walking hand in hand into the discreet entrance of Nomiya. The two were practically glowing, giggling, and holding each other tightly as the maitre'd led them to their table. Taehyung pulled out the chair for Kiara, and she slid into her seat gracefully. He sat across from her in a booth connected to the wall.

The restaurant was modern, with wooden accents sprinkled throughout. Large industrial half windows let light in while keeping the dining area private. They chose a dark color scheme with warm lighting to make the room feel spacious. It was pretty classy for an establishment attached to a shopping mall and, from the menu, right up the couple's alley.

The two engaged in conversation and flirty banter until Taehyung became engrossed in his phone. Kiara was used to it. Even though the man was a king at small talk, long-term and deep conversations drained him. And those types of conversations were Kiara's strong point. She didn't care much about the how are you or how's the weather; she wanted to know the nitty gritty about someone. The ins and outs, what made them tick, what made them smile. Things that were worthwhile. 

Kiara glanced over the menu in the comfortable silence, wondering why the waiter hadn't yet swung around to take their order. The reviews she read online showed that the wait staff here was top-tier and super friendly. Taehyung didn't seem to care about the woman's growling stomach, happily tapping away and laughing at the lit screen in his hands. So, she took it upon herself to get the waitress' attention. She walked over with a tired smile on her face.

"Hi, how may I help you?" She asked.

Kiara offered the woman a smile. "Yes, I believe we're ready to order."

The waitress's eyes widen briefly. "Oh, um," she took a little tablet from her apron, "you didn't want to wait until the rest of your party was here?"

Kiara's brows squished together, glancing at Taehyung briefly as she let out an awkward chuckle. "Um, no? The whole party is already here?"

Maybe it's been a long night for her. After all, the restaurant had been decently packed, parties of two or more surrounding them with smiles and laughs. Maybe she confused their table with another's.

Taehyung suddenly lifted his head, standing to his feet. He began to wave his hand in the air with a broad, boxy grin on his face. Kiara watched the man, blinking rapidly before turning to see what excited him. 

Her heart dropped.

Blonde hair styled to expose his forehead, dressed in an all-black outfit—from his blazer to the t-shirt underneath and his slacks to his shiny oxfords—and strutting over to their table like a model on a runway was none other than Park Jimin. The walking sin. He was smiling, beaming at the man she called boyfriend. Kiara quickly turned around and stared up at Taehyung. Once their eyes connected, his smile shrunk to a shy one.

Soon, Jimin was at their table, giving Taehyung a long hug before looking at Kiara. Their eyes met briefly, her jaw clenching when he very obviously gazed at her exposed cleavage.

"I'm so happy you made it!" Taehyung grinned as he sat down, finally rejoining Kiara at the table. "Did you bring someone?"

Jimin nodded, gesturing to the woman who suddenly appeared next to him. Kiara must not have noticed the person following behind him until now. "Everyone, this is Izzy. Izzy, this is my good friend Taehyung and his girlfriend Kiara."

Kiara awkwardly waved at the woman as she sat next to her. She was drop-dead gorgeous—slim, tall with legs that went on for days, a natural blonde. The woman looked like she just hopped off a Sports Illustrated magazine cover. She wore a simple, long-sleeved, black mini dress and heels, matching her date.

Cute, the dark-haired woman thought.

Kiara and Taehyung could never, no matter how much she yearned to.

"So what are we eating?" Jimin asked after sitting down. He picked up the menu and started to look over it.

"I'll give you a few minutes," the waitress said before leaving. Taehyung leaned towards Jimin, suggesting various options.

"Taehyung," Kiara said sharply despite the forced smile on her lips. Taehyung slowly peered at her through narrowed lids, like she was interrupting something important. "Can I talk to you outside for a second?" She stood up and walked towards the exit, not checking if the man was following her. She opened the sizeable black-tinted glass door and took a few steps from the entrance. 

"What's up?" Taehyung asked once he joined her. He tried to ignore how the winter breeze nipped at his skin through his dress shirt. 

"What's up?" Kiara repeated, brows drawn together as she looked up at the man. Her blood boiled, heat spreading outward to the very ends of her fingertips. Who needed a coat when you could run off the heat of pure anger? "Why the fuck is he here?" She paid close attention to her volume and tone. It was a Saturday night at peak time, and people surrounded them. The last thing she wanted was a scene.

Taehyung tilted his head slightly as his lips pulled down into a frown. "I invited him?"

"On date night?!"

The man shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see the problem with having a double date."

Kiara blinked at him, staring for a few seconds before letting out a scoff. She folded her arms over her chest as she glanced away from him. "You've got to be fucking kidding me, Taehyung. You know damn well this wasn't supposed to be a double date!"

Taehyung's jaw clenched as he looked down at the girl. "Watch your fucking tone." His voice had grown severe, chilling Kiara to her core. She hated it when he used her favorite thing as a weapon. "Jimin wanted to hang out tonight. I said I had plans, and he asked to come. It's as simple as that."

"But why would you agree?" Her voice had softened slowly, like a flame losing its source of oxygen. "Like, aren't we supposed to have one-on-one time?" She could feel herself shrinking like she always does. She looked up at him, amber eyes meeting dark, cold ones.

"Oh my god," he drawled out. He rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. "We have one on one time all the fucking time, Kiara. We go grocery shopping. We watch movies. We even fucking read together. You're gonna tell me I'm a bad fucking person because I wanna hang out with my friend?" As he started getting louder, Kiara's arms lowered from her chest to wrap around her midsection. She couldn't look at him; she didn't want to see that face with pinched features or eyes that resembled the dead. She opted to stare down at the ground instead. It was always the safest option. She felt the sadness creep up her throat, silencing her because tears would flow like waterfalls if she even made a croak. 

"Get over yourself, Kiara, honestly." Her heart dropped again, feeling like it should be a permanent residence there. Tears stung her eyes, threatening her with further embarrassment. She knew people were definitely staring now, looking at her like she was a zoo animal—locked in a cage with eyes full of pity tracking her every move. "The world doesn't revolve around you, and I sure as hell am not gonna act like it does."

He turned around swiftly, not caring for the reactions surrounding him. Once he reached the door, he paused for a second. "Maybe Jimin was right." She looked at him out of curiosity, almost instantly regretting it once she met his eyes. She had hoped, for once, he looked remorseful, like he pitied her. But instead, he looked over his shoulder with that look. The one that made her feel smaller than a field mouse. The one that made her question if his I love you's were genuine. The one that ripped every ounce of confidence she had from her soul. 

"You are selfish."

She cracked and desperately tried to keep herself from spilling onto the pavement.

As he walked back inside, leaving her to battle the cold, she felt like someone had just stabbed the 24-year-old woman in the chest. She looked around, watching as people narrowly avoided her gaze. Her bottom lip quivered. Kiara inhaled deeply before exhaling shakily. She refused to cry in public, surrounded by sympathetic eyes but no brave souls to spring into action. That was typical for New York, though. Everyone had their own story with little time to read others. 

Am I really just overreacting?

She wondered when and where she went wrong. Was it how she said it? Should she have waited until after dinner? She hoped the cold would give her some clarity, but all it left her with was red-stained skin and a runny nose.

All Kiara wanted was a sweet night with her boyfriend, and she did everything in her power to ensure so. From the makeup to the restaurant, everything that she had picked was to make sure he had a good night. They had a good night. They only went out to eat occasionally, and Kiara did all the planning every time they did. She was meticulous, and it always took a lot of energy. The woman just wanted him to see that, to appreciate it. Was she wrong?

She used her thumb knuckles to pat the area under her eye dry gently. Kiara sighed softly, picking up the pieces of her Taehyung left sprawled over the ground before walking back inside. She rejoined the table, not that anyone noticed.

For the rest of the night, she sat at the table, silent as the two men across from her caught up as if they hadn't seen each other in weeks. They laughed as if they'd been together for years. They even shared each other's entrees to see if the other would like it. She was surprised Taehyung didn't just feed the man with his own utensils. It felt like she was third-wheeling a double date and paired up with a friend she didn't get along with. This wasn't to say Izzy was bad; she was an sweetheart and embodied the word entirely. She politely offered small talk, even telling a boys will be boys joke when Taehyung and Jimin got too loud, hoping to lighten the sour expression on Kiara's face.

But boys will not be boys.

Boys don't act like Park Jimin and try to infiltrate every aspect of Kiara's life as she knew it.

None of these feelings would've happened if that blonde hadn't arrived. Taehyung and her would have their regular date if he had never approached her. Because Park Jimin wouldn't have existed to him. Just a thing of the past. A memory ever so slowly fading.

Kiara had to order a bottle of wine to keep herself from wanting to slam her head against the table repeatedly. Since no one else decided to have a glass, she managed to drink at least 3/4ths of the bottle herself. It wasn't her best choice of the night, but the 24-year-old needed alcohol if she was going to be around Jimin for prolonged periods. At this rate, she'll have an alcohol use disorder in no time.

The red wine made her numb and quiet like it usually did. The world around her dulled and melted together until there were just blobs of color floating around space. Nothing around her existed, and she liked it like that. She was in her own little bubble where people became brushstrokes, and noises became low hums. At some point, the tan splotch with a dark top emerged and walked away from the table. A pinkish line with pale yellow strokes around it also left. And then there were just two.

Kiara played around with the piece of paper that once covered a straw, folding it as many times as possible.

"This is a nice restaurant, don't you think?"

She hated how his voice could cut through her little world like a steak knife through softened butter—words wrapped within a smooth velvet, purposefully seductive and laced with poison.

"I know," she spat, harsh tones slitting through the fabric of his voice. "I was the one who picked it."

"Woah there," she didn't have to look at him to see the grin on his plump lips. She knew it was there. Why wouldn't it be? His smugness was becoming predictable. "Someone's being a little hostile, hm?"

She looked at him, amber eyes set ablaze through narrowed lids. "Shut the fuck up, Jimin. You shouldn't even fucking be here."

The grin on his face dropped as his eyes went wide. He placed a hand on his chest while he gasped. "For your information, I was invited."

"You intruded," she said slowly, ensuring he heard every syllable. "You knew he had plans, and you invited yourself like a fucking loser."

"He wanted me to come!" Jimin's brows pinched together.

"Yeah, aight," Kiara scoffed. Jimin would never tire of hearing that abrasive accent trapped in that honeyed tone. It was pleasant on the ears. "At least you're having a good time with your fucking date."

"Oh, Izzy is a doll. Love the girl to pieces."

Her gaze remained unchanged. "No, dipshit, I fucking meant Taehyung."

He tilted his head to the side to match his playful smile. "Do you know any word besides fucking?"

"Do you know how to mind your fucking business?" She quipped, mirroring his actions.

"Guess that's a no," Jimin chuckled lightly. Kiara sighed deeply, chugging the rest of the crimson liquid in her glass. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're becoming a bit of an alcoholic, aren't you?"

Kiara almost slammed the glass on the table, hands like cinderblocks, as she forced herself to grab the bottle. "And you're to blame." She stared directly into Jimin's eyes, noticing the grey-colored contacts that hid his natural color. If eyes were the window to the soul, he had the curtains closed right now. Maybe she would've held back more if she saw the concern swirling in his dark irises. "Ever since you waltzed into my life, it seems like alcohol is the only thing that makes you tolerable." She poured the remainder of the bottle into her glass, sucking her teeth at the empty container. A full bottle of wine, and she still wasn't drunk enough to deal with Park Jimin.

Her words sunk deeply into Jimin, causing him to chew on his lower lip. This Kiara wasn't fun. When she drank herself into nothing but a shell, he couldn't help but feel bad. He never wanted to be the cause of someone's addiction. He leaned back, remaining quiet until Taehyung returned to the table. The man resumed conversation with Jimin as if he couldn't see how out of it Kiara was. It seemed to be all the blonde could notice. She finished the rest of her wine rather quickly, parting her lips enough for a sigh to pass through. Her eyes danced around the room, looking at anything and anyone that wasn't Taehyung. Water lined her golden irises, constantly threatening to spill but never doing so.

Guilt. Was that the feeling that was weighing down Jimin's chest? Did he take things too far? But she deserved it, right? She deserved the troubles and hardships for choosing the easy life. Right? Kiara sniffled as she reached for her eye, gently tugging at the sensitive skin and blinking her tears away.

Taehyung didn't notice.

Jimin did.

"Hey," Jimin interrupted whatever rant Taehyung was going on about, glancing at his dark-haired friend. He gave the man a small smile; that's all he could offer without seeming too fake. "This was fun, but Izzy is getting pretty tired. Right, Iz?"

The blonde woman stared at her phone, tapping away at the screen. "Yeah, I'm exhausted," she said without an ounce of sincerity.

Jimin had to stop himself from glaring at the woman. He loved the girl, but she was an ass at times. "We're gonna call it a night. Thank you again for inviting us."

Kiara let out a loud scoff, uncharacteristically unfazed by the glare she received from Taehyung. The wooden pattern on the table seemed more interesting than his anger. 

"It was no problem, honestly." Taehyung grinned at Jimin as the blonde and his date stood up. "I'll see you around?"

Jimin nodded with a faint smile. "Yeah, definitely." He turned his gaze to Kiara, biting down on his lip briefly. "Bye, Kiara."

"Fuck off."

Izzy tried but failed horribly to hide her laughter. Jimin sighed, knowing she would say something sassy, but it was worth a shot anyway. Taehyung narrowed his eyes once again at the foul-mouthed girl. It was a dramatic flip from how he looked at her during game night. He looked like he couldn't stand the sight of her, and it was frightening. Deciding it was best not to stay any longer, the couple left. He'll send Taehyung some money later tonight to cover his half of the tab.

After the couple left, Taehyung didn't waste a second expressing his disdain towards the girl. "You're such a fucking embarrassment, you know that right?"

Kiara let out a deep sigh as she leaned back into her chair. She knew this was coming based on their fight from earlier. Taehyung had barely paid attention to her for a reason. She expected to get an earful on the way home or once they were in the comfort of their living room. Taehyung lashing out at the girl in public was a first for her, especially with people surrounding them.

"All fucking night, you've been acting like a spoiled brat who didn't get her way."

She looked away from him, catching the waitress' attention as she raised her hand. "Check, please!" 

Kiara blowing him off with ease made Taehyung's blood boil further. He slammed his large hands down on the wooden surface, causing all the utensils and dishes to shake. As he intended, it caught her attention. Her eyes lazily looked up at him, still unbothered by the manchild's actions. But her eyes weren't the only ones peering at him. Neighboring couples and families glanced out of the corner of their eyes. They paused conversations to observe the drama that was unexpectedly unraveling quietly.

"You will not make a fool of me, Kiara Smith." His jaw clenched, and she could practically see the vein on his forehead throbbing. Tan skin turned to a deep red, and all she could do was raise a brow in challenge.

"Looks like you've already done so, Kim Taehyung."

Taehyung shot up from his seat, shifting the table as he did so. The last thing she saw were his eyes, filled with hatred she didn't know he could possess—not while looking at her. He left the restaurant, leaving a trail of silence behind him. Kiara sighed deeply, sitting up in her seat. She knew she should've stopped. The woman knew she shouldn't have poked the bear since he had attacked for less. But she couldn't find the energy to care. She couldn't find the energy to worry about the concerned eyes that stared at her as she gave the waitress her card. It was all for show anyway, knowing as soon as she left, they would go back to loving each other as if none of this had happened.

She left the waitress a hefty tip, around $150. The woman was technically dipping into her future home funds, but that was an argument for another day. Every damn thing was an argument.

She gathered her things and slowly stood up, trying to ensure she didn't stumble in her heels, but she did so anyway. Kiara used the table to balance herself before taking a deep breath. There was no need to embarrass herself further by falling in this establishment. She was sure people already saw her as a trainwreck. She and Taehyung fought as much as any average couple did, and in a few days, this would all be water under the bridge, and they would be back to their usual loving selves.

When she reached outside, the cold winter air did nothing to cool down her warm body as she wobbled around to her car. Or where her car should be. She stood in an empty parking spot, brows furrowed with her hands on her hips as she glanced around. Her vehicle was highly noticeable, so even if she was in the wrong spot, she should've been able to see it in the parking lot. She huffed quietly, pulling her phone out of her purse as she returned to the pavement. She called her significant other, and it went straight to voicemail, as usual. She sighed deeply, swaying her weight from one heel to the other as she placed her phone to her ear.

“Sup loser,” said Jeongguk. He answered after the first ring like he always did. He wasn't munching on food this time, but she could faintly hear the sounds of power-ups going off and catchphrases.

"Heeeeey," she drawled out, making Jeongguk chuckle.

"Someone's fucked up."

"Just a little," the girl grinned, her eyes catching a bench nearby. She wouldn't stand in five-inch heels if she didn't have to. "Do you happen to be anywhere on or near Long Island right now?" Her words slurred, causing Jeongguk to pause the game he was playing.

"Um, no, I'm not." He answered, concern slowing growing in his deep tone. "Why?"

"OK, so, hilarious story. Hear me out," Kiara plopped down on the cold metal bench. "Taehyung kinda sorta took my car and left me at the restaurant with no way home."

There was silence on the other end of her phone. Her face scrunched a little as she pulled the device away from her ear to make sure she didn't accidentally hang up. She returned the phone to her ear, hearing intense rustling and shuffling.

"Helloooooo?"

"Stay right fucking there, Ki." His deep voice managed to lower an octave, making her heart race. "Don't move a god-damned inch."

"OK!" She sounded awfully chipper, not realizing the weight of the situation as she swung her legs like a child.

"I swear to god, I don't understand how you're still with this dipshit."

Kiara pouted her lips as if the other could see. "Stoooop, we're gonna get married Kookie!"

Jeongguk released a deep sigh, hoping to calm himself down a little. "Stop saying that. No husband would leave their wife outside, with no way home," there was a short pause, "at fucking midnight!?" So much for calming himself down. "Ki, you better pray I don't catch this asshole on the street."

"Kookie," she whined, the pout still fully formed on her lips. "I love him. Please be nice. We're just fighting right now."

"No fucking excuse, drop your location right now."

Kiara huffed as she did what she was told. The GPS said the ETA was about 45 minutes, and Jeongguk made it there in half the time. The risk of getting tickets for speeding and lane splitting was all worth it when he arrived. He found Kiara sitting on a bench, shivering slightly but smiling widely at him as if she wasn't in the proper clothing to be outside.

They were in what New York would call the 'Third Winter', where the air is just as harsh as the middle of January, despite being the first week of April. He sighed deeply, pulling his leather coat off of her body. He walked over to her, "C'mere," he said as he helped her into the jacket. It wasn't much, but she wore a flimsy, practically see-through cardigan over her dress.

"Kookieeee!" She looked up at the man with a never-ending smile on her lips. "You came!"

"You called," he sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips afterward. Whether close or far, day or night, if Kiara called for him, he would be there for her in a heartbeat. "Now come on." He helped the grinning girl stand up, catching her when she stumbled into him. He should've brought a pair of pants as well. How could Taehyung let her walk out of the house in a dress this short, then leave her in the cold? "We're gonna stop by your house and pick up some clothes, OK?"

Kiara was the only other person he'd let ride on his bike, so he had gotten her a helmet, which she customized herself. He preferred to keep his minimal, allowing the shiny black paint to speak for itself. On the other hand, Kiara painted wavy lines of her favorite colors with cute stickers. It was her in a nutshell, and she could do whatever she wanted to it as long as it was going on her head. With that said, he put her helmet on while she giggled, glazed eyes meeting his sober ones. He was too annoyed to find this moment adorable. He helped onto the bike before getting on himself. She felt his arms lazily wrap around his waist as he started the vehicle.

"You're gonna stay at my place for a few."

"Yay! Sleepover!"

Jeongguk couldn't help but smile. Whenever she got drunk, she would always become the baby of the group—eyes big and filled with amazement at the world around her, wondering body, and absolute lack of coordination. She was the cutest, especially when she smiled. Taehyung was going to ruin her. He was going to destroy every ounce of life she had by the end of this relationship.

They stopped at her house, and luckily enough, Taehyung wasn't there. He must've been sucking the universe's dick because if Jeongguk had seen him, he would've made sure his face made contact with the pavement. After years of having to deal with this man and this shit excuse of a relationship, he would've beaten him to a pulp. He grabbed their hideaway key and went inside to pack her a quick bag and some clothing to throw on over her dress. 

Afterward, Jeongguk drove them back to his apartment in the city. He made sure to drive extra carefully as he felt Kiara's grip loosened when they were about halfway there. He parked his bike on the side of the street before glancing back at the woman behind him, confirming his suspicions as Kiara barely had enough energy to open her eyes. She used most of her energy to stay up on the ride there.

He didn't even bother asking if she could walk. He crouched down to the ground, encouraging Kiara to hop on. She did so happily, allowing him to carry her upstairs to his apartment. He put her in his bed, tucking her in before taking the space on the couch.

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[azucarmorena97]

Money Ties (Jungkook Love Story || Pt.3)

Pt.2 || Pt.4

Your parents have worked hard to get to the top and have made sure to teach you everything you need to know to be successful in this business: from tough but lucrative financial decisions, down to the right ball gown for any given banquet. A promising and extravagant future awaits you- that is, if you agree to one teensy detail...

Son of Mr.Jeon Sr. and heir to June Company, Jeon Jungkook is an immature playboy with nothing to offer a woman but good looks and a crap ton of money, and he stands to inherit much MUCH more, so long as you both enter into the arranged marriage contract that was drawn up before the pair of you were even born.

You're more than willing to try, but you're not sure you'll be able to stand each other long enough to inherit a single penny...

Series Warnings: There will be smut in the near future and I will label those chapters as such. As I say before most of my pieces- I do not endorse any themes, ideas, or behaviors in this series. This is all purely fiction/fantasy! Feel free to inbox me suggestions/ideas/what you'd like to see in this series and I'll see what I can do! Enjoy <3

Recap: "I hope you know you didn't ruin anything. My husband and I feel very strongly, even more so now, that you're the perfect fit fr our family." Your heartbeat picks up in your chest; you were sure you blew your chance to bits, but here she is, offering it all on a silver platter for you.

On your way back to your suite, you try calling your dad three different times, and each time the calls go straight to voicemail. For the most part, you've gotten used to getting his voicemail and can even recite it word for word- but right now, him being here for you is crucial. Even though your mom couldn't make the time to actually be here, at least she shows she cares, even if it is through blowing up your phone every hour; at least it's something. She even helped pick out the gifts for the Jeons: gold cuff links for Mr.Jeon, a lovely pair of jade earrings for Mrs.Jeon, and a silver chain with a medallion fo Jungkook. All your life, your dad said he couldn't wait to be there for when you would finally sign the agreement that they'd spent years tailoring and planning, only to cancel last minute because of work. Well, if he wants to leave you out in the cold to figure this out by yourself, then you're gonna do it your way.

Once inside the suite, you peel off the pretty little outfit you'd carefully put together for tea and toss it onto the bed, switching into a pair of baggy sweats and an oversized sweater, and the warmest socks you packed. You're finally going to dive into the manila envelope. You plop yourself into bed and take out everything, ignoring the initial feeling of being overwhelmed at the sight of the busy papers, looking past the legal jargon to find the bare bones of it all. In a matter of twenty minutes, you're completely locked in; you highlight, circle, annotate, even cross out some parts. You slowly realize how little your parents are settling for in this "partnership", as your dad likes to call it. According to this contract, their precious daughter is only worth 15% of the 'Jeon Empire', while Jeon Jungkook will be the majority owner of June Company, including hotels, restaurants, as well as owning shares in your parents' company and other smaller endeavors. Well, that just won't do. If you're going to be committing yourself to a marriage, it's for the long haul. All of your adolescent and teenage years were spent avoiding boys like the plague for fear of getting too attached and ruining your parents' dream for your life. Even your college years have been all about work and climbing up the ladder to get to this point- 15% is horse shit.

After three agonizingly long hours, the contract looks like a Frankensteined version of itself; torn apart and put back together. You hold it up in triumph- you almost want to take a picture just for the memories. "Proud of you," B/f/n says through a loud yawn. You had to call her about an hour in for moral support. "No, don't be tired. You can't be tired. It's still early!" "Hun, it's 3AM here." "Oh right..." You sigh, stuffing the contract back in the envelope, "I forgot about the time difference... ugh, I'm just so bored here. I have nothing to do." "Girl, you're at a whole luxurious hotel, all expenses paid- if I were you, I'd be doing a spa day, visiting the restaurants, drinking up all their liquor- you just don't like being alone." You roll your eyes. She's right, of course, but you're not gonna give her any validation. "I guess I'll just try to get some sleep...I have a big day tomorrow." "What time are you meeting them?" "We're meeting for brunch at 11." "First it was 'high tea' and now Brunch," She echoes with a sleepy smile, "How classy." You roll your eyes, "Good night, B/f/n," You laugh. She waves lazily and then you hang up the phone. "Well, since this is an all expenses paid hotel..." You bite your lip and look over at the door, "...I'm gonna go use their copier."

AT 6AM, your alarm goes off scaring you violently awake. It had taken you hours to finally fall asleep in the first place. You'd tried to close your eyes after your face time, but ended up tossing and turning until 2AM. This jet lag is something else. Or maybe it was stress for today; I mean, you are preparing to sign a contract to marry a man you hardly know (and also kinda hate), which was essentially created when you weren't even a thought in your parents' mind yet, which will, in turn, lead to lifelong stability for you and your family as well as further growth for your family's businesses so everything is kind of on your shoulders and will all fall apart if you don't do your respective part- oh God, you might have a panic attack and you haven't even gotten out of bed yet.

You speed through your morning routine so that you can look over your edits again, though as soon as you sit down, your phone begins to buzz with all your incoming notifications. You scroll through, ignoring some texts, answering a few emails- and then you come across one from your dad from an hour ago. You take a sip of your coffee as you open up the message and, when you do, you almost spit the coffee out against the pretty clean white hotel wall. Staring at you is the "finalized contract" (or so it's entitled) that your dad made 'edits' on for you to print out and sign. You look over the entire thing and with every sentence you read, you feel the anger rising in you. The "edits" he made didn't even make the deal that much better for you, not to mention, how can your dad flake on you in regards to coming on this trip, ignore your calls and texts, but still have the nerve to send me this shitty contract at the asscrack of dawn on the DAY OF the supposed signing? Fuck that. You're gonna send them your draft and your parents can cry about it. You're done doing things their way. You open up your laptop and quickly go to your saved files, opening up YOUR finalized version that you'd scanned and re-typed. You cue it up in a message and type in Mr. and Mrs.Jeon's email addresses, along with their lawyer's email. For a moment, you hesitate, letting the mouse hover over the 'send' button, but then you count how many times your parents have made you feel completely alone in just the duration of this trip, plus every time you've had to make yourself small for others to be big- "Fuck it." You hit send and then close your laptop to put your outfit together for brunch.

Brunch is held on the balcony at their hotel restaurant, Juniper. The vibe is definitely upper class, and you see it's bustling with guests. "Hello, Miss; will you be dining alone?" The hostess asks. You shake your head, "No, actually- I'm with the Jeon party." Her eyes widen for a second before she bows, "Oh yes, Ms.L/n, allow me to show you to your table. You smile and bow in return, feeling slightly embarrassed that she clearly felt the urge to kiss your ass a little extra just for being associated with the Jeons. She leads you around the corner to a wall of windows, much like the ones on the roof top when you'd gone for tea. As she opens the double doors, you see Mr. and Mrs.Jeon sat at a table straight ahead, Jungkook's back facing you. Your heart starts beating rapidly in your chest; it's happening. This is it. The entire ride here, you were psyching yourself up saying you'd be confident and strong and that if they didn't like the changes you'd made to the contract, they could kiss your ass- but right now, you feel your legs might turn to Jello. "Y/n!" Mrs.Jeon calls out excitedly, getting out of her seat and running over to you. Mr.Jeon and Jungkook look over in your direction; one giving you a big smile and the other...with a rather unreadable expression on his face. You smile and bow, "Good morning everyone." She politely dismisses the hostess and guides you to the table, where Mr.Jeon and Jungkook are standing to greet you. "Annyeonghasimnikka," You bow again. "So polite, isn't she Jungkook?" Mr.Jeon says, lightly hitting Jungkook's shoulder. You bow slightly, "Hello, Jungkook." He nods, "Hey." "Please, sit," Mrs.Jeon says. You immediately notice that Mr.Jeon is wearing the cuff links you'd gotten him, and Mrs.Jeon is wearing the earrings; Jungkook seemed to be the only one not wearing his gift. Figures. "We haven't ordered just yet so you have some time to think about what you want." "Oh that's okay, I'll take whatever you recommend." "Oh, I love that. I'm getting you my favorite- the praline french toast is so good paired with the fritata and...the eggs benedict with salmong." "Sounds good," You laugh, finding it endearing how excited she is. You wonder if she ever chews Jungkook out like your mom does to you You spend most of the time talking to Mr. and Mrs.Jeon; basic chit chat about life, how the food was, and other pleasantries- until Mr.Jeon receives a call and excuses himself from the table for a moment. Then, Mrs.Jeon says she wants to check in with the chef about something really quickly, leaving you and Jungkook at the table alone. You take a sip on your mimosa and then turn to him, "How are you, Jungkook?" He straightens up a bit and clears his throat, "I'm fine. How about yourself?" "I'm good...I- I'm hopeful that today's meeting goes well." He nods slowly, seeming deeply pensive about what you've said, "Well, it should be quite lucrative for you if it does." His tone is almost bitter-sounding. You furrow your brows, not liking how he's making it seem that you'd be the only one benefiting. "Well, according to the contract, it should be quite beneficial for the both of us, wouldn't you say?" "Oh, please. What are pennies to bills," He scoffs. "I mean, considering you can't even get a penny of mommy and daddy's money unless you get married, I'd say we're in the same boat," You lean back, deciding you're done with the niceties. He wants to be a jerk? Two can play. He glares at you, knowing you're right but, of course, refusing to admit it. "Don't you ever get tired?" "Of what?" He asks, face scrunching in annoyance. "Of the stick up your ass?" You smirk, crossing one leg over the other as your swirl your glass from the stem. "This whole thing is fucked and you know it," He says, throwing himself against the backrest of the chair in defeat. You nod slowly and thoughtfully, "Maybe, but as I always says, 'Anything worth having is worth fighting for.'" He rolls his eyes, "Whatever."

