Between Footsteps| p.jm

TWENTY-THREE| - .. -- .

You stiffened and Jimin looked back and forth between you before peering into the truck and finally noting what was going on.

"Peanut," he spoke softly, stepping closer and ignoring 9 with a saddened and fearful light to his eyes. "W-Where's 19?"

Your throat felt dry and pained, but you managed to keep your composure in answering.

"He's... gone."

You watched as sorrow touched Jimin's orbs. Although you weren't sure when it had happened, you knew Jimin had grown fond of 19. He as well must have been preparing to say goodbye that day but was too late.

"Gone? But..."

"They took him this morning to make sure he didn't run away," 9 cut in with his deeper vocals, and Jimin shot him a glare that burst through the sadness in his gaze.

"I wasn't talking to you." 

9 didn't seem to falter even slightly under his snapping remark and smiled smugly towards the shorter male while Jimin returned his attention to you. Worry was clearly present in his eyes. You hated seeing that, and decided to weakly smile at him.

"It's OK, Jimin. I'm fine."

He gave you a look that informed you he didn't believe you, but before he could part his lips to say anything 9 cut in again.

"It's better this way, isn't it?" he questioned, and you both turned to him with disbelief present in your gazes towards his outburst. "He's unexpectedly gone. Now you can just move on as if he was never around." The guy shrugged and tossed his hair as Jimin began to have a harder time controlling his anger. "People come and go here all the time. There's no use sitting around and feeling sorry about it."

"I think I told you that I wasn't talking to you," Jimin practically hissed through clenched teeth, and you saw what was about to happen so quickly stepped in to grab your friend's arm.

"Jimin, stop," you spoke simply, not in any mood to have the two fight in front of you. Jimin saw the exhaustion in your eyes and quickly backed down in shame. You didn't need this right now. His eyes portrayed an apology, and you nodded in short forgiveness. 

"We don't have to dance today," he spoke then, and for a moment your heart felt a bit of peace that you hadn't experienced for the entire day. You didn't have to dance? So... things were slowing down? You weren't going to keep going as if 19 had never existed?

You were so thankful in that moment towards Jimin that you became speechless, but found yourself nodding in acceptance of his proposal.

"Great!" 9 exuberantly spoke up, a gleam to his green eyes as you and Jimin stiffened when he came between the two of you and slung his arms across both of your shoulders. "That means you guys finally aren't busy, right? So let's all go to the bar."

Jimin had closed his eyes and didn't move as he was repulsed towards the touch but didn't want to fight with 9 and stress you out. At this point he was sure the male was doing everything he could to get under his skin, and he was successful, because Jimin's skin was crawling.

9 didn't understand the situation. He didn't know 19. He was new. You had to decline his offer, but didn't want to be rude even in your sorrow and anxiety.

You laughed nervously and slowly ducked away from his touch as Jimin more quickly did the same after seeing that you had.

"Actually," you made out while biting your lower lip. "I think I'm going to stay here."

9 furrowed his eyebrows towards this and raised an eyebrow your way while Jimin tried not to smile at your decline.

"Here? Why the heck would you stay here? We're off shift."