#I still love pjm stories I really do

[little-lanterns]

*forcing smile* capek sama kelakuan kjh

[back2bluesidex]

Do you do reco? 😊 If yes, can you recommend me some arranged marriage fics with unrequited love (only reader is in love at first or only she is in love until the end like in Girl crush)... Or just anything that matches your angst level (can it be matched tho? 😏) .

This girl right here just want to do some more crying after reading Slide. 😶 🤧

Anon! I am so glad that you asked me about Angst! I mean that's my area of expertise. I can recommend you some of the top tier angst that will hurt you so good - oh lord! Also, I am flattered 🙈. "can it be matched tho?" 🙈 oh baby, it surely can.

here you go - these are some of my most favorite angsts of all time. I keep coming back to these stories whenever I wanna feel low (sorry none of these are really arrange marriage stories😭)

1. Heartburn by @jiminrings (PJM)

This is very angsty and I love the ending. it will heart you so so so good.

2. Fifth Wish by jiminrings again. (JJK)

Again very angsty, wanted to hit Jungkook at times but could not. lmao.

3. On the ropes by @raplinesmoon (KSJ)

This is not really unrequited love as you wanted but I will still urge you to read it once. I have read the story twice and have cried both of the times. This is also one of my most favorite Seokjin stories in existence.

4. Renegade by @yoongiphoria (PJM)

if you love Slide you will love this one too. just perfect perfect perfect.

5. Do I Wanna Know by yoongiphoria again (JHS)

You can search the entire world and still won't find a story as beautiful as this one. I AM OBSESSED!!!!!!!!! and will always be.

6. Hate U by @shuadotcom (JHS)

This is a sumtty angst with unrequited love trope. Hoseok is a dick.

7. Strictly Platonic by @jeonqkooks (JJK)

A very well-written unrequited love with happy ending.

and that's it. Hope you have a good angsty session with these phenomenal stories. 😘

[doodlekoo]

OUCH | pjm

Summary: you hurt your foot and Jimin thinks your gonna die

Pairing: boyfriend!jimin x fem?reader (mentions pronouns a few times)

Word count: 2.4k

Rating: PG

Genre/Warnings: established relationship, injury, pain, implied?verbal abuse, explicit language, kissing, FLUFF HEH (my favourite), oc is so in love with Jimin

Note: hello fellow fluff lovers, i’m so sorry i’ve been ia for 10 months i was focusing on finishing my final year for college. tbh creative writing isn't my strong point it’s more of a side hobby so please understand i won’t be updating regularly i’ll probably be posting more so when I'm bored and feel like it ahahaha. I do want to point out thanks to all those who liked my previous stories. I really do appreciate it it’s great motivation!! anywho this story was based on when i hurt my foot (it was a more gross story but still hurt like a bitch) i tried limping home but the entire time i wished someone would carry me and care for me the way jimin does in the ff (sad i know). i originally wanted it to be longer going into detail about Jimin’s backstory but i thought short and sweet was better SO ENJOY i hope you all like it :)

and as always please let me know what you guys think and if you want more stories like this! please also leave a like and/or reblog if you enjoyed reading! :D

A warm sensation spreads through your body, engulfing you in a comforting embrace. You couldn't help but smile as a sense of contentment washed over you. The day had been a success. You followed every command and every instruction that your superiors had asked you to follow. Starting a new job was a challenging experience, one you hadn’t gone through before. The memory of your previous employment still haunts you, the echoes of your coworkers' voices reverberating in your mind as they berated you for the slightest of missteps. Not only was it stressful to deal with that every day, but you would also feel even more drained coming home after the endless regrets ran through your mind.

The more you worked at that god-awful place, the more your thoughts grew—were these issues truly insignificant, or were they looming large and you simply lacked the perspective to see them?

Your boyfriend, Jimin, was constantly begging you to quit the job since the sight of you so wrapped up in absolute guilt crushed him every day. Jimin only wanted what was best for you. The stubbornness he had over you was often a hard take but it was only ever going to be beneficial. As the begs increased in volume, your guilt scaled high, resulting in an endless cycle.

You knew you had to do it. Gathering yourself mentally and emotionally to utter those two liberating words took a great deal of courage.

"I quit."

You said it slightly quietly, still unsure. but you were stern about it with an attempt at a demeaning stare. In your head, you felt pretty confident with the way you delivered it, only to have that confidence descend with the sudden scoffs followed by the classic response, "Is that supposed to impress me?"

Perhaps Jimin was right. The testosterone in the room was unbearable at this point, and that slow, excruciating deterioration of your brain was just really not worth it. Staring back at your manager, you remained undeterred.

"I'll be handing in my notice tomorrow."

It was never worth creating an argument with your manager or anyone who lacked basic brain cells, in fact. That simple interaction only changed you for the better, and slowly but surely you felt you had a little more respect for yourself.

As you navigate the bustling street after your third shift, a palpable aura of rejuvenation surrounds you, causing your steps to take on a playful bounce. The faint aroma of coffee lingers on your clothes. The joy felt completely surreal, almost like time and space had been warped. Though the relentless bombardment of verbal abuse made your mind gradually deteriorate, it now made even the most challenging tasks a mere cakewalk.

The rain had been hammering down on the cafe windows for most of the day, so when you were met with the fortunate sun slowly peeking out from the clouds, you felt enveloped with its warmth, feeling it gradually filling your mind up with a little extra dose of serotonin.

Several metres or so away from your workplace, in a small back alley, you could smell the damp brick encroaching on your senses. Looking farther ahead, you saw the recent confrontation you were only slowly getting used to. It was amusing to you that a couple of steps were the only thing you had to worry about in your new day-to-day life. It was a sign that you were at least doing something right. You braced yourself for the steep steps that lay ahead while keeping in mind the wet, slick concrete.

And at that moment, the serotonin vanished. As the calmness of the moment dissipated, a surge of anxiety and adrenaline took over. Your heart plummeted as you failed to catch those final steps. Your foot barely brushes the step's edge. As you stumbled, your ankle gave way beneath you, sending you tumbling to the ground.

You squealed, trying not to make any noise, as a wave of pain shot from your foot up through your body when the weight followed.

"Ouch,"

You hissed in pain as you sat at the foot of the steps. Looking absolutely helpless. The surrealness seemed to slip away as the situation unfolded before your eyes. Your mind wandered in silence. As you glanced around, a wave of relief washed over you as you realised that no one had witnessed your mortifying disaster.

I'm fine. I'm fine. You managed to convince yourself that you could make it home since the distance to your house was less than a mile. I can limp; it's fine. You reached for the railing and attempted to pull yourself up, only to be reacquainted with the searing pain you'd felt before.

Fuck.

You personally don't like to worry excessively about pain and injuries because you've always considered it a waste of time to acknowledge the warnings your body gave you. As the numbness set in, you realised that the situation was far worse than you had initially thought. Your body lay still and unresponsive, leaving you with only your thoughts to keep you company.

Along with the overwhelming urge to get up and leave, you also had the nagging fear that someone could hear a small person yelping at the bottom of the steps and decide to make a huge deal out of it. You know one person, Jimin, who would take his time over an insignificant issue. He would be the one to hire a golden carriage and transport you in grandeur, as the conclusion to convincing you that you needed to rescue yourself from those said scary steps. That was the worst-case scenario in your mind. However, it reached the point where you would rather have him make this big of a deal than a complete stranger who would have thought you were weak, whereas Jimin was certain that you are not.

A soft, sad sigh escapes your lips as your hand instinctively reaches for the back pocket of your jeans. With fingers trembling in anticipation, you searched for Jimin's name. As you raised your phone to your ear, you sensed your heart rate accelerating. Your nerves were on edge, and you did not want to burden Jimin with any additional worries. Making Jimin anxious was punishment enough. Every day, catching a glimpse of Jimin's radiant smile was like a burst of sunshine, flooding your world with a second dose of serotonin. But the thought of not being able to bring that smile to his face or turn it into a beaming grin was gnawing at your insides.

"Hey, ___, I’m so sorry. I’ll be home soon! I’m just out with Namjoon and Hobi!" Jimins' amplified voice, together with the distant chatter in the background, echoed through the alleyway. "No, Jimin i-"

"It was just- Hobi wanted us to come see designs after work, and naturally we all piled into the bar! We are finishing up now!"

"Jimin, that's not why I'm calling…" You replied with a low tone.

"Huh?? Sorry babe, I can't hear you that well!" You chuckled to yourself at the agonising situation. Oh Jimin..

"Jimin, I fell.."

"Sorry, what was that??"

"I don’t know Jimin. I fell down these steps, and I can't get up. It's so embarrassing. I don't know what to do.."

"Shit. Stay there. I'm coming now. Where are you?" The way Jimin's entire demeanour shifts over the phone, it intimidates the hell out of you.

"I’m just outside that alleyway from my work... Do you know the one?"

"Yes, I do. I’ll be there in five minutes." And with that, Jimin ends the call.

"Fuck. That was my girlfriend. I’m so sorry guys, I have to go" Jimin, on the other hand, was shitting it. Hearing your frightened voice over the phone was enough for him to travel day and night to you.

"Is something wrong?" Namjoon asked, apprehensive. He'd only see Jimin's expression like this when something was seriously wrong.

"I'm not sure, I think she’s hurt. I'll see you guys soon." Jimin said, frantically stuffing all his things in his bag. "Aw, alright, I hope she’s okay," Hoseok chirped.

"I hope so too. Bye!!" And just like that, Jimin literally flew outside the bar door. Foot harsh on the pedal. On his way: to you.

You kept your eyes on the cracks along the walls, waiting for Jimin. In the end, a few people did come by, but you covered it up by sitting on the floor and talking on your phone, and they didn't seem to notice. It's currently quiet as the sun is descending. But eventually you could hear faint, sporadic panting in the distance. It was the said saviour of the day.

"___!! Oh my god, oh my god, are you okay?? What happened?!?" Jimin gasped, looking at you like a precious gem that had cracked.

"I’m alright, just a little stumble. But I can't stand up, and it’s annoying." With a faint chuckle, you replied. You looked up at him, hoping to see his gaze soften and persuade him that it wasn't such a major issue, but his anxious expression didn't fade.

Scrambling towards you, he examined your ankle carefully, gently touching it in the process.

"Hm, I’m not a doctor, but I think maybe you sprained it. We should go to the hospital." He announced it sincerely.

"NO. I mean- no Jimin, no hospital, please; it’s not a big deal."

"Are you sure? I mean, you said you couldn’t even stand up?" It was endearing that Jimin tried to convince you, but because you didn't want to feel even more embarrassed, you simply scowled at him and hoped he understood what you were trying to imply.

"Okay, okay, let’s go home then." Jimin let out a little giggle at your silliness. But he now knew it was time for him to take on the doctor role and oh how Jimin would take that role very seriously. "Right, I need to carry you to the car then, can you try and get on my back?"

Jimin crouched in front of you after turning around. You used your entire upper-body strength to push yourself onto Jimin's back by reaching for his shoulders. His arms came back around and supported you from behind before he stood up and repositioned you.

"You okay?" Jimin asks once again. "Yes. Thank you, Jimin."

You scoot closer to his back, not just so he can carry you, but also so you can embrace him. Jimin carefully made his way back up the steps and onto the busy street, attempting to find his way back to the car park. You felt embarrassed by the many stares so you cuddled your face closer into the back of Jimin's neck.

It felt safe there, and you could smell his perfume's mild flowery scent mingled with the peppermint notes of his shampoo. Oh, how he always smelled so good. You smiled into his neck and pecked him lightly. This elicited a slight chuckle from him.

Jimin gently places you in the passenger seat and carefully rearranges your legs. He tightens the seatbelt and ensures you're safe and secure. You glance up at him, speechless. After the manner in which he's been treating you, the decision to call him for assistance felt extremely justifiable. As your gaze lingers on Jimin, he catches your eye, and a soft chuckle escapes his lips once more.

"Is this okay?" Jimin asked with a grin. "Yes, Jimin, this is perfect." As your gaze met his, a rush of warmth flooded your heart. The way he looked at you with such tenderness and affection was a feeling beyond words. To have someone who cherished you so deeply was truly a gift beyond measure. A rosy hue crept up Jimin's cheeks, causing his smile to widen even further.

Closing your door and driving back to the house was quite quiet, but it also felt soothing and safe at the same time. Jimin carried you on his back once again while fumbling to retrieve his keys from his pocket to open the door. Making his way to the sofa, he plopped you down softly.

"Okay, wait there. Don't go anywhere; I’m going to find a bandage." You laughed and shook your head at his stupid yet endearing joke.

When Jimin returned 10 minutes later, he did not only return with a bandage but also with half the house. Blankets, pillows, comfy clothes, a big bowl of snacks, and on top, the said bandage. You couldn’t even see his concentrated face through the massive mountain of love.

Your laughs echoed throughout the room once again while Jimin dumped everything beside you. He then carefully helps you undress into your loungewear and, following a YouTube tutorial, attempts to wrap the bandage around your foot. Watching him all focused on you made your heart flip around the room. He is so adorable.

"Okay, I think that’s good. Now do you want a pillow under your foot as well?" Jimin asked you politely. "I think it’s alright like this." You look at him, smiling.

"Hm, scratch that, I’m getting you a pillow."

When Jimin returns from getting a pillow, he gently lifts your feet to place it beneath them. He then throws various fluffy blankets over you while tucking in the sides, making sure once again that you don’t go anywhere. Looking back at you, he moves in close, giving you a soft peck on your forehead. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he momentarily retreats before leaning back in, peppering your face with a flurry of playful kisses. The two of you erupt into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, your heads thrown back in pure love and joy.

"Now what should I put on the TV for you?" Jimin sits beside you after grabbing the TV remote. "Anything I don’t mind."

Jimin then proceeds to put on your favourite film. Pressing play; he looks at you with a soft smile. "Please be more careful; I hate seeing you hurt like this." He pats your head gently while wrapping his arm around you.

"I’ll try not to Jimin ''. You say as you move closer to him, resting your head on his chest.

Paying close attention to the rest of the movie, your sixth sense tells you Jimin isn't watching it at all; he's staring at your ankle, hoping nothing will hurt it any further.

[yoonia]

Free Falling (M) | pjm

➬ Title | Free Falling - final instalment from the Falling series (with bonus epilogue)

➬ Summary | People say that you should let life take its course, and to always be ready to open your heart for love. You have learned to allow yourself for the latter, but as always, allowing yourself to open up to every possibilities that life could give you have always been hard for you to do. Your first instinct has always been about hiding your desire, to protect yourself from hurt, but is it worth it to risk it all by keeping it as a secret from the one you love the most?  

↳ Pairings | Park Jimin x reader

↳ Genre | Singer!Jimin, non-idol!au, ex-assistant!reader, Established relationship!au, Smut, Angst

↳ Ratings & Warnings | +18 / M for Mature; talks about pregnancy, a mild hint of pregnancy scare, mentions of birth control, sexual tension, sexual innuendos, explicit smut scenes, including: Jimin’s obsession for boobs, soft dom!Jimin, multiple smut scenes, semi-public sex, bathroom sex, studio/office sex, breast play, nipple play (involves sucking, biting, pinching), hand job, thigh riding, dry humping, riding, grinding, clothed sex, light spanking, pussy slapping, fingering (female receiving), oral sex (female receiving), clit play, hair pulling, manhandling, rough sex, ass biting, dirty talk, swearing, light restraint/bondage, pain kink, unprotected sex, orgasm denial, multiple orgasms, implied creampie, impregnation/breeding kink…and just like always, a sappy ending.  

↳ Word count | 22k words (whoops…I did it again!)  

↳ Story Masterlist: Falling trilogy

↳ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Commissions

↳ Cross post | AO3 | Inkitt | Wattpad (links coming soon!)

↳ Music companion | Lately - Jonisa

➬ Author’s Note | Written as a commission for @opaljm​ | I’m so sorry that this one took forever, but I do hope that you’ll enjoy this story and I hope this would be a nice belated birthday gift for you to read. I’ve been working on this story for a long time, since I did plan this one to be posted as Jimin’s birthday fic, so I feel somewhat bonded with these characters. Thank you so much for commissioning me and for throwing me these ideas with this Jimin. Even if it took me a while to finish, I did enjoy writing this story for you and it really felt good to give this closure to this couple. Have fun reading! (Ps. I hope the epilogue at the end would be enough to make up for the long wait)

“It’s probably nothing.”

If you had any intention of reassuring anyone with those words, it would be painfully obvious that your effort is completely fruitless. You could hear how empty those words had sounded, with not a stir of hope materialising within you as you voiced them out loud. Even as you keep repeating the same words inside your head in the silence that soon follows, you still cannot tell exactly who you were directing those words to.

Keeping your eyes on the bathroom counter, you can feel Jimin hovering close by. There is no doubt that his curiosity is much stronger than what he is letting on, though there is no doubt that he is just as nervous about this as you are when he chooses to remain in the doorway rather than stepping inside to be by your side. It feels odd to be facing this on your own, though you welcome his distant support when you are not quite sure what you are feeling right now yourself.

“Still, we need to make sure, don’t you think?” Jimin questions you, suddenly sounding much closer this time. You can feel his presence filling the room before his hands reach out to touch you, resting on your shoulders to let you know that he is there with you.

Calmness washes over you at his touch. You breathe a sigh of relief and place your hand on top of his to gain more strength from his warmth. And yet you still cannot find it in you to look away. There is an unexplainable fear that makes you believe that once you blink, then the white strip on top of the counter would either disappear or change shape. You simply cannot let that happen. Not when you need some answers.

How long has it been?

How long were we supposed to wait?

As the questions keep running through your mind, suddenly everything else feels obscured. Seconds feel like minutes, minutes feel like hours, and time becomes nothing more but an illusion as it seems to drag on as you wait.

Taking a deep breath while clutching tighter on Jimin’s hand, you try to hold your composure and remain patient. Truth be told, you absolutely have no idea what you are expecting to see, yet you also didn’t expect to feel this tense over something like this either. You wonder if perhaps everything that had happened leading up to this point may have added to your agitation and doubt. It seems to have somehow drawn you to start second guessing yourself and everything that you believed to be true.

With your eyes on the white strip, you recall the conversation that you shared with Jimin early this morning. Starting from the comment that you had made so nonchalantly when you had just woken up, followed by the talk which had led him sending his poor housemaid out to buy an entire bag of pregnancy tests while you slipped into the shower.

“Is that normal?” was the question that he gave you, catching you by surprise. You had not seen him in the room when you first woke up, and for some reason, he had to choose that moment to come back, just in time to hear you murmuring to yourself about the late arrival of your monthly period.

It never even crossed your mind before. Not until the moment you opened the calendar application on your phone to check today’s schedule and realised how long ago your last period had been.

“You’re still home? Aren’t you supposed to be at the gym already? And why are you spying on me?”

It hadn’t been your intention to avoid answering his question. You barely had time to process your own thoughts when he came into the bedroom wearing his workout clothes, as he would usually be out on his morning workout routine by the time you would be awakened from your slumber. Jimin looked awfully worried when he gently took your phone away from you, stopping you from changing the conversation again when he repeated the question.

“It’s nothing, I’m sure. My period does come regularly most of the time, but that’s not always been the case. I’m only a couple of weeks late. I’ve been busy lately, and it could happen because my stress level is high without me realising it or because I’ve been skipping meals when I’m working. It’s natural to happen, so I don’t think it’s anything to worry about,” you had tried your best to convince him with various excuses despite his worries, before escaping his attention by rushing into the shower, hoping that he would let it go once you were done. Though it was already far too late by then, as he had already made up his mind to do something about it.

Hence the pregnancy test, which he handed to you right the moment you stepped out of the shower, followed by a long process of you taking the said test—two sets of them—and waiting anxiously for the results together as Jimin chose to skip going to the gym altogether. You may not have had the slightest hint of curiosity or concern before, but it is quite clear that his reaction and the tension that you can feel rolling out of him are beginning to affect you, and you are beginning to feel just as anxious as he is.

“I’m telling you, it’s probably nothing,” you try telling him again, though your words no longer hold the same conviction as they had earlier when you are purposely aiming for them to calm yourself down. “My period also came irregularly quite often when I first started working with you, back when I was working crazy hours and was stressing out over adjusting to living in the city, so I’m sure it’s probably the same thing. You know that I’ve been—”

Jimin’s hold on your shoulders tightens just then, and you watch with bated breath as the line begins to show on the strip. Then it stops before another ever comes up to join the first one.

“Negative,” the word comes out of you with a relieved sigh, as all the worries and tension are lifted from you. Though contrary to what you are feeling, your own voice somehow sounds a bit distant and unrecognisable even to yourself.

But you can easily recognise the unmistakable sound of a deep exhale of sigh coming from behind you as Jimin slowly relaxes. “Well, I guess you’re right. That’s what, the second test that shows negative?”

You turn to him then with a teasing smile. “Told you so. Should’ve listened to me when I told you not to worry about it so much. I’ve been busy with work, that’s all. And things are getting a bit stressful since it’s entering the end of the year,” you tell him with a shrug, already playing it off as if it’s not a big deal, hoping to change the mood.

The look that he is giving you, however, says differently.

His eyes convey something that is quite unreadable, a bit of an odd mix of concern, relief, and sombreness. The latter one gives a tight pinch in your chest, and it is the kind of emotion that you really hate seeing from him. And you don’t like not knowing where it is coming from.

Wanting to erase the troubled look on his face, you place your palms on his cheeks, pulling his attention back to you until he is looking at you straight in the eyes so you can reassure him, “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll call my physician to have my health checked up to make sure that everything’s okay. And that I’m absolutely fine.”

Your words bring a bit of light back to his eyes when he smiles. “There’s no need if you don’t want to,” he says, before leaning in to kiss the tip of your nose, drawing a soft giggle out of you. “Are you going to be super busy again today? Can’t you take it easy until we’re sure you’re really okay?” he begins asking you, though almost distractedly, as his eyes have begun roaming down your body that is still clad in the silky robe that you put on after stepping out of the shower while his hands are beginning to slide down your waist.

“Ah, I only have a lunch meeting with the people from the foundation. And then I’m seeing Hyorin, the actress that Yerin has been working with lately. She had asked to see me after I’m done with the meeting for some advice, but I don’t think it’ll be too long. I might be able to come back right before dinner,” you answer him, recalling the short list of appointments that you have for today with more effort than you should have, and with your voice slowly fading out with the distraction that Jimin is giving to you.

Because just when you start answering him, Jimin moves to raise his hand up from your waist and starts trailing a finger over your breasts. Starting with his teasing touch, he gently runs the tip of his finger over your cleavage, finding the skin that has been exposed from where the top of your robe is parted.

Noticing the change in the tone of your voice and seeing how you are slowly growing breathless with anticipation, he starts becoming more brazen with his touches. Your voice fades to a gasp as he traces a finger down one breast, following the silky lining of your robe until he finds your covered nipple before trailing back up again to the other side, his finger never losing contact with your breast the entire time, even as your breathing starts to grow heavier.

“Good. I won’t have to part with you for too long, then,” you faintly hear him say as his finger lingers a bit too long over the tip of your breast, rubbing at the hardening peak from over your thin robe.  

“What are you up to?” you question him when his touch seems deliberate, and when he seems pleased the moment the subtle tremble of your chest becomes more obvious as he continues.

Seeing your reaction, Jimin’s lips rise to a smile. “Nothing much,” he whispers heavily, as if he is just as affected by his own touches the way you do. “I was just thinking—” he says as he pulls his hand away, “—since we got the test out of the way, it means we have no problem, right? Nothing to worry about. Although—I’d like to think that it only means that we have been given some more time to enjoy ourselves, maybe have some practice since we still have a long way to go before we would have to worry about something like this again.”

Before your mind clears out of the fog that he had created and you have the chance to question what he is trying to say, Jimin reaches out to clean out the bathroom counter with one swipe of his hand. He tosses the used test strips and their empty packages into the trash and wipes the cold surface clean with the sleeve of his sweatshirt before his hands find your waist.

“Jimin, what are you—oh!” you let out a gasp when he swiftly lifts you up and sets you up on the counter, your bathrobe barely covering your skin from the cold surface as the hem merely ends right under your buttocks.

As if he knows where the rush of chill surging through your body is coming from, Jimin brings his hands down to your exposed thighs. The gentle touch of his palms on your skin gives you the warmth that you need, but he gives you no chance to embrace it when he leans in, taking your attention from his hands with a kiss.

As always, Jimin manages to calm your rapid thoughts even with nothing more but the slightest touch of his lips on yours. While his hands continue roaming down your body, grazing the under curves of your breasts through your thin robe, then tracing and feeling your torso as his touch makes its way down to your waist. He steals your voice with his kiss, his lips moulding perfectly with yours. Even as the kiss grows with fervour, his lips still feel as soft as the clouds, enough to cool down the heat that he lights up within you with his gentle fingers.

Just as his hands grow more daring, he begins deepening the kiss further. The sensation he is giving to you makes your body grow hotter and you lean into him further, your body moving to chase his touch while you return his kiss, moaning softly as his tongue comes licking out, pressing its way into your mouth. Your mind begins swirling while he keeps devouring your lips. His hands move lower, finding the silky ties that are holding your robe together and tugging them loose until the front of your robe falls open, exposing your bareness to him. The sudden chill that touches your skin draws a gasp out of you that you pull away from him, yet Jimin doesn’t mind it, as he already has his attention somewhere else.

He smiles when you slowly open your eyes. His lips are wet and swollen from the kiss, and you lick your own lips seeing this, still feeling the touch of his lips lingering on yours. Just as you are about to pull him back for another kiss, his hands slip under your robe, opening it further apart, before he easily moves his palms to cup the soft mounds of your breasts. As you arch your chest into his touch, he gently brushes his thumbs across your nipples, moving against them in slow up-and-down strokes, then in circles, repeating the same patterns until they grow hard against his sinful touches while you begin to experience all the delicate shivers flowing through your body.

“Beautiful,” he muses with a hum as he keeps tweaking your nipple. A soft cry escapes your lips, yet his gaze remains on your breasts. He has been drawn completely to the rise and fall of your chest and the way your soft skin grows tighter the more he continues to work on your body. There is a deep, hungry glaze in his eyes as he takes his time playing with your hardened nub, as he continues to tweak, pinch, and pull, stretching and releasing it while you keep arching your chest into his touch.

He gives another tweak when your gasp comes out louder, and only then does he stop. His eyes find yours, before he gives you a smile that is filled more with mirth than warmth. “Sorry, baby. Did I hurt you?” he asks you, though he doesn’t wait for an answer when he soon adds, “Let me heal you, baby. Perhaps you’ll feel better with a kiss.”

Jimin puts a hand on your back, holding you steady and keeping you from falling backwards while he leans forward, his mouth closing onto the nipple that he has been playing with. He starts lightly sucking on it, using his lips to rub across the area where his fingers had been, then his tongue joins in to give a couple of licks, moving slowly across and rolling around the nub as if he is trying to lick a wound. The rush that you feel in your body from his treatment is completely indescribable. It feels so good, electrifying, and so decadent that you lose complete control of your body as it reacts to the sensation that he is giving you.

Your head falls back with a moan when he suddenly switches to the other breast. He does the same thing with his mouth and tongue, taking his sweet time with it and never stopping until it grows just as hard as the other. You feel his other hand crawling up, cupping the neglected mound with his palm before his fingers begin playing with its throbbing peak. Both your nipples have grown wet and hard, and your breasts feel as if they have become swollen and tight at the same time. The feeling he is giving you is exhilarating and you don’t want him to stop. But the moment you feel his hips pushing forward, nudging at your knees to silently request for you to spread them open for him, you know that he is not done yet.

Even in your high, you still know what to do to give him what he wants. Scooting a few inches forward on the counter, you part your legs for him, allowing him to slide between your thighs. Your trembling hands come up to his chest in your search for contact. Your eyes fall open when instead of finding his warm skin, your fingers are met with his sweatshirt.

“Off—” is the only thing that you can say to him, though your fingers are adequate to help make it clear as you begin pulling the front of his shirt.

With a chuckle, Jimin releases you and pulls back just long enough to pull his shirt up and over his head. In a blink of an eye, the shirt is gone, tossed away to the floor and he returns to you with his chest bare and warm enough to touch. His lips, all wet and swollen after devouring your breasts, are lifted to a sly smirk. “There. Happy?”

Biting your lips, you keep your gaze on his face while you reach out to him, grabbing onto the waistband of his sweatpants to give it a pull. “Not quite yet.”

You give the strings holding them up on his waist a strong tug and let go, and the pants simply fall to the ground, pooling around his feet. Jimin steps out of it and kicks it away, not wasting any more time as he also rips his briefs off before returning to his position between your parted legs. He moves so swiftly, yet it is the sight of his erection pointing straight at you which pulls every possible reaction that he could get.