"Sorry, Kids. I just had to get that done before I forgot. Is your father still not back yet?" Mrs.Jeon asks, sitting back down at the table and looking around. "No, I guess he's still on the call," You say, "He sounds like my dad." Mrs.Jeon laughs, "Well, birds of a feather flock together." "I'm sorry everyone- Y/n, I just got off the phone with your father. Goodness, it's such a shame he couldn't come," Mr.Jeon says, a big smile on his face as he sits down. "You- you spoke to my dad?" "I sure did. I'd called him this morning about the finalized contract he'd sent me last night but he didn't get back to me until now since he was on the golf course." It takes everything in you to keep your eye from twitching. The golf course. Priorities. You plaster a fake smile on your face and clear your throat, "Actually, Mr.Jeon, the one he sent you is not the finalized version." He looks up confused, "No?" You shake your head and reach into your purse for the crisp new manila envelope, "I had to make some edits of my own." They all look at each other and then back at you, "Oh- alright," Mr.Jeon takes the envelope and he and Mrs.Jeon look over it together. You can practically see the gears in their heads turning, meanwhile, Jungkook is looking at you with his eyes narrowed wondering what it is you're up to. "Y/n," Mr.Jeon laughs nervously, "This is...substantially more than what your father and I had previously discussed." You nod, "Oh yes. 40% more, to be exact." "Mhm..." Mr.Jeon hands the paper to Mrs.Jeon who continues reading. "I believe the 15% we'd originally agreed upon was quite generous as even a fraction of the money we receive from the various businesses would be quite a profit for you." You purse your lips as you listen, trying your best to be as respectful as possible, "Yes, that's true. It would be quite a lot, however, I think it's reasonable to divide assets 50/50 between spouses, seeing as how I'll not only be a part of June Company itself but also be behind the scenes as a wife. Not to mention, when I have kids, there is no longer incentive for Jungkook to stay married to me, is there?" Mr.Jeon looks at his wife, who is looking back at him with the same concerned expression. "Y/n, our motivation for having you marry our son isn't to...produce an heir," Mr.Jeon says, "It's to help him mature and give him something to work for." "Dad, I don't need to get married to mature. I'm capable and I'm ready to run the company. Please, just let me show-" "You shut your mouth. With all the debt you've gotten me in with your incessant partying, the charges in property damage-" Mr.Jeon's face is turning more and more red, while Jungkook just looks away. He's completely quiet as he his father continues hurling criticisms and but Mrs.Jeon puts her hand on his chest to keep him from saying any more. "Mr.Jeon, I want to be able to help all of you- but I think both I and Jungkook are sacrificing a lot, and a large portion of that sacrifice is on yours and my parents' behalf. He and I will both be turning our lives around for the sake of our families. I just want to make sure we're both getting what we need from this." Jungkook turns slowly to look at you, his expression softening, along with his father's. Mr.Jeon is silent for a little while. "I understand if this is something you and your family cannot get behind and if that's the case, we can rip up this contract and put it all behind us, no harm done- but if you all want this as much as we do, these are my conditions," You say as gently as possible. You glance at Jungkook, whose eyes are fixed on you- causing for you to quickly look back at Mr. and Mrs.Jeon. "Well...I think we'll need some time to think this over. I'll have my lawyer look this over and we'll let you know what we've decided by tonight. How's that sound?" Mr.Jeon asks, giving you a tired smile. You nod, "That sounds just fine, Mr.Jeon. Take all the time you need."

You grab your bag and stand up and everyone else follows suit, "I had a lovely brunch. Thank you so much for putting it together for us to have this meeting." You turn to Jungkook, "I hope we're able to move forward together," You say with a bow and, for the first time, he bows in return. "Please have a good rest of your day," Mrs.Jeon says, stepping forward and hugging you goodbye. "And as always, please let us know if you need anything," Mr.Jeon says with a genuine expression. You nod, "I will."

Of course, not two hours since your brunch with the Jeons, and your dad was already blowing up your phone. How interesting the way that works, isn't it? Your dad only calls when you don't do things exactly as he asks. You sent every single call to voicemail until they stopped coming in altogether- though he'll most likely call right before bed. You'd spent the rest of the day out and about near the hotel; something you thought you wouldn't get a chance to do this time around. It helped to get your mind off things for a minute. You'd even gone to a cute little cafe and answered some of your work emails (you can't ever completely disconnect, though it doesn't hurt to at least have a change of scenery).

By the time you come back to your suite, it's already 8PM, though of course you're not even a bit tired, so you decide to bother B/f/n for a bit. "Mm...hello?" "Hello," You practically sing into the phone, "did I wake you?" "Mhm..." "Well, wake up- I gotta tell you what happened today." "Y/n, look, I promise I'm interested but I do not have the mental capacity to receive any new information right now..." "You're no fun." "Hey, I already told you, you have other options for entertainment." "The spa's closed right now, I've already gone to the eateries inside this hotel, I've used the free wifi and even the copier. I've done everything, there's nothing left, B/f/n," You whine. "Not everything..." She says, sleepily eyeing you. You instantly know whatb she means and you violently shake your head. "Nope. Uh-uh. I am NOT getting a drink by myself." "Oh come on, if you wear one of those skimpy little dresses you packed, I promise you won't be alone for long." You narrow your eyes at her, "How do you know I packed skimpy dresses?" "You just told me," She smirks. How does she do that? "And what am I supposed to do if a man walks up to me and offers me a drink thinking he's gonna get some?" "Oh come on, you're not even engaged yet. Live a little." You roll your eyes, "Clearly, you're very sleep deprived and that's why you're talking crazy. Call me when you're rested." "Sounds like a plan," She says before abruptly hanging up the call.

You sit and look over at your suitcase, contemplating your next move... "I guess a drink won't hurt."

The hotel bar is nicely tucked away on the first floor, a small ways away from the lobby. It's decorated with gold trim and pretty golden flowers along the cherry-wood walls. The vibe is definitely dark and sultry- you suppose you dressed appropriately: off the shoulder a-line mini dress and some simple strappy heels. You put a lot of effort into looking effortless tonight. It's not as packed as you expected, though it's definitely not empty; people are sat at various tables, holding conversations, the occasional stray laugh reaching your ears over the soft music. You'd hyped yourself up before coming down, saying you weren't gonna worry about who was or wasn't looking at you; you were just going down to have a drink and then go right back up- but when you realize the room is full of mostly men, you hesitate to take a seat. "Welcome in- can I get you anything, Miss?" The bartender, a kind-looking older gentleman, asks when he sees the lost puppy look on your face. "I-uhm, yes. I'll take an espresso martini, please?" "Of course." You set your clutch down on the bar and then take a seat. "Meeting anyone?" The bartender asks. You laugh sheepishly, "No, just...wanted to get out of my room." "I suppose that's a good thing," He says. You furrow your brows, wondering if he's gonna take the opportunity to be creepy, "And why is that?" "Because that young man over there has been watching you since you walked in," He says, nodding behind you. Your heart flutters a bit, and you feel flattered by the possibility of someone actually checking you out.

You turn slowly to where he'd nodded and scan for a moment before finally seeing him. How did I not notice him before? "That's the hotel owner's son, you know," The bartender adds. Jungkook's expression is a bit unreadable, but he's definitely looking at you. His eyes are completely fixed. You turn around quickly and bite your lip. You can't leave now, he'll know it was because of him and you can't stand the idea of him feeling like he drove you out of that bar. No way. You straighten out your back, forcing your body to relax as much as possible- or at least have the appearance of relaxation. The man puts your drink in front of you, and you gingerly take your first sip. "How can you drink those things?" Jungkook's unmistakeable voice says from right behind you, causing you to choke and spit some of your drink back into the glass. Your eyes widen in horror. "Bless you," He smirks. He looks over at the bar tender and signals holding up two fingers, to which the man nods. "Jungkook," His name feels so strange on your tongue; up until this trip, you've just refered to him as 'the Jeon's son', and using his name still feels so...intimate, somehow. He leans back in his seat, looking at you as though he's sizing you up, "And who, might I ask, did you dress up for tonight?" "Myself." You say, side-eyeing him. He's very brazen for someone you've only just met again after so many years. "Hm." "Hm, what?"

"Oh nothing...it's just, well, humans are performative beings, you know? Everything we do, whether consciously or not, is to attract." "Oh? And you're saying this to imply that I'm trying to attract someone?" You take another sip of your drink, trying to hide your unexpected nervousness. He shrugs, a cocky smile spreading across his face. "And who do you think I'm trying to attract, Jungkook? You?" You scoff. "Hey, you said it." You blush slightly and look down at your drink, your fingertip running up and down the stem of the glass. He definitely smells like he's been drinking- a lot- but you also catch hints of musk and wood- even burnt cinnamon. Shitty men shouldn't smell this damn good. You glance down at his neck and squint your eyes; is that-? "You're wearing the necklace?" He furrows his brows for a second in confusion before the realization sets in, "Oh- yeah. I look good, don't I?" His lips turn up into a coy smile. You clear your throat and shrug, "I think I'm just good at picking out jewelry." He chuckles and shakes his head, "Your disdain for me is quite amusing." "Almost as amusing as your insistence on flirting with me." "Well, don't get too flattered, you might fall in love." "Ha," You scoff. The bartender sets two shots down in front of Jungkook, who then slides one over to you. "What's this for?" You ask, immediately suspicious. "To celebrate." "Celebrate what?" "Us, of course." "Oh please," You roll your eyes, "Just the other day you were yelling at me and accusing me of attacking you, then you implied that I was some sort of gold digger and was just trying to mooch off of you." He nods thoughtfully, "Yes, that's true, I said some pretty...crass things. I suppose I should apologize for that. As far as the shot, well- I've decided to accept it." "Accept...what?" "The fact that this train is leaving with or without our 'yes', so we may as well enjoy the ride along the way, right?" As he says this, his eyes fall slightly, and only for a moment. You almost wonder if you'd seen it at all. "And what's caused this change of heart?" "Truthfully...this entire arrangement has been hanging over my head all my life. It felt like a noose slowly getting tighter and tighter. But seeing my father so stunned by your demands...it felt like my first deep breath in a while." You're surprised at how genuine Jungkook is being right now, though before you're able to respond to what he's just said, your phone buzzes in your clutch. "Excuse me," You say. It's a text message from Mr.Jeon. You quickly swipe it open and your mouth drops in shock. 𝙼𝚛.𝙹𝚎𝚘𝚗: 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘, 𝚈/𝚗- 𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚆𝚎'𝚟𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝚆𝚎'𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟸𝙿𝙼 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚊𝚠𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝.

You look up back up at Jungkook, who simply picks up the shot and holds it up in the air, "To the ride." Your shocked expression turns into a smile, and all you can think to do is pick your shot up as well. "To the ride."

[bts-hyperfixation]

Outside of the Fox

Chapter 24 of 30

1023words

Y/N longs for a new life when the one she'd been living comes to an abrupt stop. Without much thought to those she is leaving behind, the little fox packs a backpack and disappears. She stumbles across the shelter and makes an interim home for herself while she works out exactly what she wants from her second chance.

Last

Jin seems relieved when Namjoon finally contacts him. Apparently, the guy had been calling twice a day and texting even more just for the chance to apologise. Namjoon locked himself away for over an hour talking to the doctor. From the snippets you could overhear from passing by the door, it seems they had long since moved on from talking about Jungkook and had moved on to what they should bring on vacation.

You were set to go to the beach in just over a week and you couldn't wait. 

You had been bouncing around work filled with anxious energy all week. It was difficult to focus on the work when all you really wanted was to be in the cottage preparing to leave. You had never been on a proper vacation before and the anticipation was making your skin crawl. 

Taehyung kept laughing every time he saw you glance at a clock, willing it to move faster. Your coworkers just shook their heads at you, having already given up on you getting any actual work done. 

Jungkook is struggling to keep his excitement at bay just as much as you. Taehyung had handed him a black credit card and told the bunny to go nuts on new wardrobes for each of you. Over the past three days, more than 20 packages have arrived, with more on the way apparently.

Each night when you all return home, Jungkook holds you each hostage for a fashion show, he even summons Jin to join you.

He hands each of you a selection of outfit choices and runs to wait in the living room. You run through the first few outfits with ease. A selection of playsuits and dresses that you may not have picked for yourself, but you can't deny look cute. The entire experience is reminiscent of when your husband would hire people to come in and fit you for banquet dressed. 

Back then you would try to show your husband the options you had been presented with and he would barely look up from his phone to appraise each one. Jungkook on the other hand delighted in each outfit displayed for him. The bunny had cleared the coffee table out of the way and turned on someone's premade montage playlist. He was having far too much fun watching each of you as you emerged from different rooms in different outfits.

Occasionally you would each catch sight of one another as your try-on sessions synced up and you couldn't deny that Jungkook had great taste for all of you. From basic board shorts to sheer button-ups, he had chosen some excellent pieces, even if he had gone overboard with the amount ordered. 

You eventually come across a dress that you are incapable of doing up without help, beautiful crisscrossing laces too intricate for you to even attempt alone. You hold the top up so it can't fall away from your chest and make your way into the living room with the hope that Jungkook knows how to do the garment up. What you weren't expecting was to find all of the boys standing in the living room in matching shirts. 

They all look up at you simultaneously, and you find yourself getting very shy. You can't help but feel very aware of the fact your top could fall down at any moment. 

"A little help?" You ask sheepishly, turning around to show them the back.

"Only if that help is to take it off." Taehyung quips.

Jimin slaps him on the arm but the younger man makes no moves to take the statement back. 

"That's a very brave statement for a man that hasn't even managed to kiss her yet." Yoongi chuckles. 

"Don't remind me," Taehyung grumbles. 

The squabbling continues between the three of them and Jin takes that as his opportunity to help you out. His nimble fingers make quick work of the bows and the dress is finally secured. You spin to show off the full effect of the garment. The skirt swishes around your thighs, riding up a little too high as you spin too fast. 

The playful argument calms down as all of their attentions return to you, or more accurately return to your bare legs. 

"You really have great taste there Kookie." Namjoon compliments the youngest, without taking his attention from you

His eyes rake down your curves. You can't tell if he is appreciating the dress, or imagining you without it. The thought makes your stomach flip. 

"Right, well if we are in agreement that I should keep this then I am going to go and get changed. Could you give me a hand?" You signal to the ties and Jin graciously complies.

He unties each string much slower than he had done them up and you could've sworn his fingers lingered on your bare skin more than necessary. When he is finished you disappear quickly back into the bathroom you had been using to change and slide on your pyjamas instead. You fold the items Jungkook had provided into separate keep and return piles.

By the time you emerge, everyone is sitting in comfortable clothes in the living room.

You smile when you see Jin sitting in Namjoon's lap, all remnants of their argument forgiven for now. 

"We ordered Chinese, is that okay?" Jimin asks as you slide onto the sofa between him and Jungkook.

"Sounds delicious." You say, leaning across to peck him on the cheek.

He turns his head just in time to capture your lips with his instead, giggling as your eyes widen. A pillow hits your head as you pull away.

"Sorry, I meant to hit him," Taehyung says, aiming at Jimin with a second pillow.

Before he gets the chance to launch, Yoongi plucks it from his hands and hits him round the head instead. 

"Jealousy isn't a pretty colour on you Taehyung." The jackal says, dropping the pillow back on the chair where it belongs. 

"Everything is a pretty colour on me." Taehyung counters.

No one else gets a chance to reply before the doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of dinner.

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Rumor Has It | pjm - Chapter 5

💬 Pairing: Jimin x OC (Reader)

💬 Genre/Tags: enemies(?) to lovers, fake-dating au; angst, fluff, smut

💬 Chapter warnings: contains slurs, angst, alcohol consumption, mentions of bullying

💬 Word count: 15.5k

💬 Recap:

Rumor has it, Park Jimin is single again after his latest girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend.

Rumor has it, he's willing to get back at them.

Rumor has it, you're the perfect means to an end.

Previous Chapter - Index - Next Chapter

Chapter 5: On a mission.

Today is the day to meet Jimin's family. You have been stressing about it for the past week ever since Jimin told you about it, and you can’t even proclaim why. 

For some reason, you cannot help but be afraid of them, considering the Parks are supposed to be the most influential family in the city. No matter what kind of people they are, at the end of the day, this sure is an intimidating title that is enough to make your nerves go crazy.

So you went all in and made yourself at least look as presentable as possible because as everybody knows, it’s always the first impression that counts. And you feel like you have to take everything you can get, plus looking good and feeling good about yourself will increase your confidence.

You might be a broke college student with a shit ton of untrue rumors surrounding you, but you can at least look good. 

“Woah… Damn.” 

You raise a brow, giving Jimin a testing look. You're not in the mood for another one of his criticisms about your appearance again. “What is it this time?” you sigh, trying not to let the frustration show too much since he arrived no more than a minute ago. 

“Let me guess, my dress is too shabby? Is my makeup cakey? Does my hair look dry?” 

“No.” Jimin shakes his head, eyes still scrutinizing you from head to toe. “I’m just shocked to see how hot you can be when you try hard enough.” 

Startled by his unexpected compliment - even if backhanded - you raise a brow. “I—,” you start, just to halt for a moment, “was that a compliment?” you ask, as his eyes finally travel up to yours. 

Jimin scoffs at that, taking a couple steps toward you. “As if that’s so unbelievable. I compliment you all the time.”

“Yeah... I don't know about that. The only times you ever actually compliment me, it's just to mock me, and your insincere flattery barely counts anyway,” you grin, not needing him to admit it since you know you're right anyway.

It's not that you're ever upset by his comments because you know he's just being annoying and doesn't mean to actually offend you. He knows you can take it, and he knows that you know that too, which is why he does it. Over time, it has become your thing. Admittedly, you're much more comfortable with him making his stupid jokes than you are when you're having to get serious with each other. You seem to have found common ground in bickering with each other.

He just briefly looks at you before texting someone on his phone while still thinking about your comment. “That might be your interpretation, but I’m always serious about these things and things in general, ___. I’m an open book. I have never told a lie my whole life,” he proudly says, looking like he’s waiting for a reward for being a good boy while you can’t help but grin at this act. 

“You do realize you’re saying that while we are literally on our way to meet your family, just to lie to them about the relationship we don't have?” you smirk, seeing his face fall for a second before he clears his throat. 

“That’s different.” Jimin takes a moment to put your heavy bags in his trunk before coming to your side.

“How exactly?” you ask while waiting for him to open the passenger door of his car for you like he always does. Fairly enough, he soon after opens the door for you and waits for you to settle in before he goes to the driver's side and seats himself. 

A smirk makes its way onto your face when he doesn't give you an answer, even after settling in, making it obvious he doesn’t have one.

“Got you, Park,” you smirk.

Jimin rolls his eyes at your consistency, knowing fully well that you won't let it go. “Whatever. They will be happy, so it’s a lie with good intentions. It basically makes it okay,” he mumbles while starting the engine of his car and making it roar loudly.

“Wow, your logic is unmatched. If your parents come to ask me what made me fall for you, I'll tell them it was your moral character which I had never seen in another man before,” you lovingly sigh, trying to dreamily look out the window as you feel Jimin's eyes on you.

He laughs but doesn't comment on it and only tells you to put your seatbelt on so he can drive off. Giggling, you follow his request so as not to delay your arrival and fasten your seatbelt.

“Aren’t you nervous?” You ask, tilting your way sideways to look at him after a couple minutes of driving in silence. 

It's just another one of the thousand questions floating around in your head lately. You know that you would be if you were in his shoes. It's not easy to lie to your loved ones, especially since they are the ones who know you best. Not to forget the moral aspect of it all. Jimin must have thick skin if he doesn't worry about anything. 

“Are you?” He asks instead, rolling the ball back to you. Seeing how he shifts his gaze for a moment from the street to smirk at you, he seems to already know the answer, though.

“Obviously,” you sigh. “I didn’t sign up for this. What if I break something and they sue me?”

Not to be dramatic, but that is one of your concerns. One of many actually. 

Jimin snorts, his eyes forming little half-moons. “___, I don’t know why you think my parents are a pair of bad movie villains, but I can assure you that this will not be happening,” he chuckles, making you pout for not taking your concerns seriously. “My parents are nice people, okay? There really isn’t anything I could think of that you would have to worry about.”

“Well, there is one thing actually,” you say, seeing him looking at you from the corner of his eyes while he still mainly focuses on the street, showing you that he’s listening. “You have to help me keep this dress absolutely immaculate, so I can return it to the store tomorrow,” you explain, making him laugh. “What? It costs a fortune, Jimin, and I would still like to… you know… live somehow for the rest of the month.”

“First of all, why are you wearing a dress you can’t afford? There is no way you will not stain it.” 

“Because I wanted to fit in today. I’ll feel out of place either way, but I can’t show up to some CEO get-together in a twenty-dollar dress,” you explain, rolling your eyes in annoyance. 

“It's a business party to celebrate the company's tenth birthday in its current state, ___. Not a CEO get-together,” he explains, rolling his eyes at you not even knowing that. He tried to explain it to you yesterday, but it seems like you didn't listen, and it's annoying. You're both doing this for a reason, and if he can put some work in, he feels like you should be able to do that too.

“Also, stop making yourself go crazy. One would think that you, of all people, would not be so judgmental of someone you don’t even know,” Jimin says, casually looking at you. “But I guess that’s just being human, huh?”

You let out a big sigh, realizing he does have a point. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m really just a little nervous. Your parents are probably nice people. It's just that this is unusual for me.”

Sensing your distress, Jimin does something the both of you wouldn't have expected from him. He takes one hand off the steering wheel and pats your thigh a couple of times before he takes your hand, that's resting on it, and gives it a tight squeeze. “Relax. It’s all going to be fine.” 

“It’s easy for you to say that… I can only hope they haven’t done any research about me,” you mumble as you look out of the window absentmindedly still holding his hand.  

He lied. It’s not fine at all. In fact, this is probably the most uncomfortable you’ve ever been. 

To be fair, Jimin's parents aren't the reason. Mr. and Mrs. Park are very nice people, and you feel terrible for thinking so badly of them, when in fact they are the sweetest people you've talked to in what feels like years.

You didn't get to actually talk to them because the time was only enough for a quick, superficial introduction before they had to leave again and talk to a couple business partners which means the actual getting to know each other will have to wait for a few more hours. Nevertheless, their open and friendly demeanor immediately calmed your nerves. 

You even teased Jimin about him probably being adopted since his parents are so much more likable than he is, to which he then threatened to tell his parents you insisted on holding a speech to introduce yourself and claim your undying love for him which was enough to make you shut up real quick.

You are certain it was an empty threat because nobody would even allow you to do that here, but you really didn't want to risk it. 

So moving on, you, unfortunately, haven't been as lucky with his sister so far. 

If looks could kill, you would have been grilled multiple times by now. 

Jimin hasn't said anything about it yet, and you don't know if he's even noticed, so you decided to keep your mouth shut and not mention it. 

It's fine that she doesn't like you. After all, you’re only here to do Jimin a favor, and it’s not like you’re actually dating, which means you don't have to care what she thinks about you. Very soon, this will all be over, and you won't see any of them ever again, including Jimin.

The actual problem, however, is that Jimin has not told you who will also be at this business meeting. 

You must have looked pretty stupid when your eyes suddenly fell on Nayeon, who was standing a few meters away from you and had already seen you. 

She averted her eyes as soon as your eyes met hers but it was pretty obvious that she had seen you, considering how uncomfortable and nervous she looked right after.

You immediately confronted Jimin for not telling you she would be here, to which he just grinned sheepishly at you and said he must have forgotten.

Yea sure…

He knows very well that you would not have come if you had known about Nayeon's presence, and this is the only reason why he hid it from you.

Fortunately for you, you have managed to avoid her very well so far, and you hope it will stay that way for the rest of your stay. 

Since Jimin will one day take over his parents' company, it was clear that he would also be the center of attention today. What you didn't count on, though, is that this would affect you as well. 

You were hoping you could get away with just standing next to him silently while looking pretty but Jimin's parents had apparently publicly announced that he's bringing his girlfriend which now contributes to the fact that many also talk to you out of politeness. 

 It probably wouldn't be so awkward if you had at least the slightest idea what Jimin's family business even is. Unfortunately, you've never really talked about it and you've never asked because it never mattered. Why do you need to know these things if it's nothing but a fake relationship that should never have left campus? 

Fortunately, you have Jimin by your side, who always steps in at the right moment and speaks for you to avoid further inconveniences and this might be the only time you're thankful for Park Jimin's existence. Although it is his fault that you are in this situation in the first place so he is also the one who has to take care that your lie will not be exposed.

So far, you seem to be doing well with it. No one suspects anything. They probably think you're just a pretty enough girl who doesn't know anything about anything, and in a way, they're not wrong. Except, that your intentions are not what one would think.

“I can’t believe you don’t know anything about me,” Jimin sighs, as soon as you’re alone for the first time in hours. “I mean, come on… You didn’t have the slightest idea about the company. That’s almost insulting.”

Staying unbothered, you nibble on a grape you found on one of the champagne trays, wondering if they’re even for you to eat or if they’re just for show, considering no one else seems to be eating anything. 

“Why would I know that?” you shrug, finding yourself interested in the deep frown between his brows. “I've never cared much for you before, Park. You didn’t seem to believe me when I told you that. Sorry if that’s hard to swallow.” 

Jimin scoffs at that, and you see him wanting to answer, but he stops as he looks at something behind you with big eyes. 

“Hey.”

Her voice startles you, making you freeze right on the spot. You can feel her eyes burn through your skull from behind. At the same time, Jimin’s eyes nervously tremble from you to her and back to you. 

“Hi, Nayeon,” he welcomes her, offering her a comforting smile while you freeze and keep standing there, not daring to turn around. You would like to leave now, not in the mood for this encounter, especially today when you’re full of nerves anyway. Jimin, however, seems determined to keep you here with him. 

He takes a few steps closer and wraps his arm around your waist, slowly turning you around to face her. 

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here today,” he speaks, probably trying to convince you that he really didn't plan for this encounter to happen.

Nayeon sucks in a breath, gracefully avoiding your ice-cold gaze as she only concentrates on Jimin for the time being, nodding her head lightly. “I wasn’t either,” she admits, clearing her throat after. 

You have yet to say something to her, but you cannot encourage yourself to do so. Yes, you’re probably rude by not greeting her properly, but why would you care about that. You're sure that politeness is obsolete anyway when it comes to Nayeon and you. 

“My father said that I have to come today. He said he will disown me otherwise,” she lightly chuckles, even though it doesn’t come off as a joke, plus the frown on Jimin’s face and the fact that he doesn’t even smile at that tells you it probably isn’t. 

“It’s whatever, though. I did my part, and as soon as I can I will leave,” she quickly adds. “I just didn’t want to leave before greeting you, so… here I am.” A nervous breath escapes her lips as her eyes finally land on you. “Hi, ___.”

You nod, acknowledging her as narrowly as possible, as you mutter a halfhearted “hello” back to her.  

As soon as she hears your response, it seems as if her face lights up just a little bit. She probably didn’t expect you to acknowledge her at all. You may be mad, and you have every right to be, but you’re not a child. If she can muster the courage to address you directly, you can give her an answer. But she should by no means assume that she can expect anything from you.

She looks so stunning today, though. You can't help but notice. The mere sight of her is enough to lower your self-esteem. You have put so much effort (and money you don't even have) into looking somewhat good today while she looks like she's barely given it a second thought and still beats you by miles. So unfair, but nothing new either.

Nevertheless, it is noticeable how tired and unhappy she looks. You can see the dark bags under her eyes even through the makeup she’s wearing and that has to mean something. 

You remember what Jimin told you about her the night of the first party you attended together. He mentioned how bad she was doing and that she’s in a 'bad place' right now. Looking at her now shows you he wasn’t exaggerating. 

“It’s so nice to see you here, really.” 

You watch how her lips perk up a little as she tries to smile, though it looks more like a grimace as she’s obviously trying to blink back tears. 

You just nod, not trusting yourself to not say something inappropriate while she already looks like she’s trying hard not to crumble. 

It probably wouldn't go over too well with the rest of the guests if you made Nayeon cry. Apart from the fact that it would come across as rude in general, you know that her parents are particularly close with Jimin's parents - and you surely don't want to start something now.

Noticing how you probably won’t react anymore than that, Jimin takes matters into his own hands as he tightens his grip around your waist, clearing his throat. 

“How are you doing?” Jimin then asks her with a sigh. You can hear in his voice that he isn’t sure if he can ask, but it’s obvious he isn’t all too happy about her disappearance either. “You barely show up anymore, and you’re missing out on a lot of our courses too. I tried to call you about a dozen times this week. I can try to keep you updated, but I can only do as much when you never pick up your phone,” he notes, sounding annoyed with her while also trying to not be too harsh. 

Nayeon gulps, looking regretful, but she doesn’t seem to have an answer. Instead, you can feel her burning gaze on you again while you continue to hope to escape from this situation.

Why is no one talking? 

But while you’re too busy with your own thoughts, Jimin and Nayeon seem to have a silent conversation of their own because a loud gasp comes from Jimin, making you look at him in question.

“Oh my God, do you see that thing over there?” Jimin suddenly exclaims, pointing at something in the distance. “That’s amazing! I have to take a closer look,” he mumbles, withdrawing his arms from you.

You try to look but don’t see anything, and it’s only then that you realize what he’s trying to do. 

Before leaving, he gradually leans down to whisper in your ear. “Please be nice, but don’t make it too easy for her either.” And then, with a rushed kiss to your cheek, he quickly lets go of you and takes a couple steps backward.

You try to catch his hand before he can leave but unfortunately, he’s already gone before you can do anything, leaving you and Nayeon to just stand there next to each other. Alone. 

Man, you’re so going to kill him later. 

A few moments of silence that feel like literal hours pass before Nayeon breaks the silence by uncomfortably clearing her throat.

You don’t look at her, still trying to summon Jimin to come back immediately with the dirty looks you’re sending him from here, but it has no use. 

So you shift on your feet a little before stealing a couple more from those garnish grapes, that definitely aren’t for eating, hoping it will tell her to leave you alone. 

“___, do you perhaps think we could talk?”

Well, your wish did not get granted this time, it seems. 

Your voice sounds breathless and nervous as you quickly mumble something about having to use the bathroom in a weak attempt to flee from her. But Nayeon suddenly grabs your arm, preventing you from leaving as she calls your name again in a hurry.

You turn around and reluctantly face her, seeing how bad she really looks for the first time since you’re now standing much closer than before. 

Bags under her eyes, dry lips, pale. That’s not the Nayeon you know. She did a good job of covering it up, but now that you’re standing so close to each other, you can clearly see it.

“What?” The harsh tone in your voice obviously takes her by surprise, but she doesn’t back down. 

Instead, she swallows hard before gathering herself. “Do you think… Do you think we could talk? Please?” She asks again, looking at you with large, pleading eyes.

