To say Jeongguk got any bit of sleep last night would be a complete lie.
After finding his brother's business card in the pocket of Jimin's hoodie, he hasn't been able to think about anything else. This isn't at all what he expected to come out of their night together after a week of zero contact.
He lets out a sigh, pressing his palms to the shower walls as the hot water travels down his toned back. His head is hanging, low and heavy with all of the questions running rampant in his mind.
How do they know each other? Why would Ro-un give Jimin his business card in the first place unless he had some kind of ulterior motive? Obviously, the youngest Jeon has been keeping secrets. Not to say Jeongguk himself hasn't because every other word that comes out of his mouth is a lie when he's talking to any of his family members.
But this... this secret is something he could have never possibly fathomed. And it's the fact that Jimin has to know who Ro-un is. Why did he take the card? What situation did they find themselves in that made the exchange possible?
Jeongguk can feel his body tense up. He breathes in and out, trying to relax himself. Ro-un has always had some kind of personal vendetta against him. It stemmed from his childhood wherein their father never showed him as much love as he did Jeongguk. It's only become his main objective to sabotage his older brother's life.
But the thing is, is that Ro-un has no idea about him and Jimin. And in fact he's clueless - the total opposite of Soomin. So what could he possibly gain from contacting the blond? It doesn't make any sense. Jeongguk isn't sure he wants to make sense of it, no matter how royally it messes with his head.
Being so lost in his thoughts, he misses not only the bathroom door opening but also the shower door. Jimin is now behind him but the student doesn't move a muscle. And Jeongguk wonders what he's doing but can't find the courage to look at him right now.
"Hyung?" Jimin calls out to him softly and his voice is almost muted entirely by the running water. "Is everything okay?" he asks.
Jeongguk chews on his bottom lip. The tips of his fingers pale as they press deeper into the shower wall. "Fine," is all he says, keeping his gaze locked on the water disappearing into the drain.
He feels soft hands graze his back. It's insane how quickly he can sense his body relaxing beneath Jimin's touch. He hasn't been like this with anyone in a very long time - hasn't been this effected. He stands up straight and finally turns around, looking the blond in his eyes.
"I can tell you're upset," he points out. "I'm not sure what I did. Whatever it is, I'm sorry." Jimin's tone is super gentle, Jeongguk feels like he's going to break on the spot.
He has seen Jimin in a vulnerable state but nothing similar to this before. He's so quiet, whatever he's saying is very inaudible. Not to mention how docile he's being in contrast to his typical behaviour. Although Jeongguk has never been very good at relationships, he's very good at reading people.
What he assumes is that it's because Jimin is very sensitive right now, not just physically but emotionally and it's because he's finally letting his feelings through, out in the open. Maybe even a little insecure and worried because of how his ex-boyfriend treated him, especially when it came to intimate things like sex.
"Hey, look at me." Jeongguk tilts Jimin's head up by his chin, looking the blond in his eyes and the way they widen slightly makes him look like an expectant puppy. "I need to talk to you about something, alright?" He brushes his thumb against Jimin's bottom lip.
"Okay," he replies, clearly nervous.
Jeongguk exhales through his nose, leaning down to place a soft kiss against Jimin's lips. The latter hums into it quietly, threading his fingers through the man's soaked brown hair. The water travels down his arms, down his sides and he releases a small gasp, pulling away.
Jimin presses his lips together, keeping his gaze aligned with Jeongguk's. The latter pushes loose strands of blond away and out of his eyes. "Let's get dried up and then let's talk, okay?"
The student nods and the both of them finish up in the shower, drying up and getting changed. Jeongguk is in his work clothes and Jimin is covered simply by a pair of black boxer briefs and one of the man's white dress shirts. They're sitting at the foot of the bed, next to one another.
Jeongguk is no stranger to serious conversations. But they only ever occurred when work was the topic of discussion. Things are different right now, especially considering the strong feelings he has for Jimin. His fingers drag across the small card in his dress pants pocket and he does what he can to bring about the situation without hurting the blond next to him. He isn't one to jump to conclusions, after all. The rational thing to do is seek an explanation and figure out which course of action to take afterward.