Heat rises all over your body, starting from your face and all the way down between your legs. You have begun fighting a losing battle to compose yourself, to stop yourself from reaching out to touch him when he settles against your center. His cock is now standing between you and only barely touching, while his hands come to your thighs, rubbing gently in small circles that feel maddening and calming at the same time.

"So what was it again that you said…something about having some extra time to practice?” you question him, no longer able to hold back when your hand comes down, finding his length. His cock feels firm and hard against your palm, and you can feel its pulse when you wrap your hand around its girth.

Jimin looks down and exhales a soft sigh as you begin to stroke the length of his cock. It begins with a gentle stroke, moving up and down slowly until you can feel the first shudder running through his body. “What’s the rush? We have enough time, don’t we? We can take it slow,” Jimin calmly says, acting as if he is completely unaffected when you can clearly see him doing his best to keep it together and slowly failing, judging from the way his fingers are pressing a bit harder into your skin.

“I’m not the one who has a morning schedule today,” you tease him with a scoff, reminding him that he is the one who has been skipping his responsibilities while dealing with the pregnancy tests. Jimin merely chuckles, yet you can feel his hand moving slowly towards your center, and your heartbeat begins to race when he comes closer towards where the pulses are rising between your legs. And he keeps moving closer, until the tips of his fingers come brushing gently against your folds, making you jump at his touch before you quickly relax.

“I guess we can make an exception this morning,” he whispers, his voice sounding a bit rough when he finds you growing wet under his touch. He reaches down and wraps his hand over yours, guiding you to help align the head of his cock onto your slit. Gently, he slips his cock between your cleft and begins to stroke the tip up and down your slit. The sounds of your slickness can be heard the more he moves, as he gathers more and more of your arousal to coat his veiny girth and help him move more fluidly between your hot folds.

You look down, seeing for yourself the way his cock is rubbing against you, and how both his skin and yours look wet, glistening under the dim lighting. You let go just as he begins to push forward, your hands rise up to his shoulders to hold on when you can feel the head of his cock pushing its way into you, slowly stretching you apart to let him in. The delightful pressure that you feel when he slides into you has you tightening your hold on him, your nails sinking into his skin as you revel in the soft trembles of your tight walls welcoming him in.

Jimin slowly sinks into you, doing it with small increments, as he pushes into you an inch before he pulls back, and then comes back in to push deeper. He keeps repeating it again and again, making his way in between your pulsing walls. The sensation that he brings to your body makes your head swirl a bit more intensely than before. All you can do is lean back and take it, relying on the firm press of his hand on the small of your back that is keeping you from falling backwards. Feeling him getting deeper and deeper, your mouth falls open with small noises coming out of your lips every time he pushes a bit harder. Just as the first moan escapes your lips, coming out a bit louder when he suddenly gives a firm thrust, he leans in, capturing your lips with a soft kiss to drown your voice while he takes a short break. He basks in this moment, relishing the warm snug that your walls are giving around him, while the pulses rising from your core seem to match the one coming out of his hard shaft.

The kiss lingers as he deepens it, moulding your lips together until you melt into him further. His hands move down to your thighs, subtly rising them up until you have your legs wrapped around his waist, giving him the perfect angle to start moving more easily. He pulls back just then, giving you a sweet smile before whispering, “Hold on tight, baby.”

With a light tug on your waist, Jimin pulls you towards him and somehow finds it possible to sink just a little bit further into you. The push that he gives draws a sharp cry out of you, though it sounds nothing like a cry of pain, only pleasure. It gives the right kind of push for Jimin to start moving, driving in and out of you steadily, igniting sparks of pleasure through your body with each thrust.

Soon enough, you start moving together with him, pushing to meet each and every one of his thrusts, encouraging him to do more and to start moving faster. His pace increases, and he just keeps on thrusting into you without fail. Lost in his own pleasure, his legs begin to quiver beneath him. His body almost comes bouncing off you each time you are joined, though he never fails to thrust back in again, and again, hitting all the right spots inside you that you almost never want it to end.

Keeping one arm around your waist to hold you in place, his other hand moves to touch your body. As if he cannot spend another minute not touching you. His palm finds your breast, fondling the mound lovingly the way he always would. He enjoys feeling the weight against his palm, and to feel your skin growing hot under his touch. Your body shudders when his fingers find your sensitive bud and start playing with it, and you simply let him. His touch feels so wonderful that it makes you arch more into his hand, and it adds to the amazing sensation that you are feeling from his lovemaking.

The pleasure within you continues to rise, and his speed picks up further. The tremble that comes with his moan gives away how close he is to his orgasm, and you clench around him right when you feel your own climax starting to form itself.

“More, Jimin. I’m close,” you whisper breathlessly as you wrap your arms around his neck, holding on tightly as you take in every thrust, every pounding, and every pulse that he ignites within you until your muscles start to coil with your release.

Just as the first wave of your orgasm washes over you, your mind flies back to a moment passed merely minutes ago. Jimin’s face, the look that he wore after seeing the test result earlier, comes flashing in your mind, replacing the blissful and content look that you are seeing through your bleary eyes as he comes close to his release. Meanwhile, the emotions that you hadn’t completely understood when they first came to you are suddenly becoming clearer just as the waves of pleasure are growing stronger inside you.

As he embraces his climax, Jimin gives you one final thrust, pushing you towards your own. The sensation becomes too much, and there is nothing that you could do but let yourself fall into it, allowing the waves of pleasure to take over you.

But right in your plunge into heavenly bliss, there is an unsettling realisation that comes together with it, pushing through from the back of your mind. It sucks the air out of your chest in your cry of pleasure when you realise that beyond the lingering feeling of contentment and relief that you both shared upon seeing the test result, those emotions had been accompanied by something else. Something that felt more like shattered hope.

Despite having a strong faith that today would be an easy day for you, it didn’t take long before things turned completely the other way around.

The foundation that Mrs. Min built with your assistance has prospered well over the past year. The team that manages the foundation’s programs and its main timetable have grown exponentially, leading to its current success. You have been there to actively participate in helping to form the team from day one, leading them while you were working side by side with Mrs. Min in arranging all the charity works done under the foundation’s name. You have also been there to witness their wonderful growth and take pride in contributing your role in the achievements that the foundation has accomplished so far, even if you enjoy remaining in the background instead of stepping into the spotlight where Mrs. Min has been standing so proudly in from the start.

And yet, even when things have looked so promising for the people behind the foundation, as they seem to have gained a good rapport with the public and from the entertainment companies that they are closely acquainted with, it doesn't necessarily mean that everything has been running smoothly in the background.

The lunch meeting that you attended today had ended an hour ago, and yet you are still here, sitting in the guest lounge at the same hotel where the meeting was held. There is no denying that you feel completely drained, just from going through that meeting alone. All the pleasant feelings that you have acquired in the morning have long faded, replaced with exhaustion and stress.

Though the intensity of the meeting hadn’t truly happened without a reason.

There are still a few weeks to go before the holiday season, but the end of year charity events are already looming in the corner. With so many ideas being sent in by all the rich clients that Mrs. Min has been working with and from the volunteers who have been helping the foundation so far, with the additional change of having new people being added into the team, the lunch meeting had dragged on more than you had initially planned.

Thankfully, Mrs Min had been present to mediate the meeting. Her wise words had ended all the lengthy arguments that almost occurred between the team members who are more adept in the cause that the foundation has been organising so far and the new members who came in with fresh, yet extravagant ideas. Her role in the meeting was something that you were grateful for the most, since you weren’t able to do your role in the meeting as well as you would have wanted to when you couldn’t seem to fully focus and put your mind into it.

It was hard to be completely present in the meeting when your mind kept flying back to this morning, reminding you of the emotional turmoil that you had to deal with before the day even started. It didn’t matter how hard you had tried to ignore it, when moments from this morning kept on coming back when least expected, stealing your attention away from the present.

You could barely hide the sigh of relief when the meeting was over and you were able to step away from it, to finally be freed and have the chance to clear your head. Though your headache only got worse when your employer pulled you to the side before departing, giving you her signature coy smile when she whispered, “Just do your usual magic. I trust that everything will run smoothly under your capable hands,” hinting that she was placing all responsibilities on your shoulders once her job in keeping peace was done.

Guess I was right about the high level of stress messing up with my hormones, after all, you had wondered when the pounding in your head made you wish that you could curl up in a ball in the safety of your bed instead of being there, standing right in the eye of the incoming storm.

After everyone had left, you realised that you probably wouldn’t have made it to your next appointment if you have to travel across the city for it. Thankfully, the actress that you were supposed to meet up with had offered to come and see you instead of meeting you at the public restaurant that you had originally booked for this private meeting.

The option to stay and find a more secluded place to meet up, far from the public’s attention—as requested by this potential client of yours—seemed to be working in your favour, after all, once you realised that the space that you have chosen has been quite peaceful enough and far from the crowd. You also soon found that this spot had allowed you to have a moment to think and find some time to relax. Although, the downtime that you managed to get didn’t last long, when you couldn’t stop yourself from opening up your tablet again and trying to find something to do to waste time. That was how you ended up making yourself busy again, finishing up some work while you were waiting for your next appointment to arrive instead of using the time to take a much-needed break.

Between drafting emails related to your side gigs and texting Jimin’s new assistant, the past hour has occupied your mind enough to slowly help you forget about the previous lunch meeting and all the other troubling thoughts. Though it soon brings your mind back to another matter that you have tried to ignore the whole day.

While you have been busy with your own business, Jimin is back at his recording company to deal with his. And just like how it has been for the past month, his newest assistant, Minji, keeps you in the loop through texts and phone calls whenever you are not there with him in person. Sometimes she would only be sending you news and updates, things that are being said in meetings or any progress that Jimin is having at work. Other times, she would send you frantic texts as she encounters serious problems that would need to be dealt with immediately and which, more often than not, would usually require your assistance. This is apparently something that is still pretty common to happen when it comes to Jimin, no matter how much time has passed since Jimin turned his act around.

You don’t really mind getting involved in his business or having his assistants contact you for advice like this, since you have never truly stopped being involved in his work despite the agreement that you made with him.

Jimin may have grown way more bearable compared to how he used to be in the past, but it hadn’t stopped the constant rotation of personal assistants coming and going to work by his side. This had been going on for a while, all while you stood by, watching all of this happening until you were left with no other choice but to offer a helping hand. And he was once again feeling cornered, having no other choice but to give in when he realised that he needed your help.

Using your past experience as his personal assistant, you took the responsibility of finding him the right assistant and training them before they started working alongside your fiancé. It took a few trials and errors with different candidates of your choosing, with a couple of cases where Jimin practically ran them off until you finally found the right person to do the job. And that was how you found Minji nearly four months ago, and she still holds the record of working with Jimin the longest so far compared to her predecessors. While you may have been able to take some credit in making it happen, you still view her as a blessing from heaven for having the perseverance to work with Jimin, and at the same time, with you. Though you cannot help being reminded of yourself in the past whenever you see her.

Your success in pairing Jimin with his new skilful assistant didn’t go unnoticed by the people around you. It had opened up new chances, becoming a side gig for you to focus on aside from the foundation, and it had become one of the reasons behind the arrangement for this next meet-up you are having today.

It started with Jimin, and then Hoseok became your next client when you assisted him in choosing a personal assistant that he had always needed. And then, as the news spread, more and more requests started coming from other artists working under the same company as theirs. Before you knew it, it eventually grew to become one of your side gigs, as you began to work alongside and under the guidance of the recording company to help and connect their artists with the right personal assistants when their agents couldn’t do much to help.

Since then, this part of your work has slowly branched out, and you are beginning to take on other roles. From acting as a publicist yourself or a freelance agent for those who have no direct connection to one whenever needed, or a consultant for new assistants who needed guidance. But while today’s appointment is just another part of this side gig, it would be a new challenge for you to handle. And it should’ve been your main priority today as your main task of the day is done, but it is hard to put your mind into it when your mind continues to be occupied by something else entirely.

Minji: I’m not sure what’s going on, but he hasn’t been able to focus today

Minji: did something happen? He keeps spacing out. We’re in the studio with his producers to talk about the next recording schedule but he’s not paying much attention

Minji: don’t worry, I’m taking notes. I’ll email them to you once we’re done here

Minji: I’m sorry for bothering you so much, but the producers look a bit lost with how Jimin is acting

You put aside your tablet with a sigh as you read through a series of texts coming from Minji. These texts may not sound as frantic as they normally would when Jimin stresses her out, but it still makes you feel a bit tense and worried. You type a quick text to respond, hoping that you can help calm her down.

You: I’m not sure, but he’s probably just tired. We had a long morning today

Your face flushes with heat when you recall the heated moment you shared with him in the bathroom this morning, though you quickly shake it off before it starts to occupy your mind any further.

You: that’s a good idea. Send me all the details through email. I’ll go through everything and work things out with him tonight once he’s gotten enough rest

You put the phone away once you are done texting and close your eyes. But you quickly regret doing so. Because instead of finding calmness, everything that had become the reason why you have been so out of it the whole day returns to fill your thoughts.

Your skin no longer flushes with warmth and bashfulness as your mind flies back to this morning, when you start remembering all that happened then and Jimin’s face returns to your thoughts again. You never got the chance to figure out what was going on through his head or where the expression that you saw on him had come from, and you never got the chance to figure out what it was that had your heart sinking into your stomach once reality finally sunk in.  

Right after both of you had come down from the blissful high of your morning quickie, Jimin didn’t wait until every shiver and all the spasms of your climax started ebbing away before he carried you into the shower. Claiming that he wanted to take the responsibility of making you dirty again, he started helping you bathe, though the good intention that he claimed to have was quick to turn into something naughty the moment his hands returned to your body, and what happened next ended up taking your mind away from every thought and doubt you had.

All doubts and unanswered questions were left forgotten once bliss took over, and Jimin had done an awfully good job in taking your mind away from them with his expert hands, as he took good care of you while stealing your breath away at the same time. But it certainly didn’t mean that the thoughts simply vanished. They were merely pushed to the back of your mind, lingering silently and making you feel restless the entire day without you realising the real reason why until moments like this one comes—a moment where there is nothing accompanying you but silence, allowing your wayward thoughts to grow louder.

Acknowledging this, it only makes you wonder if Jimin is having the same problem, that whatever it was that had crossed his mind this morning and was hidden from you has been bothering him the whole day.

But what did go through his mind this morning, you cannot help but wonder. Had the thought of us having a baby so soon really bothered him so much that it’s still troubling him even now? And why is it making me so restless?

Deep in your own thoughts, you almost fail to notice a new presence arriving at your hidden corner. You nearly jump out of your seat when a gentle voice breaks you out of your stupor.

“Hello, I’m sorry for making you wait for so long.”

You turn at the voice, only to immediately rise from your seat when you realise that your guest has arrived. It seems that she had been rushing on her way here, but her composure remains intact when she speaks.

Wearing a simple dress and a short winter jacket on top, Hyorin still looks as charming as you have always remembered her. The older actress had been absent from the scene for the past couple of years due to her marriage and then later, the birth of her daughter only six months ago, so it was quite a surprise when she suddenly contacted you through her assistant, Yerin, who is also a close friend of yours from the business, and requested for a meet-up.

“Hello, I’m sorry I didn’t hear you coming,” you simply say to her, welcoming her with a smile. You are about to offer her to take the seat in front of you when you realise that she has not arrived here on her own. Your eyes fall on the baby stroller that she is pushing with her, and your heart jumps for a brief moment once you get a clear sight of the adorable baby lying half-asleep inside.

Looking at her makes you stop, until you recall the conversation that you had with Yerin about this meet-up and remember the request that Hyorin has made through your friend, and realise that you probably shouldn’t be too surprised to have the baby involved in today’s meeting.

You just weren’t expecting to meet her baby this soon.

“I didn’t know that you were bringing your daughter. I would’ve picked another place that would have been more comfortable for the three of us if I had known.”

Hyorin smiles and merely waves it off. “Oh, don’t worry about it. This place is quite perfect. The restaurant would have been a bit too crowded and uncomfortable for her, but she would be able to adjust better as long as the place is quiet and there are not many people going around,” Hyorin says as she takes a quick look around. To your relief, she really does seem genuinely happy with the meeting spot that you have chosen. The lounge itself serves the privacy that you would need to have this conversation, while the spot you have chosen is slightly hidden even from the hallway outside of the area where people would be roaming around, offering not only the privacy needed, but also the perfect solitude for the baby to rest without any worries.

By the time Hyorin turns her attention back to you, she is pleasantly surprised to see you still entranced at the sight of her baby girl. She must have read your expression as something that is quite a kin to a shock, because she quickly apologises and explains, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t exactly planning to take her out with me today, but the babysitter called in sick at the last minute and she’s still too little to be handed to other people I don’t trust. I hope it’s okay she’s joining us today. I know that this isn’t what we had planned.”

Surely, that was not the original plan, but you refuse to let it deter you. So you simply wave your hand at her to brush it off. “It’s fine. She is the main star, after all. Isn’t she the reason why you wanted to see me today?”

The actress looks visibly relieved hearing this. She no longer appears so concerned or tense by the time she takes the seat that you offer. Sitting right across from you, Hyorin positions the stroller next to her, with the baby facing your way. The sweet baby steals your attention for a brief moment before the actress begins to talk about the reason why she is meeting you here. “I suppose that Yerin had told you everything that I needed.”

Nodding, you recall the phone call that you received from your friend before the actress finally made contact with you herself. The actress had only given birth to her baby daughter one month before recruiting Yerin to be her personal assistant. Even before that happened, she has always been keeping everything happening in her life ever since she got married completely private. She even barely showed up in public with her husband unless she was needed to be by his side, and she had completely stepped out of the spotlight before anyone even knew that she was pregnant.

Until the news of her baby being born was leaked to the public.

It was surprising for both Yerin and her publicist when she finally agreed to go public with her baby, though she only wanted it to happen under the condition that the announcement and the reveal will be done on her accord. That was when Yerin recommended you to get involved, with the agreement from the actress’ publicist who had known about your past work with Jimin.

“She has. Although, I’m not sure why you are choosing me to work this out with you. You could’ve had Yerin handle everything for you. Not only because she’s your personal assistant, but also because from the years I’ve known and worked with her, I know that Yerin is capable enough to handle this job.”

Hyorin shakes her head gently. “I’ve talked to Yerin about it, but she told me that if there’s anyone who can manage to arrange this as quickly and swiftly as possible then it would be you. I need someone who can make sure that not a single word gets out and nothing crucial gets leaked into the public until it’s time for it to come out, and while Yerin told me that she would be able to do it, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it if any leak still happens,” she firmly says, and admittedly, you understand where she is coming from.

You have seen it happening before, where an inside source becomes the reason that rumours or private information about any celebrity or public figure were able to get out and reach the media. The same thing happened to Jimin once, and you were quick to handle things and let the rumours die down with his publicist’s help. Knowing the fact that Hyorin had fired and changed her assistant and a few members of her team immediately after the news of her childbirth came out, you can only speculate that the rumours had been leaked by someone from her inner circle. And for that reason, you cannot really blame her for being more careful this time.

“Yerin convinced me that you’re the best when it comes to handling matters involving public relations and the media. I value Yerin’s opinion, which is why I took her advice and contacted you directly for help. My publicist has been a good help, but even she had given approval on Yerin’s recommendation, which made me believe that I can truly count on you.”

Hearing this, you slowly lean back in your seat. There is a sense of pride that you feel from hearing such affirmation coming from someone like her, but you cannot deny that there is also an underlying concern for taking such a huge responsibility. As you take your time pondering this, you recall all the years you have spent handling Jimin’s PR cases. The moment that you begin to realise that you know exactly what to do, learning from your past experience, you begin to have more faith in yourself, believing that you can take this challenge as long as you do all the right things and have all the right people to work with.

“I won’t say that I’m the best in the field. I’m just lucky enough to have learned the tricks,” you finally tell her once you have your mind made up, and Hyorin looks a bit more relieved to hear it. Your gaze falls on the little girl in the stroller who is making a soft fussy noise, indicating that she is slowly waking up. Seeing her move about, there is something blooming in your chest.

Looking at the baby girl, you are surprised to find how you are getting so enamoured by her presence. It feels like you are completely drawn to her, so much so that you want to reach out and touch her to know if she is real. Snapping out of it, you turn to the mother, sharing your concern, something that comes across your mind all so suddenly. It puts a heavy weight in your chest for thinking how this poor girl would be exposed to the spotlight so soon in life. “Are you sure you want to go public with your baby daughter? Her photo will be out there for the world to see once you do this.”

Hyorin looks over to her child with a worried smile. It seems like she understands what you are trying to ask of her. Perhaps she also shares the same concern, which is evident from the way she leans to her baby daughter and carefully starts tucking the blankets around her tiny little body as if she wants to protect her from the world. The gentle moment you are witnessing only escalates the tightness in your chest. The heavy weight now feels warm, though you are also beginning to feel something else brewing inside, something that you cannot put into simple words.

“A lot of people from the media have been hounding me to give them the rights to publish her photos. I even got paparazzi stalking me to steal a chance to take her pictures when I’m out of the house and have her with me,” she says, sighing softly in defeat before turning to you again. “I’ve talked about this with my husband, and we both decided that if we want to go public with her, then it has to be on my term. Since I’m going to start taking new offers again maybe after next year—or once she’s old enough to be handled by a sitter, at least—I would be appearing in public more often soon. That’s why I figured it would be the right time to do this. She might draw more attention once I’m back to work again, so I’d rather let it happen now than later when I can’t be sure that she will be safe. Besides, isn’t it common for people to lose interest once their curiosity is answered?”

“I really like that idea,” you tell her after thinking deeply about what she said. You do remember seeing random rumours fading into the shadows once the public’s curiosity is answered, and there is some faith inside you—although small—to believe that this would work. “And I was also informed that you’ve chosen the photographer to take her pictures?”

Hyorin looks pleased. “Yes, he’s the one who has been taking my photos since I first debuted. I’ve chosen the person to do the interview as well. I just need your help to contact them and arrange everything while keeping it under wraps. Yerin reassured me that you are the one who I can trust to make this all possible since you know how to work without gaining too much attention.”

“That would only be one of my expertise, if you can say that,” you respond to her with pure confidence. It does seem like all the years of practice with Jimin and sneaking around the media’s eyes would finally pay off. “I’ll see what I can do for you,” you begin to reaffirm her, before quickly stopping yourself. “No, let me rephrase that. I’ll make it happen. Don’t you worry.”

Hearing your promise, Hyorin releases a deep sigh of relief and begins to thank you for taking this job to help her. Meanwhile, seeing the positive reaction she is giving you makes you feel even more excited to start working immediately. You open your tablet and dive straight into action, starting from gaining more information on the team that she already has. “I would like to also talk to your publicist about the plans and arrange a schedule. It would be best if I have someone from your team that I can work alongside with and help guide me through your schedules.”

Soon, the conversation shifts into more than simple business talk. Accompanied by the warm tea and some snacks that you had ordered from the staff, the two of you begin working on the necessary planning, while you gather more information and contact from the people in her team that you consider would be beneficial and helpful for the entire publicity work.

Unlike what you felt earlier from the meeting with the foundation, you find yourself back in your element. It feels like you are diving back into familiar territory and you feel like a fish returning into the flowing water, roaming free without any worry because you know where to go and what exactly to do. It takes no time before both you and Hyorin develop a long list of tasks to work on and a proper timeline to make it all happen. You have even gotten a chance to call her manager and publicist to have her schedules handed to you before you can start contacting all the other parties involved.

The moment all the work talk is done, you remain seated in the lounge with Hyorin and her baby. The conversation then shifts once again into a more relaxed and friendly chatter as you talk about mundane things and exchange life stories as if the two of you are old friends. Hyorin had just ordered another hot drink when her baby starts fussing. She takes a moment to calm her daughter down, then she catches you by surprise when she offers you to hold the baby for a moment.

“A-are you sure?” you question her, feeling unsure, though it doesn’t stop Hyorin from handing over the baby or for you to take her in your arms so easily as if you have been ready for it.

“I trust you. And she seems curious about you, so why not?” she says as she helps you settle her baby in your arms until both of you feel comfortable. Seeing that the baby did try to reach out to you with her grabby hands even before Hyorin made her offer, you cannot find it in you to refuse.  “I want her to get used to being around people too. Maybe that would help before D-day when she would be surrounded by unfamiliar people on the day of the photoshoot.”

Hyorin’s words barely register in your mind when you have your attention solely on the delicate thing you are holding. She looked so small while she was lying in her stroller, yet she feels so light and seems so fragile that you are almost too afraid to move. But the moment her eyes flutter open and your gazes meet each other, something inside you seems to snap.

Or, more like, unsnap, when your stress seems to be lifted off your shoulders just by carrying her weight in your arms, and when her eyes grow slightly bigger when she sees your face, as if she is struggling to understand why this complete stranger is holding her instead of her mother. But when the sight of fear that you are expecting to see through her eyes never shows, you slowly begin to feel it building within you instead. Though there is another emotion boiling inside your chest, a sense of melancholy and longing that suddenly makes you wonder—

“They said that babies can heal your soul. I never believed it until the first time I held her in my arms and felt like I was whole again,” Hyorin muses softly as she looks fondly at you holding her baby with such gentleness that you never once thought you would ever have. “How about you? Have you and Jimin made any plans to build your own family?”

And with that, the uneasiness that you have managed to brush off while you were talking with Hyorin returns to you like a tidal wave. Jimin’s odd expression and the cold feeling you had in your chest take over the space in your head that they almost take away the feeling of warmth and comfort that has been blooming within.

“We still have a long way to go before we would have to worry about something like this again,” Jimin’s words start echoing inside your head right at that moment. His face comes into your mind just as everything that you had talked about with Hyorin comes flashing back.

Suddenly, instead of picturing Hyorin going through everything that you have been planning together with her, you see yourself in her shoes. From playing hide and seek with the media and finding out ways to properly share your little one with the world. Knowing your place, and how prominent Jimin is in the world that he has built for himself, all of these things would be something that both of you would be ready to deal with.

Is that why he seemed so troubled about this?

Keeping your eyes on the baby, you try your best not to dwell on these wanton thoughts too much and focus on the present. On the little child who is watching you curiously, as if she is capable of reading your thoughts while you are working on hiding it from her mother.

“I, uh…we haven’t really discussed it yet,” you find yourself answering Hyorin, despite not knowing what to say. “I’ve seen Jimin with children before, and I can tell you that he absolutely adores them,” you say this while looking up at Hyorin with a smile, just as you think about past events where Jimin had to work with children or whenever he encountered them in the past.

“He may have hinted about wanting to have his own kids, but he always says that he would love it even more when those children belong to someone else so he could be the fun uncle,” you joke with her, making her laugh, leaving out the fact that you were simply referring to his past comments about the troubles he might have from having kids. Then you look down again just as the baby shifts in your arms, and seeing her makes you want to voice out your personal dilemma, “I personally have never really given it a thought before, since I’ve always been so focused on my career.”

Just as you say this, something just clicks in your mind. Suddenly, everything makes perfect sense, though you are still too afraid to put your thoughts into words.

“I was just the same before. I’ve always loved children, but never really thought about having my own, or even planned to, since I loved my freedom and I still enjoyed my bustling life where I only had to focus on working and building my career,” Hyorin says. There is a faraway look in her eyes as she reminisces about her younger self, and that look slowly evolves into something that is filled with love and endearment as she glances at her baby daughter. “But I suppose that people’s priorities and views can change depending on where life is taking them to, don’t you think?”

“Yeah—” you mutter softly, understanding completely what she means. You find yourself smiling as you look down at the baby in your arms. She has her eyes open, her tiny lips forming a small smile before she starts giggling and cooing at you, and you begin to feel something inside you shift.

“Yeah, you’re absolutely right. People do change,” you slowly add, and just like that, the fog that has been shielding your true desire is lifted, and you can finally understand the reason why you have been feeling so uneasy ever since the idea of you and Jimin having a baby together started to take root inside your head, and why Jimin’s reaction has been haunting you.

From that moment on, something does change inside you. The uncertainty is slowly shifting, and you find yourself longing to have this warmth blooming inside your chest to last for a lifetime.

You have never done anything like this before.

And yet, you enjoy the thrill that is growing in your chest as you lock lips with Jimin, allowing him to swallow the soft moans that you keep making. You cannot really help making these sounds, when the sensation you are feeling is starting to take control over your body. It builds up like a ripple, calmly spreading from your core to your whole body, before growing more intense with each passing time and with each ministration that you are making against Jimin’s body.

“God, you’re so hot,” Jimin groans against your lips, his hands digging deeper into your hips while causing your skirt to hike further up as you keep rocking your hips on Jimin’s lap. You press down harder, grinding your covered center over his thigh until the ripples of pleasure rise into waves, causing you to tremble on his lap.