“I don't know what the two of us should talk about. Everything has been said between us,” you state, keeping your gaze cold even though you feel bad when you see her face fall right after. 

Nayeon shakes her head in disagreement. “No, I don’t think so,” she denies. “There are many things left unsaid. And I really need to get them off my chest.”

“I don’t know,” you sigh while weighing the pros and cons in your head. “If I’m honest, I really don’t want to.”

“Look, I can’t blame you for not wanting to talk to me, okay? Trust me, I wouldn’t wanna talk to me either,” she says, blinking back tears as she looks at you. “You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to forgive me. I don’t expect that from you anyway…”

“What is the purpose for all of this then?” You ask, not understanding what she’s aiming for.

You watch as Nayeon balls her fists for a second while biting her lip as she looks at you. “I want to apologize. I think that is the least you deserve,” she then explains. “What you do with it is up to you. But I need to apologize,” she breathes stressing the word. 

You take a moment to contemplate your next move, letting your eyes roam around the area, attempting to find something that could prevent you from going along with her request. But in the end, you sigh, making a gesture with your hand to show her she can start taking. 

Now looking at her panicking face, you almost have to laugh. For someone so determined to apologize to you, she now sure looks like she has no idea what to say. She probably didn't expect you to agree.

Waiting patiently, you watch as an uncomfortable laugh escapes her lips, her eyes moving around without looking at you directly. “Gosh, now I don’t know what to say…”

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” you say, rolling your eyes while you’re already turning around, fed up with her wasting your time like this.

Nayeon once again stops you, and she quickly shoots forward to grab your hand tightly again. “I’m sorry!” It comes out a little rushed since she desperately tries to make you stay.

You stand your ground, crossing your arms over your chest while raising a brow. “Anything else?”

She flinches at your sour tone but nods her head. “Yes, actually. What I did to you… I don’t even know what came over me,” she starts. “There’s so much I want to tell you, and so much I need to apologize for. And I could give you that typical bullshit answer on how I was hurt and acting impulsively, but that wouldn’t be enough. It wouldn’t be a lie, but that’s not an excuse.” 

You don’t say anything. For now, it feels right to let her talk and finish what she wants to tell you first. You share her opinion on that matter, you do deserve an apology, but she also deserves to explain herself. 

“I should have talked to you first. I have no explanation as to why I let him feed me all these lies and confronted you about it without hearing your take on things first. I knew about the lies surrounding you. I knew none of them were true because you told me that yourself, and I always believed you. And yet, this time... I believed him. And I have no excuse for that, ___. I’m just so very sorry.”

Lowering your gaze, you nod, taking in her words. 

“I guess it was easier and less hurtful to believe you came on to him than him willingly cheating. And it's embarrassing to admit, but yes… Looks like that’s the person I am, after all.”

You see her struggling to keep the tears from falling but it's obviously hard for her to do that when it looks like she can barely see due to her eyes being full of unshed tears. You guess she doesn’t want you to pity her which is understandable. You can relate to that. But you’re not going to pity her for feeling bad about what she did because she should. It’s not her fault she got involved with the wrong guy, and it’s not her fault that he did what he did and said what he said. None of that was her doing. But she has to own up to her own mistakes. To what she said and did, and there is no way you will pity her for that. 

But that’s not what she expects nor is it what she wants, and you know that. She's not out to get you to see her as a victim.

“I know I said you don’t have to forgive me, and I stand by that. But maybe you can at least accept my apology. I feel so bad that I ruined our friendship for this.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say we were friends before,” you disagree, probably sounding a bit more irritated than you originally intended to. The way her face drops even more is an indicator of that, but you’re just telling the truth. It’s not like you ever hung out or anything like that. What you had was never a friendship. At least not in your book.

“Oh. Right. I see…” 

Feeling bad about your choice of wording, you sigh. You don't want to dwell on things that happened in the past, things that can't be made undone. What would you gain from that? 

Forgiveness is a virtue they say, but it's not easy. You wouldn't have thought about forgiving Nayeon had she decided to not speak about it with you, but she didn't. 

She owned up to her mistakes and apologized.  

“However,” lifting your gaze to look at her, you think about your next move for a second before shaking your head at yourself. “I don’t like to hold grudges.”

A look of hope washes over Nayeon’s face as a slight gasp leaves her lips at your words. “Wait, does— does that mean-”

“I won’t forgive you this quickly,” you clarify before she can even ask the question. “But you had the guts to come to me and apologize. I respect and thank you for that.”

“It’s the least you deserved.”

“Yes, it is,” you agree, nodding your head. “And yet, you’re the only one who has done that until now.” It’s a weird thing to admit, but you’re grateful for her apology. 

You’ve said it before, and you still stand by that; Nayeon is not a bad person per se. She’s someone who did something bad, but it’s obvious that she regrets it. And even if you’re not going to completely forgive her right now, you know that you will be able to in the future. 

Why be resentful if it won’t do you good anyway? 

Sure, you can get through the rest of your college years on your own, but it's easier when you don't have to.

“Can I ask you something?“ She carefully asks, testing the waters with you. 

You curtly nod, not expecting anything harmful. The more surprised you are when you hear what’s bothering her. 

“Why didn’t you say anything the day I confronted you? Why didn’t you defend yourself?” 

You scoff at that, raising a brow to show her how stupid her question is to you. “You think that was my obligation?” you ask. “Making a fool of myself even more while trying to convince you of something you would have never believed me anyway?” 

And that’s all it takes for her to immediately fall silent.

“You had already formed an opinion. I would have only dragged out the humiliation you subjected me to and gained absolutely nothing in the process,” you add with a scoff, watching how she bites her lip and breaks your gaze.  

Nayeon is quiet, but she nods, blinking away a few tears once again. “I can never express how sorry I am, ___. I always thought I wasn't one of those girls. The ones who are gullible enough to believe any bullshit their boyfriend plants into their brain. I just… I really wanted to trust him.” She looks devastated when she tells you that, and you must admit that it almost makes you feel for her. Almost.

But after swallowing hard and regaining her composure she takes the courage to hold your gaze again. “Did you mean it?”

You again raise your brow questioningly, trying to follow. “Mean what?”

“You know…,” she starts. “The thing about us not having been friends. Because to me, you really were one. Probably one of very few because it looks like apart from Jimin, there’s no one left now. They all decided to stuck by Yeji and Taehyung.”

“I never actually saw us as friends,” you say, deciding to go with the whole truth, even if that’s probably not what she wanted to hear. You can clearly see on her face that she was expecting a different answer. “However, I would have liked us to be,” you then add, immediately seeing her eyes light up at your confession. “But then it never seemed like anything real to me. I thought you were just trying to be nice because you felt bad.”

A barely noticeable smile tugs on Nayeon’s lips when you finish. “Befriending you is hard, ___. You’re very closed off, you know?” And for the first time, Nayeon actually laughs lightly.

It’s just a chuckle, nothing major but from the corner of your eyes, you can see Jimin, who’s very obviously keeping an eye on the two of you, watching your interaction intently. 

“I have my reasons,” you shrug, making her laugh stuck in her throat as soon as it started. “It's hard to put up trust. I have been through all of this several times, and no offense, but I’m glad I didn’t get my hopes up with you. We’ve seen what happens when it counts.”

“I can't tell you how ashamed I am of my behavior toward you, ___. Please, if there is anything I can do… I’ll do anything for you to forgive me,” she begs, making you roll your eyes. 

Looking at her, you groan, waving your hand in a manner to tell her to shut up. “You can start by stopping to be so damn dramatic,” you say. “I already told you I don’t like to hold grudges. Don’t make me regret it.”

You don’t have to say anything else for her to understand. She gets it. After all, Nayeon knows you don't like to be emotional, so it’s like a silent agreement between you two. 

Just don’t expect too much too soon, and we will be alright;

She almost looks like a child on Christmas morning when she bites back a grin, nodding her head understandingly. “Can I hug you?”  

“Ugh, Nayeon—” Your protesting groan is interrupted when she comes at you, taking you in a bone-crushing hug without warning. 

You keep your arms limp by your side, feeling uncomfortable when the hug lasts longer than you thought it would. Letting your eyes roam around, while you wait for her to stop crushing you. And as fate would have it, your gaze lands directly on Jimin, who is already looking at you with a soft, content smile on his face, sending a wink your way. 

You can’t believe this little fucker tricked you into making amends with Nayeon - and it worked! 

As a result, you send him a glare instead of silently telling him he’s getting it later but you only see him laugh before someone takes him away again. 

Fortunately for you, Nayeon finally decides to let you breathe again but she takes your hands in hers instead while looking at you with a creepy smile, already making you nervous about what’s about to come next. Even if you think you have an idea already. 

“So…,” she starts, dragging it out even though it’s not hard to guess what she’s about to ask. 

You can feel the panic already starting to build up inside you. 

“Jimin, huh?” She finally grins, teasingly wiggling her brows in the process. 

Now, this is exactly what you feared. You don’t want to discuss anything that has to do with Jimin, precisely Jimin and you with Nayeon. 

Not only would it be unpleasant for you to make her believe you are experiencing love when you have always loudly claimed that Jimin's infamous charm has no effect on you, but you're also not sure if she would even buy your lies. 

She knows your true opinion about Jimin, she knows your true opinion about relationships, and most importantly, she is the only one who knows both you and Jimin. 

This could go wrong pretty fast. So you must play your cards wisely. Don’t say too much, don't over-act, and keep a low profile, but tell her just enough to not make her suspicious. Easy. You got this. 

Nayeon laughs, probably sensing your discomfort while she studies your face. “I— sorry, I just… it’s hard to believe. When Jimin told me about you two, I almost choked,” she tells you, giggling with excitement. Why these news would excite her this much, you don’t quite know. But you have to admit it’s nice to see her happy like this for a change. “You need to tell me everything, okay? This is so cool, oh my God!”

You cannot help but let out a laugh as well, feeling how her hand squeezes yours so tightly. “It’s… a confusing story.”

“Oh, I bet! And you need to tell me all of it. I mean— one second you tell me you couldn’t care less about Jimin, then I disappear for a while, and next, you’re in love?!”

“We’re not 'in love',” you laugh, explicitly stressing the words while rolling your eyes in feigned annoyance. “Please do not exaggerate right away. This is… very new and very, uhm... uncertain so-”

She is quick to interrupt, having caught on to your weird choice of words while talking about the guy you're supposed to be in a relationship with.“Uncertain?” 

You cringe, already regretting your dumb choice of words. Uncertain? Really?

Clearing your throat, you shyly smile at her while you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. “I mean… not uncertain. But we’re just at the beginning, so I don’t want you to jinx it.” 

“Ah!” Nayeon grins brightly, sending you a wink. “Don’t worry about that. He’s brought you along today which tells me you must be important to him,” she winks.

Your eyes get wide just as you chuckle uncomfortably. “Yea… I bet I am,” you lie, trying to sound as promising as possible. 

“He doesn’t let just anyone meet his family, trust me. Don’t tell him I said that, but Jimin is a little momma's boy,” Nayeon falls into a fit of giggles, making you join in as well. 

“Somehow, this is not surprising at all,” you laugh along. 

You already knew how close Jimin is with his family from how he spoke about them in the past. He’s told you some basics to not completely throw you into the deep end, and you’re very thankful for that. You hope it can come in handy later at dinner when you’re finally going to be introduced formally.

“How did you two even meet?” Nayeon suddenly asks, completely throwing you off with the first question already. You never agreed on a specific story with Jimin on how you even got to this stage. 

“Oh, uhm... he came by my apartment one day. It was very random actually, but he wanted to apologize for what happened,” you say, deciding to stick with the... well, half-truth at least. It's better to give her some crumbs of what actually happened than to make some cliche romance story up in your head in a matter of a couple of seconds. This has to be the safest plan. 

Luckily, Nayeon doesn't even seem to see the slightest thing weird about this as she just nods with a stupid smile on her face. “He's always been a very conscientious guy. He felt bad about the whole thing, you know?”

This, you didn't know yet, and you gotta admit it's surprising to hear since he didn't seem that concerned when he came to you. Yes, he did apologize for his friend and he did look troubled after learning you still try to avoid people as best as you can - but he's never given you the impression of actually caring about your feelings. At least not like that. Maybe you're similar in that way, and he doesn't like to show too much emotion either. 

“Anyway, he was the last person I expected an apology from since, you know, he didn't really do anything. He was a victim too,” you explain further. “So we kinda talked for a while and started meeting up a little more, and the rest is history,” you shrug, trying to keep it as short as that, hoping she won't dig deeper. 

You feel like that should be enough. If she wants to know more, she should go and ask Jimin, to let you see if he can come up with something better. 

Thinking about that, you have no idea what story he told his parents or if he even did tell them anything, but you hope it's not something completely different. You make a mental note to ask him later, deciding not to stress too much. 

Thankfully, Nayeon seems to be happy with your answer. Either that, or she noticed how uncomfortable you are already and doesn't want to push her luck too soon, but no matter what it is, she doesn't ask further. 

Deciding to make use of the situation and take the conversation in a slightly different direction, you take the initiative to speak up again. “Any tips on how not to make a fool of myself later?” You ask, hoping maybe Nayeon can help you come off as… well, someone who's worthy of their time. 

Nayeon gives you a warm smile. “Just be yourself, ___,” she says. Noticing you’re already about to complain, she takes both of your hands in hers again and makes you look at her. “Just be the way you always are, and they’re going to love you, trust me.”

“Yeah, I kinda doubt it, actually,” you sigh. It’s not that you’re particularly worried about Jimin’s family not liking you or not wanting you to be with Jimin - that isn’t your goal anyway - you’re just nervous about getting looked down on again. It’s just not a nice feeling, and even if you won’t have to face them ever again after tomorrow, it’s still something you’d like to avoid. 

“Don’t stress too much. They’re lovely people,” she then reassures you, trying to ease your nerves. 

“I know, it’s just—” you stop yourself, biting your lip as you take a quick look around, contemplating if you really want to say it. 

Turns out you don’t need to since Nayeon gives your hands a squeeze to make you look at her. You’re surprised to see the compassionate look in her eyes as she gives you a small smile. “You’re worried they’ve heard?”

Sighing, you nod, feeling a little dumb for being so see-through, but you’re glad, Nayeon seems to understand your problem.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that if I were you,” she says, smiling when she sees the way you frown at that.

“Jimin’s sister obviously knows. She’s giving me death stares ever since we arrived,” you explain, trying to make her see your fear is valid.

“Ah, right, don’t take it to heart. She’s a teenager,” Nayeon chuckles. “She gives everyone that look and she automatically bitches at everyone too. It’s the hormones,” she shrugs. “Mijoo will probably just need to warm up to you first before she stops behaving like that, but as I said, don’t take it too personally.”

“But she obviously knows about the rumors. Jimin said she’s friends with some siblings of our classmates, so it’s a given,” you sigh. “So embarrassing.”

“It’s not embarrassing because it's not true. None of it is.” For the first time, Nayeon’s voice is stern as she’s sporting a deep frown on her otherwise perfectly smooth face. “These rumors don’t define you, ___. You’re more than that. Don’t let them hold you back from anything. You’re funny, you’re beautiful and smart, and they will see that. It doesn’t matter what some people who have never even had the pleasure to speak to you have to say about you.”

Nayeon’s little outburst makes you smile, although it makes your heart clench when you remember that she’s trying to make you feel better while you’re lying straight to her face. You're not nervous for the reason she thinks you are. It doesn’t feel right, but you try to calm your conscience by telling yourself that you’re not actually hurting anybody by doing this. It will be over in a while, and then you can laugh about it with her. At least you hope. 

Someone getting closer to you attracts your attention from the corner of your eyes, so you turn your head just a little to see Jimin coming toward you with a bright smile on his face. 

“Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I need to steal ___ again. There are some people left who want me to introduce her.”

“Oh, so now you’re coming back from looking at that invisible thing? To introduce me to more people,” you frown, crossing your arms in despair. “What am I to you, Park - just someone to show off?” You’re just joking and Jimin catches on, immediately playing along. 

 “Of course, you are, babe. Can’t let Nayeon be the only one lucky enough to have your attention.”

Nayeon squeals again, getting your and Jimin’s attention as you look at her questioningly. “You guys are too cute! I’ll leave you to it then, but see you later, yeah?” 

“Sure, see you at dinner,” Jimin smiles, gradually throwing his arm around your shoulders. 

You exchange a look with Nayeon, seeing how she sends you one last wink combined with a look that probably means to tell you not to stress and that everything will be fine before she walks off.

“Nayeon will be at the dinner too?” You ask Jimin, kinda hoping you didn’t misunderstand. You would feel less nervous, knowing she’ll be there too. 

“Her father is our most important business partner and long-time family friend. Our families are almost always together at every gathering there is,” Jimin explains. “Will that be a problem?” He asks, looking at you with a look in his eyes you think could be interpreted as worry. “I thought you guys looked like you talked things out. Did I misinterpret?”

“It wouldn’t be a problem,” you shake your head. “And we did get to talk, yes.” 

Jimin stares at you intently as if he’s waiting for you to spill the beans, but you’re keeping him in suspense for now. “You planned that pretty well, huh? I would like to smack you, but that huge knife in my back hinders me from moving too much,” you grunt, pursing your lips to a pout. 

He has the audacity to laugh while tightening his grip around you. “Ah, I was only trying to help. Don’t be mad, please.” 

Honestly, you expected him to throw a witty remark your way, complain about you being extra, or even deny having planned all that, but he looks a little remorseful as he admits it. 

“I knew Nayeon wanted to talk to you badly, but she didn’t know how to approach you and even if you would never admit it, I knew you were aching for her to make amends too,” he confesses, raking his hand through his hair to get some loose strands out of his face in the process. “Wasn’t sure if I’d be going too far but guessed it’d be worth a try. And hey… you didn’t kill her, so please don’t kill me either, alright?” He offers you a wide grin, but his eyes are pleading for forgiveness. 

You must admit, seeing him in this position does something to you. It brings you inner peace to see him so restless and insecure while he waits for you to say something. So you drag it out just a little longer for your own pleasure before you redeem him. 

“Thank you,” you finally mutter, letting your eyes wander as you fight against this inner urge to gag due to having to thank him for going behind your back. “She apologized, and we got to talk things out, thanks to you. I’m still mad at you for doing this without my permission, but I guess you did the right thing this time.”

And again, Jimin doesn’t ruin the moment with a stupid comment or joke, teasing you about being right. He just accepts what you said with a nod and a kind smile. 

“Just happy I could help,” he says in a soft voice. “You both deserve better than that. Can’t help to have allies, right?”

You don’t get to say anything else to that because Jimin finally drags you along to meet the other people he wanted to introduce you to. 

Another half hour passes by, filled with business talk you don’t understand until you finally get a break again. 

“I know this is boring for you, and it is for me too, but I would be very grateful to you if you wouldn’t make it that obvious when we’re talking to someone,” Jimin grunts holding your hand a little too tight. 

“Okay, I get your irritation, but I swear that yawn came out of nowhere. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful,” you explain, trying to swallow the little laugh that’s waiting to come out. “It is boring, though, I’m not gonna lie. How did Yeji do this?” you suddenly ask, not thinking about your words and freezing when you hear her name leave your lips. 

You still don’t know if it’s okay to talk about her in front of Jimin, or not. He usually reacts irritated whenever he crosses her path and therefore you’re walking on eggshells around him when she is mentioned. This time, your mouth was just a little faster than your brain. 

“Well, according to recent events and accumulation of information, I guess she probably compensated by fucking my best friend whenever she got the time to.”

He sounds careless, but you easily notice his clenched jaw. 

You clear your throat and look to the floor in shame, quickly apologizing.

“It's okay,” he grins, easing your nerves. “You don’t have to tiptoe around me, you know?.”

“It’s just that I don’t know what’s going on with you at all,” you try to explain. “You don’t talk much about her.”

To this day you still don’t know much about Yeji and Jimin as a couple; how he feels about the situation, how he found out, and so on. 

Yes, he seems to be mad at her, of course, but when he came to you, asking you to be his girlfriend, you kinda figured it was to win her back. He never gave you another reason for him to want to do this, so you’re just really confused. But he never wants to talk about it either, so it’s no wonder you don’t know how to act in front of him when it comes o his ex-girlfriend. 

“It doesn’t really matter, that’s why.” 

You’re just about to contradict and tell him that it actually does matter - especially since you happen to be a part of this, but Jimin is quick to interrupt. “While we’re at it, I would also really appreciate it if you could stop flirting with my cousin the next time he talks to you,” he says, as always, changing the topic before he has to say more. 

“But he’s so cute!” you huff, dramatically kicking your head back as you whine. “And he was the one who started flirting, just so you know.”

“I do know. I was standing right beside you if you forgot,” he glares, looking at you with irritation clear on his face. “Doesn’t mean you can just shamelessly flirt back.”

“Do you know if he is single?” you ask, obviously not having listened to anything he just said, which makes Jimin’s frown even more prominent. 

“Would you stop that?” he grumbles, looking straight at you. “Why would you care if he’s single when you aren’t even single yourself?”

Pursing your lips you hide a grin, happy you found a new way to tease him. “Well, technically, I am—”

“Well, technically, you’re not. Now stop this nonsense. We’re on a mission,” he snaps, clearly done with your conversation. 

Figuring you’ve annoyed him enough, for now, you quietly laugh to yourself as you let him drag you with him to your next destination.

The dinner finally came after endless hours of meeting and talking to people. Even though you were nervous about it, you couldn’t wait for it to happen since you were dying of boredom and hunger. 

Just as Nayeon had predicted, you sure were stressing without reason because Jimin’s parents are exceptionally kind. Almost too kind to be successful business people, but then again, all your knowledge comes from movies and some would say that’s not a reliable source.

Anyway, you’re having fun, and Jimin seems to be happy too - at least he hasn’t kicked you under the table or squeezed your hand too tight for a while now, which tells you you’re not performing too bad. 

Nayeon is sitting on the other end of this abnormally large table with her family so there’s no chance for you to communicate, or even properly hear her, but she sends you comforting smiles from time to time which you appreciate a lot.

But your nervousness has long gone, thanks to Jimin’s mom and dad, who made sure to give you a warm welcome and include you in every conversation from the very beginning to avoid making you uncomfortable.

Of course, both of them ask you questions from time to time, which you already knew would happen because they wanted to get to know you for a reason. But none of the questions asked were inappropriate, embarrassed you, or had anything to do with any rumors. 

On top of that, the food was simply fantastic. You are sure that you have never eaten better in your life, nor that you will ever eat so well again. You even have to stop yourself from longingly looking after the empty plates that the staff clears before serving the dessert almost immediately afterward. 

It’s a fancy little cake, glazed with what looks like chocolate and garnished with strawberries and blueberries. It’s almost too pretty to eat, but you don’t even get the chance to look at it for more than a few seconds before Jimin calls for one of the waitresses and makes you, and everybody else, look at him instead. 

“Hey, I'm sorry to bother you, but would it be possible to ask for one that has grapes instead of strawberries? I know you offer several variants, but only if it’s not too much of a hassle,” Jimin politely asks, giving the waitress his brightest, most charming smile.

The poor girl looks like she’s about to faint, not even being able to hold Jimin’s gaze for more than a millisecond and still blushing like crazy. She doesn’t even get one word out, just nods shyly before walking off as soon as she can.

You cannot help but laugh internally because it was cute, even if you feel a little sorry for her.

“Since when do you not like strawberries anymore?” Mijoo, Jimin’s sister, asks loudly, looking a little irritated. 

“I do,” Jimin shrugs, not really paying further attention to Mijoo’s bothered look. “But ___ doesn’t.”

And suddenly, all eyes are on you, and you look at Jimin in disbelief, wondering if you heard right. He’s just briefly smiling at you but doesn’t elaborate any further. 

“What?” You ask, trying to cover your confusion with an uneasy laugh. 

“Hm? Is that not the truth?” 

“Yes, it is. I’m allergic to strawberries, so I don’t eat them,” you confirm, still feeling everyone’s eyes on you, making you uncomfortable. You’re almost sure this is your punishment for laughing at the waitress earlier. “I didn’t know I’d told you about that.”

You weren't going to say anything, not wanting to be a bother, and if it had been up to you, it wouldn't have been necessary to send the dessert back either. You could have just left out the strawberries like you always do. 

Jimin softly chuckles. “You didn’t, but one doesn’t have to be a genius to notice that about you,” he says. “Whenever we're out, and you're eating anything with strawberries, you always leave them, but you keep stealing the grapes out of my fruit salad. Don't think I haven't noticed.”

You’re baffled, to say the least. Everything he said is the truth but… not in a million years would you have thought he was paying enough attention to you to notice that about you. Him noticing you're stealing the grapes from his ritual Monday morning fruit salad might not be hard to believe, but the strawberry thing? You don’t even know what to say. 

Feeling the embarrassment creeping up and your ears getting hot already, you tear your eyes from Jimin as you clear your throat. You quickly look at Nayeon, who is already giving you a knowing smile. 

Luckily for you, the waitress comes back soon after to bring you your dessert, so you (and everybody else) are now occupied with eating instead.

“Thank you,” you quietly mutter, only for him to hear, seeing how Jimin sends a wink your way.

You mostly eat in silence, letting everybody carry on different conversations while you’re too much in your head. 

To most people, the strawberry incident probably wouldn’t be such a big deal, but it is to you. It makes you think how little you actually know about Jimin. You never made an effort to learn anything about him, which hasn't bothered you before. Hell, you didn't even know! But now that you have talked a bit with the people in his life, it has become very noticeable. You can only hope nobody else noticed. 

You never thought much of it either, since what you're having isn't a real relationship, so why get to know each other. Well, apparently, that hasn’t stopped Jimin from noticing subtle things about you, which now just makes you feel bad that you didn’t know what kind of business his family has and it occurs to you just now, that you don’t even know when his birthday is. 

You know he eats a fruit salad every Monday morning, likes his family, and despises Jungkook, but that's it.

Maybe you should work on that.

You’re alone, just strolling around after dinner since everyone had something else to do. The first person you meet is Mijoo, who is currently sitting at the huge pool and letting her feet dangle in the water.

That she's not exactly keen on getting to know you, you’ve already noticed, and that’s okay, you guess. But for some reason, you don't want to leave without giving her the chance to see that you are not the person people make you out to be. 

Maybe it really only has something to do with your honor, but you don't want to leave things between you like this.

After thinking about it for a short while, you slowly walk over to her and sit down next to her. 

“Is it okay with you if I keep you company for a while?” you ask, giving her a small smile when she turns her head to look at you. “Everybody else is busy, and I was a little bored.”

She shrugs before averting her gaze back into the water. “Pretty pointless to ask when you're already sitting down anyway.”

You cannot help but snort at her sly remark, nodding your head in the process. “Fair point. But I can leave if you don’t want me here. No hard feelings, I promise,” you grin. 

Yes, admittedly, Mijoo is hard to approach and not the least bit as open and friendly as her parents, but Nayeon is right - she is just a teenager, driven by hormones. You would be lying if you said you couldn't remember that time. 

That's why you don't resent her behavior. 

How could you if you were a nightmare during your angsty teenage years as well?

Mijoo lets out an annoyed sigh but shakes her head anyway, showing you you’re allowed to stay. 

For a while, you’re just sitting in comfortable silence. You enjoy the warm water around your feet while letting your eyes roam the area. The Park property is truly beautiful. You knew they were rich, but this is just amazing. A tiny smile forms on your lips when you take it all in. And then your eyes fall on someone standing a little farther away talking to some guys. 

“That’s your boyfriend, right?”

You watch how Mijoo rolls her eyes, obviously annoyed by you trying to make conversation. 

You already know that it’s him. Not to be mean, but Jimin's description of his appearance was.... strangely on point. You would never say it out loud, though. 

“Did Jimin send you here to talk to me?” she snaps, eyes forming to slits.

A chuckle breaks through your lips at her snarky tone. “No, I promise he didn’t,” you say truthfully, smiling at her. “I really just didn’t have anyone to talk to for a while, so I decided to come down and talk to you since we didn't really have the chance to get to know each other yet.” 

She doesn’t even look at you and doesn’t say a word, so you wait for a while before you start talking again. 

“You don’t like me very much,” you state, not even feeling the need to ask since there’s no point in asking a question you already know the answer to. 

Gladly, but unsurprisingly, Mijoo doesn’t even try to convince you otherwise. “I heard some stuff about you.”

You didn't expect her to hit you with the truth so soon, but you're pleasantly surprised, to say the least. Yes, getting the harsh truth can hurt sometimes, but you prefer it instead of being lied to.

“Yea, I bet you have,” you quietly chuckle, letting your feet dangle inside the water. “People sure have a lot to say about me.”

Mijoo clears her throat, seemingly also surprised by you not trying to deny anything either. “And is it true? The stuff they say?” 

You look into the water, eyes following the small waves the movements of your feet are causing before shrugging your shoulders. You lean your head to the side as you grin at her. “What do you think?”

She seems a little perplexed, but she clears her throat and averses her gaze from you, probably preferring to not look at you right now. “I think, I don’t know you enough to form a final opinion on you.“ 

She looks down at her feet in the water while she says it, making you smile yourself. This family really is something else. 

“Hm, Maybe we could try to get to know each other a little better, and then I’ll ask you again,” you suggest, biting your lip. 

You’re not sure, but it kind of feels like the ice is slowly about to break. Or at least it's getting warmer.

For the first time since you’ve met her, you think you see the ghost of a smile appear on her otherwise stoic face while she stares into the water, but it’s gone as soon as it came. It still makes you a little happy, letting you catch some hope that you might be making process with her. 

“Maybe,” she shrugs, trying to act careless, but you can see her relax in your presence. It makes you immensely proud of yourself. 

“I may not know you,” she then says. “But I do know my brother. And Jimin wouldn’t be with you if the things they say about you were the truth. Or at least… if you were a bad person.”

You nod, pouting your lips. “Guess you will just have to find out then. Who knows, maybe you will end up liking me,” you say with a teasing tone in your voice while Mijoo’s face stays serious. 

“I liked Yeji. Didn’t turn out too well either,” she then states, making the teasing smile on your face disappear as soon as it came. 

Feeling a little uncomfortable, you clear your throat and straighten your back. 

“Considering what I’ve heard about you, I really hope Jimin knows what he’s doing and that the things they say about you really aren’t true, or else you and I will have a big problem.”

You can’t even be mad at her for telling you this because it somehow warms your heart to see her so protective of her big brother. It’s much like the day Jimin told you about her and mentioned he didn’t want her to get hurt. You always wished for a relationship like that with someone. A sibling, a friendship… but you never had the chance to make that kind of connection with someone. 

