When Worlds Collide | PJM - KTH ✓ (Hahm Series #3)

Chapter 8

Chivalrously tucking her chair, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

The faux boyfriend knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that Jimin was observing from a distance, which made the faux boyfriend a complete and utter ass because he'd warned him to tread carefully when around her.

Jimin was two yards short of flying out of their discreetly parked car and calling the whole ploy quits. In fact, if not for his right-minded right-hand man, he'd have paraded into the café amidst a vibrant haze of jealousy and gagged Tae with his Wayfarers.

But then the situation shifted like a wind-waved flame.

With his heart lodged somewhere between his tonsils and his oesophagus, Jimin watched Tae spontaneously drag Yunhee out of the café and race away faster than the speed of light.

No phone call as per the plan. Not a peep from either of them as Jin gave chase through the high-street. The lack of communication had him at his wits end, so much so that when Yunhee answered her phone, his relief became overshadowed by an uncontrollable anger, and he'd completely lost his shit.

Jimin's shoulders hunched in defeat, his head flopping onto the bare forearms pulsating with blood as they rested on the balustrade.

Hoseok had fled before they could track him down and Taehyung was still at large. Yunhee had escaped unscathed, but the knife wound to his pride stung like a bitch.

Today was a waste of valuable time.

Upon hearing the study door creak on its hinges, Jimin's chin jerked up, his ears attuning to the footsteps pottering to the balcony and pausing behind him. He wasn't sure if Yunhee had come to smooth things over or yell bloody murder at him, but he'd take either if it killed the unbearable silence between them.

'Hello, handsome, come here often?'

Yunhee's attempt at a comedy icebreaker was lame, and Jimin tugged his lip between his teeth to fight a stupid smile. Still, he struggled to face the woman, terrified of the disappointment he would see in her eyes if he did.

'Come on, Jimin. I know you're mad, but what happened at the café today is not the reason. Hoseok showed up. It's what we wanted even if he did get away. You're mad because-'

'I'm not mad,' Jimin grumbled as he rubbed his nose and stared at the lousy fountain below.

'Yes, you are,' she flouted exasperatingly. 'I am, too, but hiding away isn't going to solve anything. I'm done with this nonsense and came to correct your misapprehension. Your behaviour today was abominable. You really pissed me off.'

'I know, but I'm not mad-'

'Please don't insult my intelligence. You're mad because you couldn't bear to see Tae and I-'

'Fine,' Jimin hissed as his fingers whitening around the balcony ledge. 'Wouldn't you feel the same if you saw me with another-'

'For God's sake, Jimin!' Yunhee snapped. 'We agreed to make Taehyung believe that we're dating! You knew what to expect! If you can't handle it, then by all means, be the big boss and call this whole thing off instead of pretending to be the decent boyfriend who gave me the fucking choice!'

Jimin flinched like she'd lashed a red-hot whip across his back, but his anger buckled beneath the crushing guilt when he realised what he'd done.

Yunhee was correct; there was nothing noble about offering her the option to put herself in danger, not if he was going to demonstrably oppose it in the aftermath.

As far as boyfriends went, he was doing a pretty shit job, especially in light of her courageously walking into his study to extend an olive branch. What he should have done was approach her hours ago instead of letting his insecurities manifest into an unhealthy pit of misery.