You pull away from the kiss with a gasp, while Jimin trails his kisses lower, moving down your chin, to your neck, adding a couple of light bites when his lips come pressing against your pulse. Your hands, which have been clutching desperately onto his shoulders, begin to move down. One palm rests against his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat under your fingers, while you reach down between your rocking bodies with the other hand, finding the hard bulge forming from under his pants which had pulled your attention after repeatedly brushing against it while you are grinding against his hard thigh.

“I want you, Jimin,” you mutter softly with a gasp just as your palm lands over his covered cock. It has grown hard since the moment you started riding him, yet it almost feels like it stiffens further under your touch. You gently rub your palm over it, causing Jimin to groan against your neck, and the moment you feel it pulsing at your touch, the ripples of pleasure that you are feeling shift into another. “Please, Jimin. I won’t make it if we have to wait until we’re home.”

With a groan, Jimin releases your neck and pulls away. “Fuck, I know. Hang on a minute, baby,” he says with a soft growl coming out of his lips. Keeping one arm around your waist to stop you from falling over, he reaches down with the other to unzip his pants. Even with his movement being constricted under your weight and your bodies are pressed together, he still makes it work.

Within a blink of an eye, his pants are unzipped and pulled down to his hips. His hands return to your waist soon after, guiding you to straddle over his crotch before he slips a hand between your legs and gently swipes your panties aside. His fingers find your nether lips, all slick and wet from your arousal. He rubs his fingers across your folds, slowly parting them as he continues, then slides his digits in to find your pulsing entrance. You feel him exploring your heat, using your essence as he pushes his fingers into your pussy.

Biting your lips, you stifle the sound of your moan that is threatening to come out as he moves his fingers in and out of you. He keeps it gentle, making sure not to push too deep but just enough to prepare you for him.

“You’re so wet, baby. Are you sure you want to do this here?” he asks, while you can only nod frantically.  Reaching down, you wrap your hand around his hard-on, drawing a soft moan from him. You give him a couple of gentle strokes, making him quiver beneath you. Your action is enough to give him the answer that he needed from you, so Jimin carefully lifts you up on his lap only to help align your position right on top of his waiting cock. His eyes are on you the whole time, watching you with eyes full of love and lust as you slowly lower yourself onto his erection, gritting your teeth when his cock penetrates you in the most delightful way possible, just the way you wanted him to.

"Oh fuck!" Jimin gives out a long, deep groan of pleasure as you gradually impale yourself on his cock, your muscles pulsing as his girth spreads you open on your way down, milking his cock as you slowly slide yourself up and down on his shaft.

Jimin presses his lips on your neck once more, breathing you in while muffling the sound of his moans that comes from the sensation rolling through his body from having his cock bury itself in your warmth. Once he is inside you, and you are settled nicely on his lap, he kisses your skin and whispers, “Just make sure not to get too loud.”

You swallow down a whimper before answering him, “I’ll do my best, baby. Anything, just—oh, God!”

Your words shift into a light shriek when he suddenly bucks his hips upward, pushing his cock deeper inside you. The pressure feels so sudden that it is almost painful, yet the rush that it brings feels so good it rocks your entire body with that one firm push. Noticing your cries, Jimin pulls you down to him and presses his lips on yours. He kisses you deeply, swallowing your gasps and moans while he rocks his hips, pounding his cock into you with sloppy thrusts. He doesn’t rush right away, taking his time to relish the pleasure that is growing inside him.

Just when your body is adjusting to him, growing more comfortable to move on top of him without shaking too much, Jimin slows down.

“What’s going on, baby?” Jimin breathlessly asks you as he pulls away from the kiss. His hands remain on your hips, holding you up on his lap and stopping you from falling as you lean back from him.

You can barely control your own breathing when you question him in return, “What—? What do you mean?”

Jimin shakes his head, and you take this moment to lean back in, kissing the nape of his lips to tease him, coaxing him to continue. “You are—insatiable,” he moans. “You have been for the past couple of weeks. I don’t mind it, but I’m getting curious to know why.” Instead of answering him, you only roll your hips on him, pushing down on his length to get him deeper, and his words fade into a soft moan. He doesn’t make a move to stop you, enjoying the way you are sliding up and down his cock too much to make it stop, but he puts his hand on the back of your neck, pulling you back so he can look at your face. “You never agreed to my ideas of getting frisky while I’m working or to do these things in an open place like this before.”

Hearing this, you almost falter in your movements, albeit it does make you stop for a brief second before you continue again. Your body reacts first before your words ever make it out of your lips, with the lower part of your abdomen pulsing slightly and your muscles clenching around him as your mind drifts back to a moment from one hour ago. Back to the moment you made a quick check on your calendar, and then rushing to see him before you could stop yourself. You told yourself that finding out that you are beginning to enter your ovulation period had nothing to do with it. You convinced yourself that you had simply missed your fiancé and seeing how enticing he looked while he was so deep in his work snapped something inside of you that you immediately pounced at him. But now, when you feel him buried deep inside you, his girth pressing against your pulsing walls and your stomach coiling with pleasure, you are no longer quite sure what has driven you to this.

“I’m not sure. I guess I’m just in the mood for it,” you simply say to your lover, shrugging it off while putting your rapid thoughts aside at the same time. Closing your eyes, you focus on rocking your hips, riding his cock until the pleasure numbs everything else. “Maybe it’s stress?” you add with a moan, enjoying the waves of sensation that keep building up. Burying your nails into his shoulders, you start moving faster, eager to find your blinding climax. “And you’ve always had an amazing way of helping me destress.”

Jimin softly chuckles, not even trying to deny how right your words are. “You know that I’m always happy to oblige,” he says, as he runs his hands up beneath your skirt, finding your hips. He gives you a tight grip, slowly taking back control as he starts guiding you to follow his pace while he continues to speak. “And I won’t lie, I’ve always thought about how hot it would be to have sex in a place like this, where I’m supposed to be working—” he adds, and he slowly shifts on his seat, finding the perfect angle which would allow him to move better before he starts rocking on his seat, thrusting up just when you come down. The sound of his moans echoes through the room that you almost miss his next words, “—and dealing with the risk of getting caught.”

Your eyes flutter open when he gives you a hard thrust, making you gasp when it rocks your entire body starting from the core. Moaning at the pleasure erupting inside you, your words almost fail to come out when you tease him, “Then maybe I should warn you that I completely forgot to lock your studio when I came in.”

Jimin’s gaze flickers from the door to you, never once missing his pace as he does so. With a sly grin, Jimin bucks his hips upward with a strong force, and he begins thrusting his cock harder into you at a rapid pace while groaning deeply, “Oh, fuck. You’re so naughty, baby. I really love seeing this side of you.”

His words barely register in your mind as you embrace the pleasure that keeps building inside you. But then you start feeling a tug at your top, coaxing you to open your eyes just to see his hand trying to pull it apart. Realising what he is up to, and how close he is to ripping your favourite blouse to give him more access, you hurriedly pull back and start unbuttoning it for him.

Jimin opens his eyes wider once you are done, hungrily taking in the sight of the expensive lacy bra that you are wearing underneath. “Damn, baby,” he murmurs, completely mesmerised by what he is seeing. This time, you are not fast enough, and his hands reach up, pushing the piece of lingerie down and grabbing greedily at your now exposed breasts. As you start bouncing on his lap, Jimin gropes at your shaking breasts, squeezing and kneading excitedly before he buries his face in your cleavage and starts sucking hungrily on your nipples.

You continue to ride him, your hips undulating lithely over his crotch as you slide up and down his cock. Starting to feel so good, you can barely keep your voice down while Jimin keeps groaning blissfully against your skin while mauling at your breasts, going from one to the other as if he is having a feast.

It wouldn’t be long before you can feel it coming, right about the same time Jimin starts cursing and arching his own chest, his cock convulsing intensely inside you as you freely embrace your orgasm. Nothing can stop it from coming into you so quickly. Perhaps your body is a little more sensitive than normal, due to the circumstances, or maybe being reminded of all the chances that anyone from the recording studio might come in and catch you at the height of your wanton pleasure is pushing you over the edge.

With a gasping moan, you succumb to it, the waves of your orgasm rocking your body in a delightful bliss, and your muscles clench tightly around him, sucking him until he is pushed right into his climax. For once, you can feel everything, as if your senses are heightened. The warmth of his release filling you up makes you tremble on his lap. Each twitch and pulse coming from his cock keep triggering the small spasms of your climax, giving you small orgasms while he keeps himself buried inside you. His arms holding you up to his chest feel a bit warmer than usual that you simply melt into his embrace.

It takes a moment before you finally come down from the height of your climax. Once it happens, silence falls, yet neither of you makes a move. He keeps his arms around you as you both take a moment to breathe and find your bearings, to give a chance for the remaining waves of your climax to wane down.

Sighing in contentment, Jimin kisses the top of your head before asking, “Did you get what you came here for?”

“Close enough,” you answer with a chuckle. Pulling away from him, you take a long, deep breath as you straighten up on his lap and take a deep look into his eyes. “Sorry to interrupt you at work.”

“I don’t mind. Not at all,” Jimin says, grinning, most likely not even feeling sorry that you had been so daring enough to start this. “If you say ‘close’, does that mean I’m not doing a good enough job to satisfy you?”

“Oh, you did good. Way better than expected, actually,” you tell him with a content sigh, smiling as you lean down to kiss his lips and whisper, “I’m just saying that I won’t mind going on round two once we get home.”

“Oh, take a look at this, honey. Isn’t this beautiful?”

You must have been spacing out when Jimin’s mother suddenly speaks up, her voice startling you so that you nearly spill your tea. You look up to see the soft-spoken woman sliding your tablet towards Jimin, showing her son the pictures displaying flowers and seating arrangements on various wedding ceremonies that you and his mother had compiled together from the internet.

The three of you are sitting together in a small restaurant not too far from his family’s home, enjoying lunch at the small round table facing the back garden that is quite hidden from the other patrons. The lunch date wasn’t planned, and you certainly were not planning to start any conversation regarding the future wedding when you first accepted your future mother-in-law’s invitation to meet her today. But at some point near the end of the meal, the wedding was brought up between sharing life updates and work-related chats which accompanied the sweet dessert that was served on the table, and Jimin’s mom started opening some image references through your tablet—which had been so conveniently placed on top of the table after Jimin used it to show her some of his upcoming works.

Jimin takes a quick look at the pictures on the tablet and groans, feigning annoyance at having to choose, though the small smile that he is trying so hard to hide is giving away his true feelings. You know that he is happy to know how excited his mother is about the upcoming wedding ceremony, even if neither of you had yet to set an actual date for it. “Why are you showing me these, Mom? I know nothing about flower arrangements. Show it to ______,” Jimin whines at his mother while giving you a quick glance. This time, he is no longer hiding his smile when he adds, “She’s the one who gets to decide everything about the ceremony.”

His comment earns a light smack on his arm, a gift from his mother. “It’s your wedding too! You need to tell us what you’d prefer so everyone would get what they want and be happy,” she complains. “Besides, I already know what ______ wants,” she adds as she grabs the tablet back from Jimin’s hands. “We’ve been sending each other these photos. She made me a—what do you call it—Pinterest?”

Smiling, you nod at her before boasting to Jimin. “Yes, I made us an album on Pinterest so your Mom and I can send each other ideas.”

Looking pleased, Jimin takes your hand in his and kisses it. “Who would have thought that both of you would be having fun planning out this thing,” he says with a chuckle, though it does make you happy just seeing him this way. “Just choose whatever you want for the wedding, I’ll make sure to make it happen.”

His gentle way of showing affection warms your heart, though it doesn’t seem to give the same effect on Jimin’s mother when you hear her scoffing from your other side. “Ooh, listen to him acting so cool,” she taunts him, causing both you and Jimin to laugh as he pulls away. “He used to be so embarrassed to show any affection even to us, his parents, and now look at him.”

Jimin rolls his eyes and laughs softly as he leans back in his seat. “I think both you and I have to agree that ______ deserves to be treated special.” He glances at you teasingly as he says this, causing your face to grow warm, but there is really nothing that you could say in return when his mother wholeheartedly expresses her agreement.

“Oh, I completely agree,” she says, smiling softly when you turn to her. “Both myself and Jimin’s father feel truly indebted to you. We’ve witnessed how much you have helped Jimin over the years, and you guided him to turn his life around—”

“Oh, but that’s all—”

Jimin’s mother cuts you off with a smile and takes your hand. “And we’re also thankful for all those wonderful gifts you helped Jimin get for us over the years you worked with him,” she adds with a wink, while her compliments make you feel shy. Glancing at Jimin sitting by your side, you find him smiling bashfully too. Guess he hasn’t been so subtle about your help with the gifts, after all. “Thank you for taking care of Jimin for so long. It makes me happy knowing that you’ll be taking care of each other for many more years from now on.”

The conversation continues for a while longer, this time with Jimin showing more interest as he looks through the pictures, sometimes with a smile on his face when he stops to take a closer look at a couple of pictures that manage to catch his eyes. You barely pay attention to the pictures that he keeps swiping on the screen, until his mother takes over the device again and immediately gushes over the first set of pictures that appear after her first swipe.

“Oh, look! How cute is this? They have a little girl as their flower girl. Do you think it’s their daughter?”

You lean closer just as Jimin does the same so he could take a look at the pictures together, and your heart starts racing the moment you get a clear view of them. The first photos show a little girl, no older than three years old, wearing a white, fluffy dress as she walks down the aisle between all the smiling guests, the intricate arrangements of decor and flowers, while her tiny hands are busy trying to dump crumpled petals onto the ground as she walks. The next set of pictures shows the girl joining the bride and groom as the pair seem to read out their vows, before the groom picks her up in his arms, making it abundantly clear how much the flower girl seems to be a blended copy of both bride and groom, the girl’s loving parents.

The picture of the happy flower girl lingers in your mind for a while longer, staying there even after the lunch date is over. You can still see it in your head after coming home to the apartment that you now share with Jimin, repeatedly being reminded of her even when you are trying not to think about it. You had known that seeing that picture would do something to your head, yet you didn’t really expect that it would be affecting you this much.

The day is now over, and here you are, sitting alone on the bed while Jimin is taking his time in the shower. The sound of the running water isn’t doing much to silence your thoughts once they resurface. But being alone with your thoughts like this, it gives you a chance to finally delve deeper into them and take a good, closer look to find some answers. To find out why you have been so restless for the past couple of months.

But deep down, you know that the answers have always been there all along. You just have been in denial for so long that the voice of your own conscience is silenced. Not anymore, you bitterly realise, when you finally admit to yourself what it is that you truly want.

Is this what people usually call as baby fever?

You wonder about this with a sigh as you lean back against the bedrest. Looking up to the ceiling, you try to remember when exactly did this feeling begin to emerge in the first place and how it all started.

It all started from the job you took on with Hyorin, when you decided to assist her publicist and help guide her team regarding her public exposure of her new family. Meeting her child for the first time had been the moment when you first felt a deep affection like no other. You had first brushed it off, thinking that it had only been an emotion which came due to the fact that Hyorin’s baby was so adorable and easy to handle with that her presence helped eliminate your stress.

But then the photoshoot happened, and that feeling only grew stronger once you were reunited with Hyorin and her child, forming rapidly into a desire that you couldn’t seem to shake off. The photoshoot was held only a month after your first meeting with the mother and daughter pair, yet the baby seemed to have grown so fast and had become more confident within the short amount of time that you weren’t seeing her. Her presence became a breath of fresh air at the photo studio then, and the longing you had for having the same bond and compassion as what Hyorin had with her child grew more intensely within you ever since.

No, it had started before then.

—you wonder as you begin to realise, recognising that same emotion appearing before your first encounter with the baby ever happened. You had felt that same longing growing inside you that morning when you stood by with Jimin, waiting for the result from the pregnancy tests. It was that longing that had kept bothering you since then, one that appeared from that one moment when you unwittingly pictured yourself and Jimin with a child while unconsciously wishing for the test result to show you a positive sign. You had tried to ignore that feeling, yet it lingered still, growing inside you until it bloomed to be this desire that has been so strongly holding you hostage with a vice grip.

And it was the same desire which had led you into a frenzy, turning you into an insatiable lover to Jimin almost effectively. It had led to numerous occasions where you initiated intimate moments at any given chance. Just like the day when you came to his studio for a quickie, or when you slipped into his changing room on the night of his live performance to get frisky right before he had to come out on stage.

Realising all of this gives you a sense of relief.

Relief of knowing that there is really nothing wrong with you at all. But you cannot deny that it also makes you feel terrified, which is the exact same reason why you have been denying this feeling for so long, and not without a reason.

For many years, ever since you first started entering adulthood, you had always been strict about making plans regarding your life. Starting from the years you spent in school—about the study that you wanted to focus on and how many years you were going to spend studying—to the period of time you started building your career, and the plans you made for yourself on how you would start building your family.

Jimin’s presence in your life had been the first thing that trampled all of your life plans. Just like how the thought of having a child of your own is beginning to make you want to forget all about planning and to simply dive right into it.

People talk about having baby fevers after meeting or seeing other people’s newborn babies, but never once had you ever thought to look deeper into it, or to ever suspect that you would experience anything like it yourself.

Never once had you ever expected to have these thoughts running through your mind. You have been so convinced that the idea or need would not even cross your mind until later, much later, only once a long period of time has passed after you hear the sound of the wedding bells. But here you are now, pondering, contemplating, even having a mental image of yourself with a smaller version of you or Jimin in your arms.

In the past, thinking about something like this would have bothered you. It would have sent you running to the hills, not out of fear, but out of the daunting feeling that tells you that you are not ready. That you wouldn’t be worthy enough to even consider it. But here you are now, feeling an unshakable deep sense of longing that you have no idea how to deal with. And you have only noticed now that this feeling has sunk its root so deep within you that you are feeling so strongly for it. You have never craved something so bad, that it is beginning to take control of your want and need. It has taken control of your main focus that it becomes the only thing you can think about no matter how much you have tried to push it so far to the back of your mind.

Sitting there with this realisation washing over you, you have also come to realise that there is really no point in fighting against it.

You want it. You want it so bad, and you can only silently hope that Jimin would want the same.

With your thoughts running havoc inside your head, you remain seated on the bed in the same position for quite some time. Still with your back pressed against the bedrest, your eyes looking far away at the ceiling and not at all noticing Jimin as he finally steps out of the bathroom.

He says nothing when he finds you. It makes him curious when he sees you like this, yet he waits for a blink of a moment before snapping you out of it with a gentle voice, “Is there something wrong, baby?”

You turn to look at Jimin as he walks closer to the bed. He had left the bathroom door slightly ajar behind him, allowing you to see a faint trail of mist coming from his hot shower following him. The mesmerising sight of him walking out of the mist, with nothing more but a piece of towel hanging around his waist to cover the lower part of his body, and with his hair and skin still slightly damp from his shower, makes your heart leap a beat. But you try your best to not let any of it—not even the inviting sight of his bare chest—make you lose focus.

Taking a deep breath, you muster the courage to speak. “Can we talk?”

Jimin raises his eyebrows. “Normally, those words would make me run for the hills,” he jokes with a light chuckle. “Of course, we can.” Saying this, he takes a seat on the edge of the bed, facing you with a curious yet concerned look on his face. You don’t even question his lack of need to cover himself before joining you in bed. Not when you’ve learned through the period of time you have spent living with him that it is quite a normal occurrence with Jimin to be completely bare when sleeping with you. You do feel grateful that he is keeping his towel on—for now, at least—so you can remain calm and focused enough to be able to share your thoughts to him properly.

Though it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are capable of controlling your nerves.

Looking at his beautiful face, you try to think of ways to express your thoughts and feelings, not knowing how to get your message across without making him feel bad. In the end, the words just start running out of your mouth, “What do you think about a…a baby?”

Jimin looks surprised, obviously not expecting to hear such a question. For a moment, you feel a bit of hope when his eyes seem to lighten up. But it lasts only for a brief moment. Your stomach feels heavy the moment that light dims.

“Are you asking me if I would ever consider having one? Now?” his frown deepens, and his eyes flicker to your stomach curiously. “Are you—”

“If you’re asking if I’m already pregnant, the answer is no,” you quickly answer him, and his gaze clears out when he looks at your face again. You try not to see his expression as relief, knowing that it would only disappoint you if it is true. “I was just wondering—I know we haven’t talked much or planned forward aside from the wedding talk, and we’ve only talked briefly about maybe considering to talk about it only after the wedding, but I’m curious to know…do you want kids?”

With a sigh, Jimin answers carefully, “I’ve always wanted kids. Even though I know that I told you about not wanting them with my work being so busy and all, but the truth is, I just wasn’t ready then.” Hearing this, you are reminded again of his past comments. Everything that he had said about having children at the peak of his career—about how it would be a terrible idea or how he didn’t see himself as someone who could handle a child—and all the other comments that had given you the basic reasons to deny your feelings. “I know that you might not be thinking about it—”

“What makes you think that?” you quickly ask him, “Do you think I don’t want to have kids?”

Jimin’s brows crease yet again. “You just never told me you did, except for the time you said something about waiting until after the wedding day to talk about it. And I never brought it up again once I started thinking about it because I just thought—” he sighs. “I’ve already asked a lot from you ever since we started this relationship, so I didn’t think it would be fair if we talk about it before you’re ready.”

“What if I am ready for it?” you carefully ask him, “What if I’ve been ready?”

“What are you saying?”

Biting your lips, you silently decide that this might be the best chance to admit everything, now that he is answering all of your questions. “Remember that time when my period came late and you made me do the test?” Jimin nods at this, obviously remembering that moment, though he does seem a bit lost, still not knowing where this is going. “I’ve been thinking about it since then. A lot, actually.”

Jimin seems interested as he leans closer. “Go on,” he says, urging you to keep talking.

With a sigh, you finally admit to him in a small voice, “I think I’ve caught myself a major case of baby fever.”

“You have?” he asks, looking intrigued, and judging from the sly smirk that he is trying so hard to hide, he also seems to be excited to know more. “When did this happen?”

“It’s been happening for a while,” you answer him, still with a small voice but with less hesitation this time, before you start telling him everything. From the morning this feeling first emerged, the first time you began to picture having mini versions of you and Jimin, and then having that feeling grew stronger when you got involved with Hyorin and her child. Then you explain how it had possibly been the reason why you had been acting rather wantonly over the past couple of months, even while you were still in complete denial. And then you admit how you have remained in denial until the moment you saw the wedding pictures today—the beautiful pictures of the bride and groom and their happy little daughter becoming a part of their special event—when everything finally came crashing down on you.

“So—” Jimin starts to speak, finally putting two and two together. “All those times you suddenly turned up at work, giving me surprises whenever I come home, initiating things, all of that…all because you were craving for a baby?”

Groaning in defeat and shame, you cover your face with your hands and start grumbling under your breath, “I think I’ve been unconsciously trying to get pregnant. I’m so sorry.”

Jimin laughs and gently pulls your hands away from your face. “It’s fine, baby,” he says, looking more amused than you expected he would. “Thank you for being so open with me about it. But you’ve been taking your shots, haven’t you? Or did you stop taking it when it happened?”

You can feel your own blood getting drained from your face, suddenly realising just how bad things could’ve turned out and feeling guilty about what you have been doing.

How could you have been so reckless? What would’ve happened if you did get pregnant and Jimin wasn’t happy about it? You feel guilty for knowing that you could’ve jeopardised your entire lives and relationship because of it.

A sense of relief washes over you for knowing that at least your birth control is stopping all of that from happening. “Yeah, good thing the shot was still taking effect. Oh, God. I’m supposed to have another appointment already. What if I’m late to get it? I’m so sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking. I’ll make sure to call them up in the morning and not miss any until we have everything plan—”

“Unless—”

You stop when Jimin cuts you off, though he only confuses you further when he doesn’t continue. “What are you trying to say?”

Jimin smiles softly and shrugs. “Unless you change your mind about waiting until we’re married. That’s the reason why you wanted to talk about this with me now, isn’t it?” There is a glint of mirth and joy in his eyes when he says this, as if he can read through your mind. “Have you been thinking about the pictures we saw today? Do you want to have our own little ones be at our wedding? A mini version of you running down the aisle in her tutu dress while dumping flowers to the ground, or a mini me with his tux, waiting to hand out a ring after our vows? That’s what you’ve been thinking before I came back, wasn’t it?”

Him bringing this up only makes you teared up. “I—I want that,” you softly whine, before groaning, “Oh, Jimin. You’re making it worse. Now I want it so badly.”

With a soft chuckle, Jimin gently wipes a tear that slips down from your eyes. “You had doubts because you thought I wouldn’t want kids, did you?”

You nod. “Whenever I think about it, I’m always reminded of what you said and did then, about how much trouble kids would give you when you’re so busy with your schedules and tours,” you confess to him. “Even when I see how good you are with children, either with the children modelling with you or with your friends’ kids, I would keep remembering how we both agreed to only talk about having kids after we get married so I keep denying how much I want it.”

He gently shakes his head. “I know what we agreed about. But I have to admit that my view about having kids have started to change ever since I began picturing our lives together and about us building a family together.”

“You have?” you ask him, while he simply nods. “You never said anything, so I didn’t know what to think when I started thinking about it too.”

“Then—” he starts, slowly sliding closer on the bed to get next to you. “How about we talk about it now?”

“Okay,” you whisper to him as he wraps an arm around your shoulder and gently pulls you to his side. “What should we talk about? Where do we start?”

“First, we can hold back that birth control shot for a while, if you want to,” he says after mulling it over for a brief moment. “And then why don’t we just let things be? See how it turns out if we allow things to happen naturally.”

“Are you—are you sure about it?”

He shrugs. “I mean, we haven’t really set out a date for the wedding, so that gives us some time, doesn’t it? We don’t even know if it would happen so soon. But, at least we can do some practising until then,” he says, lowering his voice seductively and teasingly that it makes your face feel warm.

“I don’t mind having some practice.”

Hearing your bashful answer makes him smile. With a light touch, Jimin lifts your face by the chin and whispers, “I love you, baby. I don’t want you to feel like you need to hide things from me. You know that you can tell me anything, don’t you?”

Nodding, you look at him with a wry smile. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t that I wanted to purposely hide this from you. I guess I was just in denial about it. Until today,” you carefully admit, before slowly adding. “I love you too, Jimin. Thank you for allowing me to open up.”

He kisses your temple, and when he pulls away, the look in his eyes gives a tight pull inside your chest. His gaze is filled with love and affection when he looks at you. But there is something else there, appearing at the same time he runs his gaze down your face, to your body, before his eyes stop briefly on your lips.

As if he cannot help himself, Jimin leans closer and gives you a passionate kiss, his hand coming to your waist with a gentle caress over your nightshirt. Feeling the thin fabric covering your skin, Jimin lightly groans. “What did I say about wearing too many clothes to bed?” he complains, looking annoyed at your sleeping attire. He pulls it lightly, tugging on it until its hem starts rising up your legs and all the way up to your hips.

“Take this off,” he whispers, as he helps you pull it further up so that he could press his palm on your belly. “And for now on, now that we’ve talked about practising, I want you to forget ever wearing these things to bed.”

“Really?” You lift your eyebrows at him teasingly. “Not even those little pieces that you love so much?” you ask him while glancing over to the nearby drawers where you keep your negligees and lingeries that he has often bought for you, and he immediately knows what you are referring to.

Groaning deeply as he starts picturing you wearing them, Jimin immediately says, “Except for those tiny things. I’ll let you wear them from time to time. Now stop stalling and take this thing off.”

With a tug, he helps you peel the nightshirt off of your body. With a blink of an eye, he pulls it over your head and then it is gone, leaving you in nothing more than the cotton panties that you have been wearing. Looking down at you, Jimin looks pleased to see that you have at least decided not to wear your bra before climbing onto the bed.

Just like always, he immediately seems to be captivated by the sight of your bare breasts. His eyes are locked on your soft flesh, watching as they rise and fall in your steady breath. Then his hands come down on your exposed mounds, palms touching and kneading on them, starting from the under curves of your breasts before climbing their way up, finding the sensitive tips, making them grow hard with his touches. Using two of his fingers, he gives one nipple a pinch, while he playfully rubs a thumb over the other gently, drawing a myriad of sensations that cause you to arch your chest to feel more.

Claiming your lips once more, he kisses you with full of hunger, drawing your attention away from his hand as he reaches down between your legs and starts teasing your clit through the fabric of your panties.

“All that talk about having a baby with you—” he breathlessly whispers against your lips while pressing his fingers at your center while his other hand are still spreading warmth on your bosoms. “Now I can’t get it out of my head. You make me want to just give it to you now.”

His words put the same images into your head, drawing a soft gasp out of you. Immediately, you feel the sudden rush of desire coming back to life. The same one that had taken over you even before you found the courage to admit this baby fever of yours, now rising more intensely, taking over you so strongly that it almost makes you grow breathless.