It’s good to see something like this exist outside of movies and books. 

“You know what? That’s fair. I promise I won’t disappoint you - or him,” you grin slightly, trying to ease the tension again. 

She doesn’t say anything to that anymore but seems to accept it, and you fall back into silence. The next time it gets disrupted isn’t because of you, but surprisingly it’s Mijoo, who starts speaking first, startling you just a little since you didn’t expect it from her. 

“I know you said Jimin didn’t ask you to talk to me, but I already know he vented to you about Chanyeol. And if it should occur to you anyway, don't even try to tell me anything. I don’t want to have this conversation with you. I know what I’m doing,” she informs you, still suspicious of your true intentions in talking to her.

You can't help but laugh at that, seeing how on point she is with her guess about Jimin. She really knows him well. “Ah, no. Don’t misinterpret, please,” you start. “Jimin definitely asked me to talk to you, but I refused,” you admit, thinking it’s best to be as honest as you can with her. It’s pretty obvious she is very attentive to her surroundings and knows Jimin better than anyone else, so she wouldn’t believe you anyway. 

“Oh?” For some reason, she looks as if she did not expect this answer from you. “How come you didn't wanna do it?”

Letting out a loud, exaggerated sigh, you lean back on your hands again and enjoy the view of the sun slowly setting in front of you. “I’m really the last person to give advice to others if it’s about relationships or guys in general,” you explain. “I’m a mess in that field,” you giggle. 

Mijoo once again doesn’t reply with words and gives you a nod, silently telling you she's listening. 

“Besides, I can't take the liberty of telling you anything about your boyfriend when I don't really know either of you.”

“Good. I agree with you,” she coughs. It’s probably not what she expected to hear, but she seems to share your opinion, so you guess this was the right answer. 

You are happy you can be honest in that aspect at least. It’s a shame you already have to lie about everything else, but that’s not your concern now. Although you had a hard time getting used to lying to these people that are treating you with so much kindness, it’s Jimin’s family, so it must (or at least should) be even harder for him. Especially since he is so close with them. 

Luckily, you don’t get to spend much more thought on that since Mijoo continues to talk not soon after, and the first thing that comes to her mind is complaining to you about how annoying Jimin is which kinda makes you laugh. 

“For real. Why can’t he just shut up and keep his nose out of my business for once?” She groans. “I have never interfered in his affairs like that because unlike him, I can show some respect.”

You guess Jimin is more intrusive than you would have thought when it comes to his sister and her boyfriend, and for some reason that doesn't surprise you one bit.

“He just cares about you, Mijoo,” you try to explain without interfering too much. You don’t want her to think you’re taking Jimin’s side because as you already told him at the party, you think it would be best to just let her be. But you feel the need to show her he’s not acting out of cruelty. 

“Jimin knows how guys are at your age. Well, not that they’re any better at our age, to be honest, but he really loves you and doesn’t want you to end up being hurt,” you try to explain. “Honestly, I would kill to have someone like that in my life. I always wanted to have an older brother. Really could have used a Jimin when I was your age or even now,” you chuckle, imagining what your life would have been like if you had had someone like him at Mijoo’s age.

“Oh,” she says, probably sensing your conversation suddenly got a bit too private and you feel it too, even if that was not your intention. You got a little off track it seems.

“But… at least you have Jimin now.” She sounds confused, making your alarm bells go off because you realize you let your cover slip for just a second. “I’m sure he cares about you just as much.” 

You clear your throat, trying to keep your composure as you muster a smile back on your face. “Yea. Sure. He does, of course…” you try to smile at her, but it stopped being sincere. “I just mean… I wish I would have met him sooner.”

You both stay silent for quite some time after, but other than the times before, this time feels uncomfortable to you. Your little slip-up makes you nervous and stressed. Yes, it wasn’t anything big, but you’re not sure if that is already enough to make Mijoo suspicious.

“He thinks very highly of you, you know?” She suddenly breaks the silence. It’s almost pathetic how fast your head turns to look at her after she said that, and you can’t be sure because of the poor light source, but you think she almost smiled at that.

“Why do you think that?” You ask, almost instantly wanting to smack yourself again for sounding so doubtful. 

Would an actual girlfriend react so surprised? 

“Well, for starters, because he literally begged me to not tell our parents any of the things going around about you,” she shrugs. “Not because he’s ashamed of you - he wouldn’t have brought you here if that was the case - but because he didn't want their impression of you to be affected by that. He wanted them to get to know you as you really are because he knew they would like you. Plus, he didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.” 

She’s saying all that so carelessly while you must look completely baffled with your eyes big and your mouth hanging open. 

“He really said all that?”

“All that and a couple more things, but I stopped listening because I felt uncomfortable in that lovey-dovey situation,” she says, cringing right after.

You laugh, shaking your head at her, knowing pretty damn well that she completely misinterpreted, but you’re still surprised he would do that for you. He also didn’t tell you about it, which you don’t quite understand, but he must have his reasons, and you're not going to dwell on that. 

Thankfully you don't get the chance to do that anyway because Mijoo makes sure to speak up again. “Well, hopefully, he doesn't have the time to annoy me that much anymore since he has you now to keep his mind off of my relationship,” she sighs, making her annoyance with her brother known. “Last month at one of our family get-togethers, he gave Chanyeol a pack of condoms, trying to embarrass us,” she rages.

“Jimin gave condoms to your boyfriend?” You ask, amazed because you would have never thought of that. A voucher for a visit to the hairdresser, maybe; a pair of pants that will cover his butt, perhaps, but condoms?

“He bought them in the smallest size possible just to embarrass him. Such a typical unfunny joke from Jimin, I swear. It was nothing but another excuse to annoy us both,” she explains.

Pressing your lips together, you nod your head a little. “That sounds more like him, to be honest.” You know this isn't supposed to be funny, and Mijoo's obvious annoyance is more than enough evidence. But it's hard to keep a straight face. 

Please. It is a little funny okay?

“Don't worry, they were probably just leftovers from his own stash,” you joke, forgetting who you're talking to for a moment. It only occurs to you when you hear her laugh loudly beside you, almost making you fall into the pool from the unexpected reaction.

“Why didn't I think of that come back then? Oh, what a waste,” she complains while still giggling loudly. 

Although you're happy you got this big of a reaction out of her for a change, you do regret making that joke in the first place. Joking about your supposed boyfriend's small dick in front of his underage sister. You're sure Jimin wouldn't find that funny, but oh well. He isn't here.

“Happy to help, but don't tell him I said that,” you chuckle.

It seems like most of the tension between you and Mijoo evaporated shortly after. And even if you feel a tiny bit bad it happened at Jimin's expense, you're happy for yourself. 

What they say must be true, after all; nothing brings two people closer together than a common enemy.

About an hour later, you’re sitting in front of a bonfire with Jimin, Nayeon, and Mijoo while tightly wrapped in a blanket because the fire wasn’t enough for you to get warm. 

Everybody else has already left, but the four of you decided to hang out a little longer. 

Mijoo’s boyfriend had to leave as well, much to Jimin’s joy, but you managed to make him shut up about it before the siblings could get into a fight. 

For the past half hour, you found yourselves talking about different things, laughing about stupid stories either of you told, and well… getting a little drunk it seems. 

“Okay, my turn, uhm…” Jimin thinks for a while before he starts chuckling to himself and looks at his sister. “Hey, do you remember the wedding we attended a couple years ago? The one where the bride almost had a stroke because her sister - the first bridesmaid - was nowhere to be found while she should have been there already?” Jimin asks her, seeing her nod her head. 

“Of course I do!” Mijoo laughs. “Wasn’t she locked up in the bathroom or something?” She asks while trying to get her own memory going. 

Jimin grins widely, taking a big gulp from his beer bottle before he nods briefly. “Yeah, that was the official story she told everyone,” he chuckles, looking mischievous. “The truth, however, is that she was busy sucking me off behind the chapel.”

Almost instantly the two girls start to groan and complain loudly, making gagging noises and sending deep frowns his way. 

“Jimin!“ Nayeon exclaims, rolling her eyes. “This is so disrespectful towards ___.” 

“What? Why?” he asks, seemingly confused, looking at you to see you looking just as confused.

“Because you don’t brag about past hookups in front of your girlfriend. That’s common sense,” Mijoo agrees, looking at her brother with a stern look. 

Jimin pouts at you, squeezing your sides lightly while his arm is wrapped around you ever since you sat down on his lap. You saw Mijoo doing the same with her boyfriend earlier, and since it occurred to you that Jimin is putting way more work into this whole fake dating thing than you, you decided this would be a good idea. He didn’t seem to complain.

“Is that true? Are you jealous, babe?” Jimin then asks teasingly referring to Nayeon and Mijoo’s words. 

You pinch the bridge of your nose, sighing loudly before fixing your eyes on his own. “I might not look like it, but I’m raging inside,” you say, trying to look as serious as possible before you and Jimin simultaneously burst into laughter. 

“If this isn’t a match made in heaven.” You hear Mijoo mutter quietly, but you both don’t react to it, too caught up in your drunken giggles about things you probably wouldn’t find as funny if you were completely sober. 

Wiping a tear from the corner of your eye from laughing so hard, you clear your throat before looking at the other two girls. “Alright, it’s my turn now so uhm… who wants to hear the story about how I lost my virginity?” you boldly ask, excitedly looking around. 

“Me!” Jimin immediately yells into your ear, sounding just as eager to hear your story as you are to tell it. Unfortunately, he seems to be the only one since Nayeon and Mijoo are starting to get up, muttering something about needing to leave. 

“Hey, no! Come on, guys. I swear it’s a funny story!” you whine, trying to make them stay. 

“And this is my cue to go to bed,” Nayeon says, grinning at you before her eyes turn stern when she looks at Jimin. “Take care of her tonight and get her home save tomorrow, you hear me?”

“Yes, Ma’m,” Jimin salutes, making the both of you fall into a fit of giggles again. 

Nayeon sighs but still smiles at the two of you. “Come on, Mijoo, I think it’s time we leave the two alone. Talk to you later, ___, okay?” She sends you a hopeful smile, to which you only nod and give her a thumbs up, making her chuckle at your drunken stupidity.

“So, about that story,” Jimin starts a couple of minutes after you two got abandoned by the girls and you still haven’t spilled the beans, reminding you of what you actually wanted to talk about. 

“Right!” you exclaim, smacking your forehead when you remember. “Oh God, that was so funny,” you giggle. “I mean, it wasn’t at that moment, but now, several years later and after a lot worse things happened, I can wholeheartedly laugh at this failure.”

Jimin only gives you a warm smile, absently pulling the blanket back over your suddenly exposed shoulder without you even noticing.  

“So it happened with my first-ever boyfriend,” you begin, grinning up at him with big, glistening eyes that reflect the fire just perfectly. “We just kind of… decided to do it in his room after school on a random Wednesday-”

“The classic,” Jimin nods. “Personally, I would prefer a Friday, but who am I to judge.”

He’s just teasing you, quietly laughing to himself when you get frustrated for forgetting where you were after he interrupted you and the way a frown replaces the excited look you previously had in your eyes.

It doesn’t last for that long, and you’re quickly back on track, continuing your story. Even if Jimin thought it was funny, he decides to not tease you again and just let you speak - even if it’s very tempting. 

“Okay, so we’re doing it alright?” you gulp, sipping from the wine glass in your hand. “And then, all of a sudden, his mom just… barges in!” 

“No way!” Jimin laughs, kicking his head back, accidentally squeezing you even tighter against him in the meantime. 

“Yes, way! But the disturbing part is that he... came. In those exact two seconds, his mom was watching,” you say, both in horror and amusement from remembering the sheer embarrassment you felt that day. “Just like that. No warning.”

“What!” Jimin almost falls over in laughter, shifting in his seat and slightly making you grab onto him tighter because it felt like you’re falling off his lap for a second. “You’re shitting me. There is no way it actually went down like this.”

“No! I swear that’s what happened,” you giggle, shrugging innocently as if you didn’t just tell him about your boyfriend nutting while his mother was watching the two of you.

“And then what happened? What did she do?” He asks, still interested but also kinda grossed out by the images making their way into his head. 

“She yelped and ran off,” you shrug. “And I never went back to that house ever again,” you explain while cringing. “This is so typical for me, I swear. The whole thing lasted no more than three minutes, and yet she had to barge in at that very moment,” you groan, shaking your head in disbelief. You have always been haunted by bad luck, it seems.

Jimin barely holds it together, and his laugh is just too contagious for you to be embarrassed by old memories. 

“Three minutes?” he then scoffs after his laughter has died down. “Not to brag or anything, but I could at least give you four.”

You gasp, shifting your body a little on his lap to face him better. “Four whole minutes, Park? That'd be like… my new personal record.” 

Jimin laughs again, his face coming even closer. “That’s sad, ___.”

“You don’t have to tell me,” you sigh. “It’s hard being a woman, having an interest in men.”

He grins brightly, hugging you closer. “Either that, or you just have bad taste.”

“We all know about my bad taste, Park. You don’t always have to remind me,” you roll your eyes. “I prefer to put the blame on others like any real adult would.”

You’re averting your gaze from the fire that’s slowly starting to go out, not looking at him for a mere second, but when you look back at him, something has changed. 

Your faces are suddenly so close, and you can't even remember when that happened, but he's so close that you can clearly feel his breath on your lips. You watch his tongue dart out for a mere second as it runs over his bottom lip, and you find yourself mesmerized by it. 

Jimin is suddenly so still too, not moving at all, and if you weren't so busy looking at his lips, you'd notice him staring at yours the same way.

Slowly, carefully, his free hand - the one that isn’t already holding your waist to keep you secure on his lap - slides up to your face to get rid of a strand of hair that had just fallen into your eye, and he dips his head just a bit. Then, just as slowly and carefully, he leans in, giving you plenty of time to pull away if you want to.

But you don't. You don’t move at all. You don’t even know what’s going on, have no idea when the atmosphere shifted from joking about past hookups to… this. But you’re curious. You're curious to see what he’s willing to do.

When his lips finally make contact with yours, it's gentle and soft. He kisses you delicately, almost as though you're made of glass. It feels different from your first kiss. This time there's no one watching, no one to prove anything to, and if you were completely sober, this kiss would probably confuse you a lot more than the first one did.

The hand on your side roams, finding your curves and squeezing all of them gently, making goosebumps form on your skin. Jimin pulls back to take a breath, even in the dim light, you can see his lips are swollen from the kiss, and he's staring at you with dark eyes.

“Shall we go inside?” he asks. 

You nod, silently standing up and waiting for him to put the fire out completely before he comes over to you, sporting a handsome smile on his face as he takes your hand and leads you all the way into the house. 

You don’t remember how it started, or who implied it, but you don’t even make it entirely up to his room before you’re kissing again, clumsily stumbling up the stairs and giggling whenever one of you accidentally bumps against a random piece of furniture.

Once inside his room with the door shut behind you, he carelessly throws his dress jacket over an armchair before stepping closer to you once again. You simply just watch his every move, not backing away in the slightest with your eyes fixed solely on his as one of his fingers tilts your chin up.

You can feel goosebumps rise up on your arms again as he kisses you sweetly, touching you without the blanket blocking his fingers from your skin as he backs you up until your legs bump against a small dresser. Within a second, he has you sitting on it while he settles between your legs, kissing you with more force than before.

There is no tongue this time, but it feels more intense than the kiss you shared before and it's making your head spin.

But you must seem to have misinterpreted his eagerness to kiss you because the moment you let your hands wander over his toned chest and down to his belt, he is quick to stop your movements altogether.

He pulls back to take a breath, and when your eyes flutter open in confusion, there is a soft smile adorning his face.

“Why not?” you ask, trying to make him come closer again, but he doesn’t budge. 

Jimin only smiles as he looks at you, looking into your big, glassy eyes while you look at him in question. 

“Because you’re drunk, ___.”

You groan, stubbornly shaking your head. You keep your arms around his neck while trying to reason with him. “So what? You’re drunk too, so it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m not as drunk as you. Not in the slightest,” he chuckles, smiling down at you just as you let out a big huff in annoyance. “I won’t take advantage of you like that. That wouldn’t be okay, and if you weren’t so drunk, I know you would agree.”

“Why do you always say that? I’m not that drunk,” you argue.

Jimin only grins, seemingly amused by your irritation. “You haven’t said anything mean to me in the past couple of hours, babygirl. That’s not normal.” 

There it is. That stupid pet name you hate so much. He hasn't called you that all day and him using it right now, tells you the moment passed and that he's determined to not let anything happen tonight.

“Ugh, of all the times you could have chosen to be a decent guy, you choose now? That‘s such a typical move from you. Anything to annoy me.” 

He chuckles, carefully reaching for your hands to move them away from around him. “I promise, if you still want it tomorrow morning, I will be the last person to not immediately be up for it.”

You pout, not willing to give up so easily. “I think we should allow ourselves a little reward for… being such good actors.” you propose trying to persuade him again, even if it obviously won’t have any use. He made up his mind, and as he said earlier, if you were sober, you would agree with him. 

Jimin only grins but still withdraws further from you, making your pout even bigger in the process. “I’m completely with you on that one, but still - not in this state. Please understand.”

“Ugh, whatever,” you scoff, hopping off the counter and stumbling over to his bed before landing face-first inside it and rolling over with a groan. “Why would I want sex with you if I could just spend those four minutes sleeping?”

Jimin laughs as you feel the mattress dip when he joins you. “Look at you being such a horny little brat,” he smirks, looking down at your annoyed face. 

“Stop talking to me like that if you’re not going to do anything about it,” you mutter, rolling on your side so you don’t face him any longer. 

“Alright, I’m gonna go take a quick shower. You can go to sleep if you want to but you should take off your make-up first and get out of this dress, so you feel more comfortable.” Jimin then says, just as you hear him shuffling around in his closet. “I'll lay out a few things for you for the night. As soon as I'm gone, you can change in peace.”

Even if you’re suddenly almost too tired to move, you listen to him and do what he asked you to do. You sleepily wiggle out of your dress and hang it over a chair so it won’t get too many crinkles, and lastly, find your bag and take out a few makeup wipes.

You don’t notice Jimin coming back into the room and joining you in his bed only a short while later because you’re already fast asleep. You also don’t notice him being the one to put the blanket over your shivering body because you were too sleepy to notice. 

“Sure. Not drunk at all,” Jimin chuckles to himself after he has you neatly tucked in and makes himself comfortable as well, soon falling asleep too.

You wake up from a pounding pain in your head. Profoundly confused by the unfamiliar surroundings you find yourself in, you take a moment to look around and remember you’re still in Jimin's parents' house. 

Turning around, you’re engulfed in warmth, undoubtedly coming from the man who’s still sleeping soundly beside you, but with enough space between your bodies to keep you from finding yourselves in an awkward position. 

Frankly enough, Jimin - although still asleep - looks much more rested than you feel right now. 

You groan slightly, slowly sitting up and holding your aching head, the bright sunlight shining through the window not being of any help either. Your eyes scan the room carefully, taking in every little detail. But it’s not until they land on Jimin’s dress jacket, carelessly thrown over the black armchair, barely hanging on, that flashbacks from last night come rushing back into your brain. 

Ho-ly shit. 

Quickly covering your mouth with both your hands to prevent yourself from making any sounds that might end up waking the peacefully sleeping man beside you up, you slowly let yourself sink back into your pillow, hoping for it to swallow you whole and never let you go again. 

You wanted him to sleep with you. No - even worse! You asked him to sleep with you multiple times, and he refused! Could it be any more humiliating?

Okay yes, if you really would have ended up sleeping with him, that would be even worse, but this right here - that’s the second worst scenario you can think of. 

And you made out. Again. And this time, it was not to make anyone believe you're together because there was no one there. You have absolutely no excuse for making out, but it happened. What. The. Fuck.

You can’t believe you did that. You could kick your own ass for being so stupid and letting it come this far. What the fuck is wrong with you?

And more importantly - how are you ever going to face him again? He is never going to let you forget about that, you’re sure. 

As if your inner turmoil with yourself about your inconceivable stupidity has transferred into the outside world, Jimin suddenly begins to stir next to you. You notice him slowly waking up, and it makes your heart almost explode inside your chest from anxiety. 

“Hey, good morning.”

You turn your head a little, seeing Jimin’s puffy eyes already fixed on you and a tired smile resting on his lips. 

“Morning.”

“Sleep well?” He asks, adjusting his weight a little to hold his head with his arm up to look at you better. 

You only nod, offering him a tight-lipped smile before your body reminds you of the current state you’re in. “My head is killing me, though.” 

Chuckling quietly, Jimin wordlessly gets out of bed to walk to a little mini fridge at the far end of his room - you hadn’t even noticed it being there. He takes out a small water bottle, comes back to you, and quickly rummages through the bedside table before handing you the bottle and a pill. 

“Good thing I’m prepared,” he winks, this time deciding to sit next to you and watch you while you eagerly take the pill and a sip from your water. Feeling the cool liquid going down your throat makes you feel much better, and you thank him before settling back into your pillow, waiting for the medication to kick in before you decide to get up. 

“So…” 

You raise a brow looking at Jimin, who is also looking at you expectantly.

“So?” you ask, not knowing what he’s on about.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” 

You gulp, trying to hide your embarrassment somehow by averting your gaze elsewhere and hoping he won’t notice. You should have known he won't be subtle about it - it's Jimin, after all - but you still hoped he wouldn't ask about it the second he wakes up. If there is one thing you don’t want, it’s having to discuss what happened last night. But considering you were clearly drunk, this could be used to your advantage. 

Getting back into your Hollywood-like acting skills, you furrow your brows as you shake your head. “What do you mean, did anything happen?” 

Jimin intensely looks at you, trying to read you and see whether you’re lying. You feel very uncomfortable under his intense gaze. “No. Forget I said anything.” A corner of his mouth raises up in a half-smile, implying that there's more he wants to say but decides against it.

Not that you give him the chance to anyway because you quickly waddle out of bed, getting as much distance between you two as you can. “Is it okay if I take a shower?” 

He nods, telling you where to find fresh towels and other stuff you might need before watching you leave into his bathroom and close the door behind you. 

He knows you’re lying, he doesn’t even have to waste a thought on it because you’re that obvious. Or maybe you aren’t, and he has just gotten better at reading you but he's sure that you know exactly what happened yesterday.

And it probably shouldn’t, but you not telling him the truth and making up some lie about not remembering anything, really bothers him for some reason.

However, it shows that he has done the right thing by not giving in to you because you could not have made it more clear that it was purely the alcohol talking last night.

tagged: @ggukkieland | @ttaeby | @rkvi | @cuteipat | @pjiminslove | @mawwnsterr | @aamalaaa | @spideyxxboi | @lil-sracha | @katsbqbe | @bex-92br | @natalie-rdr | @canarystwin | @wespers-jaan | @bangtanxcoffee | @bri-mal | @so-kou | @lonleycoffee | @rjsmochii | @kiwiaroha | @chimchimmarie | @scoupshawt | @xmochiloverx

[lo1k-diamonds]

To Blossom 🚀 Chapter 16

He finished tucking her in, then grinned widely and hid his face in a pillow possibly to laugh as she pursed her lips. He had placed pillows all around her and wrapped her tightly inside the blanket, making a cocoon of sorts. She raised an eyebrow as he laughed quietly, a grin wide on his face.

“What are you doing?” She asked and instantly a subtone of amusement tried to slip through. She wasn’t mad, and his laughter eased her heart so much she could swear it took wing.

Instead of answering, he bit his lip and let her wiggle a little until she was comfortable. She was really there, wrapped in his blanket and afloat on his pillows with slightly puffy hair contrasting with the fluffy fabrics. He just couldn’t get enough of it.

[nightscapepersona]

Fly V to the Moon - Ch. 26

“The one where her heart flutters straight into the pond”

Hello! This chapter was long in the planning and such a joy to write. Listen to the playlist in the recommended songs for more fun. Leave a like if you enjoy this chapter... it genuinely, truthfully, sincerely means a lot! :)

Pairing: Taehyung x OFC

Genre: Fluff, Idol AU, Coffee Shop AU, Café Singer OFC, Slow Burn

Warnings: Light swearing, but it’s all for banter. Again, this is fluff.

Word count: 2.9k (Usually short chapters!)

Recommended Songs: The Astronaut — Jin; Sunflower — Harry Styles; Sunflower  — Post Malone & Swae Lee; you’re inside Monet paintings (playlist) — compiled by nobody

Summary: She’s a foreign elementary school teacher by day, a charming singer by night. Taehyung and company discover her at a small garden jazz café where she had a gig one night, only to find out from Jin that she was an arts teacher at a local school in Seoul — Jin's nephew and niece’s teacher, in fact. Taehyung finds himself on a surprise adventure to the moon.

Masterlist

Note about the Art: Did you know Monet painted 250 water lily paintaings as part of his series? They are also called Nymphéas. Real life Taehyung has expressed love for Monet’s paintings before, and some of his paintings are personal favorites of mine. As you may know, our OFC owns one particular art shirt based on one of his works that caught his attention all the way back in Chapter 2 and comes back in Chapter 20. I won’t give spoilers, but this is connected to Chapter 24. If you’re also an art lover, this virtual tour of Monet’s water lily murals might interest you. As another note, impasto is the painting technique used by Van Gogh, where brushstrokes are visible because paint is laid thickly on the canvas.

✻  ✻  ✻

Fly V to the Moon — by Nightscape Persona

Chapter 26: The one where her heart flutters straight into the pond

“Sunflower.”

A stroke.

“Sunflower.”

Another stroke.

“My eyes...”

One more stroke of ochre, just for good measure.

“Want you more than a melody.”

She continued to hum the song that she woke up singing and which refused to leave her mind as she layered strokes and strokes of ochre paint on her canvas.

À la impasto.

Impasto like her inspiration, which had turned up that morning in variegated brushfuls of thick and layered waves.

Yes, that morning Lia woke up and felt like painting.

Sunflowers.

It was mid-March. Snow was thawing. Green grass growing. Winter farewell show was coming.

And she had woken up with an insurmountable craving to paint and paint and paint until the ochre rays of sunlight had long faded into the blue of night.

As of lately, there had not been many mornings like this, where she awoke feeling inspired rather than absolutely hammered by the week.

As of lately, meaning as of long. With work and with the café and with life happening in between, painting had been relayed to the background. Ever since last September, perhaps, when the band convinced her to start guest-singing in their gigs.

“I've got your face.”

She dabbed more strokes of ochre on the canvas, shifting from humming to singing once more.

“Hung up high in the gallery.”

Life happening in between.

“I love this shade.”

Funny how “life happening” now included Taehyung.

“Sunflower.”

His brown eyes and his smile and his eye smiles and his brown hair turned ochre with the sunlight.

His irremediable charm.

Memories of their little dates that frequently intruded into her brain as little love letters throughout her day.

The proximity of his face.

The coldness of his hands.

The sound of his laughter, warm and deep and euphonious.

Him speaking sweet nothings in the little voice notes he started to send her everyday for the past two weeks.

Wait for me, sunflower.

The ghost of a kiss brushing past her lips.

Electricity and hummingbirds.

Maybe if I liked you less it wouldn’t be so hard to tell you this.

Recollections of words he’d said rotating around her mind every second of every hour like a merry-go-round.

I think I’ve fallen already.

A kiss or two burning on her lips.

Lia caught herself staring like stupid at the strokes on the canvas, brush mid air, paint beginning to dry.

She shook her head, giggling and blushing even when he was not there.

Perhaps she now had a muse.

Which was good.

He had already pretty much been her singing muse, a.k.a. source of nerves, since she had become aware of him attending the little gigs.

Stroke.

And he was not to blame, anyways, for not painting a thing for months. He had not yet broken into her life and made it swirl and capsize and ignite like so.

Stroke.

The most painting she had done was a few brushes and traces here and there when she helped the kiddos in class.

Funny.

As an arts teacher Lia barely painted at all.

So much for someone not wanting to become a monolith.

Out of the corner of her eye, she peeped the leaflet open flat on the console table across the room. A leftover from many months ago when she was checking out Art programs. Perhaps in France.

She dashed another stroke of ochre before any bit of regret or disappointment or whatever had time to kick in. She was happy, and she was painting now, and that’s what mattered.

Her phone buzzed.

Again.

It had been buzzing all morning.

She was deliberately ignoring it to paint.

She knew Taehyung would be busy that day, so she didn’t even bother to take a glance. Though perhaps the session could be paused to text Taehyung. A quick check in to ask how the trip was treating him that day. To let him know she was thinking of him.

She unlocked the phone.

The latest notification was a post. From Taehyung. She clicked it, immediately giddy.

It was—It was Water Lilies.

One of the many, at least.

A picture of one of the many Water Lilies paintings scattered around the world. He had tagged the location as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York. The caption was simply “Monet”.

She swept to the next pictures. More water lilies. And one bridge over the water lily pond. A collection of all the water lilies in that museum. A smile inevitably painted on her face. Oh, she adored him.

She gave the little post a like.

Her mind went back to their little moment in the garden when they’d discussed Monet. How the little scene seemed like a moment from a painting. Had he been thinking of her?

Her chest scrunched in fondness.

He had told her he’d visit some museums with Namjoon while they were in New York. He had told her he would send her all the pictures when he did. Maybe he forgot. Maybe he wanted to post them first. Not that she was resented or anything. Nope. She was definitely not pouting. 

Hold on.

Water lilies.

The gift.

The gift.

Her heart started to beat faster.

Her phone buzzed again.

He posted something else.

Another series of water lilies. And a bridge. This time at the Museum of Modern Art. New York.

A part of her brain was itching over the thought of whether this could be the sign. The other part was short-cutting over the fact that it was in fact the sign.

The caption read:

               Nymphéas, this is your sign.

Nymphéas. The water lilies.

It was indeed the sign.

Wait—Did he just call her water lily? Did he—he called her nymphéas—did he—okay, okay, okay. Her chest puffed up in rapture, nervous hummingbirds fluttering all over inside.

She jumped out of her little stool and ran to her room, where she kept it.

The gift.

She rushed back and placed it on the dining table. There it sat, mirroring her hesitation to open it in spite of the terrible itching to rip it open at once.

She started to unwrap the top like an envelope. Slowly, taking every precaution to not spoil the paper in any way. She could not and would not deface the water lilies, no. 

Top safely removed, she turned the precious package upside down.

Soft cotton fell on her hands.

A folded shirt.

White.

A design hinting below the border of the fold.

An image. A painting.

Lia almost wanted to squeal. She was almost certainly positive of what it was.

She let it unfurl to see its front, and a small paper fell from within.

