Chapter 8: "friendzone"
"Why do I have to choose when I can have both?"
-------------------------------
"Jungkook! What did you do to our car!?" The loud knock makes Jungkook jump from the bed. He lifts the upper part of his body up and glances at the door before he turns his head back at Jimin with the facial expression that says 'we're fucked.'
And yes, they're at the beginning of their second round after the messy ice-cream incident in a car. The two hormonal boys who can't get enough of each other decided to come straight to Jungkook's bedroom. Didn't even bother cleaning up the car.
"Who? Your dad?" Earns a nod from Jungkook, Jimin's eyes grow big as he pushes Jungkook away, looking for his clothes, but the closest he can get is Jungkook's t-shirt and boxer while the taller one runs to get his rope and put it on.
"Jungkook! Open up!" The loud knock doesn't stop. "Why is our car full of the stain of ice-cream?"
"Coming dad." Jungkook shouts, checking on Jimin who's sliding himself under the blanket. "Ready?" Jungkook whispers.
Jimin nods before he closes his eyes. Moving the blanket up his neck and pretending to sleep.
Jungkook takes one deep breath. He reaches the door and opens it calmly. "Sorry I was about to take a shower."
"Explain to me. Why is the car such a mess?!" Jungkook's father is obsessed with his cars. The middle aged man looks at Jungkook with anger in his eyes while resting his one hand on the door frame. "You know it will leave temporary stains. What have you done?" The man recalls the image of some light green stains in the back of the car. The leather seat gets sticky with some scratches.
"Uhm. I'm sorry, dad. I will go and clean it now." Jungkook utters, his gaze fails on the floor not because he feels bad with his doings. He's trying to suppress his smile thinking of his ice-cream sex with Jimin.
"It's already taken care of! And there are some scratches. I need some good explanation on why it was looking like there's a war happening in that car? Our car." Jungkook's dad frowns as he asks with the same angry tone.
"Mmm Jungkook. Who is that?"
Jungkook suddenly shifts his gaze inside the room, showing a slide frown. Not expecting Jimin to jump in.
"Jimin is here?" Jungkook's dad steps into the door and walks his way to the bed.
"Uncle?" Jimin rubs his eyes, pouting cutely. "What happened?" He lifts himself up.
"Jimin-ah? I'm sorry. Did I wake you up? Was I loud?" Jungkook's dad asks Jimin. His voice turns softer all of the sudden, causing Jungkook to roll his eyes at him. Park Jimin, Jeon parent's favorite.
"Hmm no, it's ok." Jimin frowns with his eyes half-closed. "Uncle, I'm so sorry. I got ice-cream, and they spilled all over your car. I tried to wipe them with my shirt, but it didn't work. I scratched the surface by accident. Please don't be mad at me." His eyes open up, and they turn to puppy sad eyes, pretending to look guilty. "My hands were hurt too, so I couldn't clean more." Jimins looks down on his hands with the obvious pout. Here he comes. Actor Park Jimin.
"Ah Jimin-ah, where does it hurt? Did Jungkook give you some cream?" Jungi's eyes become soft when he sees Jimin's action. "You need to be more careful next time, ok? Don't worry about the car anymore." He approaches and caresses Jimin's hair, adorably.
"So now it's ok because Jimin did it?" Jungkook tilts his head and crosses his arm, being ignored. Unbelievable.
"My hands are better now. I was planning to clean again properly after I take a nap. Sorry uncle, I was too tired." Jimin lowered his gaze on his laps. "I'll go clean right now." Jimin opens his blanket, weakly, but he's stopped by his favorite uncle, Jungi.
"Jimin-ah, you should rest. It's taken care of. Don't worry and go back to sleep ok?" Jungi pushes Jimin back down on his bed. "Do you need anything? Are you hungry?" He asks.
"Hmm no uncle. I'll go back to sleep now. Thank you so much. You're my favorite." Jimin says as he lays his head back on the pillow, smiling like a little kid who's being pampered. "Goodnight, uncle." He utters, sleepily before he closes his eyes.
"Goodnight, Jimin-ah." Jungkook's dad rubs Jimin's head before he turns to his own son. "And you Jungkook, don't sleep. You still need to study." He says in a serious tone that the two teenagers in the room know he's acting. It's not his nature.