“You did say something about practising, didn’t you?” you whisper with a raspy voice, already embracing the pulses of desire brewing under your skin. Reluctantly, you push Jimin away, forcing him to take his hands off of you when you shift on the bed. With a coy smile, you slowly peel your panties off of you, kicking them down your legs until you are completely bare. But instead of giving him a chance to return to you and touch you again, you flip onto your hands and knees, wiggling your hips to him teasingly before saying, “Come over here then, Daddy. Come put a baby in my belly.”

Your words seem to snap something within Jimin, as his gaze darkens after hearing you. Raking his gaze down your body, you can those pretty eyes of him filled with lust and hunger, and a dark desire that seems so intense that you can feel it on your skin, as if it turns into invisible fingers tracing down the curves of your body until his gaze rests on the area between your legs. Crawling towards you, Jimin kneels right behind you, positioning himself close enough to see everything but not enough to have his body touching you.

Just when you are about to look over your shoulder to see what he is doing, wondering why he isn’t making any move, the sound of a smack echoes through the room, before a sting of pain slowly grows right on your right bottom cheek.

Did he—did he just spank me?

Before you can find your answer, Jimin’s palm returns to your skin. Though instead of bringing more pain, he gently caresses the very same spot that he had laid his hand on earlier, as if trying to soothe the sting that faintly lingers. “Sorry, baby. I couldn’t help myself,” he says with a low voice, still while caressing your skin until you feel the pain subsiding. “It’s just that seeing you teasing me like that after our serious talk drove me crazy. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

“It’s fine. I…I kinda liked it,” you shamelessly admit to him when you start feeling a new sensation building up once the pain and the shock is gone.

“You did, hmmm? Then how about making this fair?” he asks, right before you feel another slap on your bottom cheek, landing on the left side this time, making you gasp.

Once again, he soothes the pain with his gentle palm. Slowly, the pain starts ebbing away, and it almost seems like the blood pulsing at the spots where his palms had landed on are not only fading, but shifting into something more delectable, which is gathering at your center. The sensation only intensifies as Jimin continues kneading at your bottom, and you begin to feel your desire pulsing from within your core, even when he has yet to touch you there.

His touches grow more alluring, as he is no longer using his palms to soothe your pain, but to deliberately cause something else to rise in your body. As if he could feel it, perhaps from the way your hips are slowly swaying against his touch in return or from the way your breathing grows heavier, and he continues to repeat his touches, kneading and massaging and caressing lovingly that it is beginning to drive your head spinning.

Then suddenly, he bends down, pressing his lips right over your spine. To the sound of your gasps, he begins tracing kisses on your skin, down to your tailbone, and to the lovely curves of your buttocks. The sensation you feel building from his action leaves you gasping for breath, and he is not stopping, moving to find the spot where you still feel the phantom pain of his spanking and going around it, before moving to the other side to do the same. And then just when your body reacts on its own, with your hips moving backwards to chase his lips, he suddenly gives you a bite, right under your left bottom cheek where he had spanked you earlier.

You let out a squeal, not expecting to have him biting you there. But just like before, Jimin quickly replaces the pain with a soothing kiss. Except that this time, he traces his kisses from the painful spot all the way to the center, finding your throbbing pussy. He doesn’t give you any chance to process this when he starts eating your pussy, devouring you from behind with his hands holding firmly at the curves of your bottom.

The way his sinful lips are kissing your nether lips with pure desire, and his tongue slipping between your slit and pressing against your pulsing heat, all give you the kind of pleasure that feels so maddeningly good, you begin to lose the ability to hold up your weight. Still with your hips being held up by his strong hands, your upper body falls over to the bed as your body shakes with pleasure.

“Ah—Jimin!” you cry out for him, unable to hold back from the rush of pleasure he is igniting within you, though your voice is slightly muffled by the sheets beneath you. Seeking leverage, you clutch the sheets with your shaky hands, holding on as he continues to eat you, sucking your pussy with both lust and hunger that you can feel the faint ripples of your climax building inside you.

Jimin devours you for a moment longer before pulling away, stopping right as you are already at the brink of your orgasm. In the absence of his lips, he slips his fingers between your folds, gathering your slickness to use it to push his digits into your pussy.

Your fingers sink further into the sheets as his fingers slide through your hot walls, pressing against the pulses and gently spreading you open for him. He pushes all the way in until he has most of the length buried inside you before slowly pulling out, waking up the spasms of your pleasure, and he repeats it again, pushing in and pulling out at a slow, teasing pace until your body welcomes him fully. He continues fingering you, giving you a few more strokes before he finally comes to a halt.

A soft thud can be faintly heard beyond the sound of your heartbeat. You may not be able to see it, but through the back of your mind, you can only guess that Jimin has tossed away his towel. There is a shift on the bed when he moves closer. His hand returns to your hips to hold you up, while the other reaches out, grabbing a fistful of your hair and giving it a pull until you rise up.

“Pull yourself up, baby. That’s it. Hold on tight for me,” he whispers, gently pulling you back up by your hair until you are straightened up with your palms planted on the bed.

Jimin only lets you go to give himself a couple of strokes and align himself at your center. With his other hand, he presses down at your spine, holding you still. You wait with bated breath until the moment you feel a nudge at your wet opening. Jimin’s hand returns to your folds, spreading your nether lips apart just as you feel the head of his cock pushing through. He fondles your clit a little while the pressure of his penetration builds.

Inch by delicate inch he enters you, welcomed by the spasms of your desire and the wet sound of your slickness giving way for him to slide deeper. He thrusts, and pushes, pulling out briefly and then pushing in again, until your body gives way to his length and girth. And that is when he begins fucking, pushing and bucking his hips at a rapid pace, advancing even deeper with each thrust while giving you nothing more but intense pleasure.

Jimin’s cock is soon buried to the hilt in your tight walls, deliciously snugged between your warmth. The shudders that keep surging through his body pour themselves all over yours, centered from where your bodies are connected. His hands are tightly gripping your hips as he continues fucking you, adding more force into his thrusts now that your body is fully adjusted to his ruthless poundings.

“That’s it, baby. Take my cock!” you hear him grunting as he humps against your behind. Each hard thrust of his pelvis causes his hips to slap loudly against your round bottom while his cock keeps surging deeply inside your tight, clutching pussy. Each pounding he keeps giving you rocks your entire body that you cannot help but bury your fingers deeper into the sheets to hold on.

“Oh, Jimin!” you groan out his name through the intense waves of pleasure that are increasing from your core. Your body is getting shunted and shoved further against the mattress as your lover vigorously slams his hard shaft into you.

As Jimin’s thrusts grow more and more frantic, you can sense that he is almost ready to cum. “Oh fuck, yeah!” you hear him grunting under his breath, his hard erection keeps pistoning in and out of your hot cunt.

You brace yourself, both to feel his release and to embrace your own, but to your surprise, Jimin halts before the first shudder of his climax comes and pulls out of you, denying you of your release. It happens so suddenly that you feel as if your body loses its force, nearly toppling forward once more if not for the hard grip he has on your hips to stop you from planting face first onto the bed. Just as you are losing balance, Jimin pulls you up and swiftly flips your body around as if you are weightless.

“Oh!” you let out a squeal once your back lands on top of the mattress. Your heartbeat is still pacing rapidly, still in shock at how easily he is able to handle your body and weight. Kneeling between your legs, Jimin oozes power and dominance, yet you can still feel the gentle aura that he always carries with him when he runs his fingers from your hips, tracing down to your thighs where he gives another tight grip and lifts your legs up.

All the way up.

He doesn’t stop until your ankles are settled on his shoulders. Not only does this position put a strain on your body, it makes you lose any sense of control. Your muscles put up a restraint for a moment before you try to relax and let it happen, and that is when he pushes forward, bending over you until you are half-folded beneath him.

“Easy, baby. Breathe in and relax. Let me know if I’m hurting you,” he keeps whispering these words to soothe you while he keeps rubbing your legs. His touch travels back down to your hips just as you feel him nudging back at your folds, his stiff cock ready to return to your warmth. With his gaze locked on yours, Jimin grabs a tight hold on your hips and then pushes forward, entering your heat in one firm stroke.

“Oh, God!” you scream out as you feel the pressure knocking the air out of your chest. In this position, he feels like a tight fit inside you, your muscles seem to clench around him in a firm hold.

You can feel it affecting him when his body shudders on top of you. His chest feels tense against your palms when you reach up to hold onto his shoulders, yet his heartbeat thrums so rapidly that he seems to be shaking under your touch.

“Fuck, baby. You feel so good around me,” he curses, taking a moment to breathe deeply while he begins pumping his hips and cock, setting up a pace while setting your whole body into a bundle of wildfire.

Your legs tremble as he pushes into you a few more inches, taking his time to enter you while relishing your pulsing warmth, until he impales you fully once more. You can feel him throbbing within you, each pulse coming from his girth coinciding with the pulses coming from your walls, as if his cock is responding to your body. But what catches your heart is the desire written on his face.

He pulls back again only to return with a hard thrust, pulling a gasp out of you. Instead of giving you a moment to breathe, he repeats the motion, delving not only just a few inches deep, but spearing deeply until you can feel the pressure deep inside your chest. And your body welcomes him, when you feel nothing but intense waves of pleasure.

“Feels different, doesn’t it?” he says between the deep moans he keeps making, while you can barely respond to him, unable to find the right words and too breathless to sound your voice.

“Uhh, so…deep,” you whine breathlessly as he thrusts deeply without a warning, hitting the spot that gives you a blinding pleasure.

Jimin forces his eyes open to look at you, rocking his hips firmly as he picks up his pace. “I’ve read some stuff when I have time. Some said that doing it this way will make sure that the seed will set inside your womb properly,” he says, groaning with pleasure between each word he speaks. “Not sure if it’s accurate, but it’s still worth a shot, don’t you think?” You open your mouth, yet your mind is too muddled to even think of an answer. Folded under his weight, there is really nothing that you can do but to take his pounding and give in at the sensation building within. Seeing this seems to please him, as a smile appears on his face when he leans in and whispers, “But I think I’m beginning to like this position more now.”

“You’ve been—ah! Looking things up before?” you gasp breathlessly.

“You have no idea how often I would picture you carrying our child. You would look so beautiful, so hot—fuck, I’m picturing you right now,” he confesses further, never missing his thrusts or losing his pace. Though it does feel like he is suddenly picking up his pace again, suddenly getting a bit rougher when he briefly closes his eyes, groaning, “Just thinking about it makes me go crazy.”

The tempo of his thrusts keeps building up, and the waves of your pleasure keep rising. It seems crazy to think that the thought of him getting you pregnant through this is making you feel hotter, and your body seems to grow even more sensitive the more he puts those images into your head. So much so that you can feel your body responding to him more excessively, that each pump of his cock feels so blindingly good, sending your body rocking harder and your toes curling with how intense all the pleasure coming to you feels through your body.

“Ha—ah, Jimin!” you cry out when there seems to be nothing stopping you from going over the edge. Right at the same time, you feel him bulging inside you, and his rapid thrusts seem to grow a bit clumsier, as if he is slowly losing his own self control.

“I’m going now—” he groans, fucking you harder, faster, filling the air around you with the sounds of his gruff moans, the sounds of skin slapping against skin, the shaking mattress, and the hoarse sounds of your cries of pleasure. The ripples that he ignites within you grow more intense, and he moans loudly when he feels it too. “That’s it, baby. Cum on my cock, baby. Cum right now and take all of my load.”

You can feel that he is getting close, yet still holding back to wait for you as he works your body so expertly. Releasing your hold on his shoulders, you reach up under your folded legs and start palming your own breasts, playing with yourself. With each knead, each pinch at your nubs, and the firm push of your soft flesh, you add the intensity of the sensation you are feeling from his rough lovemaking. You are already on the brink of your climax, and Jimin takes it even further when he slips a hand between your entwined bodies and finds your clit, giving it a light slap before pinching it, pushing you towards your blinding climax.

“Oh, oh, oh…! Jimin—” you cry out in your release. With nowhere else to go, you could only fist onto the sheets beneath you, holding on tightly as your entire body convulses. Your orgasm feels so intense that it draws a deep groan from Jimin, and he doesn’t let go, still thrusting steadily and keeping his pace as if he wants to make it last. But for some reason, you don’t feel any sign coming from him to chase his own end.

Your body continues to shake with your release, taking its sweet time to come down. Through your hazy eyes, you watch Jimin as he opens his eyes, looking as if he is enchanted and mesmerised by the sight of you embracing your climax. He reduces his pace and looks down on your body, not at where you are connected to each other but at your lower belly. Pulling his hand away from your clit, he presses his palm on your stomach, gently caressing it.

“Oh, baby. I really can’t stop thinking about it now that you’ve put the idea inside my head,” he murmurs, his voice fading in and out while you are trying to ease down from the spasms of your release, which is hard to do when he is still moving inside you. In and out he goes, steadily slow, dragging his girth along the length of your pussy walls to make you feel everything. “I can’t wait to see your stomach swell with our baby. I’m going to fuck you every night, fill you up until you are full with my cum, until we have our little one growing inside you.”

He continues talking, soft spoken words that sound almost like a spell. With each word he gives you, his pace begins to pick up again. As if his own spell had done something to himself. He somehow feels even harder, the width of his cock seems to swell further, making it feel tight when he pushes deeply with a forceful thrust.

“Jimin, please…!” you cry out his name with a voice so raw and dry and breathless. But every word that you want to give him fades, taken over by the pleasure as it rises like a tidal wave.

You close your eyes when the delightful pleasure overcomes you, and his words, the beautiful spell that he gave you earlier, take form inside your head. It snaps something out of you to picture yourself being pinned the same way as he fucks you into oblivion, all for the sake of putting a baby inside your womb. It makes you grow hot, your core coiling with another wave of orgasm, each spasm growing stronger from one to the next, and you are suddenly hanging at the precipice of your release with no return.

You scream again as he thrusts into you so deep, too deep, holding you there as he makes you take his entire length, to take all of his hard cock as it throbs and pumps roughly into you. He seems determined to make good of his words, as he doesn’t slow down a pace, only returning each cry and moans you give him with a hard, intense thrust.

“Jimin! I’m coming again!” you cry out once more, yet you feel your body rising, your hips welcoming his ministrations so openly like a needy, wild minx, all while being pinned helplessly beneath him with nowhere else to go.

“Baby…fuck!” he cries in return, as he bucks against you, and you feel the warmth of his release filling you up, drawing more and more spasms coming through your walls. He continues moving his hips, keeping the same sloppy pace to make it last. And then he ends it with one last final thrust, his cock pulsing inside you tightly, spurting the last of his seed to join the rest, completely filling you up just as he promised he would. You can feel his excessive cum flowing out of your cunt with each thrust he is giving you, coating his cock, down to your bottom, making a complete mess out of the two of you. Yet neither of you cares, when you both find your climaxes together, embracing it with your bodies shaking and rocking together as one.

It continues for a while longer—as Jimin continues to rock his hips against you, bringing you into a long-drawn-out bliss, while everything seems obscured as you are lost in cloud nine—until the moment Jimin slowly eases down and begins to shift. He does his best to be careful as he lowers your legs back to bed, his fingers moving in circles as if to soothe your trembling legs. Drained of energy and feeling sated at the same time, your entire body feels listless, though you still endure the occasional jolts of pleasure until they slowly begin to wane.

You close your eyes briefly as you take a deep breath, only to have them fall back open when Jimin pulls out, leaving you feeling empty. Jimin meets your gaze with a smile, making no move to leave you as he reaches out, picking up his discarded towel to clean both of you from the remnants of your wild lovemaking.

“Seems like we’ve made quite a mess,” he mutters with a chuckle while he carefully rubs your tender skin.

“Hmmmm—”

Your lack of response only makes him chuckle. Tossing the soiled towel away, Jimin kisses your lips and lies down right beside you. He gathers you in his arms, pressing you close against his chest. “But I also think it was worth it. Don’t you think?”

Once again, you give him nothing but a tired hum. Too exhausted to speak, all you could do is lean against his chest with a content sigh. You can still feel him shaking as he laughs, yet you already have your eyes closed, already fading into the dreamland that you barely hear him whisper to you, “Try to get some quick rest, baby. I’m not done with you yet.”

It feels like you barely doze off for a brief moment when you start feeling his touch on your skin again. You come awake in Jimin’s embrace, his hand on your breast, before he sets you on alert when his other hand travels down between your legs. A gentle press from his naughty fingers on your clit triggers a moan slipping out of you, then his lips descend on the side of your neck to stop you from squirming in his hold. Snaking his arm around your waist, Jimin continues kissing your skin, adding to the myriad sensations rising through your body with his fingers playing with your swollen clit while he cups your bare breast with his other hand once more.

“You’re not feeling too sore now, are you?”

The only thing that you can give him as an answer is a soft moan, when his touches seem to wake up not only your nerves, but also your desire.

“Hmmm—” is the only sound you can possibly make before a sigh of content slips out of you. But words don’t seem to matter as much when your body reacts first, as you arch your chest into his touch and you slowly give in, allowing him to pull your legs open, spreading you wide for him to lean closer and align himself at your center.

“Easy, baby. Bear it with me. It’s going to be a long night,” he whispers, right as he spreads your folds and pushes his hips forward, his stiff cock entering your throbbing pussy in a gentle stroke, though still enough to make you quiver in his arms.

Epilogue…

There is something magical about the warm sunlight falling on your skin, the sound of waves filling the background, and the colourful petals spreading against the white sand.

If there had been any doubt over having this destination wedding when you first planned it, it has surely been forgotten. Right now, all that you have in mind is the thought of walking down the aisle, the flowery path leading you towards your future. It feels like you are walking inside of a dream, with your dress flowing with each step you take, while Jimin is waiting on the other end, looking like a prince charming.

“You look beautiful,” you hear your father whisper to you as he walks you down the flowery path. You look up to him with a smile, unable to answer him without worrying that you might cry if you try. Instead, you look down, hiding your flushing face while trying to compose yourself before your emotion gets out of control.

Your eyes fall on the flower bouquet in your hands just then. The combination of white daisies and yellow roses should be able to represent your love story with Jimin, but there is another that is present as a token of your love. The baby bump that is partially hidden behind the layers adorning your dress and the flower bouquet now pressed against it.

The heart-to-heart talk that you shared with Jimin all those months ago had led to many nights of lovemaking, trying new things, new positions, and ‘more practising’, as Jimin would describe it. After a lot of effort made, a lot of waiting, and numerous tests taken, it finally happened, and now there is a precious life growing inside you.

Your dream of having your little one running ahead as your flower girl or standing by his side as the ring bearer would have come true if you had waited a while longer. But you have waited long enough, and neither of you wanted to wait until another period of time goes by to be married. You had to accept having another girl be your flower girl, Jimin’s toddler niece who is waddling clumsily towards Jimin across the flowery path while carrying her basket in her tiny arm. You watch her with a fond smile as the pretty petals keep dropping directly from the basket as she toddles away instead of from her fingers. Rubbing your palm over your bump, you picture having your own girl one day toddling ahead of you, and it is enough to cause a comforting warmth blossoming inside your chest.

After the slow walk that seems to last forever, you finally have no more than a few steps away left from reaching Jimin. Your future is just an arm’s reach away. Looking at him now, you cannot help but take a good look at the life that you have had for the past few years, of how much your fate has unravelled in the most unexpected way possible. And it all happened because Jimin came into your life.

Growing from the work relationship that was filled with challenges, to a mutual partnership filled with respect for one another, and here you are now today, exchanging gazes filled with passion and love, the mutual feelings that you both share as you embrace this new journey together.

Sometimes you cannot help but wonder where would you be today if you had taken all the different decisions in the past. But all the same time, you would always be reminded of how often your choices had almost made you lose all of your chances to be happy with him.

How often had you tried to deny your feelings in the past? From the love that you had secretly harboured for him, to your desire to become someone deserving of his love, and the desire you had for building your future with him.

Whenever you look back to those moments, you are always reminded of the times you had unconsciously put on your glass masks to hide your feelings and your true desires. The same glass mask that had once helped hide your heart and soul from him. All the same masks that were so fragile you had kept them guarded so firmly just to protect yourself and keep you safe from being hurt or disappointed.

But with your luck, Jimin had always been able to be the one to take those masks away from you. Time and time again, he would find those glass masks of yours and be the one to crack them into pieces, revealing your true self to him. With nothing more but his gentle touch and his pure love, Jimin has always been able to help you open up, to give you the courage to be completely bare for him, and you have always found the comfort of knowing that never once have you regretted ever giving your faith in his love.

Finally reaching your future husband, Jimin welcomes you by offering his hand for you to take while whispering softly,

“Ready?”

“Always,” you answer him while returning his smile.

Right there and then, as you take his hand and look up at his face, finding his eyes glowing with his unshed tears while you can feel your own beginning to form right before the priest begins reading out your vows, you find yourself breathing a sigh of content, because those glass masks are no more.

There is a fleeting moment of clarity as a soft flutter grows inside your chest the moment you open your heart and soul for him. It first comes to you as he recites his vows to spend his eternity for you and grows stronger as you promise him to do just the same. You simply embrace everything, all while holding his hands tightly, never to let go, as you are free falling into your future with him.

Together.

— © 2023 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind, translations, unsanctioned adaptations are not allowed.

[writtenwhalien]

my tumblr wrapped 2024

okay so I’m doing this a tad bit late but I also didn’t intend on doing it until today so here goes…

I don’t have much of a tumblr wrapped this year bc I have been pretty absent for the last two years. I wasn’t actively working on any fics but I did release two big fics which I’m pretty proud of and I’ve still managed to keep some of my friendships on here which is what I actually wanted to highlight with this post <3

my only fics of 2024:

jump then fall — jjk (also my most popular) a lover’s redemption — pjm

top ten tracks of 2024:

— reflections by the neighbourhood — meet you at the graveyard by cleffy — R.I.P 2 my youth by the neighbourhood — wildflower by billie eilish — self sabotage by maggie lindemann — koi si by afsana khan & nirmaan — romantic homicide by d4vd — 6:45 by naïka — all I want by olivia rodrigo — shoot it straight by jesse

fic recs of 2024:

so like I said, I’ve been pretty absent and I haven’t had much time to write nor read, but I am looking forward to reading much of what’s in my reading list and more, so please send me your fic recs 😚😚

what I did want to use this post for, was to highlight how grateful I am for many of my moots and followers. I feel like a pretty awful person sometimes bc I don’t think I match the wonderful energy of so many people on here and I honestly feel like I can’t even call anyone a moot bc of it, so I really just want to say thanks to you all!

@kingofbodyrolls lissa, you have been such a bright presence on tumblr and you’re constantly spreading love and sharing fics and it’s just the most wholesome thing! thank you 💘🌷✨

@lovelytaes-blog ella, I miss you very much and you have always been so kind and sweet and I hope you’re doing amazing! 🎀💞💐

@ressjeon it’s been a lil while since we last spoke but thanks for always being such a fun and friendly person, yannie! I’ve always appreciated your kindness. 🫶🏼🌸💖

@artemesiareads thanks for always sharing everyone’s fics, viola! it means the world 💓✨🥰

@yoonia thanks for being such an amazing author, dia, and sharing your talent with everyone while also sharing the work of others 🌷💞💐

@jjungkookislife thanks for always sharing other fics, b, as well as writing amazing stories of your own for us all to enjoy 🎀💞🥺

@personasintro biggest thank you to always pushing me to do alr and also helping me with a huge plot change which I think literally makes the fic what it is today! thanks mimi for supporting me that whole time and being a great friend on here 😚💐💘

@dvalities m, thanks for always being so supportive and sweet and sharing your positivity 🥰💓🌷

@jimilter ash, I miss you very much and you are literally one of the sweetest and most talented people I know here 🥹🎀✨

there’s actually so many more but I’m a goldfish and the new year is a week old now so I’ll stop :’)

and of course, all my followers/readers, thank you so much for your support and patience and I hope you all have an amazing year ahead of you with lots of love and happiness 🫶🏼✨💐

tagging anyone who wants to do it xoxo

[raya-04]

Upon A Star | PJM ☆ 2

Story summary: Nineteen-year-old Y/n debuts as an idol under Hybe Entertainment, only to find her almost-boyfriend, BTS’s Park Jimin, is under the same company. Their painful “breakup” two years ago, driven by misunderstandings and trainee pressures, left unresolved feelings. As Y/n navigates her new life in the spotlight, she frequently encounters Jimin during rehearsals and events, sparking media speculation and fan rumors. Forced to confront their past, they struggle to remain professional while deciding whether to rekindle their romance or move on, all amidst the demands of their careers.

Pairings: jiminxreader

Genres: series, fluff, angst, smut, idol au

Word Count: 10.1k

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I’ve been trying to perfect this chapter since I tried to make it longer than the first. I’m carefully choosing the direction I want this story to go and I really hope you can enjoy it! Happy New Year! <3

Y/n

The tension in the HYBE conference room felt almost tangible as I followed my group inside, clutching my notepad tightly to my chest. The BTS members were already seated on one side of the long table, their presence intimidating. Haein led the way. As I bowed politely along with the rest of G6ix, my eyes darted toward Jimin, completely against my will.

He sat next to Taehyung, his posture effortlessly relaxed, though his fingers tapped lightly on the table—a subtle tell I’d learned to recognize back when I knew him better than anyone. His gaze shifted briefly toward me, but I quickly looked away, my pulse spiking.

“Please, take your seats,” one of the staff members gestured, breaking the moment. I slid into a chair between Haein and Sunhee, forcing myself to focus on the large screen at the front of the room as the meeting began.

“This meeting is to finalize the details of the upcoming game show,” the staff member said, their voice clear and authoritative. “We’ve crafted a structure that highlights the talents of all groups involved, while leaving room for organic moments that fans will love. This is a significant opportunity for G6ix to showcase your individuality and dynamic as a group.”

My stomach flipped as they continued. I knew how important this was, and I wanted to do well. Still, I couldn’t shake the awareness of Jimin sitting just a few feet away, the memory of his voice and laugh echoing in my mind.

The staff began outlining the segments—quiz rounds and performances. My pen moved mechanically, jotting notes, but my brain was elsewhere until a particular announcement snapped me back to attention.

“And for another performance segment,” the staff continued, “Jimin and Y/N will share a duet. Both of you are known for your stage presence, and your styles are incredibly complementary. We believe this pairing will make for an unforgettable performance. And we’ve been experimenting with arrangements, and the blend of your voices is striking—almost like they’re made for each other.”

The words hit me like a tidal wave. Made for each other. My heart stuttered in my chest, a bittersweet ache spreading through me. I could feel Haein glance at me out of the corner of her eye, her silent concern obvious, but I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t. Not with my thoughts spiraling and the knot in my stomach tightening by the second.

Jimin remained still, his face unreadable. If he had any reaction to the comment, he hid it well. My eyes dropped to my notepad, where I’d unconsciously scribbled over the same line three times. I focused on breathing evenly, on keeping my face neutral as the staff continued to outline the remaining segments.

Namjoon’s voice cut through the quiet, steady and thoughtful. “How much creative freedom will we have with the performances? Especially for the duets and collaborative stages?”

The staff nodded, smiling. “We’re open to suggestions and will provide support where needed, but we want to showcase your natural chemistry and artistry. That’s what the fans want to see.”

Natural chemistry. I nearly laughed, but I swallowed the impulse. The room moved on, but I was stuck in my head, unable to stop replaying those words.

The staff handed out thick packets of papers, their energy brisk and professional. “These are the arrangements and lyrics for each duet,” one of them explained, distributing the sheets down the table. “We’ve selected songs that not only highlight your vocal ranges but also bring out the most emotion and storytelling from each pairing.”

I barely registered the weight of the paper as a packet was placed in front of me, my fingers fumbling to open it. Haein, sitting beside me, leaned over slightly, her curiosity clear. I glanced at the top of the page, the song title bold and underlined: “Eternal Ties.”

I swallowed hard, my eyes flickering over the first few lines of the lyrics. The song was a emotional ballad, full of delicate metaphors about love that endures despite distance and time. Lines like “Your name lingers in my silence” and “Even when I turn away, your shadow stays” felt like needles threading into my chest. The melody was written to be soft yet powerful.

“Y/N and Jimin,” the staff member said, pointing to us with a smile. “We thought this song would be perfect for you two. The way your voices complement each other will give it the emotional weight it deserves.”

Perfect. Emotional weight. I couldn’t tell if they were joking or oblivious. My throat felt dry as I glanced across the table, almost involuntarily, and caught Jimin reading the lyrics with a tight expression. He didn’t look up, but the tension in his jaw was enough to tell me he felt it too.