The little note was handwritten by Taehyung.

               For my favorite art teacher with

               never enough art shirts to wear.

Her heart fluttered straight into the pond.

Of course.

It was water lilies.

Of course it was the water lilies.

One of the many water lilies.

A water lily shirts.

She let herself give out a little squeal. Why not. The little shit had done it again.

One day she’d have to sue him. For health deterioration due to his grand gestures. For making her heart flutter and capsize and swirl.

It was not just the shirt. It was the gesture, the planning. That knowing he’d be away, he’d prepared a moment. The name—nymphéas—the phrase that he’d written for the whole world to see, but only she would know it was meant for her.

Their little esoteric thing.

She plunged herself into the pond again. The pond being the table, she pounded her head against the wooden table in a fit of giggles.

She should—should she? Yes. She should call him.

Lia dialed him up. 

He didn’t even let it ring.

“Did you like it?”

A mix of giddiness, nerves, and a bunch of other feelings that shall not be named, Lia couldn’t help but laugh immediately upon his blunt answer.

“I loved it!,” she gushed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! How—where—how did you even get it? Never mind, I know. So you—you've been planning this since—you’re telling me you planned this ever since—ever since—before you left—but you had to have it shipped—so you—I—You!”

She heard his laughter on the other side of the line.

“So you do like it?”

“Come on, yes, I do like it!,” her voice was getting higher, “I love it!”

“Okay. Good. Okay. Okay.”

“I’ll wear it everyday. I’ll sleep in it.”

“That’s nasty.”

“Nobody can stop me.”

“The smell of rotten water lilies will.”

“Okay, yeah, no,” she tittered. “But this—this sits on the table of sweet unexpected gestures from you with a crown, right by the ramyeon stunt.”

His low laughter resounded from across the line.

“Didn’t know you had a table for sweet unexpected gestures.”

“Me neither,” she buried her face in her free hand. “But you’re making it extremely hard not to make one. When did you plan this?”

“Uhhh, that’s kind of funny.”

“How so?”

“Well. You might find it funny to learn that. . .”

“That. . . ?”

“. . . I kind of started window shopping online for art shirts in December.”

December.

“What? Wait, so you’ve had it since then?”

“No, no, no. I do have had it for weeks, buuut I was not really planning on gifting you one back then. We had just met. It’d be. . . strange.”

Okay.

“Makes sense. So, . . . when did you decide to?”

“Some day after the mini-mart incident.”

He giggled.

The ramyeon incident. Their first real face to face interaction.

Lia giggled too.

They let the call go quiet for a few seconds.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“My pleasure.”

She caressed the fabric, roaming over the painted lily pads in light hues and tints of lilac, blue, and green. Below the painting, a caption read: Claude Monet. Nymphéas, 1908. The name of a gallery was printed below.

“How come you chose this one?”

“Oh, it was hard to choose one. I seriously struggled. When the artist has over 250 water lily paintings you can choose from, how can you even choose? And I wanted to choose one that suited you. Your aura of. . . well, you.”

Lia giggled. Again.

“Good thing the number of museums that sell art shirts of the Water Lilies reduced the scope for you.”

“There were still many museums to choose from!”

She let her laughter run freely across the line. She heard him too, buoyant across the line.

“And then you visited the museums and didn’t tell me.”

“I can hear you pout, but! There’s a reason! I was itching to send you the pictures on the day we visited. Dying. But if I did, it wouldn’t have been that obvious that it was the sign! Actually! It would not have been worthy to be called the sign!”

This Taehyung. She buried her head on the dining table, giggling. Again.

“Got it, got it. It would have ruined your big moment.”

“Yes, actually, so please, do not laugh. Actually, do please continue laughing, I love that sound.”

Lia once more felt the urge to cover her face with her hand. She was certain she had grown beetroot red.

“You, sir, are an absolute hopeless romantic.”

“I’ll take that, yes. Besides, I have two more shirts for you from this trip. Because one water lily shirt is not enough when there’s 250 to choose from.”

Butterflies started to fly in her stomach. Oh, she adored him. But that was excessive.

“No! You—You didn’t have to!” 

“Yes, I did and that’s all I shall say.”

“Taehyung!”

“Lia!”

“So you can have a trifecta of water lilies! They say good things come in threes.”

“Well, I know only one of you, so. . . I doubt that.”

He laughed.

“But seriously. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

“And seriously, don’t do it again. Please. I love the gifts, but you don’t have t—.”

“No can do.”

This Taehyung.

“So,” he changed the topic. “What’s new? How are things going there? How’s school? How’s the café?”

“Well, the café. . .”

Lia did have news about the café.

“Did you know there was a whole compound behind the wall at the back of the garden? It used to be a single house, but it was divided at some point.”

“Really?”

“Yes! You’d think there was only the garden and the small part that is the café.”

“So the garden was a courtyard of sorts?”

“Yes! Point is, they’re rehabilitating that other section.”

“They are?”

She hummed.

“Is the café doing that well?”

“So it seems.”

“Well. You know, it's actually no wonder that it’s prospering.”

“How come?”

“It must be because of you. You made the business flourish with your magic spell that allures customers into your enchanted lair of jazz and hazy afternoons.”

She giggled.

“Why a lair, though? If it’s enchanted it cannot be a lair!”

“If it is enchanted it is precisely a lair!”

“But it is not evil!”

“Well. True. Okay. Yes. A haven, it is.”

“Anyways,” Lia chuckled. “How is the trip treating you?”

“Good. A little tiring. But good. I want it to be over already, though.”

“So bad?”

“No! Not bad! Just… I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too.”

She heard him sigh.

“So,” she tried to divert the conversation.

“So?”

“What are you doing right now? Or were. Before I called you.”

“Besides from stressing over the sign?”

Lia tittered.

“Yes.”

“We were on set. Filming. Well, are. Currently on break. What about you?”

“I was painting. Well, I was actually on break too.”

“Wait,” he gasped across the line, “you were painting?”

“Yes! I’ve been painting all morning.”

She wouldn’t tell him she stopped painting because she was distracted by thoughts of him, though.

“I didn’t think you… painted. Which is dumb. Of course you paint. You love paint. You teach arts. How could you not.”

She was giggling. Again.

“What were you painting?”

Shit.

“Sunflowers.”

She heard him go quiet on his side. She almost could feel him smile.

“Does that have anything to do with me?”

Of course.

“Maybe.”

He let out a titter. So soft Lia almost didn’t catch it through the call.

“First water lilies and now sunflowers. If flowers only remind me of you hereon in, it shall be your own fault, sir.”

“As I said, I’ll gladly take that.”

She could hear his smugness.

“What do you think about carnations, by the way?”

“I love carnations.”

“Noted,” he spoke gravely.

Lia smiled for herself. How would she ever get used to him?

“So. . . going back to water lilies.”

“Yes?”

“If you hadn’t specified it was the sign. . . I mean, I decided to text you by chance and by chance saw the post. That was what confirmed my suspicion.”

“Well, I thought that maybe you would get it right away because it was obvious since the gift was wrapped in water lilies and maybe you remembered that,” he started speaking faster. “But when I started preparing the second post I started thinking what if it is not that obvious, because it had been ten minutes since I posted it and I was getting nervous that you hadn’t caught it and—.”

He stopped for air.

Lia was smitten. At how he’d started over explaining himself, rushedly and excitedly and agitatedly. How he was tripping over his words and how he sounded nervous somehow.

He resumed his frantic narration.

“And then I saw you liked it, which made my heart jump out of my chest, like, Jimin has been laughing at me since I squealed because you lik—yeah, anyways, you liked it, which meant you were currently on your phone, but you hadn’t told me anything, so I started to think, what if you hadn’t caught it—but anyways, that meant you were currently on your phone, which was the perfect time to make sure you saw it, so I decided to write the caption just in case, because what if you hadn’t caught that it was the sign, and apparently it did work because then you were call—.”

“If you were here, this is where I would shut you up with a kiss.”

She felt brave, okay.

He went silent.

“And since we’re at it. I was not laughing at you, I was laughing because of you. Of joy. You made my day.”

She heard a very soft little giggle on the other side of the line. Then, both remained silent. She could picture him smiling. She hoped he could picture her grinning too.

Then he broke the silence, with a whisper.

A very soft whisper, like a rustle of lily pads over the water.

“I love you.”

Her heart fluttered straight into the pond.

A sudden disturbance cut through his side of the call, taking her out of the moment. She heard the voices of her bandmates yelling and guffawing.

“Is that Lia? LIAAAAAAA.”

Was that Jimin?

“Shhhh, go away.”

“LIAAAAAAAAAAA,” someone else yelled.

“DID HE TELL YOU HOW HE’S BEEN MOPING AND HAS NOT SHUT UP ABOUT YOU ALL THIS TRI—.”

Taehyung yelped, telling them off.

She was sure he heard her name screamed out loud again, and a whole lot of teasing which only grew louder.

If she wasn’t still slightly shocked about his whispered words, perhaps she’d be more embarrassed.

“Ahhh, I’m sorry. I have to go, they—”

“LIAAAAAAAAA.”

She giggled.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Okay.”

“Take care.”

“You too.”

“And thank you.”

“Of course.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

“BYEEEEEEE,” another person yelled.

“Okay, bye.”

He cut the call.

Lia was left in a pond full of ripples, caressing the soft fabric with a dumb smile, the soft “I love you” turning around and around inside her mind like fish below the surface.

✻  ✻  ✻

Masterlist

✻  ✻  ✻

All chapters: Chapter 1 — Chapter 2 — Chapter 3 — Chapter 4 — Chapter 5  — Chapter 6  — Chapter 7 — Chapter 8 — Chapter 9  — Chapter 10 — Chapter 11 — Chapter 12 — Chapter 13 — Chapter 14 — Chapter 15 — Chapter 16 — Chapter 17 — Chapter 18 — Chapter 19  — Chapter 20 — Chapter 21 — Chapter 22 — Chapter 23 — Chapter 24 — Chapter 25 — Chapter 26 — Chapter 27 — Update on Part 2 — Part 2 Preview

[alpacaparkaseok]

MIMI YOU’RE BACK 💜

I’m hooked. PLEASE just add me to your permanent taglist - I’d read literally anything you write.

Sending you all the love 💕

I Want You to Stay (Series Masterlist) | JJK

Pairing: Jungkook x (f.) Reader

Genre/Tags: boss!JK x assistant!reader; idiot strangers to lovers; slow slow burn; k-drama feels (What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim-inspired); angst, drama, fluff, smut

Series Warnings: foul/explicit language; alcohol consumption & passing out, unhealthy coping mechanisms; family drama; minor injuries; power dynamics (JK starts off as a jerk); work-related anxiety, feelings of helplessness, insecurities; childhood traumatic experiences, nightmares; sexual harassment, prior incidence of domestic violence (PLS PLS BE CAREFUL WHEN READING); arts and business/property devt talk that’s probably inaccurate; commitment issues & emotionally constipated characters; cold and detached JK; explicit sexual content (specific warnings stated per chapter) (18+)

Word count: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Series summary: Working for Jungkook isn’t the same as working for Hoseok. For starters, Jungkook doesn’t smile, he doesn’t appreciate you, and he gives you too much work. It doesn’t help that he’s incredibly handsome and has women at his beck and call. But as the tension grows, it becomes impossible to resist him. You've dedicated yourself to your job for 8 years so when you finally decide to put yourself first, he asks you to reconsider. And while you know that leaving is difficult, you learn that when it comes to Jungkook, staying is always so much harder.

Inspiration: Stay by Mikky Ekko

A/N: Hiii I am BAAACK! 🫡 This story is finally seeing the light of day after 3 years. I feel a little rusty, especially this being my first new JK series in 1.5 years! But it's also been a bit rough getting back into writing (and in Tumblr) after so long and after the year that was, so there won't be a schedule for chapter releases and I'll probably be a lot slower than usual. I wasn't sure if I was gonna go back to writing but I realized that I've missed interacting with you guys and screaming about stories so I do hope you give this some love. Fair warning that it's a really slow burn and some scenes are reminiscent of k-dramas. There are also sensitive and triggering topics so please proceed with caution!

And lastly, my biggest love and deepest gratitude to @wonwoonlight who's been the sweetest and loveliest person to talk to about everything, including this story. 🫶🏼 I give her credit for her amazing photos of Seoul (check moodboard) and for being the playlist manager. Please send her love as well!💕

Season 1 -> Playlist 🎶: on the way home

Episode 1 (wc: 12k)

Episode 2 (wc: 11.9k)

Episode 3 (wc: 14.8k)

Episode 4 (wc: 11.4k)

Episode 5 (wc: 14.8k)

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

Episode 9

Episode 10

Episode 11

Episode 12

Season 2 (??)

[ahgasegotarmy116]

Faking It | Jeon Jungkook | Chapter One

Summary: Being divorced by the time you're thirty isn't the best feeling in the world but what happens when your parents find someone from your past that's in a similar boat? Pairing: f!reader (30) x Single Dad Jungkook (33) (Arranged Marriage Slow Burn?) Word Count: 11.3k (oh man holy shit) Warnings: Troubles with conceiving/seeing pregnancies to full term, Jungkook's first wife passed away in childbirth. (These themes will be spoken about throughout the fic and I will add extra warnings when need be in future chapters) a/n: Okay this one is gonna be a long one (in terms of chapter length, idk how many parts there will be) I'm really really in love with this story line so I hope you'll come along this cute, silly, awkward, heartwarming and heartbreaking journey with me 🥰 p.s. I've been brainstorming with @kkusadmirer (ofc 🤭) about this fic for a while now and I've just fallen in love with these characters too much that I had to get at least one part out. Okay okay enough from me. I hope you enjoy! (barely edited per usual I'm sry 😅)

"You should start dating again" my mom says to me, a dinner with a table for two this time since she said she wanted to talk to me about something important. If I would've known it was to nag me about something like this again I would've declined the invitation.

"Mom I already told you, I just got divo-" "You got divorced last year" she cuts me off and I sigh, knowing I'll probably get no where with this argument but continue on nevertheless.

"Point being, it hasn't been that long since Robert and I got divorced. I need time and space to figure out what I want out of life. I'm not interested in rushing into another marriage just for it to fail again" I explain and she simply downs the rest of her champagne in response, polishing it off in record time.

"You don't want to end up an old maid who didn't give me any grandchildren do you?" she says, repeating the same old argument again. "Mom I'm thirty, not forty five. I still have plenty of time to worry about babies and getting married again" I argue and she rolls her eyes before asking for another glass when the waiter passes by.

"You should at least try. Don't you like going out on dates?" she asks and I sigh, hating having this conversation over and over again.

"Dating was fun in my twenties but now that I'm more interested in finding someone to settle down with, it seems like all the guys that are remotely my age and happen to be decent human beings are already married" I explain and watch how she immediately takes her glass of champagne off the table once it's placed in front of her.

I'm glad she's drinking because having this conversation with her when she's sober is even more painful.

"You're exaggerating honey. I'm sure there is a fine young man just waiting for you around the corner" but before I'm able to respond to her, her eyes suddenly light up and she quickly gets out of her seat.

"Is it really you?" she says and another woman around her age that I've never seen before comes up to greet her. "How are you? It's been so long!" the mystery woman says and they quickly share an embrace before she turns to face me.

"And who is this beautiful young woman here with you?" she asks, making me shy away from them. "Oh this is my daughter y/n. Y/n this is Mrs. Jeon" she introduces us and tells me all about how they used to go to college together.

"Oh wow I think I remember my mom mentioning you before. You used to come over when I was little right?" I question, now remembering seeing her face in some of the pictures in my baby album.

"That's right! Little Jungkook and I used to come visit you all the time when you were just a teeny tiny little thing. You were the easiest baby I've ever come across, always sleeping and when you woke up you were as happy as can be" she rambles and I get a warm feeling in my chest, loving to have met someone who clearly cared so deeply for my mother and I.

"Who's Jungkook" I ask, looking back and forth between the two of them. "Jungkook is my son, he's just a few years older than you. I remember he was so fascinated by you, always wanting to come over and would watch over you as you slept, never causing a fuss as long as you were around" she says and I blush at the fact that her son would care about me just as much if not more than she does.

"How is he? Is he doing alright?" my mother asks and Mrs. Jeon gets a somber look on her face eyes fluttering to the floor before responding.

"Actually, he lost his wife a few years ago. She passed away after she gave birth to their daughter" she mumbles and I feel my chest tighten up at the thought of someone so young losing their life to something that is supposed to be so beautiful.

"My condolences to you all" I say, my eyes going glossy and she smiles in return, the memory bringing a tear to her eye as well. "Thank you love, that's very kind of you" she says, placing a hand on my shoulder before she clears her throat and blinks back her tears, wanting to put on a brave face in public.

"Why don't you come visit us at our home tomorrow evening? I would love to catch up and it would be good if the kids got reacquainted again" my mother suggests and I glare at her, knowing exactly what she's doing but also knowing there's no way I could stop her. 

"I would love that! Our husbands might enjoy catching up too since they used to get along so well" Mrs. Jeon points out. "Then it's settled! How would you feel about making it a dinner instead?" my mother questions, digging us deeper into this evening we'll all be spending together. "I think that sounds perfect!" she agrees and I tune out the rest of the conversation, already trying to mentally prepare myself for the scheming I know my mother has planned.

~~~~

Kicking off my shoes and walking into my apartment I'm greeted by the serene sound of silence. 

My black tuxedo cat meows as he jumps down from his cat tower and stretches for a second before coming over to greet me. "Hi Salem" I say, scooping him up and carrying him with me into my bedroom where I plop him down in the middle of my bed. "Mom only invited me to dinner because she wanted to tell me to start dating again" I relay to him, while I walk around my room, grabbing all the things I'll need to get ready for bed.

"I should've known she was up to something when she decided to invite me out on a random Wednesday night to go to my favorite restaurant. If the previous glances I had of the totals on those receipts didn't clue me in enough I don't know what would" I say in disbelief, having convinced myself hours earlier that it might've been about something good instead of another chance to nag me about something.

"I don't know why I even bother sometimes. She just has this worst case scenario mindset that I'm going to die alone and not leave a legacy. I understand that I'm their only child but with the way she talks, you would think I was well into my forties already" I say, verbally processing to him while he curls up into a ball, his eyes watch me walk back and forth until I walk into the en-suite bathroom to turn on the shower.

"Thanks for always listening to me Salem" I say, walking back over to him and scratching his head, "Don't know what I would do without you" I mumble before walking back over to the bathroom and closing the door.

Looking in the mirror I study my features, my hair styled just how I like it, my brows perfectly shaped but when I get to my eyes I notice it. I notice why my mother has gotten so worried about me.

It's as if the light's gone out of them. It's more than just 'Hey it's been a long day and I'm tired' no it's 'I don't even know what I'm doing here anymore' and for the first time, I admit to myself that I truly feel that way.

I reach for my cleanser and quickly wash off the little makeup that I still have on, lips completely plain and gone back to their natural color and some how my cheeks don't seem to be as rosy anymore after I had made sure to put on some more blush today to bring some color back to my face. Maybe it's not the makeup that's been washing me out, but the way that I've been living.

I will admit my days consist of going to work and coming home and doing that same thing over and over again. I don't really go out much and I only have a few friends but ever since I got divorced I just end up politely declining any sort of invitation I get from them. Doesn't matter if it's dinner or drinks or clubbing or even just a shopping trip.

I just can't get myself wanting to do anything anymore.

I step into the shower and I flinch slightly at the burning sensation the hot water brings to me but adjust it and step further under the stream once it's just to my liking. While going though my shower routine mindlessly I start trying to get to the bottom of what has got me living like this.

Robert wasn't the best husband in the world, mainly because he cheated on me but before that things were good between us. He made me laugh and was a perfect gentleman that always made me feel special and when we got married I swear I thought I couldn't be happier. 

It felt like my life was falling into place, our life.

Until it wasn't.

I'm knocked out of my train of thought when I hear Salem pawing at the door and remember now that in my whirl winded state of mind I forgot to feed him. "Sorry Salem I'll be right out!" I call out for him and he meows in response. I swear that cat is more intelligent than I am most days.

I finish up my uninteresting night as I always do, turning out the lights and cuddling up with Salem until I eventually fall asleep but it took a little longer tonight. Thoughts full of what my future might look like if I don't start living instead of just existing. 

As the 'what ifs' plague my mind they eventually drown themselves out as that same welcoming feeling of calm finally lulls me to sleep. 

~~~~~~

"Hurry up they're almost here" my mother says, yanking me inside the house before I even have a chance to knock on the front door. "Nice to see you too mom" I say under my breath and she's wound up so tight it doesn't even phase her. I can tell she's been working hard to make sure everything is perfect once the Jeons arrive.

"Did you get that wine I told you to get?" she questions, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the wine bottle carrier in my hand, quickly taking it and rushing into the kitchen. "Yeah no problem mom you're welcome" I say, talking to the air in front of me still waiting for her to show any sign of gratitude.

"Go place your things in your old room so they're out of the way" she call out, leaving me sighing and trudging off to do as she says.

Once I retrace my steps and walk past the door to go to join her in the kitchen I'm stopped in my tracks when the doorbell rings.

"Oh honey can you get that? My hands are tied here" my mom yells and I take a deep breath in and out before doing just that.

"Hello y/n! It's so nice to see you again" Mrs. Jeon greets me as I step aside and let them in, soon after her is her husband who holds out his hand in greeting. "It's been quiet a long time hasn't it? I remember when you use to be-" "Grandpa! Grandpa! I wanna meet the pretty lady too!" a little girl no older than five years old says, walking around her grandfather's legs to get to me, greeting me with the most adorable bunny smile.

"And now who might this be?" I ask, already melting into a puddle from seeing how absolutely adorable she is. "I'm Juni" she laughs when I go down to her level. "Well it's very nice to meet you Juni and how old are you?" I ask and she lights up when I continue taking an interest in her. "I'm four! Well Daddy says I'm turning five soon but it feels like it's taking forever. Right Daddy?" she says and looks back towards the man now left standing in the doorway.

"That's right Juni" he responds and the deep tenor of his voice sends a slight shiver down my spine, so full of love and admiration that is obvious to anyone who might come across the pair. "Oh!" I say, quickly straightening back up to meet this mysterious Jungkook and my throat goes dry once I've laid eyes on him.

Tall, strong build, dark brown hair that's well taken care of and styled perfectly, strong jawline accompanied by the contrast of the softest look in his brown almost black galaxy eyes that are still focused on his beautiful daughter.

"I'm sorry" I say but he shakes his head before he turns his head in my direction, taking in the sight of me as well before speaking. "That's alright, Juni kind of grabs everyone's attention right away" he says giving me a soft smile. "I'm Jungkook" he says, holding his hand out to me. "Y/n" I say shyly and shake it, his hands being much larger than mine is comforting in a way.

"My mom told me we used to come see you when we still lived here" he says once we let go, Juni now quietly watching our exchange. "Used to?" I question, curious to know more about why our mothers had lost touch. "We went back to our hometown for a while and then moved back to the city soon after Juni was born" he says and I nod my head, accepting that as an answer for now but wanting to know more.

"Sounds like I was just an infant though so I don't really have any memory of it" I admit while rocking back and forth on my heels, a nervous habit I've picked up over the years. "It's alright, I didn't expect you to remember" he chuckles, "I was only three so I don't remember much of it either" we laugh at his returned confession and a more comfortable air settles between us.

"Well it's nice to finally meet you" I say and he nods his head. "Likewise" he replies and we stand there for a moment, not really knowing where to go from here then, thankfully Juni breaks the silence.

"Daddy I wanna talk to the pretty lady" she says and grabs my hand and pulls me away from him. "Be nice Juni" he warns and she pouts, leaving me crouching down to her level and tilting my head to meet her gaze. "There's enough of me to go around little one. Don't worry" I say, booping her on the nose and making her giggle again.

Jungkook walks in a bit more and closes the door behind him, watching our little exchange before my mother comes out to check on us.

"Y/n why don't you take Jungkook and..." she says trailing off, not having learned his daughter's name yet. "Juni" Jungkook says and my mother smiles at the sound of the adorable name. "Jungkook and Juni outside. I'm sure she'd love to run around a little bit before dinner is ready" she suggests and I agree while Juni starts jumping up and down, excited to explore an unfamiliar place.

Jungkook follows closely behind as I lead the way but I ultimately end up getting dragged along by Juni who is surprisingly perceptive and has already mapped out the door that we'll be going through. "Come on Daddy keep up!" she calls after him once we've reached the door, looking back and seeing that he's fallen behind.

"I'm right behind you Juni" Jungkook chuckles and once we step outside Juni lets go and runs back and forth all around the yard, looking at anything and everything she can find.

"Be careful!" I say, worried that she could hurt herself but Jungkook comes over and stands next to me and reassures me she'll be fine.

"It's alright, if she gets hurt it'll be a little reminder to pay attention to what she's doing next time. That's the only way kids really learn right?" he says turning towards me, granting me with a soft smile, almost as if he's looking for validation on his parenting choice.

"Of course," I respond, returning the smile, "even some adults need to crash and burn before they learn their lesson sometimes" I point out and it makes him relax a bit more, thankful to see that he's right in his dealings with situations like this.

"She's a good kid" I say after leading him over to the patio set we have out here so we can sit down and watch her. "Thanks, it's been difficult raising her on my own so I'm never really sure if I'm doing a good job or not" he admits and I nod my head, taking a second to think about my response since it's a sensitive subject.

"I can tell that you love her very much so I have no doubt in my mind that you'll always do right by her" and I can tell that my words bring him a sense of comfort. Being a single parent can be extremely difficult especially when you lose the love of your life as soon as you become a father. 

I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

"Y/n?" I hear him call out and realize that my mind had drifted off for a second. "I'm sorry what did you say?" I say, my cheeks heating up from having been caught daydreaming. "I asked if you had any children of your own" he chuckles and I again try to figure out the best way to word this but figure the best way to go about it is to be honest. 

I've got no reason to hide from him.

"No, I got divorced last year and my ex husband and I were never able to have children" I say, looking down at my lap, embarrassed to have admitted it but also feeling a certain weight lifted off my shoulders.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know" he trails off and I panic, realizing I might've made him feel uncomfortable, telling him something so personal so soon. "No don't be, I honestly dodged a bullet with that one" I chuckle, hoping to lighten the situation a bit which thankfully it does as I see his body relax a bit.

"Our relationship had been on the rocks soon after we got married and I don't think we were a good match for each other so I think it was the universe's way of doing me a favor in making us somewhat biologically incompatible" I chuckle and he softly does the same.

"Biologically incompatible" he questions, a deeper meaning obviously hidden behind those words. "We both got checked out and everything looked completely fine but I guess it wasn't meant to be, thank God" I sigh, sincerely thanking whoever might've been in charge of making that executive decision for us.

"I'm not exactly sure what to say to that but I'm glad it worked out?" he states almost as if it was a question and I laugh, in response hoping I can recover this incredibly awkward conversation. "I'm sorry, that was a huge overshare that I probably should've kept to myself" I say, clearing my throat in hopes it would aid in clearing the peculiar air that had settled between us.

"You have nothing to apologize for, I asked and I feel honored that you felt comfortable enough to be so transparent with your answer" he says, the warmth in his tone giving me an ache in my chest. How could someone be so kind to someone they've just met? It's as if I could tell him anything and he would listen to me as if I was the only person in the world.

"Daddy!" 'Well me and Juni', I say to myself and watch as his attention now shifts to his daughter who is running up behind me. "Daddy look!" Juni says, holding out her hands that are now thoroughly caked in mud but hold a rock that is almost a perfectly shaped heart in the center of her palm. "Oh Juni" Jungkook chuckles, the ends of her dress now matching the state of her hands and neither Jungkook nor I can hold in our laughter.

"That's a very beautiful rock Juni! You're so clever" I say and I can see a sense of pride straighten her posture a little bit. "Juni your beautiful dress" Jungkook chuckles, clearly not minding but also trying to figure out what to do. "I'm sorry Daddy" she say, that pride slowly dwindling after seeing the mess she's made of herself.

"Hey Juni" I say, turning her attention back to me and I can see her spirits lift a little. "Would you like to see some of the clothes that I used to wear when I was your age?" I ask and her eyes light up at the thought. "Did you wear pretty dresses too?" she asks, clearly excited about seeing more new things. Her childlike wonderment makes my heart ache. Must run in the family.

"I did, but none of them were as pretty as yours. If you like, you can borrow one of mine while we wash this one" I suggest and the way her head nods up and down so fast makes me chuckle.

"Let's go to my room then! Hopefully we can find something you'll like" I say, standing up and straightening my dress while Jungkook reaches out for Juni's foot.

"Let's take your shoes off before we go back inside baby. We wouldn't want to track any mud into the pretty lady's house right?" Jungkook says, flashing a soft smile at me before looking back down to complete his intended task and Juni complies right away. 

My breath hitches as he purposefully uses the nickname Juni had given me and I quickly walk past them and open the door to go inside, trying to clear my head for a second, willing myself to keep it together.  

"Are you coming with us?" Juni asks and he nods his head, "I gotta go clean your shoes off first though" he says and I walk all three of us over to the bathroom so Jungkook can do just that as well as wash Juni's hands off.

"Wow!" is the first word that comes out of her mouth when we walk into the butterfly themed bedroom, mesmerizing her from the first glance. "Your room is so pretty!" she says, quickly running around here and there, being careful not to get too close since we haven't gotten a chance to change her dress yet.

"You like it?" I question and she's quick to nod her head again. "I wish my room looked like this" she says, spying all of the little butterfly details from the dainty embroidering on the bedspread to the knobs on the dresser, all of them working in harmony.

"We can go look for some butterfly stuff next time we go to the store if you'd like" Jungkook says while he walks into the room and right up to her while she stares up at the ceiling where there are a couple scattered across it. Nothing is too over the top but there is clearly a theme going on that she is captivated by.

"Really?" she asks, confirmation of what he's said being important to make sure she's hear him right. "Promise" he says holding out his pinky that she quickly wraps her's around as best as she can with her little ones being so tiny in comparison to his. She looks at the two of us before beckoning Jungkook to come closer so she can whisper something in his ear.

"Can the pretty lady come with us too?" she 'whispers' in his ear almost as loud as her speaking voice and I try to hold back my laughter, pretending like I didn't hear a thing. "Why don't you ask her?" he whispers and when he leans back she looks him in the eyes and he nods to further encourage her.

"Um, would you like to go shopping with us to get butterflies for my room too?" she asks, walking up to me shyly. Jungkook looks at me with a soft smile and I notice how the tips of his ears have almost gotten a little pink, his expression soft and charming but his body still showing tell tale signs of nervousness.

