Jimin went home that evening with a project at hand. He had to finish the novel within forty-eight hours in order to let the man he just met read it as well. It was really kind of him to offer Jimin to read first.
So the blonde read as much as he could, every second that he had a chance. He had barely said two words to his aunt when he went home, and he read the book during dinner with his father and aunt.
He did that as best as he could, even itching to pick the book up and read during his shift at the radio station. However, he knew that he couldn't. Even though he was practically robbed of six hours out of the forty-eight, he still read the entire book and had it ready for Hoseok that Friday.
In the midst of all that happening within the forty-eight hours, Hoseok was also reading the book he had chose in order to be free on Friday, ready to read Jane Eyre.
While he was reading the last chapter on the Friday morning before he could return, someone rather surprisingly interrupted him. Surprisingly, because it wasn't the usual people interrupting Hoseok, like Taehyung or Yoongi.
It was, in fact, Hoseok's leader, Jungkook.
"I have a job for you," Jungkook interrupted Hoseok's reading during breakfast.
"Seriously, Jungkook? I have to meet Jimin in two hours and I have to be finished. Can you wait until after I get my book from him?" Hoseok pleaded as he flipped the page, his eyes meeting Jungkook's in a hopeful manner.
"So his name is Jimin?" Jungkook inquired, again, rather suspiciously.
"Why are you so interested in a random passerby anyway?" Hoseok put his book down for a moment as he analyzed his leader.
Jungkook scoffed, taking a seat opposite Hoseok on the couch as they gathered in the living room.
"Is he just familiar to me only?" Jungkook asked, his arms folded across his chest in an intimidating manner, his biceps flexing beneath his dress shirt.
"Yes, because I would remember seeing a guy like him around. He's pretty. Anyway, that's not the point. I want to finish my book before noon so please stop interrupting," Hoseok looked at his friend.
"As I said, I have a mission for you. You can't go," Jungkook said, as a matter of fact.
"So how will I get the novel from him?" Hoseok began to get upset. He's been wanting to read a classic love story for a while. Hoseok was the type to admire lovely crafts even if it didn't suit him. And, a romance novel wasn't exactly his thing but he was open to anything.
Jungkook pursed his lips. Well, of course he wasn't in thought. He already had everything planned to the detail. He just wanted to make sure Hoseok didn't suspect him of anything shady so he pretended to be completely innocent.
"Mmm... Maybe... I could get your book for you?" Jungkook suggested openly, although this was his plan from the start.
"You'd do that?" Hoseok raised an eyebrow, his features having disbelief written all over them.
"Of course, I would, Hobi. You're like my brother," Jungkook teased, a small smirk on his lips as he sunk back into the couch, arms resting on the arm rests of the old fashioned single couch.
Hoseok could easily read that smirk. He has seen it one too many times for him to not recognise.
"What are you planning?" Hoseok frowned as he grew tense. The older man knew his leader. They all practically lived together for at least five years. There was no way that he could misinterpret Jungkook's actions.
"Nothing..." Jungkook said, but his smirk contradicted his words.
"You're lying," Hoseok flattened, crossing his arms over his chest as well, watching his friend and leader very carefully.
"Oh, Lord. Hobi, do you really not trust me?" Jungkook feigned hurt, his tone almost mocking as he held a hand to his chest. His damned smirk never left his face and Hoseok almost feared for Jimin.
"I do, but I know you. If you're trying to pull any tricks-"
"I just want to see the blonde, okay? You're making it seem as if you've never been intrigued by anyone before," Jungkook scoffed, clearly not impressed.
"You and I are different. I haven't been intrigued by an innocent stranger. You took one look at him and now what? He's just a random person," Hoseok said flatly, not exactly scared of Jungkook but still upholding the respect he had for him.
"That's where you're wrong. You and I are cut from the same cloth. We kill people and get blood on our hands," Jungkook said, pulling out his pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. "And... That blonde is not a random person, I can assure you," Jungkook stated as he pulled out a cigarette and his lighter, lighting the end of it and holding it up to his lips.
Jungkook sat in the Aston Martin that day and watched multiple people ignore the rather cute puppy. For Jimin to stop to pet him, and play with him for two minutes, meant he was pure, childlike and innocent as compared to most adults his age. And that, is what Jungkook wanted. He didn't know if he was envious or thankful, maybe he wanted to preserve that innocence, but he wanted to discover more. He wanted to see if people could really be innocent - something that he couldn't remember being.
So as he pulled on his cigarette, the nicotine and tabacco filling his lungs, he thought of meeting the blonde on behalf of Hoseok to borrow the book from the bookstore. Maybe, he could speak to the blonde and hide his own identity for a little.
Hoseok couldn't even decline his leader. He knew better. When Jungkook had such a scary appearance on, nobody stood a chance at convincing the mafia Don that his plan was invalid. Hoseok rather not face an angry Jungkook so he gave up, allowing Jungkook to do whatever he wanted.
When noon finally did come, Jimin sat patiently on a couch in the sitting area at the bookstore, waiting patiently for Hoseok to arrive.
Minutes turned into ten, and just when Jimin checked the time on his phone for a third time, the bell above the entrance chimed, announcing someone's arrival.
Jimin held the book in his hand, his eyes darting to the door to see the person he's been waiting for, but to his dismay, it wasn't Hoseok.
Instead, it was a ravishing man. Tall and broad, with a lovely frame that was outlined by his black dress shirt and his dark suit pants. He looked rather expensive.
His black locks fell onto his face perfectly, framing his beauty. And his eyes... Dark brown eyes that Jimin couldn't tear his own eyes away from.