Haein’s subtle nudge under the table brought me back to reality. “You okay?” she whispered, her voice low so no one else could hear.

I nodded stiffly, forcing my face into something resembling calm. “Yeah,” I murmured, though my grip on the papers betrayed me. The edges crumpled under my fingers, but I didn’t dare let go.

“Let’s talk later,” Haein said, her tone leaving no room for argument. She leaned back in her chair, pretending to skim her own packet, but I knew she was still watching me.

“Now, this duet,” the staff continued, gesturing at the screen where the lyrics were displayed for everyone to see, “is about two people longing for each other despite circumstances pulling them apart. It’s tender, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s beautiful. We’re counting on you two to bring that story to life.”

I wanted to laugh, but the weight in my chest pressed it down. The irony was suffocating. This wasn’t just a duet; it was a reenactment of everything I thought I’d buried.

Jimin finally looked up then, his eyes meeting mine across the table. His gaze was steady, but there was something unspoken behind it, something vulnerable that mirrored my own turmoil. It was like looking into a mirror.

Forcing myself to look away, I focused on the lyrics again, though the words blurred together. The staff moved on, discussing other duets and arrangements, but I couldn’t hear them. My mind was stuck on the lines I’d just read. The words that felt like they’d been written from the pages of our shared history.

When the meeting ended, I gathered my things quickly, desperate to escape the room. But as I stood, the packet still clutched tightly in my hand, Jimin’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Y/N.”

I turned slowly, my heart pounding. His expression was calm, unreadable, but his eyes carried the weight of everything we weren’t saying.

“Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us,” he said, his voice measured.

“Yeah,” I replied, forcing a small smile. “It’ll be… a challenge.”

His lips twitched as if he wanted to say more, but instead, he just nodded. “See you at rehearsals.”

I nodded back, watching as he walked away, the unspoken tension between us as thick as ever. The lyrics in my hand felt heavier now, each word a reminder that some stories don’t stay in the past.

The dorm was unusually quiet when Haein and I got back after the meeting. The other members had scattered—some heading out for errands, others retreating to their rooms. It left just the two of us in the common area, a silence settling over us like a thick blanket. I knew Haein had been waiting, biding her time until we were alone.

She didn’t waste a second once I dropped my bag onto the couch and sank into the cushions. “Alright,” she said, sitting cross-legged on the other end. “Spill.”

I sighed, leaning my head back against the couch. “Spill what?” I tried to deflect.

“You know what,” she said, her voice softer but unrelenting. “You froze up in that meeting. And the looks you and Jimin kept giving each other.”

I winced, scrubbing my face with my hands. “Was it that obvious?”

“To me? Yes. To everyone else? Probably not. But you can’t keep carrying this around without talking about it. What’s going on, Y/N?”

I exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling like it might have answers for me. “I don’t know, Haein. I just… I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”

“Do what?” she pressed, her tone gentle. “Be around him?”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I’d moved past it. I really did. But today, being in the same room as him, hearing them talk about pairing us up like it’s some perfect match—it brought everything back. And now I’m supposed to stand next to him, sing with him, dance with him, look at him like…” My voice broke slightly, and I shook my head. “I don’t know how I’m going to manage it without falling apart.”

Haein didn’t say anything at first, letting the silence stretch between us. When she finally spoke, her voice was careful, deliberate. “You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt. But, Y/N, you also don’t have to let it control you. You’ve faced him before. You’ll face him again. And you’re stronger than you think.”

I looked at her, my chest tightening. “But it’s not just about facing him. It’s the way he looks at me, like there’s something unresolved. Like he’s still waiting for something.”

“Is that really a bad thing?” Haein asked gently.

I blinked, taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, maybe it’s okay to acknowledge that there’s still something there. Even if it’s just… unfinished business. You don’t have to figure it all out right now. You just have to get through this.”

I wanted to argue, to tell her that there was nothing left to acknowledge. But the truth was, she was right. There was still something there—something I’d buried but hadn’t truly let go of.

“I just don’t want to make a fool of myself,” I admitted. “in front of everyone.”

“You won’t,” Haein said firmly. “You’ve always been the most composed person I know. And if it ever gets too much, you’ve got me. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Her words sank in. I gave her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Haein.”

She smiled back, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “Anytime. Now, let’s go over those lyrics and figure out how to tackle this without it tackling you first.”

I laughed softly. It didn’t solve everything, but it was a start.

The next three weeks passed in a haze of tension, stolen glances, and tightly wound silence. Rehearsals with Jimin became the most challenging part of my days, not because of the choreography or the song, but because of the invisible wall of unresolved emotions that seemed to hover around us.

Our first rehearsal was stiff, to say the least. He arrived on time, his expression a carefully constructed mask of professionalism. I tried to match his demeanor, keeping my focus entirely on the task at hand. It didn’t stop the awkwardness from settling into every corner of the studio, though.

The dance instructor went through the steps with us, breaking down each movement with an ease that I envied. Every time Jimin and I had to face each other, the air seemed to thicken. When his hand hovered near mine during a partner sequence, I felt my breath involuntarily hitch. I could see the tension in his posture too. The slight hesitation in his movements, the way his eyes darted to mine and quickly away.

By the end of the first session, I was exhausted from holding myself together.

As the days passed, the routine became more familiar, though the awkwardness never disappeared. Some moments were easier than others. Occasionally, we’d exchange a polite comment about a particular move or a note from the vocal coach, but even those interactions felt strained, like we were both trying too hard not to remember.

The lyrics were the hardest part. Singing about longing and love while standing mere feet away from him felt like exposing every inch of my soul. “It’s almost like they were made for each other,” and the words stuck with me like a burr. Jimin had tensed visibly when he heard it, his eyes fixed on the sheet music in front of him, while I pretended not to hear at all.

There were moments when the awkwardness gave way to something quieter, almost tender. During one late-night rehearsal, the studio was dimly lit, the harsh fluorescent lights replaced by softer ones. We were running through the bridge of the song, our voices intertwining in a way that felt too intimate for the space we were in. When the music faded, leaving only the echo of our harmonies, I dared to look at him. For a brief second, his gaze met mine, and there was something unspoken and achingly familiar. But just as quickly, he looked away, and the moment was gone.

By the third week, the embarrassment had dulled, replaced by a resigned sort of acceptance. We were professionals, after all, and we had a job to do. Still, there were nights when I’d leave the studio feeling like I was holding myself together with frayed strings, wondering how long it would be before they snapped.

The others had noticed, of course. Haein was always the first to catch on, giving me subtle looks during rehearsals or nudging me with a knowing glance when I’d retreat into my thoughts. The rest of my group wasn’t far behind. Sunhee had even joked once, asking if the “chemistry” was real or just for show. I’d laughed it off, but inside, I was screaming.

Jimin, for his part, kept things strictly professional. If he was struggling with the same feelings I was, he hid it well. But there were cracks in his composure, tiny moments where his voice would falter or his steps would hesitate. And every time it happened, I wondered if he felt like I did.

By the end of the three weeks, we’d perfected the performance, at least on the surface. Every step, every note was polished to the point of muscle memory. But beneath the surface, the tension remained, a quiet, yet constant reminder of everything we weren’t saying.

As I walked out of the studio after our final rehearsal, I felt an overwhelming mix of relief and dread. The performance was just days away, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to survive standing in front of an audience without completely falling apart. But for now, I’d made it through the rehearsals. And that, at least, was something.

The soft glow of my phone screen was the only light in the room as I turned off the alarm before it could make a sound. 4:00 a.m. The world outside was still cloaked in darkness, and the dorm was quiet. I sat up slowly, the cool air making me shiver as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Today was the day.

I padded quietly to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to jolt myself awake. My nerves were already humming, a low buzz in my chest that refused to fade no matter how many deep breaths I took. I couldn’t risk waking the others yet, so I grabbed my sweats and slipped into the kitchen to make tea. The warm mug in my hands was comforting, a small anchor in my swirling sea of thoughts.

By the time the rest of the dorm started to stir, the hair and makeup teams had arrived, filling our living room with an energy that was hectic and exciting. Portable stations with bright lights and mirrors lined the walls, and the smell of hairspray and coffee mingled in the air. The stylists worked on transforming the room into a whirlwind of beauty products and chatter.

“Y/N, you’re up!” Seoyoung, my hairstylist, called out, waving me over to her station. Her cheerful demeanor was a welcome distraction from the nervous pit in my stomach.

I settled into the chair, and she wasted no time, her fingers working quickly through my hair. “We’re going for fairy vibes today,” she said with a smile, her tone full of excitement. “Something magical.”

I nodded, trusting her completely. As she worked, I watched the transformation in the mirror. Loose waves fell around my shoulders, their natural movement enhanced with a gentle curl. She pinned small sections back with sparkling clips that caught the light like tiny stars. The finishing touch was a delicate headpiece, shaped like vines intertwining with tiny pearls. It rested on my head like a crown, subtle yet stunning.

Next, it was makeup. The artist’s brushstrokes were light but deliberate, layering shimmery pinks and white glitters on my eyelids to create an almost otherworldly glow. A soft flush dusted onto my cheeks, and my lips were coated with a subtle, glossy pink. Tiny gems were added at the corners of my eyes, catching the light every time I blinked.

When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. Ethereal was the only word that came to mind. I looked like I belonged in a dream.

“Alright, time for the outfit,” the stylist said, handing me the garment bag.

Inside was a pale lavender dress that shimmered softly with every movement. The fabric cinched at my waist before flowing out into layers of airy, weightless material that trailed behind me like a cloud. It was detailed with tiny silver accents, giving the whole ensemble a magical feel. I slipped into the dress and paired it with delicate silver heels. When I stood back to look at myself, I felt… transformed.

“Wow, Y/N,” Misun said, walking past me on her way to her own stylist. “You look like you stepped out of a fairytale.”

I smiled shyly, still not entirely used to receiving compliments like that. “Thanks.”

The best part of the morning was spending it with my group members. The atmosphere was chaotic in the best way. Misun and Soomin were playfully arguing over accessories, while Yunhee was attempting to calm Niki down as she paced the room, already stressed about the day ahead.

“I swear, I’m going to trip in these shoes,” Niki said, holding up a pair of heels with a dramatic sigh.

“You’ll be fine,” Yunhee reassured her, barely looking up as her makeup artist added the finishing touches. “Just don’t think about it too much.”

Haein sat next to me, scrolling through her phone while getting her hair curled. She nudged me with her elbow, a small smile on her face. “Feeling okay?” she asked quietly.

I nodded, appreciating the subtle check-in. “It’s better being with you all,” I admitted. “Keeps me from overthinking.”

She grinned. “That’s what we’re here for.”

The morning passed quickly, the lively energy of the group keeping my nerves at bay. For a few hours, I could almost forget about the looming duet with Jimin. Almost. But even as my mind occasionally drifted back to him, I reminded myself that I wasn’t alone. Whatever happened, I had my group members by my side.

The arena was massive, its towering ceilings and maze-like hallways making me feel smaller with every step. As soon as we stepped through the main doors, the buzz of activity hit me like a wave. Crew members darting back and forth, idols moving with their groups, and the faint hum of music echoing from somewhere in the distance. I clutched my bag tightly as we followed a HYBE staff member down yet another hallway, eventually being led to our designated waiting room.

The door closed behind us, muffling the noise from the hallway, and I exhaled a shaky breath. The room was simple. There were a couple rows of chairs, a few tables, and a screen on one wall showing a live feed from the stage. My group scattered around the space, each member settling into their own little corner. Haein and Yunhee claimed a couch in the back, chatting quietly, while Niki immediately began pacing the room, her energy impossible to contain.

I took a seat near the center of the room, feeling the weight of the day settle heavily on my shoulders. My makeup felt perfect, my hair still intact from the hours spent perfecting it earlier, but none of it mattered now. All I could feel was the nervous energy twisting in my stomach.

The earlier meetings with the staff from other companies hadn’t helped. The detailed walkthroughs of the show’s schedule, the reminders about camera angles and “natural interactions,” and the endless list of do’s and don’ts had only amplified my anxiety. The pressure to present myself well, not just for my group but for this industry we were navigating, was suffocating. And then, there was him.

I hadn’t seen Jimin yet, not since the rehearsal earlier this week. But knowing he was somewhere in this building, probably just a few doors down, sent a fresh wave of nerves through me.

“You’re stressed.”

I looked up to find Haein standing in front of me, her hands on her hips. She handed me a bottle of water, her expression both soft and stern. “You’re doing that thing where you overthink everything.”

I sighed, unscrewing the cap. “Am I that obvious?”

“Painfully.” She took the chair next to mine, crossing her legs and leaning back. “We’ve been preparing for weeks. You’re ready. You’ve got this.”

I nodded, taking a sip of the water even though my throat felt too tight. “It’s just… a lot. The cameras, the audience, the other groups…” I trailed off, not wanting to say what was really weighing on my mind.

“Jimin,” Haein said, not unkindly, but directly.

I winced. “Yeah, him too.”

Her voice softened. “Look, I know it’s complicated, but you’re not the same person you were back then. Neither is he. Whatever happens out there, you’re not alone in this.”

I swallowed hard, her words settling somewhere deep in my chest. “Thanks,” I murmured.

She smiled, giving my arm a quick squeeze before standing. “Now, stop sitting here like the world’s about to end. The others are going to think something’s wrong.”

As Haein moved back to join Yunhee, I forced myself to take another deep breath, trying to quiet the storm in my mind. The waiting room was still buzzing with my group’s energy, and I clung to that, letting it ground me.

The screen on the wall flickered to a new camera angle, showing the arena stage being prepped for the opening segment. I watched silently, the magnitude of the event hitting me all over again. It was overwhelming, yes, but there was also a flicker of excitement buried under the nerves.

I wasn’t sure how the day would unfold, but one thing was certain: it was time to face it.

The backstage hallway was a maze of hurried footsteps and buzzing anticipation as the staff guided us toward the stage entrance. My group and I walked in a tight line, the tension between us unspoken. Every breath I took felt too shallow, every step too heavy. The cheers of the audience vibrated through the walls, growing louder with every second, until it felt like they were right in my chest.

“Alright, everyone,” a staff member said, clipboard in hand. “This is it. You’ll walk out with confidence, wave to the crowd, and take your positions. Remember to enjoy yourselves. You’ve all worked hard to be here.”

We nodded in unison, offering polite smiles, but I could feel the collective nervous energy rising. Haein stood beside me, giving my hand a quick, reassuring squeeze before we filed into line. I inhaled deeply, steadying myself.

The host’s voice boomed from the stage, lively and magnetic. “And now, please welcome the stars of tonight’s show! Let’s give it up for some of your favorite groups!”

A deafening roar erupted as we were ushered forward, the stage lights blindingly bright as they cut through the darkened arena. The crowd was massive, a sea of faces and cameras flashing from every angle. My group walked out with smiles plastered on, waving at the audience and trying to exude the poise we’d practiced countless times. My dress, a pale shimmering gown with soft, flowing fabric, caught the light like moonbeams, the fairy concept brought to life.

I kept my head high and my expression calm, but beneath the surface, my nerves were a storm.

And then I saw him.

Jimin was on the opposite side of the stage, standing with BTS. His posture was relaxed but commanding, dressed in an all-white outfit that was both simple and impossibly striking. Our eyes met before I could look away, the moment searing itself into my memory. It was like the world stopped turning, the noise of the crowd falling away until there was only the two of us.

His gaze was steady, his expression unreadable to anyone else, but I knew better. There was a flicker of recognition, something deeper beneath the surface that made my breath hitch. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.

The connection between us was undeniable.

The crowd seemed to feel it, too. The arena quieted for just a beat, a ripple of curiosity and wonder moving through the space. It was as if every camera in the room shifted toward us, capturing a moment we hadn’t planned but couldn’t avoid. My cheeks burned, but I kept my composure, turning my attention back to the host.

“Wow, look at this entrance!” the host said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. “But wait, can we take a moment to appreciate G6ix’s Lee Y/N? Stunning doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

The camera panned to me, and I felt my group step back just slightly to let the spotlight rest on me. My smile faltered before I caught myself.

“She looks like she just stepped out of a fairytale, doesn’t she?” the host continued, his grin widening. “And for those of you wondering, word on the street is there’s a very special performance from Y/N later tonight. We’re all looking forward to that, right?”

The crowd erupted into applause, and I forced myself to keep smiling, though my chest felt tight. The host moved on, introducing the next group, but I couldn’t shake the weight of the moment.

Jimin hadn’t looked away once during the exchange. His gaze lingered on me even as his groupmates laughed beside him. I risked a quick glance his way and caught the smallest flicker of something in his eyes. Admiration, maybe, or something more complicated. Whatever it was, it only added to the storm brewing inside me.

As we moved to our positions for the first segment of the show, I tried to focus on the steps ahead. But the weight of the crowd’s eyes stayed with me, like a thread tying me to a moment I couldn’t undo.

The host’s voice rang out cheerfully as he stepped center stage. “Alright, everyone, it’s time for our first segment of the night. In this round, we’ll ask questions to see which members know the most random facts. Let’s see who’s been paying attention over the years!”

The crowd cheered, and I could feel the anticipation buzzing around me. My group and I exchanged glances as we settled into our chairs on one side of the stage, positioned near BTS and SEVENTEEN. The host began explaining the rules, his energy infectious.

“Each group will nominate one member to answer questions. But don’t think we’ll make it easy; we’ve got some curveballs ready!”

The host’s voice carried over the buzzing crowd, explaining the quiz rules with practiced enthusiasm. My group, G6ix, huddled closer together, our heads bent as we deliberated.

“It has to be you, Y/N,” Haein whispered, her voice urgent. “You’re the best at trivia.”

I shook my head, trying to suppress the wave of nerves that immediately bubbled up. “No way. I’m not going up there.”

Misun gave me a teasing look. “Come on! You’d crush it.”

“And everyone would see how much of a nerd I am,” I shot back, trying to keep my tone light. “Pick someone else.”

“But you’re the best,” Yunhee chimed in with a grin.

I folded my arms stubbornly. “You’re just as good.”

Finally, after some good-natured bickering, we nominated Yunhee. As she walked to the center of the stage, she turned back and called out, “I’ll do my best! Even though we all know Y/N’s the genius of the group.”

The crowd laughed, and I felt a flush creep up my cheeks. I ducked my head, pretending to adjust my earpiece, but I couldn’t stop my gaze from flickering over to where BTS was seated. Jimin caught my eye, his lips quirking up in a small smile that made my heart stutter.

I quickly looked away, focusing on the host as he launched into the first question. But my mind wandered to a distant memory.

Trivia night. Jimin and I sitting cross-legged on the floor of his apartment, surrounded by takeout containers and flashcards we’d made ourselves. He’d always get overly competitive, narrowing his eyes at the most ridiculous questions, while I tried to keep a straight face.

“You’re cheating,” he’d accuse after I answered something obscure like the capital of a tiny, remote island.

“Or maybe I’m just smarter than you,” I’d tease, and he’d retaliate by throwing a fortune cookie at me.

The memory hit me harder than I expected, a sharp pang of longing cutting through the noise around me. I missed that version of us; carefree and untouched by the complexities of our current lives.

A loud cheer from the crowd pulled me back to the present. Yunhee had answered the first question correctly, and my group was clapping and laughing. I tried to focus, but my gaze slipped back to Jimin.

He wasn’t watching the stage. He was watching me.

Our eyes locked again, and this time, neither of us looked away. For a brief moment, it felt like the rest of the room faded, leaving just the two of us and the weight of everything unspoken between us.

Then the host’s voice boomed out, announcing the next question, and the spell broke. I blinked and forced myself to pay attention, even as my thoughts remained tangled in the bittersweet memory of a simpler time and the lingering warmth of Jimin’s gaze.

As the segment wrapped up, the host turned back to the stage. “Well, folks, it looks like G6ix is officially the MVP of this round. Give it up for Yunhee’s incredible memory!”

The applause was loud, and I felt a wave of pride mixed with embarrassment.

“You did great” Haein whispered, leaning close to Yunhee.

My gaze instinctively flickered to Jimin. He was clapping along with the others, but there was something in his expression that caught me off guard. It was fleeting, but it stayed with me, adding to the storm of emotions.

The game show continued, but the weight of that brief glance lingered, impossible to shake.

The bright lights of the stage dimmed as the first group made their way out to perform for the talent showcase. Backstage, the energy was a mix of focused excitement and quiet nerves. Staff members moved around checking costumes and microphones, while the other idols huddled in groups, rehearsing or chatting to keep their minds off the tension.

I stood off to the side, gripping the fabric of my outfit as if it could ground me. My breathing felt uneven, and the sound of the crowd cheering for the group currently performing only made my chest tighten further. The thought of going out there, singing that song with Jimin, was suffocating.

Haein walked over to me, her expression soft with concern. “You good?” she asked, tilting her head as she leaned in closer. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”

I forced a tight smile and nodded, but my throat felt dry. “Just… nervous. Normal pre-performance stuff.”

Haein wasn’t convinced. “You sure? This doesn’t look like the ‘normal’ you.”

Before I could deflect further, Misun appeared beside us, holding a water bottle in her hand. “What’s going on? You’re pale.”

I hesitated, trying to gather myself, but my emotions betrayed me. My lips trembled, and I felt the burn of tears threatening to spill. I turned to Haein, whispering, “I can’t do this,” before quickly shaking my head as if I could erase the words.

Misun stepped in front of me, her expression shifting to concern. “Y/N, what’s wrong? Talk to us.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears from forming, but the dam was breaking. The pressure of the past few weeks, the duet, the weight of unfinished emotions with Jimin—all of it came crashing down at once.

“It’s him,” I finally admitted, my voice cracking. “Jimin.”

Misun looked at Haein, confused. Misun gently guided me to a chair tucked behind a row of equipment. “Okay,” she said softly, crouching down so we were at eye level. “Take a breath and tell us what’s going on.”

The tears spilled over now, and I hated myself for breaking like this when I needed to be strong. “It’s everything,” I started, my voice barely above a whisper. “The song, the rehearsals, seeing him again—it’s too much. I thought I could handle it, but I can’t.”

Haein rubbed my back comfortingly, while Misun’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Wait,” she said cautiously. “Is there something… more between you and Jimin? Like, beyond just rehearsals?”

I hesitated, but the look in Misun’s eyes told me she wasn’t going to let this go. And maybe part of me wanted to finally say it out loud, to stop carrying this weight alone.

“We… we dated,” I admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Back before he debuted. I broke up with him because he was about to debut, and I didn’t think we could handle the distance. But it destroyed me. And now, seeing him, singing this song with him… it’s like I’m reliving all of it.”

Misun’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her surprise, nodding in understanding. “That explains a lot,” she murmured. “But Y/N, you’ve been handling this better than you think. The fact that you’ve been able to keep it together this long says a lot about your strength.”

Haein knelt down beside her. “Misun’s right. You’re stronger than you think. And honestly? That connection you two have—it’s not something you can fake. If anything, it’ll make your performance unforgettable.”

I looked between them, my chest still tight but my tears slowing. Their reassurance was comforting, but the weight of what I was about to do still loomed above me. “I just don’t know if I can face him without breaking,” I confessed.

“You don’t have to face him alone,” Haein said firmly. “We’re here for you. And once you step on that stage, you’re singing for all the things you couldn’t say before.”

Misun smiled gently. “Exactly. And if you feel like you’re going to crumble, remember that you’ve already made it this far. You’ve got this.”

Their words wrapped around me like a safety net, and for the first time that day, I felt a flicker of strength. I wiped my eyes carefully, trying not to smudge my makeup, and nodded. “Okay,” I said, my voice steadier now. “I’ll do my best.”

Misun handed me the water bottle I had dropped. “That’s all anyone can ask. Now, drink this, fix your makeup, and show everyone that you’ve got this.”

Haein smiled, standing and offering me her hand. “And remember, no matter what happens, we’re right here.”

I took her hand, standing and straightening my outfit. The nerves were still there, but they didn’t feel as overwhelming. With my group members beside me, I felt like I could handle anything.

The makeup artist worked quickly but gently, dabbing a brush against my face to fix the smudges I’d caused. “Almost done,” she murmured, her tone soothing, as if she could sense the storm brewing inside me. I gave her a small, tight-lipped smile, trying to focus on her precise movements instead of the performance looming over me.

“Perfect,” she said, stepping back and nodding in satisfaction. “You’re good to go.”

I glanced in the mirror, relieved to see my face looking polished again. No signs of the emotional mess from a few moments ago. “Thank you,” I murmured, smoothing down my outfit and slipping on my boots.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, accompanied by the hurried chatter of staff. I was trying to steady my breathing when a staff member poked their head into the room, clipboard in hand. “G6ix, you’re up next. We need you all backstage for final details.”

A surge of nerves prickled through me, but I nodded, standing and smoothing the fabric of my outfit. The rest of my members followed, each of us silently carrying the weight of the moment as we made our way to the backstage area.

The sound of the crowd hit us the moment we stepped into the wings—a roar of excitement that seemed to shake the walls. My heart raced as I adjusted my microphone and took one last deep breath.

“Let’s go, girls,” Haein whispered, her voice steady and filled with quiet determination.

The floor was made of LED screens that shifted with every beat of the music, displaying images of soft water filled with koi fish and lily pads. Behind us, the towering screen displayed a glowing castle, its towers piercing a midnight sky illuminated with stars.

The opening notes of our song started, and the lights dimmed, leaving only a soft glow on each of us. The moment felt electric. My nerves melted away as I stepped into the spotlight, the energy of my members surrounding me like armor.

The music picked up, the tempo fast and infectious. Our choreography was sharp, every movement precise. My heart pounded with adrenaline, a thrill that built with every step.

The LED floor beneath us shifted with our movements, golden waves rippling out with every movement. The crowd was captivated, their cheers swelling with every change in formation.

My bridge transitioned seamlessly into the final chorus, and we came together in perfect sync, our voices and movements radiating power. The LED floor beneath us transformed into a sparkling ocean, while the background screen displayed fireworks exploding over our castle.

As the last notes rang out, we struck our final poses. For a split second, the arena fell silent, and I could feel the collective awe hanging in the air.

Then came the eruption of cheers, a sound so loud it felt like it could lift us off the stage. My chest heaved with exertion, my heart full as I looked at my members. We had done it. Every second of hard work, every moment of doubt—it had all been worth it.

The moment I stepped backstage, staff quickly ushered us toward the waiting area. Adrenaline rushing through my veins. The echoes of the audience’s cheers felt like they were etched into my skin. But my heart stuttered as I remembered what was next. Just the thought of it sent a fresh wave of nerves washing over me.

I sat in one of the chairs, shifting my weight and trying to calm my bouncing leg. The waiting area was dimly lit, just enough to create a sense of quiet, but the energy backstage hummed all around us. Haein and Misun sat on either side of me, chatting softly. Their voices were steady and grounded, keeping me tethered even as my mind raced ahead.

A staff member popped their head in. “Yunhee, you’re up.”

We all turned to look as Yunhee smiled nervously and stood, smoothing down her outfit. She glanced at us and gave a small wave. “See you soon.”

As the door clicked shut behind her, I felt my stomach twist. It wasn’t just me performing tonight, I reminded myself. We were all stepping into something bigger, something new. Misun must’ve noticed my fidgeting because she nudged me gently. “You’re going to be fine,” she whispered. “They’re going to love you.”

Before I could answer, the door to the waiting room opened again. This time, it wasn’t staff.

Kim Namjoon was the first to step in, his dimpled smile disarming and his voice warm as he greeted us. “Hi. We realized we hadn’t had the chance to formally introduce ourselves yet.”

Behind him, the rest of BTS followed, each offering their own greetings. For a moment, the room felt smaller with all of them there, their presence effortlessly commanding.

“Your performance earlier,” Jin started, his voice kind and laced with sincerity, “was incredible.”

Yoongi nodded, his eyes thoughtful as he pointed at me. “That bridge… your voice reminds me a lot of Jimin’s. The tone, the emotion. It’s something else.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. “If you���d ever be interested, I think we’d make something incredible together. I’d love to collaborate on a song with you one day.”

Heat crept up my neck, and I dipped my head slightly. “Thank you,” I murmured, suddenly shy under their attention.

Taehyung’s eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity. “The concept was so unique. Who came up with it?”

“It was a group effort,” Haein answered smoothly, her confidence shining through. “But Y/N and our team were heavily involved in the details.”

I shot her a look, but Taehyung was already nodding. “The crowd loved it.”

As their compliments continued, Jimin lingered slightly in the back, his gaze drifting toward me once or twice. Jungkook, standing beside him, seemed more relaxed, flashing a grin in our direction.

“You’ve got the audience’s attention,” Jungkook said.

I smiled, trying to keep my hands steady as I gripped the hem of my dress. “Thank you,” I said again, the words feeling too small for how their encouragement was steadying me.