"Sure Juni, I'd love to go shopping with you" I say and she giggles in response while running back to her Daddy. "Can we go right now?" she asks jumping up and down. "We'll go another time don't worry baby, we've gotta set up a time so the pretty lady can go with us too right?" he reminds her and although she's sad she has to wait she nods in agreement. "Good, now let's get you out of this so we can make you all nice and clean again" he says, unzipping the back of her dress and revealing the cute little white tank top and tights that she wore under it.

I focus my attention on opening up the closet and grabbing a couple of dresses out for her to choose from. "These ones should fit. Which one would you like to wear Juni?" I say and her eyes flitter back and forth between all of them before giving her a Daddy a devious smile and hugging them to her chest. "I want all of them" she giggles and my heart melts, thinking about how fun it would be if I had a daughter just like her.

"Pick one Juni" Jungkook chuckles and she pulls back flipping through the selection I've made before her eyes light up and find the one she's dying to wear. "This one, this one!" she says, lightly holding onto the skirt and jumping up and down. I shift my grasp on them and hold out the one she chose for Jungkook to take and once he does there a static jolt of electricity that shocks us leaving the both of us pulling away slightly.

"Sorry it's probably from all the fabric of the dresses" I explain and he smiles in response. "Don't worry about it. A little spark never hurt anyone" he says and it's almost as if his voice had dropped a bit with that remark, leaving me widening my eyes a bit before turning back around and placing the dresses back in the closet. 

Why does he make me so nervous?

"Lady, lady look!" I hear from behind, and watch as Juni turns this way and that once Jungkook has finished putting the dress on her. "My goodness Juni don't you look adorable!" I say and she runs up to the the mirror in the corner of the room, watching the skirt swish this way and that. "Say thank you Ms y/n" Jungkook says, correcting Juni and finally telling her my name. She sounded too cute calling me 'the pretty lady' I just didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise.

"Thank you Ms y/n!" she says, running up to me and wrapping her arms around my legs since she is still  too small to reach anywhere else. "You're welcome Juni" I say, smiling down at her and smoothing her hair down. "Remember Juni, we're just borrowing it so we can wash your dress. We have to give it back to Ms. y/n before we leave" Jungkook says and I can see her excitement dwindle a bit but is no less thankful for being able to wear it tonight.

"Thank you for letting me borrow it Ms. y/n!" she says and I smile again, falling more and more in love with this adorable little girl with every smile she graces me with. "You're welcome" I say and she lets go of me and twirls around in it before stopping.

"Oh! I promise to be really careful and keep this one clean" she says holding out her pinky to do just as she had done with her father moments ago and I kneel down to her level and do just that before booping her on the nose causing another fit of giggles to spill out of her.

"Y/n, dinner is ready" my mother says while poking her head around the corner and I can tell she is completely satisfied by the scene that she's walked in on. "Oh Juni what a beautiful dress!" my mother says, noticing it right away, remembering it was one of my favorites. "Ms y/n gave it to me!" she says, swishing around in it again before doing a full twirl for us.

"Well aren't you the most darling little girl I've ever seen! Are you ready to eat? I heard that mashed potatoes are one of your favorite foods right?" my mom says, holding out her hand for Juni to take and she gladly does.

"Did my grandma tell you that?" she asks, clearly surprised that this complete stranger already knew something about her. "Yes she did. I hope you like them!" my mom says and Juni rushes down the hallway dragging my mom behind her. "Juni be careful!" Jungkook calls out to her but my mom just laughs it off.

"Why don't you show Jungkook where the laundry room is so you can put her dress in the washer" my mom offers up and I nod my head and look up at him. "That's okay I can just wash it when we get home" he says, politely declining the offer. "It's alright, it's best to wash it right away so it doesn't stain" I say, holding out my hand for the dress and he smiles before handing it to me and following my lead.

"You have a lovely home" he says shyly, looking this way and that taking notice of the small details just as Juni did. 'Like father like daughter' I think to myself. "It was my childhood home as you could probably tell from my old room" I say and he hums in response as I stop at the door to the laundry room.

"I know Juni is never going to stop talking about it" he chuckles and I smile at the loving tone that is always present in his voice whenever he speaks about her. We stand there in silence for a bit while I gather the various cleaning products I'll need.

"If you like, I can show you how to get stains like this out? If there was ever a day when I was her age that I didn't get some sort of dirt, mud or grass stains on my clothes my mother would write that down as a national holiday" I say and he laughs at that before accepting the offer.

"Sure, I'd like that" for some reason I can't seem to find the right words so I simply turn around and rinse off the mud in the little sink we have in here. "Do you think you could get that one for me?" I ask, nodding toward one of the stain removers. He wordlessly does as I ask and helps apply a drop or two of it to each of the areas I point out.

"I could've done that" he says now realizing how he's just standing there watching me clean his daughter's dress. "No, that's okay I offered!" I say, reassuring him that I don't mind. I wordlessly ask for the next stain remover before rubbing it in and ringing out the excess water. He opens up the washer lid for me and I toss it in and look this way and that for the laundry detergent.

"Looking for this?" he asks, pulling it off the shelf above the washer. "See, that's a perk of living on my own now. I don't have to worry about things being up too high for me anymore" I chuckle and quickly scoop in the appropriate amount and start the washer.

"Well let me know if you ever need anyone to get something that's out of your reach, it's one of the perks of being tall" he jokes and I laugh but almost shy away from the fact that he expects to see me again. "So I've heard" I say and try to put the detergent back on my own but it soon tips back over and is close to crashing down until he catches it, which in turn ends with him trapping me between him and the washer.

He slides the detergent back in it's spot and takes half a step back, giving me the smallest bit of space. "Why didn't you let me help you? I was standing right here?" he asks, tilting his head at me. "I don't know, I guess I'm just used to doing things on my own now" I chuckle awkwardly. "Well hopefully you'll get used to letting me help you soon" he says, finally taking another step back and giving me a bit more space to breathe.

"Sorry about that" I apologize awkwardly, leaning my back against the washer now with him leaning up against the wall directly in front of me and giving me a crooked smile. "Don't apologize, there's nothing wrong with being independent" he says and quickly scans my body but he does it so fast that if I would've blinked I would've missed it.

"Daddy it's time for dinner" Juni says, her soft steps not having been heard by either of us over the sound of the washer, breaking us out of the little moment that we had been having. "Okay Juni we're coming" he chuckles and holds out his hand for her to take but she giggles and dodges it, reaching for mine instead.

I squeeze past Jungkook as this little room is only wide enough for one person to walk through and the front of our bodies brush up against each other only for a moment until she's tugged me halfway out the door. "Let's be a train Daddy! Grab onto Ms. y/n's hand so you can be the caboose!" she says, turning this trip down the hallway into a game.

"Oh that's okay sweetie why don't you-" he starts but I hold out my hand for him to take, him only having refused for my sake, not wanting to make me uncomfortable with any unwanted skinship. "Grab on Daddy!" Juni giggles and I look up at him and see that he's looking down at me. He chuckles before grabbing onto my hand and the both of us are soon trailing behind Juni as she drags us to the dining room.

Once we get to the dinner table Juni lets go of my hand and runs back to where Jungkook's mom is so she can continue to help her eat her mashed potatoes. 

When everyone notices that Jungkook and I have arrived, we're greeted with four sets of eyes, all of them extremely happy to see us. It's then when I realize that we were still holding hands so I gently slide mine out of his, almost wishing I didn't have to.

He looks down at where our hands had been connected when I do and I can almost see that he's also disappointed that I let go but his expression is quickly replaced by an awkward smile aimed at our parents. 

When I look at the table I see that Jungkook and I are meant to sit directly across from each other. Which I'm sure is another one of my mother's ploys to get us to keep glancing up at each other, this time though I don't really mind.

When I go to walk to one side to sit down next to Mr. Jeon, Jungkook follows right behind me. 

"Oh did you want to sit on this side?" I ask him and he shakes his head, "No, I just wanted to pull your chair out for you" he says and I feel butterflies in my stomach. "Oh, okay" I say quietly and watch as he does just that and slides the chair in behind me once I've sat down. "Thank you" I reply, smiling up at him and he does so in return before rounding the table to take a seat in his place.

"So y/n, your mother told us that you work in photography, is that right?" she asks and I take a drink of water before responding. "Well not really, I've done a few freelance jobs here and there. Enough to keep me afloat so to say but I hope to do it full time soon!" I say and I see Jungkook perk up at that.

"Jungkook has always loved photography as well! He's always been tinkering away with cameras since he was just a few years older than Juni" his mother says while Jungkook cleans off Juni's face as it seems like she's gotten more food on her face than in her mouth.

"What subject do you usually shoot?" I ask, curious to see where his interests lie. "Mostly editorial, but I tend to enjoy the shoots a lot more when they have to do with nature. I believe beauty can be found in almost anything so I tend to just capture whatever inspires me at the moment" he says, his answer being very similar to mine.

"I feel the same way" I respond simply before shying away from the topic as I feel our parents are studying our interaction.

Once they notice the silence they decide to pick up the conversation just throwing facts about Jungkook and I back and forth, pretty much doing the getting to know you game for us without giving us much room to get a word in edgewise. Which leaves the both of us to just follow the conversation and occasionally making eye contact when either side makes a slightly embarrassing comment.

"Hey Dad" Jungkook calls out to his father over the never ending conversation they're having about us. "How's that new project at work going?" he says and I can already tell that it's one of those kinds of topics that once you get him started on it he won't stop and that's just the case as we now watch the conversation take a turn that is thankfully so far off from the two of us.

As time ticks by and the subjects change a few more times I notice that Jungkook has started to get up and clear the table to which I jump up in response to help him.

"Oh Jungkook don't worry about that I can do it later" my mother says but he shakes his head. "It's the least I could do after you've provided this wonderful dinner for my family and I" he says and I can almost see my mother swooning from his response. "Well thank you very much, sweetie can you show him where to place them, just next to the sink is fine" she says to me and I nod, looking up at him and nodding my head towards the direction of the kitchen.

Once we've gone there and back from the table a few times I decide to just start loading up the dishwasher, trying to escape that mortifying conversation for as long as I can. "I brought your glass for you. Wasn't sure if you were planning to finish it or not" he says, walking over and placing my wine glass on the counter next to me. "Thanks" I say quietly, neither of us having said a word to each other since the very beginning of that dinner.

"Your parents are really sweet" he says, breaking the ice and clearly acknowledging how obvious they all were about their motives. "Yours too. I'm sorry about tonight" I say and his brows furrow, clearly not understanding why I would need to apologize. "I knew my mom would end up doing something like this but once her mind is made up there's no stopping her" I admit and he gives me a crooked smile in response.

"Don't worry, I knew what all of them were up to too. My mother was praising you so much and telling me how beautiful and smart and respectful you are so I had an inkling that this was their plan all along" he says and I turn away from him, trying to hide my flustered expression.

"She's right you know" he says, coming around to stand next to me, leaning against the counter while I face it, cleaning up the inside of the sink and grabbing the towel next to me to dry my hands.

"Right about what?" I question, now turning to face him and noticing just how close he's gotten. "About how beautiful you are" he says and I have to blink a few times, trying to figure out why this incredibly handsome man in my kitchen is flirting with me.

I just wanna thank past me because whatever I did in my last life must've been incredible if I'm being offered up a man as remarkable as he is.

"I-" I start but am soon interrupted by my mom walking in on us. "Y/n could you- oh! I'm sorry, as you were" she says, taking small backward steps out of the kitchen, keeping hers eyes on the two of us before turning around to walk back to the living room that they had moved to.

"I'm sorry about her" I say, taking a drink of my wine but he laughs it off. "It's alright, I don't mind" he says watching me with curious eyes as I polish off the rest of it. "Juni has taken a real liking to you" he says and my heart melts at the sound of her name.

"Really? She's probably the happiest child I've ever seen. I really like her too" I say and he smiles, no doubts memories over the years flashing through his head.

"You've done a really good job raising her Jungkook" I say, and his eyes flutter back to mine, this time being the first time I've spoken his name and it looks as if just that alone brought him so much satisfaction. "Thank you y/n" he says, and I feel my heart flutter, the deep baritone of his voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"Daddy can I have some cake?" we hear as Juni walks into the kitchen, "Can I have some cake..." Jungkook says, trailing off and waiting for those magic words. "Please?" she says, realizing what he had been getting at.

"Sure baby, Ms. y/n and I will bring it out in a second okay?" he says making her smile as she runs out of the kitchen "Thank you" she calls out over her shoulder leaving the two of us laughing at her enthusiasm.

"That's probably what my mom was coming in to ask us for" I say and he nods in agreement, helping me carry everything out so we can all have a slice of the small cake my mom had gotten for tonight. "How much you want to bet that they sent Juni looking for us earlier too?" he whispers to me as we make our way over to where everyone else has gathered. "You might be right about that one" I whisper back, quickly catching onto all of their little games.

After setting the cake and all of the plates and forks down on the coffee table my mom takes on the task of cutting it up and serving it, with the very first piece going to little Miss Juni. "Thank you!" she says, eyes wide as saucers leaving all of us cooing at her. "Eat slow Juni" Jungkook reminds her, no doubt having troubles with her eating her desserts too quickly.

I take on the task of helping my mother hand out the slices and once I give one to Jungkook I finally notice that the only empty seat is right next to him and he looks down at it before looking back up at me in a silent invitation to sit down and I take it cautiously.

The couch that we're sitting on is kind of a love seat ironically, seeing as the whole theme of tonight is trying to set us up with each other.

Once I've sat down I realize that I've sat right next to him to the point of where my shoulder ended up bumping into his. "Oh! I'm sorry" I say, scooting away from him but with the size of the couch I don't really end up moving all that much. "It's okay I don't mind" he says, before taking a bite of his cake and turning to face the rest of the group.

The seven of us continue talking and talking until we notice that Juni has fallen asleep in her grandma's lap. "Here mom let me take her" Jungkook says, standing up but both my mom and his stand up and wave him off. "That's okay, we're just gonna go put her down in y/n's room" my mom says and before he's able to say otherwise they've disappeared down the hallway.

"Does she have school tomorrow?" I ask once he's settled back down. "No, she's on spring break right now until next Monday" he relays and I nod my head. "And what about you? Do you work tomorrow?" I ask and he gives me a shy smile before responding. "I had a shoot scheduled in the morning but we went ahead and pushed it to the afternoon so I don't have to worry about going home anytime soon" he says and my heart skips a beat.

"No, I mean, well I don't want to keep you for too long. You probably have other things you'd like to get done tonight?" I ask and he shakes his head. "No, this is the only thing I have planned for the night so I guess you're stuck with me" he chuckles. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I wanted you to leave I just-"

"It's okay I know what you meant" he laughs and I now take notice that we're the only ones left in the room. "Oh! Where did my dad go?" I ask, my eyes darting this way and that, not even being able to hear his voice.

"I think I heard something about them setting up the fire pit? I'm not sure but he's outside with my dad right now" he says and I spy both of them looking through the glass door before quickly ducking out of view once they realize they've been spotted.

"Maybe we should head out there" I say but he cuts off that thought by asking me a question that keeps me frozen on the spot. 

"Is there a reason why you don't want to be alone with me?" he asks, arm now having been draped around the back of the couch a while ago, completely unknown to me making this all seem a lot more intimate than before.

"Who said that?" I chuckle nervously, clearing my throat before sinking back into my seat. "You just did" he says, nodding towards me and I feel like I want to crawl in a hole and die. I thought I could escape this night without being awkward like this but I guess not.

"You trying to get rid of me?" he teases and I shake my head right away, "No I'm sorry I just-" "It's okay, I'm only joking" he says and I laugh nervously. "So why don't you tell me about yourself?" he says, giving me the most open ended question ever and I scramble to find something but I just can't seem to come up with anything interesting enough to mention.

"Well, my parents pretty much said everything there is to know about me over dinner earlier" I say and he shakes his head. "I want to hear something about you from you. Like what are some of your hope, your dreams, something you're passionate about" he says, being a little more specific this time.

"My dreams?" I trail off, thinking for a second and he watches me as I wrack my brain for something notable. "It's kind of silly" I admit once I've settled on something. "Good thing I've got a sense of humor" he replies, trying to encourage me to continue. 

"Well, I've always wanted one of my photos to be on the cover of TIME magazine" I admit and see his eyes light up. "I have a similar dream" he says and my eyes widen in surprise turning my body to face him, wordlessly asking him to share his too. 

"I'd like one of mine to end up on the cover of National Geographic" he relays and I smile in turn. "That would be perfect for you! Well, since the subject you love to capture the most is nature I could definitely see your work fitting right in!" I say, excited to see someone else who's trying to aim as high as I am.

"And I could see yours being a shoe in for TIME as well" he says, and I shy away from his praise. "Okay and what's something you're passionate about, and don't say photography" he says, interrupting me causing me to slump down, having to take another second to come up with an answer. 

He chuckles a bit at my reaction and I glare at him causing him to smile at me even more so look up to the celling as if it had the answers to something interesting about me. 

"Well, I really love reading. I know it might not seem like a passion but when I read a really good book and I find someone who has read it or will at least let me talk about it it's as if I gain a boost of energy and can't contain my excitement. That's definitely the nerdy side of me showing but that's all I can really think of at the moment" I say honestly and when I look back at him it's as if he thought I was the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. 

"Sorry, I think I got a little carried away there" I say, getting shy from being looked at like that, his soft gaze an expression I'm not used to, especially from someone I just met. "Um, your turn" I say, hoping to get some of the spotlight off of me. 

"I know this might be cheating but I do enjoy taking video and editing them. Even if it were as simple as filming Juni for an afternoon, it's something that if given the chance, would be something I could be extremely passionate about" he says and although it is cheating since it's somewhat similar to photography, I'll let it slide. 

"Have you thought about switching up your profession to include video as well as pictures?" I ask and he nods before answering. "I have but I haven't taken enough time to seriously consider it. Juni is still young and I want to make sure I have a stable income in order to take care of her and if I'm being honest I feel almost as if a career change could jeopardize that" he says and I watch him with the same intent that he had given me and he too seems to shy away from it. 

"It's silly since it would probably be a seamless transition but I can't help but feel reservations towards it" he says and I place my hand on top of his that's in his lap. 

"It's normal for a parent to worry about providing for their child. I don't think it's silly at all and it shows how much you truly care about Juni and her well being. She's lucky to have you as her father" I say and he cringes only for a moment before his expression goes back to a softer one. I want to ask what would've warranted a reaction like that but I leave it alone. 

"Okay your turn, what is something you hope for?" he asks and I already know the answer to it but I'm hesitant to say. I take a second to try and figure out how to formulate it properly but decide to just go for it. 

"I hope to be a mother and have children of my own someday. Doesn't matter if it's naturally or through adoption, I just hope to have someone I can love and care for unconditionally and watch them as they grow and change and pray I'll receive that love and care back from them" I say and he gives me a wary expression and I quickly try to backtrack, not knowing if I've messed up or not. 

"I'm sorry that was probably extremely insensitive of me" I say, pulling away my hand but he holds onto it and gives me a sad smile before responding. "I think you would be a wonderful mother. If you were to give your children even half the time and attention you've given to Juni today they would still be incredibly lucky to call you their mother" he says, reassuring me that it's okay to talk about these topics around him. 

"Last one?" I question, seeing if he's up to telling me something he's hopeful for. "I just hope that no matter what my family and friends stay happy and healthy. It might be simple but I enjoy the simple things in life" he says and I smile, seeing how truly kind and compassionate he is just from his simple answer. "That's a good answer" I say and we both chuckle a bit before we're broken out of yet again another moment by the sound of our mothers stumbling into the room. 

"Oh don't let us bother you we're just going to head outside with your father" Jungkook's mom says to him and I can see now from the warm glow shining through the glass door that they've finally started up the fire pit. 

"Oh we'll come outside too!" I say and try to get up off the loveseat. I'm able to stand but immediately lose my balance and feel a strong set of hands on my hips and end up falling into Jungkook's lap. "I-" I start, turning towards him and trying to get out an apology but stop short when I see how close his face is to mine, our noses almost touching. 

I hear our mothers head outside quickly and close the door but neither of us pay any mind, both focused on each other to the point where neither of us move for what feels like forever but was only a matter of seconds. When I do try to get up I feel his grip on me tighten. 

"I'm s-sorry, this couch is always difficult to get off of" I explain and he smiles. "Like I said before, you have nothing to apologize for" he says, his voice a bit deeper than before and it takes every fiber of my being to stop myself from looking at his lips but when I see his flutter down to mine I can't help but do the same. 

"Daddy, why is Ms. y/n sitting on your lap?" we hear Juni say and I immediately get off of him and throw my face in my hands, trying to hide the embarrassment written all over me but Jungkook handles it like a champ. 

"Ms. y/n just fell down Juni and I caught her. You know how I catch you sometimes before you fall?" he offers and she walks over to us, rubbing her eyes and immediately climbing onto Jungkook's lap. "Oh okay" she says, yawning again after Jungkook places a kiss on the crown of her head. 

"Do you wanna go see the fire that grandpa and Ms. y/n's dad made?" he asks and she hums in approval, still half asleep but wanting to go outside with everyone. "Okay let's go" he says, standing up with Juni in one arm and holding his hand out to help me up. I glare up at him and he smiles, knowing he's added to my embarrassment but I take his hand anyways and he makes no moves to let go once I'm up on my feet, walking us all towards the back door. 

Once we're outside though that's when he lets go so he can hold Juni properly while he walks down the patio steps so we can get to the fire pit. 

"Juni woke up?" his mother asks and Jungkook nods. "Yeah she wanted to come outside with everyone even though she is still very very sleepy" he says, talking in a silly sweet voice that makes Juni pout although her eyes are still closed. "I'm not sleepy" she says mid yawn causing me to coo at her and when she realizes I'm still close by she sits up off of Jungkook's chest and reaches towards me. 

I look between her and Jungkook for a second and he nods his head in approval and hands her to me, grabbing a chair afterwards for me to sit on and pulling up another one next to mine and looks over at Juni to see she's practically sound asleep again. "Are you okay with her?" he asks and I hum in approval leaving him placing another kiss on Juni's head before leaning back in his chair. 

"So Jungkook, what do you think of my daughter?" my mother asks and Jungkook chokes on air, not expecting the straightforward question. "Mom!" I scold and she chuckles, "What? It's a simple question. No need to give a complex answer, unless he wants to" she teases and I swear I can even hear Jungkook's dad chuckling at my mother's antics. 

They couldn't make it more obvious that they're trying to set us up even if they tried. 

My dad luckily somewhat comes to Jungkook's aide and hands him a bottle of water to hopefully help him stop coughing which it does thankfully.

He takes a second to clear his throat and I would be lying if I said I wasn't on edge, waiting to hear what his answer might be. "I think she is a very kind hearted and very intelligent young woman" he says simply and the echos of him calling me beautiful earlier on tonight attach to the end of that. 

"And would you like to see her again?" she continues and he then looks over at me, giving me a soft smile and glancing down at Juni before looking me in the eyes again. "We've already planned to see each other again" he says, memories of Juni's invitation to the butterfly shopping trip fluttering through my mind again. 

"Did you hear that? Jungkook has already asked to see her again" my mom says, calling over to Jungkook's mom as if she hadn't been listening the whole time. "Well technically Juni asked if I could go shopping with them" I explain and Jungkook chuckles. "Juni is a very smart girl" my mother compliments and Jungkook and I can't help but laugh. 

The rest of the night flies by and before I know it we're already standing in the doorway saying goodbye. "It's was so nice seeing you again y/n! I hope to be seeing you again soon" Jungkook mom says, winking at me. "Oh come on honey leave the girl alone" Jungkook's dad says, coming to my aide and saying his goodbyes as well. 

Jungkook's parents say a quick goodbye to Jungkook and Juni as well since they came in separate cars and I notice after that my dad pulls Jungkook aside and says something that I regretfully can't make out. Luckily he doesn't seem bothered by it as they smile and shake hands before my dad pats him on the back, sending him off with I can only assume is well wishes. 

Jungkook says goodbye to my mother and I can tell how much she's praising him, he thanks her for everything and makes his way over to me a few moments later and it's almost as if it was a ghost town with only Jungkook and I in the entryway now, with him holding a still very sleepy Juni in his arms. 

"Thank you for coming, I know this was probably a lot for you" I say, rocking back and forth on my heels and he smiles before answering. "I had fun, and I know Juni did too" he says and I can feel my heart skip a beat, "I did too" I reply shyly. He reaches into his pocket and unlocks his phone before handing it to me.

"Do you think I could have your number? You know, so we can set up that shopping day soon? I know Juni won't be able to stop talking about it until we go" he says, turning into what I could only describe as a shy teenage boy, asking his crush for her number. "Sure" I say, putting it in and calling my number so I have his too. 

"Let me know when you get home safe" I say and place my hand on Juni's back and whisper a quick goodbye which regrettably stirs her awake and I mouth a quite sorry to Jungkook but he smiles in response. 

"Wanna say goodbye to Ms. y/n?" Jungkook asks and she nods her head before opening her eyes and leaning towards me to give me a kiss on the cheek leaving me speechless. "Goodnight pretty lady" she mumbles before laying back down on Jungkook's chest. He chuckles after seeing my reaction and gives Juni a kiss on her head in response. 

"Goodnight y/n" he whispers to me and I send him the same sentiment, walking him to the door and watching as he walks over to his car while he puts Juni in her carseat. He looks back to see if I'm still watching and smiles at me again before getting in his car and driving off. 

"So should I schedule an appointment with the caterers tomorrow or...?" I hear my mother say behind me, making me jump before taking a few steps back into the house and closing the door. "Very funny mom" I say, walking over to the living room and plopping down on the couch Jungkook and I had been sharing a couple hours ago. 

"What's wrong? He's a nice man isn't he? Plus his daughter seems like she loves you! Why don't you give it a shot?" she asks and I sigh, sinking further back into the couch. "I don't know, I just don't want to get my hopes up" I mumble and she sits next to me, placing a comforting hand on my thigh. "What makes you say that?" she asks curiously.

"It's almost as if he's too perfect. He's handsome, charming, charismatic, a great dad and I don't know, he just seems too good to be true" I admit and she nods her head, understanding my hesitation. "Everyone puts their best foot forward when they're meeting someone for the first time. Just go out with him and Juni in a few days and keep an open mind. It's not the fact that he has Juni that's holding you back right?" she questions, trying to figure out what exactly has got me doubting. 

"No not at all! If anything Juni is an added bonus" I say truthfully and she smiles at me. "Good, because I think she's already become very attached to you" she says and I nod my head. "Yeah I think I have too" I mumble and she claps her hands, jolting me out of my train of thought. 

"Now all we have to do is get a ring attached to that finger and the three of you can live happily ever after" she says, getting up to clean up the cake plates that sit on the coffee table in front of us. 

"Mom" I groan and she laughs, "I want some beautiful grandchildren and if that handsome young man can't help you give them to me then I don't know who could" she continues leaving me sighing, not bothering to argue back since she is definitely right about that one. 

I hear my phone chime in my purse moments later after I walk into my bedroom to gather up my things to go back home and see a message from an unknown number but check my call log and see that the numbers match up from when I called myself off Jungkook's phone. 

I quickly add him to my contacts before opening up our chat and see a short but sweet message from him. 

'Home safe and sound. Thanks for having us tonight. Hope to see you soon?' he sends with a question mark at the end, clearly still wanting to double check on if I'll actually want to see them again. I wait a few seconds, my thumbs hovering over the keyboard before finally composing a message and hitting send before I chicken out. 

'See you soon Jungkook. I really enjoyed getting to know you and Juni. Looking forward to shopping for butterflies together!' I say and cringe once I reread it. 'Ugh could I possibly sound more desperate?' I say to myself and toss my phone on the bed, sitting down at the computer chair across from it. 

A minute later I hear another message come in and I practically lunge for the phone, praying I didn't weird him out but moments later I feel heat rushing to my cheeks and have to will myself into not squealing.

'We're counting down the minutes until we can see you again. Let's talk tomorrow and set up a date and time'  he says and I rush to respond. 

'Sounds great! Goodnight Jungkook'  I say, ending the conversation before I end up embarrassing myself even more but before I can even lock my phone his message pops up. 

'Goodnight y/n, sweet dreams' the message is so simple but it still makes me smile. 

"Is that Jungkook texting you?" my mom asks, poking her head into the room and I quickly lock my phone and grab my purse. "Yes it is, goodnight mom" I say, walking past her and straight to the front door with her trailing after me. "Oh come on sweetie you know I'm just teasing you. I really think he's going to be a good match for you" she says and I turn to face her before I leave. 