The man was undoubtedly good looking as he searched the area, before his eyes fell on Jimin.
The younger man gulped, caught staring as he snapped his head downward to stare at the closed book on his lap.
Jimin stared down, before shutting his eyes and chanting in his head, hoping that the handsome man didn't spot him staring.
But, when footsteps stopped right in front of Jimin, the blonde was too nervous to look up or even open his eyes.
Jungkook stared down at the blonde man who kept his head down at the book on his lap, refusing to look up to meet his gaze.
Jungkook thought he was absolutely cute... Absolutely perfect. No one was ever so perfect as such.
Jungkook cleared his throat, gaining the younger's attention. Jimin bit on his lower lip, feeling intimidated already.
Jimin wasn't the friendly type. Of course, he could be kind and speak friendly, but he wasn't too good with first time strangers. He was a little bubblier with Hoseok because the man radiated sunshine energy, but Jungkook was visibly scary and Jimin had no idea what to do.
He nervously opened his eyes, slowly looking up to meet the eyes of the person who stood at his feet.
"M-may I help you?" Jimin's soft voice spoke up, the sound being music to Jungkook's ears. Boy, he could hear that again.
And so, Jungkook began to put up a fake persona. Not many people knew him to be the mafia Don unless he gave his surname. There was only one Jeon family in Seoul and they were a bloodline of Mafia. As long as Jungkook left out his surname, he'd be okay. And, nobody knew what the Mafia King looked like, besides his victims who never got to live to describe him.
"Why, yes, you can. I'm looking for somebody named Jimin. Maybe you know him?" Jungkook asked, his honey voice filling Jimin's ears. The younger man had no idea what sensation this was. He never felt it before. The man before him was so attractive... Jimin found him attractive.
Attractive to the point where his palms began to sweat and his heart raced with the intensity of Jungkook's stare on him.
"I... I'm Jimin. Who's asking?" the younger man asked.
"My best friend, Hoseok. He said you have a book for him. He couldn't make it to pick it up from you but he asked me to get it. He didn't want you to wait here without knowing," Jungkook lied, clearly amused by Jimin's light blush that appeared on his cheeks.
"Oh, it's okay, I could have just handed the book to the owner. She would have kept it for him-"
"Ah, but you see... He really wanted to read it. He asked me to come and get it," Jungkook smiled. It may have been part of his character, and his smile may have been forced, but it looked so effortless that Jimin began to admire his bunny teeth and the mole beneath his lip.
Jungkook looked handsome, pretty, and Jimin was a fool for falling into his trap just because he looked beautiful.
"Well, here's the book, Mister," Jimin said innocently, sweetly, as he held the book out to Jungkook with his two hands, hoping that the man would take it.
Jungkook just scanned Jimin from head to toe, completely mesmerized by his cuteness. And, his voice was scarily familiar too.
Jungkook just smiled at the younger man, his facade very believable, as he reached his hand out to take the book from the younger.
"Thank you, Jimin. Are you going to leave now?" Jungkook asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice but nobody could detect the hidden intentions he had.
"I... I have to leave before one. I will search for my next book to read before I do leave," Jimin said politely. His manners were award winning, but Jungkook's acting was Emmy award winning.
The blonde beauty woke up from his seat on the couch, bypassing Jungkook and proceeding down to the romance section to maybe purchase a book instead of borrow. Jungkook allowed Jimin to pass him, the scent of strawberries wafting through his senses. What the fuck was that?
Jungkook instantly became addicted to the scent as quickly as it passed. Jimin proceeded to the romance section, while Jungkook stood in his place in the center of the sitting area.
The young blonde was searching through the shelves of books to buy, looking for something new, when a person joined him.
Jimin's curious almond eyes flickered to the corners, trying to side-eye whoever was next to him, noticing the familiar black dress shirt and dark suit pants.
Jimin gulped. Was this man a bit too keen? Yes. Was Jimin worried? A little.
"So, you love reading?" Jungkook asked casually, but it was anything but casual. It was borderline creepy.
"Well... We are in a bookstore, Mister," Jimin reiterated as he gently bit on his bottom lip while his eyes continued to search the shelves.
Jungkook chuckled darkly, finding the younger's sarcasm to be quite intriguing.
"I realized. I meant... To what degree do you love reading?" Jungkook asked instead, wanting to keep a conversation going.
"To the degree that I've read nearly half the books in this entire store and I ran out of all the books from the store nearest to my home," Jimin said, his mind focused on finding a book rather than Jungkook who stood motionless beside him.
Jungkook, in fact, was just watching the younger man.
"That's impressive... And you mean to say that you don't live near here?" Jungkook questioned, trying to get more information on the younger man. Jimin turned to Jungkook with a sweet smile, nothing fake, as he chose to speak.
"I hate to cut our conversation short, Mister, but I have to go. I have work soon, so if you don't mind..." Jimin smiled apologetically as he pulled out the book that caught his eye, ready to purchase it.
Jungkook just stared at the younger as Jimin walked away to the front counter, ready to purchase the book and leave.
Jungkook, however, wasn't ready for him to leave yet, but he couldn't come off too strong. He cursed himself mentally, watching the blonde leave the bookstore. Jungkook didn't like how the younger man just cut him short.
That was something that never happened to Jungkook before. And, the sarcasm of the younger was quite riveting, in the sense that other than his closest friends from the mafia, nobody has ever dared to speak to him like that. Because, naturally, he exuded a very intimidating aura and nobody wanted to anger him.
Jimin, however, was the perfect combination of sarcastic, polite, sweet and submissive; and Jungkook wanted to see more of him, for his own amusement.