LAST RESORT | JIKOOK ✔️

15. OLD HABITS DIE HARD

He can't tell what it is. Disgust? Curiosity? Disliking? Most likely a combination of all three and he feels like he's come to a battle unarmed. The odds are against him.

"Whatever it is, I can tell that you're responsible for distracting him. He hasn't been focusing on his work and as far as I'm concerned, you have other things you should be worrying about. School, for example. I only say this because I care about him and I want to see him succeed." She has a point, as much as Jimin would like to disagree with every word coming out of her mouth.

You only want his money, is what he wants to say. Even if it may not be the complete truth, he's well aware that Jeongguk's siblings are more concerned about him than they should be. Ro-un just wants to overthrow his position as the CEO. Soomin's intentions aren't clear just yet. But he's willing to bet it's about money. It always is.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Like I said, you've got the wrong guy." He looks at her and he can tell that she doesn't believe a single word. But it doesn't matter. The sooner this unwelcomed confrontation ends, the better.

"That's great." She smiles and she slides out of the booth, ruffling Jimin's hair while she walks by. "This was nice." She then leaves the café and everything is quiet.

Jimin sighs, resting his head against his arms as they fabricate a makeshift pillow against the table. This is royally fucked up.

Not only does he have to worry about one sibling, but two. One of them wants in his pants and the other wants him gone. Jeongguk seems like the only sane person in their family - well, taking into consideration the way the rest of them act.

This is initially what he wanted, wasn't it? Or at least what he thought he wanted. He doesn't know what to do because now that he revealed his true feelings, how is he going to stay away? Should he tell him that Soomin cornered him? He's bewildered at the thought of avoiding Jeongguk now that everything is out in the open.

But he can't risk running into Soomin again, or Ro-un. He doesn't care about what happens to himself. But it would be selfish to place Jeongguk and his sexuality on the line just because of a little loneliness.

Just then, Jimin's phone goes off. Jeongguk is calling him but he doesn't answer. Right now, he just wants to get away from everything. He gathers all of his things and he leaves the café, totally forgetting that Taehyung had driven him.

"Whatever, I'm walking I guess." Jimin sighs, hoisting his bag over his shoulder. He walks the streets without any real idea as to where he's going, or where his feet are taking him.

He hasn't done this in awhile, not since the beginning of this year's semester. Business is draining and to be honest, he has been quite neglectful of his own health. Both mental and physical. Taking a walk usually helps and it's something his mother always suggested.

Jimin wishes he got to go on more walks with her but eventually the cancer became too strong and she had been bedridden. She got lucky if she got to sit outside of the hospital in a wheelchair for five minutes. When something begins to take over - something you can't control - it's the little things that begin to seem more significant. You only start to appreciate them by the time you no longer have access to them.

He shakes it off, doing what he can to ignore the sadness beginning to envelope him. Jimin holds his bag tightly at his side and takes a left into an alleyway. It's the quicker way back to Taehyung's place and it's a path he has traveled often. The same alley he ran into Hoseok when he was in trouble.

"Oh, look at you," Jimin cooes, crouching down to level himself with a cat that approaches him in haste. "You're so cute," he murmurs, rubbing behind it's ear.