"I really hope so. Say goodnight to dad for me" I say giving her a kiss on the cheek and getting in my car to drive home. 

~~~~

Once I walk in I'm greeted again by Salem and he walks up, waiting for me to pick him up. "You're such a little baby you know that?" I chuckle and he meows in response. 

I follow the same routine as I always do, carrying him with me into my room and rambling off to him about my day before hopping in the shower but this time I have a lot more to say, leaving me wasting half the hot water and causing me to have to finish up the last bit of my shower in a freezing cold stream. 

After finishing up and finally settling into bed I lay down and Salem curls up next to me. "Things might be changing around here boy. I only hope they're for the better, what do you think?" I ask after having told him everything and I'm met with the feeling of him purring and if that isn't a good sign then I don't know what is. 

"I hope he likes cats" I say, giving him one last pet before turning off the light and for the first time in a very long time I can finally say I've gone to sleep feeling content. The last thought that runs through my head is one that helps me fall asleep with a soft smile on my face. 

I can't wait to see him again...

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Peaches & Cream | Masterlist

➪ Pairing: jungkook x female reader

➪ Synopsis: You're his Peaches and he is your Pretty boy. It's all very simple until the fear of commitment kicks in. How does one maintain a safe distance when it's Jungkook? The gestures might be sweet and naive but the heat between us is almost suffocating.

➪ Genre: college love, strangers to friends to lovers, undefined relationship, commitment issues, fear of abandonment, angst, slow burn, plot twist

➪ W/c: 31.5k

➪ Playlist (Spotify) *Note: There are 17 songs, one for each chapter

➪ Sequel: Somewhere Between Hello and Goodbye

Chapter 1: The Night Before I Met You - 1.9k

Chapter 2: Hey Flip Flops - 1.4k

Chapter 3: Nursing Buddies - 1.4k

Chapter 4: Let Me Make It Up To You - 1.5k

Chapter 5: Fever - 1.4k

Chapter 6: You Can Be My Baby For Tonight - 1.6k

Chapter 7: Clinging Onto Me - 1.6k

Chapter 8: Safe Escape - 1.6k

Chapter 9: Almost Had You - 1.6k

Chapter 10: Scavenger Hunt - 2.3k

Chapter 11: Tell Me To Stop - 2k

Chapter 12: Purple Marks - 1.7k

Chapter 13: Company - 1.5k

Chapter 14: Mental Picture - 1.8k

Chapter 15: You Don't Want Me? - 2.6k

Chapter 16: Peaches and Cream - 2.7k

Chapter 17: Ruin Our Friendship - 2.9k

[sopejinsunflower]

2024.001.020: From Embers to Flames

Go to Series Masterlist!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Hoseok is restless.

He had tossed and turned so much in his bed that the sheet was all crumpled up and his blanket had somehow ended up on the floor in a pile. He’s staring at a spot on the ceiling, one arm resting across his forehead. He can’t sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, it felt like he was sinking into the mattress straight down into a void he might never be able to climb back out of. So he kept his eyes open, blinking emptily. 

That’s when the door is gently pushed open and Hoseok barely turns to look, confident that it’s Karma - the cat has more free reign of the house than any of them. Only when he felt the bed dipped from the weight did he finally raise his head (and eyebrows). The curtain is opened and the moonlight shines in through the window so it didn’t take long for him to see it’s you. 

“Can’t sleep?” you ask in a voice barely a whisper. 

Hoseok sits up, criss-crossing his legs under him. “I’d say the feeling is mutual since you’re here.” He smiles, patting the empty spot next to him. You crawl your way over to mirror the way he sits, knee to knee, staring straight ahead out the window. He watches silently the way your chest softly moves up and down and how your eyelashes barely graze the top of your cheeks each time you blink. It has always been something you’ve been insecure about, those short lashes, but Hoseok won’t trade them for anything else. It’s funny to Hoseok how you might change bodies and even gender for each cycle but all these little things would somehow remain similar.

The both of you sit there in silence, Hoseok patiently waiting for you to speak first. The sinking feeling he had earlier is gone and he wonders if it’s because you’re here. Of course it is. He’s just happy to finally be at ease. He leans back against the headboard, watching your side profile. 

But what came out of your mouth next felt like a punch to the gut: “I feel like we’ve met before. In another life.”

Hoseok sucks in a breath. 

~~~

I turn around to look at him, squinting in the semi darkness to read his face. I didn’t have to look too hard; the answer on his face was clear as day. 

He remains silent, looking pale even in the moonlight. I purse my lips and turn away, remembering the promise I made: no questions until Sunday. I nodded to myself before turning back to him. “Forget I said that,” I say, automatically reaching out to touch his knee. “It’s fine, Hoseok.”

I watch his eyes flit over to the knee I’m touching and I quickly remove my hand but Hoseok is faster, covering my hand with his own, warm palm resting fully over my fingers and knuckles, gripping ever so slightly. He scoots closer, eyes downcast, trained on his hand enveloping mine, forehead furrowed. When he looks back up again, there’s a softness in his gaze as he exhales slowly and rests his head back against the headboard. 

“Stay here tonight?” 

I stare at his hand covering mine, contemplating for a moment whether the answer on the tip of my tongue is the right one. Sighing, I look back up to him. “Not tonight, maybe.” I pull away and climb off the bed. “Goodnight, Hoseok.”

I avoid looking at him in fear that the disappointed look on his face might make me change my mind, hurrying out of the room without another backward glance. It’s only until I cross the threshold of my own bedroom when I realised not looking back had been the wrong thing to do because the hand that wrapped around my upper arm came as such a surprise I let out a yelp loud enough for Karma to jump on all fours from his perch on the new cat tree.

“Hoseok!” I gasp, my heart hammering. “You scared me.”

To his credit, he does look guilty but the smile that spreads on his lips tells me that he found my reaction funny. I swat at his chest, pushing him away. “It’s not funny,” I grumble. 

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled. “I thought you knew I was right behind you.”

I glare at him, pouting. “What do you want?”

“Nothing,” Hoseok replies, slightly offended. “I just-” 

He pauses and I arch an eyebrow, waiting. 

He licks his lips before trying again, pupils shaking with nervousness as he stares right back at me. “I just…want you close. Tonight.”

~~~

Hoseok can hear the air that you suck in, can somehow even hear the way your heart doubled its pace as the both of you stand there in the middle of the room, staring at each other in a sort of stalemate of who breaks the silence first. 

To be honest, now that he’s said it, he thinks he might throw up if you reject him for the second time that night. His heart is literally in his throat right now and he thinks if he shifts his weight wrong, the whole world might just come crashing down. The ball is in your court now so it’s only right to wait until you make the first move, come what may. Like a child who just wants to cover his ears and squeeze his eyes shut, Hoseok grits his teeth at the strong urge to run out of here. 

Words of “No, I told you not tonight” and “seriously, Hoseok?” run through his mind and he half wishes he hadn’t said anything or even chased you back to your room. What an idiot. A desperate idiot. A desperate idiot that couldn’t even take the first subtle no as a complete answer. What did he think would happen? He should just go back to his room now before he makes things worse. Just apologise and leave, Hoseok, he thinks. Just-

Soft lips on his immediately banish the self-deprecating thoughts from his mind. His eyes go wide for a second as his brain catches up with what’s happening before he finally melts into you, catching your lips in between his. His arms silently wind around your waist, pulling you closer ever so slightly, pressing your body up against his so he can feel every soft edge and delicious curves, so he can memorise this body just as he had memorised the other ones, the other you’s - all different yet had felt just as familiar. 

His. Theirs. Whatever you want to call it, this is it. This is what it feels like to be away for a long time and finally coming home. This is the same feeling of being lost in a crowd, frantic, until you see a familiar face once more. It’s the same as when you’ve spent an entire day out doing either fun activities or running errands and being able to finally sink into the comfort of your mattress at the end of the day. It's a relief, it’s content. It’s every little comfort in life that he has come to associate with you. 

You, who had been so close yet so far away. You, who had been sitting right in front of his eyes these past few months yet going to bed missing you. He had been patient, he had followed the rules. Surely he deserves this, no? A little piece of the heaven he’s been promised if he plays the game right.

When Hoseok feels his feet moving, it’s not him that’s taking the lead. You guide him, mouths still connected, tongue still tangled, towards the bed in clumsy footsteps and he finds himself toppling onto his back. Neither of you break the kiss, not even as you straddle him, leaning chest to chest as you card your fingers through his hair, feeling his fingers dig into your side, probably leaving half-moon shapes on your skin.  Neither of you seems to think that breathing is important right now, not when you both can drink in each other, taking it lungful of gulps of whatever that’s flowing through your connected mouths.

In the distant far back of Hoseok’s mind, he thinks there’s a hint of unfairness to this. How would he even explain this to the others? They wouldn’t be jealous per se, but more annoyed that he had, once again, been the first to get a full taste of you. All of them understood it well enough that there’s a ritual to the cycle, a pattern of sorts that forces itself even when they do their damndest to change things. Would that be enough of an excuse once the others find out (because they will find out)? 

You pull away from the kiss, forehead remaining flushed against his. “Where are you off to?” You sound curious albeit a little sad and he cranes his neck to smush his lips back on yours, speaking in between kisses, “Sorry. I hope everyone’s really asleep, is all.”

You giggle, sitting back just slightly out of his reach. “We can always stop,” you tease, biting your already swollen lower lip. 

“Fuck no,” Hoseok growls as he snakes his fingers on the back of your head and pulls you back in. This time, he’s wise enough to flip you both over, the control finally in his hands. A light bulb goes off in his head as an idea strikes him and with one rough swipe, he pulls your shirt up and over your chest. Shoving the bunched hem in between your teeth, he says, “Now try and stay quiet for me, baby.” 

***

Jin picks out a card from Yoongi’s fanned out deck in his hands, smirks, then places a pair of aces into the middle pile. 

He turns to Jungkook for his turn to draw. “Do you reckon they know we can hear them?” Jungkook asks nonchalantly as he turns towards Jimin, unable to find a matching pair. 

The game of Old Maid had been going on for as long as the muffled ruckus started up in your room, right across from where they are, a method to keep them occupied as well as from bursting in there to catch Hoseok red-handed. But Jin thought that would’ve been too crass and since no one would be able to sleep anyway, they decided on a game of cards. 

Jin snorts. “Doubt it.”

Yoongi just shrugs as he pulls out a card from Jimin’s hand. He pauses for a moment, tilting his head. “Is the cat inside?”

They all stop in their tracks, exchanging glances at each other in the silence (somewhat silence - they can hear the creaking of your bed) as they think about the possibility. Jimin shakes his head pitifully. “Poor, poor kitty.”

The game resumes.

Down the hall, as opposed to Taehyung lightly snoring, oblivious to what’s happening close by, Namjoon stands by the opened window, half his body hanging outside, hands pressed against the ledges. He thought that by doing this, he can somewhat distract himself with the nighttime nature but he can hear the quiet moans of your voice and wonders if you had your windows cracked open, too. 

Aaagghh! 

He wants to scream so bad but the sliver of self control he has has him scrunching up his face like he had tasted something sour, gripping to the window ledge so tight the wood creaks threateningly. Namjoon has no idea of the card game going on in Jin’s room. All he thinks is he wishes he was fast asleep instead, like the others because they seemed unbothered. He had expected for one or even two of them to burst into his room, wide-eyed and in between panic and excitement at the knowledge of you and Hoseok making love so painfully obvious.

Namjoon won’t deny the slight twinge of jealousy in his chest but feeling jealous of each other is as pointless as urging a flower to grow faster just because another one has already bloomed - everything is in due time; he just has to be patient. He does wonder if Hoseok’s true nature peeks out with you now, that dominance lurking under that bright, head-thrown-back laughter heard everyday around the house. What would you think of it? Or is Hoseok holding himself back, keeping things soft and vanilla for this first time with you? First time in this lifetime, of course.

As he sighs in defeat, retreating back into his room and closing the window tightly but almost begrudgingly, another thought comes to mind: How does he face you in the morning? Namjoon pauses on his way to the bathroom, blinking as he thinks, mouth downturned. What if he can’t hide the fact that he heard you? Fuck!

He stomps his way to the bathroom to splash cold water into his face, determined to forget everything and go to sleep. But sleep isn’t a good friend tonight as he lays there in bed, an obvious tent in his pyjama bottoms now, chewing on the insides of his cheeks. The harder he tries to push filthy thoughts out of his head, the more his mind wanders down to times when he had had you by his side almost every night, squished up against him, someone else’s arms around your middle, a human sandwich of sorts.

The first time Namjoon had laid with you, he had mistakenly thought you as shy, needing him to take the lead, nudging you in the right direction. He’d tease you with little orders like, “Take of your top for me, my love” and “That’s my girl” or “You’re as radiant as the stars in the sky, my darling, so let me see you more”, words that you blushed at, hiding your happy smiles behind your hair as you kept your head down low, doing everything he told you like a good puppy. 

But Namjoon had been too naive. The moment you flipped him over, one palm pushing against his chest for balance as you pushed up on the balls of your feet moving perfectly over his shaft, mounting him like a cat in heat, head thrown back, mouth agape, breathing in shallow breaths as he watched your breasts bounce almost mesmerised. Namjoon had been speechless, his usually intelligent mind rendered blank and dumb. Ah, he had thought to himself, I must have died and reached heaven. 

The more Namjoon entertained those memories swirling in his head, the more uncomfortable his lower half gets. He goes back into bed, pulling the covers over himself as his left hand sneaks into his pants. He closes his eyes, conjuring the memories of you in bed forward, almost smelling your skin on his clean sheet. His morals can go to hell for tonight.

~~~

Hoseok’s breathing is even, soft slow breaths that keep my eyes on the way his chest moves up and down. 

But he’s not sleeping, I can tell. He slowly turns his head over to me, eyelids fluttering open to look at me. Rustling alerts me to his hand moving over to touch mine under the blanket, intertwining our fingers together in between us, bringing them up to his mouth. He places a kiss on each one of my knuckles before resting our connected hands on his bare chest.

“Hi,” I whisper lamely.

“Hi,” he whispers back with an amused smile. 

 I turn slightly sideways, lips connecting with his shoulder, mouthing at it a little, making him smile wider. The sun is only just rising, the soft glow of the slowly waking world outside holds off behind a curtain closed shut. Soon, the birds will start their activity, Mrs Oliviera will be thumping around on the first floor to start the day and it will be time to wake up and break this sacred, quiet moment between Hoseok and I. 

“I should go back to-”

“Stay.”

Hoseok regards me for a moment. “But the others will be awake soon.”

“And?”

“They’ll ask questions,” he answers, turning onto his side and leaning on one elbow, looking down on me. 

I hum, feeling his finger caressing my side. “You don’t have to answer.”

“They’ll know,” he says.

“Then they don’t have to ask.”

Hoseok chuckles softly. He leans down and connects our lips, fingers digging into my flesh. He deepens the kiss, pushing me over on my back as he looms over me, his weight creaking the bed. He moves to my cheek, nosing down to my neck, lightly brushing his lips on the sensitive skin there. He starts to move downward, pecking kisses down to my chest. I can feel his tongue poking out, feel it-

“Mreooowww!”

We both jump apart, him more than me that he almost falls off the edge of the bed. 

“Karma!” I exclaimed, staring in disbelief at the cat that had just jumped onto the bed. He gives me a disapproving look as he curls up in what was just minutes ago Hoseok’s spot, laying his head on the pillow as if reclaiming it. 

I turn back to Hoseok and give him an apologetic shrug. He laughs lightly, slipping off the bed and kneeling by the side of it. “I think that’s my cue, love,” he says. He leans over and kisses my forehead. “Sleep some more.”

I watch him get dressed and leave the bedroom, gently closing the door behind him. I lay back on my pillow, staring at the ceiling. I turn to Karma, purring contentedly. He opens his eyes in slits to look at me before closing them again, almost smugly. 

“You’re such a brat, you know that?”

He ignores me, as expected.

I roll my eyes and turn the other way.

***

“Karma!” 

The quiet yelling doesn’t bother the cat as I watch him bound up the stairs towards the third floor. I let out a groan and climb over the makeshift barrier, tiptoeing up the stairs as quickly as I can to go after him before the housekeeper sends us both to think about our actions in a corner. The stupid cat is fast and I try to be as quiet as possible, trailing after him.

“Get back here,” I hiss, bending low with my arms outstretched as I approach him close enough for the tip of his twin tails to brush my fingers. He had stopped to sniff at a closed door but then changed his mind, darting away and escaping me. He hurries down the hallway and I slow my pace, eyes trailing upwards to that same old door in the ceiling. I don’t come up here often and for some reason, the sight of it triggers a nostalgic feeling of sorts. 

I stop right underneath it, neck starting to ache a little from how long I’ve been staring at the Anam Cara etched on the wooden surface. That specific celtic knot represents eternal love but what most people tend to ignore is the fact that Anam Cara literally translates to ‘soul friend’. I wonder why my grandaunt was so fascinated by Gaelic culture. Do we have some Irish bloodline in us? Or Vikings, maybe?

The sound of scratching pulls my attention down towards Karma again who is now long and extended halfway across one wall, paws stretched to reveal the razor claws beneath sunk into the wallpaper.

“Nononononono,” I mutter, leaping forward to remove him from making more damage but Karma is a cat. He lithely jumps out of the way but it’s too late for me to pull the brakes, ramming my shoulder straight into the wall he was leaning against, but instead of bouncing off of it, I sink into it.

~~~

The thud isn’t what made Jin finally curious enough to go up the third floor; it’s the strange cat that casually slinks between his legs heading downstairs, but not before giving him a look that confirms it wasn’t him making the noise. 

Jin isn’t the bravest man out there. The only good thing about having a pet, he thinks, is that he can blame it for any weird creaky, spooky noise he can’t explain that happens throughout this old house. But it’s the afternoon and the house doesn't look so haunted with the sun shining through every window so he decided to be adventurous. His plan was to peek around the corner and then run like hell downstairs again. 

He cranes his neck as far out as he can, one foot on the edge of the stairs, ready to bolt. His eyes scan the hallway hurriedly and when he doesn’t see anything, his heart starts thudding faster. Jin hears a pop in his neck from whipping his head around too fast but then he hears your voice. 

“Ow…”

He pauses, heart finally calming down. “Y/n?”

No reply. Did he imagine it? He takes a tentative step forward and then another, eyes rapidly scanning the area. But it’s a long hallway that stops at a window. Are you in one of the rooms? Did you fall? Did something fall onto you? Oh god, no.

Jin bursts through each door one by one without bothering to close the one before, his senses heightened to the point there’s a ringing in his ears. Each door he goes through he’s met with ceiling-high stacked old items he doesn’t focus on for too long, items he had long put behind him; some made him think more about you which sends him into more of a panic. By the fourth door, Jin is half-convinced he imagined your voice and had half a mind to just go back downstairs to find you. 

He exits the door and for some reason, he looks up towards the trapdoor that he had been living above off just a few months ago. He’s too far to see it but his eyes zone in on the Anam Cara. He remembers the night that he had taken a knife to the wood, giggling with you as he carved the shape, carefully not to nick himself with the blade as his vision sort of blurred together from how much wine he had drunk. 

“Yoongi is going to be so- hic- mad,” you had slurred. “He was going to- hic- use this panel for a cupboard- hic.” 

“I’m making it prettier,” he replied with a grin. “He’ll love it.”

No, he didn’t. Yoongi had been annoyed but not angry enough to do anything more than just roll his eyes when he had caught the two of you in his workshed. He did, however, throw the tangerine he was holding at Jin’s head before confiscating the knife from Jin and shepherding you both to bed, mumbling about soulmate symbols and how the Anam Cara wasn’t actually one (Jin had justified that it was his expression of eternal love for you which earned him that free lecture from Yoongi). And that’s the origin story of the trapdoor in the ceiling.

“Help!”

Jin snaps out of his reverie. He follows the muffled sound of the voice and finds himself face to face with the revolving secret wall. If he hadn’t been ten feet away from it, he definitely would not have heard it. A sense of deja vu washes over him, only this time he’s not a floating ghost. 

~~~

“Help!”

I called out a second time but judging from how compact my voice sounds in this space, I knew no one would be able to hear me. My chest starts to wind up tight, my throat constricting as panic rises up to a crescendo. I can feel pressure in my ears but my mouth is clamped shut, unable to make any more noise. It’s so, so dark. 

I’ve been here before, I remember. A while back when I had first found this place. How could I have forgotten that? That’s the funny thing about your brain; it tends to push down all the bad stuff so you can function somewhat properly. A monster in the dark. There’s a monster in the dark. A ghost. With eyes so familiar it hurts. 

These thoughts go around and around in my head, bouncing off the walls of my mind as I try my hardest to not start hyperventilating. My breaths are coming out in short bursts and my hands are fisted, pressed together against my stomach. When your whole existence is crushing inward against you, your senses become sharper than usual, albeit narrowed to your own self. That’s how I’m hyper aware of how cold my own fingers are and how loud the thud, thud, thud is of my heart against my ribcage. 

~~~

Jin picks random spots on the wall to pound against with the side of his fists, alternating between the right and left side as he’s confident the axis is somewhere in the centre. Thud, thud, thud! And yet the wall resists.

You no longer make any sound from within and although Jin knows that you could have made your way downstairs, his panic button is still turned on. He remembers your panic-stricken face the first time you stumbled across the hidden space, the way you had gone completely out of his reach even when he had been screaming in your face to try to snap you out of it. That triggered the other memory, of him dragging your limp body out of the water. Jin shivers, both to shake the bad memory away as well as in anger because. The wall. Just. Won’t-

The wall finally swings open and Jin’s eyes are quick to lock in on you the same time yours find him. He doesn’t waste another moment.

~~~

Jin. Jin’s eyes.

A ghost with eyes so familiar it hurts. 

Jin. Seokjin. My Seokjin. 

He’s crushing me so hard the wind is knocked out of me. Ironically, I can breathe again, taking in huge gulps of air like a diver resurfacing. 

Murky waters. 

Jin is talking to me but I can’t quite hear him. He’s holding my face in between both hands, forcing me to look up at him, into those eyes. Those eyes that look so worried, like I had died. My chest feels tight and my throat is suddenly ticklish, like I got something stuck there. I cough and it stings, like when you accidentally swallowed water into the wrong pipe. 