The room buzzed with conversation as we talked briefly about music and the industry. Despite the tension that had loomed between me and Jimin earlier in the night, the interaction felt surprisingly easy. Maybe it was the shared understanding of nerves, or maybe it was just that we were all artists trying to create good music.

Finally, staff peeked in again. “Y/N, we need you for pre-stage preparations.”

My heart leapt into my throat, and I stood, smoothing my dress and forcing myself to meet my members’ eyes. Haein and Misun both squeezed my hands.

Namjoon gave me a reassuring nod. “You’ve got this,” he said.

Jimin’s gaze lingered on me, his expression unreadable.

With one last deep breath, I stepped out of the waiting room, feeling the weight of every step as I made my way toward the stage.

The stage lights were bright as I walked to the center, the hum of the crowd buzzing in my ears like an electric current. The announcer smiled warmly, motioning for me to join him in the middle of the stage. My hands clutched each other tightly as I approached, the weight of the moment pressing on me.

“Y/N,” the announcer began, his voice filled with enthusiasm. “We’ve heard a lot about your next performance, and I think it’s safe to say that everyone here is eager to know more about the song you wrote.”

The crowd erupted into cheers, the sound swelling and crashing like waves. I gave a small smile, bowing in gratitude, my heart hammering in my chest.

The announcer waited for the cheers to quiet before continuing. “This song is very personal, isn’t it? Can you tell us what inspired you to write it?”

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. “Yes, it’s deeply personal. The song is about a love that changed me and learning to live with the mistakes I made with that.”

The crowd murmured, the atmosphere suddenly heavier, more intimate.

“And would you say it’s about a specific person?” the announcer asked, leaning in slightly.

I smiled faintly, feeling my pulse quicken. “I think the emotions in the song are universal. But yes, it’s inspired by someone. I wanted the song to reflect the truth of those feelings, no matter how complicated they are.”

The audience clung onto every word.

“Well,” the announcer said, his voice warm but knowing, “I think we’re all ready to hear it. Ladies and gentlemen, Y/N!”

The crowd erupted once more, and as the lights dimmed, I stepped up to the microphone. The piano began, the soft melody filling the arena. I closed my eyes for a moment, grounding myself before I began to sing.

The first words fell from my lips, soft and trembling. As the song progressed, the emotions I had kept a secret for so long surged to the surface. By the second verse, I could feel a tear slipping down my cheek. My voice cracked.

The final chorus came, and the weight of every regret, every memory, every ounce of love I had poured into this song pressed down on me. The crowd was silent, not a single sound breaking the silence until the last note faded into the air.

The cheers began as a ripple and quickly grew into a tidal wave of sound, shaking the stage beneath me. I wiped my cheek with a trembling hand, stepping back from the microphone as the announcer returned, his expression almost reverent.

“Y/N,” he began, his voice cutting through the thunderous applause. “That wasn’t just a performance; that was a moment. I think everyone here felt it.”

The crowd screamed, some of them visibly crying, and I could only bow deeply, my chest heaving with emotion.

When the noise quieted enough for him to continue, the announcer smiled. “I have to ask; what’s next for you? Do you have more music like this in the works? And the question on everyone’s mind, will we see some collaborations from you?”

I steadied myself before answering. “I do have more music I’m working on. Writing is something that helps me express what I can’t always say aloud. As for collaborations…” I hesitated, my smile soft. “I think anything is possible. You never know what the future holds.”

The crowd erupted again, and the announcer laughed, raising his hands to calm them. “Well, whatever’s next, I think we can all agree it’ll be worth waiting for. Let’s hear it one more time for Y/N!”

As I walked off the stage, the roar of the crowd followed me, a vibration I could feel in my bones. Even backstage, their energy lingered, echoing through the halls. My heart was still racing when I noticed the eyes of almost every idol and staff member on me.

They weren’t just looking; they were staring, their expressions a mixture of admiration and awe.

My group was the first to approach, their smiles wide and proud. “You were incredible,” Misun said, her voice full of sincerity.

I exhaled shakily, the reality of the moment finally sinking in.

The staff called for me to head to my next preparation, breaking the tension. But as I walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted—not just in the crowd, but in the air between us all.

The dressing room felt like a whirlwind as the staff moved around me, their hands working quickly to transform me for the final performance of the night. They slipped me into a stunning deep green dress—a rich, jewel-toned masterpiece that hugged my frame before cascading into a delicate flow at the hem. Gold chains formed the straps, draping over my shoulders and catching the light with every movement. It was bold, an unspoken promise of the drama this last performance would hold.

“Breathe, Y/N,” one of the stylists said softly, noticing how tense I was. I managed a small smile in return, nodding as I adjusted the gold straps.

As soon as they finished, a staff member appeared in the doorway. “Y/N, it’s time.”

I rose to my feet, the weight of the night suddenly pressing down on me. Each step I took toward the stage felt heavier than the last, but I forced myself to move forward. The faint roar of the audience grew louder, a reminder of the thousands of eyes waiting for this moment.

When I reached the backstage area, Jimin was already there, his back to me as he stared out toward the stage. He was dressed in a sleek black outfit with subtle gold accents, perfectly coordinated with my look. The dim light caught the sharp angles of his jaw, his blonde hair styled just slightly tousled, making him look effortlessly composed.

“Ready?” he asked, turning toward me as I stepped up beside him. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, a tension that mirrored my own.

I nodded, swallowing hard. “Ready to get this over with.”

He gave a faint smile. The silence between us stretched, heavy with everything we weren’t saying.

“Hey, you two.”

Jungkook’s voice broke through the quiet, and we both turned as he approached. His usual playful grin was subdued.

“What is it now, Jungkook?” Jimin asked, his tone light but tinged with irritation.

“Relax,” Jungkook replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I just wanted to check on you both before you go out there. You’re closing the night, after all.”

I huffed a sarcastic laugh despite myself. “You’re really good at giving pep talks.”

He shrugged, his grin widening slightly. “I like to keep things interesting.”

I glanced at Jimin, but his face was unreadable. The staff called for us to get into position, and Jungkook stepped back, giving us a parting smile.

As he turned to leave, he whispered, “Don’t mess it up. Everyone’s watching.”

The stagehands ushered us closer to the entrance and I took a deep breath, steadying myself. Jimin moved beside me, his presence a constant, unshakable weight.

“You ready?” he asked again, his voice softer this time.

I nodded, gripping the edge of my skirt to stop my hands from trembling. “Let’s just get through this.”

He gave a slight nod in return, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary.

The energy was electric, wrapping around us and pulling us into its charged atmosphere. The stage lights cast golden halos around us.

Then, just as we were about to get into position, one of the production crew members ran up, whispering to us. “Last-minute change. If you’re comfortable, we’re greenlighting the barefoot idea. It fits the mood better.”

Jimin and I exchanged a glance. Barefoot dancing was something we both preferred for certain pieces. It brought a groundedness and vulnerability that no shoes could replicate. Without hesitation, we both bent down to remove our shoes, placing them off to the side of the stage.

The audience’s screams reached a peak as they caught onto what we were doing. The vulnerability of the moment didn’t go unnoticed, and their excitement soared even higher.

Before the music could start, the announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers, forcing us to pause. “Well, well! Ladies and gentlemen, it’s no surprise that this is the pairing everyone’s been waiting for. The crowd favorites of the night” he teased, his tone playful yet piercing.

The audience roared louder and I felt a flush creep up my neck. Jimin shifted uncomfortably beside me, his usual composure faltering.

My heart pounded in my chest, not from nerves, but from the weight of the decision I’d made. I wasn’t going to hold back. Not this time. These lyrics were more than just words to me; they were my truth.

As the opening sound of the duet filled the arena, I took a deep breath, grounding myself in my emotions. Jimin’s voice came first, soft and filled with the kind of yearning that immediately drew the audience in. He took a step toward me, his movements fluid and intentional, his gaze locking onto mine.

When it was my turn, I sang the first line with every ounce of transparency I had. The words spilled out like confessions, each word laced with the regrets I’d carried for years. The pain of love, the ache of loss, the weight of my regret.

The choreography was subtle yet intimate, designed to mirror the push and pull of the lyrics. Every touch, every glance, felt heavier than it had in rehearsals. Jimin’s hand lingered on mine longer than it should have, his eyes searching mine as if he could see the truth behind my voice. And maybe he could.

There was a moment, midway through the song, where I broke from the script. The lyrics called for longing, but I let my heart guide me instead. I improvised a line, the unpolished words hung in the air like a revelation.

Jimin’s gaze snapped to mine, surprise flickering across his face. He didn’t miss a beat, though. Instead, he leaned into the shift, his voice responding with a depth that hadn’t been there before. It was as if he was answering me, pouring his own emotions into the song, matching my vulnerability note for note.

The audience was silent as they watched us. I could feel them leaning into every word, every movement, every glance between us. The world seemed to shrink, leaving just Jimin and me under the stage lights, our voices intertwining like they were meant to.

The final verse approached, and as Jimin stepped closer, his hand brushed my cheek, a touch so light it was barely there. Our eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like the lyrics weren’t just part of a performance. They were our reality, a story we’d both lived and couldn’t escape.

I held his gaze, my chest heaving from the intensity of the performance. The audience erupted into cheers, their thunderous applause washing over us. But I barely heard it, too caught up in the hurricane of emotions swirling around us.

The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, breaking the spell as they called us back to the present.

We stepped back, bowing deeply to the audience. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, the adrenaline coursing through me like a wildfire.

The announcer returned to the stage, his grin as wide as ever. “I think it’s safe to say that was one of the most mesmerizing performances of the evening!”

“And I think we all want to know,” the announcer continued, leaning into his microphone dramatically, “how do you two manage to produce this much chemistry and energy between you? Seriously, what’s the secret?”

Jimin froze. His lips parted as if to answer, but no words came out. I stepped forward instinctively taking control.

“Well,” I began, my voice calm and measured, “I think it comes down to a mutual respect for the art. We both approach every performance with the same mindset. We connect with the music and with each other in a way that feels authentic. It’s not about us as individuals; it’s about telling the story the choreography and music deserve.”

The announcer raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed, and the crowd cheered again, a mix of awe and excitement in their voices.

As Jimin and I took our bows, his hand brushing mine one last time, I knew everyone in that arena had seen it—the truth we couldn’t hide, the feelings we couldn’t deny.

The announcer then invited all the idols back onto the stage for the show’s closing remarks. As we stood in a line with the others, surrounded by lights and cheers, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of Jimin’s presence beside me. The night wasn’t over yet, but I could already feel the shift in the air. Everyone had seen what we put into that dance—and while no one said it outright, it was clear they saw more than just choreography.

As soon as I stepped off the stage, the adrenaline that had been fueling me started to wear off, and my legs felt like jelly. I could hear the distant rumble of the crowd’s lingering applause, but it was quickly drowned out by the frantic voices of Haein and Misun, who immediately grabbed me by the arms and tugged me away from the chaos backstage.

“What’s going on?” I asked, breathless, still coming down from the high of our performance.

Haein and Misun exchanged a look that made my stomach drop before Haein spoke, her voice low but urgent. “The managers are pissed.”

“Pissed?” I repeated, blinking as I tried to keep up. “Why? The performance went perfectly.”

Misun sighed, squeezing my arm gently. “It’s not about how good it was, Y/N. It’s about why it was so good. You’re all over Twitter.”

I shook my head, still too caught up in the aftermath of the stage to even think about my phone. “Why? What’s happening?”

“There’s a hashtag trending.” Haein hesitated, as if weighing whether she should continue. “#YNAndJimin. People are going crazy about your chemistry, the emotions… everything. They think it was real. They felt it.”

My heart sank as her words began to sink in. “But we’re supposed to make people feel something. That’s the point of a performance, right?”

Misun gave me a sympathetic look. “Not like this. The managers think you and Jimin blurred the lines too much. They’re saying it wasn’t professional.”

“What?” I stepped back, my voice rising slightly in disbelief. “It’s not like we planned it. I just… I put everything I had into that song. Isn’t that what they wanted?”

“They wanted a good performance,” Haein clarified, her tone more cautious now. “Not a real one. They’re saying the emotions were too raw, and the audience picked up on it. They think you both crossed the line between professionalism and personal feelings.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the weight of her words silenced me. I could still feel the intensity of the performance, the way Jimin’s gaze had locked onto mine, the way my improvised lyrics had struck a chord that neither of us could deny.

“And they’ve put rules in place,” Misun added quietly. “No more improvising during duets. No more lingering touches or moments that look too personal. Basically, nothing that could give the audience the idea that it’s more than just a performance.”

I pressed a hand to my temple, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “But that’s not fair. I wasn’t trying to…” My voice trailed off as the truth settled over me. I had blurred the lines. Maybe not intentionally, but I had. And Jimin had followed me there.

“They’re especially upset with you,” Haein added, her voice soft but firm. “They’re saying you should’ve known better, that this could hurt G6ix’s image.”

My throat tightened, and I forced myself to take a steadying breath. “So what happens now? Are they going to pull me from the next comeback or something?”

“No,” Misun said quickly. “But they’re going to be watching. Closely. They don’t want anything like this to happen again.”

I nodded, my mind spinning as I tried to process everything. The performance had been one of the most vulnerable moments of my life, but now it felt like a mistake. Like I’d opened a door I couldn’t close.

The distant applause from the stage faded completely as the weight of the managers’ disappointment settled over me. I’d wanted to give the audience everything I had, but I hadn’t realized the cost of being so raw, so real.

“Let’s just get you out of here,” Haein said, tugging me gently. “You need to rest before this gets any messier.”

I let them lead me away, my legs still unsteady, but not from the performance this time.

[eleni-cherie]

among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm

- chapter 1.2

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other. and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

© 2023 | eleni_cherie

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masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, very flirty jimin, friends/rivals/exes to lovers (it's complicated, ok?!) f2l e2l ex2l all members play a role in this story!

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

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Rhodos, Greece

Taking a sip from her martini, Arabella let her hazel eyes glide over the crowded space, peeking over the edge of her glass at the lively party guests. She walked among them from one end to another until eventually reaching the bar in the centre and put her by now empty glass down, smiling to herself.

She remembered from their arrival at the castle that the stairs in the entrance hall were guarded by one security guard only. It'd be easy, so might as well enjoy herself a little bit longer there.

"Another vodka martini, please. Shaken, not stirred," she ordered at the bartender. While waiting for her new drink to get mixed, she leaned her back against the bar top, eying the couples swaying on the dance floor and rolled her eyes.

A party of european millionaires in an old medieval castle sounded more excited then it really was. It was like any other rich people party after all. The ones who had their millions inheritated, the old money therefore, was chatting about their latest vacations or newest luxury purchase.

Meanwhile, the new money millionaires were exchanging the latest gossip of their industries or taking cringy photos and videos of themselves. And somewhere in between they drank and danced and ate way too small portions of overly expensive food.

Her gaze went back to the guard in the distance, thinking of ways to distract or slide past him, when suddenly an unknown hand found its way on her hip. Her eyes widened.

With balled fists, she was ready to make whoever it was regret it when a familiar chuckle rang in her ears. His hot breath tickling her neck. "Suits you, love. Is it a wig?" He tucked at one of the pink curls, his fingers brushing against her shoulder making her breath hitch as she unintentionally leaned into his touch.

"None of your business," she laughed dryly and grabbed her martini, taking a larger gulp from it. Jimin observed her with a smirk.

"Feisty as always, I missed that."

He let go off her waist and leaned against the marble counter next to her. He wasn't even trying to hide how he shamelessy checked her out, surpressing a whistle.

Her body was wrapped in a long black dress, a deep slit on the side allowing her leg to peek through whenever she moved. 

Arabella huffed when noticing, crossing her arms in front of her strapless décolleté. "What are you even doing here? Trying killing me again?"

His brows rose, a puzzled expression on his soft features. "But Bella, love, you know I'd never do that."

He drew closer then, grabbing her chin gently between his index finger and thumb, forcing her to look at him. And for a moment she was about to melt under his warm gaze. Until he spoke up again, bringing her back to reality. "I'm here to get you back."

A frown spread on her pretty face when hearing his reasoning.

"Get me back?" She slapped his hand away and stepped back. "There's no need to get me back. I'm doing just fine."

"Don't be like that, Bella-baby," he whined, attempting to hold her hands when she folded them behind her back instead. Looking away with a scoff. And he sighed. "Please, look at me."

She remained silent, ignoring him.

"C'mon, I'm sorry for what happened and you've all right to be mad, but it's not safe for you to be on your own right now. You can ignore me as much as you want after it's over."

"Who says I'm on my own?" she countered then with a challenging eyebrow, finally sparing him a glance. And Jimin's own brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

She simply pointed behind him then and he followed her finger across the open bar to a guy in a white suit and slicked back hair, talking and laughing with a group of others at a table in the back. The bigwig was chunking down champagne like it was water and Jimin's trained eyes could spot the golden watch and rings all the way from where they were standing.

"See Stelios there? He's my new boyfriend. I'm accompanying him here on Rhodos."

Jimin couldn't help but roll his eyes annoyed. He knew by 'boyfriend' she only meant 'a rich guy who owned something she wanted', but it still bothered him beyond belief whenever she used that term for anyone but him.

"But your 'Stelios' can't protect you from them."

"Mh, pretty sure he got enough security. He has plenty of money, you know," she retorted with a bored expression.

Jimin shook his head and dragged out a dramatic sigh before stepping closer to her. An intriguing smirk toying on his lips. "But Bella-baby, you should know I'm the only man in this world who can protect you."

Arabella remained unimpressed though, staring him dead in the eye. She was quite frankly fed up with his attitude.

They hadn't seen each in over two weeks and last time they had, he'd pushed her away like she meant nothing to him. And now he got the audacity to randomly show up there during her heist, pretending being her prince in shining armour? A prince she definitely neither needed nor asked for?

"Honestly, Jimin, what even am I to you? Your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?" Her voice unintentionally rose out of frustration and he could tell by the glint in her eyes how serious she was. She meant the question.

He swallowed. Gently, he took her hands in his and she let him this time. Observing his every move with a stern expression as his face came close to hers. He led her hand to his lips then, planting a kiss on her delicate knuckles while still holding her gaze and Arabella pretended being unfazed by his charms.

He leaned in then, his lips ghosting over her flushed cheek.

"All of it, Bella. You're obviously all of it."

He abruptly pulled back then, meeting her stunned face with a grin. "And now come," he said excitedly and drank the rest of her martini in one go, before pulling her along with him into the crowd. "It'd be suspicious if we didn't dance at a party, don't you think?"

She hesitated first but eventually gave in and rested her hands on his shoulders as his own wandered down to her waist. Both swaying to the rhythm of the string melody among the rest of the bodies.

"When did you snap out of it?" she asked then, her eyes narrowing, "And if you tell me it was in that rainy alley then I swear to god-"

"It wasn't."

She hummed. "Not sure I'm buying that."

"Trust me," he exhaled deeply, leading her in a circle under the dancing lights, "My memories were still a muddled mess then and I struggled putting an order to them."

Arabella's gaze fell to the small gap between them, wondering if that meant he couldn't remember anything of what had been said and done in the alley either.

Swallowing her hurt ego, she looked over her shoulder to check if her 'boyfriend' had noticed her absence by now or even that she was dancing with someone else. It didn't seem like it though, as other people blocked his view. Not that he was paying attention anyway. He was still talking with his rich friends.

"So tell me," Jimin spoke up then, "Why are you really here? And don't start with that 'boyfriend' of yours again."

Arabella couldn't help but giggle at his jealousy. Even if he was trying downplaying it, it was evident in the lack of flirtiness in his tone and his clenched jaw. He wasn't hiding it and she couldn't deny the fact that she liked it, because it meant that perhaps he did care after all. 

She blinked, faking innocence. "What makes you think there'd be any other reason?"

But Jimin knew her too well to fall for that, he knew she was still upset and just messing with him. In a swift move, he pulled her closer to him, pressing her body against his while his hand travelled down her hips and to her thigh, lifting it against his.

The silk fabric flowed over her skin, exposing her leg through the slid. Along with her berretta held by a black lacy garter.

"Because normal party guests usually don't hide guns under their clothes," he smirked.

Her breath became heavy the longer they remained in this position, his dark eyes piercing hers. She lowered her arms from around his neck, her hands sliding over the suit covering his firm chest.

"Let go," she mouthed in a warning manner, not wanting anyone noticing her gun. And his hand slowly did as he was told, letting go of her leg and taking its previous position on her waist.

"Fine, I'll tell you," she groaned then and grabbed his wrist. "But first you gotta help me pass that stupid guard to get upstairs."

Dragging him through the crowd, she led him to the other end of the party where the corridor to the entrance area was. The guard stood right at the corner in the distance, looking sternly ahead.

"Distract him so I can climb up and scurry upstairs."

Jimin's brows rose, his eyes going from her to the guard and back to her. Eventually shrugging. "You need help for that?" he said with a smug chuckle, making her audibly huff.

"I'd have found a way on my own, I didn't even know you'd be here after all. But since you are.." She grabbed his tie, pulling his face to her level. A seductive smirk on her lips. "..you'll make it easier for me. Won't you?"

He nodded vigorously and leaned in, about to steal a kiss as the temptation was quite compelling, but she only pushed him away. "Maybe after the job's done."

A whine left his lips. "You're such a tease, Bella-baby."

"And you love it."

"I do, I really do," he smiled. Managing pecking her cheek at least, her startled face making him chuckle. She looked quite adorable when being dumbfounded. "Alright, let's do this." He briefly rubbed his hands together then before making his way to the guard.

Arabella watched him start a casual conversation with him, although the guard didn't seem to bulge in first. However, knowing no one could resist Jimin's charm it was a matter of time until he would give in. So she eased her way to the side of the curved staircase and waited for his sign. And as soon as she saw the guard's head turn to the side and Jimin giving her a quick wink, she grabbed the artful metallic bars and heaved herself up, climbing over the railing.

No one spotted her as she rushed them up, disappearing upstairs. 

With careful steps, she made her way through the long corridors which were decorated by flower bouquetes and large paintings on the walls, sensing the eyes of the portrait persons staring down at her. She shuddered, shaking off that feeling and reached the corner. She peeked around it, spotting another guard in front of a door.

That must be it, she thought.

According to the blueprint she had memorized, this room was supposed to be a storage which was obviously bullshit because why would a simple storage need guards? And besides, the room next to it was the security room. That was no coincidence.

She reached behind her neck, fiddling a little before her dress was taken down, getting replaced by the maid uniform she had prepared.

After also getting rid of her unnaturally-colored wig, she took a deep breath to get into character and walked out of her stash towards the guard.

He eyed her suspiciously but she remained confident and ignored his glare, passing past him and into the security room.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" the guard called out bewildered, leaving his post to follow her.

"What I'm doing?" she scoffed angrily, "I was sent here because of some annoying beeping outside. As if I got any clue how to use all these things!" She pointed at the screens and computers, pretending being clueless and overwhelmed, in need for help. "I mean, look at all this! And I'm just a simple maid! How am I supposed to know? But my supervisor sent me to take care of it."

She continued her frustrated rambling with a deep frown set on her face, soon observing the guard's face softening. She'd clearly succeeded, he'd fallen for her act and pitied her.

"Do you maybe have any clue how all this works? I could really need some help or she might get me fired! And I can't get fired, I really depend on this job! Oh god, what if -"

She was ready to shed some fake tears. too, when the guard cut her off by holding his hands up.

"Okay, okay, calm down! We'll figure this out," he said and headed to the computers. He began typing in the password on the keyboard and sliding his ID card through the scanner. "Where did you say this weird sound was located at?"

"Right here."

And with that she hit his neck with the back of her gun, and he succumbed immediately. His heavy body fell on the ground with a loud thud and she grabbed his ankles, dragging him to a corner where she tore off her uniform and tying him down, in case he woke up too early.

Thankfully he had already typed in his security key, so it wasn't any problem. Despite her acting dumb, she did know exactly how to navigate through the system. So after deactivating the alarm system inside the fake storage room next door, she left the room. Glancing around to make sure the the coast was clear first before locking the door behind her and making her way unnoticed to the next door, where she collided with Jimin who'd been already waiting for her.

"Took you long enough, darling," he smiled, holding her arms. Arabella only puffed out a breath and wiggled his way out of his embrace, heading straight to the persian carpet in the middle of the room. Shelifted it then, revealing a hidden safe right underneath.

"How did you get past the guard?" she mumbled as she knelt down, inspecting the lock. Two rotary locks protecting the precious contents.

"Oh, not at all," he said with a proud tone and took a seat on a puffy velvet armchair, "He allowed me to go upstairs. Convinced him that I really needed to pee and the only bathroom downstairs was packed."

She only hummed, not being surprised that simple excuse actually worked. It probably wouldn't have with anyone else, but this was Jimin. He could work his charms to sell ice to a penguin. 

Focusing back on the task in front of her, she pressed her ear on the safe. The metal cool against her cheek as she tried listening carefully while rotating the first knob. With the rest of the security system being deactivated, it was nothing but a normal safe now. Yet it still required a lot of tact to turn in the right speed not to miss the faint clicking sound. And that for both, not just one.

She closed her eyes and concentrated until finally hearing the awaited sound. The first one being done under a minute, now the other one was left.

"What is inside there anyway?" Jimin asked after awhile, feeling bored. He' d been silently observing her and trying ignoring the raising heat inside him, which wasn't easy with the sight of her on her knees and her perfect little bum high in the air. The maid skirt almost riding up enough for it to be revealed.

"A gorgeous ruby necklace," she smiled as the second knob clicked as well. And she sat back satisfied.

"That's all?"

"And maybe a few other pretty things."

Jimin sighed, propping his chin on the palm of his hand. "And that's why you're together with that sleazy nepo baby? Because he could bring you to this party?"

"Hm, maybe. But maybe he also treats me nicely."

Snorting, he straightened himself again. "Nicer than me?"

"Perhaps," she shrugged, knowing exactly how mad it'd drive him. "At least he didn't want me dead."

He groaned. "You ain't letting go of that, are you?"

Her gaze fell to the open safe and she hesitated first before looking over her shoulder, offering him a sad smile. "It hurt my feelings, you know."

His lips parted, not having expected this. After all, it was rare for Arabella to reveal any kind of vulnerability and this kind of honesty unless they were in a life-threatening situation with the risk of them not making it out alive. But since this didn't apply now, it had taken him off-guard.

Only now he finally began to understand how deeply the whole incident had affected her. The true motive she'd run away with some south-european millionaire. It wasn't for a simple ruby necklace which she must own plenty already, no. Before, he only thought she was offended her, but now he realised it was all to distract herself from the broken heart his rejection back then caused. He finally got it.

Pressing his jaw together, he swallowed and got up, walking up to where she was standing. The ruby necklace was adorning her neck by now with a fitting bracelet around her wrist.

"I think I still owe you a kiss."

She frowned, but before she could question his random statement, he had aleady captured her lips with his. Holding her jaw between his palms while kissing her tenderly there, in the middle of a luxuriously decorated room with objects worth thousands. But the only treasure he truly ever cared for was the woman in his hands who captured his soul like no other.

Slowly, their lips parted and he pulled back with a gentle smile. Sensing Arabella's shaky breath against his chin. Her dark eyelashes were lined against her skin when they fluttered open. Looking into his through a haze.

"So you remember," she whispered and held his wrists.

He nodded. "I do."

Arabella cleared her throat, quickly finding her composed demeanour again and let go of him. "Okay, good.. Good."

Jimin bit back a laugh when seeing her acting all nonchalant when the crimson of her cheeks was giving her away. However, he chose not to tease her about it considering she'd already gone through enough these days because of him.

Instead, he watched her going to the window, pushing it open. She took a look outside then, deaming it not too high to jump on the tree in front of it and then climb down. If it wasn't for the guard roaming around the garden with a dog. One of the first information she'd gathered when spying out the place.

There didn't seem anyone around now, however, as the garden area was quite broad, so she decided to take advantage of the security sensors around the mansion being deactivated.

"You coming?" She looked over her shoulder, seeing him shake his head.

"I'll better head back before the guard gets suspicious. Don't wanna ruin your escape," he smiled then, "I'll meet you at the entrance gate."

She nodded and climbed out, onto the nearest branch. From there she got on a lower one and eventually on the ground, paying attention not to scratch herself anywhere in case she bumped into someone and they'd get alarmed.

In the darkness of the shrubbery, she changed back to her party dress when seeing a flashlight appear further away. She cursed internally and pressed herself against the castle's wall. Slowly, she moved to the front of the building until reaching a corner.

There was also a guard at the entrance, but much to her luck he was guiding a drunk party guest and his young company to their car in that moment, offering her the opportunity to come out and pretend like coming straight from inside. She made her way over the courtyard with confident steps, passing by the luxury sports cars and limousines. Casually walking towards the gate when a deep voice from behind her suddenly caused her to come to an abrupt halt. "Stop, you little thief."

