No Strings

Part 8

Miserably, you nod your head. "Yes."

"Why?"

At Minsun's bluntness, you look up. "What do you mean, why? Jimin agreed to be friends with benefits, that's all. Just sex, no strings attached and here I am with strings! Here I am, completely falling for him – and it hurts, Minsun. It hurts."

Minsun's expression softens. "You're falling for Jimin?"

"I, yeah." Squeezing both eyes shut, you twist your hands over the table. "He's just Jimin, you know? He's my best friend. He makes me laugh," you sigh, opening your eyes. "Jimin is that person I always want to talk to. Even when I don't, when he's driving me crazy – I don't want to be away from him for long. I need him."

"Shit." Minsun exhales, looking down at the table. "That's how I feel about Seokjin."

"Yeah," you say hopelessly. "But Seokjin feels the same way about you – Jimin doesn't."

"Are you sure?" Minsun looks up. "Are you sure Jimin doesn't like you like that? Because Y/N, I've seen him – I know the look he gives you, and..."

You are already shaking your head no. "Minsun. Five years. Five years, he's had the opportunity to make a move – and nothing. Jimin has never even had a girlfriend the entire time that I've known him, for Christ's sake."

"Well," Minsun pauses. "No, but –"

"No buts," you interrupt, swallowing. "That's it! Jimin doesn't like commitment. He doesn't like being a boyfriend. I'm his best friend, I know these things. I've seen multiple girls try and date him – girls he liked, Minsun – and every one, he's cut out of his life. I'm not going to be one of them," you declare, making up your mind.

"But, Y/N." Minsun's expression falters. "What if he does like you? What if Jimin secretly likes you – and you walk right by?"

Her suggestion makes you catch your breath, words faltering. But then the faces of all those girls flash before your mind and you close your eyes. "I can't," you whisper.

"Why not?" Minsun sounds irritated.

"Because," you snap, eyes opening. "I can live with being friends with Jimin. It might be painful, but I can live with that. What I can't live with," you say, voice cracking, "is cutting him out of my life completely. That's what Jimin would do, if I said I liked him and he didn't like me back."

"Oh, Y/N."

Minsun's voice is soft.

When you look up, your vision blurs. "I'm fine," you say, dropping your gaze. "I don't want to talk about it – I just need it to be over. Need things to end so I can start moving on."

Minsun stares back, finally nodding and when you stand from the table, she does not stop you. She just sits there, playing with her phone as you pass, so intent on the screen, you feel the need to say what comes next.

"Please don't tell anyone," you plead, meeting her gaze. "Maybe Seokjin, if he needs to know – but not the others. Okay?"

Minsun looks up, gaze sincere when she nods. "Okay. Y/N, let me know what you need. Anything. I'm sorry you felt you had to keep this from me," she adds, sadness in her voice.

"Ah," you sigh, bending to hug Minsun. You shake your head. "Minsun, no. We just promised not to tell anyone. It was nothing personal. I swear. God, I could've used your advice these past weeks."

Minsun chuckles, hugging you back. "I know, I know," she says. "Okay, you smell like the morning after. Go shower and when you get back, we're going shopping."