No Strings

Part 9

Jimin's gaze moves to you. "Hey," he says, pushing hair back from his forehead. "What's your name?"

Your eyes flick to his. "Hey. Y/N."

Offering no further conversation, you return to your drink.

Jimin frowns. "What're you drinking?"

Lifting your gaze, you seem uncertain as to why he still stands there. It is hard enough to read your expression in the dim lighting and Jimin's stomach swoops just a little. When you offer him a smile, meeting his gaze – Jimin feels the full force of his breath leaving his body.

"Sex on the beach," you admit. "I don't go to bars, so when the bartender asked me what I wanted, I kind of panicked." Lightly, you laugh. "I blurted out the first drink that came to mind."

"And that was a sex on the beach?" Jimin grins. "Interesting."

Embarrassed, you look down again when Jimin smiles. He continues to stare at you, wanting to hear the name of the drink again from your lips, wanting that thrill of hearing you say the word sex. Lips which – Jimin shakes his head. What the hell is he doing?

He is just here to support Seokjin, nothing more.

Looking away, Jimin spots the blonde he was talking to earlier. The one he originally set his sights on and Jimin sighs because she is still here, acting as though she does not look at him – even though she does, and Jimin feels suddenly uninterested. Not when he has you, staring down at your drink and casually saying the word sex like that. Jimin sets his own drink down on the bar, turning to you.

You look up in surprise.

"You're not missing much," Jimin says. "Not coming to bars every night."

"Oh?" You look around. "Odd, coming from you. You seem so at home here."

Jimin raises a brow. "At home in this bar? Or, bars in general."

"Either or," you say, taking a sip. "In the short time we've been together, you've checked out at least three girls who aren't me. The blonde over by the bar is looking back, by the way."

Jimin's breath catches in his throat. "Not three," he sputters. "I mean – fuck. What?"

You laugh, tipping back the rest of your drink. "It's okay," you say, turning to order another. "I'm a big girl – what was your name, again? You don't have to babysit me while Jin talks to Minsun. I won't intervene unless she asks me to."

Jimin stares at the back of your head. "Jimin," he says. "My name is Jimin and I'm not just talking to you because of Jin." When you give him a dubious look, Jimin protests. "I'm not!"

Grabbing your drink, you shrug. "Oh, really?"

Jimin shakes his head. "If that's all this was, Namjoon would be the one talking to you. I – well, I saw you the second you walked through that door." It is the truth, after all.

Immediately, your expression shutters. "Don't lie to me."

Heart pounding, not sure what he is doing, Jimin takes a step closer. "I'm not lying," he says earnestly.

When you tilt your head, something in Jimin softens. He wants you to believe him, wants to be the kind of person you would believe and it has been a long time since he felt like that.

Warm relief spreads through his chest when you nod.

"Okay," you say.

Jimin smiles, touching the edge of your wrist and watching your gaze drop to his fingers. "Want to dance?"