And so slowly, without muttering a word, he slips the card out of his pocket. He doesn't meet Jimin's eyes just yet but can see the way the latter tenses up next to him, surprised and also terrified.
"Why do you have this? Where did you get it?" Finally, Jeongguk peers up, holding the card in the air between an index and middle finger.
Jimin ogles it, messing with his fingers. He gapes like a fish, clearly in search of the right words to say. As good as Jeongguk is at reading people, the student's reaction is slightly puzzling. He almost seems guilty and that's the exact emotion Jeongguk was hoping to avoid seeing.
"I promise it's not what it probably looks like, I can explain," he splutters, pale.
Jeongguk nods his head once. "Explain, Jimin."
He reaches out for the card and Jeongguk is perplexed but allows him to take it. Jimin rips it in half at first and then starts to shred it. The pieces fall to the ground. He sighs, running his now empty hands over his bare thighs. "This is probably going to sound crazy. I just need you trust me," he says.
Jeongguk hums. "I'm waiting, Jimin."
"Okay," he replies, voice shallow. "I've run into Ro-un a few times. At first I wasn't sure who he was but I know he looked familiar. He... he was hitting on me." Jimin states.
The man tilts his head to the side, brows furrowing. Ro-un hitting on another man? As far as Jeongguk knew, he was strictly into women.
"I turned him down each time and I only figured out he was your brother when I heard you guys talking in the office. The day Ryung was following me, I ended up in front of the company building and he helped me. He gave me a ride home and offered me his card. I declined because I am not interested. But he insisted," Jimin explains, messing with his cuticles. "I was afraid to tell you, I'm not sure why. Maybe because you'd think I came onto him? I do have a past. I wouldn't hold it against you if you did." He looks down at his lap.
Jeongguk rests his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. He drags his hands over his face, rubbing at his eyes. He slips off of the foot of the bed and stands before Jimin, holding him gingerly by his jaw. "I would never think that about you. We all have a past but we change and I'm not going to hold that against you, baby."
Jimin blinks at him, leaning into the man's touch. With the way his eyes flutter shut and his lips part slightly to let out a breath of relief, Jeongguk can tell that this is exactly where the blond wants to and needs to be.
"I could never," he breathes, placing his hand over top of Jeongguk's, eyes opening. "Not after how long it took me to finally accept how I feel about you. The thought of sleeping with someone else makes my stomach twist."
Jeongguk smiles at his boy, leaning in and giving him a short but sweet kiss. "I thought I was stubborn but you proved to be quite the challenge, little minx."
Jimin rolls his eyes, pawing gently at Jeongguk's chest to nudge him back playfully. "I thought you were pretty shallow, too."
The businessman's eyebrow quirks. He leans in toward Jimin and taps his thigh while leveling his mouth with his ear. "And yet I just keep getting deeper," he husks.
All that Jeongguk can hear is Jimin's breath hitching. He backs away, admiring his rose flustered cheeks and little glare that embody the entirety of his being. "I have to go take care of something, baby. Stay at my place, would you? It won't take long, I promise."
Although Jeongguk doesn't specify what exactly it is that he has planned, it's obvious that Jimin already knows. The latter looks up.
"As persistent as he was, he didn't do anything wrong to me, okay?" Jimin reminds him.
And even though Jeongguk appreciates the fair warning, he already has so much built up resentment toward his brother that if all of this wasn't intentional, it's enough to push him closer toward the edge of snapping. Their fight they had in the office wasn't even the worst of it.
"He'll get what he deserves." Jeongguk straightens out his tie, tightening it around his neck. He fixes his cuffs and once he's done that, he reaches for a suit jacket hanging in his closet. "I'll be back soon, baby."
Jimin just nods his head and with that, Jeongguk takes off. He feels guilty leaving Jimin alone in his penthouse like this but Ro-un is very persistent and it doesn't matter how long it will take. He has this tendency to just keep pushing until he gets what he wants. He doesn't doubt for a second that Jimin is going to be one of those things.
And so without any kind of notice, Jeongguk hits the road toward Ro-un's place. The whole drive there, he's tapping his fingers against the steering wheel, pulling on his bottom lip. He isn't nervous, per se, mostly frustrated and for a multitude of reasons.