Murky water. Mud.

~~~

“Are you okay?!”

You’re looking at Jin but not really seeing him, he can tell. Your eyes look far away, almost lifeless and it scares him so much his hands are shaking as he holds your face. He wants to call out to the others but something keeps him focused on you, unable to pull away even for a second lest he might lose you. It doesn’t make sense but the fear in his heart is real. 

“Talk to me, please.”

You take a deep breath but Jin’s not convinced that you’re fully there yet. You start coughing and his panic goes back up to ten. Did you choke on something? He tries to keep your body straight so he can look, make sure you’re okay but you’re doubling over, grasping at your chest, coughing like you’re suffocating. 

“-water.”

Jin bends down. “Okay, let’s get you some water. We need to get out-”

“You pulled me out of the water.”

The coughing stops as abruptly as it started. You look up at him, chest still heaving. Jin is at a loss for words, staring at you as he tries to make sense of the sentence. I did, he thinks, once upon a time ago. 

Flashbacks to that dreadful day play like an old film reel in Jin’s mind, each scene starker than the next. Standing there in the secret space built so many years ago, he’s convinced that water is dripping down his forehead; water from that pond miles behind the property. He can even smell it on him. He doesn’t notice it yet but his heart is in his throat, ready to be vomited out once he opens his mouth to respond to you.  “Jin,” you say, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him close, “did I die?”

a/n: at this rate, it looks like I'm posting once a year to this fic and they're shorter than I like too T_T i'm doing my best! I'll try harder, I promise! T_T

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a/n2: to my taglist, if you're still reading, I LOVE YOU T_T if not, don't hesitate to lmk if you want me to take you off the list. I wouldn't mind, honestly ;_;

[clumsy-jiminie]

ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟʏ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱ | ᴘᴊᴍ | ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɴɪɴᴇ

❝ ʀᴇꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʟᴀxᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ❞

↣ summary :: Kiara Smith had dreamed of true love for as long as she could remember. from being obsessed with the Disney princesses who found affection in the strangest situations to dressing up as a bride from kindergarten to fourth grade. it was the only thing she ever truly desired, so much so that a pleasant smile and kind eyes could have her smitten in seconds. right when she thought she found the one, a chance encounter with Park Jimin—the city’s famously perfect fuck boy with a smile so warm and a heart of ice—has her feeling quite the opposite. he knocks her off her axis and derails her life as she knows it, yet the universe seems to have another plan for the two.

↣ rating :: 18+

↣ genre :: fluff, angst, smut, e2l, slow burn

↣ pairing :: business owner!jimin x fem!artist!oc ft. taehyung

↣ word count :: 5.5k

↣ chapter warnings :: mature language, implied sexual encounter

↣ notes :: a day in the life of our beloved jimin. I was really excited to write this chapter just bc I love how jimin is. there's so much I have planned for his character.

↣ next :: previous :: series m.list ↢

if you have any questions, comments, or concerns PLEASE don't hesitate to message me or send me an ask! my inbox is always open. 💖

"you know I'd be lying saying you're the one that could finally fix me, looking at my history, I'm bad at love."

- bad at love, halsey -

"You sure I can do this?" The dark-haired man asked, chewing on his plump lower lip as he stared at his white ceiling. The nervous habit often left his lips swollen and bruised, but he couldn't stop. It was better than chewing his nail beds raw.

The woman beside him scoffed obnoxiously, rustling the bed as she switched sides to face him. She looked at the man, worried etched into his beautiful features, stealing the place of his usual bubbly self.

"Are you kidding, Jimin?" She gazed at him, the same look of love swimming in her pools of chocolate as his. "Of course you can." She reached out to him, placing her delicate hand on his cheek. He turned to look at her. Her simple touch made his shoulders relax in an instant. "I have believed in you since the idea first fell from your lips."

He couldn't help but stare at her. Her words sunk into him, swelling his heart until there was no more room for worry. The gentle light of early dawn illuminated her pale pink skin, casting a soft halo around her. She was an angel—his angel—placed on earth to find him and bring warmth into his cold life. If every mistake he made led him to this point, he'd make them all over again. 

He smiled, hoping to burn this moment into his memory of how she looked, how soft she felt, how sweet her voice was. He placed his hand on top of hers; feeling the stark difference between her soft hands and the diamond ring occupying her left finger. "I love you."

"I know," she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was quick and sweet but made his heart soar nonetheless.

"So what should I name it?"

She rolled onto her back as they both stared up at the ceiling. "Hm, well," she paused, pursing her lips in thought. "Whenever you dance, it's captivating. It's a topic, a discussion. Art, but moving."

Jimin's brows furrowed as he pondered on her words. "Like in motion?"

"Yes!" She squealed. "That's it!"

"So, Art in Motion…." The name sounded foreign on his tongue, scrunching his nose as he said the last vowel.

"Mhm, Art in Motion." She grinned.

But for some reason, it sounded exquisite when it left her lips. It sounded expensive, like a delicacy—like success. They glanced at each other, a giggle escaping her lips as Jimin reached over and pulled her into him, her small frame against his own. He covered her in kisses. Her laughs were the sweetest sound he's heard.

"What would I do without you?"

Jimin's eyes fluttered open, meeting with blonde hair covering the pillow beside him. It almost startled him; part of him expected to see those same chocolate waves from his dream. Dreaming was the only way he could remember the past, considering he would have willed those memories into a box during his waking hours. All they did was provide a source of pain, a fuel for depression, and he couldn't afford to waste time.

Like right now.

He wasn't a morning person and would strictly work at night if he had it his way. But nighttime was only for getting drunk and sleeping in terms of the business world, so he had to adjust. He pushed himself to sit up, running a hand through his messy bedhead to push the wild strands out of his eyes. His partner groaned softly from all the sudden movement, causing him to look at the girl through squinty eyes.

"Hey," he croaked with his brows furrowed. He glazed over the blonde's tousled waves that cascaded over her bare spine. He reached out and touched her, cold hands against warm skin, but to his surprise, there was no response. His brows squished together further; that trick usually caused them to spring to life.

The muscles in his jaw feathered with annoyance as he grabbed his phone off the nightstand, checking the time. He got out of bed and gathered his boxer briefs from the clothes that were scattered amongst the floor, haphazardly thrown about in last night's act of passion. This girl slept like a rock and would put a significant dent in his schedule if she didn't get up soon. And as stated earlier, he didn't have time to waste. He responded to a few text messages he deemed urgent before grabbing the comforter and tugging off of her body. She groaned in protest, reaching out to grasp at the sheets.

"Yo, get up." The blonde began to walk around his bedroom while picking up bits and pieces of her clothes. It may have been cold the past few nights, but dressing with this many layers was extreme. After confirming he grabbed everything, he tossed the bundle of fabrics at her. The sound of a text notification rang from his phone, prompting him to respond quickly. "You gotta go," he said over the clicks of his keyboard.

The woman finally sat herself up, furrowing her brows as she looked back at the man. He was barely paying any attention to her. She got up and started to get dressed again. "Good morning to you, too," she said, catching a glance from him for a second. She huffed quietly, sliding her shirt on. "You know, guys I normally hook up with, treat me to breakfast in the morning."

"That's nice for them," Jimin deadpanned.

The blonde gasped dramatically, her green eyes widening. "You know, I deserve better!"

He nodded his head, "Mhm definitely. You do deserve better." He walked over to his door and opened it, eyes still glued to his phone screen. "And you are welcome to go find it! Outside my apartment."

The woman pouted at the man now. She walked over, standing directly in front of him. She had hoped to get his attention one last time, but her efforts failed. "I didn't want to believe the rumors about you. I was hoping they weren't true, but I guess Park Jimin does have a heart of ice."

Jimin genuinely snickered, looking at the girl. "I guess you'll learn not to be so naive," he grinned at her, and her heart could've melted. Someone so cold shouldn't possess a smile so warm. Mixing fire with ice should've been physically impossible, but here he was, the walking enigma. "Izzy will let you out. Ensure you don't forget anything; I'm not fond of flings." The blonde girl left his bedroom as he looked down at the phone again. "Get home safe, Jamie!"

"It's Jessica!" He heard just as he shut the door. 

It didn't matter what her name was since he would never see her again. Like she said, the rumors were true. Park Jimin will treat you as if you were the only girl in the world, to forget your existence when morning arises. Warm to the touch with words like icicles. He walked to his bathroom, losing the box briefs as he hooked up some music for his shower.

After completing his morning routine, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel barely hanging around his hips. He tossed his phone onto his bed as he walked over to the wall-length windows occupying one side of the room. As Jimin pulled back the curtains, allowing sunlight to finally crash through his windows, he sighed deeply. He looked up at the crisp blue sky with a slight frown pulling on his lips. He rubbed at his chest, hand over his heart as if to soothe a never-ending ache.

She liked days like this, days without a cloud in sight. It reminded her of perfect summer days, with ice cream dripping down her chin and children's laughter. 

"Mr. Park," said a woman as she barged into Jimin's room. The woman was genuinely heaven-sent when he needed her to be. Her heels clicked against his polished, white birch flooring, the sound ripping him from intrusive memories that would’ve left him bedridden for a week. She stared down at the binder in one hand while the used pushed blonde hair out of her face. She adjusted her glasses as she waited for her response.

Jimin inhaled deeply, letting his eyes shut as his head tilted back. His hand rested over his heart. While being heaven-sent, he knew exactly what would come out of her mouth in the next 15 seconds just by how she entered his room. "Yes?" He sighed.

"Alright, you have a 9:30 with Mr. Salvatore; he said he wanted to double-check the lot for the next studio. The graphics team for AIMIt also would like to meet with you when you have the time. I said you were available at 11, hoping the studio check would be brief, so it'll be just before your lunch. And….” Izzy continued to ramble on about various meetings on the itinerary today, emails that needed to be sent, and checks that needed to be signed, causing Jimin's head to spin.

"Iz…." He called out as he shut his eyes tight, trying to separate his thoughts from her voice. She continued, prompting him to turn around and face the woman. "Izzy," he repeated a bit louder this time. She stared down at the binder in her hand, her free one waving about as she spoke and pushing back her black-rimmed glasses when needed. He walked towards her, and with her total lack of attention to her surroundings, Jimin could snatch the binder from her hand, her wide blue eyes finally meeting his brown ones. He looked down at his jam-packed schedule, seeing tiny color-coded notes that made him squint. Even with his contacts in, he still couldn't read any of it. "Did you manage to schedule in when I get to take a shit?" He smirked playfully at her.

Izzy rolled her eyes, reclaiming the binder from the man. "Oh ha ha, Mr. Park, you're so hilarious!" Sarcasm laced her words while Jimin sent her a wink. He walked towards his walk-in closet, and she intuitively followed while she flipped through the pages of the schedule she meticulously put together. "But these are the consequences of going to dinner the other night! You have a tightly packed schedule down to the second, thanks to yours truly. You're welcome." He dropped the towel, but this didn't phase Izzy at all. She was dedicated to her job, and dedication meant walking in on the blonde more often than not.

She was organized, precise, and reliable but needed to gain awareness of boundaries. You win some and lose some. 

"You don't have time to waste!" She reiterated as if Jimin didn't already know. He continued to get dressed, sliding on a pair of boxer briefs before putting on a pair of black sweatpants. "Between being the owner AND an instructor, I'm surprised you have time to shit! By the way, I have you down for 2:30 PM and 6 PM for bathroom times, figuring things could digest after lunch and a snack."

"Well, it won't be needed," he said before asking Siri about the weather. "Cancel everything."

"W-What?!" She stammered, looking at the shirtless man as if he had four heads.

Jimin thumbed through his athletic shirts, flipping between a long-sleeved compression shirt and a long-sleeved cotton shirt. They were both black, and he ended up going with the former. "Cancel it all." He took the shirt off the hanger, slid the stretchy material over his torso, and turned to face the woman again. "I want a day to myself."

"Are you crazy?! Mr. Salvatore doesn't like it when people cancel at the last minute, which is fair! You need—"

"Isabelle," his stern tone cut her off and promptly shut her up. She knew which battles she could win, and this wasn't one of them. "Mr. Salvatore can wait. The graphics team can wait. However, I will drop by the office to get payroll done. Other than that, I know everything, and everyone else will wait. You know this business doesn't move without me."

He was right, and of course he was. Even though he constantly reminds Hoseok that the man is just as important as he is, the brand will crumble without Jimin. They needed his business expertise, as it was his major in college. He walked out of his closet after slipping on some sneakers, knowing Izzy would trail behind like his shadow. After grabbing his phone and keys from his room, he went downstairs.

"Do you think I should get breakfast at Little Latte or Starbucks?" He asked as he skimmed through the various food items in his fridge—nothing but odd ends and snacks. He was rarely home anymore, and when he was, it was after dinner or to commit someone to his sheets.

"Mr. Park…," she said softly, voice slightly quivering as she held the binder close to her chest.

"Izzy," he sighed again, closing his fridge and looking at the small girl before him. She was trembling despite her serious tone. He couldn't help but frown a little. He knew how much this job meant to her, primarily because he found her. He technically saved her, and she showed her gratitude by being so dedicated. Little did she know, she was the one who saved him, and Jimin would never be able to repay her. "After you reschedule everything, because I know you will, please take the day off as well."

He walked over to her, lifting her chin with his finger to look into her blue eyes. She glared at him, making him smile. Her brows furrowed, her body rejecting the idea of a day off. 

"Come on, Iz," he pleaded once he realized she wouldn't budge. "It's beautiful outside! Take a walk, get some sun! We both deserve some rest and relaxation. If not, you leave me no choice but to fire you." The woman looked up at him with wide eyes as his brows raised. He cracked a smile, "Don't worry, you know I'd rehire you."

Izzy let out a heavy sigh. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, falling victim to Park Jimin's irresistible tactics. "Starbucks is overpriced, and you know Little Latte makes the best coffee on the Lower East Side," she offered the man a small smile. 

"Thank you," he reached out to ruffle her hair, causing her to swat at his hand. "Now go on! And I expect to hear all about your magical day off tomorrow morning!" He urged her towards the door while she let out a loud scoff. They knew she would stay inside and rework Jimin's schedule, maybe curl up with a book afterward. She loathed the outdoors.

After Isabelle left, he scrambled around one of his spare closets where he threw random objects in. Like how every household had a junk drawer, he had a junk closet. There, Jimin found his old yoga mat, dusting off the plush rug. He didn't realize how long it's been since he used it. Either way, he had plans to change that today. He headed towards the door and left. 

Jimin opted to walk to the quaint coffee shop, seeing as it was just a short distance from his penthouse. It indeed was a beautiful day outside—not a cloud in sight. The sun offered a comforting warmth instead of beating down on the man like he owed it rent money. There was a light breeze just for the people who got hot no matter what, keeping everyone comfortable. With over-ear headphones on, blasting Justin Bieber as he walked down the sidewalk like he owed it.

"When I'm in my thoughts sometimes, it's hard to believe I'm the person you think I am, the person you tell me you love…"

Skip.

So much for that. The blonde continued to hit the arrow button on his phone screen. He needed a little more upbeat and a little less let's-remind-you-of-your-past.

"Got a boy back home in Michigan, and it tastes like Jack when I'm kissing him…"

Settling for Halsey, he continued his trek until he reached his destination. He pushed the door open, and as expected, the quaint coffee shop was busy despite being a Wednesday at 11 AM. He quietly joined the queue, bopping his head to the music blasting in his ears. He noted which songs made his body subconsciously move, hoping to prepare something for a later class. As the line grew closer to the registers, he lowered his music just enough to hear the quiet hum of a busy establishment. Once at the counter, he pulled off his headphones and rested them around his neck.

"Hi, welcome in, what can I—Oh shit," Jimin heard as he reached for his wallet. He furrowed his brows while looking up at the person behind the counter. Eyes of flames met his own, making his go round. In front of him stood a tall man with dark hair pulled up into a bun resting on his head. A silver hoop glimmered against his lips while various black ink and color tattoos traveled down his arm and spilled onto his hand. He held a black Sharpie with a tight grip, frozen in place as it hovered over a plastic cup. 

Jimin was slightly stunned and a bit confused. He didn't know this man for him to be on the opposing end of a glare. "Did I—"

"What do you want?" The other man growled, causing Jimin's eyes to narrow. Little Latte has been his favorite spot for years, and he's never once had such a rude interaction with any of the staff.

"A medium dalgona, please."

"Of course, you'd pick the most annoying drink to make."

"Couldn't possibly be as annoying as you right now."

The man scoffed. "Aren't you too old to be using comebacks from grade school?"

"Aren't you too poor to be talking to me like this?" Jimin snapped, earning a quiet gasp from the woman behind him. The man's patience was thin, and he only wanted a cup of coffee. The taller man's gaze hardened at Jimin, almost challenging him. Jimin was never one to back down, so he stared back as he placed a hand on his hip and looked the man up and down.

An older man walked out from a side door wearing a soft blue button-down and a black apron covered in flour and food stains around his hips. He stood with perfect posture and didn't look a day over 30. His midnight hair and beard had peppered strands of silver throughout. His skin was pale with rosy undertones, lips perfectly structured, and a jawline sharp enough to cut through granite. Jimin could only wish he'd look that good in his older age. He did a double take at Jimin as he stood by the barista's side. Any evidence of concern in the older man's face dissipated while Jimin's tense shoulders dropped a little from the familiar face.

"Ah! Jimin! It's so wonderful to see you." He nodded at the man briefly, pearly teeth peeking behind rose-shaded lips, before looking at the barista. "Why don't you take your break, Jeongguk? I got it from here." Jeongguk sighed softly, dropping the cup before entering the room where the older man once came. 

"Sorry about that, Jimin; he must be a little tired. He normally doesn't work Wednesdays," the man said as he finished Jimin's order.

Jimin finally managed to relax, though his brows remained furrowed. "It's no problem, Mr. Choi. How much do I owe you?" He looked down at his wallet and began to sort through the bills. 

"Nothing," Mr. Choi's brows furrowed as he flinched slightly.

Jimin's warm brown eyes met the others', hand frozen in place with a 20 dollar bill between his fingertips. "Mr. Choi," he deadpanned. 

"Jimin," he said in the same tone, prompting a groan from the blonde as he rolled his eyes. Mr. Choi couldn't help but chuckle as he turned his back to the man to start preparing his beverage. He stepped to the side with a playful pout on his puffy pink lips.

He forgot when Mr. Choi started to refuse his payments, but he fought him every time the elder insisted it was on the house. Good coffee deserves compensation. Good food deserves payment, especially if everything is made in-house. Mr. Choi was an insane baker. While away in Spain, he missed Little Latte dearly. This was his safe space for years during college—from studying to heartbreak, Mr. Choi has seen him through it all.

After sneakily paying for the lady behind him, he waited for his coffee, glancing around the shop. The shop mainly had stayed the same since Jimin first started to come here until something caught his attention. Across the room, by the stage, placed against the wall, was a piece of artwork. A Luna piece, to be specific. He felt a chill spread from his face to his fingertips, suddenly feeling flushed with heat.

"You really did mean it when you said you were a big fan.”

Her voice rang through his ears as if she were right next to him. Jimin's cheeks burned as he swallowed hard, folding his arms over his chest. He tried to pull his eyes away from the seamlessly blended pale and mid-green tones that spread horizontally from one end of the canvas to the other. Flecks of emerald green and metallic silver danced freely amongst the ombré. The piece was a statement, the colors popping against the taupe wall. Knowing he could spot her work anywhere, he hated that Kiara was right.

"Is that new?" He asked as he glanced at the owner.

Mr. Choi looked at Jimin and then at the painting, "Oh yeah. A customer gifted it to me as a birthday present." The man smiled as he reminisced. There were very few people who held a space in his heart, but since moving here, it seemed as if he adopted a family. "Kiara," a fond smile spread on his lips while Jimin's heart started to race, "lovely girl." 

The older man handed the blonde, who seemed entranced by the painting, his beverage. "You know, she reminds me a lot of you," he chuckled. Jimin's eyes widened, almost dropping the coffee he had just received. He stared at Mr. Choi, who had a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Both of you are very hard workers, lovers of the arts, and pains in my ass."

Jimin glared at the man while Mr. Choi threw his head back, cackling. There was no way in hell he and Kiara were alike. Grouping the man with a selfish liar was ridiculous, but the blonde forced a smile to humor him. He stuck his hand in his pocket again, hearing sounds of disapproval from behind the counter.

"I said it was on the house!" Mr. Choi argued.

Jimin ignored him, seeing a jar on the counter with a white label that 'read tips :)'. The container held various dollar bills and some spare change, but the shop deserved more. Despite the elder's protests, the man grabbed a 100-dollar bill and stuck it in the jar.

"Jimin!"

"If you keep complaining, I'm gonna put another hundred in there," the blonde threatened with a grin. Mr. Choi narrowed his eyes at him but didn't make another sound. Jimin winked at the older man, causing him to roll his eyes and shake his head before returning to work.

The man sipped his coffee and walked over to a seat by the window. A seat he had known since his college days. He enjoyed watching the people walk by; it kept his mind quiet as he made up stories for those who passed. It was easy to do in a place like this, where there were so many different people on so many different routes. 

Sometimes, he wondered what it would've been like if he had gone down an alternative route. Would he be able to take days off whenever? Would he have been able to sit in a coffee shop? Or would his day have been plagued with never-ending emails from people demanding his attention?

Jimin didn't like to think about it often, feeling anger bubbling in his gut.

"Your dreams don't matter."

"You can dream once you take over this company."

The blonde shook his head, ridding the memories from his mind. Just as he took the last sip of his sweet coffee, his phone started to buzz in his pocket. Jimin quickly reached for it, glancing at the caller ID before answering.

His sweet coffee turned bitter on his tongue.

He swallowed hard, feeling his hands grow warm as he placed the empty cup on the table. He stared at the screen, breathing unsteadily as he racked his brain for reasons why she would be calling. A few seconds later, the contact named Mother disappeared from his screen, minimizing to a small missed call notification. His jaw clenched as his body tensed up.

She told him never to call her again.

He promised he wouldn't and kept it.

So why was she contacting him?

His phone buzzed again, seeing she had also left him a voicemail. He inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes briefly before unlocking his phone. He waited to check the voicemail. Just the thought of her managed to will the action of her reaching out into existence. Now, if only Jimin could use those powers in other aspects of life.

The man ran his fingers through his pale golden locks, gripping the strands briefly before releasing them. Jimin released another heavy sigh, shutting his eyes for a moment. Little Latte was a great place to sit and think until those thoughts became heavy. Next thing you know, you're bawling your eyes out while the owner consoles you with a cup of tea and a freshly baked sugar cookie.

As he debated on staying, fighting the demons and nightmares that were bound to rear their ugly heads and finally try to lay them to rest, he spotted a note stuck onto the table. It read:

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."

His lips pulled into a small smile as he read it, glancing around as if he were going to find the one who wrote it. How did this mystery person know that this was what he needed to hear right now?

And with that, the blonde got up, throwing away his trash before waving goodbye to Mr. Choi. The note was a good pick me up and gave Jimin the boost he needed. He wasn't going to go back to that place again. He wouldn't let his thoughts consume him past the point of no return again. He made a promise to a little girl, and he intended to keep it. Unlike some people, promises meant something to him. He placed his headphones over his eyes again as he looked up the nearest yoga studio on his phone. Living in New York was terrific on days like these; everything was within walking distance of each other, and you never needed to go far to find what you needed.

After following the directions from his phone, he stopped in front of a building with tinted glass windows. On one of the windows was cursive lettering that read State of Mind. The words circled a silhouette of a person sitting with their legs layered one over the other. Jimin pushed the door open and entered. The light, cream-colored walls and the golden oak-stained wood flooring gave the room a bright feel. There was a hint of lavender incense burning in the air, nothing too strong but enough to calm his nerves upon entering. Various plants were placed meticulously around the room while soothing music filled the otherwise quiet space.

He walked up to the desk, where a woman with long dark hair focused on a computer screen. The blonde waited patiently, not wanting to be rude by demanding her attention instantly. Soon enough, the girl glanced at him, doing a double take. Her brown eyes were wide with wonder, and her jaw slightly hung open with a smile tugging at her lips. She stared much longer than socially appropriate, making the blonde chuckle uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, placing a hand on her chest while a dusty pink spread across her tanned cheeks. "You're Jimin, right? On TikTok?"

Jimin offered the girl a slight smile as he chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, I am."

"Oh my god, I'm such a huge fan! I've been dying to go to one of your classes, but," the girl suddenly looked down and away, the pink on her cheeks deepening to a rose. "I'm not that great of a dancer."

The blonde's smile widened. "That's OK! We offer beginner classes and ensure everyone is comfortable and confident in their skin. We're really laid back." He reassured as the brunette looked at him again. She was pretty, with a sweet face, innocent eyes, and a shy smile. He felt a pain in his chest, his smile wavering for a second, but not enough for her to notice. "Let me get your contact information, and I'll try to squeeze you into my next class if you're interested."

She perked up, the smile on her face reaching her eyes. "I'd like that!" She quickly wrote down her information and handed it to him. "Now, how may I help you today?"

Jimin chuckled, slightly amused by her quick personality switch. "I was wondering if there was a glass I could join in," he said as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket. "I know it's kinda last minute."

"That's fine!" She tapped on her keyboard a few times. "There's a class starting in a few minutes with an opening, so you can walk on in."

The smile on his lips grew. They finished out the transaction as Jimin lightly flirted with the girl. He couldn't help it. She looked so much like… her. The woman from his dreams. From his nightmares.

He walked down a nearby hallway until he reached a frosted glass door. Upon entering, he noticed the chatter amongst the fellow occupants stopped. Suddenly, all eyes were on him. If it were anyone else, they would've been startled by the point of uncomfortableness, walking in with shoulders that seemed to fold in on themselves while keeping their eyes glued to the floor.

Jimin was the exact opposite. He knew he commanded the attention of any room, so he was used to the peering eyes watching his every move. There was silence beside his footsteps that led him to an empty spot next to someone who got a head start on stretching—someone who seemed not to care about who had just walked into the room at all. After he rolled out his mat, the conversation between the other people resumed. As he took a moment to warm up, his eyes glanced around the room.

The area had the same walling and flooring as the reception area. Wall-length windows aligned against the right wall gave a full view of a garden they had outside. The foliage began getting its deep green leaves back, and colorful buds were sprouting. The place must've been beautiful in full bloom. He made a mental note to visit later in the Spring.

His eyes then went from looking past to the girl beside him. She wore a black zip-up hoodie that stopped short enough to expose some of the golden brown skin of her abdomen. She raised her arms, stretching out her body. Her silhouette was absolutely sinful. A perfect hourglass shape accentuated every more so by her fuller figure. She had on a pair of thin yoga pants, and Jimin could damn near lose his mind staring at her ass, so he looked elsewhere. Her dark hair was tied into a messy bun, loose spirals sticking out here and there, trying to break out of their restraints. All he could do was imagine himself with his fingers entangled in her hair while he pulled on them, burying himself deep inside of her while she screamed out for more.

Stop. You came here to relax, the blonde thought to himself.

Jimin pulled his arm over his chest and held it with his other arm, stretching his shoulders. So far, the body was nice; now, if she just turned around, he could decide if she was worth pursuing. The blonde didn't have a type—he liked anyone in any shape, size, or skin tone. With all the beautiful people in the world, why limit himself? Love is blind, and lust is fluid; there should be no reason to be picky when you're just looking for fun.

He turned his body to the wall-length mirror in front of them, hoping to get a glance at her face. At the same time, she turned to face the mirror as well. Their eyes instantly met as if they were looking for each other.

His heart dropped into his stomach while his face grew hot. 

It couldn't be. There was no way.

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[btsmosphere]

Supercharged | JJK - Masterlist

Now Completed!!

🗲summary:

It starts with a blow to the chest that changes your life. When your city’s most celebrated hero pays a visit, it turns out the noble Bolt has no trouble tossing lives aside. Lives that won't be missed. Lives like yours. Seven mysterious and powerful men give you another chance – one that starts to feel more like a curse the moment you meet golden boy Jungkook. The boy who wants you as far from his brothers as he can get you. Is it you he hates, or the blue lightning that now runs through your veins? And could it be his golden light that illuminates your heart when darkness threatens?

🗲pairing: jungkook x female reader 🗲overall word count: ~80k 🗲genre: angst, action, slow burn, enemies to lovers, superheroes/villains au, found family 🗲rating: pg15 🗲warnings: violence with superpowers, weapons, swearing, arguing, injury, past trauma, mentions of death (these are general warnings; chapter-specific warnings are listed per chapter)

Teaser

Character Moodboards/Bios: Jungkook | Yoongi | Hobi | V | Jimin | Jin | Namjoon | You

Supercharged Playlist

Chapter 1 - The Light Dies He’s the hero. Unfortunately for you, you’re not the villain.

Chapter 2 - Reign of Mercy There’s a whole world here, where your curse can start to bloom…

Chapter 3 - Figure it Out You become Jungkook’s problem.

Chapter 4 - We aren't Heroes, Honey A chaotic arrival turns everything on its head, and the boys are ready to let you in on their real game.

Chapter 5 - Scared of a Little Lightning With the threat of Bolt rising, so do tensions within the base.

Chapter 6 - Burn Out When things get ahead of you, your powers aren’t the only things to spill over; some truth is ready to breach the surface.

Chapter 7 - Spark to Life “We don’t have time to argue” “No, we don't”

Chapter 8 - On the Force Jungkook smiles at you for the first time (and the second).

Chapter 9 - Thank me Later Our villains get their moment in the sun (well, the fire…)

Chapter 10 - Is This Not Control? You’re forced to come to terms with the danger – and the beauty – in the way your powers burn.

Chapter 11 - Right Beside You Jungkook has you to thank, if only he knew how.

Chapter 12 - Into the Depths If you aren’t cut out to be with them, then you’ll just have to go it alone.

Chapter 13 - One of Us Jungkook doesn’t seem to be angry for the reasons you expected.

Chapter 14 - Cover Me An unprecedented strike at the heart of bangtan leaves you baring yours.

Chapter 15 - Powerless It’s time to make the fight on your terms.

Epilogue - Sweet Taste How it all boiled down.

Updates every Sunday! To be on the taglist, send me a message, ask or comment!💜(now closed as series is completed! but comments are always still welcome)

[bts-hyperfixation]

Outside of the Fox

Chapter 25 of 30

2350 words

Y/N longs for a new life when the one she’d been living comes to an abrupt stop. Without much thought to those she is leaving behind, the little fox packs a backpack and disappears. She stumbles across the shelter and makes an interim home for herself while she works out exactly what she wants from her second chance.

Last

Airports are weird places. That's the only thing you can conclude as you try to navigate your way through the crowd. They never looked this way in the films. 

You'd watched countless romcoms where people had just run freely all the way through the vast empty spaces. The reality is something much closer to one of the seven circles of hell.  There are people everywhere, some sitting in seats, others on the floor, many just walking around getting in the way. It seems like a truly lawless environment, with many of society's rules abandoned in favour of self-preservation. 

Poor Kookie looks like he is about to faint. The youngest member was hanging from Namjoon's back, having decided a piggyback would be the easiest way for him to get through this. Jimin checked in with him regularly, pulling faces and making jokes to try and keep him distracted. You can't help but feel overwhelmed by the atmosphere yourself. 

Hoseok holds tightly onto your hand as he bobs and weaves through the crowd following after Jin and Taehyung as they lead your group to your departure gate. You had been promised that the gate would be much calmer than the main areas as they dragged you through as quickly as possible. 

And they were right. With more than an hour to go until your flight, there were only a few other passengers milling around so you were all able to grab seats together in the corner. Jungkook physically decompresses as Namjoon sets him on the ground, although his eyes stay wide and vigilant as he appraises his surroundings. Yoongi pulls out his switch from his backpack and hands it across to Jungkook before cuddling into the chair next to him, looking about ready to take a nap. 

You contemplate sitting on Jungkook's other side but Taehyung pulls you to him instead. 

"Let me take you shopping in duty-free,"  He says

"I think Jungkook used your card to buy enough stuff this week." You point out.

"But I didn't buy you those things, not really." He pouts. 

You roll your eyes and he takes this as an acceptance, linking his arm through yours and taking you off back in the direction of the crowds.

You peruse through the make-up sections, taking the brightest blushes you can find and dotting them onto his cheeks leaving him a mismatched mosaic of pinks. In return, he swatches random eyeshadows and wipes them onto your forearms. The attendants give you both dirty looks when neither of you actually select any products to buy, but none of them seem brave enough to actually interject.

Eventually, Tae takes pity on them, picking up some expensive skincare and makeup wipes to purchase. He ensures he has enough face masks and steam masks for the entire group and convinces you to pick out something extra for yourself. Even though you want to protest, you settle on a cute headband to make him happy. 

He takes the bag of goodies from the saleswoman once he has paid and fishes the headband out in order to place it in your hair. His fingers brush tenderly through your hair as he places the little trinket carefully above your ear. His eyes lock with yours and he leans in like he is going to kiss you, but as his eyes close you can't help but giggle. 

"I'm trying to charm you and you are giggling at me?" He asks, mock offended.

"Sorry... I couldn't help it, that patchy blush looks even worse close up." You shrug. 

He swipes at his face with the back of his hand, succeeding only in making it much worse as the colours intermingle. 

"Well if you closed your eyes to kiss like a normal person you wouldn't have seen it." He grumbles.

"Well, if I'd known you were about to kiss me maybe I would've." You say

"Well then, close your eyes," He tries again reaching out to tuck your hair as he had before. 

Unfortunately, this time he is cut off by the tannoy system calling out for your boarding numbers. You take his hand in yours and hurry away from the store back to where you left the others. 

"I'm never going to get my kiss." He pouts.

________

The others have gathered all the hand luggage and are waiting for you when you arrive. Turns out Taehyung had taken all of the tickets with you so they couldn't board. However, it seems to be by design when Taehyung reveals that you are all sitting in first class. The eight of you fill-up the double centre isle 

Namjoon sits at the back, harrumphing to himself about how Taehyung has spent far too much money on this trip. Yoongi sits next to him to try and shut him up (He ends up just raising the centre wall to give himself some peace and quiet). 

Hoseok parks himself in front of Yoongi, often kneeling up on his seat to talk with Yoongi over the top. Taehyung sits next to him, mostly because Jimin insisted he needed to spend the flight with Jungkook but also because they wanted to watch the same movies and they could talk about them. 

And so you sat with Jin, working out nicely in your favour as both of you really just wanted to nap. You settled in quickly for the long flight, unravelling the provided blanket and draping it over your and Jin's laps. When Taehyung had suggested going to the beach you had thought he meant somewhere nearby, not a long-haul flight to the other hemisphere.

"You realise they give each of us our own blankets right?" He points out. 

"Yeah, but this thing is massive." You say shaking the fabric. "Unless you want to put up the divider?" 

"No, no this is fine. Once we've taken off the stewardesses can turn our two seats into one bed if you like, give us a more comfortable space?" He suggests.

It's clear he doesn't mean anything by it, but a blush creeps up your cheeks anyway. You don't get a chance to reply before the stewards are handing you a mimosa each and directing your attention towards a safety briefing. You watch intently as they go through the motions of showing you emergency procedures. 

The aeroplane roars to life around you as it comes to the end of the taxi, you can hear the turbines wiring and your heart speeds up at the same pace. Jungkook whimpers behind you and Jimin tries to whisper words of encouragement to the man. You want to turn around and help but the seat backs are too high and you fear your face looks too concerned to provide any comfort anyway. 

Jin glances over at you and takes in the way your knuckles are turning white from clasping onto the arms of your chair. He places his hand on top of yours, curling his fingers underneath your palm so you can hold onto him instead. He offers you a reassuring smile and you try to reciprocate. 

"First flight?" He asks.

You nod in response, unable to speak as you feel the wheels lift from the floor.

"This is the worst part, after this you can barely feel that you're moving," He assures you. "Here, take this, it'll stop your ears from popping." 

He fishes out a packet of gum and offers you a piece then takes one himself. 

Eventually, the plane levels out as he promises and it is smooth sailing for a while. The stewardesses are quick to deliver meals to each of you and even quicker to take them away when you've finished. You are lying down in a nicely sized bed within an hour of take-off ready to sleep through as much of the flight as possible. Jin has himself propped up a little to read his book as you snuggle down and close your eyes. 

"Sleep well Y/N," He says as you drift off. 

You are rudely awoken a few hours later to the violent shaking of the plane. You try to shoot up straight into a sitting position but find yourself restricted by an arm across your waist. Jin pulls you closer to him.

"Don't panic, it's just turbulence," He whispers into your ear sleepily "It'll be over in a couple of minutes."

"Are you sure?" You ask.

"Of course I'm sure."

The plane dips dramatically and you find yourself clinging to Jin. He folds both arms around you and holds you as close as he can. Your stomach flips with each judder of the plane around you but Jin's arms remain firmly in place and his lips press to your forehead as he whispers nonsense to you as a distraction. 

He is right of course, the turbulence is over as quickly as it began and the Pilots voice sounds over the P.A

"Sorry about that folks, it looks like we could be in for a few bumpy rides throughout the journey as we hit some particularly rough patches of weather. We should be over the worst of it for now though so please relax and we will let you know if we expect any further issues throughout the flight." 

You lean back and look up at Jin finding his face mere centimetres from your own.

"Are you okay?" He asks,

"I think so."

"I'm glad, but know that you can cling to me any time turbulence or not," He winks.

"Good to know." You swallow thickly. 

He holds you close for a moment longer and then releases you back to your side of the bed. You sit up and peer over the back of your chair to check on the others. Namjoon is standing up looking over everyone in the same way you are.  Yoongi is watching him carefully. Taehyung and Hobi don't seem to have even paused their movies. And most surprisingly Jungkook doesn't seem to have even stirred as he holds Jimin close in their own little bed.

Namjoon catches your eye and you reassure him you are okay. He nods and settles back into his own chair and picks his book up where he left off. You lie back down and turn onto your side looking at Jin, his eyes already reclosed as he drifts off once more. You realise as your eyes drift towards the plumpness of his lips that your mind is drifting towards how they might feel against your skin. 

It's been such a long time since you've been intimate with anyone and the kisses you'd been going a little stir-crazy with impure thoughts of late, so who could blame you for looking at any of the attractive men around you? Although some might call you greedy for staring at the only one not actively openly courting you.

"Can I help you?" He asks cracking one eye open when he feels your gaze.

"I was wondering..." He opens both eyes and waits for you to ask what's on your mind.

"I was wondering if you planned on pursuing a relationship with more than just Namjoon within the group." 

He smiles in a way that suggests he knows what you are getting at but the answer he gives doesn't reflect that.

"Well I think it's obvious I have my eye on Kookie, or should I say he has his eye on me."

"Is that all?" You ask.

You move a little bit closer to him, hoping to get a much more pleasing answer.

"Well... I suppose I quite enjoy looking at Hoseok, and Taehyung is so charming. And I guess you aren't terrible to spend time with." He teases.

A hand reaches up to cup your cheek and he leans in towards you. 

"Is this what you wanted," His breath ghosts against your lips.

 Then the minuscule gap is closed. His kisses are lazy, although that could be the lingering edge of sleep. He sucks your lower lip between his, nibbling a little before releasing it and kissing you properly again. He repeats this over again until your lips feel bruised. 

"That is exactly what I wanted." You say as he finally pulls away.

"Well, now do you want more? Because I think I want more." 

He leans across you and presses a button you hadn't seen before. It raises a barrier between you and the aisle, just high enough for those passing not to look in and lights a do not disturb sign above you. He then presses the same control on his own side. 

"Well that doesn't look at all suspicious to the outside," You comment.

"They'll just think we are sleeping,"

He doesn't give you a chance to reconsider before he starts mouthing at your neck, his body hovering over yours as bites tiny little bruises into your delicate skin. You place your hands on his shoulders feeling the way his muscles tense through his thin T-shirt. He rolls his hips against your side, his sweatpants seeming even thinner than the shirt, leaving very little to the imagination. 

His lips find their way back to yours and your mind goes completely blank. One of his hands lifts the bottom of your shirt and begins to explore the bare expanse of skin until he reaches just underneath your breast. He cups your bare chest, his thumb running gently over your nipple making you shiver. You whine against his touch. 

"If you can't be quiet we can't go any further." He chuckles.

"We probably shouldn't get any further than this anyway..." You point out.

"You're right, I haven't even gotten much further than this with Joonie yet... But this just feels so nice," He says, making a point of flicking your nipple with his thumb again. 

"Maybe we should go back to sleeping,"

"If that's what you really want," He shrugs. "But I'm not removing my hand." 

"I'm not asking you to." 

He smiles contently and settles back onto his pillow, you wriggle in close and true to his word, and his hand remains firmly under your shirt for the remainder of the sleeping portion of the flight.

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