Without any hesitation, she rammed her elbow backwards and into the person, only for them to retract just in time for her to miss. Hearing a high-pitched yelp, followed by a laugh she turned around puzzled, seeing Jimin grinning at her mischieviously while holding his side. "Careful, love, you almost hit my wound."

"I'll try not to miss next time," she deadpanned and tried slapping his chest for using his voice-mimicking skills, but he successfully dodged each one of her attempts. And he bursted out laughing as she chased him out of the gates.

"Can you for once stop messing with me!"

"Sorry, sorry, but I couldn't resist. You're too adorable when getting all startled," he said, holding his hands up in defence while catching his breath.

"I hate you!" she whined. Her frustrated tone was loud, causing Jimin to press a finger on her lips to shush her in case they were heard and she huffed against it, crossing her arms.

They began walking downhill then, the night warm and windless. The clittering of crickets drowning out the loud noises of the party as she followed him into a side path into the grove where he stopped in front of his car, which hehad hid there.

Unlocking it, he opened the passenger door for her to enter and she climbed in with an annoyed glance, slamming the door shut. He sighed and got behind the steering wheel. Driving off before any security noticed her little theft. 

The lowered windows allowed the night breeze to tousle their hair as the car rushed down the road through the dense forest. The nearest town lights glistening in the dark between tree trunks.

Jimin's eyes briefly glanced at Arabella who was absentmindedly staring out into the woods. The rubies on her skin shining brightly whenever the light of a street lamp got reflected on them, their deep colour contrasting her smooth skin.

"Bella?" 

She hummed in acknowledgment, eyes resting on the scenary outside. She could spot the moon's reflection on the sea's surface.

"You know I'd never hurt you, right? I.. I wasn't myself back then."

She exhaled deeply, finally averting her gaze from serene view to look at him as well. "I know, it wasn't your fault." She paused, her eyes wandering back outside. "It's.. whatever, really. No big deal."

Despite her understanding it, it still hurt a little when thinking about his cold, emotionless stare from two weeks ago. She'd never seen him looking at her with such an empty expression before. Even in all the times she'd outwitted or double-crossed him in the past, he'd never looked at her like that. Mad, amused, annoyed - yes, but never so.. indifferent.

The car stopped at the side of the road, interrupting her train of thoughts. And she scowled at Jimin. "Why did we stop h-" However, her sentence got stuck in her throat when seeing his eyes gleaming with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Arabella. I truly am."

She blinked at his unexpected apology. He'd apologized ealier and she knew he'd meant it then as well. But this time she could clearly feel the genuine remorse, pulling at her heart. And she placed her hand over his on the gearshift, an affectionate smile on her lips.

"It's okay, love."

Arabella wasn't usually the type to use petnames, so he knew her using the same one as he always used for, was her way of affirmation. And they stayed like this for a moment more, holding each other's gaze while smiling until sirens echoed in the distance and disrupted the crickets' melody. His lips breaking into a smirk then. "Guess your little theft didn't go unnoticed after all."

She giggled, taking her beretta from underneath her dress as he pulled out his own gun from underneath his blazer.

"Ready?"

"Always."

»»»

next chapter: 1.3 here

Don't forget to like, reblog & leave feedback!♡ It motivates me to keep writing :)

[ask-serendipity-sky]

I blame Jungkook for all the hate that Jimin gets. He keeps spreading the narrative that JM is his harasser and that JM is molesting him. After 10 years of friendship Jungkook still act like he is disgusted by Jimin, in front of all Army. Then after all the hate, he tries to fix what he did watching JM video on youtube, pretending to care but it's too late because everyone think he is a poor man molested by JM. I pray that Jungkook has what he deserves. Karma will hit him hard for all the bad things he did to JM.

Hi anon,

Nope.

The only ones spreading the narrative that Jungkook hates Jimin are tkkrs and pjms. And the ones spreading the narrative that Jimin harrases Jungkook are tkkrs.

The 10 year relationship that Jimin and Jungkook have does have ups and downs. And you know why? Because their friendship and romantic feelings are completely real.

(notice how Jk is smiling the whole time. he never hated Jimin.)

I know people hate when I talk about Jikook couple troubles and even make little posts shading me for intruding in that area (aren't we intruding already by stating they are in a relationship?) and I'm not trying to be controversial, but maybe if we all talked about the Jikook couple troubles we see, we would understand why at certain points Jungkook and Jimin have BOTH acted passive aggressive, distant, and cold with each other.

Jikookers always come out to defend Jungkook and say:

"Jk has never ignored Jimin."

"Jk has never been distant with Jimin."

Sigh. Yes, he has....but Jimin has done it too during the same time. Most likely because they were fighting or in a rough patch or in a....break up!!!

If you, (anyone reading who is a Jikook hater) spot a moment where it looks like Jk is ignoring or being mean to Jimin, look a little further and you will find Jimin doing the same thing.

Hopefully that helps you reevaluate your view on Jungkook, Jimin, and Jikook and helps you realize that a real couple acts exactly like that. A real couple has real problems. This is why you don't see anyone else in BTS acting this way. Just Jikook.

Jungkook hosting Jimin fest on his welives is not him trying to fix what he did because he didn't do anything specific. The only thing he has done is be in a real relationship with Jimin.

If you choose to hate Jungkook because you've made up this whole story in your head, well I don't know what to tell you. Start by looking at Jikook since the very beginning and push through and you will find the reality is so much different and better than your preconceived notions.

If you love Jimin, you should really do this. Because as far as we can see Jk is still an important part of his life and ignoring Jk and hating Jk just doesn't make sense when loving Jimin.

Thank you for stopping by.

[mrs-monaghan]

i dont have much to say about the shit they are doing to jimin rn. but if one day some announcement of his departure from company comes i hope ot7s and some woke jkkrs, who are still acting blind, wont act surprised. Remember one thing BTS won't come back as 7.

Here's my thing, right? I have seen sooooooooooooooooooo much shit today that I cannot believe it. Idk where PJMs got half the shit that's spreading on twitter but I was this close to crying 🤏🏽

But here's my thing. Jimin is a member of BTS. THE biggest boyband in the world rn. He is humble, yes. Probably the most humble Tannie but he sees and he knows just how powerful and on demand he is.

So you're telling me, this guy, would continue working with Hybe/Bighit if they were really treating him like garbage???

He has been so vocal about coming back as 7. All he wants is for them to win more awards as 7. He can't stop talking about how much he loves being a member of BTS. Clearly there is alot we dk, right? There has to be.

Coz I'm trying to do the math. If Jimin is really being treated badly why does he stay?

What are we missing guys?

I feel like the story of Jimin and the company is a large ass pizza with 10 slices and all we have is a single slice.

You get me?

[sizzlingpatrolfox]

why are jjks so annoying 😭 have you seen his shady fanbases constantly misrepresenting records in order to gloat? like jk is working on his album and he has a JB collab coming this year which will get more promo than any of the other members' solos so far have gotten combined. all they have to do is wait but instead they're projecting their anger onto jimin. it also seems like they're not nearly as bad with tae because they don't see him as a threat as much. i wonder how much that will change if tae's album does well

Girllll they're literally bored out of their minds. The obsession is real.

When Jimin was inactive, pjms left social media.

When Jungkook is inactive, what do jjks do? Stan Jimin. They keep up with Jimin's schedules, and pjms, and his records and streams. They're chronically online anyways and since they can't talk about JK, they talk about Jimin because what else are they going to do? Grab a book? Not an option for them.

It wouldn't be so annoying if it wasn't for the lying and the hypocrisy. ALL THEY DO IS LIE and pretend some things never happened. I'd understand the frustration or anger if it was justified, if Jimin really deserved what they say about him. But he does not.

BangPD could post a photo having a candlelit dinner with JK in formal clothing and they would still be sexually harrassing Jimin over things Jungkook does you can't make this up.

May 29th: left and right only kpop soloist song to something something

May 30th: left and right is a COLLAB

May 31st: left and right only kpop soloist song to something something

They also keep talking about "organic" and "gp" as if the playlists they've been leaving under armys tweets were invisible... like girl. We can see them. And suspiciously for a song that, according to them, is attracting "new fans" and is being "carried" by locals, Jungkook's monthly listeners are going down. Because it's literally army streaming left and right. Half of the streams come from Thailand, Vietnam and such. Countries that we've seen pull huge numbers for every BTS song.

The way they lie about everything and conveniently change the story and change "records" only so they can brag about achievements that frankly aren't even Jungkook's entirely.

They don't care about Taehyung because no, they don't see him as a threat but also because most jjks are taekookers.

They keep imposing on Jimin narratives that are actually Jungkook's truth, like being favored by the company for no particular reason only so they can make sexual insults towards Jimin and undermine his success but in their private groups and circles they actually BRAG about Jungkook being close with scooter and BangPd. It was literally jjks who started calling him "nepokook". And they meant it and love it. On public they'll act like he's an indie struggling artist only so they can make awful comments and lie about Jimin.

They are the most disgusting, disturbing people ever. I'm so serious.

[back2bluesidex]

Oh So Reluctant - PJM (18+)

Pairing: Husband!Jimin X Wife!Reader

Theme: Angst, Arrange marriage au.

Summary: For the past eleven months that you have been married to Park Jimin, he has not looked at you the way he has been doing today. And there is sinister in his eyes.

Word count: 1819

Warnings: Angst, unhappy married life, Jimin is cold, reader is lonely, mentions of alcohol consumption, sexual tension but no smut for this part (yes there is a second part, it's a twoshot), brief Taehyung X Reader.

Minors are NOT welcomed in this blog!!

A/N: This story was requested by lovely @chimmy-licious.

As mentioned before, this is a twoshot, so there will be a second part, I just don't know when haha!

Part 2

****************

You check yourself out in the elevator mirror. 

You look perfect tonight. Just as you always wanted to look for an event so important to you. Saving a month-worth of your paycheque, you customized this cherry red dress for yourself. The wrap pattern of the dress gives an alluring view of your collarbone and cleavage while the dangerous slit ends in the middle of your right thigh. You decided to let your hair loose and matched your lip shade with your dress.

You look sexy, you look hot, you look beautiful and you look lonely. 

You know what’s waiting for you ahead. The worst part is not people bombarding you with questions about your husband’s absence, it is how pathetic you are gonna look while you accept the best employee award and there will be no one of your own to clap for you. The worst part is also how you are going to hopelessly stare at your colleagues as they dance with their partners tonight. 

You braced yourself up for all of it in advance but somehow tonight you feel less confident than you thought you would. Not having someone to share your special night with, is certainly painful but having someone and not mattering enough to them, hits on a different level. You are a victim of the latter situation. 

Your husband, Park Jimin, is always busy. Well, you can’t really expect anything else from the CEO of one of the leading entertainment companies of South Korea, making him the youngest person ever to gain that position. The responsibilities he has makes him even busier and you understand it all. You understand, that is why he is so reluctant towards your presence in his life. Even though you are his wife, it is still an arranged marriage, held against Jimin’s consent. 

When you met him once before your marriage he clearly told you not to expect anything from him as he is marrying you only for his mother’s wish. There was no malice in his voice, it was just cold. And he has been cold to you ever since. Not that he has any business being any warm to you. 

He didn’t marry you for any business-related convenience. He married you because his mother thought her golden son will end up marrying some girl from the industry and she read news on famous people getting divorced almost every other day. She met your mother at the church, they became friends and worked their ways on being relatives. 

You, a perfectly contained human being with a stressful but nice job, had to cave in to your mother’s wishes because she was worried that her overly-independent daughter may just end up alone, which certainly wasn’t your plan. 

You always wanted to settle down in your career first and then look for a partner, make a home and then kids etc etc. so, when your mother approached you about Jimin, you saw no reason to revolt. But you were disappointed when Jimin told you he wasn’t ready for this marriage and it’s only his mother's wish not his. 

You tried to talk to your mother about it but it all went in vain. 

Both of the ladies were too adamant to get you two married, they threatened to go for a hunger strike otherwise. 

And now you are here. After exactly eleven months and two days of your marriage, you are unhappy and you feel alone more than ever. Jimin never pays you much attention. For the first couple of months you tried to be friends. You cooked dinner, planned dates, gave him gifts but never received anything more than a “thanks” with a tightlipped smile in return. Rather he appeared to be quite uncomfortable about it all, so you stopped trying and stayed away. 

A week ago, you handed him the invitation card of your company’s annual day celebration. You told him it would be nice if he attends, since you are going to be awarded as the employee of the year. He only nodded and said, “I have a press conference that day. I don’t think I can make it. But…” a pause, “congratulations anyway.” 

Your heart broke, tears threatened to spill but you gave him a smile.

For the first time in your married life, you realized that you like your husband and not having him beside you on your special day not only made you feel lonely but also destroyed you. But then again, you can’t make someone love you if they don’t. 

The elevator dinged, signaling you have reached your floor and you prepare yourself for faking excuses and smiles. 

***************

You take a sip of your red wine as you stare at the trophy, which has made itself quite comfortable on the bar-top. 

You should have been on cloud-nine by now, you should have been drowning yourself in drinks, getting wasted and being happy but you are doing none of it. You are definitely happy but not as much as you should be, not as much as you thought you would be. 

You take another sip and that is when someone places a hand on your shoulder,

“Congratulations, milady” says a voice right beside your right ear. It’s Taehyung.  

“Hey. Thanks.” you whisper, without even caring if your voice is audible to him or not. 

“Oh? What is it? Why do you look so down when you should be twerking in the middle of the dance floor?” Tae pouts. His remark makes you laugh. 

“I am happy, Tae. Just a little tired.” you reply wearily. 

“I don’t think so, draling. What is it? Is it your husband?” Tae asks, scooting closer. 

You don’t say anything, choosing to stay silent. 

“That’s why you should have accepted me when I asked you out for like five times in two years.” Taehyung warps a hand around your shoulder in an attempt to comfort you. You let yourself relax in his touch. 

Taehyung is incredibly handsome, he is nice, funny, charming and rich. And he is very much interested in you. However, you never saw him as anything more than a friend and colleague. So, you kept on declining his advances. Moreover, you aren’t brave enough to date the CEO’s son and then let people talk behind your back saying that you slept your way up. But today you let your mind wander, today you give it a thought. Maybe if you chose him instead of giving into your mother’s wish, you would have been happy? Maybe you would fall in love with Taehyung eventually? Maybe Jimin would be with someone he actually liked, instead of getting stuck in this relationship with you? Maybe? Just maybe? 

Your mouth runs before you could think it through, “will you accept me now? If I were to divorce my husband and come to you?” 

You catch Taehyung off guard with your question but he quickly gains his sanity back and smiles, “I will.” 

“Will you mind staying a bit away from my wife?” the voice comes from beside you. You know the voice, you know the owner. It’s your husband, it’s Jimin. 

You twist your head at the speed of light and see him standing right beside your barstool. There he stands like the Greek God he is. His perfectly sculpted body is draped in a purple suit accompanied by a purple silk dress-shirt that has its first few buttons opened. His dark hair falls on his eyes, making him look much more appealing than he already is.

You catch him glaring at Tae’s arm, which is encircled around your shoulder. Is he jealous? But why? 

You suppose Tae noticed that too, as he unwraps his hand from your form. 

Jimin now looks directly into your eyes. There is a darkness in his eyes that you never perceived before. Something that makes chill run through your spine. You try to comprehend the situation. You try to think if you are hallucinating or not because there is no way Jimin would actually be here. 

“Sure man. She’s all yours.” says Tae as he gets up from his bar stool and proceeds to leave you two alone. No, you are not hallucinating. Both you and Tae can’t hallucinate at the same time. 

You part your lips to say something but you are immediately interrupted by your co-worker. 

“Y/N! Why won’t you receive your calls? Mr. Park was looking for you like a lost puppy.” says Hyun Mi. 

“Oh? I was… ah distracted.” You reply somehow, avoiding the ice-cold glare that your husband is giving you now. Thanks to your misery, you completely forgot you carried a purse and that had your phone inside it. 

“Very sad. Mr. Park you could have watched your wife receiving her trophy if you came thirty minutes earlier. Anyway, enjoy.” she says again before getting lost into the crowd. 

Jimin walks towards the seat Taehyung was sitting previously and sits down. 

“Congratulations” he says, you nod. You don’t look at him even when he sits closer than he ever had. 

“I thought you had a press conference to attend today?” You ask quietly. 

“It ended early so I came.” Jimin says while waving to the bartender and placing his order. 

“You didn’t have to.” 

“Why? Are you annoyed that your plan of divorcing me got interrupted?” Jimin chuckles. It’s probably the third time in eleven months that you are hearing him chuckling. But this time it’s because of you, and it’s dark, filled with malice. 

You don’t say anything. 

“Who was that guy? Your ex?” he asks again. 

“No. He can be my future though.” You reply calmly, as if you are suggesting something as casual as dinner menu. 

“What makes you think I will let you go so easily?” Jimin places his next question. 

“Your reluctance towards my existence?”

“I am not reluctant towrdas you, Y/N. I am rather very much aware.” Jimin raises his voice a bit.  

“Aware of how much you don’t want me in your life?” 

“No! Quite the opposite actually.” 

That makes you take a look at him, finding him already staring at you. You cock your eyebrow as if to ask for an explanation.   

If you expected him to say something then you are wrong because he changes the topic right away. 

“You look very… beautiful tonight.” Jimin rakes his eyes through your body, which seem to come to a halt when they reach to your chest and then drop down to your exposed thigh. You cross your legs and expose more of your skin as you catch him staring shamelessly. 

He smirks. One of his hands reaches to grab the supple flesh of your thigh harshly. You almost spit your drink out. 

“Don’t tease me, Y/N. I have been having a tough time controlling myself for these eleven months already.” Jimin’s voice drops down a few octaves as his thumb draws invisible circles on your thigh. 

Your eyes widen but you try to play innocent, “What do you mean?” 

Jimin’s fingers glide higher on your smooth skin and it reaches where you have only imagined his fingers before. 

His digits hover above your mound as he mouths, “Let me show you what I mean.” 

*****************

Taglist:

@phenomenalgirl9 @variety-is-the-joy-of-life @soraviie

[solarwynd]

Jimin now favors more simple elegant minimalistic styling and he's mentioned that last year but it can be seen especially for events and his casual fits so I think if he was to go to the MET what he would pick would be in line with this styling preference. Out of the couple best looking men fits this year at the MET I think the Thom Browne outfit Ben Simmons wore is probably the most in line with jimin's current style while also being a high fashion moment. Lewis Hamilton Burberry fit would also fit jimin's style well. I found it interesting that the American and British brands delivered the most for men looks this year and last year as well. Last year Shai Gilgeous Alexander's Thom Browne fit was also impeccable. I think the best is when the artist finds a stylist that really understands their style and helps them showcase that with their outfits. That's probably what jimin's stylist needs to do just lean into jimin's own style and just find ways to express that best. Overall though Kpop stylists don't know to style because they just take the fits straight off the runway or the shops without any modifications or they just stick to the same things like it's either oversized coats or some type of leather outfit with cutout or cropped tops for the men it's not giving much at this point.

Here are the looks I mentioned that I think fit jimin's style:

https://www.gq.com/story/ben-simmons-clock-briefcase-met-gala-2024

https://www.whowhatwear.com/fashion/celebrity-style/lewis-hamilton-met-gala-2024

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/shai-gilgeous-alexander-attends-the-2023-met-gala-news-photo/1486950608

That Lewis Hamilton look is really nice especially the thorn neck piece. I think the other two are a nice change from just a plain suit but tweed as a material I just don’t like visually.

Simple elegance is how I’d described jimin’s overall fashion sense but nowadays I do feel like it’s gotten a lot more lax and casual. He goes for comfortable more than anything else. But for the met gala I do feel like it’d be the exception if it was in his hands. He’d definitely do his best to follow the theme while also keeping that same sensibility. He’s not gonna be out here with his crack out or showing as much skin as he could like some pjms/armys wanted him too last year. Cause to some of them they just have it in their head that him having sex appeal means he has to have something showing. For me personally, the vibe he brought with the filter outfits would be great. Neither of those looks were over stated at all, but they both had those details that made it all come together and made everything pop. Like the purple one with that single long pearl earring the loud eye shadow and his wet hair. Still in love with it to this day. So while the looks you mentioned are nice I could still see him pushing the envelope just a bit more.

That’s what I mean by he’s versatile. Look wise you could go in so many directions with him. But you made excellent points though on stylists needing to know who they’re dressing. I think people in general understand that jimin is on the androgynous side and has a very sophisticated air about him. Dior tried to mix and match the fits they put him in last year but their men’s line has never really been the best to me.

[misslauwie]

Support Jimin til The End

I dont want to be labeled as Solo Stan but the recent sabotages and twitter feeds have been making me feel sad for Jimin. I feel that Face album face a great injustice with Hanteo, YT views, Spotify splitting the English and Korean version, & the sheer short period that it was allowed to air. Not to mention BB Hot 100 chart.

I am a baby army myself hence I was quite perplexed on how Hybe / BH could bungle Jimin solo debut badly. And thats an understatement from my part. Face to me is a masterpiece. From the concept, music, vocals, emotions transmitted by the lyrics, and the flow of the album itself. Its like Jimin is a story teller but his story is so relatable that it resonates to the General Public not just army. Hence the short period it was allowed to languish is just a TRAGEDY.

Some may say that lets be an adult here. Good music will last and eventually reach GP (general public). But we are currently living in a fast moving environment where news changes in the speed of light. Just take FED stance on US interest rates. They can change within weeks. My point being here is that if there is a way to put on more promotions to hype Face so it can reach GP then why not. Some may also argue that army is too fixated with charts and ranking. I would argue that for an artist song to trend and be pushed towards GP feeds / fyp, they need to trend. For that song to trend, statistics matter. Number of views matter. Number of plays matter. And I think the most basic description of a fan is basically spreading good music of their artist towards non fans.

So when wk 2 happened and Jimin was on an isolated basis booted off top 10 of BB hot 100.. I put on my investigative hat to determine whether Jimin was really sabotaged either by the industry or by his own Company.

I think we wont beat the dead horse with regards to being discriminated upon on BB charts because it didnt happen only to Jimin. But also BTS. So I started facts checking about the discrimination within Hybe / BH that was insinuated by many. And when Suga album dropped I can see discrepancy with regards to Hanteo chart as well as YT views. Hanteo didnt freeze for x hours and erase c. 700k of Jimin's album. YT also didnt delete as many views. So I admit I was a bit ticked and thought wow this narrative of him being sabotaged by his own Company must be true.

But then ... on my Twitter feed I came across PJM account twitting their playlists being reported because they solely have Jimin's songs in it and not Suga too. Please refer to pic below.

Now the dots starting to connect for me. I was having trouble believing that Jimin was singlehandedly discriminated against at Hybe. Just because the set and cinematography they put out for Set Me Free Part 2 is BTS level and not B-side level. It must have cost a pretty penny for them to even involve so many dancers for SMF pt 2 not to mention the built up set.

Hence I came to the conclusion that its not so much a sabotage from Hybe / BH but a matter of prioritization. Hybe / BH is in a catch 22 situation where if they push or champion Jimin too much then they risk angering another part of BTS fandom; the toxic part of the fandom that is.

Eventhough Im a Jimin bias, I love many of BTS discography. Jimin recruited me during ON era and I came to love JK and Jhope. But the fandom need to understand that being human means that you will have your own preference / favorites. Liking 1 member more than the others does not equal to a collosal sin. OT7 or Nothing. I can be Jimin bias and still love on the street and put it on repeat because that genre is easy listening to my ear. Do I love all of Jimin's solo? Honestly serendipity never resonates within me but I put Promise, Filter and With You on repeated playlist.

I think some of the members have realized that Army is becoming so big that there are some solos that are toxic. This is why most of the members always hype the OT7 principles. But the message may be lost in translation. The members themselves said that if you are an army you would love all members. On the flipside of it is Jimin saying him cutting off friends who talked badly about any members of BTS. But in essence what they are trying to promote I think is "dont hate any of the members".

By now Im sure these nearing 30s boys are well verse in human relationship and its complicated dynamics. They themselves have members whom they are closer to as compared to the others. And this might change as they grow. Because people grow and change. Suga and Jimin himself said that human relationship is complicated but needed in life. Suga also stated that he is comfortable being in the back during performances because he believes in the 3Js delivering stunning performances. Remember what he said is that BTS works because they respect each other for the skills that each member has.

Healthy competition is good to keep them on their toes; striving to be the best, to be the trendsetter. But I believe they are also very much aware of their own specialities (edge) and shortcomings. Suga / RM are composers / producers. They have many credits on songwritings. They are set in life and I believe they know it too; especially Suga.

Would argue that even though I love Jimin but he coddled the army too much in the sense that he thinks army is teenage girls / boys. Well I wouldnt completely blame him with the way they are behaving currently. But I think the OT7 message that they are trying to deliver got lost in translation and they need to come up with a new way of delivering the true OT7 meaning; no hates just love. Fortunately with Chapter 2, seems like we are moving in the right direction where we see Suga breaking down the smoking stereotype, Jimin dancing to a more risque coreagraphy and RM calling out fans during his lives.

Army comes from different geographies and backgrounds. While some seems more well to do than others given that BTS concerts which is very costly always sold out, some stream members' song using prepaid data. Meaning its not even wifi or broadband internet. They are using quotas to stream songs. Hence its not fair to ask everyone to support all members' projects equally.

I wish Army will reflect and gather to spread positivity / love rather than hatred.

We certainly need a better game plan for PJM2. But in the meantime I will continue to stream Face.

With Jimin til the End.

[cakejerry]

Asks pt2 in the same night omggg cakejerry joblessss

Too much negativity! Make your own blog. Also... Projecting much? 💀💀💀 Where did you get him hating solos from 💀💀💀💀 when will yall realize ot7 sells the best. Maybe focus on hating the fact that DESPITE ot7 selling best, antis still acted stupid and boycotted just bc it was jimin singing. So.

Skill issue.

Strong contender for stupidest ask I've ever gotten. Anon I'm sorry, I'm sure you're new here and all but the fact that I criticize jimin will never mean I'll unstan. (Not applicable to actual real-life stuff that matters like racism sex assault etc). And not only because I hate jk with my entire being and find him insufferable and find stanning him to be an exercise in futility. Y'all need to learn that stanning someone will never mean finding them faultless and shielding them from every bit of critique.

He babygirled all over the place I'm sure that wnon who wants to suck his lips is very happy. I need to finger his ass.

Glad you like it!! Another successful case of pjm self-gaslight syndrome!! Another satisfied customer!! Me personally I think his voice sounds rotten, like he's reading a horror story to a gaggle of children and doing funny impressions for the villain witch. Something very sour about it. Sheep-like. But I wish I was capable of hearing it your way!

What genuineness towards jimin? Elaborate. Also, logical fallacy, too broad of a question. I think the truthers that pay for sasaeng info are insane, I think the people writing fics about jk raping jm should be jailed, I think the people writing fics about them that I PERSONALLY like are admirable. I think the people who are on the fence are ok. I think the ones that tweet 'ok I think jikook might actually be sus' whenever jikook do something in order to get clout but never commit fully to shipping them are vapid.

And some of them, I'm sure, are good people.

Situationship

Yeah! And if you want a longer answer than that, dm me so we can become friends.

Silly typa guy 😭😭😭 just say he's stupid bb its ok. He is no match for jimin idk how they said they have the same IQ one of them lyin!!

And shipping minjoon would actually be so noble if only namjoon wasnt ugly. Oh well, 'ugly bastard' is a big fetish category in japan, ive heard.

But in all seriousness, I do love the plethora of occasions on which they both (minjoon) mentioned that they have late night deep talks about the nature of their jobs, life, the fact that they go to art galleries together, the way that namjoon really acts like a leader towards jm and jm treats him as such... And namjoon finds jimin soooo cute he doesn't even try to hide it its so fun WAIT I LOVE MINJOON ACTUALLY!!! also daddy kink!!! But yeah omg wait i soliloquied abt them once and I don't remember what I said lemme find it real quick and reblog

LMFAOOOOOOO YOU CAME WITH RECEIPTS. respect... Respect. Lmfao thank you for reminding me of that that was sooo true he's so cringe my little jungkookie.

[eleni-cherie]

among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm

- chapter 1.5

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other. and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

© 2023 | eleni_cherie

»»»

masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, very flirty jimin, friends/rivals/exes to lovers (it's complicated, ok?!) f2l e2l ex2l all members play a role in this story!

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

»»»

5.6 miles over the atlantic ocean

"Are you sure it was a good idea to test this new substance on that thief?"