"Don't you think you owe me something?" Jungkook smirks, still crossing his arms. "For being double standard." Jungkook scoffs.
The middle aged man sighs as he closes his eyes. "I'm sorry, Jungkook. It's my fault I accused you." Jungi knows parenting and egos don't work well together.
"It's fine. I forgive you." Jungkook chuckles playfully. "I'll see you at breakfast. Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Jungi ruffles his son's with a grin before he walks out.
The sound of the door closing is being heard. Jungkook stills crosses his arm, looking at Jimin. He's resting his standing body against the TV cupboard opposite the bed where Jimin's sleeping.
The pink haired boy opens his eyes and lifts himself up to sit. He looks back at Jungkook, smirking. "Looks like I just saved your ass. You shouldn't have made him apologize. It's not his fault."
"So now you feel bad for your favorite uncle and not me who just just got yelled at." Jungkook doesn't move, getting cute aggression towards Jimin who was acting all cute and innocent in front of his father. It affects him. Makes him want to squeeze Jimin and slap those asses so hard.
"Because it was our fault. We messed up the car and got away with it, so quit being upset." Jimin utters. "You should learn to be like me, and you'd never get scolded at." He tilts his head up, proudly and playfully as he smirks at Jungkook.
Without saying a word back, Jungkook stares at Jimin with his big doe eyes, biting his lower lip as he grins. Jimin's actions increase cute aggression even more. Jimin needs to be punished for being all sassy and bossy. Therefore he tackles. Jungkook suddenly jumps and bumps at Jimin who screams from getting caught off guard.
Being hovered on, Jimin's both hands are locked above his head. "Ah Jungkook! Stop!" Jimin giggles hard. The taller tickles his necks with his nose. "It tickles, Jungkook. Stop!!" Jimin tries to speak, but Jungkook does the same on the other side of his neck.
Jungkook lifts his head up to see the pink-haired boy becomes a mess with his doing. The absence of touch makes Jimin open his eyes slowly to see what's going on. His smile fades when he sees Jungkook staring at him with the expression he can't really guess. Not dare to, but it sure makes him feel his stomach twirl.
The two stare deep into each other. Their breath fans against each other. Their hearts beat fast as if they're competing with one another. It's like everything stops. Jungkook hovering over Jimin gives the smaller one some effects. It reminds him that it's only a month before he moves to San Francisco.
Jimin looks closely at the taller one's face as if he wants to capture Jungkook's creature and keep it with his eyes. He's going to miss Jungkook's big doe eyes, beautiful nose, and pink thin lips. He wishes he could keep Jungkook's smile that shows his bunny teeth to himself. He hopes Jungkook doesn't stare at anyone biting his lips and smirking like he does with him. Jimin's going to miss these strong hands that make him feel weak. The bulky body that handles him so well.
"Ahem." Jungkook clears his throat and it wakes Jimin up from his thoughts. He shifts his gaze to the side. "I need to study. It's two weeks away from the exam." Jungkook suddenly cuts off the intense stare Jimin is giving him. "Don't stare at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you're in love with me. We're friends. Best friend." Jungkook wishes he could explain Jimin's stare, but he couldn't. It sure feels uncomfortable, and he's really not sure why.
"O-oh ok." Jimin tries his best not to let his sad expression slip. He gets up after Jungkook, not knowing what to do. His gaze is on the floor, trying to look for his phone, that pang he feels on his chest is way too intense to act normal or to look up to face Jungkook. It feels as if there's invisible fog in the air. He finds it hard to breathe.
The taller of the two looks at Jimin who's scrolling on his phone. Jimin is in his clothes looking like a child. They seem to be too big on Jimin's body. Jungkook finds it hard to shift his gaze away for some reason, but when his gaze meets with Jimin's. His best friend seems to notice his obvious stare. "Go change. Take my clothes off." Jungkook utters with a serious voice.
"Y-yeah." Jimin agrees in a higher pitched voice. "I'll go change now." As soon as Jimin locks the bathroom door. He suddenly sits on the counter, trying to process everything.
Thinking of Jungkook's actions over and over again, for the hundred times he has to finally admit and accept to himself that Jungkook's kind actions are just the way he shows affection in friendship matters. Jungkook always knows what Jimin wants. Taking care of him so well. Making him eat properly and giving him things randomly, Jungkook makes him feel special, but it's just friendship.