He has no right to be angry at the fact that his younger brother could be something other than straight - he himself has kept his sexuality hidden from not only his family but the world. There's no telling the kind of backlash the company would get if everyone figured out he was gay. That's something he intends to keep secret.
He's ridden with this fluctuating feeling of bitterness because everything that belongs to him in some way, his brother wants. Ever since they were little. And as Ro-un has developed over time, he has become progressively better at working himself around the business, kissing other employee's asses to get any kind of recognition that could help him weasel his way to the top. He's sly but not sly enough that Jeongguk's blind to his intentions.
After pulling to the side of the road alongside the curb, Jeongguk stops his car and looks at Ro-un's house, exhaling heavily through his mouth. This is going to be a fucking shit show but it needs to be done. He's been too lenient and it's only a matter of time before his younger brother tries to replace him for good.
Jeongguk turns his car off, stepping out of it. He crosses the street and he makes his way up to the porch, knocking on the door. He waits a few seconds before it opens.
"Hyung?" Ro-un questions, eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing here?" He checks his apple watch.
"I didn't text and I didn't call, either. We need to talk and it needs to happen right now." Jeongguk doesn't wait for Ro-un to invite him inside, passing by.
The door closes and Ro-un follows after him. "I'm kind of busy right now, if you wouldn't mind coming back later."
Jeongguk places a picture frame down, turning around to face his younger brother. He places his hands on his hips, digging his tongue into the inside of his cheek. "I don't give a fuck what you're doing, Ro-un. I have some questions to ask and I need you to answer them."
The youngest crosses his arms, tilting his head to the side. "You've been neglecting your work duties and now all of the sudden you're so keen on giving orders?"
Jeongguk scoffs. "Are you sure I've been the negligent one? You've been chasing someone around in particular and I'm going to need you to stop. You don't want things to get messy."
Ro-un shrugs his shoulders, staring at his brother with a perplexed look on his face. "I have no idea who you're talking about."
Playing dumb. Jeongguk squeezes the bridge of his nose. "Are you into men, Ro-un? Don't lie to me."
As soon as the question leaves Jeongguk's mouth, his younger brothers stills, skin falling ashen. "No, why would you even ask me that? I've dated women my whole life."
"You've dated women your whole life, yes, but there's a difference between doing it just to do it and enjoying it. I couldn't give two fucks if you aren't straight. But there's someone you're after, Ro-un. And you need to pretend he doesn't exist," Jeongguk retorts, taking a step closer when he notices his younger brother start to lose his composure.
"He?" Ro-un reiterates, completely baffled. "I'm not talking to any men. I never have," he replies, voice slightly shaken.
Jeongguk hums, noticing that even if it's small, he's definitely gotten some kind of rise out of him. Enough to know that Jimin was telling the truth.
"Does the name Jimin ring a bell?" he asks.
Ro-un shakes his head, suddenly looking smaller.
And so Jeongguk takes another step closer, tightening his grip around his younger brother's collar. "He's a little bit shorter than we are, moon shaped eyes, short blond hair, pretty smile. A little bit of an attitude," he describes.
At the last statement, something in Ro-un's eyes flicker and he fails to hide it. Suddenly he's building up a front, shaking away all of the nerves racking his body. "And how do you know Jimin? Why do you want me to stay away from him?"
"The reason doesn't matter. He doesn't need somebody like you and that's all there is to it. Try to keep your fucking dick in your pants and save it for the next person that piques your interest. Whether a woman or not, I don't care." Jeongguk heads toward the entryway, wrapping his fingers around the doorknob.
"You like him," Ro-un pipes up, just when Jeongguk is about to open the door. "No wonder he was in front of the company building more than once. He's been what's distracting you."
Jeongguk looks over his shoulder. "But so do you, so you won't say anything. It looks like we both have big secrets, doesn't it? Keep your mouth shut, Ro-un, and I'll do the same with mine." He makes it out the door, closing it behind him.
There's no telling what happens after this - whether Ro-un is willing to keep his secret or not. But he knows to stay away from Jimin and that's all that matters.