Kir glanced at her assistant for a brief second before her eyes narrowed outside to the blanket of clouds, folding her hands in front of her. She remained silent, pondering over his question when eventually her lips parted again. "It was risky, of course," she said then, "But be possesses the ability to steal anything in the world. With him on our side, what do we have to fear?" "As far as we know, he hasn't eliminated Valentine yet though." She hummed. "Do we know his location at this moment at least?" "Unfortunately, no. He was last seen on Rhodes with Valentine. After that we lost scent." Her glance returned to the white cotton-candy like structures outside the small window.

She'd expected him to lay law sooner or later if gaining conscious again considering his profession, he obviously knew how to keep a low profile. And since the substance was still in an experimental phase, its effect was bound to cease. However, she'd been prepared for that to happen and still had a plan b. "It's alright." The hint of a smirk tucking on her lips. "We can reactivate our suggestive treatment either way. No matter where in the world he's hiding at."

»»»

It was a hot afternoon in Monaco. The mid-summer sun still high in the blue sky and bathing everything in warmth.

Arabella was faning herself with a fan she'd got herself from a street vandor. Frantically moving her wrist in hopes to get some kind of cooling effect when all it did was fanning warm air against her face. Not even her dramatically - others would say ridiculously - big white sunhat which she'd only brought because it matched her swimsuit and reminded her of old Hollywood divas, was enough to shield her from the scorching sun.

The hazel irises skimmed over the neatly planted palms along the pool at their hotel, hoping to see any waiter.

"I love summer but this is getting unbearable," she whined and set the fan down to take a sip from her cold mojito. The ice cubes swimming in the drink having almost melted. She pushed her eyeglasses up then, arching a brow at Jimin who was sitting beside her on the table by the pool. Browsing through a magazine while resting his feet on another chair. "When are we flying out by the way?" "Soon, love," he said absent-mindedly, too occupied observing a young woman coming out of the pool. His eyes growing wider under his sunglasses when seeing her white bikini, causing Arabella to huff loudly and snagging the magazine out of his grasp.

He jumped in his seat startled, looking at her with an innocent smile. He lowered his sunglasses even more then, wiggling his brows at her. "Don't worry, I only got eyes for you." She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Her freshly dyed light brown hair, matching his, swaying over her shoulder. "Just tell me when we'll leave. We know where the treasure is after all, so why wasting any more time?" "Well, first of all it's just an assumption," he corrected her, "And as I said, soon. The next two to three days. Remember we gotta move carefully."

She hmpf-ed, however, before she could counter anything more Yoongi appeared in front of them and dropped down on a free chair with an exhausting expression all over his face. If anyone was rankled by the clima it was him. "I hate it here, it's way too warm." "Don't be such a moody grandpa," Jimin joked, taking his feet from the seat. "It could be worse. At least everything's pretty and fancy. " "And expensive. And warm. Look -" He pointed at his raised forehead. "Sweat." "Maybe you wouldn't sweat so much if you'd wear a t-shirt instead of that longarmed sweater," Arabella mumbled sarcastically while stirring her drink. Yoongi only turned to Jimin, purposely dismissing her comment. "When are we leaving?"

The younger guy groaned, getting frustrared with them. They were literally at one of the most beautiful towns of the world with the crystal clear blue water of the mediterranean sea smiling at them from across the hotel fence and they were still complaining and moping around.

"God, you two are so impatient. Soon, okay? And it's not like Columbia is any less warm than Monaco."  "Yo, check this out!" Taehyung interrupted their quarrel when coming out of nowhere, holding a mini portable tv. "Isn't this cute? I got it for only fifty euros." Arabella perked up, reaching out to try push some bottoms like a curious child, making Taehyung instantly pull it away. "You'll break it!" he whined. "I won't!" "You will!" The two exchanged an intense glare, their childishness gaining attention from other guests, before Arabella eventually crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat with a sulky expression.

"It was a dumb buy anyway. Nowadays you don't need portable tv's after all. You got everything on your smartphone." "The old school way is often more charming though," he smirked and switched it on. "And besides, we can't use our phones right now. Remember?" Right. Last thing they wanted right now was getting tracked down in a tiny city-state like this.

The image was grainy so he began fumbling with the antenn, trying adjusting it until the image and audio were fine again. One of the local french tv channels appeared on the screen when Taehyung finally managed getting a signal. Commercials currently playing.

"Hm, maybe I'll find a music channel," he mumbled and zapped through the program. Another commercial break appearing. "Oh, I know this one," Yoongi chuckled then when a familiar melody of a candy ad started playing along with a group of children singing 'jimmy jimmy coco puff'. "It's getting played everywhere I go." "Oh, I've heard it this morning in the radio," Arabella noted, remembering passing by a stand when looking for a big sunhat. She averted her attention from thecommercial then, facing Jimin again. "But anyway, we should really consider leaving earlier in my opinion. Not just 'cause it's warm but it's saver to keep moving an-" She cut herself off, however, a frown settling on her features when noticing Jimin's completely blank expression and dull eyes. "Are you even listening?" He didn't seem to pay any attention to any of her words though as he suddenly stood up, pushing his chair back with a screechy noise on the tile-surface. "What's wrong?" He didn't reply to Taehyung's question either. Instead they watched him walking slowly towards the hotel while muttering incohensive words over and over again. And they exchanged a bewildered look.

"Jimin, hey!" Taehyung jogged up to him, grabbing his shoulders and stopping him from continuing any further. "What got into you?"

"What is he blabbing anyway?"

"I'm not sure, he mumbles. Can't understand anything"

Yoongi got up as well and walked up to them, waving his hand in front of Jimin's expressionless face. But the lack of reaction made his brows knit together. He leaned in then with narrowed eyes, trying deciphering his mumbling.

Jimin sounded like being in a completely different sphere from one moment to another. It was unexplainable and worrisome seeing him so out of his mind again. The only good thing was that thr situation seemed different, less dangerous than the one back in Cuba. For now at least. They still had to figure out what exactly was going on with him right now. Obverving the odd scene, a thought crossed Arabella mind as she tried making sense of his strange behaviour. She joined them with careful steps, hoping she didn't misinterpet the signs.

"Hey, Jimin. Look at me," she demanded quietly, grabbing his face between her hands. Even when facing her now, he still looked right through her. Only whispering the same words on loop, like chant. Louder this time, as if her presence had triggered something in him.

"Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th. Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th.."

"Casablanca port 3 on the 30th?" she repeated confused before eying the tv then. Musing for a moment before her head snapped towards the other two who had stepped back to give her space. "Yoongi, switch the thing off." The older guy quickly did as he was told, but Jimin remained in that peculiar state. "You know what's going on?" "Not sure," she whispered, staring intensely at her ex-boyfriend. His still seemed to be miles away but at least he'd stopped repeating the same words. "This commercial music might've triggered something. It's just a guess.. but they might've hypnotised him to react to certain sounds or words. We gotta make him snap out of it."

Both guys stared at her with wide eyes. "Damn, that actual works?" She nodded, her grip firmer, squishing Jimin's cheeks by now who didn't seem to mind or even to understand what was going on. She glanced at Taehyung then, who was still holding him back by the shoulders. "Let's push him into the pool." The tall guy blinked confused to her unexpected suggestion. "W-what?" "Do it. We got to resolve this before it gets worse. And the easiest way is by shock."

After exchanging an uncertain look they eventually nodded, agreeing with her logic, so they joined her in pushing the catatonic Jimin to the direction of the pool. As the only other guests around were seated further away, they'd most likely just see it as a prank among friends when they threw him inside the water, despite no protest coming from him.

And they watched him submerge fully with a big splash which wet them all, but Arabella's heart soon picked up in panic when he seemed to be still in trance and not making any move to swim up. She began doubting herself, fearing the method didn't work after all despite her memory from back in her years in the organisation and coming across such mind-altering ways they experimented with.

As she watched him sinking further to the ground, she didn't want to waste any more time. Tossing her hat away, she took a deep breath and jumped after him. Diving in and swimming towards him, seeing Jimin on the ground, hair floating in the water as air bubbles rose from his tranquil face. She had almost reached him when he opened his eyes. Grinning widely at her.

Arabella scowled startled and backed off when he began swimming towards her, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the surface with him. Water splasheing as their heads emerged, both grasping for air. And Jimin started laughing hysterically then while Arabella, who was still struggling for air, tried slapping him. "You -" However, he managed dodging her hand every time, pushing himself away from her. "My savior!" he squealed in admiration, putting a hand on his chest. "Jumping into the water to save me!" "You wished!" she yelled, splashing water on him with the flat palm of her hands, "I just didn't want to be responsible for your ass drawning like an idiot!" "Don't pretend," he smirked, before puckering his lips at her. "You did it cause you love me." "Iew." "So -" Yoongi interrupted them from the pool's edge where he and Taehyung had observed the scene with confused faces, already getting tired of their anew bickering, "You're back on earth?"

Jimin pushed back his wet hair before swimming towards his friends. "Guess so. Was I out of it?" "You were like a robot, not gonna lie. It was kinda odd," Taehyung said, holding his hand out for him to grab, "You started blabbing and tried walking away." Accepting his hand with a 'thank you' Jimin pulled himself out of the pool. His clothes were drenched, water dropping down and creating little puddles around him on the tiles. He fisted the wet fabric, squashing it as he arched a brow at him. "What was I blabbing?" "Something about Casablanca," Yoongi replied, going back to his previous seat. "Casablanca port, 3 on the 30th, to be precise," Arabella retorted from the pool. Avoiding looking at him as she was still upset about Jimin messing with her for the thousandth time. "I assume 'they' want to meet you at Casablanca's port at the 30th. Which is in two days." "We'll figure out what the '3' stands for, I guess," Taehyung sighed. "Do we have to go though?" Yoongi frowned, propping his cheek on his fist, "It's not like we got more important plans to do.. and this smells like a trap." "True, but they might not know that I'm no longer under their influence yet," Jimin thought out loud with a concerned look, "Not appearing would alarm them and they'd surely hunt us down then." Yoongi hummed, still not pleased but understanding. "You guys don't have to tag along though, I can handle those guys alone." "You mean like last time?" Jimin snorted, not able to deny Yoongi's remark with the sarcastic undertone. "Last time was a surprise attack. Now I'd be prepared." "Stop trying to play the hero," Taehyung said annoyed, flicking a finger on his forehead to which Jimin flinched. Rubbing the spot with his hand. "We're a team. We ain't letting you go alone to meet them." Jimin was about to protest, when realising it'd be useless. So he eventually nodded. Thankful for his friends' support. "And besides," Taehyung grinned then, "I've always wanted to visit the city one of my fave films plays in." "It's settled then." Yoongi got up, gesturing to the hotel. "I'll head to the restaurant now. You guys can join. Or not." And with that he waved at them and left in the direction of the restaurant on the other side of the building. Taehyung contemplated for a moment, resting a hand on his belly before nodding and yelling for him to wait.

Jimin was about to follow them when he recalled something more important than food and he glanced over his shoulder, seeing Arabella absent-mindedly swimming laps in the almost empty pool.

She paused at the small green island in the middle of it then, her arms folding over the tiles as she rested her head on them. Her waves that normally coverd her shoulder blades were now swaying in the water behind her. With the sun slowly setting behind the mountains surrounding the city and the switched on pool lights, she looked like a lonely mermaid in the middle of a glowing bay.

He dragged a breath, knowing that calling for her would be pointless. She was ignoring him.

He walked along the curved pool to the closest point to the island he could before looking around. The last guests were also about to leave, gathering their belongings. So he waited until they headed to the direction his friends had disappeared to and got back into the water then. Swimming towards her. Arabella's eyes shot open when sensing his presence. Seeing him approaching, her head quickly turned to the other side as she wasn't in the mood for any more teasing. "Aw c'mon, Bella-baby. Please, don't be mad at me. You know I can't take it if you ignore me like this." She remained silent though, holding herself back from pouting like a child when the sudden touch of his hand on her arm made her freeze.

She pushed herself off the island and started swimming away, not coming far though as his arms looped around her waist, pulling her back into his embrace. "I'm sorry for teasing you again," he mumbled against her shoulder after planting a kiss on it. "I fear I went too far this time." "You think.." she plainly said. Trying her best not to show how much the close proximity was affecting her. A tingling sensation spreading over her skin. "Mhm, I know," he said then, planting another kiss on her nape, knowing exactly it was her weak spot. 

No, she had to stay persistent, she reminded herself. Although she could feel her body relaxing more and more in his arms.

"I'll stop teasing you. I promise." "Why should I take a thief's word for it?" "Because, love, you're a thief yourself," he smirked against her skin, "But you're right. I enjoy teasing you too much. I'll stop, however, taking it too far like today. That I can promise you for sure." Arabella remained silent, musing ver his words.

She knew when he was lying or not. She was similar good in reading micro-expressions or sensing insencerity in someone's words as him, but in this case she didn't even need to be. When it came to Jimin it was rather intuition and he sounded genuine, as he usually did when talking to her.

So she took a deep breath and turned around in his arms. Her gaze was still avoiding his, resting at the non-existent space between their bodies instead and on the tattoo on his rips that was peeking through the now see-through white shirt. Wondering how many people in the world knew about its meaning beside her.

"I guess.." She hesitated a little, sighing then. "I guess compared to what I've pulled in the past that was still quite lightly.." "Hm, yeah.. but you know I've never minded your stunts," he smiled, seeing her eyes wandering up to him. It was ridiculous considering everything between them, but right in this moment in his arms, she felt flustered She laughed under her breath then, trying getting a hold of herself. "You're that badly wrapped around my finger, huh?" She expected him to react with humour or annoyance to her witty remark, however, much to her surprise he remained silent. Only smiling softly at her while holding her inquiring gaze. "Thought it was obvious." 

He brushed a strand from her face then and she felt her cheeks flushing. Feeling embarrassed about herself, she wasn't used to being so bashful and not faking it to deceive someone.

"But perhaps I never cared 'cause I never took it personal," he continued then, "I knew it was part of the job. And part of how you were.. trained. 'Never trust anyone. Always look for your benefit.' Right?"

A lump formed in Arabella's throat when getting reminded of what could be considered the slogan of her childhood. She swallowed hard and looked away. Blinking away the tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes. He did it again. He saw right through her, hitting a nerve. Although it was more than just his usual skills of analysing people. He didn't analyse her, he never did. At least not like he did opponents or antagonists. No, he never tried gaining information he could use against her like with others.

He simply understood her. There was a difference. And this difference was what had made her see him in a different light many years back, despite her upbringings.

"I do trust you, Jimin. I hope you know that."

Her hands left the warm water, gliding over his arms and the small tattoo on the left one, over to his shoulders and neck. Drawing his face closer as her fingers disappeared in his wet hair.  He didn't say a word. Didn't reply to her words. Didn't say if he trusted her or not. He simply pressed his lips on hers. His own arms tightening around her, pulling her even closer.

And he hoped it would be enough to convey his answer as their lips moved slowly, molding into each other effortlessly and lightly, like dancing in the water. He got lost in her touch, deepening the kiss more until a feeling of suffocating overtook him from the intoxication of her taste. He abruptly pulled back, catching his breath. His eyes falling down at her swollen pink lips then. The sense of her chest pressing against his returned and he rested his forehead against hers. "Bella-baby, we should leave," he breathed against her flushed skin, a shy grin playing on his lips, "or I fear I won't be able keeping myself from taking you right here and now. In the middle of a public pool." 

Arabella, feeling a dizzy and light-headed from the kiss herself, blinked her eyes open. Her eyelashes brushing against his warm cheek. She processed his words and looked around, remembering where exactly they were. And her eyes widened, instantly pushing him away then and freeing herself from his grip.

Jimin's laugh became louder when seeing her blush in embarrassment.

"Shut up!" she whined and began swimming away as fast as she could. Reaching the edge and pulling herself out while he was trailing behind her, still laughing amused. "I swear, if you tell anyone -"

"Oh no, never." He got out of the water himself and stood in front of her. Caging her chin between his fingers, he brought their faces close again. Ignoring the puddles forming around them. "This will be added to my happy little memories whenever I feel lonely." She groaned annoyed, but an anew peck on her lips cut her off. And he giggled before his fingers slipped away and he left her standing there dumbfounded.

She shook her head.

She loved him. She hated him. She thought he was stupid. She thought he was an idiot. She thought he was charming. She thought he was wonderful. She wanted to be with him. She didn't want to be with him. She'd never date him, again. She got annoyed by him. She loved him..

Thinking about it now she realised this madness had most likely started the moment they'd met, back in the ruins of the old cathedral somewhere in south France.

And she was certain she'd never get cured of it.

She smiled then.

It wasn't like she wanted to get cured of it anyway.

»»»

next chapter: 1.6 here

Don't forget to like, reblog & leave feedback!♡ It motivates me to keep writing :)

[missywritesfor7]

🌺 Promise Flower | PJM 🌺

Synopsis: Jimin is a popular dance student and the best one at his university. Mina is a photography student and has known Jimin since high school. An idea for a photo project finds Mina getting closer to him than she ever has before. She learns how big his heart is, but also learns how closely he guards it. Every time she thinks he'll let her in, he pulls away again. Is it even worth the trouble?

Pairing: college student!Jimin x fem!oc

Warnings: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, alcoholism

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Masterlist

|| Ch. 3: Phoenix ||

Thanks to Namjoon being an amazing reporter and writer, his story about Jimin got picked up by a few local publications, which gave Jimin a big boost in fan base. With that and the great feedback he’s received, he’s been feeling more empowered and confident in himself.

He’s still hard on himself though. He felt the dance he was working on needed some changes so he spent the entire weekend revamping his routine. He let me know he would be working on it in the practice studio on Wednesday if I wanted to come by for more pictures.

I love that’s he’s gotten much more comfortable when I’m around. He was a bit embarrassed and a little stiff at first, but he’s finally loosened up and it shows in the photos. He used to shy away from looking at the photos of himself but now he gets excited to see what I captured. He claimed that I just take really good pictures, but I don’t really have to do much when he looks as amazing as he does, whether he’s dancing or just standing there.

Wednesday after class I head over to the dance studio where he’s already begun practicing. I can tell that he’s made changes to his routine. It actually looks like an entirely new routine, but what do I know.

“Hey,” I say pulling out my camera. “Did you change the entire routine?”

“Not the entire thing,” he says taking a sip of water. “Just…a lot of it.”

“Park Jimin,” I laugh. “Never satisfied.”

“Is that a problem?” He jokes sassily.

“Of course it’s not, your highness.” We both look at each other and laugh. I love teasing him this way. It makes him cringe a bit but then he’ll either play along or bless me with his contagious laughter.

He steps back out on the floor and begins practicing his routine some more. I position myself in the front corner of the room and begin snapping away.

Something about getting action shots always excites me. When I catch him doing a quick spin, or graceful leap it always comes out so perfectly. He looks like he’s flying being carried by invisible wings.

I try catching every movement he makes as he slides across the floor. My camera lens follows every jump as he flies up and comes down to make his landing.

And something pops.

And he’s on the ground.

“Arrgghhh!!”

“Oh my God!” I yell putting my camera down and running over to Jimin in a heap on the floor. “Are you ok??”

“I don’t know I don’t know,” he says clutching his knee in pain. “Something popped and it hurts so bad.” That can’t be good.

“Let me call an ambulance.” I grab my phone out of my pocket and make the call while trying to keep a soothing hand on Jimin’s arm.

He’s in tears and the amount of pain he’s in is written all over his face. I try my best to keep him calm by giving him water and rubbing his shoulder, reminding him to breathe until the paramedics arrive.

I grab his bag and make sure I don’t leave anything behind and follow him out as he’s taken away on a stretcher. It’s a scary sight and I can’t imagine what may be going through his head as all eyes are on him while he’s loaded into the ambulance.

I feel like I’m waiting in the emergency room for hours for someone to come tell me how he is. In reality it’s only been 30 minutes, but it seems like it’s been an eternity.

I sent Hoseok a text when I arrived at the hospital letting him know what happened. He’s usually good about responding but he hasn’t yet so I assume he’s out practicing his own routine. I just hope he checks his phone soon.

Another half hour passes and I’m finally able to see Jimin. He looks so distraught it breaks my heart. His eyes are red and I can tell he’s been crying.

“How are you feeling?“ I softly ask stepping up to the side of his bed.

“They gave me some pain medicine,” he whispers not taking his gaze off of his fidgeting hands in his lap.

“How bad is it?”

He takes a moment to answer and that lets me know it’s definitely not good. His eyes well with tears as he tried to choke out a response.

“I tore my acl.” He closes his eyes trying to keep the tears inside. “I’ll need surgery. And I won’t be able to dance. For a while.”

Those words bring the tears out again. He’s probably hurting more about not being able to dance than any physical pain he’s in. My heart is shattering and I’m not even sure what I can do to comfort him. Without thinking I reach out and hold his hand. Rather than pull away like I thought he would, he actually squeezes my hand tighter.

“I’ll have surgery in two weeks,” he continues. “Then it could be 6-9 months or more before I can dance again.” He looks up at me with his big glassy eyes. “What am I supposed to do if I can’t dance?”

“I’m so sorry, Jimin. I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” he assures me. “Thanks for being here.”

Just then Hoseok comes into the room looking out of breath as if he ran all the way here. His lips are pulled into a worried frown.

“Jiminie are you ok? What happened?” He asks.

Jimin tells him about his injury and once again tries his best to hold back his tears. If anyone can understand the level of heartbreak this causes it would be Hoseok.

I can tell Hoseok also doesn’t know how to console his friend, but he tries telling him about someone else he knew that was able to recover from a torn acl. I know he’s just trying to show Jimin that it’s not a career ending injury and he can very well bounce back, but it doesn’t seem like much of that is registering right now. The only thing he’s stuck on is not being able to dance for 6-9 months. For someone that lives and breathes dance, that’s a very long time.

A nurse comes in to give Jimin his discharge papers. He’s given a list of light stretches and exercises to do leading up to his surgery. He’ll still be able to walk on it but they advise him to keep it to a minimum as to not make the injury worse. In two weeks he’ll have surgery and that’s when the hard part of his recovery will begin.

Hoseok takes him home in his car and for some reason I feel the need to follow behind. I don’t know why, but my heart won’t feel at ease until I see him all the way home. They don’t mind me sticking around a bit to help Jimin get settled.

I get him tucked into his bed and give him back all of his things that I took with me from the dance room.

“Thanks again,” Jimin says. “I’m sorry I ruined your project.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” I assure him. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

“But what are you going to do? If I can’t dance what will happen to your project?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something. I’m more worried about you right now.”

“You are?” He asks in disbelief.

“Well…yeah, and you should be worried about yourself too and not my project.”

“Right,” he nods. “Just let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

“Right now I just want you to rest. That’s what you can do for me.”

I leave him to get some sleep and head back home where I learn that news travels fast across campus. Jin and Namjoon are hanging out in the living room and as soon as I close the door behind me the questions begin.

“What happened?” Jin asks.

“Is he ok?” Namjoon adds.

“Are we talking on the record or off?” I ask Namjoon. I don’t mind telling him what’s going on, I just want to make sure that if anything about Jimin is put in the paper that it’s something he’s ok with. If he wants the whole campus to know then that’s for him to decide, not me.

“Off the record of course. I just want to know if he’s ok.”

“People are saying he passed out,” Jin says with concern. “I heard someone else say he might have a heart problem? He didn’t have a heart attack did he?”

“A heart attack?” I ask shaking my head. It’s crazy the things people come up with. “No, he was practicing and I guess he went down wrong. He’s ok. He will be ok. But he tore his acl.”

Both guys let out an audible gasp. They look at me a moment then at each other.

“He won’t be able to dance?” Namjoon asks. “What about his recital?”

“How long will he be out?” Jin follows up.

“Does Yoongi know yet?”

“Will he need surgery?”

“You were there and saw the whole thing? How did it happen?”

“What will he do if he can’t dance?”

“Will he have to drop out of school?”

“Guys!” I yell overwhelmed with their questioning. “Most of these things you can ask him yourself. But yes, he’ll need surgery and recovery could take 6-9 months. I don’t know what he’s going to do and I don’t think he knows himself right now. He’s home resting now.”

“Sorry,” Jin says. “It’s just things were crazy once word got out that it was Jimin being taken away in the ambulance. We didn’t know what to believe.”

“Yeah, the rumors were getting crazy,” Namjoon added. “I wasn’t going to write anything until I spoke to him first, but as a friend I just wanted to make sure it was nothing serious.”

“Thankfully it’s not,” I sigh. “But you know how he is. He’s going to have a hard time coming to terms with not dancing for a while. Everything he’s been working for is getting put on hold. Poor thing.”

I pull out my camera remembering that I may actually have a picture of how he went down. I scroll to the last shots I took and just as I figured, I have a sequence of about 10 photos taken in quick succession from the moment he lifted up for his jump right to the moment his entire body went down to the floor in pain.

“Did you get something?” Namjoon asks.

“Yeah,” I say unsure if I want to share. There’s nothing graphic since it’s not like a broken bone or anything, but the last photo of him on the floor in pain has my stomach in knots.

Both guys continue looking at me expectantly so I hand my camera to Jin to let them scroll through the photos. Both look just as pained as I did when they see the sequence of photos.

“So,” Jin asks breaking the solemn silence. “Is this how your project ends?”

“I’m not really sure,” I sigh. “I’ll figure something out.”

It’s hard to have to change my entire project when we’re already over a month into the semester. I can stick with what I have but it would seem unfinished since the main focus was Jimin’s performance. If he’s not able to perform then my project no longer has much of a point.

I think hard the rest of the evening and into the next day on how I can salvage this and not completely fail this assignment. Taehyung comes home with me to hangout and work on his own project and I use him to bounce ideas off of.

“What if you just follow a different dancer? Or multiple dancers. Then you can say your subject is all of them and as long as at least one of them are able to perform in the end then you should be fine?” Taehyung suggest sitting at the table on his laptop and snacking on chips.

“That means I would have to befriend more dancers when Hoseok is the only other dancer I know. I don’t know if that would even make sense to have all of this footage of Jimin in the beginning but no one else until later. It doesn’t really flow well.” Just thinking about this has been exhausting.

What’s worse is Jimin has been texting me more apologies for “ruining” my project. The last thing I want is for him to feel like he’s responsible for what happens with my assignment. It’s not his fault, it’s no one’s fault. Accidents happen, I just don’t know how I’m going to adjust at the moment, but I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing about his dancing.

“How’s your project going anyway?” I ask.

“Great! I found a dog and two cats roaming around, and I think soon I may be able to become leader of the campus squirrels.”

“What?” I ask laughing.

“Tutu is their leader now, but I think a lot of the squirrels are starting to trust me more. If I can get them all on my side then I’ll be the new leader,” he says with a straight face.

“Tutu?”

“I named him.”

“Tae,” I say laughing hysterically. “You know you’re only supposed to take pictures of them, right?”

“Really?” He throws a few chips in his mouth and smiles.

“You’re a mess.” I give him a playful nudge still laughing at his silliness.

While he’s showing me his pictures, I get another text from Jimin. Aside from apologizing way too much, he’s been watching a drama I recommended and texting me his live reactions and it’s so entertaining.

[Jimin]: OMG!

[Jimin]: WHY WONT THEY JUST KISS ALREADY!! 😫

[Me]: Lol just be patient

[Jimin]: I’ve been patient for five episodes! 😭

[Me]: I can’t wait until you get to episode 8

[Jimin]: WHAT HAPPENS IN EPISODE 8?!

[Me]: You’ll see 😏

“I got it!” Taehyung shouts.

“Huh?” I say a little startled. “You got what?”

“You and Jimin are already friends and known each other a while, just keep him as the subject of your project. Then you won’t have to start all over.”

“How? He’s not able to dance.”

“Follow his recovery. Maybe he won’t mind since you two are friends, he won’t feel like some stranger is following him around while he’s trying to rest and get better.”

“You think it could work?”

“Of course! You already have photos before he got hurt and photos from when he got hurt.”

It seems odd but the more I think about it the more it makes sense.

“So I could change it from following him to his performance to following him to return to his former self.” I stroke my chin in an exaggerated way thinking that he may be on to something.

“Exactly! It could be like the story of a phoenix rising from the ashes!”

“Ok calm down,” I laugh. “I guess I could ask him and see if he’d be ok with it.”

[Me]: Hey, could I maybe keep taking pictures of you for my project?

[Jimin]: Why? The semester will be over before I’m even close to being able to dance again.

[Me]: I know, but I thought I could just change the angle of my project and document your recovery instead.

[Me]: Only if it’s ok with you. If it would make you uncomfortable you don’t have to.

[Jimin]: Would you go with me to the hospital when I have my surgery?

[Me]: Only if you want me to.

[Jimin]: I’m asking you to.

[Me]: Of course I’ll go with you.

[Jimin]: Then you can keep taking pictures of me 😊

[Jimin]: Thank you, Mina. For everything.

What exactly is everything?