'Just friendship, Jimin. You and Jungkook are just best friends. Nothing more.' Jimin thinks to himself, trying to pull himself together. He wishes he could frame those words and make them his life motto, for now.
But how about when Jungkook turns their foreplay into a romantic make out smoothly? Why has Jungkook been kissing him more passionately and more gently lately? What about those stares Jungkook has been giving him from time to time? The stares that show adoration if he's not wrong.
Where is he supposed to put his mind when he occasionally catches Jungkook stealing glances? How can Jimin think straight and be convinced that those are friendship acts?
He has to make up his mind, but it's too confusing for him, and he gets his hopes up high every time. Jungkook always makes it verbally clear that anything more than friends is not possible.
The Jungkook that kicks, throws and pushes him into the friendzone all the time, is the same Jungkook that seduces and intentionally distracts him sexually whenever he got asked on dates. What about the couple set at the ice-cream pl-
"Jimin? What's taking you so long?"
Jimin's thoughts got interrupted. He's really taking a long time, and it can seem suspicious. "I'm almost done." Jimin shouts. It takes Jimin five minutes to change back into his school uniform. His white polo shirt has some mint green stain on it. Jimin sighs.
This friends of benefits thing is not really working for both of them, but who is he to make it stop? Because that would mean no more kisses and touches from Jungkook. Jimin is not ready for that.
Opening the bathroom door, he shifts his gaze to see around the room. Jungkook is at his study table, studying hard.
"You need to eat something. You haven't had your dinner." Jungkook states. "Let's go eat. I could fix something up for you."
"No. It's fine. I'm heading home." Jimin rejects.
"You can stay over."
"It's been two days. I need to finally go home." Jimin also stayed over last night, he really should go home.
"Then I'm driving you." Jungkook gets up and finds his keys.
"You need to study."
"I can do it later." Jungkook approaches Jimin. "Come on, who's going to pick you up this late?"
"I can take a taxi or Uber." Jimin utters.
"Don't be stubborn. I'll take you home." Jungkook pinches Jimin's cheeks with a smile. "Follow me down when you're ready. I'll grab some food, so you can eat on the way."
Not again. Not Jungkook pinching his cheeks adorably and acting all like a gentleman, again.
Ding.
Jimin realizes he got two texts from Chanyeol.
Chanyeol:
When should be our next date?
Chanyeol:
How about I bring some Mexican food on Wednesday for our second date?
The first one must have been sent when he was in the car with Jungkook. Yes, Jungkook snatches his phone away. Why? Is it possible Jungkook doesn't want him to go on dates with Chayeol?
"Jungkook." Jimin calls out to the taller one who's about to pass the door out from the room.
"Hm?" Jungkook turns around to Jimin who's standing at the end of the bed.
"Sh-should I go on the second date with Chanyeol?" Jimin asks with his serious eyes staring deep into Jungkook, trying to imply the underlying messages of his question?
Jungkook downs his gaze quickly before he replies. "Why are you asking me?" He tilts his face at Jimin.
"Just answer me. Do you want me to go on a second date with Chanyeol?" Jimin asks again, hoping Jungkook would say no.
Jungkook pauses a little before he lets out a friendly smile that doesn't show his teeth. "You can do whatever you want, Jimin. Do you want to go?"
"But do you want me to go? If I agree to go this time, you're not going to distra-" Jimin is interrupted before he can finish a sentence.
"You should go." Jungkook gulps before he continues. "Go on more dates with him. I'm your best friend, Jimin-ah. I'd be happy if he makes you happy."
"Then I'll go." Jimin says as he sees Jungkook turning away and finally walks out the door. It's going to take a while before Jimin can finally follow his best friend downstairs. Jimin is stuck. Being stuck in the friendzone feels too heavy for him to walk right now.
It took him bravery to ask Jungkook that question. Jimin had to try, and he got the answer. The clear answer. Therefore, from now on, Jimin promises himself to practise losing feelings for his best friend, and starts to have feelings for someone else.
Anyone, but Jungkook.
----------------------------------------------
End of chapter.
A/N: Happy Monday <3
How are you guys? How's school and everything?