Low Stress: Publicity Stunt (Jikook)

Episode Twenty-Seven

Too soon for another update? 😘
- Vio
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It's been a while since Jimin went to a party. Not years necessarily, but most large social events he went to were usually with Seokjin. Jimin liked to dance, loved to drink, but when Seokjin wasn't in the mood Jimin tended to talk himself out of going. Since they broke up, he'd gone out even less. A part of him wanted to ask Jungkook for weeks to go to a party together, but then they'd definitely be outed as a couple since gossip traveled faster through celebrities than through dispatch, so he tended not to pay it too much thought to protect their relationship.

Jimin huffed as he pulled out his phone, sending Taehyung a quick text that his car was only a block away from the address he'd gotten earlier that night. It was crazy how the last time he'd argued with Jungkook it was over going public - something that honestly felt really insignificant now. Maybe if Jimin had agreed, would Jungkook have had more security in their relationship when he ran into Namjoon?

Would it have even made much a difference? If him and Jungkook were public and Jimin managed to smooth over some of that uncertainty floating about Jungkook's head that Jimin was in it for the long game - would Jungkook be in a better spot regarding the two of them? Maybe, or maybe not. Jimin guessed even Jungkook didn't know until the moment he was confronted with his past head on how he was going to react.

So was it fair for Jimin to be upset?

Jimin thanked his driver as they pulled to a stop in front of a modern, three-story mansion with massive glass walls and a pool on the second-floor balcony. There were large lights illuminating the place and a massive outdoor pool - the luxury and over decoration a Jackson Wang signature.

He bit his nail as he walked to what looked like a side door. The wall was made of thick, dark blue glass and there was a silver handle sticking out. The music boomed from inside, but there was little commotion happening around the building. For the crowd Jackson usually brought, the outside calm was a bit unusual.

Jimin sent Taehyung another text as he waited at the door - trying not to laugh that he was partying with a friend that helped manipulate him instead of having birthday sex with Jungkook right now.

Fuck. Was he being unfair to Jungkook? A rock suddenly settling in his chest. When Seokjin walked on set in LA, Jimin felt like the whole world suddenly crashed around him. Like someone caged his lungs and stuck his feet in concrete.

But today had sucked, he reminded himself. Jungkook may have abandonment issues, but Jimin dealt with a fair amount of being ignored already. With each hour that past that Jungkook didn't show up, Jimin reverted further and further into himself until he felt so small and insignificant that a speck of dust could have overpowered him. His head floated with the idea that he wasn't enough, that he deserved another lonely birthday because maybe Seokjin was right. Maybe he would always be alone when it really matters.

Of course, Jimin knew that the thoughts were just his trauma speaking, but then another hour would go out and then another and suddenly it was almost eight at night and Jimin changed to go for a party and get fucking plastered instead. Because if he was to send one more unanswered text, he might actually lose it. The anxiety, that tug of fear of not only being alone on his birthday, but of Seokjin being right about Jimin, was too much to take on sober.

Then Jungkook stormed into his room, and they argued and - Jimin kept replaying that look in Jungkook's eyes after Jimin had broken it off.

That crestfallen anger.

I stood by you with Seokjin and when it's my turn you walk away?

Jimin's lungs hurt. God, he needed to get a fucking drink soon. Needed to be surrounded by music and superficial people before he ended up hugging his knees into his chest on the grass outside this fucking mansion.